Caraga Regional Science High School

Caraga Regional Science High School
Mataas na Paaralan ng Agham Panrehiyon ng Caraga

Regional Science High School XIII
Latin: Regionalium Scientia Alta Schola
Former names
 San Juan National High School-RSHS Annex
Motto Scientia Et Virtus
Motto in English
 "Knowledge And Virtue"
Established 1996
Type Science High School
Principal Matilde J. Manliguis, SSP IV
Location Surigao City, Surigao del Norte,  Philippines
Campus San Juan, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte
Language English, Filipino
Colors Blue and White         
Nickname CRSHS, CARSci, RegSci
Affiliations Department of Education - Division of Surigao del Norte
Regional Science High School Union

CARAGA Regional Science High School is a public school in San Juan, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, Philippines. CARAGA RSHS is the leading school in the Division of Surigao City with high MPS during the annual National Achievement Tests (NAT), and has been consistent in making its name in Division, Regional, National and International level contests.

History

The birth of the DepEd Caraga Administrative Region or Region XIII on February 23, 1995 by virtue of the Republic Act No. 7901, required the establishment of a Regional Science High School with a permanent site.

Regional Director Sol F. Matugas tasked City Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Glorina Mongaya-Tremedal, to seek support from former Surigao City Mayor Salvador Sering who agreed with the idea and so donated an area of 10,000 sq.m. located at the portion of Barangay, San Juan.

The Caraga Regional Science High School made Matilde J. Manliguis, appointed by Director Matugas, head of the school aside from her designation as the principal of the SJNHS.

For the first two years, CRSHS shared the roof of San Juan National High School as it had no building of its own. The realization of the school building took over a year considering that the location was still swampy. Finally in 1999, it transferred to its new site with a six classroom building with a science and a computer laboratory rooms.

CRSHS started its humble beginning with 120 freshmen qualifiers mostly coming from the elementary schools of the same division and the nearby towns. The number of students gradually decreased yearly until what was left on its fourth year were the 49 students who became the pioneering graduates.

In 2003-2004, DepEd Caraga granted CRSHS the permission to operate a separate secondary school. CRSHS caught the attention of the entire nation when it maintained its place as topnotcher in the National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT); consequently, putting the school in the Hall of fame.

Admission and Retention

Admission to CARAGA RSHS

Students who belong to the upper 10% of the Grade VI graduating class and who have been recommended by their respective principals are qualified to take the entrance examination.

Selection will be done in three stages and is conducted by the school. The first stage is the administration of standardized mental ability and aptitude test. The student applicant must belong to the 40 percent of the first stage of examination in order to advance to the second stage.

The second stage is the proficiency test in Science, English, and Mathematics. The stage qualifier should obtain at least 75 percent proficiency level in order to advance to the last stage of the selection process.

The last stage is the interview of the student and parents. It would be conducted by the RSHS screening committee. The interview shall be rated in accordance with a prepared rubric and shall be an integral part of the score obtained by the student.

Retention

A student should obtain a final average grade of at least 85% in English, Mathematics and Science, with no grade lower than 80% in any of these subjects, in any grading period, and a final grade of 83% in the rest of the subjects. If a student fails to meet the latter grade requirement the student will be in probation for a period of one year.

There were plans before of increasing the cut-off grade in Science, Math, and English subjects from 85% to 88% and the rest of the subjects from 83% to 85%, however this wasn't implemented due to some circumstances.

Transfer

Only students who have maintained the grade requirement set for RSHS shall be allowed to transfer laterally, that is, from one RSHS to another. Transfer from general high school to the RSHS is not allowed in any curriculum year.

The RSHS Curriculum

Overview

Regional Science High Schools implements a curriculum which is different from Regular High Schools (which uses RBEC curriculum), Science High Schools other than RSHS (which uses ESEP curriculum) in the Philippines and Philippine Science High School (which implements curriculum prescribed by DOST).

The curriculum consists of four levels, which is two years of general studies, followed by two years of a student-chosen major. Students apply for majors in sophomore year, and take four semesters of major classes throughout junior and senior year.

The school offers a highly accelerated curriculum for math, science and information and communications technology and a custom-made curriculum tailored for the school in the areas of the English and Filipino languages, Social Studies, and humanities, with required courses and a wide selection of electives. Students have an opportunity to do independent research, and many compete in the annual Intel Science Fair.

The basic science courses includes earth & environmental sciences, biology, chemistry, and physics. First year students tackle earth & environmental science, and Introduction to Physical Sciences (Physics & Chemistry). Biology, Chemistry and Physics is introduced during second year. Sophomores tackle the areas of botany, inorganic chemistry, and mechanics. Zoology, organic chemistry, and thermodynamics is studied by juniors. Seniors have human biology, analytical chemistry and electricity, electronics, electromagnetics, and vectors.

In mathematics, students takes up elementary mathematics, elementary and intermediate algebra, plane and solid geometry, and probability and statistics during freshman. Linear algebra, analytic geometry, plane and spherical trigonometry, and statistics in research are taken during sophomore. Differential and integral calculus and Differential equations, and Advanced Statistics are learned by juniors. Seniors tackle advanced topics in mathematics.

