Bulletin # 125
THE HELLENIC LINK, Inc.
Member Update- BULLETIN
No. 125, February, 2015
Editorial Committee: Achilleas Adamantiades, Alex Economides, Dimitri Dandolos, Gerasimos Merianos, Panagiotis Siskos, Stella Tsirka, Associate Editor: Dean C. Lomis, Acting Editor: Costas Efthymiou
This Bulletin is dedicated to the generation of the Greeks of 1821 who gallantly rose up and fought an incredible struggle to free themselves from the Turkish yoke;
it is also a citation of the gallant and noble struggle of those contemporary Greeks
who, true to the spirit of the generation of 1821, are vigorously pioneering in a peaceful framework the resurrection of the Hellenic ideals and principles of civilization of perennial value. In particular, this issue presents the extraordinary and exemplary accomplishment of a group of Greek Americans, the Greeks of Wilmington DE, offering Hellenic Education of the highest quality to their children and to the children of their fellow-citizens, in the form of the school of their creation, the Odyssey Charter School.
Dimitri Dandolos*, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Odyssey School gives herein a factual and knowledgeable account of a major breakthrough in the unrelenting pursuit of their visionary goal. The State of Delaware, in response to the excellent educational performance of the School (about which we have written on several occasions), has helped the School to expand its infrastructure in order to accommodate the scale of growth planned: a loan of 34 million dollars with which
the School acquired a 35 acre campus with a number of functional buildings standing on it. Four of the buildings are to be converted to school use, one for a Primary School, one for Middle School, one for High School and one for Activities Center. The community of this school-complex faces an enormous challenge and Mr. Dandolos makes a plea to the Greek American community, especially to those well-to-do in it to come forward and help for the repayment of the very sizable loan.
We believe that with this development Hellenic Education in the USA has reached a milestone and starts on a new and bright period of growth, provided that the community responds in a commensurate manner to the administrative and educational leadership of the School.
Today in Delaware, the Greek American community has every reason and right to celebrate proudly the 2015 Anniversary of the Greek Independence Day, incarnating its true Spirit. We offer them our warmest congratulations, admiration and gratitude, wishing at the same time that imitators of their inspiring actions spring up in many other places in the country.
*Dimitri Dandolos is also a Member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Link, Inc.
CJE
ODYSSEY CHARTER SCHOOL
Nurturing a Lifelong Love of Learning
A Proud Greek Heritage, Preserved and Promoted
For years, the leadership of Wilmington, Delaware’s Greek-American community had talked about, dreamed about founding a school that would celebrate the uniqueness and importance of the Greek language and culture. In 2004, AHEPA Chapter 95 began an initiative to create Delaware’s first foreign language/math-focused elementary charter school. Two years later, as the result of their efforts and financial support, Odyssey Charter School opened in September 2006.
Today, with 938 children in grades K-7, and with ambitious plans to expand to K-12, Odyssey is Delaware’s first school where Greek is taught as a second language. Students in all grades receive 45 minutes of language and 45 minutes of mathematics a day – a total of 7.5 hours weekly. In addition, students receive an hour per week of Greek cultural instruction, mythology and history, and an hour of music instruction and Greek dancing. These subjects are taught by credentialed instructors from Greece, supplemented by Greek-American teachers selected for their academic credentials.
The skills which are learned through this dual-language instruction have enabled Odyssey’s students to exceed every performance standard of the Delaware Department of Education. For example, according to state figures, in the 2013-2014 school year more than 92% of Odyssey students met state standards in math and more than 88% met standards in reading across all grades,. In contrast, the state average is around 70% in most grades. In addition, Odyssey has been…
• Designated a “Superior Elementary School” by the Delaware Department of Education for six consecutive years: 2008 – 2013
• Named one of the “Top Ten Performing Schools” by Parents magazine in October 2012
• Awarded the Delaware Charter School Network’s 2013 Award for Academic Excellence
It is noteworthy that 96% of all Odyssey students return every year. Taking into account family relocations, Odyssey has an almost 100% student retention rate.
Creating an Odyssey Campus
With the continued matriculation of upper grade students into higher grades each year until the full complement of 1,716 students in grades K-12 was achieved, there always existed a serious demand for tens of thousands of square feet of additional space for educational instruction and physical education.
The dire lack of classroom and recreational space has always been the biggest challenge with which Odyssey’s staff has had to contend on a daily basis.
