Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington DC. The Harbinger. August 2013

Transcript

1 Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington DC The Harbinger August 2013

2 Dear Saints Constantine and Helen Family, A Message from Father Jason Greetings in Christ! I hope you are all well and enjoying the summer. Welcome to our new color format of our Harbinger! I hope you enjoy it. This August, we approach the Pascha of the summer. The Pascha of the summer is the Dormition of the Theotokos, celebrated August 15th. We lovingly call this Great Feast Day of the Church, the Pascha of the Summer, because just as Christ died, arose, and granted us life, so also the Theotokos helps us in our path to God. The Theotokos, when her soul passed on into heaven, became an intercessor for us. Just as Christ s death makes the entrance into Paradise possible for us, so the Theotokos prayers, according to the Dismissal Hymn of that feast day proclaims, and by your prayers you deliver our souls from death. May the Theotokos, our intercessor, pray for all of us. In Christ, Rev. Father Jason Houck Presbyter Ένα μήνυμα από τον Πατέρα Ιάσων Αγαπητή Οικογένεια των Αγίων Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης, Χαίρετε εν Κυρίω! Ελπίζω να είστε όλοι καλά και να απολαύσετε το καλοκαίρι. Καλώς ήρθατε στο νέο σχήμα του Harbinger μας με χρώμα! Ελπίζω να σας αρέσει. Αυτό τον Αύγουστο, πλησιάζουμε το «Πάσχα του καλοκαιριού». Το «Πάσχα του καλοκαιριού» είναι η Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου, γιορτάζει στις 15 Αυγούστου. Με αγάπη καλούμε αυτή τη Μεγάλη Εορτή της Εκκλησίας, «Το Πάσχα του καλοκαιριού», γιατί όπως ο Χριστός πέθανε, αναστήθηκε, και μας έδωσε ζωή, έτσι και η Παναγία μας βοηθάει στον δρόμο προς τον Θεό. Η Θεοτόκος, όταν η ψυχή της πέρασε στον ουρανό, έγινε μεσίτης για εμάς. Όπως και ο θάνατος του Χριστού έκανε δυνατή γιά μας την είσοδο στον Παράδεισο, έτσι είναι και οι προσευχές της Θεοτόκου, σύμφωνα με το απολυτίκιο της γιορτής που λέει, «και με τις προσευχές σου σώσε τις ψυχές μας από τον θάνατο». H Θεοτόκος, η μεσίτης μας, ας μεσητεύει για όλους μας. Εν Χριστώ, π. Ιάσων Houck Πρεσβύτερος 2

3 From Our Parish Council President Dear Stewards! WOW! Wasn t the Blessing of the Waters and Groundbreaking service ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!! Over four hundred folks were in attendance. Have you ever seen so many children in one place at one time wearing yellow hard hats and breaking ground? We were so blessed to have His Grace Bishop Andonios officiating and celebrating, along with the support of Father Jason, Father Steve Zorzos, Father Demetri Lee, and Deacon Chrysostomos. I lost count as to how many of our guests commented on how ORGANIZED the day went. I responded to them that the reason was crystal clear. We had two women Terri Karadimas and Effie Tiches walking around with clipboards making sure that everyone was in their spot when they were supposed to be! God forbid if we weren t where we were supposed to be!!!!!!! Many thanks to Terri and the entire Special Events Committee for organizing such a truly wonderful day. I also want to thank everyone who donated their time, effort and monetary, desert and food contributions toward the days success. Everything was absolutely perfect! I do have one question for the committee, how did you arrange for the weather to be as great as it was? It was just perfect. Thanks also to Sarantos Georgopoulos for being the master of ceremony and for his efforts on Capital Fund Raising. The day raised $261,000 dollars! How about the ladies in the huge brimmed hats promoting the Nea Zoe Gala that s to take place on November the 2 nd, 2013? Mark your calendars. It s going to be an exciting evening. Max Ferentinos (Chair) and Jerry Kavadias (Co Chair) of the Nea Zoe Committee are to be recognized as well. We would not be at this place in time if it weren t for their insurmountable human efforts! I do want to report to you that the Parish Council is working diligently with His Grace Bishop Andonios in the search for a Proistamenos. There is not a huge pool of Proistameni that we can just select one. The process is long and complicated. We want to be absolutely sure of our decision and will not rush or be pressured to make a quick decision. It s so imperative that we do make the right decision. So much is at stake. Of course, we are truly blessed to have Father Jason. On behalf of Father Jason and the Parish Council I want to wish everyone a safe and wonderful summer vacation! Matt Tiches Parish Council President 3

