Galstaun College students study Armenian language, history, cultural activities like music, poetry and dance; and participate in Armenian events across the year.

The most unique aspect of our College is the Armenian Studies Program that all students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 10 participate in. It distinguishes us from all other schools in our area and offers students the opportunity to learn the rich 4,000 year old Armenian language and culture.

Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 Armenian Studies

Classes in Infant and Primary school include language, cultural activities, traditional music, poetry, dance and drama. From Transition to Year 4, there are separate classes for Eastern and Western dialects. From Year 5 onwards, both dialects are taught in the one class in preparation for the HSC. From Year 9 onwards, students are offered an Accelerated Armenian Language Program, which enables them to sit their HSC in Armenian in Year 11, allowing them to focus on fewer subjects in their final year.

Students who enter Galstaun College later in their school career, who have not previously studied Armenian, are offered the opportunity to learn Armenian as a Second Language. With extremely small groups and individual attention, these students usually progress very quickly and are soon able to join their mainstream classmates.

The College offers an Armenian History and Culture Course. This subject has been especially written for our school and covers over 4,000 years of Armenia’s history, tracing the early civilizations and cultural advances that have formed the social construction of our students’ rich traditional heritage. Students use the Armenian Virtual College to support their classroom learning.

In addition to class-based activities, the whole College community gathers to commemorate events such as Vartananz, Independence Day, Tarkmanchats, and the Genocide, while more light-hearted activities such as dressing up for Paregentan and painting Easter eggs teach students some of the older cultural traditions.

Galstaun College also offers the opportunity for students in Year 10 and Year 11 to participate in the biennial trip to Armenia. This pilgrimage allows students to experience the Armenian culture first hand and gain a true appreciation of their heritage and homeland.