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

*More information in the message below

The following are shout-outs and thank-yous from various members of our community.

Thank you so much for all you do with the teacher appreciation week and everything else under the sun! We are so grateful!!! The thoughtfulness and care and most importantly, the participation of everyone involved. We feel so loved! And I know we should not compare but I definitely do feel that our IS PTSA is the best one ever.

Thank you again,

Arty Christianto

International School Middle School Counselor

We would like to thank Anna (Yueyi) Luan for chairing the Staff Appreciation Committee. Your dedication and leadership throughout this school year has been amazing. We could not have done all of this without you. Awesome job!

Thank you,

Qiong Chen

ISPTSA Co-VP of Community

Exciting news, Seniors! Our very own ISPTSA will be awarding three $1000 Scholarships to the IS Class of 2023 to help celebrate and honor our graduating seniors. We thank all the PTSA members that contributed to support this scholarship and our school. The deadline is May 31. Instructions and application can be found here. Any questions, please contact the ISPTSA Scholarship Committee.

Co-Presidents: Emilie Castle & Qiong Chen

Treasurer 1: Amanda Johnson

Treasurer 2: Fenghua Shen

Secretary: Judy Cam

VP of Communications: Jennifer Li

VP of Community: Maggie Lo

Co-VPs of Fundraising: Phil Bloch & Gang Chen

VP of Outreach: Melissa Richardson

It is not too late to join us! The 2023-2024 Board is still looking for a Co-VP of Community and a Co-Secretary.

A Co position means you will work with someone else, not by yourself. If you are worried about not knowing something, don't be, because many of the current board members are returning and you will not be alone. International has a very strong, involved PTSA and we would love to have you join us in supporting our children, our teachers, and our school. Meet new people, make new friends, and discover what is happening at our school and in our district. Join the 2023-2024 International School PTSA Board and be an active participant in shaping our community!

Position descriptions can be found here and here. If you are interested in Co-VP of Community or Co-Secretary please attend the General Membership Meeting on June 1 at 6:30 PM. You can self-nominate from the floor! Questions? Contact the Nominations Committee.

The ISPTSA General Meeting will be Thursday, June 1, 6:30–8:30 PM. Please join us for the final general meeting of the year and a FREE catered dinner. We will be voting on next year's slate of board members and budget, plus more! Please save the date and plan to be there to help us make some very important decisions and to eat some good food.

Questions? Contact President@isptsa.org.

These are some of our past Golden Acorn recipients, nominated by parents, teachers, and friends. Do you know someone who works for the success of our IS students and community? Golden Acorn is a high honor awarded annually by the ISPTSA since 1994 to a school or community volunteer in recognition of their dedication and service to children and youth. Please take a moment to nominate a parent or teacher for this award by sending an email to golden-acorn-nomination@isptsa.org.

The committee will be accepting nominations until THIS Wednesday, May 24. Questions? Email the Golden Acorn Committee. 

The 2023 Washington State PTA Spring Conference Award Ceremony took place on Sunday, May 7. The ISPTSA won three awards: 100% Membership, 100% Staff Membership, and a Bronze Outstanding Newsletter. We want to thank Honglian Gao, Meribeth Nordloef-Pedersen, and Stephen Miller for all their hard work on membership drives. We would also like to thank all of our PTSA members for supporting us and our school by joining! Questions? Email ISPTSA.

We are thrilled to express our heartfelt appreciation for the fantastic support you provided during our Staff Appreciation Week! Thanks to the incredible generosity of our IS parents, we were able to collect a significant number of gift cards that we will be distributing to our staff members. Your support for this initiative is deeply appreciated and will go a long way in showing our staff members how much we value and appreciate them. Questions? Contact Anna Luan, Staff Appreciation Chair.

The ISPTSA reserved a block of tickets for IS students and families to attend a Mariners game and watch our wonderful Middle School Choir sing the National Anthem. They were amazing! Fun was had by all, especially when multiple IS families ended up on the Jumbotron! Questions? Email ISPTSA.

The Bellevue PTSA Council is hosting an internet safety workshop for grades 4-7 on Tuesday, May 30th at 6:30 pm at International School. Topics covered include creating safe passwords, watching out for Internet hoaxes, dealing with cyber bullying and more. Sign up here for this FREE event. Questions? Email Emilie Castle.

This year's Reflection Finalists and the 2023 WSPTA Student Program Winners were honored virtually on April 26 and April 27. You can view recordings of both events and check out all of the winners here.

