Upon returning from holidays and amid general concern regarding the spread of the new coronavirus in our country, testing for COVID-19 is performed for all employees (faculty, administrative and technical staff), as well as those working on-campus for vendors contracted by the College. Tests are performed by the nursing staff of IASO on the College premises at the exclusive expense of the School. 

At the same time, during the week before classes start, all College students are given the opportunity to be tested for COVID-19 at a preferential fee, with testing taking place on the College premises.

Throughout the course of the academic year, sample testing for COVID-19 is performed on School employees and students.

All necessary protective measures have been taken at the canteens. Face masks are mandatory for canteen employees, as well as persons waiting to place an order and to be served. Canteen employees must also wear disposable gloves at all times and follow prescribed procedures.  Surfaces and equipment are regularly cleaned in accordance with relevant protocols. For transactions, the use of credit cards is recommended in order to avoid the handling of paper notes and coins.  In compliance with EODY guidelines, all products sold at canteens must be sealed and accompanied by single-use, disposable flatware (cutlery).

Additionally, the food vendor is in possession of relevant certificates indicating that: its employees have been trained in the proper preparation and handling of food products as outlined by the Hellenic Food Authority (EFET); its employees have passed health exams;  it follows and implements food quality control based on HACCP requirements; and, it fully complies with applicable legislation.

Due to the unique circumstances, the Elementary School dining halls are not open this year. Students eat either the School’s packaged meal or one brought from home in their classroom.

Additionally, students are not permitted to offer edible treats to their classmates.

Physical Educational classes take place as normal, in accordance with the National Public Health Organization (EODY) and General Secretariat of Sports guidelines regarding the observance of hygiene and safety rules. 

While engaged in sports or while exercising, students do not wear face masks.  However, they are required to have their masks with them for use indoors or in common areas (i.e. offices, hallways etc.).  Weather permitting, sports activities will take place at the outdoor courts and tracks. 

P.E. activities take place per class section in a designated area and at a distance from other sections so that students do not mingle with one another.  All balls, sports equipment and other materials are disinfected at the end of each lesson.

Swimming lessons will be held as scheduled in smaller groups. Changing rooms will also be used by a limited number of individuals at a time. 

Before the start of the school year, the College Transportation Office conducted an info session with the School’s bus chaperones regarding new protection measures being implemented because of COVID-19.  Students sit as far apart as possible inside the buses, leaving empty spaces between them.  Younger children sit in the front, older ones in the back, and siblings always sit together. Everyone must wear a face mask, including the driver and chaperones. 

Antiseptic wipes are available in school buses, which are thoroughly cleaned and ventilated each day. Chaperones also carry a layout of the vehicle with a seating chart that indicates the designated seat which each student must occupy every day.

Due to the unique circumstances that prevail, visitors, including parents, will not be granted entry to the School premises unless they have a pre-arranged appointment. Parent-teacher conferencing will only be carried out by phone or via the Microsoft Teams app.

The primary objective of Athens College is to continue the educational process despite the unprecedented difficulties confronted by all.  For the current academic year (2021-2022), and until such time as the risk of spreading the new coronavirus abates, as required by law and under the conditions set therein, primary and secondary schools shall provide modern, distance education to students who cannot physically attend classes. Distance education is carried out across all grade levels and all subjects through the MS Teams platform, while CMS, ManageBac and IC 365 provide platforms on which teachers can post materials each day and on which students can submit work from home and a later time receive feedback, as well as answers to queries.

Distance learning is complemented by resources from the School’s Libraries.  Ebook Central has been activated on the Libraries’ webpages giving students from Kindergarten through 12th grade High School/IB2 access to thousands of digital books in English.  Additionally, students can gain access to the Word Book digital encyclopedia, as well as the INFOTRAC, SIRS, NEWBANK databases that contain a wealth of digital materials, newspapers, periodicals and books on a variety of topics, such as science, history, literature, the environment and more.

In the event that a student exhibits symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and stays home or departs early from school, the administration must be kept informed of the student’s condition, as well as the course of his/her health, either by the student’s parents if he/she is a minor or by the student him/herself if he/she is an adult.

Students who are absent from school can follow their lessons as usual from home via distance learning platforms, under conditions set by State law due to the pandemic.

Positive Rapid test and negative PCR test. When is it possible to return to school? Declassification of COVID-19 cases

When a student has a positive Rapid test he is registered in the National Digital Registry of COVID-19 Patients and a case tracing procedure is followed at school. In the case in which a new PCR test is performed and the student is negative, in order for him to return to school it is mandatory to follow the process of declassification of a COVID-19 (Greek version).