مدرسه ایرانیان

Nowruz at ISSD – The 38th Annual Event

In light of the recent events and the ongoing conflict in Iran, this year’s Nowruz celebration took on a more solemn tone. There was considerable discussion among parents and staff about whether the event should be canceled. Ultimately, it was decided that our primary responsibility is to preserve and celebrate cultural activities and traditions. In the invitation to parents, the school administration stated: “These are difficult times for all of us. As we have emphasized before, we believe that maintaining our cultural traditions in a thoughtful and reflective manner is one of the most meaningful ways to support our community and honor the rich heritage of Iran, even amidst challenges. Our students have been practicing diligently to present a wonderful program for you. We invite you to join us in upholding this tradition, supporting our students, and making this a memorable cultural event.”

Preparations for the Nowruz celebration began in late January, with students rehearsing songs, the “sorood,” a play, and various other performances. On March 1, PTA members organized several stations for students to color eggs and prepare their own sabzeh as part of the haft – seen setup.

The celebration took place on Sunday, March 15, at the Auditorium of Lewis Middle School, with over 400 parents, grandparents, students, friends, and staff in attendance. The program commenced with students and the audience singing “Ey Iran,” followed by the students’ chorus performing Alefba and several folk songs, including “Dokhtar e Boyer Ahmadi” and “Lor Bacheh.” The second part of the program started with a beautiful song of “Iran ey Saraye omid” performed by ISSD chorus conducted by Kourosh Taghavi. Throughout the event, five beautiful dance performances were presented by students from our Dance Academy, under the guidance of Atoosa Jalali and Kimia Jalali. This year, three talented singers captivated the audience, while honors students and Reading Olympics award winners were also recognized between performances.

Each year, we dedicate the Nowruz program to an individual or group that has significantly contributed to the promotion of the Persian language, culture, and art within the community. This year, the honor was bestowed upon Ms. Hajar Hassanzadeh, our P- 6 teacher, acknowledged for her unwavering commitment to teaching Persian at ISSD for the past fifteen years.

A stunning haft-seen display, prepared by Mrs. Roya Amini-Khorsandian, was showcased near the stage in the auditorium. Traditionally, we auction off each haft-seen item to help meet the school’s financial needs. This year’s sale and the silent auction raised over fourteen thousand dollars.

Sound equipment for the event was provided by Julius Nemovi, with Hesaam Abedini serving as our sound engineer. Videography and photography were managed by Arash Tebbi of Rugger Production. The event video is available on the school’s YouTube channel (iranianschoolsd), as well as individual performances. Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already.