CST-R launches iSupport for students and teachers

San Carlos City, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL–Colegio Sto. Tomas-Recoletos has launched CST-R iSupport, an online student support system that continues to deliver student-teacher services and hold school activities. As an exemplar of transformative Recollect education, iSupport covers the Campus Ministry Office (CMO), the School Clinic,

Student Development and Placement Center (SDPC), Student Activity Office, the School Library, Office of the Registrar, Prefect of Discipline, the Office of Academic Coordinator, and even the Supreme Student Council (student organization).

The migration of activities, celebrations and support services to the online medium is CST-R’s response to the Department of Education (DepEd) mandate that Philippine private and public schools open but only implement remote or distance learning.

Virtual Feast Days

On Facebook and the Web via www.cstr.edu.ph, CST-R successfully celebrated the Feast Days of Saint Ezekiel Diaz Moreno, Saint Augustine and Saint Monica with students participating in a Digital Art Medium contest. The two beloved Recollect saints were the subjects of the digital art.

A tenth grader, Aaron Gabriel C. Ybañez, won the contest with his original work featuring a remorseful Saint Augustine holding the hand of a dying Saint Monica. Ybañez used Jump Paint design application to create his art. While the second year of the Saint Ezekiel Moreno Trivia Contest drew even more participants as most students in community quarantine are highly active online.

These projects were the collaboration of the CMO, the Student Council and the SDPC.

The CMO also holds virtual Holy Mass daily from the St. Thomas of Villanova Chapel (school chapel). For the whole of October 2020, CMO is giving virtual recollection to students per section via Zoom meeting.

Online Student Event

Neophytes, including seventh graders and transferees, also experienced the traditional Pakighimamat or School Acquaintance through a Zoom meeting last September 24, 2020, a month after classes officially began. New Thomasians met virtually, shared views and experiences about distance learning system. They toured around the campus using a pre-record video.

Meanwhile, the School Clinic continues to serve the Thomasian community by providing monthly medical and dental check-up to faculty members and staff. Through its online version, the Health Alert, the clinic keeps students and parents abreast with reliable health and safety information via the CST-R Facebook page.

CST-R is educating the youth and serving community in Negros Island for 80 years now. The yearlong celebration began last April 19, 2020. A Facebook live Thanksgiving Mass and launching marked the milestone.