Crown Point Junior Music Academy Celebrates Dedication of New Classroom and Music Center in Honor of Violin Academy Founder

Construction on one of Pacific Beach’s oldest schools is officially complete. 

Crown Point Junior Music Academy (CPJMA) students held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday to celebrate the 78-year-old school’s major campus upgrades. 

Joined by district leaders, community members, and parents, choir students at the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through fifth-grade magnet school showcased their singing talents before cutting the ribbon. 

“We wanted to integrate music into our celebration because music is what we pride ourselves on at CPJMA,” said Sakeenah Smith, principal at CPJMA. “We are so grateful that our project brought us new music spaces and classrooms to build on our already impressive music program.” 

Music has been a focal point at CPJMA since 2008, when late teacher Stephen Luchs transformed it into a music academy and brought in the Suzuki Violin program. A passion of his, Luchs taught both students and parents how to play violin together, perform together, and bring awareness to the importance of parent involvement. 

The Whole Site Modernization project included renovations to the auditorium and construction of a music center and makerspace with music and violin classrooms. 

“He would have been so excited to see the transformation,” said Amber Luchs, Stephen’s daughter. “His passion for music will live on in these new spaces and in future generations of students.” 

More than the music center and auditorium renovations, the project also included a new TK/kindergarten facility, renovated classrooms, a safe and secure main campus entryway, and outdoor improvements. Replacing an aging portable, the new TK/kindergarten building along Fortuna Avenue includes state-of-the-art classrooms with modern technology, furniture, and collaborative workspaces. 

To create a secure main campus entryway, student services offices were moved from Ingraham Street to Pacific Beach Drive. The vacated Ingraham Street building was transformed into a music center and maker space with a new music facility and a practice room. Further improving safety, new cameras, an emergency communications system, and perimeter fencing were also installed at CPJMA. 

The project also provided substantial outdoor improvements, including a learning area near the music and makerspace, three new play structures and a shade shelter in the kindergarten area, a new play structure and shade shelter in the upper-grade playgrounds, hardscape striping, an expanded parking lot, and a safer dedicated student drop-off and pick-up area along Jewell Street. 

“When we talk about school facilities, we are really talking about student experience. We are talking about classrooms that support collaboration, spaces that inspire creativity, and campuses that promote safety and well-being,” said Dr. Cody Petterson, Board of Education trustee for San Diego Unified. “CPJMA is a wonderful example of that vision in action; projects like this are a direct result of our community’s commitment to public education.”