Principal Smith's Weekly Update

Greetings CPJMA Parents & Families!

Week of May 18, 2025

Happy Sunday,

This Thursday is our spring violin concert at 8 a.m. in our auditorium. We are so excited to see our student violinists showcase their outstanding violin skills led by our amazing violin teacher, Mr. Tagart.

Book Fair THIS WEEK: Our Scholastic Book Fair is happening this week in the PD room, starting tomorrow/Monday - Thursday. The PD room is in the new administration building, and next to the student restrooms near the lunch arbor and cafeteria.

5th Grade Promotion: Our 5th grade promotion is Next Thursday, May 29/Last day of school, at 8:00 a.m. in the Auditorium

Family Movie Night Last Friday: Huge thank you to PTO PowerParents, Tarin Ward, and Kassie Graves for your hard work and support with planning the family dance last Friday. I heard that it was a huge success, and that the families that attended had an absolute blast! Thank you to all parents that helped Tarin and Kassie with set up & take down for the family dance! Thank you to all CPJMA parents & guardians for all that you do to support our school!

Please Mark Your Calendars:

Reminder No School next Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day.
Minimum Days THIS WEEK: Wednesday/May 21, Thursday/May 22, Friday/May 23 - students are dismissed from school at 12:15
Minimum Days NEXT WEEK: Tuesday/May 27, Wednesday/May 28, Thursday/May 29 (Last day of school) - students are dismissed from school at 12:15
Next Thursday, May 29 is the Last day of school

IMPORTANT: Please take a moment to complete the SDUSD Family Survey (below), AFTER you take a peek at our week below:

Please see below for a peek at our week:

Monday:

Scholastic Book Fair, PD room
Violin with Mr. Tagart
PE: 1st grade, 4th grade, 4/5 Combo

Tuesday:

Field Trip, 5th Grade Day at the Bay
Scholastic Book Fair, PD room
PE: 2nd grade, 5th grade, UTK

Wednesday:

SSC Meeting, 2:00 p.m. Zoom
Scholastic Book Fair, PD room
Violin with Mr. Tagart
Minimum Day, 12:15 Dismissal

Thursday:

Violin Concert - 8AM, Auditorium
Scholastic Book Fair, PD room
Library with Ms. Rebecca
Violin with Mr. Tagart

Friday:

Awards Assembly, 7:45, Auditorium
Relay Games - 5th grade students vs. school staff
PE: Kindergarten, 3rd grade

IMPORTANT: Please Complete The Survey Below:

Dear Crown Point Elementary Families,

San Diego Unified is inviting all parents and guardians to complete the 2025 SDUSD Family Survey. Your feedback helps ensure our schools reflect the needs and values of our community. The survey takes less than 20 minutes to complete and covers key areas like school safety, communication, and student support.

Please take a few minutes to share your voice. Your input helps us make our schools better for all students.

📋 Take the Survey: https://tinyurl.com/SDUSDFamilySurvey

📱 Scan to Participate:

Thank you for partnering with us in support of our students!

Warmly,

Sakeenah Smith

Principal

Crown Point Elementary

SAVE THE DATE:

May 20 - 5th Grade Day at the Bay, 9-2pm

May 21 - Minimum Day, 12:15 Dismissal

May 21 -SSC Meeting, 2pm

May 22 - Violin Concert, time 8AM

May 23 - Awards Assembly, 7:45, Auditorium

May 23 - 5th Grade Games

May 26 - Memorial Day; Schools Closed

May 27 - 28 - Minimum Days; Dismissal at 12:15PM

May 27 - Blue Ticket Celebration

May 27 Para Appreciation Day

May 28 - Minimum Day

Staff Luncheon

May 29 - Mrs. Jessee’s class walking field trip

May 29 - 5th Grade Promotion, 8:00 AM

May 29 - Last Day of School; Minimum Day; Dismissal at 12:15 PM

Important Info. & Reminders:

All students have a minimum day every Wednesday throughout the school year, 12:15 dismissal. Please be sure to take a peek at the additional minimum days listed for the school year (above)
Stay in good communication with your child's teacher - the teacher is your most important mode of contact. Find out how your child's teacher communicates with parents (DOJO, Email, etc.
Communicate your child's absence to the school office, and health/med questions to health office

MUSIC CLUB-

Session 2- Mark your calendars!

Performance - Gator By the Bay- May 10

REMINDER - Morning Drop-Off on PB DRIVE

I wanted to bring to your attention what has been happening during morning drop-off:

Parents stopping in the middle of the street (on the side going towards Ingraham), and leaving their car doors wide open, and then walking their children through traffic. This is NOT OKAY!
Parents getting out of their cars in the drop off line and holding up the line which causes a traffic jam at the intersection. This is NOT OKAY! If you are walking your child to the entrance gate please find a parking space on Jewel Street or Fortuna, not on PB Drive as this is our ONLY drop-off area.
Today, a parent sat in their car in the drop off line for a while talking with their child before they got out of the car. This was completely discourteous to all cars behind this parent, and there were no cars in front of this car. This caused a traffic jam at the intersection. This is NOT OKAY!

As you can see, all of these real examples are huge safety concerns and each example negates basic common sense, negates traffic rules, and each example listed above demonstrates a complete lack of respect for the safety of students and adults. I realize that our drop-off area is not ideal, however the last phase of construction is to build a safe drop off lot on the side and back of our school where the construction trailers are currently located. The drop-off lot will not begin construction until late 2025, however this will help alleviate a lot of the morning traffic. In the interim I am pleading to all parents and guardians to ensure you are remembering to demonstrate the following each morning:

(Basic Car Drop-Off 101)

1. Common sense traffic rules.

2. Please demonstrate respect for other vehicles and pedestrians at ALL times.

3. Please exhibit patience and grace. (As a parent you are a role model for your children)

In addition, we have 1 school police officer supporting all 6 Mission Bay Cluster Schools. Our cluster police officer is currently on leave, and the officer that is supporting in his place is supporting at two other schools in our cluster with morning drop-off.

