Paw Prints

Principal's Message

Happy Friday Cougar Families!

The first bullet in our mission and vision statement shares that Steele Canyon is a community for all where each person feels safe and welcome. This communicates to all that we recognize that teaching and learning cannot take place unless our entire community feels safe and welcome. October is school safety month and we want to share the efforts we have made and the plans that we have in place to help achieve our vision.

Social Environment

Say Something Week - Thank you to our wonderful social workers Ms. Churma and Mrs. Ortiz for leading Say Something week and teaching our students that they can help prevent school violence by identifying and reporting concerning behavior.
Red Ribbon Week - Next week is Red Ribbon Week. We will promote drug-free living, educate youth and communities about the dangers of substance abuse, and honor the sacrifice of law enforcement officers who fight against illicit drugs.

Physical Environment

We have made many improvements over the past couple of years to enhance safety including additional lighting on campus, installation of bollards in strategic areas to keep people from driving on campus, enhanced surveillance cameras, and a locking mechanism on our front office doors with an intercom and a remote that unlocks the door.

Safety Exercises

Great American Shakeout - Last Thursday, October 15th.
Lockdown - Our lockdown exercise is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28. We will have law enforcement on hand to support an efficient and thorough sweep. Information regarding the exercise will be communicated with families next week.

Thank you for support in making Steele Canyon a safe place to learn and work

Rah! Rah! Cougars!

Dr. Parr

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, 10/20: Start Smart @ 5:45pm
Thursday, 10/22: Orchestra Concert with SDSU
10/26-10/30: Red Ribbon Week
Wednesday, 10/28: Lockdown Drill
Thursday, 10/29: Physicals @ Helix High School
Saturday, 10/31: Halloween
Sunday, 11/1: Daylight Time Ends
Monday, 11/2: Día de los Muertos (Lunch)
Tuesday, 11/3: Election Day
Wednesday, 11/4: Cougar Congress
Wednesday, 11/4: FAFSA Workshop @ 5-6:30pm
Wednesday, 11/4: Governing Board Meeting @ 5pm
Saturday, 11/7: Winter Sports Begin
Wednesday, 11/11: Veteran's Day, No School
Friday, 11/13: Quarter 2 Progress Reports
Monday, 11/16: Winter Sports Parent Meeting
Tuesday, 11/17: School Site Council Meeting @ 3:45pm
Tuesday, 11/17: Guitar Show
Thursday, 10/19: Quarter 2 Cougar Stars
Thursday, 10/19: Dance Show
11/23 - 11/27: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Tuesday, 12/1: Intent to Enroll Opens for 2027/28
Wednesday, 12/2: Fill the Boot
Friday, 12/4: Winter Assembly (Fall Assembly Schedule)

Title I Community Meeting via zoom, Wednesday 10/28/26

Join us Wednesday, October 28th at 5:30pm for two-way conversation with the SCHS Administration Team.

All parents and guardians are invited to this opportunity to hear from SCHS admin on important topics including our SCHS Title I Annual Notification, Parent & Family Engagement Policy, and School/Parent Compact. Before the meeting, please

Take part in our Annual Parent Engagement Survey for the 26-27 school year
If you have particular questions or topics you'd like us to address, please submit in advance to: jtennison@schscougars.org
Please join via Zoom Meeting.

We are bringing back our annual Trick or Treat event on Friday, 10/30! During lunch, students will have the opportunity to Trick or Treat around campus with all their friends and make fun memories. Feel free to stop by the ASB room in the morning to make your own candy bag! Participating teachers will have a pumpkin on their door to indicate that they are giving away candy. Have fun trick or treating, Cougars!!

Cougar Idol is back! Cougar Idol is a singing competition between students at the winter and spring assemblies based off of the popular TV show, "American Idol." If you're interested in participating, fill out the application form!

The Wellness Center is looking for input from parents and guardians!

