In the 1970’s, a dramatic increase in numbers occurred due to a mass migration from a war-torn Middle East. These new immigrants brought with them an increased vitality and a reawakening of what it meant to be Armenian. This renaissance of the Armenian Spirit brought out the need for a private Armenian day school—a school where the children could learn the history, culture, religion and language of Armenia, as well as those subjects covered by American schools in the Pasadena area. The Armenian Community felt that St. Gregory Church was the proper place for the school. The Parish Assembly voted to approve the establishment of St. Gregory Armenian School in January 1983.
St. Gregory Alfred & Marguerite Hovsepian School began operations on September 12, 1984, with 56 students ranging from Pre-K through Grade 4. In 1985, a fifth grade class was added and enrollment increased to 108 students. Sixth grade was added in 1986. Because of another influx of Armenians in the late 1980’s from Armenia, enrollment continued to rise. To accommodate the growing educational needs of the Armenian community, in 1993-1994 the school added Grades 7 and 8 to its program. Nursery was added for the 1991-1992 school year, and Toddler classes were added for the 1998-1999 school year.
This WASC accredited school operates under the umbrella of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of Pasadena and as such is under the direct jurisdiction of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church and its Primate, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. St. Gregory A. & M. Hovsepian is the only such school in the nation operating under the auspices of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, in Armenia.
St. Gregory A. & M. Hovsepian School is located at 2215 East Colorado Boulevard in the city of Pasadena. The area is zoned for business and residential use. The private school serves not only Pasadena but also the nearby communities of South Pasadena, Altadena, Glendale, Burbank, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, and Monrovia. However, we have students traveling from a distance as far west as La Cañada, La Crescenta, Tujunga, Sun Valley, Granada Hills, Northridge, and Sherman Oaks; as far east as Duarte, Azusa, and Glendora; as far south as San Gabriel, Montebello, and Whittier.