MONDAY MESSENGER
March 2, 2020
Please Note: This newsletter may be truncated by your email program. Please click VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE at the bottom to read the full newsletter.
UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS
THIS WEEK:
  • Friday, 3/6, 6:00 PM • 9th-Grade Parent Social (more info below)
  • Friday, 3/6 & Saturday 3/7 • Spring Musical (more info below)

NEXT WEEK:
  • Monday, 3/9, 8:30 AM • 7th-Grade Parent Social/Coffee After Drop-Off
  • Friday, 3/13 & Saturday 3/14 • Spring Musical (more info below)

LOOKING AHEAD:
  • Tuesday, 3/17, 7:00 PM • Middle School Band Concert
  • Thursday, 3/19, 7:00 PM • High School Band Concert
  • Friday, 3/20 • School in Session—Snow Make-up Day (Previous a Non-School Day)
  • Monday, 3/23, 7:00 PM • High School Choir Concert
  • Tuesday, 3/24, 7:00 PM • Middle School Choir Concert (please note—High School & Middle School dates were incorrectly reversed last week)
  • Wednesday, 3/25 • World Language Competency Make-up Testing
  • Wednesday, 3/25, 11:40 AM • Staff Appreciation Luncheon hosted by 9th-Grade Families
  • Wednesday, 3/25, 7:00 PM • Middle & High School Orchestra Concert
  • Friday, 3/27, 7:00 PM • Talent Show
  • Saturday, 3/28, 6:00 PM • ISPTSA Spring Social/Auction (more info below)
  • Tuesday, 3/31, 6:00 PM • 8th-Grade Parent Night (more info below)
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
YOUR HELP IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

IS and the ISPTSA are currently seeking the following volunteers:

  • On-call Volunteers, current school year

PTSA NEWS
OUR DEADLINE WAS EXTENDED TO TODAY! WE ONLY NEED 38 MEMBERS BY 9:00 PM TONIGHT!
(Time to break out the
pleading hamster!)
Thank you so much to everyone who has joined ISPTSA so far. We now have until 9:00 PM tonight to reach our goal of 100% support of every student at IS. 
 
100% membership means 583 ISPTSA members , because we have 583 students at IS. Members can be parents, staff, or students . Sign your student up too!

Here's the membership percentage breakdown by grade level:
  • Grade 6: 73%  
  • Grade 7: 60%
  • Grade 8: 48% 
  • Grade 9: 60%
  • Grade 10: 46%
  • Grade 11: 65%
  • Grade 12: 58%

Can you help your grade level do better?

Please   help us reach the goal of 583 members and create community by supporting each and every student at IS. 

TAKE ACTION FOR OUR STUDENTS!

We are in a critical period to get legislation passed for our children.  The legislative session ends March 12!  Please take action by phone or email! You don't have to be an expert. Legislators want to receive heartfelt input.  

Current Active Topics:

1)  Paraeducator funding : Paraeducators are the only educators who spend their entire workday with students, directly assisting them in learning, growing, and navigating the world around them. Many begin as PTA volunteers and continue to develop their relationships with these students in their own communities. We are asking you to contact your legislators to include four days of paraeducator training in the budget. 

2)  Support ESB 5834 :  Access to a free public education is a basic right of all children residing in the U.S. and Washington. Nearly 40 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that undocumented school-aged children have the right to a high-quality public education. Since it is the vision of PTA that every child’s potential become a reality, help us now advocate on the behalf of these children. Contact your  House of Representatives  Congressperson.  

3)  School Lunch Duration HB 1272 : Email Senators now because this bill passed in the House. Without adequate time to enjoy a complete meal, students may be prevented from reaching their full potential.

4)  Identification of Highly Capable Students : Encourage your legislator to support the need for  equitable representation of all demographic groups in highly capable programs, regardless of zip code, especially low-income students, students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and highly mobile students. Encourage them to support legislation that supports universal screening:
• All students by 2nd grade, and again by 6th grade; and
• At students’ school of attendance, during the regular school day; and
• Using unbias ed screening instruments

5) Special education:  Tell legislators that every student with disabilities should receive ample and equitable funding to meet their individual learning needs; special education is not fully funded.

6)   Any other topic you like : driving with electronic device, gun violence prevention, adolescent behavior health, dyslexia screening, climate, and more. 

Important links for parents:  

Thank you! 
Krista Hammer 
EARLY RSVP BY THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 5, AND YOU COULD WIN A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD! 


The 2020 Spring Social Fundraiser AROUND THE WORLD— Celebrating Our International CommUNITY

Saturday, March 28, 2020, 6:00 PM
$55/person—inlcudes sparkling wine welcome, appetizers, dinner & parking. 

The Spring Social Fundraiser is only 26 days away! Register by our Early Bird RSVP Deadline on Thursday, March 5 , to be automatically entered into a drawing to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card.
 
