From 1953 until the present

Sophia Stamatopoulou was in the 1950s an educator, PE instructor at the All Girls School in Kalithea, Athens. She was an exceptional teacher who stood out for her encouragement and support of her students. As a well-known figure at the time, she is selected to direct Hellenic-American Institute branches in Paleo Faliro (originally inside the Vouzounara Gallery and, later on, on the corner of Iridos and Agiou Alexandrou street in a beautiful neo-classical villa now sadly demolished), in Pireaus (Sotiros Dios str.), Neos Kosmos/Agios Sostis (Baknana str.) and Kallithea (Harokopou str.). She herself, speaking both English and German, was an innovator and visionary in education.  In the classrooms young girls and boys sit side by side, learning English under the instruction of teachers from Greece, the UK and, mostly, the USA. Her presence is strong in all the schools she directs and her staff and students remember her as a true entrepreneur, a self-made businesswoman with an outstanding work ethic who stood out in a male-dominated world. Her charity work went hand in hand with her professional life, as she participated for decades, and at times presided over, the Social and Community Organization of Paleo Faliro. [pictures 2-5]

The language schools thrive under the management of Sophia Stamatopoulou as more and more students are learning English and graduating with certificates. The students take part in national school parades as well as in numerous excursions around the country which will be remembered by all.

Outstanding educators grace the language schools with their inspirational teaching, like Mr Giorgos Economides, who, after working closely for 25 years with Sophia Stamatopoulou, went on to become Principal of the Hellenic-French School of Athens. Another memorable educator who left her own unique mark on the schools was Ms Kate Skordoulis who is remembered by hundreds of students for her passion for teaching and her generous love and care for her students. In the 1960s for about 5 academic years, another highly-acclaimed teacher joined the teaching staff, Mr Sotirios Tsitsonis, who then went to have a brilliant academic career at the English Literature Department of the University of Athens, Dean since 1973 of the Department of American History and Literature, also translating seminal works of the arts in Greek, such as the book Ancient Greek History by Donald Kagan. Another notable teacher who taught in the schools directed by Sophia Stamatopoulou was Mr Peter Myrian, who would later become the Director of Indianapolis University in Athens, one of the first private colleges of the country. Finally, Mr Panigirakis, who was a member of staff for many years, is a teacher who will be remembered by hundreds of his students for his patience and reassuring presence in the classroom.

In the 1970s, now in operation under Ms Stamatopoulou's name, are the schools of Pireaus, Kallithea and Paleo Faliro. Sadly, due to the building boom of the period, the neoclassical building on Iridos street is demolished to be replaced by a high rise block of flats and the school moves to another building, a former villa with a beautiful garden with lemon trees on the corner of Thetidos street and Agiou Alexandrou. The hundreds of enthusiastic students who sat in its classrooms for the following 20 years will remember it for its grand staircase and beautiful ceilings. 

After her graduation in 1970 from the English Literature Department of the Athens University, Ms Booki (Georgia) Stamatopoulou, the only daughter of Sophia Stamatopoulou, joins the teaching staff. The schools have already taken her name, having been renamed to G.STAMATOPOULOU in 1968. During this period another much-loved teacher joins the school, Ms Anna Venieri, who is fondly remembered for her sweet nature and kindness. Ms Venieri would become a loyal collaborator of Sophia and then Booki Stamatopoulou for the following three decades, teaching generations of Paleo Faliro students. 

For a few academic years in the 1970s our Pireaus students had the honour of being taught by another English Department graduate and personal friend of Booki's, the incredible Mr Lefteris Vogiatzis, who is already a unique character whose charisma charms his students. Of course, his years in teaching were destined to be just few, as his talent and passion for the theatre would lead him to become one of the most acclaimed actors, drama translators and directors of his generation, leaving a lasting mark on Greek theatre and an equally great void with his untimely death in 2013.He remained a close family friend until the end.

Outside the classrooms the schools organize numerous cultural events, performances, a choir but also lectures by leading figures of the arts and languages from Greece and abroad. Sophia Stamatopoulou continues her important charitable work and is also voted by her fellow Paleo Faliro residents into the Municipal Council of the town. Ms Booki Stamatopoulou continues to teach and grow, and also becomes one of the founding members of the National Association of Language School Owners (Palso), where she serves as General Secretary for many years, advocating the promotion of schools nationwide and the protection of the rights of teachers and fair pay. 

