The competition was organised by Georgia this year and The Cyprus team travelled to the city Kutaisi from 14 to 22 August 2022. Students compete in Theoretical Astrophysics, Data Analysis and Astronomical Observations. In total around 300 students from 48 countries took part.

The next International Olympiad in Astronomy & Astrophysics will be held in Poland in August 2023. Those students who want to claim a place in the Cypriot mission, can take part in the Pancyprian Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics that will be held in 2023. 

Microsoft Innovative Educators Experts is a thriving community of self- driven educators, passionate about teaching and learning who inspire students with creative thinking and work in a truly collaborative spirit. 
 
Educators design enriching learning activities aiming to teach 21st Century Learning Design skills: Critical thinking, Communication skills, Creativity, Problem solving, Perseverance, Collaboration, Information literacy, Technology skills and digital literacy. 
 
Chryso Constantinou, a Spanish and Greek Teacher, was accepted this summer to the MIE Expert Program. For her application process she demonstrated “how students used Canva to create and personalize artifacts from scratch through project-based learning. Students had to articulate concepts in a visual manner and an intuitive way in order to record their learning”. Also, she outlined how Quizlet can be used as an efficient formative assessment tool to help students practice, test or revise vocabulary.  
 
Marilena Neocleous, a Greek Teacher, is joining the MIE Expert Program for the second consecutive year. During the academic year 2021-22 she offered in- school trainings to teaching staff on One Note, Teams and Microsoft Forms for quizzing and individualised feedback as well as online training to teachers of Greek as a second/ foreign language on Wakelet and Flipgrid. “My ongoing tech project is to create an inclusive learning experience for all learners and empower each students’ voice by leveraging Microsoft tools such as Flipgrid and verbal feedback in One Note”.  
 
Christina Varnava Vasou, a Computer Science Teacher, states “Truly honoured to be a part of this passionate team of changemakers in education for the fourth consecutive year! It is extremely rewarding to see the results of effective technology integration in class. Starting from incorporating Microsoft Teams, Class Notebooks and Forms to manage the class material and encouraging self-monitoring of assessment and moving on to building units across the curriculum in creative STEAM Minecraft Education projects. Eager to work with such an amazing team and ready to begin another great academic year!”
 

Find out more about the following clubs:
Sports
Music
EYP
Model United Nations Clubs
Debate Clubs
STEM Clubs
Art & Design
DofE
F1 in Schools
Createive Writing & Journalism
Radio Club
Olympiads
Drama
Charity & Volunteering efforts

All activities begin week of Monday 3rd October 

The title of her thesis is “Coaching for applying Differentiated Teaching and Learning based on indicators of success and proficiency in teaching Greek as a second language”. Her thesis was based on three axes: training teachers with particular reference to guidance/coaching, differentiated teaching and learning, and teaching the Greek language as a second language.
 
Niki Melanidou has already presented her work at two Global Conferences (Chair and Presenter at IISES Conferences, University of London, May 2019 / 2nd Global Conference on Education and Teaching, Athens, December 2021).
 
Niki is currently considered a Special Teaching Scientist at the University of Cyprus. She is writing articles about effective teaching methods and preparing for more presentations in Cyprus and other European Countries. Her work will soon be posted on her FB page Teaching&Learning@pedagogy.cy    

Our Grandfather Alexandros Alkidas

Writen by: Myrto Zoumidou

The bonds that man creates, in passing through life, are many. One of the most important is the relationship between teacher and student… And this is clearly reflected in the words of Alexander the Great when he referred to his teacher, Aristotle: "To my parents, I owe that I am alive, but to my teacher, I owe my life". Of course, the opinion refers to teachers who are inspired givers, who are ready in every situation to generously offer knowledge to their students.  One such teacher was English teacher Alexandros K. Alkidas, an educator who dedicated his life to The English School and to the service of his students, even after his retirement.

The life story of Alexander K. Alkidas could be said to be intertwined with the history of The English School.  Almost two decades after the establishment of the School, in 1919 the professor was hired and served for a long time and with great dedication, until his retirement in 1943.  To honour his service, the boarding house, at the School was named after him. 
His grandchildren, Elena Alkida Hacholiadou and Alexandros K. Alkidas, who also bears his name, spoke about this inspiring professor. They remember some beautiful memories, however, also some useful information about his life, most of which are unknown to the general public, concerning a very important part of the history of The English School that is still intertwined with our country.

