Our purpose and our mission is to provide an internationally accredited education serving the business and Bergen communities.
WELCOME
Welcome to ISB’s Annual Report, which gives you a summary of the current school year, including the financial, academic and strategic outcomes.
As we are celebrating our 50th jubilee, this edition will focus on the history of the school, bringing us forward to our current status.
ISB’s mission has, since its first years of existence, been to offer an international education to the business and Bergen communities.
Here is to another 50 years, with the support of Bergen and our community.
Campuses
Throughout the existence of the school, several moves have been made to accommodate the needs of expanding student numbers and age groups.
Brattholmen 1975 - 1978
94, 5350 Brattholmen
Opened with an enrolment of 17 students in Kindergarten through Grade 3. Within three years, the enrolment grew to 56, Kindergarten through Grade 10.
Slettebakken 1982 - 2019
Shared campus with Slettebakken primary school. The school was divided between six different buildings, including the gym, the ECC and the teachers’ offices.
Laksevåg 1978 - 1982
A necessary move due to the increasing number of students. The school now also included the High School, brought together under one roof.
Sandsli 2019 - present
After renovations, both outdoors and indoors, these facilities include an inviting library, art rooms, a wellequipped science laboratory and a gymnasium.
Brattholmen
Skolegaten 1, 5160 Laksevåg
Vilhelm Bjerknesvei 15, 5081 Bergen
Sandslihaugen 36, 5254 Sandsli
Photo: Villa Brattholmen
HOW IT STARTED
June Murison
Our story begins with the discovery of oil off the western coast of Norway. Along with this discovery came the realisation that the necessary skills and expertise would have to be imported from successful oil-producing countries.
When Norwegian-American Harold Ogaard was transferred to Bergen in May 1975 to work at CCB at Ågotnes on Sotra, his American wife refused to move their three school-aged children as there was no American school in the region.
Despite there being an American School in Stavanger, as well as in Oslo, very little had been done to establish an equivalent in Bergen.
As described in his autobiography, Ogaard quickly realised that he was not the only one “who wished there was an American school in the Bergen area. Most expatriates with school-aged children and who worked in the North Sea - were in the same boat.”
But who would be willing to take the responsibility to establish such a school? And to get it up and running in just a few months? Where would the school be located and how would the premises be obtained?
With a detailed ‘to do’ list, Harold took the initiative and set out to start a school by September, using all his afternoons and weekends to work on the task.
A first meeting was had with Miles Lovelace, the Director of Stavanger American School, who was not allowed to give direct help, but offered the advice of seeking expert assistance. Ogaard then did this, reaching out to the International School Services (ISS) of Princeton as well as Dr John Sly. They coordinated recruitment of teachers and the purchasing of books and other supplies. This was made possible by important donations, totalling $35 000, from suppliers and oil companies. But where
would the new school be housed?
An old school building at Brattholmen on the island of Lille Sotra was considered the ideal location, even though it was not in ideal condition. Bergen Kommune Schools Department agreed to provide the premises rent-free for three years. However, the building, which would be known as the ‘Little Red House on the Fjord’, had been standing empty and unused for two years and needed everything: from paint, floor coverings, double glazing, plumbing, lighting, heating as well as a really good clean.
Harold Ogaard mustered an army of volunteers and, once again, called suppliers and oil companies to garner further donations of everything, from fencing material to new drapes for the classrooms. Bergen Kommune also provided 100,000 NOK to cover the majority of the repair and maintenance work.
The opening date was set for September 17th, 1975. A full Kindergarten through Grade Six programme would be offered. A teaching couple, Tom and Jane McColgan had been hired as teacher/Director and teacher, respectively.
In the school’s first three years, student numbers more than tripled, growing to 56, spread across Kindergarten through Grade 10, confirming the need for an alternative to accommodate the expatriate workers in Bergen and their families.
As the enrolment numbers grew and grade levels were added, it became obvious that a move was necessary to accommodate the growing school population and the range of classes being offered.
By 1978 it was decided that a disused school house, Damsgård skole, in Laksevåg would be the new location, allowing the school to move closer to the centre of Bergen. Again, Bergen Kommune covered the majority of the costs involved in renovating the building.
Enrolment crisis
Three years after the move, a major crisis occurred which called into question the viability of an American School in the Bergen area.
By June 1980, there were only 8 students re-enrolled for the following school year.
As a result, it was decided to start up a scholarship programme for the children of local residents. This immediately doubled the enrolment and by September, twenty-five more oil-related students turned up to swell the numbers.
