The Lemon Crest ROAR

Happy May 1! I'm sure you've seen a ton of the "It's Gonna Be May" N'Sync memes leading up to today, so I'll spare you that! 😁

This was a busy week! Our 3rd-5th graders had week 2 of CAASPP testing; 5th grade has Science CAST and our K-5th start NWEA MAP testing next week as well! I was out sick yesterday, so today we had our All-School Assembly and our April Positive Office Referral blind bag opening party!! I'll also share photos on Class Dojo. It's been amazing seeing our students really working hard to earn a positive office referral. Our LC staff has been working to teach, reteach and review our school-wide expectations of ROAR and our 3 big goals (to learn, to stay safe and to have fun), and we really are seeing an amazing turnaround of behaviors! This year, our major office referrals and suspensions are down from last year at this time, and our percentage of positive office referrals is WAY up! Please continue to talk to your kids about making great choices, being respectful, using problem-solving and calm-down strategies, etc to have a strong last few weeks of school!

Upcoming Lemon Crest events and activities:

• Yearbooks are still on sale!
• Junior Olympics is TOMORROW Saturday, May 2 for our 4th & 5th graders! More info to come!
• Keep encouraging your child to earn a Positive Office Referral for showing ROAR daily, going above and beyond OR for making big improvements to their behavior. We'll have our final party at the end of May!
• Teacher Appreciation week is this coming week!
• Career Week is May 11-15! More info to come about dress-up spirit days!
• Friday, May 15 is our LAST PTA family event of the year: Our Loved Ones Luau! Check out the flyers below!

Take care,

Jen Price

Principal

Lemon Crest Elementary

We love our Lemon Crest teachers AND staff!

• Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4-8! Check out the flyers below to help us celebrate our amazing Teachers!
• Classified Employee Appreciation Week (those are all of our amazing TK, SDC and special education instructional aides, one-on-ones, custodians, front office staff and nurse!) is May 18-22!

It's that time of year! Our 3rd-5th grade students will be taking the CAASPP; Kinder through 5th take Spring NWEA MAP testing and our 5th graders take CAASPP, Science CAST, Physical Education test AND NWEA MAP! These assessments are meant to to show their learning progress for this time of the year.

Testing will take place from April 20 – May 22, 2026, with make-ups scheduled for May 11--22. Testing will occur Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM, with Fridays as a break day.

How Families Can Help Their Child Succeed:
✅ Get a Good Night’s Sleep – Make sure your child gets at least 8-10 hours of sleep before testing days.

✅ Eat a Healthy Breakfast – A balanced meal helps with focus and energy. Arrive on Time – Testing starts at 8:00 AM sharp! If your child comes late, they will go into the classroom to start their test, but being late can cause anxiety in addition to reducing testing time.
✅ Encourage a Growth Mindset – Remind your child that effort and perseverance matter!
✅ Limit Screen Time the Night Before – Reducing screen exposure helps the brain wind down for better rest.

Check out the images below - this is what Ms T and Principal Price discussed yesterday with our 3rd-5th graders at Grade-Level Gatherings! Thank you for helping us create a calm and supportive testing environment for all students!

The County of San Diego Health & Human Services’ Department of Strategy & Community Engagement is partnering with UC San Diego’s Youth Advancement Collective (UCSD YAC) to host a ‘What I Wish My Parents Knew’ event. Topic: Mental Health Disorders & How Social Media and AI Impact on Youth.

Check out the event flyer - you can RSVP at the QR code on the flier or click here.

Event Details:

When: Saturday, May 23, 2026

Time: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Where: Live Well Support Center | 5469 Kearny Villa Road, San Diego, CA 92123 – 1st Floor – Conference Room A&C

Refreshments will be provided!

Our school counseling team, Ms. Teresa & Ms. Tami, have been busy visiting classrooms for counseling lessons! Spring lessons have focused on bully prevention, respectful problem solving strategies, and having a safe body. Planning is in the works for Career Week, taking place the week of May 11th. Additional information will be communicated in the coming weeks!

- - -

Lemon Crest proudly partners with a few community organizations to help support families to cover basic household needs including food and hygiene items. We do require parental consent for students to access these resources, which include weekend snack bags, food boxes, and a variety of personal care products. If interested, email the school counselor, Ms. T at tpfab@lsusd.net or complete a request form, available in the main office.

• 5th grade walking field trip to El Cap's Ag Fair is May 11, from 8am-noon! If a parent/guardian is interested in chaperoning, please reach out to Mrs. Anderson, Ms. Taft or Ms. Kotas. Please note that no siblings are allowed to attend.

The TK and Kindergarten Immersion interest forms for the 2026–2027 school year are now posted on our district website. If you or someone you know has an incoming TK or Kindergarten student that will be starting with us next school year, please share these links! I'll keep these in the ROAR so the links are available!

• TK 2026–27 Interest Form
• Kindergarten Immersion 2026–27 Interest Form

Registration for the 2026–27 school year will open on March 1, 2026.

Please note that any Online Registrations (OLR) submitted before this date will be deleted. Families will need to submit a new OLR once the official registration window begins on March 1.

The San Diego County Office of Education is thrilled to announce the 2026 Summer Camps at the Linda Vista Innovation Center, designed to provide students with hands-on, engaging learning experiences in STEAM, creativity, and real-world exploration. These week-long programs are led by credentialed educators from the San Diego County Office of Education and are an excellent opportunity for your students to expand their skills, explore new interests, and have fun this summer. Most camps are designed for rising 6th to rising 10th grade students.

Camp Highlights:

• Esports Camp – July 6–10 | Ages: 6th–10th | $500
  Explore teamwork, strategy, and positive gaming habits in a structured and fun environment.

• Drone Camp – June 29–July 2 | Ages: 6th–10th | $450
  Learn drone technology, coding, flight safety, and aerial videography.

• Costume Design Camp – July 13–17 | Ages: 6th–10th | $500
  Dive into costume creation for cosplay, performances, and celebrations.

• Culinary Camp – July 13–17 | Ages: 6th–10th | $500
  Students develop culinary skills while exploring creativity and food entrepreneurship.

• Family Camp for Littles – July 20–22 | Ages: TK–1st + caregiver | $250
  A half-day camp designed for young learners to explore STEM with their families.

• Amplifying Community & Identity Through Art – July 20–24 | Ages: 6th–10th | $500
  Engage students in projects that celebrate identity, community, and artistic expression.

Camp Details:

• Location: Linda Vista Innovation Center, 2202 Comstock Street, San Diego, CA 92111

• Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Family Camp is half-day)

• Registration: Online registration is available for each session.

We encourage you to share this exciting opportunity with your students and families. Camps are filling quickly, so early registration is recommended.

For more information and to register, please visit our website: Linda Vista Innovation Center Summer Camps.

⭐ Lemon Crest is a TK-5 elementary school. Here are our school hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Breakfast: 7:30

Arrival (if not having breakfast): 7:40

School Begins: 7:50

TK & K Dismissal: 1:55 (please do not arrive before 1:45 as it will impede bus access)

Grades 1-5 Dismissal: 2:15 (please do not arrive before 2:05)

----------

Wednesday

Breakfast: 7:30

Arrival (if not having breakfast): 7:40

School Begins: 7:50

TK & K Dismissal: 11:55 (please do not arrive before 11:45 as it will impede bus access)

Grades 1-5 Dismissal: 12:15 (please do not arrive before 12:05)

---------

⭐ School Website: https://www.lsusd.net/lemon-crest/

⭐ School Breakfast & Lunch Menu: https://schools.mealviewer.com/district/lakesideunionsdca
⭐ Address: 12643 Lemon Crest Drive, Lakeside, CA, USA
⭐ Front Office Phone: 619-390-2527

⭐ PTA Instagram: @lemoncrestpta

⭐ Lemon Crest Elementary Instagram: @lemoncrest_lusd

⭐ LUSD Calendar for 2025-2026

⭐ Lemon Crest Family Handbook A-Z for 2025-2026

----------

Families, you are invited to our All-School Assemblies! We have them the first Friday of each month at 8am on the blacktop (unless there's inclement weather, then we'll reschedule):

• January 9, 2026
• February 6, 2026
• March 6, 2026
• April 17, 2026
• May 1, 2026

----------

Lemon Crest Food Pantry Dates: Feeding San Diego is hosting FREE food distribution at Lemon Crest! Receive pantry staples and fresh produce at no cost! We ask that you bring your own bags and/or wagon to carry your groceries. Food is distributed on a first come, first serve basis on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 11:30am after our early release Wednesday dismissal until 1:30pm:

• January 14

• January 28

----------

Each Friday, we will send out our Weekly Family ROAR, aka our family newsletter. The newsletter will have updates, reminders, announcements, as well as lots of important information for you and your Lion to know! The link below will be the page that has ALL of the ROARs for the year:

https://secure.smore.com/u/lioncrestlions

If you have a question or concern about your child, we encourage you to speak with your child's teacher first. Please note that during the instructional day, teachers and staff may not be able to respond to your message, email or call since they are busy doing what they do best: teaching! Your child's teacher will respond to you when they are able. Thank you for understanding!

Contacting Principal Price:

• Email: jprice@lsusd.net

• Call the Front Office: (619) 390-2527 - The front office staff will take a message, and Principal Price will call you when she is available

• In-Person: Call the office so Mrs. Whitehurst or Ms. Madina can help us set up a meeting so I can dedicate time to you!

Many of your questions may be answered in our Lemon Crest Family Handbook A-Z . We ask that all families read this.

Please know that there is a 24-48 hour "grace period" in my response time. When I respond, call or meet with you, I need time to get informed in order to have possible answers to your questions. I am prioritizing getting to know our students so I can support their success and am often not readily available in the office. Thank you for your understanding and support.

This year, our school's theme is Planting Possibility, inspired by the children's book, Curious Garden, written by Peter Brown. Click the link below for a read-aloud of the book by Principal Price!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZYrAMnEhRpqGdUu8PIBmrSBAW-8HkET4/view?usp=sharing