Jose Abad Santos Memorial School

Jose Abad Santos Memorial School
Motto Borderless Experience
Established 1949
Type Private, Progressive Non-sectarian, Co-educational
Principal Mrs. Remedios H. Cruz (Manila), Mrs. Diana Guttierez (Quezon City)
Location Manila, Philippines
Accreditation PAASCU (JASMS Manila)
Campus P.H. Lim St., Malate, Manila, EDSA, Quezon City
Colors Maroon, and White          
Newspaper JASMS Chronicle
Hymns The JASMS Song, The University Hymn
Website jasmsmla.edu.ph, jasmsqc.edu.ph

Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, usually referred to as JASMS, established 1949, is the brand for PWU's basic education (Kinder to Grade 12). JASMS subscribes to the JASMS Way which is a locally developed, non-traditional and progressive education system that values the dignity of each individual. JASMS cultivates freedom of spirit, exploration and expression with the ultimate goal of balanced development and growth.

JASMS offers pre-school education, elementary education, secondary education, and special education.

JASMS is recognized by the Department of Education and also a charter member of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities. In the last quarter of 2011, STI Holdings, Inc. acquired 40% of PWU and JASMS.

History

Birth of JASMS

The seeds from which JASMS grew were planted in 1919 when the Philippine Women's College was first established. The first Kindergarten class was in A. Flores St. near Taft Avenue, Manila.

Affection for children and concern for their well-being were emphasized in the close personal relation of the staff to each of the pupils. This characterized the spirit of the Philippine Women's College from its very beginning, a project that grew to strengthen family life and its contribution to an independent Philippines.

The PWC continued to grow and as it grew, the family feeling and strong personal ties and loyalties strengthened. It was in this atmosphere of maternal care that the children's school needs were met.

The use by PWU of a curriculum based on the children's experiences began in 1933 with Doreen B. Gamboa and Priscilla Abaya building an environment to meet the needs of children without having to pattern or adopting a philosophy from other schools or countries. There came a need for the younger children to be in school, so in 1935, the Nursery school was bom admitting children 18 months to 3 years of age, something unheard of at that time. The Kindergarten school grew and expanded into the Grade School following Child Development approach to education.

From the outset, the school accepted boys and girls, so it was fitting to give the school a new name. Thus, the Philippine Women's University Elementary Department came to be named after the late Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University and a man whom the country acknowledges as one of the outstanding examples of a socially courageous and responsible citizen, a man who faced martyrdom for his country. "JASMS" stands for the Jose Abad Santos Memorial School.

History Highlights

JASMS is the outgrowth of the many years of work that Doreen Barber Gamboa had with children with the inspiration and support of the late Francisca Tirona Benitez who was then the President of the University.

The Elementary Department has gone through several stages of development and has been a laboratory school where community living has formed the content of the curriculum while the methods take into account principles and philosophy of child development. Children's experiences play an important role in the curriculum; so do abilities, aptitudes and interest of children. An atmosphere to explore, to be creative and to build confidence in the child is an important part of the school setting.

Beginning as the Elementary and Training Department of the Philippine Women's College at A. Flores St. in Ermita, in 1933 added a Nursery class for the children 18 months to 3 years of age, eventually setting up a Boarding Nursery in 1938 to include children whose parents were working or not in the city. By 1936, the Kindergarten was expanded into the Child Development Department headed by Mrs. Gamboa.

By 1941, parents asked that the Child Development approach be carried on into the grade school. A Grade I “experimental class” was set up but was abruptly ended by WWII.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Gamboa set up a Kindergarten and ungraded Primary classes in an old house at the corner of Taft Avenue and Tennessee (now Malvar). By World War II's end, the PWU building was burned. Quonset huts were built to house the Kindergarten and Elementary classes by day and to serve as dormitory by night. Fronting PWU, these huts were located at the site of what would be referred to as the JASMS Annex. Other big houses undamaged by the war became the classrooms of the children. One such house was owned by the late Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos.

Upon the return of Doreen Gamboa from abroad for her graduate work, a complete reorganization took place in 1949 and together with some others; they set themselves to the task of building cooperatively a Preschool and Elementary department which could be an active expression of the Principles of Child Development. The school's name officially became The Philippine Women's University – Jose Abad Santos Memorial School.

In the late 50's the University opened PWU-JASMS along what is now known as Edsa to serve the needs of the growing community of Philamlife Homes and in 1962, the PWU-JASMS High School at Quezon City opened. PWU-JASMS Manila acquired a new site along Indiana (now P. H. Lim) street in Malate but still maintained the (Annex) Taft Avenue facilities for the younger children.

The PWU administration heeded the call of parents to open a high school for boys and girls, so, on June 2004, the First year class opened with 8 boys from the PWU-JASMS Grade VII graduates. The high school continued to grow, graduating its first class of 19 (from the original 8 ) on March 2008. The year 2010 marked 2 milestones in JASMS Manila history, the PWU-JASMS Manila High School was granted, its formal government recognition and the Preschool to Grade III classes transferred to the Unlad building across the street from the original Annex. Henceforth, the facility will be named JASMS UNLAD.

Last quarter of 2011, STI Holdings, Inc. acquired 40% of PWU and JASMS.

June 2012, JASMS ceased the Grade VII for elementary as the school introduce the new basic education curriculum (Kinder to Grade 12). This summer, JASMS had a program for the Grade VII graduates of 2012 that will permit them to skip Grade VII of High School which supposedly in the old curriculum is first year High School.

Last quarter of 2012, PWU-JASMS QC has reclaimed the former lot of JASMS Quezon City, known as JASMS Mountains. As part of the acquisition of STI Holdings, Inc., it will open a JASMS campus along Ortigas Ave. in Cainta, Rizal and expand outside of Metro Manila if possible.[1]

Mission & Vision

Mission

The development of a whole person, participating member of the home, the community and the world through: experience in group living, finding a variety of opportunities for creative expression, confidence to explore and valuing the thinking-questing process, acquiring skills to move ahead in life, sense of fulfillment in accomplishment, respect for the individual's worth, consideration for others and the beauty in cooperative effort with reverence and appreciation for all manifestations of life and the realization that a child grows up only once and the need to let his childhood be a happy one.

Vision

The children are our future, the builders of our nation: belonging, contributing with initiative and responsibility; with sense of personal and social worthiness, working with others cooperatively; God-fearing and imbued with reverence for life.

JASMS Parents Teachers Organization

The JASMS Parent-Teachers Council (Manila Campus) and JASMS – Parent Teachers Association (Quezon City Campus) composed of parents and teacher-counterpart looks after some of the school's needs, and ensures that the school's needed help is met whenever possible.

The JASMS Rondalla

Jose Abad Santos Memorial School- JASMS, Rondalla ensemble was organized April 2007 with 8 children by Mr. Noli Rodriguez. JASMS Rondalla is offered free to all Grade four - Fourth year students of JASMS Manila.

A JASMS Rondalla Concert

JASMS's aim is to give life to Filipino folk songs through the music of the different rondalla instruments and the promotion and preservation of Filipino music through rondalla.

JASMS Rondalla Concert Series

The JASMS Rondalla had been holding major concerts bannering the theme "Himig ng Lahi". Performed at the PWU Concert Hall and in February 2013 at JASMS Quezon City.

JASMS Quezon City (February 16, 2013)

Other Concerts

Facilities

The facilities of the PWU-JASMS includes:

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "STI to expand JASMS, tap debt market for additional funds". Interaksyon. 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2013-06-08.

External links