Karina Garcia and Victoria Real, BSW Interns at the SCHS Wellness Center, are conducting a brief assessment in their Social Work Field Experience Course (SWORK 489A) at San Diego State University to identify key student needs, existing strengths, and potential macro-level support project.

Our Wellness Center BSW Interns, Karina and Victoria, are gathering parent feedback to guide new macro-level campus initiatives.

Click Here to Take the Quick 5-10 Minute Assessment

Thank you for helping us support our students' social and emotional well-being!

Help us reach 200 PTO members!

Your membership helps support our students, teachers, events, and the Steele Canyon community.

Join today: https://tinyurl.com/JOIN-SCHSPTO

Already joined? Thank you! If you haven’t picked up your membership incentive yet, contact Jemima at PTO@schscougars.org.

Together, we can make a difference!

Last Chance!

The Class of 2030 is selling pumpkin decorating kits as a fall fundraiser. For $5, you can order a pumpkin decorating kit that includes a mini pumpkin, paint, stickers, other decorating supplies, and Halloween candy. Pumpkin kits will be sold through Friday, October 23rd, and will be delivered to students on Tuesday, October 27th. Please email pahrens@schscougars.org with any questions or special requests.

Pumpkin decorating kits will be sold for $5 at student lunch October 19th-23rd in the quad, or can be purchased via the SCHS website by clicking here. Thank you for supporting the Class of 2030!

🍦 A sweet way to support our dancers! 💃

Visit Menchie’s Rancho San Diego on October 30—all day and mention this flyer! 30% of your purchase will be donated to the Steele Canyon Royal Dance Team. ❤️💙

📍 2471 Jamacha Rd., El Cajon, CA 92019

Bring your family, invite your friends, and enjoy some froyo while supporting our team! 🎉

Steele Canyon Orchestra Shines at District Showcase! A huge congratulations to both our Beginning and Advanced Orchestras for their outstanding performances at the GUHSD District Orchestra Showcase! Our talented musicians represented Steele Canyon with incredible musicianship, professionalism, and pride, earning thunderous applause from the audience. It was especially exciting to see both ensembles showcase their hard work alongside other orchestras from across the district. We could not be prouder of these students and the way they continue to represent the excellence of Steele Canyon's growing music program. Bravo to all!

Our Steele Canyon High School Orchestra students had an incredible opportunity to perform alongside the talented musicians of San Diego State University (SDSU) in a special joint concert! This collaboration gave our students the chance to experience music at the collegiate level, share the stage with accomplished musicians, and see firsthand where their passion for music can take them. The experience left a lasting impression! Students returned to school the following morning still talking about the incredible performances and how inspired they felt. Moments like these remind us of the power of music to connect, motivate, and inspire the next generation of musicians.

A huge thank you to the SDSU conductor, Michael Gerdes, and musicians for welcoming our students and providing such a meaningful experience. We are grateful for this partnership and look forward to future collaborations!

Sports, Sports, and More Sports!

Follow us on Instagram: @sccougarsathletics

Girls tennis finished up the regular season with a must win match by Grace Walters. She was down 3 -4 but played extremely hard to win and give the lady cougars not only the team win for the day, but also an undefeated league season and another league championship.

Sports Physicals at Helix High
All athletes need a current and valid sports physical to play sports. We are invited to a low-cost clinic at Helix High ONE DAY ONLY.

Date: October 29

Time: 3pm-4pm
Cost: $40 cash
Location: Helix High School, training room - First come, First Served

Winter Sports begin November 7th! Here is the schedule for tryouts:

Congratulations, Coach Derek Tyler!

Steele Canyon’s flag football coach has been selected as the Chargers Week 8 High School Coach of the Week! Thank you to everyone who voted and helped make this recognition possible!

Save the date: Sunday, November 29, at 5:20 PM!
Coach Tyler and fellow Coach of the Week winners will be honored at halftime of the Chargers’ home game against the New England Patriots. The LA Chargers 2026 Coach of the Year will also be announced!