4 From our Philoptochos NICOLETTE F. PAPPAS, ADVISOR On Thursday evening, April 25th, in the church hall of St. Andrew s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Ladies Philoptochos prepared and wrapped the tulle, ribbon, and the labels around the red Easter eggs which were used for the Anastasi Liturgy and the Agapi Service. We thank the ladies for all of their hard work and dedication. In addition, we thank George and Mary Gillespie for donating the ribbon and the tulle for the Easter eggs and Penny Lappas for printing the labels. A special Thank You Very Much to the Greek Islands Grill Restaurant under the leadership of Christina Xenohristos, and Agie Ziotis. We thank Christina, Agie, and Myroulla Moshogianis for donating and dyeing the Easter eggs for the Resurrection Liturgy and the Agape Service. The Very Important Persons (VIP) Program under the auspices of the Philoptochos is an outreach program to parishioners who are ill or no longer able to attend regular church services, and are visited and encouraged by Philoptochos members who bring them a delicious box of goodies (i.e., tsoureki, pastries, candy) for the Easter and Christmas holidays. Many thanks to Irene Chapin and the baking committee, Nikki Pappas, and Kathy Matrakas (coordinator) who provided the handmade goodies/ candy for the VIP boxes and to Penny O Donnell and Kathy Matrakas who put the VIP boxes together. Thanks very much also to the following Sisters in Christ (Philoptochos) who delivered the VIP goodies to over 23 parishioners for the Easter holiday: Voula Vithoulkas, Penny O Donnell, Helen Thornberg, Nikki Pappas, Georgia Lindroth, and Kathy Matrakas. We lost two of our VIPs after the Easter holiday, Georgia Franks and Emilia Nikitakis, who were longtime members. Georgia served as Recording Secretary for many years and Emilia would make her honey from her beehives and sell them for our Parish at the grocery section of our Annual Parish Festival. May their memories be eternal. Father Jason has been visiting the VIPs and providing sacraments, as needed. If you know of anyone in need who has difficulty getting to church due to illness, please call Kathy Matrakas at or see her at church. On Saturday, June 15, the Ladies Philoptochos presented a check of $10,000 to the NEA ZOE Committee during the Ground-breaking ceremony. It was a beautiful, spiritual, and uplifting day bringing families and the community together as one, and this will help us stay focused on our goal to build our new church. God bless you all in good health and happiness! 4

5 From our Philoptochos Congratulations to the new Philoptochos officers and board members for : Officers: President: Paraskevoula Hays 1st Vice President: Paraskevoula Vithoulkas 2nd Vice President: Joy Binford Recording Secretary: Helen Thornberg Corresponding Secretary: Olympia Koskinas Treasurer: Panagiota Strats Assistant Treasurer: Heidi Mantzouranis Advisor: Nicolette F. Pappas Spiritual Advisor: Father Jason Houck Board Members: Nina Alexiou Irene Chapin Lefki Mantzouranis Harriet Maroules Katherine L. Matrakas Georgia Nathena Penny O Donnell Katherine Papuchis Eleni Paspalis A special Thank You Very Much to all of the Philoptochos Officers and Board Members for for all of their hard work and dedication in their participation in all of our Philoptochos endeavors. The Officers were: Nicolette F. Pappas, Paraskevoula Hays, Presvytera Kostoula Manousakis, Helen Thornberg, Katherine L. Matrakas, Panagiota Strats, Olympia Koskinas, Bessie Koutras, and Father Nicholas Manousakis. The Board Members were: Nina Alexiou, Irene Chapin, Hoda Makar, Lefki Mantzouranis, Georgia Nathenas, Penny O Donnell, Theckla Pantazes, Eleni Paspalis, Margot Siegel, and Voula Vithoulkas. A special Thank You Very Much to Father Jason Houck for being our new Spiritual Advisor and for supporting us in all of our Philoptochos endeavors SAVE THE DATES: Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13--two-day mini festival at Saint Andrew s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral Saturday, November 2--NEA ZOE Gala, -Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland Thank you very much for your support. Have a blessed month. Yours in Christ, Nikki Pappas Advisor 5

