HISTORY

Holy Family Girls High School opened its doors to 21 freshmen in September 1937. For three years classes were held on the top floor of the grade school and were conducted by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with Sister Mary Saint Bertha, B.V.M., as principal (until 1943).

In 1940, because of the growing enrollment, Msgr. Galvin purchased the old Knights of Columbus Hall on Lomita Avenue and converted it into a four-year high school. He chose the mascot, “the Gael” a Celtic female warrior. There were seventeen members in the graduating class of 1941. Enrollment continued to grow, and so did the very special spirit that has characterized Holy Family High School College Preparatory from its earliest years.

In 1951 Msgr. Galvin purchased two more lots adjacent to the high school on the east for the construction of the present building. Under the principalship of Sister Mary George Francis, B.V.M., the Class of 1952 was the first class to graduate from the new building. Msgr. Galvin continued as chief administrator until 1972. In 1974, during the administration of Sister Ann Eileen Clancy, B.V.M., Msgr. Arthur J. Lirette became pastor. He showed a constant personal interest in all the activities of the school, academic, religious, and social. During the ensuing fifteen years, the chief building project was the retrofitting of the parish church and the parish elementary school, both of which had suffered damage in the earthquakes of 1971 and 1987, whereas the high school building had stood firm.

Holy Family High School College Preparatory has been served by seven B.V.M. principals since its founding in 1937, and is now led by its fourth laywoman, Dr. Michelle Purghart. In 2005, Father Joseph Shea, in partnership with Dr. Michelle Purghart, inaugurated and began plans for updating and modernizing the current buildings and exterior area, building the Performing Arts Consortium, and expanding the Science/Health Care Academy. An endowment fund was also created to ensure yearly scholarships are available to help educate qualified young women.

Even though times and faces have changed through the years, there still exists a very special spirit on the Holy Family High School College Preparatory campus. Many of the old traditions endure: the Mass of the Holy Spirit, Candle Lighting, Mission Day, May Crowning, and others.

Demanding academic challenges, thirteen AP classes, six sports teams in the CIF Horizon League, the Science/Health Career Academy (SHCA) and an outstanding Performing Arts Consortium (PAC) all contribute to helping Holy Family graduates take their proper places as Catholic leaders in an ever-changing world.

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) granted a full-term (6-year) accreditation in June 2007, once again accrediting Holy Family High School College Preparatory with its highest honor. Holy Family High school has also been voted “Best Private School” in Glendale for the past seven years, was honored as one of the top fifty schools in the U.S. by the National Catholic Honor Roll Society, and voted top 2 in California by the Catholic High School Honor Roll.