"The Commemoration of Alkidas"
Born in 1881 in the early years of the Anglo-occupation, Alexandros Alkidas, was a small boy of short stature, pale and thin. But from the first years of his life, he showed his love and thirst for learning. In the evenings, he studied under the lamplight in the street outside his house.

For the record, as they explain to us, his real name was Alexandros K. Papadopoulos. The nickname "Alkidas", a synonym for Rome, was a euphemism and was given to him by his beloved professor until he also replaced his surname.

"His teacher admired his love of learning and made sure to find a way to send him to England to study," we are told. Upon completion of his studies, Alexandros Alkidas will return back to Cyprus when he was employed by The English School in 1919, under the direction of its founder, Canon Newham, to teach English to the students. He thus managed to follow in the footsteps of his teacher, with whom he was now colleagues.

Very early in his life, Professor Alkidas was widowed losing his wife Elegkos, a teacher from Larnaca, at the age of 33.  He was left alone to raise his son Costas in Nicosia. Alexandros continues to serve at the English School, and Costas also does his Secondary studies there. Even after his retirement, he remains there and offers his educational services unpaid in the afternoons to support the students of the School. From the photo archive provided to us by his granddaughter for the purposes of the report, we found that all the photos were of his life at the English School since he devoted most of his life to it and lived to teach.
 
He loved his students very much and inspired them. With them in classes and parades and trips and activities. Over the years, when they were graduating, they sent him gifts, pennies, books, and even photos dedicated "To their favorite professor…" Especially those from England.
 
His grandchildren remember him even in old age as a studious man who always wanted to learn. In fact, now an old man, after 80, he asked his son and grandchildren to learn the Sanskrit language. In fact, he suggested that they all put in money, and learn the language together. 
 
He also had a very good relationship with the well-known poet Dimitris Lipertis.  "They were inseparable friends and good colleagues at the English School".
Being educated people of their time, they enjoyed each other's company.  "Among his personal belongings, I also have a book of his, given to him by Dimitris Lipertis, with a handwritten dedication," says Mrs. Elena Alkida Hacholiadou.
 
As a grandfather, away from his educational duties, his grandchildren in their childhood remember him as a very loving person, full of stories. "He loved animals and had a huge turtle in his yard, which we played with when we visited," they tell us. He himself, apparently… was trying to teach her to run!

He used to visit them at their house in Larnaca to stay with them during celebrations and lectures. He read to them books and try to instill in them his love for letters. He wanted them to study, and be educated. His grandson, Alexandros K. Alkidas, who lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan, graduated from Athens College and continued his studies in America, from 1976 until 2005 he held the position of senior research engineer at General Motors. To date, he has to his credit 148 scientific publications on his subject.

He is typically remembered as a heavy smoker. "He ate a little but smoked a lot," we are told. They confess to us that he was a religious man. He had relations with the church, while for some time he was in charge of the Church of Saint Luke. "He came all the way to the Holy Land to bring water from the Jordan River so that I could be baptized," Mrs. Elena tells us.
The family grew over the years while Professor Alkidas, in addition to his two grandchildren, had five great-grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Of the nine great-grandchildren, one bears his name! Alexandros K. Alkidas.

The boarding school "Alks" in honour of the teacher
For the family of Alexandros Alkidas, it is a great honour to this day that one of the buildings of The English School bears the name of their grandfather, who closely linked his name with his educational contribution and his love for students. Especially since he is the only Cypriot Professor whose name was given to a school building.
 
And it was no coincidence that his name was given to the boarding school building that housed the most beautiful moments of the School's students. From the hours of study to their free time, Alexander Alkidas himself spent most of his day there, helping them with their studies and teaching them English lessons in the evenings.

According to what Kyriakos A. Dimitriadis mentions in his book (2019), which is dedicated to a historical review from the foundation of the English School up to 1960, in 1948 when the building of the Alks boarding school was completed, important additions were made in the school compound. As far as the building of the Alks boarding school is concerned, its architecture is certainly of outstanding importance, which consists of several arches, while many of the materials for its construction were collected from Pentadaktylos to Troodos.

