Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 18, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
- School Year 2026-2027
- Spring Semester 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 21 of 21 terms
A
- ASU
- Associated Student Union, the school's student government organization (equivalent to ASB).
C
- CSF
- California Scholarship Federation, an academic honors society for high-achieving students.
D
- Dolphin
- The official school mascot and the term used to refer to any Dana Hills student.
- Dolphin Dispatch
- The name of the student-run newspaper, often referred to simply as 'the paper'.
- Dolphin Pride
- The general term for school spirit and the expected code of conduct.
- Dolphins
- The official mascot and the term used to refer to the student body collectively.
N
- NHS
- National Honor Society, a service-based organization for students with high GPAs.
P
- Phins
- Short for Dolphins, the school's mascot.
- PTSA
- Parent Teacher Student Association, the primary volunteer and fundraising organization.
S
- Snack
- The mid-morning 15-minute break between 2nd and 3rd period where students purchase food.
- SOCSA
- South Orange County School of the Arts, a prestigious visual and performing arts program based at Dana Hills.
- SOCSA kids
- Students heavily involved in the arts program, often seen in the theater or music wings.
T
- The Blue & White
- The school colors, frequently used in the context of spirit days and athletic events.
- The Caf
- The main cafeteria area where school-provided lunches are served.
- The Cafeteria
- The primary indoor food service area for student lunches.
- The Center
- Refers to the nearby Ocean Ranch Village shopping center, frequently visited for food after school.
- The Harbor
- The Dana Point Harbor area, a popular off-campus lunch destination for upperclassmen with passes.
- The Hill
- A common nickname for the Dana Hills High School campus itself.
- The Mall
- The central outdoor area where most students eat lunch and social food carts are located.
- The Porthole
- The on-campus student store that sells snacks, drinks, and school gear.
- The Snack Bar
- The outdoor food service windows located near the central Mall area.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Aeries
- The online portal used by the Capistrano Unified School District for tracking grades, attendance, and transcripts.
- Canvas
- The online learning management system used for assignments, grades, and course materials.
- Dolphin Dispatch
- The official student-run newspaper and news site for the campus.
- Late Start
- Tuesday mornings when classes begin later than usual to allow for teacher collaboration.
- Off-campus pass
- A permit granted to juniors and seniors allowing them to leave campus during the lunch period.
- Parent Portal
- The Aeries-based online system used for tracking official attendance, transcripts, and final grades.
- The 100-900 Buildings
- The numbered classroom wings; for example, the 500s are known for science and the 700s for arts.
- The 800 Building
- The two-story classroom wing often associated with math and science classes.
- The 800s
- The building wing primarily dedicated to SOCSA classes and the performing arts.
- The Gym
- The main athletic facility used for basketball, volleyball, and pep rallies.
- The Mall
- The central outdoor quad area where students congregate during lunch and breaks.
- The Media Center
- The school library and computer lab hub.
- The MPR
- The Multi-Purpose Room, used for assemblies, dances, and large indoor events.
- The Pods
- The distinct circular classroom clusters that make up the original architectural layout of the school.
- The Pods
- The layout style of certain classroom wings where rooms open into a central shared space.
- The Porthole
- The physical building/room housing the student store.
- Tutorial
- A dedicated 30-minute block in the schedule for students to seek extra help from teachers or study.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 18, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 21 approved campus terms and 17 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.