Inspired by the virtues and zeal of St. Joseph, our patron, San Jose Academy envisions a Christ-centered community committed in producing responsible Christian achievers formed in the Catholic faith who are globally competent, socially engaged, and environmentally-sensitive.

School Mission

The San Jose Academy (SnJA) was founded by the late Msgr. Jose A. Mirasol with the full support of parishioners and of the Maryknoll Sisters. The school was born and named after the patron saint of the San Jose de Navotas Parish on January 23, 1970.

The school opened Kindergarten classes in June, 1970 in the “convento”. The first set of teachers was from St. James Academy which was then managed by the Maryknoll Sisters. Msgr. Jose Mirasol became the first school director.

More pupils came to enrol in the following year and so the old convent: was renovated to make way for more classrooms. The school earned its government permits to operate both the pre-school and grade school departments.

The first batch of 36 Grade Six pupils graduated in March, 1977. Msgr. Mirasol was challenged further to pursue his vision. SnJA was granted a permit to offer secondary education with two sections of First Year students. Mrs. Virginia Roldan and Ms. Lucila dela Vega became the first lay high school principal and grade school principal, respectively. At this time, the school also intensified its outreach program by hiring full-time catechists to teach in the public schools of Navotas. It was also his dream to help the poor and the out-of-school youth of the town by opening free vocational and high school evening classes. Msgr. Jose Mirasol did not see his dream fulfilled as he died on July 14, 1977.

Msgr. Mirasol was replaced by a hard-working priest, Msgr. Pacifico Ma. Mendoza who was then the MAPSA Superintendent. Under his leadership, a new Pre-school building named after the Sto. Niño was constructed.

After two years, Fr. Lorenzo J. Egos took over as the director of the school. During his term, the school population increased by more than 100%. The San Lorenzo Ruiz building was constructed to house ten high school classrooms. Later, a second floor was added to accommodate the big number of students seeking admission. He stayed as director of the school for almost a decade.

Msgr. Severino Casas took over from Fr. Egos but due to health reasons he did not stay long. He was replaced by Msgr. Celso Ditan who introduced austerity measures to improve the school’s financial condition. He was forced to re-trench employees due to the decrease in enrolment.

In 1991, the school community welcomed the arrival of a young and dynamic priest, Rev. Fr. Rolando dela Cruz who was a scholar of the late Msgr. Jose Mirasol. More improvements took place in his time such as: the elevation and beautification of the school grounds, classrooms, corridors and landscaping of the school quadrangle. He converted the old “convento” to house the offices, faculty rooms and library.

Msgr. Jose Norriel B. Bandojo then took over and continued the plans of his predecessor. More improvement in physical plant and upgrading of facilities were given more importance. He encouraged the faculty members to pursue graduate studies and to get updated in their areas of specialization. Under his leadership, SnJA became one of the first MAPSA schools to adopt the single salary standardization scheme to make the salary scale more internally equitable. He gave Computer Education top priority. He also encouraged the involvement of employees in the parish.

A young and energetic steward of the Lord came in the person of Rev. Fr. Sanny de Claro. His spirituality and dynamic enthusiasm created much impact through his recollections and practices of piety, kindness, and fairness to everyone. However, he stayed only for one year and Rev. Fr. Constantino DC Conti replaced him.

Filled with the spirit and virtues of San Jose, the worker, Fr. Conti dreamed and hoped that the students, employees and the entire community be transformed to be real Josenians in mind and heart. He stayed as School Director for several months only but continued working and serving in San Jose Academy as school chaplain.

Rev. Fr. Jeronimo Ma. J. Cruz became School Director in September, 2003. Fr. Jerome came in with multiple assignments such as Vicar General of the Kalookan Diocesan Schools Association (KADSA), Director of the Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila, and Rector of Caloocan Cathedral.

Fr. Jerome led the school community in defining and pursuing the school’s 10 strategic directions as follows:

• Christian formation and professional competence of faculty and staff
• Christian spirituality as core of the curriculum
• learner-centered education
• transformative education
• update operating systems and procedures
• solidarity and co-responsibility with stakeholders
• transparency in finance
• clean, safe and pleasant school environment
• optimum enrollment
• PAASCU accreditation

The school community continues to move forward steadily with the support and guidance of then Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, Jr. and at present, Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The school celebrated its Ruby (40th) anniversary capped with a “Gabi ng Pasasalamat” on January 22, 2010. The celebration aptly expressed deep gratitude for the commitment of selfless priests and lay people to the attainment of the school’s vision and mission. With the theme, “San Jose Academy @ 40: Propelled by a Vision and a Culture of Catholicity, Excellence, Caring and Thanksgiving”, the school community expressed its gratitude to God for His continuing generosity through the intercession of St. Joseph, the patron saint of the school.

During its 48th Founding Anniversary, the celebration revolved around the theme “SnJA@48: Living out the Josenian Legacy with Love and Gratitude”. And with the grace of God, we will be looking forward to the bigger celebration, the 50th (Golden) Founding Anniversary of San Jose Academy.

