AdZUJHS this week, August 10 – 15, 2015.

Date:  7 August 2015

Weekly Memorandum No. 2015 – 8.1

TO:                   AdZUJHS Community

FROM:              Father Principal

1. Principal’s Message:

We are now done with our PAASCU visit.  The ball is no longer in our possession;  it’s now in the hands of the PAASCU.  Now, we await the verdict which will be given some time in the next few months.

I acknowledge gratefully those who worked tirelessly to prepare for the August 3-4 visit.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank Ms. Rosie M. Hong who assiduously worked and led in the preparations of the PAASCU documents and exhibits since the release of the results of the July 2010 accreditation visit.

I thank the leaders and members of the following committees:  Administration (Chairs:  Ms. Rosie Hong & Mr. Pilamer Araneta), Curriculum and Instruction (Chairs:  Ms. Evelyn Bugayong& Ms. Leila Lim), Faculty (Chairs:  Mr. Jeffrey Barrera & Ms. Rosie Hong), Physical Plant (Chairs:  Mr. Nestor Rabuya& Mrs. Brigida Olivares), Library (Chairs:  Mrs. Mila Lacson& Mr. EspiridionAtilano Jr.), School and Community (Chairs:  Ms. Ruth Guerrero& Mr. James De los Reyes), Laboratories (Mr. Jeffrey Jalani and Mr. Jayson Mahilum), Student Services (Chairs:  Mr.Carlito Robin& Mrs. Amy Valmonte), Philosophy and Objectives (Fr. Gil Donayre& Sheila Tiong),and Exhibit Committee (Mrs. GelinaTuangco& Mr. James Delos Reyes).

Likewise we thank those in the different working committees (Transportation, Welcome, Food, Errands, etc.), the Artique Circle Club, the Council of Leaders, the PPO Basic Education, and the President’s Office.

I am also grateful to the parents(Mrs. NimfaMabalot& Mrs. Annabelle Gonzales), alumni(Mr. ConradoBalatbat, Ms. Sylvie Agravante,, Mr. Ralph Chua, Mr. Julius Lapasaran, and Mr. Gerald Ebal), and PTA Officers (Atty. Emilio Aquino, Mrs. Ann Abelardo, mr. Felix Saavedra, Mrs. Eladia Rivera, Mrs. Imelda Joe, and Mr. James Buckly) who were generous with their time and presence for the interview, to the students who were – for the most part – prepared for the two-day activity, the members of the Physical Plant Office and Non-teaching personnel who walked the extra mile to make the two-day visit a most fulfilling one.

While accreditation can be difficult and tiring, we go through this ritual to improve our school and ourselves.  We can always be blinded by many things, our pride, our false sense of self-importance, butMagis(Latin for “more”) bids us confess that our service can always be better because it’s the Lord who we serve.That in everything that we do, we do it is not for ourselves, but for the greater glory of God.

Let us continue to give without counting the cost and to strive to become the best that we can possibly be.

2. Characteristic of Jesuit Education (CJE):  Jesuit education assists in the total formation of each individual within the human community. God is especially revealed in the mystery of the human person, “created in the image and likeness of God”; Jesuit education, therefore, probes the meaning of human life and is concerned with the total formation of each student as an individual personally loved by God. The objective of Jesuit education is to assist in the fullest possible development of all of the God-given talents of each individual person as a member of the human community.

3. Student Updates

a. Congratulations to the Ignatian Week Celebration Winners, July 21-24.27, 2015

GRADE 7- STAMPITA MAKING CONTEST

FIRST PLACE– Louis G. Lozada, Gr. 7 Faber

SECOND PLACE– Kaitlin Eira M. Kibtani, Gr. 7 Berchmans

THIRD PLACE– Alyssa Jean B. Wee, Gr. 7 Daniel

GRADE 8 WORD ART ON MAGIS CONTEST

FIRST PLACE– Danielle Ann M. Chiong, Grade 8 Claver

SECOND PLACE– Phoebe Denise R. Lanuza, Gr. 8 Campion

THIRD PLACE – Ma. Bianca D. Ozarraga, Gr. 8 Regis

– Alexandra Nicole L. Site, Gr. 8 Claver

GRADE 9 ESSAY WRITING CONTEST  (Title: As a Young Atenean, how would St. Ignatius want you to be generous in school, at home, and towards community?)

