Writing &
Research Center

What is the WRC?

The Writing & Research Center (WRC) is a beautiful, two-story space dedicated to all things literature, research, and learning. Our catalogue offers extensive fiction, nonfiction, and reference collections in our library, as well as periodicals, zines, special displays, and more. Students read, study, and collaborate with each other by the iconic fireplace and in the WRC’s many comfortable chairs and nooks.

Our welcoming librarians and coaches buoy Nueva’s culture of curiosity and empower students to be engaged researchers and critical thinkers. Additionally, dedicated coaches and peer tutors in the writing-support programs guide students in developing their clear, confident writing voices. Along with the staff, student library volunteers help keep the WRC running smoothly.

The WRC also nurtures the school’s love of reading for fun. Students can enjoy our fiction, graphic novel, art book, and poetry collections, chosen together with suggestions from the whole community. Students also lead a book club, a group open to all where readers swap opinions and recommendations.

Academic Support

Student support is at the forefront of the WRC’s purpose, and our coaching and tutoring programs, as well as our comprehensive research collections, guide students through their various academic endeavors.

Research

Our thoughtfully curated, continually evolving collection gives students everything they need to dive deep into any subject matter, whether that be for a class assignment, a Quest project, or an independent curiosity. The WRC director and research librarian also provide guidance to classes and individuals regarding research strategies, AI use, source evaluation, and citation. Our extensive resources for research include:

Nonfiction and reference materials, including primary and secondary sources, reference guides built in partnership with teachers for specific projects, magazines, and newspapers
On- and off-campus access to 20 academic databases, offering thousands of articles from scholarly journals, as well as court cases, historical documents, and more
Access to e-books and audiobooks via OverDrive

One-on-One Coaching

Writing coaches are available whenever students need a sounding board, for class assignments or personal projects. Initial conversations encourage students to reflect on what they’re working on and how their writing is developing overall. From there, students dig into clarity, structure, tone, and voice. The WRC team also offers in-class workshops and partners with faculty to support writing across campus.

Peer Tutoring

Whether a student needs advice for a particularly difficult class, support on an essay, or help with a problem set or lab report, peer tutors are there to mentor and guide them. Peer tutors go through an application and training process, and have experience in more than half-a-dozen subjects. This program connects students across grades and gives them a chance to forge meaningful academic relationships that will serve them throughout their time at Nueva.

Meet the WRC Staff

Jennifer Paull

she/her
Humanities Director and Writing & Research Center (WRC) Director
jpaull@nuevaschool.org

Katie Kintz

she/her
Upper School Librarian
kkintz@nuevaschool.org

Monica Gu

she/her
Upper School Librarian
mgu@nuevaschool.org

Special Events & Offerings

Beyond being a hub for academic work, the WRC is a place for gathering and exhibition. The library hosts events like workshops, author visits, concerts, performances, and much more, and serves as a backdrop for displays of student work.

Readings & Events

The WRC hosts author readings, guest speakers, and panels; past events have included Q&A and readings with authors Lily Brown, Gina Apostol, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, Aileen Cassinetto, and more. Students and families also participate in several larger-scale humanities events in the WRC, including the biennial Nueva Humanities Fair, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and Banned Books Week (in cooperation with the American Library Association).

Additionally, the WRC partners with clubs, groups, classes, and organizations across the school to host all kinds of important and fun gatherings, including:

Personal-statement workshops for rising seniors
Craft afternoons before the winter holidays
Coffeehouse, a beloved Nueva tradition of students’ live music

Showcases

All year long, the WRC displays creative work from the community. Examples include:

Short-fiction and six-word memoir pieces from the creative-writing elective
Research projects from history classes, such as models about Gilded Age innovations
Writing projects from classes
Special displays created with student clubs and affinity groups, highlighting great reads for commemorative celebrations such as Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, and Women’s History Month

Renfayre

Bonus Collections

Student Publications

Nueva has three publications, all produced, designed, and edited by students.

The Nueva Current

The Current is Nueva’s award-winning school newspaper, produced by Upper School students in the journalism elective. Explore the Current on its website, or browse past issues here.

Romanesco

Romanesco is a scholarly journal of humanities-focused academic writing, aiming to highlight the depth of philosophical and humanistic thinking at Nueva. Browse past issues of Romanesco here and here.

LitMag

The Nueva LitMag produces annual collections of creative writing, art, and photography by Nueva students. Peruse past issues of LitMag here, here, and here.