6 From our Sunday School Director I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful summer! As I write this month s article, our family is headed to Greece for our niece s wedding. We are all very excited about the trip and look forward to visiting the tiny church on the island of Lefkada where the wedding will take place. Whether you travel near or far, we hope that you will join us August 12-15, 2013 for our own Vacation Church School (VCS). We look forward to making VCS an annual Saints Constantine and Helen tradition! Father Jason and the teachers have prepared a fun week for us to learn more about Christ s teachings in a relaxed and friendly manner! Please call the church office to register today. VCS is open to all children, ages Pre-K through High School. We are also planning for the new Sunday School year which begins on Sunday, September 8, Please find the Sunday School Registration Form in this month s Harbinger. You can mail the completed form to the church office over the summer, or bring it to church and give it to myself or Father Jason. We look forward to welcoming your children back for another year of learning about our faith. So, school is out and summer is in full swing what now? No more teachers, no more books, no more Church? For some, summer vacation means time away from school and work. Unfortunately, many also take time away from attending Church and participation in the Holy Sacraments. Don t let the summer be downtime from God. Even if we are on vacation, God is always working in our lives. So please continue your spiritual journey during the summer by finding Orthodox churches on vacation, studying more about the Orthodox faith by reading the Bible or other Orthodox literature and continue to work on the lessons taught by your Sunday school teachers that you remember from last year. In Christ, Tara Kavadias Sunday School Director 6

7 From our Greek School By: Sophia Mantzouranis Greek School News We hope you are enjoying your summer! Welcome back to the Greek School Year! We are looking forward to another successful and fruitful year. Our previous director, Kalliopi Tsikourika has moved with her family to the state of Georgia, where her husband has accepted a job as a Professor at the University of Georgia. We thank her for all her love and dedication as a teacher for nearly 10 years and as a director for the last 4 years. It s my pleasure to announce that Mrs. Vivian Kambanis will be our new Greek School Director assisted by Mrs. Irini Iatrou. Mrs. Vivian has been a teacher for our school for the last 13 years, she also teaches the Greek dances to the students. The Parish wishes Mrs. Vivian the best in her new role as the Director of our Greek School. Congratulations to our 2013 Greek School Graduates! Manoli Athanasakis, Christopher Mantzouranis, Fotini Sakkos and Chloe Zuras! Pre-registration is now open. This will maximize the student s time the first day of school and minimize any confusion. Pre-registration and payment is also available online via the church website: Enclosed you will find the Registration forms and an outline of the school s tuition structure and stewardship requirements for enrolling in our school. Please mail in the registration form along with your payment to the church office or you may call the church office with your payment. If you need further assistance please call the church office at Please keep in mind that no child will be admitted into class without being registered. The school location will be in Olney, MD.. We are awaiting approval from Montgomery County Public schools. The location and first day of school will be announced on our church website in the Sunday Bulletin and a mass from church as soon as we are notified. Thank you for your patience. We offer classes for Pre-K through 6th grade on Monday s from 4:30-6:30 and Wednesday s from 4:30 6:00. It s strongly recommended that each student attend both days if possible in order to maximize the student s learning of the Greek language. Adult classes that will begin in October (TBA). All pre-schoolers must be 3 years old by December 1st and potty-trained. 7

8 From our Greek School As always please pass the word along to your friends and family about our great Greek School program. We have one of the finest Greek School staff, our classes are small which will allow your children/grandchildren the time and ability to grasp the language, writing skills, history and traditions of our Greek Culture. We hope that the students have used what they have learned over the previous year during the summer and are ready to start the new school year with excitement! On behalf of the Greek School, we thank Father Jason Houck, the Parish Council and the Stewards for their continued support of the Greek School Program. In Christ, Sophia Mantzouranis Greek School Administrator 8

