We’re excited to share that our sixth-grade students are embarking on a fantastic adventure at Cuyamaca Outdoor School! This week, they’ll be stepping into an experience that blends outdoor exploration with academic enrichment in a way that few classrooms can replicate. At Cuyamaca, our students will:
Discover the wonders of nature: Hiking scenic trails, studying local wildlife, and learning about the responsibility of conservation.
Engage in hands-on learning: From science experiments to art projects, they’ll practice observation, reflection, and discovery, skills central to the classical tradition of education.
Build lasting friendships: Living, working, and learning together fosters community, collaboration, and resilience.
As we turn the calendar to October, we’re also introducing our new monthly character focus: Initiative. Drawing from John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, initiative reminds us of the importance of taking action without waiting to be told, a principle that applies to our studies, friendships, and service to others. In classical learning, initiative often looks like curiosity in motion: asking thoughtful questions, seeking connections between ideas, or taking the first step to explore truth, goodness, and beauty.
As parents, you play a vital role in nurturing this spirit at home. A few practical ways to do so include:
Regularly reviewing your child’s work together to celebrate growth and notice areas for improvement.
Marking your calendars for parent-teacher conferences beginning October 20.
Encouraging curiosity by asking open-ended questions that invite your child to think deeply and express their ideas.
When we model and encourage initiative, we equip our children not only to succeed academically but also to grow as virtuous young people who delight in learning. Thank you, parents, for your continued partnership in this mission, and thank you to the amazing teachers for their initiative in developing such engaging lessons for our students. Go White Tigers!
Yours in learning,
Marc Gilbertson
Important Announcements:
October Scheduling Reminders: As we turn the calendar to the month of October, please mark your calendars with the following schedule notes:
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!
H.E.R.O. WEEK: Beginning the week of October 6, all AHCS students will participate in a week-long safety training called H.E.R.O. week. During the training, students will learn important safe-thinking skills associated with the protective responses of hide, escape, run, and overcome. During each day of H.E.R.O. training, students will participate in a thirty-minute daily lesson where they learn safe-thinking skills and personal empowerment strategies through age-appropriate activities, stories, and classroom discussions. These lessons will be most effective if they are followed by student-parent discussions at home.
The H.E.R.O. Program has been vetted by numerous focus groups consisting of students, teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, university faculty, law enforcement, and most importantly, parents. The AHCS staff is confident that the curriculum and training is not only age appropriate, but is in alignment with our school’s educational philosophy.
If you would like additional information about the curriculum, we encourage you to visit the Safe Kids Inc.’s website. You can also download the free H.E.R.O. Companion Guides for Parents for different age-spans by clicking on the “Resources'' tab located on the top menu bar of the website. Parents may also access additional resources, including a guide for discussing school violence with children, as well as guides for younger and older students to help them think about safety.
Girls Flag Football Clinic: Looking for a fun way to keep your daughter active on the Columbus Day school holiday? Does she want to learn about the new CIF sport of flag football? The Escondido Charter Flag Football program is hosting a fundraising clinic on Monday, October 13. This is a great chance for girls to learn the basics of the game, improve their skills, and have fun with their friends. We're offering a clinic for girls in grades 2 through 8. There are two options for the day: (1) Half-Day Clinic: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or (2) Full-Day Clinic: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Be sure to register your daughter by September 29 to ensure she gets a camp shirt! For more details and to sign up, check out the flag football clinic flier, and please fill out the Google Form.
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.
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. In our Consortio events, we are gathering voices from all corners of classical education to hear how these ideas look in a variety of different places. 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 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. https://www.commonsense.org/education/family-resources
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.
After-School Programs: Both the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of Escondido are offering after-school programs this year for a limited number of Heritage Elementary students.
Once again, the YMCA Character Builders
program will be offered on the Heritage Elementary campus before and after school. Parents check out the flyers in English
or Spanish
to register. Parents may reach out to their Youth Development Coordinator, Stephanie Kohler <skohler@ymcasd.org> for space in the program and more information about YMCA Character Builders.
There is still space available for our students in the after-school program offered at the Boys and Girls Club; students in this after-school program are bussed after school from our campus to their Escondido location on Woodard Avenue. Parents and guardians interested in the Boys and Girls Club program are requested to call (760) 746-3315 for more information.
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 questions.
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 will practice initiative at school this month:
Students in all grades will be 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.
Sixth graders will take initiative at Cuyamaca Outdoor School by embracing leadership opportunities, supporting peers, and stepping forward to try new challenges.
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: Emi in Mrs. Colwell's class, Mack in Ms. Garduno's class, Alana in Ms. Abed's class, Owen in Miss LePere's class, Savannah in Mrs. Andrews's class, Dylan in Ms. Chmara's class, Hana in Miss Everett's class, and Oliver in Mr. Greiner'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-Friday, September 29-October 3: 6th Grade Camp!
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)
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.