Organize a table with friends, OR request to sit with parents with students from from the same grade to make new ones. Simply make your request during the registration process.  We are proud to welcome all Teachers and Staff to attend with a complimentary ticket. Please consider  sponsoring a Teacher or Staff member’s ticket during your registration. 


To expedite your registration, look for a separate email from "ISPTSA Spring Social Committee" sent to your inbox on 2/12/20 (or check for it in your Spam folder). This email will contain "Your Personal Link" to RSVP for the event. If you opted to be included in the school directory, we already pre-loaded your data into our event tool. Using the link will expedite your registration. If you opted out, you will not receive a separate email and should register directly through our  Spring Social Website .

AUCTION DONATIONS STILL NEEDED
Donate or procure items by March 14.  Donate items directly, or procure items donated by others, including local businesses. It is all for a great cause—our students! You can now  fill out the donation form online . If you prefer a printed copy of the form, it is available to download  here . Check out this list of  GREAT IDEAS for donations!

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
Please contact  SpringSocial@isptsa.org for sponsorship details.

Questions? Review our list of  frequently asked questions (FAQs) or email  SpringSocial@isptsa.org .
ATTENTION 9TH-GRADE PARENTS:

Parents of 9th graders, here are some upcoming events to add to you calendars!

Friday, March 6, 6:00–8:00 PM: 9th-Grade Parent Social at the Bellevue Club Hotel—Come join us for Happy Hour and get to know some of the other 9th-grade parents.
Cosmos Lounge, 11200 SE 6th Street, Bellevue, WA 98004

Wednesday, March 25: Staff Appreciation Lunch Hosted by 9th-Grade Families—Signups coming soon.

Saturday, March 28, 6:00 PM: Spring Social/Auction "Around the World" at the Hilton Bellevue. Come join us for a fun night in support of International School! Early Bird Deadline is March 5 to be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Sign up to host a table or request to sit with other 9th-grade parents! It will be a great night!

Looking forward to meeting you at one of the above events!
Jinny Cocorocchia & Winnie Hou
9th Grade Parent Representatives
MY KID IS HUNGRY ! PART 2

Is breakfast a no-win for your student? Then lunchtime is a great time for your student to stock up on healthy carbs at IS. Did your student say 'no way" to a hot school lunch in elementary school? You may want to rethink the school lunch, especially if your kids is SO HUNGRY!
  
Did you know that school lunch serves pizza? Who doesn’t like pizza? Many students bring their lunch—but, hey—when it's a busy day and the cupboards are bare, consider that there is lunch, hot or cold, served every day at school. A hot entrée with a trip through the salad bar, three different types of pizza, four different types of burgers, Caesar salad plate, hummus plate, fruit, chicken salad sandwiches on ciabatta rolls... The list will make your stomach growl. 
Take a look at the March menu. Student can get the My School Menus™ app on their phones to check out the daily menu.

And don't forget, there is also the à la carte window where quick picks like chips and cookies are available. No doubt, your student has already visited the À la carte window, if the line at lunchtime is any indication.
 
Help your student stay focused in class with a healthy lunch. Lunch money accounts can be accessed using PayPams
ISPTSA DONATES CAR WASHES TO IS STAFF

For the 3rd year in a row, ISPTSA has donated Brown Bear car wash tickets to all IS staff. The gifts were well received and appreciated. 
SCHOOL NEWS
To all booth hosts, students, and everyone who came to the 2020 Bite of IS last week, thank you! What a fun event celebrating the IS community. It was wonderful to see so many smiles from students, staff, and families.

Our last count got us to at least 270 participants—at least! And we raised over $1,800 for Water 1st International! Go Titans!

We are looking forward to continuing this great IS tradition for many years to come, but in order for that to happen, we will need a new parent liason/chairperson to help with the event next year. Please contact Josephine Anderson at  liudesign@aol.com  for more info.
Again, thank you to EVERYONE who was involved to make the 2020 Bite successful! 
 
Arty Christianto, Tamara Truax, Josephine Anderson, and the Bite of IS Student Planning Committee
STUDENTS! PLEASE CROSS SAFELY!

The school would like to remind students to stop and look before crossing Southeast 7th Place. There has already been a pedestrian accident there involving a student this school year. Please, cross safely!
PASSEPARTOUT

Passepartout is an international partnership between schools in Nantes, France, and the greater Seattle area. It’s a cultural and educational program based on the principle of reciprocity: IS students spend 2–3 months hosting a French student (August–November) and are then welcomed for a 2–3 month stay (March/April–June) in the school, Lycée Jean Perrin, and home of the student they have just hosted. We are excited to announce five students coming to IS from Nantes in the fall of 2020.

