Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. What are the salient features of Southridge education?
Southridge opened its doors in 1979 as a project of Parents for Education Foundation (PAREF), a foundation established by a group of educators and parents who wanted a specific school for their sons.
The school has the following features:
- Solid character formation program
- Personal formation tutor for each student
- Demanding academic standards
- Home and school collaboration
- Plan of formation for parents, teachers and non-teaching staff
- Fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church
The school is influenced by the teachings of St. Josemaria Escriva, Founder of Opus Dei, an institution dedicated to the Christian education of people from all walks of life all over the world. He was canonized in Rome on October 06, 2002. St. Josemaria taught that all men, young and old, are called to a life of holiness, the full and heroic development of human and supernatural qualities. He also gave us the main idea behind the PAREF school system: "Parents first; teachers second; students last."
From this idea of St. Josemaria comes the rationale for admitting parents first into the PAREF system before the children or the students are accepted in the school. This is further amplified in the school's philosophy which states that the parents are the first and primary teachers, and the home, which is the proper setting for the child's development and upbringing, the first school. Putting the student 'last' does not mean that he is last in priority and is of lesser importance. We consider the student most important, and we believe that the best way to form him is to surround him with well-formed people--parents and teachers-who are the foremost agents of his formation.
Q2. Who can be admitted to PAREF Schools?
PAREF Schools are open to families who accept the schools' philosophy of education and agree to make themselves available to the means of formation for parents, especially the tutorial chats. It is understood, however, that the heads of these families are Catholics who are married in Church, or non-Catholics validly married in their religion, or guardians of good moral standing who have legally adopted children.
Q3. How is Opus Dei related to Southridge?
Opus Dei is a Personal Prelature of the Catholic Church whose mission is to spread the doctrine that all men are called to holiness.
The connection of Opus Dei with Southridge can be summarized as follows:
- The founding parents of the school were inspired by the teachings of St. Josemaria. Thus, a lay spirituality is followed.
- The school has a Chaplain who comes from the Prelature who provides the spiritual formation and sacraments. The Chaplain is a non-voting member of the Management Committee The Prelature, however, has no jurisdiction over the running of the school.
Q4. Most schools founded in the last 20 years are co-educational. In fact, most schools in the area of Muntinlupa, Parañaque, and Las Piñas are co-educational. The notable exceptions are the PAREF schools. What is the reason for this?
We believe that mixing boys and girls together is good only at the pre-school and university levels. Boys and girls are so different physically, emotionally, intellectually, and psychologically. They also develop at different paces. A 15 year old boy and a 15 year old girl do not have the same degree of maturity. Boys and girls do not have the same motivations or the same degree of motivation. Those in favor of co-education at the high school level cite some benefits, some of which we believe can be better achieved by some other means and in some other time and setting. An example is the socializing benefit. Other benefits are exaggerated, such as the claim that a co-educational setting fosters better mutual understanding of the sexes.
Q5. Why is the teaching staff all male for the boys' schools and all female for the girls' schools?
The reason is also linked to the preference for single-sex schools rather than co-education. The one who would know the psychology, mind-set, emotional make-up, motivations, etc. of boys would be someone who would know it from within, another male, but with the advantage of adulthood and the wisdom that it brings. The same would be true for girls and women. Boys would learn from men what it means to be a man and a gentleman; girls would learn from women what it means to be a woman and a lady.
Another advantage of an all-male staff could be that they, albeit to a limited extent, fill in the gap that we would find in a typical Filipino family, where the father has limited presence and influence. Boys need good male role models, who would normally be their father, an older brother, or a teacher, not entertainment or sports figures.
Yet another advantage is for the tutorial relationship which sometimes calls for discussion of intimate matters, such as something on the child's conscience, something about relations with the opposite sex. Our experience is that this is best done with someone of the same sex.
Q6. Why is Latin taught in Southridge high school?
Latin is a tool which Southridge uses to improve the students' mental order and discipline, attention to details, analytical skills, memory, accuracy and precision in thinking and expression, and appreciation for mythology, history, literature and culture.
Not very many subjects can claim all these advantages. Since Latin is a foreign language with words to be kept in mind, inflections to be recognized and grammar rules to be mastered, the student must use his memory all the time, thereby sharpening it. He must also identify functions of words and finally translate them based on the context in which they are used, exercises which improve one's analytical skills. Latin demands great attention to details since a difference of one letter changes the meaning of a word. Attention to details fosters accuracy and precision in thinking and this, in turn, fosters accuracy and precision in expression (whether oral or written).
Through this subject, too, one's command of the English language is enhanced by no small degree, since at least 50% of all English words are derived from Latin roots. Learning the major European languages is greatly facilitated since Spanish, Italian and French, to name a few, are direct descendants of Latin. German, while not a Latin-based language, demands familiarity with cases, taken extensively in Latin.
Latin is, of course, a language which is interesting by itself considering that two of the greatest classical writers, Horace and Virgil, wrote their masterpieces in Latin. The works of great writers throughout history are replete with Latin phrases and allusions to works of Latin authors. Thus, one's general culture and taste for mythology, history and literature are greatly enhanced by the study of Latin.
Moreover, most alumni continue to regard Latin as the subject that best helped them prepare for the rigore of College intellectual work.
Q7. Where do Southridge students go after finishing high school?
Majority have gone on to enroll at the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. The 3rd biggest group went to UP Diliman. In general, majority of the graduates are able to go to their top preferred universities in the country. University of Santo Thomas and University of Asia and the Pacific are also included in the more popular choices of the alumni.
Some graduates have gone abroad for their college studies. Among these colleges and universities which have admitted Southridge graduates are Yuke, Wesleyan, Duke, Brown, Georgetown, Columbia, Loyola Marymount, Babson, Clarkson and Rhode Island School of Design in America; Wales and Nottingham in the United Kingdom; Navarre in Spain.