9 From our Greek School Graduates Σεβαστέ πάτερ Jason, μητέρα και πατέρα, παππού Γιάννη και παππού Κώστα, δάσκαλοι, γονείς, συγγενείς και φίλοι, Γεια σας, με λένε Xριστόφορο Μαντζουράνη. Πριν από 7 χρόνια οι γονείς μου με έγραψαν σε αυτό το Ελληνικό Σχολείο. Όλα αυτά τα χρόνια έχω μάθει πολλά πράγματα. Έμαθα να διαβάζω και να γράφω ελληνικά. Έμαθα ποιήματα, τραγούδια και ελληνικούς χορούς. Διάβασα μυθολογία αλλά και έμαθα και για την ιστορία της Ελλάδας. Όλα αυτά με έχουν βοηθήσει να μιλάω και να γράφω σε συγγενείς και φίλους στην Ελλάδα και στα ταξίδια μου τα καλοκαίρια με τον παππού Γιάννη. Πιστεύω ότι το ελληνικό σχολείο είναι σημαντικό γιατί μαθαίνουμε τη γλώσσα, τα ήθη και τα έθιμα της χώρας των παππούδων μας. Ευχαριστώ τους γονείς μου που με βοηθούν στη μελέτη και τους δασκάλους μου για την υπομονή τους. Όταν ήμουν μικρός, οι γονείς μου είχαν πει ότι ο παππού Γιάννης δεν μιλάει αγγλικά και πρέπει να μάθω ελληνικά για να του μιλάω και αυτό με έκανε να θέλω πιο πολύ να τα μάθω. Τώρα όμως που μεγάλωσα ξέρω ότι μιλάει και αγγλικά. Είμαι υπερήφανος που είμαι Έλληνας!! Σας ευχαριστώ πολύ! Καλο καλοκαίρι! Dear Father Jason, Mom and Dad, Papou Yanni and Papou Kosta, teachers, parents, family and friends, Hello, my name is Christopher Mantzouranis. Seven years ago my parents enrolled me in this Greek School. All these years I have learned many things. I learned to read and write in Greek. I ve learned poems, songs and Greek dancing. I read about mythology and also learned about the History of Greece. All these have helped me to speak and write to my relatives and friends in Greece and also with my annual summer trips to Greece with my Papou Yianni. I believe that the Greek School is very important because we learn our native language, the culture and traditions of our fore fathers. I thank my parents who help me with my Greek studies and to my teachers for their patience. 9

10 From our Greek School Graduates Γεια σας, Με λένε Φωτεινή Σάκκου και είμαι δώδεκα χρονών. Γεννήθηκα εδώ όπως και οι γονείς μου. Δηλαδή, είμαι η δεύτερη γενεά από Έλληνες μετανάστες. Οι γονείς μου, καθώς ο παππούς και η γιαγιά μου πάντα μου μιλούσουν Ελληνικά. Ήθελα λοιπόν και εγώ να μάθω να μιλώ καλύτερα. Οι γονείς μου με έγραψαν στο Ελληνικό σχολείο όταν ήμουν έξη χρονών. Δεν μπορώ να το πιστέψω ότι πέρασαν άλλα έξη χρόνια από τότε, και ότι έφτασε η ώρα που αποφοιτώ. Έμαθα για την θρησκεία μου, προσευχές, να διαβάζω και να γράφω, να τραγουδώ και να χορεύω. Πάντοτε αισθανόμουν ότι το Ελληνικό σχολείο, οι δασκάλες μου και οι συμμαθητές μου ήταν για μένα μια δεύτερη οικογένεια. Χαίρομαι και είμαι περήφανη ότι είμαι Ελληνίδα. Η Ελλάδα μας είναι ξακουστή για τον αρχαίο της πολιτισμό και για την ένδοξη της ιστορία. Θέλω να ευχαριστήσω τους γονείς μου, τον παππού μου, την γιαγιά μου και τους δασκάλους μου για όλα που μου έχουν μάθει. Εύχομαι πως μια μέρα σύντομα θα μπορώ να ταξιδέψω και εγώ στην Ελλάδα για να δω την ομορφιά της από κοντά. Σας ευχαριστώ. Καλό καλοκαίρι! Hi, I am Faith Sakkos and I am 12 years old. I was born in the United States from Greek American parents. My parents and my grandparents were talking to me in Greek, so I wanted to continue my learning and education by coming to Greek School. I was six years old when I began and I can't believe six years have passed and it's time for me to graduate. I learned allot about the religion and how to read and write, sing songs, prayers and dances. My teachers and my classmates were like a big Greek family to me. I am so proud to be Greek because the Greeks started civilization and Christianity. I thank my parents, grandparents and teachers for teaching me a lot about my religion and the Greek language. I can't wait to visit Greece one day and see all the beauty and the real Greek life. Thank you. Have a good summer! 10

