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

* More information in the message below

This week we have a uniquely International School experience: the High School Retreat. This event showcases a region of the world over a two-day period drilling down into topics that encompass current issues in the region, culture, and challenges to engage our students. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that PTSA provides a large grant for this event. But it really doesn't stop there, the trickle-down effect from this event really does affect the curriculum for this year for the middle school students too. It truly is an international experience that is not replicated at any school. I am proud of how PTSA supports our students and I can't wait to see the results.

ISPTSA President 2022–2023

THIS Wednesday, September 14, 8:15–9:30 AM at the Kelsey Creek Park parking lot, 410 130th Place SE, Bellevue

As we start the school year at International School, ISPTSA welcomes our high school parents and guardians to meet at the nearby Kelsey Creek Park parking lot right after drop-off THIS Wednesday, September 14, 8:15–9:30 AM. Enjoy coffee and treats and take this great opportunity to meet other families before heading off to your day. For questions, email Qiong Chen, VP of Community.

Families are connecting! On September 2 after drop-off, the ISPTSA hosted the Middle School Tailgate at the Kelsey Creek parking lot near school. It was a success with lots of conversation, treats, and drinks. This week, ISPTSA will be hosting the High School Tailgate. Please join us then! Email Yuting Zhu, VP of Community with questions.

Click here to register. Register by Wednesday, September 21.

In conjunction with Princeton Review, ISPTSA is offering online practice SAT ONLY tests (Correction from last week's article: No ACT testing) on Saturday, September 24 at 9 AM. These practice tests are open to students from any school or school district, and they’re a great way to prepare for Super Wednesday. Here is how it works:

To register, click here. Questions? Email Melissa Richardson, VP of Outreach.

Let’s RAISE THE TORCH for IS as we begin a new school year! We invite ALL families to participate in this campaign because your contribution makes a difference! Choose your support level: Gold $500, Silver $250, Bronze $100, or define your own amount. For those families who can, we ask you to consider becoming a Titan Torch supporter with a donation of $1,000 or more. All donations are tax-deductible and 100% go back to the community. Go, Titans! Click here for more information. Questions? Please contact the VPs of Fundraising, Emilie Castle and Phil Bloch.

Thank you to all the members who joined or renewed their annual ISPTSA memberships this 2022–2023 school year! We are proud to be the only high school in Washington to reach 100% membership for multiple years! Let’s make this a yearly tradition to support every IS student for success! We are inviting everyone in our community to join ISPTSA! Please sign in to renew or click to join today! Questions? Please email Honglian Gao, Membership Chair.

Notes from the Backpack is a PTA podcast designed for millions of parents and the decision-makers they influence. Through the unique combination of expert, parent, and educator guests, each episode features engaging conversations that offer real-life advice and ideas on how to support children’s learning and development—all in parent-friendly language. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. Questions? Contact PTA.

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!

Warm Beach Camp, Stanwood, WA

We really need volunteers! In order to have a successful High School Retreat, we require male and female chaperones who can stay overnight. Chaperones attend free of charge. Contact IS Teachers, Tamara Truax or Lee Holt.

Warm Beach Camp, Stanwood, WA

Please volunteer to share Middle Eastern or North African traditions in dance, art, craft, language, sport, etc., or examine challenges facing Middle Eastern or North African societies. Sessions are 45 minutes and repeat 6 times on Wednesday, September 14. An IS teacher will assist you! You can leave the retreat at the end of the sessions. Email IS Teachers, Tamara Truax or Lee Holt, for more details or to volunteer.

Our middle school fall sports at International School will be Girls Basketball, Girls Golf, and Boys Soccer. Parents register their students on Final Forms. The season is from September 19 to November 2. Practices take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 3:45–4:45 PM. Game days are Wednesdays, 2:30–5:00 PM. If you can volunteer or if you have questions about fall sports, email Trent Stauffer, Club Jubilee Advisor.

We need two parents to coordinate with grade-level parent representatives to host monthly Staff Appreciation activities throughout the year. These events are run by each grade and other community members. Once a year, the volunteers order and deliver Brown Bear car wash tickets to all IS staff as a gesture of our appreciation. Our teachers and staff love these events! For questions or to volunteer, email Qiong Chen, VP of Community.

