Student Spotlights: Spotlight On Our Student Sanidu

Student Spotlight: Spotlight On Our Student Sanidu

Friday, 25 February 2022

This week, we spotlight our eleventh-grader Sanidu, who joined ISR in grade 6. Sanidu is a hard-working, kind-hearted, and charismatic young man who has a bright future ahead of him. His teachers comment not only on his continual efforts to achieve good marks in his IB subjects but also his effort to grow through his studies and school experience. His recent interest in Economics at school has led him to explore options to study Finance or Business Management at Universities in Europe. Sanidu’s academic coordinator adds “We look forward to supporting him with these applications in year two of the IB Program.”

His CAS teacher, Mr. Urban, who has known Sanidu for many years, and has led several class trips that Sanidu has been on says, “It was always a fun time!” As part of his CAS classes, Sanidu takes part in the Big Brother/Big Sister Program that supports younger students in their daily life routine at ISR. In this role, his caring nature is a true role model for the younger students. “Sanidu is a very friendly student with a proactive attitude who never seems to be in a bad mood.” his CAS teacher adds.

We are very proud to spotlight Sanidu, one of ISR’s many outstanding students!

Every Friday, our Student Spotlight Project aims to highlight one of our outstanding students who represent our school motto, “we enable great minds and strong characters”. No matter if it is academic success, special commitment, or outstanding character traits – we look forward to sharing each of these success stories.


Visit of Managing Director International Business of the IHK Düsseldorf

Visit of Managing Director International Business of the IHK Düsseldorf

Friday, 18 February 2022

We were especially pleased to welcome Mr. Ralf Schlindwein, in his role as Managing Director International Business of the IHK Düsseldorf, to ISR last week.

With the visit of Mr. Schlindwein, we continue our successful series of lectures at ISR this year. He had the opportunity to tour the school campus, led by our grade 10 students Jasmin and Lara.

Afterwards, Mr. Schlindwein held an interesting lecture with the topic “Current Challenges for German Companies in Foreign Business” to our Upper School Students. The talk was followed by a Q & A session, during which the students posed interesting and well-informed questions. Mr. Schlindwein gave generously of his time with his engaging presentation and inspiring responses to our senior students’ questions during and after the lecture. We are grateful to Mr. Schlindwein for his time, and for sharing his experience and knowledge with our students on Friday.

Thank you, Mr. Schlindwein, for your time and the exciting presentation – our school community was very grateful to welcome you to our ISR!


Our Path to a Greener Future: Zero-Emission School Bus Transportation at ISR

Our Path to a Greener Future: Zero-Emission School Bus Transportation at ISR

Friday, 18 February 2022

In cooperation with our partner, the Düsseldorf-based transport company Zweelo, our students will now travel sustainably on three routes to school every morning and in the afternoon. Subsequently, we will cut down on more than 4 tons of CO2  emissions within a year compared to the previous transport!

For us as an educational institution, imparting sustainable environmental awareness is an essential part of our ISR school life, which is why our students also deal with these important and future-oriented topics in the classroom. As a school, it is essential for our students to see our environmental efforts first-hand, which is why we recently expanded our rooftop solar panels to lay emphasis on the use of green power in our day-to-day lives.

In addition, our students have the enriching opportunity to get involved in sustainability at their school through various CAS and SLO® projects. They also have the opportunity to engage in interesting experiments in their biology classes, such as making paper from banana peels.

With Zweelo as a sustainably-oriented cooperation partner, we link together in projects that have already been implemented and have had an impact at ISR in terms of improved environmental awareness.

It is our goal to lead by example with our school community, and therefore we are especially pleased to take another step towards a sustainable future with the launch of emission-free student transportation.

Press Release (GER)

Student Spotlights: Spotlight On Our Student Gabriela

Student Spotlight: Spotlight On Our Student Gabriela

Friday, 18 February 2022

This week, we spotlight our eleven-grader Gabriela, who joined ISR in Grade 9. Gabriela is a friendly and responsible young woman who is both approachable and reliable. She is a hardworking student who performs her responsibilities with thoroughness and conscientiousness. As the leader of the Editorial Team in the digital student magazine, O.U.T., she has collaborated with peers and staff and produced excellent work. In the process, she showed not only her leadership qualities but also her ability to work in a team. She is extremely creative and this is also reflected in the magazine.

