Testimonials

The decision to enroll our children in NOVA was driven by the school's reputation for academic excellence, nurturing environment, and holistic approach to education. We were particularly impressed by NOVA’s commitment to developing well-rounded individuals, focusing not only on academics but also on social, emotional, and physical development. Like any parent, we initially had concerns about how well our children would adapt to the new school environment and whether the curriculum would meet their individual needs. We also wondered how effectively the school would foster both academic and emotional growth, especially for foreigners. However, these concerns were quickly alleviated by the school’s strong support system, regular communication, and the personalized attention given to each kid’s learning journey. I would highly recommend NOVA to parents looking for a comprehensive educational experience for their children. The school’s commitment to fostering curiosity, critical thinking and collaboration is truly remarkable. NOVA’s curriculum not only prepares students academically but also equips them with life skills, leadership qualities and a deep sense of responsibility towards the world around them. Thank you for the kind words and the great support throughout our stay at the school. From the first day at NOVA, we felt like a part of a big family!

We chose NOVA for several key reasons: the professionalism of the teachers, the quality of the facilities, and the prompt responses to our concerns and questions. Their support alleviated our anxieties about leaving our young child in their care and starting a new life abroad. We felt warmly welcomed as part of the NOVA family. Our son, who usually stays close to me, played happily in the schoolyard during our visit, assuring us that NOVA was a safe and comfortable place for him. Initially, we prioritized a safe and comfortable place to play for school over an educational facility. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that our son enjoyed learning the English alphabet and words and that the education nurtured his curiosity. He thoroughly enjoyed his school life. We also had concerns about our three-year-old riding the school bus, but NOVA’s support helped him to adapt well.
The school provides a wonderful environment where children can learn and play with confidence. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you again!

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“We chose NOVA because we recognized it as a genuine foundation for the educational development of our children, aiming to bring them closer to international standards of self-improvement and progress. The positive experiences of those who have been part of NOVA are something we in Skopje have embraced since its inception.

A real challenge during enrollment at NOVA was the concern about how children from a Macedonian-language background would adapt to an education based on the English language. To our surprise, the children have made incredible strides not only in language proficiency but also in knowledge and experience. The staff involved in our children's educational journey has been brilliant, and we have had excellent collaboration with them.

The knowledge and experience gained at NOVA facilitated an easy transition for our children to another IB educational institution, a testament to the excellent experience provided. We were particularly delighted and satisfied with the numerous events organized by the PTA community and NOVA on various occasions. The memories of these events will stay with us wherever we go.

We thank NOVA for being part of our lives.”

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and my sincere appreciation of Biljana, both as a teacher and a person. Thus far, throughout my daughter’s educational process, I haven’t met a nicer, more dedicated, thorough, and caring teacher than Biljana. My daughter has never been so motivated and has presented an enormous desire to learn as much as possible. She has never spoken about a subject and a specific teacher with such passion. Since she was a child, Anja has read one book per week, and now she reads two. Classes with Biljana were a pure delight, and each class was differently conceptualized and filled with interesting information. I believe that throughout this year, Anja learned more Macedonian language and literature than during her entire educational process. Biljana is wonderful and special not only as a teacher but also as an individual. Her particular virtue is to be authoritative and, at the same time, to enable the creation of closeness and camaraderie with her students, and she managed to play a key role in building their character and self-confidence. She knows when exactly a student needs to be encouraged and supported and how. 

As a family, it is our honor to have Biljana as Anja’s teacher this year, and we owe you our greatest respect. 

I would also like to express my gratitude for the quality of the educational process, the faculty, the excellent organization, the level of communication in the school, the culture, and the values that you have implemented successfully. Transferring Anja to NOVA was our best decision so far.

After being a NOVA student for two years, our son’s journey is continuing once more in another country. Understanding our son’s needs was our core challenge; luckily, his needs were met at NOVA. The approach to his education was tailored by the school to meet those needs at a good standard and with a warm approach while providing our son with the continuation of strong academic growth and nourishing his social skills and individuality.

