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The British International School of Brussels

Dec11
2011 Leave a Comment Written by admin

The British International School of Brussels is an independent, co-educational day school for students from 3 to 11 years old. BISB is accredited by the Council of British International Schools. BISB was founded in 2000 and has a student population of around 120 that represent over 30 nationalities. The school has a student/teacher ratio of less than 10:1; the average class size is less than 16. BISB has a 180 day school year.

image: Matthew Black

Facilities
The school has two buildings: the Infant School is in one building, and the Junior School is in the other. Both buildings are not far from the city center. Facilities include large classrooms, interactive whiteboards, laptop computers, playgrounds, music rooms, libraries, and specialist language rooms.

Curriculum
The British International School of Brussels uses the British National Curriculum with a few modifications to fit the international student population. Courses are taught in English and support is provided for students who do not speak English as their first language. School materials support the use of the National Curriculum.

Extracurricular Activities
BISB offers a variety of after school activities including drama, jewelry making, paleontology, cooking, choir, music and sports.

Technology
BISB has interactive whiteboards, laptop computers and broadband internet. ICT is taught as a regular part of the curriculum and technology is incorporated throughout the curriculum.

Professional Development
The school provides in-service activities for the teachers.

Employment
BISB hires teachers who have experience with the English National Curriculum, as well as some international school experience. Teachers need to be an EU passport holder, married to an EU passport holder or have a Belgian work permit. The school will apply for a work permit for suitable teaching candidates who do not have permission to work in Belgium. The school pays about the Main Pay Scale for Inner London, in case you know what that is. Teachers are responsible for local taxes, however, which are higher than UK taxes. No information is given on benefits. Job openings are listed online. Teachers who are interested in working at the British School of Brussels can send their CV to the school at schooloffice@bisb.org for consideration for future openings.

Posted in British international schools, europe - Tagged , , , ,

The International School of Brussels

Oct07
2010 1 Comment Written by admin

Belgium

The International School of Brussels is a non-profit, independent, co-educational day school that was founded in 1951and provides educational services for students from Nursery through Grade 12. ISB is the oldest international school in Belgium. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. ISB offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

ISB has over 1500 students that represent 70 nationalities including local students.

Mission
The mission of ISB is to provide students with a challenging international education that prepares them for the future and helps them develop into independent learners and global citizens.

Facilities
The school is located on a 40-acre campus in the Foret de Soignes. The school’s major building project, The Common Ground Campus, is currently underway. This project includes a new elementary school, a new high school, four new gyms, new sports facilities and a new Arts and Innovation centre. This project is committed to developing a green, environmentally sustainable environment.

Curriculum
The school is organized with four divisions: Early Childhood Centre, Elementary School, Middle School and High School. ISB uses a standards-driven, integrated curriculum called the Common Ground Curriculum that is designed to develop independent learners and international citizens. ISB gives a variety of tests and examinations throughout a student’s educational career including the International Schools Assessment, the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme, the Advanced Placement examinations for students in grades 10-12, and the SAT and SSAT if requested by parents. The school offers an ESL program for students who are developing their English language skills.

Extra-curricular Activities
ISB offers an extensive extra-curricular program. The program, known as ISBPlus, offers in-school and after-school activities for students. Activities include arts, sports and academics that are organized by season. Students can enroll in several activities each season. The school has the largest athletic program in Europe, and students engage in competitions with other schools in the region.

Technology
ISB has a 1-1 laptop program that function in a wireless environment. The school has a Teaching and Learning with Technology project. All students in the school have access to technology that is appropriate for their age. Early Childhood Centre students have access to digital cameras, tablet computers and educational games. Students from grades 3-5 have individual tablet computers for use in the classroom. Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum. Students from grade six and up have their own tablet computers that they can use in the classroom and at home. Teachers are given tablet computers and are trained to integrate technology in the curriculum.

Professional Development
ISBs is committed to professional development. They have a comprehensive professional development program through their Professional Learning Institutes.

