Lead Edition: July 16, 2008 * Volume 28, Number 6

MORE DISCIPLINED STUDENTRY SOUGHT

Results of meetings between teachers and parents show that both seek for stronger measures to have more responsible and disciplined students, especially in high school. Mrs. Zenaida Quintos, Guidance Counselor, laid down the rules in disciplining erring students. Important topics discussed were:

Absences, Cutting of Classes, and Tardiness

• Late for 10 minutes is already considered as absent, and will not be accepted in class anymore.
  
• Three times absent in class will be reported to the Guidance Office, and the Guidance Counselor will call parents for a dialogue.
  
• Parents requested that they should be informed about the discipline of their children. The school, therefore, asked every parent to give his or her phone number to the Guidance Office.
  
• Cutting of classes means skipping or not attending one or more classes, or attending classes in the morning but absent or skipping afternoon classes. Three times of repeated offense of this kind means disciplinary action, where parents will be called by the Guidance Counselor
  
• If late in class, student must enter as quietly as possible, and should not do any gesture that may interrupt the activity or lecture.

Homework, Assignments, Study Behavior

• Frequently not bringing of notebooks, workbooks, and other learning materials will be reported to the Guidance and Counseling Office.
  
• Habitually not studying lessons and not submitting assignments, projects or report activities is subject to disciplinary action.
  
• Teacher will warn students who are disturbing other ongoing classes, by being unruly and noisy to disturb classes in the adjacent classrooms. Parents will be informed about this situation.

Projects, Experiments, Activities - Most projects, experiments, and activities are individualized, thus the child must have his or her own set of materials. Teachers are requested to announce the "Things to Bring" at least a week earlier so that parents can procure or prepare them on time; in case of expensive materials, to have group work instead.

Crystal Balls - Mrs. Ventura has two crystal balls - the clear and the red, with separate powers. They are very effective in cases of lying or stealing. Many items were recovered because of these crystal balls. Take note that they are only effective while at LPS and for LPS children. Yes, lying, stealing, destroying school properties or those belonging to others are not tolerated.

Offensive behavior during classes such as making jokes, shouting, talking with neighbors while class is going on will not be tolerated.

Physical fight where there is blood means automatic suspension to the offender, the duration of which will be decided by the Principal based from the recommendation of the Guidance Counselor.

Parents are reminded not to touch or scold children not of their own, for this is subject to disciplinary action of the parents. Please make your complaint to the Guidance Counselor! Parents should not confront directly the other child; should not go to the classroom and lecture the whole class about discipline.

Improper use of school uniforms, for both boys and girls, will be given three warnings.


SCHOOL SERVICE FEES INCREASED

Finally, school service fees have been increased - P750 per month for Bay town proper up to Santo Domingo and Kabaritan, and P950 per month for other places. Our school service vehicles have regular drivers and conductors, receiving monthly salaries with fringe benefits like those of our teachers and maintenance staff. Likewise, we have a mechanic that comes regularly for check-up and repair work. About 20 years ago, we were forced to form our own school service system, complete with regular drivers and conductors, motor pool and mechanic because it was difficult to rely on part-time drivers and hired vehicles usually of PUJ, where trip schedules were erratic and usually reckless in driving because they were always in a hurry. Now we have this energy crisis; but we expect that these fee increases would enable us to cover the diesel and salaries of drivers. To cushion the impact of the sudden raise in transport cost, the school still subsidizes the spare parts and salaries of mechanic and conductors, hoping to maintain the safe and comfortable ride of our school children. We pray that these fuel cost increases will now stop. We request parents to prepare the things and lunch boxes of their children early enough so that children would be ready when the school service arrives, and not to be late for the first period.


SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AIM FOR 100 PERCENT PROFICIENCIES

With the reduction in enrollment, we have now a better chance to attain 100 percent proficiencies in all aspects of learning. During the meetings, every teacher laid down his or her teaching strategies, and then requested parents for their cooperation in bringing of materials for projects, doing of homework, and to be conscious about school attendance of their children.

