HISTORY OF TOMAS MORATO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL BACKGROUND

A. COMPLETE NAME OF SCHOOL: TOMAS MORATO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

COMPLETE ADDRESS: Teodoro Gener Street Kamuning,Quezon City

BRIEF HISTORY:

Tomas Morato Elementary School is presently located at the proposed site for a nursery school.To honor the first appointed mayor of Quezon City, resolution No. 7844 s. 1996 was formulated by these Councilors Rafael Mison Jr., F. Lapuz, E. Calauag, F. Montilla, J. Perlas and Locasan of Quezon City. A school Annex of Kamuning Elementary School was then named as Tomas Morato Elementary School.

This school from July 1941 to 1960 was known as K-C Annex with twenty teachers from grade one to four. It was managed by a Head Teacher named Mrs. Camilla U. Bongco upon recommendation by the principal of Kamuning Elementary School, Mrs. Natividad M. Raquel. These primary classes were housed in rented buildings in the vicinity. due to the increase in school population four (4) additional rooms were rented in 1962 – 1963. That was the Acenas Annex with eight (8) additional teachers. This brought the total number of classes to twenty eight (28) with equal number of classroom teachers. On October 1962, it was made an independent school called the K-C Elementary School with the same Head Teacher as Acting Principal. with energetic efforts of this Head Teacher she succeeded in securing the former Nursery site near the Kamuning Health Center for the use of K-C Elementary School by virtue of Resolution No. 6313s, 1963 of Quezon City Council duly approved by the city mayor. This school is more or less six thousand thirty eight (6238) square meters. Through her initiative and the sympathetic guidance and encouragement of the Supervisor- in charge, Mrs. Emma F. Bernabe, she was able to convince the owners of the K-C Main and Zamora Annex Dr. Pedro Ramirez to improve their buildings. As a result K-C Main which has only four rooms become a two- storey building of ten (10) standard classrooms and Zamora Annex became (12) room building was turned over to the principal on July 1, 1963.

The school year 1963 – 1964 found K-C Elementary with a complete set of pupils from grades one to six, and its first graduating class started that year. There were then forty- five (45) teachers in all, thirty- four (34) primary and eleven (11) intermediate teachers.

In 1964 – 1965, the school population was one thousand five hundred ninety four (1,594) pupils under thirty six (36) primary and fifteen (15) intermediate teachers or a total of fifty one (51) teachers. This included the ten (10) teachers at Acenas Annex and the eight (8) teachers at Zamora Annex. However, on October 1964 a teacher in- charge was assigned for Acenas Annex in the person of Mrs. Remedios Cabile. She supervised the ten (10) teachers who were deducted from the K-C Elementary School Teaching Staff. Then on February 1965, the Zamora Annex composing of (8) teacher was also separated from the direct supervision of the principal and Head Teacher Mrs. Lolita Villarus was assigned. In spite of the efforts exerted by the principal the teachers under her were reduced to only thirty three (33). Through the untiring and energetic efforts of the principal and PTA personnel of the school, a Quonset Hut was taken from Clark Field and through the provision of a City Ordinance No. 6367, dated October 14, 1966 an approved and provided to finance the reconstruction hob and this Quonset hut has 5 non standard classrooms and a floor area of 249.6 square meters was ready on June 28 1969. The K-C Elementary School has steadily grown both in its physical and mental stature, as well as its school population through the initiative, concerted efforts and industry of its school personnel and the cooperative, understanding community, there were fifty one (51) teachers in the school year 1968 – 1969. By virtue of the approval of Ordinance No. 7877s 1969 the area was increased from approximately four thousand six hundred square meters to six thousand eighty square meters under resolution No. 6313s. 1963. This includes a basketball court, .School Year 1969 – 1970 can be considered a lucky one for this school because it was fortunate recipient of eight (8) units Marcos type pre- fabricated school building of three rooms each. This prefab did well to answer the perennial accommodation problem of the school considering the fact that its main building was rented. It is worth mentioning that this year school personnel’s were composed of twenty- eight primary and twenty- five intermediate teachers totaling to fifty- three in all. All teachers are civil service eligible except three who are considered because each of them have more than ten years service and two are Industrial Arts Teachers. The population of the school totals to one thousand five hundred ninety one (1,591) pupils. In addition, the school has three janitors.