The Paleo Faliro school at it Thetidos/Ag.Alexandrou location enjoys fame and, most importantly, the confidence of the community. The need to know English and foreign languages in general has become apparent and what used to be Sophia Stamatopoulou's vision already from the 50s is now reality. The language courses are enriched to include French, German and Italian, another innovative move. Lots of students remember the amazing Herr Tassos Terzopoulos, who managed with his easy-going style to make learning German seem easy and fun. He collaborated with our school for a number of years and supported students through their certificate exams.  

The events, shows and parties continued. The parties at the Coral Hotel were nothing short of epic, with DJs, dancing and socializing. Our school often took students to the theatre to performances organized by Europalso at Porta Theatre and Acropol, after which students left for their homes with big smiles and small gifts.

This decade also brings another innovation, one that was there to stay and that a school that was always cutting-edge could not ignore. In the mid80s the school purchases a Commodore 64 personal computer and it becomes an instant attraction for students and teachers alike. There's a small room next to the German classroom where the PC is located and students take turns to familiarise themselves with this new exciting technology and the language-learning software that was from a modern perspective incredibly basic but in those days seemed like a true revolution! 

Ms Booki Stamatopoulou has through her teaching experience become one of the most-loved teachers and her patience and methodology is greatly admired. Many students of this decade also remember Mr Louie Haratsis, a young Greek-American who joined the staff and won over the hearts of his students with his personable style and charm. Another educator who we had the honour of working with us during that time was Ms Joanna Vamvakari who stood out for her sense of humour and upbeat character.

In 1992, and as the management of the school has now shifted solely to the hands of Ms Booki Stamatopoulou, the beautiful house on Thetidos str. is once again demolished and our school makes its landmark move to the 3-floor building it remains until this day on Eolou street. Everyone who attended the grand opening was moved to see the elderly Sophia Stamatopoulou, accompanied by her husband and of course daughter Booki, cutting the ribbon, as well as the brand new school flooded with students. It was now the children of former students that sat at the desks, ready to follow in their parents' footsteps.

The classrooms were spacious and bright and equipped with the latest technology of the time, CD players, TVs and VCRs, devices that allowed teachers to add to the lesson and make it more interactive and communicative. The school also had a computer lab where students could practise and improve their language skills. 

Despite these advances, the core of teaching remains unchanged, and that is the well-trained, highly-qualified language teachers who make the learning journey fun, effortless and successful for thousands of students. Mentioning all of them would be next to impossible but a few of the most-loved definitely were Mr Lee Nikolaidis, founder also of the school's football club, who taught hundreds of students for years and also accompanied students on school trips to London on numerous occasions. Another notable teacher was, of course, Ms Athena Pramagiouli, who specialised in exam success in the Cambridge Proficiency, the highest of goals, for a number of years. While Ms Pramagiouli and Mr Nikolaides were preparing students for their exam certificates, the little ones were making their first steps under the loving guidance of Ms Mary Kyriakopoulou, Ms Argy Mamai and Ms Angela Dafnou.

Hundreds of students had the opportunity to be taught by the brilliant Ms Gail Steggell, who had just arrived from the UK and worked at our school for years, organizing trips to the UK including summer schools in the south of England. Among our outstanding native speaking teachers was the New Zealander Mr Brett Lucas, who was a breath of fresh air in the classroom, bringing with him his larger-than-life personality, humour and travel experiences. After working with us for many years, Mr Lucas pursued an academic carerr at the University of Southampton, UK. The Italian Department is directed for many years by the outstanding Ms Luisa, who made the charming italian language even more appealing.

Finally, at the end of the 1990s Ms Zozetta Androulaki, who remained a member of staff until 2020, joins the team, and leaves her mark. Her genuine interest in her students, her sense of humour and patience are remembered by all her students. Equally lucky were the younger members of staff who were mentored by her in the most generous and supportive way.

Since the mid-1990s Ms Booki Stamatopoulou has also started preparing students for the Pierce College entry exams, a school of which she herself is a graduate and which her daughters are also attending. 

