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UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS
THIS WEEK:
  • Monday, 4/8–Friday, 4/12 • No School—Spring Break

NEXT WEEK:
  • Monday, 4/15, 7:00 PM • PTSA Board Meeting
  • Wednesday, 4/17, 6:30 PM • PTSA General Meeting
  • Tuesday, 4/18, 6:30–8:30 PM, IPAC • "Parenting with Identity in Mind" Presentation (more info and RSVP link below)
  • Friday, 4/19, 7:00 PM • Spring Middle School Social

LOOKING AHEAD:
  • Monday, 4/22–Friday, 4/26 • Spirit Week
  • Wednesday, 4/24, 11:45 AM • Staff Appreciation Lunch Hosted by 10th-Grade Families (more info and sign-up below)
  • Saturday, 4/27, 8:00 PM • Spring Fling
  • Wednesday, 5/1, 7:00 PM • IS Jazz Night
  • Thursday, 5/2, 6:30 PM • 11th Grade Parent Night
  • Friday, 5/3, 12:00 PM • BSF Spring for Schools Luncheon (more info below)
  • Friday, 5/3, 6:00 PM • Bite of IS
  • Saturday, 5/4, 9:00 AM • PTSA Campus Improvement
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CAN HELP!


IS and the ISPTSA are currently seeking the following volunteers:

  • Chaperones for Spring Middle School Social—Fri, 4/19
  • Chaperones for High School Retreat—9/5-9/6
  • On-call Volunteers

Click here to learn more and sign up.
PTSA NEWS
SPRING SOCIAL SUCCESS!

We are pleased to announce that our Spring Social and Fundraiser,  Spring into Action , was a great success! As a community, we raised an impressive $49,000, putting us in reach of our overall annual fundraising goals. We are very grateful to all the parents, faculty, staff, volunteers, and students who donated to the event through their time, financial support, auction items, and school spirit to help make the evening successful and memorable.  Each and every contribution throughout the year, whether as a volunteer or financial supporter, makes a difference and strengthens the IS community. We cannot thank you enough!

Please watch your inbox for your personalized auction receipt which will identify your tax-deductible donation from the evening. If your company has a  Corporate Matching Program , please take the time to  request a match for ISPTSA to double or even triple your impact . This generous benefit will give us a huge boost to reach our annual revenue goals with every match getting us one step closer.

If you were unable to join us, you can still make an impact.  Please consider a tax-deductible donation to be counted toward our final results on the  ISPTSA website . Every donation, no matter the amount, makes a difference.

With gratitude,
Your Spring Social Committee
Sylvia Abrahamsson, Chair
Joanie Chang
Renuka Getchell
Dori Kelleran
Mary Ellen Nickerson
Katie Surbeck
Li Wu
A THANK YOU FROM IS HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT HEAD, JEN SORENSON, FOR PTSA GRANT

The PTSA grant for Actively Learn this year has allowed me to get my students really engaged in the reading process and for me to check their comprehension in real time. I know that reading assignments can get long and daunting, and that leads to skimming, which then leads to misinterpretation. Sometimes students walk in thinking that the exact opposite thing happened! And if you are not correcting that for several days, or if the student is absent when we discuss that section of reading, then comprehension goes out the window. Actively Learn is a reading comprehension platform AND a database of thousands of online resources and open-source documents and books AND a communication platform centered on common reading experiences. 
 
I am including a couple of items:
  1. Excel spreadsheet: I can take the overall class data with the scores on questions, the vocabulary “look-ups,” and much more, and send that to Excel to look at all the data in an organized fashion. 
  2. Screenshot 1 (below left): Students have short-answer responses to questions that I create in the readings. I can score them on a scale of zero to advanced and leave a comment. Students can ask to revise certain questions and I can look at those new responses and re-evaluate. After students answer a question, they can see other student responses and comment on those as well.
  3. Screenshot 2 (below right): I can look at various data points in real time, as well. I can see who is looking up which words, which questions get the lowest scores, and other data points.
All this information informs my interaction and feedback with individual students in real time. It is meaningful for both them and me, and the instantaneous nature means that the students can immediately apply the feedback! This is invaluable! I can also take the data for use later to inform how I teach and re-teach various reading comprehension strategies, sections, ideas, and so on.
 