LPS decided to improve the following areas of learning:

With Makabayan as a composite subject that incorporates HELE or THE with History or Sibika, PEHM, and other subjects, we tend to overlook work activities. This is somewhat tragic because education is meaningless if children do not know how to work! We must teach them skills in Cooking, Sewing, Gardening, Carpentry, Electricity, Electronics, Computer, and Drawing. Our HELE and THE are working subjects - all work with limited instruction in the proper conduct of the work project.

Our Computer Laboratory has a 1:1 Computer unit: Student ratio with Dr. Junjun Ventura as teacher. The laboratory is fully air-conditioned. This is the area where we get 100% proficiency always.

We improved our teaching capabilities in Sciences by getting and training teachers having fields of specialization in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics. Feedbacks from our graduates show that they find College activities easy because of their strong background, especially that we have a separate Experimental Research subject. We shall continue improving our laboratory activities.

Our strongest point is always in Mathematics, and we shall maintain this by having at least two Math subjects in every year level, with Statistics in Third Year, and Introduction to Calculus in Fourth Year.

Dr. Ventura, Sr. promised to go around more frequently to improve proficiency in Written Composition. This is our first priority!

Mrs. Ventura prepared Workbooks in the Pre-Elementary and Primary levels, and Dr. Ventura Sr. in English and Composition Writing in Intermediate Grades and First Year. The Science teachers are preparing Laboratory Manuals in High School, and hopefully, these will be available by the second semester. The English teachers are starting their Manuals in Writing. We shall continue preparing our own books.

We shall continue to have Citizens Advancement Training (CAT) Course in High School, with Vice Mayor Cesar Comia as teacher , because this is the only subject that teaches discipline.

We expect the Guidance and Counseling Office to be very busy this school year.


Please Note:

• The LPS P.E. Uniforms are now ready.
  
• Guitar Lessons every Saturday, 8:30 to 11:30 A.M. with Mr. Jong Sumangil as teacher. Fee is P60.00 per session.
  

VISION (Lead Edition) EDITOR: Miss Rosa A. Aguirre

Student Edition * July 11, 2008 * Volume 28, Number 5

RICHELLE ALEJANDRE IS "VISION" EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Richelle Andrea M. Alejandre (Third Year) is chosen as the new Editor-In-Chief of the LPS VISION Newsletter. Richelle is a consistent first honors from Pre-Elementary to Second Year High School and topped the Journalism Class last summer. To work with her are Christelle Jaraplasan (Third Year) as Associate Editor, John Morris Garcia (Second Year) as Managing Editor, and Claire Alyssandra F. Tanghal (Third Year), Jelriz Joi C. Lanip (Third Year), Micah Marie F. Galapon (Second Year), Maria Victoria Veterana (Second Year), Sheena Jean de Jesus (Second Year), and Noah Ezekiel Batacan (Grade Six) as members. The nine members of the VISION Editorial Staff took the seven-week summer workshop in Journalism under Miss Rosa A. Aguirre and Dr. Wilbur B. Ventura, Sr. All of them were awarded Certificates of Attendance in Journalism by our School Principal, Mrs. Emma C. Ventura last May 22.

By: Jelriz Joi C. Lanip

LPS Having Sectoral Meetings with Parents

We are having meetings in every level (Pre-Elementary, Primary Grades, Intermediate Grades, High School) starting June 21 and every Saturday morning thereafter. Dr. Wilbur Ventura, Sr., School Administrator, serves as Meeting Coordinator, introducing teachers and explaining important rules and conduct of the school. It is a meeting where problems that cropped up like the inclusion of the two nursery pupils in the kindergarten class, and expensive projects in Home Economics are being discussed and solutions formulated inasmuch as the Guidance Counselor, Principal and Administrator are around. Every teacher presents his or her own teaching strategies and rules of conduct in the class, and some sort of seminars are also given like "How to Discipline Children in This Grade or Year Level." In every meeting, emphasis is on the goal of having 100 percent proficiency in every endeavor, which can be attained with the cooperating hands of teachers and parents. It is made clear that at LPS, as a private institution of learning, children are being taught how to be disciplined and how to work properly, thus, making GMRC or Home Room and HELE or TLE as more important subjects of learning.

