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June 07, 2012
Principal Receives Coveted Award for Bringing New Technologies to AGBU’s Alex Manoogian School in Montreal
Sebastien Stasse, the principal of the AGBU Alex Manoogian School in Montreal, has received a high honor for his dynamic leadership and years of dedication to harnessing new technologies to improve education. The prize, the Honors Certificate in Computer Applications in Teaching Award, was bestowed by the group AQUOPS, a nonprofit organization and authority on technology and education, at their annual symposium in Quebec on April 3, 2012.
The award acknowledges Stasse's more than seventeen years of commitment to incorporating cutting-edge technologies into the AGBU Alex Manoogian School's curriculum, first as a primary school instructor and since last year, as the school's principal. Under Stasse's guidance, the school has fulfilled its charter to promote the use of mobile devices for educational purposes, setting it apart from the vast majority of Quebec's institutions. Drawing from over a decade of experience as an educational trainer and consultant in education technology certified by Apple, Inc., Stasse helped spearhead the school's innovative One iPad Per Student Initiative, which has ensured that every eighth grade pupil has access to their own personal device in the classroom. At the same time, he played a vital role in promoting the school's acquisition of twenty iPads and thirty-five laptops. Those tools are in use ninety-five percent of the school day, fully engaging students who are proficient in software tools for design, programming, word processing and multimedia, all of which enhance their studies.
Stasse was selected for the Honors Certificate by the AQUOPS Congress, a committee representing the top experts in the information technology field who encourage the use of computers and telecommunications among youth and young adults across Quebec. When presenting Stasse with the award, the members of AQUOPS Congress highlighted not only his efforts to bring the AGBU Alex Manoogian School to the forefront of technology, but to change the landscape of education from Quebec to British Columbia through his many lectures and trainings, which mobilize teachers and education companies. As Stasse commented after receiving the award, "I am honored to be recognized by my colleagues at AQUOPS, who have made many contributions to our profession, and who continuously inspire my work. I am grateful that I have been able to combine my two passions, information technology and teaching, and look forward to many more years of pursuing both to help raise the bar for education in our community."
In the years to come, Stasse's vision is sure to help the AGBU Alex Manoogian School maintain its tradition of academic excellence. Established in 1970 in Montreal to meet the needs of the city's growing Armenian diaspora community following waves of immigration from the Middle East throughout the 1960's, the school enrolled twelve students in its first year. Today, that number has grown to over three hundred students, all of whom are benefitting from its pioneering programs while learning about their cultural heritage.
To learn more about the Alex Manoogian School, please visit the website: http://web.alexmanoogian.qc.ca/wordpress/
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