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EspañolINTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON)
'International School' (IS) is a 6-12th grade school in the Bellevue School District founded by six Bellevue teachers in 1990. The founding teachers were: Rick Hart, Patricia McLean, Rita Lowy, Bruce Saari, Terry LaRussa Banton and Karen Kurle. After winning a competitive $300,000 grant from the "Schools for the 21st Century" commission, the six were granted a half year of release time to continue to develop the program, recruit families, and open with 150 sixth and seventh graders in the fall of 1990.
Called an optional school, but considered to be an alternative school, it offers a special 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 .
Furthermore, in their senior year, students are put through a rigorous project known as "Senior Project". This project is so intense that an entire class has been dedicated to it. Its results have been so positive that the rest of the Bellevue School District has adopted it into its curriculum.
Students of the International School, none of whom are enrolled in occupational education classes, also participate in a week-long activity of their choosing with the aid of school staff. This "Focus Week" was designed as a way for students to earn their Occupational Credits or elective credits required to graduate high school in Washington State. During Focus Week, students are taught skills such as: sewing, rocket making, sailing and other activities not taught in the traditional classroom setting. Many of the Focus Weeks involve going on overnight trips to other parts of the state, 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.
The school is located in Bellevue, Washington, and serves all students from the Bellevue School District, which includes the affluent cities of Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Medina, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, Beaux Arts Village and parts of Newcastle, Redmond and Kirkland.
As of 2006, IS had an enrollment of 458 students. Because of the limited enrollment, students are chosen from applicants from Bellevue School District's 6th grade class by lottery, though it was founded with a sibling advantage, as well as an advantage for "founding families" who helped start the school, both of which have almost expired. The mascot is the Titan.
Due to its self-determined students, community interest and rigorous curriculum International School has consistently been ranked one of the best schools in the nation, ranking in the Top 20 List of Best High Schools by Newsweek Magazine (2002-2004)as measured by the number of AP tests divided by the number of seniors in the school. International School was also selected as a Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Education. Graduates of the school are often admitted into the country's top universities. In 2003 an International School Graduate, Kamyar Cyrus Habib, was awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. [1] Similarly, 2000 Grad, Julia Terlemchamp is a Fulbright Scholar.
The late 1990s saw many school districts overcome with "Grade Inflation", highlighted by students' overall performance on standardized tests. Research was done to figure out the exact problem and research continues. However in this context the Bellevue International School was considered a threat to "real" public schools and pressure by the Seattle District (which heroically educates many low-income and disadvantaged students and often on a shoe-string budget) as well as other districts who did not wish to change their systems led to strange testing situations. The entire class of 1997 (the first upperclass students) failed their first District High School Math Exam and was allowed to retake it. "It is my opinion," says one Class of '97 alum, "That omission of, then, new rules governing calculator use on standardized tests created a score gap between those who knew they were allowed calculators and those who weren't, perhaps, told they were now permitted. Leading to poor, in comparison, test results. Still we smoked 'em."
In relationship to softer, more relaxed, curriculum and testing standards The Bellevue International School often can be creditted with "Grade Deflation." Early on the program relied upon individualized progress reports, Pass or No-Pass grading systems, and Portfolios. Late into the first 9th and 10th grade years parents and teachers decided upon a Grade Point Averaging System that included A (3.5-4.0), B (2.7-3.4), C (2.0-2.7), and F (0.0). In other schools an honors grade of 5.0 was possible as well as a D (1.0-2.0).
The Bellevue International's much more challenging rating system was poorly translated from the Pass-No-Pass system wherein all "Pass" scores became C's even when students performed well in a given subject. The result: An equivalent A student who had used Pass-No-Pass got a significantly lower average than her peers in schools where performance was counted using the A-F grading system. Effectively that A-Quality student became a C student on her transcripts. This had a very negative affect on college entrance for the pioneering classes (97 especially.)
