Ms. Arnold earned a Bachelor Degree of German Linguistics and Literature from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2007, where she graduated with honors. Ms. Arnold also obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Education and Media from the University of Rostock in Germany in 2014 and a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Duisburg/Essen in Germany in 2023.

She specializes in teaching German as a foreign language. In addition to German and English, she also speaks Greek and French.

 A member of the ACS Athens faculty since 2010, she teaches the Middle School and High School students German as a foreign Language, as well as develops e-learning concepts for foreign languages in general, which will be applied to her academic research. A fellow of the ACS Institute, Ms. Arnold participates as an online instructor at the ACS Athens Virtual Program and prepares students for the AP German Language and Culture exam. In 2024 and in cooperation with the ACS Athens Innovation Lab, Ms. Arnold also participated in an educational pilot project of integrating Virtual Reality as an innovative learning space into language teaching.

Ms. Arnold co-authored a chapter in the 2016 publication "Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning Through i2Flex Classroom Model" and in the 2021 publication "Handbook of Research on K-12 Blended and Virtual Learning Through the i2Flex Classroom Model". In addition, she provides professional development (presentations, workshops, and webinars) to other foreign language teachers in Greece and abroad.

Since 2017 Ms. Arnold has been working as an accredited TestDaf examiner. TestDaf is one of the mandatory language proficiency tests for foreign students who want to enter a German university.

Ms. Arnold was born and raised in Germany and moved to Athens in 1996.

email: arnoldh@acs.gr

Mr. Arsenikos was born in Athens, Greece. He was raised in Melbourne, Australia. He holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a Master in Environmental Chemistry and Technology obtained from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. During his undergraduate and postgraduate studies, he participated in numerous oceanographic and environmental programs.

He has been in education since his early academic years teaching science to students of all levels. Since 2010 he has been responsible for the creation of multiple e-learning projects in chemistry and math for elementary, middle and high school students.

Mr. Arsenikos deeply believes in hands-on learning as a vital component in the process of fostering scientific thinking in students.

He is excited that he'll be able to share his love for science at ACS and support students to creatively discover on their own, new ideas and concepts.

email: arsenikoss@theinstitute.gr

MaryAnn Augoustatos is an educator. Her field of specialty is high school mathematics and international school administration. Born and raised in Manhattan, New York and being of Greek descent she has spent over three decades as an educator at the American Community Schools of Athens Greece ( ACS Athens). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Masters of Arts in Education. She is a certified International School Administrator and has received her secondary mathematics teaching certification from the State of New York.

She is currently the Director of the Learning Commons at ACS Athens, an entity in our school that she was instrumental in co-establishing. The Learning Commons is the center of student and faculty collaboration, learning, research and knowledge construction at ACS Athens. This learning space provides our students and faculty with state of the art facilities, such as a media studio, a math and science studio, a writing/research studio, an incubator of students’ creative ideas , an Artificial Intelligence lab and more. These spaces are staffed with professionals having expertise in the fields of Mathematics, all Sciences, Writing, Research, Literacy, STEAM education, and Media. Students and faculty function as architects of their own learning as they pursue their intellectual curiosities. The Learning Commons is commonly referred to as the heartbeat of education at ACS Athens.

Prior to being a Director of the learning Commons, she spent almost a decade as a Middle School principal at ACS Athens and almost two decades as mathematics department chair.

Upon entering ACS Athens she taught mathematics for 20 years and spent 16 years of her instructional career as the Mathematics Department Chair having created the position of Elementary School Math Specialist and the ACS Athens Mathematics Competition as a few of her highlights. Her teaching experience consists of High School Mathematics courses throughout all academic levels with an emphasis on IB and Honors level courses. Two years prior to becoming Principal, she assumed the position of JK-12 Technology Department Chair concurrently. During her principalship, she began and completed  a  full curriculum review process for all courses school-wide at ACS Athens.

Additionally, Ms. Augoustatos is a chair of the Middle States Association. She has been on multiple team visits as a team member and chair serving the Committee of Institution-wide Accreditation of the Middle School Association of Colleges and School (MSA) in the Middle East and Europe. At ACS Athens she is currently chairing the re-accreditation process school wide through MSA's Sustaining Excellence protocol.

email: augoustatosm@acs.gr

Born in Canada and raised both in Montreal Quebec and in Athens Greece, Angela E. Chamosfakidis graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, with a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy, Pedagogy, Psychology (concentration in Psychology). For her Graduate studies, she attended McGill University in Canada where she received a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology with a research focus on teachers' expectations for children of divorce. Whilst completing her Graduate studies Ms. Chamosfakidis taught in primary and secondary schools in the wider area of Montreal. Upon her return to Greece in 2003, Ms. Chamosfakidis accepted a position at KETHEA (Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals) where she led a team of professionals to provide educational and counseling services to adolescents and young adults with substance abuse problems, for over 10 years. As part of her professional development in the field of addiction, she received a post-graduate Certificate of Specialization in the "Administration and Social Planning in the field of Drug Addiction'' from the Athens School of Public Health in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego.

Since joining ACS Athens, in 2014, Ms. Chamosfakidis has been teaching IB Psychology and Theory of Knowledge. She also serves as an Advisor for the Model United Nations (MUN) club as well as the Intersection club: Where Biology meets Psychology. She has co-authored the book "Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning through the i2Flex Classroom Model" contributing to a new educational paradigm introduced by ACS Athens.