At this time, the curriculum was also adjusted to incorporate UK examination courses for students in Grades Nine and Ten, adjusting to the fact that up until 1978 the majority of students came from the United Kingdom as well as the United States.
New move
Another three years passed, and once again, the school was on the move. This time to a location on the southern side of Bergen centre - Slettebakken School in Landås.
For the first time, the American School would be sharing a campus with a Norwegian public school. The move was made in the summer of 1982.
At Slettebakken, full use was made of the classrooms and other facilities provided, including a gymnasium, a science laboratory, a domestic science room and an art room. Frequent use was also made of the local ice hall and the lake and park adjacent to the school.
Everyone at Slettebakken: Students and staff posing for the traditional annual school picture in new premises in 1982.
BECOMING ISB
Once settled at Slettebakken, it was decided that, in order to reflect the more varied student body and the adjusted curriculum, the name of the school should be changed to the International School of Bergen (ISB). Its legal status as a not-for-profit foundation was also established.
Shortly afterwards, the Bergen Playgroup was incorporated into the School to become its Pre-School department.
The following year, in 1985, the school sought, and succeeded in, gaining accreditation from the European Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. A status it maintains until the present day.
Throughout the rest of the 1980’s, the enrolment varied from year to year depending on the ups and downs of the oil industry.
Financial crisis
The school was hit by a major financial crisis in 1988 when Bergen Kommune discovered that the School had not been billed for electricity and other costs for any of its years at Slettebakken.
They subsequently billed the School for just over half a million NOK, a sum far in excess of the school’s reserves, and it was only after a period of intense negotiations that the bill was withdrawn and a new contract with Bergen Kommune was drawn up. This contract ensured that the School could continue to be located at Slettebakken on a no-cost basis.
Tradition: Students and staff participating in the 17th May parade for the first time as the International School of Bergen.
ISB students are wearing red hats, carrying the new banner with the new school logo.
ISB Director Richard Gillogly on the left, walking with students.
Adapting to the needs and demands of the Bergen region and its businesses is the very fundament of ISB. It is a skill reflected in international schools all over the world, which is again reflected in the very existence of ISB.
This is the reason why the Dutch Section at ISB was established in the 1990’s. It was a direct result of the development of the Troll oil field and the need to accomodate Dutch families working for Royal Dutch Shell. This section was closed in 1998 when Shell withdrew their last personnel.
Another trend at this time was the increased interest in the school and its programmes from the local community. Many Norwegians with overseas experience wished their children to continue their education in English upon their return to Norway and many foreign residents of Bergen wished their children to benefit from the dual language education in Norwegian and English that the school could provide.
In 1991, the school adopted the International Schools Association’s curriculum for the Middle Years as the first non-pilot school. This curriculum was later taken over by the International Baccalaureate Organisation as the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme.
The adoption of the programme was done to provide a continuous and sustained programme for students in Pre-School through Grade 10. The International Baccalaureate(IB) Diploma Programme was already well-established at a local school for older students, and the adoption of the Middle Years Programme was seen as a way of providing a complete programme of international education in the Bergen area.
ISB subsequently became the first school to be officially authorised by the IB to offer the curriculum, and a number of ISB staff have been involved in many aspects of its further development to the present day.
APPROACHING FIFTY
In 2004, the decision was made to adopt the IB’s Primary Years Programme. At the same time, based on the experience of a decade of the Middle Years Programme, changes in the school management structure were made to accommodate the increasing focus on curriculum and staff development. Two deputy director positions, one each for Lower (Preschool through Grade 5) and Upper School (Grade 6 through 10), and two curriculum coordinator positions for the Primary and Middle Years Programmes were created, and filled, by a combination of in-house and international recruitments.
The school achieved authorisation for the Primary Years Programme in 2009 and the school was now an official IB World School.
In the new millennium, the school was unable to avoid the impacts of two global financial crises in 2008 and 2014, when the low price of oil influenced the level of activity in this key area of business in the Bergen
area. Both resulted in periods of decreasing student enrolment. In addition, a portion of the teaching staff joined the Union of Education Norway, which advocated for a collective bargaining agreement on their behalf which led to a four-week strike in 2007.
The resulting agreement provided teachers with a guaranteed salary and pension rights, contributing to greater stability for staff. At the same time, it introduced new financial considerations for the school, which required careful budgeting and planning in the years that followed, particularly during the global financial crises.
