GRADE 8 JOURNEY TO ARMENIA - DEPOSIT FORM
Please note: As soon as the travelling teachers have been identified and confirmed, we will notify you.
As an educational program, an official tax-deductible receipt will be issued to you in August for the portion of the travel cost paid directly by the student/parent, excluding the portion of the raised funds amount.
Please return the completed form with your initial non-refundable deposit of $750.00 and a copy of the student’s current passport to the School’s office, no later than November 30th.
The Grade 8 Journey to Armenia program aims to:
- – Strengthen students’ Armenian identity
- – Introduce them to their ancestral homeland
- – Inspire ongoing learning of the Armenian language and culture
- – Foster connections and ties with Armenians in Armenia
- Beyond exploring Armenia’s breathtaking landscapes and visiting historical sites, monuments, and museums, students participate in workshops and school visits and interact with peers in Armenia.
This educational program is designed for Grade 8 graduates of St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian Saturday School. It provides a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to celebrate their graduation while exploring their cultural heritage in Armenia with their friends and classmates.
The School reserves the right to determine the list of students who travel to Armenia with the group and may only accept students if its mandate and set requirements to graduate from Grade 8 are met. The academic requirement to graduate is to complete the set program successfully.
The following include but are not limited to why Students are NOT allowed to travel with the group. If students
- – did not complete the academic requirements as shown in their homework, in-class work, quizzes and tests,
- – need constant/special supervision,
- – have not followed the Code of Conduct satisfactorily through their junior and intermediate grades at Saturday School,
- – have received multiple “Incident Reports” and have not been able to remediate their behaviour,
- – have been suspended.
- Decisions regarding participation in this trip will not be taken lightly. School administration will communicate ongoing concerns with parents and students as needed, and final decisions will be conveyed before planning the trip.
The trip package includes round-trip transportation, airport/hotel transfers, 12 to 14-night accommodation, daily full breakfast, lunch and dinner, transportation service (comfortable air-conditioned buses) to all the sites as per the itinerary, entrance fee to the historical and cultural attractions, a deluxe travel medical insurance package, 24-hour staff on-site, daily activities and excursions and all applicable taxes and fees.
The package does not include personal spending money and any fees to damages caused to property. According to the number of participants, the trip is staffed by two or three designated supervisors of St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian Saturday School who travel with the group and are available on-site 24/7.
To register, visit https://www.armenianschool.ca/journey-to-armenia/.
Payments are accepted via Cash, Debit, or major credit cards.
The deadline for signing up is November 30th. After this, arrangements begin, and it may not be possible to accept late sign-ups. To guarantee your spot, register before the deadline!
If parents wish to travel during the same period as their son or daughter, they are welcome to make their own travel arrangements, independently from the group. Parents are not permitted to participate in activities and trips organized for students.
The estimated participation fee is $4,500. Fundraising efforts by parents may reduce this amount, with all raised funds equally distributed among participants to reduce the final cost.
Throughout the year, the School organizes various fundraising activities. Parents of travelling students are to participate in the execution of these activities, as with the combined effort of the School and the parents, more funds can be raised which can be allocated towards the total cost of this trip.
The list of the planned fundraising activities will be discussed with you in November of the academic year.
- – Initial deposit: $750, due by November 30th
- – Second payment: $750, due by January 30th
- – Final balance: Due by April 30th, after applying any funds raised
Failure to make a payment without explanation will result in a forfeiture of the student’s reservation. Timely payments are required to ensure a spot on the trip.
Deluxe travel medical insurance is included in the trip package, covering on-site medical emergencies, accidental death and dismemberment, lost baggage, and trip interruptions.
The trip is expected to take place during the first two weeks of July. Final dates will be confirmed once the group size is finalized and travel arrangements are made. You will receive the confirmed travel dates after all bookings are complete.
All travelers are required to have a valid Canadian passport to travel outside of Canada. Canadian citizens can obtain passport application forms from www.ppt.gc.ca. Your passports should be up to date and have an expiry date that is a minimum of six months after the RETURN date of the trip. Please note it is the traveler’s responsibility to obtain all necessary travel documents.
The School’s Code of Conduct, the travel permission form and all other relevant documents are available online at:
https://www.armenianschool.ca/journey-to-armenia/. Travelers and their parents must submit all signed documents to the School Administration along with the final balance payment by April 30th. We recommend having two photocopies of the passport, leaving one copy with your parents at home and placing another inside the luggage. When in Armenia, the supervisors will collect all passports and place them in the hotel safe. The passports will be returned to the students upon departure.
When travelling outside of Canada, the name on the travel documents should match exactly that on the passport.
Travel documents (including e-ticket and any other relevant documents) are generally released four weeks prior to the departure. Any outstanding balance must be cleared before these documents can be released.
While no vaccinations are required to enter Armenia, it is advisable to consult with your family physician. The Canadian government may recommend certain vaccinations, which can be reviewed at www.voyage.gc.ca.
For packing guidelines, visit http://armenianschool.ca/.
Key items include:
- – Passport, airline tickets, and insurance card
- – Carry-on bag with extra clothes and entertainment for the flight
- – No liquids over 100mL in carry-on
- – Baggage limit: 1 suitcase up to 23kg (additional fees apply for excess weight or oversized luggage)
Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to the School Administration. The initial $750 deposit is non-refundable. No refunds will be issued for cancellations within 90 days of departure.