Inside Nozko: The History and Life of a Renbrook Landmark

by Kevin Mirando, Physical Education Teacher

The Story Beneath the Blue Roof

Anyone who has walked the campus of Renbrook School knows that its history is visible almost everywhere. The architecture of the Rentschler Estate, the stone walls and pathways, the buildings that have evolved around the original home, and even the landscape itself tell pieces of the Renbrook story. Stand on the Quad and look around, and another distinctive feature comes into view: a series of corrugated blue roofs. Those roofs offer a glimpse into an important chapter of Renbrook School history, one that led to the creation of a building that has become especially meaningful to generations of students and faculty: the Justin Brent Nozko Building.

As a physical education teacher, I spend a great deal of time in Nozko Gymnasium. I see the building as it is today, filled with movement, challenge, laughter, perseverance, and learning. But understanding how the building came to be adds another layer of meaning to what happens inside it every day.

A Time of Growth at Renbrook

In 1994, Renbrook embarked on an ambitious capital campaign designed to expand and enhance learning spaces across the campus. The improvements touched every division of the school. The Beginning School gained additional classroom space. A new computer room was created in the Lower School in spaces that have continued to evolve with Renbrook’s program. In the Upper School, the project included an elevator, an additional Grade 5 classroom and computer room, as well as an extension of Stedman that added offices and dining space.

Many of the structures created during this period shared one particularly visible design element: their blue roofs. Nearly three decades later, those roofs remain part of the visual identity of the Renbrook campus and serve as reminders of a period when the school was investing significantly in spaces designed for the changing ways students learn. One of the largest projects of the campaign would become much more than a new facility.

Building a New Kind of Learning Space

During the 1995-1996 school year, construction began in the area between Barnes Gymnasium and the Florence Greene Learning Center. The locker rooms that previously occupied the site were removed, making way for a new multipurpose building. As construction progressed, cranes lifted large steel beams into place. The distinctive curved beams that now form the ceiling of Nozko Gymnasium began to take shape.

The plans reflected an understanding that learning takes many forms. The building would include a new gymnasium as well as spaces for music, art, and woodworking. The gymnasium also provided a permanent home for gymnastics equipment that previously had to be used and stored in Stedman Auditorium. From the beginning, this was intended to be a building where students could move, create, practice, take risks, and discover new abilities. However, while the building was under construction, the Renbrook community experienced a profound loss.

Remembering Justin Brent Nozko

Justin Brent Nozko had graduated from Renbrook in June 1996. Shortly afterward, he died tragically while navigating the Connecticut River. Justin had distinguished himself during his years at Renbrook in many of the same areas the new building was designed to celebrate. He received recognition in academics, athletics, art, and theater. Justin was an exceptional student who excelled academically, earning Honor Roll recognition throughout time at Renbrook. Academic excellence was deeply important to him, and the Justin Brent Nozko Scholarship Fund was established as a lasting tribute to his scholarly achievements. He was also an accomplished athlete, particularly in baseball and ice hockey, and was remembered as a friend and a young person who led by example and looked out for others. The community decided to dedicate the new building in his memory.

On May 27, 1997, members of the Renbrook community gathered for the dedication of the Justin Brent Nozko Building, along with a garden and bench honoring Justin. During the ceremony, Justin’s grandfather, Henry Nozko Sr., spoke about what the building would mean in the years ahead:

“It will keep Justin’s memory alive. It will keep his spirit alive. This is a gift that inspires, endures.”

Those words have proved remarkably fitting.

A Building That Continues to Inspire

Today, the Justin Brent Nozko Building remains a place filled with student activity and discovery. For me, Nozko Gymnasium is where I have the privilege of watching students challenge themselves physically and personally. It is home to experiences such as gymnastics, Fitness Mountain, and the Whittle climbing structure, where students learn lessons that extend well beyond physical education.

They learn how to persevere when something feels difficult. They discover the confidence that comes from accomplishing something they once thought they could not do. They learn to trust classmates, solve problems, take appropriate risks, and try again. That is one of the things I appreciate most about teaching in this space. A building constructed nearly 30 years ago continues to create opportunities for students to grow in ways its designers could only have imagined.

Justin’s legacy also extends beyond the building that carries his name. The Justin Brent Nozko Scholarship Fund, established by family and friends in his memory, helps make a Renbrook education possible for deserving students.

Buildings change over time. Programs evolve. Generations of children pass through their doors. But some places carry stories with them. Nozko is one of those places. Its blue roof connects it to a moment of growth in Renbrook’s history. Its classrooms and gymnasium continue to provide space for creativity, movement, challenge, and learning. Most importantly, its name ensures that the memory of a young member of the Renbrook community continues to be part of the life of the school.

Nearly three decades after the building was dedicated, the words spoken by Justin’s grandfather still capture its purpose beautifully. It is a gift that inspires and endures.

Coming Next: The Whittle

This is the first installment of Inside Nozko: The History and Life of a Renbrook Landmark, a series exploring the history, traditions, learning experiences, and people connected to the Justin Brent Nozko Building.

Next, we’ll take a closer look at one of Nozko Gymnasium’s most memorable features: the Whittle climbing structure, its history, and what students learn when they take on its challenges.