After more than two decades at Slettebakken, with many moves within the campus, and with increased enrolments compared to the 1980’s and 1990’s, the premises were again under increasing strain. Both the local health authorities and the accreditation agencies were increasingly critical of the quality and safety, from a health perspective, of the Slettebakken campus.
Celebrating forty years: Students and staff in 2015.
Various adjustments were made in the 2000’s and 2010’s including improved ventilation, upgraded toilet facilities and the construction of a two-classroom annex but the building was under pressure and a new solution needed to be found.
In the interim, the School rented classroom space from the newly constructed Baptist Church across the street and an arrangement was made for the School to take over the premises of the health clinic
on the Slettebakken campus when these services were relocated. This building provided office space for teachers but did not meet the demand for more learning spaces for students.
Bergen Kommune made a number of proposals for relocation of ISB to school facilities which were surplus to their own needs, but these facilities often housed schools with close local community ties and plans to close them were rescinded.
The business community was becoming more and more restless about the status of the school and became increasingly active in exerting pressure along with the School on Bergen Kommune to identify a long-term solution.
Diploma Programme
A temporary, custom-built Early Childhood Centre was constructed next to the Baptist Church and was opened in the Spring of 2011.
This provided a very happy home for our preschool students and staff until a more permanent solution was found.
In the meantime, the School was once again growing and the international business community was very interested in the School being able to offer the IB Diploma programme as this would help them to recruit more senior management personnel to Bergen. In 2009, the Board decided that a feasibility study should be conducted for the introduction of the Diploma programme. This study gave positive feedback and the process to gain authorisation was started. Authorisation was achieved in the summer of 2011, too late to enrol students in the 2011 – 2012 school year so the first students started on the two-year Diploma course in August 2012.
Unfortunately, the prognosis for student numbers proved to be too optimistic, the number of courses on offer too costly, and the programme was short-lived, being forced to close in 2014 after graduating just one cohort.
Bergen Kommune commissioned a search for a new, permanent location for the School in the mid-2010’s. The search identified a couple of plots of land close to the airport, which would require a lengthy process of planning code changes, and the premises formerly occupied by the Bergen Teachers’ College. The latter was also located in the Landås area of Bergen, a short distance from Slettebakken.
This became the preferred solution for ISB’s new home and Bergen Kommune used its buy-back rights to secure the building. Work began to determine how the building could be adapted for the school’s needs and a collaboration with architects was initiated. The facility was far too big for ISB alone, so we would have to share with a municipal department dealing with immigrants,
but the indoor and outdoor learning spaces would be for our use alone. At the same time, the health authorities, still concerned by the standard of the Slettebakken facilities, limited continued operation at Slettebakken until the summer of 2019.
However, the move to the Teachers’ College was not to be. The Syrian refugee emergency in 20152016 meant that Bergen Kommune was faced with accommodating an unprecedented influx of refugees and decided to use the Teachers’ College facility as a temporary refugee centre. The planning process was put on hold and when it was restarted some eighteen months later the parameters had changed and the possibility of being able to move by the summer of 2019 was greatly in doubt.
In the school year 2017 – 2018, it became evident that the proposed move to the Teachers’ College was beginning to falter. In the winter of that year, Bergen Kommune made a new proposal for the School’s future location – the former Statoil (now Equinor) training centre at Sandsli. This move could be achieved by the 2019 deadline.
Before becoming ISB’s new premises.
The facilities and surroundings at Sandsli were ideal in many ways: proximity to the international business community, the new light rail system and other public transport connections a short walk away, larger space indoors and out, room to grow, and the possibility to create dedicated and exciting learning spaces for all ages of students. Based on continued collaboration with Bergen Kommune, a rental contract was signed for Sandsli and the premises were acquired in 2018.
Sandslihaugen:
Photo: Bergensavisen 2018
OFFICIAL OPENING
A year later, in June 2019, ISB moved to its new home, and on a beautiful sunny morning in August 2019, the official ribbon was cut jointly by the leader of the Bergen City Council, the Chair of the ISB Board of Trustees, the former Director who had retired in 2018, and her successor.
Finally: Board chair Ekaterina Mohn, City Council Leader Roger Valhammer, Director Paul McKenzie and former Director June Murison cutting the ribbon, opening ISB’s new premises to the community’s delight.
The new premises allowed enrollment to grow and learning to flourish. However, the joy and excitement of moving to the new premises was curtailed by the arrival of the global pandemic in early 2020. As part of the pandemic control measures, the Norwegian government ordered that all schools and preschools be closed from March 14, 2020.
