Hello Padre Students and Parents,

We have one single feature here at CHS that is so extensive and pervasive that it permeates all facets of what we do. It is difficult to describe and yet so critically important to the mission of our school that it ascends to the height of being our most vital priority.

“It” is our School Culture!

With purposeful design and strategic intent, we work on the characteristics of our culture that are manifest as student achievement and demonstrated learning of well defined content. I maintain and resolutely defend that this academic focus is essential to our goal of preparing and providing foundational skills for our kids to be equipped for success in life after high school.

However, the emphasis on academic culture can have unintended outcomes, including a perception that grades, test scores, API results and college acceptances are the only concerns that matter at CHS. This is simply not true and does not accurately represent either our existing culture, or the culture we strive to cultivate.

In this school year, we have had allegations of racially motivated comments directed at minority students. Actions or words that cause others to feel unwelcome, or even worse harassed, are absolutely unacceptable. The prevailing environment here at CHS is welcoming, supportive and tolerant. That does not mean we are free from negative societal issues on our campus. We are a microcosm of society and, as such, struggle at times with inappropriate speech and action. When we are aware of a specific incident, we investigate and administer corresponding disciplinary action. Responding to identified behavior is not the only way we resist negative and inappropriate actions or words. We also attempt to consistently improve our school culture by being proactive. Programs (and personnel) like Link Crew, Teen Truth, NCBI, and our SAP Counselor directly impact school culture by providing support for students and steering them toward positive interactions, choices and behaviors.

I request that each of you, CHS parents and students, talk at home about the responsibility each of us carries to be enlightened and conscious of our diverse society. For each of us to celebrate diversity we have to first learn tolerance and understanding that to be different is not bad; in fact it is what makes us great. We all share the responsibility to encourage and maintain a positive school culture, free from racial intolerance, and intent on positive support and relations for all students.

Thank you, Rick Lopez

GO PADRES!