Saint Nicholas
Greek Orthodox
Church
San Jose, California
| Church School |
| Hellenic School |
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Greek Language Total Immersion Program |
| Monthly Canon of Faith |
| Sunday Services |
| Fr. Berris Golf Tournament |
©
1999-2006 St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of
San Jose, CA
Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
HELLENIC SCHOOL
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Olga Sarakinis, Superintendent |
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Hellenic School Classes are conducted at: |
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Click
here to experience an Introduction to Greek on the web!
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Hellenic School Principal (click here to send email to Liana)
"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." --- Aristotle Dear Parents, Students, and St. Nicholas Parishioners: WELCOME to the 2004-2005 School Year !! Throughout the summer we have been busy reviewing many aspects of the Hellenic School and we will be implementing some changes in September. We are pleased to report that our dedicated and experienced teachers will be returning and we will be introducing new books in several levels. Our goal is the increased success of your child in their learning experience. We will be focusing on a stronger curriculum to teach the basics of the Modern Greek language with grammar, reading and writing, and giving your child the opportunity to participate in a number of programs throughout the year designed to expand their cultural experience. Students will be recognized for their scholastic achievements in the Hellenic language, and these achievements may later qualify them for exciting new programs taking place in Greece, as a few of our students have already done. The educational triangle of Teacher – Student – Parent can be successful and strong only if all three sides support one another and work equally. We are looking forward to another productive school year and we hope you will join us in this excellent opportunity for your child to learn a second language within the caring environment of our own St. Nicholas Parish. FIRST DAYS OF CLASS:
BACK TO SCHOOL DAY: The first day will begin with a Blessing Service (“Agiasmos”), which will take place in the Church. All parents, students and teachers should attend beginning at 10:00 am, joining us directly in Church. Following this brief service, teachers and students will be dismissed to the classrooms and parents will be invited to join us in an informative back-to-school presentation in the Hall. Refreshments will be served. Please note that registration activities will stop during the Agiasmos, but we will be set up to handle registration before and after the service. REGISTRATION and TUITION: Only one registration form per family is needed. Please complete and return it on the first day of class. The registration fee is $20.00 per family. Our tuition charge still remains the same at $200.00 per student for the first two students of the same family. A third student of the same family is charged an annual tuition of $100.00. Tuition may be paid at the beginning of the school year or broken down to monthly or quarterly payments. Books vary between $5.00 to $15.00. RETURNING STUDENTS: On the first day of class, please bring your completed registration forms to the table in the courtyard. Students will be directed to the appropriate classroom following the Blessing Service. NEW STUDENTS: After you have completed the registration form in the courtyard, parents are requested to bring it to the OFFICE so that their child may receive their class assignment. Only new students are required to come visit the office. PRE-SCHOOL: We welcome students who are 4 years old and just under 5 years old to join our pre-school class. Any student who is not age 5 by December 1st will be placed in our Pre-School class (even if they have already attended this class). Students should be at least 4 years old for enrollment. A special tuition fee of $145.00 for the entire school year is charged and the School provides all materials. The children learn so much at this young age and thus are better prepared for the next levels. We are continuously improving upon this curriculum but the class must be well attended in order to have a successful Pre-School. Don’t hesitate to give it a try! Weekday Class: we will continue to offer our regular Greek school class every Thursday, 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Since the students in this class will be continuing from the previous year, the teaching levels will be Levels 2 and 3. The formation of additional levels will be entirely dependent on the total number of students who enroll and their respective ages. * The proper environment: we remind you of the importance of the following items to any school environment: (1) the importance of proper behavior and respect in the classroom; (2) regular attendance; (3) a manner of dress that is appropriate and respectful of the Church environment. The educational triangle of Teacher – Student – Parent can be successful and strong only if all three sides support one another and work equally. For further information please do not hesitate to contact us. We invite you to join us and eagerly await seeing all of you once again! Sincerely, Your Hellenic School Committee 
NEW CHANGES – AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Empowered with the knowledge that the Greek language is now being recognized in many school systems for high school and college credit, your Hellenic School Committee has been busy all summer reviewing the curriculum, evaluating test results, and carefully looking at all the professional studies dealing with foreign language instruction. In addition, 12 of our students traveled to San Francisco in May to take the Certification of Greek Proficiency examinations. (Next year this number will probably increase.) This powerful certificate is immediately recognized throughout the European Union, and can also be the basis for foreign language credit in schools here. The results of this Exam have provided us with valuable organizational information. Through all our reviews, we have discovered that our older students still lack in some basic skills such as conversational, listening comprehension and essay writing. It is evident that preparations must always start at an early age. Students must be given the skills early on so that they may better develop their abilities as they get older and thus be able to participate in many of these new programs. Although the 2.5 hours per week are indeed very short, it will be the goal of the entire staff for the upcoming school year, to make the most of them. This includes: less tolerance for tardies and absences; less tolerance for incomplete assignments; and, most importantly, the implementation of the "total language immersion" system used by many high schools, colleges, and other institutions involved professionally in the instruction of a foreign language. This system requires that the foreign language being studied MUST be spoken in class the MAJORITY of the time, with English spoken only as a last resort. Despite our best efforts so far, many continue to speak English while in their Greek School classes (at times, even including instructors). This is very counter-productive and every effort will be made to reverse this in the new school year. After all, if the student does not HEAR Greek and attempt to SPEAK Greek while in their Hellenic School class for those 2.5 hours … then when are they going to have the opportunity do so the rest of the week?? In order to best prepare all our students for academic excellence, it will be necessary for all to take their responsibilities to a higher, more serious level: student – parent – teacher – staff. The cooperation of all will be necessary. We have an obligation to each other, as the largest Hellenic School of the Diocese, to challenge all our students and foster the academic excellence that can help them in so many other applications in their education. Please be ready to accept and assist us in this challenge. Thank you. |
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(Please note: we
apologize for the lack of accents, but unfortunately the "symbol"
font does not support them and we are using "symbol" for ease of
compatibility with most operating systems. If you wish to receive an MS Word
document as an attachment, complete with accents, please email us and we
will gladly forward it to you. Thank you for your understanding.)