By: Richelle Andrea M. Alejandre

Computer Education Class in Grade Three

Computer is now a subject in Grade 3 with Dr. Wilbur C. Ventura, Jr. as teacher. All the Grade3 children are happy to be in an air-conditioned laboratory with Dory, the school friendly Chi Zhu (sic), as "supervisor." Yes, Computer Education is a regular subject from grade 3 to fourth year high school.

First Communion for Grade 3 and Intermediate Grades

There will be a First Communion this August at the Saint Augustine Church, Bay, with Rev. Father Jessie Sumosiera officiating. This is for Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 pupils and others who have not taken yet their first communion. The exact date of this activity and other requirements will be announced in the next issue of this Newsletter. Coordinating teacher is Mrs. Alice Forteza- Tanghal.

By: Claire Alyssandra Tanghal

UPCAT Review Class Still Going On

The Review class for UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test) and NCAE (National Career Assessment Exam) continues this month and for July, after the summer class for April and May. This aimed to prepare the 4th year students for the two examinations. The reviewers remained the same with Miss Rosa Aguirre (English Grammar and Reading), Mr. Albert Rivera (Algebra, Trigonometry, Statistics and Calculus), Mrs. Alicia Tanghal (Biology and Earth Science), with the addition of Miss Janice Joy Paguio (Physics) and Miss Liz Joy Garcia (Chemistry). Mr. Rivera and Mrs. Tanghal additionally give experimental Research and Science Reading.

By: Christelle T. Jaraplasan

New Teachers

Mr. Rhandy Punzalan is the new teacher in History (High School) and Sibika at Kultura (Intermediate Grades), and adviser of the First Year Class. He graduated from the San Pablo Colleges with the degree of Bachelor in Secondary Education, major in History in 2000, and passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers the following year. He is 32 years old, from San Pablo City, married to Mrs. Sheila Punzalan, with three kids, Dan Thomas Rhasie, Regina Angela, and Timmy Dane. Just after graduation in College, he taught at LPS for six years before deciding to join the Police Force, only to find out that being a policeman is not his line of interest, thus, he decided to return to LPS.

By: Sheena Jean de Jesus

Mrs. Marynette Calugay – Salabsabin is our new teacher in Mathematics in the High School and Intermediate Grades, and Grade 6-A adviser. She lives in Villa Leoncia Subd., Pila, Laguna, 27 years old, and graduated from LSPC Sta. Cruz Campus in 2002. Her husband is Mr. June P. Salabsabin with one son - Carl Jared, who is one year and 9 months old. Mrs. Salabsabin taught in different private schools for five years before coming to LPS.

By: Noah Batacan

CHILDHOOD DISCIPLINE (A Summary)
Essential Elements of Discipline

1. Formulation of rules as guidelines for behavior.
   
2. Consistency in rules and in techniques used to teach and enforce them.
   
3. Punishment for willful breaking of rules.
   
4. Rewards for attempts to model behavior along approved lines.
   

Common Misdemeanors of Childhood

1. Lying – mainly due to fantasy, others to avoid punishment.
   
2. Cheating
   
3. Stealing
   
4. Destructiveness
   
5. Truancy – results from school phobias
   

• Democratic process without being permissive is the suggested disciplinary technique for teachers and parents. Authoritarian was used before by our grandparents with success, but may result to humiliation or resentment on the part of the child.
  
• Punishment must be suited to the transgression, and be given as soon as possible so that the child will associate with the two.
  
