Welcome to St. Rita School, Mrs. Adela Solis!



St. Rita School in Sierra Madre is welcoming a veteran educator as its new principal. On July 1, Adela Solis takes the reigns of a top-performing school known for its strong community, and its academic and athletic achievements.

After spending nine years as a principal in Santa Ana with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, her hiring at an Archdiocese of Los Angeles school is a homecoming of sorts. Solis is a proud product of Catholic education in LA, attending schools as a child and working 25 years previously as a teacher and principal at various schools across the LA diocese.

“When I was a principal with the Archdiocese of L.A, St. Rita was known as ‘the school.’ I had always heard great things about St. Rita. When I saw the position listed, it just called out to me,” Solis said. “I put everything in God’s hands. This was His plan for me.”

“Father Tom (Baker) and I share the same vision for St. Rita. We will work together in uniting the parish and school as one Catholic community.”

Working with the Department of Catholic Schools, Father Tom Baker met with a principal search committee of faculty, school parents and parishioners and ultimately decided on Solis.

“Mrs. Solis comes with a great resume of teaching and leadership experience, all in Catholic Schools,” said Father Tom Baker, Pastor of St. Rita Church since 2018. “She will be a great addition to our parish community. She is committed to Catholic education and her strong faith will greatly bless our community.”

Solis will lead the St. Rita School community as it enters its 99th year.  Accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association and WASC, St. Rita students consistently deliver top Math scores across the diocese. The school is home to several CYO championships in various sports and has the highest ranking for a single grade school.

Solis hopes to build upon the school’s success by collaborating with school families and faculty. Following diocese and local health guidelines, Solis will work this summer to prepare for a September 1 reopening.

Solis and her two siblings were the first members of their family to earn a high school diploma and all three pursued careers in education. She has a B.A. in English from San Francisco State University and a M.S. in Educational Leadership from Mount St. Mary’s College. Solis is married to Mike, her husband of 36 years, and they have two sons, Nicholas and Michael. Both also attended Catholic schools. While principal at St. Madeleine School in Pomona, Solis helped the archdiocese establish and implement a new model for Catholic education in the Pomona Valley.

“As a Catholic school administrator, I have come to realize that there is nothing more rewarding than to see students grow and flourish in their relationship with Jesus,” Solis added. “I am very excited to start the new school year and work with the teachers, staff, and students as well as in partnership with the parents.”

“To me, it is a true blessing to be at St. Rita.”

 

St. Rita School, 322 N. Baldwin Ave., Sierra Madre, (626) 355-6114 or visit https://st-ritaschool.org/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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