Mater Dei High School

The 2010-11 MDHS Quick Facts Sheet is available to view/print in PDF format here.

• Founded 1950
• School colors: Scarlet & Gray
• Mascot: Monarch (Lion)
• Enrollment fall 2010 - 2,100 students making us the largest non-public school west of Chicago
• Student ratio is: Male - 49% / Female - 51%
• Accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Member of College Board and Member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
• 99% college placement; 92% qualify for four-year institutions
• 28:1 student/teacher ratio
• School wide, mandatory, random drug-testing program fosters a safe, drug-free environment
• Closed campus; 24 hour security
• 40% of the student body receives need based financial aid through the generosity of Mater Dei benefactors and the Bishop’s Assistance Fund through the Diocese of Orange

• 35% of the professional staff coach, moderate or direct extracurricular programs
• More than 91% of the student body participates in at least one co-curricular or extra-curricular program
• 70% of student body are registered members of 40 school clubs
• ASB (Associated Student Body) involves over 350 students who organize and coordinate more than 150 school activities including rallies and dances
• MDTV informs the students of upcoming events and offers courses in television production
• The Crown yearbook and Scarlet Scroll student newspaper offer hands-on publications and print production experience to students.
• Mater Dei's Campus Ministry program and Religious Studies Department involves the entire school community through faith development and enrichment through service, outreach, retreats, daily prayer, pastoral counseling and Reconciliation.

Culturally Diverse

• 47% Caucasian
• 21% Hispanic
• 14% Asian
• 2% African-American
• 16% other or undeclared (Native American/Native Alaskan, Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, Other or Unspecified)
  

Religiously Diverse

• 83% Catholic*; 17% represent a variety of other faiths
• 62% of student body come from Catholic elementary schools; 38% attended public/private schools

Geographically Diverse

• Mater Dei is centrally located in Orange County in the City of Santa Ana. We are 2.5 miles north of South Coast Plaza.

• Students live in every city in Orange County; some commute from Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.

• Mater Dei has had 133 National Merit Finalists in its 60 year history
• 17 Honors and 15 AP classes offered; 28% enrolled in Honors and 20% in AP
• Electives offered in visual arts, television production, math, performing arts, physical education, science, social studies, language and business & technology
• 67% of students appear on the honor roll with a 3.0 + GPA
• Daily peer-to-peer and faculty tutoring offers students the extra help they need to succeed
• The Muth Family Learning Center serves the 5% of our students who have diagnosed special learning needs
• The College and Career Resource Center provides support for students to prepare for life after Mater Dei
• The Guidance & Counseling Center is supported by five academic counselors, five personal counselors; the center includes the College & Career Resource Center
• MediaLink, an integrated digital multi-media system is in classrooms; and all teachers use laptops
• Teaching faculty are credentialed; over 40% have advanced degrees

Arts at Mater Dei
It is an exciting time to be an artist at Mater Dei. Through involvement in either performing or visual arts, students have avenues of creativity in and out of the classroom. Forty-four percent of the student body participates in the visual and performing arts programs.

• Students sing, play, dance, and act, and run crew in a wide variety of performances throughout the school year.
• Performing Arts faculty members are artistically proficient and accomplished
• Musical and theatre groups excel in festivals
• Dance Team, Cheerleading Squad, and Song Team compete nationally each year
• Many performing artists are admitted to prestigious colleges with some receiving scholarships to continue their studies in music, theatre or dance.

• Student artwork is showcased throughout campus and is featured in the Annual Student Art Show each spring.
• Students have exhibited work in a number of art shows including Imagination Celebration, Color it Orange Juried Art Exhibition, and the California Art Education Association Youth Art Month Exhibition to name a few.

• 50% of MD students participate in athletics as athletes, statisticians, managers or trainers
• State of the art facilities include aquatic center, gym, athletic fields, track, weight room, and baseball complex
• 46 student athletes from the Class of 2010 committed to play college athletics
• Nearly 60 National, State and CIF championships since 1990.
• Ranked #1 by ESPN Rise & MaxPreps.com and #2 by Sports Illustrated for comprehensive athletic program
• Two Heisman trophy winners in school history

• 100% of student body complete at least 80 hours of community service prior to graduation
• Class of 2010 completed over 92,000 volunteer hours at hundreds of organizations – an average of 167 hours per student
• Over 400 involved in daily and weekly liturgies and prayer services
• Over 500 participate annually in retreats
• Over 600 participate annually in on-campus Special Games Outreach
• Monarch Ministry, a service group, promotes faith-filled student leadership
• Service Awards: Disneyland Community Service Award for Youth
• Lion Share allows students to prepare over 200 meals weekly for the homeless

• First graduating Class of 1953 created the school traditions that are alive and well with today’s generation of Monarchs
• Alumni network of 24,000 have pursued careers in medicine, law, technology, finance, government and ministry.
• Active alumni association with online social networking through www.monarchalumni.org, Facebook and Twitter
• Class reunions keep Monarchs connected to former classmates, faculty and their alma mater
• Family events throughout the school year (the Family Mass & Pancake Breakfast, Mother-Daughter Tea, Father-Daughter Dance, Mother-Son Brunch, Grandparents Day and Marian Mas) unite the Mater Dei family in a spirit of faith while celebrating our bond
• School publications Scarlet & Gray Magazine (quarterly) and The Lumen (monthly) keep the MD family informed of events, activities and updates in the community

Mater Dei has adopted a zero tolerance policy for certain behaviors deemed a danger to our school community: Any student directly associated with or conspiring to bring a gun, gang, or drugs for sale onto the campus or to any Mater Dei function or activity will be subject to immediate expulsion.

School-wide mandatory, random drug testing, initiated in 1997, is a pro-active program designed to create a safe, drug-free environment for students and to assist them in getting help when needed.

*As of June 2010