St. Bonaventure School

 

Founded in September 1965, Saint Bonaventure Parish first established a school building to serve Catholic families in the rapidly growing northern sector in the city of Huntington Beach. While the church was being built, services were held in a warehouse, eventually moving to the new school building. Completing the vision of the pastor, Father Michael Duffy, the school opened in 1966 under the auspices of the Irish Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM) with a staff of five teachers and two hundred and forty-three students in grades one through three. While the school was under construction, Blessed Sacrament School in Westminster shared their facilities with our students.

 

St. Bonaventure School is presently celebrating its 44th anniversary with six hundred and fifteen students in sixteen full-day classrooms, grades one through eight, three half-day kindergarten classes and a full-time teaching staff of twenty eight. The average student/teacher ratio is twenty-four to one. Ten instructional aides assist teachers with one-to-one and small group instruction. A support staff of nineteen enables the principal to maintain a safe and well managed school campus. Our Extended Day Program operates daily. The Presentation Sisters remain a strong presence in our school. Sister Maria is a full-time teacher in Grade 8. Sister Winifred who taught sixth grade for many years retired in June 2009, but she is still very active around our campus. Sister Carmel Lynch, our beloved principal for many years, retired in June 2008, but continues to serve students in a variety of roles.