A Legacy of Faith
On March 17, 1947 – the Feast of St. Patrick, the dream of Stella Maris Academy began to take shape. Thanks to the success of the parish’s spirited fundraising efforts, ground was broken for the new school, and by September of that same year, its doors opened to 210 eager students in grades one through six. Four devoted Sisters of the Holy Cross formed the founding faculty, guiding the young learners with faith and dedication. At the time, Stella Maris stood proudly as the only parochial school between San Diego and Los Angeles. As the community grew, so did the Academy — adding a seventh grade in 1948, an eighth in 1949, and celebrating its very first graduation in June 1950, when twenty-two students received their diplomas.
It wasn’t long before the little school by the sea outgrew its walls. March 17, 1955, exactly eight years after the first groundbreaking, construction began on a new senior building to welcome even more students. That December, the one-story structure, designed for 200 children, was blessed and opened its doors. Nearly three decades later, in 1983, the building reached upward with a new second story to meet the needs of a thriving school community.
Change and renewal continued through the years. In 1992, the last Sister of the Congregation of the Holy Cross departed, marking the end of an era. Yet in 1998, the spirit of religious leadership returned when Sister Mary Kiely, OSF, became principal. She was the first religious leader to hold the role since 1982 and guided the school faithfully for eight years. Mrs. Patricia Lowell succeeded her in 2006, serving with dedication until her retirement in 2019. That same year, Mrs. Francie Moss stepped into leadership, continuing the proud legacy of faith, education, and community that began so many decades ago.
