It is Week 4! The school year is moving right along. This Monday and Tuesday we will be holding tryouts for fall sports: co-ed Cross Country, boys Flag Football, and girls Volleyball; and on Thursday, we will be holding two safety drills: Secure Campus and Evacuation. These drills are important and necessary for us to practice for our safety. We appreciate the seriousness that our students take with these drills. Finally, on Friday, we will be having a house competition on the blacktop during lunch (Roman Sword Fighting). Good luck to all of our champions, and we will be holding make-up pictures for those who missed picture day last week.
As we continue through the year, let's keep our eye on the prize, focusing on becoming a little better each day.
If you have not already done so, please use the above link to submit your family's 2026/2027 Household Income Verification Form as soon as possible. The form was originally emailed to parents on July 8 with a submission deadline of July 31, 2026. We are still missing forms from nearly forty HJHS families!
The data collected from these forms is used to determine eligibility and provide important funding for programs that directly benefit our students, school, and community.
Parents are required to submit one (1) form that includes ALL children attending American Heritage Charter Schools in grades TK-12.
We also need all students and parents to sign our Parent/Student Handbook Acknowledgment Forms by using this link. The link will allow parents to review the 2026/2027 Parent/Student Handbook prior to signing the acknowledgment forms. Students reviewed the handbook with their teachers last week and should be familiar with the contents.
If your student requires prescription and/or over-the-counter medication during school hours, it must be stored and administered by the front office. A Medication Authorization Form, signed by both the child's doctor and parent, must accompany the medication. Medication must be provided in the original packaging or in a prescription bottle, including dosage instructions. The form is linked HERE for your convenience. Note: This process may be useful for parents who would like to have basic over-the-counter medications in the office for their student's occasional headache, stomach ache or cramps.
Announcements
Class of 2026 — Eighth Grade Hoodies
We are excited to offer exclusive eighth grade hoodies to our Class of 2027 students for just $25! This will be the only opportunity to place an order this year. Orders can be placed through Friday, September 25th; unfortunately, we will not be able to accept orders after the deadline due to the production process. We hope to have hoodies available for distribution by the beginning of November. Every eighth grade student's name will appear on the back of the hoodie to create a "Class of 2027" image. The front of the hoodie will feature our white tiger logo and school name. Please click HERE
to access the order form and payment portal. We have been told that hoodie sizes run on the smaller side, so you may want to consider the next size up, especially to account for growing. Note: The image shown on the order form is for reference and the year will be updated for production.
Eighth grade students will be allowed to wear their Class of 2027 hoodie any day of the week. This spirit wear exception is being made for the eighth grade students as a way of celebrating the Class of 2027 for the remainder of the school year.
Please contact the front office at 760-294-5599 if you have any questions.
Sister Project
Our 8th grade female students attended an informational meeting on campus last week to learn more about the Sister Project. The Sister Project is an organization formed to match upperclassman girls from ECHS with 8th grade girls from HJHS and HFA, so that they may have mentors, role models, and friends as they begin their transition into high school. Students are grouped with a mentor through a process of matching interests and hobbies and spend the next year getting to know one another through monthly group activities. If your daughter is interested in joining the Sister Project, please sign and return THIS
permission slip to the HJHS front office no later than Friday, September 4. Students should also complete THIS
Google Form by September 4, which officers will use to match each 8th grade girl into a flower family for the Sister Project. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Humanities 7 teacher, Eliana Franklin, at efranklin@amhcs.org.
Make-Up Picture Day
If your student was absent for Picture Day on Friday, August 28, we will have another opportunity for those students to take their photo on Friday, September 4. Students must wear their uniform to school, however, they may change into free dress clothing for their photo. Should you have any questions regarding makeup photos, please contact the front office at 760-294-5599.
Helpful Links
We have placed a number of helpful links at the top of our Weekly Notes page for quick reference to key documents. Please take a quick look at the options above so that you know where to find information throughout the school year. One of the most used links is our Homework/Home Study Document, which shows the work/assignment covered in each class daily so that absent students can stay on track. ParentVUE and StudentVUE can be accessed through the Grades Portal link, which allows parents and students to stay on top of missing assignments and grades by class. We hope you find these quick access documents helpful!
Breakfast & Lunch Meal Program
Heritage Junior offers free breakfast and free lunch for ALL students. Breakfast
is available from 7:35–8:00 a.m. each morning and must be picked up BEFORE school. Students may eat their breakfast before class begins or during the morning nutrition break, but eating is not allowed in the classrooms.