MIA SPOUDAIA ALLAGH KAI PLHROFORIES: Meta apo to teloV kaqe scolikhV croniaV, h scolikh epitroph kanei mia anadromh gia na mporesei na taktopoihsei to programma tou ercomenou scolikou etouV. Me thn anaskophsh auth, brhkame oti to scoleio maV meta apo upermetrouV kopouV, oci mono ta paidia maqainoun alla megalorgoun sta Ellhnika grammata kai sthn glwssa. Eidame oti h Ellhnikh glwssa anagnwrizetai kaqe crono kai perissotero sta lukeia kai sta panepisthmia, kai perissotero sthn Eurwpaikh Enwsh afou h Ellada ecei kanei tetoia programmata pou bohqaei ola ta ellhnopoula thV diasporaV na mporoun, meta apo exetaseiV, na apokthsoun ena anagnwrismeno epishmo<Pistopoihtiko EllhnomaqeiaV>. Perusi edwse exetaseiV mono enaV maqhthV, alla fetoV diagwnisthkan dwdeka upoyhfioi, kai fusika perimenoume ta apotelesmata. Auth h feteinh peira, maV leei oti ta paidia ecoun apodosh PENICRA sthn omilia, sthn akoustikh, kai sthn ekqesh. H proetoimasia tou maqhth prepei na arcizei apo mikrh hlikia. Gia na miloun, na grafoun, kai na crhsimopoioun eleuqera thn Ellhnikh glwssa opou kai na briskontai, apofasisame na dwsoume emfash sthn omilia sthn akoustikh, kai sthn ekqesh. Me liga logia, prepei na miloume thn Ellhnikh glwssa kata thn diarkeia tou maqhmatoV (daskaloi kai maqhteV). Auth thn allagh qa prepei na thn uposthrixete kai oloi mazi na bohqhsoume touV maqhteV se auto to oikodomhtiko programma. H sucnh epafh kai sunergasia maV einai apolutwV anagkaia kai perissotero osoi ecete paidia stiV treiV teleutaieV taxeiV.SaV eucaristoume. |
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"ABOUT THE SCHOOL" The Hellenic School has been in operation for over 30 years. The school is open to those who are interested in the language, culture and heritage of Greece. Classes are available for children of kindergarten age and older, to teach the basic abilities of reading, writing and speaking Greek. They are taught the cultural aspects through songs, poems, fables, geography, history, art, mythology, and participation in ethnic celebrations and programs. Orthodox heritage is also featured by teaching students about the major feast days of the church. The curriculum uses a variety of sources in order to make teaching the most interesting: Archdiocese publications, private publishers, and texts from Greece are all used. Classes are also offered in the instruction of Greek for Adult Students. Native instructors assist Beginning and Intermediate students in mastering the language. Among its services, the Hellenic School also has the following: a Library of Greek & English texts, Video Tapes, Advanced Level for Teens, Summer Sessions for adults & children, Tutoring for registered students, Translations, and Referral Services. With 6 Levels, a Staff of 15, an average of 150 students, and Children and Adult Classes, the St. Nicholas Hellenic School is one of the largest and best organized Greek Schools in our Diocese. As always, the Hellenic School will continue to provide all our students with an excellent education in the Greek language and culture as one of the highest ranked Greek Schools within our Diocese. Our curriculum is designed to teach the basics of the modern Greek language with grammar, reading and writing, as well as expand their cultural horizons through participation in important annual events. Students will be recognized for their achievements in homework, attendance and other scholastic aspects. This is an excellent opportunity for your child to learn a second language within the caring environment of our own St. Nicholas Parish. We invite you to join us in this fulfilling experience and eagerly await seeing all of you once again! We look forward to seeing all of you with great enthusiasm, and we are confident that this school year will be just as good, if not better, than past school years! |
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A FEW WORDS ON BILINGUALISM
Our school will be making a transition to a more bilingual school. Pursuing bilingualism will represent a real commitment for the entire family. It will be necessary to show a positive attitude and offer as much support from home as possible. The motivation of the parents is essential. Below are a few comments from the experts on this topic. "Bringing up children to be bilingual is an important decision. It will affect their identity, social arrangements, schooling, employment, marriage, area of residence, travel and thinking. Becoming bilingual is more than owning two languages. Bilingualism has educational, social, economic, cultural and political consequences."(from "A Parents' and Teachers' Guide to Bilingualism" by Colin Baker) "The two languages of the bilingual child are interdependent. They do not compete for limited space and resources. Bilingualism is good for children of all backgrounds. When bilingual children are compared with monolingual children on different kinds of skills, bilingual children are usually superior."(Dr. Amado Padilla, School of Education, Stanford University). "A bilingual child has a higher level of mental flexibility and is more original. He or she will be more divergent with his or her thinking and will always have two or three solutions for a problem. It has been proven that bilingual children demonstrate a higher level of academic performance amongst students. They surpass or at least are equal to the monolingual students and no negative effects are found in bilingualism. Students will perform better than monolingual students by the time they reach 4th to 6th grade. It is very important that parents realize that it takes time and hard work to become bilingual and the full benefits will show especially starting at the 4th grade level. Bilingualism promotes the development of multiple perspectives about people and about cultures."(Dr. Duarte Silva, School of Education, Stanford University).
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