San Nicolas Elementary School

24/08/2026

📰 TEACH LESS, TEACH BETTER: SNES Unveils ‘Instructional Recovery’ Plan Ahead of Term 1 Exams

San Nicolas Elementary School adopts mastery-first approach after weather disruptions

By: Office of the Principal | August 24, 2026

SAN NICOLAS, ILOCOS NORTE — In a move that prioritizes deep learning over hurried coverage, San Nicolas Elementary School (SNES) has officially announced a strategic Instructional Recovery & Assessment Alignment plan, designed to address the loss of 10-12 instructional days due to recent typhoons and prolonged monsoon rains.

With only three school days remaining before the Term 1 Exam — scheduled for August 28 & September 1, 2026 — school leadership is making a clear, confident stand: No cramming. No overloading. No unnecessary pressure on teachers or learners.

📖 Not “Catch-Up” — But “Recover with Purpose”

Rejecting the traditional, high-pressure notion of “catching up,” the school is instead embracing a principle-centered approach:

“We do not chase coverage. We pursue MASTERY. Teach less — but teach BETTER. Quality over Quantity. Always.”

The plan recognizes that rushing to finish all competencies in a compressed timeline would only lead to superficial understanding, heightened anxiety, and unfair assessment — especially for learners already affected by the disruption.

📋 Three-Tiered Competency Framework

At the heart of the new strategy is a clear, practical system that guides teachers to classify all learning competencies into three priority levels:

🔴 FIRST PRIORITY — Essential Competencies

Non-negotiable core skills learners MUST master before the exam.
These are foundational concepts critical for future learning. Teachers will focus these next three days on teaching these deeply and meaningfully — and these alone will be the focus of the upcoming examinations.

🟡 SECOND PRIORITY — Important Competencies

Valuable, but not immediately required.
These will be integrated naturally into Term 2 lessons, woven into related topics when the school calendar resumes a normal pace. No rushing — no forcing.

🔵 THIRD PRIORITY — Deferred Competencies

Can be taught later without harming learner progress.
These will be formally scheduled for specific dates in Term 2, ensuring they receive full, unrushed attention in the proper time.

💡 Core Philosophy: “It is far better for learners to deeply understand 5 essential competencies than to barely know 15. Mastery is our goal — not completion.”

📝 Fair Assessment & Targeted Inclusion

The plan also clarifies that upcoming exams must reflect only what was actually taught. No test shall include competencies that were not covered or deferred — ensuring fairness, validity, and peace of mind for every learner.

Special attention is given to learners with special needs, learning disabilities, and manifestations:

- ✅ Appropriate accommodations (extra time, modified formats, simplified instructions)
- ✅ Materials aligned to Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs)
- ✅ Personalized, patient support
- ✅ Assessments that measure progress — not limitations

“Inclusion means meeting each child where they are.”

💛 A Message of Trust, Encouragement, and Unity

The school administration expressed deep gratitude and unwavering confidence in its faculty:

“We know you want to cover everything — that is the mark of a caring, committed teacher. But rushing creates stress, not learning. Overloading creates anxiety, not mastery. When we focus on what is truly essential, we honor our learners and we honor our profession.”

The message is clear: Teachers are NOT expected to finish everything in three days. They ARE expected to teach what matters most — deeply and well.

🎯 The Path Forward

As SNES prepares for the Term 1 assessments, the entire school community unites around a simple, powerful vision:

“Quality over Quantity. Mastery over Coverage. Confidence over Pressure.”

By choosing depth over speed, care over pressure, and inclusion over uniformity, San Nicolas Elementary School turns a challenging situation into an opportunity — to teach better, to assess fairly, and to serve every learner with wisdom and heart.

