Last week, all Heritage Elementary students participated in age-appropriate safety lessons designed to help them respond confidently in an emergency. Through our H.E.R.O. program, students and staff practiced proven techniques to Hide, Escape, Run, and Overcome potential threats. This annual training is a vital part of our comprehensive safety plan, ensuring that everyone on campus is prepared and empowered to act wisely in any situation. We encourage you to talk with your child about what they learned and how they understood these important lessons about keeping themselves and others safe.
Student safety also extended into the digital world this week, as Mrs. El-Hayek led lessons on online safety and digital citizenship. Our fifth graders even made a pledge to practice healthy screen habits, reflecting on positive, real-world activities they can choose instead of extended screen time. It’s wonderful to see students taking ownership of their digital choices in such a thoughtful way.
Meanwhile, our kindergartners had an unforgettable time at Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center, celebrating the fall season and learning about the life cycle of a pumpkin. The weather was perfect, the smiles were big, and the bus ride home was very quiet, proof of a fun and full day! A heartfelt thank-you to all the parent chaperones who joined us to make this first field trip so special.
As we move further into October, please take a moment to review the schedule reminders below. This time of year often brings an increase in academic rigor and expectations. Students who arrive on time, well rested, and fueled by a nutritious breakfast are best prepared to meet these challenges with focus and confidence. Thank you for continuing to support these healthy routines at home. They make a real difference.
We hope you enjoy the long weekend, and we look forward to seeing our White Tigers back on campus Tuesday, ready to learn and grow. Go White Tigers!
Yours in learning,
Marc Gilbertson
Important Announcements:
October Scheduling Reminders: Please mark your calendars with the following schedule notes for October:
School will be closed on Monday, October 13, for Columbus Day.
Monday, October 20 will be a non-student day to allow teachers to meet with parents for conferences.
During Parent-Teacher Conference week (Oct. 21-24), students will be dismissed at 2:00 p.m.
Thanks for planning ahead for these changes and for your flexibility and understanding!
Attention All Parents: Join Us for Consortio on October 15! We are excited to invite you to Consortio: Partnering with Parents, a monthly gathering created to inspire, encourage, and support you on your parenting and educational journey. Join us on Wednesday, October 15 at 8:30 a.m.in the 1845/TK Building for a special event: Teacher Spotlight – Wisdom from the Classroom. We are delighted to have Heritage Elementary School teacher Mrs. Sarah Scarpello share how a classical approach to education has deeply impacted both her and her students in meaningful ways in her classroom. Additionally, Mrs. Meagan Roberge, a teacher at Heritage Flex Academy and former student of classical education, will reflect on how this approach shaped her as a student and now informs her approach in her classroom. Come be encouraged by their stories and insights from the classroom. If you have any questions, please contact Jill Thomas at jthomas@amhcs.org.
October is Cyber Awareness Month || A Note from our Librarian, Mrs. El-Hayek: In our digital world, children are exposed to various online platforms, games, and social media. It's crucial for the children to understand how to navigate these spaces safely and responsibly. This is a great opportunity for parents to talk with their kids about staying safe on the internet. Parents should be involved and know what websites and apps their children are using, establish rules about screen time and create a balance between offline and online activities, discuss privacy and the importance of keeping personal information safe and private, and use parental controls to filter inappropriate content. Your kids look up to you! Be a good digital citizen and let us work together to make the internet a safe and positive place for our students. For more family resources, check out the Common Sense website.
End of the Second Grading Period: The end of the midterm grading period is coming up this Friday, October 17. Midterm progress notices will be mailed home during the week of parent-teacher conferences. For grades 4-6, we encourage all parents to check the Grades Portal
regularly to stay up-to-date on your child’s academic progress.
Parent-Teacher Conferences Planned for October 20-24: The goal during conference week is for teachers to meet with parents of ALL students in their class. These conferences are a perfect opportunity to have personalized discussions about a student’s academic strengths and identify measurable growth areas. Please be on the lookout for information from your child’s teacher.
