CHS Islander News

"All For One . One For All"

Go, ISLANDERS!

It's Final Week!

October 5: Heat day schedule today

October 6: Varsity Girls Volleyball Dig Pink Game- Pack the Stands 6PM and JV at 4PM (more details below)

NHS Tutoring - lunch in room 511.

October 7: FEDERAL SURVEY CARDS sent home

Homeroom Broadcast 11:07 am

Check Your Mood Day with Safe Harbor

Regular Wednesday schedule period 4 ends at 2:40

October 8: Finals (see special schedule)

FEDERAL SURVEY CARDS DUE

October 9: Finals (see special schedule)

CoSA teachers - be sure to communicate with your students

October 12:Fall Holiday - No School

Finals: It's finals week, Islanders! You've got this!

Homecoming was a blast!! Thank you to all of the families, staff, and community members, who supported our outstanding Islanders. I couldn't be more proud of your children who exhibited kindness, respect, and every aspect of Islander Pride! It truly was a terrific week! Way to go, Islanders! Homecoming Photos 2026

Thank you to Kel Casey for the photos at https://www.kelcasey.com/p251746011 To download, just click on any one photo and look at a dropdown menu with the downloading options which will remove the watermark.

Term 1 Semester 1 Finals Schedule: Altered bell schedule on Oct. 8 and 9. Please see the special schedule below. Period 1 and 2 finals will be given on Thursday and periods 4 and 3 on Friday. School day ends at 3:30 pm

A message from PTO about Finals: Please help us support our amazing CHS students during final exams on October 8 and 9 by providing healthy snacks for students Sign Up Here

Federal Survey Cards: On Wednesday, October 7th, your student will come home with a Federal Survey Card. We need your support in filling out this annual, federally required card and returning it with your student by THURSDAY, October 8th. An email detailing this process will be sent this week.

October 14th PSAT Testing Information: CHS will administer the PSAT for all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students. All students in these grade levels will participate in the exam; no registration is required.

Important Test Day Information

• Students should arrive at school at their regular start time of 8:30 a.m.

• Testing will begin promptly when the tardy bell rings. Students who arrive late may not be permitted to test.

• Students must use their school-issued Chromebook for this digital test administration.

• Calculators are permitted on the PSAT.

• The PSAT includes the built-in Desmos graphing and scientific calculator, which is available to all students during the test.

• Students may also choose to use their own personal calculator. Please review the PSAT Calculator Policy for a list of approved calculators.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Wendy Lewis at wendy.lewis@coronadousd.net.

October 14th Senior Activity: Seniors have a mandatory activity to attend

9:15 am: We will meet at Village Theater on Orange Ave to watch Grown Ups

11:30 am: Lunch (students may return to campus)

12:20 pm: All students on campus for period 1-4

This is a regular, required school day. Attendance will be taken at the theater as well as in all classes. Students who do not wish to attend the event can report to the library by 9:15 am.

• Permission Slips are required. Pick up and return to room 504

Coronado High School’s 2026-2027 School Profile

Coronado High School’s counseling department develops and publishes the school profile every fall on the CHS website and shares it with colleges during the college admissions process. It is available on the CHS website under the About and Academic sections.

Tutoring: NHS offers FREE tutoring in all subjects. Our NHS students are ready to help out students who may need a little extra support or even a study partner. Stop by room 511 Tuesdays at lunch or Thursdays from 3:35-4:35 pm.

Attendance

Canvas: Staying in the know about your student's classes and grades is an important part of our partnership in educating your child. Please be sure to regularly check Canvas . For login directions: https://bit.ly/CUSDCanvasparent

Note: You do not need to create an account from scratch. You will need to use your current email as your username (the email address you use for Synergy/ParentVue) and then reset your password.

Technology Help: Please use this resource when you have questions about technology. Student and Parent Technology.

Get Involved & Support the Arts

CoSA Foundation.