Ms. Chamosfakidis is passionate about teaching and learning and committed to supporting students and their individual needs. She holds a Teaching Certification by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) and the Greek Ministry of Education and she is a certified IB Psychology Examiner (IBO).

email: chamosfakidisa@theinstitute.gr

Mr. Justin Cramer grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He went on to Buena Vista University where he earned his B.A. in General Science with an emphasis in Biology, and Secondary Education. He taught for 8 years in Midwestern United States teaching a variety of science subjects including Earth Science, Biology, Environmental Science, Physical Science, and Astronomy. He earned an M.A. in Secondary Education Administration from University of Central Missouri.

This is his eleventh year at ACS Athens and he will be teaching Biology 9, Earth & Beyond, and AP Environmental Science.

Outside of school Mr. Cramer enjoys spending time with his family, being active, playing and watching sports, traveling, movies, listening to music, and reading.

email: cramerj@acs.gr

Ms. Falidas earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from the City University of New York at Queens College. She earned her Master’s degree in Mathematics from the City University of New York at Queens College and her Master’s degree in Mathematics Education from the City University of New York at Hunter College.

Ms. Falidas holds a permanent New York State teaching license and she has worked in New York City public and private schools. In addition, she worked as a lecturer for the Mathematics Department at LaGuardia Community College in New York. She holds a Certificate  in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education & Business School. She is a fellow at the ACS Athens Institute and a member of Thales and Friends, a non-profit organization aiming to bridge the chasm between mathematics and other cultural forms.

Ms. Falidas has been a teacher of Mathematics at ACS Athens since 2007 and is an IBO Mathematics Examiner since 2009. At ACS Athens she served as the Division Chair of Mathematics from 2020 to 2024. She is the Founder and Program Content leader of the after school Math Circles program, an innovative program for students training for American and International Mathematics Competitions in grades 2 through 10.

email:  falidasm@theinstitute.gr

Rhodell Theodore Fields was born in Germany and was raised between the U.S and Greece. He studied piano and theory at the National Conservatory of Athens - Greece and then moved to the U.S where he earned his Bachelors and Master's degree in Music Composition from the University of South Florida. He taught Music Theory, Orchestration and Advance Oral Skills for music major students at the university level for three years.

In 2008 he was one of only five finalists for the terminal DMA Music degree at the world's top music institute, the Juilliard School. As a pianist, he has been a performer with a long roster of well-known artists both in Greece and abroad. As a composer, he has been commissioned numerous works and his compositions have been featured and performed in numerous international events. His large orchestral works can be found in worldwide CD and digital media distribution.

email: fieldsr@theinstitute.gr

Dr. Fyrigou is a Language Educator. She earned a Bachelor’s in French Literature from the Greek Capodistrian University of Athens and in 2008 she received her master's degree in the History of French Civilization. Dr. Fyrigou defended successfully her doctorate thesis in History of French Civilization on July 2012 and received her doctoral degree. 

She has been working in the ACS faculty community since 1999 and has taught both in Middle School and High School. She is an IB teacher and an IB examiner in French language. Additionally, she has been selected by  Widener University to teach as an Adjunct Professor a course named  Values and Ethics in Education for a doctorate degree program in Low-Residency EdD with a Focus on International Schools Leadership. She is also an adjunct Professor at the Hellenic American University in Athens, teaching undergraduate students in the department of interdisciplinary and intercultural studies.

She has established different educational collaborations between ACS Athens and other institutions worldwide. Dr. Fyrigou has designed, developed and implemented different courses in French and Greek language and culture based on the i2flex methodology and innovative teaching and learning approaches. 

She has  authored a chapter in the 2016 publication "Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning through i2Flex Classroom Model." The title of her chapter is “Evaluating the i2flex educational experience via the Community of Inquiry (CoI 2000)” 

She has also authored a chapter for the enhanced book version 2021 publication "Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning through i2Flex Classroom Model." The title of her chapter is "The effectiveness of the i 2 Flex methodology and the CoI (Community of inquiry) in demanding educational fields."

Dr. Tonia Fyrigou has also presented her work in different colloquiums and conferences. She is a life-long learner, an open mind person with ethos and values with innovative ideas who always strives for excellence in education.

email: firigout@acs.gr

Venie Gaki was born in Ioannina, Greece and holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from the Hellenic American University (HAU) and a BA (Bachelor in Classics) from the University of Ioannina, Greece. During her university years she attended a one-year course in Classics at the University of Liverpool, UK.  She also holds a Certificate in Advanced Methodology in Teaching English as a Second Language acquired at the Hellenic American Union in Athens, Greece in 1998 and has been a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certified instructor since then. 

Venie Gaki has rich experience in teaching both Greek and English as a second language in private schools and has been a member of ACS Athens faculty since 2007. She has taught both English and Greek to Elementary School, Middle School and High School students of all levels (beginning to Language Arts). In addition, Venie Gaki has also taught Latin through the IIC.

Venie Gaki believes in constant professional development; therefore, she pursues such opportunities through seminars, conferences (ECIS, AERO) and book exhibitions in order to be updated with the latest publications, methodologies and approaches in teaching the English and the Greek language to speakers of diverse linguistic backgrounds. She has been a member and presenter at TESOL Greece since 1993. 

Writing is one of her favorite occupations as it makes her feel more creative. She has written several plays, poems, song lyrics and texts (in both Greek and English) through which children's understanding and consolidation of the language they learn is reinforced. 

Venie Gaki designs and adjusts the content of the classes she teaches to meet her students’ needs.

For the EFL Social Studies class, she has simplified the curriculum students are presented with in grades 6 & 7 Middle School to make it more accessible for students with low proficiency in English.

ACS Athens has published three of her books, which have been taught at the Elementary School for a few years now: a listening and speaking activities book and two textbooks for Elementary School children who learn Greek as a foreign language.

email: gakiv@acs.gr

Leonidas (Leo) Gontzes is a historian and a political analyst born in New Jersey and raised both in the U.S. and Athens, Greece. Mr. Gontzes has a Bachelor's degree in History from Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia, USA), and two graduate degrees in European History from University College Cork (Cork, Republic of Ireland) and Diplomacy, with an international conflict management concentration, from Norwich University (Northfield, Vermont, USA). He has been teaching History, Government and Politics, and International Relations at several international institutions in the Greek capital and abroad since 1999 at secondary school level as well as on the graduate and undergraduate levels. He taught at New York College from 2001 to 2021 and at Empire State College (State University of New York) from 2007 to 2021. Moreover, he held the office of Associate Dean heading New York College's International Relations Department from 2008 to 2018. His responsibilities have also included the office of Academic Director of Graduate Studies at the New York College Educational Group in Athens, Greece, for a total of ten years (2006-2016).

His papers include: "Re-Examining the 1925 Bulgarian Incident", "To what extent has the United States used the international economic system in order to exert power in global politics?", 'Evaluating peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peace enforcement in Kosovo", "Security and Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Kosovo", "Organizing and conducting a future military intervention in Bosnia-Herzegovina". He has co-authored articles for CNN Greece on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and has appeared several times on Greek and Arab television, as well as Radio France International, as a political analyst vis-à- vis U.S. and Greek political developments.

This year he will be teaching IB History Years I and II, American Studies Combo Grade 10, IB TOK Year I, Grade 6 Social Studies, and Grade 7 Social Studies.

e-mail: gontzesl@acs.gr

Dr. Jenny Grigoropoulou was born in Athens, Greece, and raised in Maryland, U.S.A.. She holds a B.Sc. degree in Business Administration in 1989, from the University of La Verne and her M.A. degree in International Management and Business Administration. In 1992, she earned her teaching education and certification in the United States, qualified to teach ESL/EFL K–12 and Business Studies 6 - 12. She is an IB educator as well as an IB examiner for Business Management. In May 2019, she graduated from St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, earning her Doctorate Degree in Education, Leadership, and Management. 

Dr. Grigoropoulou is a contributing author of the books Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning through the i2Flex Classroom Model and Handbook of Research on K-12 Blended and Virtual Learning through the i²Flex Classroom Model. She has authored articles, such as “The Role of Ethics in the 21st Century Organization” (IJPE-April 2019), and is the co-author with Dr. Gialamas of the manuscript, “Educators Leaders: Inspiring Learners to Transform Society by Becoming Architects of their Own Learning” (IJPE - October 2018) and with Dr. Pelonis, Dr. Gialamas, and Dr. Cherif of the manuscript,  "How Can Manifesting Leadership Skills Infused with Ethos, Empathy and Compassion, Better Prepare Students to Assume Leadership Roles" (IJPE, February 2020) . She has presented her work and practices in colloquiums and conferences. She is one of the founding members of the Recycling Project, which is a school-wide initiative.

Dr. Grigoropoulou had been teaching ESL in the Middle School and the Elementary School for grades K – 5 to non-native English speakers. Overall, she has been an ESL educator for 35 years. She has been actively involved with the Saturday Youth-to-Youth program since the initiation of the program, providing unaccompanied minors with skills and knowledge of the English language. In addition to her teaching assignments, educator of the EFL Language Arts and Language Development courses. While being the Admissions & Outreach Counselor, she is also the ESL/EFL K-12 Coordinator.

email: grigoropoulouj@acs.gr

Dr. Hristakos completed his B.Sc. in physics at the University of Lancaster in the UK. He then continued his graduate studies in experimental physics (M.S) at the University of New Hampshire in the USA. Following this he successfully defended his Ph.D. in experimental low temperature physics at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. Dr. Hristakos worked as a post-doc research scientist at the Centre des etudes atomiques in Saclay-France and at the University of Tuebingen in Germany.

He has taught IB physics at ACS Athens for over a decade and he has also worked as an AP physics teacher at the American School of Dubai.

email: hristakosl@theinstitute.gr

Ms. Kathy Jasonides holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and a Masters degree in Journalism from the University of California, Los Angeles. As a member of the Academy faculty at the American Community Schools of Athens, Greece since 1974 she has taught English, Journalism, History, Humanities, IB English Literature and IB Theory of Knowledge.

Since retiring from full-time teaching in 2008, Ms. Jasonides has continued to team teach the Honors Humanities courses, and she also serves as Chair of the Division of Language and Literature. In addition to the two-year Honors Humanities program, Ms. Jasonides and her teaching partners have developed three additional online Humanities courses which offer the highlights of the program’s interdisciplinary approach, including the field study opportunities, to both non-ACS Athens students and ACS Athens students who are not enrolled in the regular program.

Ms. Jasonides has co-authored articles about interdisciplinary teaching for the ACS Athens magazine ETHOS and participated in presentations at NESA conferences and the ACS Athens Conferences on Learning Differences. She also co-authored chapters in the 2016 publication Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning through i2Flex Classroom Model and the 2021 publication Handbook of Research on K-12 Blended and Virtual Learning Through the i2Flex Model.

email: jasonidesk@theinstitute.gr

Ms. Matina Katsiyianni holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She also holds a Master of Science in Economic Mathematics from the National Technological University of Athens.

Ms. Katsiyianni is a Mathematics educator with over 15 years of experience in a variety of curriculums at the Secondary level and she is published in the ACS Athens initiative on the revolutionary blended teaching methodology i2flex. She has participated in many conferences around the world as she always seeks for the best professional development opportunities for the benefit of her students.

