To Parents of Students in the Eighth Grade:
The plans for the trip to Normandy are now finalized. As previously announced, the trip takes place from Monday,
June 4 to Friday, June 8. The trip is one of the highlights of the school calendar for students. As this is essentially a
week of school (with very long days for both teachers and students), all school rules apply during the trip. While
having a wonderful time in a cultural and educational context is a usual outcome of these trips, be assured that our
absolute priority and first commitment is to your child’s safety.
Among the places to be visited are a battlefield site from the Somme (World War I), the Bayeux tapestry, the
cathedral in Bayeux, Omaha Beach, the World War II museums in Arromanches and St. Mere-Eglise, and other
historic sites which will be part of the work for their social studies classes. For the French culture portion of the trip
the students will visit Honfleur (Samuel de Champlain sailed to the New World from here) and a calvados distillery.
All of this will take place in the beautiful Normandy region of France. For a physical challenge, a new component of
the trip has been added. Students will spend a half day at an adventure site where they will be given the chance to
experience a variety of outdoor activities. The trip will conclude with a visit to Amiens and its architecturally
important cathedral.
The departure time from the ISB parking lot is early on Monday, June 4. Students are to be at the Chateau parking
lot at 0700 on June 4, and are scheduled to be back at ISB between 1600-1630 on Friday, June 8. Please note that if
there is going to be a significant delay in returning we will contact the guard at the chateau to advise him of the new
arrival time. As June 8 is the day of High School Graduation - and as students have siblings graduating and our
students play in the band for this event - we are determined to be back on-time.
The cost of the trip (which was included in the second semester tuition) includes the cost of the buses, museum
entrances, overnight accommodation with breakfast and dinners in the hostels, etc. It does not include the lunches
on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Students must bring a packed lunch on the Monday, and sufficient
money to buy lunch on the other four days. Water is available with evening meals at the hostel, but if other drinks
are desired they must be purchased. Approximately 75 Euro should be sufficient.
The students will be accompanied by Middle School teachers. Travel for the entire trip will be by bus.
There will be a meeting for parents to discuss the details of each of the field trips. The grade 8 meeting will take
place at 1830 on Tuesday, May 22 in the MS Cafeteria. (We usually hold these meetings during the school day, but
are conscious of restricted parking for parents due to construction.) A brief outline of each trip will be provided as
will an outline of the expectations which chaperones will have for students on the trip. Your attendance is welcomed
and encouraged. If you are not in a position to attend this meeting and have questions, please get in touch.
While studying the culture of France students will visit a facility where Calvados is produced and may be offered a
small taste of the local product. Tasting – in a cultural, responsible context - is not to be equated with the promotion
of drinking alcohol and this is made clear to students. If you prefer that your son or daughter not taste any alcohol
please indicate this on the permission form, and also make sure that he/she understands this. This is quite easy to
manage.
The address where the students will be staying is:
Centre "Les Tourelles"
Avenue de la Libération
14960 Asnelles-sur-Mer
TEL: 00.33.2.3151.1944 (emergency only)
FAX: 00.33.2.3151.1945 (emergency only)
Students are not permitted to use mobile phones during the course of the day. In the event that you need to convey
an urgent message to your child during the day, you can always contact the Middle School General Office at
02.661.42.80.
Please note that some students may require a visa to enter France. While we have never been asked for visas on a
school trip, any student who requires a visa should have one. Students who are citizens of a European Union country
can travel on their ID cards. All other students should have a valid passport in their possession plus their ID
card. These are legal requirements.
If you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of the field trip do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Michael Crowley
Middle School Head / ISB Assistant Director
The International School of Brussels
Kattenberg 19 - 1170 Brussels - Belgium - www.isb.be
Tel.: +32 (0) 2 661 42 71 - Fax: +32 (0) 2 661 42 70