Some excellent photos of our 2 April demonstration, taken by local photographer Rafael Estanislao and posted here with his kind permission.
Saturday, 5 April 2014
Thursday, 3 April 2014
Dr Eleni Vasilaki supports the SEEH
Eleni Vasilaki, President of the Department of Primary Education, University of Crete praises the work of the School of European Education Heraklion (SEEH), explains the vital connections between the school and her department, and and calls on the Minister of Education to fulfil his promises regarding the school. [In Greek]
Six days to go!
Update from Maria Kasmirli [Cross-post from www.mariakasmirli.com]
Wednesday was a wonderful, inspiring day!
Pupils, teachers, and parents marched through Heraklion to the City Hall, where they put their case to the city authorities. The Mayor of Heraklion promised to help guarantee our school's future and the Governor of Crete affirmed his support for the school.
Our campaign got a lot of press coverage, and our petition passed 2,000 signatures.
Our campaign received strong endorsement from many leading academics, including Professor Evripides Stefanou (Rector of the University of Crete), Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis (Head of the The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB-ITE), Heraklion), Dr Christos Tsatsanis (Vice Dean of the Medical School, University of Crete), and Dr Eleni Vasilaki President of the Department of Primary Education, University of Crete.
Our case is strong and we certainly making an impression! Let's keep going until we get the Minister's signature too! Maybe today will be the day!
Wednesday was a wonderful, inspiring day!
Pupils, teachers, and parents marched through Heraklion to the City Hall, where they put their case to the city authorities. The Mayor of Heraklion promised to help guarantee our school's future and the Governor of Crete affirmed his support for the school.
Our campaign got a lot of press coverage, and our petition passed 2,000 signatures.
Our campaign received strong endorsement from many leading academics, including Professor Evripides Stefanou (Rector of the University of Crete), Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis (Head of the The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB-ITE), Heraklion), Dr Christos Tsatsanis (Vice Dean of the Medical School, University of Crete), and Dr Eleni Vasilaki President of the Department of Primary Education, University of Crete.
Our case is strong and we certainly making an impression! Let's keep going until we get the Minister's signature too! Maybe today will be the day!
March through Heraklion to save the SEEH
Pupils, teachers, and parents of the School of European Education (SEEH) march through Heraklion as part of their campaign to save their school.
Please help us!
Sign our petition: bit.ly/1jHjiHc
Read our blog: http://savetheseeh.blogspot.gr/
Tweet: #savetheseeh
Save the SEEH!
Press coverage: April 2
Some online press coverage of our continuing campaign, with photos. In Greek, but most browsers offer auto-translation.)
eKriti.gr "Κλειστά μυαλά, κλειστά σχολεία" είπαν οι μαθητές του Ευρωπαϊκού Σχολείου Ηρακλείου
neakriti.gr Κραυγή αγωνίας για το Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο
cretaplus.gr: "Κλειστά σχολεία, κλειστά μυαλά", το σύνθημα της πορείας για τη σωτηρία του Eυρωπαϊκού Σχολείου
prismanews.gr Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο: Μην καταστρέφετε το μέλλον μας!
eniko.gr Κινδυνεύει με λουκέτο το Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο
irakliolive.gr Παρέμβαση Κουράκη για το Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο
With thanks to Gunther for providing the links.
eKriti.gr "Κλειστά μυαλά, κλειστά σχολεία" είπαν οι μαθητές του Ευρωπαϊκού Σχολείου Ηρακλείου
neakriti.gr Κραυγή αγωνίας για το Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο
cretaplus.gr: "Κλειστά σχολεία, κλειστά μυαλά", το σύνθημα της πορείας για τη σωτηρία του Eυρωπαϊκού Σχολείου
prismanews.gr Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο: Μην καταστρέφετε το μέλλον μας!
eniko.gr Κινδυνεύει με λουκέτο το Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο
irakliolive.gr Παρέμβαση Κουράκη για το Ευρωπαϊκό Σχολείο
With thanks to Gunther for providing the links.
