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Glendale: Home for the holiday

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  • Glendale: Home for the holiday

    Glendale News Press
    LATimes.com
    Jan 5 2005

    Home for the holiday

    In an unprecedented move, Glendale Unified School District gives
    students the day off for Armenian Christmas.

    By Darleene Barrientos, News-Press and Leader


    GLENDALE - For the first time, Glendale's public schools will be
    closed Jan. 6 to observe Armenian Christmas.

    Glendale Unified School District's board members unanimously approved
    the change in the holiday calendar last March.

    Many Armenians observe Dec. 25 and Jan. 6 as crucial parts of the
    Christmas season. Thursday, the Day of Epiphany, is a holiday
    observed by various Christian faiths for several reasons, including
    the revealing of Jesus Christ as the messiah and his baptism. It is
    more colloquially referred to as Armenian Christmas.

    "There were three reasons why it was done," Glendale Supt. Michael
    Escalante said. "The first one was the kids weren't at school, so
    they were losing a day of instruction. Second, as a result of the
    students not being in school, there was a financial impact on the
    district. Third, it was to recognize a holiday that traditionally
    hadn't been recognized."

    District officials originally discussed extending the winter break
    another week to include the holiday. But after a backlash from
    parents upset with the prospect of losing time for family vacations
    by ending the school year a week later or earlier, the district
    instead made Jan. 6 a day off for all students.

    "In previous years when we didn't have it off, a lot of teachers
    would get frustrated just because they knew other students weren't
    coming to school," Glendale High School student Harra Yoon, 17, said.
    "The students didn't mind - in classes, they could get off easy and
    the teachers didn't give out so much work. It is better that it's off
    because, that way, not so many students get off the work."

    The absence of nearly one-third of the student population - more than
    10,000 of the district's 29,000 students are of Armenian descent -
    made it a financial problem. The district earns about $25 per student
    per day in state Average Daily Attendance funds. Past years have cost
    the district about $250,000 because many Armenian students don't
    attend school that day.

    "I think it's common sense," Rosemont Middle School PTA President
    Jane Stockly said. "It saves money. Our school district always needs
    to look to the changing times and changing population by observing
    their holidays."

    Other school districts observe Chinese New Year, Rosh Hashanah and
    Yom Kippur for the same reasons, she said.

    "It makes complete sense to me," Stockly said. "It's a way for the
    district to be smart with its money."

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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