In 1964 St. Joseph High School opened as the northernmost Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Named for St. Joseph the husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus the school embraces his example of family life, patience, and service.
Our faculty is a highly professional, caring group. All full‑time teachers hold at least a B.A./B.S. and are working toward or hold a California teaching credential; approximately 73% have earned master’s or other advanced degrees. St. Joseph High School has consistently received maximum accreditation from the Western Catholic Educational Association and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, including a six‑year accreditation term awarded in 2022.
In 1992–1993 the school was honored with Blue Ribbon recognition by the U.S. Department of Education as a School of Excellence. We offer three diploma tracks University Preparatory with Honors, University Preparatory, and College Preparatory, each designed to meet students’ varied needs. Exceptional learners receive individualized curricular adjustments, so a private Catholic education remains accessible to those admitted.
Our alumni have matriculated to many prestigious institutions, including Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Yale, UCLA, USC, Cornell, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and numerous UC and CSU campuses. Since 1984, St. Joseph students have also earned appointments to several military academies.
Beyond academics and athletics, the school is widely known for its strong religious life, retreat programs, and community service initiatives in Santa Maria. Over its more than 50‑year history, the school’s leadership has been steady and focused on sustaining academic excellence and faith‑based formation.
The first lay principal was appointed in May 1998. Beginning in July 2002, the administrative structure reverted to the traditional principal model supervised by the Department of Catholic Schools. The stability of leadership at the school is reflected by the fact that only eight people have held the position of principal in the school’s more than 50‑year history. Mrs. Anne Rigali was recently appointed Principal in July 2026.
