American Martyrs School (AMS) is located in the beachside community of Manhattan Beach, California. The school is accredited with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and with the Western Catholic Education Association. The school honors the first Christian Martyrs of North America. These martyrs were Jesuit missionaries from France who sacrificed their lives to preach the gospel to Native American people in the mid-1600s.

AMS was founded on September 15, 1947, with eight rooms for Grades 1-6 and 235 students. The school began its first fall term under the guidance of six Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet: Sister St. Anne Bromhan, C.S.J., Sister Mary David, C.S.J., Sister Marian Rigali, C.S.J., Sister Eva Francis, C.S.J., Sister Georgine Marie, C.S.J., and Mother Agnes Joseph, C.S.J., the principal.

By 1950, the enrollment grew to 480 students taught by eight sisters and two lay teachers. A four-room addition was built to the north of the original building. Then another four rooms followed in 1954 as the enrollment reached 850. In 1964, four more rooms were added to the middle building. Classrooms now totaled 20 for 1000 students and American Martyrs was the largest elementary school in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Over the years, the school decreased in size to eight teaching classrooms with under 300 total students. As population declined, the extra classrooms were transformed into a library, computer laboratory, music room, science laboratory, and learning center, or were used for other parish and school activities.

In the 1990’s, the enrollment once again increased and AMS annually added a class for each grade up through seventh grade. In the fall of 2003, the doubling of the classes was completed and two classes of 8th grade students graduated in June of 2004. In 1994, a faculty room, math lab, and music center were added. In 1998, another renovation added six classrooms, a library, and an extended care center. A parish gymnasium was also completed in 2000. In 2001, the school renovated existing buildings to accommodate the administrative offices, a faculty workroom, and health room.

The school also kept pace with technological improvements: upgrading the science lab, adding the computer lab, and a Writing to Read lab for K-2 which was implemented with a grant from the Riordan Foundation. A brand new science laboratory was opened in April 2002. In 2006 American Martyrs implemented a web-based administration and attendance program benefiting students, parents, teachers and adminstration. With successful fundraisers and community support, American Martyrs School continues to meet the demands of twenty-first century educational goals.

About the principal:

Dr. Kevin Baxter, Principal

Dr. Kevin Baxter has been principal at American Martyrs School since August of 2004. Prior to coming to American Martyrs, Dr. Baxter was principal at St. Columbkille School in South Los Angeles. Prior to that he was a middle school math and science teacher and vice principal at Cathedral Chapel School in Los Angeles.

Dr. Baxter graduated from Villanova University with an English Major and Communications Minor. He holds a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and a California Clear Credential in Biology/General Science from Loyola Marymount University. He also has his Tier I Administrative Credential. He holds a Doctorate of Education degree from the University of Southern California. In addition to his job as principal, Dr. Baxter is a part-time faculty member in the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University where he teaches in the Master’s and Doctoral programs.

Dr. Baxter and his wife Kim are members of American Martyrs Parish and have four children, Ella, Scott, Sean, and Meg.