SCHOOL HISTORY

The 2000s

Some of the families at Maria Regina School have been members of the community for generations. It is an institution renowned for having past graduates send their children to our school. Currently many of the attendees are children of former students.

The professional staff consists of 11 full-time teachers. They are well qualified in the areas of responsibility and attend professional workshops on a regular basis. The present faculty and staff have been at this school ranging from one year to 38 years of service.

The diversity of our population makes us a unique school. In addition to our ethnic and cultural diversity, we have a unique blend of religious denominations. The school population is predominately Catholic, a portion of whom belong to families belonging to Maria Regina parish. Many of the students live and attend parishes which border ours.  

  
Mrs Lynette Lino
Principal Aug 2005-Present

Mrs. Lino came to Maria Regina in 2005. She remembered Maria Regina from attending Regina Caeli High School in Compton, then a rival of MRS. Her desire to give back to her community and act as an advocate for multicultural groups compelled her to apply, so that she could share her knowledge and experiences, and do work in community building through the position at the school.

 
Mr Raymond Saborio
Principal - Aug 2001-Aug 2005

The school year of 2005-2006 was the year of change. Former principal Mr. Raymond Saborio moved closer to his home in Covina, to become principal at another Archdiocese elementary school in San Gabriel. Our new principal, Mrs. Lynette Lino stepped in to fill the void.

The 1990s

The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary withdrew from Maria Regina parish in 1996. Throughout its rich history, Maria Regina has been served by a committed staff.

In 1986, Sisters Agnes and Margaret Anne rented space from Maria Regina to begin their Writing to Read (WTR) computer program.  Maria Regina was the training ground for the WTR computer literacy program for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. All the teachers attended in-services for WTR training. It all began at our school.  

The 1980s

                 Sister Barbara Courtney SND
                                   Principal Aug 1988-Aug 2001                  

             
             Mrs Penelope Mirkovich
            Principal 1987-1988

       
       Sister Regina Mary Jenkins SS.CC.
Principal - 1982-1987 
(She serves her order as Provincial  Superior  and resides at  Regina Pacis Convent in   Honolulu  according to Tom Sullivan)

A full day kindergarten program was added in 1981 to meet the needs of the people in our community. During the late 1980’s, the sisters were asked  to withdraw from the school, but were still active in parish life. A lay principal served for one year, paving the way for the school to be lead once again by a nun. This time it was a sister from the Notre Dame order, Sister Barbara Courtney.

The 1970s

 
Sister Julie Louise Chevenin SS.CC.
Principal - 1976-1982
(Now retired and in residence at Regina Pacis Convent in Honolulu according to Tom Sullivan)

Due to changing household demographics in the community during the late 1970’s, enrollment declined and the school was contracted back to a traditional eight classroom parish elementary school.  

The 1960s
 
 
Sister Jane Francis Leandro SS.CC.
Principal - 1968-1976
(Currently working in  India , according to Tom Sullivan)

 
Sister Marie Paul Olivier SS.CC.
Principal -1966-1968
(She transitioned from the Sacred Hearts order to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, CA and is currently residing at the sisters Mother House in Orange.  During the transition from the Sacred Hearts to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, she assumed her baptismal name of Claire.  She's now Sr. Claire Olivier, CSJ. according to Tom Sullivan)

The school expanded and added a north wing to the property. This doubled the classroom of each grade during the mid-1960’s.  

The 1950s

 
Sister Marie Elizabeth Moffett SS.CC.
Principal - 1958-1966
(Passed away in the 1990s according to Tom Sullivan)

The parish and the school have a short, but glorious history. 

For many years, the Sisters of the Providence of Hawaii had desired to have a convent on the West Coast as a "stop over" between Europe, New England, and Hawai'i . The repeated request from the Hierarchy of Los Angeles for Sisters to serve the needs of the growing school population provided the impetus which hastened the decision of Superiors to consider one of the many appeals made to the Sister of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Hawaii  .

When Maria Regina Catholic Parish was built in 1956, it was surrounded by a swamp. Construction of   Maria Regina  Church  began in August 1957.  Fr Michael Casey was the first pastor of   Maria  Regina  Church  . Sunday Masses were held at   Serra  High School  until the church was completed. 

Reverend Mother Mary Gertrude went to   Los Angeles  to study the situation. Was it coincidence that Notre Mere, wishing to honor Mary, Our Mother, with a new foundation during the Marian Year, selected this  particular parish - Maria Regina - named for Mary Queen and dedicated to Her Honor? Yes, they thought so and sent her Sisters to Maria Regina. Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary were allowed to transfer from their mother house on O'ahu,  Hawai'i to come to Gardena , California to teach in the newly built grammar school. 

The school was opened in 1958.  Before the convent was built, the sisters lived in an apartment building across the street (See picture above, top step Sister Rita, middle step Sister Agatha, bottom step Sister Jane Francis - picture courtesy of Sacred Hearts Academy , Honolulu , Hawaii and identification courtesy of Tom Sullivan). The school began with first through fourth grade classrooms in one building. Most children went to Purche or other neighboring schools for kindergarten. The first principal was Sister Marie Elizabeth (see above photo). 

In 1962 the tuition was $125 for the entire school year for one child! Next to this building was a dirt area with swings, teeter-totter, and a merry-go-round. A second building was constructed in 1964. The social hall was built in 1966.

In the late sixties, the enrollment increased so rapidly that Maria Regina began to have two classes for every grade. On the double grades, one grade was designated "S" and the other "M".  The "S" stood for a teacher who was a Sister and the "M" stood for a lay teacher. The students would alternate every year between a nun and a lay teacher.

Some of the personal information about the former principals (the nuns) come from Tom Sullivan who attended Maria Regina School from 1st through 8th grades and graduated in 1967. He now lives with his family in Houston , Texas. He keeps in touch with them through the years and has visited them at their Provincial House in Honolulu , Hawaii.