Crown Point Junior Music Academy celebrated the May 12 groundbreaking for its whole-site modernization with speeches, music, and violin performances, and a tribute to the late Stephen Luchs, the school’s violin teacher.

“I am the super duper proud principal,” said Sakeenah Smith. “I’ve made it my top priority to build relationships with our students, staff, and parents. Our students and this whole community deserve the state-of-the-art facilities that are planned here.”

The elementary school’s groundbreaking was extra special in that it also paid homage to Luchs, the teacher responsible for bringing the Suzuki Violin program to Crown Point, which eventually led the school to become Crown Point Junior Music Academy.

Members from the Luchs family were present at the groundbreaking as was retired Crown Point employee Catalina Valenzuela, who paid tribute to Luchs.

“In 2008 our school was on the verge of closing due to our low enrollment,” she said. “But the district gave us an opportunity to turn into a musical academy. Mr. Luchs came in involving the parents in taking violin lessons with their kids. It is something so special and Mr. Luchs made it fun. I was fortunate to be part of those lessons with my daughter, and we got to perform together.”

Added Valenzuela: “She and I would take turns being the bow and doing the fingering on the violin. This (Suzuki) program is what separates our school from others. The violin program is what started this music academy. After that, we began to offer music enrichment classes to all grades and formed a music club and choir.”

Of Luchs, Valenzuela noted: “There was no one like him. He was funny. He loved to tell jokes. He’d often start off his classes asking, ‘Does anybody know any jokes today?’ He was a great friend to me and others. We miss him dearly and we cannot wait for the music center and the rest of the campus to be complete.”

“Thank you to the late Stephen Luchs,” said San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Lamont A. Jackson during the groundbreaking. “To those who met Stephen and know how big his heart was … he was able to bring something special here to Crown Point Junior Music Academy. And we need to celebrate that. So today is a great day. We need to carry him with us, and what he was about. Stephen Luchs loved deeply and is missed deeply. I want to recognize that he contributed to this great day.”

District C board trustee Cody Petterson thanked Lee Dulgeroff, SDUSD chief of facilities planning and construction for “going out of his way to make sure that improvements on this site reflect the focus of this campus. We’re going to see performance spaces. We’re going to see practice spaces. And you’re finally going to have facilities that actually facilitate the kids, the parents, and the teachers doing the work that they’re here to do.”

SUZUKI METHOD

In 2008, teacher Stephen Luchs brought the Suzuki Violin program to what was then known as Crown Point Elementary, teaching both students and parents how to play violin and perform together. That same year, the school became known as Crown Point Junior Music Academy.

A San Diego Symphony veteran, Luchs taught violin to elementary school students and parents for 26 years. One year after his death in April 2022, construction has begun on the campus’ Whole Site Modernization project, which includes the construction of a new kindergarten facility, a music center and makerspace, renovated classrooms, a safe and secure main campus entryway, and outdoor improvements.