11 From our Greek School Graduates Γεια σας, Με λένε Μανώλη Αθανασάκη. Θέλω να ευχαριστήσω τους γονείς μου για όλα που έχουν κάνει να με φέρνουν στο ελληνικό σχολείο, ακόμα όταν εγώ δεν ήθελα να έρθω. Χάρηκα πολύ γιατί έκανα πολλούς φίλους. Θέλω να ευχαριστήσω και τη δασκάλα μου την Κυρία Ιφιγένεια και τον Κύριο Παντελή για την βοήθεια που μου έχουν προσφέρει. Ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ στην Κυρία Καλλιόπη που φεύγει και είμαι χαρούμενος που την είχα δασκάλα μου. Σας ευχαριστώ. Καλό καλοκαίρι.! Hello, My name is Manoli Athanasakis. I would like to thank my parents for all they have done to bring me at Greek school, even when i didn't want to go. But i liked it because i made good friends. I would like to thank my teachers Kiria Ifigenia and Kirio Panteli for all the help they gave me. A big thank you to Kiria Kaliopi, who is leaving and I am really happy that she was my teacher. Thank you. Have a great summer! 11

12 From Our New GOYA President Dear Parishioners of Sts. Constantine & Helen, I would like to formally introduce myself. My name is AnnaMaria Psallidas and I am the newly elected GOYA President. I am very honored and excited to be working alongside with this year s advisers: Mrs.Alexandra Pittas, Mr.Nick Pittas, Mrs.Sophia Mantzouranis, Mrs.Lydia Mavromatis and the elected board members; Vice President-Cassiane Mavromatis, Treasurer-Dimitri Lappas, Recording Secretary-Michael Pittas, Corresponding Secretary-Sophia Mendez, and Historian-Zoe Nasios. On Greek Orthodox youth day our GOYAns wrapped up the year with a fun traditional day trip to Kings Dominion. We were blessed to be joined by several sister churches youth groups in our area. All of the GOYAns that attended the event enjoyed their time with old and newly-formed friends. We started off the new Goya year with our monthly Night with God on Sunday July 21st that was held at our church with Father Jason Houck. Our Night with God is part of our youth ministry and the events are a great building block to help us grow spiritually and provide us with great fellowship. This year s GOYA board and advisers are planning on a fun, productive and exciting year! I look forward to all of the upcoming GOYA hosted events such as: our annual basketball tournament to be held on October 5th & 6th, our sister church tournaments, and our Lenten Retreat in April just to name a few. We will have monthly events, so please look forward to my future s and letters informing you of what s to come. If you are or have a child that is 12 years of age or older I encourage you to come and join the Sts. Constantine & Helen GOYA. This is a great way to get involved in our church and build new and lasting friendships in the process. I wish everyone a fun, happy and safe remainder of the summer! Warm Wishes, AnnaMaria Psallidas GOYA President 12

13 A Message from Dr. Papaloizos The Development of the Greek Language In Five Stages Part one The Greek writing and the Greek alphabet as we know them today appeared in the ninth century B.C. The Greeks, especially the Arcadians, had communication and trade with the Phoenicians. From this relationship the Greeks acquired knowledge of the Phoenician alphabet which was ideographical (conceptual) i.e. a picture could be represented by a letter, a syllable or a word. The letters alpha, beta are Semitic and we find them with the name alef, be in the Semitic language. The alphabet had one important deficiency. It was comprised of only consonants. It did not have vowels. It could not formulate syllables and words as we do know them today. The invention of the vowels belongs to the Greeks. The Greek ingenuity and the Greek spirit were miraculous in this regard. They transformed and altered the Phoenician consonants into vowels and with these they began to formulate words. Therefore, in the ninth century B.C. the written word appears in Greece. Up until this time the poetry and myths were transmitted by word of mouth from memory. The bards (rhapsodists, ραψωδοί) were poets who traveled from city to city, from palace to palace and recited from memory with the accompaniment of the guitar, the achievements of the mythical Greeks. Homer tells us that one of these bards sang in the court of Alcinous, the king of the Phaeaces, (Φαίακες) the wanderings of Odysseus. In spite of this, the poems of Homer were not recorded until the eighth century. This was accomplished by the Tyrant Peisistratos who established in Athens a library and commanded that the recorders write for the first time the Iliad and the Odyssey. Let us see the evolution of the Greek language through the ages. First Stage The first works of Greek literature were written in the Homeric language. Representative works of Homeric language are certainly the Iliad and the Odyssey. Other literary works are the poems of Sappho, Alcaious and the other poets of Ionia. Second Stage The Homeric language is succeeded by the Attic language during the classical period which is known today under the appellation classic. In this language the classical works of the golden age of Athens were written. Such masterpieces as the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, the comedies of Aristophanes, the history of Thucydides, Xenophon, the dialogues of Plato, the works of Aristotle and the speeches of Demosthenes etc. 13