As part of the IB program, Gabriela participates in CAS classes and has engaged with several projects. She is involved in the ISR SLO department as a Senior Prefect in the Management Department, co-coaching the SLO Sports Club for grade 2 students and engaged in the Rhine Clean-up project with the Brazilian Community. “She is a very friendly, dedicated, and determined student” her CAS teacher Mr. Urban comments. Her Economics and Business teacher, Ms. Zic adds “Gabriela is mature for her age and, with realistic expectations, sets goals that she follows through. She is always proactive in class and willing to speak her mind. I enjoy our TOK (Theory of Knowledge) discussions.”

We are very proud to spotlight Gabriela, one of ISR’s many outstanding students!

Every Friday, our Student Spotlight Project aims to highlight one of our outstanding students who represent our school motto, “we enable great minds and strong characters”. No matter if it is academic success, special commitment, or outstanding character traits – we look forward to sharing each of these success stories.


ISR setzt auf Elektro-Kleinbusse im Schülerverkehr

ISR relies on electric minibuses for school transport

Thursday, 17. February 2022

In: NGZ

pdf Artikel


ISR Neuss startet Beförderung von Schülerinnen und Schülern in Elektrobussen

ISR Neuss startet Beförderung von Schülerinnen und Schülern in Elektrobussen – Kooperation mit Transportunternehmen Zweelo auf zunächst drei Linien – Eine der ersten Schulen bundesweit mit nachhaltigem Bus-Transport – 4 Tonnen CO² Einsparung pro Jahr

Mittwoch, 16. Februar, 2022

Die ISR International School on the Rhine in Neuss und Düsseldorf hat mit dem umweltfreundlichen Transport der Schülerinnen und Schüler in Elektro-Kleinbussen begonnen. In Kooperation mit dem Düsseldorfer Transportunternehmen Zweelo fahren 21 Kinder auf drei Linien ab sofort jeden Morgen nachhaltig zur Schule und nachmittags nach Hause. Die umweltfreundlichen Beförderungs-Strecken verlaufen von den Düsseldorfer Stadtteilen Oberkassel und Niederkassel zur ISR am Konrad-Adenauer-Ring in Neuss und zurück. „So sparen wir innerhalb eines Jahres mehr als 4 Tonnen CO² im Vergleich zur bisherigen Beförderung in Diesel-Fahrzeugen“, freut sich Emil Cete, stellvertretender Schuldirektor der ISR Neuss. In die Netto-Berechnung des Umwelt-Aspekts ist der aktuelle Strommix und damit der CO²-Ausstoß bei der Stromproduktion schon berücksichtigt. Ein viertes Fahrzeug für eine weitere E-Bus-Linie ist schon angeschafft und kann bei Bedarf direkt kurzfristig ergänzt werden.

„Für uns ist es selbstverständlich, eine solche umweltfreundliche Beförderung der Schülerinnen und Schüler umzusetzen, sobald sich die Möglichkeit dafür bietet“, sagt Peter Soliman, geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der ISR Neuss. Dafür gibt es mehrere gute Gründe: „Wir wollen natürlich einen Beitrag zum Schutz der Umwelt und zur Schonung natürlicher Ressourcen leisten. Besonders als Bildungsinstitution müssen wir das für eine lebenswerte Zukunft der Kinder tun und unserer sozialen Verantwortung gerecht werden. Außerdem sind solche Überlegungen zum nachhaltigen Schultransport auch von Schülerinnen und Schülern an uns herangetragen worden. Dieses lobenswerte Engagement wollen wir natürlich unterstützen.“ Nach der Philosophie der ISR sollen die jungen Leute nicht nur akademisch auf hohem Niveau ausgebildet werden, sondern auch die Entwicklung verantwortungsbewusster und charakterlicher Eigenschaften gefördert werden. Soliman: „Und wenn sie ein solches Engagement zeigen, gehen wir einen solchen Weg mit unserem Kooperationspartner Zweelo umso lieber.“
Das neue Angebot von Zweelo bedeutet, dass etwa jeder zehnte Kilometer beim Bus-Transport von Schülerinnen und Schüler der ISR elektrisch gefahren wird. „Und wir wollen diesen Anteil so schnell wie möglich noch weiter ausbauen“, bekräftigt Emil Cete.

