Monday (12/8) - Friday (12/12), Winter Spirit Week Thursday (12/11), Winter Choir Concert Tuesday (12/16) - Thursday (12/18), Fall Semester Finals (Finals Bell Schedule) Friday (12/19) - Friday (01/2), Christmas Vacation Monday (01/5), First Day of Spring Semester Friday (01/9), ECHS Lottery Closes Monday (01/12), Spring Sports Night
NEW & TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION
Finals Schedule Finals for ALL students (TCP and Flex) are being held on Tuesday, December 16, Wednesday, December 17, and Thursday, December 18. Parents, please help your student to do their best on their finals by ensuring they get plenty of rest prior to taking the exams. Please take a moment to view the bell schedule
for details about the days/times of each exam.
ECHS Holiday Choir Concert Start your holiday off right with Christmas carols sung by our talented ECHS choir! The ECHS Holiday Choir Concert will be on Thursday, December 11, at 7:00 p.m. in The American Spirit Theater. The concert is free, so come out and enjoy the show! For more information, please contact jmccormick@amhcs.org.
Senior Dedications Senior dedications are now available for purchase, and the holiday season is the perfect time to order one! Families can choose from 1/4-page, 1/2-page, or full-page ads, with prices varying based on the size selected. Dedication pages are limited, and once the final spot in the 2026 yearbook is sold, no additional pages can be purchased. Parents who wish to honor their senior are encouraged to visit jostens.com and reserve their space soon.
Attention Charter Families! Don’t miss your chance to capture the memories of the year! Yearbooks are on sale now for $80, but the price will increase to $90 on Thursday, January 1. If you want to commemorate the moments, friendships, and stories that made this year unforgettable, owning the yearbook is the perfect way to do it. All purchases must be made exclusively through the Jostens website at jostens.com. The school cannot process or facilitate any sales, so be sure to order directly online. Secure your copy today and keep the memories alive for years to come!
Class of 2026 Lawn Signs Lawn Signs are ready just in time for Christmas! They are available in the school office for $25. You can reserve and pay for your lawn sign at this link, or you can pay in the office when you pick up your sign. Thank you!
Lost and Found The locker rooms were cleaned of all left items. Cleats, sweatshirts, athletic bags, water bottles, and any other lost and found items will be donated to a local charity on Friday, December 12. Please check the lost and found for items you may be missing before it's too late.
New Class of 2026 Spirit Wear Attention senior families! Just in time for the holiday season, new "Class of 2026" spirit wear is available at the AHCS Spirit Shop, brought to you by the ECHS Parent Volunteer Organization. Peruse our amazing hoodies, t-shirts, and crewnecks, available in both men's and women's styles. Click here
to buy!
PARENTS
Thank You Parents! Thank you parents for your donations and support for the Progressive Dinner on Saturday. This event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our ECHS families.
LOTTERY & ENROLLMENT
AMERICAN HERITAGE CHARTER SCHOOLS 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR LOTTERY INFORMATION
Lotteries for the 2026-2027 school year opened on October 14, 2025 for all programs. Applications are not required for currently enrolled students, but new siblings must submit a lottery application.
Escondido Charter High School: Lottery applications for enrollment in the high school programs are available online at https://amhcs.org/echs/echs-admissions/. The Escondido Charter High school lottery closes on January 9, 2026. Please contact the main office at 760-737-3154 if you have any questions.
Heritage Elementary School: Lottery applications are available online at https://amhcs.org/heritage-elementary-school/hes-admissions/. The lottery closes on February 6, 2026. Please contact the Heritage Elementary office at 760-737-3111 if you have any questions.
Heritage Junior High: Lottery applications are available online at https://amhcs.org/heritage-junior-high-school/hjhs-admissions/. The lottery closes on February 6, 2026. Please contact the Heritage Junior High office at 760-294-5599 if you have any questions.
Heritage Flex Academy: Lottery applications are available online at https://amhcs.org/hfa/hfa-admissions/. The lottery closes on February 6, 2026. Please contact the Heritage Flex Academy office at 760-466-1166 if you have any questions.
ACADEMIC & STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION
Community Service Deadline The deadline to submit community service hours for the first semester is Friday, December 12. All students are expected to serve a minimum of four hours each semester. Submit your completed hours, recorded on the ECHS Community Service Record Form, to the main office. Hours submitted after December 12 may not be reflected on the Community Service Report Forms mailed home with Report Cards. We suggest that you keep track of your hours (take a picture of each slip or keep track in a notebook) before submitting it to the front office.
STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION FOR SENIORS
January College Application Deadlines Seniors are reminded to turn in your Senior college information form
(if you still haven’t) and request any necessary counselor or teacher letters of recommendation for January college admissions applications no later than Wednesday, December 10. Submitting your requests by this date is essential to give staff enough time to write thorough, high-quality letters before the start of winter break. Please act immediately to secure your recommendations so that all application materials are submitted in advance of the official college deadlines.
FAFSA Application and Raffle Congratulations to Eric B. who won the first raffle for our ECHS seniors who have completed their financial aid application. Any student who has completed their financial aid application by Wednesday, December 17 will be entered into another raffle. Students can complete their financial aid form now with this link. Remember, if students are looking to apply for the Palomar Promise (2 free years of college) this form is required. If you need help, make a 1:1 appointment with our Project Next Financial Aid Coach, Ms. Garcia, in the Future Center here.
PROJECT NEXT
Project Next Career Coaching Ms. Osorio, our Career Coach with Project Next, is here to support students with their next steps after high school. She is available on Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the ECHS Future Center. Check out the menu of services here, book an appointment here, or email her at tatiana@projectnext.org. Be sure to follow us on Instagram to stay updated on events and opportunities throughout the year at echs_futurecenter.
Seniors: Ms. Michelle, our FAFSA Coach, is here every Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. She can support you with submitting the FAFSA and reviewing your award letters. Book an appointment with Ms. Michelle by clicking here.
Don't forget to check out our upcoming events!
Medical Assistant Career Chat:with Family Health Centers of San Diego: Tuesday, December 9, at 12:40 p.m. in the Future Center
*Please note that students are encouraged to sign up for our career chats. While students may still attend on the day of the event, those who sign up in advance will be entered into a raffle at the end of each presentation when they submit the event survey.
CAMPUS CULTURE & COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Save the Date! Movie Night on the Field! ECHS, mark your calendars! We will be hosting a Movie Night on the field on Friday, December 12. Entrance is free! The Movie Night will take place from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., and students should eat dinner before they arrive. More information is coming soon-stay tuned for details on the movie, schedule, and what to bring. Get ready for a fun night under the stars!
Sister Project The annual white elephant gift exchange and holiday party will be on Friday, December 12 in the ECHS student union from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Bring a holiday snack to share with the group and a gift to swap ($10-$15 price range).
Winter Spirit Week ECHS will be celebrating Winter Spirit Week from December 8 to 12! Each day has a fun theme, and students who dress up accordingly will receive Christmas-themed candy. Monday: Winter Wonderland Dress in your best winter-themed outfits! Think snowy colors, sparkles, and all things frosty. Tuesday: Holiday Characters Come dressed as your favorite holiday character! From festive icons to classic storybook figures, creativity is encouraged. Wednesday: Ski or Skater Show off your winter sport style by dressing like a skier or a skater. Thursday: Grade Competition Day Each grade will dress according to a holiday theme! -9th Grade: Elves – Wear green
or red
. -10th Grade: Reindeers – Wear brown or antlers. -11th Grade: The Grinch – Wear green
. -12th Grade: Santa – Wear Santa hats and anything else Santa-related. Friday: Pajamas Day Stay cozy and festive with your favorite pajamas.
Community Service Opportunity Heritage Elementary's ELO-Program is looking for high school volunteers. Volunteers will help students with homework as well as aiding teachers in a variety of classes such as coding, 3d printing, art, dance and more! If you are interested in helping our youngest White Tigers and earning community service hours, please click on this link.
ATHLETICS
ECHS Athletics Please check our athletics website, for the latest updates! You may also contact our athletic department at echsathletics@amhcs.org, if you have any questions. We look forward to sharing with you as we Play As One!
Athletics Physical Form This form
needs to be completed before trying out for any ECHS sport. It should be uploaded to your Student Management Portal. This can be found on our athletics website
under “Athletics Dept & Forms” and then after selecting “Clearance Forms”.
ISPE If you are enrolled in ISPE this year, please click on the link that correlates to your program TCP
or CLP
to input your hours. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Mallie at mgreen@amhcs.org.
Co-Curricular Eligibility Policy The ECHS Co-Curricular Eligibility Policy has been recently updated. To review the policy, click HERE.
OUR MISSION IS TO DEVELOP THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF OUR STUDENTS THROUGH A RIGOROUS CORE CURRICULUM WITH A PERSPECTIVE THAT CHERISHES TIMELESS VIRTUES AND THE AMERICAN SPIRIT.
