Nighthawk News

And away we go into Trimester 2! We appreciate our students for making the transition into the new trimester and adjusting to their new schedules. Their flexibility and positive attitudes have made for a smooth start.

Wednesday was Veterans Day, and we want to express our deep appreciation for all of our current active-duty service members and veterans of the military. As the proud sibling of a retired U.S. Navy member, I recognize the sacrifice that each member makes for our country. I also want to extend my gratitude to the families of our veterans and active-duty military. Your sacrifices are significant, especially when your service member is away from home. Thank you.

Next week is a full week before we enter Thanksgiving Break. Please note the following:

• Monday: Professional Development Day for staff This is a non-student day, and there will be no school for students.

• Thursday: Unity Day Our Link Crew and ASB leadership come together to connect with our current 9th grade students and build a foundation for their high school experience. Through team-building activities and meaningful conversations, Unity Day helps our freshmen feel welcomed, supported, and part of the Del Norte community.

As we enter Trimester 2, we want to reiterate how important it is for students to attend school every day. With the many holiday breaks, it is common for families to extend vacations, which directly affects student attendance. We want our students engaged in the thriving learning environment here at Del Norte High School so that they do not fall behind in their classes.

Two things are worth keeping in mind:

1. Instructional time: In a trimester system, missing a single day often means missing the equivalent of two days of instruction and activities in a semester system.

2. School funding: Each day a student misses school directly affects funding for the district and the school site. In October alone, due to student absences, Poway Unified School District lost approximately $174,000. This loss impacts the services we can provide to students, including extra counseling services, elective course opportunities, and certain school supplies that enhance student learning.

We ask that families make a concerted effort to schedule appointments and vacations around the already established school breaks. We appreciate your support in helping your student achieve and our schools thrive.

Thank you for being such an important part of the Del Norte community.

Ty Eveleth, Principal

Del Norte High School

Nighthawks Together, One Flock Forever!

• Professional Growth Day/No School - November 16, 2026
• District Recess/School is CLOSED - November 23 thru 27, 2026

• When: Wednesday mornings, 8:30–9:30 a.m.
• Where: School library
• Who: Open to all students!

Del Norte Navigator (DNN) is a student-created app that helps Nighthawks find classrooms, campus locations, and events with easy-to-follow directions and estimated walking times. No downloads needed! Simply add it to your phone’s home screen and navigate Del Norte with confidence!

Hello Nighthawks! Congrats on making it through the first week of Trimester 2! As we get the ball rolling in the new trimester, it’s the perfect time to chat about anticipatory stress. Anticipatory stress is the stress your body generates about things that haven’t occurred yet. In many ways, this is more damaging than the event itself. In other words, it is generated by imagining a future event, an interview, or something else before it occurs. The stressor is a mental projection, and yet the body responds as if it’s already happening. There are various ways to fix this. For example, if you have upcoming exams, schedule study blocks and prioritize your sleep. If you have a presentation or an event involving public speaking, practice your speech out loud or with a friend so you become familiar with it as much as possible. Because we have Monday off, take some time to give yourself a break and get ready to jump back into the flow of things. Enjoy your three day weekend, Nighthawks!

• DNHS Week at a Glance - Google Docs

Home Campus (Athletics Clearance platform) is open for 26/27. There is a NEW PROCESS for 26/27 - Click HERE for all the information

1. PARENT sets up 26/27 HOME CAMPUS profile (new athletes, create new / returning athletes, log in to existing profile). Parent AND Student sign electronic forms.

2. UPLOAD Physical into Home Campus

3. Print, sign and turn CONFIRMATION PAGE in to Athletic Department

Click here for more information: ATHLETIC CLEARANCE FORMS & INFORMATION

Winter sports: soccer, basketball, wrestling, girls water polo, roller hockey, comp cheer (rugby no longer requires this clearance process)

All athletes that will be playing sports at the collegiate level are invited to attend Del Norte's College Commit Celebration (aka National Letter of Intent Day) right here on campus, on the morning of November 18 at 8:30 AM in the Gym. Families planning to attend the event at Del Norte, please complete the following form: DEL NORTE LETTER OF INTENT SIGNING DAY. Congratulations to all of our Nighthawks taking it to the next level in their athletic careers!

Eliza Hong - Senior

Eliza, a Senior on the Girls Cross Country team, has been working back from an injury that occurred in the spring. She has been diligent and patient in her recovery and has done everything in her power to get back out on the course with her teammates. This past weekend she competed at the Palomar League Finals and had her best race of the season placing 4th overall to help secure a Palomar League Championship for the girls (by 2 pts)! With that finish, she also earned 1st Team All League Honors.

Neremiah Castano - Freshman

Neremiah, a Freshman on the Boys Cross Country team, has had an outstanding freshman year. He has improved all year and is one of the top Freshman boys in San Diego. He comes to practice eager to learn and gives 100% of what is asked of him. Over the weekend he competed in the Palomar League Finals and had his best race of the year while also obtaining some valuable varsity big race experience. Over the 5K course he ran a PR and placed 18th to earn 2nd Team All League Honors.

Join us for a great day of golf while supporting our Nighthawk student-athletes!

• Monday, November 16, 2026
• 9:00 AM Shotgun Start
• Fairbanks Ranch Country Club

All proceeds directly benefit Del Norte High School athletics!

Play, sponsor, or help spread the word! Every contribution makes a difference.

Register or learn more:
www.dnhsathleticfoundation.org

Sponsorship Questions:
fundraising@delnorteshaf.org

Please see the attached flyer for additional details.

Go Nighthawks! 💚💛

As we creep closer to graduation, there will be a lot of important information coming your senior's way, including cap and gown orders, yearbook information, graduation activities, and deadlines that cannot be missed.

