History of Sta Rita Elementary School

Sta Rita Elementary School is situated along Sta. Rita Road. It is adjacent to the Barangay Health Center and approximately 3 kilometers away from the Olongapo City Hall.

It was the first public school in the barangay whose mission is to service the educational need of the most populous barangay of Olongapo City.

The name of the school was adapted from the barangay's Patron Saint, Sta. Rita

First classes started in 1932 with a dozen students in Grade 1 and with Thomasites as teachers.

In 1945, classes were re-opened for Grades 1 to 3 after it was temporarily moved to Bajac-Bajac Elem School in 1935

Classes then were being held at the residence of Mrs. Berang Mariano and oftentimes under shades of trees.

The teachers then were Mrs Fernando and Mrs. Lano for grade 1, Mrs Silva and Mrs Estela Ladringan for grade 2, and Mrs Rosario E. Salcedo for grade 3

From 1952 to 1964, the school made use of other residences such as the Bitangcol's and Angeles' to accomodate the increasing enrollment. Makeshift rooms were built at a vacant lot own by the Esteban family and the Aglipay church allowed students to use its space

Mrs Rosario Esteban Salcedo permitted the construction of Quonset classrooms in 1955, then in 1958, the government started building Ramon Magsaysay type classrooms in the area.

The fisrt graduation was held along with other elementary schools of the city at the Rizal Triangle in 1958.

This writter remembers that in 1967 when i enrolled in grade 1 under Mrs. Anunciacion, we had to carry our own chairs to school due to the limited furnitures available.

Marcos Type building rose at the later part of 1969, replacing the old delapidated structures.

Home Economics building were built as project of PTA in 1975

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Olongapo City donated two classrooms in 1976

The now existing Bldg 5 is a six-classroom ESF, USAid Bldg constructed in 1988, the only two-storey building at that time.

In June 16, 1991, Mt. Pinatubo erupted, almost all buildings of the school collapsed under the weight of volcanic ash. Only bldg 5 and H.E. bldg were useable at the time.

Coupled with the US Naval Base closure in 1992, enrollment dropped by 20 percent since the families of base workers returned to their hometowns.

The present day school museum was actually built in 1997 by the PTA during the time of Mrs Resurreccion S. Dumlao

PTA constructed the Industrial Arts room in 1999. At the same time, DPWH built the H.E. building during the time of Mr. Raquel B. Corpus.

The turn of the century in 2000 marked an important event in the school's history, Sta. Rita Elementary School became owner of the lot where the school stands. This was due largely to the efforts of then Congressman Bong Gordon and Mayor Kate Gordon. The city provided for the funds to pay the heirs of Mrs Rosario Salcedo. Mrs Merle A. Ellano, the principal at the time, received the TCT in behalf of DepEd.

In the succeding years, the school made remarkable accomplishments, this was largely due to the unity among its students, teachers, parents and the community (PTCA)