FIRST PLACE– Nicole Dane T. Adanza, Gr. 9 Briant

SECOND PLACE– Ellen Meg R. Gerodias, Gr. 9 Borgia

THIRD PLACE–           Alyssa Isabelle A. Aguilera, G.9 Ogilvie

Sharmaine Marie R. Caguioa, Gr. 9 Lewis

GRADE 10 POSTER MAKING ON GENEROSITY CONTEST

FIRST PLACE– Intisar U. Sangkula, Gr. 10 Rodriguez

SECOND PLACE– Sharfa A. Abbie, Gr. 10 Evans

THIRD PLACE– Irish S. Rabina, Gr. 10 Brebeuf

4. Faculty Updates

a. Fr. Pen Abuan SJwill have his eight-day retreat at Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches on August 10-18 in preparation for his final vows as a Jesuit.  He will be back to office work on August 24, Monday.  In his absence, Mr. Santiago Araneta will be Officer-in-Charge.  Assisting him are Mr. Rey S. Reyes (Finance and Administration), Ms. Rosie M. Hong (Academics), and Mr. Honey Rod T. Alfaro (Formation).

b. Mrs. Evelyn Q. Bugayong, Mr. Rey S. Reyes, and Mr. Honey Rod T. Alfaro will attend the Zamboanga Basilan Tawi-Tawi Association of Private Schools (ZAMBASULTAPS) – Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines SY 2015 – 2016 General Assembly at the Garden Orchids Hotel on August 14-15, 2015.

c. Ms. Ruth Guerrero, AHS Social Action Program Coordinator, will be in Ateneo de Manila University on August 14 (Friday) to August 17 (Monday)for the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation, Inc.  Board of Trustees meeting.  Ms. Guerrero serves as the OIC Board representative of JVP – Zamboanga Local Chapter.

5. Activities and Events for August 10–15 (Review Week)

a. August 10, Monday         *  Gr. 10 St. Jerome Class Mass              Moderator:  Ms. Rona Luz C. Duran

*  Monday Assembly sponsor:Council of Elders (Club Moderators)

b. August 11, Tuesday        *  1:30 PM Academic Management Team meeting

c. August 12, Wednesday   *  Gr. 10 St. Kostka Class Mass               Moderator:  Mr. Carlito Robin

*  Departmental Meeting

d. August 13, Thursday      *  NO General Faculty Meeting

e. August 14, Friday           *  Gr. 10 St. Rodriguez Class Mass           Moderator:  Mr. Roderick Baluca

f. August 15, Saturday       *  No PTA Induction program;  moved to another date

6. Teach us to Pray:  Images of God

Fr. James Martin, SJ

What’s your favorite image of God? Creator?  Source of All Being? Father? Mother?

Our images of God naturally influence our relationship with God in prayer.  For example, if you think of God as angry or vengeful, it may be difficult to be open and honest in prayer or to feel intimacy with God.

In my experience, people sometimes relate to God in the ways they have related to other authority figures in their lives.  If your parents or teachers were demanding, you may be inclined to see God as demanding.  But this can severely limit our understanding of God because, needless to say, God is not our mother or father.  God is always bigger than our experiences, and our imaginations, too.

One all-too-common image is God as the unforgiving judge, ready to pounce on you for the slightest transgression.  Yet in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus present us with a completely different image (Luke 15:11-32).  The father welcomes home his wayward son not with condemnation and vengeance but with love and mercy.

And for those who have a difficult time imagining God, I always suggest the same thing:  Look at Jesus and you will see God.

Over time, our images of God may change, which is also to the good. As the Jesuit Carlos Valles wrote, “If you             always imagine God in the same way, no matter how true and beautiful it may be, you will not be able to receive     the gift of the new ways God has ready for you.”

James Martin is a Jesuit priest and author of “Between Heaven and Mirth”, “The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything”, and “My Life with the Saints”.