Xavier School President Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ Named Outstanding School Leader for 2023

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Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ, the school president of Xavier School, has been named the recipient of the Henry Gaisano Outstanding School Leader Award for 2023. The award was presented to him on April 15 at the Philippine International Convention Center. The award, known in Chinese as the Shi Weipeng (Cebu Anonymous) Model Educator Awards, recognizes exceptional Chinese language teachers and outstanding school leaders.

Fr. Ari Dy has been the school president of Xavier School since 2013. His educational philosophy revolves around catering to the needs of the 21st-century learner, which involves developing a growth mindset that emphasizes lifelong learning skills and attitudes over the traditional subject-specific curriculum. One of the ways he promotes academic rigor is by ensuring the quality of the school's International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme for Senior High School students. He also focuses on integrating technology in education, as evidenced by the school's successful transition to online learning during the pandemic and its status as an Apple Distinguished School.

In his words, "School leaders and teachers must constantly renew themselves. We must be bold in trying new things so that we can be better equipped to help young people who must navigate a world of constant change."

Under Fr. Ari Dy's leadership, the school's Chinese language program was strengthened and updated to align with the present-day context of the students. This included a strategic shift towards prioritizing listening and speaking skills, setting competence standards, using the HSK exams administered by the Chinese International Testing Center for international benchmarking, and recruiting and developing teachers from China. The Xavier China Experience, a 6-week credited study trip to China for high school students of Xavier School San Juan, became a mandatory program under Fr. Dy's leadership. He also provides developmental assistance to other Chinese schools, namely Tiong Se Academy and Northern Rizal Yorklin School.

The Henry Gaisano Outstanding School Leader Award was established in 1984 by the Philippine Chinese Education Research Center at the request of Mr. Henry Gaisano (Shi Weipeng), who sought to anonymously promote the teaching of the Chinese language in the Philippines by recognizing exceptional administrators and language teachers. Only after his death in 2004 did his son, Benito, reveal his identity and pledge to preserve his father's legacy in Chinese-Filipino education.

The award comes with a cash prize, which Fr. Ari Dy has decided to donate to the scholarship fund at the Xavier School Nuvali campus. The fund supports full scholars who are recruited from public schools in Laguna, enabling them to receive an education that would otherwise be unattainable.

Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ's leadership and educational philosophy have contributed to the growth and development of Xavier School. This recognition is a testament to his dedication to excellence in education.



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