1932- The Beginnings and Growth of the School in Pototan

The school was founded on July 13, 1932, originally as the San Jose Parochial School of Pototan, under the administration of the parish priest, Msgr. Marcelino Guanco. It was later renamed the Academy of the Immaculate Conception, and in 1937–1938, it became known as the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepción.

The school’s early development was interrupted by World War II, when its buildings were destroyed. In the aftermath of the war, the school began anew with a simple nipa house that served as a temporary facility. The community gradually rebuilt, and by 1964–1965, a three-story school building had been constructed.

In 1947, even before the new building was erected, the school expanded its educational mission by opening a Normal School for students from Pototan and neighboring towns. Graduates received an Elementary Teacher’s Certificate upon completion of the course. The program continued until it was phased out in 1952.

The school continued to broaden its educational offerings in the succeeding decades. In 1973–1974, the College Department was opened, offering courses in Liberal Arts. The following decade, in 1981–1982, a Secretarial Course was added.

A significant development in the school’s history came in 1974–1975, when the Hijas de Jesús assumed responsibility for the Pius XII Institute, a parochial high school for boys. This further expanded the Congregation’s educational presence in the area.

From its modest beginnings as a parish school, the institution gradually developed into an educational community serving students at different levels, from Kindergarten to College.