Core Values
The school gives importance on the following core values that define the kind of school climate and environment that we have:
- Simplicity
- Honesty
- Self-Discipline
- Sense of Service
- Culture of Excellence
- Responsible Stewardship
- Respect for Life
- Love for the Poor
- Love for Mary
Simplicity
Simplicity means to be able to remain true to oneself . God made us according to His likeness and image. For this reason, we are who we are as persons , and our dignity comes from this , not from what we have or what we can do . And being true to what we are makes us live with joy, without pretending to be someone we are not .
Simplicity also means living our lives according to the way the Lord wants us to . This means we have to give others what is due to them, and not take unfair advantage of our friendships with others , not to tell lies or deceive them in order to get what we want , to be ready to accept our mistakes humbly without blaming others , etc. We have to learn to love the way Jesus loves , show His non-discriminating attitude towards people, doing service without expecting something in return , and always standing for the defense of what is right , true and good .
Honesty
Honesty means to engage in actions that follow our words and beliefs . We are honest when we mean yes if we say yes, and mean no if we say no . Being honest involves speaking and acting according to how God wants us to . It is to say or communicate something without lies and deceptions . If we are honest we are not afraid to speak the truth even if it costs something in us or hurt us . We are not afraid to speak wrongdoing and confront injustices wherever we find them in school, at home, in our neighborhood and elsewhere . Doing this is one way of imitating and following Jesus. Admission of our limitations, weaknesses and mistakes as well as recognition of our own giftedness, strength and capabilities is a sign of honesty.
Self-Discipline
Self-discipline is a trademark of a mature person . It means he/she has the capacity to direct his/her choices , thoughts , feelings and emotions in a way that brings his/her growth as a person and as a member of a social group . Growth in self-discipline is also growth in a person’s way of looking at things , of relating with others, and of relating to God . It means one has a mastery of his/her self , and is not easily swayed by emotions and desire , or by what people say or do . It means making decisions to do even those things which he/she may not like but he/she knows what is he/she supposed to do for his/her own good and the good of others .
Sense of Service
Sense of service is a way in which we can show our compassion for others. It implies an open-hearted willingness to give freely without thought of personal gain or return. It means to give because someone is in need and we care about him/her. Sacrifice or inconvenience may be involved but we don’t see it as a loss since this act of giving is rewarding and makes us truly and deeply happy. To do this is to imitate and follow Jesus.
Culture of Excellence
There are so many intelligent people, but only few of them are wise. Wisdom is a gift. It can only be attained when one cultivates positively the gifts and talents given him by God. When one nurtures these he/she lives in a culture of excellence. He/She can be at par and in-step with the changing times and does not remain in mediocrity, satisfied only with what is ordinary.
However, excellence does not refer solely to academics. Each one is unique and each one is gifted with multiple intelligences. Thus, one can be excellent with his/her relationship with other people especially the poor. One can be excellent with the use of technology. One can be excellent in leadership, in service and in the practice of the values and in living out the Gospel every day.
Responsible Stewardship
God spent almost a week to create everything on earth, including mankind who will have dominion and stewardship over all the creatures on land , at sea and in the sky . As time passed by , man did not use the resources according to God’s plan and all creatures suffered the consequences of pollution , illegal logging, indiscriminate abuse of land and marine resources, and climate change .
Everything begins with us . Let’s take the responsibility to preserve our clean environment, starting here in school , at home, on the streets that we pass by every day and soon we will have a healthy , wholesome environment . As stewards of God’s creation, we are also stewards of the resources and heritage of our country, the Philippines . Let’s do whatever we can do to keep the country’s environment healthy and life-sustaining for the generations to come.
Respect for Life
A new born child and everything born every day is a clear manifestation that God wants life to continue . God created everything in His image and likeness . Each one of His creatures breathes life and they are all beautiful . However, sin such as greed and lust for power , contradicts the plans of God for all that He created . People take away life, be it human life or that of Nature, as if it is worthless . If we love and respect our dignity as persons fully alive, then we can respect the life of others. If we care for one another as brothers and sisters, then we respect life . If we do not use our gifts to create instruments that can destroy life, then we respect life. If we respect life, then we respect its ultimate source – God.
Solidarity with the Poor
We welcome everyone to the school especially those who are poor. Who are the poor ? Well , we often see them in the streets – the beggars , the indigenous people who are displaced from their original places of residence, the squatters etc. . But there are many more forms of poverty that exist : refugees who have been displaced because of conflicts and wars , minors who are exploited and abused , the physically handicapped, the abandoned children and elderly , maybe our household helpers etc.
How do we show concern for them ? We may not always have the opportunity to meet the poor or invite our less fortunate brothers and sisters to our homes and to our school , but we can still be one with them and reach out to them . Living simply and not extravagantly , acquiring only the things we truly need and not wasting them, experiencing at times some deprivations just to get to know how it feels to be poor and without enough to satisfy our needs , etc . – these are only a few of the ways to be in solidarity with the poor. It also means denouncing attitudes of superiority, exclusivity, social discrimination and marginalization.
Core Strategy
Tatak Hijas.: Kapatid sa Kapwa!
Philosophy, Objectives, Thrust and Profile of an Authentic Hijas de Jesus Student
Colegio de las Hijas de Jesus, Inc. is a Catholic school, with the primary aim of collaborating with the Church in the development of the “whole person” from a Christian perspective, by means of a personalized approach where the Christian concept of the person, of life, and the world is proclaimed ( Art. 10 – 11 , OCWE).
Its secondary aim is to prepare the students for admission to leading colleges and universities of the country in view of their being prepared to take up the leadership in the bigger community in the future.
CHJ opens itself to all social classes and races, as long as the applicants meet the specific criteria for admission set by the school, in order to achieve the aims it desires to accomplish.
The school seeks to help its students grow in self – direction, truthfulness, teamwork and collaboration, personal freedom and responsibility; develop habits of intellectual concentration, creative and critical thinking; acquire a set of personal criteria based on Gospel values in order to respond meaningfully to persons and situations; and be capable of collaborating with others in building a community or society which is humane, fraternal and just.
To achieve these goals, CHJ uses an approach wherein respect for the uniqueness of persons implies an education suited to the responsibilities, qualities and needs of students. It utilizes the most adequate methods to respond to these needs, with guidance and accompaniment as necessary elements in helping each child grow in personal maturity.