History

St. Mary Magdalen School (SMMS) is a parish Catholic elementary school within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, established in 1954. From its inception, the pastors of St. Mary Magdalen Parish have been very strong supporters of Catholic education. These include: Msgr. John Moclair, Msgr. Dennis Falvey and Msgr. John Hughes. Msgr. Hughes, who worked with the Department of Catholic Schools before becoming pastor at St. Mary Magdalen Parish, was one of its strongest advocates. Initially, the school was staffed by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1968, the school’s administration was transferred to the Sisters of Notre Dame. In the fall of 1997, the school’s first lay principal was hired. The school enjoys an ongoing relationship with the Sisters of Notre Dame to this day.  

SMMS has served St. Mary Magdalen Parish as well as Padre Serra Parish, which was founded in 1988. Founding Pastor Father Liam Kidney, of Padre Serra Parish was a firm advocate of the school. In 2000, Father Jim Stehly became pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Parish and continued the strong encouragement for the school. In 2012, Father Preston Passos, then administrator and now pastor, continued with support and enthusiasm. When Father Patrick Mullen became administrator and now pastor at Padre Serra Parish in 2011, the relationship between the school and Padre Serra continued to grow. Of the Catholic families from Camarillo attending SMMS, approximately half are from St. Mary Magdalen Parish and half from Padre Serra