CARLSBAD UNIFIED CONNECTIONS

It's High School Selection Month!

Which high school should I attend?

January is High School Selection Month at Carlsbad Unified. Eighth graders and students new to the district – and students wishing to change their high school of attendance – will need to select a high school for the 2024-25 school year and submit their decision online by January 31, 2024.

Carlsbad Unified has two outstanding comprehensive high schools, Carlsbad High School (CHS) and Sage Creek High School (SCHS), and students living within CUSD boundaries are fortunate to be able to choose the high school they wish to attend. Both CHS and SCHS offer rigorous academics and a wide range of extracurricular activities, sports, special programs, and clubs, presenting students with two great choices. We encourage students and their families to consider the unique features of each high school, and then select the one that is the best fit.

There are as many reasons for choosing a school as there are incoming students. Some students are attracted by well-regarded sports programs, or career pathways, or art and music. Others wish to attend high school with siblings or friends. Parents might be interested in school programs or in a school’s location, convenience, and the availability of carpools.

Both CHS and SCHS offer a wealth of academic and support programs for their students. Courses at each school are A-G approved for Universities of California and California State College and Universities. Both schools make available an impressive array of Advanced Placement (AP) Courses, and both offer AVID programs and Career Pathways. Students can earn college credit through College Articulated and Dual Enrollment Courses at MiraCosta or Palomar College. Excellent programs in English Language Development and Special Education are found on both campuses, and students at both campuses can be eligible for California’s Seal of Biliteracy.

But each high school has its own unique features that attract students each year.

Carlsbad High School: The Loud Crowd

Carlsbad High School, opened in 1957, was the only game in town and the focus of Carlsbad’s tradition and school spirit for 55 years. Now in its 66th year, CHS is known for its nationally-recognized CHSTV Broadcast Journalism program, and Career Pathways in Business (where Marketing students can “own” their own business), Child Development, Computer Science, Fashion Design, Film Academy, Photography, Theater, and Building and Construction Trades. CHS’s Academy Internship Program gives students real-world experience out in the community, and its AP Capstone Diploma allows students to use their college-level research, writing, and presentation skills to complete a project in their area of interest. CHS’s welcoming extracurricular environment, with over 40 clubs, has something for everyone. Its competitive sports programs include football, cheer, and water polo, and its enthusiastic fans, with a student section named The Loud Crowd, have won national spirit awards.

Sage Creek High School: Be You. Be Your Best

Sage Creek High School, which opened in 2013, has a state-of-the-art campus and a beautiful Performing Arts Center. It offers Career Pathways in Computer Science, Engineering, Digital Photography, and Biomedical Science. One of SCHS’s signature programs is the Genius Project, which is embedded in junior and senior English classes. Students select a topic that, for them, represents “Impact, Challenge, and Passion;” and then they research, investigate, write about, and present what they learned in the spring of their senior years. SCHS also prides itself on its Link Crew, a year-long program supporting 9th graders in their transition to high school. Beginning with freshman orientation, Link Crew provides all 9th graders with a junior or senior mentor, builds friendships, teaches SCHS core values, and helps students take full advantage of all that SCHS has to offer. Campus activities include over 90 clubs and a full range of sports. In 2024-25, the SCHS Bobcats will be offering two unique sports – Field Hockey and Girls’ Flag Football.

In addition to our two comprehensive high schools, we are also proud to offer two alternative program experiences in Carlsbad Unified. Our continuation high school, Carlsbad Village Academy, and our independent study school, Carlsbad Seaside Academy, are additional options available to students and families in CUSD.

Choosing a high school can be a tough decision for students and families. But, as you can see, Carlsbad Unified offers excellent options for families to consider. We invite students and families to do a little bit of research, and visit and experience each campus, to give students the best opportunity to find their place, their interests, and their passions.

Be sure you make your selection within the January window. It’s open now until January 31. For further information, or to declare your selection, check out this link.

We’re using a communication platform called ParentSquare to connect parents and school.

Please download the ParentSquare app to stay updated on all of the news and announcements from your school throughout the year. Click here to learn more on our website.

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We provide every student an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment. #cusdlearns

Email: cusd@carlsbadusd.net
Website: https://www.carlsbadusd.net
Location: 6225 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA, USA
Phone: 760-331-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/CarlsbadUnifiedSchools
Twitter: @CarlsbadUSD