ISB was immediately able to move all its school students on to home-based digital learning, while continuing to provide in-house supervision of students whose parents had key societal roles. While schools reopened
partially in late April and completely in mid-May, this was on a restricted basis of operation and readiness. This continued in a variety of forms until early 2022 when all pandemic measures were withdrawn.
Since the move to Sandsli, student numbers have continued rise to new record highs. The Board also decided in 2020 to expand the preschool to include a toddler group, meaning that the premises could offer continious schooling from age 1 to 16. Due to law changes, the ECC became its own separate legal entity as of 2023.
We now have a school which is very different in just about every way. Our student body has increased ten-fold from 17 to 250 and represents nearly forty nations, not just the United States and the United Kingdom, and their parents represent every walk of life, not just the oil industry.
The school provides a programme of instruction for 1 to 16 year olds. The curriculum is international rather than American. The facilities are located at Sandsli and far larger than those at Brattholmen.
In some ways though, things have not changed. Three main characteristics have been prevalent at all stages of the school’s history: a determination to succeed, a strong community spirit and, last but not least, a pride in the endeavour.
The school still serves its original mission, setting out to provide an internationally accredited education serving the business and Bergen communities. As Bergen and its region develop and evolve, we are as relevant as ever.
As the interest in international education grows in Norway through the establishment of international schools in many locations, we believe that ISB continues to have a potential that can be further explored
through local students wishing to prepare for the future through international schooling in an English-speaking environment.
The school has a key role to play in supporting families with expertise brought in from abroad who need an educational consistency. This aligns perfectly with the region’s own national and international ambitions.
Early on: An all staff picture taken in the 1980’s.
The latest version: All staff in one picture in 2024.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Tina Pavlin
It is a great honour to serve as Chair of the ISB Board—especially during this significant year as the school celebrates its 50th anniversary.
This milestone offers a moment to reflect on ISB’s journey and to reaffirm our commitment to its future. We are deeply aware of the legacy left by previous Boards and Chairs, whose thoughtful leadership and sound planning have guided the school through both steady growth and difficult times
The Board’s Goals 2024-2025 are to:
1. Support and assist the new Director in the first year of his tenure to achieve the goals set forth by the Director in his Entry Plan,
2. Secure a long-term commitment to the rental agreement contract from Bergen Municipality,
3. (Co)develop marketing material in connection with the ISB’s 50th anniversary in 2025,
4. Establish ISB Alumni Network, provide a platform where Alumni could connect with each other, and to establish an Alumni Annual Giving Campaign,
5. Continue to increase financial reserves to strengthen and consolidate the long-term strategic future of ISB.
In the first part of the year, the Board focused on supporting the new Director’s transition into his role, following his previous position as Upper School Principal.
As part of this effort, the Chair and Director attended a governance workshop in Tromsø, where representatives from 14 international schools across Norway met to discuss the responsibilities of Boards and Directors, as well as the shared challenges facing international schools in the country.
The Board also proposed a marketing strategy in connection with the 50th anniversary.
This marketing strategy is currently being implemented by the school administration and the communications office, and we look forward to seeing its full impact over the coming months.
Financial Strategy
When it comes to our financial strategy and the longterm rental agreement, the year presented significant challenges.
In November, we were informed by Bergen Kommune that ISB’s annual per-student grant would be reduced by NOK 5.7 million starting in 2025, with further cuts expected, reaching NOK 9 million by 2028.
The Board had to act swiftly, mobilising the school community to gather letters of support and engaging directly with members of the Bergen City Government. As a result, the planned 2025 cut was reduced by NOK 1 million.
We continue to advocate for reversing future cuts and ensuring that ISB’s value is fully recognised by the municipality.
At the same time, we engaged a professional PR agency to help strengthen ISB’s communication strategy.
The goal is to raise local awareness of the school and build stronger relationships with Bergen Kommune and the business sector. A clear, consistent message—Who
Despite the financial uncertainty, the Board remains optimistic and firmly committed to ISB’s mission.
We will continue our dialogue with Bergen Kommune and advocate for the support needed to maintain the school’s quality and stability.
At the same time, we stand behind the school’s Leadership Team and are proud of the collaborative work done this year.
Together—with our families, staff, community partners, and alumni—we are building a strong foundation for the next 50 years of ISB.
and what is ISB?—will support these efforts long-term.
