A school is born

By Catholic San Francisco

San Francisco is home to a rich history of Catholic schools, and the list is now growing. On Aug. 21, after nearly two years of prayer, planning, recruiting and fundraising, Nativity High School officially opened its doors. Seventeen eager and brave pupils attended an opening Mass and their first classes in newly refurbished classrooms. After the academic day, parents and supporters gathered to hear the story of the origin of the school, a remarkable account of the more than 40 people who played significant roles in developing and opening Nativity. Nativity was conceived by Diana and Alex Adamson, San Francisco residents for the past 14 years. Alex works in finance and Diana has extensive experience as a high school math teacher and leading nonprofit organizations. When asked what sparked this idea, Alex said, “We knew a few families who moved out of San Francisco in search of a smaller high school experience with a classical orientation. When we visited those schools in other cities, we were impressed by the caliber and devotion of the students. They were reading and debating complicated literature and outlining complex Euclidean geometric proofs. They were singing sacred music in four-part harmonies and painting beautiful masterpiece replicas, and all so full of joy. It was really those students that inspired this work.”

The Adamsons wondered if there might be interest in a similar school in San Francisco. After a handful of phone calls, they were joined by an energized board of directors and an advisory board that shared a similar vision: a classical orientation alongside the highest-level math and science curriculum. Diana, a math and computer science major said, “Mathematics are the study of the order of the universe and increasingly determine college access, so we take it very seriously. Faith and reason go together.”

The board and advisory board include senior software engineers at Google, the former head of admissions at the University of Notre Dame, the CEO and founder of the Hallow prayer app and even renowned Catholic sculptor Tim Schmalz.

One of the early phone calls was to Father Joseph Illo at Star of the Sea Parish in the Richmond District. When he offered Nativity his encouragement and a physical home on the parish campus, the idea became a reality. “Without Father Illo’s support, this would not have been possible,” said Alex. “We are so grateful for him and his trust in us.”

With a physical campus and a network of supporters, donors and board members, Nativity High School was born. Nativity High School’s chaplain is Father Michael Hurley, OP, pastor of St. Dominic Church in San Francisco. Father Hurley regularly offers one of the twice-weekly Masses for the students. Father Roger Gustafson at St. Hilary in Tiburon is also an advisory board member. 

Nativity is an independent Catholic school approved by the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Nativity’s first class is composed of students who hail from eight different grade schools and commute from all parts of the city. The school plans to accept only 40 students per class to maintain a close-knit community. For the 2025-26 school year, Nativity expects to have more applicants than openings.

“Our mission is to imitate Christ in the way we know, love and teach our students,” Diana said. “So creating an atmosphere where the teachers and students know each other deeply is important.” 

As its inaugural head of school, Nativity selected Marisela O’Cochlain, a native of Los Angeles whose parents immigrated from Mexico. Raised in a large Catholic family, she attended Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, and has worked at classical Catholic schools her entire career. Together with the faculty and staff, she embodies her favorite descriptor of the school: “joyfully Catholic.”

The founding faculty members all came to Nativity through personal referrals. “When you consider the background and expertise of our founding teachers,” O’Cochlain said, “it truly points to the providence and goodness of God.” 

“Our science teacher, Tyler Popa, taught at one of the best boarding schools in southern California before earning his master’s in divinity at Notre Dame. Our Latin and geometry teacher, Brother Athanasius, OP,  worked as a software engineer at Boeing before discerning a call to religious life. Our humanities teacher, Ian Parelius, graduated at the top of the classics program at St. Mary’s College in Moraga and then went on to earn his master’s in theology from Boston College. Our music teacher, Karolina Zapolska, is a native of Poland, an extraordinary expert in chant and ancient sacred music, and she was raised and taught the faith by her grandmother, an Auschwitz survivor. Our faculty is such a remarkable group of people from so many walks of life. It is such a privilege to watch them build the school together.”

Nativity will outgrow its current space and in 2026 plans to take over the lease of the former Star of the Sea High School building, a refurbished four-story structure currently serving as a temporary home to the Temple Emanu-El Preschool.

Nativity welcomes school visits, which can be easily scheduled by calling the school or through its website, nativityhs.org. The school is currently accepting student applications and is recruiting for two additional teaching roles for the 2025-26 school year. 

“If you want a full glimpse of Nativity’s culture, join us for our first community event on Monday, Dec. 16,” said Alex.

The event is headlined by the nationally beloved Father Mike Schmitz. The evening will include student and faculty interviews as well as musical performances from the St. Mary’s Cathedral Children’s Choir and Nativity students.

“There will be a lot of energy and excitement,” said Alex. “We have a couple hundred people who have reserved a spot, but there’s room for more. It’s been a long time since a new Catholic high school opened in San Francisco. It’s worth coming together to be grateful and celebrate.”

The event will be held at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption. It is named for Nativity’s unique choice of mascot – “Camelcade.”

For tickets to Nativity High School’s Camelcade visit nativityhs.org/camelcade