As a result, since its inception, Odyssey’s long term plan has entailed the creation of a campus for over 1,700 children, playing fields, walking paths, a multi-purpose building available to the community, and classrooms available for adult evening and weekend classes as well as pre- and after-school programs.
On February 18, 2015, Odyssey Charter School achieved its goal of utilizing tax-exempt bond financing and its strong financial position to purchase 36 acres of land and eight buildings (totaling 480,000 square feet) at Barley Mill Plaza, ten minutes from its current location. Barley Mill Plaza is the site of a recently vacated DuPont office complex and so the buildings had been well maintained. With the purchase of the buildings, while the long term financial obligations are significant, the school now owns the improved buildings and property, and these will be major assets on its balance sheet.
The long term goal of Odyssey’s leaders is that when all Phases of the Facilities Master Plan are successfully completed by 2018, Odyssey will utilize four buildings providing over 280,000 square feet of educational space, including a full-size gymnasium and multi-purpose building, and several acres of recreational and organized sports playing fields.
Investing in the Future of a Premier Charter School
Since the founding of this exceptional school, the Board of Directors has been cognizant of the need to seek philanthropic funds. The projected costs of creating a school from kindergarten through high school can’t possibly incorporate the thousands of dollars in actual costs that the school will inevitably incur and for which Odyssey must seek the community’s support.
The Board has developed a fund raising plan which will focus primarily on engaging interested foundations and philanthropic individuals from the Greek-American community. Several Odyssey Board members and student parents are active within the Wilmington Greek-American community, including within the highly respected Wilmington AHEPA chapter 95. Local chapter leaders have been kept apprised of the accomplishments of the school and Odyssey’s leaders are now meeting with them and inviting their personal support. Several of these potential donors have also indicated their willingness to introduce Odyssey Charter School to nationally prominent members of the Greek-American community and to advocate for their investment in the project.
The generous participation of the Greek-American community will be needed if this unique school is to continue to provide the quality of education that its youngsters need and deserve. Odyssey Charter School would welcome the opportunity to discuss how your investment can benefit our students both now and for decades to come. For more information, you may contact Dimitri Dandolos, Odyssey Board Member and Facilities Chair, at Dimitri@ecologosinc.com or 320-983-1883.
State helps Odyssey get $34 million for Barley Mill
Matthew Albright and Xerxes WIlson, The News Journal 9:56 p.m. EST February 20, 25
(Photo: NEWS JOURNAL)
Thanks to the state’s help in securing $34.6 million, Odyssey Charter School can now turn 35 acres of the Barley Mill office complex into a new K-12 campus.
Larry Tarabicos, the land-use attorney representing Odyssey, said the news brings an end to a long effort to secure a building into which the school can expand.
“In terms of securing its future, it’s been a challenge, to put it mildly,” Tarabicos said. “This is a great moment for a very deserving school.”
Odyssey’s redevelopment cuts by more than a third the space available in Barley Mill, which is welcome news to residents who have fought previous development projects there.
The school used the Delaware Economic Development Office’s tax exempt bonding authority to get a more attractive rate.
No taxpayer money will go to the bond, the state’s credit is not at risk and the state will not be liable for repayment if the school defaults, according to Bernice Whaley, deputy director of the Delaware Economic Development Office.
Municipalities are able to provide such tax-free conduit bonds to nonprofits like health care services and schools. Odyssey is not the first charter school with such an arrangement with the state and it isn’t the largest such bond approved by the state.
“The quality of education has a huge impact on economic development in the state. That is what so many compas that are looking to come here are looking for,” Whaley said.
Newark Charter School has a similar agreement to finance an expansion. The City of Wilmington used its bonding authority to help convert a former Bank of America building into an education center which will eventually house four charter schools in downtown Wilmington.
Charter school supporters argue it is too difficult for charters to get the money they need to purchase buildings and expand to meet growing enrollment, since they cannot get money the way that traditional public schools can.
“We’re very excited about this because Odyssey is a very high performing school, and this will allow them to offer more seats,” said Kendall Massett, executive director of the Delaware Charter Schools Network. “We don’t think schools that have proved they can be successful should be limited because they can’t find a building.”
Odyssey’s redevelopment cuts by more than a third the space available in Barley Mill, which is welcome news to residents who have fought previous development projects there.
