| International School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 445 128th Ave. SE Bellevue Washington USA |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public middle school and high school |
| Established | 1991 |
| School district | Bellevue School District |
| Principal | Jennifer Rose |
| Faculty | 23 |
| Grades | 6-12 |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | green and silver |
| Mascot | Titans |
| Website | District Home Page for IS International School Home Page |
International School (IS) is a 6th–12th grade school in the Bellevue School District. The mascot for Bellevue International School is the Great Titan, and the logo is a Greek tripod with an ascending flame. International school is not a "true" international school with students from across the globe, but rather challenges students to think globally. Admission is based on a lottery of all incoming 6th graders who apply. International School is not affiliated with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), and students participate in sports at their home school within the district. The school has often been called "the best school in the world", this name probably owing to the fact that it consists of some of the best faculty and students from around the United States.
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International School was founded in 1991 by Bellevue teachers Rick Hart, Patricia McLean, Rita Lowy, Bruce Saari, Terry LaRussa Banton and Karen Kurle.[1] Founded with a competitive $300,000 grant from the "Schools for the 21st Century" Commission, the six were granted a half year of release time to develop and recruit for the program. International School opened with 150 sixth and seventh graders in the fall of 1991, housed in an old elementary school. Later the school was moved to its current location in an unused junior high.[2] In 2002 a short documentary on the history of the school with the title The World of International School was written by Kristen Rosenfeld. This documentary provides a fascinating glimpse based on primary sources into the origins and development of the school in its first ten years and helps explain why the school has been successful.
Bellevue International offers a seven-year, seven-subject curriculum, in which students take seven years of humanities (language arts), international studies, math, science, PE/health and fine arts. Additionally, students study a foreign language, French or German, for seven years, with the intention of achieving fluency, and ultimately studying subjects such as literature, history and social studies in that language .
As seniors, students are required to complete a "Senior Project", which according to the school website, they must complete through "integrating, demonstrating real-world application".[3] One class is dedicated to this project senior year.
Students of the International School, none of whom are enrolled in occupational education classes, also participate in a "Week of focused study outside formal classroom structure".[3] This Focus Week was designed as a way for students to earn their Occupational Credits or elective credits required to graduate high school. Many of the Focus Weeks involve going on overnight trips to other parts of the state such as Washington Pacific Ocean beaches, to other states, and sometimes outside of the country, including a three-week long exchange program to either France or Germany. Although Focus Week is required, students must pay a fee that varies based on the specific activity chosen.
As of the 2006-2007 school year, IS had an enrollment of 501 students.[3] Because of the limited enrollment, students are chosen from applicants from Bellevue School District's 6th grade class by lottery.
All students at IS are required to take seven years of either German or French. Historically, about 2/3s of incoming students have taken French and 1/3 have participated in the German Language Program. Both programs have co-existed successfully since the founding of the International School. Although in 2009 school principal Dr. Bang-Knudsen was forced to cut German 1A for the 2009-2010 school year due to budget cuts, he has recently stated that German 1A will be offered for the 2010-2011 academic year if enough students sign up for German. In past years, students at the school have put their language skills to use during two week trips to France and Germany. In recent years, teacher interns from France and Germany have been in residence at the school for the entire academic year and have assisted in language instruction and enrichment.
The International School ranked 12th in the nation on Newsweek Magazine's list of the best high schools for 2007[4] in which rankings are determined by the number of AP tests taken by all students at a school divided by the number of graduating seniors. International School was also selected as a Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
Bellevue's International School has received a top grade in U.S. News & World Report Gold Medal Schools list. The weekly American newsmagazine ranked high schools nationwide based on college readiness and quality-adjusted exams per test taker. The International School ranked fifth best high school in the country.[6]
The School is also well known for its FIRST Robotics team, the Titan Robotics Club. Currently Mrs.Tucker heads the robotics team as teacher adviser.
The school's past principal was Peter Bang-Knudsen , but currently is Jen Rose (last principal at Medina Elementary). In addition, International School offers a wide range of only Advanced Placement courses that are available to all students.
A few of the changes that have been made in recent years by the new principals include, but are not limited to: The implementation of a tardy policy, the implementation of warning bells before certain classes, and forced AP classes. The original "Student as Worker" phrase supported the idea that it was the students responsibility to learn, to write down their homework, and to be to class on time, which means no necessity for bells reminding students to be to class on time. This concept has been discontinued and removed from the school mission, and is now replaced with focusing on creating "global citizens."
In the 2009–10 school year, the total student enrollment for the high school (grades 9-12) was 286. The racial demographics are: 1% African American, 21% Asian, 1% Hispanic, 9% Multiracial and 67% White. 19% of students speak another first language besides English. 2% qualify for free or reduced lunches.[7]
In the 2009–2010 school year, the total student enrollment for the middle school (grades 6-8) was 244. The racial demographics are: 2% African American, 28% Asian, 2% Hispanic, 7% Multiracial and 61% White. 21% of students speak another first language besides English. 5% qualify for free or reduced lunches.[7]
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