I want to thank the parents that have been demonstrating the traffic rules listed above each school day, and ensuring the safety of all students, vehicles, and pedestrians in our school zone.

All parents: Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and thank you for attention with next steps to ensure the demonstration of common sense traffic rules, respect for other vehicles and pedestrians at all times, and exhibiting patience and grace each morning.

Other Important Information:

Breakfast/Lunch Menu:

Make sure you select Crown Point in the drop down.

https://www.sandiegounified.org/departments/food/menus___special_diets

CPJMA School Calendar: Click HERE or see link below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FpvPbWKGUCY8Dm4-vRp9qjORQiXiQgLMEOyt_oMgCYE/edit?usp=sharing

*Please check calendar regularly as it is a live document and revisions will be made accordingly

CPJMA School Website: Visit website regularly to stay in the know:

https://crownpoint.sandiegounified.org/news/principal_updates

Crown Point Junior Music Academy Family Handbook 2024-25:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mM-oPcz2Lg1fw6RxqhlQRa4bZHNEzFlZ59t3SL2jJTM/edit?usp=sharing

Hoping that each of you and your families have an incredible week ahead!

Thank you for being part of our school community!

In Gratitude,

Sakeenah

Volunteering on Campus

We are in great need of parent volunteers during our lunch recess blocks, specifically during our three lunch recess periods: UTK 11:20-11:40, K-2nd 12:00-12:20, 3rd-5th 12:25-12:45. If you are able to volunteer to supervise during a lunch recess period, please complete the volunteer form (see link below) and bring proof of a recent negative TB test.

Interested in volunteering in your child's classroom: Many of our teachers send information on options to volunteer in their classrooms during the first few weeks of school. In our lower grade classes, it is important to first build independence (at school) in our younger students, to allow them time to learn the classroom routines, structures, classroom environment, and teacher expectations, absent of the parents being in the classroom. Should you have any questions about volunteering in the your child's classroom, please reach out directly to your child's teacher regarding your questions.

*Parents that sign up with their child's teacher to chaperone at a field trip during the school year must have a current volunteer application on file, and provide proof of the results of a current TB test

*You may also pop by the school office and pick up a volunteer form in the office lobby.

SDUSD Volunteer Process Information: https://sdusdfamilies.org/volunteer-2/

*Please email Della our school ESA with questions about your volunteer form: aducharme@sandi.net

REMINDER - PLEASE READ BELOW FOR UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING INDEPENDENT STUDY CONTRACTS:

If your child will be out of school for more than 5 days, please notify your child's teacher in writing if you would like an independent study contract prepared for your child. After the teacher has given you the okay regarding your request, you would then contact Ms. Nolte in the school office to ask for the independent study contract paperwork. It is ultimately the parent/guardian's responsibility to obtain the independent study contract paperwork from Ms. Nolte in our school office, (after parent has received approval from the teacher about the request). Requests for independent study contracts must be made with your child's teacher at least two weeks in advance. The independent study contract is an agreement between the parent and teacher, providing the student with relevant classwork to complete during the time that the student is out of town. The parent must provide written notification to the teacher with the request to receive an independent study contract, this written request must be provided no less than two weeks in advance. This will allow the teacher to get the contract and assignments ready for your child. If the written notification is not provided to the teacher in at least two weeks advance of your travel date, the independent study contract will not be accepted.

REMINDER: After you speak with your child's teacher regarding your request for an independent study contract, you must then contact Ms. Nolte in our school office for the independent study contract paperwork - this is the parent/guardian's responsibility. Requests for independent study contracts must be made with your child's teacher at least two weeks in advance.

Thank you for your support with this :).

School Communication:

Teacher Communication: Please ensure that you connect with your child’s teacher regarding their preferred method of parent communication (email, Class Dojo, weekly newsletters, etc.). It is imperative that you stay connected with your child’s teacher.

THE TEACHER-PARENT RELATIONSHIP is most critical to the growth and success in your child's educational journey.

School Website + School Calendar: https://crownpoint.sandiegounified.org/. Our school website is run voluntarily by one of our amazing power parents. Thank you Katie Gugino for being our webmaster!!!

PTO: We have an extremely amazing, active, and supportive Parent Teacher Organization. Our PTO parents have done so much to support our students and staff! I encourage all parents to get involved with our school by supporting our PTO, and consider being on the PTO, and/or helping with PTO fundraising events, as the funds that our PTO raise go directly into the school to create the BEST OPPORTUNITIES for our students (art experiences, science experiences, whole child experiences, field trips, supplies/resources for our teachers, theater/drama programs, supporting with our music/violin programs, celebrations for our students and staff, and extra-curricular events/activities for our students). Please email cpjmusicacademy@gmail.com and/or visit https://friendsofcpjma.com/ for more information on how to get involved with our PTO to support our school.

Breakfast and Lunches:

Click HERE for the Lunch Schedule

School Breakfast will be available free of charge to ALL students on a grab & go cart as students arrive/enter into the exterior cafeteria doors.

School lunch will be available free of charge to ALL students. Students may bring their own lunch to school instead if they would like.

Please visit the Food Services website for information on child nutrition and lunch info.: https://www.sandiegounified.org/departments/food_and_nutrition_services