St. Pius X History
St. Pius X Parish Elementary School is located in Santa Fe Springs, California, situated in the southeastern part of Los Angeles County, in the San Pedro Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The school is located in a mixed suburban and industrial community. The St. Pius X Parish boundaries encompass all of Santa Fe Springs and a portion of Norwalk situated north of Imperial Highway, west of Norwalk Boulevard and east of Studebaker Road.
St. Pius X Parish School opened in September, 1955 with an enrollment of 100 first grade students. Classes began in two classrooms secured on lease from St. Marianne’s School in Pico Rivera. By the fall of 1960, the school had become a double-graded program from first through eighth grade. The first graduating class received their diplomas in June of 1961. Gradually, the school narrowed down to single-graded classes in the mid 1970’s, and the last double-graded class graduated in June of 1982.
The Sisters of Mercy staffed the school until June of 1988. The first lay principal was hired in the summer of 1988, and the school has continued under the leadership of lay administration since. The school library was opened in the fall of 1982. It has become fully automated and has been staffed by a full time librarian since 1987. The librarian coordinates and monitors the school’s Accelerated Reader Program and works closely with the teachers to ensure student success. In the fall of 1987 the computer lab was opened, and was later upgraded in 1999. In the winter of 2005 a wireless network and server were installed. The computer lab is continually maintained and brought up to date with necessary security measures in order to protect all students and the school’s equipment.
In the fall of 1983, a half-day Kindergarten program began, and by 1990, the program became a full-day class. The Pre-School program opened in the fall of 1990. The pre-school hired a full-time director in the summer of 1998 and became a fully-licensed facility in the spring of 2000. In 1986, an Extended Daycare Program was opened for all students. Care for students is provided before school beginning at 6:30 AM and after school until 6:00 PM. The program offers both supervised study time and planned recreational activities.
St. Pius X Parish Elementary School was last fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Western Catholic Education Association in 2012 for a six-year period with a three-year follow-up. The school is also a member of the National Catholic Education Association.
Mission Statement
Saint Pius X School is a Catholic faith community of students, staff, parents, and clergy dedicated to celebrating and educating the whole child. Recognizing the parents as the primary educators of their children, we are committed to working in partnership to foster the spiritual, intellectual, physical, psychological, social and aesthetic gifts and talents inherent in every child. We provide a welcoming environment, which upholds and respects each person’s unique worth and dignity. We believe in sharing experiences, which allow our children to learn and live the values taught by Jesus Christ in the Gospel.
Philosophy
St. Pius X Parish School is Catholic faith community with the sole intention of providing a well– rounded education for all children with a focus on our Catholic faith values and sacramental life. The primary goal of the school is to support parents as the primary educators of their children and to support teachers as facilitators of each child’s learning. We believe that education begins with the development of each child’s learning and development as a whole person. Therefore, the focus of each child’s education begins with uncovering specific needs for spiritual, academic, personal, social, physical, and cultural development.
St. Pius X Schoolwide Learning Expectations
A St. Pius X Student is…
A person of FAITH who:
An ACADEMICALLY prepared student who:
A contributing member of COMMUNITY who: