Titan Tidings

Sunset at High School Retreat at Warm Beach.

Wednesday Schedule - EVEN

Last week was a fun, busy, and full week. The adventures started with our 6th Grade Retreat on Wednesday, where students had a chance to begin getting to know their classmates from across the district. A huge shout-out to the organization of Arty Christianto for putting this day together. We had lots of support from our high school students, who worked hard to engage students and make sure they were having fun.

Thursday and Friday was our overnight High School Retreat up at Warm Beach Camp. Thanks to Betty Nhan for the organization, our teachers--and some parents--who came up and led class session, our staff who stayed overnight, and finally to our parents who helped with overnight chaperoning. This was great event and I spoke with so many students who really had a great experience. With our whole community pulling together, we are grateful to be able to offer these unique experiences for our students.

Respectfully,

Russell White

International will be holding its Curriculum Night on Tuesday, September 15from 6:30 – 8:30. We will begin with a short whole-group welcome in the Main Gym from 6:30 – 6:45 followed by a rotation of classes that will follow your student’s schedule. Each “class” will be 10 minutes. You will want to print out and bring your student's schedule to this night. This will not be a time for teachers to have conversations about individual students, but is an opportunity to meet your student’s teachers and to hear what your student will be learning this year. Please print your student's schedule and bring it with you. Note that this is NOT a "Periods 1 - 7" but rather follows an ODD/EVEN schedule.

• 6:30-6:45 Introduction in Gym
• Period 1: 6:50– 7:00
• Period 3: 7:05 – 7:15
• Period 5: 7:20 – 7:30
• Period 7: 7:35 – 7:45
• Period 2: 7:50 – 8:00
• Period 4: 8:05 – 8:15
• Period 6: 8:20 – 8:30

We do have limited parking on campus, so plan accordingly. We will open up the curb on the north side of the parking lot, but we need to keep the fire lane along the front of the school clear. There is off-site parking--especially in front of Kelsey Creek Park. When parking in the neighborhood, pay attention to streets that are restricted and please don't block driveways.

Don’t forget school picture day is coming up on Wednesday, September 16. Photographers will be available starting at 7:15am; after school starts, we will be calling students by alphabetical order. We still need some family volunteers to help guide and move the picture line. If you can help even for an hour, it is appreciated! Please sign up using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0444A8A823A5F49-65286800-international . If you have questions about the volunteering, please email Betty Nhan (nhanb@bsd405.org). Thank you!

Ordering Information

Families can preorder portraits here: 2026-27 International School Picture Day 9/16. Print orders will be shipped directly to families' homes in 3-4 weeks after picture day; digital orders will be sent via email from no-reply@imagequix.com. Contact Yuen Lui Studio with any questions regarding photo purchases.

Student ID cards will be distributed at another date. You do not need to purchase them.

REMINDER: PSAT/SAT on October 7, 2026 for Juniors and Seniors

Where: International School

Cost:

• PSAT (Juniors): No charge ($0)
• SAT (Seniors): $60
• Financial Aid: Free for students qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch. To request a scholarship, please complete the following form: 2026: October 7 SAT Exam Scholarship

The school-day PSAT and SAT is only available to the grades mentioned above.

All juniors will automatically be registered for the PSAT. If your junior does not plan to take the PSAT on October 7th, please notify Betty Nhan (nhanb@bsd405.org) so that we can plan accordingly. To register your senior for the SAT, please pay the SAT fee in their touchbase account. Deadline to register for the SAT for seniors is September 18th.

We need volunteers to proctor the SAT and PSAT administrations on October 7 at International School. This is a great opportunity for anyone who would like to learn more about what standardized testing is like. You do not have to be a high school family or have proctor experience to volunteer. Please note that volunteers may not proctor an exam their own student will be taking that day.

Please indicate your interest and availability by completing SAT and PSAT Proctor Volunteer Sign Up 2026 – Fill out form. Reach out to Betty Nhan (nhanb@bsd405.org) if you have any questions.

The School Board will be visiting International School on Tuesday, September 22. Families are invited to the family session, which will take place in the Library from 8:50 - 9:20. This will be livestreamed as well. The link will be available later.

Our annual Club Fair will take place on Wednesday, September 16 from 2:00 - 2:45 in the Gym. Students are invited to stay after school and check out opportunities to be involved. This is not a requirement to join any club, and students are encouraged to listed to the announcements for interest meetings. There will be no BSD transportation afterwards.

Back to school checklist: pre-order your International School 2026-27 yearbook now for $55 online! Here's how to buy a yearbook. Seniors, we're one week away from your first Class of 2027 Yearbook Deadline.

For families dropping off students in the morning, please do not cut through the student parking lot. This ends up blocking our high school students and making them late to class.

All BSD students grades 6-12 are using SchooLinks beginning this school year, following a statewide effort to adopt a universal platform for college and career readiness. Students will use SchooLinks, which replaces Naviance for BSD students, to meet their High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) graduation requirement. Guardians have access to view their students' accounts after setting up a SchooLinks Guardian Account. NOTE: Students will have lessons on the assigned "To Do" tasks and be given dedicated class time to complete them.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, spread hope, and spark meaningful action around one of the most urgent mental health issues of our time. Families are encouraged to take time and learn how to access the tools, resources, and support they need to talk openly about suicide prevention, recognize warning signs, and seek help.

A variety of mental health resources, including information about suicide prevention, can be found on the Mental Health Support section of the district website. Other topics covered include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Individuals seeking support may also reach out to school counselors and MHAT counselors.