The Governor of Crete supports the SEEH
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
Professor Evripides Stefanou supports the SEEH
The Rector of the University of Crete, Professor Evripides Stefanou (Ευριπιδης Στεφανου, Καθηγητής, Πρύτανης Πανεπιστημίου Κρήτης) explains why the School of European Education (SEEH) is important for the University of Crete and other research institutions. [In Greek]
Please sign our petition!
Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis supports the SEEH
Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis, Head of the The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB-ITE), Heraklion (Νεκταριος Ταβερναράκης, Καθηγητής, Διευθυντής ΙΜΒΒ-ΙΤΕ) stress the importance of the School of European Education Heraklion both for the academic community in Heraklion and for the city as a whole. [In Greek]
Please sign our petition!
Dr Christos Tsatsanis supports the SEEH
Christos Tsatsanis, Associate Professor, Vice Dean of the Medical School, University of Crete (Χρήστος Τσατσάνης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Αντικοσμήτορας Ιατρικής Σχολής) argues that School of European Education Heraklion (SEEH) must remain if Crete is to be a centre of academic excellence. [In Greek]
Please sign our petition!
Grade 1 English-section SEEH students celebrate their identity
Students: Ratmir, Yanni, Matias, Mikis, Aggie, Filippia, Benjamin, Reina, Maria, and Noélie. Teacher: Emily Trayes Economou.
Please sign our petition!
Elektra and Alexander appeal in German
Two grade 4 SEEH students make a German-language appeal for their school. Teacher Julia Boehm.
Please sign our petition!
Ne nous privez pas de notre école!
Year 2 high school students of the Greek section of the School of European Education Heraklion appeal to the authorities not to deprive them of their school.
Students: Hélène K, Hélène B, Jason, Alexis, Kiki, Antoine, Aaron, Michaelis. Teacher: Pascale Denier.
Please sign our petition!
SEEH students express their multiculturalism
Students of grades 1 and 2 of the School of European Education Heraklion express their multiculturalism using their second-language skills.
Students: Noélie, Christos, Matias, Reina, Benjamin, Chrysanthe, Mikis, Yianni, Danae. Teacher: Pascale Denier.
Please sign our petition!
Maria and her school
Maria, a student of the SEEH from Portugal, talks about the school and what it means to her, in a video made by Charles White, Portuguese language teacher at the school.
Tuesday, 1 April 2014
What our school means to us
4th and 5th grade students of the English section of School of European Education Heraklion explain why they want their school to survive.
Students: Electra, Alex, Sophia, Molly, Konstantinos, and Harry. Teacher: Ms Haroula Chroniaris.
Please sign our petition!
Sauvez notre école!
Primary school children of the School of European Education Heraklion (SEEH) use their second language to call on the Greek Minister of Education to save their school.
Students: Maria, Odysseas, Lily, Maximos, Elli, Ioannis, Xenia, Andreas, Harry, Konstantinos. French teacher: Christine Bochu.
Please sign our petition!
Press coverage
The Greek online news magazine Protagon has published an article on our campaign by Ανδρέας Ζαμπούκας. It's in Greek but your web browser may offer a rough translation.
Eight days to go!
Campaign update: Monday was a good day. At school, children made posters for our campaign and the English section students sang Theodorakis rousing "Emaste Dio". Stephen Fry supported our campaign on twitter, and our petition has reached 1,500 signatures. We are touched and inspired by many messages of support we have received. Truly this school is loved!
 |
| Staff and pupils of the SEEH on Monday. |
The Inspectors' Audit
The crisis for the SEEH follows a recent inspection of the school on behalf of the Board of Governors of the European Schools. We cannot publish the report here, but here are a few extracts that give a sense of what the problems are and where responsibility for the crisis lies.
The inspectors had many good things to say about the school, its pupils, staff, and management. They begin their summary findings as follows:
The School of European Education, Heraklion (SEEH) is the only international school on the island of Crete. This European School is of significant value and pride for the Cretan and Greek authorities, as well as for its pupils, parents and teachers. The school programme is completely based on the guidelines and rules for European schools. Official syllabuses are the baseline for all subjects.
The school management and teachers work very hard and expend a lot of commitment and energy to their tasks. Moreover, they are dedicated to their school, which they call a school with soul. Maintaining quality of provision of the European Schools programme is their priority.
