St. Stephen’s Campus Expansion Begins

WATERTOWN, Mass.—On June 20, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES), a private, bilingual primary school, began the construction of its new building project, which is due to be complete for the 2012-13 school year.

The project, which is the largest building project supporting the Armenian community of Greater Boston over the last 20 years, will cost approximately $1.3 million and includes the addition of a new, two-story building to house classrooms, a learning center, and recreation areas.

“This expansion marks a great milestone in our school’s history as it allows us to further enhance the school’s programs and activities and accommodate more students,” said Houry Boyamian, the school’s principal.

Fundraising for the project was extremely successful, with the community subsidizing the majority of the costs through donations. “It became clear early on in our fundraising efforts that the community viewed SSAES as a vital institution that not only provides an excellent education but one that is critical to keeping our language and culture thriving,” said Avak Kahvejian, chairman of the SSAES board of directors. “We are humbled by the community’s reception of this project as Armenians from every sector of our community have enthusiastically come forward and given generously to shepherd the school’s growth.”

Awarded the “Best Armenian School” by Armenia’s Ministry of Diaspora in 2010, SSAES‘s expansion will ensure its ability to continue offering the best of an American education with a strong foundation in Armenian culture and language, thus providing a bilingual, multicultural experience critical in today’s dynamic, global economy.

About the SSAES

Founded in 1984, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School has distinguished itself with its bilingual curriculum, academic strength, devoted staff and low student-to-teacher ratio. St. Stephen’s is the only Armenian day school to be fully accredited by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE), the accrediting body for independent elementary schools. AISNE has commended the school for “creating an environment where all the students love to read and appear committed to academic excellence” and for recruiting a remarkably talented and dedicated staff. The AISNE accreditation puts St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School academically on par with other prestigious private schools in the region.

To learn more about SSAES, visit www.ssaes.org.

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