Questions? Email support@wastatepta.org.

Vote before THIS THURSDAY, May 25.

As the state winner, Rebecca will have the opportunity to compete for the national title, which will be decided by public voting. The national winner will have their doodle featured on the Google homepage for a day and the winner's school will receive a $50,000 tech package towards the establishment or improvement of a computer lab or technology program (See the Prizes & Learn About the Scholarship - Doodle for Google).

Thank you for your support! Questions? Contact the Office.

LAST CALL: Yearbooks! On sale June 1-15! They will be distributed June 6-9, so make sure you’re on the list! Go to Touchbase to buy your book for $50 or confirm that you already purchased one through Payment History. Questions? Contact Jill Follett, Counseling Secretary, AP Coordinator, and Yearbook Advisor

CLASS OF 2023 ALL-NIGHT GRAD PARTY – TICKETS ON SALE NOW

For detailed information on purchasing tickets, making payments, and filling out forms, please use this link.

The party is funded through ticket sales and fundraisers by the Class of 2023 Parent Graduation Committee. Tickets cost $275 per student, and scholarships are available! Contact Colleen Courtney at courtneyn@bsd405.org. All information is confidential. Don't miss out - ticket sales end June 1!

New this year: each senior will receive a beautiful hydrangea to decorate the stage at Senior Celebration and Graduation, then take home to plant. Questions? Email Patti McKnight.

Questions? Email Nicole Barber.

Are you interested in student, staff, and community well-being? Consider a candidacy for becoming a school board director. 

The Bellevue School Board of Directors is made up of five community members, one from each geographic region of the district. Districts 1,2 and 4 are open for election in 2023.

Candidates who are interested in running for a school board position must file a Declaration of Candidacy with the King County Elections office during the filing period. The filing period this year is OPEN NOW through June 2. There is no filing fee for school board positions. For step-by-step instructions, please refer to King County’s Candidate Manual. Qualifications and additional resources can be found on the district’s Become a Board Member webpage.

Questions? Contact pubinfo@bsd405.org.

There will be performers, workshops, and more. The schedule can be found here. More info can be found here. Questions? Contact Northwest Folklife.

The Madaraka Festival is back in Washington for it's ninth year. Immerse the whole family in this incredible celebration of African music and culture on May 26th at Seattle's Benaroya Hall. More info here. Questions? Contact Simon Javan Okelo.

The Anacortes Waterfront Festival is a free event that showcases the best of waterfront activities. This family-friendly event holds many traditions including Quick and Dirty Boat Building Competitions, free boat rides provided by the Anacortes Yacht Club, hands-on children’s activities including building wooden sailboats with Fidalgo Island Rotary, games, making costumes, and more. The Channel of Discovery displays range from canoes and a pirate ship to learning about marine wildlife education and the environment. This fun-filled festival also features food vendors, food trucks, and live music and performances! Find more info here. Questions? Call 360-293-3832.

Explore Bellevue's hidden treasures and award-winning parks by bike in the 10th annual Lake to Lake Bike Ride, presented by the City of Bellevue, Crossroads Bellevue, and Overlake Medical Center & Clinics.

The non-competitive ride, utilizes low-traffic roads, bike lanes, and part of the Lake to Lake trail (non-technical gravel) and traverses much of the city. Find out more info and register here. Questions? Contact BikeRide@bellevuewa.gov.

Want to participate in theatre this summer? The Bellevue Youth Theatre provides inclusive recreational programs for youth ages 5-19, with a focus on teen participants. Persons with disabilities, families, and older adults are encouraged to participate. The emphasis of the theatre is to build self-esteem, teamwork, and confidence in youth while performing in a supportive environment. Find out more info about the program and auditions here. Questions? Email BYT@bellevuewa.gov.

More info here. Questions? Contact Courtney Tucker.

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

Start 2023 off with some stress relief for yourself! Signup for Smith Brothers Farms Home Grocery Delivery and when you do, you'll receive $15 off your 1st delivery & ISPTSA receives a $50 gift donation from SBF! It's a win-win! You get the iconic Porch Box with your 1st order & it can be filled each week with milk that is 2-days-fresh from the farm, eggs that are 3-days-fresh, fresh produce, almond & oat milk, and hundreds of grocery items that are primarily from local PNW companies!

Delivery is free with just a $10 order & there are no monthly fees, no contract. Give it a try - we get the donation if you get one delivery or remain a customer for years. Questions? Contact Smith Brothers Farms.