The school used the Delaware Economic Development Office’s tax exempt bonding authority to get a more attractive rate.
No taxpayer money will go to the bond, the state’s credit is not at risk and the state will not be liable for repayment if the school defaults, according to Bernice Whaley, deputy director of the Delaware Economic Development Office.
Municipalities are able to provide such tax-free conduit bonds to nonprofits like health care services and schools. Odyssey is not the first charter school with such an arrangement with the state and it isn’t the largest such bond approved by the state.
“The quality of education has a huge impact on economic development in the state. That is what so many companies that are looking to come here are looking for,” Whaley said.
New Home for Odyssey (Photo: The News Journal)
Newark Charter School has a similar agreement to finance an expansion. The City of Wilmington used its bonding authority to help convert a former Bank of America building into an education center which will eventually house four charter schools in downtown Wilmington.
Charter school supporters argue it is too difficult for charters to get the money they need to purchase buildings and expand to meet growing enrollment, since they cannot get money the way that traditional public schools can.
“We’re very excited about this because Odyssey is a very high performing school, and this will allow them to offer more seats,” said Kendall Massett, executive director of the Delaware Charter Schools Network. “We don’t think schools that have proved they can be successful should be limited because they can’t find a building.”
Odyssey serves more than 900 students in grades K-7, and is adding a grade each year until it has a full K-12 complement.
Last school year, More than 92 percent of Odyssey students met state standards in math and more than 88 percent met standards in reading across all its grades, according to state figures. The state average is around 70 percent in most grades.
About 18 percent of Odyssey’s students were low-income, compared to a state average of 38 percent.
Many local residents have cheered Odyssey’s plans to buy the property, previously owned by the DuPont Co., because the school’s expansion would slash space available for commercial development there.
Since it bought the 92-acre development from DuPont in 2007, Stoltz Real Estate Partners has been trying to redevelop the property but has run into opposition from nearby residents worried about concerns like traffic.
Stoltz originally planned a 2.8-million-square-foot mixed-use project at the site. Then-County Executive Chris Coons helped broker a smaller, 1.6-million-square-foot compromise after an outcry from the group Citizens for Responsible Growth.
County Council approved rezoning for that plan in 2011, but a second group, Save Our County, sued to get that decision reversed.
The Delaware Supreme Court overturned the compromise plan, ruling that Councilman Bob Weiner voted for it under the mistaken impression that he could not access a traffic study.
Stoltz’s plans for the original, larger development had remained on file, but withdrew them once Odyssey filed its plans.
Dimitri Dandolos, chair of the school’s facilities committee, said phase one of the project will begin later this spring. That phase involves retrofitting one of the eight office buildings included in the school’s acquisition.
That retrofitting should allow the school to consolidate all of its current classes, kindergarten through eight grades, onto the campus by the beginning of next school year, Dandolos said.
The school’s acquisition will occupy approximately 40 percent of the property, said Tarabicos who also represents Stoltz. The school’s presence would not restrict the remaining property at the plaza, according to Tarabicos. He said he knows of no current plans for further development.
Progress of Hellenic Studies in Tertiary Education
Not to be undone, remarkable advances are being reported from some of the US colleges and universities which offer Hellenic Studies. A shining example is the case of Stony Brook University in Long Island, which realized an impressive level of progress in the structure and quality of its Greek Program. Here is a comprehensive picture of this vibrant program, contributed by Dr.Stella Tsirka, Professor in the Department of Biomedical Science of the University, President, NY Chapter of the American Foundation for Greek Language and Culture, and recently elected Vice President of the Hellenic Link, Inc.:
“Stony Brook University welcomed Professor Nikos Panou, who joined the faculty of the department of Critical Analysis and Theory as the Tsantes Professor in Hellenic Language and Literature (endowed chair). Prof. Panou’s work focuses on moral and political works written from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, including Byzantine and post-Byzantine literature and philosophy. He has written on Byzantine treatments of bad kingship in historical works and legal texts, on seventeenth-century satire, and on the Greek presence in the Balkans from the Middle Ages onwards.
The arrival of Prof. Panou has strengthened Hellenic Studies at Stony Brook University, where now a full set of Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Modern Greek Language classes are offered, among other classes relevant to Hellenism, history and culture. A minor in Hellenic Studies has been approved and several students are currently following this academic path.