23/08/2026

BUILDING CHARACTER, NOT JUST RULES: The True Answer to Bullying and School Violence

We all want safe, peaceful schools where every child feels valued and protected. Yet despite all our policies, memoranda, and anti-bullying campaigns, incidents of conflict, hurtful behavior, and violence still happen. Why? Because we have been treating the symptoms while overlooking the root cause. We punish the act, but we have not sufficiently shaped the heart. Rules can stop an action for a moment—but only character can prevent it for a lifetime. This is the honest truth we must all face: Character formation is the only lasting solution to bullying and school violence.

Policies are not enough. We have excellent child protection policies. They were created for a noble, necessary purpose: to shield children from real harm, abuse, and cruelty. No one—absolutely no one—should ever mistreat a child. But a policy on paper cannot teach kindness. A memorandum cannot build empathy. A penalty cannot make a child respect another human being. These are things that come only through character formation—through consistent teaching, daily guidance, and meaningful discipline that helps students understand why their actions matter.

Discipline is not abuse; it is guidance. There is a growing, dangerous misunderstanding today: that correcting a child, setting firm boundaries, or holding them accountable is somehow harmful. It is not. True discipline—done with respect, fairness, and love—is one of the greatest gifts we can give a child. It teaches them self-control. It teaches them that their actions affect others. It teaches them that freedom comes with responsibility. When teachers are afraid to correct misbehavior because they fear being misunderstood or reported, we do not protect the children—we leave them without guidance. We must empower our teachers to properly discipline, guide, and warn their students—not to punish out of anger, but to mold out of care.

Overprotection is not love; it is a disservice. We must honestly examine this: When we misapply child protection policies to shield children from every consequence, every correction, and every lesson in responsibility, we are not protecting them—we are handicapping them. A child who is never told "that is wrong," who is never asked to apologize, who is never guided to understand the pain they cause—will grow up believing they can act without respect and without care. That is not safety. That is preparing them for a life of conflict, rejection, and failure. We protect our children best not by shielding them from correction, but by guiding them toward goodness.

Character formation is the long-term solution. We can catch a bully and impose a sanction. But if that child’s heart has not changed, if they have not learned compassion, respect, and self-restraint, they will find another way to hurt others. Real change happens when we teach students to value others as much as they value themselves. It happens when we teach them that strength is not in hurting others, but in lifting them up. It happens when we teach them that every person deserves respect. This is the work of character formation—and it cannot be rushed, skipped, or replaced by policies alone.

So here is our call to every parent, every teacher, and every stakeholder:

Let us keep our child protection policies—we need them. They exist to guard our children from real harm. But let us never use them as an excuse to avoid guiding, correcting, and forming our students. Let us not confuse protection with permissiveness, or care with overprotection. Let us empower our teachers to discipline with wisdom, to warn with sincerity, and to form with patience. And let us all understand this clearly: We will never end bullying and violence by rules alone. We will end it only when we build better human beings—children of character, of kindness, and of integrity.

A safe school is not one where no one is ever corrected—but one where everyone is guided to become their best self. That is the true protection our children deserve. That is the future we must build, together.

19/08/2026

📢 OFFICIAL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENT

SAN NICOLAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte

TO: All Learners, Parents, and Guardians
DATE: August 19, 2026
SUBJECT: SUSPENSION OF IN-PERSON CLASSES & SHIFT TO FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROGRAM — TOMORROW, AUGUST 20, 2026.

Please be informed that in-person classes tomorrow, August 20, 2026, are SUSPENDED.

In compliance with Memorandum Circular No. 131 issued by the Office of the President, San Nicolas Elementary School will adopt the FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROGRAM (FLP) of the Department of Education for tomorrow. Learners shall continue with their studies at home through the learning activities and tasks to be provided by their respective teachers.

All school activities and scheduled events set for tomorrow are likewise SUSPENDED. These will be conducted next week once weather and safety conditions permit.

We ask for the understanding and cooperation of everyone. Please stay safe and monitor further announcements from the school.

By Order of the Principal
San Nicolas Elementary School

05/08/2026

Goodbye for now and Good morning up there,
Mr. Rey Tarriga

With heavy hearts and tear-filled eyes, we bid our final goodbye to you—our beloved friend, trusted colleague, and dedicated co-teacher, Mr. Reynaldo C. Tarriga.

