Community unites to bolster Armenian language program at Watertown High School
Over the past months, organizations and individuals from throughout the Greater Boston Armenian community have come together to support and expand the Armenian language program at Watertown High School.
Dozens attended and testified at a meeting of the Watertown School Committee last spring, successfully appealing for the addition of a second Armenian class for the coming year in response to the increasing number of students registering. The speakers, who included Watertown High parents and alumni, stressed that having more than two dozen students, with beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of Armenian comprehension, could not possibly be effectively taught in a single class.
The ad hoc committee, the Friends of the Armenian Language Program, then continued the discussion with the superintendent of Watertown Schools, Dr. Deanne Galdston. They pointed out that, since the new upper-level course would still include students at three different ability levels, a teaching assistant was needed. Superintendent Galdston was not opposed to the idea but indicated that the school budget had already been approved and that there was no money in it to cover the salary of an additional teaching assistant.
Undeterred, the committee decided to provide a community grant to the Watertown Public Schools to cover the first-year salary for the part-time teaching assistant, with the expectation that it could work with the School Committee to have the position funded in next year’s budget.
A fundraising appeal was made to organizations and individuals across the Armenian community and was met with an immediate and enthusiastic response. Within a week, the committee was able to make the grant to the school system and the position was posted, candidates interviewed and the teaching assistant hired in the first month of the school year.
“Our work is not done. The task going forward is to sustain and further grow the program, which requires increased student interest and participation,” stated Hasmig Mardiros, one of the committee members. “We need to show that the demand for more classes is real, and this burden lies on us.”
“This effort shows what we can do as a community when we mobilize our people and organizations,” added Aram Kaligian of the Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts. “Public officials pay attention when we’re willing to step up and speak out when they provide a public forum.”
The Friends of the Armenian Language Program would like to thank all those who contributed to the fundraising for the community grant:
ARS Watertown Leola Sassouni Chapter St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church
ARS Cambridge Shushi Chapter St. James Armenian Apostolic Church
ARF Boston Sardarabad Gomideh Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church
AYF Greater Boston Nejdeh Chapter Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research Amaras Arts Alliance
Armenian International Women’s Association Massis Bakery
Nina Festekjian Nartoohi Abrimian
Ojig Grigorian Keri Kaligian
Talar Abdalian Natalie Minassian
Alissia Margios
Five years ago, I moved to Bigelow Avenue, in the heart of Little Armenia. I was charmed by the ethnic diversity, the wonderful shops and restaurants, and the superior location. I also felt an affinity, as my beloved aunt (my father’s sister-in-law) was Armenian, and would always spoil me, making pilaf or sarme. As my academic career and degree was in foreign languages, and noting my gift of picking up foreign languages easily, I have been very curious to learn of any opportunities to learn the Armenian spoken all around me. I’m assuming it’s Western Armenian, the language of the diaspora. What do you suggest? I’m retired, so my schedule is quite flexible.
The superintendent’s leave is described as “voluntary paid leave until further notice.”