PRINCIPAL

Hi, my name is Gina Olsen. This is my 13th year as principal in this fine school. I come from a large family; I am the 6th of 11 children. I worked as a nanny and in a print shop in college, and, with my husband, owned several small businesses. We owned a photography studio, “rehabbed” a few houses, and owned a high-rise vacation rental. My first career was running a licensed daycare center. I transitioned from daycare into teaching PE while completing my Bachelor’s degree while my 3 children were in school, and worked as a kindergarten teacher and 6th grade CCD teacher while obtaining my Master’s degree and Teaching Credential at Azusa Pacific University. I worked in a great school in a Title I neighborhood that struggled with enrollment, and eventually that school closed. Although that community had wonderful students and families that were committed to Catholic education, they were not able to create a viable business model for the school. When my school closed, I felt like I’d lost a part of my family. I knew that, no matter where I worked next, I didn’t want to endure that again. My love of children and my experiences with business and education have given me a wide assortment of experiences to aid me in my role as principal. I believe God brought me to St. Rita’s for a reason, and I use my past to work toward creating a nurturing, stable school environment for the children of Southeast San Diego. I am blessed to have a fantastic team of teachers and staff, and to have the opportunity to serve our beautiful children.