Diploma: Key to Unlock Opportunities

It is graduation time. It is a time to be happy and to celebrate it. The Division of La Carlota City will have its graduation on March 18 or 19, 2013 in compliance with Department of Education (DepED) order number 9, series 2013.

Acting Schools Division Superintendent, Portia M. Mallorca of La Carlota City is extending her warmest congratulations to all the graduates of the 23 public elementary, 3 secondary and 2 secondary extension schools in this school year 2012 - 2013.

Time for Celebration

In a statement she said, "This is your moment to celebrate success and an opportune time to express your gratitude to your family, teachers and friends who supported you through the years of struggles as you worked towards the realization of your dreams.

Tapestry of Well-Being

"Each single experience of failure and victory, pains and gains, tears and laughter forms the tapestry of what you are now. In consonance with our graduation theme "Building The Nation's Future Leaders Through the K to 12 Basic Education Program" each learning opportunity is a brick that lays the foundation of what you will become in the future.

Conduct of NAT Reliable?

The Department of Education (DepEd) through the National Education and Testing Research Center (NETRC) is administering the National Achievement Test (NAT) nationwide as scheduled.

This is to determine the academic performance of elementary pupils and secondary students in their basic learning areas like English, Filipino, Science, Mathematics, and Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies).

Does the results of this NAT reliable? It seems that the National Achievement Test (NAT) conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) posed in some aspect a suspicion as to reliability and validity as what one commented on a news report online.

This observant alleged that there were results in public schools, which are not "real score" of the students. But the results were rather "doctored" by the teachers themselves.

I don't know what is the bases for this allegation. This is quite misleading, inappropriate generalization. In our own division here in La Carlota, we have conducted an intensive review for our NAT takers every Saturday and in several minutes before the pupils go home in the afternoon.

Probably she aired this unfavorable general observation for she's affected by the higher Mean Percentage Score which the public schools got in the said NAT, while theirs in private schools, their MPS scored lower.

As a matter of standard operating procedure, the public school teachers especially who are assigned to conduct the test, are oriented carefully as to observe faithfully the honesty in the conduct of the said test.

Pre-Conference

In fact, before the conduct of this test, a conference was held on the proper conduct/administration of the test, the standard procedure, the security of test materials, among others.

Meaning everything is ironed out before the proper conduct of the test. Now which part is suspicious? the intensive supervision? Or other else?

Division Testing Coordinator  G. Tionsay Monitoring  the Pre_NAT

Directive to All Divisions and District Supervisors

The public school teachers are doing their best to excel in this NAT but not to cheat nor to "correct" the lower score to a higher one. The DepEd is aware of every result of the test and wants "to raise the learning outcomes among the schools which were classified under the Poor Achievement and Lower Average rate."

Therefore, Secretary Luistro issued DepEd Order # 72, s. 2011 directing all the divisions and the district supervisors to provide intensive supervision to those school which are poor achiever and with lower average rates. Now in complying this directive, the schools in public have shown a better development and even a notable achievement in this national achievement test.

This year's National Achievement Test is scheduled in the following dates:

March 6 is for the 4th year students of public and private schools. March 12 is for Grade 3 pupils of public and Madrasah schools. March 13 is for Grade 6 pupils of public and private schools

Conduct of Pre-NAT

Meanwhile, the Division of La Carlota has conducted its pre-NAT in Grade 3 and Grade 6, while the 4th students are having their actually testing today.

Ms. Gloria G. Tionsay, the Division Testing Coordinator with Ma'm Ruth Convite, EPS-Math and District 3 Supervisor Salvacion Espanola and planning officer Francisca Nabor monitored the conduct of the test to check that the correct procedures and proper conduct of the test are followed.

Shimmering, Glittering, Splendid Night!

All teachers in the Division of La Carlota, Department of Education (DepEd) invaded the night with their shimmering, glittering, splendid Christmas Talent Presentation.

Mallroca giving an opening reamarks

The 25 schools in the said division displayed their skills in dancing, singing with their costumes in glistening, sparkling features to add illumination in the well-lighted trees around the public plaza.

The acting schools division superintendent, Dr. Portia M. Mallorca welcomed all the teachers and the invited guests in this once-in-a-lifetime show in the annal of Division of La Carlota.

"In everything there is a season and in everything we do there is a reason," opened up Mallorca's message, "Tonight, you are all here to show to the world that teachers are not only beautiful in their uniform, but they are more beautiful wearing these shimmering, glittering dresses for tonight's show."

School Heads Keep The Wheels on Turning

For their capacity as a transformative leaders in their respective schools, the 27 school heads and department heads of secondary schools are now ready to discharge their capability building task for the professional development of their teachers when they get back to their own schools.

Training and JEL relationship

They are now well equipped to implement what they've acquired from their 4-day series of  training/workshop at the conference hall of the division office of La Carlota City under the able, competent set of trainers.

In her message, OIC-Schools Division Superintendent Portia M. Mallorca of La Carlota City was confident in challenging them to do their role as effective transformative school principals in providing opportunities for their teachers to improve their output in their academic performance of their pupils.

Making First Grader Learn To Read Dialect

Various techniques and methods of teaching reading to grade one pupils like vowel sound, phonetic combination, and correct accent and syllabic blend with appropriate picture could be used.

Ma'm Portia in Post Conference with Ma'm Palanog

And one of them was recently demonstrated by Ma'm Portia M. Mallorca, OIC, schools division superintendent of La Carlota in her unannounced visit to Cubay Elementary School recently.

She handled separately the classes of my two grade one teachers, Mrs. Lelanie Suyo and Mrs. Nona S. Palanog after a 15-minute class observation and a 10-minute post conference with them. She demonstrated a simple technique in making these grade pupils read efficiently and correctly in a mother-tongue class.

Going Back to My First School Teaching Assignment

After 21 years, I have the opportunity to go back to my first school teaching assignment in Caiñaman Elementary School not as a teacher nor a school principal, but as a chief examiner of the first Division Unified Test for the Grades 2 to 6 pupils of the said school. This is something to reckon with, something to value and something to share it.

The gate of my first school

I couldn't control myself from shedding a tear upon entering the gate of Caiñaman Elementary School, Division of La Carlota City when I conducted the first division unified test there together with my present teachers in Cubay Elem. School.

CES was my first school assignment as a classroom teacher in 1991. I was a relief teacher, handling Grade 5 and Grade 6 subjects like English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Elementary Agriculture, Industrial Arts, P.E., Music, and Arts. I was also assigned as a property custodian, Boy Scout coordinator and Non-Formal Education coordinator of the school.

I was teaching there for 7 years and later was transferred to central school, La Carlota South Elementary School 1 for 2 years until I was promoted to head teacher 3 and finally principal 1.

Teachers League Officers: Tapestry of Leaders

The new set of District II Teachers' League Officers for school year 2012-2013 were figuratively described by their inducting officer as "tapestry of leaders" for they're expected to be a "good weaver" in their recent induction rites.

"Why are you here?" "Why are you inducted (to office)?" asked OIC-SDS Portia M. Mallorca who is a "resume' of a true leader" as the emcee, Frances Marie P. Servicio addressed her.

Mallorca

Mallorca inspired this new set of elected officers in her message. She regarded them as a "tapestry" of leaders for they're "good weaver" to achieve their common goal for their organization.

Thus, everyone as a "good weaver" must be working together harmoniously and collaboratively for  one mission, one vision, though they've different strategy.

"It is an opportunity for being the officer to show your best," said Mallorca.

"Be the best of a person. There's a time that you can't be awarded, but you can be a good leader," she urged.