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Saint Mary’s School of Sagada – The school population this academic year decreased to 165 enrollees, compared to last year’s 206 students.
There are 43 freshmen ( 1-A having 19 students, 1-B having 24 students), 43 sophomores ( 2-A having 22, 2-B having 21), 39 juniors ( 3-A having 20, 3-B having 19), 36 seniors ( 4-A having 18, 4-B having 18 ), and four 5th year students. During enrollment, fourteen incoming seniors and two incoming juniors transferred to avoid mandatory Fifth Year.
Mr. Dennis Faustino, the principal of the school, held an exit interview with those students who left. In his bulletin dated, June 23, 2o1o,he said, “After bidding goodbye to 57 graduates and nine 5th year students last March, marking the largest set of graduates in the past five years, I had already predicted a smaller student body for this school year.
The decrease gives fewer financial benefits to the school.
“The upside of it is that there are fewer students but the downside is we are financially in trouble because the expenses on school materials and teachers are the same even if there are 16 students out or in,” said the principal.
“There is no question that I am disappointed at the turnout,” the principal said. “As an educator, I believe that our program of study at SMS best prepares our graduates for academic university study and independent living. I understand the teenager’s mindset to leave home as soon as they can, albeit premature. I also understand the frustration of parents in balancing their acquiescence towards their children’s desires versus their responsibility to ensure their children’s success away from home.”
The school may have reduced to a smaller population but students who stayed are looking forward to a great year ahead.
As the principal says in his bulletin, “In the final analysis, life and living are all about choices.”
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