The strong presence of Hellenic Studies is aided by an active and vibrant Greek & Cypriot Student Association who organize events and activities to connect and honor their heritage.
Upcoming events for the community and the Center include a concert by Dr Grigoris Maninakis and his Mikrokosmos ensemble on April 19th at 5.30pm in the Community center of the Church of the Assumption in Port Jefferson, who presents a musical journey through the history of Rebetika and their relationship with American Blues. Later on, on April 29th Prof. Ioannis D. Stefanidis, who teaches Diplomatic History at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, will give a lecture at Stony Brook University on the Post-War Origins of the Cyprus Question. The lecture is supported by the University Seminars Program of the Alexander S. Onassis Foundation.”
Stella Tsirka, PhD
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Economist Evangelos Calamitsis Passed to Eternity
We sadly announce that the past Vice President of the Hellenic Link, Inc. Evangelos (Akis) Calamitsis passed away in suburban Washington on February 17, 2015. Dr. Calamitsis was born in Egypt, where received his early education deeply rooted in the Greek Community. Professionally, he ascended high steps of the study and practice of Economics, achieving in America due recognition for his expertise in his chosen field. It is interesting to note that even though for most of his adult life he lived and worked in the USA, for many years he devoted the thrust of his expert services to the economic development of the Continent of Africa, as International Monetary Fund’s Director of the African Desk. He maintained a very actve interest and followed closely happenings of the Greek Economy. More recently, in his retirement, in a highly motivated outreach to the community, he published articles on the subject of the Greek financial crisis, aiming at the enlightenment of our compatriots. We were honored and pleased that some of his articles were featured in the Hellenic Link Bulletin and web site. In our memory, ιndelible will remain the manner of his frank counsel and his warm congenial collegiality. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his wife Artemis, also a member of the Hellenic Link, and to the family of his son. Αγαπητέ μας Ακη, Αιωνία σου η Μνήμη!
Κώστας Ευθυμίου
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Στην περίοδο της Μεγάλης Σαρακοστής που περνάμε, ολόκληρος ο Χριστιανικός, μα ιδιαίτερα ο Ελληνικός Ορθόδοξος, κόσμος για μία ακόμη φορά παρακολουθεί τον Σωτήρα Χριστόν στην πορεία Του προς τον Γολγοθά και την Ανάσταση. Είναι η περίοδος που η Εκκλησία μας προβάλλει πιο έντονα την Αγάπη μέχρι Θυσίας του Θεανθρώπου για την πνευματική απελευθέρωση του καθενός από μας. Ας συμπορευθούμε μαζί Του βιώνοντας βαθύτερα απο κάθε άλλη φορά την Αγάπη Του.
Το ακόλουθο ψηφιακό video ελπίζομε να βοηθήσει.
ΠΕΡΙ ΑΓΑΠΗΣ
¨Οταν θα γινόταν η ένωση της Ευρώπης, διαλέχτηκε ο μουσικοσυνθέτης
Zbigniew Preisner για να συνθέση την μουσική για το
“Τραγούδι για την ένωση της Ευρώπης”.
Στο τραγούδι αυτό, οί υπέροχοι στοίχοι πάρθηκαν από την προς Κορινθίους ΙΓ επιστολή του Αποστόλου Παύλου “περί Αγάπης”και τραγουδήθηκαν από μεγάλη
χορωδία στα Ελληνικά.
Αργότερα τη μουσική και το χορωδιακό κομμάτι με το τραγούδι “Περί Αγάπης” έγιναν μουσική επένδυση της ταινίας BLUE του σκηνοθέτη Κριστόφ Κισλόφσκι με την πολύ εκφραστική Ζουλιέτ Μπινός .
Στο παρακάτω βίντεο, πλαισιωμένο με τους ξεχωριστούς πίνακες του Ελ Γκρέκο
οι στοίχοι είναι στα ελληνικά με ταυτόχρονη αγγλική μετάφραση.
Απολαύστε το!
:Περί Αγάπης
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngpHq7N7GdE
( Συνεργασία Γεωργίου Δάϊκου)
THE HELLENIC LINK, Inc.
A NON PROFIT CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION
OF HELLENES AND PHILHELLENES
INCORPORATED IN DELAWARE
Suite No. 278, 38-11 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, New York 11105
Web Site: http://www.helleniclink.org Email: info@helleniclink.org
Contact Telephone: (718) 217- 0430
