AP TESTS CONTINUE!
GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF THE TEST TAKERS!
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UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS | |
THIS WEEK:
- Monday, 5/6–Friday, 5/17 • AP Testing
NEXT WEEK:
- Monday, 5/20–Friday, 5/24 • Focus Week
LOOKING AHEAD:
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Monday, 5/27 • No School (Memorial Day)
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Tuesday, 5/28–Friday, 5/31 • Testing Week
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Wednesday, 5/29 • Senior Board Day
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Tuesday, 6/4, 6 PM • MS Band Concert
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Tuesday, 6/4, 7 PM • HS Band Concert
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Wednesday, 6/5 • Seniors & Staff Luncheon Hosted by the 12th Grade Families
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Wednesday, 6/5, 6 PM • MS Orchestra Concert
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Wednesday, 6/5, 7 PM • HS Orchestra Concert
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Thursday, 6/6, 11:15 AM–12:25 PM • 5th Grade Visit
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Friday, 6/7, 7 PM • Moving Up Dance
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Monday, 6/10 • Déjeuner en Blanc
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Monday, 6/10, 6 PM • MS Choir Concert
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Monday, 6/10, 7 PM • HS Choir Concert
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Tuesday, 6/11 • Commencement Rehearsal
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Wednesday, 6/11 • Senior Celebration (Newport High School, Date Update)
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Thursday, 6/13, 7:30 PM • Class of 2024 Commencement
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Thursday, 6/13–Friday, 6/14 • Seniors Grad Party*
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Friday, 6/14 • Laptop Collection
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Saturday, 6/15 • Community BBQ
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Tuesday, 6/18, 8:15–10:15 AM • Last Day of School
IN THE FALL:
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Monday, 8/19–Friday, 8/23 • Class of 2025 College Boot Camp
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Thursday, 8/22 • Back to Business Day
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Tuesday, 9/3 • First Day of School
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Thursday, 9/12–Friday, 9/13 • High School Retreat*
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.
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The following are shout-outs and thank-yous from various members of our community. |
The Finance Club would like to thank Mr. White for taking the time to chat with us about the various details of the school's finance and outside school activities, as well as providing feedback for our presentation. It was extremely fun and informative!
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Thank you Farine Bakery for your generosity, donating all the wonderful pastries to our staff and teachers. They were so yummy!
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Thank you to the PTSA for the $1,200 to buy fetal pigs for our science class! | |
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PTSA NEWS | |
8TH-GRADE STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
Thank you to all of the parents for your lovely food donations and volunteering for the Staff Appreciation Luncheon on Wednesday, May 8. We couldn’t do it without your support and we really appreciate it. Questions? Email parent-rep2028@isptsa.org.
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STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK
Thank you so much to all of you for all of your help in making this year’s staff appreciation a great success. We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your continued support to our school.
Special thank you to Shaimaa Aly, Jiatang Dong, Apple Zhu, Wei Wang, Xiao Chen, Linday Posner, Qiong Chen and Yueyi Luan.
Also all of you parents who donated all the wonderful snacks for our teacher pantry! Thank you! For questions, email vpcommunity1@isptsa.org
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HI 8TH AND 9TH-GRADE PARENTS,
It's an IS tradition for the 8th and 9th-grade classes to organize the Senior Celebration Dessert Reception, which will take place on June 11. Your kids look up to these seniors who have worked so hard. You not only get to celebrate their achievements but also get a preview of your kid's graduation to come. And it pays forward!
Please consider donating items, money, or volunteering here. Questions? Email our 8th-grade or 9th-grade parent reps.
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A LOOK AT THE MONEY
Ever wonder where the money you donate to ISPTSA goes? Here are the Non-recurring Grants for the current school year that have been purchased and that the PTSA has written reimbursement checks for:
Semester 1:
- PE bumper plates for weight training
- Office laminator machine
- Orchestra cello
- Band music stands
- Robotics club laptops
- Drama computer and Qlab software
- Badminton club rackets and shuttlecocks
- Garden club planters
Semester 2:
- 8th grade Science mobile planetarium visit to school
- French Department Scholastic Magazines: Bonjour, Ca Va, Chez Nous
- Choir - Demiero Jazz Festival Registration Fee
- Drama - Intercom headsets, belts packs, cables
- Volleyball nets, balls, equipment
- Choir - Piano repairs
- Humanities - Seattle Shakespeare Company Workshops
- Choir - speakers, stands, cables, thump device
- Choir - Lake Retreat Jazz Workshop
- Drama and Choir - Stage Boxes
- Orchestra - Upright bass
- Gym Wireless Microphones
- Jazz Workshop with Jim Sisko
Items purchased this year from the Department Recurring Grant budgets:
- Art - paint, yarn, glaze, pencils, storage, tools, and much, much more
- Band - Instrument repairs
- Choir - music and piano repair
- Library - books
- Orchestra - instrument repair
- PE - basketball net, pickle balls, foam balls, smart hurdles, relay batons, soccer balls, rubber cones, and more
- Drama - storage, binders, cables, costume and prop supplies
Thank you to all of you for donating and supporting the ISPTSA so that together, we can make our school and community better! Questions? Email Amanda Johnson, ISPTSA Treasurer or Edward Chung, ISPTSA Grants Committee Chair.