The teacher in grade 5 is highly educated, thoughtful, and nurturing. She provided academic challenges and the tools and strategies needed to meet those challenges, and we are so pleased with her. She contributed a great deal to our family’s positive experience. Our son will always feel part of the NOVA community and carry a spark gained through education and friendships from NOVA. 

Our children (now 5 and 3) will always have a happy memory of their first years of school thanks to NOVA. Beyond any academic considerations, the immense joy with which they go to school every day is the main reason for my gratitude towards NOVA, and the main argument why I would recommend this international school in Skopje.

As my daughter Romi's first international School, NOVA is giving her the confidence, as well as academic and social skills to succeed at her next school. The teachers are caring and experienced and are enthusiastic about learning and supporting each child in their learning and development. NOVA is welcoming - always greeting the children with a smile and enthusiasm. We feel a strong sense of community, and our daughter looks forward to school every day. We have no doubt that NOVA is preparing her well!

Frankly, NOVA was the main reason why we extended our stay in North Macedonia. We really loved it for our son, Lukas. Most of all, we appreciate the high moral values the school follows and praises. It is not something that can be shown via social media networks to the full extent but can be felt and appreciated through the live experience of school attendance. We are enormously grateful to all the school personnel for creating and cherishing the friendly and welcoming school environment. We feel very lucky that Lukas had Ms. Irena and Ms. Marija as his teachers. Thank you, both, for your professionalism and objectivity, the knowledge you shared, true acceptance and respect for the child's personality, and for the enormous support, patience, positivity, and humor! And most of all, thank you for seeing and supporting the best in Lukas and allowing him to be his true self!

Lukas was happy to attend NOVA and found friends there. He will truly miss it!

We really do appreciate this experience and wish the school further growth and development!

NOVA equipped Daon with the skills and knowledge needed to transition smoothly to a very competitive international school at an early age. The school's academic coordinators provided Daon with the resources and support needed to succeed in her academic pursuits, making a difficult transition seem effortless. While in NOVA, Daon was provided with a top-notch education that prepared her for the competitive academic landscape she will face in the future, we truly believe this. From the challenging courses and the experienced faculty, Daon gained an appreciation for the importance of a strong work ethic and the ability to think critically and independently. 

We believe that NOVA stands out amongst the rest of the international schools for many reasons. Its excellent support structure provides students with guidance, direction, and resources to succeed academically. The curriculum is well-organized and provides students with exciting and up-to-date learning materials and subjects. The teaching staff is highly skilled and knowledgeable, and they create an environment of respect and belonging for the students. The facilities are well-equipped with the latest technology and resources to help students learn in a stimulating environment. All these factors, along with many more, make NOVA the premier international school in Macedonia and the wider region.

Having Adeena attend NOVA was a transformative experience for me. The dedicated teachers and staff provided a nurturing and challenging environment where Adeena could thrive academically and personally. The variety of activities and clubs at Adeena's new school allowed her to discover new passions and acquire new abilities. Seeing her excel on stage in a theater production was a source of great joy for me as a parent. Thank you everyone for the wonderful experience. This is not goodbye, and I will definitely recommend the NOVA, for the professional level of support that I received during my time here. The sense of community here was genuine.

Arriving in Skopje and for the duration of our mandate of several years, we chose NOVA for our four children. For us, this was the best fit and a continuation of the IB education system. After getting familiar with the school’s facilities and further details, we were convinced that our children will enjoy a high-quality education in a joyful environment. For our diplomatic expat lifestyle with frequent changes of locations, our concern is, above all, the well-being of our children and a smooth continuation of their education. We are happy to see that the adaptation and integration at NOVA were perfect and that the children enjoy every day at school.

In the last four school years at NOVA, we were fortunate to be part of a wonderful community and will be forever thankful for that. We experienced how the school operates in "normal" times and were also here when we faced challenges as a community during the pandemic. I remember vividly the first day when we brought the children to school (see photo). We were so worried about them as they knew zero English. Ivan started PreK-3 then and had no experience with school whatsoever. Look at them now: they are fluent in English, they are thriving academically and socially, and they have made friendships that will test the time and distance, I am sure.

