CHULA VISTA — The entrance to Mater Dei Catholic Elementary School was a hive of activity Aug. 11.
The parents of about 545 students, from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade, dropped them off between 8 and 8:25 a.m. for the first day of class.
Mater Dei was the first of 39 local Catholic elementary schools to welcome back its students for the 2026-2027 academic year. In total, about 9,300 students are attending Catholic elementary schools this year in the San Diego Diocese. (That number jumps to 15,000 with preschoolers and high schoolers added to the mix.)
At Mater Dei, some students exited directly from their parents’ cars and proceeded to the schoolyard. Many parents parked in the lot and walked hand-in-hand with their child to the gate; there, they were greeted by Principal Faina Salter and other staff members as the children passed through an archway of multicolored balloons.
A constant murmur filled the air outside the gate, with the sounds of countless conversations commingling. And there were plenty of smiles, as youngsters and parents spotted friends that they hadn’t seen since school let out for the summer. Many photos were taken.
Salter said that she has trouble sleeping when the first day of school is just around the corner, because the logistics give her so much to think about.
But, she said, “When you see all the kids with their smiles, they’re excited to be back, and that’s what reminds us of why we do what we do.”
“We’re very lucky, we’re very blessed,” she said. “We have wonderful kids here who … try their best throughout the year to learn well (and) to get along with each other.”
She said that Mater Dei, the only Catholic school in San Diego County that offers 50/50 dual-language (English and Spanish) immersion, serves a diverse population. Though it is majority Hispanic, there are also Asian and African American families. About 85% of the school families live in the Otay Ranch area, and about a dozen cross the border every day from Tijuana to attend.
For Alex Golston, father of a kindergartener and a third-grader, the first day of class means “not a lot of sleep, a lot of preparation before, a lot of hurry, hurry, hurry,” but also pride in his children as they begin another year of learning.
“Seeing them start a new year is always a joy,” he said.
Cynthia Gonzalez, mother of a third-grader, said, “For my daughter, it was very exciting, and she (woke) up this morning so happy and just looking forward to seeing her friends and her new teacher.”
Parents gave various reasons for choosing Catholic education, and Mater Dei in particular.
Joel Favor, father of an incoming kindergartener and a high school senior, said, “What’s out in the curriculum in the public schools is not in line with our beliefs and our belief system, so what better than a Catholic school?”
“There’s a lot of ‘woke’-type … curriculum that’s out there,” he said, “and we know that won’t happen here at Mater Dei.”
Erika Murriett and her daughter, fourth-grader Aurelie, are new to Mater Dei this year.
“I don’t know what to expect, but it seems like a good environment for her,” Murriett said.
She explained that she had attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school. But, as a parent, she initially had opted to enroll her daughter in public school. She had a change of heart after finding herself “struggling” when it came to teaching the faith to her daughter.
“I started to realize how important it is to feed your soul,” she said, explaining that she wanted her child to learn “that part that I was taking for granted because I always had it.”
Flavio Garcia, whose daughter is in kindergarten, said that his wife attended Catholic school and that the couple was looking for a school with dual-language immersion.
“Mater Dei was just the best fit for both of our needs,” he said.
Of the new school year, he said, “It’s exciting. She’s here with all of her friends that she went to preschool with (at Green Hills Bilingual Learning Academy).”
Daniel Ortega, father of a second-grader, recalled touring Mater Dei along with other dual-immersion schools in the area.
“We were drawn (to Mater Dei) by the community … and the warm welcoming that we felt when we first toured when he entered in kindergarten,” Ortega said.
He has seen much growth in his son over the past few years and said, “It’s that growth that we’re looking forward to seeing over this next year in second grade.”