The 2000s were fascinating and marked our school's continued success for half a century. More and more graduates and exam success are proof of the good quality work that is carried out. There are hundreds of shows and celebrations, including the new addition of Halloween with yummy snacks and Mr Nikolaides's scary stories. The end of every school year is marked by the football cup final with teachers and students, male and female, going against each other, cheered by our amazing squad of cheerleaders. Towards the end of the decade a joint english-speaking choir is formed with the Eleni Rapti Music School, which gives students the chance to express their musical talents. The seamless flow of operation is guaranteed by the brilliant Ms Vicky Varibopi, with her incomparable people skills and memory for faces and numbers. Ms Nadia Saunders taught with lots of joy and her bright, beautiful smile was nothing short of contagious. At the same time, Mr Lee Robinson was a student favourite, known for his fun side and entertaining classes. 

In the early 2000s, after graduating with a BA and an MA from the University of Sussex, UK, and after going through teacher training, Booki's youngest daughter Jeannie Efstathiou joins the teaching staff, learning and improving year by year beside her mother and the more experienced members of staff. The academic year 2005-2006 is also marked by a priceless three-month in-house teacher training seminar led by the renowned trainer Ms Danae Kozanoglou, who shares her immense knowledge with the teachers of all languages and observes their teaching giving feedback and offering tips.

A great addition to the team at this time is the brilliant Greek-Australian Ms Helen Louskos, who brings her unique energy to the classroom and is much loved by her young learners. After years of teaching at our school she went on to become Head of the English Department οf the School DES. Finally, in 2007 Ms Judy Voyce joins our team and quickly becomes a student favourite. After years of teaching younger and older learners, in 2020 she became our school's Director of Studies. 

By the late 2000s our school had replaced all TVs and VCRs with the latest technology smartboards and projectors who allowed teachers to use online material, revolutionizing their lessons.

One more decade which sees hundreds of students pass from our classrooms, learning and excelling while our graduates are travelling and working abroad, or thriving in Greece. Our French Department enters a new stage under the direction of M. Serge Loens, a French native with such deep love for Greece that he learnt Greek and decided to remain, marry and raise a family in Greece. He was a teacher who was much loved by his students for many years. After working with us he went on to write coursebooks for learning French which our school uses to this day. Alongside M. Loens, Mme Matina Bousiouta becomes a great teacher who shares her immense love of French with her many students. 

Ms Jeannie Efstathiou gradually takes on more and more of the management of the school as her mother decides to retire from active teaching. With her grandmother's vision being more relevant than ever, she takes significant steps to keep the methodology updated and suitable for the new generation. Technology plays a central part but so does the encouragement of 21st century skills such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking. Mindfulness and the belief in a growth mindset are given their rightful significance in the learning process and are emphasized in conversations with students and parents alike.

In order to reflect all these changes the progress reports are updated to include Oral and Written Performance as well as Effort. In 2018 graphs replace mere numbers in order to show progress and turbulations through the term. 

At the core of our school life remain all the cultural events that our students participate in and are excited about, like the annual celebration of Francophonie , supervised by the director of the French Department and the German evening, orgαnized by Herr Dimitris Papoulias, who keeps the German Department thriving and guarantees success in the Goethe exams for all our students. In 2013 Ms Zozetta and Ms Jeannie start an English-speaking book club which brought together book lovers from the most advanced classes of our school.

At the same time dozens of students a year prepare with our teachers for the IELTS exam which has become a requirement for studying abroad. To this day our alumni study and work abroad with success in the IELTS exam. 

Ms Jeannie takes on the preparation of students wishing to be admitted to Pierce College ACG and Athens College. The success rate is extremely high and the flow of students from our school to these schools is constant and the tradition continues. 

On the eve of this decade nobody expected that it would turn out to be so dramatic. All our plans and events for the year 2019-2020 were put on hold when the pandemic broke out in March of 2020. Our school was called, as millions of other businesses, to demonstrate adaptability and ingenuity and our lessons are very moved transfered online. Despite the difficulties, the continued absolute 100% success rate of that year proves that in the so many decades of operation our school has learned to withstand disruptions and meet challenges and come out victorious in the end. 

Even though our face to face lessons are moved online, this doesn't mean that they become less engaging and motivating. Our teachers try different tools to increase engagement, such the BBC Live Classes which bring learners from different countries together in an online collaborative environment. Gradually from 2022 onwards our classes return to normal and in December 2023 we had the opportunity to celebrate with hundreds of friends, teachers and alumni the 70 consecutive years of operation in a grand musical put on by our students spanning all decades from the 50s to the present. The trust you have shown to us through the decades and our genuine desire to equip new generations with the necessary qualifications for success and happiness is what keeps us committed to the vision that Sophia Stamatopoulou had back in the early 1950s.