SCHOOL PROFILE

BRIEF HISTORY OF LA SALLE ACADEMY

La Salle Academy, located in Iligan City, has a rich legacy as part of the third generation of Lasallian schools in the Philippines. Its origins trace back to two previously established institutions. In May 1947, Woodrow Wilson Junior College was inaugurated under private auspices, but due to various challenges, it was eventually closed. In 1954, the Columban Fathers took over the original building, reopening it as St. Columban’s Academy, a boys’ high school. Boys were transferred from St. Michael’s College, where the high school department remained open for girls only.

In 1958, facing a shortage of priests for pastoral duties, the Columban Fathers invited the De La Salle Brothers to take charge of St. Columban’s Academy. That same year, under the leadership of Brother Crescentius Richard (Duerr), the Brothers formally assumed administration of the school, which then had two sections per year level and approximately 250 students. The faculty from St. Columban’s Academy was retained, ensuring continuity in the transition.

By 1960, the school and its growing community, now led by Brother Honorius Alfred Shields, moved from its downtown location to a three-hectare lot in Pala-o. This relocation, driven by the need for a larger campus, marked a significant turning point as the school was renamed La Salle Academy. This change symbolized a new chapter in the institution’s history, affirming its commitment to Lasallian education.

In 1983, La Salle Academy celebrated its Silver Jubilee, a milestone that brought together the school community and its pioneering members. The Jubilee Year’s opening ceremonies on July 17 honored the school’s 25 years of service. Notably, Miss Rosario Tsukimata, the only faculty member who had continuously served the school since its founding, was formally affiliated with the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The day also paid tribute to Brother Raymond Jeffrey, one of the pioneering Brothers, by renaming the street in front of the school to Br. Raymond Jeffrey Road.

Fast forward to SY 2008-2009, La Salle Academy marked its Golden Jubilee, celebrating 50 years of faithfully fulfilling the Lasallian mission in Iligan City and beyond. The theme, “Faithfully Fulfilling the Lasallian Mission for Fifty Years,” captured the essence of the school’s journey—teaching minds, touching hearts, and transforming lives. This year-long celebration brought together alumni, parents, benefactors, and friends, all reflecting on the school's accomplishments while looking forward to continued excellence in education.

In SY 2018-2019, the school celebrated its 60th anniversary with the theme “Refining the Diamond Within Through Lasallian Excellence.” This milestone reaffirmed the school’s dedication to providing quality education and strengthening its role in the educational landscape of Iligan City and Northern Mindanao. Events, including a kick-off celebration and the SikSixty production, highlighted the school’s ongoing commitment to excellence.

The year 2020 ushered in a new era for La Salle Academy with the appointment of its first lay president, Mr. Jay A. Velez. His leadership marked a significant transition in the school’s history. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school demonstrated its commitment to the community by offering its facilities as a vaccination site, becoming the second certified vaccination location in Iligan City by June 2021.

Continuing its commitment to quality education during the pandemic, La Salle Academy introduced the SAFER program (Sound, Authentic, Flexible Education Refined) for SY 2021-2022, adapting its teaching methods to the challenges of online and modular learning. With the theme “LSA Moving Beyond Together,” the school embraced the uncertainties of a post-pandemic world while remaining true to its Lasallian mission.

In November 2022, after two years of exclusively online classes, La Salle Academy resumed face-to-face instruction. As the school adjusted to the "new normal" in education, it adopted a blended learning approach for SY 2024-2025, offering a combination of online and in-person classes. The school embraced this transition with enthusiasm, underscoring its commitment to providing flexible and high-quality education that meets the evolving needs of its students.

Through these years of transformation and growth, La Salle Academy has remained steadfast in its mission to be a beacon of Lasallian excellence in Northern Mindanao, continuously evolving to meet the educational needs of its community while staying rooted in its founding values.

LASALLIAN CORE VALUES

St. John Baptist De La Salle heard the call from God in the cries of poor and abandoned youth.  In association with those who shared his concern and commitment, he founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools for the specific purpose of giving a human and Christian education to these youth.

 As each encounters the consolations and challenges of day-to-day tasks as educators and members of the Lasallian community, there is a great need to connect with something meaning-filled.  All efforts towards excellence or toward success will only be misplaced if in the end it does not lead to a deepening of one’s humanity. The “Lasallian Values is an attempt to deepen the Lasallian spirituality and reflect on the life and writings of St John Baptist de La Salle.”

 The Lasallian Values provide basis for curriculum development. It is expected that the Lasallian Core Values are infused in the school’s curriculum and incorporated into the school’s programs and activities.

Faith - Equipping the students with a balanced knowledge in all areas of scholarship in the light of the Gospel and engaging everyone in the community in a living relationship of communion with the Triune God-recognizing other faith traditions as expressions of human search for self-actualization.

Service - Aspiring for excellence in education that is accessible to the poor and the excluded, conscious of the protection of the environment, and a necessary means of evangelization.

Communion in Mission - Sharing in the development of the community in Northern Mindanao, in solidarity and collaboration with other La Salle institutions, the Church, local government and all other professions - associating together in a unity that comes through reconciliation between God, human beings and creation.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

As Lasallian educators, we believe:

1. That the primary aim of La Salle Academy (LSA) is to provide a quality and holistic Lasallian education premised on the teachings of Jesus Christ;

2. That a genuine Filipino education focuses on the appreciation and promotion of Filipino culture and heritage;

3. That a genuine Lasallian education is a shared ministry of the Lasallian community and its partner sectors grounded in mutual respect and trust;

4. That an excellent education offers a learner-centered and standards-based curriculum and instruction that foster life-long learning;

5. That teaching is a vocation to continuously witness and practice the Gospel-based values with faith and commitment rooted from the traditions of St. John Baptist de La Salle;

6. That LSA is committed to provide educational programs inclusive of respect and appreciation of individual uniqueness, of cultural and socio-economic differences, and of shared social responsibility, equity, and justice;

7.  That the educational experiences offered by LSA prepares the students to be faith-filled, service-oriented and socially responsible citizen; and

8.  That Lasallian learners are unique and gifted individuals committed to live the Lasallian values of Faith in God, Zeal for Service and Communion in Mission.