Zweelo lobt das Engagement der ISR für den umweltfreundlichen Transport. „Es gibt bundesweit nur wenig Schulen, die solches Engagement in Sachen umweltfreundlichen Transport der Schüler zeigen“, betont Tobias Steiner, Unternehmenslei- tung der Zweelo: „ Denn das bedarf natürlich neben finanziellem Engagement auch einer guten Planung und Logistik. Die ISR agiert hier aus unserer Sicht vorbildlich und wir sind stolz, dieses wichtige Thema in Kooperation mit voranzutreiben“.

Zweelo will nicht nur in Sachen Umweltfreundlichkeit ein Vorreiter sein. „Auch in Sachen Service für die Familien wollen wir besonderen Service bieten“, berichtet Tobias Steiner weiter. Dank der kompletten Digitalisierung des Transports in den Kleinbussen können die Eltern bei Bedarf beispielsweise minutengenau per GPS erfahren, wann die Busse je nach Verkehrslage in der Schule ankommen und wieder zu Hause unterwegs sind. „Solche Push-Benachrichtigungen zum Fahrstatus können auch aufs Handy gesendet werden. So kann man bei Bedarf immer informiert sein und seine Planung anpassen.“

Die ISR und Zweelo arbeiten seit dem Schuljahr 2020/2021 erfolgreich zusammen und setzen mit der Zusammenarbeit neue Maßstäbe für den emissionsfreien Schulbustransport in der Region.

Pressemitteilung (PDF)

Student Spotlights: Spotlight On Our Student Leonard

Student Spotlight: Spotlight On Our Student Leonard

Friday, 4 February 2022

This week, we spotlight our seventh-grader Leonard, who joined ISR in Grade 1. Leonard is an excellent role model who is a shining example of a true Ambassador of ISR. He is a kind, empathetic and respectful student who will offer help to others without being asked. He is a conscientious student who works hard in the academic field, always keeps his kindness.

Leonard has a true linguistic talent; in addition to his native Russian language, he fluently speaks English and, German, and is learning Mandarin as well as Spanish. His fourth-grade teacher Ms. Crush still remembers him well, “I was Leonard’s homeroom teacher in grade 4.  He was a clever student who enjoyed challenges.  He worked well with partners and was willing to research at home when he was interested in a topic and wanted to learn more. He was fun to teach.” Ms. McLeod, Head of Middle School, adds, “He is an exceptional student who is a role model for his peers in Grade 7! He contributes positively during class and is always willing to help another student in need. We are delighted to have a student like Leonard who represents ISR and our motto “We Enable Great Minds and Strong Characters” in such a great way”!”

We are very proud to spotlight Leonard, one of ISR’s many outstanding students!

Every Friday, our Student Spotlight Project aims to highlight one of our outstanding students who represent our school motto, “we enable great minds and strong characters”. No matter if it is academic success, special commitment, or outstanding character traits – we look forward to sharing each of these success stories.


Visit of the U.S. Consul General Pauline Kao at ISR

Visit of the U.S. Consul General Pauline Kao at ISR

Monday, 31 January 2022

We had the honor of welcoming the new U.S. Consul General for NRW in Düsseldorf to ISR last Friday. Ms. Pauline Kao assumed her duty as Consul General in the summer of 2021.

After a warm welcome from our management team, members of the ISR Advisory Board, and some kindergarteners, the Consul General was given an extensive school tour. The tour was led by our two ISR Upper School students Philipp and Marc, who will both be studying in America next year. The tour was also joined by  Head of Kindergarten – Ms. Alex Vrem-Ydstie, as well as the Academic Head Gr. 10 & 11 – Ms. Samantha McGee, who are both native US citizens.

The school tour was followed by an interesting keynote speech by the Consul General, in which she shared her personal and professional experiences with the students and invited guests. Besides about 30 students present, some former students joined the lecture via Zoom. In addition, we were pleased that some interested parents also attended the lecture.

During her talk, the U.S. Consul General emphasized that she particularly enjoys working with young people in schools, and so she took a lot of time afterwards to answer various questions from the students. Among the topics addressed were her professional career, climate change, and the protection of democracy.

At the end of the exchange, one student asked her what the profession of a diplomat was all about and what requirements one had to meet in order to be successful in this career field. In her inspiring answer, Consul General Kao highlighted three essential requirements for her: backbone, empathy, and, above all, the ability and willingness to truly listen to one’s counterpart.

Our students as well as staff members and participants of the visit were impressed by her confidence as well as her warm demeanor and her inspiring answers.

We would like to thank Consul General Kao for her visit to ISR and the time she took to share with our students. A motivating and very open lecture, which will remain among the best memories for all participants for a long time.