Press Releases

August 11, 2004
NTHS Welcomes the Addition of Freshman Class

Napa, CA – For the first time in the history of the school, New Technology High School will open its doors to a freshman class. The new ninth grade class comprised of 50 female students and 50 male students was selected through a lottery after a total of 175 applications were submitted last spring.

In November 2003 the Napa Valley Unified School District School Board voted to expand its nationally acclaimed New Technology High School from an upper division program for eleventh and twelfth grade students to a full ninth through twelfth grade small high school, thus, allowing the school to serve a larger number of NVUSD students. Three portable buildings were placed on the west side of the campus to accommodate the growing population. Mark Morrison, Principal/CEO of NTHS stated that “the freshman will be an integral part of the school and classes will be held in the main building as well as the portable buildings.” This allows students coming from a traditional educational setting to experience the unique learning environment. New Tech uses problem-based and project-based learning methodology and utilizes technology as a tool. New Tech’s vision is that all high school students graduate prepared to excel in the 21st century. Students attending New Tech graduate with skills in communication, critical thinking and problem solving, self direction, teamwork as well as working with diverse groups of people. New Tech also teaches the importance of civic duty and a sense of ownership for their community.

Freshmen aren’t the only change at New Tech. “In an effort to ensure our students are prepared for graduation and the real world, students will attend an Advisory class to help them develop goals and objectives” Morrison says. Students will also see the addition of a Power Skills class designed to help them understand and master problem-based and project-based learning skills. Spanish, Art, Speech and Debate, Algebra I and an integrated Drama and English course will also be added to the schedule of classes already in place at New Tech. Those classes include Physics, Scientific Studies, American Studies, Political Studies, Digital Media, Communications Studies and Geometry. Biology, Life Science and additional fine arts courses will be added in the 2005-2006 school year when sophomores join the freshman, junior and senior classes. Six additional teachers have been added to the current faculty and staff to accommodate the expansion.

To learn more about this unique public high school that focuses on teaching students to explore and develop their own potential in an award winning environment, contact the school at 707-259-8557. The school is located at 920 Yount Street in Napa.

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New Technology Foundation, www.newtechfoundation.org, supports the creation of new small high schools based on the Napa New Technology High School Model, thereby offering a concrete model for how national education reform can be accomplished. NTF is creating an NTHS Network across the country with schools in California, Oregon, Alaska, Colorado, Illinois and Louisiana, with additional schools opening in North Carolina, Texas and New York over the next two years.. For more information, visit the website, or phone (707) 253-6951.

Contact:
Susan Lane, Director of Development | (707) 259-8524
Susan Schilling, CEO | (707) 253-4287