Keep International School looking its best! We need 1 to 2 parents to lead the IS campus renewal this year, typically in May. IS campus renewal includes outside work, the inner courtyard, planting areas, power-washing sidewalks, and specific clean-up in interior areas. This event is open to the whole family. The committee meets once a year to determine areas of need and meets with IS Administration to determine the areas to focus on. If you're interested or have questions, email Qiong Chen, VP of Community.

The ISPTSA is looking to have an auction this year and we need you to be part of the team. We will have some initial planning meetings and we will need people to do big and small jobs. Please let us know if you would like to help (procurement, planning, decor, data entry, and more!). Contact the VPs of Fundraising, Emilie Castle and Phil Bloch.

Are you interested in joining a club at International School?

The ASB clubs fair will be held on Wednesday, September 28 after school. International School currently has 31 active clubs and interest groups. Make sure to come by the gym and check out all the available options. For questions, email Matt Lyon, ASB Advisor.

Welcome back, International Families! We're happy to welcome Merin Julien as our new attendance secretary! Just a reminder that all attendance emails for absences, early release, or late arrivals should be sent to IS Attendance by 8:15 AM. Please include your student's first and last name and the reason for the absence in the email. You can also complete pre-arranged absence forms and submit them to Attendance. Read more about the IS Attendance Policy here. For questions about attendance, email IS Attendance.

College Visits begin today and run through mid-November! These visits occur during school hours, and only 11th and 12th graders are invited to attend. Juniors and Seniors may attend up to 5 visits per year. Find the schedule in Naviance, and register at least 2 days in advance. For questions, email Jill Follett, Counseling Secretary.

If you missed the first sales window, set a reminder on your calendar for November 16! Our next sales window for yearbooks is November 16–30. Purchase in Touchbase for $50. For questions, email Jill Follett, Yearbook Advisor.

AP exam registration is happening in AP classes through Friday, October 28! Exams are held May 1–12. The cost is $97 each. Pay in TouchBase by October 28 to avoid late fees. Registration requires two parts:

Are you self-studying for an exam? Do you have other AP questions? Email Jill Follett, Counseling Secretary for more information.

Welcome back to school, International School Community! See our daily schedule. Click here to download the Wednesday schedule with even/odd days. Questions? Email the IS Main Office.

I’m so excited to welcome all of you to our library! New titles are being regularly added to our book collections. Please stop by the library to explore our September Back to School collection. Our library is open from 12:15–4:30 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, the library is open 10 AM–2 PM. If you need any assistance or have questions, please feel free to contact me at dangt@bsd405.org.

Have a great school year!

Michele Dang

Library Specialist

THIS Wednesday–Thursday, September 14–15 at Warm Beach Camp, Stanwood, WA

High School Retreat helps build the foundation for a strong and caring learning community. This year’s focus is on the Middle East & North Africa. See this flyer for more information. Prepare now for the High School Retreat:

Questions? Please email IS Teachers, Tamara Truax or Lee Holt.

Drama Tryouts will be TODAY, September 12 at 4 PM in the IPAC. The play will be a Midsummer Night's Dream. Students will need to prepare a one-minute monologue from another play, musical, movie, or TV show to present for auditions. For questions, email Karen Gath, Drama Coordinator.

Registration begins TODAY at 6 PM

First Lego League (FLL) is a middle school robotics program in which small teams of students work with mentors to learn STEM skills and create robots. The team participates in district, state, and national level competitions. Besides learning design and coding skills, our team also supports the development of project management, strategic thinking, and problem-solving.

Registration opens Monday, September 12 at 6 PM on the Titans Robotics Club website. After registering, please fill out and email an FLL Membership Agreement to cao@titanrobotics.net. Spots fill first-come-first-serve. Questions? Reach out to the FLL Coordinator.