Basically, I love Actively Learn. I want to use it more! I am so thankful for the grant! THANK YOU! 
Sincerely,
Jen Sorenson
9/10 Humanities, Humanities Department Head, JSA Adviser, National Board Certified Teacher
CALLING ALL 10TH-GRADE FAMILIES!

We're hosting the April Staff Appreciation luncheon on Wednesday, April 24, and are planning to provide a Spring Salad Bar. Please use this  SignupGenius link  to help us show our fabulous staff how much we appreciate all they do each day for our students!
SAVE THE DATE: PTSA GENERAL MEETING

Wednesday, April 17, 6:30 PM

In addition to the meeting, Sally Fouche and Jill Follett will provide information about College Boot Camp.
SCHOOL NEWS
ATTENTION STUDENTS IN GRADES 8-11:
2019 HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT!

September 5-6, 2019

The International School offers an annual retreat for our high school students in order to build community and realize its mission of providing students with a globally focused education. The academic content of the retreat follows a four-year cycle of geographic and cultural regions including Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East.

The 2019 retreat’s objectives are for students to explore a few forms of Asian cultural expression; to understand some of the challenges facing Latin American societies and the power we and the world community have to address them; and to appreciate the value of the IS community and its contribution to our overall success for the coming school year.

The students will come to school the morning of Thursday, September 5, and will be bused to Warm Beach Conference Center in Stanwood, WA. They will spend the night there and return by bus the following day, Friday, September 6, by 3:15 PM.

The cost is $100. After focus week, the fee for camp will be added to your student's account online, so you may pay online or in the school office.

Please see the following links:
2019 HS Retreat Flyer  (Information about the retreat)
2019 HS Retreat Forms   (Permission slips)

THE DUE DATE FOR FORMS IS EARLY THIS YEAR—FRIDAY, JUNE 7.  
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU TAKE CARE OF THIS! 
YOU CAN EVEN DO IT TODAY !
HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT CHAPERONE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED—JOIN US!

The trip is only possible with your support! We need 12 males and 12 females. Chaperones attend free of charge. Please let Tamara Truax  truaxt@bsd405.org or Lee Holt holti@bsd405.org  know if you are available.
HONOR SOCIETY APPLICATIONS DUE NEXT WEEK!

Honor Society Applications  for art, French, math, NHS, science, and technology are  due Tuesday, April 16, 2019.  Click this link  for information on the societies and applications.
STUDENT NEWS & COMMUNITY EVENTS
TITAN ROBOTICS QUALIFIES FOR DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Titan Robotics competed March 23-24 at Glacier Peak Regional and made it to the Quarter Finals on the Number 4 Alliance with Team 488 XBot and Team 4089 Stealth. On March 30-31, they competed at the Auburn District and competed in the Quarterfinals on the Number 2 Alliance with Alliance Captain 4918 Robotctopi and Partner 7118 ScotBots. Titan Robotics was awarded the Auburn District Innovation in Control Award for the programming of their robot's control and use of autonomous system. Titan Robotics also qualified for the District Championships where teams compete against teams from all over Washington and Oregon in the hopes of qualifying for the World Championships. 
SENIOR PROJECT: CONTRACEPTION LESSONS

Beneficial Birth Control: A Lesson Teaching Young Adults about Their Contraception Choices

Did you know there are more than ten kinds of contraceptives available for teens? Are some better for active teens? Do some require more planning than others?

Hi, my name is Anneliese Finley and I am a senior at International. As seniors, we each do a project that involves working with the community, and for my project I have created a lesson going into depth about contraception choices and which type of birth control could be the best for you. To make this sensitive topic more comfortable to discuss, we are limiting the workshop to females (mother/daughter pairs or similar pairings).

