i decided not to say anything about this matter because personally, i don't know which side to pick. But it's just a trending topic, especially for the alumni. They're strongly against it. You can check this facebook site put up for the rally against accepting boys in highschool. I agree, that the alumni should have been consulted regarding this before making any formal announcement or changes in the school. (babalahurain ko na ito) ano naman ang silbi ng pagkakaroon ng association ng mga alumni para sa school kung wala din naman silang say? Sabi nga sa letter ng association to the Provincial Superior,
"The AAA had always been considered in the past as a partner and a valued stakeholder of the School, whose involvement was sought on many diverse issues, such as, just in the past year, inviting nominees for School Principal as well as the conduct of the Centennial Celebration. It begs the question therefore as to why for such a major shift in policy as changing the gender composition of the high school students, the AAA was not consulted. "
I say, the matter could've been handled better if the changes in policies were discussed with all parties involved. It was also a rash decision, on the administration's part. If this was all for marketing and business propaganda of some sort, then again, this should have been discussed, with how feasible and effective this change would be for the community. I understand why they are against this, they were caught off guard with this surprise, parang tuloy feeling ko the admin woke up one morning and decided "hey! let's accept boys!" I do not know the complete details of the process that the administration went through to arrive at this decision, I trust that they have given this complete thought and discernment. Then again, AAA should have been part of that process.
Again, wala talaga akong alam kung anong nangyayari except that letter from the AAA i read through facebook, which is why I'm choosing not to say anything. If this matter were to be treated like some sort of debate, I'd suck at trying to defend any of the sides because I can also see some advantage to having boys in the highschool community, same goes with just staying as an all-girls (high)school. This debate (in my head) would go on and on, sooooooo. I'm just gonna stay shut.
Besides, the alumni aren't listened to anyway.
_______________________________
February 11, 2011
Sr. Maria Josefina Matias, R.A.
Provincial Superior
Philippine-Thailand Province
#1 Sacrepante Street, Boni Avenue
Mandaluyong City
Metro Manila 1501
Dear Sr. Marjo:
Greetings!
We, the members of the Board of the Assumption Alumni Association, Iloilo Chapter (AAA), express our deep disappointment over the surprising announcement that Assumption-Iloilo has decided to accept “our boys to first and second year High School until they graduate” (Letter of Sr. Nilda Hechanova, r.a. to Parents and Guardians, dated January 17, 2011). We strongly oppose this decision to accept boys in Assumption- Iloilo High School Department.
The disappointment and opposition springs from the fact that the School did not take any effort to consult the Alumni Association, the organization which is the voice of the Old Girls and Old Boys of Assumption-Iloilo. The AAA had always been considered in the past as a partner and a valued stakeholder of the School, whose involvement was sought on many diverse issues, such as, just in the past year, inviting nominees for School Principal as well as the conduct of the Centennial Celebration. It begs the question therefore as to why for such a major shift in policy as changing the gender composition of the high school students, the AAA was not consulted. We find it ironic that a mere five months after a glorious celebration of the Assumption-Iloilo Centennial, an event for which the AAA poured its heart and soul for five long years prior, the school did not even see fit to give the AAA the courtesy of a single consultation meeting, much less an official letter regarding such a shift in the school’s direction. We unceremoniously became aware of the school’s final decision, only through the aforementioned circular of Sr. Nilda Hechanova addressed to parents and guardians.
We decry the apparent lack of transparency in the decision making process by the School. Because of the absence of transparency in the decision-making, we do not have any appreciation of the reasons for this sudden shift in major policy. The letter to parents asserts only that the move is a way to live up to the theme of “Assomption sans frontieres” and that it would want to share its excellent program of transformative education to “our boys up to High School”. For such a major policy shift, we would have expected that it had been done with less haste, with better thought-out justification vis-à-vis Assumption mission-vision, preceded by a feasibility study which considers not only economic but also social impact factors, and with a genuine consultation with all stakeholders to ascertain acceptability.
Some questions that we have encountered from alumni are:
• How ready are the High School students, faculty and staff in dealing with mixed classes of adolescents?
• How acceptable is having co-educational high school to parents who had originally wanted an allgirls high school for their daughters?
• What is the advantage of having a mixed-sex classroom compared to the known benefits on adolescent social development of exclusive (boy or girl) classes?
• What triggered the move to admit boys into the High School?
• Why is Assumption-Iloilo relinquishing its unique selling point of having the only high school left in Iloilo City that offers education to an all-girls enrolment?
• If increasing enrolment was a major decision point, did the School consider the possibility that it can also lose enrolment of girls once it is no longer an all-girls high school?
We are sure the proponents may have answers to these questions; however, we are in the dark as to what these answers are.
We would like to ask that the School hold in abeyance this decision to accept boys in the High School until adequate and genuine consultation of the various stakeholders, of which our constituency is a major one, has been undertaken. The consultation will be a chance for the Administration and the Board of Trustees to enlighten stakeholders on the merits of this move. This request is made in the belief that a transparent process will lead a united Assumption community to where Assumption is meant to be.
