CHS Islander News
November 10-14, 2025
THIS WEEK
Nov 10 Non Student day -Faculty Professional Learning Day
Nov 11 Veteran's Day - No school
Nov 12
Nov 13 PTO mtg @ 9:00 / MPR
Grade Level Assemblies 10th and 11th Grade in Theater - Period 2 (10th) & 3 (11th)
NHS Tutoring at lunch in room 511
Funding College Night 5:30 pm CHS MPR
Nov 14 Letters to the Troops DUE to the front office
Messages from PTO: Please help us give THANKS to the amazing teachers and staff. On November 19th the CHS PTO will host a Thanksgiving Feast Luncheon sponsored by Park Life Real Estate. Thank you, Park Life Real Estate, for your support and generosity! We would love your help in providing dessert, drinks or a helping hand. Please sign up HERE
Letters to the Troops: We have officially kicked off the annual Letters to the Troops Project! We are asking that students participate in this project to bring positivity, warmth, and support to a deployed military command during the holiday season. As a military community, we would love to have a large number of letters coming from CHS. Four letters will be chosen for special recognition and prizes and will be published in the Coronado Eagle Journal. All letters must be completed no later than Friday, November 14th and can be dropped off in the front office.
- Letters should be addressed as, "Dear Service Member" and express why you appreciate the sacrifices they make - acknowledging that they often miss holidays, birthdays and special celebrations with their families and friends. Students should sign their FIRST NAME ONLY on the letters.
Safe Harbor is hosting “Connect with Your Teen,” a free parent event on November 17 from 6:30–8 PM at the Coronado High School Theater featuring parenting expert Jennifer Kolari, MSW, RSW.
Sign Up Link: Here
AP Test Registration and Payment for the “FALL” has closed. If students missed this registration window, they can register for Fall and Spring classes when the Spring registration window opens.
- SPRING Term Registration will open in January
- Registration for Fall classes will incur a $40 late fee during that time.
New Child Nutrition Services department website is informative and easy to navigate.
Independent Study Contract: Students who have a planned absence of 1 (or more) consecutive days of school may complete an Independent Study Contract with the prior approval of a CHS administrator. When successfully completed, an ISC enables students to remain on track with their learning in the classroom. It also allows the District to recoup the loss of funding caused by the absence. In order to be approved, please submit an ISC request to the front office at least three school days before the absence begins to allow teachers an opportunity to organize the work for students. For more information, please contact Noila Perri (noila.perri@coronadousd.net) in the main office.
NHS tutoring: Our NHS tutors are available to provide support in any content area with students in all grade levels. This is an excellent way for students to get some extra support and ready for exams
- Tuesdays after school 3:35-4:35pm Room 511
- Thursdays at lunch Room 511
Lunch: Students are expected to return to campus on time for period 3. Arriving tardy to 3rd period may result in having lunch detention the following day. Also, thank you for reminding your student that respectful behavior on and off campus is an expectation of all CHS Islanders.
Tardy Sweeps: CHS administration conducts unannounced tardy sweeps throughout the year. Students who arrive late after the tardy bell will check in at the MPR, be marked tardy with their ID, and then head to class; phones will also be collected and returned at the end of the day to support our cell phone policy. Thank you for helping us reinforce punctuality and a focused learning environment by ensuring your student arrives on time and ready to learn.
Has your child been absent or tardy? Detentions & Saturday School:
Detention is held on Tuesday afternoon (3:40 p.m.), Thursday morning (7:30 a.m.) and Thursday afternoon (3:40 p.m.). Students must attend detentions to clear tardies.
Students may also attend Saturday School to clear tardies and absences. October Saturday School will be held on Saturday, October 4th, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Students may sign up for Saturday School by filling out the form linked below:
ATTENTION SENIORS
SENIOR ON CAMPUS PORTRAITS: December 2nd is the ONLY opportunity seniors will have for an on campus sitting. This is a QUICK SHOT - just your yearbook photo ONLY. Remember no senior portrait, no senior quote.
Annual Seniors vs. Staff Turkey Bowl!
