About Bishop García Diego High School » History

We can trace the earliest roots of our school and every Catholic school in California to the educational system founded by Blessed Junipero Serra, the tireless Apostle of California.

Bishop García Diego High School combines the rich heritage of two predecessor schools, Dolores School, which opened in 1932, and Catholic High School, which opened in 1940. Both schools were on Micheltorena Street and were operated by Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, under the Jesuit Fathers and the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary (B.V.M.). The original campus is now the home to Notre Dame School.

In 1959 the Archdiocese of Los Angeles assumed sponsorship of the school, moving it to the present site on La Colina Road and taking California's first bishop, Bishop Francisco García Diego y Moreno, as its patron.

In 2005 the school became an independent Catholic high school. The present enrollment averages 300-330 students with approximately 55 percent of our students receiving financial assistance.

All graduates meet the UC/CSU subject area requirements for admission to these university systems. One-hundred percent of our students take the PSAT and more than 80% take the SAT/ACT and score well above state and national averages. Since 2002, 100 percent of our graduates have been accepted to college or university studies. Bishop García Diego High School is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Western Catholic Education Association. In February 2008, the Board of Directors of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) accepted Bishop García Diego High School into provisional membership.

A member of the Tri-County Athletic Association, the Bishop García Diego High School Cardinals are competitive with schools several times our enrollment.

The School's Governance Today

On July 1, 2005, the school became an independent Catholic high school serving the needs of the broader community. Bishop García Diego High School, Inc., is a non-profit religious corporation that is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and Section 23701 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code. A local Board of Trustees governs the school.

Our Honored Namesake

Francisco José Vicente García Diego y Moreno, the first bishop of California, was born in Jalisco, Mexico, in 1785. Educated in Mexico, he was ordained a Franciscan priest and in 1840 became the first bishop of both Upper and Lower California.

Bishop García Diego moved the seat of the new diocese from San Diego to Santa Barbara in 1842 and established an episcopal residence at Mission Santa Barbara. He entered eternal life on April 30, 1846, just one month before California became a territory of the United States. Bishop García Diego's grave rests in the sanctuary of Mission Santa Barbara.

Dedicated Facilities

We have dedicated several school facilities in honor of people who have made an impact on Catholic education at Bishop García Diego High School. In gratitude, we dedicate The Eva Jane MacDonald Memorial Field, The Pier Gherini Video Production Lab (1990), Roberto Nájera Jr. and Dane Erik Schmidt Memorial Weight Room (1992), The Frances Ward Doolan Patio, The BGDHS Veterans Memorial Flag Pole (1999), and The William P. and Carol Foley, II, Computer Technology Lab (2003).