Canyon Hills High School (San Diego) Explained

Canyon Hills High School
Coordinates:32.8258°N -117.1056°W
Established:1976
Principal:Erica Renfree
Mascot:Rattlers
Website:serra.sandiegounified.org
Address:5156 Santo Rd.
San Diego, California 92124
Enrollment:1,392 (2019–20)[1]
Colors:Red & Black

Canyon Hills High School is a public high school situated in the community of Tierrasanta within the city of San Diego, California. Previously known as Junipero Serra High School, it was named for Junípero Serra, a Spanish missionary who founded Mission San Diego and other settlements in what is now California. It is a traditional school in the San Diego Unified School District and is the high school for students from Tierrasanta and the adjacent Murphy Canyon military housing community.[2] On March 9, 2021, the San Diego Unified School Board voted to change the name of the school to Canyon Hills High School.[3]

Mascot

The school mascot was Conrad the Conquistador. Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, students started a petition to change the mascot from a conquistador, a symbol they said represented Spanish colonialism and its impact on the indigenous population. Principal Erica Renfree encouraged the change, and suggested also changing the school's name to Tierrasanta High School. Virtual town halls were scheduled to discuss the changes.[4] On March 9, 2021, the San Diego Unified School Board voted to change the name of the school to Canyon Hills High School, as well as the mascot to the Rattlers.[5]

Athletics programs

In the 1999-2000 season the Boys Varsity Basketball won their first Section 2 Championship in school history and their third straight Eastern League Title. In the 2011-2012 season, the girls Basketball team won San Diego CIF by defeating West Hills High School. Varsity Girls Soccer also won a CIF Div. 2 Championship in 2013. The Serra Football program also has won 5 total league championships, in . 1999, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2013. As of 2014, they are in the City League.[6]

Rivalry

Canyon Hills High School's rival is Patrick Henry High School.[7] [8] The Field Hockey team, however, is most known for having a rivalry with Scripps Ranch High School which is located in the Scripps Ranch community of San Diego.[9]

References

  1. Web site: Serra High. National Center for Education Statistics. May 25, 2021.
  2. Web site: 24 June 2022 . 2022-23 High School Boundary Maps - Canyon Hills . 20 September 2022 . San Diego Unified School District.
  3. Web site: Ojeda . Artie . March 9, 2021 . San Diego's Serra High Poised to Be Renamed 'Canyon Hills High School' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210310023127/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/voices-for-justice/san-diegos-serra-high-expected-to-be-renamed-canyon-hills-high-school/2544124/ . 2021-03-10 . 2021-03-10 . NBC 7 San Diego . en-US.
  4. News: June 26, 2020 . Campaign to 'rebrand' Serra High School name, mascot . en . KGTV .
  5. Web site: Taketa . Kristen . 2021-03-10 . San Diego Unified changes name of Junipero Serra High School, removes conquistador mascot . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210310064459/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2021-03-09/san-diego-unified-changes-name-of-junipero-serra-high-school-conquistador-mascot-after-students-said-they-were . 2021-03-10 . 2021-03-10 . San Diego Union-Tribune . en-US.
  6. Web site: Fall sports . Junipero Serra High School . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225173718/http://www.sandi.net//site/Default.aspx?PageID=33848 . 2014-12-25 . 2014-12-25.
  7. Web site: McDonald . Jen . 2015-02-20 . High school vandalized in apparent rivalry prank . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210609002752/https://fox5sandiego.com/news/high-school-vandalized-in-apparent-rivalry/ . 2021-06-09 . 2021-06-09 . FOX 5 San Diego . en-US.
  8. Web site: Seitshiro . Leloba . 2015-02-19 . Vandalism or Prank? District Investigates Graffiti at Serra High School . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210609002752/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/vandalism-serra-high-school-patrick-henry-prank-rivalry/87429/ . 2021-06-09 . 2021-06-09 . NBC 7 San Diego . en-US.
  9. Web site: Maffei . John . 2018-09-23 . Serra sets win record, earns field hockey title . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180923131827/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/high-school-preps/sd-sp-preps-field-hockey-serra-tournament-20180922-story.html . 2018-09-23 . 2021-06-09 . San Diego Union-Tribune . en-US.

External links