Students takes a four year English course. Grammar and composition is tackled by freshmen and sophomores, while journalism, and speech and drama are included in the junior and senior course respectively. Technical writing is also included in the freshmen English course. Philippine literature, Asian literature, World Literature, and Contemporary literature are taught during freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years, respectively.

Information and communications technology (ICT) is also a part of the curriculum. Freshmen learn about computer fundamentals, digital design, and programming. Sophomores undergo a computer programming and applications course. Digital signal processing is learned by juniors. Data communication and networking is a part of the senior year.

Four years of Filipino language and literatures are required. Sining ng Pakikipagtalastasan (communication arts) courses are studied by freshman and sophomores. Juniors tackle pagbasa at pagsulat sa ibat ibang disciplina (reading and writing in different disciplines) while seniors learn about retorika (rhetoric). Included in their panatikan (literature) course are Ibong Adarna, Florante at Laura, Noli Me Tangere, and El Filibusterismo, which are tackled during freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years, respectively.

Social studies and History classes are required. Philippine History, Asian history, World History, and Life of Jose Rizal are taken up by freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, respectively. Sociology, geography, economics, and political science are learned during freshman, sophomore, junior and senior, respectively.

Health and Physical Education courses are also required, with many activities to choose from.

Previously Values Education was taught in RSHSs in freshman and sophomore levels, however the subject was removed from the RSHSs curricula in 2003. The subject was replaced by Technical writing & intro to statistics in freshman curriculla and Statistics in Research in sophomore curricula. However Values Education subject was back after its almost 10 years of not teaching it is was return as one of the subject for freshmen Grade -7 students starting in S.Y. 2012-2013 due to K-12curriculum. But the subjects Research and Basic Statistics Were not remove. Therefore there are total of 10 subjects were taught for Grade - 7 students.

Amendments

In reference to Dep. Ed order No. 25 S. 2006, the following are amendments to enclosure no. 1 of Dep. Ed order no. 49 s. 2003 entitled "The 2003 Curriculum of Regional Science High Schools"

a. Mathematics Curricular offerings effective school year 2006-2007

b. Mathematics Curricular offerings effective school year 2007-2008

c. Differential equation and Geology/Meteorology/Astronomy as electives in fourth year shall not be offered as electives for high school students.

CARAGA Regional Science High School Curriculum

Subject Area 7th Graders(Junior High) 8th Graders (Junior High) Curriculum Year Level 3 Curriculum Year Level 4 Curriculum Year Level 5 (Senior High) Curriculum Year Level 6 (Senior High)
Science Environmental Science; Integrated Science I Integrated Science I; BioTechnology (Elective) Chemistry I (Basic Chemistry); Physics I (Basic Physics); Chemistry II (Advanced Chemistry); Physics II (Advanced Physics) TBA TBA
Mathematics Real Numbers System; Elementary Algebra; Basic Geometry; Basic Statistics Mathematics II-A: Intermediate Algebra; Intermediate Geometry; Intermediate Statistics Mathematics III (Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry); Advanced Statistics Calculus; Linear Algebra TBA TBA
English Grammar, Communication Skills, and Literature Grammar, Communication Skills, and Afro-Asian Literature Grammar, Communication Skills, and English Literature Grammar, Communication Skills, and World Literature TBA TBA
Filipino Filipino I Filipino II Filipino III (Noli Me Tangere) Filipino IV (El Filibusterismo) TBA TBA
Social Science Araling Panlipunan I (Philippine History) Araling Panlipunan II (Asian History) Araling Panlipunan III (World History) Araling Panlipunan IV (Economics) TBA TBA
MAPEH MAPEH 1 (K-12 curriculum) MAPEH 2 (K-12 curriculum) Music III; Media Arts III; Dance Class III; Sports III Music IV; Media Arts IV; Dance Class IV; Sports IV TBA TBA
Computer Education Computer Education I Computer Education II No Computer Education [for this curriculum] No Computer Education [for this curriculum] TBA TBA
Research None Advanced Technical Writing II (Elective) Research II-A (Research in Statistics) Research II-B (Advanced Research in Science) TBA TBA
Electives No Electives for this Year Level Advanced Technical Writing; BioTechnology; Geometry; Analytic Geometry; Zoology No Elective Subjects offered for the 4th year level TBA TBA
Values Education Values Education I Values Education II TBA TBA TBA TBA

Student opportunities

Research

Along with a rigorous academic foundation, and an array of extracurricular choices, students are provided with original research opportunities in the biological, physical, and social sciences, as well as in field of mathematics and programs that hone students' investigation skills and prepare them for academic competitions.

Sections

Each Grade Level is divided into different sections. Often times, each section compete with each other in school activities. Other times, the competition is between each year level. Its more like a Harry Potter competition between houses (with each section as the houses), but at the end of the day, everybody are friends.

Grade 7 Copernicus Lavoisier Mendel Fleming
Grade 8 Aristotle Pasteur Socrates Linnaeus
Grade 9 Archimedes Galileo Newton
4th Year Bohr Boyle Darwin

Publications

The two publications of CARAGA Regional Science High School have been maintaining their spots as one of the multi-awarded school papers in the Philippines.

References