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THIS WEEK:

NEXT WEEK:

LOOKING AHEAD:

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

SO MANY UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER—PLEASE LEND A HAND!



IS and the ISPTSA are currently seeking the following volunteers:

Click here to learn more and sign up.

PTSA NEWS

REMEMBER TO REQUEST YOUR CORPORATE MATCHING GIFT!

Make your donation to the ISPTSA go further by requesting a Corporate Matching Gift through your company which could DOUBLE or even TRIPLE your support!

The International School PTSA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. We accept donations from individuals and corporations, and these donations are tax deductible. Local companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, Google, T-Mobile, and Expedia will “match” the charitable contributions made by their employees, including:

Click here for more information about Corporate Matching on the ISPTSA website.

Thank you for taking the extra step to make your generosity to IS go further!

Questions? Please contact  [email protected] .

ANNUAL ISPTSA CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT DAY IS COMING SOON! HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN EARN UP TO THREE HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE!

Saturday, May 4, 9:00 AM–noon, rain or shine

 

Join us and help spruce up our IS campus!  Check in with our welcome crew, grab a free hot drink, some fruit, or a Krispy Kreme donut, then start beautifying!

We will be cleaning up the main campus, turf field, lower fields; weeding and pruning the plants around the parking lot; and weeding and sweeping the inner courtyard. 

Everyone is welcome to lend a hand.  Please help us out by labeling and bringing gardening tools from home. Bags will be available for garbage. If you want to pitch in but can't stay, feel free to drop off snacks for the hungry crew. High school students can earn up to three hours of community service!  Click here to sign up and choose your work area.

Email [email protected] with any questions. Thank you!

PLEASE VOLUNTEER FOR STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK—MAY 6–10

It's time for our annual all-school Staff Appreciation Week, which we will celebrate at IS May 6–10. It's really our last chance this school year to show our appreciation and thank the staff of IS for all they have done for our kids. We hope to make it a fantastic week for our amazing staff! Our schedule for Staff Appreciation Week is as follows.

 

 

The Espresso Cart, Panera Bagels, and Grab-and-Go Snacks are funded by your PTSA because of your generous support!

 

SIGN UP HERE TO VOLUNTEER!

 

Thank you all so much! It makes such a difference to our teachers to feel our appreciation. They work so hard for our kids every day, and to know that we appreciate them really helps!

 

Jing Sun,  Teacher/Staff Appreciation Chair ( [email protected])

LETTUCE CELEBRATE THE SUCCESS OF THE 10TH-GRADE FAMILY STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCH!

Thank you to all the parents who donated food and time to help the 10th-grade families host a wonderful Staff Appreciation luncheon last Wednesday! The Spring Salad theme was well received, even by those who admitted that they were not exactly "big on salads."

ISPTSA BOARD POSITIONS

 

We are in the process of recruiting board members for the next school year. Nominations are open for board positions now, and will remain open until May 10. Serving on the PTSA board is a great way to apply our energy and passion to making our school the best school in the region. It is a fantastic opportunity to lead and represent our community, stay connected with the happenings at our children’s school, and contribute toward making IS an awesome place to be. You can nominate yourself or others that you believe will make a significant contribution to the PTSA.

 

Please consider joining us! Click on  this document  to see descriptions of duties,  this webpage  to see current board members, and email [email protected]  if you're interested or have questions on any position.

Nominating Committee

Ching Guo, Zena Heywood, and Azfar Moazzam 

IT'S SPIRIT WEEK!



A MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL GRAY

Hello IS Families!

There are many lovely traditions that have been part of the IS community since we graduated our first class. Each June, as our Senior Class prepares to graduate, the community of IS joins together to help support the celebrations that are part of this special time. This allows the families of our graduating seniors the ability to focus on celebrating their graduates and also gives parents from other grades a chance to see what’s ahead. All of us on staff are so proud of our seniors and we look forward to celebrating with you! Many of us have known these students since they were 12 years old and it’s been wonderful to see them grow, learn, mature, and blossom in our community.

Soon you will receive an email from a parent volunteer in your child’s grade requesting your support.  Below is an outline of the contributions each grade makes to the culminating graduation events. This year, because PTSA has received generous support and contributions from the parent community, the events will be supported monetarily by PTSA. However, your help is needed to provide tasty treats and/or volunteer to assist in hosting an event. This is also one way to get an insider’s look at to what it will be like when you have a senior.  I hope you will be able to help us—soon it will be your family’s turn to honor your special IS graduate! 

