IB Diploma Programme - informative session

Families of grade 10 students are invited to an informative session on the IB Diploma Programme on Wednesday, January 26 at 18:00 through google meet. We will provide an overview of our implementation of the programme, the application process that students will be completing, available subject offerings and the course selection process. We will also have a short Q&A session in the end, to address any parent and student questions about the program.  

MYP Year 1 IDU summative project - survival diaries

Our MYP Year 1 students had an amazing shelter-building training led by our guest Nathan Fry, a Bilateral Affairs Officer in the US Embassy, Skopje. This was a great hands-on survival learning experience for the students to apply into their final IDU summative project “Survival Diaries”. They were asked to use synthesized knowledge, skills, and understanding from both IaS and ELL subjects to problem solve real-life situations and think creatively to survive natural disasters, dangers, and disease outbreaks in different locations across Macedonia. Check out the photo gallery from the training on the following link

The Sound of NOVA - Grade 7 Music Ad Competition

The best way to promote education and NOVA school's values is by letting the students speak for themselves. By creating advertisements with their original music, our students spoke about the importance of education. The winner of the Music Ads Competition "The Sound of NOVA" in the 1st Semester is Amin Jahoski. The jury this year, decided to give a Special Jury Award to Joana Nikolovska as well. Congratulations to them for their creative work with the visuals and music, which sends an authentic and clear message about their own successful educational story at NOVA.

Grade 1 Entry Point - People of the Past

First graders started a new Unit in IS, "People of The Past". For the Entry Point students came dressed as an important person from the past. Everyone was excited to share some interesting facts about their person.

NOVA Elementary School Winter Performances 2021 Featured on Nasa TV

NOVA  Elementary School Winter Performances, will be broadcasted on Nasa TV on Saturday, January 15th, from 10:00 am and 8.00 pm and it will be rebroadcasted on Sunday, January 16th, from 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. Let your family and friends know so they can watch their loved ones perform.

Grade 3 Exit Point

Our student displayed the findings of their research across all the different subject areas – by transporting visitors back in time to Pompeii with models of Vesuvius and eye-witness reports. Photographs and  PowerPoint presentations of volcanic scenery and famous volcanoes around the world were displayed and presented. Students even created international aid agencies whose responsibility is to support countries affected by natural disasters. There was an exhibition of  earthquake-proof buildings, allowing visitors to test them at a ‘shake table’ and talk about the contents of the earthquake survival kit. Students showed visitors igneous rock samples, e.g. pumice, while others acted  as ‘guides’, and informed visitors about the exhibits and took them on a tour. Check out the photo gallery from the activity on the following link: link  

Elementary School Winter Performance 2021

On our first day back to school from winter break, we are thrilled to announce the premiere of the ES Winter Performance 2021 today at 6 PM on the Nova FB page and YouTube channel.

Grade 5 Museum Visit

As part of our unit, Here and Now, There and Then, our fifth graders visited the Museum of Macedonia. Students visited the exhibits, checked historical sources and made detailed, labelled sketches of significant artifacts from the museum. This is a national museum with departments that research and exhibit the archaeological, ethnological, historical, and artistic heritage of Macedonia. The museum takes care of over 66,000 items that helped students learn about the past. In our history study we talked about primary and secondary sources and how they help us understand the life of the people in the past. Students learned more about the history of the host and home country and were able to find out about aspects of the past from a range of sources during this trip. Check out the photo gallery from the visit here

Retirement Party for Dijana Obradovic

The end of the first semester of the academic 2021-22 was also a bitter sweet occasion, as it was the time when we had to wave goodbye to our dear colleague Dijana Obradovic who after devoting 27 years to NOVA was retiring. Dijana had been part of the institutional growth and development throughout these 27 years, always turning any challenge into a success, bravely embracing risk as a learning opportunity. Besides being a loyal member of our community, she has always been a most hardworking professional and a skilful educator. Over the years she touched the hearts and minds of thousands of students who were completely transformed during her literature and drama classes. We’re forever indebted for the legacy she leaves behind, and are thankful for having shared all of these years together. Check out the photo gallery from the event here

