The International School of Brussels
COMMUNITY UPDATE ISSUE 3 – 2 OCTOBER 2026
DIRECTOR’S UPDATE
Dear Community, ISB is renowned for the wide range of powerful learning experiences our students experience across the school. These last few weeks have been no exception as activities from STEM to the arts have provided opportunities that help our students develop their skills, confidence, and understanding of the world around them. Last week, 130 Middle School students enjoyed two dynamic days of Music Retreat at the Destelheide Cultural Centre, developing their musical skills, exploring their creativity, and growing in confidence as performers. From rehearsing and learning together to sharing their love of music, it was a wonderful opportunity for students to step outside the classroom and experience the power of making music as a community. At ISB, we value the arts as an important part of the learning experience, providing students with opportunities to discover their talents, express themselves, and grow both as individuals and performers. This week, students in Senior Elementary and above had the opportunity to hear from British speaker and author Joshua Coombes, founder of the global kindness movement Do Something For Nothing. Joshua shared how a simple decision to offer free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness grew into a worldwide movement.
Through his work — and the powerful stories of the people he has met along the way — Joshua challenged our students to see the world through a lens of empathy and to consider how they can make a difference in the lives of those around them. His message was a powerful reminder that we all have something to give, and that positive change can start with something as simple as noticing someone who needs a helping hand. As you may already know, students at ISB participate in MAP Growth, an external assessment used by schools around the world. Most students in Grades 2–10 take the mathematics assessment and, depending on their grade level, may also complete assessments in reading or language usage. MAP Growth is an adaptive assessment, meaning the difficulty of each question adjusts in real time based on a student’s responses. This gives us a detailed picture of each student’s current learning level and allows us to track their progress over time. Most importantly, the results provide teachers with valuable insights that help inform instruction and support every student’s continued growth. You will have received communication from your child(ren)’s school section regarding the first MAP Growth results of the year. Instructions for accessing these results are included below in this newsletter. On 5 October, we mark World Teachers’ Day, recognising the role teachers play in students’ learning and development. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, which established international standards for teachers’ preparation, responsibilities and working conditions. The 2026 theme, “Standing with teachers,” highlights the importance of supporting teachers so they can meet students’ changing needs. At ISB, this means knowing our students well, providing appropriate challenge and support, and helping them develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to take the next steps in their education. I would like to thank our teachers for their commitment to our students and our parents for the partnership that supports this work. I look forward to the many more opportunities for learning and growth that lie ahead, and thank you for your continued support of our students and our school. Best regards, Dr. Allan Weston ISB Director
ATHLETICS Good afternoon, Raiders! It’s your ol’ mascot, Loup, back with a wolftastic community update! Fall Season is flying by so fast I’ve nearly lost my tail chasing it! Can we please slow it down? I’m having way too much fun! This weekend is a BIG one, Pack! We’re hosting JV and Varsity Girls’ and Boys’ Soccer and Volleyball against ASL and ASP, plus an American Football game against SHAPE on Friday at 19:00. Come loud, come proud, and bring your best howl! Want to stay on top of every score and headline? Paw your way over to The Den for all the latest Raiders action. One more thing I’m pawsitively obsessed with: the Raiders Academy. It’s all about empowering student-athletes to take active ownership of their growth, goals, and athletic journey. Registration is open to all students and athletes ready to learn to train and recover intelligently, handle setbacks, protect their energy, and stay driven long after the season ends. Want to join or hear more? Get in touch with Coach Burrows. Last but definitely not least: HOMECOMING IS IN TWO WEEKS. Awooooooo! We look forward to seeing you cheering on our Raiders teams, enjoying the food trucks, checking out the vintage sale, and so. much. more!
It’s great to be a Raider. Loup
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BSA Spooktacular Trunk-or-Treat SUNDAY - OCTOBER 18, 2026 10am until 11:30am
r o f s e Priz ! s r a C d e t a r o c e D t s Be
T r e a ts f o r th o s e i n c o s tu m e !