Ms. Katsiyianni is currently teaching IB Mathematics in the Academy as well as Algebra I in Middle school.

email: katsiyiannim@acs.gr

Dr. Antonios Karampelas holds a B.Sc. in Physics, and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Astrophysics, from the University of Athens. He has been a post-graduate researcher at the University of Athens and the National Observatory of Athens, mainly contributing to the preparation of the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission. Dr. Karampelas has teaching experience in secondary and higher education and has been an ACS Athens Academy teacher since 2016. The courses he is teaching include IB Physics, Physics 1, and Physics 2, as well as Artificial Intelligence and STEAM-Modern Technology Topics, which he designed and developed himself.

Dr. Karampelas is a scholar with a record of more than 80 articles, including 30 journal articles and 5 book chapters. Dr. Karampelas is also a manuscript reviewer and has attended more than 30 conferences and workshops with 15 contributions. His research work in education has been published or featured in, among others, AIP Publishing, IGI Global, The Irish Journal of Technology-Enhanced Learning, the European Distance and E-Learning Network, the Proceedings of EdMedia Innovate Learning, the International Schools Journal, Medium, Business Partners, the MSA Accreditation Newsletter, and the Inside Learning podcast series. His research work in Astrophysics has been published in Astronomy & Astrophysics and the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, with his articles having been cited more than 17,000 times.

Dr. Karampelas is a strong proponent of the inclusion of Generative AI and Learning Analytics in Education, and the development of AI curricula. At ACS Athens, he has been leading and serving in different capacities as a Division Chair of Technology, Artificial Intelligence Framework Coordinator, Accreditation Internal Coordinator, and Action Research Coordinator. He also led the "spACS" program of high school students’ experiments that were conducted in space in two consecutive space flights of Blue Origin’s New Shepard capsule (2019), with both events being covered by media in Greece and the US. Moreover, he led a team of high school students that won first place in the first Aerospace Contest, organized by the Hellenic Physical Society in 2018, and coordinated students’ research projects from inception to publication.

Dr. Karampelas is a Fellow of the Institute of ACS Athens, and a co-coordinator of the “STEM and Artificial Intelligence in Education” Working Group of the Hellenic Educational Society of STEM.

email: karampelasa@acs.gr

Dr. Kerkines received his B.Sc. in Chemistry (1997) and his M.Sc.(1999) and Ph.D.(2003) in Physical Chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).

He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the NKUA (2004-2006), at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, USA (2006-2008), and at the National Hellenic Research Foundation (2008-2011, 2013-2015). His research focus had been the application of Quantum Chemistry to novel main-group and transition-metal chemistry, as well as to the study of the interaction of materials with light for modern energy applications.

Dr. Kerkines has been teaching Chemistry since 2000. Before joining the ACS family in 2017, he had worked in the private sector as a content creator for e-learning courses and phone support for students from 4th to 12th grade (Chemistry, Physics, Math, Geography, Biology) as well as in a tutoring center for Panhellenic examinations. He also worked as a quality control head in a cosmetics company, being responsible for ISO and ΕΟΦ accreditations.

Dr. Kerkines has co-authored over 30 research papers in international peer-reviewed journals and has presented his work in scientific conferences in 12 countries. He has received scholarships from the Association of Hellenes from Egypt, the Hellenic State Scholarships Foundation, and the Marie Curie Foundation (twice). He received the 2008 Atlanta Area Chemical Physics award for his postdoctoral research, and he has briefly worked at CERN (Switzerland) and Karlsruhe University (Germany) as a visiting scientist. A firm supporter of the communication of science to the public, he received the honor to give invited talks at the Athens Science Festival/Cafe Scientifique Athens (2016, 2021), as well as at the inaugural Pint of Science Greece (2018).

Dr. Kerkines was born and grew up near the center of Athens, Greece. In his spare time, he enjoys lifting weights and engaging with website design and development.

email: kerkinesi@acs.gr

John Papadakis is the Director of Enrollment Management, Technology & Communications at ACS Athens since 2006 and the school's certified Data Protection Officer since 2018. 

After 14 years in the United States, where he served American K-12 education in different capacities as a Math teacher, tutor, and administrator, he returned to Greece with his family.

He received his DPO certification from TÜV Austria in 2018. His academic studies include an Executive M.B.A. degree from the University of Indianapolis (Athens Campus), a B.A. in Communications/Electronic Media/Broadcasting from Columbia College Chicago, and an associate degree in electronics engineering from Triton College, IL. He has extensive experience in radio/TV production and has worked as an editor/staff writer in weekly ethnic newspapers based in Chicago, IL. Mr. Papadakis was the Director of Communications of the Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) – North and South America Region, based in Chicago, from 1995-2001, covering and promoting the educational, civic and cultural activities of the ethnic Greek community on the American continent.

Personal business ventures include: a TV satellite company operating as a Dish Network dealer and distributor of Greek satellite TV channels in the Midwest; a weekly radio program promoting the activities of the Greek American community; and various business technology and communication consulting services to organizations and businesses in the Chicagoland area. After his arrival to Athens in 2001, he was involved in technology projects as a training consultant and as a project manager in new media related projects (e-commerce, online Content Management Systems, web 2.0, etc.).

email: papadakisj@theinstitute.gr

Trina Langsenkamp holds a Master's degree in Arts in Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Art Education from The Ohio State University. She has a K-12 visual arts education licensure and certification from the state of Ohio.

