The Hellenic American Academy was founded on March 4, 1906 which was then called the Greek Parochial School and held classes in the basement of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell. It was the first school of its kind in America, and because it has operated consistently since then it is also the oldest school of its kind in the country.

Both the school and the church which was also the first of its kind had been established by recent immigrants determined to solidify a strong Greek community in their new home country.

The move was the manifest of a philosophy inherent to Greek culture, a strong emphasis on keeping education as the foundation for their community.

HAA Facts…..

ü Founded in 1906, the Academy is the oldest and longest running Greek American Orthodox day school in the U.S.A..

ü Classes were initially held in the basement of the nearby Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

ü The school then moved to a separate building at 41 Broadway Street in 1915.

ü In 1957, that building was demolished to make way for a new facility. Classes were moved back into the church while construction was ongoing.

ü New building completed in 1959.

ü The Cultural Center build in 1985 is adjacent to the school and provides spiritual and cultural activities to the Greek community.

ü The new Playground and property signage were gifted to the Academy.

ü School has gone by three names during the course of its existence:

Ø Greek Parochial School 1906

Ø Hellenic American School 1915

Ø Hellenic American Academy 2005

ü A grant was received in 2007 from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for construction, renovations, and equipment purchases necessary to expand the school to include the seventh and eighth grades.