Support Girls Volleyball at the Dig Pink® Match! Tuesday, October 6th - JV @4pm & V @6 pm

• Our Girls Varsity Volleyball team will be hosting a Dig Pink® match on October 6th in support of the Side-Out Foundation, a nonprofit research-based organization committed to providing life-extending solutions for people living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
• The team is working toward raising $1,000+ and would love the support of our Coronado community! Come pack the stands and support our team while helping us make an impact for an important cause.Donate or learn more: https://giving.side-out.org/campaigns/23442

Come see the the Islanders take on Cathedral Catholic for their first exciting matchup this season. Wear pink and come cheer them on

If you would you like to donate baked goods for our bake sale or volunteer at the event? Please reach out to Dig Pink Ambassador & Varsity player Jamesyn Wright.

10/5/2026 San Diego State University (SDSU)

10/6/2026 University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), in room 202

10/6/2026 Suffolk University

10/7/2026 Providence College

10/9/2026 Duke University (DURING BREAK at 10am!)

10/13/2026 Syracuse University

10/15/2026 University of Connecticut

10/16/2026 George Washington University (GWU)

SENIORS! Important Upcoming Events

• NEW! The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CA Dream Act are now open and are due March 2, 2026! An information packet will be mailed to all senior families the week of October 5th. To access the documents sent home to seniors with live links, click HERE or visit the CHS Financial Aid webpage. The CHS Counselors are here to help support you through the process. Please attend the CHS Funding College Night in November or reach out to your counselor for help!

• REQUIREMENT FOR ALL SENIORS - AB469The AB469 legislation requires all California seniors to complete ONE of the following before the end of their senior year. You must complete the requirement prior to purchasing a grad nite and/or prom ticket as well.

1. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

2. An application for the California Dream Act (CADAA) (for undocumented students)

3. To submit an “opt-out” form

• NEW! FREE COLLEGE ESSAY BOOTCAMP (VIRTUAL) - October 15th

• Personal Statement Boot Camp designed to help high school juniors get started on one of the most challenging parts of the college application process: the college essay. The session will be led by Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy), author of College Essay Essentials, a widely used resource among counselors and students.

• Thursday October 15th from 4:00pm-5:30pm

• REGISTER HERE

Fall CHS College Counseling Workshops

CHS Counselors will have informative sessions and drop-in help availability on various topics throughout the fall on Mondays during lunch in room 202. The following are the workshops offered:

• October 5th - Cal State Applications

• October 19th - Military (USNA Rep or Blue and Gold Rep)

• October 26th, November 2nd, 17th-21st, December 1st - College Application Drop-in Workshops

Thank you for attending College Night: Click on the CHS Fall 2026 College Night Presentation to access the counseling portion of the night.

CAREER CORNER

UPDATED! INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE!

• See the CHS Internship Opportunities Document for internship details and how to apply.Please contact kristen.ereno@coronadousd.net with any questions.Current Internships:

  • Journalism paid internship with The Coronado Times is now available!

  
  

• Don't miss the 2026 Southern California Firefighter Career Expo! Meet recruiters, try the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), and get your questions answered. Free & family-friendly!

  Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 11 AM – 2 PM

  FCTC San Diego Co | 6144 Innovation Way, Carlsbad, CA 92009

  Register today: CalJAC.org

NEW Current Job Openings in Coronado: Indeed Job Postings

NEW CHS Counseling Website - Please view for all college and career information and social emotional resources.

Coronado High School’s 2026-2027 School Profile

RSVP: https://forms.gle/Rmz8hjr1Qw8mG2nV6

Planning for your child’s education is an exciting journey and understanding how to finance college is an important part of the process. We invite San Diego families of military-connected students to join us for a helpful overview of federal and California Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits.

You’ll learn about the benefits available to military-connected students, the steps required to access them, and how to help ensure they are processed accurately and efficiently each semester or academic year. Our goal is to provide your family with the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the process and make informed decisions about your child’s educational future.

5:00 pm Resource Fair • Meet the Military & Veterans Program representatives from various San Diego colleges and universities,

ROTC representatives, CalVet and Navy Fleet & Family Readiness representatives, and more!

