PAREF Southridge School
| PAREF-Southridge School Paaralang PAREF-Southridge | |
|---|---|
| File:Srseal.jpg | |
| Address | |
Hillsborough Subd. Bo. Cupang Muntinlupa City , | |
| Information | |
| Type | All Boys |
| Motto | Viriliter Agite Be a Man! |
| Established | 1979 |
| School district | Muntinlupa |
| Oversight | Opus Dei |
| President | Dr. Vaughn F. Montes |
| Principal | Luis Barrientos Primary School Ivan dela Fuente Intermediate School Nick Galvez High School |
| Executive Director | Dr. Jose Rene C. Gayo |
| Chaplain | Fr. Cecilio Magsino |
| Grades | Prep, Grades 1-7, HS I-IV |
| Number of students | 1,099 |
| Campus | Urban, ~3 hectares |
| Color(s) | Blue and Green |
| Mascot | Vinta- PAREF Logo Helm- School Logo |
| Newspaper | The Junior Ridge GS The Ridge (CMMA Hall of Famer for Best HS Paper) HS |
| Yearbook | Viator |
| School Hymn | Gaudeamus Igitur |
| Supervising Organization | PAREF (Parents for Education Foundation) |
| Website | [1] |
| GS—Prep & Grade School; HS—High School | |
 Southridge's Grade School Student Council | |
PAREF Southridge School, also known simply as Southridge, is a private school for boys in Hillsborough, Muntinlupa City, Philippines. It was a set up by Parents for Education Foundation (PAREF), a group of parents who aims to provide an education geared towards the total development of children. One of the key ingredients of PAREF education is an active home-school collaboration and the development of responsible freedom. Southridge school is composed of a primary, intermediate, and high school. Its executive director is Jose Rene C. Gayo. The spiritual formation of the families in Southridge is provided by priests of the prelature of Opus Dei.
Vision
We envision graduates who are MEN OF INTEGRITY, well-formed and principled individuals, who contribute to the common good of society.
Mission
We, the Southridge family of parents, teachers, officers, administrative staff, students, and alumni are dedicated to fulfill our Vision.
We strengthen and unite the family as an institution of society, enabling the parents to exercise their role as primary educators of their sons, with the teachers as their active partners.
We equip our teachers with the means to become respected authorities in their fields.
We provide training and formation to our administrative staff so that they become respected professionals and models of excellence in service.
We provide a balanced and demanding academic and personal formation for our students so that they live according to the Christian ideal.
We provide opportunities for continuing formation for our alumni.
We keep our campus elegant, outstandingly clean and orderly, faithful to our spirit of Christian poverty, as part of the necessary means to achieve excellence.
We, the Southridge family, trusting in God’s abundant grace, move as one body, work as one team, act as one family, to make our vision a reality.
History
Southridge was established by the Parents for Education Foundation, Inc. (PAREF) on March 20, 1979. Initially, it admitted students from grades 1 to 7. Its student body has multiplied five times since the school's first year. Its facilities have also expanded over the years and the master plan for their completion is underway.
The Southridge Afternoon School (formerly Night School) was initiated in 1987 for deserving students of limited financial means. Its first class graduated in 1991.
The Southridge Logo
The Southridge Logo consists of a Vinta and a Helm. The vinta, a sturdy Filipino boat, is the PAREF symbol. It stands for the educational philosophy shared by all the schools that belongs to the PAREF system.
The stars on top of the vinta represent the three (3) sectors that comprise the PAREF school community. For the PAREF philosophy to work, there must be a healthy interaction among the parents, teachers and students. For formation to be effective, the parents and teachers must be formed such that they can lead the students by word and deed.
The helm symbolizes the school's vision of breeding gentlemen and leaders. Quoting the school's vision, "We envision graduates who are MEN OF INTEGRITY, well-formed and principled individuals, who contribute to the common good of society."
Academics
Latin
Southridge is one of the few schools in the Philippines that requires its students to learn Latin. When the school was first built, the curriculum included 4 years of mandatory Latin during the high school years. This requirement has since been changed and Latin now only two years of Latin are required. In addition, an elective known as Latin Honors allows students who wish to continue learning the language to do so.
Electives
In 2004, Southridge began an elective system that allows high school juniors and seniors to choose two subjects of their interest. Currently the subjects that are available to students are Business Math 1, Business Math 2, Calculus, Biochem, Latin Honors, Rhetoric of War, Programming Language, Journalism, Creative Writing, and Metaphysics. This system allows four different subjects to be taken in a span of two years that will help the student decide on his college course or prepare the student for college if he has already decided on a particular major.
