MONDAY MESSENGER

January 13, 2020

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THIS WEEK:

NEXT WEEK:

LOOKING AHEAD:

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP OUT

IS and the ISPTSA are currently seeking the following volunteers:

Click here to learn more and sign up.

PTSA NEWS

JUST THINK HOW GREAT YOU'LL FEEL WHEN YOU FINALLY JOIN/RENEW ISPTSA!

We only need 100 more members! PTSA creates community at IS. As 5th-grade parents consider IS as a choice school, we like to be able to tell them that EVERY student is supported by a PTSA member. Please help us make this happen.  Don’t see your name on this list?   Then you need to renew or sign up here . 

THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS TODAY!

For the next 60 days, you can help get legislation passed that will improve the lives of all the children in our state. Legislators know that parents vote, that we are informed, and that we will insist that children in Washington are a top priority. Legislators respect PTSA.  

Parents, please do one of the following: 

1.   Get Action Alerts  (so easy!)

During this Legislative Sessions, these action alerts are quick, easy ways to communicate with our legislators on active topics.  Click here to sign up for action alerts.

2.  Attend Focus Day in Olympia on January 20 

Click here for more info.

3.   Email your Legislator Today!

Pick a topic from PTSA's platform (or any issue you care about). Send a brief, polite email to Olympia. In the subject line, be direct, e.g. "Please support Bill number __ " or "Please support __topic." Provide a brief personal reason why this issue is important to you and what you hope they will do in response.  Keep focused on one issue per email. Ask for a response. 

Click here to find your legislators.

Click here to see slides about critical issues.

 

Click here to for information on legislation that passed and failed last year and where we stand today.

Click here for detailed fact sheets on issues.

More questions? Email ISPTSA Advocacy Chair Krista Hammer, [email protected].

ARE YOU READY?

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming February 4–7.  This is an awesome event for Middle Schoolers at IS. Our last Book Fair was in November 2018, and students are waiting impatiently for this Grand Event!

Learn about the e-wallet set-up for your student, volunteer opportunities, and the exciting books that will be available to buy at our IS Scholastic Book Fair Home Page .

CALLING ALL STUDENT ADVOCATES!

The Washington State PTA is hosting Focus Day on Monday, January 20 in Olympia.   ​That's the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday. Students will hear speakers and also attend, along with other students from Bellevue, a session with a state legislator to provide input. Parents are encouraged to accompany their student. Registration and more information can be found on the Washington State PTA website . Volunteer hours will be available from PTSA (6 hours plus time spent preparing a personal statement for the legislator meeting session). 

For more information and to register, click here .

If you have questions, please contact our ISPTSA Advocacy Chair, Krista Hammer, [email protected].

INTERESTED IN STUDENT HEALTH AND WELLNESS?

If you would like to be involved with any health and wellness issues facing our students (mental health, nutrition, and more), please feel free to attend the Bellevue PTSA Council's Health and Wellness Committee meeting today, January 13, from 9:30–11:30 AM in the Council Office, ESC West, Lower Level, 12011 NE 1st Street, Bellevue, WA 98005.

There will be more meetings, so please keep an eye on the council's calendar .

BITE OF INTERNATIONAL 2020

NEW DATE–FEBRUARY 28

Join the International School community at our annual Bite of IS fundraiser on Friday, February 28, from 6:00–8:00 PM in the IS Gym!

URGENT ATTENTION: DATE CHANGE—

Due to a school event conflict, we have changed the date of the 2020 Bite of IS to February 28, 2020.

This year, all proceeds will benefit  Water First International , a non-profit organization helping people in poor countries implement water, sanitation, and hygiene-education projects.

Ticket: $10 per person  (suggested donation)

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the front office or at the door on the day of the event.

For more info, contact Arty Christianto or parent coordinator Josephine Anderson.

Volunteers Needed for Bite of IS

We are seeking Food, Crafts, and Entertainment Volunteers for our annual Bite of IS on Friday, February 28! This event can't happen without strong community support.  We need volunteers to bring food, crafts, and/or entertainment reflecting a country, region, or heritage. 

Sign up for a food/craft booth by filling out this form.

Sign up for a performance by filling out this form.

 

Each booth host will receive one ticket for the event. 

FOCUS WEEK DONATION WINDOW NOW OPEN!



