NOVA Middle School in Olympia | Military Town Advisor

Posted: May 12, 2026

My son has thrived at Nova as a 6th grader. He wants to learn and do well, and loves being presented with the challenges that Nova teachers present. He's already thinking ahead to next year, and even what he might like to do for his 8th grade project. He is definitely inspired to learn at Nova.

Posted: April 27, 2026

We joined NOVA in 7th grade and NOVA is exactly what my student needed. He was not being challenged, was bored, and did not want to go to school. He was insecure and not confident. Academically, NOVA is faster paced and more in depth yet will modify to meet a student where they are. NOVA encourages out of the box thinking and celebrates uniqueness. Teachers instruct in nontraditional styles making learning more exciting and interesting. NOVA has both a beginning and end of school year overnight field trip which are team building, promotes social emotional intellience, and develops close friendships quickly. Attending NOVA is an experience my student will not forget and I believe it was worth it to put my student on the right path. He is currently in high school and attending NOVA made all the difference.

In addition, NOVA also will accommodate if your student still wants to participate in their home school district's sports. We were going back to our district several days a week so our student could keep their friend group, engage in sports, and sray involved with that district. There are grants available for partial tuition. We didn't expect to receive any tuition offset yet we applied, and it was worth it. I strongly recommend NOVA. This is what a middle school experience should look like. We felt so strongly about NOVA that we put our 2nd child in at 6th grade, they are currently 7th, and we plan on staying for 8th.

NOVA and their staff looks at the entire student as a whole and want to support that student in whatever they may need academically, social emotionally, and improving critical thinking skills. Smaller classes with a pace that can be faster with nontraditional style instruction has made learning enjoyable. I am so pleased with the change I have seen in my older student that I am planning on sending my younger student for all 3 years. Middle school years are crucial and NOVA has provided what I hoped for a middle school experience.

Posted: April 4, 2026

NOVA is such a fantastic gem, for both middle schoolers and their families. I was first attracted to NOVA because of their mission of the joyful pursuit of intellectual, social, and emotional expansion. In elementary school, my older son seemed bored and he receded inside his shell. Now in his 3rd year at NOVA, he has developed close friendships, has enthusiastically tried new activities, desires to attend social events, laughs often, has discovered that he loves creative writing and ceramics, participated in mock trial, and is becoming a confident public speaker. He feels prepared for high school next year, ready to tackle honors and advanced classes. My younger son, who is finishing 6th grade at NOVA, has always been social and engaged, but he was frustrated by the huge classes at his public elementary school. He too has thrived at NOVA, soaking up opportunities like a sponge. He loves that the teachers really care about him, that all the students are kind and supportive of everyone, and that there are so many activities to try. This year, he has especially loved math and geography, but he also has enthusiastically written multiple short novels, tried crochet, acted in the school play, made a pot in ceramics, and created an intricate map of a fantasy land he invented. He has also become a much more confident student, attempting (successfully) to read books he never would have considered last year. From a parents perspective, I am thrilled with NOVA. The community is strong, and everyone is invested in the success of each child.

Posted: January 22, 2026

Our family has seen NOVA transition through the various stages of COVID education, a head of school change, and the welcoming and celebrating of several graduating classes, each unique and wonderful. From my perspective, as a parent, NOVA did this smoothly and with grace. I believe this is because the faculty and staff work together to address the needs of the students they are teaching each year and while they address the individual student, at the heart of their pedagogy are NOVAs mission and core values: Connection. Commitment. Intention. Joy.

My son, now in 11th grade, attended NOVA and was well-equipped socially, emotionally and more than ready academically, for high-school. He left middle school with confidence and the life-skills that he learned from his time at NOVA. He felt prepared and even excited to leave NOVA and embark on the next adventure that is high-school!

My daughter, is currently an 8th grader at NOVA and has thrived in her own way. She continues to try new things and is developing her identity. She has enjoyed taking on more leadership roles within the school and has even found opportunities to advocate for herself and others!