In 1970 – 1971, the primary teachers were increased to 33 and the intermediate were totaling to fifty-six in all. Mrs. Eufemia R. Reyes was the principal and it was this year when K-C Elementary School was baptized officially to Tomas Morato Elementary School by virtue of the approved and adopted Resolution No. 7844 s. 1969. With the harmonious coordination of efforts and the unstinted supports of people concerned, a two storey permanent building was constructed at a cost of one hundred seventy two thousand pesos (P 172,000) appropriated by the City School Board. This building houses the Principal Office, Guidance Center, Clinic aside from the five (5) standard classrooms. It has a floor area of 700 square meters. This was made possible

Through the leadership and guidance of the principal, Mrs. Eufemia R. Reyes. Credit is due to Mrs. Camila U. Bongco for the envisioning this ideal site for Tomas Morato Elementary School: to Mrs Eufemia R. Reyes for continuing the plans began; to Mrs. Maria B. De Luna, for the beautification and greening projects; Mr. Felix Llanes and Miss T. Moynila, for the construction of retaining wall along the creek side to safeguard the school population and property from floods and to our able bodied supervisor with sincere heart, Mrs. Eufemia R. Reyes for her undying efforts and foresight for a better school a better new look and all personnel’s, the PTA and Homeroom PTA the teachers of Tomas Morato Elementary School. The school was abreast with the Audio-Visual aid through the efforts of Ms. Segundin Omaña in 1973, when she purchased the first TV sets. The continuing progress of Tomas Morato Elementary School academically was witnessed during Mrs. Emiliana Bancod’s tulilage when she herself did the one-on-one reading session of the pupils on her officeClean and Green Campaign for food producation was established by Mr. Dionisio Villapando who served as school principal for few months Promotion of teachers was also focused by Mrs. Imelda H. Perucho as answer to the insidious efforts of the teachers that made Tomas Morato Elementary School on top. Barely four months when Ms. Florentina A. Santos seated as school principal and planned for total renovation of Tomas Morato Elementary School buildings. It was continued by Dr. Juliet G. Navarra who initiated the demolition of Marcos- type Building in exchange of Home Economics buildings. This is now being used as school canteen, total renovation of 3 buildings was done, and the construction of the covered court with stage is now being used conveniently during school and community offices.

Through her untiring efforts the acquisition of AUV Serbisyong Bayan and computer facilities was possible that made every graduate of Tomas Morato Elementary School a computer savvy.

In 1999, the request of Dr. Juliet G. Navarra for 3 storey, fifteen (15) classroom Belmonte Building was started. The building was completed year 2001 in Mrs. Nimfa B. Tolentino’s time; it now caters the 438 pupils in grade V and VI, the office of the principal, the library, the science room and home economics room.

Mrs. Tolentino who served as principal for 3 years envisioned Tomas Morato Elementary School to be globally competitive. with her magnetic charisma the acquisition of Hi- powered sound system and the construction of a mini playground is now enjoyed by the 1,325 Moratonians.

The construction of covered walk and waiting shed was done through the unstinted supports of City Mayor Sonny Belmonte and Congresswoman Nanette Castelo DaZA.

The Vision of the Pillars of Tomas Morato Elementary School to transform the school into a globally competitive and hostile- free village is now on line through the management of Dr. Virginia I. Tajon who recently implemented the intensive supervision of the school feeding program for the benefit of the children, and the ongoing school’s beautification projects like the improvement and repair of school playground and its facilities; the construction of herbarium near the canteen the elevation of the path walk with steel hand bars adjacent to the guidance / clinic room; and the repair of the TMES gate with steel arc. The mural paintings on the stage and SB Building through the courtesy of Councilor Ariel Inton and the initiative of Dr. Tajon and the teachers made the school environment more conducive to teaching and learning situations. The school’s Mission and Vision were also visibly written to be inculcated in the minds of TMES pupils, teachers, personnel and the community. Total Development is the focus of the newly installed head of School.

Mrs. Antonina S. Olivar, Discipline is the value that envelops. All core targets of the school, honesty, industrious, diligence, thrifty. With this in mind, human resource would be globally competitive, high morale individual and intellectually accomplished. Physically all corners are attended to and improved so that the clientele would be proud of their school.