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

* More information in the message below

Over the years, I have talked about community and how a school like ours needs community to be successful. But how are we creating community at IS? Every week, the students have 30 minutes of community time with the same group of students that have been together for the last two years. ISPTSA and IS are creating community with fall tailgates at Kelsey, the October General Membership Meeting supper, Grade Nights, and Curriculum Night. Community unites us. With our kids now entering the middle and high school years, we can share a personal relatedness that can help us tackle issues together and create success for our students. Since we are together for 7+ years, let's take full advantage of joining our community this year with the many opportunities presented. You'd be surprised at how much it matters. See you at our ice cream social!

ISPTSA President 2022–2023

THIS Wednesday, September 21, 6:30–7:30 PM

Our IS community is invited to an ice cream social THIS Wednesday from 6:30–7:30 PM in the IS Commons. Ice cream with all the condiments and even a cherry will be available for FREE. Bring your student(s) and your family and connect with other families while letting your students have a great treat and social time. We will also have the courtyard open for seating. Students can be sooo disappointed when their friends aren’t there so make it a date and come in for a frosty treat. Volunteers needed to help set up, scoop, and clean up. Help make this a great kick-off to the year! Contact Meribeth Nordloef-Pedersen to volunteer. 

THIS Friday, September 23, 10:00–11:30 AM

Featuring Speaker Lily Yin, Bellevue PTSA Council will host the "Introduction to PTSA" seminar THIS Friday, 10:00–11:30 AM. The session will be conducted in Mandarin Chinese. The seminar will discuss the role of PTSA in students' education and the ways to get involved with PTSA.

如果您想多了解学校 PTSA 的运作， 成为一名积极参与孩子教育的家长，或者您是新来社区的家长，希望尽快融入社区大家庭，Bellevue PTSA Council 于9月23日 10:00am-11:30am举办一次中文座谈会，形式轻松，有问必答，期望能帮你更多了解学校和社区.

和中国学校的家长会不同，PTSA在美国学校运作中扮演了非常重要的角色。您的加入可以影响学校的发展和孩子的教育，也是回馈学校和老师们的一种方式。另外，您可以认识很多来自中国和美国的同学们家长,是了解以及融入美国社会非常好的渠道。

本次讲座为中文, 欢迎家长参加！

Questions? Email Bellevue PTSA Council.

THIS Saturday, September 24, 9:00 AM

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

In conjunction with Princeton Review, ISPTSA is offering an online practice SAT test on Saturday, September 24. This practice test is open to students from any school or school district, and it is a great way to prepare for Super Wednesday. Here is how it works:

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

Sign up here to volunteer!

Time to round up your Goodwill donations! The International School PTSA Goodwill Drive will be held Saturday, October 1st, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM. Clothes, shoes, household items, small electronics, books, toys, sporting goods, and accessories can be collected. Please no large furniture. Goodwill is also a certified e-waste recycler, so they will take computers, peripherals, televisions, monitors, and other e-waste. We are looking for volunteers (adult and student)—please sign up here. Note the LOCATION! It will be held at the BSD Wilburton Instructional Service Center on 12241 Main St, Bellevue. For questions, email Emilie Castle and Phil Bloch, VPs of Fundraising.

Let’s RAISE THE TORCH for IS! 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, please consider becoming a Titan Torch supporter with a donation of $1,000 or more. Donations are tax-deductible and 100% go back to the community. Click here for a flyer. Questions? Email the VPs of Fundraising, Emilie Castle and Phil Bloch.

Dear IS families, we are 50% toward our goal of 100% membership for the 2022–2023 school year, which means every student is supported by an ISPTSA member—thank you! We are inviting EVERYONE to join your ISPTSA! Let’s work together for a stronger community to support our school and support each and every IS student for success! Please sign in to renew or click to join today! Questions? Please email Honglian Gao, Membership Chair.

Families are connecting! On September 2 and September 14 after drop-off, the ISPTSA hosted tailgate gatherings at the Kelsey Creek parking lot. There were lots of conversation, treats, and drinks. Thanks for joining! Email Yuting Zhu, VP of Community with questions.

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!

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 begins TODAY through 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.

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.

THIS Friday, September 23, 7–9 PM

To start off the new school year, International School is having a Middle School Social THIS Friday from 7–9 PM. The event is open to all middle school students. Tickets are $8 with an ASB card or $10 without, and it's $10 at the door. Tickets are on sale now!

We are looking for a number of volunteers to help chaperone the event. This is an indoor event at school and will be a great way for students to socialize and meet their new classmates. If you would like to help, please contact Matt Lyon, ASB Advisor.

THIS Thursday, September 22, 6:30–7:30 PM

Senior Parent Night is coming up this Thursday at 6:30 PM in the library. High School Counselor Colleen Courtney will walk you through what to expect this year and how to support your senior. Questions? Email Jill Follett, Counseling Secretary.

