Welcome Letter

Welcome to NOVA!   

 

In the 2020-21 school year, we launched Nampa Online Virtual Academy to provide education for students who had a strong desire to be online during the pandemic. We also came to understand that there are many students who prefer the online environment and learn better that way. We are excited to continue to provide educational opportunities for students in this school year and beyond! 

 

As a student at NOVA, you will experience a school year filled with fun, productive online learning activities, and even some digital and in-person social activities. The NOVA staff are committed to helping you learn and grow to reach your maximum potential.    

 

Our staff use a blend of online meetings and digital content to provide instruction for our core classes. Students are expected to participate regularly in online class meetings with teachers and other students via digital platforms such as Microsoft Teams. Students are also expected to complete a variety of learning experiences outside of the meeting times. This work is a required part of the instruction. Students will participate in independent learning activities that will introduce them to new topics and content standards.   

 

New in 22-23  

• Helping your explorer succeed page on the NOVA website.  This page includes information about a variety of topics and ways in which parents can support their student’s success in the online environment at NOVA. This page includes explanations of attendance, Mentor classes, and more. Check it out at:  https://nova.nsd131.org/apps/pages/helping_your_explorer_succeed  
• To help make the transition to middle school better for students, students in 5th and 6th grade will share two teachers. Students will be with one teacher for Language Arts and Social Studies and another teacher for Math and Science.   
• Intervention: We are excited to add some intervention supports for students who are having academic or behavioral difficulties in the online format. If a student is struggling or falling behind in any grade level, our intervention team will be in contact with the student and family to build a specific plan for supporting the student in learning. While much of the intervention will be able to be provided online, students may be asked to come to the school building for some tutoring and support. 

Credit for courses offered through NOVA will be granted based on a student’s showing proficiency in the standards for the course. Attendance will also be kept and will be based on student participation not only in the live digital meetings, but also on work completion and staying in regular contact with teachers while progressing through the course. 

 

Because NOVA is a smaller school, we offer the required courses for graduation at the high school and a very limited number of electives from our full-time and adjunct faculty.  We provide opportunities for students to take elective courses by attending one of our district high school courses on a brick-and-mortar campus or attending a digital course through IDLA. The weekly schedule is designed in such a way that high school students can attend a brick-and-mortar elective in person and also attend the digital courses they need. 

 

To be a student at NOVA, an annual open enrollment application must be completed at https://www.nsd131.org/apps/pages/OpenEnrollment    

 

All Students in the Nampa School District must also fill out the annual registration forms at https://www.nsd131.org/apps/pages/Registration 

 

Thank you, 

 

Jason K. Hillman 

Principal