A.R.S. Armenian School
| A.R.S. Armenian School Հ.Օ.Մ.-ի Ամէնօրեայ Վարժարան  | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
50 Hallcrown Place Toronto, Ontario, M2J 4Y4 | |
| Coordinates | 43°46′09″N 79°19′27″W / 43.7693°N 79.3241°WCoordinates: 43°46′09″N 79°19′27″W / 43.7693°N 79.3241°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Private |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Principal | Raffi Sarkissian |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Enrollment | approx. 600 |
| Language | Armenian, English, French |
| Area | Toronto, Ontario |
| Colour(s) | Blue and Gold |
| Team name | A.R.S. Lions - Առիւծները |
| Website | http://www.arsdayschool.ca/ |
A.R.S. Armenian School (Հ.Օ.Մ.-ի Ամէնօրեայ Վարժարան (H.Ō.M.-i Amēnōryeah Varzharan) in Armenian) (also called A.R.S. Day School, or A.R.S. Armenian Private School) is the largest co-educational, Armenian-Canadian trilingual and bi-cultural day school in Ontario, catering to students from Kindergarten through to Grade 12.
History
The A.R.S. Babayan Kindergarten and Kololian Elementary School were founded in 1979 by the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto. Funds were secured through donations by members of Toronto's Armenian community, as well as with major gifts made by the Babayan Foundation charity and Mr. & Mrs. Kevork and Armenouhie Kololian. The school was established with an initial student roster of only 69 from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 2. The Armenian Community Centre housed the school's first classrooms.
In 2001, the A.R.S. Armenian Secondary School was established, starting with the pioneer grade 9 class. In 2004, a new High School and a Youth Centre, adjacent to the Community Centre was completed which now houses grades 4 through 12. The school's student body has grown from 69 in 1979 to over 600 in 2015.
Academics
Academic excellence is one of the cornerstones of A.R.S. Day School. A.R.S. prides itself on the successes its students achieve while they are at school, upon graduation and beyond. A.R.S. graduates are accepted into the post-secondary schools of their choice, often with scholarships, and report back frequently at how well prepared they were as they embarked into the next phase of their education.
The A.R.S. curriculum is demanding and encompasses various subjects outside the traditional core group which serve to expand the horizons of each student. In addition, the school aims to complement in-class instruction with relevant field trips and overnight camping trips to equally develop leadership and social skills. A.R.S.' small class sizes allow teachers to accommodate different levels of development and to get to know each student to support them academically as well as emotionally. There is no shortage of extra-curricular activities and clubs which provide an outlet for different areas of interest and talent. Upon graduation, A.R.S. graduates have continued their education at prestigious universities across Canada in various programs including engineering, life sciences, humanities, business and education.
Athletics
While academics are stressed at A.R.S., athletics and extra-curricular activities are also fervently encouraged. Physical Education is offered in kindergarten and at every grade level until it becomes optional in grade 11. There are also several extra-curricular athletic clubs which students can join to further their passion and skill for a particular sport:
- Basketball Girls (Sr/Jr)
- Basketball Boys (Sr/Jr)
- Volleyball Girls (Sr/Jr)
- Volleyball Boys (Sr/Jr)
- Soccer Girls (Sr/Jr)
- Soccer Boys (Sr/Jr)
- Badminton (Co-Ed)