FAQs

Does this school have a particular educational philosophy or mission?

NBI is a program within Novato High School with a “radically personalized” approach to education. This school-within-a-school model offers students opportunities to choose and design theirlearning experiences in a rigorous, project-based, design-thinking environment, which is facilitated by their teachers.

Who should consider enrolling in NBI?

Students who creative, curious, and self-motivated should consider the NBI program. NBI students enjoy working in small groups on projects and prefer a mentoring relationship with their teachers. NBI is perfect for students who want to take a more active role in their education. While teachers provide direct instruction, small group workshops, one-to-one support, and facilitation of activities, NBI students have a higher-than-typical responsibilty to be self-directed, organized, and on-task.

Can NBI students co-enroll in other NHS programs like MSA or Medical Careers Pathway?

The simple answer is No. The master schedule for each progam is complex, making it nearly impossible for students to participate in multiple programs. With that said, if students have a strong passion in something outside of NBI, they should share this with their school counselor in case there is a rare option to explore.

Where do NBI students come from?

NBI is open to students within the Novato Unified School District as well as students who reside outside of the distirct. The community is designed to reflect the diversity and strength of Novato High School and the greater geographic and demographic community.

What are the requirements to partcipate in NBI?

The most important requirement for admittance into NBI is a student’s interest in participating in the program. Students are expected to maintain excellent attendance and behavior records in addition to a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 each semester.

What is the average class size?

The NBI program was launched in Fall 2017. Now in its second year, NBI has one cohort of 32 freshmen and two smaller cohorts with a total of 46 sophomores. For the 2019-20 school year, another cohort of 30-34 freshmen is planned. Students enjoy smaller class sizes with approximately 20 students during their Personal Learning Time (PLT) class period with their mentor teacher, which is a blend of the different cohorts.

Do NBI students have regular HS transcripts?

Yes. NBI students are Novato High School students and will receive an NHS transcript. In addition, NBI students build develop a portfolio of their project-based work to capture the full scope of their learning experience.

What is a typical day?

The NBI schedule follows the same bell schedule as the rest of Novato High School. NBI students have a set schedule for their core academics in English, Math, History, and Science as well as a required Personal Learning Time (PLT) course based on their cohort. In addition, they select two elective courses outside of the NBI program.

How much homework do students have? What is the school’s philosophy/approach to homework?

If students use their classtime well, especially during their PLT periods, most students will complete their required NBI work during school hours. Since each student’s academic pathway is personalized, some work may be completed (by choice and/or by need) at home. Many students choose to extend learning time into every aspect of their lives. Students are likely to have homework expectations for their NHS electives based on the requirements set by the teachers of those courses.

How is technology used to support teaching and learning at this school?

All students at NHS are provided with a Chromebook by the district. The NBI program uses a digital-based curriculum for its core classes in English, Math, History, and Science; this “Personal Learning Platform” has been developed by Summit Public Schools. This system provides a comprehensive record and real-time assessment of student work and progress. It is available to NBI students, their NBI teaches, including their mentor, and their parents with a personal login.

What extracurricular opportunities (sports, clubs, community service, competitions) are available for students?

All of the extra-curricular and athletic programs on the NHS campus are available to all NBI students, subject only to scheduling conflicts and eligibility.

What kind of library resources are available to students?

The library, like all of the instructional and athletic facilities on the NHS campus are available to all NBI students.

How do the arts fit into the curriculum?

NBI students may enroll in any art electives which they select based on what's available within their cohort schedule.

Does NBI offer AP or Honors Courses?

Novaot High School does not offer Honors course with limited exception within performing arts. Every NBI student is expected to earn at least one (1) semester of college credit in courses offered as concurrent enrollment with the College of Marin. These credits are fully transferable for college credit at any UC/CSU or similar program. In addition, NBI students may have access to some AP classes based on their cohort schedule during their junior and senior years. It is important to note that AP classes focus on content, whereas the Summit Learning Platform focus is on skills essential for college and career readiness. These skills are the emphasis of the NBI program within a content-rich curriuclum.

How will NBI students take college-level courses and receive college credits?

NBI students are expected to complete a minimum of one (1) semester of college credit courses (12 credits) before graduating from Novato High School. Our partner, College of Marin, offers our students free college courses via "concurrent enrollment" -- which means the courses will be offered on their (local) campuses. We believe this provides a strong pathway to college by providing a more relevant academic experience and the practical value of actual college credit.

A recent report from College Board, "A Comparison of the College Outcomes of AP and Dual Enrollment Students" provides some useful data on this issue. On the 3rd page under "AP and Dual Enrollment", some of the similarities and differences listed are very revealing. Since College Board owns the AP Exams, you may imagine that the general conclusion would favor AP classes. However, the researchers point out that dual enrollment is harder to come by, so the sample sizes and statistical comparisons are not necessarily head to head. Some argue that, since students who are dually enrolled receive a college course grade for their performance on college level work (versus earning an AP score), the performance-based grade is actually a better predictor of their readiness for college.

Will NBI students be UC eligible?

Yes, all NBI students are taking A-G, UC approved classes. Our goal is to create a rigorous, relevant learning experience that is radically personalized to each student. We are also passionate about making sure that they leave NBI with skills necessary to be successful in whatever they choose to do, but also have the option to do go down any path they choose upon completion of the program. If students want to go to a "highly selective" college, they will work with their NHS counselor and NBI teachers to create and follow a path which will get them there.

What is this school’s approach to student discipline and safety?

A core value of NBI is building a community culture of Trust, Respect, and Responsibility. These shared norms form a binding social contract facilitating learning. Community members will author the basic rules and embody the behavioral norms. Any community members who do not actively support these norms or comport themselves according to the core values of Trust, Respect, and Responsibility will be subject to community sanction and eventually separation from the community, if necessary. Safety, as is true across NHS and NUSD, is simply non-negotiable and any actions endangering students are not tolerated.

What happens to students that decide after 1 or 2 years that NBI is not the right program for them?

We want every student to puruse the path that is right for him/her. If NBI is not that path, we will support students as they transition to a new program. All students in NBI are students of Novato High School. They may transfer to the traditional academic program or explore other specialized programs at NHS. Students who attend NHS under and inter-district transfer agreement may have to reapply to NUSD if they wish to remain at Novato High within a different program

What professional development opportunities do teachers have?

The NBI teaching and leadership team participates in several professional development opportunites each year with Summit Public Schools. In addition, a common prep period enables them to collaborate on a regular basis with one another. Through the Summit Learning Platform, the teachers have access not only to the base curriculum, but all curriculum uploaded by the thousands of educators that contribute their units and lessons to the digital platform.