Nova High School
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| District | Broward County Public Schools |
| School type | Public |
| Religious affiliation | None |
| Opened | September 1960 |
| Location | Davie, Florida, USA |
| Enrollment 2005-2006 | 2176 students |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Campus surroundings | Suburban |
| School Mascot | Titans |
Nova High School is a high school located in Davie, Florida. It is a part of a Nova Center, a group of schools located in proximity to each other. The other schools are Nova Eisenhower Elementary School, Nova Blanche Forman Elementary School, and Nova Middle School. Also, Nova Community School starts during the early to late evenings, after Nova High gets out of school. In addition, the main campus for Broward Community College (also known as BCC's Central Campus) is located directly north of the Nova Campus.
Nova High School was part of a joint project between the Broward County School System, and the Ford Foundation. This project was known as the Nova Educational Experiment, and planning started in 1960. The idea was to have an entire complex of schools from elementary up to the university level in one location. The location selected was the site of a vacated Naval Aviation facility, Forman Field, located in the then rural areas of Broward County.
Nova High was the first to open, followed by the 2 elementary schools, and finally, the Nova Middle School, which opened in 1977.
The entire complex of schools, known as the Nova Schools, was funded jointly by the Ford Foundation and local sources, and was known for a very progressive teaching curriculum and staff as well as experimental teaching methods and environments. Although the school year was longer than at other county schools, a lengthy waiting list often existed for potential students, and students were required to pass an entrance exam for acceptance. Enrolled students are segregated based on an exam to determine their status and teachers.
Later, the large complex also became the host of the Broward Community College, Nova Southeastern University (a private institution), a private school unaffiliated with the county, and WLRN-17, the educational TV station run by the county. Today, the area also boasts an extension of the University of Florida, as well as a vocational center and high school, the McFatter Vocational/Technical Center.
After the "experiment" ended in the 1970's, the Ford Foundation departed, and total control of the Nova Schools reverted to the Broward County School Board. Entrance requirements were relaxed, however, as of 1985, placement on a waiting list for entry into the schools was still required.
During the 1980's, the schools' "special" status had begun to chafe within the workings of the school board. School board movements to close or consolidate the schools often went the point of heated contention between parents, students and the board, with often very noisy public meetings.
However, the Nova Schools consistently perform at the very top ranked schools in Florida, and Nova High was ranked in the top 100 high schools in the United States by Newsweek Magazine in 2000. Comedian and star of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Jeff Garlin, is among Nova High School's alumni.
The school is also well known for its extensive Advanced Placement program. Having well over 20 available Advanced Placement courses available to the students, the school creates a positive influence for students admitting into college, usually producing valedictorians with well over 10 AP credits simply from courses taken at the school (ie. 12 credits excluding exams taken by the student independently of Nova High).
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Famous Alumni: - Autry Denson, former professional football player - Jeff Fiorentino, professional baseball player - Mike Morse, professional baseball player