Someone asked me recently if I thought my kids received the same education and experience at NOVA? The truth is both no, and yes. They were inspired and challenged by different curriculum, and different teachers, in very different ways. I also believe they both felt seen and empowered to be the best version of themselves, every day, at NOVA.

Watching your children find and build their own community is a beautiful thing. Seeing them challenge themselves to push beyond their comfort zone and try new skills is inspiring. Knowing they have the confidence to engage with the world around them, feel strong enough to use their voice, and brave enough to find their truth, is powerful. The time and experience my family has had at NOVA has been an unexpected gift and we will be forever grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of the NOVA community.

Posted: December 2, 2023

NOVA has been the perfect fit for our daughter. She has found community, belonging, academic challenge and rewards. Most importantly, being at NOVA has helped her recognize, develop, and showcase her inner strengths as a student and as a human. As a result, I have watched her grow from an awkward 6th grader to a confident 8th grader who is excited about high school and the journey beyond.

Posted: April 23, 2023

This school is very engaging and fun

Posted: June 2, 2022

As an alumnus of NOVA, I highly recommend the school. I transferred to NOVA during my last year of middle and all of my teachers and classmates were very welcoming. Because it is such a small school the community is very tight-knit. The teacher-to-student ratio was also pretty low, which I really appreciated. There was a huge variety of enrichment classes. The teachers were all very supportive and helped us achieve high academic achievements. NOVA really help me be prepared for high school. Because of the classes, I took at NOVA I was able to receive some credits for science classes. There were also beginning-of-the-year and end-of-the-year trips that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Posted: June 1, 2022

I transferred into the school for 8th grade - my class was already tight-knit, but students were welcoming and I was able to learn in a safe and inviting environment. Teachers were supportive and fostered my learning, I was able to "fit in" and join the community that had already been 'created.' Of course, transferring in for the last year had it's challenges as the program is made to have students attend from 6-8th grade, but I sincerely believe that I was able to have a good experience. 4 stars as I believe that I would have had a different experience had I attended from 6th grade, many of the teachers I admired have since then been let go, and because my memory is not the clearest. Neutral rating for special education as I do not know enough about it - I'm unsure if there even is a curriculum for students who require different support and accommodations.

Posted: May 23, 2022

My child is curious and highly engaged. They needed an experience that was more immersive. They are challenged, but not overwhelmed. They have had an opportunity to start Spanish and other classes which I believe are important to modern learning, but not always offered. As a parent, the school offers lot of opportunities for parents to connect, socialize, and build community. They use a single simple app - TeacherEase for everything!!! As a parent I feel way more connected in with what my kid is learning and experiencing at school.

Posted: February 5, 2022

Our child is thriving at Nova Middle School. He is welcomed there with thoughtfulness and acceptance by the faculty and staff. His asynchronous development (gifted in some aspects of his intellectual and emotional self, delayed in others) are embraced by Nova and met with lots of individualized support. We've seen him develop his own internal motivations for learning, and more and more, an ability to stretch into the aspects of learning that are most difficult for him. Our student loves the deep coverage of geography in 6th grade, elective class choices, and how the teachers incorporate art into difference projects. We appreciate the guidance counselor's communication with our family and her sincere interest in helping our student understand his needs and advocate for himself.

Posted: February 5, 2022

Posted: November 10, 2021

I really like all the teachers here and everyone is super cool and nice to each other. we do have to do a bit of homework but it helps us prepare for high school! I would definitely think about going here because it helped me learn a lot this year! there is no bullying and the teachers are open to talking to the parents about finding ways to help a child learn more efficiently or better if they need help.

Posted: November 10, 2021

Posted: April 21, 2020

I am so grateful for NOVA. My son started middle school at a public middle school and started sinking immediately. After being accepted to NOVA, we thought things would magically be different, but he had the same struggles. The teachers and support staff were incredibly observant and proactive. Together we tried many strategies, some of which helped and some of which did not. After these attempts, they gently recommended testing, where we learned for the first time he has ADHD. Knowing this has given us more compassion and willingness to experiment with what will work. There is so much amazing interaction with the teachers. I cannot stress how proactive they all are. It makes it feel like were on a team for the success of one child.

