April 15, 2024

MONDAY MESSENGER

Visit Our Website

Donate to PTSA

Translate Newsletter

UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS

THIS WEEK:

  • Tuesday, 4/16, 6:30 PM • 8th Grade Parent Night


LOOKING AHEAD:

  • Monday, 4/22–Friday, 4/26 • Spirit Week
  • Thursday, 4/25, 6:30 PM • ISPTSA General Membership Meeting*
  • Saturday, 4/27, 8 PM • Prom
  • Monday, 5/6–Friday, 5/17 • AP Testing*
  • Monday, 5/6–Friday, 5/10 • Staff Appreciation Week*
  • Friday, 5/10, 7 PM • MS Social
  • Wednesday, 5/8 • Staff Appreciation Luncheon Hosted by the 8th Grade Families*
  • Monday, 5/20–Friday, 5/24 • Focus Week
  • Monday, 5/27 • No School (Memorial Day)
  • Tuesday, 5/28–Friday, 5/31 • Testing Week
  • Wednesday, 5/29 • Senior Board Day
  • Tuesday, 6/4, 6 PM • MS Band Concert
  • Tuesday, 6/4, 7 PM • HS Band Concert
  • Wednesday, 6/5 • Seniors & Staff Luncheon Hosted by the 12th Grade Families
  • Wednesday, 6/5, 6 PM • MS Orchestra Concert
  • Wednesday, 6/5, 7 PM • HS Orchestra Concert
  • Thursday, 6/6, 11:15 AM–12:25 PM • 5th Grade BBQ
  • Friday, 6/7, 7 PM • Moving Up Dance
  • Monday, 6/10 • Déjeuner en Blanc
  • Monday, 6/10, 6 PM • MS Choir Concert
  • Monday, 6/10, 7 PM • HS Choir Concert
  • Tuesday, 6/11 • Commencement Rehearsal
  • Thursday, 6/13, 7:30 PM • Class of 2024 Commencement
  • Thursday, 6/13–Friday, 6/14 • Seniors Grad Party*
  • Thursday, 6/13–Friday, 6/14 • Laptop Collection
  • Tuesday, 6/18 • Last Day of School
  • Monday, 8/19–Friday, 8/23 • Class of 2025 College Boot Camp*


Click here to view the ISPTSA Calendar, which can be added to your personal Google or Outlook Calendar.

Click here to view the District 2023–2024 calendar for families.

*More information in the message below

Orange denotes new/updated calendar entries.

SHOUT-OUTS

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

Thank you Yue Mai and Jin Xu, our 7th Grade Parent Reps, for spearheading the Staff Appreciation Luncheon on April 3. You put together an amazing spread!

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PTSA NEWS

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING


Please join us for the ISPTSA General Membership Meeting on Thursday, April 25 at 6:30 PM in the IS Commons.


  • FREE Catered Dinner
  • RSVP Here
  • Speakers:
  • Principal Russell White
  • Guest Speaker Dan Davidson & IS Finance Club
  • Voting:
  • 2024-2025 ISPTSA Board
  • 2024-2025 Preliminary Budget
  • Q&A


Please review the meeting minutes from the Thursday, January 18 General Membership Meeting for approval at the meeting. We will send out the budget as soon as we have finalized it. We need a quorum to pass any votes, so please be sure to attend!


For more information, please refer to the E-Blast sent out on April 10. Questions? Email Emilie Castle and Qiong Chen, Co-Presidents.

SLATE OF NOMINATIONS


The Nominations committee would like to announce the ISPTSA Board Slate of Nominations for the 2024-2025 School Year:

  • President: Jennifer Li
  • Treasurer 1: Amanda Johnson
  • Treasurer 2: Open
  • Secretary: Li Zhang
  • VP of Communications: Emilie Castle
  • Co-VPs of Community: Maggie Lo & Farangis Sepehri
  • VP of Fundraising: Melissa Richardson
  • Co-VPs of Outreach: Shan Angela Gao & Yue Mao


Nominations are now closed. Nominations will be opened again at the General Membership Meeting on April 25 and will be accepted from the floor.


Position descriptions can be accessed here or here. Position training will be provided.


Questions? Contact the Nominations Committee.

CLASS OF 2024 GRAD NIGHT PARTY TICKETS


To provide a fun and safe way for our seniors to celebrate the ending of their high school career with their friends, the PTSA hosts a Grad Night party for International Seniors! Tickets are on sale now and you don't want to miss this! Please click here to register and purchase tickets.