ES Christmas Performances

This is the time of year when our ES students celebrate the arrival of the holiday season with songs, dances, and a lot of good cheer!   Check out the photo gallery from the events here

MYP 1 Individuals and Societies students as cartographers

MYP 1 Individuals and Societies students have taken on the role of cartographers by designing a Political-Physical Map of Macedonia. They need to use the map elements they have learned (compass rose, legend/symbols, elevation and scale, map cities, rivers, mountains, roads, airports, borders, neighboring countries, longitude, latitude, grid) to create a complete map. The MYP encourages students to connect with and learn about the host country. Check out the photo gallery from the activity here

NOVA Service Learning Program - Short Documentary About Our Environment

"NOVA's Service Learning program aims to encourage students to become empathetic individuals who care about their environment. As part of this program, our students Aleksandar Atanasovski and Jovana Krstevska have created a short and insightful documentary that raises awareness on pollution in our environment, but also inspires us to take action against it".

IB English A Language and Literature ft. CAS

As part of the unit "Drama and Poetry" , the IB English A: Language and Literature students paid homage to the bard of Harlem, Langston Hughes. In the style of his poem "Theme for English B" - pen in hand - students crafted their own "Theme for English A". Each poem acts as a response to the opening stanza of Hughes's poem: The instructor said, Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you— Then, it will be true.   Check out the photyo gallery from the activity here

Last PTA Coffee Hour for 2021

Just in time for winter break, the PTA organized a coffee hour on mental health for Secondary School parents. Dr. Vaska Mitova, an experienced psychiatrist at the University Clinic of Psychiatry in Skopje, shared about mental health, especially as it relates to young people and the impact of the Covid pandemic. Nova school counselors were also present to interact with parents. For those who were unable to attend, a recording is available. 

ES Music Interpretation - Believer by Imagine Dragons

The aim of this video is to show that by communicating freely with the voice, face, and body (either by playing instruments or dancing), children learn to express ideas with confidence, empathize with others from different cultures and backgrounds, and feel at home in their own skin. Song, music and dance can help children become more imaginative, self-aware and collaborative global citizens.

Mental Health Workshops

In the midst of the Covid19 pandemic, taking care of our emotional well-being and our mental health is paramount. With that in mind, grade 10 NOVA students from the student-led club “New Horizons”, organized three mental health workshops with a professional Gestalt therapist. The focus was on stress management via drawing and painting. The workshops thus drew the attention to the ‘here and now’ and feelings that were experienced at the moment, allowing each participant to seek themselves through this process. Check out the photo gallery from the event here

Grade 7 Service-As-Action Project

Students from 7.1 and 7.2 advisory classes worked together on a service-as-action project focusing on the IB learner profile characteristics of caring. We partnered with a local NGO called Open Society Foundation to support a group of Afghan refugees and their families who are currently staying in Skopje, North Macedonia. The students in Individuals and Societies classes learned about the causes of human migration and the definition of a refugee, focusing specifically on the current conflict and situation in Afghanistan which caused many people to have to flee for their safety. Each student selected a refugee child to support by creating a personalized card and gift with a toy and sweets. The advisory teachers, Ms. Anita Babic and Ms. Kimberly Fry, delivered these gifts to the refugee families on Monday December 13th. The families were filled with gratitude and the smiles on the children’s faces showed their appreciation for our students' acts of caring for humanity.

Telling Stories with Photographs

The old saying goes that "a picture is worth a thousand words". MYP Year 3 English Language and Literature students have embarked on a reporting project to explore reporting that uses photography to tell under-reported stories. In this particular activity, they viewed photos from different reporting projects and examined the strategies that the photojournalists employed to capture them as well as to evaluate how they communicated their message. In addition, students used visual thinking strategies to identify themes while exploring printed photographs.  Check out the photo gallery from the activity here: link

