Frequently Asked Questions about DNHSHome of the Nighthawks

Where is Del Norte High School located?

DNHS is located on a 62 acre site in the 4S Ranch and Del Sur communities near the corner of Camino Del Norte and Lone Quail Road.  From Interstate 15, exit Camino Del Norte and head west.  Turn left at Lone Quail Road.  The main entrance is located at 16601 Nighthawk Lane.

When does it open?

Del Norte High School will open in the fall of 2009.

Who can attend?

Over 540 freshmen enrolled at Del Norte High School in last March! As a result, the freshman class is now closed to students living outside the DNHS boundary. Any current 8th grader moving into the Del Norte boundary or presently residing in the boundary can still enroll.

To date, almost 260 sophomores have enrolled at Del Norte. And the good news is we’re still accepting incoming 10th graders.

Current PUSD and out-of-District freshmen interested in joining the NIGHTHAWKS as sophomores can still submit CRF and IDT forms. Click here to access the necessary paperwork . If you have questions, please contact our school counselor, Jocbethem Tahapary (jtahapary@powayusd.com).

Will the academic program be rigorous?

Absolutely! Del Norte will open with many of the same course offerings found at PUSD’s other high schools. Sophomores will have access to the most popular AP class among 10th graders - AP European History, and beginning in 2011-12 upper classmen (juniors and seniors) will have the option to take IB courses as well. In addition, Del Norte’s trimester class schedule will allow students the opportunity to accelerate their learning, taking as many as 15 classes each year.

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Will Del Norte be offering honors classes?

While Del Norte will offer honors classes in English, we will not be offering honors courses in the other subject areas. Our mission statement and graduate profile apply to all students. We expect every graduating senior to be college ready, future focused, and globally aware. All of our classes are college preparatory, and each class will be taught by a highly qualified, content-area expert.

It is important to note that the grades earned in honors classes are not weighted, and that not taking an honors class – where none is offered – has no adverse effect when it comes to college admissions.

What is the IB program?

The International Baccalaureate Programme promotes intercultural respect and understanding and infuses a global perspective throughout the curriculum.  The IB program was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968.  Today there are more than 650,000 IB students at almost 2,400 schools in 129 countries.  Del Norte High School will be the first high school in Poway to offer the IB diploma.  To learn more about this unique opportunity, log onto the IB website (www.ibo.org).

Will students attending Del Norte get laptops?

We have spent several months, now, researching 1:1 laptop initiatives, visiting schools where these programs are in place and talking to experts familiar with this work. To date we’ve looked at Apple laptop computers, i-Pod Touches, and at the latest generation of Netbooks. More work is necessary, however, before moving forward with this effort. Rest assured, Del Norte’s campus is the most technologically advanced in the District. Every classroom at DNHS comes standard with an LCD projector, Promethean SMART board, an audio system, and a document camera.

What athletic programs will be offered?

Del Norte High School’s application for CIF membership was formally accepted in December 2008.  The DNHS Nighthawks will compete in the Valley League.  In March, at a special community event focusing on athletics, there was sufficient student interest to support every CIF seasonal sport – with the exception of gymnastics.

See the Athletic Page for more information

Will students attending Del Norte have opportunities to participate in the visual, technical, and performing arts?

Absolutely!  Del Norte will have state-of-the-art facilities including five art labs, two music classrooms, one drama classroom, 11 career-technical education classrooms, a Performing Arts Center and a Fine Arts Village designed to blend traditional mediums of visual arts, drama and music.

Gary Horimoto (RBHS Orchestra) and Garry McPherson (MCHS band) will be our lead music teachers this next fall. Both men have played key leadership roles in supporting nationally renowned programs, and between them, they bring decades of successful teaching experience.

Drama, Choir, and Dance will all be supported as clubs.

What type of schedule will Del Norte utilize - traditional or 4x4 (Westview)?

Neither.  The Leadership Team at Del Norte has decided to go a different direction.  We’re going to open with a trimester schedule.  To learn more about this schedule, click the link Distinctively Del Norte.

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What extracurricular opportunities (other than athletics) will be available to students?

Students will be encouraged to charter clubs through ASB.  There will be a variety of hobbies and interests represented in the clubs that are formed.  Clubs will meet before and after school, and during lunch.

How was the NIGHTHAWK selected as the mascot?

The students SPOKE and we listened.  Click here for a complete description of the process.

When will Del Norte High School establish the PTSA and Foundation?

Interested in getting involved and supporting Del Norte?  Consider joining the PTSA and the DNHS Foundation.  Click here to learn more about the PTSA.  Contact Mrs. Biggs if you’re interested in supporting our school’s foundation (cbiggs@powayusd.com; 858-487-0877).

Click here to visit the PTSA site.

Can I tour the new campus?

The next opportunity to tour the campus of Del Norte will be Saturday, August 22 from 2-6 p.m. Join us for a Community Open House.

Who should I contact if I have additional questions (or want to get involved)?

Greg Mizel, Principal (gmizel@powayusd.com)

Kelly Burke, Assistant Principal (kburke@powayusd.com)

Jocbethem Tahapary, Counselor (jtahapary@powayusd.com)

Christine Biggs, Administrative Assistant (cbiggs@powayusd.com)

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