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THE 2024-2025 ISPTSA BOARD
Thank you to everyone who showed up to the General Membership Meeting on Thursday, April 25 to help us elect our board for next year!
The 2024-2025 ISPTSA Board:
Elected Board Positions:
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President: Jennifer Li
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Treasurer 1: Amanda Johnson
- Treasurer 2: Rina Vasudeva
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Secretary: Li Zhang
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VP of Communications: Emilie Castle
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Co-VPs of Community: Maggie Lo & Farangis Sepehri
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VP of Fundraising: Melissa Richardson
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VP of Outreach: Shan Angela Gao & Yue Mao
Non-Elected Board Positions:
- Membership: Judy Cam
- Grants: Edward Chung & Qiong Chen
- Monday Messenger: Jennifer Li
- Advocacy: Open
- Member At-Large: Phil Bloch
Thank you to all of the new board members for volunteering your time and expertise! We look forward to working with you. Questions? Contact the Nominations Committee.
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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. The deadline is THIS Wednesday, May 15.
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.
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SENIOR SUPPORT
Everyone coming together to support the Seniors as they graduate is a tradition at IS. To help streamline the effort, we are linking all of the sign-ups in one location in the newsletter for easy reference.
Please contact your Class Parent Reps with your questions. Parent Rep emails can be found here.
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SEEKING CANDIDATES FOR THE 2024-2026 WSPTA NOMINATING COMMITTEE
We are now accepting applications from those interested in serving on the 2024-2026 Washington State PTA Nominating Committee.
This committee will be responsible for the identification, vetting, and nomination of qualified candidates to serve on the 2025-2027 Washington State PTA Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee’s selections, plus any self-declared candidates, will appear on the ballot at the 2025 Washington State PTA Convention.
Interested? Find out more info here. You can find the application here. The deadline is noon on June 10. Questions? Email support@wastatepta.org.
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NOTES FROM THE CAPITOL: HERE'S WHAT WSPTA ASKED OUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVES
On the morning of March 6, our delegation of WSPTA advocates gathered at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. to visit Washington State’s congressional offices to share our legislative priorities and perspectives on education policy.
Read part 1 of the blog here and part 2 here. Questions? Email support@wastatepta.org.
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NATIONAL REFLECTIONS WINNERS
National PTA is pleased to announce the winners of its 2023-2024 Reflections® student art program. Seven students have been honored with the Outstanding Interpretation Award, and over 200 students have been recognized with Awards of Excellence and Merit. The awards honor creative interpretations of the theme "I am Hopeful Because…" in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts as well as a special artist division. Questions? Email info@pta.org
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SMARTER BALANCED STATE TESTING
SBA and WCAS assessments are coming up. Please, see the detailed schedule here. A couple of important reminders:
- SBA (ELA and Math Smarter Balance Assessment) is for grades 6-8, 10, and some in grade 11.
- WCAS (Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science) for grades 8 and 11.
- The daily schedule for May 28, 29, 30, and 31 is modified.
- Grades 9, 11, and 12 will have early dismissal during this week.
Questions? Email the IS Main Office.
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GRAND CONCOURS 2024
Congratulations to all students who participated in Le Grand Concours (French Contest) on March 28. The results are in! International School is proud to announce that several of our students have ranked in the highest scores and received an award this year!
Find out more information about the National French Contest and which of our students won here!
All students who took part in the contest, regardless of score, will receive a printed certificate of participation. Thank you to all and Félicitations! Questions? Contact Gwen Geslin.
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JOIN US AT WARM BEACH
Join us for the 2024 High School Retreat at Warm Beach Camp on September 12-13! We need volunteers to help build community among students, staff, and parents. Sign up for the whole time, a day, or just overnight using our Sign Up Genius.
We're also seeking community connections for sessions exploring cultural expression and challenges in Latin and South America. If you have expertise or know someone who does, contact us. Past topics include dance, sports, cultural traditions, and more. Sessions are 45 minutes each, repeated 6 times on September 12. It's a great way to get involved and share your culture!
Read more here. Email Abigail Horsfall or Charise Hallberg if you can help or have questions. Thank you!
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INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL AT PUESTA DEL SOL
Puesta del Sol’s PTA needs your help!
Puesta del Sol Elementary School PTA is looking for volunteers to help out at our upcoming International Art Fest Wednesday, May 22 from 2:00-8:50 PM.
Volunteering for a PTA event counts towards high school volunteer hours! There will be performances, interactive art tables, poetry reading, and much more!