5:50 pm Welcome Message

6:00 pm ROTC Presentations

6:15 pm Financial Aid Brief

6:40 pm Cal Vet Presentation

7:00 pm VA Benefits Presentation

7:30 pm Close Workshop

Qualifying seniors who have not applied for the CA Seal of Civic Engagement, can earn the award in time to add it to their college applications. From now until Nov. 30th applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The spring application is open to Juniors and Seniors and will be available in February with awards being announced in May. More information can be found on our website at bit.ly/nadocivic

• We continue to be a cashless entry, and here is a link to purchase the digital tickets: CHS GoFan Digital Ticket Link. You can also scan a QR code at the gate.

• We are starting to stream home games on Hudl. It is temporarily free to watch all home regular-season games on the Hudl Fan App or https://fan.hudl.com/

NIEDERMEYER FIELD ACCESS POLICY

To ensure the safety of our student-athletes and maintain smooth game day operations, access to the track and field before, during, and after games is strictly restricted to authorized individuals. Only cleared personnel, including rostered student-athletes, CHS coaches, CHS staff/faculty, visiting teams in uniform, Visiting Coaches, game officials, approved event support, credentialed media, and security and emergency personnel, are permitted beyond the gates and on the track and/or field.

Students, parents, spectators, and community members are required to remain in designated stands and outside of the track and field areas at all times. Please wait until players have fully exited the field gates before meeting them. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in keeping our facilities safe, organized, and enjoyable for everyone while supporting our athletics program.

CMS, VES, and SSES students are welcome to attend football games but must be accompanied by a parent.

CHS Athletic Directors:

• Aaron Brooks: Aaron.brooks@coronadousd.net
• Casey Tanaka: casey.tanaka@coronadousd.net

Pre-order your Yearbook NOW

Yearbook pre-order sales are NOW OPEN at Yearbookforever.com. Books are $90

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities that spans from September 15 to October 15. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a book! Swing by the CHS Library to view and browse our Hispanic Heritage Month Display, which features a variety of nonfiction and fiction titles by Hispanic and Latinx authors.

• We also have a beautiful display of alebrijes from Oaxaca, Mexico. Alebrijes are brightly colored fantastical creatures from Mexican folk art. They inspired the 2017 Pixar animated film, Coco, and is the title of Newbery and Pura Belpré award winning author, Donna Barba Higuera’s, latest book about a sci-fi adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans and alebrijes coexist.

Wellness Tip

Dr. Jonathan Haidt, the author of The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, is a guest on Mel Robbins’s latest podcast and he discusses the effects social media is having on boys but also what specific changes you and the people you love can make - starting right now - to take back your attention, motivation, and focus It is definitely worth a listen to! We also have a handful of copies of the book in the CHS library for anyone who wants to check it out.

Protect Your Focus, Motivation, & Mental Health - Mel Robbins

Visit the links below with your students for additional information on resources available

· CHS Library Catalog Access

· CHS Library Digital Resources Brochure

· CHS Library Canvas

CHS Library Canvas access: https://bit.ly/CHSlibraryCanvas

Library Hours and Contact

· CHS Library Hours: 8am – 4pm on school days

· CHS Library Extension: 2088

· CHS Library General Email: chslibrary@coronadousd.net

Attention Student Islanders!! CHS Club C.A.S.A. (Coronado Advocates for Social Activities) would like your student feedback. Our main goal is to create teen spaces in Coronado and improve campus life.

Take this short survey linked here: Survey

Voice of Democracy:

• Open to students in 9th - 12th grades enrolled by the Oct. 31st deadline

• Submit a 3 - 5 minute audio essay

• This year’s theme is, “What a veteran taught me about America”

• VFW Post 2422 will award cash prizes to top essayists

• VFW Post 2422 will nominate the winner to compete at the District and National level with national prize levels of $35,000

The deadline for submission is 31 October 2026. I have attached a flyer that contains QR code to access Scholars App. Students will need to access the Scholar's App and create a log-in. Additional information about criteria and submission is included in the app. Essay submission is made directly through the application.

WORLD LANGUAGES AND ELD VIDEO UPDATE

Please watch the 10-minute video for Fall updates and information regarding World Languages Pathways and English Language Development at CUSD.

