XSPB FEATURE

38 Years of XSPA

Karen E. Young, Parent

Posted Friday, 24-Nov-2006 7:19 AM

     After its founding in 1956, Xavier School existed for twelve years without an organization for its parents.  In the second semester of 1968, the school administration under the leadership of then Rector, Fr. Ismael Zuloaga S.J., Mrs. Jenny Go (then the Grade School and High School Principal), and some parents formulated the Parents’ Auxiliary.  As its name suggests, it functions not as a separate entity but as a support to the school in matters concerning the holistic education of the students through projects and activities.

     The underlying vision of Fr. Zuloaga in encouraging active participation from the parents was his strong belief that the family plays a more important part than the school for the children’s education.  He fondly recalls what a good team of people joined him in the successful formation of the first Parents’ Auxiliary as they set its official purpose on November 17, 1968:

     To render service to the school by furthering the moral, scholastic, and extra-curricular activities of the students, in accordance with the school policy, through a greater cooperation and communication between the parents and the school.

The first set of officers were:

Chairwoman :    Regina Dee K. Chiong

Vice- Chair   :    Patricia Gotuaco

Members      :    Cecily Chua, Conchita Gan, Kathy Khu, and Elisa Lipio. 

     It became evident that it was mostly the mothers who actively participated.  After some reflection, Fr. Zuloaga and the administration realized that if Xavier is a school for boys, then the board should consist mostly of men. He quips, “Nothing against the ladies! --- even the principal was a lady.  But the idea was to get more fathers involved.” And aptly so! What could be more fitting than for growing young men see male role models for leadership and involvement! 

     The face of the Parents’ Auxiliary Board thus changed and only fathers got on board.  Fr. Zuloaga recalls that it was a joy to see the fathers increasingly take the lead and become involved with their kids’ school life, even as the mothers took on a supporting role with the various activities.

     During the term of XSPA Chairman Henry Leung (1989-91), with Atty. Mario Jalandoni helping out in the Fun Run, Henry pointed out that there was a need  to formally reorganize the XSPA and to draft a new XSPA Constitution.  Since Mario Jalandoni was a lawyer and could help out in this respect, he did so upon joining the Executive Committee the following term.

     Under the 1991 Constitution, the framework of the XSPA as an organization was clarified.  The Executive Committee would manage the affairs of the XSPA.  Section Representatives and Year Level Representatives would handle activities specific to their own sections and year levels (such as Communion, Buwan ng Wika, Spring Festival) while XSPA Coordinators would handle the school-wide activities and committees (to mention a few: Ways and Means, Fellowship, Spirituality and Outreach, Traffic, Sports, and Parents’ Bulletin).  

     In 1995, during the term of past XSPA Chairman Lino Lebron, two mothers were asked to sit on the board: Marga Ortigas and Agnes del Rosario. The leaders recognized the essential value of the involvement of mothers with whom they had to collaborate more often in order to facilitate the planning of activities.  Mothers understandably had more information about the children.

     During that year under the leadership of Grade School Principal, Mr. Marc Hernandez, Marga Ortigas organized the XSPA Parent Forum Committee which today still provides practical and helpful lectures on different parenting concerns.

     Fr. Zuloaga was Xavier School Director for twenty years from 1965-1985 after which time his work around Asia and Europe took him away from Xavier School. Upon his return in 2004, he was so pleased to see the fruit of what they planted in 1968 as the XSPA had grown to be a vibrant, thriving organization that had been instrumental in the accomplishment of minor as well as major projects (among them, the extensive fund raising for scholarships and school building projects under the term of Carlos Chung). 

     Knowing how very busy all the parents are, Fr. Zuloaga all the more appreciates how the parents manage to carve out time for the school. Looking back through thirty-eight years of XSPA, he expressed, “It was a really ripe concept worth pursuing, doing a lot of good for the kids. I must confess it gave me great joy. I believe that the XSPA is one of the great assets of the school.”

     Fr. Zuloaga was also delightedly-surprised to find that the one sitting on his chair as School Director was one of his own students, Fr. Johnny Go, S.J.  In January 2006, Fr. Go led a group of parents consisted of XSPA Executive Committee Members, Level Representatives and different XSPA Committee members, to a visioning exercise geared to reevaluate the vision of the XSPA in these changing times. 

     With a more complicated environment for raising children, there was a need to tweak the parents’ direction to become more effective. Parent, Zsa Zsa Yu, hit the bull’s eye by asking the question, “Are we willing to become what we ask our children to be?” ergo, practice what we preach?  The following Mission Statement was then drawn up:

WE ARE DEDICATED PARENTS WHO BELIEVE IN--AND STRIVE TO LIVE—

THE XAVIER SCHOOL VISION AS RESPONSIBLE PARTNERS IN THE SCHOOL'S MISSION
BECOMING GOD'S LIGHT TO OUR SONS

     What might still be missing?  Here is what Fr. Zuloaga declared: 

“My only dream is that I would see the families of Xavier grow in their sense of concern for poorer students. This Jubilee year, I hope that the parents continue to grow in the Xavier spirit, get more acquainted with St. Ignatius’ spirituality (which is to find God in all things), his magnanimity and spirit of going out of his way to serve people. It will be a great help not only for the formation of the students but also for society as a whole because social concern will be alive.”

     Asked about what his insights on the XSPA, incumbent XSPA Chairman (since 2005), Ramon Go has this to say:  “I believe the XSPA has evolved into what the original organizers envisioned it to be: an organization of parents selflessly dedicated to the welfare of the Xavier community. The XSPA continues to utilize the talents and dedication of many of its parent volunteers to successfully maintain a harmonious relationship through activities like fellowships, sports, forums, thereby allowing the school administration to focus on what it does best: the education of our children.

     In recent years, it has even taken part in the process of school curriculum reform.  The mutually beneficial relationship augurs well for a strong and harmonious Xavier family.  XSPA continues to evolve forming a dynamic equilibrium between itself, the administration, our children, and the community in general.”

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