Teachers and management have succeeded in creating a warm pedagogical climate. Relationships between pupils, teachers and management are informal and relaxed, yet respectful. A daily assembly of all pupils and staff establishes a family environment. A stimulating learning environment is created for the pupils who are actively engaged in their work. Most lessons are well-structured and well-paced and their purpose is clear and specific. ICT is used to support the learning process in many classrooms. Many interesting extra-curricular activities are organised for the pupils. The pupils are very positive about their schooling and their teachers. They feel privileged to be a pupil of a European school: they know that it will give them a good start at universities abroad (!) and they appreciate the breadth of the curriculum.
The school is very open to its local and European contexts: it has contacts with the neighbourhood – neighbours are invited to its festivities – and it participates and takes the lead in cultural local and regional projects of the community of Heraklion.
Teachers and students have frequent contacts with other European schools. The Heraklion school really has a European spirit. That is also manifest in the building: classrooms and corridors have interesting cooperative projects and student work on display, often with a European dimension.
The Parents Association is very supportive and encouraging of the school.So what is the problem? The report continues:
However, the school faces some major problems of which management, parents, teachers and school authorities are fully aware. These are a serious threat for the future and existence of the school.
1. No continuity
All teachers have a contract on a yearly basis only. This is a very serious risk for the continuity of education, especially for a school that hopes to provide the BAC exam within two years. [...]
An extra problem was caused this year by the delay in recruitment of teachers. The school year could only start in October! This caused a lot of insecurity and anger in the school and for the parents which resulted in a considerable loss of students.
2. Small numbers of pupils
The number of pupils is too limited – especially in the English section secondary- where there are classes with 1, 2 or 3 pupils, to guarantee a full European education where pupils can learn independently and learn from each other in a multicultural context. [...]
The problems at the start of this school year have reduced the number of pupils considerably. Another major cause of pupils leaving the school was the fact that the BAC diploma does not give access to Greek universities: an extra exam is required. This is not conforming to the Convention!
3.The school building
The building is far from suitable to provide proper education for all its pupils. There are not enough classrooms, sport facilities or playgrounds. There is no proper workspace for teachers. No nursery 1 class could be opened this year. This will have consequences for the next years (if any).
The provision of a suitable school building would help to encourage pupil enrolment and parental belief in the school.
The verbal commitments given by the Regional Director of Crete and the Regional Director of Education in Crete to support the building project are acknowledged.
The inspectors go on to make six specific recommendations, designed to address the problems identified, and they indicate that the future of the school depends on these recommendations being quickly accepted and implemented by the Greek authorities. We believe this can done quickly and at a relatively small cost. What's needed is a commitment to the school from the authorities, regional and national.
The inspectors conclude:
However, despite the warm pedagogical climate, the active learning environment, the quality and commitment of teachers and management, the existence of the school is seriously threatened by the huge problems that the school has to face, without having the means or possibilities to resolve them.
It is up to the Greek authorities to save this school and to find solutions for the problems, in the very short term!
The English section sing Theodorakis
Children from the English section of the School of European Education in Heraklion Crete sing Mikis Theodorakis' revolutionary, anti-Junta Greek song "Imaste dio, imaste tris".
Ímaste dió, ímaste trís (Είμαστε δυο, είμαστε τρεις)
Lyrics-music: Mikis Theodorakis
Είμαστε δυο, είμαστε δυο,
η ώρα σήμανε οχτώ.
Κλείσε το φως, έμπα φρουρός,
το βράδυ θά ‘ρθουνε ξανά.
Έμπα μπροστά, έμπα μπροστά
και οι άλλοι πίσω ακολουθούν.
Μετά σιωπή και ακολουθεί
το ίδιο τροπάρι το γνωστό:
Βαράνε δυο, βαράνε τρεις,
βαράνε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
Πονάς εσύ, πονάω εγώ,
μα ποιος πονάει πιο πολύ;
Θά ‘ρθει καιρός να μας το πει.
turn the light off, go stand in guard
they'll come again when it's dark
go to the front, go to the front
and the others will follow
then silence and it follows
the same old way.
Two hit, three hit,
a thousand and thirteen hit
You hurt, I hurt
but who hurts the most
time will tell.