The Bellevue School District has also partnered with Care Solace to complement districtwide efforts that support the well-being of students, families and staff. Care Solace is a free and confidential care coordination service that can help you quickly find mental health or substance use treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of circumstance. Care Solace is NOT an emergency response service or mental health service provider. If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. The Care Solace team is always available — including nights, weekends and holidays.

The Bellevue School District supports our local community partners by posting digital flyers online and distributing them electronically through our schools. Learn about events geared toward all grade levels and interests. Upcoming program themes include science and technology, writing, reading, sports, fall family fun, and more.

View all upcoming community events.

• Learn about clubs to join and promote clubs you’re in at the ASB Club Fair this Wednesday at 2pm in the Gym. Instead of joining what your friends want to do, follow your interests and let your friends join you!

• Start strong! Grades in all classes will be on your HS Transcript. Some effective strategies include:
• Have a clutter-free workspace
• Block off two hours for homework daily
• This is the year to try out lots of clubs! Figure out what you like, then over the next few years, narrow down your memberships in favor of leadership roles

• 10th grade is a great year to invest time in volunteering. If you’re not driving, consider looking for opportunities with longer commitments per event like supporting a community fundraising run or something you can do mostly from home on a regular basis like preparing and delivering meal.

• College visits – sign up for 5 in SchooLinks! Registration required; registration closes 2 days in advance.
• Oct 7 is Super Wednesday. All BSD 11th graders are offered the Practice SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) during school, and it is recommended that all juniors sit for this exam. Please avoid scheduling appointments on this day. Again, this is a PRACTICE test. Based on scores, some students will qualify for a National Merit Scholarship. There is no need to study for this test, but it’s a good idea to get prepared. Open your Bluebook app and review practice options.
• The PSAT/NMSQT takes 2 hours and 14 minutes, plus instruction and breaks.
• There are two sections: Reading and Writing; Math
• It’s mostly multiple choice but about 30% of math answers must be written out

• College visits – sign up for 5! Registration required; registration closes 2 days in advance.
• Thursday 9/24:
• Senior Parent Night @ 6:30pm in Library
• Signed FERPA waiver DUE if you didn’t turn in your paper copy during IS College Boot Camp
• Oct 7 is Super Wednesday. Opt into SAT School Day for $60 by purchasing the exam in Touchbase.

Track hour in SchooLinks to meet your 40-service hour graduation requirement

• WED, Sept 16-6-8pm, Youth Link Open House at City Chambers, Bellevue City Hall
• Sept 25, 1-7:30pm: Puesta del Sol's Walkathon! Sign up for shift(s)
• Sept 26, 9am-noon: National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event for public lands! Volunteer to maintain a nearby trail, then enjoy a provided lunch at Cheers for Volunteers. Get started on your Volunteer Passport today!

• Snowflake Lane auditions are happening! Earn over $1,100! All skill levels welcome, ages 14+
• Google Career Certificates through Grow with Google: 392 FREE courses thanks to a license secured by BSD. Our CTE teacher Chad Magendanz recommends starting with Google AI Essentials. Students, email Chad with your name and preferred email address for registration.

College visits at International are for 11th and 12th grade students during the school day

1. Get teacher permission in advance
2. Register in SchooLinks; registration closes 2 days prior to visit
3. Maximum 5 visits per student

Week of Sept 14 (check SchooLinks for updated list):

• University of Chicago
• University of Southern California
• Washington University in St Louis
• Seattle Pacific University
• Washington State University
• Western University

Sept 14

Washington University (WashU) Information Session

6:30-7:30pm/The Overlake School

Register

Sept 17

Performing Arts College Night

6-8pm/Tahoma HS PAC, Maple Valley

Sept 29

Parent & Caregiver Financial Aid Night

5:30pm/Zoom

Register

Sept 30

Class of 2027 Financial Aid Night by 12th Year Campaign

5:30pm/Zoom

Register

Oct 16-17

NACAC College Fair

9-12 (Fri), 12-4 (Sat)/Seattle Convention Center

Student Registration

Oct 18

NACAC Virtual College Fair

10am-3pm/Online

Nov 14

9th Annual Seattle Black College Expo - FREE

10am-2pm/Highline College, Des Moines

Registration

• Virtual college tour info: NACAC, appily, campustours.com and university sites.
• Financing Higher Education, FREE (5) 15-minute digital lessons in English or Spanish
• Financial Aid 101 on Demand (English, Spanish)

Get tips on writing a scholarship essay from the College Essay Guy.

• DUE 9/15 The Gates Scholarship application
• Fast Web’s list of full-tuition scholarships
• WashBoard.org connects Washington students with scholarships without selling student information.
• Sign up for College Aid Pro Weekly Private Scholarship List

• First Day of Tutorial (September 14)
• Curriculum Night (September 15, 6:30 - 8:30)
• School Photos (September 16)
• Club Fair (September 16, after school in Gym)
• School Board Visit - Family Session (September 22, 8:50 - 9:20 AM, Library)
• 12th Grade Parent Night (September 24, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Library)
• Middle School Social (September 25, 7:00 – 8:30 PM)
• Super Wednesday (11th Grade PSAT / 12th Grade SAT)
• No School (October 9)
• Hall Decorations (October 16 after school)
• Spirit Week (October 19 - 23)
• 11th Grade Parent Night (October 22, 6:30 - 7:30, Library
• Homecoming Dance for high school (October 24, 8:00 - 10:00)
• Parent Night for Grades 9/10 (November 5, 6:30 - 7:30, Library)
• End of 1st Quarter (November 6)
• No School: Veteran's Day (November 11)
• Fall Play Performances (November 13 - 14)
• 6th Grade Parent Night (November 17, 6:30 - 7:30, Library)
• High School Band Concert (November 19, 7:00, IPAC)
• No School: Thanksgiving (November 26 - 27)