14 A Message from Dr. Papaloizos Third Stage Alexander the Great, in addition to being the great general and conqueror, was a renowned and important civilizer. In the war which was waged against the Persians Alexander the Great not only wanted to punish the Persians for the campaigns against the Greeks, but desired to civilize the known world at that time and to, if possible, create a unified empire. For this reason he brought with him historians, educators, engineers, and other professionals and scientists. He disseminated the Greek language with such vigor that all the eastern people from the Mediterranean to India learned and spoke Greek. From 300 B.C. to 300 A.D. the peoples of the Mediterranean and the Middle East were Greek speaking. For this reason the New Testament evangelists, Mark, Luke and John wrote the gospels in the spoken Greek of that period. The Great Apostle of the Nations St. Paul preached and wrote his epistles in Greek as he prepared the new faith in Christ, the Christian religion. The New Testament language constitutes the third stage in the evolution of the Greek language and is named Koene (Κοινή) which means common, because it was the common language that the people of the Middle Eastern countries spoke. During the Byzantine epoch this common language is used by the authors of literature, history and hymnography of the Church. The people though use the language that in time is corrupted and eventually is so simplified that the classical and common language loses their resilience, dynamism and influence. After the Byzantine period the Greek nation is enslaved by the Ottoman Turks and later into the dark years of tyrannical occupation. The nation falls into decline. There is no spiritual or intellectual creativity. Literature is non-existent. The Greeks try to survive. Intellectual life and pursuit do not interest the enslaved peoples. Under these conditions in the inimical atmosphere the language certainly suffers and remains static. (The Fourth and Fifth Stages of the evolution of the Greek language will be published in the next edition of the Harbinger). Dr. Theodore Papaloizos 14

15 STS. CONSTANTINE AND HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL REGISTRATION September 2013 May 2014 Please Print Parent/Guardian Name: Home Phone: ( ) Street Address: City: State: Zip Code: Please fax form to or mail to the church office at: 701-A Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD FIRST DAY: Sunday, September 8, 2013 at 8:30 AM CHILD S NAME DATE OF GRADE BAPTISMAL CHILD S ALLERGIES? I BIRTH NAME NAMEDAY **For Vacation Church School 2014, which month would you prefer? June, July or August Which time would you prefer? 9am-12pm, 1pm-4pm or 5pm-8pm? 15

16 Dear Parents, A Message from our Greek School We hope you are having a wonderful and memorable summer. The Greek School year is quickly approaching. The Parish Council, Father Jason and the Greek School staff wish to thank you for your support of our Greek School program. We thank you for affording us the opportunity and privilege to teach your child(ren) Greek as a second language as well as the Greek culture. Please consider Pre-registration. It will maximize the student's time the first day of school and minimize any confusion. Enclosed please find the Registration Form, Tuition Structure and stewardship requirements for enrolling in our school. Please complete and return this form and with appropriate payment to the church office. Please keep in mind that no child will be admitted into class without being registered. As in the past years, the teaching staff supported by the entire Sts. Constantine and Helen community, will do everything possible to implement a program so as to experience an enjoyable and rewarding year for both the students and parents. **Class time hours are: Monday 4:30pm - 6:30pm & Wednesday 4:30pm - 6:00pm. PLEASE BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ON TIME. We have only a few hours of Greek School every week. Late arrivals are disruptive and disrespectful to the teachers. Please be in class by 4:30. This is even more crucial to the students that attend only one day a week. Please make sure that you pick up your child on time. SPEAK GREEK AT HOME. Speaking Greek at home is one of the most important and effective ways to teach Greek to our children. Please do so if you can and try to use the vocabulary from your child's lessons. MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD DOES THE HOMEWORK. Too many students come to class unprepared. Homework is an important part of the learning process. If you do not understand the homework assignment, please call the teacher. STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER. It is important for your child's progress that you as parents have regular meetings during the year with his/her teacher. The teachers will be more than willing to explain everything concerning your child's Greek studies. SUPPORT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND VOLUNTEER. In addition to the educational curriculum, the Greek School offers educational and social activities to enrich our children's overall learning experience. As our school continues to grow, we welcome parental volunteer involvement. We look forward to having assistance in the various school celebrations, classroom parents, and our end of the year and fundraising activities. Funds raised will be used in many different ways; purchasing educational books, sponsoring functions for our students and making philanthropic donations. We thank you for your support and we look forward to your continuing efforts and participation in our school's activities. Best wishes for a fun and rewarding new school year, Vivian Kambanis, Greek Afternoon School Director Father Jason A. Houck, Presbyter 16

