Xavier School

Many Jesuit missionaries who were expelled from China in 1949 found a new home and mission in the overseas Chinese communities in the Philippines. To facilitate their evangelization of the Chinese communities, the Jesuits decided to set up schools. One of those schools was in downtown Manila. Begging for donations by going door-to-door in Chinatown, Fr. Jean Desautels, S.J., a French-Canadian Jesuit who was part of the China mission, received financial aid from Basilio King and Ambrose Chiu, two Chinese-Filipino businessmen who wanted to help set up a Jesuit school for the Chinese.

After soliciting the fund sufficient to buy a piece of land for the school campus, the Jesuits proceeded to negotiate with land owners in downtown Manila. At 3:30 pm on December 15, 1955, Fr. Desautels closed a deal and purchased a land, an hour and a half before the 5:00 pm deadline set by its seller. The group of Jesuits led by the late Frs. Jean Desautels, Louis Papilla, and Cornelius Pineau went on to found a School and named it Kuang Chi School after Paul Hsü Kuangchi, a 16th-century Chinese nobleman and Minister of Rites during the Ming Dynasty who converted to Christianity and supported its spread in China.[3] In June 6, 1956, in a converted warehouse in Echague, Manila, the school opened its doors to its initial batch of students – 170 children of Chinese immigrants in the Philippines. The school was renamed later on as Xavier School after St. Francis Xavier, co-founder of the Society of Jesus and one of the first leaders of Jesuit missions in China

The school celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2006. Former and current students include sons and grandsons of industrialists and politicians were in attendance during the celebration.

Being a Jesuit school helped establish the school's reputation. In 1960, Xavier School transferred to a 7-hectare property in Greenhills, San Juan, then only an area of rice fields and grasslands. Within a decade, the outlying areas became home to many Xavier families. The campus is a complex of 12 buildings housing over 4,000 students from nursery to high school.

It is one of the few basic education institutions in the Philippines to receive a 7-year accreditation, the longest possible period,[4] and one of only three institutions, along with De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University, to receive the Level III accreditation[5] for both the grade school and high school by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities. In January 2010, Xavier School was granted International Baccalaureate (IB) World School status.[6] In 2014, Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ assumed the position of school president after the end of pioneer Fr. Johnny Go, SJ term

Admission to Xavier School is very competitive. Generally, students enter Xavier as kindergarten students. Boys may also try to be part of the student population as high school freshmen (Grade 9), by taking the Xavier High School Entrance Examination. Transfer students are also accepted but the requirements are high.[7]

Xavier School fields over thirty teams in twelve sports.

The Mascot was created in the school year 2002 to 2003, Hoofy, the official caricature of the school mascot, was created. It was designed by David Gonzales of the class of 2005.[8] A life-size model of Hoofy goes around campus and is available for performance at special events.

• Xavier's Dance X is the champion of the 2006 Skechers Street Dancing competition (High School division).[9]
• The Xavier Football club won 3rd place in the 2006 Alaska Football Cup.[10]

• Juan Edgardo Angara (1989) – politician
• Drew Arellano (1997) – TV show host
• J. V. Ejercito (1987) – politician
• Rexlon T. Gatchalian (1997) – politician
• Michael Tan (1983) – Chief Operating Officer, Asia Brewery
• Tyrone Tang (2002) – basketball player
• Jeric Teng (2009) – basketball player
• Jeron Teng (2012) – basketball player
• Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro, Jr. (1981) – politician
• Christopher John Tiu (2003) – basketball player
• Arthur C. Yap (1983) – politician
• Joseph Henry Yeo (2001) – basketball player
• Carlo Katigbak (1987) - President and CEO, ABS-CBN

• Mena SJ, Santos. Luceat Lux: The Story of Xavier School. 2005.
• Dy SJ, Aristotle (ed.). Our Pride and Glory, Xavier School at Fifty. 2006.
• Palanca, Ellen / Clinton (ed.). Chinese Filipinos. 2003.
• Gomez, Peter Martin (ed.). The Xavier School Institutional Identity Book. 2005.
• Dy SJ, Aristotle. Weaving a Dream: Reflections for Chinese-Filipino Catholics Today. 2000.

• Official website