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7 THE SHEPHERD • OCTOBER 2024 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΓΛΩΣΣΑΣ Welcome to our Greek school, where tradi- tion and education come together to create a vibrant learning environment. Our dedicat- ed team of teachers and staff are passionate about imparting both academic knowledge and cultural heritage. Each member brings a wealth of experience and a deep love for Greek history and language. From our skilled educators who guide students through the intricacies of Greek literature and history, to our supportive administrative staff who en- sure a smooth and enriching experience for every student, our team is committed to fos- tering a nurturing and dynamic educational atmosphere. We’re excited to introduce you to the individuals who make our school a place of learning and cultural celebration. NANCY PROVATARIS Nancy Provataris be- came the proud Greek Language School Di- rector in April of 2023. Prior to this accomplish- ment, Dr. Provataris was a Greek language teacher at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church for 5 years. She grew up in beautiful Thessaloniki, Greece where she earned her bachelors’ degree in Greek Phi- lology. Then, her passion for special educa- tion and dual language learners led her to return to the US and earn a masters degree in School Psychology and a doctorate in Educational Psychology. Currently, her love for life-long learning prompted her to ex- pand her knowledge and go back to school and specialize in school neuropsychology. Dr. Provataris’ love for the rich Greek lan- guage, culture, customs, and traditions is her drive and motivation behind her purpose as the new director. Her goal is to keep them alive even thousands of miles away from our homeland. MARIA KOTSAFTIS Maria Kotsaftis is a multinational, polyglot, “cultural nomad.” Her father’s side of the fam- ily hails from the island of Lesbos and she met her Greek husband in the US. In the past she worked for the Department of Education on Cyprus teaching German and English. She holds a Ph.D in Comparative Literature from Purdue University and has taught Italian Lit- erature as both teaching assistant and later as adjunct professor in various institutions of Higher Learning throughout San Diego. The Greek school recruited her in 2017. Due to her previous position as board member and part time teacher of the first German American preschool in San Diego, as well as AEACS Elementary and Middle School, she also has a background teaching younger children. She obtained a minor in develop- mental psychology during her student years in Germany. Her teaching philosophy is that learning occurs naturally if one is engaged and having fun and she tries to implement this in her classroom! OLGA JAFOU Olga Jafou was born and raised in Athens, Greece, where she re- ceived her primary and secondary education. She then moved to En- gland, where she studied Chemistry and graduat- ed from the University of Surrey with a BA in Chemistry and a PhD in Thermodynam- ics. She moved to San Diego in 2000 with her husband where they have been raising their two wonderful boys ever since. Mrs. Jafou loves working with children of all ages. Be- ing a proud Greek living abroad, she has a passion for helping others learn our beauti- ful language, culture and way of life. SOTIRIA GRIGORAKI - PANOS Mrs. Grigoraki was born in Thessaloniki, Greece but grew up in Chania, Crete Greece with roots from Agios Nikolaos, Crete where her father was born. She studied in Athens, Greece and received a degree in fashion-styling and custom design. She has worked in several TV productions, commer- cials and fashion magazines in Greece. In the past 12 years she has been married to her precious husband George and together they have two children Alexandra (11) and Spiros (6). During the years of marriage Mrs. Grig- oraki has lived in Chania Crete Greece, San Diego CA, Sicily Italy and we have recently returned back to San Diego the summer of 2023. Mrs. Grigoraki was a teacher in the St. Spyridon Greek School during our previ- ous tenure in San Diego in 2017 until their departure for Sicily, Italy in 2018. Upon her return, she was offered the opportunity to teach again and happily accepted the offer, as she strongly feels the urge and responsibility of teaching the Greek language. NIKOS KOUFIOTIS Nikos Koufiotis is a ded- icated Greek language and culture teacher who has been an inte- gral part of our school for the past years. With a deep passion for shar- ing the rich tapestry of Greek heritage, Mr. Koufiotis brings both enthusiasm and exper- tise to his classroom. His innovative teaching methods and engaging lessons are designed to immerse students in the beauty of the Greek language, history, and traditions. Mr. Koufiotis’ commitment to nurturing a love for Greek culture is evident in her interactive approach and her dedication to creating a supportive learning environment where ev- ery student can connect with their heritage. NEKTARIOS TRADAS Nektarios has been ac- tive in the Saint Spyr- idon community since 2001, using his talents in design, publishing, music, photography, and audio / video to promote the interests of our community and record its activities for posterity. He discovered his passion for teaching his native language in 2017 and has followed it continuously since. He teaches all levels of Greek to adults of all ages. His meth- odology is based on exposing students to multiple aspects of the Greek language, cul- ture, traditions, history, music, and literature. His persistence in the etymology of words and expressions is meant to (a) further en- hance the understanding of the linguistic and culture treasure we have inherited from our Greek ancestors and (b) facilitate the learning of the modern Greek language by drawing associations with its ancient roots which still endure and