Session One:  Wednesday, April 17, 6:00–7:30 PM, Bellevue Club Executive Meeting Room (11200 SE 6th Street, Bellevue 98004)

Session Two: Sunday, April 21, 5:30–6:30 PM, Downtown Bellevue Library (1111 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue 98004)

Session Three: Wednesday, April 24, 6:00–7:30 PM, Bellevue Club Executive Meeting Room (11200 SE 6th Street, Bellevue 98004)

Each workshop will include an interactive discussion with slide show presentation. Snacks and drinks will be provided. I can’t wait to see you there!

Each session can accommodate approximately 16 people. If interested, please RSVP via either Microsoft Form, or email me , as there are limited seats available. 
TRIANGLE POOL SUMMER MEMBERSHIP SIGN-UPS OPEN

Triangle Pool Memberships and signups for Summer Swim League are available now! Early bird registration for the 2019 season ends April 15. Don’t miss out on enjoying our newly resurfaced pool! www.TrianglePool.org
PREPARING FOR COLLEGE—FOUR WORKSHOPS

Bellevue PTSA Council, Bellevue Gifted Alliance, and Transcend Academy present a series of four exciting NEW workshops geared toward students in grades 8-11. Workshops will be led by Transcend Academy CEO Tina Tran Neville and BSD Counselors.
 
FREE to any BSD student with student ID card, $20 for BSD adults, $40 for out-of-district attendees. No registration or reservation needed. Pay at the door.
 
I. Top 10 Things Colleges Look for in Admissions and How to Get There 
  • Why Transcripts Matter: Grades and Classes
  • Passionate Involvement in Activities is Key
  • A Well-Written, Authentic Essay Speaks Volumes
  • Demonstrated Interest in Colleges is Increasingly More Important 
Monday, April 15,  6:30–8:00 PM, Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main St., Bellevue

II. Rocking Standardized Tests
  • General SAT, ACT, and Standardized Test-Taking Tips
  • Timing Strategies for Students
  • Practicing Strategies in Session
  • Tips for the Week of and Day of the Test
Monday, April 29, 6:30–8:00 PM, Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main St., Bellevue
 
III. How to Write an Unforgettable Essay
  • Uncovering an Authentic Story for Each Student
  • Reflect on Events, Accomplishments, and Goals
  • Working with Friends and Family to Get Feedback
  • Using Words to Paint a Beautiful Story
Tuesday, May 14, 6:30–8:00 PM, Newport High School, Library, 4333 Factoria Blvd. S.E., Bellevue
 
IV. How to Find Your Passion
  • Life is a Journey. Appreciate the Journey
  • Who You Are Will Change Through High School and College
  • Craft a Personal Resume that Works for You
  • How Joining Activities Can Help You Find Your Passion
Tuesday, May 28, 6:30–8:00 PM, Wilburton Instructional Service Center, Rainier Room, 12241 Main St., Bellevue

Click here for more info.
PARENTING WITH IDENTITY IN MIND PRESENTATION

Tuesday, April 18, 6:30–8:30 PM, IPAC

The Bellevue Schools Foundation, in partnership with the PTSA Council and Bellevue School District, invites you to attend an  Education Connection  presentation entitled Parenting with Identity in Mind . The presentation will feature specialist Rosetta Lee in an interactive session that helps parents answer the difficult questions our children ask about identity. How do we talk to our children about group identity labels—for example, female, African-American, Buddhist, middle class, etc.? From whom did we learn the meaning of these terms, and what messages have we internalized about ourselves and others? Join Rosetta Lee to learn how you can instill positive self-identity in your children and coach them to be positive influences on others' identities. Together, we can co-create inclusive communities that work toward success for all.
 
You won't want to miss t his insightful evening . Click here to register now!
BSF SPRING FOR SCHOOLS LUNCHEON FRIDAY, MAY 3

International School Families! We have open seats available at the ISPTSA/International School table. Come represent our school and support the Bellevue Schools Foundation and all of the wonderful things they do for the Bellevue School District, like co-presenting the  Education Connections  series providing BSD families with valuable information about student support, and so much more. To view the many ways the Bellevue Schools Foundation supports Bellevue students, click here .

