With folders and papers clumsily crammed into our bags and the summer coming to an end, the start of another school year has arrived, and so have the new beginnings and changes that are starting to take shape. 

One major change to highlight is the appointment of Ma’am Jessa Mae Te as the new Senior High School (SHS) principal. Ma’am Jessa’s rise to becoming the SHS principal serves as proof of her commitment and passion towards education. In her many years in various kinds of educational positions, she has always strived her best to establish a safe environment for students to push themselves, continuously demonstrating her as a leader with a focus on student-centered learning and innovative instruction.

Ma'am Jessa’s path to becoming SHS principal exemplifies her tenacity, faith, and determination. She has a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education with a major in English and has worked with DCHS since 2012. Her teaching career began as an elementary English teacher. She then moved on to teaching Grade 10 English, and then to EAPP and Literature in Senior High. Throughout the years, she has earned a reputation for her dedication to education and her students.

Unexpectedly, she did not initially want to pursue a profession in education. Her path took a turning point when her mother contacted her from Thailand and invited her to teach there after graduation. This chance encouraged her to modify her course selection, and after much prayer, she sensed God guiding her. Her hopes were realized when she obtained scholarships from CHED and her institution, which helped her through her academic career. Ma'am Jessa had planned to work in the BPO business after college, but she was brought to teaching instead, which she attributes to God's intervention. This led her to DCHS, where her enthusiasm for school developed.

Ma'am Franelli Pableo, the school’s former director, saw Ma'am Jessa's ability and requested that she become an instructional leader in the SHS department back in 2022. This role prepared her for the responsibility she now has as the SHS principal. Ma'am Jessa looks back on her journey and sees it as part of God's plan for her, one full of development and learning.

Ma'am Jessa's vision for the SHS department is to build God-fearing and active leaders through the implementation of Chapel Hour and Small Groups to help students improve their spiritual lives. She believes that long-term success requires a strong spiritual base. In addition, to address academic obstacles, she prepares Special Wednesday Camps, which provide extra Math and English support based on the Junior High School ACAP curriculum, to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to succeed in school.

Having to change roles is one thing, but an abrupt transition from a position you were experienced in for years to one you've barely had information about is definitely another. Although she could be regarded as a founding member of the Senior High teaching staff and has already been familiar with the majority of the faculty, she is faced with new challenges from her added responsibilities. These include overseeing a larger group of people, dealing with various concerns, and handling a larger portion of documents. With this, Ma'am Jessa identifies faith as a source of strength and recognizes God's involvement in guiding her through such a difficult transition.

Along with the help of Ma'am Frane, Ma'am Jessa believes that her first-hand experience as a teacher was the main factor that helped build the solid foundation she attained for her adaptability to her new position. As a teacher, she was already regarded as a leader in the classroom, and so possessed all of the characteristics necessary to turn her into an effective leader to a now bigger department. This allowed her to have a better understanding of the expectations and relationships between students and faculty before becoming a principal.

Ma'am Jessa has expressed her honor and happiness to be given the role of SHS principal and acknowledges that the position comes with challenges. Nonetheless, she has trust that if God guides her, she will be able to overcome them. To her, reliance on God is critical in such a major role as principal, which has many unknowns; this is the lesson she believes God has intended to teach her.

Looking back on her life, Ma'am Jessa reflects on how her faith and personal development have intertwined with her job. Though she had different aspirations for her professional life at first, she now sees her work in education as an important part of what she's purposed to do. This sense of being guided by God has had an impact not just on her work choices, but also on her personal development.

Ma'am Jessa enjoys her career in education due to the lessons it has taught her, helping her to grow as a person. She considers how she has become stronger and more assured in her feelings, thinking, and overall personality throughout her time as an educator. She recalls experiencing much worry that kept her from committing and making decisions, but her job in education has helped her overcome many of them. As she begins her new job as SHS principal, she puts her faith in God and is excited to see where He will lead her and her coworkers in the next school years.

As we begin the new school year, we are filled with a sense of hope about the changes that will occur. Ma'am Jessa's quest to become DCHS' SHS principal is a narrative about embracing one's calling, characterized by faith, resilience, and a strong dedication to education. As she takes on this new responsibility, she carries with her a vision of encouraging her pupils' academic and spiritual growth, ensuring they are well-prepared for the future. Ma'am Jessa is prepared to lead and inspire DCHS' next generation of leaders, thanks to her strong foundation and unshakeable faith.

With her at the helm, we are set to achieve big things and maintain our tradition of success. Here's to a wonderful future under Ma'am Jessa's inspiring guidance!

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