Lemon Avenue Elementary School
La Mesa, CA 91941
Phone: (619) 668-5835
Fax: (619) 668-8344
District: La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
GreatSchools Rating
public • Grades KG,1,2,3,4,5 • 502 students
Lemon Avenue Elementary School, a public school located in La Mesa, CA, serves grades K-5 in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 6 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.
Lemon Avenue Elementary School is a public school located in La Mesa, CA. 502 students attend Lemon Avenue Elementary School.
School Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Test Scores | 8/10 | The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data from California Department of Education, and using 2025 California Science Test data from California Department of Education. |
| Student Growth | 3/10 | The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from California Department of Education. |
Posted: August 4, 2026
This is an excellent elementary school! All of the staff are warm and clearly love their jobs. My kids have grown socially and academically. The SLP is fantastic and both my kids have made incredible progress with their speech. The PTA is active and throws impressive events. All in all Lemon is an amazing elementary!
Posted: August 4, 2026
Posted: August 4, 2026
Posted: August 4, 2026
Posted: August 4, 2026
Posted: August 4, 2026
Posted: August 4, 2026
Posted: August 4, 2026
Posted: June 9, 2022
Just like few mentioned, Gabriel has no regards for kids at Lemon Avenue Elementary. He started getting involved in recess yard and he will yell at kids with no respect of their emotions. I think he has no qualifications to deal with kids, he is generally guiding traffic and being rude to moms with aggressive gestures, hopefully one day we will have a decent honest man to help our kids at Lemon Avenue Elementary. Overall, teachers have more sympathy and patience with our kids, God bless them.
Posted: June 9, 2022
Posted: June 9, 2022
Posted: June 9, 2022
Posted: June 9, 2022
Posted: June 9, 2022
Posted: June 9, 2022
Posted: June 9, 2022
Posted: December 14, 2021
I am glad my children are not enrolled at this school. I recorded a confrontation between an employee (man) and what looked to be a parent or grandparent (woman) Monday afternoon. The employee was yelling at the woman with a CHILD in the front seat of the vehicle, proceeded to flip the parent off (with dozens of kids around) as he walked away, and then continued to make aggressive arm gestures towards the woman as the second child was getting into the vehicle. That child looked scared! I asked the crossing guard who the employee was. His name is Gabriel. I will be posting the video to my social media accounts. This is unprofessional and is CHILD ENDANGERMENT. Do better
Posted: December 14, 2021
Posted: December 14, 2021
Posted: September 4, 2018
Posted: September 4, 2018
Posted: September 4, 2018
Posted: September 4, 2018
Posted: September 4, 2018
Posted: September 4, 2018
Posted: September 4, 2018
I am very happy with the 4 years and 2 years that my daughter and son have been at Lemon. Experiences in and out of the classroom have always been inclusive and engaging. I have had very positive experiences with all staff and I feel like my students are happy and safe at school.
Posted: January 23, 2018
The homework policy depends on the teacher so sometime you luck out and get one with realistic expectations who is okay with kids having some free time to be kids and sometimes you don't.
Posted: January 23, 2018
My daughter has learned a lot from all the teachers she has had here and has excelled. Personality wise, she hasn't agreed with some of them but it makes her appreciate the less strict ones all the more. Avoid Scribner if you can.
Posted: January 23, 2018
Posted: January 23, 2018
We've been happy with Lemon. My daughter loves going to the garden to learn about how things grow. I do wish they had sports programs and second language programs. One thing I do have to say is that classes are big. Sometimes 30+ kids and the teachers don't have aids.
Posted: December 7, 2014
Love, love, love this school!!! This is our girls' first year at Lemon Ave and what a refreshing change from their last school. The teachers are kind and knowledgeable. The office staff are courteous and cheerful. The parents are down-to-earth and friendly. After our first week here, the kids decided they love this school and already started making new friends. We've attended two other elementary school in the past and my only regret is we didn't transfer sooner!
Posted: May 19, 2014
I love Lemon Avenue. My daughter is in kindergarten this year and we've really enjoyed it.We love her teacher, Ms. Lehmann! I feel that the PTA does a wonderful job with extra curriculur activities and the principal is very hardworking and dedicated. It seems like she knows all the kids' names, which is really nice. Lemon is a nice little school with great kids and families.
Posted: January 23, 2014
We have twins in TK and both kids and us love this school. The feeling you get is that everyone that works there is sincere about teaching the kids. Principal is awesome and is dedicated. I can't see why anyone would give this school anything less than 5 starts. I guess some parents are just old complainers if you know what I mean. You'd give them a brand new car and they would complain that you didn't fill it up with gas for them.
Posted: May 14, 2013
Our children have attended this school for many, many years. This is a very nice school with great teachers, and wonderful parent involvement. During the last couple of years I have noticed that the principal very outwardly plays "favorites" when it comes to placement of children etc. It appears that PTA parents get first consideration. This school says it has a policy of "no classroom choices" This is very unfair to the parents that have larger families, and can't attend all of the PTA meetings, but help out in many other ways. Thankfully, this is our last year at this school. We hope this is not the policy of the middle school we plan to attend.
