St. Mary's Academy of Pasay

St. Mary's Academy of Pasay, (also known by its acronyms SMA and SMA-P), is a private, co-educational Catholic school institution in Pasay, Philippines. It is owned and operated by the congregation founded by Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo known as the Religious of the Virgin Mary or the RVM.

St. Mary's Academy of Pasay
Former names
Escuela Catolica de Pasay (1922-)
MottoInitium Sapientiae Timor Domini (Latin)
Motto in English
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
TypePrivate RVM Roman Catholic Coeducational Basic education institution
Established1922
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholic (RVM Sisters)
Academic affiliations
  • CEAP
  • RVM-EAP PC PRISA
Studentsapprox. 3,000
Location
525 Padre Burgos Street, Barangay 59, Pasay
,
Metro Manila
,
Philippines

14°32′55″N 121°00′00″E
CampusUrban
Alma Mater song"Hail Saint Mary's.."
"The School We Love.."
PatronessBlessed Virgin Mary
Colors Blue  and  White 
NicknameMarian
Sporting affiliations
PCADM
SportsVarsity sports teams:
Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Table tennis, Taekwondo, Aikido
Websitesma.edu.ph
Location in Metro Manila
St. Mary's Academy of Pasay (Luzon)
St. Mary's Academy of Pasay (Philippines)

Name's meaning and history

The school's new name—St. Mary’s Academy—honors the school's patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mary. This name replaced the Escuela Catolica de Pasay, or " Catholic School of Pasay, the original name upon its founding in 1922.

Management

St. Mary’s Academy is run by the Religious of the Virgin Mary or ("RVM"). It is the Philippines' first pontifical Filipino Congregation for women, founded in 1684 by a Filipina, Venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo. It started as an exclusive girls school, which evolved with time into admitting boys into its classrooms.

History

In 1922, St. Mary's was established as the “Escuela Catolica de Pasay”, managed by the parish priest, Reverend Fr. Egmidio Trinidad. In its infancy, St. Mary's offered Primary Level instruction, from 1922 to 1939. in 1939, the Archbishop of Manila, the Most Reverend Michael O’Doherty, turned the school's management over to the RVM Sisters. The following year, "Escuela Catolica de Pasay," was officially renamed as "St. Mary's Academy, through the leadership of the First Superior, Mother Maria Josefa Avendaño.

In March 1946, the School's Elementary Course was recognized by the government, leading to the commencement of the school's General Secondary Course the following year.

In 1947, the school presented its first 10 high school graduates with their certificates of graduation.

Today St. Mary's Academy is an accredited Catholic School, providing education in the levels of Kindergarten, grade school, high school, and senior highschool curricula for boys and girls. It also provides vocational education via MICHD or Mother Ignacia Center for Human Development.

School symbols

St. Mary's Academy, was renamed in 1922, in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from its original name "Escuela Catolica de Pasay". The new name symbolizes the virtues of Mary the mother of Jesus, and also that of the venerable Ignacia del Espiritu Santo. The school motto is "Initium sapientiae timor domini" which means "The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom".

Athletic facilities

St. Mary's Academy Gymnasium - This facility is designated for sports events, and also for practices for basketball, volleyball, badminton, athletic performance(s), table tennis (separated in a room - HS) and sometimes for socialization activities.

  • St. Mary's Academy Grade School Gymnasium (For Pre-school & Intermediate levels only)
  • St. Mary's Academy High School Gymnasium (For High School students only)

Quadrangle

St. Mary's Academy Quadrangle located in the center of the school, and within full view from classrooms, is the venue for major events such as Family Day, intramurals, sport events, practices & P.E classes, community day, flag ceremony (by level) and a lot more.

Educational facilities

St. Mary's Academy has eight major buildings that house Pre-school, Grade School, High School, and vocational students.

  • St. Therese Building
  • St. Joseph Building
  • Holy Child Building
  • Marian building
  • Sacred Heart Building
  • Assumption Building
  • MIDES building
  • MICHD building

Libraries

St. Mary's Academy has two libraries, one for the grade school department and the other for the high school department, each equipped with an Internet Station.

