PSHS–MC back to full F2F classes

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The opening event was a schoolwide flag ceremony hosted at the grandstand by the outgoing Student Council (SC), with a speech from Campus Director Dr. Lawrence Madriaga. Upon dismissal, students left to join their batchmates for the rest of the morning’s activities.

Batch 2028 attended their team-building activity led by the Guidance and Counseling Unit (GCU) in the gym, which lasted the whole day.

Batches 2027 and 202 participated in the diagnostic testing conducted by the GCU. Meanwhile, Batches 2025, 2024, and 2023 attended a general assembly hosted by the SC in the 4th floor auditorium to discuss important school announcements and new policies. However, Batch 2025 was dismissed early and instructed to proceed to their respective homeroom classrooms as the venue was filled beyond capacity.

Led by Club Coordinating Adviser Ma’am Mara Esguerra, an orientation for club officers was then held in the Advanced Science and Technology Building’s (ASTB) auditorium, although the orientation was limited to only one officer per club to prevent overcrowding.

After the lunch break, Batches 2027 and 2026 attended their general assembly at the 3rd floor auditorium, once again hosted by the SC.

On the other hand, Batch 2025 had an orientation on the Science Immersion Program (SIP) in the 4th floor auditorium. Batches 2023 and 2024, who were also meant to attend the orientation, were dismissed early to avoid a repeat of the overcrowding problem experienced earlier that morning.

Students, faculty, and staff followed COVID-19 protocols throughout the day; mask-wearing was required within the campus, and the lunch break time frames varied per grade level to prevent overcrowding.

When asked about the PSHS–MC administration’s handling of the day’s events, many students had mixed emotions.

A Grade 10 student expressed their disappointment at the school’s unpreparedness, citing the “lack of electricity, decent chairs and tables, even chairs and tables themselves, [and] the random cramming of three batches at the 4th floor audi[torium].”

“You could observe that things really could[’]ve been better,” said the student.

The responses of students were also divided regarding the very decision to revert to face-to-face learning. Grade 11 student David Magnaye said they “missed bonding with friends, teachers, and other members of the Pisay community”; meanwhile, one student felt nervous as they felt they “forgot how it feels to be in face-to-face classes.”

Teachers felt similarly split regarding the switch.

“I feel both excited and nervous,” said Sir Quentin Tarcelo, a Grade 10 Social Science teacher. While he expressed his excitement about returning to teach in a face-to-face setup after quite some time, he also shared his worries about the safety of the Pisay community from a potential COVID-19 outbreak.

“[I am] excited because I get to teach in a face to face setup, one which I have missed doing for quite some time now. However, I also feel nervous as to how safe the community would be,” he explained.

PSHS–MC ad previously implemented pilot in-person classes earlier this year to test the medium of learning amidst the pandemic.