David Ghoogasian joined AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian school as Head of School in August 2023. He brings deep experience and decades of expertise in the field of education including years as principal of his alma mater, Armenian Mesrobian School, and Hovsepian Armenian School. A lifer himself, he is a firm believer in the value of Armenian schools and education.
David Ghoogasian is a school leader and educational consultant with a rich background in teaching, administration, and professional development training. Mr. Ghoogasian is especially passionate about creating conditions for our children’s ultimate success. Fundamental to this is an authentic and organic development and nurturing of their intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. He strongly believes this can be accomplished optimally when the child, the family, and the school work together with commitment inspired by a positive spirit of possibility.
His foundation and formation as an educational thinker and leader include his formal education in Psychology, certificates in Curriculum and Instruction, Principalship, and specialized training in the Classroom/Learning/Teaching Applications and Implication of Brain Research (Neuroscience/Cognitive Science). As founder of The Lyceum, his educational consultancy, Mr. Ghoogasian brings his trademark love and deep expertise to the broader community. He is an educational consultant, trainer, and school improvement facilitator, with a rich background in education, which includes teaching, counseling, administration, and professional development. Mr. Ghoogasian trains and teaches parents, students, and educators with backgrounds ranging from early childhood education to college and university instruction. His philosophical approach and work weave together important findings in education, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, behavioral science, behavioral economics, communication, other relevant disciplines, and experience.
Among the areas of emphasis in the training and short and long-term consultation services he has provided are the classroom applications and implications of brain research, learning styles, teaching styles, multiple intelligence theory, differentiated instruction, critical thinking, classroom management, emotional intelligence, mindset, Gifted and Talented Education Education (GATE), Social and Emotional Needs, leadership, and others. Having consulted, taught, and trained through The Lyceum, he is a sought-after speaker, who presents nationally and internationally for public, private, independent, and international schools, school organizations, school districts, institutions of higher learning, conferences, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia, and the corporate world. His presentations, classes, and training are consistently well-received for their informative, practical, and applicable nature. He has also taught through the University of California, Irvine; University of California, San Diego; University of California, Riverside; California State University, Fullerton, University of San Diego, and other Education Extension/Continuing Education programs.
Mr. Ghoogasian has served on the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) and Professional Teaching certificate program advisory committees at UCI Education Extension. He has served on visiting committees for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Schools and has been a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and the California Association for the Gifted (CAG). He is a recipient of the "Distinguished Instructor Award” as well as the "Dean’s Outstanding Service Award” from UCI Education Extension.
Among his many interests, Mr. Ghoogasian loves being in nature, appreciating its majesty, and hiking. Although there is much more to be shared both professionally and personally, he prefers to get to know one another organically and personally, which he looks forward to doing with the AGBU MDS family. He and his wife, Nairy, are proud parents to three adult children.
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