A group photo includes with L.A. City Council President Paul Krekorian (back center) with PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald and former PUSD Board Member Roy Boulghourjian (Photo – PUSD)
On Friday, January 13, President of the Los Angeles City Council Paul Krekorian visited Blair High and Middle School to learn about the school’s Armenian Academy and International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs.
By News Desk
Krekorian toured the campuses and heard about the exceptional curriculum that the Armenian Academy and the IB program presented to the community by teachers Norayr Daduryan, Madlen Manoukian, and Eve Mekerdichian.
“I was so impressed by my visit to the Armenian Academy at Blair High School,” Krekorian stated. “The founders of the Academy, in partnership with Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Brian McDonald and the Pasadena Board of Education, have created an extraordinary and unique educational institution. The Academy promotes excellence while also preserving the Armenian language and culture, and it is a great asset for Pasadena and our region.”
Blair’s Armenian Academy is a successful program that attracts students both regionally and internationally. The Academy has students representing 17 different cities and numerous countries, including Poland, Lebanon, and Armenia.
PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald, who helped spearhead this innovative program said, “It was a pleasure to have LA City Council President Krekorian visit the Armenian Academy. His visit affirms the fact that this historic Armenian program is providing our students with a quality learning experience and the word is getting around. We are proud of the Academy’s efforts to further the Armenian language and culture in our community.”
In 2021, the International Baccalaureate Armenian Literature Course was approved by the International Baccalaureate Organization. The first few students who took the IB course were the first in the nation to do so.
One of those students, Armenian Academy Senior and IB Diploma Candidate Daron Yacoubian, believes that the IB education has prepared him well for life’s journey. “I feel that with IB, you are always being tested and challenged as a thinker. IB is really preparing me for life because in life you never really know when your next test is going to be, and it is always about that mindset on how to approach the challenges.”
“The Armenian Academy is the ideal complement to Blair’s IB Program,” states Blair Principal Amy McGinnis. “The cultural and language components of the AA directly contribute to the IB mission of developing globally minded students.”
Maro Yacoubian, Founder of the Armenian Academy and Chair of the AA Advisory Board was delighted but not surprised to see Mr. Krekorian’s interest in Blair. “Blair is experiencing a renaissance of sorts. The Armenian Academy is attracting students both regionally and internationally. Together with the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program that Blair offers, parents would be hard-pressed to find a more challenging, enriching, and rewarding environment for their children, all with free tuition.”
At PUSD, students from preschool to high school can master academics in English and one of four target languages (Spanish, French, Mandarin, or Armenian). Learn more about PUSD’s Dual Language Immersion and World Language programs at pusd.us/dlip.
Families who wish to enroll for the first time in dual language immersion programs in 2023-2024 must submit an Open Enrollment application. If you live within PUSD boundaries, apply through the first lottery of Open Enrollment before January 27, 2023, at pusd.us/enroll. Families who live in another school district may request an interdistrict permit starting March 27, 2023.
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