Progress on establishing the ISB Alumni Network has been postponed to the next school year, but remains a key ambition moving forward.
One especially encouraging sign this year has been the strong projected admissions for the 2025/26 school year.
This reflects ISB’s positive reputation for academic quality, inclusiveness, and its strong emphasis on students’ social and emotional wellbeing. It is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of the Leadership Team, faculty, and staff.
Teamwork: Board chair, Tina Pavlin and ISB Director Peter Ledger in front of the school’s outdoor climbing wall.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Peter Ledger
After 14 years at ISB, and previously having been the Upper School Principal and Deputy Director, as well as the Director of Education, I feel privileged to be given the honour to step up into the role as ISB’s Director.
Over the summer, I had been looking forward to embarking on my first year as the head of the school with great excitement and enthusiasm. Additionally, with the start of ISB’s 50th Jubilee in January, everyone was excited to embark on a year of celebrations having fulfilled our mission of serving the Bergen and business communities with internationally accredited education during all that time.
Stepping into my new role as Director, I was excited about being able to take ISB on to its next chapter. ISB is turning 50 years old this year and we have much to celebrate.
Helping the region and its businesses and institutions attract people from all over the world to share their expertise, has been our mission since we were founded back in 1975 and I feel ISB is an essential component in allowing this to continue. Our role, in addition to being an educational institution, is a place of ‘soft landing’ for families, helping to them soothe the cultural shock of arrving in a new country.
The start to the year was wonderful. My plans and ambitions of the coming school year felt within reach with a staff behind the school’s future direction, and students eager to learn. In addition to the day-to-day running of the school, I wanted to reach out and cooperate more directly with the local community.
Unforseen financial difficulties
In October, the school was thrown a curveball that transformed the school year 2024/2025 into something very different to what was anticipated. From out of nowhere,
Bergen kommune announced their intention to cut support to ISB by 5.7 million kroner (NOK). It is a testament to all members of our extended community that, not only did we manage to ride that storm for the time being, we also went on to have many notable achievements..
Through the tireless work of the Board of Trustees and the Leadership Team, along with priceless support from the staff and parent body, we were able to rally support of local politicians who understood the value of ISB to Bergen and the wider region and so were able to reduce the cuts to 4.7 million for 2025.
Prudent financial management over recent years meant that we were able to minimise the impact of the cuts. By using some reserve funding and making internal efficiencies, we were able to ensure that the every-day quality of our school was maintained.
We are now in the middle of crucial discussions with Bergen kommune to secure the long term certainty of ISB. Even with so much time having to be dedicated to our struggle with the kommune, our key goal was to allow school life to go on as normal and to safeguard the quality of education and our staff retention. This we achieved, creating a whole range of milestones along the way.
We decided that increasing our student numbers could be a way to offset our reduced the support from Bergen kommune. With a huge Open Day push, we now have enrollment figures of over 260 students for the next school year. These are our highest ever figures.
Student oppotunities and academic results
We expanded our Erasmus+ programme and, this year, we have hosted students from France, Basque Country in Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, Lichtenstein, and Italy. This has given students unprecedented opportunities for global citizenship activities.
Student survey results remain very positive, as do ISA and National Test results. We are now the home of a National chess Champion and further First Lego League trophy holders.
My favourite thing is seeing how much students grow and how comfortable they feel when they find their place. Here at ISB, everyone has their own story to tell about how they joined our community. This counts for staff, students and
other community members as well. In a way, everyone is an outsider, so there are no outsiders. Everyone fits in. There is a space for everybody. That is what an international school is all about.
ISB is determined to rise above all challenges. We are determind to celebrate our 50th anniversary in style on the 17th September 2025, with big celebrations in the pipeline. A real boost in this regard was to welcome our former Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, to ISB on the 19th of May as she toured the school to celebrate our collaboration work with Next Gen Neighbourhood Network.
The future of ISB
After a year of consolidation and, to some extent, reaction to events, it is now time for ISB to look to the future. We look forward with optimism in the understanding of the value of the school. Not only to the direct community of parents and students, but also to the Bergen region as a whole. ISB has been with us for 50 years and I am determined we will be here for the next 50.
A space for everybody: New director, Peter Ledger, believes in cooperation and mutual understanding.
ENROLMENT
Jaana Askeland
Over the past ten years, student numbers have increased significantly, especially after the school moved to new and upgraded facilities in Sandsli in 2019.