Kids Free October! San Diego Museums: All month long, kids 12 and under receive FREE admission with a paid adult to more than 50 of San Diego County’s favorite museums, historic sites, aquariums, gardens and more. Many are even free for the whole family! View a list of all coupons here
or plan your trip today at SanDiego.org
and get ready to explore!
AHCS Musical Theater presents The Wizard of Oz: Ready to see a musical that will give you all the feels? Join us as American Heritage Charter School students of all ages showcase their talents in this year’s production of The Wizard of Oz! This show is guaranteed to make your heart grow three sizes, and you’ll quickly realize there's no place like the theater! Just follow the yellow brick road to a show packed with heart, brains, and courage, incredible songs, and spectacular sights. Tickets are on sale now, with shows at the American Spirit Theater on the Escondido Charter High School campus from November 6-9. Check out the show times below, and click here
to purchase your tickets. It's a gale-force of fun you won't want to miss!
SHOWTIMES
Thursday, November 6*: 4:30 p.m. (EMERALD CAST)
*ECHS Students $6 cash at the door while supplies last
Friday, November 7: 7:00 p.m. (RUBY CAST)
Saturday, November 8
2:00 p.m. (RUBY CAST)
7:00 p.m. (EMERALD CAST)
Sunday, November 9
2:00 p.m. (EMERALD CAST)
7:00 p.m. (RUBY CAST)
Silent Auction Basket Donations: We are excited to host a silent auction at this year’s Holiday Gift Fair, and we could use your help! We are looking for donations for our themed baskets. Check out this flier for the grade level themes. If you are able to contribute any items, you can send them in with your child or bring the item(s) directly to the front office. Thank you in advance for your donations!
Holiday Gift Fair Vendor Applications: Parents or community members interested in having a vendor booth at the Heritage Elementary Holiday Gift Fair and Open House on Thursday, November 20 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. are invited to complete a brief vendor application survey
to request a booth. Spaces are limited.
Wanted! Donated Baskets, Totes, and Containers: We need parents’ help in the month of October to collect items we can use to package the silent auction baskets for the Open House and Holiday Gift Fair. Please bring donated items to the front office or send them to school with your child.
Walk-off Authorization Forms: If your child will be walking home after school, a Walk-off Authorization Form will need to be completed and kept on file in the front office. All authorization forms must be approved by the Principal before students will be permitted to walk off campus, so please submit this form to the front office as soon as possible.
AMERICAN HERITAGE CHARTER SCHOOLS 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR LOTTERY INFORMATION: Lotteries for the 2026-2027 school year will open on October 14, 2025, for all programs. Applications are not required for currently enrolled students, but new siblings must submit a lottery application.
Escondido Charter High School: Lottery applications for enrollment in the high school programs are available online athttps://amhcs.org/echs/echs-admissions/. The Escondido Charter High school lottery closes on January 9, 2026. Please contact the main office at 760-737-3154 if you have any questions.
Heritage Elementary School: Lottery applications are available online athttps://amhcs.org/heritage-elementary-school/hes-admissions/. The lottery closes on February 6, 2026. Please contact the Heritage Elementary office at 760-737-3111 if you have any questions.
Heritage Junior High: Lottery applications are available online at https://amhcs.org/heritage-junior-high-school/hjhs-admissions/. The lottery closes on February 6, 2026. Please contact the Heritage Junior High office at 760-294-5599 if you have any questions.
Heritage Flex Academy: Lottery applications are available online athttps://amhcs.org/hfa/hfa-admissions/. The lottery closes on February 6, 2026. Please contact the Heritage Flex Academy office at 760-466-1166 if you have any questio
ns.
