Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School opened in the city of Parkland, Florida in 1990. Named in honor of the champion of the Everglades and author of River of Grass, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the school has distinguished itself for its consistently high levels of academic, athletic and artistic achievement.
In 2007/2008, the Florida Department of Education awarded MSD the Golden School Award for Exemplary School Volunteer Programs for the 10th year. The school also received the Silver School Award for Exemplary Student Community Service Programs for the 9th year.
In 2006/2007, MSD was awarded the Five Star School Award, which is presented each year to schools that have shown evidence of exemplary family, school, and community involvement. To qualify for the Five Star School Award, each school must meet 100% of established criteria that require the full engagement of business partners, volunteers, students, families and the School Advisory Council in the educational process. Every Five Star School must document how they model excellence through specific community involvement programs. It is the goal of the Five Star School Award program, now in its tenth year, to generate behaviors that improve education for all students.
In 2007/2008 MSD was ranked by Newsweek Magazine in the top 2 1/2% of Public schools in the nation. By 2008 / 2009 MSD was ranked in the top 100 schools in the nation.