This is Ms. Langsenkamp's fifth year teaching Visual Arts at ACS Athens. For three years, she worked as the K-5 Visual Arts teacher and Elementary Yearbook Coordinator, and this is her second year in the Middle School and Academy. Currently, she teaches Print Publications 1 and 2, Design, Drawing and Painting and Graphic Arts at the Academy as well as Design 8 at the Middle School. She is also the Academy Yearbook Coordinator and an adjunct teaching fellow for the ACS Athens Virtual School.

Previously, Ms. Langsenkamp worked as an Artist in Residence for Project Zero (PZ) at Harvard University. During the residency, and in conjunction with PZ's Out of Eden Learn project, she developed methods and practices for integrating mindfulness into the arts curriculum. 

Ms. Langsenkamp is currently a freelance painter whose work primarily focuses on abstraction and landscapes. In 2019, she presented work at international art fairs, such as Art Athina and Art Thessaloniki with Epsilon Gallery. In 2018, she was a resident artist at The Mudhouse in Agios Ioannis, Crete. In 2015, she presented at the Ohio Art Education Association conference on her work with sensory engagement in art-making and was the recipient of the 2015 Fergus Fellows Award. Ms. Langsenkamp's interest in international arts education began when she studied in Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. She later studied at the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston, Jamaica, where she worked directly with arts educators in public, private and non-traditional education sectors.

email: langsenkampt@acs.gr

Ms. Perakis was raised in Newport, Rhode Island. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Elementary and Special Education from Salve Regina College and a Masters of Arts in Special Education from Lesley College. She is currently working on a post graduate degree on Improving Student Learning and Quality of Teaching in International Schools from Buffalo State SUNY University. Ms. Perakis holds several teaching certificates including certificates for teaching students with mild-moderate-severe learning differences and handicaps.

For the past ten years, she has co organized the ACS Athens Annual Learning Differences Conferences, a continuing effort to raise awareness on the subject of educating children with learning differences. Ms. Perakis has also served as a team member on the Committee of Institution-wide Accreditation of the Middle School Association of Colleges and School (MSA), and on the study and research group at John Hopkins University for bringing the CTY program to Greece.

Since 2010, Ms. Perakis has been selected to serve on The European Council of International Schools (ECIS) Special Education Needs (SEN) Committee. She is also the Vice President for the Professional Special Education Society in Greece, a founding member of the Hellenic Institute for Study and Research of Learning Disabilities and serving on the IB Special Education Needs (SEN) Committee, as well as, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Education committee for Learning Differences.

email: perakisc@theinstitute.gr

Dr. Prodromidi earned a B.Sc. in Cell & Molecular Biology from the University of Essex, UK. She then continued her graduate studies at Imperial College London, UK, where she obtained a M.Sc. in Immunology and a Ph.D. with a full scholarship in Renal Medicine and Stem Cell Biology. She has worked in research and her scientific work has been presented in conferences world-wide, and has been acknowledged numerous times with international awards, such as the Best New Scientist (2006, UK). She has also published articles in scientific journals and co-authored books.

After the completion of her post-graduate studies and since her return in Greece, Dr. Prodromidi has worked both as a research scientist and an educator. To her, teaching means inspiration, creativity, and even challenge to pass on knowledge and ethos to every student. Her teaching experience ranges from middle school students through university students. Recently, she co-authored the book entitled "Revolutionizing K-12 Blended Learning through the i²Flex Classroom Model" contributing to this novel pedagogical approach introduced by ACS Athens.

email: prodromidie@theinstitute.gr

Ms. Labrini Rontogiannis was born and raised in Montreal, Canada and moved to Athens in 2004. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Cell Biology at McGill University and a Bachelor of Education, specialization in Science and English Literature, also from McGill. Ms. Rontogiannis has also received a M.Ed. specializing in Educational Technology through an online program at the University of Calgary.

Ms. Rontogiannis has been teaching at the ACS since 2005 and she takes pride in getting involved in all aspects of student life; both in and out of the classroom.  She has taught Language Arts in the Middle School and Academy and Science in the Middle School. She has coached Girls Junior Varsity and Varsity Volleyball teams for a number of years, at ACS Athens and in Montreal Public Schools. 

Ms Rontogiannis has also taken part in many professional development opportunities both in Athens and abroad, as well as presented her own work at a number of conferences. In 2014, she presented at the ICALT conference in Athens, and was the recipient of the Best Poster Award. She has also designed and implemented both the Online Summer Health course that she has been teaching since 2014, as well as the eighth grade i2Flex Health course that she designed and taught in 2016 and is still running today. She has also taught online course through ACS Athens Virtual.

This year Ms Rontogiannis is teaching 10th grade Health, both F2F and through ACS Athens Virtual and is the coordinator for ACS Athens Virtual and Technology Integration.

email: rontogiannisl@acs.gr

Ms. Dimitra Psoma holds a Greek Language and Literature Bachelor’s Degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece) majoring in Linguistics, and a Master of Arts in Translation from the University of New Hampshire (USA). This is her ninth year at ACS Athens.

Ms. Psoma has been teaching English and Greek to students of all levels, as well as preparing students for their university Entrance Exams for 15 years. Last year, she taught the Greek 5 as Language B to Middle School and Academy Students. She also taught Greek Language and Mythology for the ACS Athens Virtual. This year, she is teaching Greek to elementary students from K-5th.  Ms. Psoma has successfully completed a 9-month seminar offered by the Aegean University under the subject: Greek as a Second/Foreign Language.

email: psomad@acs.gr

Irini Rovoli holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Athens, School of Philosophy, and an M.A. in the Psychology and Education of Children with Special Needs from the University of London, Institute of Education, by a scholarship from IKY. She also pursued advanced piano studies in the National Conservatory of Athens and studied Drama at Veaki Drama School, Athens.

