"Aditako bokodan di gawis" = Let us share our blessings

Hereunder is the latest update on SMSSI by Dr. Dennis Faustino forwarded to the SMSSI Chairman of the Board, Rufino Bomasang, and subsequently forwarded for posting to the Save SMS Sagada Website:

DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
ST. MARY’S SCHOOL OF SAGADA

January to March 2005 

January 7: Dennis Faustino met with the PPTA and shared his 5-year strategic plan with the school community.  During this meeting, the increase of tuition for school year 2005-2006 was announced and clarified.  (P5000 for 1^st year students; P3,000 for the upperclassmen.)  Tuition this year was P2,500 for all).  A 10% discount can be availed of if tuition is paid within the first two weeks of school.

The scheme of academic scholarships (giving total free tuition to deserving valedictorians/salutatorians from local elementary schools.) will be adopted next year.  Scholarships will no longer be given by the school for financial need.  Parents who need financial assistance may seek funds directly from their relatives and acquaintances. 

Last week of January:  Sagada, its institutions, including St. Mary’s School, celebrated the annual town fiesta with games, fairs, other festivities. 

February 18-24:  St. Mary’s School, along with St. James School in Besao, the Bangaan National HS, and the Sagada National HS, were the hosts of ICARE participants from International School Manila for almost one week.  Students from SMSS and ISM worked on the construction of the morgue and the floor of the expanded operating room in St. Theodore’s Hospital.  The whole school turned up to a celebration of songs and dances by students during the last night of the visit. 

February 18: St Mary’s School received used school furniture from ISM.  The cost of hiring two trucks (P17,000 apiece) was taken from donations to development.  Included in the school furniture are 9 overhead projectors, assorted maps, library books, and textbooks, a whole set of steel lockers, about 5 filing cabinets, 100 plastic chairs, 4 canteen tables and other sundry items.  A similar donation is being considered by ISM to All Saints School in Bontoc and St. James, if the two schools can provide for the transport of donated items. 

February 25:  The Principal’s Office (cost of which was donated by Dennis Faustino) was finished to allow John Guitilen the experience of sitting in a new office as head of a new school.  (Please see his smiling face among the attached pictures.)  The carpenters have started renovating the faculty lounge adjacent to the Principal’s Office.  The cost will also be donated by DF. 

February 26:  A special faculty meeting was called with curriculum as the main agenda.  Plans were laid out to develop the 1^st year HS curriculum (timeline, topics etc).  The next curriculum meeting will be held prior to Holy Week. 

ISM confirmed its commitment to allow 5 SMSS teachers to observe classes at ISM for one week in April.  So far, several ISM faculty have volunteered to mentor their Sagada counterparts in instructional methodologies as well as curriculum writing, in the fields of Math, Science, Computer, PE/Health, Social Studies.  We are still awaiting the response of the English department.  Rufino is currently working on Brent School to give a similar commitment. 

It was announced at this meeting that that all teaching positions at SMSS are vacant and open for application.  Board members Rhoda and Inglay Fokno will take care of the adverstising.  Current faculty members, being probationary, are invited to apply.  John Guitilen and Dennis Faustino have met and discussed and evaluated each current faculty member’s performance for 2004-2005.  All applications will be centered through John Guitilen as principal and together with Sagada-based Board members (Rhoda Bondad, Valentine Daoas, and Judge Hugh Gayman), a shortlist of candidates will be developed.  The shortlist will be sent to Inglay Fokno, who will form a selections committee with Dennis Faustino (incoming principal), Rufino Bomasang, Nelly Baliola, and other Baguio-based Board members.  The candidates will be interviewed in Baguio sometime in mid-May by this panel. 

Prior to the faculty meeting, Fr. Jerry Sagayo and Dennis Faustino had met and discussed reviving the joint youth ministry of the parish and the school as an effective way of disseminating and developing Christian values among SMSS students.  Ideas include: 1) having St. Mary’s students totally plan and implement the mass service (homily, epistle, communion, offerings, and hymns) and vespers for the school; 2) instituting a community service outreach program which deploys SMSS student volunteers to distant mission stations like Bagnin and Data during weekends; 3) heading Sunday School and working with children in church related activities; 4) re-establishing the youth choir.  A systematic plan will be drawn, written, and presented to the Vestry, the SMSS faculty, and the student body.           

March 4:  Computer Room (see pictures) is now completed.  Rufino Bomasang is currently seeking donors for 17 instructional computers, the cost of which was appraised at P650,000. 

March 4: The construction of the Biology lab (thanks to donations of Dr. John Alipit) has been started.

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Click on "Picture Updates" to see pictures sent along with Development Updates

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Covering email from manong Rufino Bomasang re - above Development Updtate:

Dear Lambert, 

I am forwarding the attached Development Update prepared by Dennis Faustino to inform us of  developments since the alumni homecoming. 

Please note the following highlights: 

1. Dennis continues to donate his own personal resources for the continued upgrading of the facilities of SMS and he continues to get International School Manila to donate used (but still good) furniture for SMS and other Episcopalian schools. Adi tako bokodan di gawis! 

2. Dennis is coordinating very closely with Father Sagayo (Sagada's parish priest who also happens to have progressive ideas and is receptive to new ideas) on how best to integrate Christian values into the SMS curriculum.   

3. With the completion of the computer laboratory, we now need to equip it with new computers so that the users can network with one another and the rest of the world. The cheapest new desk top computer is estimated to cost 40000 pesos and the school needs 16 computers. We therefore need to raise 640000 pesos. 

I suggest this be posted on the SMS website for maximum dissemination. 

Rufino

Note: forwarded message attached.