MS Robotics - End of season report

In the past three months, despite the pandemics, MS Robotics Club managed to carry on with its activities. Students were inspired and engaged in finding solutions to this year's FLL Challenge-Cargo Connect. On December 3rd, our two teams took part in the virtual competition and presented their solutions to other competitors, while also learning about their proposed solutions. The most satisfying part for this year’s activities, for both coaches and students, was to see their teamwork, communication and problem solving in action, along with the final outcome. We hope to see our 8th graders team in HS Robotics next year, and our 6th graders return, even better prepared, for the new challenges that await! Check out the photo gallery from the activity here  

MYP 2 DANCE Artistic Empowerment How dance can express activism

MYP 3 Dance students connected with English Language and Literature to explore activism as a means to further social justice and create a more compassionate community. Throughout Hip Hop Dance lessons, students learned how to create a short sequence based on the speech they wrote in English Language and Literature class. Students decided on "Gender equality" as their topic. Students augmented their spoken word dance with elements of visual storytelling to create a multimedia activism experience.

Winter Clothes Donations

The year is almost over, and colder winter days are nearing. Now is the time to clean out our closets and donate our unworn winter clothing pieces, which I am sure take up a considerable portion of everyone's storage space, to children and mothers in Shuto Orizari.  In collaboration with Sumnal, we are collecting jackets, sweaters, cardigans, long-sleeve shirts, pants, jeans, scarfs, gloves, socks, etc., in all sizes applicable for mothers and their children (boys and girls). Note that the donated clothing may be worn and used, yet, still, it should be clean and in good condition appropriate for use. New clothing donations are also welcomed.  The donation period starts today, December 6th, and ends on December 14th. Please bring your donations latest by the 14th! The drop-off location is the HS Auditorium.  Let us put the week to a good start by donating for the children and mothers in Shuto Orizari! Give your old clothes a second life! 

MYP 4 Inquiry Project

MYP 4 Individuals and Societies students took a deep dive into how empires are formed and what their defining characteristics are. After asking and answering inquiry questions that allowed them to conceptualize empires by studying those of the past, the students tested their understanding by creating their own empire. Students had to begin by identifying a type of government. Once they chose the type of government they then needed to identify different economic systems that would be viable within that structure and justify it. For each decision they made in building their empire they had to justify how it made sense within the existing structure. This allowed students to discover and explore the concept of causality.

National and University Library Workshop

Within the Memorandum of Understanding with the National and University Library, our colleagues took part in a workshop for paper restoration and conservation in books and archival documents.   The experience enabled participants to gain comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience in paper conservation and restoration. During the workshop, our colleagues came to an idea for an Interdisciplinary Unit connected to the production and history of paper, preserving paper, and most of all, preserving what is written on the paper, an activity that will also include other colleagues and students in the following months.  

The NOVA Times

Dear NOVA community,   As we head into the winter break, we are proud to present the Ninth Edition of NOVA Times.   This edition contains an op-ed by a student on the implications of a school dress code, as well as a step-by-step guide for conducting research within the MYP or DP programme.    Feel free to send any comments or suggestions you have in the anonymous box. If you wish to participate in the newspaper or write a response to an opinion article, feel free to email ek14343@nova.edu.mk or lp14699@nova.edu.mk.    As always, we would like to express our gratitude to the writers, editors, and designers who worked on this issue, as well as our faculty advisor, Ms. Mickovska, and Mr. Cunningham, for their continued support throughout the publishing process.   Kindest regards,   The Editors and Staff of NOVA Times

MYP 3 DANCE, UNIT- INTERPRETATION

MYP 3 Dance students put a new meaning to interpretation with their latest service as action video. Students began by choosing an issue that directly affects them; bullying. They then picked a song that represented the message they wanted to send those who are bullied. They worked collaboratively to choreograph a powerful dance video with a strong message of hope. Students were responsible for all aspects of the writing, dancing, costuming, and acting in the video. They chose to wear blue to stand in solidarity with all people who are bullied and feel hopeless. This is another wonderful example of how students can harness the power of the arts for activism.

