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Inside Billings
March 7, 2024
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🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚 | |
We would like to extend a very warm Billings welcome to Ian and his family! Ian joins our Class of 2026 as a new student. Ian's parents, Amy and Jonathan, are looking forward to connecting with our parent community. | |
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The kids are hard at work on the finishing touches for our production of Gretel! the Musical, which is only a few short weeks away. If you have some time on the weekends to spare, consider signing up for a work party to help out!
Spring Clubs will be a little different this year - we will be hosting them after the musical is over. Please keep an eye out for future emails on when club signup will begin.
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A reminder that sign-ups are still open for our summer program!
Week One will run June 17-21 with a day off on Wednesday, June 19, in recognition of Juneteenth. Week Two will run June 24-28.
AM sessions take place from 9am to 12pm, and PM sessions from 1pm to 4pm. These half-day classes will have a variety of fun, specialized, and engaging topics like writing D&D campaigns, learning animation, cooking delicious dishes, and playing flag football or Ultimate out in the Seattle sun! Summer program also offers an all-day course where students hop on the buses to explore the history and culture of Seattle. Please read the program descriptions and then sign up below!
Contact Melissa or Becca with any questions.
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Mike on the Mic 🎤
As I shared over the weekend, we have had some new COVID and other respiratory infections going around. Please remember that our #1 rule is always: if you are sick, stay home.
Although there is new CDC COVID guidance about quarantine and masking requirements from last Friday, Billings has not adopted those guidelines yet. With COVID, Billings community members are still required to quarantine for 5 days from symptom onset, followed by masking for 5 days afterwards at all times.
We are so excited about the Musical coming up and it has been amazing to watch rehearsals from my perch in my office! We’ve created some special schedules over the next few weeks to get a little extra rehearsal, singing, and artistic construction completed. The Musical is such a great example of the “special sauce” of integrated, experiential learning mixed with plenty of perseverance and appropriate risk-taking. We will be inviting alumni to the Friday performance and prospective 6th grade students to come on Saturday, so please help welcome them into our community.
A reminder that following the Musical, we will move into our Spring Schedule, which will keep our 6 class periods and long lunch/break period that we’ve had during Winter Term. Advisory will now be mid-morning, just after break. Here are a few highlights for Spring Term:
- Our Core Classes continue to have 5 periods of math, 5 periods of language arts, 4 periods of social studies, and 4-5 periods of science every week.
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6th and 7th graders will have two Spanish classes/week and 8th grade will have three Spanish classes to aid with the transition to high school.
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6th grade will have climbing class with Maya and Warm & Fuzzy II; Core Values Class with Rob and April.
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7th grade will have a highly engaging Design Lab class with Marina.
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All students will have 6 periods of Arts classes per week. 6th grade will continue to have vocal music, drama, and visual arts. In addition to their Arts Elective classes, 8th grade students will have 2 Visual Arts classes with Christine and 7th grade has two additional Arts classes.
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Dear Billings Community,
As the cherry blossom trees begin to bud and the daffodils start to sprout up, the Billings Board is excited to celebrate with you at the upcoming Musical this month and the auction next month. A quick reminder that if you have not yet gotten your tickets, make sure you sign up to attend the PNW Garden Party auction on April 19!
Recently the Board has focused on a DEIB training with Dr. Caprice Hollins, supporting flood remediation, and continuing our operational duties such as approving our 990 filing. To read the full details, please click here.
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Philanthropy at Billings
Have you purchased your tickets for the auction yet? This is a night you won’t want to miss! From spending time with fellow Billings parents to enjoying dinner, drinks and games, to bidding on some spectacular live items and playing a role in helping us reach our goal, it will be a night to remember! Head to our website to purchase your ticket to the auction today!
You may be wondering what those spectacular live items might be? We are thrilled to share some of our packages to peak your interest. Whether you are a major Seattle Sports Fan or want to spend an afternoon soaking up the sun in Sunriver, OR, we have a package for you.
This year you will have the chance to get your hands on four tickets to 16 different Seattle Mariners games and two premium seat tickets to three Seattle Sounders games.
Purchase your ticket here and get your paddle ready for your chance to win the Seattle Sports Package and make memories with your kids at these iconic Seattle Sporting Events.
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Catalog Tease of the week:
5 Nights in Sunriver, OR
Winter, Summer, Spring, and Fall . . . Sunriver offers something for everyone!
Looking for some safe fun and time away? Enjoy five 5 nights in a gorgeous five-bedroom home for up to 12. Easy access to Mt bachelor, Deschutes River, 35 miles paved biking trails and lots of dirt/mountain biking. House has it all - 2 master suites, private hot tub, sauna, ping pong and foosball. Click here to see more photos and information about your potential future stay!
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Still Time to Register for Billings Bowling Night!
Husky Union Building, University of Washington
Saturday, March 30th, 5-7pm
Come enjoy an evening of community and family fun as Billings takes over the UW bowling alley! If you haven’t yet reserved your spot, please RSVP now. Parents/guardians, siblings, and students are all invited to join in the fun.
There is no cost to attend, but, if you're able, we would appreciate a suggested donation of $15 per person to defray the food and rental costs. To make a donation, you can enter an amount in the "add a donation" box in the top right of the checkout page when you RSVP.
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From the PGA:
Work Party for the Musical This Saturday
Last weekend’s work party was canceled due to illness, so every hand is needed this coming Saturday, March 9th! If you can help with set construction, costume organization, or photographing the fun, please sign up here. And there are still opportunities to help with the dress rehearsal and performances as well.