Posted: April 21, 2020

Posted: March 4, 2020

Fantastic. We had 2 of my kids go here. Helped them mature!!

Posted: March 4, 2020

Just right amount of homework. Not too little.

Posted: March 4, 2020

Their motto is "be unique, be yourself."

Posted: March 4, 2020

Posted: December 13, 2019

A school with a sense of community. The teachers here are incredible and create such a rich curriculum that supports the entire child. The commitment from the entire school to develop students with integrity, compassion and a joyful place to learn. My son loves to go to school everyday. He has grown in all areas and I feel that he is now ready for high school and beyond. The things he has learned here are the foundation for his future and he is beyond ready. Thanks Nova school from the bottom of my heart! Nova school has exceeded our expectations in every way.!

Posted: July 1, 2019

Our two daughters went through NOVA and our whole family was very happy with the experience. The school does an incredible job of preparing students socially, emotionally, and academically for high school. Our only wish is that they had a NOVA high school, as both of my kids really miss the tight knit NOVA community as they transitioned to a much larger public high school.

Posted: July 1, 2019

Posted: May 9, 2019

Wonderful! Way too much homework, but that makes high school super easy

Posted: May 9, 2019

Posted: April 20, 2019

We have not experienced nor have been made aware of any bullying issues within Nova. I am confident that Nova's leadership would not tolerate this behavior.

Posted: April 20, 2019

Nova is a very supportive environment and is providing the educational experience that our child needed. This became very apparent at our first conference. The teachers really knew our daughter and celebrated her contribution to the learning environment and the quality of her work.

Posted: April 20, 2019

Our family could not be more happy with our experience at Nova. It has exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend the school to others.

Posted: April 20, 2019

Nova's course work is thoughtfully developed and challenging.

Posted: April 20, 2019

The teachers at Nova are passionate about education and do a great job relating to and supporting their students.

Posted: April 20, 2019

Nova's staff value and support individuality, diversity and community through shared experiences.

Posted: April 20, 2019

Nova's leadership is doing a great job executing their mission of expanding all aspects of their students, intellectually, socially and emotionally.

Posted: March 24, 2019

Excellent education in a socially supportive environment.

Posted: February 28, 2019

NOVA is a one-of-a-kind community of students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Our family has been amazed by the quality of the school curriculum and the social emotional support for each student as they develop and mature through their middle school years. Our child continues to love school and be inspired by her teachers and classmates. When our child first joined the NOVA community, she didnt know any of the other students. She made an easy transition. The faculty and staff made sure each and every kid was making connections with peers and facilitated some of those connections where a little extra help was needed. This is a school of caring, inclusive, creative academic types. Each child is celebrated and encouraged as a unique individual. It has been a perfect fit for our family, and I would recommend to any family with an academically excited middle schooler.

Posted: February 3, 2019

I can't speak to this directly, though I know that some of my kid's peers have various learning differences and the school has made accommodations for them. The teachers are very intentional and knowledgeable, and also meet often as a team to identify issues and work on ways to help students who are struggling or have particular needs.

Posted: February 3, 2019

The students have embedded social-emotional topics within their normal classes and activities as well as in a stand-alone class each week. I am aware of specific additional schoolwide discussions about cyberbullying, inclusivity, and compassion towards all.

Posted: February 3, 2019

I've seen three Heads of School while my kids have gone here. They were all fine.

Posted: February 3, 2019

Plenty of work, plenty of challenge, without being burdensome.

Posted: February 3, 2019

These teachers are terrific! They love working with these students, and they say they have lots of leeway to sculpt their classes to allow deep-dives into areas of particular interest and to develop their own programs and projects.

Posted: February 3, 2019

This is a very strong attribute of this school. Lots of built-in self-reflection, according to my kids. Lots of opportunities for peer leadership and peer management.