  

6th–11th Grade Level Support:

12th Grade Family Support:

Please contact Brenda Bedrosian ( [email protected] ) and Carol Anne Yamamoto ( [email protected] ) with your questions.

Warmly,

Tara Gray

International School Principal

BITE OF IS 2019 CANCELLED

Unfortunately, we have decided to cancel the Bite of IS for this year. With the event being postponed because of snow in February, and the conflict with the testing dates and senior projects, we realized it was just too much for the student-run committee to pull it off. We truly believe and love this event, and are fully planning to continue it next year in February, 2020. Please let us know if you are interested in helping head the 2020 Bite of IS as a parent or student. We are actively recruiting for the committee. Please let our current parent coordinator, Josephine Anderson, know at  [email protected] .

The Bite of IS committee is looking forward to partnering with everyone for next year, in order to continue this amazing event that celebrates the special community we have at IS.

VOLUNTEER TO CHAPERONE CLASS OF 2019 GRAD NIGHT CELEBRATION!

There will be a meeting on Wednesday, May 1, at 7:00 PM in Room 101 for adults interested in chaperoning the Class of 2019 Grad Night Celebration. Any interested parent is encouraged to attend—even parents of underclassmen!

The Grad Night Celebration takes place from 10:00 PM on Monday, June 17, until 7:00 AM on Tuesday, June 18.  

Please email Laurie Beck with questions about volunteering.

SAVE THE DATE: MIDDLE SCHOOL COLLEGE/CAREER FIELD TRIP WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12—CHAPERONES NEEDED

Parents/Guardians: Please save the date for our Middle School College/Career Field Trip on Wednesday, June 12! Our middle school students will have the option of going to one of six planned field trips and learn about different careers/colleges, depending on the trip they choose.

We will need a LOT of chaperones/parent volunteers in order to make this happen. So, please save the date for Wednesday June 12, and email Arty Christianto if you are interested in chaperoning. We need you!

More information will be sent later to both parents/guardians and students.

BSD WEBSITE FEATURES STORY ABOUT INTERNATIONAL

Students from International School had the opportunity to share their stories as part of a service project with  New Pedagogies for Deep Learning  (NPDL) and  My Story Matters . Check out the story on the Bellevue School District website here .

11TH-GRADE FAMILIES:

Spring Junior Parent Night is Thursday, May 2, from 6:30–8:00 PM in the library. The presentation will focus on college prep and expectations for senior year, including yearbook photos, grad ads, and senior project.

ATTENTION STUDENTS IN GRADES 8-11:

2019 HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT!

September 5-6, 2019

The International School offers an annual retreat for our high school students in order to build community and realize its mission of providing students with a globally focused education. The academic content of the retreat follows a four-year cycle of geographic and cultural regions including Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East.

The 2019 retreat’s objectives are for students to explore a few forms of Asian cultural expression; to understand some of the challenges facing Latin American societies and the power we and the world community have to address them; and to appreciate the value of the IS community and its contribution to our overall success for the coming school year.

The students will come to school the morning of Thursday, September 5, and will be bused to Warm Beach Conference Center in Stanwood, WA. They will spend the night there and return by bus the following day, Friday, September 6, by 3:15 PM.

The cost is $100. After focus week, the fee for camp will be added to your student's account online, so you may pay online or in the school office.

Please see the following links:

2019 HS Retreat Flyer  (Information about the retreat)

2019 HS Retreat Forms  (Permission slips)

THE DUE DATE FOR FORMS IS EARLY THIS YEAR—FRIDAY, JUNE 7.  

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU TAKE CARE OF THIS! 

YOU CAN EVEN DO IT TODAY!

HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT CHAPERONE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED—JOIN US!

The trip is only possible with your support! We need 12 males and 12 females. Chaperones attend free of charge. Please let Tamara Truax  [email protected] or Lee Holt [email protected]  know if you are available.

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR IS EXPERIENCE: HOST A FRENCH INTERN!

Our students have benefited tremendously from the dedication of this year’s French intern, Elodie Perez. While we will be sad to see her go, we have hired an absolutely charming French intern for the 2019-2020 school year, Pauline Oliveira-Machado. Pauline will surely uphold the standard of professionalism and congeniality that we have come to expect from our interns. She plans to eventually pursue a teaching degree in France and is extremely excited to be a part of our fabulous IS community. She is particularly interested in teaching the traditional songs, dance, and cuisine of France, and will be given every opportunity to do so next year.

As part of the IS community yourself, you have the unique opportunity to host Pauline for a semester or a quarter. By opening your home, you will create an unforgettable experience for Pauline by allowing her to see the best that American culture has to offer. The Intern program also allows you to support IS by helping to maintain a rich, engaging foreign language program. By volunteering your home, you are making it possible for the whole student body to benefit from having a foreign language intern. Finally, hosting an intern allows you to learn about yourself and your culture and see the US through the eyes of an international visitor, creating an invaluable educational experience for yourself and your family. 

To seize this opportunity, or for more information, please contact Traci Sullivan at [email protected].  This is a great experience—PROFITEZ-EN!

STUDENT NEWS & COMMUNITY EVENTS

COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS OFFERED BY BYSO FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Event Details:

Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Garden Party ( Free and open to the public)

Sunday, May 5, 2:30-4:00 PM, Bellevue Botanical Garden

Photographer Responsibilities:

Take photos at the event. Photographers will be assigned to different areas of focus, such as taking photos of ensembles, the general scene, close-ups, etc.

 

If students are interested, please have them contact Brook at  [email protected]  no later than  Wednesday, May 1 .

THREE REMAINING "PREPARING FOR COLLEGE" WORKSHOPS STILL OPEN TO ATTENDEES

Bellevue PTSA Council, Bellevue Gifted Alliance, and Transcend Academy present a series of four exciting NEW workshops geared toward students in grades 8-11. Workshops will be led by Transcend Academy CEO Tina Tran Neville and BSD Counselors.

 

FREE to any BSD student with student ID card, $20 for BSD adults, $40 for out-of-district attendees. No registration or reservation needed. Pay at the door.

 

I. Top 10 Things Colleges Look for in Admissions and How to Get There 

Monday, April 15,    6:30–8:00 PM, Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main St., Bellevue

II. Rocking Standardized Tests

Monday, April 29, 6:30–8:00 PM, Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main St., Bellevue

 

III. How to Write an Unforgettable Essay

Tuesday, May 14,  6:30–8:00 PM, Newport High School, Library, 4333 Factoria Blvd. S.E., Bellevue

 

IV. How to Find Your Passion

Tuesday, May 28, 6:30–8:00 PM, Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main St., Bellevue

Click  here  for more info.

BSF SPRING FOR SCHOOLS LUNCHEON FRIDAY, MAY 3

International School Families! We have open seats available at the ISPTSA/International School table. Come represent our school and support the Bellevue Schools Foundation and all of the wonderful things they do for the Bellevue School District, like co-presenting the  Education Connections  series providing BSD families with valuable information about student support, and so much more. To view the many ways the Bellevue Schools Foundation supports Bellevue students, click here .

John Stanton, Seattle Mariners CEO and Bellevue School District alum, will be the Honorary Chair. Join 1,100 other parents to hear inspiring stories from students whose lives have been changed by the Bellevue Public Schools. Discover how you can make a difference for every student in every classroom, every day.  Plus, the Mariner Moose will be there!

 

The schedule on Friday, May 3, at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency is as follows:   Education Showcase from 10:15–11:50 AM, Luncheon and program from noon–1:15 PM.

 

To register click  here  and select International School/Amy and Kevin Frei Table Captain , or contact I nternational School BSF Ambassadors Amy Frei [email protected]  or Kevin Frei  [email protected] to get a personalized registration link.

Come and join us for a wonderful event and thank you for being a part of the International School community and for supporting the Bellevue Schools Foundation.

If the International School table fills up, you may also register to attend the event using this link .

STUDENT SPORTS & OPPORTUNITIES

INTERLAKE HIGH SCHOOL—INCOMING 9TH GRADE SPORTS NIGHT

Monday, May 13, 6:30 PM, Interlake High School Commons

Learn about the sports that Interlake has to offer! Our coaches will be there to answer your questions. The event will begin with a welcome talk by our Athletic Director, Lauren McDaniel. Please contact Krystyn Higgins with questions ( [email protected] ).

REGISTER NOW FOR BBLC SUMMER LAX CAMPS!

Dates have been set for the 2019 Summer Camps! Sessions run Monday–Thursday from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM. All sessions take place at the International School and are open to players starting K-8th grade in Fall 2019.



CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR ONE OR MORE SESSIONS

Share with your friends! Summer camps do NOT have school/residence eligibility constraints and are open to age-appropriate players from ALL areas. Summer camps are designed to improve individual skills and are a fun way to meet more lacrosse players. The camps are specifically geared toward fundamental individual skills and the introduction to team concepts. Our outstanding staff will focus on teaching the skills each player needs.

Click here to learn more.