MEDIA ADVISORY
District and City Leaders to Join Pacific Beach Elementary Students, Community to Celebrate Start of Construction for New Kindergarten Building, Joint-Use Field Expansion
Friday, October 6, 2023
WHAT: District and city leaders will join Pacific Beach Elementary School students, staff,
and community members in celebrating the groundbreaking for the 93-year-old school’s Whole Site Modernization and Joint-Use Field expansion project.
WHEN: Tuesday, October 10, 2023
8:30 - 9:15 a.m.
WHERE: Pacific Beach Elementary School
1234 Tourmaline St.,*
San Diego, CA 92109
*See map below for event location and media staging area.
VISUALS: 8:30 - 8:42 a.m. - Students Lead Pledge of Allegiance, Mission Bay High School
Cheer Team Performs, Pacific Beach Middle School Concert
Band Performs
8:42 - 8 53 a.m. - Speakers
8:53- 8:58 a.m. - Shovels to the Dirt, Photo Opps
8:58 - 9:15 a.m. - Media 1-1s, Campus Tour
A construction postcard, fact sheet, and renderings can be found here.
SPEAKERS: Cody Petterson, Board of Education Trustee, San Diego Unified School District
Joe LaCava, Councilmember, City of San Diego
Jennifer Grondek, Principal, Pacific Beach Elementary School
Kylie Fortmann, 5th Grade Student, Pacific Beach Elementary School
Kate Nestojko, 5th Grade Student, Pacific Beach Elementary School
Shelby Skiles, 5th Grade Student, Pacific Beach Elementary School
Carolyn Hernandez, Teacher and Alumni, Pacific Beach Elementary
BACKGROUND:
Located along Tourmaline Street, Pacific Beach Elementary School has served the community for 93 years.
First opened in 1930, Pacific Beach Elementary began with just one campus building, then added an additional building in 1938. As the population grew, so did the campus. Five additional buildings were added from 1940 - 1957. In 1976, the 1930 buildings were replaced by one building, with five buildings constructed for the former Los Altos Child Development Center. At that time, three portable classrooms were added due to the increased student population. In 2004, a 1.8-acre joint-use field along Turquoise Street was created for student and public use.
Now in 2023, construction is beginning on a Whole Site Modernization and Joint-Use Field expansion project that will bring students a new kindergarten building, a grass playfield, a secure main campus entryway, renovated classrooms, and shade shelters.
Funded by local bond measures, the upcoming kindergarten facility will include modern, state-of-the-art classrooms and collaborative workspaces that lead out to a new play structure with a shade shelter. A second shade shelter will be installed in the general play area. All existing classrooms, the student services facility, and the multi-purpose room will be renovated and all restrooms and the school kitchen will be upgraded. To make room for these new facilities, the three portable classrooms that were built in 1976 will be removed.
A community request, the one-acre expansion of the joint-use field will include a walking and running track, a renovated basketball court, play equipment, new trees and benches, a drinking fountain, secure perimeter fencing, and a public access gate.
As part of the Play All Day partnership with the City of San Diego, the joint-use field will be accessible to the community as a local park after school hours and during school breaks.
A Universal Transitional Kindergarten through fifth-grade campus, Pacific Beach Elementary offers robust arts and science programs; music, theater, and dance opportunities; and hands-on scientific experiences through a partnership with San Diego Youth Science.
The project is anticipated to be completed in late 2025.
PARKING MAP:
Media can enter through an entrance gate along Turquoise street. A construction crew member will be at the gate.
RELATED LINKS:
Read more about the Play All Day Parks program here.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Ries, Information Services Specialist, San Diego Unified, (619) 855-9283, jries@sandi.net.
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