By Nick Yates, ISB Communications
Published on Friday, June 19, 2026
As 2025-2026 has come to a close, so too have ISB’s 45th anniversary celebrations – a year-long tribute to the people, relationships, and shared experiences that have shaped our school over the past four and a half decades.
As Beijing’s first and most established international school, ISB has spent 45 years providing challenging and joyful learning while fostering thinkers and leaders empowered to serve others and make a difference. Throughout this milestone year, students, families, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the school came together to celebrate that legacy while helping shape its future.
One of the highlights of the anniversary year was the ISB 45th Anniversary Gala in March, which brought together around 400 members of the community for an evening of celebration, performances, and connection. Parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the school gathered to reflect on ISB’s role at the heart of Beijing’s international community and the generations of people who have contributed to its success.
The anniversary year invited community members to become active participants in the celebrations. Through the 45 Stories initiative, students, parents, alumni, and staff shared memories, photographs, videos, reflections, and birthday messages spanning the school’s history. Together, these contributions created a rich collection of personal stories that captured the spirit, relationships, and experiences that continue to define ISB.
For Grade 11 student Jagna I, who served as one of the student emcees at the Anniversary Gala, the celebrations offered a new appreciation for the community around her.
“The number of people in attendance allowed us to appreciate just how many people made this possible,” she said. “Being part of this community is being part of something bigger. We are responsible for making it better and honoring where we came from.”
Service was another major theme of the year. Through the 45 for 45 initiative, members of the community logged more than 2,600 hours of service supporting causes across Beijing and beyond. The project highlighted the many ways ISB community members seek to make a positive difference and reflected the school’s enduring commitment to leadership and service.
In the final weeks of the school year, an anniversary exhibition brought together photographs, artifacts, community stories, and examples of service from across the 45th anniversary celebrations, offering visitors an opportunity to reflect on the school’s history and the people who have shaped it.
The anniversary year also looked ahead. During ISB’s 45th year, the school launched ISB Annual Giving, a new annual fundraising campaign that brings together families, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the school to support opportunities that enrich learning and enhance the student experience.
At the heart of the initiative is the Annual Fund, which raises financial support for projects and ideas beyond those covered by tuition. Funds help enhance learning spaces and access to new technologies, bring visiting authors, artists, and experts to campus, expand student leadership and well-being initiatives, support innovative programs beyond the curriculum, and enable professional learning opportunities for teachers.
While launched during the anniversary year, ISB Annual Giving is intended to continue as an ongoing part of school life. By creating a sustainable culture of giving and community support, the initiative will help strengthen opportunities for students for years to come.
Yun Li, an Elementary School Chinese teacher retiring from ISB this month after 26 years at the school, reflected on both the changes she has witnessed and the qualities that have endured.
“ISB has changed enormously since I first arrived – the campus has grown, the programs have evolved, and generations of students have come and gone,” she said. “But what has remained constant is the sense of community and the commitment to helping every student thrive.”
The anniversary celebrations, she added, were a reminder of “just how many lives this school has touched, and how fortunate I've been to be part of that story.”
While the anniversary celebrations have now concluded, the values they honored remain as important as ever.
“Celebrating 45 years wasn't only about looking back,” Yun reflected. “It was also a reminder that each generation leaves the school stronger for those who follow, and I’m excited to see where ISB goes next.”
The past 45 years have been defined by learning, connection, service, and community. As ISB looks toward its next chapter, those same qualities will continue to guide the school and inspire the people who make it such a special place.