Similarly, the disqualification of grades below C skewed the averages of all grades. The safety net grade D was not allowed and therefore no amount of flexibility within the seven subject per quarter requirements. Say you as a student were juggling International Studies, Advanced French, P.E., Calculus, Band, Humanities, and Chemistry and had to let at least one subject slide. Likely P.E., Band or French (electives at any other school.) Now you do the required homework but hand it in late and perform poorly on all the tests, and even miss a couple classes to study for finals in others. In many schools this slacking could get you a D or a 1.0-1.8 thereabouts, because you do the homework and only miss a couple classes. Say you are able to pull an A, A, B, A, C, B, F report card, through a very challenging courseload. Compare this to the same work in a student allowed the D as opposed the F (A, A, B, A, C, B, D) For the sake of reading ease we'll drop tenths and hundredths to give the hypothesis aerodynamics, so to speak, Student Theta (4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 0) vs Student Omega (4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 1).
Student Omega has an average grade of 2.7 or a B-.
Student Theta has an average grade of 2.5 or a C.
When grades are further streamlined on transcripts minuses or tenths and hundredths can be dropped giving an advantage of .5 more or less to a B easing it closer to an A. The system inequalties can make an excellent student look like a poor student on paper. Damaging their chances of entering their preferred college. Or limiting their opportunities at Merit and Need-Based Scholarships.
Even with phenomenal test scores on the ACT and SAT a student experiencing grade deflation often cannot compete with a more steady GPA and average test scores of someone given the advantage of an inflated or simply standard GPA.
Given the rigorous "7 for 7" philosophy students must prioritize and accept lower grades in some classes to succeed in others. This is more the key to the true grit of an International student. Often by graduation they have mastered prioritizing and time-management skills that peers with the advantages of grade-inflation must learn within the considerably harsher testing grounds of college.
The school has had two new principals in the last three years. Many students and parents are concerned about mainstreaming of the unique International School curriculum. There has been much murmuring and dissent among teachers, with several much loved teachers leaving over disagreements in curriculum planning. The disagreements stem from changes the administration wants to make on how International School teachers select their curriculum for the students. Whereas prior to 2004, teachers were allowed to mold and change their curriculum year by year to best suit their students' needs, now curriculum updates are now more clearly mandated by the school district to conform with other school in the school system. This has resulted in a catastrophic drop in standardized test scores, grade point averages, and above all, in school morale - among both teachers and students.
Currently, the administration is trying to keep International School on track as containing the best and brightest teachers and students through compromises with the district administration and teachers. The senior project - the year long independent study and research which one student likened to the Marine Corps Crucible - is still alive and well, although undergoing continuing reformations.
★ International School
Called an optional school, but considered to be an alternative school, it offers a special 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 .
Furthermore, in their senior year, students are put through a rigorous project known as "Senior Project". This project is so intense that an entire class has been dedicated to it. Its results have been so positive that the rest of the Bellevue School District has adopted it into its curriculum.
Students of the International School, none of whom are enrolled in occupational education classes, also participate in a week-long activity of their choosing with the aid of school staff. This "Focus Week" was designed as a way for students to earn their Occupational Credits or elective credits required to graduate high school in Washington State. During Focus Week, students are taught skills such as: sewing, rocket making, sailing and other activities not taught in the traditional classroom setting. Many of the Focus Weeks involve going on overnight trips to other parts of the state, 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.
The school is located in Bellevue, Washington, and serves all students from the Bellevue School District, which includes the affluent cities of Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Medina, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, Beaux Arts Village and parts of Newcastle, Redmond and Kirkland.
As of 2006, IS had an enrollment of 458 students. Because of the limited enrollment, students are chosen from applicants from Bellevue School District's 6th grade class by lottery, though it was founded with a sibling advantage, as well as an advantage for "founding families" who helped start the school, both of which have almost expired. The mascot is the Titan.
| Contents |
| Achievements |
| Challenges to Success |
| Curriculum |
| External link |
Achievements
Due to its self-determined students, community interest and rigorous curriculum International School has consistently been ranked one of the best schools in the nation, ranking in the Top 20 List of Best High Schools by Newsweek Magazine (2002-2004)as measured by the number of AP tests divided by the number of seniors in the school. International School was also selected as a Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Education. Graduates of the school are often admitted into the country's top universities. In 2003 an International School Graduate, Kamyar Cyrus Habib, was awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. [1] Similarly, 2000 Grad, Julia Terlemchamp is a Fulbright Scholar.