17 Αγαπητοί γονείς, A Message from our Greek School Ελπίζουμε να περνάτε ένα υπέροχο καλοκαίρι. Η έναρξη της νέας σχολικής χρονιάς του Ελληνικού σχολείου πλησιάζει σύντομα. Το Ενοριακό Συμβούλιο, ο Πατέρας Jason και το εκπαιδευτικό προσωπικό του ελληνικού σχολείου θα ήθελαν να σας ευχαριστήσουν για την στήριξή που δείχνετε στο πρόγραμμα του ελληνικού μας σχολείου. Σας ευχαριστούμε γιατί μας δίνετε την ευκαιρία αλλά και το προνόμιο να διδάξουμε τα παιδιά σας την ελληνική γλώσσα αλλά και τον ελληνικό πολιτισμό. Παρακαλούμε εξετάστε τη δυνατότητα της προ-εγγραφής. Εσωκλείεται η φόρμα εγγραφής, το ποσό των διδάκτρων που θα πρέπει να καταβληθεί καθώς και η απαιτούμενη χρηματική προσφορά στην εκκλησία για την εγγραφή στο σχολείο μας. Παρακαλώ επιστρέψετε όλα τα δικαιολογητικά μαζί με την αντίστοιχη πληρωμή στο γραφείο της εκκλησίας. Προγραμματισμένες ώρες διδασκαλίας: Δευτέρα: 4:30p.m.-6:30p.m. Τετάρτη 4:30p.m.-6:00p.m. ΠΑΡΑΚΑΛΕΙΣΤΕ ΝΑ ΕΙΣΤΕ ΕΓΚΑΙΡΑ ΣΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ: Το ελληνικό σχολείο λειτουργεί λίγες ώρες κάθε εβδομάδα. Αργοπορημένη προσέλευση διαταράσσει την ομαλή ροή του μαθήματος και συνιστά ασέβεια προς τους εκπαιδευτικούς. Παρακαλείστε να είστε στην τάξη στις 4:30. Αυτό είναι ακόμα πιο σημαντικό για τους μαθητές που παρακολουθούν το ελληνικό σχολείο μόνο μία φορά την εβδομάδα. Επίσης, βεβαιωθείτε ότι παραλαμβάνετε το παιδί σας στην ώρα του. ΜΙΛΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΣΤΟ ΣΠΙΤΙ: Ένας από τους πιο σημαντικούς και αποτελεσματικούς τρόπους για να διδάξετε ελληνικά στο παιδί σας είναι με το να μιλάτε ελληνικά στο σπίτι. Προσπαθήστε να χρησιμοποιείτε λεξιλόγιο που βρίσκεται στο μάθημα του παιδιού σας. Δύο ή τρεις σχολικές ώρες την εβδομάδα δεν είναι επαρκής χρόνος για τη διδασκαλία της δεξιότητας παραγωγής προφορικού λόγου. ΒΕΒΑΙΩΘΕΙΤΕ ΟΤΙ ΤΟ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΣΑΣ ΚΑΝΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ ΤΟΥ: Πολλοί μαθητές έρχονται απροετοίμαστοι στην τάξη. Η κατ οίκον εργασία είναι σημαντικό μέρος της μαθησιακής διαδικασίας. Αν έχετε απορίες σχετικά με την εργασία, παρακαλώ επικοινωνήστε με το δάσκαλο του παιδιού σας. ΕΝΙΣΧΥΣΤΕ ΤΙΣ ΔΡΑΣΤΗΡΙΟΤΗΤΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΣΦΕΡΕΤΕ ΕΘΕΛΟΝΤΙΚΑ: Πέρα από το εκπαιδευτικό πρόγραμμα το Ελληνικό σχολείο προσφέρει εκπαιδευτικές και κοινωνικές δραστηριότητες για τον εμπλουτισμό της συνολικής μαθησιακής εμπειρίας των παιδιών. Καθώς το σχολείο μας συνεχίζει να μεγαλώνει, η συμμετοχή των γονιών είναι ευπρόσδεκτη και αναγκαία. Έχουμε ανάγκη από μητέρες που θα είναι υπέυθυνες για την κάθε τάξη χρειαζόμαστε γονείς που θα βοηθήσουν στις διάφορες σχολικές γιορτές έχουμε ανάγκη από χρηματική συνεισφορά. Τα παιδιά μαθαίνουν από το παράδειγμά μας. Παρακαλούμε για τη συμμετοχή σας. Σας ευχαριστούμε για την υποστήριξη σας και προσβλέπουμε στη συνέχιση των προσπαθειών σας και στη συμμετοχή σας στις δραστηριότητες του σχολείου. Θερμές ευχές για μια συναρπαστική νέα σχολική χρονιά. Vivian Kambanis Director of Greek Afternoon School Father Jason A. Houck Presbyter 17