Wooden Wins! Pyramid of Success
Virtue of the Month: Initiative
Throughout October, our school will focus on INITIATIVE, a foundational block in Coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success. Initiative is about being proactive, taking the first step, acting with courage, and pursuing what is good without waiting to be prompted. It helps students grow in confidence, develop responsibility, and discover the joy of purposeful effort.
In the classroom, initiative shows up in habits like starting work promptly, asking thoughtful questions, and looking for opportunities to help others. In classical education, this ties directly to the tradition of wonder and inquiry, where true learning begins with the student’s own eagerness to explore truth, goodness, and beauty. Initiative fuels curiosity and empowers students to grow as lifelong learners.
Here are some ways our students have been practicing initiative at school:
Students in all grades are encouraged to ask open-ended questions during lessons and share their own insights in class discussions.
Our third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders will take initiative by leading short recitations, narrations, or class presentations to practice speaking with confidence.
Mrs. El-Hayek has been walking students through exercises in online safety and screen time mindfulness. Students have been encouraged to take the initiative to choose alternative activities over screen time.
Miss Ybarra and her students read The Dog Poop Initiative and learned a valuable lesson about taking action instead of waiting for others to solve problems.
Mrs. Velasco and her students read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
and discussed how to take initiative to make a difference in our community.
Practicing Initiative at School and Home
This month, we encourage families and students to nurture initiative through small but meaningful daily actions:
Take the first step: Begin homework without reminders and complete it with care.
Be curious: Ask “why” and “how” questions to deepen your understanding.
Look for ways to serve: Offer to help at home or in class before being asked.
Family Activities to Build Initiative
Independent Project: Encourage your child to choose a topic they’re curious about and share what they learn with the family.
Chore Challenge: Have your child surprise the family by completing a household chore without being asked.
Role Models of Initiative: Read short biographies of historical figures—such as Clara Barton, George Washington, or Helen Keller—and discuss how their initiative shaped history.
"We must not be afraid to act. If we are afraid to do something for fear of making a mistake, we will not do anything at all. That is the worst mistake of all. You learn from adversity. We get stronger through adversity." —Coach John Wooden
Here are some affirmations for INITIATIVE and memory work for October:
I take initiative.
I do the right thing without being told.
I am willing to work hard and take personal responsibility.
I am courageous and learn from my mistakes.
Campus Culture:
Homework Stars: Congratulations to this week's Homework Stars: Nory in Ms. Luis's class, Kalel in Mrs. Martineau's class, Charlotte in Mrs. Scarpello's class, River in Mrs. Seavello's class, Rianne in Ms. Hoffman's class, Gabriel in Mrs. Lemus's class, and Juliana in Ms. Hellinger's class. These students have consistently completed all of their homework! Keep up the good work, White Tigers!
Lost and Found: Missing a sweater, jacket, water bottle, or lunch box? Please check our lost and found (located just under the stairwell outside of the main office) before or after school. Please take the time to label all of your child’s belongings, as it makes it easier to return the items to the correct owner. Thank you!
Calling on Volunteers!: There are so many ways parents, grandparents, and family members can get involved to support our students and the school. For instance, we would love to have volunteers to participate during school BBQs and events, lead student reading groups during the school day, help supervise during recess or lunch, copy papers or assemble packets for teachers, and so much more. Interested in being a contributing member of our school community? Please contact the main office at (760) 737-3111.
Mark your calendars!
Monday, October 13: Columbus Day (school closed)
Wednesday, October 15: Consortio: Partnering with Parents, 8:30-9:30 a.m., 1845-Room #1
Monday, October 20: Non-Student Day for Parent Conferences
Tuesday-Friday, October 21-24: Modified Days at 2:00 p.m. Dismissal for Parent Conferences
Friday, October 31: *Spirit Day* Crazy Hair, Hat, and Socks (note: Halloween costumes are not permitted)
Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day (school closed)
Our mission is to develop the hearts and minds of students with a rigorous core curriculum, with a perspective that cherishes timeless virtues and the American spirit.