CAS activity: Re-Tweet a Meal for Stefan Filipovski

When Stefan as a child was asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?", he never replied: policemen or firemen. He always said: I want to be a chef!  So, on this Thanksgiving holiday, our student Stefan Filipovski, joined together with the U.S. Embassy Skopje locally employed staff in cooking meals, together with the #ретбитниоброк initiative, to support all the people who can not afford a meal on this day, when we give thanks to others as part of his CAS activity. Over 100 meals were prepared, with the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies, and pickles.  In our IB program, we pay special attention to the aspect of experiential learning and we are happy and thankful that students show initiative to help the community and inspire others. 

International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women

Today (November 25th) we are marking the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women with the speech by our 9th-grade student Vedrana Serafimovska Milosevska, who won 1st place in the Original Oratory category in the Speech&Debate Tournament that took place this weekend. Congratulations to Vedrana for creating and delivering this powerful speech. As a school, we are doing our best to create a meaningful and sustained change that requires a multi-dimensional approach and set of interventions that work at multiple levels, within the school and the community.

Tennis Season Report

During the months of September, October and half of November, Nova Lower Secondary School students had the chance to practice tennis with skilled coaches on the courts of MTP. Days filled with excitement, learning forehand and backhand, serving and a lot of running. Every Tuesday and Thursday Nova students had the opportunity to stand on the red sand and work hard in order to become highly proficient tennis players. Here are some photos of our wonderful students playing on the courts. Check out the photo gallery from the activity here

CEESA Speech & Debate Tournament

After months of preparation, our students took part in the annual CEESA Speech & Debate Tournament, organized by Nova International Schools in cooperation with QSI Almaty International School. The event included 11 schools and more than 80 students across the CEESA network competing in the following categories: Debate, Duet Acting, Oral Interpretation, and Oral Oratory. In the speech segment, our student Vedrana Serafimovska Milosevska won 1st place in the category Oral Oratory, while our students Aleksandar Shopovski and Mihail Mirchevski won 3rd place in the Duet Acting Category. Our Debate team consisting of Vedrana Serafimovska Milosevska and Luka Pavikjevikj placed 4th in the Debate category for the motion  "This House Would Introduce a Universal Basic Income". We would like to thank our competitors for making this competition a success and a special thanks to our students who provided essential support for the event to be successful in its online format. Congratulations to everyone!  

Behavior Lessons

NOVA Elementary Principal, Ms. Stacy Sherman, spent time in the role of teacher this past week as she introduced students in third, forth, and fifth grades  to the section in the NOVA Student/Parent Handbook on Code of Behavior.  Students enjoyed working in teams of two as they read, and sorted behaviors into three levels. Along the way, students were learning new vocabulary, as well as the Rights and Responsibilities they have as students, and what behaviors they should avoid.  The students engaged in deep conversations with each other as they read through the behaviors and made collaborative decisions as to which level they felt the behaviors should be placed. In the end, the students were excited to have Ms. Sherman be their teacher for an hour and they are looking forward to her coming back in the near future to do other lessons.  Even students on DL were involved in the activities. For Ms. Sherman, she was thrilled to teach again and spend time in each classroom. Her hope is that students will know and understand that each person has a right to an education in an environment that is safe to do so; and that each of us has a responsibility to make it happen.   Check out the photo gallery from the event on the following link

Grade K Theater Visit

On the 18th of November, the Kindergarten students went to the Children’s theater in the center to see a performance of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. The students have been reading different versions of Little Red Riding Hood over the last few weeks and learning variations of the story. They enjoyed interacting with the story being told to them by the actors and discussing it afterward during class. We will be creating our own puppets in order to tell familiar stories next week to showcase what we’ve learned. Check out the photo gallery from the visit here

National University Library donation

On Monday, we visited the National and University Library “ St. Kliment of Ohrid” and discussed our joint activities for the upcoming period.  The principal of our school Ms. Bela Gligorova has shared her memories of the time spent in the library with the hope that the library will remain relevant and important for our students through the activities that we will organize together.Our student Arta Kurti handed out the donation we were able to provide from the funds of the event “Masquerade Ball” that she has organized in collaboration with her peers.