John Stanton, Seattle Mariners CEO and Bellevue School District alum, will be the Honorary Chair. Join 1,100 other parents to hear inspiring stories from students whose lives have been changed by the Bellevue Public Schools. Discover how you can make a difference for every student in every classroom, every day.  Plus, the Mariner Moose will be there!
 
The schedule on Friday, May 3, at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency is as follows:   Education Showcase from 10:15–11:50 AM, Luncheon and program from noon–1:15 PM.
 
To register click  here  and select International School/Amy and Kevin Frei Table Captain , or contact I nternational School BSF Ambassadors Amy Frei amyfrei@hotmail.com  or Kevin Frei  kevinfrei@hotmail.com to get a personalized registration link.

Come and join us for a wonderful event and thank you for being a part of the International School community and for supporting the Bellevue Schools Foundation.

If the International School table fills up, you may also register to attend the event using this link .
SUPPORT CHILDHAVEN BY SUPPORTING SENIOR PROJECT

Hello IS community, my name is Ashleigh Helms and I am doing fundraising for my Senior Project. This is a community-service and learning-based project that every senior at IS completes for graduation. For my project, I am learning about interior design by shadowing a professional and working with others in the community. My final project will be redecorating the parent lounge at Childhaven , a non-profit organization that helps youths who have experienced trauma.
 
I am fundraising to buy quality furniture, paint, and materials so that I can put together a room that will be a lasting blessing in their facility. Childhaven has been gracious enough to create a page on their website to directly accept donations for my project. This means everything you donate is both tax deductible and eligible for corporate matching funds. All remaining proceeds will go directly to Childhaven.
 
I would be delighted if you could help me reach my goal of $5,000! Fundraising will be open until Wednesday, April 10. Any and all donations are sincerely appreciated and will go to a great cause. 
 
To learn more about my project, please visit my Senior Project website .
To donate please click here .
BELLEVUE GIFTED ALLIANCE SURVEY

For parents of students in BSD's Gifted/AL programs, whether in the centered program or in AL in the neighborhood school:
To help BGA set their priorities, please take a few minutes to send them your candid feedback on your children's experience in the Gifted/AL programs—whether positive, or suggestions for changes to the programs. 

They will share aggregated responses with the school district, but no identifying information will be shared with the district. Please post your comments on their confidential Google Forms survey here.
This survey will close on Sunday, April 21.
STUDENT SPORTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Wise Camps is a non-profit summer camp that offers exciting science, math, art, finance, Model UN, SAT prep, and cooking camps July 15-19 & July 22-26 at Newport High School in Bellevue for students entering grades 3-11 (morning sessions, afternoon sessions, or full day).The camps are designed to give students a unique, hands-on experience and excite them even more about these topics! Lunch on campus is provided for those who choose to do full day. Questions? Contact  wisecamps@gmail.com . Find camp descriptions, prices, promotions and registration at:  www.wisecamps.org . See their flyer here .
NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL BOOSTER CLUB SUMMER YOUTH CAMP

A skills-based camp for participants currently in 4th–8th grade, this camp is facilitated by current NHS coaching staff, area club coaches, NCAA, and current NHS players.

Friday June 7, 6:00–8:30 PM (doors open at 5:30 PM, please come early to check in) and Saturday, June 8, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM

Camp Cost: $90 per player . Registration must be completed by Friday, May 24, in order to be guaranteed a shirt. Payment must be received by June 5 in order to participate in the camp. There is a cap of 90 campers.

Click here for more info and to register.
BELLEVUE PTSA COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIPS

The Bellevue PTSA Council offers scholarships each year to outstanding students in the Bellevue School District. The Dr. Michael Riley and Alice Hurd Memorial scholarships are each $1,000 scholarships awarded to one graduating senior from each of the six Bellevue high schools: Bellevue, Interlake, International, Newport, Sammamish, and Big Picture. 

The Dr. Michael Riley Memorial Scholarship  is sponsored by local PTAs, and is awarded to one student from each of the high schools. It is named in honor of Bellevue’s former superintendent. The Dr. Riley Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from a Bellevue high school who demonstrates exceptional accomplishment in academics, leadership, and activities.  
 