Posted: February 3, 2019

I have had several kids go to NOVA Middle School. They are very different kids, yet it has made such an impact on each of them. I've asked them how NOVA has made a difference to them. Each describes it as a crucial stepping stone in their growth as learners. The school makes a safe social space where differences are honored and celebrated, and it offers an academic environment that emphasizes curiosity, ownership of your own learning, and a sense of wonder and fun about learning. I can remember my first kid complaining about school being cancelled for snow and asking me to drive her to school anyway-- "Someone will be there. I want to go to school." What kid wants to go to school on a snow day? That's when I realized something really amazing was going on at NOVA. Another of my kids told me, "Being around the other students who really cared about learning, too, kept me challenging myself when I had thought I knew everything back in 5th grade." I've had some of my own peers talk to me about the apathy, cockiness, or disconnection that their middle school and high school age children have demonstrated. I have not seen that from my kids, nor from their other NOVA friends. The dedicated, thoughtful teachers work to create engaged students who are in charge of their own success. The students have a wide selection of electives to choose from three times a year to explore lots of new or continued interests. But the NOVA experience has really been about my kids having the opportunity to transition to young adults in a wonderful learning environment with great influences, joyful peers, and plenty of intentional self-reflection. My father told me recently that he never realized how vitally important the middle school years were until he watched the transformation of his own grandchildren during their years at NOVA Middle School.

Posted: September 17, 2018

Tuition (and parent volunteering requirement) is far too high for the benefit received. Many teachers are pretty good but the administration is a joke- no leadership and they never listen to student opinions. They coddle students in a way that makes them uncomfortable; they like to interfere in student's personal lives totally inappropriately for a school. They leave students with few friends (way too isolated socially) and graduates are totally unprepared for public high school.

Posted: September 17, 2018

Posted: January 3, 2018

My daughter has nearly completed her time at NOVA and she has had an excellent experience...she often states that she wishes NOVA had a high school option because she doesn't want to leave. She also give us feedback that its nice to go to school with other kids that are focused on learning, interested in their environment and are high achievers. The environment provided for learning is exceptional.

Proactive attention to the student body as a community and as individuals is obvious in daily interactions at the school, via communication through a regular weekly newsletter and additional email contacts to parents and the student body. The Head of School and new Curriculum Director are readily available and attentive to parental input. It's obvious that the teachers know your child well and have spent the time to give customized reviews and comments at conference time...not something that we found with all teachers at our public grade school. It's been wonderful to be at a school that cares and is available for discussion.

I think the required parental volunteer hours are a bonus to the parents, the kids and the school. We've enjoyed our time volunteering in so many ways and the options for volunteering are numerous.

In response to a review below that states "they are only interested in money"....NOVA is a private school that relies on funding from tuition and donation to function, of course they will be fundraising. Much of the fundraising is used to go towards scholarships and I have not found it to be offensive or obtrusive.

Almost daily either my husband or I say to each other how glad we are that we found NOVA and decided to give our daughter this middle school opportunity. We would highly recommend NOVA for any highly capable middle school student!

Posted: December 5, 2017

I was often happily surprised to learn at conferences that they knew my daughter's strengths and areas of growth. The teachers were flexible when needed.

Posted: December 5, 2017

Although we have not had to deal with this issue personally, I understand its a huge concern in any size school. NOVA has a wonderful counselor who works directly with teachers and the Head of School. And as I mentioned before, I would feel very comfortable to contact the Head of School or Assistant Head if I had any concerns.

Posted: December 5, 2017

NOVA gave my daughter the skills to organize and manage the homework. The homework was challenging but manageable. Homework was relevant to the learning in theclassroom.

Posted: December 5, 2017

I've found that the teachers really encourage dialogue and curiousity to learn in the classroom. Teachers find a way to incorporate current topics to make the learning more engaing and relevant for the students.

Posted: December 5, 2017

Many schools incorporate character development as part of their motto but in my experience NOVA provides opportunity to develop these qualities. NOVA's service projects ( Elementary Mentor program, Food Bank etc.) gave my daughter joy outside of the classroom and helped her to develop compassion , intergrity and respect that only can be reinforced through real opportunities outside of school.

