As the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy band was outside practicing “When the Saints Go Marching In” one afternoon last week, school staff were inside making final preparations for the start of classes Wednesday, when this year’s Saints will march in.

And though technology is prevalent in NSA’s classrooms, the learning there starts with building relationships, even as some staff members change roles for the coming year.

Pankti Barot, teaching ancient world history in the Upper School this year after teaching Spanish to sixth- through eighth-graders previously, said she will see many of the same students she has advised and taught. That will help as they come into her class.

“It’s definitely a perk,” said Barot, who will also be an advisor to freshman students. “In all aspects, from relationship-building to getting to know the students both as individuals and as academic students, it’s just a nice position to be in.”

It helps as she has planned for her subject change, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of her students as they walk into their high school years and have a safe space and a fun learning environment.

“As I was tackling this new curriculum over the summer — which is ancient worlds, completely different from a language — I could picture each child that I have taught that’s rising up, and know the different styles or what each student needs, and so, how to devise my lesson plans that they can all be able to take from it.”

Barot has a variety of seating — and even a standing desk — for students to use. She likes to move the desks around to create variety in the classroom, and as students are more comfortable in their environment, she said, it helps in the learning process.

“Everything is more about collaboration, so the furniture helps facilitate collaboration,” Barot said, “and most importantly, supports the different learning styles of each student.”

Ann Davies, in her 15^th year at NSA and 25^th year of teaching overall, was full of energy as she had each desk in her second-grade classroom set up and making last-minute preparations for students.

She’s focused on aiding in their social development, helping them understand that disagreeing with one another is OK, and creating a space in which they can make mistakes and learn from them. She wants to help students “be the best of who they are.”

“I think, No. 1, (the focus is) is to continue to encourage them, to have good character, to have good heart, to be kind and respectful to one another and not to be afraid to share your feelings with one another,” Davies said. “And then, on that level playing field or that ground, then the academic piece comes in naturally. It’s easy to do that.”

Davies, with teaching assistant Deborah Weatherford, encourages movement in her class and said most things in her classroom change from year to year. She makes efficient use of her space and said she is purposeful about how she sets up her room.

“What’s really great now is that movement in the classroom is so acceptable,” Davies said. “If anybody walked past this classroom and saw children … literally sitting at their own desk, they would think that we were at parochial school. That doesn’t cut the mustard. We are everywhere. They can be under the tables working.”

Carmen Rich, teaching Algebra I and geometry, combines technology with the relationship building through an introduction video she created for her classes. Using the Powtoon platform, her voice narrates animation as she explains her expectations for the coming year.

Rich, who has a daughter who attends NSA, said she tries to make sure students understand how concepts are applied beyond school walls.

“It’s really different now,” Rich said. “Research is showing a lot of different things. We do a lot of group work, there’s a lot of me just walking around talking to them about projects. (And) critical thinking is huge.”

While the campus might look the same on the surface, NSA communications director Karen Schompert said there has been new landscaping, as well as work done on the heating, ventilation and cooling system. The school has also upgraded its outside lighting, and it moved and upgraded the new Upper School student lounge.

But all the upgrades help the school’s staff to foster a comfortable and collaborative learning environment at a place where students spend a lot of their time.

It allows students to focus better on learning, and allows them to channel their energies appropriately. And it allows them to have fun, something Barot hopes for in all of her students.

“Don’t focus on getting an A,” Barot said. “If you are having fun and you are learning and you’re enjoying your journey, then that A or that B, whatever that success is that you’re looking for is inevitable, but if you’re only focused on the end goal and forgetting the steps that it takes to get there, then it’s going to be a harder journey.”