Tasks include: Stage help, welcome table help, set-up and/or clean up, staffing interactive tables, helping coordinate performances from green room to stage, and general day of help. Please note, this event is both inside and outside areas of Puesta del Sol. Transportation is not provided.
Sign up here.
Information with FAQ will be emailed the week before the event with final confirmation 48 hours prior to the event.
If you need confirmation of volunteer hours, or have any questions, please send requests to events@puestadelsolpta.org
Lastly, a gentle reminder our volunteers will be working with families and young students, so at school events like this, BSD student Code of Conduct still applies.
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BELLEVUE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS | |
BSD'S SURPLUS BOOK SALE
Stock up on books for summer reading at BSD's Surplus Book Sale! Wednesday, May 29, from 1:30 to 4:30 PM at the BSD Warehouse!
Join us at the sale during the following time slots:
- 1:30-2:00 PM: for BSD students
- 2:00-2:30 PM: for BSD students and staff
- 2:30-4:30 PM: BSD students, staff, and community members
BSD Warehouse:
12037 NE 5th Street
Bellevue, WA 98005
For more information visit our website. Questions? Call 425-456-4503.
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SPECIAL EDUCATION FAMILY RESOURCE SERIES - UNLOCKING POTENTIAL: NAVIGATING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR FAMILIES
Please join the BSD Special Education Department and the Bellevue Special Needs PTA for their final family resource session for this school year. This session will be an engaging discussion hosted by the BSD Assistive Technology team! Find out more here. Questions? Email specialedfamilyres@bsd405.org.
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HAPPY ORTHODOX EASTER
Happy Orthodox Easter to our students, staff, and families celebrating!
Easter is a Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Though the dates and some specific traditions may differ, Easter and Orthodox Easter hold the same significance as the most important religous holiday for Christians. Orthodox Easter is closer to the March equinox because it is observed on the first Sunday following the first full moon after Passover. Also called Pascha, Orthodox Easter traditions typically include church services, painted eggs, and symbolic foods such as lamb. In some countries, sweet breads, such as kulich and tsoureki, are often shared. Questions? Contact BSD.
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AANHPI HERITAGE MONTH
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is recognized during the month of May. This recognition pays tribute to the generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental in its future success. This annual celebration provides an opportunity to embrace the unique languages, cultures, traditions, histories, and beliefs of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Read more here. Questions? Contact BSD.
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MAY CELEBRATES JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Recognized each year in the month of May, Jewish American Heritage Month provides an opportunity to learn about Jewish heritage. Read more here. Questions? Contact BSD.
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BSD NEWSLETTER
An e-newsletter was sent to BSD staff and families on Thursday, May 9. 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.
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JOIN THE COMMUNITY EVENT: LAKE TO LAKE BIKE RIDE
The 11th annual Lake-to-Lake Bike Ride is coming soon. The ride will be held on Saturday, June 8, with a start and finish at Robinswood Park in Bellevue. This low cost, recreational ride has a “family-friendly” 9 mile route and a more “experienced rider” 24 mile route. The ride is great for all abilities of riders. Routes take riders to and through many parks on a variety of surfaces, bike lanes, park paths, and low traffic roads.
Entry fees: $20 advanced, $24 day of, if space is available. (This event sold out in past years.) Kids under 9 are free, though registration is still required.
Start times:
- Long course riders leave between 9 and 9:30 AM.
- Short course riders leave between 9:30 and 10 AM.
- Kids rides check in starts at 12:00, rides start at 12:15 PM.
Find out more info and pre-register online. Questions? Email bikeride@bellevuewa.gov.
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READING ADVENTURES
The Huntington Learning Center’s Reading Adventure program themed, “Anywhere you want to go!” engages children and their families through reading. It is designed to bring reading to life through adventures.
Help your child choose books that will unlock their imagination, take them on travels back in time or to distant lands, introduce them to real or fictional characters, and have some fun. Age-appropriate books will engage your child and motivate them to read.
Your child can travel anywhere they want to go through Reading Adventure!
Enrolling in Huntington Learning Center’s Reading Adventure program is easy:
1. Visit HuntingtonHelps.com/reading-adventure
2. Fill out the enrollment form to register.
3. Check email for your “Reading Passport” to begin.
Happy Reading! Questions? Email huntingtonhelps@hlcmail.com.
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CASCADE ENRICHMENT TUTORING AND SUMMER CAMPS | |
Our summer STEM courses consist of 6 weeks of small group classes, textbook/workbook material, and individually taught lessons. There is approximately 1-3 hours of homework each week and a weekly assessment. Parents and students will have timely access to homework and assessment grades. Classes are hosted on Google Classroom, which is an easy to use platform.
Our summer program runs July 10-August 21 and we have flexible options available for busy families. Find out more here. Questions? Email welcome@cascadetutors.com.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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SUPPORT YOUR PTSA
Donate Anytime!
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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
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MONDAY MESSENGER
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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International School PTSA
P.O. Box 221
Bellevue, WA 98009-0221
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