Ms. Rovoli began teaching at high school level at the Hackney Community School in London and in the Greek public sector at Varibopi Athens High School for Repatriated Greeks. She joined ACS Athens in 1995 and served as teacher of Greek in Elementary and Middle School ever since. She also taught 5th grade English Language Arts class, has served as Team Leader and as Elementary Interim Vice-Principal (2017).

Ms. Rovoli actively contributed innovations in the Greek language curriculum of the elementary, including content design for grades JK-5 and the elementary school Greek national celebrations. She co-authored an article in the British Journal of Educational Psychology and has published articles in the Institute of Education Alumni magazine, NESA News magazine, and ACS Athens Ethos. She also presented an innovative environmental initiative on student leadership and action through Project-Based Learning at the ECIS Conference in 2012 in Athens and at the NESA International Conference in 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. Her presentation at the ACS Athens Colloquium 2016 was her original work on rhyming grammar rules for Greek language learners.

As a Fellow of the ACS Athens Institute, Ms. Rovoli has designed the HS virtual course Greek Language and History. Ms. Rovoli is a certified Critical Friends Groups Coach (National School Reform Faculty).and has served as a facilitator in the ACS Athens Collaborative Learning Communities. Ms. Rovoli is certified in AI for Education.

email: rovolii@acs.gr

Dr. Sax holds a Bachelor's degree from Hampshire College (U.S.A.) in Psychology and Child Development. She graduated from New York University (U.S.A.) with a Clinical Master's degree in Clinical Social Work; Children, Adolescents and Adults. She has completed her doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology and Supervision in Counselor Education at Argosy University (U.S.A.).

She has been a Psychology Lecturer of Clinical Interviewing and Consultation, Child Psychology, Life-Span Development, Cultural Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Advanced Psychopathology and Group & Music Therapy. Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor at the Hellenic American University in Athens, teaching graduate students of the Psychology Department. She is also a licensed psychotherapist who has been in private practice for twenty -four years with children, adolescents and adults.

From September of 2006, she was working at ACS Athens Elementary as the Counselor for grades PK-5. Since 2011, Dr. Sax has been the Coordinator of the Psychology Intern Program with the Department of Student Affairs. As of 2012-13, Dr. Sax has also been providing PK-12 school wide services as Counseling Psychologist, via the Wellness Center. Additionally, Dr. Sax provides all clinical supervision to faculty and staff of the Counseling Office, as well as the Educational Testing Center.

Dr. Sax also presents her work at Professional Conferences within the ACS Athens Community and throughout Europe and has published articles and book chapters on her research interests and clinical work in the field. She currently is a member of the editorial board and peer reviewer of the American Journal of Applied Psychology, The International Journal of Elementary Education of SciencePG and The International Journal of Progressive Education. She is a member of the European Branch of the American Counseling Association and RSA Fellow (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

email: saxlanea@theinstitute.gr

Ms. Sidiropoulou, a Greek Philologist with over 22 years of experience in Education, holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Education, and Psychology, with a Major in Pedagogics, from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens which is extended with a M.Sc. in Teaching Methodology and Assessment. She then further advanced her studies with an M.Ed. in Adult Education from the Greek Open University; both her Master Studies are complete with distinction. In addition, she is specialized in Teaching Greek as a Foreign Language through Programs at the University of Patras and the Aegean University, and has completed the ACS Athens Virtual School Training Program.

Since joining the ACS Faculty in 2015, Ms. Sidiropoulou has taught the Greek Language Arts Courses in Middle and High School and the Greek "Youth-to-Youth Program". She has established and taught the Virtual School Course "Greek Language through Mythology." Currently, she continues teaching Greek Language Arts and Greek B Classes in Middle School. Her extensive teaching experience also includes a lecturing position at the Higher Military Educational Institutions and an academic associate role at the Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education, where she focuses on Teaching Methodology and Assessment and conducts pedagogical demonstrations for teachers.

Authorship is one of her main interests and through enriching teaching experiences during her career has published numerous articles and educational books in Greek, French, and Arabic. Dedicated to optimizing the learning process and fostering student growth and success, she consistently creates new and differentiated materials.  An assessor for the Greek Language Center since 2009 and a certified adult trainer by the Ministry of Education, her contributions to the field are extensive, having presented her work at various international conferences and the ACS Ethos magazine. She co-authored the chapter "Middle and High School Implementations of Moodle Facilitated Blended Instructional Designs"; recently she collaborated in establishing and developing the ACS Project "Approaches to Learning Rubric”, a pivotal tool for providing feedback to students on lifelong learning opportunities and soft skills.

Ms. Sidiropoulou's goal is to support students with the essential resources and tools to foster independent learning and inspire self-reliance in them to evolve into reflective inquirers and advocates of Conscious Citizenship, while herself is a strong advocate for lifelong education and personal development.

email: sidiropouloum@acs.gr

Ms. Evdokia (Evi) Sotiropoulou holds a Masters degree in Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She has a K-12 Visual Arts education licensure and certification from the state of Massachusetts.

Ms. Sotiropoulou was born and raised in Athens, Greece and moved to the United States in 2011 for her studies. She is an ACS Athens Alumni, attending the school from junior kindergarten to 12th grade.

After receiving her Bachelor's degree, Ms. Sotiropoulou worked as an art teacher at a Greek-American bilingual school in Arlington, Massachusetts and discovered her passion to teach art. She then decided to continue her studies and received her M.A. in Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City.

This will be Ms. Sotiropoulou’s seventh year at ACS Athens teaching 8th grade Design and 6-8th grade Art Studio.