We are seeking five IS students to host them and to spend their spring quarter at their school in Nantes. Please consult the FAQ and attend the  information night on Wednesday, March 4, 6–7pm in the library . If you have any questions, feel free to contact Joe Kheriaty  kheriatyj@bsd405.org .

If you are interested in applying, please fill out the following form online by Monday, March 9, at 3:15 PM.  Passepartout is open to all high school students, but is most recommended for sophomores who will be enrolled in French 3 or 4 during the year of the exchange. 

MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD—SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK

The Bellevue School District is conducting a survey on family engagement in order to strengthen relationships between schools and families. Creating meaningful partnerships with parents helps students succeed both academically and socially. When families engage, student attitudes and behavior are more positive, attendance is better, there are more opportunities to honor diverse cultural backgrounds, and open communication allows us to learn from each other.

The survey opened on February 25, 2020, when families received an email with a unique survey link from our survey platform (Panorama Education). Families will receive an email and survey for each school where they have a child enrolled, which means they may receive multiple surveys. They will be asked to answer the survey based on the experience of their oldest child in the school. The survey is only five questions and is available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Korean, and simplified Chinese. You can visit your school’s front office for more information.

Survey results will be shared with all families in a State of BSD Family Engagement Report before the end of the school year. School administrators will receive results for their individual schools and, as a next step, will work alongside parents to create family engagement practices for school improvement plans for the 2020-2021 academic year.
IS PARENTS AND STUDENTS: SEND IN PICTURES FOR YEARBOOK!

*NOTE* EMAIL UPDATE:
So sorry, there was a mistake in the last Monday Messenger! PLEASE SEND YOUR PICTURES TO: 
( NOT  tos-huangfe@bsd405).
If you did not receive a reply from us, we did not receive your photos. Thank you!
 
Hello parents and students of IS! Yearbook is looking for pictures of IS students to showcase our student life in the 2020 yearbook! We need pictures in these categories:
 
  • Summer photos (such as summer vacations, trips)
  • Sports/athletics
  • IS Siblings
  • Weather (such as students playing in the snow)
  • Pets
 
Photos of only current IS students (and pets if applicable) are preferred. Please submit any photos you have from July 2019 to now! Please send pictures to  s-huangfe@bsd405.org   by March 11, 2020  and include names of all pictured (including pets) and grades of the students.
THE TITAN PLAYERS PRESENT:
MAMMA MIA! STARTING THIS WEEK!

Friday, March 6, 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 7, 2:00 & 7:00 PM
Friday, March 13, 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 14, 2:00 & 7:00 PM

Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for adults.
Click here for the advance ticket order form. Just fill it out and turn it into the school office with payment.
ATTENTION: CLASS OF 2021
   
  • SAVE THE WEEK! College Boot Camp will be August 17–21.
  • Sign up for a Junior Appointment here.
  • Spring Junior Parent Night is Thursday, April 23. Learn about the College Application Package and getting ready for senior year.
8TH-GRADE PARENT NIGHT

8th-Grade  Parent Night : Tuesday, March 31,  6:00–7:00 PM , IS Library.   Transition to High School: Learn about what to expect in high school, including high school graduation requirements, senior project, course workload, advanced placement classes, and more. This topic will be presented by Arty Christianto, middle school counselor at IS, with support from current 11 and 12 grade IS students. We will also have time for Q & A.
STUDENT NEWS & COMMUNITY EVENTS
BSD MESSAGE TO FAMILIES: CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

The Bellevue School District is committed to keeping our learning community informed. The health and well-being of our students, staff, and community are a top concern. Click here for answers to some questions you may have, as well as some guidance for you to consider.


This guidance is likely to change as this situation evolves, so please know we are committed to providing you with timely updates and guidance aligned with the best recommendations and guidance from our public health authorities.
VIDEO: FENTANYL INFORMATION SESSION

Earlier this year, the Bellevue School District offered information sessions about the ongoing fentanyl crisis for students, families, and the community. They partnered with the Bellevue Police Department and Youth Eastside Services to share important information about fentanyl, the health risks, and other related issues. Thanks to our partners at Bellevue TV, one of these sessions is available online. Watch it  here
EAT A BURRITO (OR TACO, OR BOWL, OR...) AND SUPPORT TITAN ROBOTICS!

Our very own Titan Robotics Club is hosting a fundraiser at Chipotle! Stop by the Chipotle at  4000 Factoria Boulevard SE in Bellevue  on  Monday, March 9  from  4:00–8:00 PM . We're raising money to support Titan Robotics Club, so just download a flyer from the link below or mention the fundraiser at checkout, and they'll donate 33% of the proceeds to the cause! We would appreciate your support. Thank you! Click here for more info.
UPCOMING BSD BOARD COMMUNITY FORUM

Tuesday, March 3, 7:45–9:00 PM ( following the regular School Board meeting—seating begins promptly at 7:30 PM)
Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main Street

Please join the Bellevue School District Board for a community forum. The board of directors is inviting families and the community to come share issues of importance to families, students, and the Bellevue community and to discuss District priority areas and what they mean. Interpreters provided in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. For additional interpretation services, send requests to  Board@bsd405.org . Light refreshments will be served.  