SEAL OF BILITERACY OCTOBER TESTING

I have emailed you a flyer that goes with this announcement

• There are currently 64 seniors eligible for the Seal of Biliteracy (approx. 30% of the senior class of 212 students).

• Seniors who have not taken or have not passed the test can test in the Fall Testing window of October 19-23, see flyer.

• If you have questions, please contact Dr. Sullivan at maylen.sullivan@coronadousd.org

CIEE Travel Scholarships

I have emailed you a flyer that goes with this announcement

• Did you know that Coronado High School was named a Global Navigator High School with CIEE last school year (25-26)? That means they earmark up to $100,000 for our students to get travel scholarships.

• Here is the Brochure with all the Programs.

• ASAP: Before you start your application, please contact Dr. Sullivan for a $200 discount at maylen.sullivan@coronadousd.org.

• Wednesday, October 21: CIEE Informational Lunch meeting for Students in Room 413.

• Wednesday, October 21 at 5:30pm: CIEE Parent Information meeting in Room 413.

• Questions? Contact Dr. Sullivan at maylen.sullivan@coronadousd.org

Rotary International Exchanges

• International exchanges are an affordable and meaningful way to travel, and a great way to connect to a family abroad.

• There will be an information meeting about Rotary International Exchanges on November 12 from 6 to 7pm in the CHS Multipurpose Room.

• For more information, contact From: Karen Strabala, karen.strabala@gmail.com

September DELAC Meeting Resources

Parents, if you were unable to attend the DELAC Meeting on September 24, please find below all the resources shared at the meeting:

• Meeting Slides (includes a recording and recap of the meeting)

• If you haven’t yet, please take the DELAC/ELAC Parent Engagement survey: https://forms.gle/euJD4iYADy5VUWTV9
  
  

PTO 2026-2027 Meetings 9:00-10:00 a.m

October 15, November 12, January 21, March 4, April 22

PTO Executive Board 2026-2027

Kendra Schaefer, President (coronadoptopres@gmail.com)

Christina Mathis, Vice President

Andrea Ullman, Secretary

Keli Craig, Treasurer

Mandy Cohn and Kimberly Huang: Hospitality

Our programs and opportunities are the result of generous community support. We encourage you to connect with us and other families through joining and volunteering with our Coronado High School PTO, the Islander Sports Foundation, Coronado Schools Foundation, CoSA Foundation, Coronado Safe Harbor, and attending school events and activities. Navy School Liaison Officer: Mindy Hayes mindy.e.hayes.naf@us.navy.mil

619.991.2509

CHS is a dynamic community; if you want to be involved and don’t know how, please reach out and ask. We are here to get you connected.

October 14: PSAT for grades 9-11 and senior activity

PTO Sponsored lunch

CHS Leadership

Erin Rowan: Front Desk Secretary

Maribel Kastlunger: Assistant to Principal Mellina

Linda Kirk: Assistant to Assistant Principal Lewis (alpha A-K)

Noila Perri: Assistant to Assistant Principal Ayala (alpha L-Z)

Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA)

Karrie Jackson: CoSA Coordinator

Deidre Smith: CoSA Admin Assistant

Attendance for 26-27: CHS is encouraging students to be responsible for their attendance by being punctual and on time for class. We appreciate your support in this effort to be respectful by being on time!

Campus Safety: Guests are required to always check in at the front office. ALL visitors must present their identification when visiting campus.

CUSD Child Nutrition Services: Child Nutrition Services Announces FREE BREAKFAST AND FREE LUNCH MEALS for all Enrolled Students for the 2026-27 School Year. Read more at the link HERE

Canvas: Staying in the know about your student's classes and grades is an important part of our partnership in educating your child. Please be sure to regularly check Canvas . For login directions: https://bit.ly/CUSDCanvasparent

Note: You do not need to create an account from scratch. You will need to use your current email as your username (the email address you use for Synergy/ParentVue) and then reset your password.

Technology Help: Please use this resource when you have questions about technology. Student and Parent Technology.