It feels impossible to utter these words, for it seems only yesterday that your voice echoed through our stage and conference hall, your bright thoughts have inspired us, and your gentle guidance shaped the lives of our learners. You have been such an irreplaceable part of this school family—every program we planned, every challenge we faced, every victory we celebrated—you were always there, steady and true. Our activities, our gatherings, the very rhythm of our days here will never be the same now that you have gone ahead to meet our great Creator.

We will surely and dearly miss your warm company, your loyal friendship, and that rare, beautiful camaraderie that bound us all so close. No words can fully capture how much we shall miss you—how hard it is to let go of someone who became more than just a colleague, but a brother and a companion in this noble work of touching young lives.

Though our hearts ache deeply today, we hold fast to our faith: we believe that beyond the rainbow’s end, in the radiant paradise of our Lord, you are waiting with that same gentle smile we know so well. We pray that you rest in perfect peace, surrounded by eternal light and joy. Until we meet again, dear Reynaldo—thank you for every moment, every lesson, and every memory you left us. You will live on in our hearts forever.

🤎🤎🤎From your SNES Family 🤎🤎🤎

24/06/2026

Today you stand chosen among your peers — entrusted with a meaningful task that goes far beyond a simple activity. For the next four days, you will lead our school watching and hazard mapping, walking every corridor, every corner, every open space of San Nicolas Elementary School with careful eyes and caring hearts.

Many think safety is something adults alone provide. But I know better: safety is built when everyone takes part — and today, you are our leaders.

You will spot small things that could grow into risks, mark places that need attention, and chart hazards that might otherwise go unseen. Every note you write, every spot you mark, every suggestion you share becomes a shield — for your classmates, your teachers, and everyone who calls this school their second home. You turn ordinary walks into acts of care; you turn observations into protection.

People often ask what leadership looks like. This is it: showing up, paying attention, and doing the right thing even when no one is grading you. You carry the trust of this whole community, and though the responsibility is real, remember — you are never truly alone. I am with you, your teachers are with you, and your shared courage lights the way.

Do not worry if you do not know every answer right away. What matters is your willingness to look, learn, and speak up. Your work these four days will stay on our maps, guide our plans, and keep San Nicolas safer long after you finish.

Thank you for stepping forward. Thank you for caring deeply. Thank you for proving that young hands and sharp minds can build safer, stronger places for all.

Go with confidence, walk carefully, and lead proudly. I am already proud of you — and I know great things will come from what you do.

Lead well, stay safe, and shine bright!

06/06/2026

CONGRATULATIONS!

Miss SHARIE MAE T. TABUYO, MAEd

On this meaningful day—June 6, 2026—as you officially earn your Master of Arts in Education from the Divine Word College of Laoag, the entire school administration and community of San Nicolas Elementary School (SNES) in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, stands with immense pride and joy to celebrate your remarkable achievement.

This milestone is far more than just a diploma; it is the shining result of your dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to excellence. We have long seen the heart and skill you bring to your profession: as an effective classroom teacher, you light the path of learning for your students; as a School Paper Adviser, you nurture their voices and creativity; as a winning coach and trainer, you inspire them to reach for victory and believe in their own potential; and as the leader of the SNES Media Team, you guide our school in sharing its story with passion and purpose.

Your pursuit of higher learning while fulfilling these vital roles is truly inspiring. It proves that true educators never stop growing—you have expanded your knowledge not just for yourself, but to better serve the learners and community you love. May this new academic distinction open even greater doors of opportunity, wisdom, and influence.

We are incredibly proud to have you as part of our teaching staff. May you continue to shine as a beacon of learning, leadership, and service. Congratulations once again on your well-deserved success!

With deepest admiration and warmest regards,
The Administration and Faculty of San Nicolas Elementary School

26/05/2026

26/05/2026

Please be informed that the Stage 2 Written Examination for SSES Applicants 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, at 1:00 P.M. at the SSC Building, San Nicolas Elementary School.