All BSA families & frie n are invited! Sign up H ds ERE Questions? Email office@bsasports.org
The Fall season is underway! With lots of sunshine and mild temperatures, it’s fun to see the campus so active and vibrant with warm colours. We offer all day supervision during the Learning Conferences on Thursday, 8 and Friday, 9 October for students from Preschool to Grade 6. The price is 70 EUR for the day, from 08:30 - 17:00. To sign up, please use the ad hoc form. The deadline to register is Monday, 5 October. Come and join the supervision team for fun and relaxing activities!
ISB ARTS Our students are heading to London for two incredible opportunities to learn, perform, collaborate, and be inspired!
IB TAPS Symposium | 5 - 7 October Our IB Theatre students are taking centre stage at the IB Theatre Symposium at the Lyric Theatre. Across three immersive days, they’ll work with practising theatre professionals, explore the IB Theatre course through hands-on experiences, share ideas, and connect with young theatre-makers from around the world. From collaborative creation and staging play texts to world theatre traditions and bringing theory to life through performance, it’s a fantastic opportunity to experience theatre beyond the classroom.
AMIS Jazz Festival | 7 - 11 October Our Grades 9 - 12 musicians are joining the AMIS Festival & Jazz Skills Workshop, coming together with young musicians from around the world for days filled with music-making, collaboration, and creativity. The auditioned Honor Big Band and Honor Vocal Jazz Ensemble will take centre stage, while non-auditioned participants will develop their skills through the Instrumental & Vocal Jazz Workshops – building confidence, deepening their understanding of jazz, and making connections along the way. We can’t wait to see what our students discover in London!
On Tuesday, our students met speaker and author Joshua Coombes and learned how something as simple as offering a free haircut to someone experiencing homelessness can be about so much more than a haircut. Taking the time to sit with someone, talking, listening, and treating them with dignity can help someone feel seen again – and sometimes, a small act of care can be the beginning of a new chapter. Students were impressed by the stories of the people he has met along the way and reflected on ways to look beyond assumptions, to connect with others authentically, and to recognise that homelessness and hardship can affect people from all walks of life. It could be any one of us. His message was a powerful reminder that we can all make a difference. Sometimes, change begins with simply noticing another person, sitting beside them, and offering what we have to give.
HEALTH OFFICE
Seasonal Gastroenteritis Information Sheet What Is Gastroenteritis? Gastroenteritis (also known as the stomach flu) is an infection that causes vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and sometimes fever. It’s usually caused by viruses (like norovirus or rotavirus), but can also result from bacteria or contaminated food.
Common Symptoms Symptoms usually last 1 to 3 days, but can last longer in some cases. Nausea and vomiting Diarrhea (loose or watery stools) Stomach cramps Mild fever Headache or body aches Fatigue and loss of appetite
How It Spreads Even tiny traces of vomit or stool can carry the virus. Contact with an infected person Touching contaminated surfaces or objects Eating or drinking contaminated food or water
Prevention Tips Wash your hands often with soap and warm water – especially after using the toilet or before eating. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (door handles, counters, bathroom areas). Avoid sharing utensils, cups, towels, or food when someone is sick. Stay home if you have vomiting or diarrhea. Cook food thoroughly and keep it at safe temperatures.
Treatment and Care There is no specific cure – most people recover on their own with rest and fluids. Stay hydrated: Drink water, clear broths, or oral rehydration solutions (like Hydralyte or Gatorade). Eat light foods (plain rice, toast, bananas) when you can tolerate solids again. Avoid dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and greasy foods until you’re fully recovered. Seek medical advice if symptoms are severe, persistent, or if you notice signs of dehydration (dry mouth, dizziness, little or no urination).
When to Stay Home To prevent spreading the illness: Stay home for at least 24 hours after your last episode of vomiting or diarrhea.
Remember Gastroenteritis is very contagious, so staying home and practicing good hygiene protects you, your family, friends, and coworkers.
Lots to Look Forward to with the Family Association! There’s plenty happening in our Family Association community, and we’re excited to have some great events coming up! At the heart of the Family Association is building community by creating opportunities for families to connect, get to know one another, and share experiences beyond the school day. Our upcoming events are all about bringing people together and making those connections happen.
Lunch at YAYA A chance to develop relationships and enjoy delicious food together.
William Kentridge Museum Tour Our first visit filled up quickly, so we’re delighted to be offering a second museum visit!