Cleanup Activity

This Friday, our seniors Anastasija, Bistra, Matej, and Viktor teamed up with @Selektiraj Otpad and organized a team of students to clean up the quay of Vardar and increase their knowledge about the importance of waste management. The activity served the practical purpose of cleaning and learning about waste selection, but it also created a sense of unity and friendship among students in different grade levels.  Check out the photo gallery form the event on the following link

CAS connections - Preparation of Turshija

The preparation of the “Turshija” is a process that does not require as much time as it requires love. It also requires friendship and we tried to combine these components in our project.The charitable components of this activity included collecting funds, buying ingredients and in the end. It was a pleasure to have multiple students involved in various roles of tursija preparation, and an even greater pleasure when the final product is distributed to those in need. Check out the photo gallery from the event on the following link

Dance inclusion

Nova's MYP 1 Dance classes were honoured to host the inclusive dance group from dance studio “Eureka", as part of their current unit on inclusion in dance. Visiting students from the inclusive dance group are all diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  This diagnosis severely limits their fine and gross motor control.  NOVA students were able to experience dance from a perspective of someone who has a physical limitation. They watched a short performance of the "Modern Cinderella" play, were then able to ask questions, and finally performed with the dancers from the dance studio. Everyone in attendance was moved by the honesty and openness of the dancers.  It was an honour to be allowed to hear their thoughts. We hope this is only the beginning of a beautiful friendship and collaboration. Check out the photo gallery from the event on the following link

ES Fall Festival @ Nova

Fall Spirit Day (grades 9-12)

The Upper Secondary students were creatively engaged during the Spirit Day event where they used their artistic skills to create different kinds of fall-themed decorations. Working together with their peers on a beautiful sunny day, our students completed their creative tasks successfully, while having a lot of fun and bonding moments. Check out the photo gallery from the event on the following link

Design Sprint Challenge

November is a month dedicated to the Sustainable development goals for the students in our CAS program. In that theme, we just finished a Design Sprint Challenge! This past weekend, Nova students participated in a 48-hour design sprint challenge facilitated by Networker. Three teams were presented with real-life challenges from start-ups: Peli, Selektiraj Otpad and Monday Digital Agency. Using the design sprint methodology, the teams transformed problems into challenges and designed innovative solutions. In the end - teams pitched their solutions to a jury of start-up founders, Nova faculty and a business angel. The winners, Team Peli, won a voucher valued at 2500€ to take part in Networker’s Product Development Academy. We are thankful to the team at Networker for organizing a successful design sprint, the founders of Peli, Selektiraj Otpad and Monday Digital Agency for presenting their businesses to us, and our students who worked hard the whole weekend and showed us not only their collaboration and critical thinking skills, but also their true entrepreneurial potential. Check out the photo gallery from the event on the following link

Green is the New Gold

During the month of October, 40 teens from 21 nations got together for the "Green is the New Gold" online forum and brainstormed ideas on how to achieve a balance between development and conservation in some of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the world.   Three of our students Jona Kurtishi, Lina Nikolovska, and Andrea Koleva have chosen to participate in the forum as part of their CAS program, and ended being among the top five contributors to the knowledge of finding creative ways to address the challenges brought on by the need of balancing development and conservation in some of the world’s most beautiful countries.  You can see their work here and vote for the People's Choice Award by liking your favorite team. The Award will be announced along with the Best Representative, the Best Team, and the Pioneer Award on November 21.

Grade 1 Exit Point

First grade had an Exit Point on the unit ‘We Are What We Eat’. Students were learning about the different food groups, healthy food, and where food comes from. They completed a range of activities: matching the food to its source, creating a healthy meal and sorting food in groups. Students were also very excited to learn and recreate traditional food from different countries. Parents supported our learning by preparing traditional dishes from their home country. Our exit point was a great chance to taste the world. Check out the photo gallery from the event on the following link

FemTalks with the acclaimed and best-selling Macedonian author, Rumena Buzarovska

