2021

Despite the continuing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, several projects were completed primarily targeting the improvement of premises and raising of campus standards for the benefit of our students and community.

Annex Outdoor and Playground Area Renovation

Following the completion of the structural upgrade of the Annex building, we proceeded with the renovation of the outdoor area around the building, including a completely new playground for the Early Childhood. The redesigned play area offers brand-new playground facilities and equipment, creating a friendly environment for various activities. Additionally, a mini running track around the playground has been constructed to facilitate various athletic activities.

 

 

Temporary Play Area - Newly Purchased Land

Upon purchasing a piece of land adjected to the north side of campus, we proceeded with the demolition of the old building situated within it. Following the demolition, we constructed a new play area for the Elementary School. A synthetic turf was laid on the newly leveled ground, and the area was appropriately fenced offering direct access from within our campus.

 
 

Annex 3rd Floor Electrical Renovation

The whole electrical installation of the 3rd floor of Annex building has been upgraded including wiring, electric boards and electrical components, in line with the latest regulations. The electrical design adopted provides electrical independence and autonomy to the classrooms and a technical pattern for more efficient control of the installation, quick troubleshooting and easier preventive maintenance.

 

Annex 3rd Floor Ceiling Repair

During the structural upgrade of the Annex building we experienced some damage to the ceiling of the top floor which needed to be repaired after the completion of the project. As per our plan, after the completion of the project we proceeded to thorough repairs on the ceiling and roof plate, to fully reach the standards for strength, health and integrity.

 

Annex 3rd Floor Faculty Workroom

During the renovation of the 3rd floor of the Annex, we created a small ergonomic work room for the Math Division, capable of accommodating four teachers.

 

Administration Building Ground Floor Renovation

The ground floor of the Administration Building was redesigned and renovated. A new reception area, meeting room, and a number of offices were part of this upgrade. Additionally a ramp for wheelchair users was constructed in order to improve accessibility to the building.

 

 

 

Germicidal Air Cleaning Devices

To increase the protection level against Covid-19, in addition to other measures, we have also equipped several of our classrooms with certified air purifiers with a UV germicidal effect. These devices can purify the air of the classroom about 2 to 3 times per hour and can eliminate, to a considerable extent, the Covid-19 particulates in the air.

 

Media Studio New Podcast Booth

The new podcast booth is an independent audio production space for 2 people which is acoustically treated and soundproof, located in the production area of the Media Studio. It is used for all interview-style productions of the school and other audio applications.

 

Building Waterproofing Works

As every year, we carried out a series of waterproofing works on selected buildings. Materials selected are a combination of high-quality reinforced asphalt membranes and nanotechnology coatings. This year we waterproofed the new balconies at the west side of the Annex, some sections of the Main Library and Theater, along with the Elementary School.

 

Annex Power Station - Fire detection and Extinguishing System

A new two-zone fire detection and extinguishing system was installed in the Annex electrical substation following the structural upgrade works. In the event of a fire the system provides an audible alarm and automatically activates the extinguishing system. The new system is in line with the latest regulations.

IT & Audio Visual Upgrades

During the year we installed a new IP Telephony System school wide (Cisco Call Manager) replacing our old system, we installed 35 Cisco High Density Access points rearranging the distribution pattern in order to increase the WiFi capacity and we replaced about 60 laptops, 30 classroom projectors, 20 interactive boards, and 15 desktop computers. Furthermore, we doubled our Internet bandwidth and installed an additional FireWall protection. 

Shatter Resistant Window Films

As part of our Safety and Security Master Plan, we have commenced the installation of shatter resistant window films on all the windows of our buildings. We have selected the Ultra S800 film type of the well known company 3M, which is a micro layered film composite for enhanced protection of people and property. It has excellent characteristics for glass fragment retention and protection over flying glass shards. 

The project is granted by the US Embassy, it is in the initiation phase and is expected to be completed until May of 2022.

New Public Address System

We commenced a project for the installation of a new public address system. The new PA System is based on a solution by Bosch, PRAESENSA. It provides high-quality audio for music or messaging to every area in our campus buildings. It is controlled via the intuitive graphical user interface on the call station touch screen, or via personalized software running on a tablet or PC. Fully IP-based and fully-featured, this is a state-of-the-art Public Address and Voice Alarm system has built-in redundancy and active self test. 

The project is granted by the US Embassy, it is in the initiation phase and is expected to be completed until May of 2022.


Appreciation to Donors and Maintenance department 

We would like to sincerely thank our school’s Capital Project donors for their time, effort and provided funds. They assisted in purchasing various IT/AV Equipment, furniture for the Administration Building, Air Purifiers, our new Public Address System and the Shatter Resistant Window Films.

Also, we would like to thank our school’s maintenance team for their tireless support and continuing dedication to ACS Athens vision, which allowed us to complete the projects timely despite the very challenging pandemic conditions.