Date: 21 August 2015
Weekly Memorandum No. 2015 – 8.4
TO: AdZUHS Community
FROM: Father Principal
1. Principal’s Message:
Maraming salamat, Filipino department, sa inyong maayos at matagumpay na paggunita sa Buwan ng Wika.
We are about to enter the –ber months. This means that Christmas is in the offing. But of course, we still have a lot of things to do before we bid 2015 good bye. This September, we celebrate Science Month.
Whenever I think of Science, the first person that enters into my mind is Time Magazine’s Person of the 20th century – the theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. With physical tools no more complicated than pencil and paper, he revolutionalized the way that scientists think about time, space, and matter. His intellectual tools were beyond compare, of course – including a deep, intuitive understanding of the workings of nature, combined with the so-called thought experiments that he used to develop theories.
Aside from being a powerful thinker, he was also an outspoken advocate of peace and social justice. Here’s a small sampling of his musings. He said:
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.”
We welcome the September Science month.
2. Characteristic of Jesuit Education (CJE): Prayer is an expression of faith and an effective way toward establishing the personal relationship with God that leads to a commitment to serve others. Jesuit education offers a progressive initiation to prayer, following the example of Christ, who prayed regularly to his Father. All are encouraged to praise and thank God in prayer, to pray for one another within the school community, and to ask God’s help in meeting the needs of the larger human community.
3. Activities and Events for August 31 – September 5
August 31, Monday * Holiday: National Heroes’ Day
September 1, Tuesday * 1:30 PM Academic Management Team meeting * 9:30 AM Formation Team meeting (OSS Conference room)
September 2, Wednesday * Mass sponsor: Gr. 7 Daniel Moderator: Mr. Ronel L. Layese * Departmental Meeting * 1PM: Bangsamoro Basic Law Updates at Grand Astorial Hotel HS Participants: Ms. Ruth Guerrero (Point person), Principal, Assistant Principals, DCs who have free sked
September 3, Thursday * 4PM: Faculty and Staff Meeting Agenda: 1. Philippine Catholic Schools Standards 2. Senior High School
September 4, Friday * Junior High School Student Holiday (Colloquium on the Ministry of Teaching for Teachers; offices remain open, but no student activities are allowed while colloquium is going on) *Overnight recollection for Gr. 8 Edmund Campion (Day 1) *9AM – 12 nn. Presidential Management Team meeting (HS representative – Principal)
September 5, Saturday * Overnight recollection for Gr. 8 Edmund Campion (Day 2) * YASEd Formation Activity II (Science Laboratory Activities Demonstrations and Workshops) * 7AM – 4PM Coro Concordia de Aguilas and Ateneo Guild of Musicians formation session (Liturgical orientation Seminar and Rehearsal)
4. A Special DOST Project. Here’s a letter from Ms. Sheryl Basa, the Science Club (YASEn) coordinator:
“Cognizant of the increasing dengue cases among students in private schools throughout the country, the DOST project ‘Nationwide Dengue Vector Surveillance (NDVS)’ has expanded its coverage of deployment to selected private institutions. Our school has been chosen as one of the recipients of the DOST Ovicidal/Larvicidal (OL) Trap for this school year 2015-2016.
“An Orientation/Training on the NDVS Through OL Trapping was conducted by the DOST last July 21, 2015 which was participated in by the Junior High School Nurse, Ms Elsie P. Miguel and a Science Club Moderator, Ms Sheryl Anne T Basa.
“The DOST OL Trap is a simple device used as a surveillance tool for mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus. It uses a black color cup to attract the mosquitoes, lawanit stick with ridges to hold the eggs, and Piper nigrum (paminta) that attracts and kills the eggs (ova) and larvae of the Aedes mosquitoes. The traps are being deployed in sentinel sites or selected public schools nationwide. To effectively monitor the OL indices of participating schools, the DOST launched the NDVS website at http://www.dengue.ph. Schools with above 20% OL indices for three (3) consecutive weeks are advised to implement corrective actions to decrease the population of mosquitoes in the area, consequently prevent and control dengue.
“In response to this invitation, the Infirmary and Science club will install OL Traps in our 28 classrooms by Thursday, September 3, 2015. The surveillance will culminate on September 17, 2015.”
5. Student and Faculty Updates
a. We wish Mr. Jemar C. Penionesall the best as he begins his two-year studies at De La Salle University leading to the degree of Master of Science in Teaching Biology. Mr. Peniones has been given a scholarship grant by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). In his absence, Ms. Aya Sarah F. Usman, ADZU (BSE Biological Science 2015) will teach the subjects left by him.
b. Ms. Anna Sheila T. Torralba is on a two-month leave. She reports back to work in October 2015. In her absence, Mr. Ezekiel Yuis OIC Registrar, and will regularly coordinate with the HS Admin for matters regarding school records. Mr. Yu will also act as the PTA Coordinator.
We thank Mr. Yu for his availability to assume an added responsibility and for his generosity to respond immediately to the academic mission.
c. Mrs. Mila M. Lacson, HS Librarian and past president of Western Mindanao Association of Librarians , will attend the National Public Orientation on CHED Memorandum Order No. 24, s. 2015 entitled “Revised Policies and Guidelines for the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) Program” to be held at the CHED Auditorium, Diliman, Quezon City be on September 2 – 4, 2015. Ms. Minnie Bello is OIC Librarian.
d. Ms. Sheryl Anne T. Basa and Mr. Friend Hayzer S. Gregorio will participate in the National Science Clubs Summit on September 5 – 6, 2015 in Dipolog City. Ms. Basa and Mr. Gregorio will attend the I Teach Science Seminar (ITSS); they will also accompany our student contestants (Hans Xavier Wong, John Louize F. Guban, and Lee Alec C. Salasa, all of Gr. 10 Ignatius of Loyola) participants in the PSYSC Science Olympiad.
6. Teach us to Pray: Resting on a Word
Fr. James Martin, SJ
People often grow frustrated when nothing seems to be “happening” in their prayers. It’s a natural reaction. Most of us like to get things “done.” Most of us like to see results after we’ve spent an hour, or even a few minutes, in prayer. Occasionally, though, the desire for results can lead us to rush through prayer – as if it’s just another task to be completed. It would be as if we were spending time with a friend and kept wondering. “What am I getting out of this?” Prayer is more about the relationship than the results.
One way to slow ourselves down is by resting on a single word. Take a favorite passage of Scripture, or the reading of the day, and rather than trying to digest the entire reading, allow God to draw you toward one word. And trust that God is at work in your attraction to that word.
Take Psalm 139 as an example. It begins: “O God you have searched me and known me.” You may find yourself drawn to the word “known.” Now just rest there quietly and see where that might lead. Perhaps you’ve never thought about God knowing you – knowing what your desires are, what your fears are, what your hopes are. Maybe you realize that you’d like to start telling God more about your life, so that you can feel better known by God. Or perhaps you just want to sit with the word and savor it. Sometimes resting happens in ways that move beyond words.
As an antidote to “results-oriented” prayer, try resting on a single word. And, through this, allow God to rest in 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”.
