St. Nicholas Greek School

Mission Statement

The philosophy of the St. Nicholas Greek School is to offer a program to students from Pre-K to Level 7 that includes the teaching of the Greek language, Hellenic culture, history, and our Greek Orthodox faith by providing a learning environment that is supportive and structured to provide the best opportunities for each student to develop his/hers individual potential to the fullest.

Important Information

* Our school year begins on the third Saturday of September and ends on the last Satur day in May. 
* On the first day of school, Fr. Demetri blesses the children, staff and classrooms with an “Agiasmo” or “Blessings of the Water.”   This is a great way to begin the ecclesiastical year.
* Classes are held on Saturdays starting at 8:45 A.M. and ending at 12:30 P.M.
* Length of instruction is 1 hour, 1 ½ hours or 2 hours depending on the age group of the children.
* It is important that all classes begin promptly on time in order to provide the maximum instruction to all students.
* Students are provided with textbooks, workbooks, supplementary materials and necessary supplies needed for their class
* Our curriculum is enriched by additional Greek textbooks/workbooks, games, visual aid flash cards, Greek crossword puzzles, various wall posters displaying the alphabet, fruits, numbers, etc.,  as well as Audio CD’s.
* The school calendar, along with each student’s class roster, is mailed to parents at the beginning of  
September.   
* Our school calendar follows the Lexington Public School calendar in which certain weeks are reserved for spring and winter vacations.  Our school observes those weeks as well as our major religious feast days. 
Example:  Holy Week
* Parents are encouraged to read our Greek School News published in the Church’s Monthly Bulletin as well as e-mails to parents to inform them of added announcements.  Also, parents are encouraged to visit our St. Nicholas parish website (www.stnicholaslex.org) for viewing pictures of school events and/or other information.

Pre-K and Kindergarten : (Ages 4 & 5)
Textbook:   Ôï Ðñùôï ìïõ Âéâëéï Pre-School Reader with Workbook - Papaloizos Publications
Textbook/Workbook:  Ôï Ðñùôï ìïõ Âéâëéï  First Grade Primer – Papaloizos Publications     
Learn the Greek alphabet and the sound of each letter; read and speak words through syllabication; complete each   Workbook lesson with the aid of the teacher. Learn to: count from 1 to 20, the different colors, the different fruits, the different animals, the different body parts, the days of the week, the daily greetings (good morning, good night, hello, good-bye, thank you, please, yes, no) and several basic children’s songs. A 15-minute period is set aside for story time, children songs, games, and other “fun” activities suitable for the age of these young children.

Level 1 (Age 6)
        Textbook:  Alfabhtario - Level 1 with Workbook - Papaloizos Publications
        Review basic information learned from the previous year. Learn to write the Greek alphabet from memory; how to follow and read the weekly lesson with the teacher; and how to read the lesson independent of the teacher. Learn the vocabulary words presented in each lesson and how to copy them.  Learn the Greek Articles – Singular and Plural, Example:    (o pateras, oi patere s, h mhtera, oi mhtere s, to paidi, ta paidia). Learn Gender – Masculine, Feminine and Neuter    
  Example:  (o ourano s,  h qalassa, to yari)  Learn possessive pronouns,  Example:  ( mou, sou, tou, ths, ma s, sa s, tous-- to biblio mou, etc.) Learn to complete each Workbook Lesson with the help of the teacher Learn to count to 50.

Level 2  (Ages 7 & 8)
         Textbook:   Ta Paidia th s  Geitonia s Level 2 with Workbook - Papaloizos Publication
  Review basic information learned from the previous year .  Learn to respond in Greek; follow and read the weekly lesson with the teacher; read the lesson independent of the teacher. Learn: double vowels. Example :  (ai, oi, ei, ou, au);  double consonants  Example :  (mp, nt, gk, tz, t s, gg) ; action verbs, and vocabulary words in each lesson.Learn to write vocabulary words from teacher’s dictation without the aid of the book; auxiliary verbs  Example :  (egw, esu, autos, auth, auto, emei s, esei s, autoi);  first conjugation verb  paizw   in the present, past and future tenses.  Learn to recite oral sentences using paizw  in the present, past and future tenses   Example:  ( Egw paizw mpalla me ton filo mou). Learn to complete each Workbook Lesson independent of the teacher. Learn to count to 100 and to sing several patriotic songs.

Level 3  (Ages 9-10)
Textbook:   Mia Ellhnikh Oikogeneia Level 3 with Workbook
 Papaloizos Publication
Review basic information from the previous year.  Improve reading, writing and
speaking skills ;  continue to respond in Greek. Learn the endings to masculine,
feminine and neuter nouns; continue with first conjugation verb paizw  in the
present perfect, past perfect, past continuous, and future continuous tenses. Learn
to recite oral sentences using the above tenses to verb paizw. Learn adjectives; to
tell time in Greek; to write a simple and short one-paragraph composition; to use the
Greek/English Dictionary; to complete Workbook assignment without the aid of the
teacher. Learn the “Lord’s Prayer”  (Pater Hmwn) in Greek and the Greek national
anthem.