Number of student per school year 2015 - 2025
Even though we have had a fall in numbers this year, it it corresponds to our predictions. In addition, next year’s numbers are expected to be the highest yet.
The Early Childhood Centre is at full capacity with 45 students total, including both preschool and kindergarten.
18 ISB Annual Report
Number of staff according to age groups
In 2024, ISB had 58 staff members from the age of 26 - 71 years. As of the current academic year, ISB employees consist of 50 staff members working full-time and 8 working part-time.
Sick Leave Staff Representation
The sick leave for staff in the ECC and the school.
Torstein Ryland
Revenues
The enrolment predictions of 234 students were quite accurate for 2024, which is the basis for the school and ECC budgets.
The school’s revenue is split between grants from Bergen Kommune and tuition fees. Grants provide 52% of the revenue and tuition fees provide the other 48%.
For Early Childhood Centre AS (ECC) the revenue is, as the school, split between grants from Bergen kommune and tuition fees. In this case, grants provide 79% percent of the revenue and tuition 21%, the same as local barnehage. Numbers used are based on the 2024 accounting.
School revenue
42,575,251 NOK
Jaana Askeland
Looking forward to the financial year 2025, figures will reflect a 4,7 million NOK cut. However, with the obligation to pay per students grants and anticipated students numbers of more than 260, we expect that the financial secruity to be secured in the short term.
All income is either re-invested towards improving the school’s infrastructure, used to enhance student experience, to support programmes which enrich the learning experience or saved to guarantee financial stability for years to come. ISB has invested in new playground equipment for the school grounds and the ECC outdoor play area.
ECC revenue
9,251,868 NOK
Financial oversight
School expenses
The core of our expenses are related to salaries, which constitute 81% of all costs.
The remaining 19% are costs related to IT, student equipment, cleaning, heating, marketing, maintenance and professional development.
Total costs in 2024 for school is 40,391,400 NOK, with a surplus of 3,028,000 NOK, which will be reinvested in the school.
Jaana Askeland
ECC expenses
The main expense for the ECC is related to salaries which constitute 93% of all costs.
The remaining 7% are costs related to IT, indoor and outdoor maintenance and professional development.
Total costs in 2024, for the Early Childhood Center A/S, is 8,823,000 NOK. The ECC has a surplus of 537,000 NOK.
THE ECC
Alyssa Dyrdal
Our
Early Childhood Centre is something to be proud of!
• Our ability to deliver the only English-speaking preschool in Bergen; one that is rooted in the Norwegian Framework Plan and linked to the IB’s PYP to ensure smooth transitions for our students across the school.
• Our international collaboration with the Erasmus programme that brings together qualified preschool student-teacher interns from different parts of the world - learning from, and alongside, each other while delivering an impeccable early years programme unlike anything else in Bergen.
• Our calendar of celebrations each school year, which embraces all cultures and religions by lifting them up and letting them shine within the context of the families we serve. We teach about
celebrations by experiencing them: Thanksgiving, Diwali, Christmas, Eid, Ramadan, Holi, Easter, 17th May, and Pride are highlighted in the ECC every single year. We take great care in planning for exciting learning opportunities that spark joy and a sense of community for all children.
• Our collaboration within ISB and among organizations across Bergen: Duke of Edinburgh volunteering and Grade 9 Work Week, Grade 6 design, Book Week Reading Groups, and Bergen Kommune’s Frivilligbørs collaboration with local Senior volunteers are just a few ways we collaborate across the school and within the local community for an enriching and unique early childhood experience
The ECC Team: Principal Alyssa Dyrdal (thirs from the left, 1st row) with her team of early years educators.
An international melting pot, a safety net for new families in Bergen, and a unique learning environment that serves children 0-16 years.
The establishment of this school over 50 years ago is certainly one thing to celebrate, but so is the care, growth, wellbeing, and the unique learning opportunities that take place within these walls each and every day.
The ECC embodies what it means to be a community and has been an integral part of ISB since opening in 1975.
The early years programme has undergone many changes since, but has always maintained ISB’s core values while providing something special for the business and Bergen communities.
Evolving from a small kindergarten class in 1975, the ECC now enrolls toddlers to provide a more dynamic preschool programme that looks after the entire family from the child’s first day in preschool.
We provide a safe, warm, and inclusive learning environment for the youngest students at ISB. In addition, we foster a love of teaching, where we have seen many members of staff join the ranks of highly qualified teachers at our school, by pursuing their passions and furthering their education.
