The Nova Project

The Nova Project
Location
300 20th Ave E. Seattle, Washington 98112
Information
Type	Alternative, Public
Established	1970
Principal	Mark Perry
Faculty	25 (June 2008)
Enrollment	345 (May 2010)
Information	(206)-252-3500
Mascot Colors	Dead Rat Black & Black
Website	http://www.novaknows.com

The Nova Project, also known as Nova, is located at 300 21st Avenue E in Seattle, Washington. It is a small alternative high school in the Seattle Public School District.

About

The former Horace Mann School, site of Nova for most of its history.

Created by students, parents and teachers in 1970, throughout the history of the school the student body has been made up mostly of people who don't do well in traditional education systems because of the environment and teaching methods. Some students were overstimulated by traditional education while others have social or personal at-risk factors inhibiting their normal education. The grading system is competency-based and is credit/no credit with 80% mastery required for credit. Each student is guided by a coordinator who helps them design a personal learning plan drawing on the many courses offered to create a balanced education. Students at Nova, as with other Seattle Public Schools, may participate in the Running Start program and take classes at a local community college. In 2005, Nova students who took the SAT averaged 637 on the verbal section and 547 on the math section.

In early summer of 2009, Nova was relocated to the Meany Middle School site, where it was co-housed with SBOC. This was one of many actions taken by the district during their budget cut period, starting in late 2008. The Horace Mann building where it was previously housed has been mothballed by the district.

In March of 2011, Nova was honored with an award for Language Arts from OSPI, and was the only Seattle Public HS to receive an award that year. From the OSPI website, “Washington’s Achievement Index is designed to identify and recognize the states highest-achieving schools over a two-year period. The index provides a fair and consistent measurement of Washington’s public schools…” Nova and other award winners will be honored at a state celebration on April 27.

<</ref>==Notable Staff, Alumni and Former Students==

• Stephen Funk
• Rose McGowan (Also went to Roosevelt High School)
• Bonnie McKee
• Joe Szwaja
• Marta Topferova
• Brisa Roche
• Sir-Mix-A-Lot
• Elaine Pakard (Program Director for most of the early years exact dates from someone? She fought to keep us open every year along with the other staff, Mark, Micheal, Bobbie, and Greg--Paul Gordon)

See also

• Alternative school
• Alternative education

References

External links

• Nova's homepage