Lourdes School of Quezon City
Lourdes School Quezon City (LSQC) is a private, Catholic educational institution owned and founded by the Capuchins in Quezon City, Philippines, beside the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. The school was formerly known as Lourdes Catholic School, but was changed to its current name to distinguish it from Lourdes School of Mandaluyong. LSQC was established in 1955, starting with 11 teachers with Fr. Jesus de Ansoain as its first rector and principal. Students and alumni of the school are called "Lourdesians" or ""Lourdesiano"" in Filipino. The school is named after and devoted to  Our Lady of Lourdes, and is under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi. History. After World War II destroyed the original church dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, the Capuchins built a new church in Quezon City in 1950. Four years later, Rev. Fr. Adolfo De Echavarri, superior of the Capuchins in the Philippines, along with other priests, conceptualized the creation of Catholic schools for evangelizing the community.since then they were trusted. In 1955, the school was established. The school was built beside the then newly constructed Lourdes Church which is now a National Shrine. As the population of  students increased, a fourth floor, which now holds the rooms for grade 6 students, was added to the original building. A new building was later constructed in May 1967 for the high school department of the school. LSQC, along with other Capuchin schools in Metro Manila formed the first Inter-Capuchin Schools Athletic and Academic Meet in 1984. The Capuchins started a Financial Assistance Program (FAP) in 1970 wherein discounts in tuition were given to students. The high school department received its first accreditation by the PAASCU in 1992, and the grade school department in 1997. The high school department  was granted a level 3 accreditation in 2007, and was once again given the same level re-accredited status in 2012. A new five-story building for the high school campus was erected in 1997. Today, the five-story building holds the classrooms for grades 7 and 8 including rooms of laboratories. Since school year 1978-1979, female students were accepted to enroll in the school. In 2015, the school celebrated its 60th founding anniversary. On this year, the construction of the Blessed Jose Maria de Manila Courtyard was completed. School program. Lourdes School Quezon City offers four levels of  education, namely: Historically, LSQC was an exclusive school for boys across all levels; however, in the late 1970s, the high school department began admitting girl scholars. Its high school eventually became coeducational in 1998. The senior high school program offers all four strands under the Academic Track, namely: Aside from its academic program, a financial assistance program is offered to academically-competent children from low-income families. Official seal. The primary features of the school's seal are the three small crosses on the left and right sides of the logo, two arms in saltire position with a cloud as  a background. The Three crosses symbolizes the Holy Trinity, a primary focus of Franciscan spirituality. The bare arm is of Jesus Christ' who is believed in Christianity to have given his own life for humanity's salvation while the sleeved arm is of St. Francis of Assisi who, due to his saintly life according to Christ's own life and teachings in the Gospel, earned the title as the “Mirror of Christ”. The big cross signifies the concept of "Becoming like Christ", which is a way of life striven for by Franciscans. The clouds represent heaven which in Christianity is  the destiny and home of mankind in the afterlife. The school's logo features the motto "Pax Et Bonum", a traditional Franciscan greeting which means "Peace and goodwill" or "Peace and the good" (often imprecisely translated as "Peace and all good". Note that the word "all", in any of its Latin translations, does not appear in the phrase). The seal is prominently displayed on the school's uniforms, official bus, façade, and the skywalk which connects the grade school and the high school departments. Accreditation. The school is accredited by the PAASCU. Both the grade school and high school departments  are granted a level 3 status, the highest level for accreditation, thus joining a small circle of less than fifteen schools in Metro Manila accredited with such status.