BIKES and SAFETY:

• Bike Safety: Bikes and E-Bikes: Please remind your student to wear their helmet and follow all traffic laws while riding their bikes to school. We have had a of lot e-bikes running stop signs, going extremely fast, and some close calls with cars and pedestrian accidents. Our top priority is to keep our students and community safe at all times.
• Bike Racks: Students must park in the bike racks inside the 7th Street school gate. Parking around the school perimeter interferes with traffic, maintenance, and safety. Reminder: students are encouraged to always lock their bikes and helmets.

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CELL PHONE POLICY:

To protect valuable instructional time and minimize distractions, we are implementing a mandatory, campus-wide cell phone policy in all classrooms.

Standard Classroom Procedure

• The Rule: At the start of every class period, all students are required to place their cell phones in their assigned slot in the classroom lockbox.

• The Duration: Lockboxes will be locked immediately when the bell rings. Phones must remain in the lockbox for the duration of the class period and may only be retrieved at the end of the period.

What If a Student is Tardy?

Because classroom phone boxes are locked immediately at the start of the period:

• Tardy students must turn in their cell phones at the front office upon arrival.

• Students can retrieve their phones from the front office at the end of that class period.

Cell phones are not to be carried outside of the classroom during a class period. Students who have their cell phones in the bathrooms, hallways, on the quad, etc. during class time will result in immediate confiscation, a phone referral, and the phone will be sent directly to the office to be picked up at the end of the day.

Airpods and Headphones: All listening devices are required to be in backpacks during class time.

Smart watches and other smart devices are required to be in backpacks during class time.

• Confiscation guidelines follow the same protocols as phones.

Failure to follow the CHS Cell Phone Policy will result in the progressive disciplinary actions detailed in the handbook: Please refer to page 48 of the Student and Family Handbook for the complete policy.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our classrooms focused, respectful, and dedicated to learning.

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CUSD Chromebooks and Device Requirements

Dear CHS Families:

Coronado Unified School District is committed to preparing students for success in school and beyond. Part of this preparation includes exposing students to technology and guiding them in its appropriate uses. We are happy to continue providing 1st through 12th grade CUSD students with a Chromebook, case and charger for educational use at school and at home. This 1:1 Student Device Program will continue for the 2026-2027 school year.

As part of this program, all Coronado High School students are required to bring a fully charged device to school daily. Students who need a device will have the opportunity to check-out a Chromebook during scheduled pick-up.

NEW as of 26-27: All CHS students are required to have a school issued Chromebook at the start of the school year.

Students Using Personal Devices: CHS students who have personal devices at home may use their own device as an alternative to a CUSD Chromebook. If your student chooses to use a personal device, however, please note that it will not have specific CUSD features, such as testing lockdown browsers and content filters. If your student chooses to use their own device for daily school work, they will still be issued a CUSD Chromebook for course-specific requirements and/or local testing and state testing in Spring 2027.

Please note, a school issued Chromebook is required for certain CHS classes. If a course syllabus states that a school issued Chromebook is to be used in that class, this policy will be enforced and upheld. Students may not use their personal device in classes that require a school issued Chromebook.

Students Using CUSD Devices: CHS students who check-out a CUSD Chromebook for their daily school work may keep the device for the duration of their enrollment at CHS, including summers. Students will practice responsibility for operating and maintaining their individual CUSD devices throughout their time at CHS. We also encourage families to purchase the OPTIONAL Mobile Device Protection Plan for CUSD Chromebooks for just $30 a year to limit any fines due to accidental damage. The Protection Plan must be purchased annually within two weeks of the beginning of the school year in order to be valid. A new Protection Plan must also be purchased if a student is provided with a replacement device due to damage/loss of their previous device. This plan only covers the device (NOT the case and charger).

For more information about this program, please visit the links below:

· 1:1 Student Device Program FAQs

· Mobile Device Protection Plan FAQs

· Mobile Device Protection Plan Payment Instructions

Website: https://chs.coronadousd.net/
Location: 650 D Avenue, Coronado, CA, USA
Phone: 619.522.8907
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoronadoIslanders