About Our School
Welcome to Noyo High School
Noyo High School is a continuation high school serving up to 40 students in grades 11 and 12 within the Fort Bragg Unified School District. Our mission is to deliver exceptional, engaging, equitable, and collaborative learning opportunities for every student.
Once seen as a school for students who had fallen through the cracks, Noyo has grown into something very different — a leader in innovative alternative education and a place where students are genuinely known, supported, and challenged. We believe every young person deserves a school built around their strengths, interests, and goals. At Noyo, that belief shapes everything we do.
A Big Picture Learning School
Noyo High School is a proud Big Picture Learning school. The Big Picture philosophy puts students at the center of their own education. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all curriculum, students work with dedicated advisors to design learning plans rooted in their own interests, passions, and ambitions — and then pursue them in the real world.
At Noyo, teachers are called Advisors, and students stay with the same Advisor throughout their time at the school. This continuity builds trust, deepens relationships, and creates the kind of community where students feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and grow.
How We Learn: The Learning Cycle
Each school year is organized into three trimester-long learning cycles. Every cycle begins with students creating an individualized learning plan and ends with a public exhibition of learning — a presentation where each student reflects on their academic progress and personal growth over the trimester.
Throughout each cycle, students grow through a mix of:
- Independent learning and self-directed exploration
- Advisor-led support and goal-setting
- Team problem solving
- Writing personal memoirs and reflections
- Internships and other real-world "learning to learn" experiences outside the classroom
Many Noyo students also choose to take college courses through Mendocino Community College, earning credits toward their future while still in high school.
The School Day
The Noyo school day is organized into five periods, each designed to support a different dimension of student development:
Advisory
The heart of the Noyo experience. During Advisory, students work one-on-one with their Advisor to develop their plans, track progress, and build the community bonds and emotional resilience that carry them through school and into life.
Independent Exploration
Students pursue their own personalized learning during this time. They have access to our Maker Space, which is equipped for art, fabrication, woodworking, filmmaking, fashion design, cosmetology, and music.
Spot Lessons
Short-term, teacher-led explorations of ideas and opportunities. The goal is simple: spark interest and open doors.
Health & Wellness
Options for both physical and emotional wellbeing, because a student's whole health matters.
Design Lab
Problem-driven design classes where students work in teams to develop real solutions to real challenges.
Get Involved
Parent and community involvement is a vital part of the Noyo community. Families can participate through the School Site Council, Student Study Teams, Pre-Enrollment Conferences, Student Attendance Review Meetings, Back-to-School Night, Open House, and quarterly awards banquets.
Our School Site Council approves the school's annual plan and oversees some categorical budget expenditures. New members are always welcome, and Spanish interpreters are available at many school meetings.
To learn more about volunteering or getting involved, contact Principal Gary Lewis at (707) 961-2889.
School Information
Address: 250 S. Sanderson Way, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Phone: (707) 961-2889
Fax: (707) 964-1017
Principal: Gary Lewis
Advisors: Macaella Dell Stuckey & Mike Harris