The Community School Communicator

The 2026-27 school year is officially underway, and what a start it has been! Across Alta Vista High School and Murray High School students have been settling into new routines, building relationships with their advisors and classmates, and beginning to explore the interests, strengths, and goals that will shape their year.

Our Alt Ed philosophy is simple: students learn best when they are known, supported, and connected to something that matters to them. That means school can look a little different here. In addition to classroom learning, students have opportunities to learn in the community, explore careers, participate in hands-on programs, and work with adults who can help them imagine what comes next.

The first weeks of school have been filled with opportunities for students to connect with one another and with the adults who support them. Our campuses have welcomed new and returning students into small, relationship-centered environments where advisors have been getting to know students not just as learners, but as whole people.

We also welcomed families back through Back to School Night, with record-breaking attendance at Alta Vista and Murray. Families had the opportunity to meet advisors, learn about the programs available to students, and get a closer look at what makes Alt Ed different.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

September has already been full of opportunities for students to Leave to Learn. Students have gone surfing with Outdoor Outreach, explored the Oceanside Sea Center, participated in scavenger hunts throughout the community, gone snorkeling, visited the Miramar Air Show, and participated in other experiences designed to connect learning to the world beyond school.

Murray's Animal Careers Exploration program has also gotten underway, including a unique hands-on dissection experience and a visit to the Kerkhof Marine Lab. These experiences allow students to explore potential careers and interests before they ever have to make a decision about what they want to do after high school.

And for many students, these aren't just field trips. They are first experiences: a first time surfing, snorkeling, visiting a college or workplace, talking with a professional, or discovering an interest they didn't know they had.

Building Pathways to the Future

One of the most exciting developments this year has been the expansion of our Alt Ed Apprenticeship Programs. Students across Vista Unified can now explore opportunities including automotive, construction, welding, cosmetology, emergency medical response, interpretation services, and more. Please visit out Alt Ed Opportunities site HERE for more information! 

These programs give students a chance to experience an industry in a meaningful, hands-on way without requiring them to commit to a career before they know whether it is right for them. Just as important as discovering what you want to do is discovering what you don't want to do.

This year's automotive program, for example, has partnered with North County Ford to give students exposure to the service and maintenance side of the automotive industry. Construction and welding opportunities are taking place through our partnership with Rancho Buena Vista, while other programs are connecting students with professionals and community partners throughout the region.

We are grateful to the many local businesses, organizations, and professionals who open their doors to our students and help them see what their futures might look like.

A Community of Support

None of this happens without the adults and community partners who surround our students. Teachers, advisors, counselors, classified staff, community school partners, mentors, business owners, college partners, and countless others contribute to the experiences students are having this year.

We are especially grateful to the families who continue to partner with us, ask questions, share their perspectives, and encourage their students along the way.

Thank you for trusting Alta Vista, Murray, and Vista Visions Academy with your students. We are excited about what this school year already has in store, and even more excited about the possibilities ahead. 

Welcome to an already terrific 2026-2027 school year!