NEWSLETTER
~ ՊԱՐԲԵՐԱԹԵՐԹ ~
2022 | Issue 5 - 27 May / Մայիս
From the Principal
Dear Parents,
What Qualities Make For An Ideal School?
I have recently come across some readings that have prompted me to think more about what it means to create an ideal school environment. One reading is from an article that appeared in ‘Education Matters - Primary’, entitled ‘What makes a good school? What makes a good teacher?’ The other is from a paper, titled: ‘Qualities that parents value in choosing a school’, published by the AIS NSW Institute to review national and international research and explore whether the features parents value most in a school actually lead to better education outcomes. The latter examined the following features:
Good teachers | A supportive and caring environment | Good facilities - Educational excellence | Orderly and safe environment | Class size | Reinforcement of moral values
From the findings we can confirm that establishing a healthy school climate and culture are probably the most important areas for school leaders to focus on. I also believe that almost every other element of a successful school, such as good teachers, a supportive and caring environment, and high academic and behavioural standards is highly dependent upon the climate and culture that are in place. In addition, staff and students who feel valued, empowered, and supported will respond positively to such an environment and this is usually reflected in student outcomes and achievement.
As school leaders, we need to have good radars to detect and receive what parents expect from their child’s school and know how to deliver on those expectations. Without this sense, it will be a struggle to make a difference, and this impacts achievements and reputation.
According to David Zyngier, the author of the article in Education Matters, “A good school is an aggregation of good classrooms in which effective teaching and learning are taking place.” In these schools, learning is seen as the central purpose and takes precedence over everything else. High expectations are set for student learning with a deep belief in the ability of every student to learn and to achieve high standards. In these ideal schools, teachers encourage students to accept responsibility for their own learning and teach them how to continue learning throughout life. The teaching and interactions with students reflect the needs of each, with the understanding of each as individual.
Once again, Dr Zyngier identifies good schools by outstanding school cultures. Most importantly by the fact that students want to be there! Effective schools have a warm climate, where students feel welcome and know that the staff cares about them. Although there is pressure to perform, it comes in a way that promotes learning, with an expectation that students will excel and the support is provided to make it happen. In these schools, students have a sense of belonging and pride. They enjoy learning and are engaged and challenged. The school provides a physical and social setting that is safe, well organised and caring.
Finally, good schools are seen to have high levels of parent and community involvement. Parents are encouraged to take an active role in discussing, monitoring and supporting their children’s learning. The school itself is seen as an important part of the local community and it often finds ways to involve the community in the work of the school, as well as to establish partnerships with other agencies and businesses to advance school goals. Not all parents have the same expectations of schools and parents often have different priorities for their children. But research suggests that parents have a shared interest in seeing schools promote values such as respect for others, honesty, tolerance, fairness, and the pursuit of excellence.
Manoug Demirjian
Forum of AGBU School Principals from Around the World
AGBU Central Board Member Lena Sarkissian (New York, USA) initiated a meeting for the principals of AGBU schools from around the world. As a result, an online forum was held during Sydney's early hours of Saturday, 22 May 2022.
AGBU Alexander Primary School Principal Mr Manoug Demirjian was joined by educators from Detroit (Mr Hosep Torossian - A&M Manoogian School, USA), Los Angeles (Ms Anahid Nalbandian - AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School, USA), Montevideo (Mr Javier Polatian - Colegio Nubarian, Uruguay), Montreal (Mr Chahé Tanachian - École Alex Manoogian, Canada), Beirut (Mr Ara Vassilian - General Director of the AGBU Schools in Lebanon), Buenos Aires (Ms Miriam Bogossian - AGBU Marie Manoogian School, Argentina), including Central Board Members Mr Sinan Sinanian and Dr Yervant Zorian (AGBU Armenian Virtual College - Silicon Valley, USA).
The objectives of the meeting were threefold:
to provide opportunities for collaboration among administrators, faculty and students
to offer opportunities for professional development
to develop a connected community of educational leaders
As we know, the field of education is undergoing a major transformation with an emphasis on experiential learning and systems thinking. We are all bombarded incessantly with new information to digest. Therefore, how do we prioritize what is important for our schools and how do we integrate these new approaches within the curriculum? Most critically, how do we create optimal Armenian learning environments? Moreover, how do we ensure quality educational experiences that allow the students to self-identify as creators, producers, problem solvers - doers that excel in all their realities, including the Armenian reality? These were the questions that the forum aimed to address.
With the Central Board hearing about the outstanding work that is being performed in the respective schools, with so many of the projects being innovative, timely, and very exciting, they wanted schools to share their experiences, to inform and inspire their peers. It was also an opportunity to provide updates on the AGBU-AVC (Armenian Virtual College) and what today's e-learning technologies are offering in education.
