October 9, 2007 

Dear Lambert, 

In response to your query regarding faculty chairs, I would like to share some data, rationale, and historical backgrounds which would hopefully help you in the formulation of strategies and identification of needs in your campaign. 

History: 

The faculty chairs scheme was designed and devised to “buy time” for SMS to get on its feet financially while we work on developing and setting a college preparatory curriculum, stabilize staffing, and provide the necessary infrastructure(facilities, teaching resources, and equipment) to deliver the curriculum.  It was also aimed to deviate from the usual practice of “patronage” whereby scholarships were given directly to specific students whose parents are either relatives or friends of donors.  By shouldering the salaries of faculty, all students at SMS benefit as a whole, as opposed to a few individuals.  The scheme also allows the school to set and implement guidelines and procedures for granting academic scholarships to top achievers and financial assistance to deserving grantees who are in need. 

Several donors like Edwin & Nellie Pit-og (Library), Rufino (Science), and I (English) have been funding some faculty positions prior to the implementation of the faculty chairs scheme.  The scheme was formally launched last school year (2006-2007) for 13 faculty positions. 

Calculation of Faculty Chairs. 

Probationary teachers at SMS receive P10,000 monthly and a government mandated 13^th month pay of P10,000.  With social security, Philhealth (i.e. Medicare), Pag-Ibig (another government mandated retirement fund), we rounded up the cost of employing one faculty member to P150,000 annually or $3,000, with the peso exchange was P50 to USD$1. 

The number of faculty is determined through FTEs or full time teaching equivalents.  Having a high school curriculum that requires expertise in specific subject areas like math and Filipino, the school hires a combination of full time teachers and part-time teachers, depending on enrollment and need.  A full time teacher teaches five classes out of 8 periods, and/or has student contact (classroom instruction) 25-30 hours in a 40-hour week.  The rest (10 hours) is devoted to preparation, consultation, and group responsibilities like Vespers, meetings, substitution, and Mass.  Faculty are also expected to be available for activities, tutorials, and consultation for an hour after school hours and on Saturdays, if there is a need.  Our SMS faculty are only given 3 days sick leave (this does not cover sickness of members of their families) and no personal leave.  If they miss work and/or exceed their sick leave allowance, the peso equivalent is deducted from their monthly pay.  Full time teachers are paid twelve months a year, including the semester, Christmas, and summer breaks which are considered as “paid vacation.”

As a rule of thumb, the number of faculty (full time and part time) exceeds the number of FTEs.  Budgets are based on FTEs, rather than number of people. 

Staffing: 

You may have been confused when you read my June bulletin on staffing.  The list of 23 included Muriel Khita and Lisa Octaviano who are Kindergarten teachers employed by the Parish (SMV) and are paid out of tuition fees from kider students.  (SMS does not subsidize the Kindergarten, but helps out in administration, teacher training, faculty supervision, and share teaching resources)  Any deficits incurred in the running of Kindergarten are covered by the Vestry which acts as their Board of Trustees.  Also included in the 23 are Noel Agnapan and Karen Lomong-oy who share the librarian’s salary (50% or P5,000 each).  The other 50% or P5,000 of each salary is paid out of dorm fees.  Alma Bagano (Science), Janet Eason (Art), and Joel Doladol (Math) are part time teachers (respectively paid 20%, 70%, and 50% of a teacher’s salary).  Our Business Manager, Chiqui Say-awen, (Business Math) teaches one class, but her salary is not supported by the faculty chairs program; rather it is taken from tuition fees, and she does not get extra for teaching.  Likewise, I teach Music, but I receive nothing extra (other than a Principal’s salary) for teaching.  On the other hand, we have hired a computer maintenance technician instead of a computer teacher (paid out of faculty chairs donations), though Junar Nabos does not have teaching responsibilities; he, however, assists teachers in the teaching of computer, and assists Kent in running the system. 

Another factor in the confusion is the fact that our tenured teachers receive P15,000 (instead of P10,000) monthly, plus benefits.  This school year (2007-2008), we have three tenured faculty (Lite, Gonsoden, and Deligen).  Next year, I anticipate four more (Benter, Hangdaan, Ticobay, and Dawagan).  Eventually, all faculty will be tenured some time or rather in the future.  I do not want to confuse the issue, by factoring this into the faculty chairs scheme.  Rather, the extra costs can be absorbed by the increase of tuition and maximization of class sizes. 

Another consideration is expansion—and this is still unpredictable.  As we increase in student population, and given that the Board policy limits class sizes to 25 students maximum, more part time teachers have to be hired and FTEs will have to increase. 

Proposal: 

I therefore suggest the following scheme: 

1)      Let us peg the number of FTEs to 19 this year, meaning faculty chairs scheme can the salaries of the equivalent of 19 full time teachers. The breakdown is as follows: 

English – 3 teachers; Filipino – 3 teachers; Math – 3 teachers; Science – 3 teachers; Social Studies – 3 teachers; PE and Arts – 2 teachers; Computer – 1 teacher; Librarian – 1 teacher. 

This configuration or combination will cover future expansion up to 12 sections or 300 students of 25 each, including the “5^th Year program composed of electives.  

2)      Let us peg the amount to $3,000 or P150,000 per faculty chair.  The dollar fluctuation and the tenure factor can be absorbed by other sources of income like tuition and fees.  Eventually, the tuition at SMS will increase to P10,000 by  SY 2010-2011. 

3)      Let us set the timeline as follows: 

*scheme increase approved by PTA last month
** includes Guidance Counselor
*** consider this as a cushion or grace period
**** I envision a Principal’s chair so that we can hire a qualified replacement for me when I retire. 

Next year (2008-2009), I intend to hire a much-needed Guidance counselor, but we have not hired one yet.  This will be a another FTE which make the total to 21.  But I don’t want to hire someone until we are financially stable.  Fr. Jerry Sagayo, I, and the PTA officers have been currently assuming the responsibilities of the Guidance Office. 

Lambert, please feel free to share this information to other interested SMSSFFI members.  If there other suggestions, revisions, or questions, contact me so we can finalize this before we publish it to the SMS yahoo group. 

Regards, and thanks. 

Dennis