Agincourt Collegiate's Papathanasakis among Canada's top principals.
Principal Louie Papthanasakis of Agincourt Collegiate Institute has been named one of Canada's outstanding principals.
Staff photo/DAN PEARCE
For those who know Louie Papathanasakis it's not a surprise the Agincourt Collegiate Institute principal has been recognized as one of the leaders in his field.
Papathanasakis was named one of Canada's Outstanding Principals for 2012.
He is one of 40 principals from across the country to receive the honour from The Learning Partnership, which developed the program eight years ago.
"He deserves it. He works tirelessly. He comes in at 8 a.m. and I don't know when he leaves - if he leaves," said Gabe Lee with a laugh.
Lee is a physical education teacher at Agincourt, but his relationship with Papathanasakis began years ago when he was a student at Riverdale Collegiate Institute and the now-outstanding principal was his physical education teacher and basketball coach.
"He definitely is a great role model," Lee said. "It was very inspiring. He had a way of encouraging you and getting you to believe in yourself."
Papathanasakis seems slightly uncomfortable standing in the spotlight alone.
"It's obviously an honour, but I know just in the TDSB we have 500 schools and we have hundreds of amazing principals and vice-principals," he said.
A principal for eight years, Papathanasakis has been at Agincourt for the past five years and while he brags about the school's successes, he takes little credit for them.
"I want to make sure the excellence Agincourt was known for continues," he said. "We look at our school here like a family. I would love to have my kids come to Agincourt Collegiate."
It's a school with 1,500 students, 100 staff, 40 athletic teams, more than 30 clubs and councils, a thriving music department, and a creative drama program.
While there's a lot of great stuff happening at Agincourt, Papathanasakis said the school has had some challenges.
"In the last five years we had a huge period of transition. We've turned over 50 teachers, both vice-principals," he said. "There's always huge challenges when you have that much change in a building, but it's also an opportunity for excellence." With that challenge the responsibility comes to Papathanasakis to find the best people to fill the building and be a positive influence on the students.
Lee, who has been at Agincourt three years, is one of those people. He said his now boss is a great leader and always has been.
"It was very inspiring. He had a way of encouraging you and getting you to believe in yourself," he said. "He is definitely a big part of why I'm a phys ed teacher."
Papathanasakis will receive his award at a gala dinner event and awards ceremony on Feb. 28 at the Sheraton Centre and he will also take part in a five-day executive leadership program at the University of Toronto's Joseph L. Rotman School of Management.