Mariner Update Family Edition

Navigating Our Voyage: Literacy -

Our Compass, Community - Our Tide

Belonging, Leading & Succeeding @ IHCS and in the PESD

I love our school, do you love your school?!

Believe, Celebrate, & Continue Working at It: Parent Leadership

Mariner Parents & Staff,

At Innovative Horizons Charter School, we believe that parent leadership is an essential part of creating a thriving school community. When parents are given opportunities to learn, lead, share their voices, and become actively involved in their child's education, the benefits reach far beyond the parent meeting. Parent leadership strengthens learning, promotes literacy, builds confidence, and creates meaningful connections among families, students, and staff. When parents and educators work together, we create more opportunities for our students to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

Every opportunity we provide for parents to become more knowledgeable, involved, and empowered helps strengthen the partnership between home and school. These relationships build trust, encourage communication, and remind our students that the adults in their lives are working together, believing in them, and supporting their success. The more connected we become as a school community, the stronger our sense of belonging becomes. And when we belong, we take pride in our school, celebrate one another, and find even more reasons to love the place where we learn, work, and grow together!

A special thank you to Mrs. Elizabeth Orozco, Coordinator of LEAD (Learning • Engagement • Advocacy • Development), for leading our IHCS parents through a three-part Parent Leadership Academy. We appreciate her dedication to empowering our parents and providing meaningful opportunities for them to develop their leadership skills, strengthen their knowledge, and become even more active partners in their children's education.

We look forward to continuing to offer parent education and leadership opportunities right here at IHCS. Our journey is stronger when every voice matters, every family feels welcomed, and everyone has an opportunity to contribute. Together, we will continue building a school community where students, parents, and staff feel valued, connected, and proud to be Mariner family!

Parents, Students, and Staff: Belonging, Leading, Succeeding at IHCS!

We, Us, Together!

With appreciation and belief in our team & our path,

Your IHCS Admin Team: Mrs. Barry, Mr. Castro & Mr. Candelaria

No School Wednesday, November 11, 2026

No hay clases el miércoles 11 de noviembre de 2026

Inside OUR Ship

Leadership is woven into the Mariner Way, each and every day! Take a look at the pictures below, and you will see what leadership looks like at IHCS: students leading, parents leading, teachers leading, and our academic coaches leading. Leadership is not reserved for a title or a position, it is demonstrated through our actions, our commitment, and the way we support one another. At IHCS, everyone has an opportunity to lead, make a difference, and contribute to something bigger than themselves. Nobody outworks, out-leads, or out-believes the Mariner Family! We, Us, Together!

AVID Insider

Dream Big! IHCS Career Day & Dress for Success!

Last week, we celebrated our second Dress for Success Day, which we combined with our annual Career Day! Students had the opportunity to dress as their dream career or wear professional attire as if they were heading to a job interview.

It was wonderful to see so many students participate! Our campus was filled with future doctors, nurses, professional soccer players, chefs, bakers, and many other aspiring professionals. It was especially exciting to see students as young as kindergarten already thinking about the possibilities for their future!

One of the sweetest highlights was seeing a couple of students dressed just like their dads because they hope to follow in their footsteps someday. ❤️

Why is it important to talk about careers at an early age?

Talking about career goals early helps students begin imagining their future and understanding how the choices they make today can influence the opportunities they have tomorrow. When parents and teachers encourage these conversations, we help students discover their interests, recognize their strengths, and develop a sense of purpose, motivation, and confidence.

Career exploration isn't about expecting children to know exactly what they want to be when they grow up. It's about opening their eyes to the endless possibilities ahead of them and encouraging them to dream big!

Here are some important reasons to start these conversations early:

Builds motivation: Students begin to understand why school matters and how what they are learning connects to their future.
Encourages goal setting: Students learn to set goals, work toward them, and recognize that success takes effort and perseverance.
Introduces new possibilities: Students discover careers they may have never heard of or considered.
Connects education to careers: Students begin to understand how different subjects, skills, and educational opportunities relate to future careers.
Develops confidence: Encouraging students to dream big helps them believe they are capable of achieving great things.
Promotes a growth mindset: Students learn that their interests and goals may change, and that exploring different possibilities is part of discovering who they want to become.
Strengthens family connections: Career conversations give parents opportunities to share their experiences, encourage their children, and support their dreams.

At IHCS, we want every student to believe that their future is full of opportunities and that with hard work, determination, and perseverance, they can achieve great things!

Dream big. Set goals. Work hard. Your future starts now! 🌟

8th Grade Field trip

AVID 8th Graders Explore UC San Diego!

Last week, our 8th-grade AVID students had the exciting opportunity to visit the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)! This field trip gave students a chance to explore a college campus firsthand, learn about the opportunities UCSD has to offer, and begin imagining themselves as future college students.

One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the Geisel Library, named in honor of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss! Students enjoyed learning about the library's unique architecture and Dr. Seuss's connection to the university. They also discovered interesting facts about UCSD, including its highly regarded medical school and impressive architecture.

The best part? On Friday, several students came to school saying they wanted to go back to UCSD! It's always exciting to see students so inspired by a college visit.

College visits are an important part of the AVID experience because they help students see that higher education is an achievable goal. We hope this experience encourages our students to continue dreaming big, setting goals, and working toward their futures!

Who knows? We may have some future UCSD Tritons walking the halls of IHCS! 🎓💙