O’Donnell High School is one of the first Barangay high schools established in the Province of Tarlac. The first three classroom buildings which built through the joint efforts of the Mayor of Capas, Segundo Santos and the late Municipal Councilor Primitivo Timbol and with the cooperation barrio folks. As a Barangay high school, it was administered, maintained and funded by the local government o
f the Municipality of Capas. The teachers who are considered pioneer of O’Donnell High School were Mrs. Manuel U, Benedicto. The inhabitants of O’Donnell (formerly Patling) as well as the nearby barrios, enjoyed the benefits of education offered by O’Donnell Barangay High School and made the Municipality of Capas with the highest literacy rate. With the implementation of the Executive Order No. 189, s. 1989, O’Donnell Barangay High School was converted into O’Donnell Nationalized High School and place under the supervision and control of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. The first batch of students was housed in the first three classrooms and the Barangay jail as the Practical Arts room. After three years, there was an increase in enrollment; some rooms in the elementary school were utilized. In 1988, the local government of Capas donated the one hectare land which the houses the SEDP building. The SEDP building was built through the effort and initiative of the late Head Teacher of O’Donnell High School, Mr. Isaias M. Yalung. However, Mr. Yalung was promoted as Principal II prior to his death in 1996. The successors of the late Mr. Yalung and served O’Donnell High School as Principal II are as follows: Mr. Ernesto S. Cunanan, Mrs. Gertrudes in 1996. Gertrudes Y. Bognot, Mrs. Josefina S. Rigor, Mrs. Amelia I. Cachero, Mr. Arthur DC. Sacatropes, Mr. Angelito Magat and at present Mr. Bartolome F. Cayabyab. Hilario B. Valdez, Mr. Augusto L. Ballesteros, Dr. May B. Eclar, Mrs. Evelyn C. Macasieb, Mr. Noel D. Palgue and Mr. Glenn R. Quito were assigned as Head Teacher III. Due to the abrupt increase of the enrollees in 2005, O’Donnell High School opened Annex School in Sta. Juliana through the collaborative effort of the Department of Education, headed by Mrs. Cachero and the local officials headed by Hon. Mayor Reynaldo L. Catacutan. Jesus G. Toledano, one of the pillars of O’Donnell High School was the first caretaker of the Annex School with Mr. Walter S. Soriano as the first volunteer teacher. The Annex school has now complete four curriculum years with 10 teachers. At present, O’Donnell High School has 41 teaching personnel, which one of them is a Principal II. It has also one Head Teacher III, three Head Teacher I and five Master Teachers.
