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Parents

Zdravko Sami, Project Management Specialist USAID Macedonia, former NOVA Board President

When the opening of NOVA High School was announced, we were among the first to encourage our daughter to apply. It turned out to be a very exciting and mind-broadening experience, where children are taught to think with their own mind, to be free to doubt and ask not always appropriate questions, to be creative in a whole number of different ways. Several generations of students that graduated here have had the same experience and many of them are already successful in Macedonia and all over the world.

Mary Jo Wohlers, member of NOVA's Advisory Board

NOVA has a personal touch. The administration has always had an open door policy and has been warm and receptive to new ideas and suggestions. This has made NOVA stand out among other schools our daughters have attended. We have appreciated NOVA's work at reaching out to the international and expat students welcoming them and creating a friendly atmosphere for them. Having served on the Parent Teacher Association for the last two years, I have seen first hand how the teachers and parents and administration have worked together to communicate better, raise money for small projects and work to improve a variety of areas at NOVA.

Åsa and Johan Soderberg, Swedish Embassy

Dear all, Just a week ago, we received an offer to move to Brussels in August. We have now accepted the offer and will therefore have to bid farewell to you and to Nova at the end of this year. The decision was very difficult to make, and we are not sure yet if we made the right one… Living in Macedonia has been a truly fantastic experience for all of us, and especially for our children. We arrived on a Saturday night by car from Stockholm, and left the children at Nova Monday morning. We have been very fortunate as we never had to experience any periods of difficult times settling in for any of our children. This is thanks to Nova being such a welcoming and inspiring school! We will leave Macedonia with great respect for all the effort and devotion that all staff at Nova place into creating a perfect learning environment, not only academically but also emotionally and socially not to mention the emphasis placed on developing their creativity in arts, music and dance. The Christmas- and End of year performances have all been outstanding! We only informed the children yesterday, and they were very sad to learn that we will be leaving Macedonia. To them, Macedonia is equivalent to Nova and this will never change. They will be Nova’s best ambassadors in future, and we will make sure to visit. We are most grateful for the wonderful three years that our children have experienced at Nova. You will always be in our hearts and we hope to stay in touch and to be able to contribute to expanding the network among international schools!

US Family

I just want to take a minute to tell you what a great experience we have had at Nova this year. Our four boys have been in four different schools in the past four years with the associated transitions. All have been good in different ways, but the transition to Nova was much easier and smoother than we anticipated. They have all made friends and enjoyed learning. Nova does a wonderful job in embracing the diversity of the student body and one of the first things we enjoyed was International week early in the school year. Another advantage at Nova is the extensive exposure to the fine arts with the music, dance and art programs. The winter performance was an impressive display of this emphasis. Our oldest would say that from his perspective, the highlight this year has been representing Nova on three different teams in three different countries - basketball in Bulgaria, Math Counts in Croatia, and Knowledge Bowl in Tirana. Each trip has been an incredible (and new) experience for him. These are some of the reasons we are most thankful for our experience at Nova. However, none of this would be possible without Nova's greatest strength, the excellent teachers. They are a gold mine. Although we have only been here one year, we have experience with over a dozen of Nova's talented teachers. Each is passionate about teaching, eager to tailor their teaching to the students' individual learning styles and interested in the emotional, social and academic development of their students. We could not be more positive about our experience at Nova this year. We are grateful to each of you for the role you play, and especially to the teachers who have been so wonderful for our boys.

