FAQs for AY2020-2021

The Adaptive Blended Lourdesian Education (ABLE) Platforms are Lourdes School of Mandaluyong’s way to offer parents and guardians of different contexts and dispositions three responsive ways to access to Lourdesian education and formation for their boys. We sought to address two general sets of factors that parents and guardians face in the “new normal”: 1) the adequacy of technology and connectivity at the home, and 2) the level of anxiety over health safety of the students. Depending on their particular realities, they may opt for: a) ONLINE, b) BLENDED, or c) CONVENTIONAL Platforms.

The ONLINE ABLE Platform is primarily designed for parents and guardians who have access to adequate gadgets and connectivity and may feel unwilling to allow their boys to return to campus during the pandemic, even for the whole academic year. This is also applicable for students who are unable to come to campus for an extended period of time but is capable and willing to embark or continue the Lourdesian learning and formative journey. For younger students, a home-based learning companion may be necessary to support learners by ensuring there is a learning-appropriate environment at home. For more independent and responsible learners, home-based learning companions are less urgently needed other than to monitor their progress.

The BLENDED ABLE Platform is primarily designed for parents and guardians who have access to adequate gadgets and connectivity and are willing to allow their boys to return to campus when the Government or the School allows it. Students enlisted on the BLENDED ABLE Platform shift time between School and home, in order to assure physical distancing. For younger students, a home-based learning companion may be necessary whenever students are on the home shift in order to support them by ensuring there is a learning-appropriate environment at home. For more independent and responsible learners, home-based learning companions are less urgently needed other than to monitor their progress whenever they are on the home shift.

The CONVENTIONAL ABLE Platform is primarily designed for parents and guardians who have inadequate gadgets or connectivity and are willing to allow their boys to return to campus when the Government or the School allows it. Students enlisted on the CONVENTIONAL ABLE Platform learn on campus inasmuch as possible, with prior regard to maintaining physical distancing. For younger students, a home-based learning companion may be necessary only when those on the CONVENTIONAL ABLE Platform unavoidably receive learning via online modes, e.g. the First Quarter of AY2020-2021. For more independent and responsible learners, home-based learning companions are less urgently needed other than to monitor their learning progress in school.

We have made a simple tool which can help you decide which may be best for you. You can access it at bit.ly/LSMAbleChoiceTool. Your Platform choice will be required when enrolling.

There are two modes of delivery for every ABLE Platform for AY2020-2021: a) remote delivery mode, when students engage education either via the internet or, if necessary for some, learning materials at home, and b) classroom mode, when students are physically present inside the campus and engage education inside the classroom. Remotely delivered learning will also have two components for every ABLE Platform for AY2020-2021: 1) a real-time or live component of online learning or synchronous online learning, and 2) a flexible-time component of online learning or asynchronous online learning Synchronous online learning is when the interaction between the teacher and the student occurs immediately and personally because both are present online for one another. The students can receive immediate feedback from the teacher and from his classmates at the same time through video conferencing, chat, forum, or live online classes. Asynchronous online learning is when the student engages learning materials, practices skills through online exercises, watches recorded lecture videos, or accomplishes other learning tasks at any time or at his own pace. The teacher is not immediately and personally present online for the student but may be reached by the student via email or a message sent in a chat, forum, or the learning management system. Whenever a student misses a synchronous online learning session, that same session may be accessed at a later time. This relieves stress from students who may need to share gadgets with others, and from parents and guardians who may only be able to accompany their children in the learning journey after office hours.

Our Guidance Office will continue to provide psycho-emotional support and formation to the boys as part of their regular schedule. The Campus Ministry offices (Pastoral, CLEd, and Social Action) will be preparing home guides for both students and parents and guardians as part of their formative routine. Spiritual formation like retreats and recollections will be remodelled in order to fit the demands of the “new normal”. In general, a more collaborative relationship between school and home will be inaugurated for the character formation of every Lourdesian Master.

Yes. Shifting between platforms may be done at the end of the quarter. Adjustment in fees will be applied accordingly.

Yes, provided that they submit all the necessary requirements for admission. They also need to make sure that adequate gadgets are available to them for a proper learning space set up in their respective homes.

No. In home-schooling, parents or guardians take the primary role of teaching their children. In order to be promoted from the current grade level, their children would need to pass an accreditation exam. Our Online platform is still primarily facilitated by teachers even if the support of parents is crucial. Students enrolled in our Online ABLE platform who successfully pass the academic year will be duly promoted to the next level.