Posted: December 5, 2017

I always felt that I could reach out to Head of School if there were any concerns.

Posted: December 5, 2017

Our decision to send our daughter to NOVA was supported by the many alumni parents whose kids were in college. They all shared the common reflection that the education at NOVA helped to make them confident and caring adults. That made an impression on my decision to invest in their education in the middle school years. I also felt that NOVA was small enough to meet the growing academic and social needs and yet big enough to give my daughter the middle school experience.

Posted: November 2, 2017

They have a great counselor. The teachers also get to know the students, and they actually talk about issues like making transitions and managing friendships, communicating with parents, and diversity/differences.

Posted: November 2, 2017

The open door is genuine and I feel welcome sharing both questions and concerns. The teachers seem to be well supported so it feels like the students and their learning are the real priority.

Posted: November 2, 2017

Their homework is challenging but most importantly, it's interesting. Both of my children have learned great time management skills, and they're also doing different kinds of things on different nights. At times, the homework includes talking with parents about topics, and at other times, they're doing creative work in addition to academic work. The school also helps them develop time and project management skills so that they can keep organized!

Posted: November 2, 2017

They seem to really care, and they are very passionate about their classes and learning in general. They have always communicated really well with us about our children's learning, and respectfully about the next steps in their progress.

Posted: November 2, 2017

Both of my students have come home talking about big concepts and about right and wrong - sometimes at a society level and sometimes at a middle school level. I love that they are encouraged to develop their own opinions and that they have the freedom for their perspectives to change over time. They get great practice at being independent thinkers, not just academically.

Posted: November 2, 2017

It has been a great fit for both of our children - academically and socially. They were challenged to work hard, but the work was rewarding for them and they were consistently happy. In the end, they will both make the move to high school with solid skills and with a strong sense of who they want to be in future school settings.

Posted: October 3, 2017

The SJW and LGBTQ crowds appear to be the dominate cliques, and relatively free to push around the unaffiliated student. So it is different from the usual public school experience, yet still very much the same.

Posted: October 3, 2017

Where was compassion to be found when top management told me to, "Do something really fun!" with my child the week of my parent's funeral? Where are integrity and respect to be found when I hear of my child's progress at Nova from a third party around town? I have not found these qualities wasted on my child and me at Nova.

Posted: October 3, 2017

Some of the teachers are exceptionally talented, including upper level Science and Spanish. An inspirational History teacher left this year, unfortunately. Other core subjects - Language Arts and Math - have solid teachers. My child learned nothing about Art or Music from Nova teachers.

Posted: October 3, 2017

Overall selecting this school was a terrible parental mistake despite good academics in most subjects. In a landscape was littered with bad options, still I would keep looking.

Posted: July 1, 2017

The principal does not care about its students or parents input in the slightest. She only does what she wants and what will make the school money. The teachers are paid less than anything a public school would pay.

Posted: July 1, 2017

All they want is money. It seems like a good school but after it's only good teacher was fired the bureaucracy has destroyed its worth and I am very sad to see the school become worse than any public school.

Posted: July 1, 2017

For how much Nova school prides itself in the success and individuality of every student it does not listen to its students needs in the least. It fired its best teacher because he stood up for his students and when the students signed multiple petitions to keep the teacher the principal did nothing. Parents wrote letters saying how much they disagreed with the decision and still the principal did nothing. The school will be awful without him.

Posted: June 1, 2017

I have learned so much from NOVA! it has a wide variety of enrichment class options, and has really great teachers.

Posted: June 1, 2017

Posted: December 11, 2015

You'll never find better middle school teachers. The jazz band teacher has a Grammy, for goodness sake!

Posted: December 11, 2015

Never busy work. It's just the right amount to solidify concepts. A great combo of nightly work and long-term projects. Teachers are always in sync so a student never gets homework piled-on by numerous teachers at once.

