When not working at Heartwood Partners as a Managing Director, Demetrios Dounis contributes to local nonprofit groups. One organization Demetrios Dounis supports is Putnam Indian Field School (PIFS), serving on its board of directors.
Created in 1978, PIFS serves Greenwich, Connecticut-area students. Its staff and curricula cover toddlers’ and pre-kindergarteners’ specific learning needs. A well-rounded education, with equal emphasis on STEM and the arts, ensures that students gain the skills necessary to succeed academically in their later schooling. PIFS also teaches “soft skills” via group and free play, cultivating students’ social and emotional learning.
At the same time, PIFS takes unique measures to create a welcoming learning environment. Teachers embrace students’ diverse backgrounds by accommodating those who speak languages other than English, the primary language of instruction in the classroom.
Teachers also collaborate with parents to best serve their students, and use interest-based learning to engage them. Rather than teaching scientific concepts indoors, classes may take place on nearby trails, to teach environmental conservation in natural surroundings.