define the language today. We are proud to have such a talented and dedicated team, and we look forward to the positive impact they will make in guiding and inspiring our students throughout their educational journey. Nancy Provataris, PhD Greek Language School Director Greek Language School - October 2024 Newsletter Welcome to our Greek school, where tradition and education come together to create a vibrant learning environment. Our dedicated team of teachers and staff are passionate about imparting both academic knowledge and cultural heritage. Each member brings a wealth of experience and a deep love for Greek history and language. From our skilled educators who guide students through the intricacies of Greek literature and history, to our supportive administrative staff who ensure a smooth and enriching experience for every student, our team is committed to fostering a nurturing and dynamic educational atmosphere. We’re excited to introduce you to the individuals who make our school a place of learning and cultural celebration. Nancy Provataris Nancy Provataris became the proud Greek Language School Director in April of 2023. Prior to this accomplishment, Dr. Provataris was a Greek language t acher t St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church for 5 years. She grew up in beautiful Thessaloniki, Greece where she earned her bachelors' degree in Greek Philology. Then, her passion for special education and dual language learners led her to return to the US and earn a masters degree in School Psychology and a doctorate in Educational Psychology. Currently, her love for life-long learning prompted her to expand her knowledge and go back to school and specialize in school neuropsychology. Dr. Provataris' love for the rich Greek language, culture, customs, and traditions is her drive and motivation behind her purpose as the new director. Her goal is to keep them alive even thousands of miles away from our homeland. Maria Kotsaftis Maria Kotsaftis is a multinational, polyglot, "cultural nomad." Her father's side of the family hails from the island of Lesbos and she met her Greek husband in the US. In the past she worked for the Departm nt of Education on Cyprus teaching German and English. She holds a Ph.D in Comparative Literature from Purdue University and has taught Italian Literature as both teaching assistant and later as adjunct professor in various institutions of Higher Learning throughout San Diego. The Greek school recruited her in 2017. Due to her previous position as board member and part time teacher of the first German American preschool in San Diego, as well as AEACS Elementary and Middle School, she also has a background teaching younger children. She obtained a minor in developmental psychology during her student years in Germany. Her teaching philosophy is that learning occurs naturally if one is engaged and having fun and she tries to implement this in her classroom! Olga Jafou Olga J fou was born nd raised in Athens, G eece, where she received her primary and secondary education. She then moved to England, where she studied Chemistry and graduated from the University of Surrey with a BA in Chemistry and a PhD in Thermodynamics. She moved to San Diego in 2000 with her husband where they have been raising their two wonderful boys ever since. Mrs. Jafou loves working with children of all ages. Being a proud Greek living abroad, she has a passion for helping others learn our beautiful language, culture and way of life. Olga Jafou Olga Jafou was born and raised in Athens, Greece, where she received her primary and secondary education. She then moved to England, where she studied Chemistry and graduated from the University of Surrey with a BA in Chemi try and a PhD in Thermodynamics. She moved to San Diego in 2000 with her husband where they have been raising their two wonderful boys ever since. Mrs. Jafou loves working with children of all ages. Being a pr ud Greek living abroad, she has a passion for helping others learn our beautiful language, culture and way of life. Sotiria Grigoraki - Panos Mrs. Grigoraki was born in Thessaloniki, Greece but grew up in Chania, Crete Greece with roots from Agios Nikolaos, Crete where her father was born. She studied in Athens, Greece and received a degree in fashion- styling and custom design. She has worked in several TV productions, commercials and fashion magazines in Greece. In the past 12 years she has been married to her precious husband George and together they have two children Alexandra (11) and Spiros (6). During the years of marriage Mrs. Grigoraki has lived in Chania Crete Greece, San Diego CA, Sicily Italy and we have recently returned back to San Diego the summer of 2023. Mrs. Grigoraki was a teacher in th St. Spyr on Greek School during our previous tenure in San Diego in 2017 until their departure for Sicily, Italy in 2018. Upon her return, she was offered the opportunity to teach again and happily accepted the offer, as she strongly feels the urge and responsibility of teaching the Greek language. Nikos Koufiotis Nikos Koufiotis is a dedicated Greek language and culture teacher who has been an integral part of our school for the past year . With a deep pas i n for sharing the rich t pestry of Gre k heritage, Mr. Koufiotis brings both enthusiasm and expertise to his classroom. His innovative teaching methods and engaging lessons are designed to immerse students in the beauty of the Greek language, history, and traditions. Mr. Koufiotis’ commitment to nurturing a love for Greek culture is evident in her interactive approach and her dedication to creating a supportive learning environment where very stud nt can conn ct with their heritage. Nektarios Tradas We are proud to have such a talented nd dedicated team, and we look forward to the positive impact they will make in guiding and inspiring our students throughout their educational journey.