The blessing and inauguration of the multi-purpose covered court on September 8, 2012, boosted the school’s facilities for its educational and pastoral commitments. Built at the initiative of Fr. Jerome with school community support, it has since then been a favorite venue for sports, cultural, social, spiritual, and pastoral activities of the school and parish and civic organizations.

Under the servant leadership of Fr. Jerome, the school continued to earn recognition for its commitment to quality, learner-centered education. In September 2013, it gained another three years of re-certification from the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE). The re-certification meant the school’s continued worthy participation in the Educational Service Contracting Scheme (ESC) of the Department of Education. It gave the school community renewed optimism and vigor in proclaiming “One in Faith, One in Heart, One in Service to the Community”.

In the fourth quarter of 2013, the school community completed its Institutional Self-Survey and looked forward to PAASCU accreditation as a testimony of the school’s commitment to evangelization through quality Catholic education.

In May 2014, the school passed the PAASCU Preliminary Survey Visit. After the PAASCU Formal Visit last December 1-2, 2015, the school was granted accreditation for three years valid from May 2016 until 2019.

The School underwent its first PAASCU Resurvey Visit last March 2019 and was given five-year reaccreditation (2019-2014). Last January 23, 2020, the school celebrated its Golden Jubilee (50 Years) of foundation.

In August 2020, San Jose Academy recognized the challenge brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the SnJA’s Flexible Distance Learning Program (FlexD LEAP), Josenians were assured of quality Catholic education in this extraordinary time through the offering of distance learning modalities.

A year after its first implementation, the school community has reflected on the experience of the learners and teachers. It consolidated a more dynamic and robust online learning through FlexD LEAP L.I.G.H.T (learner-friendly, inclusive, guided, holistic and balanced, and thriving excellence and innovation in education).

Philosophy of Education

We believe in Christ-centered education characterized by Gospel values in nurturing the innate capacity of every child to learn;

We believe that the transformation of the young into mature persons take place best in a Christian community where administrators, teachers, staff, and parents serve as good models of commitment, competence, harmony, and collaboration.

The school logo bears the Christian symbols Chi-Rho, the lily, and two fish.

The Chi Rho is one of the earliest cruciform symbols used by Christians. It is formed by superimposing the first two letters of the word “Christ” in Greek, chi = ch and rho = r. Although not technically a cross, the Chi Rho invokes the crucifixion of Jesus as well as symbolizing His status as the Christ.

The Chi-Rho is a powerful mandate to the academic community that the whole educational endeavor should be centered on faith and hope in Jesus Christ, the Perfect Man.

The white lily is an attribute of all virgin saints and those who promoted the virtue of chastity. To be “lily-like” is to be of a gentle demeanor and to love others with a pure, virginal love. To “gild a lily” is to waste time and energy trying to improve something which is already perfect.

The lily is also a symbol of the virginal conception of Christ. It appears in many pictures of the Annunciation. Quite often, the Archangel Gabriel holds a lily as he delivers his heavenly message to Mary. St. Joseph has been pictured with a rod or staff blooming with lilies. Christ made the lily a symbol of what would be done for those who trust in divine providence when He said, “Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Luke 12:27-28; see also Mt 6:28-29).

The lily symbolizes respect for the integrity of creation. It stands for the challenge that students learn best from the life examples of their mentors.

Fish are mentioned and given symbolic meaning several times in the Gospels. Several of Jesus’ twelve disciples were fishermen. He commissions them with the words “I will make you fishers of men.”

At the feeding of the five thousand, a boy is brought to Jesus with “five small loaves and two fish”. Jesus multiplies the loaves and fish to feed the multitude.

In John 21:11, it is related that the disciples fished all night but caught nothing. Jesus instructed them to cast the nets on the other side of the boat, and they drew in 153 fish.
The two fish reflect the call for evangelization through Catholic education. It is a call to create and sustain a culture of love, caring, and respect for all learners. The task is highly challenging, but with faith in Jesus Christ the work can be done excellently.

The Latin words scientia, amor, spes correspond to the values of knowledge, love, and hope of which all learners should be filled luxuriously with much more left to be shared and enjoyed by the stewards of the school community.

In order to realize and uphold our commitment to offer an excellent, integral and innovative Catholic education, the academic community will strive to achieve the following institutional objectives:

⦁ To promote in the school community the spirit of discipleship characterized by joy, unity righteousness, prayerfulness, love for work, and sensitivity for the needs of others especially the poor;

⦁ To strive for excellence in academic pursuits, with St. Joseph the worker as model of competence, perseverance, and creativity;

⦁ To promote a culture of caring and stewardship, as St. Joseph did in caring for his family;

⦁ To foster love of country, respect for nature and the environment, social consciousness and justice; and

⦁ To provide an atmosphere of communion between and among students, teachers, non-teaching personnel, and the parents.