Ms. Sotiropoulou's ultimate priority as an educator is to create a student-centered classroom, where her students feel comfortable to design and express themselves freely.

email: sotiropouloue@acs.gr

Dr. Stamati earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees through the extended program in Applied Mathematics and Science Studies at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). She then pursued a second Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics with a specialization in Mathematical Analysis. Driven by a profound passion for her field, Dr. Stamati completed her Ph.D. in Systems Theory at NTUA, supported by a full scholarship from the Papakyriakopoulos Foundation.

Her academic work has been published in numerous prestigious journals, including IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control and Systems & Control Letters . During her doctoral studies, she taught at institutions such as the School of Applied Mathematics and Science Studies at NTUA, the University of West Attica, and the School of Engineering Officers of the Greek Army.

After earning her Ph.D., Dr. Stamati held positions as a Visiting Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens(NKUA) in the Department of Economics, a Scientific Associate at the University of West Attica, and an Instructor at the School of Greek Navy Cadets. Her teaching experience includes courses in Calculus, Linear Algebra, Optimal Control, Higher Mathematics, and software programming with MATLAB and Mathematica. Additionally, she has participated in research programs focused on the design, development, and implementation of mathematical algorithms.

Since joining ACS Athens in 2013, she has contributed significantly to the school community, serving as ECIS Ambassador and Co-Coordinator of the Professional Development Team. Her dedication was recognized with the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award. She has also participated and presented at numerous international conferences, including the ECIS Leadership Conferences.  She continues to serve as an IB Examiner. 

In the upcoming academic year, Dr. Stamati will be teaching IB Mathematics Analysis and Approaches at both the Higher Level Year 1 and the Standard Level Year 2. She is also stepping into the role of Math Assessment Coordinator for K-12.

She firmly believes in the motto: "The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics." - Paul Halmos.

email: stamatia@acs.gr

Ms. Natasha Stratoglou is an experienced educator in Modern Languages with a strong academic background. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Literature and a Master's degree in Cultural Institutions Management. She is a Fellow at the Institute of Innovation and Creativity, where she has designed, developed, and implemented an online course focused on Greek Language and Culture through Art. Her most recent professional development endeavor is a yearly course on "Teaching Greek as a Second and Foreign Language" from the Aegean University. Ms Stratoglou is a member of the Greek Applied Linguistics Association.

Ms. Stratoglou has extensive postgraduate training, including studies in Human Development at the University of La Verne, Writing Across the Curriculum at the University of Berkeley, and Education at the University of Athens. She has been a member of the ACS Athens faculty since 1990, teaching French and Greek as native, second, or foreign languages across all three education levels.

In her various roles at ACS Athens, Ms. Stratoglou has served as the Middle School Foreign Language Coordinator, Yearbook Advisor, and advisor for the French and Greek Clubs, among other positions. She has also played a key role in organizing educational trips and exchanges, such as the French Trip and the Cairo Exchange.

Ms. Stratoglou has actively participated in professional development, attending numerous IB Middle Years Program conferences in Athens and Istanbul, Learning Differences Conferences, and NESA Conferences. She has presented her work at two graduate student conferences in Museum Studies, organized by the Kapodistrian University of Athens, and in 2016, she showcased her research on the effective implementation of the i2Flex methodology in a multi-level language class at the ACS Athens Colloquium.

Ms. Stratoglou is a passionate advocate for lifelong learning. With her extensive experience and dedication, she continues to support, encourage, and inspire her students, creating diverse and engaging challenges that promote a love of learning.

email: stratogloun@acs.gr

Dr. Evan Syropoulos is an accomplished educator, researcher, and an IB and AP Capstone-certified teacher, with a unique interdisciplinary academic background spanning English Literature, Critical Theory, and the Performing Arts. He earned his BA in English Language and Literature (1995), his MA in English Literature and Culture (1999), and his PhD in Musical Theater (2008) from the School of English Language and Literature of Aristotle University. He conducted postdoctoral research and/ or taught literature and theater courses at Aristotle University, Ghent University (Belgium), and Goldsmiths College (University of London). His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals in Greece, Belgium, and the UK. 

His commitment to advancing his teaching methodology led him to become a College Board-certified AP Capstone teacher in 2017, after training at McBride High School, Long Beach CA. In 2019, he further honed his skills at the AERO Summer Institute at Marymount University, Virginia, receiving training in the English Language Arts AERO standards. 

In 2016, he began his impactful journey at ACS Athens, initially working as the Writing/ Research Studio Coordinator and then primarily teaching IB English A: Literature, IB English A: Language and Literature, and IB Theory of Knowledge. In 2019, he joined the ACS Athens Institute as Fellow, designing and teaching an online course in English Literature for ACS Athens Virtual. From September 2022, he also serves as Division Chair of Language and Literature. This year, he teaches IB English A: Literature Yr. 1 and Yr. 2 and IB English A: Language and Literature Yr. 2. 

Currently, Dr. Syropoulos is also collaborating with Ms. Sophia Thanopoulou on the development of the Inquiry and Performance Learning Model (IPLM). This endeavor marries his love for literature, theater, and teaching, underscoring his commitment to pioneering effective and engaging teaching methods.

email: syropoulose@acs.gr

Dr. Toumpakari was born and raised in Athens and attended the University of Athens where she studied Mathematics. She obtained a M.Sc. in Applied Statistics from the University of Oxford and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago on a full scholarship from the University, while being an honorary scholar of the Onassis Foundation.