On Saturday, Nov 6, the NOVA Feminist Club kickstarted their panel series titled FemTalks with the acclaimed and best-selling Macedonian author, Rumena Buzarovska. The goal of FemTalks panels is to bring feminist discourse and feminist topics closer to the NOVA community. We want the wider audience to be engaged with feminist discussions, just as we do during our club meetings. The first FemTalk panel focused on the topic of Women in Literature and we are thrilled and extremely thankful to Ms. Buzarovksa for accepting our invitation. Storytelling is an important part of culture, and we find that in the Balkans, the stories that shape our culture are almost entirely told from a male perspective. This fact seeps into every sphere of life and only exacerbates the issues that women face every day in this region. Precisely for this reason, author Rumena Buzarovska is a revolutionary figure, as a woman writer who has gained success in the region and globally and who has managed to amass an audience who will listen to stories that are unique to women in Macedonia and the region. The panel was led by the president of the NOVA Feminist Club, Adora Limani and special thanks goes to panelists: Galena Jovanoska, Andrea Mojsoska, and Nina Kostadinoska for their insightful questions. The full discussion will be shared on our youtube channel soon, so stay tuned.

48 hour hackathon

We are happy to announce that NOVA and Networker on 6th and 7th November 2021 will be organizing a learn-by-doing hackathon for 11th and 12th grade. During the 48 hour hackathon, participants will have to wear an entrepreneurs’ hat and offer as a team solutions for existing problems of socially responsible business. In the end, the solutions will be presented in front of a jury, with a reward of a 2000 € voucher.  It’s time to “unlock” that entrepreneurial thinking and find the most original way to present sustainable development goals to your community. Apply as soon as possible since the number of applicants is limited to 25. https://networker.mk/hackathon

LET'S CHANGE LIVES - SOS Children's Village initiative

Under the slogan LET'S CHANGE LIVES, the SOS Children's Village last month launched a new initiative dedicated to Face To Face (F2F) donations. These are field donor activities aimed at expanding the network of SOS Friends -  dedicated donors who will donate on a regular, monthly basis. As one of the supporters of the project, Nova offered the space for volunteers at  SOS Children's Village to promote their initiative and raise awareness among our community.

Supporting Roma children

The week of November 1st, we delivered the school supplies that were donated by our students and faculty to Sumnal, a local organisation from Shuto Orizari that primarily works with the at-risk Roma population. We are thankful for all the donations delivered by our community so we can support the beneficiaries of Sumnal to participate in a formal learning process, and develop the ability to read and write.  

Fall Spirit Day (grades 6-8)

Our wonderful students took the advantage of a sunny day to work on their autumn decorations while at the same time enjoying some outdoors time spent with their friends. Their team effort, cheerful spirit and creativity contributed to the creation of unique fall decorations that will be displayed around the school. Giving students a chance to express themselves creatively while working in groups brings joy, improves cognitive functions, and stimulates bonding among classmates.  Check out the photo gallery from the event here

Fall festival at NOVA

Nova's Fall Festival organized by the Nova Parent Teacher Association (PTA) during the school day for all Elementary school children, was a great time to enjoy the last warm days of fall. Children from grades Pre-K to 5th came dressed as characters from a favorite book to participate in games and activities outdoors in Nova's backyard. They found their way through an outdoor maze, played tic-tac-toe with red and green apples, raced across the outdoor court sweeping pumpkins with a broom, and more. Our parent volunteers had a great time too, facilitating the activities for the children and getting to know other parents as well. Each child left the event with fall treats and will receive a professional class photo with a fall background to remind them of the fun they had. Check out the photo gallery from the event here

SuperNOVA intramural soccer tournament

After training hard during the first seven weeks of the fall soccer season, on Saturday (30.October, 2021), members of the boys soccer team from grades 9-12 participated in the SuperNOVA intramural soccer tournament. All students were divided into 4 teams (blue, green, yellow, red) and played a total of 8 games, scoring 40 goals (average of 5 per match) and having tons of fun. Students organized the teams by themselves and did a great job in determining their roles,  preparing and adjusting their tactics for each game and making sure everybody receives a fair amount of playing time throughout the tournament. We would like to thank all participants for their enthusiasm, positive attitude and displayed sportsmanship. We hope the memories from this tournament will last more than the soreness in our students’ muscles. The soccer season continues !!! Check out the photo gallery from the event here