Welcome!
Principal - Mrs. Cathy Di Vincenzo
Welcome Anza Families!
The 2023-24 school year is about to begin and I wanted to reach out and welcome all the families who will be attending Anza! Most of you know that this will be my third year as Anza Principal. We had an amazing last year and despite the pandemic we still reached great heights in educational excellence.
For those of you that are new to Anza and don't know me, I was born and raised in the Anza neighborhood. I have lived in this community for most of my life. I started my own family just down the street from Anza and remained here for more than 12 years. I was also an Anza parent with my own children for 4 years. It truly is full circle for me and so special to be able to come back to where life started for me. I am so excited to be given the privilege to serve and lead our amazing neighborhood school. I know Anza is a place where strong connections are made between home and school and staff members are committed to developing the whole child. Working together as a team with our staff, parents, and community, I am committed to helping each student achieve their very best.
I have over 20 years of experience in education. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University and my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. I started my career as an elementary classroom teacher in Torrance in 1998 at Towers Elementary. I taught first and second grade there for seven years and then took a few years off to have my own children. In 2008, I returned to work and was placed at Riviera Elementary where I taught first and fourth grade. In 2014, I became a District Induction Coach and Program Coordinator and spent 3 years working with the elementary teachers in Torrance to support their instruction and support them as new teachers. In 2017, I became the Assistant Principal at Arnold Elementary School. Then in July, 2021, I became the proud Principal of Anza. Personally, I am a wife and mother of two wonderful children. My daughter is a student at UC Davis, and my son just finished his junior year at South High.
One of the most important aspects of my work here at Anza will be building strong relationships with students, teachers, and families. You’ll find me in the hallways, classrooms, helping at valet or on the playground getting to know your child(ren). My passion has been and always will be educating students. With that in mind, you can expect that I will work diligently with teachers to make sure our students receive high quality curriculum and instruction that is both engaging and challenging. Working together as a team with our staff, parents, and community, I am committed to helping each student achieve their very best.
As we get ready for the 2023-2024 school year I will send out additional communications in August with more details about the upcoming year. In the meantime, please check out Anza’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/AnzaElementaryTorrance/ and follow us for updates and information. It is my goal to make sure I keep you informed using our school website, facebook page, calendar, newsletters, and emails. I look forward to our work together and to a fantastic school year!
Warm regards,
Cathy Di Vincenzo
Anza Elementary Principal
At Anza Elementary, it is our mission to educate the whole child and to provide a balanced instructional program that is driven by student needs and abilities. The staff is committed to creating an optimal environment that addresses the academic, emotional, social, and physical needs of each child. We will strive to empower our student to develop positive characteristics that will encourage them to become lifelong learners and contributing members of society.
At Anza Elementary School we believe that:
- Education is the partnership of all -- parents, students, staff, and community
- Everyone's participation and ideas are important and valued
- High expectations are supported by a positive, organized learning environment
- Curriculum focuses on active learning and developing thinking skills
- Individual differences are respected and encouraged
- Education prepares students for their futures
- Communication between home, the school, and the community are open and responsive
- School is a place where people problem-solve together
- Learning is a joyful experience