Employment
ISB wants teachers who are committed to professional development, comfortable working with students who do not speak English as their first language, use a variety of teaching and assessment tools tailored to met the needs of the students, are adept at using technology for teaching and communication, are team players, and are interested in the development of the whole child.

While salary and benefits are not provided on the school website, the school uses comparable international schools to benchmark their salaries and benefits. It works to maintain a teacher package in the top 70% of this group. Teachers do pay national taxes, but receive healthcare and transportation benefits. The school has a pension and medical care program. Teachers tend to stay a long time due to the collegiality of the school, the comfortable housing and the many travel opportunities.

The faculty is a mix of young and experienced teachers. ISB hires single teachers, couples and families with children. The school is non-discriminatory in terms of age, sex, religion, culture and sexual orientation. New teachers go through a mentor program to help them adjust to life in Belgium and the culture of ISB. Employment opportunities are listed online.

Photo by Myrabella

About Brussels
Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the home of many European institutions. It is considered a melting pot city with a population of approximately one million. It is within easy reach of many major European cities and is known for its art, architecture and dining. French and Dutch are the official languages of Brussels, but English is widely understood. The weather is cold and damp with about 200 days of rain per year.

Posted in europe, expat employment, international schools, international teaching positions - Tagged ,

Antwerp International School

Jul30
2010 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Antwerp International School was founded in 1967. It is a co-educational day school that provides educational services for students from Pre-School through Grade 12. AIS offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma and a standard high school diploma. The Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges both accredit the school.

The school has students and faculty from over 45 different countries.

Mission
The mission of the school is to develop students who are academically disciplined, responsible global citizens with a commitment to democratic values and who are respectful of all cultures.

Facilities
The school is located on a 14-acre campus in the suburb of Ekeren. AIS boasts modern, technologically advanced facilities that include classrooms with Smart Boards and computers, science labs, computer labs, a Wi-Fi campus, a state-of-the-art fine arts building, sports fields and gyms, specialized Early Childhood facilities, three playgrounds, a cafeteria, a health services center with two nurses, and learning support facilities including speech therapy and ESL support.

Curriculum
The school offers a challenging, integrated international curriculum that is designed to meet individual student needs. The International Primary Curriculum is used with students in grades one through five. Middle school students are introduced to more independent learning activities. Students in grades 9 and 10 can take the Cambridge International Examinations and students in grades 11 and 12 can enroll in the IB Diploma programme.

Extra-curricular Activities
The school offers a range of extra-curricular activities in sports, arts, and other areas. Senior students can compete in the northeastern European league in soccer, track and field, basketball, tennis, swimming, softball and volleyball.

Technology
AIS has two computer labs equipped with Windows-based PCs. Traditional computer classes are taught in the labs; students create websites, work on animation, and develop their keyboarding skills. Teachers can also use the labs during free periods with their classes. The campus has Wi-Fi capabilities that are made use of by a third mobile lab.

Professional Development
No information is available on specific professional development activities, although as AIS is an IB World School, there are always professional development activities underway.

photo by maros mraz

Employment
The school advertises openings on their website. A downloadable brochure for teachers is also available on the website and provides teachers with a good of what life is like in Antwerp. No information is available on the school website about salaries, benefits or specific expectations for prospective teachers.

About Antwerp
Antwerp is a beautiful multicultural city that offers a high quality of living along with many recreational and cultural activities. Antwerp is home to approximately 500,000 residents. The city is an easy train ride of about 15 minutes from the school. Because of Antwerp’s multicultural population, food items from around the world are generally available. There are many bars and restaurants around the city that offer a wide variety of cuisines from around the world including Korean, Arabic, Indian and seafood. Antwerp brews over 500 types of beer, so the city is a beer lover’s delight.

Antwerp is the home of the artist Rubens and his works can be found around the city on display. The city has a number of museums featuring artists and cultural history. Antwerp is a great place to shop with malls, antique stores and items from around the world. Discos, international pop stars and classical concerts provide teachers with a great selection of entertainment opportunities.

Posted in europe, expat employment, international schools, international teaching positions
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