Laboratories

The Grade School Department has a total of seven laboratories: two science laboratories, one Art laboratory, one H.E.L.E. laboratory, two Computer laboratories.

The school has two Model House used for home economic classes, and for other special purposes.

The High School Department has four laboratories for general science, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Physical science. It has one Computer laboratory, one T.L.E.

Aside from the Model House, St. Mary's has a sewing laboratory, used by both grade school and high school students.

The school has two Speech laboratories, one for grade school department and the other for the high school department. It is used during English class by students of both departments.

Chapel

For the grade school department, they have 1 prayer room, though it is often used by the pupils.

Auditorium

It is used for graduations, presentations per class, activities, socialization.

Health Center

Since the old health center was small, it was moved in a much bigger room in the assumption building. It contains beds, seats, main desk, dental office, doctor's office, restrooms, and crucifixes and a few more.

Archives

It contains old documents, pictures, school's newspaper, magazines and other historic data and documents connected to the school.

Museum

Located at the Centennial Bridge, You can see old pictures of the school and it explains the history of St. Mary's Academy Pasay. It also contains a small miniature of the buildings of St. Mary's Academy – Pasay.

Varsity Team

The school also have a varsity team, which represents the school both local, regional and international level competitions such as Basketball, Swimming, Badminton, Volleyball, Taekwondo, Dance Sport and Table Tennis. The school is a member of the Pasay City Athletic Division Meet and the Pasay City Private School Association in which it sends players to compete and to represent the school. The school also sends its delegates for friendly competitions and tournaments for both local and international. The varsity team of St. Mary's holds many championships and titles in different fields and aspects of sports both local or regional competitions and division meetings.

Marian Student Government (MSG)

The Marian Student Government helps, and disciplines the students for the High School Department. They also make project proposals for the benefit of the school especially in the High School Department. The Marian Student Government is a member of the Pasay City Youth Development Council together with its other student council counterparts within Pasay City. The organization is also a core member of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines in which they are the delegates to represent St. Mary's - Pasay together with other student council throughout the country.

These are the elected officers through the desire vote of each student & pupils. In the High School Department the elected officers will handle the Grade 7-12 they are consist of:

Marian Graders Barangayette (MGB)

The counterpart of Marian Student Government (MSG) in Grade School is the Marian Graders Barangayette. The Grade School Department elected officers and handles the Grade 1-6. Where in it helps to disciplines the students, They also promote and handles the whole cleanliness of surroundings through discipline for the Grade School Department only.

Affiliated Organizations

St. Mary's Academy Pasay Alumni Association (SMAP-AA)

They are in-charge of the events concerning to the Alumni of St. Mary's Academy – Pasay. They are also in-charge of the Alumni League, It is an annual sports fest for the former students of St. Mary's. They are grouped according to their school's batch year of graduation. In addition, They are also the one who's in-charge of the distribution of St. Mary's Academy – Pasay Alumni Cards exclusive only for alumni of SMA-P.

St. Mary's Academy Parents' Auxiliary (SMAPA)

It is an organization of parents of the students of St. Mary's concerning to the program of school. They are in the partnership with the school's administration. They are also the one who assist and plan events for the school including the Family Day, and/or the annual SMA-P Fun Run.

St. Mary's Operators, Drivers, Service Association (SMODSA)

An Organization for School Service Operators and Drivers of St. Mary's Academy – Pasay.

Mother Ignacia Center for Human Development (MICHD)

Located at the MICHD Building, St. Mary's Academy provides education thru technical or vocational courses.

List of Courses offered by MICHD:

  • Dressmaking/Tailoring
  • Cosmetology
  • Typing and Computer
  • Hi-Speed Sewing
  • Electronics
  • Cooking and Home Management

Notable alumni

References
  1. http://www.angelfire.com/celeb2/maricelsoriano/aboutmaryatrivia3.html
  2. http://namesdatabase.com/schools/PH/PS/Pasay%20City%20Makati%20Metro%20Manila/Saint%20Mary%27s%20Academy
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