After delays in 2024 and 2025, Nova Classical STEM Academy is slated to open in August 2026. It’s created and operated by the Discovery Science Schools Network, an Orlando-based service provider for private and charter schools in Florida. The Fort Myers school located off Gladiolus Drive will be the group's first development in southwest Florida.
Nova claims to be the first school in the world that has integrated a classical curriculum with STEM. Kevin Flanagan, the director of teaching and learning for the Academy, says classical education puts an emphasis on logic and teaching kids how to think and learn. He hopes mixing that with the STEM focus will prepare students for a changing world.
"We're going to integrate STEM to bring in real world problem solving, expectations and design as well as experimentation," Flanagan said. "Students will have that classical background, the logic and learning, to think and apply it to real world situations in the STEM field."
Nova’s curriculum is considered project-based, meaning students will spend an extended period completing a project or solving a problem. This is contrary to the way traditional public schools split their curriculums into subjects and classes. Nova's Project Coordinator Tina Parsons explains what this unconventional model looks like.
"Let's say students are learning about the Renaissance period in literature. They'll also be studying math from that time period. They'll also be taking a look at the architecture," Parsons said. "So we will be combining all different subjects, including the STEM subjects, into those projects."
In its first year, Nova will enroll students in kindergarten through 7th grade and expand annually to serve up to 12th grade. The deadline to apply for enrollment is Dec. 7, with the first virtual lottery drawing on Dec. 12. To apply, visit https://www.novaclassical.net/.
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