Challenges to Success
The late 1990s saw many school districts overcome with "Grade Inflation", highlighted by students' overall performance on standardized tests. Research was done to figure out the exact problem and research continues. However in this context the Bellevue International School was considered a threat to "real" public schools and pressure by the Seattle District (which heroically educates many low-income and disadvantaged students and often on a shoe-string budget) as well as other districts who did not wish to change their systems led to strange testing situations. The entire class of 1997 (the first upperclass students) failed their first District High School Math Exam and was allowed to retake it. "It is my opinion," says one Class of '97 alum, "That omission of, then, new rules governing calculator use on standardized tests created a score gap between those who knew they were allowed calculators and those who weren't, perhaps, told they were now permitted. Leading to poor, in comparison, test results. Still we smoked 'em."
In relationship to softer, more relaxed, curriculum and testing standards The Bellevue International School often can be creditted with "Grade Deflation." Early on the program relied upon individualized progress reports, Pass or No-Pass grading systems, and Portfolios. Late into the first 9th and 10th grade years parents and teachers decided upon a Grade Point Averaging System that included A (3.5-4.0), B (2.7-3.4), C (2.0-2.7), and F (0.0). In other schools an honors grade of 5.0 was possible as well as a D (1.0-2.0).
The Bellevue International's much more challenging rating system was poorly translated from the Pass-No-Pass system wherein all "Pass" scores became C's even when students performed well in a given subject. The result: An equivalent A student who had used Pass-No-Pass got a significantly lower average than her peers in schools where performance was counted using the A-F grading system. Effectively that A-Quality student became a C student on her transcripts. This had a very negative affect on college entrance for the pioneering classes (97 especially.)
Similarly, the disqualification of grades below C skewed the averages of all grades. The safety net grade D was not allowed and therefore no amount of flexibility within the seven subject per quarter requirements. Say you as a student were juggling International Studies, Advanced French, P.E., Calculus, Band, Humanities, and Chemistry and had to let at least one subject slide. Likely P.E., Band or French (electives at any other school.) Now you do the required homework but hand it in late and perform poorly on all the tests, and even miss a couple classes to study for finals in others. In many schools this slacking could get you a D or a 1.0-1.8 thereabouts, because you do the homework and only miss a couple classes. Say you are able to pull an A, A, B, A, C, B, F report card, through a very challenging courseload. Compare this to the same work in a student allowed the D as opposed the F (A, A, B, A, C, B, D) For the sake of reading ease we'll drop tenths and hundredths to give the hypothesis aerodynamics, so to speak, Student Theta (4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 0) vs Student Omega (4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 1).
Student Omega has an average grade of 2.7 or a B-.
Student Theta has an average grade of 2.5 or a C.
When grades are further streamlined on transcripts minuses or tenths and hundredths can be dropped giving an advantage of .5 more or less to a B easing it closer to an A. The system inequalties can make an excellent student look like a poor student on paper. Damaging their chances of entering their preferred college. Or limiting their opportunities at Merit and Need-Based Scholarships.
Even with phenomenal test scores on the ACT and SAT a student experiencing grade deflation often cannot compete with a more steady GPA and average test scores of someone given the advantage of an inflated or simply standard GPA.
Given the rigorous "7 for 7" philosophy students must prioritize and accept lower grades in some classes to succeed in others. This is more the key to the true grit of an International student. Often by graduation they have mastered prioritizing and time-management skills that peers with the advantages of grade-inflation must learn within the considerably harsher testing grounds of college.
Curriculum
The school has had two new principals in the last three years. Many students and parents are concerned about mainstreaming of the unique International School curriculum. There has been much murmuring and dissent among teachers, with several much loved teachers leaving over disagreements in curriculum planning. The disagreements stem from changes the administration wants to make on how International School teachers select their curriculum for the students. Whereas prior to 2004, teachers were allowed to mold and change their curriculum year by year to best suit their students' needs, now curriculum updates are now more clearly mandated by the school district to conform with other school in the school system. This has resulted in a catastrophic drop in standardized test scores, grade point averages, and above all, in school morale - among both teachers and students.
Currently, the administration is trying to keep International School on track as containing the best and brightest teachers and students through compromises with the district administration and teachers. The senior project - the year long independent study and research which one student likened to the Marine Corps Crucible - is still alive and well, although undergoing continuing reformations.
External link
★ International School
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