Level 4  (Age 11)
 Textbook:   Istories kai Muqoi  Level 4 with Workbook
Papaloizos Publication
Review Group I Verbs; learn Group II Verbs – all tenses; and learn to read weekly textbook
lesson with ease. Learn: the months of the year and the four seasons. Learn the past
tense of the verb  E imai;  the possessive case of words   Example:   ( o maqhths - tou
maqhth, h polh - ths   polh s ,to bouno - tou bounou. Learn to read the Nicaean Creed
(Pisteuw) in Greek and about  the major Religious Feast Days of our Church   Example : 
The Three Hierarchs, the Annunciation of the Theotokos, Easter, the Dormition of the
Theotokos, the Elevation of the Holy Cross, Christmas, etc.). Learn to count by groups of
100’s to 1,000  Example :  (100, 200, etc.) and learn Modern Greek Geography.
 Levels 5 & 6 (Ages 12 & 13)
 Textbook:   H Xadelfh Mou Sthn Aqhna  Level 5 with Workbook
Textbook:  Trianta  Meres sthn Ellada Level 6 with Workbook
Papaloizos Publication
Learn to read, understand, write and converse with ease in Greek; review Group I and 2 verbs; learn Group 3 verbs – all tenses;
review Greek geography.  Learn Greek Mythology ;  modern history of Greece and learn to compose short essays without
difficulty.

Levels 7 & 8 (Ages 14 & 15)
   Textbook:  O Khrio s Giannh s Level 7 with Workbook
  Textbook:  Apo ta Diamantia ths   Ellhnikhs   Logotecnia s   Level - Papaloizos Publication
  Learn to read, understand, write and converse with ease in Greek; learn to read short Greek articles from periodicals and newspapers.The main emphasis of this class is to prepare students for their  Comprehensive Greek        
  Achievement Examination, which assesses their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing Modern Greek.     
  This exam comes in three levels and is given at the end of each year at one of the Boston Metropolis schools.  If the student meets success in passing the exam, it is our understanding he/she is awarded three language credits at a school of higher learning and an opportunity to work in any government office in Greece.  This year, students in the advanced class have taken Level A (E pipedo A) of the exam.  They will now prepare for  Level B (Epipedo B) of the exam.
  y All Papaloizos Textbooks are accompanied with Lesson Exams
Additional Textbooks :
Our school has other enrichment books: 
Let Us Learn Greek  are three great resource books geared for the Pre-School and Kindergarten classes. 
Maqainw Ellenika is an excellent series from Levels 1 to 6, published in Greece and sent to us from the Greek Consulate in
New York free of charge.  This series is a textbook/ workbook combination in one.  
Paizw kai Milw and   Grafw kai Diabazw    are also sent to us from the Greek Consulate in New York.  
Pes  to Ellhnika -  Published in Patras, Greece is another great series from Levels 1 to 6, which offers additional material to the
teachers.
  *** All of our books--main and supplementary--are geared for students learning Greek as a second language.  The
exception is:   H Glwssa Mou.    This series is a little more difficult since it is geared for children who live in Greece and Greek is their first language.

St. Nicholas Greek School Events

September 24th – “Agiasmo”  by Father Demetri to bless the students, staff and classrooms on first day of school.

October 30th:  “Oxi” Day    This day commemorates the spirit of the freedom-loving Greeks when on October 28, 1940 they denied the Axis Powers free passage through Greece in order to occupy countries in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean and the Balkans.  On this day, our School has a short program in Church remembering this very important historic day.  Also, our school is represented at the Metropolis level in a special program sponsored by the Greek Federation of New England and the Greek Consulate.

November 20th:   “Turkey Drawing”   This fundraiser is one of two for the year for our school in order to defray the cost for the purchase of additional books and needed supplies.  Two gift cards from Wilson Farm/Whole Foods are presented to the
winners the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving Day when the drawing takes place.

December 18th:   Kalanda Sing-along  Following the Divine Liturgy, there will be a sing-along program of Greek kalanda and Christmas songs. The St. Nicholas orchestra will be accompanying us and Santa Claus may pay us a visit. (The St. Nicholas
Church School will be re-enacting the Nativity of Christ at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on Christmas eve.  Everyone is welcome.)

January 29th:   The Feast Day of the Three Hierarchs & Greek Letters   The Greek and Church School students recite the lives of these great saints of our Church.  Our Greek School is also represented at the Metropolis level for this event.  This
religious holiday is also know as  Greek Letters’ Day .  Coffee Fellowship  is co-hosted by both schools on this day.

February 11th:  Apokriatiko Glendi    This event is our second fundraiser of the year.  The Glendi is open to the entire community, which is a great family gathering for all ages to enjoy an evening of fellowship, food and music from a D.J. for our dancing enjoyment before Great Lent begins.  As in every year, a donation from this event is made to our Church. Our St. Nicholas Dance Groups entertain us with their many Greek folk dances. 

March 25th:  The Feast Day of the Annunciation & Greek Independence Day Celebration   This dual religious and patriotic day is celebrated along with the Church School.  Though the true celebration is on the 25th of March, it is usually celebrated on the closest Sunday to that date.  The children from both schools explain the significance of both celebrations in Greek and English.  On this day the Greek School students recite their poems, sing the patriotic songs and dance their Greek folk dances.  In addition, our Greek School participates on the Metropolis level.   Coffee Fellowship  is co-hosted by both schools on
this day.

April   Sometime in April, our community—young people and adults alike--march in the  Boston Parade.  The Friday prior to the Parade, there is a celebration to commemorate Greek Independence Day at the State House in which many dignitaries are
present.  Our Greek School is represented by dancing their Greek Folk dances. 

May 20th:   Graduation Sunday and Community Cookout  This particular Sunday, the children from both schools received their Promotional Certificates/Graduation Diplomas at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.  A Community Cookout follows the awards in which everyone enjoys the day.