Click here for more info on the event.
EAT PIZZA, SUPPORT SAMMAMISH BOYS SOCCER!

Wednesday, March 11, 10:30 AM–10:00 PM
MOD Pizza
14309 NE 20th Street, Bellevue

Grab some pizza and present this flyer to cashier or mention Sammamish Boys Soccer, and MOD will donate 20% to the cause!
DONATE YOUR STUFF TO GOODWILL AND SUPPORT SAMMAMISH BOYS SOCCER!

Sunday, March 22, 2:00–5:00 PM
Sammamish High School 
100 140th Ave SE
Front parking lot on corner of Main Street and 140th Avenue SE

You can bring (al)most anything, provided it's no larger than an end table. Sorry, no mattresses, hazardous waste, or items in need of repair.  

STUDENT SPORTS & OPPORTUNITIES
PRE-COLLEGIAL SUMMER PROGRAMS AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

Looking for something for your high school students to do this summer that is engaging and intellectually stimulating? Would your student like a chance to preview college life living in residence halls and participating in fun co-curricular activities? Seattle University is hosting two overnight programs for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in July. Seattle Business Institute (SBI) is focused on social entrepreneurship and innovation. Seattle University AI4ALL is focused on artificial intelligence and criminal justice. Both programs earn students college credits! Both are experiential and include visits to area companies and organizations in the field of study. And both include college readiness exercises and leadership skills development to help prepare your student for his, her, or their eventual transition to college life. Applications are open. Priority deadline is March 30. Scholarships are available! 
CREATIVE WRITING AND DRAWING CLASSES

Seattle Advocates for Education, a youth-led nonprofit, is providing CREATIVE WRITING AND DRAWING (CHARCOAL) classesfor middle school students at a small fee. We have qualified high-school instructors with years of experience who are excited to work with students! Sign up soon before the class is full!
MASTHEAD / DIRECTORY / LINKS
President
Azfar Moazzam 
Secretary
Zena Heywood
Treasurer 1
Tony Wang
Treasurer 2
Nancy Chung
VP of Communications
Li Wu
VPs of Community
Qiong Chen & Rachel An
VP of Fundraising
Dori Kelleran
VPs of Outreach
Meribeth Nordloef-Pedersen
& Beverly Ni
Membership
OPEN
Advocacy
Krista Hammer
Monday Messenger
Julie Molinari
Website
Li Zhang
IS Staff Liaison
Marrene Franich & Wesley Hung
PTSA
Website: www.isptsa.org
Newsletter Submissions: news@isptsa.org
SHOP FOR THE BELLEVUE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
Enter Amazon.com through this link and Amazon will donate 8% of every purchase you make to support Bellevue students, including those at IS! Share the link and spread the word to family and friends anywhere.
CONFUSED ABOUT SOMETHING?
The ISPTSA is always here to help answer your IS questions.

Email us here , and we'll help you find the answers you need.
SCHOOL DIRECTORY & LINKS
Attendance 425-456-6545
Main Office 425-456-6500 
MS Counseling 425-456-6546
HS Counseling 425-456-6542 
Registrar 425-456-6535 

SUPPORT YOUR PTSA
Donate Anytime

Write your check to the International School PTSA and send it to:
ISPTSA
445 128th Ave. SE
Bellevue, WA 98005
Or, even easier, donate
via PayPal .
ISPTSA TUMBLER
Support your school community and the environment by buying an ISPTSA Tumbler

 These great-looking 14-oz dual-wall insulated stainless-steel tumblers have a swivel lid with drink-thru opening and a plastic-ring seal to stave off spills. With the ISPTSA logo, it will keep your drink hot or cold while you look cool handling the morning commute or afternoon pickup, and your purchase will benefit the International School PTSA!

Visit the International School PTSA Store . Proceeds benefit the International School PTSA.

MONDAY MESSENGER
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • Please submit articles by FRIDAY at 12:00 PM (noon) to news@isptsa.org.
  • We encourage submissions that align with our mission.
  • Submissions are subject to review by the ISPTSA and may be accepted, rejected, or edited.
  • Please use a separate email for each article submitted.
  • Documents in plain text are preferred, however, you are welcome to include an image or icon as a separate attachment—please do not include them in the body of your email or document.
  • If you need to link to a registration form or document, send us either the address of the link or a pdf copy of the document.
  • If you would like your article to repeat in successive Monday Messenger editions, please resubmit it for each edition in which you would like it to appear. If you do not resubmit it, it will not be republished.
  • Note: you will receive an automatic confirmation email response once you submit material to the Monday Messenger.