Attention Seniors! Sign ups are available for the annual Staff vs. Seniors Turkey Bowl. The Turkey Bowl is a friendly flag football game held on Niedermeyer field every year. If you are interested in playing, please sign up using the link in the graphic. You must also fill out and turn in to Mrs. Belong a CUSD liability waiver. Interested students can pick up a waiver in room 702. Link for Turkey Bowl Sign Up→>https://forms.gle/vPZnmHQQD7MXq4E3A
CSF
Shop to support our schools! The Coronado Schools Foundation Online Auction is LIVE through November 17th, featuring more than 170 exclusive items and experiences that directly support STEM & Arts in our schools. Browse, bid and make a difference for our students today: Click HERE
Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA)
Creative Writing Competition
Creative Writing Club is hosting its annual Short Story Competition. The competition will be judged by a panel of faculty and students and prizes will be awarded to the winners. The competition is open to any CHS student. This year's prompt is: "It was the tiniest detail that went overlooked. And it ruined everything."
- There will be fliers in every English classroom as well as in the library with a QR code linking to the competition rules and guidelines. The deadline to submit is December 10th.
- Please encourage students to enter! If they have any questions, they can view the rules HERE or contact me at joshua.chao@coronadousd.org
Counselor Corner
Upcoming 10th and 11th Grade Counseling Assemblies - November 13th
The fall counseling assemblies for 10th and 11th graders are coming up on Thursday November 13th. 10th grade will be during period 2 and 11th grade during period 3. There will not be a 9th grade assembly due to the counselors now giving weekly lessons in the FIE classes. Thank you!
New West Point Academy Representative Visit - November 25th at 10am at the Coronado Public Library
A CHS Alumni that currently attends the United States Military Academy West Point will be visiting to meet with students and parents to learn more about the academy application process and experience of attending West Point. Since CHS is on break, it will be held at the Coronado Public Library in the Conference Room. Stop by to learn more and ask questions.
PARENTS OF SENIORS!
- College Applications: If your student is going to any type of college, including UC, Cal State, Community or any other private or public University, students need to add their colleges they are applying to in Xello, our college and career platform. Xello is how we send all letters of recommendation, transcripts, school reports, etc. to colleges. We prepped the students as juniors last year and then reviewed it with them during the senior assembly on September 11th and sent an email with all details and reviewed it in the weekly college application workshops. You received an email on October 17th with additional details on what is required and detailed instructions in order to support your student. Please reach out to your student’s counselor if you have any questions.
- Updated The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CA Dream Act are open and are due March 2, 2026! An information packet was emailed to every senior and parent on October 17th with specific financial aid workshops and resources. To access the documents sent home to seniors with live links, click HERE or visit the CHS Financial Aid webpage. A hard copy of the information was mailed home the week of October 20th. The CHS Counselors are here to help support you through the process. Please attend the CHS Funding College Night below 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.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
An application for the California Dream Act (CADAA) (for undocumented students)
To submit an “opt-out” form
- NEW DATE!! Funding College Night on Thursday, November 13th at 5:30pm-7:00pm in the CHS Multi-Purpose Room - CHS will have experts in Financial Aid give a presentation and a workshop to complete the FAFSA/Dream Act in its entirety to meet the requirement for ALL seniors. Students should attend as well. There will be a student workshop on Monday November 3rd at lunch for students to complete the first part in creating their FSA ID. Students need to initiate the FAFSA and parents join as contributors.
College Night Resources
Thank you parents for coming to our college night and making it a success! Below are some of the resources from the night. Also, please take a moment to complete this brief College Night Parent Survey to give feedback to the counseling department on the night.
CHS Counselors College Night Presentation
CHS Class of 2026 College Workshop Folder - Senior Application Workshop Folder
XELLO - CHS’S COLLEGE AND CAREER PLATFORM - PARENT/GUARDIAN ROLL-OUT -
Xello is the college and career platform for CHS. Using Xello, students document their journey as they build self-knowledge, explore career and post-secondary options, create plans, apply to colleges, select courses, and continually reassess as they take in new knowledge, skills, and experiences. By enabling Xello’s Family Portal, we are giving you a front-row view to the work your child is completing in Xello through your Xello Family Account.