Parents, please stay involved! Remind your seniors to check their school email regularly and share important information with you.

We also encourage families to visit the Del Norte High School website and click the gray "Class of 2027" button. We do our best to keep this page updated throughout the year with important senior information, dates, and deadlines.

Let's work together to make sure our seniors don't miss a thing as they prepare for graduation!

Families are invited to attend one of the following upcoming computer events:

Event 1: Vista High School

• Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
• Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• Location: Vista High School
• Address: 1 Panther Way, Vista, CA 92084

Event 2: Kearny High School

• Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026
• Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• Location: Kearny High School
• Address: 1954 Komet Way, San Diego, CA 92111

Each computer includes free lifetime technical support.

How to Register

Please refer to the attached flyer for the appropriate registration link and instructions for the event you wish to attend. Families should complete the registration application and provide all required information.

For additional information, contact Computers 2 Kids at programs@c2sdk.org, call (858) 200-9788, or visit www.c2k.org.

San Diego and Poway have implemented stricter e-bike laws due to rising injuries. We have had additional questions regarding the new laws around e-bikes. Here are some additional updates:

• Minimum age limit of 12 years old for e-bikes
• Mandatory safety training for those over 12 years old
• Restrictions on passengers
• Helmets required for riders 17 and under

ELECTRIC SCOOTERS are prohibited for students without a valid permit or driver’s license. Here are key points:

• Must have a driver’s license or permit
• Must wear a helmet if under 18 years old
• No passengers
• Max speed 15 mph

• Students MUST walk their bikes on campus.
• Please pay close attention to pedestrians and cars.
• Remember to ALWAYS lock your bike in the bike rack. Gates are NOT for locking bikes.
• E bikes are not permitted at any sporting event.
• DO NOT take a bike that is not yours for any reason.

Poway Unified’s Youth in Transition (YIT) program assists children and youth experiencing homelessness with food, transportation, school supplies, and additional support during the school year. Those students who qualify lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes children and youth who are:

1. Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason. This can be doubled (living with one other family) and even tripled (living with two other families) up.
2. Living in motels, hotels, due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
3. Living in domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, transitional living programs, housing paid for by programs/vouchers, etc.
4. Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, or in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
5. Unaccompanied homeless youth who are living away from the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
6. Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are children who are living in similar circumstances listed above.

If any of the above housing descriptions reflect your current housing situation, please fill out the attached short form and email it to Laura Upson at lupson@powayusd.com. You can learn more information about Youth in Transition here. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Remember, Del Norte’s campus is closed during the school day. All students must remain on campus. This also includes the parking lot and vehicles. You must have an approved off-campus pass from the attendance office to leave campus or off role to leave campus prior to 3:35.

At Del Norte we cannot accept items to be picked up or delivered to students during the instructional day in the front office. Please ensure that your Nighthawk has their lunch, phone, homework, clothing, athletic equipment, computer/Chromebook, books, etc. that they need for school before dropping them off.

Office hours for on-campus instruction at Del Norte occur on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, immediately following the second period. We ask that every student finds an academic location and engage in academic work during this time. Teachers may require students to attend based on their academic performance in class. Office hours provide an opportunity for students to receive extra help from teachers, complete missing assignments, and study for upcoming tests. This time is supplemental to regular instructional hours, and students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of it, especially if they need additional support in any subject.

Please review the attendance policy on the DNHS website. It is crucial for you to arrive to class on time every day to not miss important information from your teachers. Traffic is going to continue to be busy for the next few days, allow an extra 10-15 minutes to make it through traffic lights, park, AND walk to class. Detentions for tardies will start on September 19th if you have 6 or more tardies or truancies in the first 3 weeks of starting school. If there are barriers to your student arriving to school on time, please refer them to their counselor or administrator for support.

Concerns involving Grading, Curriculum, or Instruction

• Classroom procedures

• Classroom behavior

• Individual student grades

• Curriculum

• Textbooks/materials

Step 1: Classroom Teacher; if not resolved…

Step 2: Site Assistant Principal supervising specific content area, if not resolved…

Step 3: Site Principal

*Please know that you will be referred back to a previous step if that step has yet to be completed. At Del Norte High School, we believe in resolving concerns at the lowest level.

Student Behavior

If behavior is occurring in the classroom

Step 1: Classroom Teacher; if not resolved…

Step 2: Site Assistant Principal supervising specific content area, if not resolved…

Step 3: Site Principal

If behavior is occurring outside of the classroom

Step 1: Site Assistant Principal of your student’s last name alpha, if not resolved…

Step 2: Site Principal

Athletics

Step 1: Coach; if not resolved...

Step 2: Site Athletic Director; if not resolved…

Step 3: Site Assistant Principal over Athletics; if not resolved…

Step 4: Site Principal; if not resolved…

Please reference the DNHS Athletics Guide/Handbook regarding student, parent, and coach expectations.

Traffic is extremely heavy the first few weeks of school as we welcome back all our Nighthawks to the Nest. Plan accordingly and drive with extra caution as the community settles in. Please be respectful of each other and our neighbors when parking on side streets around campus. On time attendance to classes is critical to student success, please see that your Nighthawk gets to school on time.

If you will be dropping your student off in the front of the school, use the traffic circle off the main school entrance on Nighthawk Lane. Do not enter the staff lot off Nighthawk Lane. The traffic circle gets congested in the morning and immediately after school, so be cautious and patient when dropping off your student.

Attention Nighthawk Families!

It has been brought to the attention of the Administration Team that some of our ADA compliant parking spaces are being used by individuals that are not legally permitted to use them. In an effort to provide access for all, we ask that you not park in our ADA spots unless you are legally permitted to do so. As a reminder, California Penal Code 22507.8 states that illegally using an ADA parking spot can result in a $421 fine. Thanks for you attention to this matter.