Novato High School

Novato High School
Location
625 Arthur St. Novato, CA Novato , Marin County , CA 94947 United States
Information
School type	Public, comprehensive high school, Art school
Founded	1957
School district	Novato Unified School District
Oversight	WASC
Superintendent	Dr. Tracy Smith
CEEB code	052170
Principal	Michelle Cortez, Allie Greene (co-principals)
Assistant Principals	Jahon Miles
Teaching staff	64.71 (FTE) [1]
Grades	9-12
Number of students	1,393 (2023–2024) [1]
Student to teacher ratio	21.53 [1]
Classrooms	56
Campus	38-acre site
Campus type	Outdoor Hallways, Suburban
Color(s)	Black & Gold
Mascot	Hornets, Servals (MSA)
Nickname	The Black Swarm
Rivals	San Marin Mustangs
Newspaper	Wax and Honey
Yearbook	The Vespa
Website	novatohigh.nusd.org

Novato High School (NHS) is a public high school located in Novato, California, in Marin County. It is one of four high schools in the Novato Unified School District. ^[2]

History

Built in 1955 and founded in 1957 ^[3] three years before Novato was incorporated as a city, 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 to 1200 students. In the 2018–2019 school year, the demographic distribution was as follows: Caucasian (46.7%), Latino (38.1%), Asian/Other Asian (6.2%), Two or More Races (4.7%), African American (2.8%), Native American (1.1%) and Pacific Islander (0.4%). ^[4]

Campus

Novato High School

NHS rests on a 38-acre site, with two gymnasiums, a state-of-the-art science center, two performing arts centers (including a state-of-the-art theater completed in 2021), five computer centers, a library with a computer lab, dance studio, weight room, locker rooms, a wing for visual art classrooms, and a wing for music classrooms. Outdoor facilities include tennis courts, basketball courts, softball diamond, baseball stadium, turf football stadium with a track, soccer field, and a newly renovated swimming pool.

Another student-led organization on campus is the Link Crew (since 2015). Link Crew has 11 and 12 grade students act as mentors and role models for the incoming 9 grade class to help in the transition from middle to high school.

Curriculum

Novato High School offers a range of academic programs, including college preparatory courses, Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes, as well as fine and performing arts and industrial arts courses. The school provides support services such as English Language Development (ELD) programs for students who require additional language assistance.

Marin School of the Arts (MSA) is an arts program on Novato High School's campus; ^{[5] [6] [7]} in addition to arts classes in their field of choice, MSA students also take regular Novato High School academic classes. ^{[8] [9]} MSA was founded in 2003 by Mark Peabody. ^{[9] [10]}

Athletics

Novato competes in the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL). Novato is a member of the North Coast Section(NCS) of the California Interscholastic Federation.

Basketball

The girls' basketball program won the California state Div. II championship in the 1986 season,

Notable alumni

• Amory Kane (1964), recording artist
• Mike Moroski (1975), NFL quarterback from UC Davis
• Yvonne Cagle (1977), M.D., NASA Astronaut
• Eric Shanower (1981), author, cartoonist
• John Kostecki (1982), Olympic sailor
• Ellen Estes (1996), Olympic and collegiate water polo player who won the 2002 NCAA National Championship for Stanford University, and silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics for the USA National Women's Water Polo Team
• Anna Wise (2009), Singer known best for collaborating with Kendrick Lamar
• Wil Dasovich (2009), television personality, model and YouTube vlogger
• Seth Morris, actor and comedian

Notable faculty

• Former Stanford All American and Chicago Bears defensive lineman Roger Stillwell coached the varsity football team in the 1980s.
• The Rock Band program is run by Scott Thunes, bassist for Frank Zappa. ^[11]

References

1. "Novato High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
2. "About NUSD". nusd. Novato Unified School District. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
3. "About Us". Novato High School. Novato High. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
4. "Novato High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
5. "Marin School of the Arts". Marin School of the Arts. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
6. "Bond-funded projects reshape Novato, San Rafael schools". Marin Independent Journal. August 31, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
7. "Venues". Marin Symphony. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
8. "Novato High School". novatohigh.nusd.org. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
9. "Founding director to retire from Novato's Marin School of the Arts". Marin Independent Journal. February 25, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
10. "About MSA". Marin School Of The Arts. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
11. "Marin School of the Arts". Marin School of the Arts. Retrieved July 12, 2025.

38°05′23″N122°34′22″W / 38.08972°N 122.57278°W / 38.08972; -122.57278 ^[1]

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Novato High School
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Novato High School