International School of Belgrade

COVID-19. Because it’s the right thing to do …mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, open-mindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.                   Dr. Abdu Sharkawy We all know that Covid-19 is coming to Belgrade sooner or later. As a school, we are prepared for it. But, all the information points to the fact that the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. Most research shows that if our children become infected, it will be a milder version than adults.   So, why do we have our action plans in place at ISB? Of course, we want to protect our children and our community. But, more than that, we do so because our values as an international school mean we have a duty to protect the wider community too. We are an...

Julia joined ISB as a PYP grade 4 teacher in 2016. She is a US citizen and earned her BA degree in Elementary Education from the Washington University and an MSc from Lesley University in Massachusetts. Most recently, she has worked at the Bilkent Laboratory International School in Ankara, Turkey, as a PYP grade 4 classroom teacher. Prior to Turkey, she worked at the German European School of Manila in the Philippines, and several schools in the state of Maine in the USA. Hear more about Julia's work at ISB in the video above.

Parent Workshops in the Primary School of ISB By Warren Bowers and Bobbi Netzel One of the keys to a successful school is a positive relationship between home and school. Many things contribute to this, including an inviting physical environment, a strong and supportive Parent-Teacher-Association, connections on social media, and open communication at all levels. Parents Information Sessions, or Parent Workshops, have been implemented with varying degrees of success in many schools across the globe. In the Primary School at ISB, our Parent Workshops are very well attended, have high energy and we receive positive feedback from the parent community. SO, what makes them successful? For the Parent Workshop to be successful, there have to be parents in attendance. We can’t ‘make’ parents come, so we need to create an atmosphere where they want to come. Below are some things that we believe make our Parent Workshops well-attended, interactive, enjoyable and positive. Firstly, p...

Branka has worked at ISB for over 20 years in a variety of leadership roles: MYP Coordinator, DP Coordinator and Head of Humanities Department, as well as Pamoja Education IB Site-Based Coordinator and DP Extended Essay Coordinator. An experienced and passionate educator, Branka works with the IB as a team member of IB evaluation visits to international schools around the world. For the last 12 years she has also worked as a workshop leader for the IB in training Heads of Schools, Principals and Coordinators and is a IB Field representative. Branka obtained her Bachelor's degree from the University of Belgrade Law School (International relations) and is a teacher of French language. See the above video to hear about Branka's work with our students here at ISB.

James Kaunhoven is currently teaching Grade 3 here at ISB. James joined ISB in 2019 having previously been teaching Grade 2 at Hanoi International School in Vietnam. Originally from the UK, James began his professional career as a successful sales manager, before discovering his love of teaching in a room of 55 (yes 55!) Grade 1 students in a school in China! He has also gained experience and training in Grade 5 at the United Nations International School in Hanoi. James earned his BA Honors degree from The Open University in the United Kingdom in the field of Social Sciences. He obtained his Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from Sunderland University and is currently studying for his Masters in Education. See the above video to hear about James' work at ISB and delivering the Primary Years Programme.

They say that music is the international language and they are right. February 5-9, 2020 saw The International School of Belgrade’s upper school campus double in size as we welcomed 130 students, directors and chaperones for the annual Middle School CEESA Choir Festival. The music festivals are a unique part of CEESA as they are the only events on the CEESA calendar that are not tournaments. All students from the participating schools come together to learn the same music and sing in one final concert at the host school, showcasing friendship, dedication, and the joy that music brings into our lives. Students from eleven schools around the CEESA region met at The International School of Belgrade for three days of singing, laughing, and learning.  Many schools had been preparing for several months either in after school clubs or in the choral classroom to learn such beautiful songs as ‘Wau Bulan,’ by Tracy Wong, ‘Ad Astra’ by Jacob Narverud and ‘This Is Your Time’ by J. Norris...