BACK TO NORMAL

The long wait is over as San Jose City National High School-Junior High School (SJCNHS-JHS) reopened its gates for the full implementation of face-to-face classes on Monday, August 22, 2022.

For the past two years, students only learned from their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the help of different types of modalities such as online, modular, and digital.

School Principal Dr. Vilma C. Nuñez expressed her excitement during the flag raising ceremony.

“Hindi na yata ako nakatulog and until yesterday morning I was still in our school, in City High, to check everything,” she added.

The principal also apologized for the shortcomings in the opening preparation.

“Anuman ang iba naming pagkukulang sa aming mga mahal na magulang, humihingi kami ng paumanhin," the principal said.

"Sinikap ko, ng paaralan, pamunuan, mga guro, kawani, mga heads, mga volunteers na i-prepare ang paaralan para sa malinis at ligtas na child learning environment ng ating mga kabataan,” she added.

EXTRA EFFORTS

To make the first day special, selected 10-SPA students performed a song and dance number during the flag raising ceremony.

Mathematics Department Head, Jacinto T. Roldan, also awarded the top 10 learners who arrived the earliest and with proper uniforms or attires. Each awardee received school supplies.

Roldan also gave prizes to the learners who answered his trivia questions correctly and the learners who won the Bring Me game.

STUDENTS’ REACTIONS

Students showed mixed reactions concerning the full implementation of the face-to-face classes this school year.

For Aran Garcia, a student from 10-Amorsolo, implementing face-to-face classes is challenging because of two years in modular, then the sudden occurrence of face-to-face learning.

But he still expressed a positive outlook despite the drawbacks.

“Masaya rin naman na mahirap kasi mas matututo tayo sa ganitong paraan na balik na sa normal gaya ng dati,” Garcia stated. On the other hand, Blessy Mae Lanzanida, a grade 10-Amorsolo student, said it is hard to adjust because they only learned with the help of modules in the past two years.

“Masaya pero mahirap [mag-adjust] para sa’kin dahil nasanay tayo sa modular. [Yung] karamihan sa mga student nangunguha lang ng sagot sa google or internet. Tapos yung adjustment sa kung paano tayo mag-isip kapag nagsasagot dahil nasanay tayo noon [through online],” Lanzanida elaborated.

LIMITED F2F

Nuñez announced the implementation of the Progressive Limited Face-to-Face (PLFTF) classes through an audio-visual presentation via Facebook on February 25.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the Department of Education’s proposal for PLFTF, and since San Jose City was under alert level 2, the school decided to push through with in-person classes.

To prepare for the PLFTF, selected school employees dressed up as teachers and learners and simulated the safe entrance to school, conduct of actual classes, and exit on December 15, 2022.

During the PLFTF, only twenty students were catered per classroom within five days, and their schedules were compressed to four subjects in the morning. The said setup was made to continue observing safety protocols while teaching a limited number of learners in person.

A few teachers also employed blended learning by scheduling their online classes simultaneously with the face to face classes.

What would be the most beneficial outcome for City High: to stand united or be divided in half?

SJCNHS’ school governance council conducted its first dialogue session at the School-Based Management Center on January 27, with the aim of discussing the separation of junior and senior high school departments.

Stakeholders expressed different perspectives and views regarding the said issue, with a comprehensive discussion of its advantages and disadvantages.

Grounds For Separation

The Division office, as well as the Senior High School department, expressed a desire to instigate quality education to SJCNHS’ constituents. During the dialog, they presented the following reasons for the disintegration of the two departments:

SJCNHS is known to have a massive student population, and separating the junior and senior high school departments is seen as a practicable solution to address the issue of congestion.

Moreover, a separate school ID would allow the Department of Education to provide funds and greater assistance to the school when separated; there are already created items such as principal, assistant principal, and the like; to avoid bureaucracy in the use of funds; and the Department of Education did not need to consult the stakeholders regarding the matter.

IT’S A “NO” FOR US

However, some stakeholders showed dissatisfaction with the justifications and statements given by the administrators concerned.

The Alumni Federation Incorporated in particular expressed opposition to the issue, as the said motion did not seek the opinion of the stakeholders of the school.

“Is [the change] basically upon

Within a month, SAJELCO has become an instant millionaire. Thank San Jose City National High School.

The school’s electric bill reached more than 1 million pesos this year, prompting the administration to implement guidelines on the use of facilities such as fans, air conditioners, and lights.

The said facilities are expected to be used at a certain time. For instance, air conditioners are only allowed from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM to save electricity.

In an interview with The Grain, Administrative Officer (AO) IV Percival R. Tabor shared that such guidelines were implemented to reduce electricity consumption. Tabor did admit, however, that energy conservation alone would not prevent the bill from rising.

“That is what we are promoting to you too, but we cannot stop the

Still Alarming: Guidance Office reports zero bullying, yet 600 other offenses

San Jose City National High School might have recorded zero cases of bullying, but with more than 600 records of other offenses, is bullying really absent in the learning institution?

Records at the Guidance and Counseling of SJCNHSJHS showed a total of 600 records of offenses, 115 record cases of violence, one record of attempted suicide, and zero record of bullying and abuse throughout the month of the first and second quarter.

Guidance Counselor III, Dr. Anna Marie A. Somera explained that bullying is just their way of

“Most of the time, parang gusto lang nila maipakita sa iba na hindi sila mabu-bully, kaya sila ang nambu-bully parang sa attitude nila yan, pero hindi naman talaga sila masama, mga nang-iinis lang talaga sila pero hindi naman sa point na gusto na nilang laitin,” Somera said in an interview.

She added that with their previous experiences, the ones who experience bullying, is also a victim of bullying.

“Bullying might be physical, verbal, and psychological. For example, sinabihan ka ng ‘ang pangit mo’, parang na-offend ka, ayaw mo na pumasok or halimbawa nanakit ka, hindi mo agad ite-term yon as bullying kasi pwede siyang isang klase ng offense kagaya ng assault, kasi nanakit. Kung nag-away-away sila fighting yon,” she explained.

Somera added that loitering is a type of minor offense, while fighting and smoking are considered as major offense.

She explained that petty fights between students are