Letter from the Editor

Discovering ourselves through fear and adversity

As you think about your own path to daring leadership, remember Joseph Cambell’s wisdom: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek”. Own the fear, find the cave, and write a new ending for yourself, for the people you’re meant to serve and support, and for your culture. Choose courage over comfort. Choose whole hearts over armor. And choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid. All the exact same time

Brené Brown

Since September 2019, we have been experiencing a situation like no other in the school’s history. This situation has not only put us in the most unsafe and fearful state regarding our health but has also changed everything in the way we function in our everyday life, as individuals as well as an institution. The sudden and tragic change in our school leadership and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the operational paradigm of our school.

In the outset of this tough reality, our school managed to completely change the way everything operated very efficiently and very fast. Online classes, remote operation and even virtual events were implemented from day one. Technical issues were solved almost overnight. It was happening in a way none of us would have ever imagined: ACS Athens created a virtual nest.

It utilized technology to assure the availability of educational opportunities, tools, and practices to all our students, from the younger Elementary ages to the graduate class.

Nevertheless, true Education is not only that. A collective effort extended the educational guidance and offered emotional support that helped all of us to cope better in these uncharted waters we were in. The school has become a warm nest, that not only has empowered students to continue their learning with the same thrill as before, but also to function as a safe and dependable harbor in our community’s otherwise turbulent life.

After-class office hours in the Elementary school between teachers and students, counselors being available to support everyone in the Middle School and Academy, group sessions and meetings, ensured that students were connected, all questions they might have had been addressed, all voices, worries, and uncertainty were being heard and teachers and staff were available every day to listen, talk and guide. The community came closer: meetings between staff and administrators, private or group talks, supportive emails - all that ensured that we feel safe and we are indeed part of a bigger family that cares. Because in the end, a sense of belonging is what counts most.

Having experienced the first wave of this pandemic, we now enter a new phase. Without really knowing where we will be at the end of this academic year or when our reality will become normal again; this is a time for reflection and a time for action!

A time to discover who we really are, because how else would we know how capable we are unless we see ourselves fighting and overcoming adversity?

This Ethos issue is different. All authors have put a little bit more of themselves in their writing. We have all been in the battle, we are stronger and we are ready to create, innovate and support,

We are ACS Athens!