Our community, no matter how you look at it, is something to be proud of. That’s definitely something to celebrate!
LOWER SCHOOL
Leanne Hagen
As we celebrate ISB’s 50th anniversary, the Lower School has embraced this milestone as an opportunity to reflect on our roots, while looking ahead with energy and purpose.
This year has been marked by deepened connections, both locally and globally, in addition to a renewed commitment to living out the school’s vision of shaping the future with caring, confident citizens of the world.
With the implementation of our new Programme of Inquiry, students are engaging in transdisciplinary subject matters which encourage inquiry-based learning through curiosity and action. One exciting area of growth has been our increased focus on outdoor learning. Students now regularly explore our developing
school garden and outdoor classroom, using these spaces to connect with nature, investigate scientific concepts, and nurture a sense of environmental stewardship. These hands-on experiences foster collaboration and deepen understanding in ways that are joyful and meaningful.
Being outdoors: Hands-on experiences.
Collaboration: Problem-solving together.
Service Learning
Service learning continues to be a key part of life in the Lower School.
Our partnership with Sandsli Bo- og Aktivitetssenter has grown into a cherished tradition. Students have visited the residents to bake, play games, and share special moments—including walking together in the 17th of May parade.
These experiences offer our students lessons in empathy, respect, and the importance of community.
Collaboration
Our role as an international school has also been strengthened through collaboration. We welcomed interns from Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands this year, bringing new perspectives and energy into our classrooms.
Celebrations
Annual traditional ISB celebrations such as UN Day, alongside the student-led FundRun for FORUT, remind us of the power and importance of global citizenship and how even our youngest students can take action to make a difference.
Perhaps most rewarding times has been seeing our values lived out in small, everyday ways. Whether through thoughtful peer interactions, student-led initiatives, or the quiet care shown in our outdoor garden, Lower School students are consistently demonstrating compassion and responsibility. The spaces we’ve created, both indoors and out, are environments where children feel safe to take risks, to be creative, and to develop as confident learners.
Our
students are not only learning about the world. They are actively shaping it, one thoughtful action at a time. We are proud to be part of ISB’s 50-year legacy and excited to continue growing together into the future.
Global citizens: Student-led fundraising activitiy.
UPPER SCHOOL
Peter Ledger
In the Upper School, our real strength this year has been in the field of National and International Collaboration. Once again, this year our students have been active in the First Lego League where we again excelled by taking away the Scandinavian Innovation Award.
With the expansion of our Erasmus+ programme, the Upper School students were able to travel to our European partner schools in France, Liechtenstein and Italy to work on projects with a focus on water usage, sustainable food production and the benefits of physical activity. During the school year, ISB hosted around 100 students and teachers from our four Erasmus+ projects.
In addition, our long term project with our partners in The Netherlands, Germany, Spain and France came to its end here in Bergen when Grade 9 hosted 35 students and 8 staff from our partner schools to present the theatrical finale to the ‘Make Some Noise’ project.
We were very pleased when our first end of project report in twelve years was accepted and approved by the EU in January. The work gave fantastic opportunities for students to travel and gain a greater understanding of our continent and its peoples through close work with our partner school. Our staff went more than the extra mile in delivering these chances to our students.
Elective periods pilot project
Away from these special curriculum enhancements we have maintained our focus on optimising the learning environment for all our learners. To this end we have been running a pilot timetable for the last months of the year.
This includes elective periods allowing clubs and committees to run alongside non-academic activities to take place during instruction time. This ensures adequate breaks from academic work for all students, with the aim to optimise focus and engagement throughout the school day.
With the expansion of our Erasmus+ programme, the Upper School students were able to travel to our European partner schools in France, Liechtenstein and Italy to work on projects with a focus on water usage, sustainable food production and the benefits of physical activity.
True to tradition: The amazing cycling route from Mjølfjell to Voss highlights and concludes the grade 10 cycling unit in the PHE programme. Students must practice safe group riding skills during their 40 km decent of the Raundalen valley.
San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy Balzers, Liechtenstein
Students learned about the local delicacy truffles in Tuscany and the importance of awareness of the truffles natural habitat and avoiding over-consumption.
Arles, France
Students worked on a variety of major STEAM themes, including designing, programming and the use of AI as well as a visit to Equinor when visiting Bergen.
Obernberg, Germany
Our final visit of this project was to visit Obernberg in Bavaria. The project was all about student voice to raise awareness around issues they were passionate about. Let’s take a ride on
Focusing on water sustainability in the South of France and in Norway, students learned how water is a powerful natural resource that demands respect.
