Junipero Serra high school

In September of 1944, Junípero Serra High School opened its doors with a faculty of five and a student body of 86 freshman and sophomore boys. Established by Archbishop Mitty as a college-preparatory high school for boys in San Mateo County, Serra was named in honor of Padre Junípero Serra. It was the first Catholic high school west of the Mississippi to be staffed entirely by diocesan priests. Serra was originally located at Columbia Drive and the Alameda de las Pulgas in San Mateo (the current site of St. Bartholomew's Parish).Our rich and rigorous academic curriculum, wide range of engaging extracurricular activities, and environment of compassion and mutual respect are all hallmarks of Serra. Classmates become brothers, students find a community where they are known and belong, and teachers become role models in an environment that nurtures and challenges students to grow. Our Padres join an inclusive peer group that lasts a lifetime.

In partnership with parents and guided by our Catholic faith, Serra provides a transformational high school experience that offers boys a vision of faith, hope, love, mercy and justice. Our legacy spans nearly 80 years of excellence in Catholic education and includes more than 13,000 alumni.

Located in San Mateo, in the heart of the Peninsula between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, we welcome students of all faiths and backgrounds to bring their gifts and talents to our campus and enrich the diversity of our school community.

Welcome to Academics at Serra

Serra’s broad-based, rigorous curriculum serves the needs of a wide range of students. Boys are relational learners who thrive in an active and collaborative learning environment.

Our teachers understand how boys learn and incorporate their knowledge and experience into challenging assignments and classroom activities. Technology is thoughtfully and purposefully integrated into the curriculum through the Google School platform. Serra students learn to use technology ethically and are prepared for the university environment.

Serra's academic program provides a college-preparatory education that prepares each student for the college that best meets his goals and interests. One hundred percent of our graduates exceed the minimum course requirements set for the California State Universities and the University of California. In addition, 100 percent of our Serra Padres are accepted to colleges throughout the country.

Our multilevel academic program allows students to choose classes that appropriately challenge them in a balanced and healthy way. Our faculty and counselors are professional educators, subject-matter experts and dedicated mentors who help students develop intellectual wisdom, moral strength and emotional depth. 

The Serra Advantage: Rigor in the Curriculum

In this three part series, Assistant Admissions Director Joel Ferrando '90, an English teacher at Serra for more than 20 years, explains what makes Serra's curriculum so rigorous.

Defining Rigor in the Serra Program

Serra teachers have worked over the last ten years to build a rigorous and robust curriculum that challenges students to move beyond what they thought themselves capable in the confines of a supportive and nurturing environment.

Standards-based Curriculum

Assessments, rubrics, curricular and instructional strategies are built around the professional learning standards that departments have identified for their programs.

Vertical and Horizontal Alignment

Grade level and four year progression alignment ensures that skills are systematically addressed and that students are more complete thinkers, readers and writers.

At Serra, students experience spirituality and service in their daily lives—within and beyond the classroom. Our Campus Ministry program is at the heart of the school. Students plan liturgies and take part in reflective experiences such as the junior/senior Kairos retreat, which has a lifelong impact.

Serra provides a superior education that is grounded in the Catholic faith. Students don’t just learn about spirituality and service—they live it. Students deepen their spirituality not only in their theology classes, but across all program areas. By planning and participating in liturgies and prayer services, our Padres grow in their understanding of the Gospel.

Our service-learning program helps students to put their faith into action by making a difference in their local communities, nationally, and around the world. As each Serra student gives of himself in his own way, each graduating class performs tens of thousands of hours of Christian service. Serra Padres find daily opportunities to explore their faith.

At Serra, we educate the whole person—heart, mind, body and soul. Today’s teenagers are bombarded with conflicting messages about human dignity and moral values. The Serra High School community offers students a vision of faith, hope, love, mercy and justice. Based on Christ's example of servant leadership, we have committed ourselves to serving the students, faculty, and staff of the Serra community with our whole hearts.