Next Meeting of Neurodivergence Affinity Group Meeting
The group’s 2nd virtual meeting will be Tuesday, March 12th at 7pm. In addition to an online discussion board, the group meets virtually every 3 weeks or so, and members are welcome to drop in and participate as able. All discussions are confidential, and examples of recent topics include high schools, 504s vs IEPs, helpful resources, and parenting tips. If you wish to join the group, please sign up here.
Billings Support Group for Parenting Teens
PEPS is putting the final touches on this support group, which will meet Sunday evenings from 5-7pm. If you’re ready to hop off the fence and join, we can make space for a couple more parents/guardians. Sign up here.
Link to Recent PGA Email Roundup
In case you missed Saturday’s PGA email, please click here to learn about current volunteer opportunities and signups and to view notes from last week’s PGA meeting.
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From April:
Your child’s second i-Ready Diagnostics for Math and Reading were emailed to you on Tuesday. We are reviewing these results to understand how the results might inform our instruction and student support. Our goal was to utilize an additional and external tool for measuring student learning. We are aware that i-Ready is just one of many assessments for measuring student learning and growth. And, while it’s not a tool that aligns precisely with our curriculum, the i-Ready diagnostic is proving to be helpful in our discussion about curriculum planning and assessment practices.
Thank you for your continued partnership, and please reach out to teachers or to me if you have any questions about your child’s assessment results.
From Amy:
8th Grade students are wrapping up the "demonstration project" aspect of their 8th grade project. It's exciting to see the essays, art pieces, videos and other demonstrations of learning 8th graders have created! There will be a community event to share their work next month, so stay tuned to learn more about that!
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As part of their ongoing study of world religions, 8th graders have started learning about Islam. Students are currently visiting M.A.P.S. in Redmond to see the noon prayer service and have a tour and discussion with a guide from this large and diverse mosque. | | |
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From Marina:
Things are heating up in physics - and not just because of friction! This week, 8th graders started learning about linear momentum and energy, which they will use to power their rollercoasters.
6th graders made extreme environment survivor trading cards, with abilities based on thermodynamic principles of heat transfer. Then, they battled their trading cards in a bracket-style tournament. Special shoutouts to finalists, Cash and Jack, and our tournament winners, Henry and Lee!
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From Becca:
7th grade Ari testing his strength at dismissal yesterday by carrying as many backpacks as he can!
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Upcoming Events: 📅
- Neurodivergence Affinity Group Meeting - Tuesday, March 12 - 7pm
- Gretel! the Musical: Friday, March 22 - 7pm
- Gretel! the Musical Matinee: Saturday, March 23 - 2pm
- Gretel! the Musical: Saturday, March 23 - 6:30pm
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A reminder: if you are participating in or leading a local event, we'd love to hear about it! We're always happy to facilitate families getting together and supporting our community. Send a message to the Front Desk with the details! | |
Beyond the Model Minority: Asian American Histories of Resistance and Renewal in the Pacific Northwest and Beyond
March 13, 2024
6:00–7:15 pm RSVP
In this talk, Dr. Megan Asaka will examine how Asian Americans have responded to, challenged, and resisted anti-Asian racism and injustice. Though often portrayed as passive “model minorities,” Asian Americans have a rich legacy of resistance and militant action that has long been overlooked. Focusing on historical accounts from in and beyond the Pacific Northwest, Dr. Asaka will offer a new understanding of the Asian American past as a pathway for future action.
Award-winning scholar, writer, and teacher of Asian American history, urban history, and public humanities. She is the author of Seattle from the Margins: Exclusion, Erasure, and the Making of a Pacific Coast City, which examines the erased histories of the communities that built Seattle. The book was inspired by her own family history in Seattle as well as her work as an oral historian and archivist for Densho, a community-based organization that seeks to preserve and share the stories of the Japanese American incarceration. She is an assistant professor of history at the University of California, Riverside and lives in Pasadena.
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Our Props teacher Indira is also hard at work at ACT - come check out The Sunless Scar at Allen Theatre Friday through Sunday!
"In a post-apocalyptic world, environmental damage has turned air and light into poison. To appease the gods in keeping with ancestral traditions, regular “sacrifices” are made in the form of young villagers being thrown into a deep crater called the Sunless Scar, from which there is no escape. But instead of certain death, the Scar turns out to contain safety, community, and light in a way that the harsh surface never could. Should the denizens of the pit try to climb out and escape? And what exactly will they be escaping to? Join us for a thrilling speculative fiction adventure that explores how we honor ourselves and our past, and what we’re willing to risk for an uncertain future."
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Hi all! This month we are excited to share a few recommendations that we have with you.
-Read this article to learn more about how Anxiety Impacts Students at School
Is your student interested in winter sports? Visit Lambert House Winter Sports Program for LGBTQ+ youth for some cool opportunities!
Have questions or concerns? Please reach out Cherrises@billingsmiddleschool.org
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Executive Function Workout!
FEEL THE BURN!
Join me (Greg: Director of The Learning Center at Billings) for a regular Tuesday morning EF workout from 8:30am to 9:15am. Developing EF, or Executive Function, requires the exercise of the brain in specific ways. Drop in on any Tuesday morning, to share stories and explore strategies for strengthening our EF muscles and by extension, that of our students.
We will be meeting in person during first period, but the location is not solidified due to the recent classroom shuffling. Please arrive at the Front Desk and we will relocate to an open classroom. If you do not want to attend in person and prefer Zoom, let me know and I will send you a recurring Zoom link. Masks are not required but can be provided upon request.
Last week, great questions were explored around how to grow motivation and push beyond “getting it done.”
And if Tuesday mornings are not a viable option for you, but you want to learn more, don't hesitate to e-mail me, and let's find time to chat 1-1.
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