Sustainable Food Production
Focus on STEAM
STUDENT COUNCIL
Susan Lonnberg
The Student Council is composed of two elected representatives from each class in Grades 6 through 10. With two classes in both Grades 8 and 9, the Student Council consists of a total of 14 student representatives.
Executive Committee
Chair: Ellen Wang
Vice Chair: Simon Mazo
Secretary: Philip Moulton
Treasurer: Aahwaanith Sinha Roy
The group is supported by two staff members: Susan Lonnberg (counselor) and Christy Dayhoff.
In the first part of the year, the council held weekly lunchtime meetings. As of May, the Council has been integrated into the Elective program and now meets biweekly.
In addition to their Council roles, Ellen Wang and Billy Sanders represent the student body on the Coordinating and Environmental Committee (CEC), the school’s highest advisory group, which also includes teacher, board and parent representatives.
The Chair and Vice Chair regularly meet with the Upper School Principal or the School Director to share feedback and proposals raised during school council meetings.
Topics Addressed
• Spirit Day planning
• Organizing a bake sale to fund council activities
• Requests for additional basketball hoops and playground equipment
• Student input on the use of AI and screen time
• Feedback on the new school timetable
• Class-specific concerns and suggestions
• Discussions surrounding the Student Environment Survey and the Code of Conduct
COMMUNITY COVE
Juliet Crossley-Nilsen
The main focus of any librarian is, of course, to encourage and support reading. However, once reading is learned, the Community Cove offers to take our students on a journey to enrich and deepen understanding and learning through reading.
There are several types of reading. These are the love of reading, reading for knowledge and reading for research. These are important skills that are learned to support their journey.
Through reading, research, academic honesty and digital citizenship, with the help of student ambassadors and parent volunteers in the Community Cove, we are able to have a guiding positive impact on our students, their lives, both locally and also globally. Our diverse and up-to-date library collection reflects the school, its students and our community.
Types of reading: Ms Crossley-Nilsen’s main focus is to encourage and support student reading.
Collaborations
The Community Cove holds a large selection of English books from the UK and Norwegian books purchased locally, and books donated by the Norwegian government. Norwegian Language teacher Linda Maudal and I are currently working on a collaboration project with the Norwegian government.
The Community Cove instigates and supports collaboration through learning with the Model United Nations (MUN). Again, this year, ISB had a very successful trip to the International School of Stavanger. We have steadily increased our membership and, since our return, we have also held our own MUN, which includes students taking on roles of lobbying and debating. Our next MUN session is coming up shortly, and students are currently involved in research for their countries and writing their resolutions and speeches.
A huge thank you goes out to our dedicated student Community Cove Ambassadors and also to our parent volunteers. We thank you for all the work that you have done this year and look forward to working together again with you during the next school year.
The Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) at the International School of Bergen plays an essential role in building a strong and inclusive school community.
The year began with the ever-popular Welcome Back Barbecue, always a fun event where ISB families gathered to reconnect and welcome newcomers. In October, the Lower School Halloween Party offered a fun-filled afternoon of costumes, games and delicious food , all made possible by the enthusiasm of our parent volunteers. December’s Christmas Craft Fair was another highlight, with handmade gifts, treats, and holiday spirit shared by all.
Rounding out the year was the Teacher Appreciation Lunch, where families expressed their gratitude
through delicious homemade dishes, celebrating the dedication of ISB’s teachers and staff.
Beyond events, the PTO made a lasting impact through various fundraising initiatives. Thanks to the generosity and participation of the community, the PTO was able to support several grade-level and student-led projects. These included contributions to the Green Thumbs Committee, enhancements to playground equipment, and funding for special school trips that enriched student learning beyond the classroom.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the PTO members for their time, energy, and unwavering commitment. Their efforts truly embody the spirit of partnership and make a difference in the daily life of our school.
At ISB, learning is facilitated by a team of dedicated, skilled, inquiry-based educators and pastoral staff devoted to creating an inclusive, supported, joyful environment.
THANKS
Thank you for showing interest in the every day life and operations of International School of Bergen.
We believe that learning starts a lifelong process of inquiry that develops skills, competencies and transferable conceptual understanding in authentic real world settings.
There is an integral focus on the character of the individual, their collaborations within the community, having agency and taking action in a changing world.
Our vision is to shape the future with caring and confident citizens of the world.
