Canyon Hills High School

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. On March 9, 2021, the San Diego Unified School Board voted to change the name of the school to Canyon Hills High School. History In December 2000, a 15 year old student brought a gun to school and threatened to shoot a classmate. He ended up accidentally shooting himself before carrying out that threat. 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. 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. Athletics programs