FRC Interest Meeting: Tuesday, September 20 during lunch in Room 209

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is a high school robotics program where students work alongside mentors from industry to design, build, and program competitive human-size robots in six weeks. The FRC interest meeting will be Tuesday, September 20 during lunch in Lee Holt’s room (209). All 9–12th grade students are welcome! For questions, email Titan Robotics.

Registration Due TODAY

Seniors! On October 12, Super Wednesday, BSD will offer an optional SAT exam for seniors only. There is no cost to students to take the exam. Seniors who plan to take the SAT that day must sign up by the end of the day TODAY to reserve a space. If you already registered for this SAT already but changed your mind about taking the test, there's a selection to do so on the same registration form. Questions? Email Jill Follett, Counseling Secretary.

Bellevue School District Juniors and Seniors can sign up to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test during the 2022-2023 school year. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

Discover resources explaining how the Office of Education Ombuds (OEO) can help families and WA public K-12 schools to have successful family-school partnerships throughout the new school year. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

Meet Drew O’Connell, BSD’s new Director of Student Life. The Director of Student Life is a new position, created to support BSD students by working with staff, families, and the community to center and amplify our students’ voices, concerns, needs, and strengths. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

On August 5, 2022, the Washington State Department of Health released updated requirements and guidance to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in K-12 schools and child care. BSD will continue to follow the guidance from WA DOH in the 2022-23 school year. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

A recently approved Washington State measure will allow youth ages 18 and under to ride public transit for free by showing one of the following:

Any questions regarding ORCA cards can be emailed to BSD Metro Card.

Bellevue Schools Foundation is thrilled to announce applications for Arts, Enrichment & Innovation Grants are available for the 2022–2023 school year. Arts, Enrichment, and Innovation Grants fund projects in the Bellevue School District that extend the regular curriculum, encourage higher-level thinking skills, enrich students through art, music, culture, science, or other activities, and provide opportunities for innovation in classrooms. Questions? Email BSF.

Launch the 2022—2023 school year by participating in Bellevue School Foundation’s Block Party! There will be food, fun, and prizes! Click here for the flyer. This year, BSF is distributing $800,000 to Bellevue students and educators to fund a variety of programs. Donate to BSF here. For questions, email BSF.

TODAY until Monday, October 3

Click here for the flyer. Register here.

Just in time for the BSD School-Day SAT, the Sammamish PTSA is sponsoring an ACT/SAT Prep Course including sections in verbal and math skills (science skills section not offered this year). Students may register for one or both sections that will meet once per week over 4 weeks at SHS. Classes include worksheets, test-taking strategies, and practice exams. Cost is $50 for one subject or $90 for both sessions. For more information, see the SHS PTSA website. Questions? Email Sammamish PTSA.

Every year, Snowflake Lane presented by the Bellevue Collection hires a cast of various performers (dancers, drummers, color guard, float drivers/tech, stilt walkers, and holiday characters) who contribute to a holiday parade that occurs nightly along Bellevue Way. Click here to see the Snowflake Lane flyer. Click here for the "Things You Need to Know 2022" document from Greg Thompson Productions casting department. Auditions are being held this month, and performers must be at least 14 years old. Register for an audition here. Questions? Email Snowflake Lane.

Bellevue Girls Select Basketball Program (BGSB) will be hosting tryouts for 4th–8th grade girls:

Email BGSB with questions.

Have your purchases help International School! To order with AmazonSmile, simply go to smile.amazon.com on your web browser. You can also activate AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app on your iOS or Android phone by doing the following:

Set it and forget it. 0.5% of your purchases will be donated to International PTSA. Thank you!!! Email Paul Bloch, VP of Fundraising, with questions.

A year-round essential and best-selling t-shirt, this International School Essential Tee is made of 100% soft spun cotton and quality finishes. Click here to shop for this and more! Orders can be picked up from Winner's Sportswear Bellevue for free or delivered. Proceeds benefit ISPTSA. Email Melissa, VP of Community, with questions.

Raise funds for ISPTSA with the Box Tops for Education app. By scanning your grocery and office supply store receipts, qualifying products will be instantly credited to our school. It's easy and adds up fast! Download the app on your phone, and select IS by searching zip code 98005. Questions? Email ISPTSA Fundraising.