Posted: March 19, 2013
Just for fun. . . I'm a sixty-nine year old alumni of this school. While I currently live in Camino/Placerville and left La Mesa/Fletcher hills prior to the first grade. At the time, 1949-50 the school had an experimental program called Pre-First. Somewhere between Kindergarten and first grade; it was a learn at ones own pace Montissori-like program. My family chose to return to their pre-war roots in Minnesota where I was enrolled in . . . Second grade, (the-nuns ,no dummies were impressed) in a good catholic school and have enjoyed a successful career as a Physician/Radiologist. I'm meeting some friends for a couple of days at the Del Coronado over Easter and for some reason the Lemon Ave School popped into my mind. A couple of clicks on Google and I find that it is not only still open but earning rave reviews. Bravo to the staff, students and parents, Thomas G Dehn MD FACR. . . And Happy Easter 2013!
Posted: January 27, 2013
I love! Love! Love! This school :) my daughter is in kindergarten, her teacher is awesome.. The principal is the best it almost seams as if she knows everyone lol! Shes great!
Posted: January 19, 2013
This is a great school but due to budget constraints the class sizes are big. The principal is dedicated as well as the teachers. I strongly recommend the EAK program which is fabulous but also gives you an inside look at the crowded nature of public schools in CA. They do the best job with the resources they have available and community support. The after school program (ESS) is lacking and run primarily by teenagers who are well..... teenagers. They are not trained educators. If your child spends more than an hour in the ESS program a day I do not recommend it. Love the school and community. Hate the lack of resources in our CA public schools and the ESS program.
Posted: December 4, 2011
I could not be happier! We love love love Lemon Avenue! The principal is awesome. She is very involved, knows all of the kids and is very fair. The teachers and staff work very hard to get all kids to meet their goals. The PTA is very active and runs many, many events at the school. The PTA also has garden docents, art docents and PE docents. So many active families!
Posted: September 19, 2011
I love Lemon Avenue! My daughter started Kindergarten and loves her teacher and the school. She is doing so well and I love all of the communication and the functions.
Posted: May 22, 2011
I've heard this is a fantastic school by everyone in my neighborhood. Many of my friends have kids here too, and they all love it.
Posted: July 25, 2010
Both of our girls attended Lemon ave, we had 3 different principle in that time and in my opinion the current one is AWESOME, gets right in there with the kids and really LIKES them. The teachers are incredible, talented and caring. Class sizes make their job difficult. The PTA is by far the best I have ever seen, they give and give and give, to help make school a super experience for the kids (they even have a art/ garden/ PE docent program, something most schools do not). Loved our years there!
Posted: July 6, 2010
The teachers are wonderful, parent involvement is spectacular, and there are many many eents and activities to participate in. My only concern is the principal changes every year, and this year she isn't doing a very good job. Luckily the school is run by the PTA and it's members are consistant.
Posted: August 6, 2009
Posted: August 18, 2008
Posted: July 24, 2008
Posted: December 14, 2007
Posted: September 28, 2007
Posted: September 25, 2007
Posted: July 15, 2007
Reviews provided by GreatSchools™
| # | Name | Type | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakeview Village Apartments | Apartment Complex | Spring Valley | CA | 3.2 mi | |
| 2 | Del Cerro | Neighborhood/Subdivision | San Diego | CA | 3.7 mi | |
| 3 | Jackson Pointe Townhomes | Condominium/Townhouse | Spring Valley | CA | 3.9 mi | |
| 4 | Jackson Pointe Townhomes | Condominium/Townhouse | Spring Valley | CA | 3.9 mi | |
| 5 | Canyon Run Apartments | Apartment Complex | El Cajon | CA | 5 mi | |
| 6 | City Heights | Neighborhood/Subdivision | San Diego | CA | 6.1 mi | |
| 7 | Santee Villas | Apartment Complex | Santee | CA | 6.4 mi | |
| 8 | Canyon View | Neighborhood/Subdivision | San Diego | CA | 6.6 mi | |
| 9 | Legacy Walk | Condominium/Townhouse | San Diego | CA | 7.3 mi | |
| 10 | Heritage at Otay Ranch | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Chula Vista | CA | 8.3 mi | |
| 11 | Spectrum Center Blvd, Kearny Mesa | Neighborhood/Subdivision | San Diego | CA | 8.5 mi | |
| 12 | Riverfront Condominium Rentals | Apartment Complex | San Diego | CA | 8.6 mi | |
| 13 | Eastlake Greens | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Chula Vista | CA | 8.9 mi | |
| 14 | The Heritage | Apartment Complex | San Diego | CA | 9.2 mi | |
| 15 | Mission Hills | Neighborhood/Subdivision | San Diego | CA | 9.3 mi |
| # | Name | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East County of San Diego | La Mesa | CA | 0.8 mi | |
| 2 | El Cajon | El Cajon | CA | 3.3 mi | |
| 3 | Del Cerro | San Diego | CA | 3.5 mi | |
| 4 | Rancho San Diego | El Cajon | CA | 4.5 mi | |
| 5 | Santee Trolley Square | Santee | CA | 5.2 mi | |
| 6 | Santee | Santee | CA | 5.3 mi | |
| 7 | Kensington | San Diego | CA | 5.6 mi | |
| 8 | North Park | San Diego | CA | 7.2 mi | |
| 9 | Serra Mesa | San Diego | CA | 7.6 mi | |
| 10 | Bonita | Chula Vista | CA | 7.7 mi |
| Base | Distance |
|---|---|
| San Diego Naval Medical Center | 8.4 mi. |
| San Diego Naval Base | 8.9 mi. |
| Miramar MCAS | 10.2 mi. |
| Coronado Naval Amphibious Base | 11 mi. |
| MCRD San Diego | 11.1 mi. |
| North Island NAS | 12.4 mi. |
| Naval Base Point Loma | 14.7 mi. |
| Camp Pendleton | 46.4 mi. |
