Holy Spirit School of Tagbilaran

The late Msgr. Gelacio T. Ramirez, a diocesan priest, founded the school in 1926.[1] The school began as a dormitory for girls studying at the Bohol National High School. Msgr. Ramirez, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Tagbilaran then, requested for the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit to work in the parish. As a response to this request, the first three S.Sp.S. sisters: Sr. Laeticia, Sr. Blasia, and Sr. Josaphata, arrived in Tagbilaran on the feast of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, on October 16, 1926.

Father Ramirez then helped the three pioneer sisters open a Kindergarten with nineteen (19) enrollees on November 1 that year. Elementary levels then opened, which was later followed by the high school levels. The school was named St. Joseph's Academy in honor of the Patron of Tagbilaran. The school year began in 1927-1928, with a total of forty-nine (49) pupils. In the following year, the number of enrollees reached more than two hundred (200) pupils from Kindergarten to Grade Seven and First Year high school. Enrollees consistently increased each year until the outbreak of the war, where enrollment reached five-hundred sixty-six (566). The war caused classes to be temporarily suspended. Classes were resumed on June 4, 1945.

St. Joseph's Academy took big strides in development after the war. The Bureau of Private Schools permitted the school to offer a two-year course leading to the title of Elementary Teacher's Certificate (E.T.C.). The school's name was also changed from St. Joseph's Academy to St. Joseph's Junior College. In the early fifties, the college began offering courses in Music, Education, and Liberal Arts. Later on, the school's facade got a new look, with a sign "St. Joseph's College", and later on, "College of the Holy Spirit".

The old building (Saint Arnold Janssen Building), could no longer cope with the yearly increase in enrollment. Another building was planned to be built, now called the Blessed Maria Helena Building, in honor of Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk. Efforts for the building's construction was spearheaded by Sister Doloresmaria, S.Sp.S., the Superior/Directress of the school. The completed building was then inaugurated by the Most. Rev. Manuel Mascariñas on December 5, 1965.

The college department was phased out in 1974. In the next school year, the school was renamed Holy Spirit School of Tagbilaran. The school celebrated its Golden Jubilee in October 1976.

Holy Spirit school continually updated its offerings (curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular), made use of innovative strategies, improved her facilities, and updated school policies. The school was able to offer quality education, manifested by the passing the preliminary PAASCU (Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities) Self Survey in 1985, Formal Survey in 1988, and the Resurvey for two terms in 1991 and 1996. The school takes pride in being the first and only PAASCU accredited school in the province for the past two decades.

In 1998, the S.Sp.S. congregation ventured to realize the HSS expansion project, with the cooperation of the members of the HSS community (Alumni/Alumnae, the Federated Parents-Teachers Association (FPTA), and other benefactors). This led to the construction of the Mother Josepha Building, named in honor of Mother Josepha (Hendrina Stenmanns), that now stands along Remolador Street.

The school celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in July 2001, which served as a homecoming for all who have once been seeds sown in her fertile ground, and now have taken their places in the fast-changing society. In the same year, the school opened its doors to male high school enrollees, as a realization of her vision for a gender-fair education.

On July 26, 2006, the Holy Spirit School Alumni Association had a Grand Alumni Homecoming, in time for the Bohol Sandugo Festival activities, and the Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan or TBTK.

In October 2006, the Holy Spirit School celebrated its 80th founding anniversary in Bohol. The school community also celebrated the canonization of Saint Arnold Janssen and Saint Joseph Freinademetz on October 5, 2003. Saint Arnold Janssen was the founder of the S.Sp.S. congregation, and Saint Joseph Freinademetz was one of the first missionary SVD priests sent to China.

The year two thousand and thirteen saw the school undergo a shake-up. She relocated its campus to Dao District, Tagbilaran City. Along with this move, were some administrative shake-up, hence the creation of a new logo, as well as curriculum updates in line with the implementation of the K to 12 program by the Department of Education. As of 2017, construction of the other facilities is still on-going at the new campus.

HSS lives on to her motto: Truth in Love where each one acknowledges himself/herself to be loved by the Father, sent by the Son and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Grateful for and dependent on God's grace for her existence, she continues to stand today, a school committed to the education of the Christian Filipino who is willing to meet the cultural and practical demands of her/his age...a school where a genuine Catholic atmosphere permeates through BEC and gender-fair way of life, where Truth in Love touches every person, every relationship, every learning experience.

• Feast Days
  • Every grade/year level has their patron saint. On the patron's feast day, students of the year level celebrate by holding a Holy Mass, and activities such as film showing and outreach to communities.
  • The school also celebrates Feast Days of the S.Sp.S. founder Arnold Janssen, as well as the S.Sp.S. sisters Helena Stollenwerk and Hendrina Stenmanns.
• Pilgrimage
  • Students from various grade levels hold a pilgrimage annually during the last week of October, as culmination of the Rosary Month. The students walk while praying the rosary from the school campus to the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Dauis, Bohol.
• HSS Day
  • This one day annual event commemorates the school's existence. Students and pupils prepare for various activities such as the field demonstration where every year level has their own dance, talent showcase, and more.
• Camping
  • Grade 6, and Grade 12 students hold a camping activity, to be able to apply their learnings and skills in scouting.
• Annual Intramurals
• Month-long celebrations or themes
  • The school observes different monthly celebrations and themes, such as Nutrition Month (July), English and Book Month (November), and Rosary Month (October).
• Holy Masses
  • The school holds Holy Mass for Feast Days, First Fridays, First Holy Communion, Class Masses, and other significant events.
• Recollection/Retreat for graduating students
• Fun-Filled Summer
  • Launched in the summer break of 2009, the school offers different summer classes to interested students. Classes include Music, Computer, Guitar, Math, and more.

Pupils and students are able to enjoy co-curricular clubs in various fields. Clubs available include but are not limited to the Performing Arts: (e.g. Music, Theater Arts, Glee Clubs), Athletics (e.g. Sports, and Martial Arts Club), and Academic Clubs (e.g. Math, Science, Computer Clubs).