Alks Boarding School was officially handed over to the then headmaster E.Jackson on 15th November 1948 and its construction cost was £55,900. However, due to greatly increased housing needs, the first 67 boarders moved in at the end of 1947 before electricity was even installed. With the completion of the building, there was everything that the students, some of the professors, and the staff of the School needed for their accommodation and their daily life.
 
Boarding school life in the 1950s
In the past, The English School, always provided accommodation to its students who arrived there to study from distant villages in Cyprus. But in addition to the necessity of housing, many of the principals clearly emphasized the necessity of developing a healthy environment of well-being for the students, through their daily contact. After all, the students had different origins or even different nationalities, religions, or even mother tongues and it was a first-class opportunity to mix with each other and learn from each other! In fact, after the Second World War, this event became the official policy of the school and of the Ministry of Education.

Life at the Alks boarding school provided other important resources to the resident students since they would have to take initiative and responsibilities, such as for example the cleanliness and hygiene of their premises but also the personal care of their premises, as a daily routine, under the supervision of people who worked there. There was always a daily schedule followed by all the tenants, without exception, to wake up early, wash, make their bed, and be ready in time before breakfast, while they were also subject to inspection by the boarding school housekeepers. The boarding school provided the residents with all the necessary meals which were prepared in its facilities.

Usually, in the afternoons, the boarders had enough free time for play and recreation. In addition to the school's pitches, they were also making their own improvised pitches. Of course, there were accidents, but the boarders, as good friends and classmates, made sure to manage them most of the time among themselves without involving those in charge. There was certainly no shortage of gatherings and small parties during the holidays at the Alks boarding school.

Every Sunday the Christian Orthodox students were led in a procession to the church either in Metohi of Kykkos or to Panagia Chryseleousa in Strovolos for the church service. Similarly, the Muslim students visited the Bayraktar Mosque on the walls of Nicosia every Friday.

The lifelong friendships
Naturally, The English School boarders who grew up together developed strong bonds of friendship that have endured for decades to this day. Not only between students of the same age, class, or religion. This being one of the values ​​that both the English School and its founder Canon Newham wanted to instill in the students, and this is an honorable legacy for the school. That is why Alkidas became a landmark as the "worthy teacher".

After 1974
After the Turkish invasion in 1974, the Alks boarding school ceased to function in accordance with the role for which it was created due to the state of emergency. A little later it was granted to the Cypriot Government, to temporarily house the Acropolis High School after the Turkish invasion in exchange of course for a nominal annual rent. Over time and also due to the "temporary" concession, the rent for the use of the Alks building was misinterpreted as a state sponsorship, creating a false impression as to the ownership of the Alks building but also as to the correspondence of the annual rent to The English School. However, there have been increasing voices in recent years saying that the building should be returned to The English School and the government should take care of relocating the High School.

Over the years, The English School has endured many difficult conditions and times in its history.  Throughout these difficult periods, it managed to provide a boarding house for its students.  Students staying at the boarding house, according to Kyriakos Dimitriadis, were from poor families but intelligent boys of Cyprus that passed the strict entrance exams and achieved excellent results.  Prof Alexander Alkidas lived and taught during this period.   T

During his recent visit to Cyprus and to The English School, his favorite school, the well-known Professor of Fetal Medicine Dr. Kypros Nicolaidis, wanted to visit the Alks boarding school and was photographed there, recalling memories and experiences he lived during his student years when he arrived from Paphos to Nicosia to study at The English School, from the 4th grade onwards. He shared with us some amazing stories of his time at the boarding school!
 

Our Grandfather Alexandros Alkidas

Writen by: Myrto Zoumidou

The bonds that man creates, in passing through life, are many. One of the most important is the relationship between teacher and student… And this is clearly reflected in the words of Alexander the Great when he referred to his teacher, Aristotle: "To my parents, I owe that I am alive, but to my teacher, I owe my life". Of course, the opinion refers to teachers who are inspired givers, who are ready in every situation to generously offer knowledge to their students.  One such teacher was English teacher Alexandros K. Alkidas, an educator who dedicated his life to The English School and to the service of his students, even after his retirement.

