Best Private School: Our Lady of Guadalupe
The OLG Robotics team recently won the Coaches Award at the First Lego League competition. Photo by Rita Barreiro
Five years ago, April Beuder left her position as vice principal of American Martyrs in Manhattan Beach to become principal of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Hermosa Beach. Since then, Our Lady of Guadalupe enrollment has climbed 40 percent, to 230 students and a preschool with 30 students has been opened.
A “blended” learning system has been implemented in the sixth through eighth grades that emphasizes personal instruction and technology integration. Students work at their own pace on iPads, Mac Pros notebooks and Chromebooks.
An OLG team recently won the Judge’s Award and Project Award at the First Lego League competition and a member of its math team advanced to the final countdown at the recently held MathCOUNTS South Bay/Santa Monica Competition at Northrop Grumman
Beuder said that equally important as the school academic programs are its daily religious instruction and its “servant leadership” for junior high students. The servant leadership program teaches social responsibility, teamwork and conflict resolution by involving students in helping the less fortunate and mentoring younger students in reading.
Tuition, at approximately $4,000 annually, with discounts for siblings, is low by comparison to other private South Bay schools.
Our Lady of Guadalupe School
244 Prospect Ave.
Hermosa Beach.
(310) 372-7077.
Runner-Up: Rolling Hills Country Day School
26444 Crenshaw Blvd.
Palos Verdes Peninsula.
(310) 377-4848.
Rhcds.com