The learning journey for Lourdes School of Mandaluyong begins July 27 for AY2020-2021. Please bear in mind that the First Quarter will be remotely-delivered across all platforms. No student is expected to come to campus for the First Quarter.

We initially hope to welcome the Masters back into campus by the Second Quarter. However, as the date approaches, we will discern once again whether this move will still be prudent. Be assured that the welfare of the Masters will be our foremost priority and consideration. When we allow Masters to return to campus, all steps will be taken to protect their health. It is yet possible that the online format for all platforms may be extended. In such case, fees will be adjusted accordingly and any rebate due will be given to parents at the end of the academic year.

Parents and guardians need to serve as (or provide a) home-based learning companion and learning coach for their boy. Although the teacher remains as the primary learning facilitator in an online mode, parents and guardians nonetheless need to support and monitor the learning journey of their sons at home; this is an inescapable dimension of the “new normal.” This involves supervising the accomplishment of daily tasks, monitoring the progress of online work, enforcing good and effective study habits, and communicating and collaborating with teachers via parent-initiated online conferences. Specifically, as our home-based partners, parents and guardians need to:

1.  set up a study area and provide students with whatever materials, gadget, or connectivity required for accomplishing the learning tasks;
2.  perennially remind students that their attitude towards online learning should be no less than those for face-to-face learning—that the standards of performance will be the same and that, whenever they engage their learning materials, they are still going to school even if they physically remain at home;
3. ensure that students establish and maintain a regular study schedule or routine for engaging and working on his online courses;
4. monitor and motivate students to accomplish and complete online tasks on time and with diligence and excellence;
5. assert student discipline in the household, including enforcing school rules or policies whenever such apply even at the home;
6. ensure that students attend or participate in necessary formative activities, e.g. school retreats, Sunday masses, daily devotions, etc.; and
7. remind or guide their sons to comport themselves in a manner worthy and becoming of a Lourdesian: gentlemen of excellence, good character, and holiness.

Students may immediately reach out to their teachers during live online classes. They may also reach out to teachers through video conferencing, chat, forum, email, or a message sent via the learning management system. Consultation periods may be scheduled with teachers as part of the weekly school timetable.

You may refer to pages 15-18 of our Primer (bit.ly/LSMPrimer2021) for a sample schedule. Each subject involves moving between the learning phases of Acquiring Content, Making Meaning, and Transferring to Action.

You may refer to page 26 of our Primer (bit.ly/LSMPrimer2021) for the gadgets we expect are necessary for every grade level. Digital scanners or printers are not absolutely needed or recommended, although they may possibly be a convenience in some cases.

Synchronous learning sessions may be accessed at a later time asynchronously. This would ease the urgency for students who share gadgets to access their lessons at the same time and, instead, take turns in using available gadgets. We encourage parents to improve their internet bandwidth at home to ensure efficient access; reading materials and learning kits may also be sent by teachers via email to particular students on the CONVENTIONAL ABLE Platform.

Synchronous learning tasks are recorded. These will be uploaded in your son's Genyo or Google classroom account. Thus, households with more than one learner but with limited gadgets can still access content that was delivered during synchronous learning sessions at a later time.

You may refer to page 26 of our Primer (bit.ly/LSMPrimer2021) for the online learning tools that may be employed per grade level. In general, teachers will be using Seesaw, Genyo, Schoology, Google Classroom, Google Meet, and Zoom as approved online learning tools.

Information either via downloadable manuals or video instructions will be posted at fb.me/LourdesSchoolManda regarding how to use and troubleshoot the online learning tools.

Textbooks will be needed for AY2020-2021. However, we have given parents and guardians the choice between availing textbooks in print, as e-books, or both (there will be at least a 40% discount when both are purchased).

You may refer to page 20 of our Primer (bit.ly/LSMPrimer2021) regarding particulars about assessments for AY2020-2021. Summative assessments will be designed for and conducted either via a real-time session or as an assigned offline task. The teachers shall create test items and types that will challenge students to think critically and to justify their answers; such test types discourage students from committing plagiarism or any other form of cheating during the conduct of such online assessments. As a formative policy, we shall very strictly adhere to academic and intellectual honesty. Quarterly Assessments will still be given. When return to campus is allowed, quarterly assessments may be administered in a staggered schedule to allow for physical distancing.

There will be a downloadable Learning Journey Tracker every Monday that students will accomplish with the guidance of their Class Adviser. Parents may refer to that matrix to monitor their child’s progress in accomplishing tasks and assessments during the week.

