Welcome to November! We’re entering the final stretch of the semester, and it’s been wonderful to see the growth and excitement in our students as the year continues.
Please see the important information below about our new meal service program, which begins next week. Free breakfast and lunch will now be available to all Kindergarten–8th grade students on all three Heritage campuses—Heritage Flex Academy, Heritage Elementary, and Heritage Junior High.
As we move into these last few weeks of the semester, thank you for continuing to support your child’s learning and engagement both at school and at home
Sincerely,
Sandi Knapp, Principal
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.
MEAL SERVICE PROGRAM AT HFA
We’re excited to share that free breakfast and lunch will be available to all Kindergarten–8th grade students beginning next week, on all three Heritage campuses—Heritage Flex Academy, Heritage Elementary, and Heritage Junior High School!
All meals meet federal and state nutrition standards and are designed to support student health, focus, and learning. Breakfast will be served before school begins, and lunch will be distributed from the big kitchen in the lunch area. Gates will open at 8:00 a.m. (no change), the warning bell rings at 8:15, and students are expected to be in their seats by the 8:20 bell.
Parent Communication & Student Participation
Please talk with your child each morning about whether they plan to participate in breakfast
and/or lunch that day. This helps our staff prepare accurate meal counts and ensures your child knows your preferences.
As we launch the first week of meal service, please be patient while we improve our processes. We anticipate longer lines at first as each student must be counted when receiving a meal, but the process will become faster as routines are established.
If your child has any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please make sure we have a doctor-signed Medical Statement Form
on file. Families may also complete a Fluid Milk Substitution Form
(parent-signed) if a lactose-free, soy, or oat milk option is preferred.
An email was sent to K–8 families on October 24 with complete program details and links to both forms—please reference that message for quick access.
Questions? Please email Principal Sandi Knapp or Office Manager Sarah Sinohui.
NEW & TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION
FALL JUNIOR HIGH DANCE: Students will not want to miss our fall junior high dance on Friday, November 14, 2025. Middle school students from both Heritage Junior High and Heritage Flex Academy will be showing off their dance moves from 6:00–8:00 p.m. in the Heritage Elementary MPR (1855 E. Valley Parkway, Escondido). This year's theme is country western, so pull out your cowboy boots and your favorite plaid and denim. Snacks will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to the HJHS Leadership Club. Please bring small bills for your snack purchases! Tickets cost $5 and may ONLY be purchased online in advance of the event. Please click HERE
to access the permission slip and payment portal. The portal will close at 4:00 p.m. on the day of the dance and tickets will NOT be available for purchase at the event. We encourage students to dress their best for this special occasion, but please review the dress and behavior codes
in advance. Questions should be directed to the front office of your campus.
CONSORTIO PARENT HUB!: We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Consortio Parent Hub! This new space is designed to create a place for parents to find resources and help build community. Our goal in creating the Consortio Parent Hub is to provide families with a streamlined and accessible space that encourages meaningful connections and supports ongoing partnership between home and school. We invite all homeschool educators to explore the Consortio Parent Hub and take advantage of the tools and information available to stay connected and engaged. You can access the new Consortio Parent Hub.
ATTENTION THIS MONDAY! ALL K-5 PARENTS AND STUDENTS!: Get ready for some yummy science fun! At our next Consortio: Learning Together, we will use all of our senses to experiment, notice, and wonder using cookies. Join us Monday morning, November 17, from 10:00 -11:00 in the HFA courtyard. There will be a cookie exchange following our science time. You are invited to bring a plate of your favorite cookies to share. Please provide a list of ingredients to display next to your cookie plate. Be sure to save all future dates found on this Consortio: Learning Together Calendar. If you have any questions, please reach out to Gina at gcurley@amhcs.org.
JOIN US THIS MONDAY FOR CONSORTIO BOOK CLUB:Consortio: Reading Together Book Club! Starting Monday, November 3, during power hour (8:30 - 9:30), we'll begin exploring the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt in our monthly book club. Join us to discuss what the data shows our adolescents and teens are facing, both in causes and effects. Spoiler: the last chapter is titled "What Parents Can Do Now." See this clip for a glimpse of our topic.