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.

International will be holding its Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 29 from 6:30–8:30 PM. This will be an in-person event this year. We will begin with a short whole-group welcome in the Main Gym from 6:30–6:45 PM followed by a rotation of classes that will follow your student’s schedule. Each “class” will be 10 minutes. This will not be a time for teachers to have conversations about individual students but is an opportunity to meet your student’s teachers and to hear what your student will be learning this year. For questions, email the IS Main Office.

We're happy to welcome Merin Julien as our new attendance secretary. Reminder, 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. You can also complete pre-arranged absence forms and email them to Attendance. Read more about the IS Attendance Policy here. Questions? Email IS Attendance.

College Visits 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.

Reminder to Seniors! Senior portrait, baby picture, and senior thank you are all due Monday, September 26. Click here for directions on how to submit these. Optional Grad Ads for the yearbook can be purchased by October 14 and submitted by November 14. For questions, email Jill Follett, Year Book Advisor.

Principal Russell White sent an email on Friday, September 16 to all current IS families with great updates on the new school year. Questions? Email the International School Main Office.

Interest Meeting: TOMORROW, September 20 at 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. We'll also be having some off-season competitions, so if you're interested to see some robots blast across the field and shoot balls, make sure to come by to learn more!

The FRC interest meeting will be held Tuesday, September 20 at LUNCH in Lee Holt’s room (209). No prior experience needed! All 9–12th grade students are welcome! For questions, email Titan Robotics Execs.

First Lego League (FLL) is a middle school robotics program where 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 is open. After registering, complete the FLL Membership Agreement and email to cao@titanrobotics.net. Spots fill first-come-first-serve. Questions? Reach out to the FLL Coordinator.

National Hispanic American Heritage Month is observed in the United States from September 15 to October 15 to recognize and celebrate the achievements of individuals of Hispanic heritage. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

Sign up here by Sunday, September 25 - use your BSD laptop to register..

The World Language Competency Credits (WLCC) Test is a way to earn high school credits for a language students may already know and focuses on reading, writing, speaking, and listening. BSD is offering the WLCC Testing at Sammamish High School on October 5 for all BSD seniors and for 9–12th grade students from Sammamish High School, Big Picture, and International School. Questions? Email WLCC.

Meet Gita McIntyre, BSD’s new Special Education Family Liaison. The Special Education Family Liaison is a new position that serves as a bridge between families and the Special Education department. Read more here. Questions? Email BSD.

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.

Register by TOMORROW, September 20

Free chess lessons! Learn chess in either small group or individual lessons. Topics covered include the basics of chess, tactics and strategies, endgames, and openings. Students will work together to solve puzzles and compete in other engaging activities. Click here to learn more about this local organization, and register for classes. For questions, email 425 Kids Chess.

Due THIS Friday, September 23, 5 PM

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.

THIS Saturday, September 24, 8:30–10 AM

Click here to register.

Girls Rock at STEM Seminars (GRASS) is a program that brings together middle school girls to talk about a variety of interesting STEM topics. High school volunteers facilitate these discussions with questions intended to spark natural learning. Sessions are 1.5 hours every other week and feature a STEM theme. For more information, email grism@girlsrockscimath.org or visit the website!

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.

Pacific Artists' Alliance(PAA) is a 501C3 non-profit organization founded by high schoolers who love art with a mission to utilize art and expression as a vehicle of change. They are recruiting new members. Please fill out this form to apply if you are interested. Questions? Email PAA.

Every year, the Bellevue Collection's Snowflake Lane hires a cast of various performers (dancers, drummers, color guards, characters, and more) who contribute to a nightly holiday parade along Bellevue Way. Click here to see the Snowflake Lane flyer. Click here for the "Things You Need to Know 2022" document from the Greg Thompson Productions casting department. Auditions are this month. Performers must be at least 14 years old. Register for an audition here. Questions? Email Snowflake Lane.

Tutor.com is available FREE to KCLS library card holders. Get one-on-one, real-time tutoring. Submit an essay, math problem, cover letter, or resume for review. Prepare for the SAT, ACT, AP, or graduate school entrance exams. Get help with study skills for students and families. For Tutor.com technical support, email librarysupport@tutor.com. For KCLS questions, get help here.

Life After High School online events provide information to help teens and families plan for the future.  Register here for these and other career and college events:

For questions, call KCLS at (425) 462-9600.

Support IS PTSA with your Amazon purchases! Amazon donates a percentage of your Amazon Smile purchases to our school when you select Bellevue International School as your charity of choice. Click here to begin! Please email vpfundraising@isptsa.org with questions. Set it and forget it. 0.5% of your purchases will be donated to International PTSA. 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.