• Parents and guardians must be consistent, so that the child will know that whenever a rule is broken, a punishment is inevitable.
  
• The punishment must be constructive so as to motivate socially approved behavior in the future.
  
• In a Democratic Technique of Discipline, the child is given a chance to explain or defend his action. Also, if punishment is to be imposed, an explanation of the reason for the punishment must accompany so that the child will see it as fair and just.
  
• Punishment must lead to conscience-building to guarantee future inner control of behavior.
  
• Punishment should be a means to humiliate the child and arouse resentment.
  

EDITORIAL:

For the last two years, I have been joining the journalism class during summer time with the supervision of Dr. Wilbur Ventura Sr. and Miss Rosa Aguirre. In the Closing Program of 2008 Summer Classes last May 22, suddenly the School Administrator, Dr. Ventura Sr. announced the formation of the VISION Students' Editorial Staff, and I was flabbergasted when announced that I was chosen as the Editor-In-Chief.

As a third year student, this is really a great opportunity for me because I was given the trust by Dr. Wilbur Ventura Sr. and Mrs. Guillerma Ventura to head the Newsletter. From now on, together we will work and write for the issues of our newsletter with the help of our adviser Miss Rosa Aguirre. Thus, we need to fulfill the expectations of the school administrator that we could publish at least one issue a month. We know that this activity calls for a big responsibility. Sometimes, the essays that I edit confuse me but I know this can help me to widen my knowledge in grammar and writing. Editing surely takes hours or even days to finish the articles. Creating new ideas needs time and full concentration. Indeed, I am really honored to head the staff of the editorial board. I know I have many things to learn but I believe in the guidance of Miss Rosa Aguirre. I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Ventura Sr., Mrs. Ventura and Miss Aguirre for choosing me as the E.I.C. and to my co-editors Claire, Jel, Christelle, Victoria, Sheena, Micah, Noah and Morris for believing that I can lead them all.

Lastly, we are encouraging everybody to give his/her contributions to the school newsletter. The task has been given to us and we should prove our worth. Until next issue and God Bless!

By: Richelle Andrea M. Alejandre

FEATURE:
Life at LPS

What a happy day I had during my first day in school! I was surprised when I saw my classmates because of the changes that happened to them. Some grew taller while others remained just the same. However, the most unforgettable part that day was the grand entrance of one of my classmates. When he entered the room, everybody stopped working and looked at him. After a while, we laughed because of his new hairstyle. He asked, “What was funny?” and then one of us stood up and told him that he looked like band vocalist Chito Miranda. Thus, even if most of us changed physically, I know that attitudes remained the same.

By: Claire Alyssandra F. Tanghal

Summer vacation was already finished and now I am coming back to school. To win friends, to study well and to learn more are my objectives. June 10, Tuesday, was the first day of school. When I reached this school, I immediately went to my room. I felt I was welcomed because my classmates greeted me “Hello! And how’s your vacation?” with smiling faces. Then, I met my new classmates Ayumi from San Isidro, Bay, Laguna and Joshua from Brgy. Dila, Bay, Laguna. I am glad that I have new classmates because I know they are possible to be my friends and I am now more determined to be better in class, because my mother challenged me to excel. Also, I met our new teacher Mrs. Marynette Salabsabin in Algebra and Geometry. She was a good teacher because she has long patience to us even if sometimes we are naughty. I consider that day a very exciting one and I wish that will be the start of another beautiful friendship in our class with my new classmates.

By: Micah Marie F. Galapon

Last June 10, 2008, was our first day in school. After a long summer vacation, I saw my classmates again. Mrs. Alicia Tanghal, our adviser, discussed about the rules and regulations of the school. Then, Mr. Christopher Escondo, our TLE teacher gave an assessment test about our past lessons. After him, Miss Marivil Francisco entered our room, being our Filipino teacher. Her direction in our assessment test was somewhat difficult to follow, and honestly, her very beautiful face tantalized us. Sensing that nobody was paying attention to her, she repeated her instruction. We laughed at her, and she laughed with us. That morning was very happy for us.

