Juan Sumulong: The High School
By Lucino Cali Soriano, JSHS Class 1971
(With inputs from JSHS Team 2014)
FIFTY YEARS ago, no one would ever realize that Juan Sumulong High School - with a total student population of only 207 - would metamorphose into an educational institution that will untiringly shape myriads of creative and bright minds into a NASA flight engineer, world-class physicians, nurses, engineers, accountants, artists, IT experts, pilots, public servants, AFP generals, teachers and crusading journalists. You name it, JSHS had nurtured it.
Starting as an annex of Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School in SY 1961-62, JSHS had only 10 pioneering teachers housed at a rented Cachero Building at corner 10th and Main Avenue, in Murphy, Quezon City.
The first school principal, Mrs. Sofia Javier, served from SY 1964-67, while Miss Aurora Taguba assumed the principalship in 1967 and steadily steered the school until 1972.
During this time, the “school campus” included several leased buildings: Cachero, on Main Ave.; Ocampo, 13th Ave.; Alforte and De la Paz, 18th Ave.; and Cachola, 20th Ave.
Alforte, the two storey main building housed the Administration Office, Library, Guidance Counselor’s Office, Property Custodian’s Office, Music Room, Lodestar Office, mini supply room and school canteen.
In the latter years, evening classes were offered to accommodate the increasing number of enrollees many of whom were working students.
Martial Law Years to 1990
Student activism reached its peak during Miss Taguba’s term. In 1972, Martial Law was declared by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, that placed the entire archipelago into military rule.
Despite the many tough challenges during these trying times, Miss Taguba together with student council officers led by Leonardo Bernabe and Gloria Carbon, was able to negotiate with the Quezon City Government the acquisition of the land whereon the present campus sits. As a fourth year student, this writer was able to document this on a photograph but a copy is no longer available.
Mrs. Virginia Littua-Medel took over the school administration sometime in mid 1972. In 1981, the second JSHS building was constructed. This mitigated the impact of a fast-growing student population.
In August 1982, Mr. Florencio Dumlao succeeded Mrs. Medel. During his incumbency, there was more pronounced improvement in infrastructure and facilities owing to increased appropriations from the government aimed at meeting the problem on growing student population. Ms. Mercedes Benosa, a PEHM Supervisor managed the school from 1989-90.
From 1990 to the Present
Mrs. Norma Mapanao served as principal from 1990-94. During her term, the Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) building - which housed the Home Economics, Tailoring rooms, Library and Science Laboratory – was constructed.
Mrs. Josefina Gabriel was assigned to head the school twice – from 1994-95 and 1997-98, while Dr. Paz Gemoto and Mrs. Florfina Torres served from 1996-97 and 1998-2000 respectively.
Dr. Noemi M. Moncada who was school principal from 2000-05 facilitated the construction of a 12-room building and the installation of a fully-equipped e-library which have been benefitting thousands of students in every school year.
Dr. Diego Amid who took over in September 2005, worked for the approval of Summer Classes starting in 2006. This had benefited hundreds of students who would have had to stay for one more school year at JSHS, if not for the summer classes.
During the term of Dr. Cynthia Vidad, JSHS received high marks in achievement tests. It ranked as one of the Top 10 schools in the Department of Education Achievement Test (DAT) and National Achievement Test (NAT).
Mrs. Lydia Ramos served as principal until November 2011, while Mrs. Armeda Maestro took over in 2011 and served until 2014. In addition to her work in keeping the school at par with other schools in advances in IT (in collaboration with the school’s stakeholders), Mrs. Maestro pioneered the implementation of a revolutionary education program of the Department of Education: the K-to-12. This increased the years of basic education from 10 to 12 years, making the Philippines at par with its Asian neighbors and even with most countries in the world.