The life story of Alexander K. Alkidas could be said to be intertwined with the history of The English School.  Almost two decades after the establishment of the School, in 1919 the professor was hired and served for a long time and with great dedication, until his retirement in 1943.  To honour his service, the boarding house, at the School was named after him. 
His grandchildren, Elena Alkida Hacholiadou and Alexandros K. Alkidas, who also bears his name, spoke about this inspiring professor. They remember some beautiful memories, however, also some useful information about his life, most of which are unknown to the general public, concerning a very important part of the history of The English School that is still intertwined with our country.

"The Commemoration of Alkidas"
Born in 1881 in the early years of the Anglo-occupation, Alexandros Alkidas, was a small boy of short stature, pale and thin. But from the first years of his life, he showed his love and thirst for learning. In the evenings, he studied under the lamplight in the street outside his house.

For the record, as they explain to us, his real name was Alexandros K. Papadopoulos. The nickname "Alkidas", a synonym for Rome, was a euphemism and was given to him by his beloved professor until he also replaced his surname.

"His teacher admired his love of learning and made sure to find a way to send him to England to study," we are told. Upon completion of his studies, Alexandros Alkidas will return back to Cyprus when he was employed by The English School in 1919, under the direction of its founder, Canon Newham, to teach English to the students. He thus managed to follow in the footsteps of his teacher, with whom he was now colleagues.

Very early in his life, Professor Alkidas was widowed losing his wife Elegkos, a teacher from Larnaca, at the age of 33.  He was left alone to raise his son Costas in Nicosia. Alexandros continues to serve at the English School, and Costas also does his Secondary studies there. Even after his retirement, he remains there and offers his educational services unpaid in the afternoons to support the students of the School. From the photo archive provided to us by his granddaughter for the purposes of the report, we found that all the photos were of his life at the English School since he devoted most of his life to it and lived to teach.
 
He loved his students very much and inspired them. With them in classes and parades and trips and activities. Over the years, when they were graduating, they sent him gifts, pennies, books, and even photos dedicated "To their favorite professor…" Especially those from England.
 
His grandchildren remember him even in old age as a studious man who always wanted to learn. In fact, now an old man, after 80, he asked his son and grandchildren to learn the Sanskrit language. In fact, he suggested that they all put in money, and learn the language together. 
 
He also had a very good relationship with the well-known poet Dimitris Lipertis.  "They were inseparable friends and good colleagues at the English School".
Being educated people of their time, they enjoyed each other's company.  "Among his personal belongings, I also have a book of his, given to him by Dimitris Lipertis, with a handwritten dedication," says Mrs. Elena Alkida Hacholiadou.
 
As a grandfather, away from his educational duties, his grandchildren in their childhood remember him as a very loving person, full of stories. "He loved animals and had a huge turtle in his yard, which we played with when we visited," they tell us. He himself, apparently… was trying to teach her to run!

He used to visit them at their house in Larnaca to stay with them during celebrations and lectures. He read to them books and try to instill in them his love for letters. He wanted them to study, and be educated. His grandson, Alexandros K. Alkidas, who lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan, graduated from Athens College and continued his studies in America, from 1976 until 2005 he held the position of senior research engineer at General Motors. To date, he has to his credit 148 scientific publications on his subject.

He is typically remembered as a heavy smoker. "He ate a little but smoked a lot," we are told. They confess to us that he was a religious man. He had relations with the church, while for some time he was in charge of the Church of Saint Luke. "He came all the way to the Holy Land to bring water from the Jordan River so that I could be baptized," Mrs. Elena tells us.
The family grew over the years while Professor Alkidas, in addition to his two grandchildren, had five great-grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Of the nine great-grandchildren, one bears his name! Alexandros K. Alkidas.

The boarding school "Alks" in honour of the teacher
For the family of Alexandros Alkidas, it is a great honour to this day that one of the buildings of The English School bears the name of their grandfather, who closely linked his name with his educational contribution and his love for students. Especially since he is the only Cypriot Professor whose name was given to a school building.
 
And it was no coincidence that his name was given to the boarding school building that housed the most beautiful moments of the School's students. From the hours of study to their free time, Alexander Alkidas himself spent most of his day there, helping them with their studies and teaching them English lessons in the evenings.

According to what Kyriakos A. Dimitriadis mentions in his book (2019), which is dedicated to a historical review from the foundation of the English School up to 1960, in 1948 when the building of the Alks boarding school was completed, important additions were made in the school compound. As far as the building of the Alks boarding school is concerned, its architecture is certainly of outstanding importance, which consists of several arches, while many of the materials for its construction were collected from Pentadaktylos to Troodos.

Alks Boarding School was officially handed over to the then headmaster E.Jackson on 15th November 1948 and its construction cost was £55,900. However, due to greatly increased housing needs, the first 67 boarders moved in at the end of 1947 before electricity was even installed. With the completion of the building, there was everything that the students, some of the professors, and the staff of the School needed for their accommodation and their daily life.
 
Boarding school life in the 1950s
In the past, The English School, always provided accommodation to its students who arrived there to study from distant villages in Cyprus. But in addition to the necessity of housing, many of the principals clearly emphasized the necessity of developing a healthy environment of well-being for the students, through their daily contact. After all, the students had different origins or even different nationalities, religions, or even mother tongues and it was a first-class opportunity to mix with each other and learn from each other! In fact, after the Second World War, this event became the official policy of the school and of the Ministry of Education.

Life at the Alks boarding school provided other important resources to the resident students since they would have to take initiative and responsibilities, such as for example the cleanliness and hygiene of their premises but also the personal care of their premises, as a daily routine, under the supervision of people who worked there. There was always a daily schedule followed by all the tenants, without exception, to wake up early, wash, make their bed, and be ready in time before breakfast, while they were also subject to inspection by the boarding school housekeepers. The boarding school provided the residents with all the necessary meals which were prepared in its facilities.

Usually, in the afternoons, the boarders had enough free time for play and recreation. In addition to the school's pitches, they were also making their own improvised pitches. Of course, there were accidents, but the boarders, as good friends and classmates, made sure to manage them most of the time among themselves without involving those in charge. There was certainly no shortage of gatherings and small parties during the holidays at the Alks boarding school.

Every Sunday the Christian Orthodox students were led in a procession to the church either in Metohi of Kykkos or to Panagia Chryseleousa in Strovolos for the church service. Similarly, the Muslim students visited the Bayraktar Mosque on the walls of Nicosia every Friday.

The lifelong friendships
Naturally, The English School boarders who grew up together developed strong bonds of friendship that have endured for decades to this day. Not only between students of the same age, class, or religion. This being one of the values ​​that both the English School and its founder Canon Newham wanted to instill in the students, and this is an honorable legacy for the school. That is why Alkidas became a landmark as the "worthy teacher".

After 1974
After the Turkish invasion in 1974, the Alks boarding school ceased to function in accordance with the role for which it was created due to the state of emergency. A little later it was granted to the Cypriot Government, to temporarily house the Acropolis High School after the Turkish invasion in exchange of course for a nominal annual rent. Over time and also due to the "temporary" concession, the rent for the use of the Alks building was misinterpreted as a state sponsorship, creating a false impression as to the ownership of the Alks building but also as to the correspondence of the annual rent to The English School. However, there have been increasing voices in recent years saying that the building should be returned to The English School and the government should take care of relocating the High School.

Over the years, The English School has endured many difficult conditions and times in its history.  Throughout these difficult periods, it managed to provide a boarding house for its students.  Students staying at the boarding house, according to Kyriakos Dimitriadis, were from poor families but intelligent boys of Cyprus that passed the strict entrance exams and achieved excellent results.  Prof Alexander Alkidas lived and taught during this period.   T

During his recent visit to Cyprus and to The English School, his favorite school, the well-known Professor of Fetal Medicine Dr. Kypros Nicolaidis, wanted to visit the Alks boarding school and was photographed there, recalling memories and experiences he lived during his student years when he arrived from Paphos to Nicosia to study at The English School, from the 4th grade onwards. He shared with us some amazing stories of his time at the boarding school!
 

Our Grandfather Alexandros Alkidas

Writen by: Myrto Zoumidou

The bonds that man creates, in passing through life, are many. One of the most important is the relationship between teacher and student… And this is clearly reflected in the words of Alexander the Great when he referred to his teacher, Aristotle: "To my parents, I owe that I am alive, but to my teacher, I owe my life". Of course, the opinion refers to teachers who are inspired givers, who are ready in every situation to generously offer knowledge to their students.  One such teacher was English teacher Alexandros K. Alkidas, an educator who dedicated his life to The English School and to the service of his students, even after his retirement.

The life story of Alexander K. Alkidas could be said to be intertwined with the history of The English School.  Almost two decades after the establishment of the School, in 1919 the professor was hired and served for a long time and with great dedication, until his retirement in 1943.  To honour his service, the boarding house, at the School was named after him. 
His grandchildren, Elena Alkida Hacholiadou and Alexandros K. Alkidas, who also bears his name, spoke about this inspiring professor. They remember some beautiful memories, however, also some useful information about his life, most of which are unknown to the general public, concerning a very important part of the history of The English School that is still intertwined with our country.

"The Commemoration of Alkidas"
Born in 1881 in the early years of the Anglo-occupation, Alexandros Alkidas, was a small boy of short stature, pale and thin. But from the first years of his life, he showed his love and thirst for learning. In the evenings, he studied under the lamplight in the street outside his house.

For the record, as they explain to us, his real name was Alexandros K. Papadopoulos. The nickname "Alkidas", a synonym for Rome, was a euphemism and was given to him by his beloved professor until he also replaced his surname.

"His teacher admired his love of learning and made sure to find a way to send him to England to study," we are told. Upon completion of his studies, Alexandros Alkidas will return back to Cyprus when he was employed by The English School in 1919, under the direction of its founder, Canon Newham, to teach English to the students. He thus managed to follow in the footsteps of his teacher, with whom he was now colleagues.

Very early in his life, Professor Alkidas was widowed losing his wife Elegkos, a teacher from Larnaca, at the age of 33.  He was left alone to raise his son Costas in Nicosia. Alexandros continues to serve at the English School, and Costas also does his Secondary studies there. Even after his retirement, he remains there and offers his educational services unpaid in the afternoons to support the students of the School. From the photo archive provided to us by his granddaughter for the purposes of the report, we found that all the photos were of his life at the English School since he devoted most of his life to it and lived to teach.
 
He loved his students very much and inspired them. With them in classes and parades and trips and activities. Over the years, when they were graduating, they sent him gifts, pennies, books, and even photos dedicated "To their favorite professor…" Especially those from England.
 
His grandchildren remember him even in old age as a studious man who always wanted to learn. In fact, now an old man, after 80, he asked his son and grandchildren to learn the Sanskrit language. In fact, he suggested that they all put in money, and learn the language together. 
 
He also had a very good relationship with the well-known poet Dimitris Lipertis.  "They were inseparable friends and good colleagues at the English School".
Being educated people of their time, they enjoyed each other's company.  "Among his personal belongings, I also have a book of his, given to him by Dimitris Lipertis, with a handwritten dedication," says Mrs. Elena Alkida Hacholiadou.
 
As a grandfather, away from his educational duties, his grandchildren in their childhood remember him as a very loving person, full of stories. "He loved animals and had a huge turtle in his yard, which we played with when we visited," they tell us. He himself, apparently… was trying to teach her to run!

He used to visit them at their house in Larnaca to stay with them during celebrations and lectures. He read to them books and try to instill in them his love for letters. He wanted them to study, and be educated. His grandson, Alexandros K. Alkidas, who lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan, graduated from Athens College and continued his studies in America, from 1976 until 2005 he held the position of senior research engineer at General Motors. To date, he has to his credit 148 scientific publications on his subject.

He is typically remembered as a heavy smoker. "He ate a little but smoked a lot," we are told. They confess to us that he was a religious man. He had relations with the church, while for some time he was in charge of the Church of Saint Luke. "He came all the way to the Holy Land to bring water from the Jordan River so that I could be baptized," Mrs. Elena tells us.
The family grew over the years while Professor Alkidas, in addition to his two grandchildren, had five great-grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Of the nine great-grandchildren, one bears his name! Alexandros K. Alkidas.

The boarding school "Alks" in honour of the teacher
For the family of Alexandros Alkidas, it is a great honour to this day that one of the buildings of The English School bears the name of their grandfather, who closely linked his name with his educational contribution and his love for students. Especially since he is the only Cypriot Professor whose name was given to a school building.
 
And it was no coincidence that his name was given to the boarding school building that housed the most beautiful moments of the School's students. From the hours of study to their free time, Alexander Alkidas himself spent most of his day there, helping them with their studies and teaching them English lessons in the evenings.

According to what Kyriakos A. Dimitriadis mentions in his book (2019), which is dedicated to a historical review from the foundation of the English School up to 1960, in 1948 when the building of the Alks boarding school was completed, important additions were made in the school compound. As far as the building of the Alks boarding school is concerned, its architecture is certainly of outstanding importance, which consists of several arches, while many of the materials for its construction were collected from Pentadaktylos to Troodos.

Alks Boarding School was officially handed over to the then headmaster E.Jackson on 15th November 1948 and its construction cost was £55,900. However, due to greatly increased housing needs, the first 67 boarders moved in at the end of 1947 before electricity was even installed. With the completion of the building, there was everything that the students, some of the professors, and the staff of the School needed for their accommodation and their daily life.
 
Boarding school life in the 1950s
In the past, The English School, always provided accommodation to its students who arrived there to study from distant villages in Cyprus. But in addition to the necessity of housing, many of the principals clearly emphasized the necessity of developing a healthy environment of well-being for the students, through their daily contact. After all, the students had different origins or even different nationalities, religions, or even mother tongues and it was a first-class opportunity to mix with each other and learn from each other! In fact, after the Second World War, this event became the official policy of the school and of the Ministry of Education.

Life at the Alks boarding school provided other important resources to the resident students since they would have to take initiative and responsibilities, such as for example the cleanliness and hygiene of their premises but also the personal care of their premises, as a daily routine, under the supervision of people who worked there. There was always a daily schedule followed by all the tenants, without exception, to wake up early, wash, make their bed, and be ready in time before breakfast, while they were also subject to inspection by the boarding school housekeepers. The boarding school provided the residents with all the necessary meals which were prepared in its facilities.

Usually, in the afternoons, the boarders had enough free time for play and recreation. In addition to the school's pitches, they were also making their own improvised pitches. Of course, there were accidents, but the boarders, as good friends and classmates, made sure to manage them most of the time among themselves without involving those in charge. There was certainly no shortage of gatherings and small parties during the holidays at the Alks boarding school.

Every Sunday the Christian Orthodox students were led in a procession to the church either in Metohi of Kykkos or to Panagia Chryseleousa in Strovolos for the church service. Similarly, the Muslim students visited the Bayraktar Mosque on the walls of Nicosia every Friday.

The lifelong friendships
Naturally, The English School boarders who grew up together developed strong bonds of friendship that have endured for decades to this day. Not only between students of the same age, class, or religion. This being one of the values ​​that both the English School and its founder Canon Newham wanted to instill in the students, and this is an honorable legacy for the school. That is why Alkidas became a landmark as the "worthy teacher".

After 1974
After the Turkish invasion in 1974, the Alks boarding school ceased to function in accordance with the role for which it was created due to the state of emergency. A little later it was granted to the Cypriot Government, to temporarily house the Acropolis High School after the Turkish invasion in exchange of course for a nominal annual rent. Over time and also due to the "temporary" concession, the rent for the use of the Alks building was misinterpreted as a state sponsorship, creating a false impression as to the ownership of the Alks building but also as to the correspondence of the annual rent to The English School. However, there have been increasing voices in recent years saying that the building should be returned to The English School and the government should take care of relocating the High School.

Over the years, The English School has endured many difficult conditions and times in its history.  Throughout these difficult periods, it managed to provide a boarding house for its students.  Students staying at the boarding house, according to Kyriakos Dimitriadis, were from poor families but intelligent boys of Cyprus that passed the strict entrance exams and achieved excellent results.  Prof Alexander Alkidas lived and taught during this period.   T

During his recent visit to Cyprus and to The English School, his favorite school, the well-known Professor of Fetal Medicine Dr. Kypros Nicolaidis, wanted to visit the Alks boarding school and was photographed there, recalling memories and experiences he lived during his student years when he arrived from Paphos to Nicosia to study at The English School, from the 4th grade onwards. He shared with us some amazing stories of his time at the boarding school!