PSHF Lighthouse Learning Center Inc.
Richard Foster, our founder relates the story of the Lighthouse Learning Center...
Our First Building (Photo taken on our first graduation day in May 1996)
The early days...
Our school opened its doors to the first batch of pupils on February 15, 1996. Dorothy Burdeos was our first teacher and we had an enrolment of 17 pupils. Our original school house was a roughly built bamboo structure comprising two rooms and a comfort room. We held our first graduation ceremony in May of the same year and in June we began our first full academic year with 35 enrolees.
Transitions
Class in Progress in the Early Days
Over the years, we have made a number of structural changes to the school, the most significant of which was the addition of a second floor in 2003. Our enrolment has fluctuated, reaching 150 pupils in 2005 and falling to 61 in 2014.
The decline in the enrolment over that decade was due to two significant decrees affecting education in the Philippines - the requirement that all public elementary schools should have a kindergarten and the introduction of the K12 curriculum in 2012. The latter decree meant children started grade school earlier which meant we sadly had to bid farewell to all our K2 and K1 pupils all at the same time in the spring of 2013.
Playgroup
The addition of the second floor in 2003
To address the shortfall in enrolment, the school management took the decision to start a playgroup for 2 year olds. We had an animated teacher in Rhea to conduct the classes and parents and children had great fun.
Electives
It was at the same time that we took the decision to offer electives (Dance, Art and Voice) as an integral part of the curriculum.
We have since abandoned the playgroup level as the toddlers often got tired but the electives (held twice a month) have become a rewarding feature of our school life.