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Inside Billings
May 28, 2026
| | 🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚 | | Oh, the places we went! With May coming to a close, each of the grades journeyed across all cardinal directions for their expeditions. These spring trips challenge students to reflect on their year – the bonds they have made with their peers, how they have evolved as individuals, and what they want to take with them in the years to come. | | |
The 7th grade class started the season off with two trips – exploring the basalt columns of Central Washington and backpacking around Baker Lake. These expeditions were truly the end of one chapter and the start of the next for the students. They demonstrated their mastery of front country camping and competency to support one another at Frenchman Coulee, before tackling their first backpacking trip as a grade. While the action of backpacking was challenging for students, trip leaders witnessed students rise into leadership roles, take responsibility for the betterment of the group, and lift up their classmates along the way.
| | Next up, the 8th graders departed for their “final ride” at Billings. The coast trip is the pinnacle of Billings Expeditions because it challenges the students to acknowledge and address all responsibility of a backpacking trip. They had to plan ahead, listen to their student leaders, and do what is best for the whole group – while exploring some tide pools and watching the sunset on the beach each night. Check out the SmugMug here! | Concurrently, our 6th graders explored Mt. St. Helens on their first two-night, frontcountry trip! In addition to a longer trip, the students were challenged to learn in the field. They conducted geological investigations along the shores of Clearwater Lake – identify rock types using a variety of tests. For many students, this was the highlight of their trip. One student noted that “it was the most beautiful view they had ever seen”. | | |
Introducing Next Year’s BFA Co-Chairs!
Current 6th-grade parents Ellen Whitlock Baker, Rennie Elliott, and Troy Kaser will co-chair the BFA for the 2026-2027 school year. Many thanks to this mighty trio for their support of our community! As always, you can get in touch with questions or suggestions via email.
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Enjoy the Journey
The 2025-2026 Billings Yearbooks are on their way! Special thanks to Emily and the Billings yearbook staff for their hard work on designing what is sure to be an awesome yearbook. This year’s annual, Enjoy the Journey, is sure to be a page-turner. Order your copy now for delivery the first week of June before school ends so that your student can collect signatures. Please email Becca to reserve a copy, and send cash or check for $40 for your book.
This 25-26 yearbook staff features some future award winning journalists, photographers, editors, and graphic designers! Great job to our contributors: Vicky, Adin, Nutifafa, Myer, Lotem, Rowan, Isaac, Clara, Amanu, Greyson, Gus, and Clark. Special shoutout to our Editor in Chief Clara and our Chief Writer Vicky!
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Upcoming Events: 📅
- End-of-Year Conferences: Friday, May 29
- 8th Grade Projects: Wednesday, June 3rd, 11:00-11:40am
- 8th Grade Graduation: Tuesday, June 9th, 6:00-8:00pm
- 6th & 7th NOON DISMISSAL: Wednesday, June 10th - Last Day for 6th & 7th Grade!
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See our full calendar below:
Community Calendar
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🏫 Admissions 👨👩👧👦
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6th graders are excited to share highlights of their academic, social, and experiential growth at conferences tomorrow! Thank you for all your support this year as we celebrate our rising 7th graders. Please check SmugMug to see a variety of pictures from our Mt. St. Helens adventures last week!
We are excited to see everyone tomorrow for Portfolio Conferences. In 7th grade we’ve been focusing on finding work that fits the following three categories: something you’re proud of, something you didn’t think you’d be able to accomplish, and an area of growth. Students have been working hard on choosing their pieces for the past few weeks with many opportunities of reflection. It is pretty hard to believe, but after conferences, we will only have 7.5 days of class left! For the last week of school, we’ll be changing up the schedule slightly so that 7th graders get the opportunity to celebrate and close up the year. This includes an end of year party at the end of the day on Tuesday 6/9 and then a final morning together on Wednesday the 10th. On Wednesday the 10th, 7th graders will spend the morning reflecting in their advisory groups and together as a whole grade. At 11am, they will then “move up” to 8th grade, and will meet with the 8th grade advisory team to discuss next year. Reminder: the last day of school ends at 12pm for early release.
As we approach the end of the school year we are gearing up for 8th grade graduation. On Friday, June 5th students will have their annual Graduation Celebration Day! Students are expected to arrive by 8:30 for normal school start. The celebration will go past school hours. Students can be picked up from Carkeek Park between 6:15 and 6:30 PM or from Billings at 7:00 PM that day. Lunch and dinner will be provided as a part of the fun. We look forward to celebrating with the students and there will be more details about the day to follow.
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As we near the end of the school year, 6th graders are finalizing their ELA unit on The Outsiders with a test and an analytical book review. The test helped the students practice good study habits by focusing on key vocabulary from the novel, plot-based reading comprehension, as well as short answer and extended response analysis. Overall, this has been a great unit that despite being set in the 1960s, has managed to teach us all something new about ourselves.
7th graders are busy working hard to wrap up their Artifact Project essays, focusing on crafting more analytical thesis statements and organizing their essays around supporting arguments and evidence. This will help prepare them for more complicated essay writing in 8th grade and beyond! In addition to the essays, students are finishing up their Spring Term choice books, and will write short analytical reviews as their final major writing assignment of the school year.
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7th graders started their final Science unit of the term this week - sexual health. This week we explored “gender identity”, “gender expression”, “sexual orientation”, and "biological sex”, and examined where we each fall on these spectrums. Throughout this unit students will learn about reproductive anatomy, STI’s & contraceptives, healthy relationship dynamics, and consent.
8th graders will present their 8th Grade Project on Wednesday, June 3rd at 11:00-11:40am. This is a capstone experience in ELA where students choose a topic and design an essential question to respond to with research, writing, and a final product. They have selected key pieces from their research to include in trifold displays and presentations. We are all very proud of their good work and creativity. Families are invited to visit and engage with students about their creative and informative projects.
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Executive Function Workout!
Join me (Greg: Director of The Learning Center at Billings) for a regular morning EF workout from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM on Mondays. Developing EF, or Executive Function, requires the exercise of the brain in specific ways. Drop in on any Monday morning to share stories and explore strategies for strengthening our EF muscles and by extension, that of our students.
Think of EF (Executive Function) as the CEO of the brain, helping us improve our self-regulation and aid our ability to make both short and long-term plans that enhance our performance in many aspects of our life. At a middle school pragmatic level this includes things like: doing your nightly HW, working on long term projects, or doing chores around the house. This is not a class. This is an opportunity to share collective wisdom. While 30 plus years as a middle school educator has certainly allowed me to garner some wisdom, I am really a facilitator on Monday mornings. Regular attendance is not a prerequisite. I don't need advanced notice. Drop in as you are able.
We will be meeting in person in Mercury during advisory and the beginning of first period. 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 worn upon request.
And if Monday 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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