Delvaux Visit Cultural visit to Delvaux L’Arsenal, where Belgian heritage, craftsmanship, art, and creativity come together.
Whether you’re joining us for lunch, exploring a museum, or simply looking for a chance to connect with other families, we’d love to see you there! For all the details, dates, and sign-up information, check out the Family Association website and keep an eye on the WhatsApp groups for the latest updates and reminders. Come along, get involved, and be part of the community – we can’t wait to see you!
ISB Parents are automatically members of the ISB Family Association, and we encourage ALL parents to join us for learning, fun, and friendship.
IMPORTANT
MAP Results (Fall 2026)
Over the last couple of weeks, we have completed our Fall MAP testing. Results are now available in PowerSchool; these instructions explain how to find them. Most students in Grades 2 - 10 take the MAP Growth. The assessment adapts to each student’s responses and helps us understand their learning and track progress over time. Results are reported as RIT scores, which allow us to measure growth across grades. They are one of many sources of information teachers use to plan learning. For help interpreting the results, please see our video, slides, ISB MAP Q&A, or the MAP Growth Parent Toolkit. For general questions about MAP testing, please contact Gordon Eldridge, Director of Curriculum, at eldridgeg@isb.be.
COFFEE & CONVERSATION: Inclusion and Challenge at ISB As part of a week-long focus on inclusion and challenge with invited guests and SENIA consultants April Remfrey and Laura Cox, we invite parents to join us for a special Coffee and Conversation to share their perspectives and experiences of inclusion and challenge at ISB. As we reflect on our current practices and consider our future direction, we want to hear from families about what is working well, where there are opportunities for growth, and what helps children feel included, supported, appropriately challenged, and able to thrive. Your perspective is important to us. The insights shared will contribute to a broader revisioning of our approach to inclusion and challenge across ISB, alongside the perspectives of students, faculty, staff, and school leadership. Thursday 15 October | 15:00–16:00 We recognise that this overlaps with the end of the school day, so parents who need to collect their children are welcome to leave at 15:30, or whenever they need to. If you would like to take part, please sign up here. More information about the location will be shared with participants soon.
BUS SERVICE MOBILITY SECURITY New Late Bus Route (Test Phase) – South Uccle, Rhode-Saint-Genèse & Waterloo From Monday, 12 October 2026, ISB will introduce a pilot Late Bus service providing new coverage towards South Uccle, Rhode-Saint-Genèse, and Waterloo. Two additional departures will operate at 17:20 and 18:15, following Chaussée de Waterloo with designated stops along the main route. The service is designed to bring students closer to their home area or to a strategic public transport connection. As with the existing Late Bus service, it is free, shared, and unsupervised, for Grade 5 and above, from Monday to Thursday. It is not a door-to-door service, and students must be able to travel independently. This route will initially operate as a pilot, with its continuation depending on sufficient and regular usage. Registration is required. Families wishing to use the service must register their child via the Late Bus Access Form, and consult the Late bus user guide and Late bus routes and stops.
IT NEWS
The Odoo Platform can now be accessed on the ISB Community Portal. What is Odoo and what is it used for? Odoo is useful for fee-paying parents/guardians who can now view invoices, track their status, and pay invoices by credit card directly on the platform. This is optional, as all parents will also continue receiving invoices by email. Current ISB parents can use Odoo to launch a new ISB application, should they want to enrol another sibling to ISB. Further instructions on how to link your current ISB Parent account to the Odoo platform will be sent in the next invoicing email (where applicable), and are available on the Community Portal. For any questions related to your parent account, please contact ithelpdesk@isb.be. For any questions regarding invoices and payments, please contact accounting@isb.be.
This fall ISB is organising tailored Open Day Events to show parents who are new to Brussels or interested in changing schools what our programmes and community have to offer. In-Person Open Day | Wednesday, 7 October 2026 (13:00-16:00 CEST) Virtual Open Day | Wednesday, 21 October 2026 (14:30-16:00 CEST) Should you have any family members or friends who are curious about ISB, invite them to learn more about personalised learning and to meet our team! Registrations via the form here.
Kattenberg 19 B-1170 Brussels Belgium +32 2 661 42 11 reception@isb.be www.isb.be