Posted: December 11, 2015

NOVA School is simply an amazing all-around experience for a middle school student. No other school, public or private, within a 70-mile radius is even in the same ballpark as NOVA for offering the combination of core and enrichment classes, social-emotional development, supportive community, activities, and personal environment.

The tuition is far lower than nearly any other independent middle school in the region, and despite what another reviewer claims, it includes everything (even the yearbook!) Volunteering is a small part of being in the community -- 20 hours per year, but you'd have to work hard avoiding it to not find something to fit your fancy. (Most families exceed their service time.)

Students at NOVA want to be there, and it shows. Science, math, language arts, visual arts, music, foreign language (Spanish, French), history, robotics, video game coding, drama, journalism, songwriting, cooking, film, debate...you name it, NOVA has it and teaches it at a level ensuring the student is far beyond his or her peers when entering high school. And that advantage carries throughout life.

Basically, if you look at how much it costs, how NOVA students perform in high school, the colleges/universities they get into, and the average academic (and also athletic/music) scholarship awards they get, the return on investment with NOVA is a no-brainer. Plus the students will be happy, healthy, creative and first-rate leaders and collaborators.

If your child is lucky enough to be one of the students accepted, thank your lucky stars!!!

Posted: February 8, 2014

Our daughter is our third child to attend Nova. We have found the small class sizes and personal attention from teachers to be very beneficial. Teachers know each student and work with them and their parents to make the most of these important 3 years. If there are issues that arise, teachers are great with communication and in our experiences very helpful and willing to collaborate for the best outcome. The pace of schoolwork seems a bit accelerated. There doesn't seem to be time for anyone to sit around and get bored. Students learn to take responsibility for their work and become proactive in their education. Our older children entered high school with solid study skills and strong work ethic. This good foundation has carried into their university experience. They have continued to build on those formative years. To address an earlier comment; Parent involvement is required and if the family doesn't complete their volunteer hours they are billed for the remaining time. This is fully explained in the contract signed at the beginning of the year .

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Woodsmuir	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Olympia	WA	2.4 mi
2	Avonlea	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Lacey	WA	2.6 mi
3	Clocktower	Neighborhood/Subdivision	DuPont	WA	11.6 mi
4	Tahoma Meadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Yelm	WA	13 mi
5	Hawaiian Village	Apartment Complex	Lakewood	WA	18.8 mi
6	westridge apartments	Apartment Complex	Tacoma	WA	20.8 mi
7	North End	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Tacoma	WA	24.4 mi
8	Stadium District	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Tacoma	WA	25.6 mi
9	Silver Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Puyallup	WA	26.7 mi
10	Gem Heights	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Puyallup	WA	27 mi
11	Lost Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Graham	WA	27.9 mi
12	McCormick Woods	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Port Orchard	WA	33.7 mi
13	The Ridge at McCormick Woods	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Port Orchard	WA	34.3 mi
14	Kitsap Lake	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	38.4 mi
15	Manette	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	39.2 mi
16	Fairway Lane	Apartment Complex	Bremerton	WA	39.8 mi
17	Whisper Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	41.7 mi
18	Blueberry Meadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	42 mi
19	The Reserve at Bucklin Hill	Apartment Complex	Silverdale	WA	44.1 mi
20	The Carriages at Fairwood Downs	Apartment Complex	Renton	WA	44.6 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Stonegate	Olympia	WA	2.6 mi
2	Port Orchard	Port Orchard	WA	37 mi
3	East Bremerton	Bremerton	WA	43.2 mi
4	Silverdale	Silverdale	WA	43.3 mi
5	Bainbridge Island	Bainbridge Island	WA	44.4 mi

Base	Distance
Fort Lewis	15.1 mi.
McChord AFB	18.8 mi.
Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton	38.3 mi.
Coast Guard Seattle	46.1 mi.
Naval Base Kitsap Bangor	48.1 mi.

NOVA Middle School

Olympia, WA 98501

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NOVA Middle School

Olympia, WA 98501

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