NEWSLETTER

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

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

1. demonstrates an attitude of kindness, compassion and charity,

2. participates in activities of the Armenian Community, particularly (but not exclusively) in Church life, is active in school service.

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:

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

• AGBU New England District  Hybrid Armenian School (NEHAS), Watertown, USA

• Topalian Armenian School, Geneva, Switzerland

•  AGBU Alexander Primary School, Sydney, Australia

•  AGBU - École Alex Manoogian de Montréal  /AGBU Alex Manoogian School, Montreal, Canada

• and AVC Lab, Rostov-On-Don, Russia.

👏 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:

• Adelin Galstian

• Sevana Barsamian and

• Leah Balkejian 

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: