NEWSLETTER

~ ՊԱՐԲԵՐԱԹԵՐԹ ~

2022 | Issue 3 - 14 March / Մարտ

From the Principal

Dear Parents,

A Note of Appreciation

Over the past 15 years, I have been given the honour to lead this wonderful educational establishment. Therefore, I must admit that it was a humbling experience to receive a special birthday surprise from those who have been my inseparable family since I started teaching here. With the support of Board members, graduates and parents, the students and staff truly surprised me on Friday afternoon with a special assembly. At first, I assumed the school was coming together to watch the video clip of our student's contribution to the 'Internation Mother Language Day' prepared by the AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC). However, it soon turned out that more was in place, as another clip started rolling and my family joined me... I could not have asked for a better way or place to celebrate - a place where since 1996, I have had the privilege to step into these classrooms, taking each day as a blessing from God to serve the Australian-Armenian community. Thank you for all your well wishes.

Happy 50th Birthday!

Happy 50th Baron Manoug.mp4

Video: Happy Birthday Baron Manoug!

Lent... A Time For Reflection

During the weekly assemblies, I have been reflecting on one of the important periods in the Christian calendar - Lent. With Lent being a season of 40 days before Easter, is a time for us to stop and reflect on the attitudes of our hearts, priorities and spiritual life as we prepare for Easter. There are special services held in churches during Lent, special times of prayer and special readings from the Bible.

From the early period, there were also strict Lenten laws to help with this ‘spiritual clean’. It was suggested that to abstain from all meat and animal products was a helpful discipline. All the body needed was a very simple snack in the evening. Today, many Christians still consider it helpful in giving something up during Lent, as a reminder of sacrifices Jesus made, the temptations He resisted during His time in the desert and that they are reflecting on the important things in life. Many continue with the tradition, while others only give up eating certain foods or watching TV or playing computer games... Others try to make more time in the day to think about God and pray.

This season of Lent might therefore be a good time for all of us to attempt a ‘spiritual cleansing’ of our lives. There may be attitudes that need to be dusted down, habits that need a deep clean or behaviours to be given up. At the assembly, one of the things we all agreed to give up were ‘distractions’. Instead, we decided to be grateful for a brain, for education and for every opportunity to learn.

More information will be provided as we start getting ready for our Easter Celebrations on Sunday, 3 April from lunchtime.

Manoug Demirjian

P&F Committee and Volunteer Scheme

As presented during the Parent Information Session, we would like to see the volunteer tasks for the school spread evenly across the parental body. The points system will continue this year and we are asking parents to indicate their choice and consider what they can do to assist in the running of the school. Further details about the scheme were emailed to parents last week with the attached online form. Thank you to all the parents who have completed the form and a kind reminder to those who still need to submit it. 

We would like to take this opportunity and indicate that the P&F meetings are a good forum to bring your ideas or suggestions for the everyday running needs of our school. If you have any suggestions please approach P&F members to discuss and to include them on the Agenda for the following meeting. As you know the P&F plays an important role in running the canteen and catering special events. They are also responsible in organising a number of in-school events and providing general feedback and assistance in areas of need.

We understand that it’s not possible for all families to get involved in all aspects of the P&F or school life, however we encourage you to have your say. We would like to receive feedback as to how we can improve the services being provided to students and guests. For more information and to see how you can contribute to the Committee please contact the school Office - 9486 3266

Canteen Report - 2021

In 2021 the Canteen operated during the first two Terms and for five weeks during Term 4 (only Morning Tea and Afternoon Snacks), it remained closed for the rest of the time due to Covid-19, government lockdowns and restrictions.

We would like to sincerely thank all our parents for their continued contribution and involvement, even though we only operated for almost half a year, we managed to have a very active and successful Canteen. Through profits raised by our Canteen, we were able to fund maintenance needs and various other projects such as the Heart Smart program and the Sick Bay upgrade to name a few.

Mrs Svetlana Khachatourian & Mrs Araz Shahinian

2021 Canteen Coordinators

2021 Canteen.mp4

We hope you enjoy the 2021 Canteen presentation as we look forward to making more memories in 2022.

St Vartan's Day | Blessings & Holy Communion

Years K - 6 and staff joined the ‘Vartanants Day’ service on Thursday, 24 February at the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection. In school tradition, they received blessings and Holy Communion for the start of the new school year and took part in the special schools’ program, following lunch in the church hall.

The afternoon program included songs and poetry recitals dedicated to St Vartan, while the sermon by His Eminence Archbishop Haigazoun Najarian reflected on the importance of the ‘Battle of Vartanank’ in 451AD and its significance to the survival of Armenians as Christians. Once again the students displayed exemplary behaviour both during and after the church service. They took part in the congregation by praying, singing the hymns and following the Divine Liturgy. 

Congratulations to all the students who took part in the program. They were led by our Captain Adelin Galstian, who thanked His Eminence, the clergy and the church council for the invitation, at thestart of the student’s program. This special day highlighted the spirit of unity and the battles we continue to face as a nation and community. 

I would like to thank all the teachers, in particular, Mrs Seta Keoshgerian and Mrs Zela Margossian-Gaspar for putting together a wonderful program and preparing the students so well in such a short period of time.