Following the success of the initial meeting, these forums are expected to continue on a regular basis, inviting more of the AGBU school leaders to join the discussion.
Healthy Breakfast | 'Break the fast!'
Good nutrition is essential for good health and a good breakfast is vitally important to start the day well. Breakfast gets the metabolism going and helps prevent a slump in concentration during the late morning hours. Studies also show that those who eat a healthy breakfast eat less junk food later in the day and have a lower intake of saturated fat and a higher intake of essential nutrients and dietary fiber for the whole day.
Thanks to the wonderful effort of students and teachers, we were once again able to organise a very successful, healthy and incredibly delicious breakfast for all the students. We understand that sometimes children miss the opportunity of having a good wholesome breakfast during the morning rush. For this reason, we hope the breakfast at school demonstrated how simple, quick and easy it was to prepare and enjoy a good healthy breakfast.
🍎🍌 We like to say a special "Thank You" to Woolworths of Forest Way and Belrose for donating some of the healthy fruits and vegetables. 🥒🍊 🍉
Healthy Breakfast 2022.mp4Celebrations | Feast of the Holy Ascension (Hambardzum)
Համբարձման Տօն - Վիճակ - Ջան Գիւլում
Իւրաքանչիւր ազգի ստեղծագործական միտքը կը դրսեւորուի ազգային սովորութիւններու և աւանդութիւններու մէջ: Մեր ժողովուրդը մինչեւ այսօր պահպաներ է շատ հետաքրքիր աւանդութիւնները, որոնցմէ մէկն է Ջան Գիւլումը:
Հայ ժողովուրդը՝ Համբարձման տօնը անուանած է նաեւ Վիճակ, որը կապուած է Քրիստոսի մահէն ետք առաքեալներուն և աշակերտներուն ժողովի ընթացքին Պետրոս առաքեալի առաջարկութեամբ մատնիչ Յուդայի փոխարէն վիճակահանութեամբ 12րդ առաքեալի ընտրութեան հետ:
Յարութենէ ետք Յիսուս կը շրջէր երկրի վրայ: Կ'երեւէր իր աշակերտներուն, որպէսզի տեսնէին ու հաւատային որ ինքը ողջ է: 40րդ օրը 11 առաքեալներուն հետ կը բարձրանայ Ձիթենեաց լեռը, կ'օրհնէ իրենց պատուիրելով մկրտել բոլոր ազգերուն՝ Հօր, Որդու և Սուրբ Հոգիի անունով: Անկէ վերջ Յիսուս՝ Իր աշակերտներուն աչքին առջեւ կը բարձրանայ երկինք ու ամպը կը ծածկէ զինք:
Յիսուս Համբարձաւ, գնաց, սակայն մարդկանց թողեց Հաւատք, Յոյս և Սէր: Հաւատքով մենք կը ճանչնանք Աստուած, Յոյսով մենք կը մօտենանք Աստծոյ, իսկ Սիրով մենք կը միաւորուինք Աստծոյ հետ:
Յիսուս Համբարձաւ, որպէսզի Իր երկնաւոր Հօր առջեւ բարեխօսէ Իր սիրելիներուն համար: Համբարձաւ, որպէսզի Ան վստահութիւն տայ յուսալու, որ մենք նոյնպէս մարմնով պիտի մտնենք յաւիտենական կեանք:
Տիրոջ պատուիրանի համաձայն Իր Առաքեալներէն երկուքը Սուրբ Դաթէոսը և Սուրբ Բարթողոմիոսը եկան Հայաստան և իրենց քարոզչութիւններով հիմնեցին մեր Սուրբ Առաքելական Եկեղեցին:
Հայոց Եկեղեցին ծննդավայրն է Հայ Հոգւոյն, Բարձր բերդը հաւատքի, լոյսի փարոսը կեանքի: Հայոց եկեղեցին տունն է ամէն մէկ Հայի ու ամէն մէկ հայ օջախի, ուր դարեր շարունակ հայ հայրերն ու մայրերը իրենց զաւակներուն սներ են Քրիստոնէական յաւերժական պատգամներով:
Համբարձման տօնէն մէկ օր առաջ Չորեքշաբթի օրը, հարսերն ու աղջիկները 7 աղբիւրէ ջուր, 7 տեսակ ծաղիկ և 7 քար կը հաւաքեն ու կը լեցնեն կուժի կամ կաւէ ամանի մը մէջ: Դաշտերէն ու այգիներէն ծաղիկներ կը հաւաքեն ու փունջեր կը կազմեն, որոնցմէ մէկը խաչաձեւ կ'ըլլայ, այդ խաչաձեւ փունջը՝ տօնի աւարտին կը նուիրեն եկեղեցիին:
Կուժը կը զարդարեն գեղեցիկ ծաղիկներով ու կը ծածկեն սպիտակ քօղով ու կը ձգեն բարձր տեղ մինչեւ յաջորդ առաւօտ, որպէսզի համբարձման գիշերուայ աստղազարդ երկնքի լոյսով լուսաւորուին ծաղիկները և առաւօտուայ ցողով օծուին վիճակի ծաղիկները:
Հինգշաբթի առաւօտեան, Ջան Գիւլումի մասնակցողները տունէ տուն կը շրջին ու Տան Տիրուհիներուն, տան հարսերուն և աղջիկներուն կը նուիրեն ծաղկեփունջեր և իրենցմէ կը ստանան կաթ, բրինձ, հաւկիթ, քաղցրեղէններ, պտուղ և երբեմն ալ մանր դրամ: Վիճակահանութենէն ետք երեխաները կ'երթան այգիներ, դաշտեր կաթնապուր ուտելու: Վիճակահանութեան ժամանակ բոլորը կ'երգեն ու կը պարեն ժողովրդական երգեր ու պարեր:
Ե. և Զ. Դասարան
Capital Maintenance | Roofs & Gutters
Major capital maintenance was recently completed, with the repainting of all the corrugated iron roofing on all the buildings.
