Life at ISB is filled with memorable moments. For our students, staff, and parents, each day brings new adventures, whether in the hallways, in the classrooms, or outside in the yard. We asked our administrative staff to share stories about their experiences at ISB with the following challenge: they could only use six words to do so. What emerged were personal experiences that speak to the heart of who we are as a community: compassionate, international, connected, and full of laughter. We hope you enjoy reading these six word stories, and that you will share your own; email them to Communications Director Christina Hultholm (chultholm@isbrooklyn.org) and we may include them below.

Just enough for a bear hug. 

Kay Dixon, on her first year working at ISB

“When I say this, I am telling the story of the kindness and warmth that I felt right from the start. I am telling the story of the relationships that I have made here, both with the students and my fellow staff members. It has felt like a nice bear hug.”

Brand new student, Bonjour, Hola, Hello.

-Eliot Osorio, on making everyone feel welcome

“I sit at the front desk, and whenever I see a new face, I try to say hello in all three languages. Some of our new students enter ISB with little English, and I want to make sure everyone feels welcome from the moment they walk through the door.”

“What are empanadas?” “Bread covered meat.”

-Jasmine Little and Rotana Suy, on an overheard student conversation

Jasmine Little explains, “Rotana and I overheard this conversation between two students in the cafeteria while we were working in our office.  Butter Beans was teaching a cooking class on making empanadas. When one student asked what an empanada is, another responded simply, “bread covered meat”. It was simple and hilarious, and it really captured our students’ curiosity and creativity. As they expanded their cultural knowledge of Latin American cuisine, our students shared their knowledge with each other in very basic but meaningful terms.”

“This was one of the funniest moments last year. We were laughing about it for a while. It still makes us laugh,” Rotana says with a smile.

Teacher approachability – shaping individuals – cultural knowledge

-Sandra Bueno, on learning at ISB

“One of the things I value the most about ISB is how friendly and accessible teachers are to their students. The bond that students form with the teachers is amazing to me because in all my years of being in school, I cannot say that I felt at ease approaching any of my own teachers.  The teachers’ making themselves so approachable to the students helps to shape those students into risk-takers who are not afraid to be curious or ask questions, and it helps them expand their cultural knowledge. With so many cultural differences within the school, being approachable makes it easier for us to understand where people come from, expanding our own cultural knowledge.”

How do you pronounce your name? (In English)

-Christina Hultholm, on the quirks of a trilingual work environment

“Your personal history can have a big impact on how you interpret information, even when it comes to small details like how you pronounce someone’s name. Two members of our PE department, Jesus and Xavier, are good examples of this. Our colleagues regularly pronounce these teachers’ names differently, often depending on whether they speak French, Spanish, or English. All of the French speakers pronounce Xavier “za-vee-ay”, while the English speakers tend to call him “ZAVE-yer”. Likewise, Jesus is alternately called “hey-ZEUS” or “GEE-sus”. Both of them seem happy with either version of their names, but this speaks to how ISB’s internationalism is felt at all levels.”


We are always moving and improving.

-Alan Sze, on moving offices

As ISB continues to grow, one can certainly say that our school is moving forward, but Alan Sze was referring to moving in the literal sense. “Since I started at ISB in 2010, I have moved my desk or my workspace countless times.” Alan has moved from building to building and floor to floor as ISB has expanded and undergone renovations. “This is a good thing, it means we are constantly changing and striving for improvement, even if it means that I have to pack and unpack more than a world traveler.”

The photo above shows Alan working in his eighth office location (in six years working at ISB). He’s looking forward to moving into his permanent office space on the Lower Level of the West Building!

One idea. Two lives. Three languages.

-Rebeccca Skinner, on the history of ISB

Head of School Rebecca Skinner tells the history of ISB with her six words, a story of one idea: to build a language immersion, international school. Her idea to create ISB was largely motivated by her desire to have such a school for her own two children. “Thanks to ISB, my children will graduate from 8th Grade as trilingual students, something I could not have given them without the ISB experience.”

She is better because of ISB

Sonya H., mother to Samirah

“I can’t even begin to put into words how much better she is. She is open to cultures and ideas that I would have never exposed her to. Children who are open to other cultures and ideas grow up to be adults who are open to other cultures and ideas, and the world is a much better place.”

Write your own six word story about an experience at ISB, and send an email to chultholm@isbrooklyn.org to share it with us!