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We are thrilled to welcome Natalie Rahn-Lane, our new Kindergarten Assistant Teacher and proud FISW alumna! Natalie brings a wealth of experience and a deep connection to our community, making her a wonderful addition to our team.
How would you describe the education that you received at FISW?
My education at FISW was challenging and pushed me to be a high achiever. It was also very well-rounded. We didn’t just focus on basic academics and language, but also how to be good citizens, how to be kind to others, and how to be stewards for our planet.
What is the impact for you of being bilingual?
Being bilingual has encouraged me to be curious and open-minded about other languages and cultures. Rather than viewing other cultures as “other,” I have an appreciation for cultural differences and strive to have cultural understanding. Being bilingual has also made me less afraid of challenging myself and stepping out of my comfort zone, such as by speaking in a foreign language at my job every day!
What were the most memorable aspects of your education at FISW?
I think the most memorable aspect of my education at FISW is the closeness of the school community. Since it’s a small school (and was even smaller when I was a student!), our class sizes were small, everybody knew each other, and I was mostly with the same peers from kindergarten until 5th grade. Because of that, I developed really close friendships and became very attached to my teachers. That was something really special that was hard for me to find again once I left FISW.
What is your fondest memory at FISW?
I have a lot of fond memories from my time at FISW, from the Kermesse, to the annual Spectacle, and our class field trip to Paris. It’s hard to pick just one! All of these experiences were unique, and I wouldn’t have been able to have them anywhere else!
How do you remember your teachers?
I remember all my teachers from FISW better than I remember my middle school or even high school teachers! I was very attached to all of them, and I remember my friends and I crying at the end of every school year because we were sad to leave them. All of my teachers had a positive impact on me, and it’s very cool that some of my teachers are now my coworkers!
Rather than viewing other cultures as “other,” I have an appreciation for cultural differences and strive to have cultural understanding.
Did you keep in contact with your FISW friends?
After FISW, a lot of my friends and I went to separate schools, so it became harder to keep in contact, and over time we gradually lost touch, but I have one friend from FISW who I still keep in touch with! The funny thing is that in elementary school we did NOT like each other, but then one day in middle school we just decided we were friends. He currently lives in France and is one of my good friends to this day! It’s very special to have a friend like that who you’ve known for over 20 years and who you’ve gotten to watch each other grow up.
What did you do after you left FISW?
After I left FISW, I continued my French at Tillicum Middle School and Interlake High School. After graduating high school, I pursued a professional ballet career for 3 years and lived in Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, and Washington, DC before returning to Seattle and getting my college degree. After college I worked as a case manager in a homeless shelter for 2.5 years, helping to connect people to substance use treatment and housing. 17 years later, I am very excited to have come full circle back to FISW and get to use my French again (which I am a little out of practice on but it is slowly coming back!)
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