And most importantly, they have learned that realities different from theirs do exist. I think this is the most important benefit of an international school. Attending NOVA was our first international school experience, so in our hearts and minds, it will always be the cornerstone to which we will measure any other school abroad. You set the bar quite high. Thank you for all you did for them, for us.

Our three children attended NOVA from 2020-2022. They felt welcomed into the Nova community, even during the challenging years of the pandemic. They made friendships, which they are continuing across the distance. All three children were challenged academically through Nova's integrated subjects and curriculum, which focused on helping them develop communication, research, and critical thinking skills.

These skills have made all three of them better prepared to re-enter the school system in Vermont, United States. Our family reflects on our time spent at Nova as a time when our children were both supported and pushed to excel to meet their potential!

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  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.

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 on 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! To them, Macedonia is equivalent to NOVA, and this will never change. They will be Nova’s best ambassadors in the 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!

What is special at NOVA is that the teachers are easily approachable, because whenever I have a problem during class, I can ask them for assistance. This transparency also applies to the school's administration who, through either our student body's grade representatives or through direct contact, never feel out of reach when there's a general issue with school policy. The communication between students and staff is personalized and less bureaucratic.

One of my favorite things is the wide array of extracurricular activities available, and the subsequent trips. I've participated in sports like football and basketball, but the activity which has shaped me into who I am today would have to be Knowledge Bowl, which I've attended every year of high school. I personally believe that the school's size creates an environment where no student's education ever feels unaccounted for. 

The extracurricular activities greatly strengthened my CV, which I believe created an advantage and significant foundation for all my ensuing university applications. Through the school, I participated in varied activities such as Knowledge Bowl, volleyball, helping at a NASA convention, and even had the opportunity (through the CAS program) to initiate my own project and help local stray dogs. Ultimately, such opportunities enabled me to present my best self holistically and confidently in future professional environments. One of my fondest memories was during the Week Without Walls. My best friends and I chose a week of survival on the mountain Plačkovica. Aside from learning life-saving skills such as first-aid, CPR, correct map-reading, and how to build an efficient shelter and light a lasting campfire, the experience also taught me about myself, my strengths, and my capabilities. We began our days early with a quick morning jog before initiating one of many long hikes. I remember returning to our quaint wooden cabin, enrobed in a blanket of snow, setting our boots to dry by the fireplace before preparing dinner with classmates. We typically wrapped up our days by playing card games in the common area. I can confidently say it was a rewarding adventure accompanied by great teachers and students alike.

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.

“My time at NOVA has been instrumental in my academic and career achievements as well as my personal development. Being challenged by the most rigorous courses available to high school students has set me up on a path of lifelong learning, and being mentored by international and thought-provoking faculty expanded my critical thinking and communication skills. My advice for students is to live intentionally as much as possible - in the classes they choose, with the people they meet, and the experiences they craft for themselves.”

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. NOVA has fulfilled all of this in an atmosphere so different from all other schools, which sometimes creates a feeling in me that someone read my dreams and created NOVA.

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.

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.

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.

Nova is a highly professional educational institution, with its faculty and staff's extraordinary devotion, passion and vision, and made its mark, not just in Macedonia, but worldwide and grew to be one of the top recognizable educational institutions. I’m happy and honored to be part of this amazing generation, which was given the opportunity to learn, share and gain a tremendous amount of knowledge, life skills, and care for the community, through diversity regardless of background, culture and ethnicity, or other “labels”. I’m happy to consider them all my brothers and sisters, now living all around the globe.  

I'm proud that we all experienced the "sunny & rainy" days together. Those moments helped us grow and develop into the persons we are today, professionally and privately, to become better executives, colleagues, spouses, parents, friends, citizens of the world, and among all human beings...

Last but not least, I would like to extend my gratitude to Mrs. Venera Novakovska and her great family, as a graduate 2004 student, and co-chair of the NOVA Alumni Association, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You made us all be your children, shared your wisdom, planting the "seed" that we are all born leaders, making sure we take care of our roots and learning how to spread our wings and not be afraid to fly...