Programs for academic assistance, as well as pull-out and special classes for foreigners and non-Filipino speakers, will be offered online during Saturdays. Enrolment in tutorial and remedial sessions will be done during the second week after the opening of classes. Learners who are required to take remediation in specific subjects after academic deliberation last AY2019-2020 will be prioritized.

You may refer to page 23 of our Primer (bit.ly/LSMPrimer2021) regarding particulars about guidance and counselling programs for AY2020-2021. The Guidance Periods and Routine Interviews will continue even on an online mode. There is also an online Mental Health Support to assist students, staff, and parents and guardians.

Yes. Attendance checks are added motivations to help ensure both punctuality and regularity in students’ attendance of online sessions. Rest assured, however, that due consideration will be taken for students who may need to engage online learning asynchronously. In such cases, the attendance of the students may be monitored by the teachers through the submission of output or any indicator of engagement rather than the actual attendance in live learning sessions.

Guidelines contained in the Minimum Health Standards for Schools as formulated by DOH and DepEd will strictly be followed. Class size is reduced to 10-20 per classroom, depending on the size, in order observe physical distancing (i.e., keeping seats at least 1m apart). Frequently touched surfaces will be disinfected at least twice a day. Intensive cleaning and disinfection will be done every weekend.

The Student's Handbook will continue to be our guide in addressing disciplinary issues. Some discipline policies may even extend to the home. Procedures will naturally be adapted to the current learning set up. We recommend that our parents become acquainted with the Student Handbook to guide them as our partners in the character formation of their children.

1. Please prepare the required documents listed at www.lsm.edu.ph/admissions/, including the filling in the downloadable Application Form. Once completed, please email them to lsmregistrar@lsm.edu.ph.
2. Wait for a confirmation email the Registrar directing you to the next steps.
3. If some documents are momentarily unavailable, please inform the Registrar via email so that you may be advised regarding how to proceed.

Enrolments are both online and face-to-face. Online enrolments may be accessed via the LSM Parents’ and Guardians’ Portal (bit.ly/LSMPGPortal) and face-to-face enrolments may be transacted June 26 & 27 and all Fridays and Saturdays of July. Please note protocols for entering the campus (bit.ly/LSMCampusEntry). Also, office hours are only until 2pm to allow staff to sanitize our facilities and for personnel to be ferried home. The usual procedures will be in place for face-to-face enrolments. Instructions for online enrolment may be found at bit.ly/LSMPortalGuide or at www.lsm.edu.ph/admissions under Online Registration.

Each Platform has different net fees. These are posted on our existing students’ Genyo accounts and would also be reflected on the Assessment stage of online enrolment. New students may inquire about fees by calling our Accounting Office (8631-6310), via email sent to contactLSMsocialmedia@gmail.com, or via private message to our official facebook account (fb.me/LourdesSchoolManda).

Yes. Fees may be settled via our BPI account number 4161-0040-87 with account name “Lourdes School of Mandaluyong”. Please make sure to send to lsmcashier@gmail.com either a screenshot of a successful fund transfer for reference and confirmation purposes. The account is able to receive fund transfers directly from other banks. Please refer to your bank’s Customer Service regarding protocols specific to your bank.

At the beginning of the academic year, Lourdes School of Mandaluyong provides parents the net fees that reflect the maximum projected costs for their sons’ education. For AY2020-2021, any savings in operational expenses and fees for cancelled activities will be returned to parents in the form of rebates at the end of the academic year. We believe this is a more honest and charitable approach compared to those of others that charge apparently low fees at the beginning but then collect significantly more over the course of an academic year.

No. This academic year, service charges are suspended for the instalment payment options.

For AY2020-2021, those who will avail of the instalment options will only need to settle PhP10k for each boy they will enrol with Lourdes School of Mandaluyong.

We offer discounts for those with multiple sons concurrently enrolled in an academic year at Lourdes School of Mandaluyong. After the first son enrolled, the 2nd son concurrently enrolled receives 5% off his tuition fee; a 3rd son concurrently enrolled receives 10% off, a 4th son concurrently enrolled receives 50% off, a 5th son concurrently enrolled receives 75% off, and the 6th son (and further) concurrently enrolled receives 100% off tuition fee.

Yes. For AY2020-2021, slots allocated for Lourdes School of Mandaluyong were increased to 180. Please contact the High School Principal or the Registrar for forms to apply.

1. If you are accessing the Parents’ and Guardians’ Portal using a mobile device (phone or tablet), please transfer to a laptop or desktop computer.
2. If the issue persists, click RESET PASSWORD. You may choose to re-use your old password. If the issue persists, please contact us by sending a message to www.fb.me/LourdesSchoolManda.