GOLF TOURNAMENT THANKS
The ECHS Parent Volunteer Organization would like to thank everyone who particpated in the 10th Annual American Heritage Education Foundation Golf Tournament. Your support helps keep our programs running smoothly.
We look forward to seeing you again next year.
Host International Students
"The Experience of a Lifetime."
Escondido Charter High School is partnering with International Education Management (IEM) by enrolling international high school students into our Individualized Learning Program (ILP). We are looking for families who want the rewarding experience of hosting our international students. Host families are expected to provide three meals per day, transportation to and from school, and a caring environment. International students stay from 9 -12 months with short term programs in the summer. Host families will be compensated $875 per month per student by IEM. For more information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or call ECHS (760) 737-3154.
DOLLAR-A-DAY Club
Escondido/Heritage Charter School Families...
We would like to remind you that your contributions to Escondido Charter School District’s (ECSD) non-profit foundation, the American Heritage Education Foundation (AMHEF), are 100% TAX-DEDUCTIBLE.(The Escondido Charter School District consists of Escondido Charter High School; Heritage K-8 Charter School; and Heritage Digital Academy.)
Read more...Heritage K-8 Lottery Information
Applications are now being accepted for the 2012-13 lottery for Kindergaten at Heritage K-8 Charter School. For more information, please CLICK HERE.
THANK YOU - Bob and Marion Wilson

Escondido Charter School District’s Board, staff, parents and students extend our gratitude to longtime educational philanthropists, Bob and Marion Wilson (left), for their generous $50,000 contribution. Bob and Marion are supportive of educational excellence and of efforts to instruct our youth about our nation’s history. We are definitely blessed to be the recipients of their financial support. Their donation gives our “Dollar-A-Day Club” a tremendous start.
CBEE Honor Roll
Escondido Charter High School has once again been selected by California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE) as one of 1,614 public schools in California to receive the title of 2011 Honor Roll school. This is the fourth time for Escondido Charter High School has been on the CBEE Honor Roll.
Schools receiving this distinction from the California business community have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations. For High Schools, the Honor Roll recognition also includes measures of college readiness.
The Honor Roll is the premier school recognition program that uses only academic achievement data showing improved academic growth over time and a closing of the achievement gap.
“These schools are the bright spots of excellence in efforts to raise student academic achievement and close persistent achievement gaps,” said Jim Lanich, president of CBEE. “By highlighting them, recognizing their achievement and giving them a voice we hope other schools can learn from them and replicate their proven practices throughout the state.”
The Honor Roll list grew from 1,315 schools in 2010 to the current 1,614 for 2011. A full list of the Honor Roll schools can be found at: www.cbeefoundation.org/honor_roll.html.
Students Begin Star Testing
On Monday, April 30, Traditional Classroom Program students in grades 9 through 11 began their first day of Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) testing.
The California STAR Test (CST) will be administered from April 30 to May 3.
“The STAR is a series of exams that measure student learning in core academic subjects like math, science, English, and history,” TCP Director Mr. Roner said. “The exams are important not only because they measure student achievement, but also because the State of California uses the assessment results to measure each school's academic performance.”
Each student is encouraged to focus, work hard and do their best as the STAR tests are an important component of Escondido Charter High School’s accountability ranking.
Both scores from the CST and the California High School Exit Exam generate the school’s Academic Performance Index, or API.
According to the California Department of Education, the API scale ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1,000. A school’s score or placement on the API is an indicator of the school’s performance level. The statewide API performance target for all schools is 800. A school’s growth is measured by how well the school is moving toward or past that goal.
Last year, the Traditional Classroom Program had an 911 API.
“Although last year’s API placed the Traditional Classroom Program among the top high schools in California, we hope to do even better this year,” Mr. Roner said.
Also, students who perform well on the CST may earn recognition as a Golden State Scholar.
On Monday, students completed the English-Language Arts test. Tuesday, they will complete the math test. Wednesday and Thursday students will be tested in science and social science, respectively.
Arts Festival Was Big Success
About 300 parents, students, and community members attended the Escondido Charter High School Arts Festival on March 29. The festival featured various categories of student art including canvas art, digital illustration, and live musical performances.
The event spanned three different locations on campus: the American Spirit Theater where the musical and theatrical performances took place; the Student Union where the Digital Illustration was showcased, and the library where canvas art was displayed.
A total of six different art categories were represented: oil, colored art pieces, portraits, graphic still life, photography, and graphic design. Other pieces were from the areas of photography and digital illustration.
Students also tried their hand at live performances featuring, individual musical performances, choir, and a preview of the independent program’s theatrical production.
“It was beyond my expectations,” Mrs. Pat Leming, the art teacher of both the Traditional Classroom Program and Independent Learning Program said. “The art show really got the parents to see what our students were capable of, and the students who are planning to pursue art got the experience of their first art show.”
Outdoor Photographer, Nathan Weir
Nathan Weir, a junior at Escondido Charter High School, is featured in this month's issue of Teen Photo Magazine. You can read the full article on Teen Photo.
ECHS Teacher Appreciation Lunch
May 7 through May 11 is Teacher Appreciation Week. In order to honor the hard work and dedication of ECHS faculty and staff, the Parent Volunteer Organization plans to host a lunch on Monday, May 7. Please show your support by making a financial donation. Please click here for more details about the event. Thanks for your support!
CBEE Honor Roll
Escondido Charter High School has once again been selected by California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE) as one of 1,614 public schools in California to receive the title of 2011 Honor Roll School. This is the fourth time Escondido Charter High School has appeared on the CBEE Honor Roll.
Schools receiving this distinction from the California business community have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations. For High Schools, the Honor Roll recognition also includes measures of college readiness.
The Honor Roll is the premier school recognition program that uses only academic achievement data showing improved academic growth over time and a closing of the achievement gap.
“These schools are the bright spots of excellence in efforts to raise student academic achievement and close persistent achievement gaps,” said Jim Lanich, president of CBEE. “By highlighting them, recognizing their achievement and giving them a voice we hope other schools can learn from them and replicate their proven practices throughout the state.”
The Honor Roll list grew from 1,315 schools in 2010 to the current 1,614 for 2011. A full list of the Honor Roll schools can be found at: www.cbeefoundation.org/honor_roll.html.
ILP - Physical Fitness Testing
State mandated Physical Fitness testing for 9th grade ILP students will be administered the week of May 21st between 9am and noon. Please check with your Teacher of Record for your specific test day and time
ILP - Cap and Gown Orders
It's that time of year. If you are a graduating ILP senior, please order your cap and gown today. The deadline to order a cap and gown for the ILP graduation is Friday, May 1st, 2012.
Please place all orders through the Balfour Website.
ILP Thank You
Thank you for your financial and ‘in-kind’ contributions as we strive to reach 100% of our $400,000 fund-raising goal for this school year.
In order to give special thanks and well-deserved recognition to our donors, we have posted a list of our donors along with a ‘Donations Thermometer’ on our
‘The American Heritage Education Foundation’ (AMHEF) website. We plan to update the ‘Donor List’ at the end of each month.
Again – THANK YOU for your generous support during these challenging budgetary times. We are pleased to partner with you as we provide an EXCELLENT education for our students.
(Click here to see the ‘Donor List’.)
ILP Yearbook Deadline
Attention ILP students: April 2nd is the deadline to submit your photo for publication in the ILP Yearbook. Please email photos for approval to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Contact Mr. Darrough if you have any questions.
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