It’s gotta be said that one of the pillars that made our ISB/Belgian experience so remarkable was our teachers. Like each of us, many were transplants themselves which only enhanced our connection.

Today’s shoutout goes to Colin Nimmons, History teacher extraordinaire. His banter, witticisms, and long-hand chalk board missives set him in a class by himself. In case you didn’t know him, here is a brief bio (written by Nimmons) published in ISB Today several years ago…

Colin was born in Ireland (North), educated in Ireland (South; Trinity College, Dublin) and has taught in Ireland, England, France, U.S.A., and Belgium, before retiring in 2003. He was a contemporary of Edith de Rydt and Ivan Read in ISB’s heroic early days and was part of the initial History (and Latin!) faculty of the High School when it opened in 1960.

In those days, the High School was in three prefabricated buildings in what is now the front car-park. Those early years led to the school’s first ten graduates: Sandy Barcay, Tom Denegre, Check Dorney, Susan Ireland, Kevin Jones, Kasian Kalba, Denny Lyon, Howard Owens, Melissa Sutherland, and Eva Thesleff, the Class of 1962, all of whom Colin still remembers vividly.

Colin’s 1962 Yearbook Photo

Colin was also actively involved in the first meetings in 1962 and 1963, at both ISB and the International School of Geneva, which eventually led to the creation of the International Baccalaureate examination.

After three years at ISB, Colin spent a year in London and from there moved in September 1964 to the United Nations International School in New York, where he was Head of Humanities for twelve years. During this time, he participated in the establishment of the IB as the school’s sole school-leaving qualification in 1968, the first school to commit to the IB completely.

In 1977, he returned to Brussels with his wife Mary Jo (from Poughkeepsie, NY) and daughter Cara for one year – and is still here now! He succeeded Neil Goldthorpe as Head of the History Department and also taught the IB Theory of Knowledge course. He was also the Yearbook “Advisor” 20 (twenty!) times; the title “NOMAD” standing for (the kids ironically remarked) “Nimmons Only Makes All Decisions.”

Colin’s 1980 Yearbook Photo

Colin has travelled widely in Europe and the Americas and even around the world (twice!). He enjoys opera and gardening, though not simultaneously, and being an entertaining grandfather for his four grandchildren. He meets regularly with Neil Goldthorpe and David Hayward in “The 94 Club”, the combined total of their years at the History chalkboard at ISB.

He still visits the campus occasionally and looks up wistfully at where his HS Room 305 once was, more or less, recalling the hundreds (thousands?) of delightful students he knew there – all remembered in advanced stages of hilarity as they toiled their way through his traditional “four boards”, waiting to be asked “What language is spoken in Finland?”” and exactly as they yelled, “Finnish!”, the bell would magically ring and they would troop off cheerfully towards the Chaussee de la Huuuuuuulpe! Happy days!