We’re proud of you, Coach Tyler! Go Cougars!

COUGAR PRIDE, GAME DAY GEAR & ATHLETIC SUPPORT

Grab your Steele Canyon Fleece Blanket and show your school pride wherever you go. At 50" x 60", it’s perfect for chilly bleachers, Friday night football games, movie nights, or relaxing at home.

Blankets are just $35 each, and every purchase helps support Steele Canyon High School Athletics!

Shop here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/steele-canyon-high-school-athletic-booster-clubs-shop

Want to do even more for our Cougars? Join the Steele Canyon Athletic Boosters! Your membership helps support our student-athletes, teams, and athletic programs. Whether you're a proud Cougar parent, a team parent, or a fan of our school, your involvement makes a difference! Team parents are especially encouraged to attend meetings, share input, and help us find ways to support our athletes.https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/steele-canyon-high-school-athletic-booster-clubs-memberships

Order Pickup: Please pick up your blanket at the home football games. Can't make it to a game? No problem! Contact us, and we'll coordinate a way to get your blanket to you.

Questions or interested in getting involved? Contact us at athleticbooster@schscougars.org.

The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is being offered here at Steele Canyon on Wednesday November 18th, 7:45 am - 10:30am for all 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students. Those who are interested in taking this exam must sign up via our GOOGLE FORM LINK and there are limited seats available. ASVAB stands for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, which is a multiple-choice test that helps you identify which Occupational Specialties would be best for you and your career placement.

The ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP), takes approximately three hours, covers eight subjects and is composed of 200 questions. The ASVAB CEP is electronically administered. Students may only take it at the high school they attend, unless special arrangements are made. In addition, this test can help the Military to identify which Military Occupational Specialties would be best for you if you choose to join the Military in the future. The test will be given on November 18th with a check-in starting @ 7:30 am in the staff lounge.

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE

For more information please contact: Mr. Gomez at
iGomez@schscougars.org
619-660-3545

College Application Workshops are extremely important to make sure that everything is entered correctly on your 4-year college application. We have seen a lot of mistakes so far, and a college may throw out your application because of a small mistake! Please make sure you come to one of these workshops to have your Common App, UC, CSU, or other 4-year College/University application checked by Ms. Blair or Ms. Cook.

Check out the College Application Timeline for upcoming Workshops (subject to changes, so be sure to check regularly)

Seniors & Parents/Guardians,

The Counseling Office will be hosting FAFSA/CADAA Financial Aid Workshops from 5:00–6:30 p.m., presented by Cuyamaca College staff. These workshops will provide hands-on assistance to students and families completing their financial aid applications. Attached are flyers with those dates.

Space is limited to 50 participants per session, so please register only once per family using this Google Form.

Please bring:

Charged Chromebook, charger, and cell phone
2025 tax returns (student and parent)
FSA IDs for student and parent
Social Security Number
Driver’s License or ID card
List of colleges to receive FAFSA information

Students should access their FSA ID process through CaliforniaColleges.edu.
Parents should create an account if you do not already have one through FSA
Look forward to seeing you!

College Visits
We have more college visits for the month of October! There is one career presentation added to this month's visits. All representatives will be presenting in the Counseling Office and students will be given a pass to come in on the day and time they have signed up for. Thank you.

Drive Safe - the Cougar Way

Friendly reminder to please drive cautiously when entering and exiting campus. Our Campus Supervisors are here to help keep traffic moving safely and efficiently, and we appreciate your cooperation in following all directions from security personnel. When approaching the school from east Campo Road, please do not drive on the shoulder and allow vehicles to merge into the right-turn lane just before the school entrance. When waiting in traffic lines, please “close the gap” so we can accommodate as many vehicles as possible entering and exiting campus. Please also note that vehicle access at the back of the school is not available during the school day. Thank you for your patience and partnership in keeping our campus safe.

SDSO E-Bike Safety Flyer

Safety Tips from SDSO for those who ride or are considering an e-bike!