Organizations
- Tugon
Tugon, which literally means "answer", is the first and only social studies club in Southridge. It is the only Southridge organization not religiously motivated but rather socially driven. It, similar to AKAP, goes to public schools to mentor and educate less fortunate children. However, unlike AKAP, Tugon teaches more practical subjects like math and science.
- Alay Kamay Alay Panahon (AKAP)
AKAP’s main goal is to provide opportunities for Southridge students to serve the poor. It aims to put every Southridge high schooler in contact with the children of public schools primarily through regular tutoring and mentoring.
An AKAP volunteer plays big brother to two students from the public school. He meets each one twice a month. The half an hour chat per tutee can be spent doing academic tutorials, giving good grooming and etiquette tips, teaching an act of piety or even a sport.
It was created during the term of Eric Santillan as High School Council Chairman. Members of the council were the Lozano brothers.
- The RIDGE
The Ridge is the official student publication of Southridge. The paper and its writers consistently reap regional and national awards for campus journalism, more so in recent years. A good number of Ridge editors and writers have landed in the editorial board of their college papers. Editors of the paper stay in the Publications office during Composition time. The school paper adviser gives them their quarterly grade in Composition. A published work is credited as a composition. The Ridge is open to High School students. Recently The RIDGE has been elevated to the Hall of Fame by the prestigious Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) for winning the Best Campus Paper in the Country category four times and a fifth that gave PAREF Southridge the Hall of Fame status.
- The JUNIOR RIDGE
The Junior Ridge is the official grade school student publication of Southridge. It was formed in 2004 with Lance Katigbak as Editor-in-Chief and GJ Agregado as Managing Editor. Currently in its third year, the staff has managed to produce four issues and Junior Convergence, a literary folio of the poems and stories of the grade school students. Currently the paper is competing in various literary contests. The Junior Ridge admits students of the Intermediate School. Its current Managing Editor is Miggy Marasigan and other seventh graders as editors, and fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students as writers. The issue themes have been: GSSC: A New Breed of Leaders; Southridge and Pope John Paul II, A Fresh New Beginning, and To Serve Others Especially the NEedy
- SOUL
The Student Organization Upholding Life (SOUL) is committed to pushing pro-life activities inside and outside of campus. Members are trained to organize activities and get involved in social issues especially those affecting the family. Its activities in its first year have been varied and many: Marian conference on the family, rosary drive, signature campaign, pro-life exhibits, provincial trips to promote pro-life activities. SOUL admits High School students.
- Rhythm Section
The Southridge Rhythm Section is the high school choir of the Day School. It is made up of Grade 7 to 4th Year students who wish to express themselves through music. Its members sing gospel, jazz, classical, pop, rock and roll, and blues.
- Photoclub
The Photoclub was established by members of the class of 2006 for Southridge students interested in photography. Seminars and workshops are also arranged for the club's future members.
- Catalyst
Open to high school students, the club members visit Cupang Elementary School and Buli Elementary School weekly to teach Grades 3, 4 and 5 students basic catechism lessons. Members undergo training during Catechism seminars organized during the school year.
- Southridge Servers Society (SSS)
The SSS are the altar servers of Southridge. It consists of students from Grade 5 until 4th Year High School. The SSS takes care of designating servers for the daily mass, First Friday Mass, First Communion, Confirmation, Corpus Christi, and other masses. The SSS also holds regular outreach programs for less-fortunate students as well as Christmas parties for the administrative staff which include janitors, security guards, and cafeteria personnel. They started out as a few students but have grown rapidly over the past few years. You can find their website at http://sssociety.multiply.com.
- The Podium
Southridge's official debate team is considered one of the best debate teams in Southern Metro Manila. A member, co-founder, and stalwart of the Southern Metro Manila Schools Debate Consortium (SMMS), the Podium has consistently improved over the past years and has become a perennial contender for any debate championship in the South. The Podium has also been improving and has earned great respect in the more competitive IDEA Debate Organization of Northern Manila and in the National Debating picture of the Philippines.
Opus Dei affiliation
Southridge entrusts its religious instruction to the priests of Opus Dei. St. Josemaria Escriva is among its venerated saints, along with St. Joseph and St. Michael.