Over the past 31 years, the paint on most of the buildings was starting to fade. Therefore, it was an important but also very costly maintenance that had to be carried out in order to protect and preserve the metal sheeting.
After washing down and applying a few coats of paint, the buildings have come back to life and are looking as new as they were over three decades ago!
Together with the replacement of all the gutters that were completed earlier in the year, we hope they will serve us for many years to come.
Donations to Alexander School
In Memoriam for the Late Shoushan Akayan
Mr & Mrs Krikor and Janet Kouchkrian $200
Mothers’ Christmas Group $150
Mr & Mrs Cesar and Maral Barchini $100
Mr & Mrs Zakar and Vartouhi Balian $100
Mrs Mary Tchetchenian $100
Mr & Mrs Varoujan and Sonia Tchetchenian $100
Mr & Mrs John and Silvia Aghabekian $100
Mr & Mrs Manoug and Laura Demirjian $100
Mr & Mrs Vahe and Cynthia Tomassian $75
Mr & Mrs Toros and Margueritte Boyadjian $50
Mr & Mrs Arto and Sylvia Karagelinian $50
Mr & Mrs Shunt and Lilian Yessayan $50
Mrs Azniv Iskenderian $50
Noubar Keleyan Family $50
Mr & Mrs Vatche and Sonia Apanian $50
Mr & Mrs Hagop and Sosi Batrounian $50
Anonymous $50
Mr and Mrs Alabekian $30
On behalf of the AGBU Alexander Primary School Board, executive, teachers and parents, we pass on our sincere condolences.
May her soul Rest in Peace
Birthdays - May
Happy Birthday to…
Davit A. | Christina-Maria A. | Elijah Y. | Adriana B. | Houry E. | Clementine H. | Scarlet H. | Lara E. | Lio S.
Armenian Student Fund
Report for Term 2 - Weeks 3
8 Points - Masis $8.50
6 Points - Sevan $6.70
4 Points - Ararat $5.45
Weekly Total: $20.65
___
Report for Term 2 - Weeks 4
8 Points - Sevan $10.05
6 Points - Ararat $6.50
4 Points - Masis $5.70
Weekly Total: $22.25
___
Report for Term 2 - Weeks 5
8 Points - Masis $8.90
6 Points - Sevan $8.50
4 Points - Ararat $4.00
Weekly Total: $21.40
Accumulated: $159.35
Teachers' Awards
Year 6: Martin A. | Adelin G. | Khloe U.
Year 5: Michael A. | Sirag K. | Kris K. | Lucas D. | Lio S.
Year 4: Lara G.
Year 3: Lia G. | Harout K. | Leah B. | Luca S. | Zareh V.
Year 2: Clementine H. (x2) | Elena J. (x2) | Victoria K. | Sophia U. | Christopher W. | Sarkis D. | Anna D. | Davit K. | Scarlett H.
Year 1: Levon P. (x2) | Razmik S. | Dro S. (x2) | Nicholas A. | Houry E. | Maria L. | Grace B. | Nareg B. | Cruz B. | Aleks B. | Lori M.
Kindergarten: Karoun D. | Ara V. | Ara P.
Prep: Leon J. | Aren P. | Arahid M. | Vanig O. | Aren M. | Aram S. | Bella W. | Elajah Y.
Remember 10 Encouragement Awards = Teacher’s Award
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