Dear Saint Demetrios Greek-American School Community,
It is with a heavy heart and profound sorrow that I write to inform you of the passing of a man who was so much more than a teacher to this school — Mr. Petros Stasinos, our beloved former Physical Education teacher and Dean of Saint Demetrios Greek-American School for nearly 20 years.
Words feel insufficient in a moment like this. Petro was not simply a member of our faculty; he was a pillar of our community, a mentor, and a role model to hundreds-if not thousands — of students who passed through the halls of Saint Demetrios during his two decades of service. Ask anyone who knew him as a student, and you will hear the same story: a man whose presence commanded respect, whose stature and demeanor could seem intimidating at first glance, but whose heart was among the kindest and most genuine you would ever encounter. He had a unique gift — the ability to instill discipline while also making every student feel seen, valued, and cared for. He held his students to high standards, not because he doubted them, but because he believed so deeply in what they were capable of achieving.
My own daughter had the honor of meeting him in fifth grade, and she has often shared just that: that while the students were initially in awe of him, he quickly revealed himself to be one of the gentlest, most caring teachers at our school. That was Petro — strength and tenderness, discipline, and warmth, all at once. He had a way of making even the youngest and most nervous students feel at ease, and that rare balance is precisely what made him unforgettable to so many.
But Petro's devotion to Saint Demetrios never ended with his departure from our school to open his own business. If anything, distance and time only seemed to deepen his love for this place. He continued to support Saint Demetrios in every way he possibly could, long after he was no longer required to — showing up, staying involved, checking in, and remaining a steady, familiar presence in the life of our community year after year. He never truly left us. Once a part of Saint Demetrios, always a part of Saint Demetrios — and Petro lived that truth every single day of his life.
Perhaps nothing speaks more powerfully to his devotion than his own choice as a father. Despite living in New Jersey, and despite the long commute it surely demanded of his family, Petro made the deliberate choice to bring his own children all the way to Saint Demetrios, so that they, too, could receive an education rooted in the Greek Orthodox faith — where our language, our history, our customs, and our traditions are not just taught, but lived and preserved. It would have been far easier for him to enroll his children in a school closer to home. He chose Saint Demetrios anyway, because he understood — better than most — the irreplaceable value of what this community offers. In doing so, he carried forward the very vision that generations of Greeks before him had poured their love, their sacrifices, and their resources into building: a Saint Demetrios that would stand tall for generations to come, just as he did.
Today, our entire school community-his family as he used to call Saint Demetrios Greek-American School- is heartbroken. We are left speechless, without the words to fully express what this loss means to all of us who knew him, who learned from him, who worked beside him, or who simply crossed paths with him within these halls and were somehow changed by it. Those of us who had the privilege of calling him a colleague, a mentor, or a friend feel this loss with tremendous depth, and our hearts and prayers go out to his family during this incredibly difficult time. Petro's support, his service, and above all, his boundless love for Saint Demetrios will never be forgotten. He leaves behind not just memories, but a legacy woven permanently into the very fabric of who we are as a school and as a community — one that will continue to inspire, guide, and remind us of what it truly means to love this place, for generations to come.
May his memory be eternal.
Αιωνία σου η μνήμη Αγαπημένε μας Πέτρο. Καλό Παράδεισο!
With deepest sympathy and heartfelt gratitude for a life so devoted to our beloved Saint Demetrios,
Vasilios Skordas
Supervising Principal
The entire Saint Demetrios Greek-American School Community