From the Desk of the Vice Principal Marie Stuart

The culmination of Armenian cultural month ended with an assembly organized by our talented

Armenian teachers. The assembly began with a prayer from Father

Shnork, and a series of engaging student performances which included

poetry recitations, piano performances, singing, and book presentations.

After the assembly this morning, the PTO served homemade traditional

Hadeeg & Hareshe for the students.

The students in each grade created chap-

ters for a book about Armenian historical

figures, events, and places. The book was

presented to our librarian, Mrs. Armine

Mirzakhanian, and will be bound and on dis-

play in the library for your viewing pleasure.

2012 SAT 10 RESULTS

The Stanford Achievement Test 10 Edition (SAT 10) is a multiple-

choice assessment which measures subject area content and process

skills in Reading, Math, and Language given to students in grades 1 – 5 every Spring. Results from the

SAT 10 help staff and parents understand how students are progressing in these areas in comparison

to a sample of students nationwide.

In May 2012, 81% of all assessed students in grades 1 - 5 attained proficiency in Reading, 85% at-

tained proficiency in Mathematics, and 89% attained proficiency in Language. Proficiency is defined

as earning a scaled score at or above the 5th stanine, or a national percentile rank above the 50th

NPR. (Stanine is a method of scaling test scores on a nine-point standard scale, and the 5th stanine is

associated with the national average.)

We are very proud of how well our students scored last Spring. However, that does not mean that we

stop there! Teachers use the results to inform and target their instruction. At the October 8 Staff

Development Day, all teachers analyzed the SAT 10 data, discussed strategies and ways to allow their

students to improve, and wrote performance goals on how they were going to implement the supports.

The SAT 10 is only one of the multiple measures used in the classroom to help teachers and adminis-

trators understand the academic progress of each individual student. The results will continue to be

used in combination with other measures, including local assessments, to inform continuous improve-

ment efforts and ensure the success of every student. Please contact your teacher or me if you have

questions regarding your child’s SAT 10 results.

JOHN HOPKINS TALENT SEARCH

Every year, the John Hopkins University Talent Search recognizes students who performed in the 95th

percentile or higher on a state or nationally normed standardized test, such as, the SAT 10. Students

are offered opportunities to participate in challenging programs offered by the University. This year

we are very proud to announce that 68 students in grades 1 - 5 scored at or above the 95th percentile.

This represents 27% of the students tested. These students already received letters from the school

letting their parents know about the Talent Search. Congratulations to these (talented) students!!

A.G.B.U.

MARIE MANOOGIAN SCHOOL 6844 Oakdale Avenue, Canoga Park, CA 91306

Phone: (818) 883-2428

www.agbumds.org

Volume 1, Issue 4 October 19, 2012

MISSION A.G.B.U. Manoogian-Demirdjian School is a K-12 college-preparatory institution dedicated to academic excellence and Armenian cultural awareness in a safe and

supportive environment. Through effective teaching and technology-integrated education, all aspects of the curriculum—academics, athletics, and visual and per-

forming arts—are implemented. The school strives to instill in all students a lifelong commitment to learning, character growth, and community service to ensure

the development of the whole person.

All Students Picture Day

(Full Uniform) 10/23

PTO Bake Sale - Free Dress

5Mo 10/17

5O 10/24

Character Trait / Hye Voke

Awards (1:35 pm) 10/26

Halloween Parade!

(1:30 pm) 10/31

Library Book Fair

(all day) 11/6 - 11/8

Word of the Week

Understanding

Quote of the Week

“If a man does not keep

pace with his companions,

perhaps it is because he

hears a different drum-

mer. Let him step to the

music he hears, no mat-

ter how measured or far

away.”

Henry David Throeau

Looking Ahead

Volume 1, Issue 4 - October 19, 2012 Page 2

Continued

FOOD DAY OCTOBER 24

Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and

sustainable food. Food Day, created by CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest)

takes place annually on October 24 to address issues as varied as health and nutrition, hun-

ger, agricultural policy, animal welfare, and farm worker justice. The ultimate goal of Food

Day is to strengthen and unify the food movement in order to improve our nation’s food

policies and to promote healthy, nutritious eating habits.

A.G.B.U. parent, Annette Besnilian, the Dietetic Internship Director at California State

University Northridge, shared the attached flyer designed by one of her interns to sup-

port healthy eating to celebrate Food Day. Please enjoy the recipes with your children!

Here is the schedule for the day for all K – 5 students:

8:00/8:20 am to 1:15 pm Regular classes (no costumes,

please!)

Morning Recesses - “Monster Mash” (students only)

1:15 – 1:20 – Students change into their costumes

1:20 – Students go to parade area and line up

1:25 – Halloween Parade (Parents are welcome to watch and take pictures)

Room parents set up for party

2:30 – 3:20 pm - Students return to class for their Halloween bash! (Don’t forget the clean-up!)

PTO members will be handing out special treat bags.

Students should bring their costumes with them to school. Please no gory, bloody masks or costumes. No weap-

ons or other objects that could be used as a weapon. Homemade, student created costumes are the best and

are always encouraged!

Around School!

Armenian Cultural

Month!

All students are busy working on

their "books" dedicated to the

500th anniversary of the printing

of the 1st Armenian Book in Italy

(1512), by Hagop Meghabard. The

book is called "Ourpatakirk". "By

working on the book, our students

are learning about our Armenian

culture, heritage, and identity,"

stated Mrs. Maral Voskian, Coordi-

nator, Elementary Armenian De-

partment Program.

Fifth Grade

Scientists

Need a crash course on the de-

scription and function of cell or-

ganelles? No problem, enlist a

5th grader. Students in Mrs.

Shannan Marley’s class learned

about the mighty mitochondria,

the ribosomes, the nucleus, the

endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi

apparatus, vacuoles, cell wall, cell

membrane, chloroplasts, or the

lysosomes. These 5th grade scien-

tists did a phenomenal job creating

their comprehensive plant and animal

cell models. Stop in for a look!

Kindergarten & Fifth

Grade

This month, the Kindergarteners along

with the help of their

enthusiastic 5th grade

buddies made their

“Halloween City “ pro-

ject. Using recycled

materials such as milk

or OJ cartons from

home, cardboard boxes from our the

school cafeteria and old branches from

their own backyards, the students made,

painted, and deco-

rated their buildings

with the traditional

Halloween colors.

Their projects were

proudly displayed in

the Kindergarten

walkway so that the

entire school community could enjoy our

students’ creations. Thanks to all the

Kindergarten homeroom parents for their

help and a special thanks to Mrs. Arsineh

Gabrelian for spearheading this project!

DISMISSAL

In order to have a smooth dismissal, there are a few procedures we ask our families to follow:

Dismissal is at 3:20pm. Parents should pick up their children from the classroom between 3:20 to

3:30pm. Students not picked up by 3:30pm, will be escorted to the picnic tables near the audito-

rium. If students are not picked up by 3:45pm, they will be taken to day care and parents will be

charged a $5.00 fee.

If you have an older child who has play practice, sports, or other extra-curricular classes after

school, their younger sibling cannot stay unattended. You will need to provide for them to be

picked up, wait with them, or they will be taken to day care at 3:45pm. The students are not al-

lowed to run around unsupervised. This is for the safety and welfare of the students. Your co-

operation with these procedures is greatly appreciated and enables us to ensure that children are

safely where they should be. Thank you!

Page 4

Announcements

Volume 1, Issue 4 - October 19, 2012