These monthly gatherings will provide a space to share practical strategies for building the practice of good mental health in our children. The anticipated dates we will have through the year are as follows: 11/3, 12/1, 1/26/2026, 2/23, 3/9, & 4/13. Sign up here
to join us for our first session and/or have your name on the announcements list. You can view the reading plan here.*Childcare will be provided for school-aged-HFA students.
CONSORTIO PARENT MEETINGS: 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. Save the date for the next meeting on Wednesday, November 12, @ 8:30 am in the 1845/TK Building. Be sure to save all future dates found on this Consortio: Partnering with Parents Calendar. If you have questions, please reach out to Jill at jthomas@amhcs.org.
AHCS MUSICAL THEATER PRESENTS THE WIZARD OF OZ:
Ready to see a musical that will give you all the feels? Join us as AHCS 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 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)
THIS WEEK AT HFA
Monday, November 3:
Consortio: Reading Together Book Club: 8:30 am in the AA office
Power Hour: Please see your teacher’s weekly email for more information.
Logic Class: 10:00 am to 11:00 am @ the HFA lunch tables.
Yearbook Class: 10:00 am to 11:00 am by application only
Tuesday, November 4:
Wednesday, November 5:
Thursday, November 6:
Wizard of Oz: 4:30 @ ECHS Theater
Friday, November 7:
Wizard of Oz: 7:30 @ ECHS Theater
NOVEMBER
INTENTNESS
I am intent. I resist temptation, stay the course, and am determined to reach my goals. I focus my attention on the task at hand.
“The road to real achievement takes time, a long time. But you do not give up. You may have setbacks. You may have to start over. You may have to change your method. You may have to go around, or over, or under. You may have to back up and get another start. But you do not quit. You stay the course. To do that, you must have intentness.” -Coach John Wooden
ACADEMIC ADVISORS CONNECTION
As we approach the holiday season, we would like to suggest building in a few intentional items that sometimes go by the wayside in our kids' busy lives. These are some things to put on the schedule/calendar, and most are best appreciated together:
Silent or quiet time (build-up from a few minutes gradually if they have not done it)
Music and art time (doesn’t have to be directed, but should be intentional)
Keyboarding (a great filler when they say “I’m bored”)
Free reading (the best way to slow down at the end of the day)
Physical Education (yes, they are kids, and playing outside counts, just be active)
Check out the new Consortio Parent Hub - your one-stop place for resources and connection!
🍂 Fall is a wonderful season full of opportunities for learning. As we discussed at conferences, while exploring history, science, math, and literature with your children, remember to include these Questions of Inquiry to spark rich discussions and discovery:
What do you notice?
What does it remind you of?
What do you wonder?
Veteran’s Day: Next week, we will have a holiday on Tuesday, November 11th, in observance of Veteran’s Day. We have an optional Veterans Day activity
available to honor those who have served our country. If your child would like to participate, please have them complete the worksheet and return it to FHL by Friday, November 7th.
Hygiene Drive: The Sister Project Club will be creating Hygiene Kits to donate to Interfaith in Escondido. Please help us by donating the following items for our kits: razors, travel-size shampoo, bar soap, deodorant, etc. The drive will take place from October 27 to November 7. Please drop off items in the HFA front office. For those students in Sister Project, you can bring the items with you to your next event on November 14.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
November 11: No School/Veteran's Day
November 12: Virtual Learning Day
November 12: Consortio: Partnering with Parents @ 1845/TK Building
November 14: End of Grading Period
November 17: Consortio: Learning Together @ HFA
November 19: HFA Campus Tour
November 20/21: Class Color Spirit Day
November 24-28: Thanksgiving Break
December 1: Consortio: Reading Together
December 2-5: TK-5th Grade Check-In
December 10: AHCS Board Meeting
December 15: Christmas Caroling
December 16-17: Holiday Spirit Day/Minimum Day
December 18: Virtual Learning Day/ Last Day of Grading Period
December 19-January 4: Christmas Break
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.
NOVEMBER
