By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–A campus transformation at John Muir Language Academy is officially complete.
On Wednesday, students at the Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) – 8th grade Spanish Immersion magnet school in Clairemont joined parents, staff, and district leaders in dedicating their new campus facilities.
The celebration included UTK Spanish dance and music performances, remarks from students, district leaders, and the school principal, and a ribbon-cutting to dedicate the new two-story classroom and student services facility and a new UTK and kindergarten classroom building.
“We are proud of the fact that Muir and our robust Dual Language Programs create opportunities for students to learn and honor diversity in people and use the classroom experience as an opportunity to connect socially and academically,” said Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson.
Originally built in 1961, the campus was home to Anderson Elementary before becoming the John Muir School in 2005. In 2016, San Diego Unified replaced the decomposed granite field with a synthetic turf soccer field, and, in late 2020, construction began on this campus transformation.
“I came to Muir when these facilities had already come to fruition and I was blown away,” said Principal NeTassha Rendón, who joined the school in November 2023. “There were a lot of people who invested their time and vision in this school to bring it to what it is today, and it shows.”
Before Rendón joined Muir and before construction began, parents and community members provided input to the project team to determine what would benefit students the most.
In addition to the new UTK and kindergarten building, the project includes a new locker building with a basketball pavilion, a staff parking lot, a reconfigured visitor parking lot with a student drop-off and pick-up area, and renovations to existing classrooms, restrooms, the multi-purpose building with the kitchen, and exterior playground areas. Dated portable classrooms were also removed as part of the project.
As a magnet school, Muir attracts students from outside the neighborhood attendance zones, bringing in students from all across San Diego.
Other magnet schools at San Diego Unified offer communications and community leadership, creative, visual, and performing arts, global citizenship, international studies and internal baccalaureate, and STEM and STEAM programs.
“Our goal is to close the achievement gap and to boost enrollment districtwide,” said Sabrina Bazzo, a trustee with the San Diego Unified Board of Education. “These stunning facilities and modern learning spaces are helping us get there.”
