“My feelings are mixed,” wrote Manos Tzimpragos in the message that he sent to students and parents to inform them of his impending departure from Melbourne.

The Greek-born educator has served as the principal of the Greek Community of Melbourne’s Language & Culture Schools for the past 7.5 years. He also served as the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria’s (GOCMV) Education Officer.

Mr Tzimpragos’ tenure is now coming to an end, despite efforts by the community and the Hellenic Ministry of Education to extend his stay in Australia.

He concluded the letter announcing his departure with an open call to those who came to know him during his time in Melbourne to contact him when they are next in Athens.

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Mr Tzimpragos wrote: My dearest students, parents/guardians, and grandparents,

It is with regret that Ι am writing to inform you that I will soon be returning to Greece permanently and will therefore have to resign from my duties as principal of the Greek Community of Melbourne’s Language & Culture Schools.

This decision has been dictated by my professional commitments in Greece. As you may know, in recent years I have been in Melbourne on unpaid leave from my teaching position in Greece. Sad as it might be, the leave I am entitled to is expiring soon and I must return to my duties in Athens. Despite the sincere efforts and intervention of the Greek Community of Melbourne to the Hellenic Ministry of Education, my stay in Melbourne cannot be extended.

My feelings are mixed. As much as I am happy to reunite with my family and friends very soon, I am just as sad that this so fulfilling and creative period in my life is irreversibly coming to an end.

I am so thankful of having been given the opportunity to join this historic and highly respected organisation – the Greek Community of Melbourne. It was indeed a great honour for me to be appointed as the Education Officer and Principal of this school which has such a long history and tradition in the teaching and learning of Greek in Australia.

I take great pride in everything our school community – teachers, students, and families – have achieved in these 7.5 years. I will be forever grateful to my colleagues for their support and dedication, for sharing a common vision for Greek learning, and for being exemplars of what it is to serve education faithfully, with great love and respect.

I am also very proud of our students, our dearest young Greeks, for all the love and dedication they show in learning the language and culture of their ancestors. Even the simplest Greek word I heard them say made me feel proud and moved. I am confident they will continue this journey to knowledge to the end and that they will pass on their love for the Greek language and culture to their own children.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to our parents and grandparents for entrusting your children’s education to us and for the joint effort to keep the flame of Greek learning burning. As you have extended your kind support all these years, continue the same with greater eagerness and enthusiasm. Your contribution is invaluable and makes our work much easier and more efficient.

Thank you all once again for being my traveling companions along this creative and so important period in my life. A big part of my heart and my mind will stay behind with you and this fantastic country which will always be like home to me.

Wishing you and your beloved persons health, happiness, and prosperity!

Manos

P.S. It will give me great pleasure to see and hear from you whenever you find yourselves in Greece. I will be Athens based and can be reached at my personal email address: manos.tzimpragos@gmail.com