It's a long standing IS tradition that ALL seniors attend and it's the last time you will all get to celebrate together! We would really appreciate you purchasing your ticket as soon as possible - it will really help us with the planning process! This event will occur directly after graduation on Thursday, June 13 until 6 AM the next morning. The locations are kept secret until that night, but the graduates will enjoy fun locales, food, and activities. This event is for seniors only! Questions? Email SeniorChair@isptsa.org.

7TH GRADE STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON


We wanted to express our heartfelt thanks for the following 7th grade parent volunteers who made the Staff Appreciation Lunch on April 3 joyful and memorable!

Deana Ahn

Renata Akalin

MJ Jung

Kerry Fujioka Hill

Vera Ho

Jingyuan Huang

Silvia Hui

Caroline Keene

Jennifer Li

Maggie Lo

Yueyi Luan

Yue Mai

Yumiko Orimoto

DongHui Pan

Sylvie Sanguin

Pael Sengupta

Farangis Sepehri

Ryan Shaw

Ivory Su

Jin Xu

Your efforts contributed significantly to the success of the event, and we are truly grateful for your time and energy. Whether you helped with food preparation, planning, organizing, serving, or cleaning up, your support was vital, and we appreciate everything you did! Questions? Contact Yue Mai and Jin Xu, 7th Grade Parent Reps.

8TH GRADE FAMILIES STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON


8th Grade families will be hosting the Staff Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday, May 8. If you are an 8th Grade family please sign up here to donate food and to help set up or clean up. The theme is finger foods! Questions? Email parent-rep2028@isptsa.org.

STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK CHAIR NEEDED!


Join our team as the Staff Appreciation Week Chair (or Co-Chair)! Coordinate events to honor our hardworking staff during the week of Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10. Work closely with the various Grade Level Reps and our Co-VP's of Community to help show our staff how much we love and appreciate all they do for us. Have questions or want to volunteer? Email VPCommunity@isptsa.org.

SCHOOL NEWS

A CALL TO ACTION FROM AN IS STUDENT


Do you want to help improve the future of this school? Help advocate for the future of the IS facility at the school board meetings THIS Thursday, April 18 and Thursday, May 2. I believe that each of you has something you could share which would demonstrate the importance of the IS facility. Sharing this may take the form of a 2-minute spoken comment or written comment sent to the school board. To share your interest in helping fight for the future of the IS facility, please fill out this form.

 

Thank You, Nate Bloch(s-blochn@bsd405.org)

AP TESTING


May is just around the corner, and AP Exam days will be here before we know it! Here are some things to start planning, and some pointers to help your student have a low-stress testing experience. Curious what to expect on exam day? Check out this blog, “What to Expect When Taking Your First AP Exam.”

 

Schedule: AP Exams are administered the weeks of May 6 and May 13. You can find a detailed schedule, including locations, here. PLEASE NOTE THAT MOST EXAMS WILL BE HOSTED OFFSITE! Students are required to report to their tests at 7:30 AM. for morning tests, and 12:30 PM for afternoon tests. As the days draw nearer, we will provide more information.

 

Attendance: Parents do NOT need to notify the attendance office for student absences due to AP testing; all students will be pre-excused as a Student Activity (SA). When not testing, students are expected to attend their usual classes. Please consult the schedule for student release times that allow for lunch and travel to the testing site. Staying home to study for an afternoon test is an unexcused absence.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Kyla Carlson, AP Coordinator.

CLASS OF 2025 COLLEGE BOOT CAMP


College Boot Camp for the Class of 2025 will be Monday, August 19-Friday, August 23.   Space is available in the PM session; the AM session is full.  College Boot Camp is a summer workshop for rising International School seniors designed to kick start the college application process. The week includes instruction and individual support on the main essay and college applications. Questions? Email Jill Follett, IS Counseling Secretary.

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

INTERDISCIPLINARY GENERATIVE AI SUMMER PROGRAM BY STANFORD ALUMNI


Inspirit AI is a 25-hour project-based AI program taught by Stanford graduates that introduces middle and high school students to fundamental AI concepts to build interdisciplinary AI projects across disciplines. In 2024, the team is excited to announce new projects such as Generating Language Safely with ChatGPT. No CS experience is necessary to apply and priority applications are due soon. Questions? Email contact@inspiritai.com.

