NEWS RELEASE: Celebrating California Arts Education Month: Oak Park Elementary School Music Students and District Leaders Celebrate Construction Halfway Mark for Upcoming Music Building
News Release
Celebrating California Arts Education Month: Oak Park Elementary School Music Students and District Leaders Celebrate Construction Halfway Mark for Upcoming Music Building
March 7, 2024
SAN DIEGO - Oak Park Elementary School’s new music building is now halfway complete, marking a major milestone in the campus’ transformation.
To celebrate the project and California Arts Education Month, the school’s “Tempo Tigers” performed Thursday in front of the facility that will soon house music classrooms. A music magnet school, Oak Park Elementary offers instruction in band, orchestra, keyboard lab, guitars, and chorus.
The event follows a February 27 San Diego Unified Board of Education resolution to recognize March as California Arts Education Month, which recognizes the importance of teaching music, dance, visual arts, and media arts in public schools.
“Music and arts education offer students meaningful opportunities to learn, express themselves, and develop a sense of belonging at school and in life. I am excited about how these new facilities will inspire current and future Oak Park musicians,” Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson said.
Construction began in the summer of 2023 on the UTK-5th-grade campus’ transformation to replace all portable classrooms with three new buildings - the music building, a UTK/kindergarten facility, and a general education classroom facility.
Funded by San Diego Unified’s Capital Bond Improvement program, the project will also add a new parking lot with a dedicated student pick-up and drop-off area, exterior paint enhancements, renovations to all remaining classrooms, two new play structures and a large shade canopy in the upper-grade play area, and a new shade shelter in the UTK/kindergarten play area.
To enhance security, the existing student services offices will be modified to create a monitored single point of entry. Perimeter fencing will also be installed to direct visitors to the main campus entryway.
“It’s wonderful what we are doing for this school and schools throughout the Crawford cluster,” Board of Education Trustee Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne said.
In February 2024, Oak Park Elementary received a Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant that will go toward a new media arts maker space. The grant would make the campus San Diego Unified’s first elementary media arts magnet school.
“This new music facility will only uplift the program and our students to new heights,” Principal Antoniette Curtis said.
Construction is anticipated to be completed by the summer of 2025.
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