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Students

Anna-Sophie Kloppe, class of 2016

Perhaps it is not common for students to comment on the time they have spend at NOVA. However, I strongly feel that I have to express my feelings about NOVA now that I am heading off to a new adventure. It has been my privilege and a rewarding experience to spend almost four spectacular years at this extraordinary school. NOVA has managed to create a nurturing environment and a diverse student body which tries to excel and to be inquisitive, compassionate about learning and open minded. NOVA has truly given me the opportunity to cherish and appreciate a diverse and international community and an excellent academic education. Furthermore, NOVA's collaborative working environment empowered me to grow emotionally and artistically. NOVA's Middle School facilities include a beautiful new building, which makes all students, parents and staff feel comfortable and welcome. Yet, a school is not just a fancy building, but it is created by people who may or may not make a difference. This is what makes NOVA special, teachers make a difference and they deeply care about their students and want them to succeed! I was more than fortunate to have had some very inspiring and excellent teachers who have influenced and inspired me not just for the time at NOVA, but also for my future. Please allow me to name those teachers, who have left their footprints in my heart and have played a major role in building my character and making me the person I am today. They have not only been excellent teachers in their own fields, but they have been warm-hearted persons, who go far beyond the normal call of duty and always have an open ear and good advice. First of all I want to commend Ms. Amanda Leavitt. She has been an inspiration from day one. She has gone out of her way not only to teach us in a vivid and fun way, but she has succeeded in preparing us very well for High School. Mrs. Natasa Kardula who on top of her excellent academic skills, has been a caring teacher throughout the years. Even after being my teacher she is still concerned about my well- being. Ms. Vera Sotirovska and Ms. Marija Simonovska have "only" been my soccer and basketball coaches, but they have also proven to be supportive and outstanding teachers, who went out of their way to encourage and support me. The same goes for Ms. Jordan Johnston, who has never been my teacher, but has always taken a moment to listen and to make my days brighter. I once read that a teacher's job is not just to cultivate a hunger for learning but to become a confidant and motivator but most of all, a teacher is an individual who sparks intellect and encourages students to pursue knowledge on their own. I cannot agree more and I believe that all these teachers have done that and to me they are the people who make NOVA what it is and what it is known for. I am forever grateful to you, Mrs. Novakovska, to have employed these wonderful ladies! One person in particular has has made these four years memorable and very precious and I feel that this person cannot be left without being mentioned: Ms. Zorica Tabanova. There are not enough adjectives to describe her! She has been a blessing throughout my NOVA years. Her genuine kindness has not only carried me through difficult times, but her impeccable and outstanding teaching skills have had a great impact on me. I strongly feel that she perfectly portraits what ALL teachers should be like. She is a true gem to the Nova Community and I hope that you see that as well. NOVA will always be part of me. It has a place in my heart and I can guarantee that I will stay in touch for many years to come. Warm regards, Anna-Sophie Kloppe, class of 2016

Gavril Rosoklija, class of 2009, Columbia University

Academics, athletics and music are very important in my life. Academics have always been a mode for the development of my intellect and individualism, while athletics have served as a way to learn competitiveness and experience kinship. Music is my world for relaxation and to experience the beauty. In these past two years, NOVA has fulfilled all of this in an atmosphere so different from all other high schools, which sometimes creates a feeling in me that someone read my dreams and created NOVA.

Anna Milovanovic, class of 2007

After having studied in five different schools across the globe, I have found NOVA to be the heaven of inspiration. NOVA teaches everyone (students, teachers, and administration) how to be a decent person in society; one filled with knowledge and a thirst to know more. This institution has made me a part of its family which is why I truly appreciate its welcoming atmosphere. I wish the best of luck to the future generations and courage to the brilliant scholarship students that I have met here, as I know that NOVA is heading to perfection.

Nina Sami, class of 2001, University of California - Berkeley

In a time of strive Nova was the only school to boast diversity, tolerance and camaraderie. It is hard for me to name favorites however Dijana Obradovic immediately comes to my mind as a very strong role model. Venera’s vision followed me since I was a child and now as an adult it makes me believe that hard work and endurance is one thing that makes dreams come true.

Sandra Ristovska, class of 2005, University of Kansas

Education is the essential component of who we are; the image in which others perceive us. Therefore, an education with high standards can broaden our horizons, and shape us into a person who is ready to cope with today’s urban and global living. In that sense, I was happy to be a Nova graduate student and even happier to realize the importance of that experience afterwards. I cannot help but be grateful to the Nova faculty that prepared me for the intense and demanding American educational system.

Georgi Unkovski, class of 2006, Rochester Institute of Technology

NOVA gradually helped me develop and realize my potential, and I believe that is the most important thing a school can do for you. The social and academic experiences within the four years I spent at NOVA had me ready for the immense challenges I face today, and to this moment I can not truly express the gratitude I owe to the people that got me where I am.