18 Greek Afternoon School Student Registration Form Monday 4:30-6:30pm & Wednesday 4:30-6:00pm Family Last Name: Mother s Name: Father s Name: Home Address: Home Telephone Number: Mother s Cell Number: Mother s address: Father s Cell Number: Father s address: Greek Orthodox Church of which you are a Steward: 18

19 Greek Afternoon School Student Registration Form Child s First Name Baptismal Name Date of Birth Grade in Greek School Indicate (1) or (2) Day (s) Allergies EMERGENCY INFORMATION: Contact Name and Telephone #: Physician s Name and Telephone #: SCHOOL ATTENDANCE: Students should report to class five (5) minutes before class begins. This will allow each student enough time to prepare and set up for their class. BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ON TIME: We only have a few hours of Greek School every week. Late arrivals are disruptive and disrespectful to the teachers and students. Please be in class by 4:30 p.m.. This is crucial for all students. All children must be picked up at dismissal time. Families will be charged $5 for every five minutes of being late. SCHOOL DISCIPLINE: Students are not allowed to fight, misbehave in class or show disrespect to the teachers or their peers. Students engaging in such activities will be warned and their parents will be notified verbally and in writing immediately. The next violation of School conduct will result in the student being suspended. The Director will review this violation for possible expulsion from the School. PARENT SIGNATURE: DATE: *******************************OFFICE USE ONLY********************************** Steward in Good Standing: YES NO Method of payment: Cash Check# Total amount: Stewardship Verification Letter: YES NO Credit Card Date Received: 19

20 Greek Afternoon School Tuition Schedule Tuition Fees (Includes the cost of all books): **Stewards of Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington, DC: Number of Children per Two (2) days per week: $ $ $1, $1, One (1) day per week: $ $ $ $ **Stewards of Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington, DC: Stewards of Sts. Constantine & Helen of Washington, DC are parishioners who, by the f i r s t d a y o f c l a s s e s / registration, have paid a minimum 75% of their 2013 Stewardship pledge and have paid their 2012 Stewardship pledge in full. Please note that the parishioner s stewardship MUST meet the requirements stated above in order for your child to attend classes. Stewards in Good Standing at a Greek Orthodox Church Washington, DC Metro Area: Stewards in Good Standing of a Greek Orthodox Church in the DC Metropolitan Area must submit a Letter of Good Standing from their Greek Orthodox Church and add an additional $ to the total tuition fee. This Letter of Good Standing must be submitted at the time of registration in order to enroll your child(ren). If a Letter of Good Standing is not provided at the time of registration, children will NOT be allowed to attend classes. Non-Stewards: Non-Stewards of any Orthodox church must add an additional $1, (minimum stewardship obligation) to the total tuition fee, making them Stewards of Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington, D.C. Please understand that The Greek Afternoon School of our Church is being supported by the pledging stewards of Sts. Constantine and Helen of Washington, DC. Payment & Registration Forms: Full payment is required at the time of registration on or before the first day of classes. Payment may be made by cash, check or credit card. All forms must be submitted on or before the first day of classes. If you wish to pay by credit card, please call the church office directly at (240) or visit our web site at BEFORE the first day of classes. Tuition Refund Policy: All registration cancellations must be submitted in writing to the church office of Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Washington, DC, on or before October 3, Tuition will not be refunded after October 3, Dismissal/Late Pick Up Fee: There will be a late pick-up fee assessed if your child is not picked up promptly at dismissal time. Families will be charged $5.00 for every five minutes past the dismissal time. PLEASE DO NOT BE LATE! 20