| Chile – The Alameda Salesian Centre receives a new certificate of quality |
| Cile – Harvard Diploma in Education for teachers in Valparaíso |
On Friday 4 June the Salesian Industrial School of La Serena received the official Quality Certificate for school management. The event was attended by provincial and scholastic authorities, members of the armed forces, members of the Salesian Family, and among many other Salesians, Don Marcos Vergara, until last year the Rector in La Serena.
Referring to the importance of this recognition, Don Patricio Trocoso, the present Rector, said: ‘Today we begin a journey which will challenge us. This certificate demonstrates that the running of our school is of high quality and that we must therefore maintain this standard over time. It demands of us not merely an effort for the next three years but the taking of a step which will make our school a benchmark of excellence in the local area and for Salesian education in general.’
The Mistral Salesiano choir, directed by Professor Alejandro Barra, performed ‘Pie Jesu’ by Bruno Coulais, and ‘Amanda’ by Víctor Jara. There followed an address from Sergio Garay, Technical Secretary of the National Council for Certification of the Fondazione Cile, who affirmed that work undertaken at the Institute satisfied the required standards. ‘The report which we pass to you today contains recommendations and duties that the school must fulfil from now on.’ In conclusion he noted how important it was to obtain such recognition and ‘how few schools are able to boast of it. In the entire country only about 120 schools have achieved it and the Salesian School of La Serena is one of the pioneers.’
The Certificate was presented by the representative of Fondazione Cile. With this recognition the San Ramón Institute becomes the thirteenth Salesian school to be publicly commended for excellence of educational management.
The school chamber orchestra then played Grieg’s ‘Morning’ and ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ by Ennio Morricone. This was followed by ‘Ringraziamento’ sung by the school students. Don Hugo Strahsburguer, Pastoral Coordinator, ended by leading a prayer.
When the ceremony was over, the Heads of Department in the school, together with Don Troncoso, Don Vergara, the representative of Fondazione Cile and members of the religious community gathered in the Varela Hall for the official presentation of the Public Report, containing guidelines for the next three years.
Published 8/6/2010
