Inside the Bilingual IB School That's Redefining Learning in Greece

Jan de Vries · 2026-11-02

### A Different Kind of School on the Athenian Riviera Just south of Athens, in the coastal town of Varkiza, sits a school that doesn't look or feel like a traditional classroom. DES Interactive European School is a bilingual English-Greek institution serving children from nursery through secondary education. With nearly 30 nationalities represented, it's a genuinely international community. And its recent recognition as the Best Bilingual IB School 2026 – Attica at the Hellenic Business Awards? That's just one sign of something bigger happening here. We spoke with Dr. Billie Konstantara, the school's founder and CEO, to understand what makes DES tick. ### Where the IB Meets Multiple Intelligences DES is the first bilingual school in Greece to combine the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes with Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. That's a mouthful, but the idea is simple: intelligence isn't one-size-fits-all. Gardner argued that people have distinct intelligences that interact, helping them solve problems in unique ways. By blending the rigor of the IB framework with this model, DES creates an environment where every student is seen as distinct. The school is currently authorized for the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), with the Diploma Programme coming soon. > "At DES, innovation begins with a simple question: does this improve the way a child learns, belongs, or understands the world?" That question guides everything, says Dr. Konstantara. ### Four Campuses, One Mission Today, DES spans four separate complexes in Athens' southern suburbs. Across its nursery, kindergarten, primary, and middle school, it serves about 450 students with a staff of 150. The first location opened in 2004, and the mission has remained constant: inspire young minds through a curriculum built around them and their growth. That's why DES treats all subjects as primary subjects. Sport, music, art, literature, languages, math—they all matter equally. The campuses themselves are more than just places where teaching happens; they're part of the curriculum. Children learn across classrooms, gardens, and outdoor spaces, interacting with animals and connecting their knowledge to the natural world. Technology, robotics, creativity, and social responsibility are woven into the learning ecology, too. ### Teaching with Care The school's values—intellectual curiosity, inclusion, responsibility, international-mindedness, and genuine care for the individual child—shape how teaching happens. "Our goal is not merely to prepare students for examinations," Dr. Konstantara explains. "It is to develop knowledgeable, ethical, and emotionally secure young people who can think independently, collaborate across cultures, and contribute meaningfully to society." Every staff member works to ensure each child is seen, understood, and challenged appropriately. They set high but achievable expectations, pair them with close observation, strong relationships, and differentiated teaching. Because DES is also an international microschool, the learning community is small enough that teachers really know their students and can respond quickly to their needs. ### Connecting Across Boundaries Strong connections are developed across subjects, age groups, and cultures. This isn't just a nice idea—it's built into the school's approach. Students learn to collaborate across differences, a skill that will serve them well in an increasingly interconnected world. In a time when education often feels standardized, DES stands out by putting the individual child at the center. And if the recent award is any indication, others are taking notice.