- On Tuesday September 30th, you should have received an email from noreply@xello (on your email that is in Synergy) inviting you to create your Family Account. A separate email detailed information on the platform, along with videos and resources. All information can be found on the CHS Counseling Website under the Xello section. If you have any questions regarding your Xello account, please email Kristen Ereno at kristen.ereno@coronadousd.net.
Fall College Visits!
Private and Public college representatives from California and across the country come to visit CHS during lunch in the College and Career Center (CCC) to meet with students. Check out CHS College Visits Fall 2025 for a comprehensive list or look below for the upcoming visits.
DATE COLLEGE
Wed, Nov 12, 2025 Studying in Europe (colleges in Italy, Switzerland and Spain)
Thu, Nov 13, 2025 University of British Columbia
Fri ,Nov 14, 2025 Washington State University
Seniors! Important Information:
Senior Counseling Assembly - Thank you for attending the Class of 2026 assembly on September 11th. Please access the Senior Assembly Class of 2026 Presentation for the complete slidedeck. It is loaded with information and resource links for the college application process, including the xello platform requirements. Please come to the college application workshops for more in-depth walk throughs for each application.
UC/Cal State Application Deadlines Extended to December 2nd! Due to November 30th occurring on a weekend this year, the UC and Cal State systems have extended their application deadline to December 1st at 11:59pm. The counselors recommend submitting the application prior to Thanksgiving break so it can be reviewed by a counselor.
Fall CHS College Application Counseling Workshops - Seniors
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:
- November 12th - Financial Aid, FAFSA ID, & Scholarship Student Workshop
- November 17th-21st, December 1st - College Application Drop-in Workshops
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES:
NEW Coronado City Council Internship Opportunity for CHS Students
Coronado High School juniors and seniors interested in city government and civic leadership are invited to apply for a unique internship opportunity offered by retired Coronado teacher and current Councilmember Amy Steward.
This Spring 2026 program (January – April) will afford two students a unique, inside look at how city government functions to include opportunities to attend official meetings; engage with community leaders; and develop valuable leadership, communication, and administrative skills.
For additional details on the internship and how to apply, check out the CHS Internship Opportunities Document
College Fair - Saturday November 15th, 9am-1pm @ Southwest High School
Come meet with colleges, trade schools, and universities from across the country. Financial aid experts and counselors will also be available to help students and their families apply for FAFSA.
Where: Southwest High School - 1685 Hollister Street, San Diego, CA 92154
When: Saturday November 15th, 9am-1pm
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
See the CHS Internship Opportunities Document for internship details and how to apply.
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.
CHS Athletics
Winter Sports Tryouts are this week.
Winter Sports Season is around the corner. Make sure to register online (instructions below)and upload a valid physical (Must include Office Stamp and only Valid for one year).
Coaches Needed: Please contact Aaron Brooks if you are interested in coaching Boys Varsity Volleyball, Jv Girls Beach Volleyball, Boys Tennis, My Fantasy Football Team, Girls Golf, or Girls Lacrosse.
CHS Athletic Director: Aaron.brooks@coronadousd.net
NJROTC
Support Islander Company Coronado Community Food Drive
CHS Library
Friendly Reminders:
Day Use Chromebooks are only to be checked out for ONE DAY ONLY. Please remind your students to bring in their school-issued device regularly. If they do need a Day Use, they need to return it by the end of that same day. We are quickly running out of Day Use Chromebooks on a daily basis.
We do NOT lend out chargers. However, if a student has lost the charger provided with their school-issued device, we can apply a fine to their account and provide them a new one.
Save the date for Friday, November 21st at lunch where we will have a variety of games available to all staff and students to enjoy just before we set off for Thanksgiving Break. Stop by the CHS Library to destress and have some fun!!! We’ve got The Game of Life, Scrabble, Chess, Connect 4, Checkers, Monopoly, Really Loud Librarians, Books & Ladders, Bananagrams, UNO, and more!!!
· CHS Library Digital Resources Brochure
o If you don’t have access to our CHS Library Canvas yet, please enroll at this link after you and your student have been provided with 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
Safe Harbor
STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
CIEE Travel Scholarships
Students can open their CIEE Travel Scholarships application with a $200 discount by clicking this link.