All qualified Kindergarten pupils who passed the Stage 1 Screening Examination are advised to arrive on time and bring the following:
✏️ Pencil
✏️ Sharpener
✏️ Eraser

Good luck, future young scientists! 🔬✨

22/05/2026

𝐒𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐄𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔–𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕

San Nicolas Elementary School (SNES) officially opens its enrollment for School Year 2026–2027, welcoming both new and returning learners from Kindergarten to Grade 6.

To ensure an orderly and efficient enrollment process, parents and guardians are encouraged to follow the designated enrollment schedule and prepare the required documents in advance. The school remains committed to providing every learner with quality education and a supportive environment where they can learn, grow, and succeed.

🗓️ 𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐄

📅 May 25, 2026 (Monday)
- Kindergarten to Grade 6

📋 𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒
📌 Kindergarten
• PSA Certificate of Birth

📌 Grade 1
• ECCD Checklist
• PSA Certificate of Birth
• Photocopy of Kindergarten Diploma

📌 Grades 2–6
• SF9 (Progress Report Card)

📌 For Transferees
• Photocopy of SF9 (Progress Report Card)
• PSA Certificate of Birth

Parents and guardians are advised to bring complete requirements and arrive on their scheduled enrollment date to facilitate faster processing.

As SNES prepares to welcome another batch of learners, excitement continues to build within the community. The school looks forward to opening its doors to young minds eager to learn, discover, and achieve their fullest potential.

Education begins with enrollment, and every learner’s journey toward success starts with a single step. Join us as we embark on another year of learning, growth, and excellence at San Nicolas Elementary School.

For more information and updates, please visit San Nicolas Elementary School or SNES Media Team on Facebook or contact the school administration at 0920 977 0731.

21/05/2026

𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝟐 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔–𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕

The journey toward becoming part of the prestigious Special Science Elementary School (SSES) Program continues as San Nicolas Elementary School (SNES) prepares for the much-awaited 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝟐 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for incoming Grade 1 pupils for School Year 2026–2027.

Following the successful completion of the Stage 1 screening and interview process, young aspirants will once again showcase their readiness, academic potential, and passion for learning during the examination scheduled on 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 (𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲) at 𝟏:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 at the 𝐒𝐒𝐂 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 of San Nicolas Elementary School.

The SSES Program of SNES is recognized for cultivating excellence in Science, Mathematics, and critical thinking among young learners. More than just an academic opportunity, the program serves as a training ground for future innovators, researchers, and leaders who will one day contribute to nation-building through science and discovery.

In accordance with the Division Memorandum issued by the Schools Division Office of Ilocos Norte, the Stage 2 Written Examination will be administered by the Schools Division Office (SDO) through the Division Science Supervisors and Division Testing Coordinators to ensure a fair, organized, and standardized selection process for all applicants.

School officials emphasized that the Stage 2 Written Examination is designed to assess learners’ comprehension, analytical skills, and overall preparedness to thrive in an enriched and specialized learning environment.

🗓️ 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒
📅 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: May 27, 2026 (Wednesday)
⏰ 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄: 1:00 o’clock in the Afternoon
📍 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄: SSC Building, San Nicolas Elementary School

🎒 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆
✏️ Pencil
🖊️ Sharpener
🧽 Eraser

Parents and guardians are encouraged to ensure that examinees arrive early, well-rested, and prepared for the examination. Their support and encouragement play an important role in helping children perform confidently and comfortably during the testing process.

As the examination day approaches, excitement continues to grow within the SNES community as another batch of aspiring young scientists prepares to take on the challenge and pursue academic excellence.

The future begins here — and for these young learners, this may be the first step toward a brighter and more innovative tomorrow.

For more updates and inquiries, please visit 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 or contact the school administration at 𝟎𝟗𝟐𝟎 𝟗𝟕𝟕 𝟎𝟕𝟑𝟏.