The Alice Hurd Memorial Scholarship  is funded by a trust established by the Hurd Family to honor wife and mother Alice Hurd. She was a tireless and enthusiastic volunteer in PTA and an outstanding child advocate. In recognition of her volunteer spirit, the Alice Hurd Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior from a Bellevue high school who has gone above and beyond in service to the community and contributed a substantial number of community service hours.  

The application deadline for both scholarships is April 26 at 11:59 PM.
For more information and to apply, please click here.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OFFERS HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE AND MORE

Parents, are you looking for a safe after-school place for your students? The (non-profit) Bellevue Boys & Girls Club offers a daily after-school homework assistance program at their Lake Hills location— Club 6/7/8  for middle school students and  BE GREAT: Graduate  for high school students. Mentors/tutors are on site each day to work with students and stay in contact with their schools. The positive, supportive atmosphere helps students stay on track and succeed.

Students also have access to  The Club Teen Center . Staffed by professionals,  The Club  offers programs in a state-of-the-art technology lab, audio recording studio, art room, teaching kitchen, and a bicycle repair/building lab.  The Club  space also has recreation available: a ping pong table, a pool table, a foosball table, a board games table, video games, and a sport court for basketball, volleyball, and badminton. For teens who want to get involved in leadership, The Keystone Advisory  provides guidance and opportunities.

All Boys & Girls Club programs are free, and transportation is provided from school. Snacks are available every day, and a Teen Feed dinner is offered every Thursday. 

For more information, please visit the Boys and Girls Club website , or call: 425-429-3203.
CODING FOR MEDICINE 2019 SUMMER CAMP AND OPPORTUNITIES

Coding for Medicine would like to invite International School students to join their cutting-edge and innovative summer programs at the intersection of Biology, Medicine, and Computer Science. All high school and middle school students are eligible. Courses unify skills in coding, computer algorithms, math, and biology. Learn one of the most transformative STEM skills needed in healthcare, life sciences, and data science.

For more info, please contact 425-898-8187 or  info@coding4medicine.com.
Go to their website to find out more, learn about info sessions at local libraries in April and May, or register. Join with a friend and share a 10% discount!
SHE CODES ART WORKSHOP

She Codes Art is a Bellevue-based nonprofit that was founded by students from the greater-Seattle area last year to combat the lack of diversity in tech fields by increasing interest in computer science. Their upcoming workshop, a Website Design & Art Workshop in the She Codes Art workshop series, targets girls from grades 6th–8th. Girls will learn about website design by coding their own websites in HTML/CSS regarding art-related themes and needs, and will then present their final websites. No prior coding experience is necessary!

The Website Design & Art Workshop will take place on April 13 at Microsoft Building 30. Click here to see the informational flyer. Students can register here .
THEATER WORKS BELLEVUE ANNOUNCES SUMMER 2019 CLASSES

Theater Works in Bellevue, a s ummer theater program located at Bellevue High School since 2014, provides a place for all ages, all abilities, and all experience levels to discover, create, and explore theatrical arts in a non-competitive environment. Theater Works Bellevue is s ponsored by the BHS Drama Booster Club.

All classes will be held at Bellevue High School Performing Arts Center, 10416 SE Wolverine Way, Bellevue, WA 98004.

Register online ( 20% Sibling Discount at checkout!) : www.theaterworksinbellevue.com  
             
For more information, contact: info@theaterworksinbellevue.com
MASTHEAD / DIRECTORY / LINKS
President
Ching Guo  
Secretary
Zena Heywood
Treasurer 1
Beverly Ni
Treasurer 2
Nancy Chung
VP of Communications
Li Wu
VPs of Community
Liying Tan & Qiong Chen
VP of Fundraising
Dori Kelleran
VP of Outreach
Meribeth Nordloef-Pedersen
Membership
Sharon Chen
Advocacy
OPEN
Monday Messenger
Julie Molinari
Website
Sylvia Abrahamsson
IS Staff Liaison
Taylor Tillotson
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.