BROOKLYN – The passing of the baton of leadership is one of the most important events in the life of a community. Its schools are where its future is born. Those two truths shine a spotlight on Maria Perdikogiannis Zolotas, who on January 5 began her tenure as principal of the A. Fantis Parochial School of the Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen in Brooklyn.
Zolotas succeeds Dr. Alice B. Farkouh, who successfully guided the school from difficult times eight years ago through its 50th anniversary celebration in 2013.
Peter Vlitas, the president of the parish council, told TNH “Dr. Farkouh decided to retire and the community had been searching for a new principal for about two years. We waited over a year for Maria to retire from the Department of Education (DOE) and we are very excited and energized.”
Vlitas was president of the school board when Dr. Farkouh was hired. “We set a plan in action and accomplished all our goals. We created a diverse Christian school in Brooklyn Heights and we have a wait list. We offer Greek pedagogy, Orthodoxy and a high standard of education.”
“We needed to find a principal who will take us to the next level,” Vlitas said. “It was a grueling interview process that took months because it is a big job to turn over the mantle of the pride and joy of our community, the A. Fantis School.”
Zolotas brings a lifetime of dedication to education and Hellenism to her responsibilities.
Her father, Theodore Perdikogiannis and her mother Spiridoula are from Laconia who immigrated to the United States in the mid 1950s and met in English language night classes. She and Her younger brother Peter, who is a physician, grew up in Astoria and attended public school and Greek school at St. Demetrios Cathedral.
She loved her teachers and always wanted to be an educator. After her BS at Baruch and her Master’s in Education and Hunter College and a PD at Queens College.
Zolotas was offered a position at her alma mater, Long Island City High School where she was a teacher for 12 years and an assistant principal for 16.
Zolotas was simultaneously assistant principal for the Greek foreign language department, which entailed working with Archdiocesan officials, and she has been president of the school board of the afternoon Greek school for 15 years.
“A couple of years ago Fr. John Lardas and Peter Vlitas invited me to have a conversation and it ended up being an interview.”
She was very interested the school but when they called her Zolotas explained that it was not yet time for her to leave the DOE.
The moment arrived in 2014 and after speaking with Dr. Farkouh it was decided the latter would remain through Christmas.
Zolotas admires the work of Dr. Farkouh, whom she said was instrumental in raising enrollment when the school was in jeopardy.
The school has about 150 students, from universal Pre-K through the eighth grade. It is an ethnically diverse student body, but they all learn Greek.
“I saw that they are very eager to learn and their statistics are very good. We scored higher than all the other parochial schools among third, fourth and fifth graders,” she said.
Zolotas will spend a lot of time in classrooms.
“I will work with the teachers in terms of engaging the student more with their lessons, and giving them the opportunity to learn not only from their teachers but from each other.”
Her career with the DOE exposed her to numerous initiatives and innovative programs and she saw what does and does not work.
“During the past few months when I have been transitioning I have seen that we have a wonderful young faculty which is very dedicated and the kids enjoy being here.”
Her aim is to ensure quality education for all students and expand enrollment without losing the benefits of individual attention that has resulted placements in excellent high schools and prestigious universities.
In faculty and PTO meetings Zolotas has emphasized the value of student trips to New York’s great institutions both for general enrichment and exposure to things related to Hellenism and the works of great Hellenes. She noted the current El Greco exhibit at the Met.
“The parents are wonderful too; they are very involved with the school and the PTO is very active,” she said.
She will work closely with Dr. Kathy Tsamasiros, the School Board President, who has a doctorate in education with expertise in technology.
Zolotas has met with parents about plans for a system of online communication with teachers and the administration. “Parents will have important information at their fingertips.”
She and her husband Nicholas, who is a CPA, share a powerful commitment to the community. They have been married for 30 years and their daughter, Spiridoula, is a member of the Archdiocesan youth choir and volunteers at North Shore University Hospital. She aspires to be a pediatrician.
Nicholas has been very active at the Church of St. Nicholas in Flushing, where he has served as treasurer on the parish council and numerous other capacities.
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