There is two, there is three,
there is one thousand and thirteen (of us)
Riding we go to the time
with the weather, with the rain
the blood clots in the wound
the pain is like a nail
There is two, there is three
there is one thousand and thirteen (of us)
Riding we go to the time
with the weather, with the rain
the blood clots in the wound
the pain is like a nail
The avenger, the redeemer
there is two, there is three
there is a thousand and thirteen (of us)
Lyrics taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/eimaste-duo-eimaste-treis-there-are-two-there-are-threeof-us.html#ixzz2xaEZbzlU
Ímaste dió, ímaste trís (Είμαστε δυο, είμαστε τρεις)
Lyrics-music: Mikis Theodorakis
Είμαστε δυο, είμαστε δυο,
η ώρα σήμανε οχτώ.
Κλείσε το φως, έμπα φρουρός,
το βράδυ θά ‘ρθουνε ξανά.
Έμπα μπροστά, έμπα μπροστά
και οι άλλοι πίσω ακολουθούν.
Μετά σιωπή και ακολουθεί
το ίδιο τροπάρι το γνωστό:
Βαράνε δυο, βαράνε τρεις,
βαράνε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
Πονάς εσύ, πονάω εγώ,
μα ποιος πονάει πιο πολύ;
Θά ‘ρθει καιρός να μας το πει.
Είμαστε δυο, είμαστε τρεις,
είμαστε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
Καβάλα πάμε στον καιρό
με τον καιρό, με την βροχή
το αίμα πήζει στην πληγή.
Ο πόνος γίνεται καρφί.
είμαστε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
Καβάλα πάμε στον καιρό
με τον καιρό, με την βροχή
το αίμα πήζει στην πληγή.
Ο πόνος γίνεται καρφί.
Είμαστε δυο, είμαστε τρεις,
είμαστε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
Καβάλα πάμε στον καιρό
με τον καιρό, με την βροχή
το αίμα πήζει στην πληγή.
Ο πόνος γίνεται καρφί.
είμαστε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
Καβάλα πάμε στον καιρό
με τον καιρό, με την βροχή
το αίμα πήζει στην πληγή.
Ο πόνος γίνεται καρφί.
Ο εκδικητής ο λυτρωτής.
είμαστε δυο, είμαστε τρεις
είμαστε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
είμαστε δυο, είμαστε τρεις
είμαστε χίλιοι δεκατρείς.
There are two, there are three (of us)
There are two, there are two (of us)
the clock stroke eightturn the light off, go stand in guard
they'll come again when it's dark
go to the front, go to the front
and the others will follow
then silence and it follows
the same old way.
Two hit, three hit,
a thousand and thirteen hit
You hurt, I hurt
but who hurts the most
time will tell.
There is two, there is three,
there is one thousand and thirteen (of us)
Riding we go to the time
with the weather, with the rain
the blood clots in the wound
the pain is like a nail
There is two, there is three
there is one thousand and thirteen (of us)
Riding we go to the time
with the weather, with the rain
the blood clots in the wound
the pain is like a nail
The avenger, the redeemer
there is two, there is three
there is a thousand and thirteen (of us)
Lyrics taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/en/eimaste-duo-eimaste-treis-there-are-two-there-are-threeof-us.html#ixzz2xaEZbzlU
Monday, 31 March 2014
Sign for our future!
Children of the SEEH ask you to sign for their future. [Artwork created by children working with the Head of the Art Department Aglaia Michelakis.]
Save the SEE profile image
You can help support us by changing your profile picture on social media sites to the one below until 8 April. Every little helps!
An appeal to the Greek Minister of Education
A student of the School of European Education Heraklion Crete appeals to the Greek Minister of Education to save his school.
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Nine days to save the SEEH!
By Maria Kasmirli. [Cross-post from mariakasmirli.com]
Who would have thought that during the Greek presidency of the Council of Europe, the Greek government would allow the only European School in the whole of Greece to face closure? It’s scarcely believable, yet it’s happening.
We are petitioning the government to see sense and act to save the school. Please sign our petition and ask your friends and colleagues to do so too. (There are buttons at the bottom of the petition page to share it on social media.)
