About Us

Our Philosophy
St. Patrick Catholic School is a small, Catholic, co-educational, elementary and junior high school, which serves a growing suburban, beach-side community. We at St. Patrick, realize the importance of a positive self-concept, a love and respect for other persons, and an ability to make and be accountable for one's own decisions. By building a Christ-centered community where students learn to integrate Christian truths and values with everyday living, students will not only hear the word of the Gospels, but live the experience and, thus, more profoundly integrate their Christian values.

We believe that parents are the primary educators of their children, and the school, an extension of family's faith community, compliments the efforts in the formation of religious ideals and values.

Our Mission Statement
St. Patrick Catholic School provides spiritual and moral guidance in a Catholic environment incorporating an academic progam that challenges each child to reach his/her potential and prepares students to serve God and community as fully productive members of society.

History of St. Patrick Catholic School
St. Patrick Catholic School was founded in September 1962, as a result, of the efforts of Father William O'Dwyer and a group of enthusiastic parishioners. The school opened with 181 students in grades one through seven and was staffed by four Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Due to grade combinations only four classrooms were used the first year. An additional classroom was used each year and all eight classrooms were utilized after 1969.

The Sisters of Charity left in 1976, due to a shortage of available personnel and the school was staffed by complete lay staff and principal for one year. In 1977 the Sisters of St. Clare came to the school, including four teachers and a principal. By 1988, only one Sister of St. Clare remained at the school and an Adrian Dominican sister became principal, however since 1996 the school has been staffed completely by lay personnel.

In 1988, a full day kindergarten was started and Spanish, music and a computer literacy program were added to the curriculum and additional teachers were hired for these classes. In 1989-90, the junior high wing was built, providing an extra classroom for computer classes. By 1990, St. Patrick Catholic School had an enrollment of 293 students in grades K-8, utilizing nine classrooms. An extended day care program, conducted in the first grade classroom, was established in 1992.

In the spring of 1994, an expansion committee was formed to explore the feasibility of expanding the school. In early 1995, the parish council and the Diocese of San Diego approved the expansion of St. Patrick Catholic School. A second kindergarten was added and the school added an additional class each year until all grades were doubled.

Presently, St. Patrick Catholic Community has begun a Capital Campaign, "Building Our Future...Together In Faith," to finance enhancements for the Church, and construction of a new education center used for school and Parish activities and ministries.