*CLICK HERE TO DONATE*

Students are not  required to pay to attend Focus Week, but we depend on parent support for the success of our activity offerings! We are working hard to reduce the cost of Focus Week by using parent drivers, public transportation, and reduced food expenditures. Focus Week expenses will be an estimated $200 per participant. Please consider donating to cover the cost of providing these enrichment opportunities. Any and all amounts are appreciated in order to make focus week successful!

Our donation drive for Focus week will run from December 16–February 28, and families can donate at  TouchBase Lite  or in person in the main office.

The exception to Fee-Free Focus Weeks is for overnight trips. Students selecting to take part in Focus Week activities that have overnight excursions will be charged for these activities. This year, overnight trips include Sixth Grade Camp (and its 11th and 12th grade counselors), the French Exchange, the Taiwan Trip, and the Mount Rainier Trip. If students take overnight trips, they will be charged a fee for the week. Scholarships are available.

ATTENTION: CLASS OF 2021

Class of 2021, click here  to sign up fo r a Junior Appointment to discuss your college list with our high school counselor. Meetings are up to 45 minutes long and for both student and parents.

IS 2020-21 LOTTERY APPLICATION IS OPEN

Applications for next year’s 6th-grade class are open this month.  All 5th-grade siblings need to fill out the online application by January 31, 2020 at 4:30 PM.  If a sibling does not apply, they will not be able to attend International School for 6th grade next year.

Please click here for more information and to apply.

WORLD LANGUAGE CREDIT TEST

International Students can test at Sammamish High School on Wednesday, January 29!

 

High school students can earn up to 4 credits for a Language that they already know! This test is for World Language credit, so it is about language learning and is focused on basic reading, writing, speaking and listening.

 

NEW - Online Self-Assessment   to determine:

 

World Language Credit Program provides opportunities for bilingual students to:

 

The ACTFL-aligned proficiency assessments are provided by commercial testing companies that give nationally-normed results. To meet the needs of all the languages in our community, we use six different testing companies. This causes wide variations in cost.

           

 

For further information, click here or email:  [email protected]

Click here to register by Sunday, January 19.

THERE'S SNOW IN THE FORECAST!

Are you prepared? Learn more about the district's emergency closure procedures  here!

STUDENT NEWS & COMMUNITY EVENTS

2020 BSD COLLEGE CONFERENCE

February 6, 2020, 5:45–8:30 PM

Bellevue High School, 10416 SE Wolverine Way, 98004

The College Conference is a great opportunity for high school families to listen to professionals discuss the ins and outs of preparing for college. Our presenters come from colleges and businesses from across the country and are available to answer your questions. We are pleased to offer a wide range of sessions that are sure to fit your needs.

Click here for more info.

STUDENT SPORTS & OPPORTUNITIES

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: VOLUNTEER FOR PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER'S CAMPS FOR CURIOUS MINDS

Are you a high school student? Do you enjoy inspiring a passion for science?

BECOME A SCIENCE EDUCATOR IN TRAINING (SET ) and join us for a summer of science fun!

Volunteer for Pacific Science Center’s Camps for Curious Minds at one of our many Puget Sound locations for up to ten weeks this summer.

As a SET, you will:

Benefits:

Applications due February 29, 2020. Click here to learn more and apply online.

Questions? Contact Dakota Spear at (206) 443-2902 or [email protected] .

HS STUDENTS: APPLY FOR PAID PUBLIC-SERVICE INTERNSHIP

Teens In Public Service (TIPS) hires high school students ages 15–19 and provides them with paid summer internships working at nonprofit organizations in the Greater Seattle area. Teens interested in giving back to their community through a summer internship working for a nonprofit organization can now apply for the 2020 TIPS Summer Internship Program.

TIPS interns work with a variety of organizations in the Puget Sound area to support community-based initiatives and participate in leadership trainings, service activities, and public speaking events. Students receive applicable work skills, a paycheck, and a venue to put their values into action, working for an organization that allows them to address the needs of their community.

 

The deadline to apply is Friday, February 28, 2020.  All applications must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation (due March 4, 2020). Full information about our program and application can be found here.

UW ENGINEERING DISCOVERY DAYS

Each year, the University of Washington's College of Engineering hosts Engineering Discovery Days. Students can explore cutting-edge research, learn more about engineering innovation, and participate in over 100 interactive exhibits that demonstrate basic science and engineering concepts. Discovery Days is geared toward students in grades 4 through 8 and takes place on the University of Washington's Seattle campus on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24, 2020. Registration is required and will open at 9:00 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2020. Space is limited - registration will close when capacity is reached.

Click here to learn more.