The school opened in September 1968 in three phases at a cost of $3.6 million. It started with five buildings and a library, with administrative offices in portable buildings. C.T. Haan was both the first principal and superintendent of the Hart School District.[2]
Academics
Canyon High School has an academic program with emphasis on preparation for higher education. All preparatory courses required by the University of California and other institutions of higher learning are offered.
Honors and AP courses are offered in science, mathematics, social studies, foreign languages, and fine arts. The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program encourages students from non-academic backgrounds to undertake the college preparatory curriculum and provides them with resources to increase their chance of success in strong academic programs.
Canyon High School supports a Career Paths program which prepares students for careers in theater arts, health science, video production, engineering, and industrial technology. Students engaged in the Career path programs attend tailored classes and are afford internship opportunities in their chosen fields. The Career Paths programs ties into the William S. Hart district's Regional Occupational Program (ROP) which offers real-world experiences for students in 30 career fields ranging from forensics to floristry.
Performing arts
Canyon High has an excellent fine arts department with award-winning choral music, marching band, and theater programs. The Theatre program at Canyon has excelled in multiple competitions (even placing 1st out of 85 schools in the annual DTASC Competition) and received its own performing arts center in March 2016.
Marching Band
Canyon High School's marching band has six divisions ranging from 1A to 6A.
Athletics
Canyon High School is governed by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section as a member of the Foothill League. Its athletic mascot is the Cowboy and its colors are hunter green and gold. Canyon's main rival is William S. Hart High School in Newhall, dating back to 1968.[citation needed] Canyon High School competes in the Foothill League, which also includes Castaic, Golden Valley, Hart, Saugus, West Ranch, and Valencia High Schools.
Boys Volleyball: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000
Baseball: 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 2002, 2013
Softball: 1974, 1987, 1993
Boys Tennis: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986
Boys Golf: 1992
CIF Championships:
Football: 1983, 1984, 1985, 2005, 2006
Girls Cross Country: 1995
Boys Cross Country: 2000, 2001
California State Championships:
Football: 2006
Boys Cross Country: 2001
Girls Cross Country: 1995
Student demographics
As of the 2021-22 school year, 1,959 students were enrolled at Canyon High School, the smallest enrollment among Hart District high schools. Of those, 62.3% were Hispanic, 22.9% were non-Hispanic white, 6.1% were Asian American, and 4.1% were African American.[1] As of 2020-21, 956 students (48.1%) were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.[3]