Tonia Galati is Head of Innovative Technologies and Robotics - Professional Development Leader, The Grammar School Nicosia, Cyprus. As
Microsoft Showcase School leader, Tonia is in charge of driving change and creating a culture of Innovative Technologies at the Grammar
School. The School has established a professional learning system to the student using 1:1 Surface Tablets, STEM curriculum, mobile and cloud
technology. Tonia is also the Head of the Professional Development department of the school which is in charge of building professional capacity
for teachers through various workshops, webinars and self-development training sessions. Tonia is also the leader of the Ioannis and Iro
Foundation Robotics Academy Program which has as its missions to support the development, implementation and selective spread of
innovative strategies for engaging students in experiences that will increase their awareness for robotics engineering as well as motivate
students to pursue an education necessary to participate in an ICT career. Tonia is Certified as a PRINCE2 Practionaire (Projects in Controlled Environments) part of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) as a UK Government standard for IT project management and a qualified instructor for Cyprus National Human Resource Development Authority to deliver IT workshops and presentations. She was also the National Organizer chairperson for World Robot Olympiad 2015 Cyprus.
tonia.galati@thegrammarschool.net
By establishing a private, English speaking educational institution
fifty-five years ago, the Grammar School founders gave the opportunity
to students in Cyprus to broaden their knowledge and their educational
horizons by giving them the opportunity to continue their education
in any country in Europe or the world.
The Grammar School offered a high standard education and our vision
was to become one of the leading private schools in Cyprus, a goal we
are proud to have achieved. Our educational community of students,
parents and staff is a place where learning happens at its best.
We strive to be at the cutting edge of education using innovative
technologies and teaching methods to enable our students to unlock
their potentials and achieve personal, social, cultural and
academic growth.
The Grammar School's pleasant and friendly environment, along with a plethora of activities
and school events, provides the foundations for an academic student- oriented, all-round education. The spacious campus is designed to enhance the student experience and our modern facilities include a state-of-the-art Innovation Centre, science and computer labs, extensive sports grounds and a swimming pool area.
Students attend lessons in an idyllic, peaceful and safe environment as the school premises are located outside the city and away from the dangers and temptations which this entails. The school provides a bus service for the safe transportation of children to and from home. The main objective of The Grammar School is to have a well-organized school community in which children respect their teachers, their peers as well as their environment. Special advisors offer their services to teachers and students and also undertake cases that need counseling.The Grammar School employs 102 teachers, who have the responsibility not only to teach their subject, but more importantly, to interact with students and assist, where possible in order to resolve any issues that may arise. Their role is to guide students both morally and academically. The average age of Grammar School teachers is 40 years and the ratio of teachers to students is 1: 8.4.
The Grammar School Nicosia is a MICROSOFT Showcase School and pioneer in the use of technology in the classroom as well as Robotics, through the creation of the school's Innovation Centre. Teacher-student-parent communication is facilitated with the use of technology. If students are absent from school they are able to watch the lesson at home through the video-casted method. Parents also receive immediate information about the work of their children GSNETlife. The Grammar School is also the first school in Cyprus to incorporate STEM into its curriculum (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics). Students who attend STEM programmes are given an important advantage for admission to universities worldwide. Students wishing to participate in this programme are selected based on their academic performance.
The School has staged theatrical performances for decades, and these have been awarded in national competitions in Cyprus and Greece. The annual Grammar School Cultural Evening has become a strong tradition. It is attended by hundreds of our fellow citizens while others watch it through live streaming on the internet. The School also organizes other activities such as the Talent Show, the Music Festival and Literature Workshops. As part of itsd althetics programme, a competitive football, basketball and swimming programme for talented athletes is integrated into the regular school curriculum without affecting the high academic level of students. The football programme is in cooperation with Liverpool Football Club. The basketball programme is supported by Keravnos, one of the elite, professional teams in Cyprus, drawing on their wealth of experience in training young players.
Through the large number of courses offered, Grammar School students are able to succeed and excel in their GCE Advanced Level examinations and enter the best universities in the UK including those in the Russell Group. The school's Higher Educational Advisory Team frequently visit universities in the UK in order to receive the latest information about academic requirements. Furthermore, presentations by universities such as Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial College, King's College, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds, Southampton and many others are hosted regularly at the Grammar School. In the last three years, professors from the Engineering Department of the University of Bath (ranked 3rd in the UK in Engineering subjects) have organized a 'Robotics Challenge' at the Grammar School Innovation Center for A Level Physics students. 21 Grammar School students have been accepted at the University of Bath in the last three years. From 2014-2016, 9 Grammar School students were accepted to study at the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford while 170 entered universities in the Russell Group to study Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Business, Arts, Science and many more. It is worth noting that Grammar School students are well equipped for university life, since they have the opportunity to participate in committees, clubs, sports and are socially active and prepared for a dynamic and successful future.
UK CYPRUS POLAND
University of Hull CARDET University of Lodz
Wyke College The Grammar School Publiczne Liceum
Inspiring European Citizenship through Educational Technology
Erasmus+ Key Action II Strategic Partnership for School Education
Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices
The Grammar School, Anthoupolis Highway, Pano Deftera, Cyprus
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union