High School Retreat Overview
We’re heading back to Warm Beach Camp for High School Retreat! HS Retreat is designed to offer a common learning experience to all high school students at the beginning of the academic year. The retreat examines the cultures and societies of the peoples living in four general world regions, promoting awareness of regional issues as well as exposure to diverse outlooks on life expressed through various cultures. At high school retreat, we get together when school begins to build the foundation of a strong and caring learning community for the year ahead. We also honor our commitment to a globally-focused education. This year we’ll focus on Africa. High school classes will not be meeting at International on these two days as the retreat is our curriculum at that time.
Here are some things you can do now to help us prepare for Retreat, which will take place Tuesday/Wednesday, September 12 & 13th:
- Complete your FinalForms for the 2023-2024 school year
- Retreat fee of $125.00 can be paid online once it’s ready to go (https://wa-bellevue.intouchreceipting.com/) Scholarships available! Contact high school advisor Colleen Courtneycourtneyn@bsd405.org
- Consider volunteering as a chaperone or facilitating a session – reach out if you are able!
For directions & more information, check out the high school retreat flyer. Questions? Contact Abigail Horsfall (horsfalla@bsd405.org) or Charise Hallberg (hallbergc@bsd405.org).
Parent Chaperones Needed
This overnight trip is only possible with your support. We need your participation for a successful retreat and require male and female volunteers to come with us on Tuesday morning and stay through Wednesday mid-afternoon, and a few more volunteers to come up after work and leave in the morning. Chaperones attend free of charge. If you are interested in volunteering, or finding out more about volunteering, please complete this Microsoft Form.
Session Ideas and Instructors Needed for High School Retreat
The retreat also provides an important opportunity to build community among the students, staff, and parent chaperones. We are seeking community connections to help us explore forms of cultural expression and examine challenges facing societies in Africa. If you have ideas, expertise, and a willingness to work with our high school students for one day, or you know of exceptional experts who might be willing to lead a session, please contact us. Session topics can include dance, sports, cultural traditions, arts (painting, literature, theater, etc.), and crafts (making things), as well as an exploration of cultural, economic, political, social, or environmental challenges in the region. Session topics from past “Africa” retreats include: World Challenges & Contemporary Africa, Netball, Kalimbas, Maasai Beading, Folktales, African Dance & Drum, Making Something Out of Nothing, Body Adornment. Sessions are about 45 minutes and repeat 6 times on Tuesday, September 12th. An IS teacher will assist with each session. It’s a great way to share your culture and get involved! Please email IS educators Abigail Horsfall or Charise Hallberg, if you can help or if you have questions.