Thessaloniki, Greece: Pinewood – The American International School of Thessaloniki: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

Pinewood American International School is an independent, nonprofit, college-preparatory school offering educational programs from pre-kindergarten (age three) through grade 12 and boarding facilities for grades 7-12 in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city. The Elementary school was founded in 1950 and the Secondary school was established in 1962. The school’s core values, which are centered around the cultivation of curious, creative, and caring thinkers, guide teaching and learning at increasingly advanced levels throughout the school. Pinewood is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is an International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) World School. The school year is divided into three trimesters extending from September to June.

Organization: Pinewood is governed by a board of trustees with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts. Approximately half of the trustees reside in the United States while the other half live in Greece and other parts of the world. The head of the U.S. consular mission in Thessaloniki serves as a trustee ex officio. The school is incorporated in the United States under Delaware law and has been designated as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

Curriculum: The curriculum blends a U.S. general academic, standards-based, college-preparatory program with the prestigious IB Diploma Program (IBDP) available at grades 11-12 and the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) from grades 7-12. Furthermore, the school is in the final stage of achieving IB Primary Years Program (PYP) authorization for pre-K to grade 6. This year, the Advanced Placement (AP) program was reintroduced, extending an equally challenging path to students in grades 10-12 as an alternative or supplement to the the IBDP, and aligning with global university requirements. Our comprehensive testing portfolio includes the SAT, the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying tests (PSAT), the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP), a tailored, standardized test for all students in grades 2-10, alongside the IBDP and AP exams. All instruction is conducted exclusively in English, with additional opportunities for learning Greek, French, and Spanish as second languages. Moreover, Greek is offered as a native language option. Pinewood graduates consistently gain admission to esteemed colleges and universities in the United States and worldwide.

Faculty: In the 2023-2024 school year, Pinewood has 104 total staff including 73 teachers, 12 of whom are U.S. citizens, 37 host-country nationals, and 24 third-country nationals. Our faculty and staff represent 13 nationalities, including Canada, Spain, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, India, Italy and South Africa.  All teaching faculty maintain a teaching certificate.

Enrollment: For the 2023-2024 school year, enrollment is 569 (PK-12). Of the total, 55 are U.S. citizens, 125 are host-country nationals, and 389 are third-country nationals.

Facilities: In September 2022, Pinewood inaugurated a newly renovated Early Years and Elementary School (PreK-Grade 6) at the school’s new location on the shared campus with Anatolia College. Equally, the Secondary School (Grades 7-12) operates on the Thermi campus. Also this year, the school commenced construction on a new, modern, purpose-built Secondary School, which will be completed in September 2024 on the Anatolia College campus. The school’s new campus is an expansive natural campus filled with mature trees, beautiful flora and fauna, sports facilities, 3 libraries, 2 theaters, modern science laboratories, and much more.

Finances: Annual tuition rates are as follows: PK2: €6,600; K: €7,500; grades 1-5: €12,200 and grades 6-12: €12,550. The annual cost for the bus service is €1,050. The school also charges a one-time capital levy for new students of €2,500. Boarding costs for grades 7-12 are €11,500. (These fees are payable in euros or U.S. dollars and are quoted in euros.)

Special Needs: Review the Special Needs Profile  for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2023 and provided by the school.