· CHS is the Recipient of the Global Navigator High School award, guaranteeing CHS up to $100,000 in scholarship money toward CIEE Summer Travel Scholarships, depending on the number of applicants and based on each family's financial need.
· CIEE Application/Essay support is available during Lunch in Room 413 or via email maylen.sullivan@coronadousd.org
· Disclaimer: This is not a school or district sponsored activity. Coronado USD and Coronado High School are sharing this information as an informational and voluntary resource for students interested in participating in experiences to study abroad. No joint venture, partnership, or agency relationship exists between CIEE and Coronado USD.
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES
Do you want your student to do an exchange program? Rotary International is hosting its Parent Information Meeting on November 19 from 6pm to 7pm in the Multipurpose Room at CHS. Contact: Karen Strabala coronadorotaryexchange@gmail.com
FRANCOPHONE JOB FAIR
There will be a Francophone Job Fair on Monday, Nov. 17 from 4pm-7pm at UC San Diego. The job fair is sponsored by the French-American Chamber of Commerce, l’AATF-San Diego, the Consulat Général de France à Los Angeles, the UCSD Social Sciences - Linguistics Department, et le French Club de UCSD. Come explore internship opportunities, part-time and full-time career opportunities. Widen your Francophone network. Link to Register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1708816278489?aff=oddtdtcreator
OR
Register NOW, limited spots!!!
Class Parent Information
Senior Class of 2026
SENIOR PORTRAITS
Seniors, book your senior portrait session before the December deadline. Go to CherishedMemoriesPhotography.com to book your appointment. There will be on campus appointments in early December, but those will not be open until just before Thanksgiving Break. Don’t forget - no senior portrait, no senior quote.
2026 Beachcomber Yearbook
YEARBOOK PRICE INCREASE ALERT: Yearbook prices increase to $90 on Monday, Oct. 6.
Go to YearbookForever.com to buy yours before prices increase again.
CHS PTO
The CHS PTO has lots of amazing things planned for the students, teachers and staff this year! As always we cannot do what we do without the help of our amazing CHS Families!
Thank you for taking the time to help us support our awesome CHS students, teachers and staff. CHS PTO is looking forwarding to a fantastic school year! Go Islanders!
PTO Executive Board 2025-2026
Liz Riebe, President (coronadoptopres@gmail.com)
Alison Gregory, Vice President
Arlene Ventimiglia, Secretary
Keli Craig, Treasurer
Mandy Cohn: Hospitality
Coronado Schools Foundation
Coronado Public Library
Calendar
November 17-21 College Workshops in Room 202 at Lunch
November 24-28 Thanksgiving Recess -No School
December 1 College Workshops in Room 202 at Lunch
December.5 Fire Drill
December 5 Coronado Holiday Parade / 50th anniversary
December 9 CoSA Preview Night for Prospective families 6 PM/Theatre
December 12 Winter Pep Rally
December 12 CoSA Dance Fall Performance
December 13 CoSA Dance Fall Performance
December 15 CHS Band and CoSA IM Holiday concert 6PM / Theatre
December 15-19 FSA Workshops in English 12 & Econ/Gov - Counseling
December 22-January 2 Winter Recess - No School
Information on Repeat
Attendance for 25-26: 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. There are student incentives for regular attendance, alongside monthly tardy sweeps.
Absences: In the event of an absence, please complete and submit the CHS Parent Verification of Attendance Form (Google), OR contact Rina Parodi in the attendance office at 619-522-8907 EX. 2094.
- If you have any questions concerning attendance verification, please contact Rina Parodi via email at rina.parodi@coronadousd.net or call at (619)522-8907 ext. 2094
CHS Broadcast: Watch Islander Insider Live - Every Wednesday at 11:07 am
- Club Presidents: if you have an announcement you’d like us to make on the show, complete the Student Access Homeroom Announcements
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.
Campus Safety: We appreciate you following safety policies and protocols. Guests are required to always check in at the front office. ALL visitors must present their identification when visiting campus.
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. Our top priority is to keep our students and community safe at all times.
Coronado High School
Website: https://chs.coronadousd.net/
Location: 650 D Avenue, Coronado, CA, USA
Phone: 619.522.8907
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoronadoIslanders