The Special High School and Lyceum for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Thessaloniki is located within the facilities of the National Institute for the Deaf in the Panorama area of Thessaloniki. Established in 1984, it is the sole specialized institution in the broader regions of Macedonia, Thrace, and Thessaly that offers equal secondary education for deaf and hard of hearing students. The school employs a bilingual teaching model, conducting lessons simultaneously in Greek and Greek Sign Language to cater to both students diagnosed with deafness and those who are hard of hearing.

Through various initiatives—including environmental education, cultural engagement, health education, theater arts, career guidance, and participation in European eTwinning and ERASMUS programs-the school actively seeks to engage students and foster connections with the wider community. Participation in these programs enhances students’ personalities and blosters their self-confidence in social interactions, enabling them to lead fulfilling adult lives. Additionally, collaborating with international institutions such as Turin Institute for the Deaf, national research centers such as National Centre For Scientific Research Demokritos, international training organization such as Emphasis center. We keep updating our professional skills to provide future oriented 21^st century education.

The school plays a vital role in the local educational community, working to diminish the isolation and marginalization often faced by deaf and hard of hearing adolescents. It provides them with meaningful life experiences.

Positive Practices Include:

• Provision of explanatory notes for textbooks
• Small class sizes tailored to students’ levels
• Vocational education and guidance for post-school pathways
• Utilization of specialized teaching media, including computer labs, interactive tables, tablets, and educational applications
• Involvement in school and European programs
• Experiential learning activities
• Collaboration with other educational institutions and organizations

Staff and Student Composition: The teaching staff comprises 16 educators from diverse disciplines (including ICT, Science, Mathematics, Literature, and Art), alongside social workers, a speech therapist, and a psychologist, with two Deaf educators among them. The school currently serves 27 students with varying degrees of hearing loss, including those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, and those with or without cochlear implants.

The school has previously participated in a Comenius project alongside other deaf schools from 2000 to 2003. Teachers have also engaged in Leonardo Da Vinci projects in Sweden (2005) and England (2006) focused on best practices for educating deaf students. From 2020 to 2022, it participated in the Erasmus+ program titled “My Hands Are the Mirror of My Culture.” Since 2013, the school has been involved in the Erasmus+ initiative “3D4DEAF: Promoting Digital Transformation and Social Innovation in VET for Better Access of Deaf Students to the Labour Market.” Beginning in June 2024, the school will participate in the Erasmus+ project “GreenSigns: Promoting High Quality, Digital Transformation (VR Gamification), and Green Transition in Inclusive Youth Work Practices for Youth with Hearing Impairment (or Deafness) for Improved Employability Prospects.”

Our students have the opportunity to pursue higher education, and many return to the school to support various programs and activities. Most of our students are actively engaged with the local Deaf community.

Website: http://gym-ekv-thess.thess.sch.gr/