BELLEVUE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS

COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION FORUM


What can the district, City of Bellevue or Metro Transit do to engage and encourage parents to choose environmentally sustainable transportation options such as riding the bus, walking, biking or carpooling? Attend the Transportation Forum to collaborate with district and city leaders in creating solutions for transportation challenges. 

 

In-Person Event 

Date: Thursday, April 25 

Time: 4:00-6:00 PM 

Location: Sammamish High School 

Address: 100 140th Ave. SE Bellevue, WA 98005 

 

Online Event 

Date: Wednesday, May 1

Time: 6:00-8:00 PM

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams 

 

Register now! Registration for these events is suggested but not required. You may also request interpretation/translation support for the events through the registration form. Questions? Contact BSD.

BSD NEWSLETTER


An e-newsletter was sent to BSD staff and families on Thursday, March 28. Learn about the 2024 College Conference Series, nominate someone or apply to join the school board, sign up to attend informational events, and more. Read it here. Don't receive the district newsletter? Sign up here! You can see all newsletters here. Questions? Contact BSD.

COMMUNITY NEWS

BEN & JERRY'S FREE CONE DAY


Free cone day is being celebrated around the world and we’ll be giving away free ice cream. Every time you enjoy a scoop of Ben & Jerry's, you're showing us how much you care. We love you too and Free Cone Day is our favorite way to show it!


Free Cone Day is being celebrated in Scoop Shops around the world, & we'll be giving away free ice cream at a host of locations between 12 PM and 8 PM THIS Tuesday, April 16! Don’t forget to tell your friends!


Check for participating locations. Hours vary by location. Questions? Contact the individual stores.

EARTHFEST AT BELLEVUE BOTANICAL GARDEN


The City of Bellevue and the Bellevue Botanical Garden are thrilled to be hosting our first annual EarthFest event featuring sustainable fun for all ages!

The event will be full of family friendly, interactive activities and games, including rolling garden tours, educational nature-based programs, creative arts activities, and environmental resource booths. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the Copper Kettle Coffee Bar in the Shorts House. 


This event is free for all. Advance registration is not required. All who live, work, play, and recreate in Bellevue are welcome!


Please note that parking at the Bellevue Botanical Garden is limited; in accordance with the Earth Day spirit, sustainable transportation methods are encouraged. 


Email for more information, or call 425 452-2829

CITY NATURE CHALLENGE


Get outside April 26 - 29. Watch nature. ID and discover. Free. All ages. Help the Puget Sound area (including Tacoma, Seattle, Bellevue, Everett and any place within Snohomish, King and Pierce counties!) show the world how biodiverse our region is by making observations of local species during City Nature Challenge! Find out how you can help here! Questions? Email comments@pdza.org.

SPRING FOR SCHOOLS 2024


Over 800 gathered at Meydenbauer Center for Spring for Schools 2024, celebrating Bellevue School Foundation's investment in Bellevue's 28 public schools. Speakers, including Superintendent Dr. Kelly Aramaki, highlighted BSF's funding impact on programs like arts, robotics, and mental health interventions. Unable to attend? Join us by donating towards our $550,000 event goal. Help bridge the $10M funding gap for 18,000+ students. Email info@bsfdn.org for questions.

SUPPORT OUR ISPTSA

SHOW YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT!


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.

SMITH BROTHERS FARMS MILK FUND PROGRAMS


Sign up 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.

MASTHEAD / DIRECTORY / LINKS
Serving International School in the Bellevue School District
President
Secretary
Treasurer 1
Treasurer 2
VP of Communications
VP's of Community
VP's of Fundraising
VP's of Outreach
Membership Chair
Grants
Monday Messenger
Website
IS Staff Liaison
Local PTA #2.3.121
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 

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.
PTSA Website: www.isptsa.org

Newsletter Submissions: news@isptsa.org

SUPPORT YOUR PTSA
Donate Anytime!
Preferred
or
Please note that PayPal has transaction fees.
Or write your check to the International School PTSA and send it to:

ISPTSA
PO Box 221
Bellevue, WA 98009

MONDAY MESSENGER
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • Please submit articles by THURSDAY at 5:00 PM to news@isptsa.org.
  • Please limit articles to 600 characters including spaces.
  • Please include contact information for questions from readers.
  • 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.
International School PTSA
P.O. Box 221
Bellevue, WA 98009-0221
Stay Social With Us:
Facebook