The St. Mary Armenian Church organized its Sunday School (religious education for children) shortly after the church was established.  Under the leadership of Krikor Vosganian, the Sunday School held its first class in September 1955.  The parish used the same facilities for classrooms and church services.  The first sessions consisted of eight children, who were taught by Mr. Vosganian and Mrs. Araxi Gokberk.   Subsequently, Mrs. Barbara Jamgochian, Mrs. Esther Manian, Mrs. Clara Andonian, and Miss Rita Jerrahian were added to the staff. This arrangement continued until 1963, when the construction of the present church building was completed.  Beginning with the 1963-1964 school year, the facilities of the church were used for the church services, and the adjoining rooms and partitioned basement area, were used for church school classrooms.   In addition to Mr. Vosganian, parishioners who served as Sunday School Superintendents, in the early years, include Mrs. Gloria Tatigian, Col. A. Haig Hatch, Mrs. Esther Manian, Mr. Hrand Kurkjian, Dr. Charles Kumkumian, Mr. Sahag Dedyan, and Mr. Joseph Vartabedian. In 1978, the AGBU sponsored, Armenian School of Greater Washington, voted to join the Diocese school system.  The St. Mary Parish Council agreed with the decision to make the school a ministry of the church.  They hoped that this new organization would be able to educate the children in a holistic manner, encompassing the breadth of Armenian Christian heritage.  Marie Broussalian was first Armenian School Principal of the new organization.  

 

The St. Mary Armenian School, held classes on Saturdays for two years, before deciding to move to Sundays.   At the time of the shift to Sundays, Yn Anahid Kalayjian became the Armenian School Principal, dealing with all the challenges of merging the two schools into one unit.   Brining both schools together almost doubled the number of students in attendance; and this was made possible by St. Mary’s 1981 building addition, which included 6 classrooms. The new school still maintained two leaders, to divide and share the work.  Armenian program was led by an Armenian School Principal and the religion program continued to be led by a Sunday School Superintendent.  Mr. Jerry Hekimian served as the Armenian School Principal for many years, followed by Dn Hamlet Mehrabian, Mr. Levon Jamgochian, and Mrs. Norik Baboorian Checkosky.  Parishoners who served as Sunday School Superintendents included Yn Anahid Kalayjian, Mrs. Anna Derderian, Mrs. Linda Ekizian, Miss Kris Markarian, Mrs. Lucia Magarian, Mr. Saro Kalayjian, and Mr. Daron Bolat.   During the 1990s, the school took on a new name, the Shnorhali School of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, named for St. Nersess Shnorhali. It also was during this time that the school slowly transitioned from teaching Western Armenian to Eastern Armenian, to meet the needs of newly arriving immigrant families from Armenia.   In more recent times (2011-2020) the school has been served by the following Principals: Mrs. Anna Hakobyan, Mr. Armen and Mrs. Svetlana Hovhannisyan, Mr. Yervand Khoranian, and Mr. Harry Tchetchenian.  During this time Yn Jennifer Karapetyan served as the Sunday School Superintendent.

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The Shnorhali School was forced to close in the Spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  During the 2020-2021 school year, Ruben Harutunian temporarily took the reins of the school, organizing an online program, which maintained an important connection between the school families and the church.  In the Fall of 2021, Mrs. Nunik Nishanian took on the role of the Shnorhali School Principal and successfully rebooted the in-person school program. Shortly after this, Yn Jennifer Karapetyan handed the position of Sunday School Superintendent to Mrs. Beverly Sivaslian. For so many students, teachers, and parents, the Shnorhali school has been an important place where they have experienced the love of God, family, and friends.  May God bless the many parishioners who have given their time and talents towards making the Shnorhali school the success that it is today.

​

The St. Mary Armenian Church organized its Sunday School (religious education for children) shortly after the church was established.  Under the leadership of Krikor Vosganian, the Sunday School held its first class in September 1955.  The parish used the same facilities for classrooms and church services.  The first sessions consisted of eight children, who were taught by Mr. Vosganian and Mrs. Araxi Gokberk.   Subsequently, Mrs. Barbara Jamgochian, Mrs. Esther Manian, Mrs. Clara Andonian, and Miss Rita Jerrahian were added to the staff. This arrangement continued until 1963, when the construction of the present church building was completed.  Beginning with the 1963-1964 school year, the facilities of the church were used for the church services, and the adjoining rooms and partitioned basement area, were used for church school classrooms.   In addition to Mr. Vosganian, parishioners who served as Sunday School Superintendents, in the early years, include Mrs. Gloria Tatigian, Col. A. Haig Hatch, Mrs. Esther Manian, Mr. Hrand Kurkjian, Dr. Charles Kumkumian, Mr. Sahag Dedyan, and Mr. Joseph Vartabedian. In 1978, the AGBU sponsored, Armenian School of Greater Washington, voted to join the Diocese school system.  The St. Mary Parish Council agreed with the decision to make the school a ministry of the church.  They hoped that this new organization would be able to educate the children in a holistic manner, encompassing the breadth of Armenian Christian heritage.  Marie Broussalian was first Armenian School Principal of the new organization.   The St. Mary Armenian School, held classes on Saturdays for two years, before deciding to move to Sundays.   At the time of the shift to Sundays, Yn Anahid Kalayjian became the Armenian School Principal, dealing with all the challenges of merging the two schools into one unit.   Brining both schools together almost doubled the number of students in attendance; and this was made possible by St. Mary’s 1981 building addition, which included 6 classrooms. The new school still maintained two leaders, to divide and share the work. 

 

Armenian program was led by an Armenian School Principal and the religion program continued to be led by a Sunday School Superintendent.  Mr. Jerry Hekimian served as the Armenian School Principal for many years, followed by Dn Hamlet Mehrabian, Mr. Levon Jamgochian, and Mrs. Norik Baboorian Checkosky.  Parishoners who served as Sunday School Superintendents included Yn Anahid Kalayjian, Mrs. Anna Derderian, Mrs. Linda Ekizian, Miss Kris Markarian, Mrs. Lucia Magarian, Mr. Saro Kalayjian, and Mr. Daron Bolat.   During the 1990s, the school took on a new name, the Shnorhali School of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, named for St. Nersess Shnorhali. It also was during this time that the school slowly transitioned from teaching Western Armenian to Eastern Armenian, to meet the needs of newly arriving immigrant families from Armenia.   In more recent times (2011-2020) the school has been served by the following Principals: Mrs. Anna Hakobyan, Mr. Armen and Mrs. Svetlana Hovhannisyan, Mr. Yervand Khoranian, and Mr. Harry Tchetchenian.  During this time Yn Jennifer Karapetyan served as the Sunday School Superintendent.

​

The Shnorhali School was forced to close in the Spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  During the 2020-2021 school year, Ruben Harutunian temporarily took the reins of the school, organizing an online program, which maintained an important connection between the school families and the church.  In the Fall of 2021, Mrs. Nunik Nishanian took on the role of the Shnorhali School Principal and successfully rebooted the in-person school program. Shortly after this, Yn Jennifer Karapetyan handed the position of Sunday School Superintendent to Mrs. Beverly Sivaslian. For so many students, teachers, and parents, the Shnorhali school has been an important place where they have experienced the love of God, family, and friends.  May God bless the many parishioners who have given their time and talents towards making the Shnorhali school the success that it is today.