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International
School
LARISSA
2003-2004
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Location
International School of Larissa
(The NATO school in Tyrnavos)
Headquarters JCSC, Tyr navos
40100 Larissa, Greece
Tel: +302492029113
Fax +302492029114
e-mail: isl@tasis.edu.gr
Formatted: Font color: White
Formatted: Font color: White
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Basil Daskalakis
President of the Governing Board
Petropoulou Alice
Chris Grant Bear
Controller
MAIN campus Liaison
Fanis Malakondas
Financial Director
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THE IDEAL INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
When I made my commitment to the International School of Larissa, ISL, I made a
commitment to every parent, a promise to fulfill the vital need for a school which
provides an ideal international education, which is a vision shared by all of us. Children
spend their most important years in school. These are their formative years, a time
when they absorb knowledge and develop the skills and talents they will rely on for the
rest of their lives. As modern educators we want to give our students the experiences
and knowledge they need to play an active role in the international world of the 21st
century. Building a strong foundation is our goal: an international education with a
view to tomorrow. How we intend to do this, is reflected uniquely in an exciting
program of innovations. I am confident that through our efforts the international
school of Larissa will be in the forefront of private education in Greece.
Basil Daskalakis
President
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Principal
Mr.Dimitri Pontikas
Mr.P
As we face the challenges of the 21st century, we envision our
students successfully interacting in their world each contributing his
or her best through a broader knowledge of each other, with insight
and a deeper understanding of the similarities and diversities in
cultures.
Our goal is to instill in all of our students the values and knowledge
they need to play active roles in this new exciting world. We are
dedicated to providing a balanced and international curriculum to
prepare our students to face the challenges they will meet in their
lives by giving all students the individual attention needed to
maximize their potential; by creating a disciplined stable and caring
community where students learn to be sensitive to others and to
challenge themselves; by producing a careful system of guidance; by
being a truly international school open to all; by preserving each
student’s cultural identity while encouraging understanding and
tolerance of different cultures and perspectives.
2003-2004 was a great year at ISL. The best is yet to come. To those
of you who are moving I wish the best. To those of you who are
staying I promise along with the ISL faculty to deliver the best. See
you next year.
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John A. Brewster
President, Parent’s Organization
Dear Parents,
As the President of the Parent’s Organization (PO), I want to thank you for supporting and helping us
make the transition from DoDDs to ISL. We faced numerous challenges both big and small. The
most notable were moving into a new facility and adjusting to a curriculum which was unfamiliar to
many of us. Our approach and solution to each and every issue centered around maximizing the
talents of all those involved. The resources were limited, but the energy of the ISL staff, parents and
of course our children were limitless.
Everyone involved can feel quite proud of the journey we’ve taken this past year. The list of
organizations and individuals who made this year a success are too numerous to mention. I would
like to send a special thank you to the ISL staff and teachers whom we ultimately entrust our
children’s education to. As a parent, I know that my child and all the ISL students received a first-
class and well-rounded education.
Looking towards the future, we have an exciting 4-week summer program followed by the beginning
of ISL’s second school year. We’ve come a long way and we will continue to make great strides in
cultivating an environment that fosters success for our children’s future. I am looking forward to the
opportunities ahead and working with those of you who will be here next year.
Take care and have a great summer vacation!
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CAOC-7 Liaison to School Advisory Board – Nick Tolias, LtCol, USAF
It is hard to believe that we are approaching the end of the first year for the International
School of Larissa. The end of the school year also marks the transition of the School Advisory Board
Chairmanship from JCSC to CAOC-7. What that really means is that we will lose the leadership and
hard work of Col Thomas Allmon who deserves a great deal of credit for his work in ensuring that the
dependents of the NATO local community obtained such a first-rate comprehensive education with
excellent facilities in just one year’s time. Col Allmon will hand over this project to CAOC 7 having
done all of the hard work and now it is our challenge to keep it going. On behalf of CAOC-7, we wish
Col Allmon the best in his next assignment and many thanks for the legacy that he is leaving behind.
Thanks from all of us is also due to the principal of ISL Mr. Pontikas and the teaching staff of
ISL for their dedication, patience, courage and humility while creating a functioning school
environment in record time and overcoming obstacles out of their control. We are truly privileged to
have these dedicated professionals teaching our children and as many of you the children feel the
same way. I have watches over the months how attached many of the children are with their
teachers and I have seen the tears in their faces when it was time for the child to say good-bye to
the teacher and classmates.
For the coming school year, ISL campus will expand as we open the High School building and
the gymnasium. This will start to give shape to a first-class campus as envisioned by our host, the
Hellenic National Defense General Staff, which has financed the construction of the campus. It is
also the vision of the owner of ISL, Mr. Basile Daskalakis, to create an international English-speaking
school with the most comprehensive curriculum dedicated to producing students ready for the 21st
century global community, such as at our associate school in Athens since 1979--TASIS Hellenic
International School.
I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Daskalakis in Athens a few weeks ago along with many
teachers and principals of TASIS during the presentation of the new school logos for TASIS & ISL. I
assure you that we are very fortunate to have this dedicated group of professional educators
assembled at TASIS Hellenic & ISL working to educate and support our children, while preparing
them for the international environment by appreciating and respecting various cultures. What an
opportunity and privilege to attend ISL!
Farewell to those moving away and to all we wish a great summer vacation.
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SAB Chairman Comments
It has been a pleasure being a part of the International School of Larissa as it grew and developed
during its first year of existence. There have been numerous obstacles that had to be overcome.
However, through the hard work of the school administration, the parent volunteers, Joint Command
South Cent (JCSC) staff and our host Nation authorities, those obstacles have been overcome.
Due to the upcoming deactivation of JCSC in September 2004, the NATO responsibilities for the
school were passed to the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC). The CAOC leaders are
committed and well prepared to tackle all future challenges that may arise. That said, they will need
the active support of our host nation authorities, parents and the school administration to ensure
those challenges do not impact on the education and growth of our children.
Many thanks for the dedicated efforts, long hours, and perseverance by everyone over the past year
who helped make this school year a successful one. I know that continued success will follow as we
expand the school to encompass a rigorous summer program and open the high school next year.
Continue to focus your efforts on the children. They are our future. Best of luck for next school
year!
Thomas A. Allmon
Colonel, United States Army
Chairman, ISL School Advisory Board SY 03/04
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Susan Welch
Administration
Sharon Engelking
Tillie Backhouse
Kindergarten teacher Kindergarten Aid
Angela Pabisch
Lorrain Nolan
EAL teacher
1st & 2
nd
Grade Teacher
Nick Christofalos Dimitri Koukidis Calliopi Revisiou
3rd& 4th Grade Teacher
5th &6th Grade Teacher 7
th
&8
th
Grade Teacher
The Staff
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Jill Reedman Maria Kaneli
Art & Drama Teacher Greek Teacher
Nektarios Pappas
Constatina Ezerbekoglou
PE Teacher Music Teacher
Ms.Eleftheria, T?? cleaner Mr. Yiannis, Caterer
Mr. Electrician
Chief.P. Muller (aid
)
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