By: Maria Victoria D. Veterana

It’s the 10th of June 2008, the first day of school, which means I would see my old classmates and apparently new ones, too. So, when I got here at school, I saw many of my old classmates but surprisingly the number of my classmates decreased. Then I met the two new transferees, Ayumi Fukuda from Japan and Joshua Jose Señadoza from Manila. I also met the two new teachers who are Mr. Rhandy Punzalan, a “Balik-LPS” and our History teacher, and Mrs. Marynette Salabsabin, our Mathematics teacher.

By: John Morris Garcia

May 22, 2008, is the end of our summer class in Journalism. Also, it was a day before Christelle’s birthday. My classmates asked Christelle to treat us. And Christelle did. We went to Robinson’s Place and Christelle treated us with Zagu, and we ate fries. Next, we went to UP Baker. There we sat under the tree on the bench near there. We just played songs in cellphone. We laughed a lot because Jelai was dancing on the top of the table. After spending an hour there, it’s time to go home. I had so much fun with them because, even if they were not my classmates in our regular classes, they made me smile and even laugh.

By:Sheena Jean de Jesus

Message from Mrs. Emma C. Ventura, School Principal

It is the start of another school year once again, and may I therefore welcome all of you to our school. I am glad that you have brought your children with us, and please trust that we shall do our best to obtain our goal of 100 percent proficiency in both curricular and co-curricular activities.

Enrollment went down, a trend in private schools throughout the country. It hurts my heart to see some of our children leaving to the public schools. I told our teachers and parents in our parents and teachers meetings that this is a good reason to improve our instructional system. With fewer students, the class becomes more manageable, and everybody is given a chance in recitation, reporting, and experimental activities.

Actually, we got three new teachers, Mr. Punzalan, Mrs. Salabsabin, and Mrs. April Carandang Barrera. Unfortunately, Mrs. Barrera, who happens to be our graduate at LPS, having studied here like Miss Cyrene Caliwagan from Nursery to High School, got married only about three months ago, now pregnant but diagnosed to have some problems in her pregnancy, thus she is advised to rest and not to exert much effort for the sake of her baby. We tried so hard to get her replacement but it was not easy anymore because classes had started already, thus, we decided to assign all her subjects to the other teachers, which fortunately, fitted very well. Anyhow, I am glad that all our teachers have experiences in teaching already, if not at LPS in other schools. This makes my supervisory job much easier.

Life in the Philippines suddenly becomes difficult. Everything is going up. We shall be raising our school transport service fee, but the problem, diesel price is going up every week. We shall wait for sometime for the transport condition to stabilize before announcing any increase in our fees. We used to have educational field trips like that one in Ilocos for the High School and in Subic for the Elementary last school year, but we have to think many times this time because of this crisis that we are going through. Anyway, we shall go on with other co-curricular activities like in the Declamation Contest, Overnight Camping in School, Song and Dance Contests, Spelling Bee Contest, and other usual things that may not be expensive. Like wise, we have to increase something the school fees so that we can now increase the salaries of our teachers and support employees. I hope and pray for your understanding and cooperation. Thank you!

VISION (STUDENT EDITION) EDITORIAL STAFF
Richelle Andrea Alejandre, Editor-In-Chief
Chrystelle Jaraplasan, Associate Editor
Jelriz Joi Lanip
Claire Alyssa Tanghal
Maria Victoria Veterana
Micah Marie Galapon
Noah Batacan
Sheena de Jesus
John Morris Garcia, Managing Editor
Miss ROSA A. AGUIRRE, ADVISER

SCHOOL CALENDAR
July 16 and 17 – Monthly Exams for July (with test permit)
August 2 and 3 - UPCAT
August 18 and 19 – First Quarter Exams (with test permit)