Please act: There are only nine more days until 8 April, when the school’s fate will be decided. Let us help the Minister see that he should make the legal changes needed to keep the school open. He promised to do it, and it is the right thing to do – right for the children, parents, and teachers of the school, right for ENISA, right for Heraklion, right for Crete, right for Greece, and right for him, as a member of a government that believes that Greece’s future lies at the heart of Europe.
We can all help him do it. Our last meeting at the school was a wonderfully warm and supportive one. All of us -- parents, teachers, and ENISA – were united and spoke with one voice to support the future of our school, the future of our kids, the future of Greece in Europe.
Once again, please help. Here are some ways you can show your support:
Sign and share the petition.
Leave a message of support. (Please spare a moment to write a few words. We will show the comments to the Minister.)
Follow campaign updates on our blog.
Read more about the school.
There are more relevant links at the bottom of the petition.
Even though I and the other parents and teachers have a personal interest in keeping the school going, we do genuinely believe that its survival is important for the future of Crete, Greece, and Europe.
Thank you!
Maria Kasmirli is a class teacher at the SEEH and parent to three SEEH pupils.
Who would have thought that during the Greek presidency of the Council of Europe, the Greek government would allow the only European School in the whole of Greece to face closure? It’s scarcely believable, yet it’s happening.
We are petitioning the government to see sense and act to save the school. Please sign our petition and ask your friends and colleagues to do so too. (There are buttons at the bottom of the petition page to share it on social media.)
Please act: There are only nine more days until 8 April, when the school’s fate will be decided. Let us help the Minister see that he should make the legal changes needed to keep the school open. He promised to do it, and it is the right thing to do – right for the children, parents, and teachers of the school, right for ENISA, right for Heraklion, right for Crete, right for Greece, and right for him, as a member of a government that believes that Greece’s future lies at the heart of Europe.
We can all help him do it. Our last meeting at the school was a wonderfully warm and supportive one. All of us -- parents, teachers, and ENISA – were united and spoke with one voice to support the future of our school, the future of our kids, the future of Greece in Europe.
Once again, please help. Here are some ways you can show your support:
Sign and share the petition.
Leave a message of support. (Please spare a moment to write a few words. We will show the comments to the Minister.)
Follow campaign updates on our blog.
Read more about the school.
There are more relevant links at the bottom of the petition.
Even though I and the other parents and teachers have a personal interest in keeping the school going, we do genuinely believe that its survival is important for the future of Crete, Greece, and Europe.
Thank you!
Maria Kasmirli is a class teacher at the SEEH and parent to three SEEH pupils.
1,000 signatures!
Our petition has just reached 1,000 signatures! This is a great result after just two days. But let's press on! There is so much affection and support for this school, and we need to impress that upon the Minister.
So, if you haven't signed, please do, and if you have, please share the link with friends and colleagues through facebook, twitter, etc.
The SEEH means a lot to Heraklion and it symbolizes something very important to Europe. The children of this school and their peers across Europe are our future!
So, if you haven't signed, please do, and if you have, please share the link with friends and colleagues through facebook, twitter, etc.
The SEEH means a lot to Heraklion and it symbolizes something very important to Europe. The children of this school and their peers across Europe are our future!
Contacting the Minister
The person ultimately responsible for the fate of the SEEH is the Greek Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos. If you would like to urge him to support the school, you can email him at this address: info@arvanitopoulos.gr
The minister also has a personal facebook page, where you can post messages.
More on the SEEH
If you would like to know more about the SEEH and the background to the current crisis for the school, please see this blog post by Maria Kasmirli.
Pupils write about their school
"The SEE is great because children from other countries who do not know Greek go there and still have lessons in their own language."
Petition update
Our petition to the Greek Education Minister opened on Friday 28 March, and by Saturday night it had reached 750 signatures. This is great news and we are very grateful to everyone who has supported us. But we need to press on and get more signatures if we are present a compelling case to the Minister before our 8 April deadline. So if you haven't signed, please do so, and if you have, please share the link with your friends.
Voices from the SEE
You can get an idea of what is special about the SEE from this video, which was made by Maria Kasmirli, a teacher at the school, as part of the celebrations for Europe Day 2013. In it, parents and teachers speak (in various languages) about what the school means to them and how they see the future for its children.
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