This letter of the AAA Board is written from a spirit of concern about whether such a move will be good for our Beloved Assumption and as an exercise of our responsibility to the alumni that AAA represents. Coming out of the euphoria of the successful Centennial Celebration in August 2010 when, at no time in the past, alumni of Assumption-Iloilo immersed themselves in celebrating Assumption education and formation, it is truly disappointing (some express feelings of betrayal) that alumni were not consulted and given any value in the process of decision-making.
We look forward to your sensitive response to this serious concern of the Assumption Alumni Association. To reiterate, we ask that the decision be held in abeyance until adequate and genuine consultation with the various stakeholders are undertaken. In this regard, we are willing, upon request of the School, to facilitate the holding of consultation meetings where Assumption can make presentations to the alumni.
On behalf of the AAA Board,
Yours faithfully,
Rose Soriano Arenas (sgd.)
President
James Michael M. Caling (sgd.)
Secretary
Cc:
Sr. Diana Wauters, r.a. - Superior General
Sr. Clare Cecilia Salvani, r.a. – Superior
Sr. Nilda Hechanova, r.a – School Chairperson
Alumni
Sr. Maria Josefina Matias, R.A.
Provincial Superior
Philippine-Thailand Province
#1 Sacrepante Street, Boni Avenue
Mandaluyong City
Metro Manila 1501
Dear Sr. Marjo:
Greetings!
We, the members of the Board of the Assumption Alumni Association, Iloilo Chapter (AAA), express our deep disappointment over the surprising announcement that Assumption-Iloilo has decided to accept “our boys to first and second year High School until they graduate” (Letter of Sr. Nilda Hechanova, r.a. to Parents and Guardians, dated January 17, 2011). We strongly oppose this decision to accept boys in Assumption- Iloilo High School Department.
The disappointment and opposition springs from the fact that the School did not take any effort to consult the Alumni Association, the organization which is the voice of the Old Girls and Old Boys of Assumption-Iloilo. The AAA had always been considered in the past as a partner and a valued stakeholder of the School, whose involvement was sought on many diverse issues, such as, just in the past year, inviting nominees for School Principal as well as the conduct of the Centennial Celebration. It begs the question therefore as to why for such a major shift in policy as changing the gender composition of the high school students, the AAA was not consulted. We find it ironic that a mere five months after a glorious celebration of the Assumption-Iloilo Centennial, an event for which the AAA poured its heart and soul for five long years prior, the school did not even see fit to give the AAA the courtesy of a single consultation meeting, much less an official letter regarding such a shift in the school’s direction. We unceremoniously became aware of the school’s final decision, only through the aforementioned circular of Sr. Nilda Hechanova addressed to parents and guardians.
We decry the apparent lack of transparency in the decision making process by the School. Because of the absence of transparency in the decision-making, we do not have any appreciation of the reasons for this sudden shift in major policy. The letter to parents asserts only that the move is a way to live up to the theme of “Assomption sans frontieres” and that it would want to share its excellent program of transformative education to “our boys up to High School”. For such a major policy shift, we would have expected that it had been done with less haste, with better thought-out justification vis-à-vis Assumption mission-vision, preceded by a feasibility study which considers not only economic but also social impact factors, and with a genuine consultation with all stakeholders to ascertain acceptability.
Some questions that we have encountered from alumni are:
• How ready are the High School students, faculty and staff in dealing with mixed classes of adolescents?
• How acceptable is having co-educational high school to parents who had originally wanted an allgirls high school for their daughters?
• What is the advantage of having a mixed-sex classroom compared to the known benefits on adolescent social development of exclusive (boy or girl) classes?
• What triggered the move to admit boys into the High School?
• Why is Assumption-Iloilo relinquishing its unique selling point of having the only high school left in Iloilo City that offers education to an all-girls enrolment?
• If increasing enrolment was a major decision point, did the School consider the possibility that it can also lose enrolment of girls once it is no longer an all-girls high school?
We are sure the proponents may have answers to these questions; however, we are in the dark as to what these answers are.
We would like to ask that the School hold in abeyance this decision to accept boys in the High School until adequate and genuine consultation of the various stakeholders, of which our constituency is a major one, has been undertaken. The consultation will be a chance for the Administration and the Board of Trustees to enlighten stakeholders on the merits of this move. This request is made in the belief that a transparent process will lead a united Assumption community to where Assumption is meant to be.
This letter of the AAA Board is written from a spirit of concern about whether such a move will be good for our Beloved Assumption and as an exercise of our responsibility to the alumni that AAA represents. Coming out of the euphoria of the successful Centennial Celebration in August 2010 when, at no time in the past, alumni of Assumption-Iloilo immersed themselves in celebrating Assumption education and formation, it is truly disappointing (some express feelings of betrayal) that alumni were not consulted and given any value in the process of decision-making.
We look forward to your sensitive response to this serious concern of the Assumption Alumni Association. To reiterate, we ask that the decision be held in abeyance until adequate and genuine consultation with the various stakeholders are undertaken. In this regard, we are willing, upon request of the School, to facilitate the holding of consultation meetings where Assumption can make presentations to the alumni.
On behalf of the AAA Board,
Yours faithfully,
Rose Soriano Arenas (sgd.)
President
James Michael M. Caling (sgd.)
Secretary
Cc:
Sr. Diana Wauters, r.a. - Superior General
Sr. Clare Cecilia Salvani, r.a. – Superior
Sr. Nilda Hechanova, r.a – School Chairperson
Alumni
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