Click here to view the District 2022–2023 calendar for families.

*More information in the message below

With the news that BSD is pausing the construction of new or remodeled schools for International School, Big Picture, and Jing Mei, I was understandably shocked and disappointed. This had always been a hope, though somewhat nebulous, since my eldest was in middle school here. As a representative of the PTSA, there are opinions to advocate strongly for building the school for IS, there are also the opinions to wait and see and hear what options the Board has to present. We need to hear the quiet voices as much as the loudest. The decision by the board reminds me that this is a cautious district, and risk is not something they take on lightly. A case in point here is that when the decision is made to close the schools due to inclement weather, I understand that the district drives all the school routes to determine if all the schools can be accessed. This is a decision not taken lightly. So with our construction pause on the table, I am hoping again that the options are transparent and workable, and that there will be an opportunity to discuss these options with the shareholders, as our shareholders are indeed our parents, teachers, and students.

Table reservation deadline for vendors: THIS FRIDAY, December 9

Guests: Let's celebrate winter, winter holidays, and our international community with a European-style Winter Market. All students, staff, families, and community members are welcome. Admission is free!

Vendors: Calling all - Crafters! Bakers! Artists! Entrepreneurs! This is your chance to share your creative and business skills, all while earning some funds for the holidays or as a fundraiser for your student club. Sign up for a table here. Tables are limited. Need ideas? Homemade ornaments, jewelry, cards, baked goods, home decorations, useful gadgets, art, keychains, cooking mixes, knitting, coffee cozies, candles, snacks, clothing, treasure boxes, and more!

Questions? Email Melissa Richardson, VP of Outreach, or Emilie Castle and Phil Bloch, VPs of Fundraising.

SAVE THE DATE — INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AUCTION: CELEBRATING OUR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Saturday, February 4, 6–10 PM

Join a great group of volunteers on the Auction/Event Committee! Help out by donating a unique experience or becoming a sponsor? Email Phil Bloch and Emilie Castle, VPs of Fundraising.

Wow! The 8th-grade families contributed to an amazing spread for the Thanksgiving Staff Appreciation Luncheon on Tuesday, November 22. It's an expression of how thankful we are for our International School staff and teachers. A great success, many thanks to the 8th-Grade Families that contributed time and food! Questions? Email Yuting Zhu, Co-VP of Community.

These are our brand new Top 5 Legislative Priorities! Did you know PTSA is at its heart an Advocacy organization? Your MEMBERSHIP helps our voice be as strong as possible when we speak with our legislators about upcoming bills. Want to get involved? Reach out to advocacy@isptsa.org to get connected with advocacy opportunities, including meetings with legislators and testifying in Olympia.

Dear IS families, a great big thank you for your strong support of ISPTSA! We are now 85% toward our goal of 100% membership, which means EVERY IS student is supported by an ISPTSA member!

As a reminder, your ISPTSA membership must be renewed each year to stay active. Please sign in to renew OR click here to join today and help us reach this goal by Thursday, December 15! Questions? Email Honglian Gao, Membership Chair.

Learn more about these positions here. Please email board@isptsa.org if you have questions or if you're interested in signing up. Thank you!

Click here to sign up to help or contribute

The 11th-grade class will be hosting the Mexican food-themed staff appreciation lunch on Wednesday, December 14. We'll order the entrees from local restaurant Tapatio. Please join us in contributing to the funds or helping to bring the side items. Help with setup and cleanup is also much appreciated. Please contact Courtney or Sophia, 11th-Grade Class Parent Representatives, if you have any questions: Sophia Cheng (408) 892-5993 or Courtney Stanton (425) 289-9694.

The 5th Grade Information Night will be held in person on Thursday, January 5 beginning at 6:30 PM and will last around an hour. It is not required to attend this event to apply for the lottery. Parking on-site will be limited and we do expect to need to utilize the surrounding neighborhood. Parking options will be posted here the week of the event. A recording will be made available on this site afterward for those who are unable to attend. A recording from last year can be accessed by clicking here (Password: ISMS). Questions? Email the IS Main Office.

Click here to apply.

Lottery applications for incoming 6th-grade (current 5th-grade) students for the 2023–2024 school year will be accepted beginning TODAY, December 5. The application period will close Friday, January 13 at 4:30 PM. After the close of the application period, incoming 6th-grade (current 5th-grade) students that missed the application period may submit a waitlist application to be added to the bottom of the waitlist.

Siblings of current International School students must apply by Friday, January 13 at 4:30 PM to be enrolled in Autumn 2023.

Questions? Email Katherine Parkin, IS Registrar.

The Bite of IS is an annual multicultural potluck event where students, family members, and staff contribute and serve a culturally significant dish to attendees from their booths. Students and their guests can also perform a solo or group act (e. g. dance, song, etc.) tied to their ethnic background for visitors. Proceeds from this year’s Bite of IS will go to World Central Kitchen, an organization that provides meals to those impacted by disasters worldwide. They are currently supporting the people of Ukraine through food and water insecurity.

Bite of IS will take place on Wednesday, February 15 at 6 PM. Ticket information will be sent in January 2023. For now, please help us make this event successful by hosting a booth or performing! Sign-ups for booths and performers are now open:

The Bite is a great chance to embrace the diversity within our community and to support World Central Kitchen too! Questions? Email Magdalena White. 

Junior Appointments are one of the many benefits of being a Titan! Each junior will meet in person with our high school counselor, Colleen Courtney, while both parents/guardians join in person or virtually to discuss traction toward graduation and the college application process. Appointments are 30 minutes long and begin Monday, December 5. Sign up here. If a translator is needed, email Colleen Courtney, High School Counselor, as soon as possible.

An International School Update was sent through email on Friday, November 28 to all current IS families with great updates on the new school year. Read it here. Questions? Email the IS Main Office.

BSD SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH —FIRST ROUND INTERVIEWS AND OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE ON STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW PANELS

The Bellevue School District Board of Directors has selected five applicants to participate in first-round interviews. Read the latest Superintendent Search update and consider expressing your interest in participating in stakeholder interview panels. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

An e-newsletter was sent to BSD staff and families on Monday, November 21, which includes the latest BSD news, including stories from schools, district updates, upcoming events, and more. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

BSD recently released its Demographic and Enrollment Study, which addresses enrollment, demographic trends in our community, and what the district can expect in the years to come. BSD’s demographic consultant shares more about the key findings and next steps to address declining enrollment. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

Eastgate Elementary Gym, 4255 153rd Ave SE

Register by Wednesday, December 7

Please join us on Wednesday, December 14 from 5–7 PM in the Eastgate Elementary Gymnasium for an evening filled with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) activities. Click here for more details. The $40 registration fee includes dinner and take-home souvenirs. Families have the option of dropping off or staying for the fun! Register before Wednesday, December 7. Registration will increase by $10 starting on December 8. There is also a sibling discount! Questions? Email Wise Camps.

Check out our wide variety of International School spiritwear! Hoodies, T-shirts, bags, and more, order soon for arrival in time for the holidays! You can pick up your order from Winner's Sportswear in Bellevue or have it delivered. Questions? Email Melissa Richardson, VP of Outreach.