Dr. Toumpakari has made presentations in several mathematics conferences in the US. Recently she presented at the 1st Congress of Greek Mathematicians on a statistical project she participated in at the Childhood Cancer Research Group at Oxford. Her teaching experience includes a variety of undergraduate classes at the University of Chicago, mentoring gifted teenagers at a math-themed summer camp and teaching under-privileged students in the Chicago Public Schools as well as teaching A-levels in the UK.

Dr. Toumpakari has been a teacher of mathematics at ACS Athens since 2012. Classes taught at ACS include Geometry Standard/Honors, Algebra 2 Trig Standard/Honors, Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, IB Higher Level, IB Applications and Interpretation HL/SL, Algebra 1 in the Middle School and in the Academy, Pre-Algebra, Math 7 and Math 6, as well as Grades 7-8 in the Math Circles Program. She is also a Fellow at the ACS Athens Virtual Institute, where she taught an IB Prep course during the summer of 2024. This year, Dr. Toumpakari is teaching Algebra 1 and Math 7 in the Middle School.

email: toumpakarie@acs.gr

Ms. Tokatlidou completed her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the School of Law and Economics at the Aristoteleion University of Thessaloniki in 1981. She continued her studies in Toronto, Canada, where she completed her Master of Arts in Economics and all but the thesis requirement for the Ph.D. program in Economics. In 2013 she received her M.B.A from the University of Indianapolis as well as her Certificate for International School Leadership.

Ms. Tokatlidou has been a member of the ACS Athens community since 2005. Initially, as an IB Economics faculty, then as Director of IB and AP programs, as Academy Vice-Principal, and currently the Dean of Academics.

For more than a decade, Ms. Tokatlidou has worked along with the IB Diploma and AP Faculty in expanding and enhancing the IB and AP programs as well as the curriculum and professional development of faculty, making the IB Diploma program one of the most sought-after programs in Greece.

In 2019, she spearheaded the launch of ACS Athens Virtual, offering online courses. Ms. Tokatlidou led a team of educators and administrators to create a new curriculum while at the same time adapting the existing one. Currently in its third successful year, ACS Athens Virtual placed ACS Athens amongst the leading schools worldwide that incorporated and effectively applied technological developments in education that addressed different types of learners through an extended variety of courses. Further, ACS Athens Virtual helped create a framework for hybrid learning during the extended Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. 

Ms. Tokatlidou strongly believes in learning and citizenship development through service,  innovative projects, and personal growth through education. This led to the development and creation of the ACS Athens Youth to Youth Educational and Social Integration Program in collaboration with The HOME Project organization. The program addresses the social and educational needs of unaccompanied minors in Athens that fled to Greece due to the Syrian civil war through a student-to-student partnership learning model running since January 2017. The program now includes the Part-time Youth to Youth that runs on Saturdays and involves numerous student and faculty volunteers, and the full-time Youth to Youth program run through the Ed Shapiro Foundation scholarships.

Ms. Tokatlidou, as an educator, strives for lifelong learning unconfined by physical proximity, global citizenship, effective risk-taking, and ethical decision-making. She has led various workshops and has published in numerous scientific journals.

Ms. Tokatlidou was born and raised in Drama, Greece.

email: tokatlidouj@acs.gr

Dr. Liana Tsigaridi holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics, from the University of Patras, with the highest grade of the graduation year and award from the State Scholarships Foundation, a M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics, from the Technical University of Athens, a second M.Sc. in Astrophysics, from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Applied Mathematics, from the NKUA, in the field of Galactic Dynamics on a full scholarship from the Leventis Foundation. In parallel with her academic studies, she has also completed degrees in Music and Dance. She plays the Piano and the Viola and has been a member of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Athens since 1991.

Dr. Tsigaridi has participated in many Research Programs funded by the Academy of Athens in collaboration with the Research Center for Astronomy and Applied Mathematics (RCAAM), with publications in peer reviewed scientific journals and presence in numerous conferences. She has also participated as a visiting researcher in the project "Galactic Potential Extraction" at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Munich, Germany.

Dr. Tsigaridi has over 18 years of teaching experience and has been a member of the Academy faculty at ACS Athens since 2017. She has also  been appointed as an IB Mathematics examiner since 2021. This year, she will be teaching IB Mathematics AA SL and IB Mathematics AI SL, while also assuming the role of Division Chair of Mathematics. Apart from her professional responsibilities, Dr. Tsigaridi has been serving the ACS Athens community as a CAS advisor, a Senior Class advisor, as well as a Mathematics Competition coach in the afterschool program.

Dr. Tsigaridi is committed to help students develop not only an understanding of Mathematics, but also a lasting appreciation for its significance and beauty.

email: tsigaridil@acs.gr

Ms. Zavacopoulou was born in London, but was raised in Athens and attended a British international school. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in European Social and Political Studies, a four-year course with majors in History, French and Italian from University College London (2004), and a Masters degree in Journalism from University of Westminster, London (2008).

A qualified secondary school teacher, she taught French and Spanish in an inner city London school through Teach First, a ground-breaking graduate training program that combines two years teaching in challenging London schools with business and leadership training. 

She joined the ACS Athens team in 2010 and started working in the Writing/Research Studio, where she helped and advised students on a variety of written assignments. She has since been involved in many aspects of school life: she coaches the ACS Athens Academy and Middle School debate teams, has participated in the Mentorship Program and has co-presented a workshop at the NESA Conference. With her teaching partner she has also developed and taught authentic Humanities courses for ACS Athens Virtual. She also served as Division Chair for Social Studies, K-12 for 6 years, from 2018 - 2024. Currently she is teaching Social Studies in two interdisciplinary team-taught courses in the Academy, Humanities and Grade 9 Europe and the World.

email: zavacopouloua@acs.gr