Canyon Hills High School is a public high school in the community of Tierrasanta in 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.[2] On March 9, 2021, the San Diego Unified School Board voted to change the name of the school to Canyon Hills High School.[3]
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.[4] 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.[3][5]
In the 1999-2000 season the Boys Varsity Basketball won their first Section 2 Championship in school history and their third straight Eastern League Title. In the 2011-2012 season, the girls Basketball team won San Diego CIF by defeating West Hills High School. Varsity Girls Soccer also won a CIF Div. 2 Championship in 2013. The Serra Football program also has won 5 total league championships, in . 1999, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2013.[citation needed] As of 2014, they are in the City League.[6]
