Before most of the streets of Oxnard were laid out, Santa Clara parish was officially opened on February 1, 1885, with Father Juan Pujol as the first pastor. At the turn of the century in 1903, a cornerstone was laid for a beautiful new red brick church in what is now the historic downtown core of Oxnard, California.

Santa Clara Elementary School was established by Santa Clara Parish in 1901. Staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the school was originally named St. Joseph’s Institute and educated students in both grammar school and high school. The first school building was a wooden frame convent and school at the corner of 4th and D Streets in Oxnard, which was replaced by a brick building on E Street opposite Santa Clara Church in 1930.

The new school building was dedicated as St. Clare’s Parochial School, but it soon came to be called Santa Clara. The bottom floor was used for the Grammar school and the top floor, including four classrooms, a lab and a library, housed the High School. By 1950, the high school enrollment had so expanded that it became necessary to relocate the High School to another location. Under the leadership of Monsignor Anthony Jacobs, a new facility was built on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Friedrich.

The mid-sixties marked the end of an era with the death of Msgr. Jacobs and the re-assignment of Rev. O’Sullivan. The responsibility for supervision of the school shifted from the Parish to the Archdiocese in 1966. The school was administered by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet from its beginnings until 1990 when the first lay principal was hired. Santa Clara Elementary School has consistiently emphasized the Catholic nature of the school and the faith life of the students. The school community continues to foster an academic framework interwoven with Christian values and attitudes through present day.