TORONTO, Canada—The 2016-2017 Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Armenian Private School year opened Sept. 6, with a generous donation of one million dollars (CAD) by Mr. and Mrs. Varoujan and Silva Lapoyan. The announcement was made during the opening assembly held at Toronto’s St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church. Hagop Janbazian, President of the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto, was joined by Varoujan and Silva Lapoyan, in revealing the donation in front of the school’s student body, parents, teachers, administrators, and board members.
Benefactors Varoujan and Silva Lapoyan handing the donation to ACC Toronto Chair Hagop Janbazian
Joining in the announcement were the Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Canada Archbishop Papken Charian, representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Canada Central Committee Norair Berberian, the Chair of the school’s Board of Directors Sevag Kupelian, and school Principal Dr. Armen Martirossian, along with representatives of several Toronto-Armenian organizations and Armenian Apostolic and Catholic Church Clergy.
In honor of the benefactors, the ARS Armenian School’s High School will be named ARS Lapoyan High School. The name will be listed along with the names of the other levels of the school – ARS Roubina Nursery, Babayan Kindergarten, and Kololian Elementary.
Mr. and Mrs. Varoujan and Silva Lapoyan with Reverend Fathers, ACC Toronto Chair, and ARS Armenian Private School Chair and Principal at the school’s opening assembly
The ARS Armenian Private School was founded in 1979 with 75 students and is the only Armenian-Canadian day school in Ontario. The school has experienced significant growth over the past five years with enrollment levels now exceeding 600 students. From nursery through to twelfth grade, Armenian language and cultural studies are weaved into the general curriculum in adherence with the provincial Ministry of Education guidelines. The ARS Lapoyan High School graduates continue to attend their preferred colleges and top Canadian and international universities.
To guide the future development of the school and to maintain a high caliber of graduates, the ARS Armenian Private School’s Board of Directors appointed a strategic planning committee earlier this year, to create a five-year strategic plan. Led by this plan, the school will continue expanding, enriching its academic and non-academic offerings, and enhancing the Armenian curriculum, all while continuing to strive for academic excellence and preparing students for post-secondary education.
For more information about the ARS Armenian Private School, visit www.arsarmenianschool.ca.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Toronto’s ARS Armenian High School Gets Million Donation, New Name