St Vartan's Day - Church Service & School's Program

ՏՕՆ ՍՐԲՈՑ ՎԱՐԴԱՆԱՆՑ ԶՕՐԱՎԱՐԱՑՆ
FEAST OF ST VARTAN

(Note: Directed to the relevant Facebook pages)

Commendation Award

We like to congratulate Sirag Kassis for being nominated and presented with the following award:

Armenian Apostolic Church's Commendation Award for the student who is deemed to maintain the values of the following criteria

The award presentation took place following the Vartanants Day schools program at the Church on Thursday, 24 February.

Սիրակ Գասսիս, 2021 թուականի, Դ. Կարգի պարտաճանաչ ու բարեկիրթ աշակերտ Հ·Բ·Ը·Մ· Ալեքսանտր Վարժարանի:

Սիրակը լուրջ նկարագրի տէր աշակերտ մը ըլլալով կրցած է գրաւել իր դասընկերներուն սէրն ու յարգանքը, ինչպէս նաեւ դպրոցի բոլոր աշակերտներուն ազնիւ վերաբերմունքը: Ան միշտ լուրջ պատրաստակամութեամբ կը մօտենայ բոլոր յանձնարարութիւններուն ու կ'արժանանայ գնահատելի արդիւնքներու: Սիրակը միշտ հետաքրքրուած է իր ազգի պատմութեամբ ու կրօնքով և հպարտութեամբ ցոյց կուտայ իր սէրը հանդէպ մեր Մշակոյթը:

Սիրակը՝ կը յաճախէ նաեւ Սուրբ Յարութիւն Եկեղեցւոյ՝ «Կիրակնօրեայ Վարժարան»: Մասնակից է ՀԲԸՄ-ի կողովագնդակի խումբին և «Նոր Սերունդ» պարախումբին:

International Mother Language Day | AGBU AVC Celebrates! 

A wonderful gift for International Mother Language Day from AVC’s hybrid schools!

The “Ode to the Armenian Language” by Vahan Tekeyan comes to life in the drawings of students of the

👏 Special thanks to Garo Meykhanajian from the AGBU Lazar Najarian-Calouste Gulbenkian School in Aleppo, Syria. 

We like to congratulate everyone on their talent and amazing work. In particular:

for having their artwork selected for this production.

____

Մայրենի Լեզուի Միջազգային Օրուան առթիւ հոյակապ մէկ այլ կատարում՝ ՀԲԸՄ ՀՀՀ-ի հիպրիթ ծրագիրին հետեւող դպրոցներուն կողմէ:

Աշակերտները գծագրութիւններով կեանքի կոչեցին Վահան Թէքէեանի «Տաղ հայերէն լեզուին» բանաստեղծութիւնը:  

Ապրի՛ք տաղանդաւոր փոքրիկ արուեստագէտներ, հոյակապ աշխատանք կատարեցիք:

Մեր ազգային արժէքները միասին պահպանենք:

Armenian Virtual College - AGBU hybrid schools from different countries gathered together for this beautiful virtual poem recital to celebrate.

Birthdays of the Week 

Happy Birthday to…

Anthony K.

Ara V.

Dates to Remember

24/03/22 Life Education Van (Healthy Harold - Day 1)

25/03/22 Life Education Van (Healthy Harold - Day 2)

03/04/22 Easter Celebrations

11/12/22 Christmas Concert & Graduation 

Armenian Student Fund

Report for Term 1 - Weeks 6 & 7

8 Points - Sevan $14.60

6 Points - Masis $10.40

4 Points - Ararat $7.40

Week 6 Total: $32.40

___

8 Points - Sevan $13.30

6 Points - Ararat $10.85

4 Points - Masis $8.85

Week 7 Total: $33.00

Accumulated: $62.40


Teachers' Awards

Congratulations to our first recipients of the year!

Let your teacher know when you are ready to collect your Teacher's Award and be included in this honour list.

Year 6: Martin A. (x2) | Adelin G. | Cristian H.

Year 5: Michael A. | Lucas D. | Sofia J. | Sirag K. | Kris K.
Anthony K. | Razmik K. | Daniel L. | Lio S. |
Peter T.

Year 4: Dzila M.

Year 3: Leah B. | Harout K.

Year 2: Sarkis D. | Scarlett H. | Elena J. | Davit K. |
Sophia U.

Year 1: Nicholas A. |  Grace B. | Sossi M. | Razmik S. |
Dro S.

Remember 10 Encouragement Awards = Teacher’s Award

Congratulations!

Kevin & Marineh

On behalf of the AGBU Alexander Primary School community, we like to congratulate the marriage of Mr & Mrs Kevin and Marineh Aghayan

Mrs Marineh (Anoushian) Aghayan has been a Teacher's Aide at Alexander School for the past few years. We wish her all the best, as she embarks on a new chapter of life. May their love grow stronger each and every passing year. 

Collection Notice for parents/guardians

Download the School Stream App  |  Select 'SchoolStream' for instructions or download from Google & Apple stores.

Community Announcements

SELECT HERE FOR:- Community announcements.

Feedback