Think back to 1956. Lycée Maria Assumpta emerged. It rose in the Mutsaard neighborhood of Laeken. The Sisters of Christian Schools of Vorselaer founded it.
Lycée Maria Assumpta played a vital role. It helped develop the Mutsaard area. Other schools like Jan-van-Ruusbroeckollege also contributed. Maria Assumpta Lyceum is its Dutch-speaking counterpart. Lycée Maria Assumpta stands as the northernmost French-speaking school in Belgium. It includes a primary and a nursery school.
Initially, Kristus-Koning opened as a primary school in 1927. It welcomed both boys and girls. Gradually, the school split. Christ-Roi became the boys’ school. Maria Assumpta became the girls’ school.
The Lycée Maria Assumpta started as a girls-only school. It initially offered modern humanities. Ancient humanities followed in 1962. The French and Dutch sections separated in 1963. Sister Simone became the director of the French section. In 1970, the school became an archiepiscopal college. It fell under the Archbishopric of Mechelen-Brussels. Lycée Maria Assumpta became co-educational in 1979. It adopted a renovated curriculum.
The school consists of two buildings. The older building at 115 Avenue Wannecouter dates back to 1956. The newer building at 76 Avenue Wannecouter dates to 1992. It expanded in 2008. A large statue of Maria Assumpta adorns the facade of the older building. It shares this building with the primary school.
Lycée Maria Assumpta upholds specific values. These are known as the assumptian values. It is one of the few Brussels schools with a uniform. The colors are navy blue and white.
The school offers four main options. These are Latin, sciences, science-economics, and expressive arts. Numerous other options become available from the fifth year. Dutch is compulsory throughout the curriculum. English is compulsory from the third year.
Students present their final year projects. This is in addition to the CESS. Fifth-year humanities students create a poetic montage. They arrange known poems. They stage and set them to music. A public performance concludes this project.
Several notable figures attended Lycée Maria Assumpta. Yannick Ferrera is one. He coaches Omonia Nicosia. Michaël Vossaert is another. He serves as a Brussels deputy.
The school has unique organizations. A student council brings together motivated students. They work on various projects. These include student mornings and exam schedules. They also handle material purchases. A solidarity group organizes events. These include Oxfam breakfasts. They also support the Djuma orphanage. They sell peace modules. They host great witness week.
The school has a Young Oxfam store. It sells fair trade Oxfam products during breaks. It raises awareness about North-South issues.
There are three theater groups. These are for students, alumni, and teachers. The student theater group formed in 1985. The lycée organizes a student cabaret every two years.
Students participate in the Mathematics Olympiad each year. Many students reach the semi-finals. Some reach the finals. There was a finalist in the Biology Olympiad in 2015. Lycée Maria Assumpta fosters well-rounded development.