introduction
Nova is a small alternative high school in the Seattle Public School District, created in 1970 by students and teachers. The 280 students range from the academically capable who have been understimulated to those who have been “failing” in academics because of personal or social at-risk factors. The mix of students creates an atmosphere of acceptance and makes for a rich, diverse community, Nova students score well on assessment tests and have a high participation rate in community college classes. Although entering students often do not consider a postgraduate education, Nova is quite successful at directing its graduates to higher education, with a majority going on to four-year colleges. Nova has a positive impact on teenagers' lives, motivating them to personal growth and leadership in society.

transformation plan
We are a small liberal arts learning community. Nova provides a strong academic program with competent and project based teaching and learning, performance based assessment, seminars, multi-level classes and independent study. Nova students learn individual and social responsibility and can design their programs within our non-graded system. Nova's teaching and learning framework prepares all students for graduation and success beyond high school.
Our educational foundation provides high expectations with no ceiling on learning. Each core academic area is embedded with support structures. Students learn through personalized education plan where teachers act as advisors. All decisions are made by students and staff via a democratic committee system.
Nova is a safe school where differences are honored. Our passions include critical thinking, writing, the arts, diversity, social justice, women and the sciences, technology and environmental sustainability.

goals
Our transformation goals support our vision of a school that has successfully eliminated the achievement gap.

community
Nova's size of 280 students gives it a sense of community which is fundamental to the educational process which teaches individual responsibility and social cooperativity. The sense of community is “a spontaneous emergence” from the generally caring attitudes at the school. Many of Nova's activities are not “educational” in the traditional academic sense, as for example the week-long backpack trips many of the teachers organize. We feel that such experiences contribute to the intangible way that Nova is successful.

coordinating
Each student chooses one of the 12 staff as “coordinator” for personal and academic counseling, college advising, and mentoring. The coordinator acts as the student's liaison to parents, other teachers, and college admissions officers.

committees
Committees govern the school through consensus based decision-making. Membership is voluntary and includes both staff and students, each of whom have an equal vote. Teachers serve on one or more committees, and model leadership skills. Student participation in committees gives them a stake in their education, and encourages responsibility in their personal lives as well.

student learning plans
Graduation credits are documented through meeting competencies on student learning plans. Classes tend to be small because of the variety of learning options. The grading system is credit/no-credit, with a “pass” based on 80% mastery. The offerings include a comprehensive science program with an organic garden, and a full range of history and language, arts classes, advanced math, French, Spanish, desktop publishing of newsletter & literary zines, peer mediation, photography, digital video production, computer labs, web design, audio recording, internships, foreign exchanges, and drama productions.

You can download our current course catalog in MS Word format, here or in Adobe PDF format, here
The current class schedule in MS Excel format is, here or in Adobe PDF format, here

colleges accepting nova graduates:
Alfred University, American University of Paris, American University of Rome, Antioch, Bard, Barnard, Beloit, Bennington, Berkley College of Music, Boston University, Carleton, Central Washington University, Chicago Art Institute, College of the Atlantic, College of the Redwoods, Columbia College at Columbia University, Cornell University, Cornish College of Allied Arts, Dartmouth, Duke University, Earlham, Embry-Riddle Aerounautical University, Eastern Indiana University, Evergreen State College, Friends World, Grinnell, Hampshire, Hofstra, Ithaca, Kansas Art Institute, Lewis and Clark, Macalaster, Marlboro, Mills, Mt. Holyoke, New Rhode Island School of Design, New York University, New School for Social Research, Oberlin, Parson's School of Design, Prescott, Redlands, Reed, Saint John's, St. Thomas, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco State, Sarah Lawrence, Scripps, Seattle University, Simon Fraser, Skidmore, Smith, Stanford University, Swarthmore, Tufts, Tulane University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, Universita deghi Studi di Firenze, University of British Columbia, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of North Dakota, University of Washington, Vassar, Warren Wilson, Wells, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Western Washington University, Whitman College, Yale University.

SAT Statistics:

	2001-02:	2002-03:	2003-04:	2004-05:
Average SAT/v:	627	635	608	637
SAT/m:	569	560	528	547

WASL Test Statistics:

	2001-02:	2002-03:	2003-04:	2004-05:
WASL/Reading:	71.2%	71.4%	75.0%	86.7%
WASL/Math:	43.9%	38.1%	41.7%	46.7%
WASL/Writing:	50.0%	65.1%	63.3%	66.7%
WASL/Science:	n/a	n/a	37.7%	31.7%

Last Edited 11/13/2006