Every student may receive a complete, nutritious breakfast and a complete lunch at absolutely no charge. There is no need to sign up, complete any forms or submit income applications; every student is automatically eligible. Finally, we will provide balanced, delicious meals that meet all federal and state nutrition guidelines. A menu will be shared in advance for families to consider for the upcoming week. September's menu is included below.
If your student has any dietary restrictions or allergies, please use the following forms to communicate your child's needs. Please note that it may take up to two weeks to accommodate your request.
Medical Statement Form:
This form is for any meal accommodation requests (allergies, intolerance, other medical needs) and it must be signed by a medical professional. The exception to needing a medical professional's signature would be for any religious preferences, such as no pork or no meat.
Fluid Milk Substitution Form:
This form can be filled out and signed by the parent or guardian. This form is for when Lactaid milk, soy milk, or oak milk is required or preferred by a student.
We look forward to serving our students healthy and delicious meals each day and welcome you to contact the front office at 760-294-5599 with any questions.
Wooden Wins
Each month we will be focusing on a virtue to develop the hearts and minds of our students. This month’s virtue is Sincerity, which is being honest, genuine, and truthful in both words and actions, even when it is difficult. Here is a link to the poster. Please feel free to use this resource to speak to your kids about virtue at home. We will recognize our Ambition recipients at our Wooden Wins Assembly on October 2, 2026, in the East Valley Community Center (EVCC) Gym, adjacent to the HJHS campus.
Athletics
Reminders
School Hours
Monday: 8:05 a.m. to 2:10 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday: 8:05 a.m. to 3:05 p.m.
Tutorial is offered Tuesday through Friday 3:10-3:50 p.m.
No Tutorial until Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
Attendance Email Address
We have an electronic means for parents to communicate student absences. If it is more convenient, please feel free to email us at hjhsattendance@amhcs.org
to communicate absences from school. This email may also be used to share dates of extended absences requiring independent study. If you prefer a phone call, we are happy to speak with you at 760-297-5599. We have a voice mail system that will record your message after business hours. We appreciate your continued support in managing attendance at HJHS.
Punctuality Reminder
We need all of our parents’ support to ensure students arrive at school no later than 7:55 a.m. Students are able to arrive at school as early as 7:35 a.m. The expectation is for all students to be unpacked, seated, and ready to learn when the bell rings at 8:05 a.m. Being on time (or early!) is a sign of respect. Thanks for your support!
Drop-off and Pick up
Enter at the Southwest corner of the parking lot, drive straight to the East Valley Community Center, make a left and drive to the front of HJHS for drop off/pick up. See the traffic map here. Please be patient as the first few weeks are very busy.
Parents, please make sure that you are following our traffic pattern for drop-off and pick-up. Most of our families do a great job helping us by following the rules of the road in our drop-off and pick-up areas. Please note that these rules and regulations are in place to keep you, your students, and staff safe. Additionally, these guidelines are in place to keep our neighbors safe and able to use the roadways as designed. Please support us by following the rules and the law. We really appreciate your help!
Dress Code
All students are expected to wear uniforms. Please refer to the Heritage Junior High School Dress Code here for more details. Students may wear American Heritage Charter Schools (AHCS) spirit-wear every Friday. Please feel free to use this link to purchase uniform tops throughout the 2026-27 school year.
Mark your calendars!
August 31: Fall Sports Try-Outs (2:30–4:00 p.m.)
September 1: Fall Sports Try-Outs (3:30–5:00 p.m.) / Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30) / Yearbook Club Interest Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 2: Leadership Club Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 3: Secure Campus / Evacuation Drill / Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30)
September 4: Make-Up Picture Day
September 7: Labor Day (No School)
September 7–9: 8th Grade Catalina Field Trip
September 9: Leadership Club Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 10: Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30)
September 11: Patriot Day Assembly / Sister Project
September 15: Yearbook Club (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 16: Leadership Club Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 17: Back-to-School Night (6:30 p.m.) / Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30)
September 18: Back-to-School BBQ
September 21: Half-Day (12:15 p.m. dismissal)
September 22: Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30) / Yearbook Club Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 23: Leadership Club Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 24: Alternate Evacuation Drill / Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30)
September 25: Last Day to Purchase 8th Grade Class of 2027 Hoodie / Flag Football & Volleyball Games (2:30 p.m.)
September 29: Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30) / Yearbook Club Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
September 30: Leadership Club Meeting (3:10–3:50 p.m.)
October 1: Robotics Team Meeting (3:10–4:30) / Flag Football & Volleyball Games (3:30 p.m.)
October 2: Roman Day / Wooden Wins Assembly
October 15: Drop/Hold/Cover and Evacuation Drill
October 16: Sister Project
We appreciate you taking the time to read this important message. We want to encourage you to check for this email weekly and call the front office if you have any additional questions.
