Novato High School

Novato High School (NHS) is a high school located in Novato, California, in Marin County.

History

Built in 1955 and founded in 1957, it is one of two comprehensive high schools in the Novato Unified School District, the other being San Marin High School.

Demographics

Since the mid-1980s the school's student population has ranged from 1000-1200 students. As of 2012, the demographic distribution is Caucasian (58.1%), Hispanic (26.4%), Asian/Other Asian (7.2%), African American (5.4%), and Pacific Islander (1.3%).

Campus

NHS rests on a thirty-eight acre site, with two gymnasiums, a Lecture Hall/Performing Arts Center, three computer centers, a library with a computer lab, dance studio, weight room, a wing for visual art classrooms, and a wing for music classrooms. Outdoor facilities include tennis courts, basketball courts, softball and baseball diamonds, a recently built turf football stadium with a track, soccer field, and a swimming pool.

Curriculum

Novato High School has several comprehensive academic program including college preparatory courses, Honors and Advanced Placement classes, fine and performing arts classes, and industrial arts courses. Novato High School also provides support services such as the English Language Development (ELD) Programs for those students who require additional resources.

Performing and Visual Arts

Teaching staff work with administration during faculty meetings, where open discussion about school issues take place. In addition, NHS has extensive parent involvement, via the Marin School of the Arts (MSA) Boosters, Sports Boosters, English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC), Parent Teacher Association (PTSA), Drama Boosters, Site Leadership Team, and Parent Beautification Committee, among others. Marin School of the Arts has many notable programs, including Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Film, and a music program that includes 3 jazz bands, a concert band, a symphonic band, and chamber and rock groups. MSA was founded in 2003.

Athletics

Varsity sports teams of note include football, lacrosse, volleyball, wrestling, track, soccer, baseball, basketball, and water polo. The football program has won four California sectional (North Coast Section) titles in the last six years (2002, 2005, 2006 & 2007).^[1]On Dec. 9th, 2007 The Varsity Football Team was elected to play in California's Div. II State Championship and lost to Oceanside of San Diego, 28-14 in Carson, CA. The boy's soccer team came in first in the North Coast Section tournament for the first time in school history in 2007 beating Marin Catholic 1-0. The baseball program recently won the North Coast Section championship in the spring of 2007.^[2] The girl's basketball program won the California state Div. II championship in the 1986 season, in which they went undefeated, 35-0.^[3] The Novato High School Varsity Water Polo team received third place at the county level (Marin County Athletic League) in 2005 and 2006.^{[citation needed]}. Coordinates: 38°05′23″N 122°34′22″W / 38.08972°N 122.57278°W / 38.08972; -122.57278^[4] The boy's lacrosse program has won three (MCAL) county championships, once in 2005 and again in 2011, and once more in 2013. In 2013, they went on to go to the North Coast Section (NCS), where they once again met Redwood, this time in the championship, where they lost.^[5] The varsity wrestling team won the MCAL league title in 2012, which hasn't happened since 1993. World famous sailor John Kostecki attended Novato H.S.

Notable People who graduated from Novato High School

Yvonne Cagle, M.D., NASA Astronaut graduated from Novato High School in 1977. World famous sailor John Kostecki attended Novato H.S.

References