The TISSO website, launched in 2002, is an outreach initiative created by Prof. Gabriella Colussi Arthur who teaches in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at York University. The need for this outreach emerged when she taught Italian language pedagogy for Intermediate/Senior teacher candidates in the Faculty of Education, York University and met with Italian host teachers in the field.
As a result, TISSO was first constituted by a core executive comprising both high school and university representatives, as follows:
Emanuela Polin-DeLuca, Philip Pocock Catholic SS (Chair)
Biagio Aulino, Fr. Bressani Catholic SS.
Mary Ferlisi, Notre Dame Catholic SS
Enza Antenos-Conforti, Montclair State University, New Jersey
Salvatore Bancheri, University of Toronto, St. George
Gabriella Colussi Arthur, York University
Our high school teachers are extraordinarily committed teaching professionals and have worked tirelessly for Italian Studies in their high schools for over twenty years, in particular, supervising teacher candidates. They have rallied other teachers to the cause and have been instrumental in expanding the OATI HS Contest Committee. TISSO congratulates all our teachers for their unflinching commitment and professionalism. Grazie infinite!
Our first webmaster (2002-2012) was Dr. Enza Antenos-Conforti, a specialist in Italian language pedagogy and technology. Since beginning with us in Ontario, she has moved to New Jersey and now teaches at Montclair State University. We heartily thank Dr. Antenos-Conforti for her expertise and hard work!