(With inputs from JSHS Team 2014)
FIFTY YEARS ago, no one would ever realize that Juan Sumulong High School - with a total student population of only 207 - would metamorphose into an educational institution that will untiringly shape myriads of creative and bright minds into a NASA flight engineer, world-class physicians, nurses, engineers, accountants, artists, IT experts, pilots, public servants, AFP generals, teachers and crusading journalists. You name it, JSHS had nurtured it.
Starting as an annex of Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School in SY 1961-62, JSHS had only 10 pioneering teachers housed at a rented Cachero Building at corner 10th and Main Avenue, in Murphy, Quezon City.
The first school principal, Mrs. Sofia Javier, served from SY 1964-67, while Miss Aurora Taguba assumed the principalship in 1967 and steadily steered the school until 1972.
During this time, the “school campus” included several leased buildings: Cachero, on Main Ave.; Ocampo, 13th Ave.; Alforte and De la Paz, 18th Ave.; and Cachola, 20th Ave.
Alforte, the two storey main building housed the Administration Office, Library, Guidance Counselor’s Office, Property Custodian’s Office, Music Room, Lodestar Office, mini supply room and school canteen.
In the latter years, evening classes were offered to accommodate the increasing number of enrollees many of whom were working students.
Martial Law Years to 1990
Student activism reached its peak during Miss Taguba’s term. In 1972, Martial Law was declared by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, that placed the entire archipelago into military rule.
Despite the many tough challenges during these trying times, Miss Taguba together with student council officers led by Leonardo Bernabe and Gloria Carbon, was able to negotiate with the Quezon City Government the acquisition of the land whereon the present campus sits. As a fourth year student, this writer was able to document this on a photograph but a copy is no longer available.
Mrs. Virginia Littua-Medel took over the school administration sometime in mid 1972. In 1981, the second JSHS building was constructed. This mitigated the impact of a fast-growing student population.
In August 1982, Mr. Florencio Dumlao succeeded Mrs. Medel. During his incumbency, there was more pronounced improvement in infrastructure and facilities owing to increased appropriations from the government aimed at meeting the problem on growing student population. Ms. Mercedes Benosa, a PEHM Supervisor managed the school from 1989-90.
From 1990 to the Present
Mrs. Norma Mapanao served as principal from 1990-94. During her term, the Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) building - which housed the Home Economics, Tailoring rooms, Library and Science Laboratory – was constructed.
Mrs. Josefina Gabriel was assigned to head the school twice – from 1994-95 and 1997-98, while Dr. Paz Gemoto and Mrs. Florfina Torres served from 1996-97 and 1998-2000 respectively.
Dr. Noemi M. Moncada who was school principal from 2000-05 facilitated the construction of a 12-room building and the installation of a fully-equipped e-library which have been benefitting thousands of students in every school year.
Dr. Diego Amid who took over in September 2005, worked for the approval of Summer Classes starting in 2006. This had benefited hundreds of students who would have had to stay for one more school year at JSHS, if not for the summer classes.
During the term of Dr. Cynthia Vidad, JSHS received high marks in achievement tests. It ranked as one of the Top 10 schools in the Department of Education Achievement Test (DAT) and National Achievement Test (NAT).
Mrs. Lydia Ramos served as principal until November 2011, while Mrs. Armeda Maestro took over in 2011 and served until 2014. In addition to her work in keeping the school at par with other schools in advances in IT (in collaboration with the school’s stakeholders), Mrs. Maestro pioneered the implementation of a revolutionary education program of the Department of Education: the K-to-12. This increased the years of basic education from 10 to 12 years, making the Philippines at par with its Asian neighbors and even with most countries in the world.
Dr. Zenaida Y. Arao, who served as successful school paper adviser for 29 years, is the current school principal. This writer had a number of meetings and an interview with this soft-spoken, intelligent and very accommodating school head. She believes that the demanding task of providing quality education is attainable through close collaboration of the teachers, school heads and principal, parents, LGUs, DepEd and other stakeholders. In this way, it can continually produce quality graduates living up to the ideals of the man himself – Juan Sumulong.
JSHS @50, December 27, 2014 Alumni Homecoming