‘Ready and excited’: Students across La Jolla head back to school
Even a one-day postponement because of Tropical Storm Hilary couldn’t dampen students’ spirits as they headed back to public schools in La Jolla on Aug. 22.
The San Diego Unified School District, which operates five campuses in La Jolla, began its 2023-24 school year a day later than originally scheduled so school officials could survey campuses and repair any storm damage.
Photo gallery: A large tree fell on Pearl Street, and other debris left by the storm brought out local crews to pick up.
Reports indicated only “minimal damage,” Supt. Lamont Jackson said in a message to SDUSD families, and schools across the district were allowed to open.
Bird Rock resident Deana Chadwick sent her three children to three different La Jolla schools.
“It’s my only year of having them in three schools, so this is a special one,” she said.
Soila Chadwick, a freshman at La Jolla High School, said she’s excited to start high school but also is “scared because I don’t know the campus that well.”
Soila is on the freshman volleyball team and will try out for her “main passion” — basketball — this winter.
At Muirlands Middle School, seventh-grader Grey Chadwick said she looked forward to seeing “all my friends and [meeting] my teachers.”
River Chadwick, now a fifth-grader at Bird Rock Elementary School who serves on its Safety Patrol, said he’s happy to again be with his friends each day.
“I just really want to go back to school,” River said.
This is River’s last year in elementary school and he’s looking forward to the school’s special events, he said.
“Bird Rock really does a great job of celebrating the fifth-graders and helping them to bond in this final year of elementary school,” Deana said.
Melissa Morrison-Reyes’ four children are split between two La Jolla schools. Her daughters, Olivia and Madeline, are in eighth and sixth grades, respectively, at Muirlands. Her sons, Henry and Charlie, are in third grade and kindergarten at Torrey Pines Elementary School.
“The kids are all very excited to be back at school with their friends and teachers,” Morrison-Reyes said.
“I can’t wait to see my friends after summer break,” Madeline said.
Morrison-Reyes is glad her daughters are at the same school for a year. “We feel so special to be part of this very special community,” she said.
Henry said he’s “most excited for lunch and time with friends on the playground.”
Christopher Chang is starting fourth grade at Torrey Pines Elementary with eager anticipation.
“Summer was great, but I’m excited for school to start so I can meet my new teacher and see my friends again,” Christopher said.
At La Jolla Elementary School, Principal Stephanie Hasselbrink said she is “incredibly excited” to be launching the new school year, even amid ongoing construction for the school’s modernization.
Construction was finished last school year on a new office and classroom building, reorienting the school’s front from Marine Street to Girard Avenue.
“Our campus is becoming more beautiful and functional each and every day,” Hasselbrink said.
New landscaping was added over the summer, and a new drop-off and pickup zone opened for the first day of school.
La Jolla Elementary also is sporting a new lunch arbor, turfed area and flagpole.
Hasselbrink said she expects another new classroom building and more renovated classrooms to be completed by June, along with playground areas.
“I’m thrilled that this year feels like the most ‘normal’ start to the school year we’ve experienced in quite some time,” she said. “My team and I are ready and excited for the year ahead.”
“Summer was great, but I’m excited for school to start so I can meet my new teacher and see my friends again.”
— Christopher Chang, fourth-grader at Torrey Pines Elementary School
Other La Jolla schools
• The Preuss School, a charter school on the UC San Diego campus for grades 6-12, started its school year Aug. 8.
• The Evans School, a private school that serves junior kindergarten through sixth grade, started Aug. 16.
• The Bishop’s School, a private school for sixth- through 12th-graders, started Aug. 22.
• Gillispie School, a private school for preschool through sixth grade, started Aug. 22.
• All Hallows Academy, a private school for transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, will start Wednesday, Aug. 23.
• La Jolla Country Day School, a private school for preschool through high school, will start Aug. 23.
• Stella Maris Academy, a private school for transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, will start Aug. 23.
• San Diego French American School, a private school for preschool through eighth grade, starts Tuesday, Aug. 29.
• The Children’s School, a private school serving preschool through eighth grade, starts Wednesday, Sept. 6. ◆
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