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Inside Billings
October 9, 2025
| | 🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚 | | It’s been a busy week both on and off campus! Our 7th graders are on their way back from their first Billings trip of the year, and we can’t wait to hear all about their adventures. Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing photos from the trip next week! In the meantime, read on for a glimpse into what our students have been learning this week, along with some important reminders. | | |
Mike on the Mic 🎤
Our 7th graders have had such a diverse and impressive trip in the Yakima area this week from meeting tribal elders, to exploring a hydroelectric dam and the craters of the moon! We are excited to hear their stories this afternoon.
A reminder that there is no school Friday, October 10 and Monday, October 13 for professional development days for our teachers. This year is a particularly important year for Billings as we will start our Self-Study on Monday as part of the reaccreditation process with the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS).
The NWAIS Self-Study process offers schools a structured opportunity to examine the effectiveness of every area of their operations. Writing the Self-Study is a collaborative effort that engages most of the school’s faculty and staff, along with key members of the broader community—trustees, parents, students, and alumni. The goal is to produce an honest and thorough reflection of how the school currently lives out its mission, provides high-quality programs for students, and maintains both its viability and sustainability.
Beyond serving as a detailed account of the school’s journey, the Self-Study can also act as a strategic guide for ongoing growth and improvement. Schools that have completed the process often remark on the value of stepping back to view their institution with renewed clarity and perspective. This reflection frequently leads to deeper understanding and a stronger sense of direction, regardless of a school’s stage of development.
As we begin our own Self-Study, we do so with the intention of making it a truly inclusive process. In addition to conducting surveys of students, parents, and alumni, we are inviting members of the larger school community to join one of the committees that will examine the various sections of the Self-Study. Specifically, we are seeking volunteers to join Board Committees and/or participate on the following self-study committees: Finance, Advancement, Campus and Facilities. Please reach out to Mike!
Finally, we have officially kicked off the Annual Fund, small school, BIG IMPACT. I am energized by the dedication, volunteerism and generosity that you have all shown us already.
Thank you for your support,
Mike
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Staff Updates
This week, we welcomed Rob Howard to Billings as our 6th and 7th Grade English Language Arts teacher! Rob has already excitedly taken the lead on a 6th grade advisory group and taught the 6th grade ELA class today. We look forward for you to meet him during conferences on October 30th and 31st.
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At the same time, we thank Robin Russell for sharing her talent and enthusiasm with our students these last few weeks. She shared with us the following message:
“I've visited many schools, and Billings has impressed me in so many ways. The faculty are friendly, caring and sincere. The culture feels established and genuine. The academic expectations are rigorous and students' strengths are celebrated. Above all, Billings is exemplary in honoring the full humanity of your students. It has been a joy and a privilege to support sixth and seventh graders.”
If your child would like to explore additional outside enrichment with Robin, you can learn more about her evening classes for middle school students via her website.
| | Break Camps @ Billings: Steve & Kate's Camp | | |
With Fall Break and Winter Break quickly approaching, we wanted you to know that Billings will be hosting Steve & Kate’s Camp on our campus for Fall, Winter, Mid-Winter, and Spring Breaks this year.
We loved having Steve & Kate’s Camp on our campus last year - and it was a joyful experience where children planned their own days with all kinds of activities.
Steve & Kate’s is so flexible - families can buy any number of days to use whenever and drop off and pick up any time between 8:00am and 6:00pm. Many large companies like Microsoft provide Bright Horizons Enhanced Family Supports benefits that can be applied directly to Steve & Kate’s Camp.
For more information or to help spread the word, please visit their website.
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6th graders were placed in permanent advisory groups this week as we welcomed new ELA teacher, Rob Howard. An important theme in advisory this month is our emergency protocols and drills. We experienced our first fire drill on Monday and will have one more later this month with local firefighters on campus evaluating our procedures. We’ll also have an earthquake drill soon. Our practice on campus is a great reminder to review your family’s emergency procedures at home.
7th graders are currently enjoying the final bits of their trip to The Dalles. After visiting with Yakama Nation elder, Carol Craig, touring the Dalles Dam, and exploring the solar system at the Goldendale Observatory, students will reflect on these experiences in the coming weeks and make ties to Science and Social Studies curricula.
| | 8th grade students this past week worked on FLO trip reflections. We reflected on self appreciations, apologies, and "aha!" moments. Students are continuing their conversations around supporting a group goal. In class meeting we discussed ways to improve group work in the classroom as an extension of this topic. Students then learned more about their peers by participating in a “Guess the Kindergarten Dream Job” Booklet. | | |
6th graders in Social Studies have completed their Billings (and surrounding neighborhood) maps and are now doing research and presentations on Landforms such as islands, canyons and harbors. Students will continue to engage with maps, our digital textbook and geography games as we dig into more physical geography this quarter.
On Tuesday the 30th, 7th grade students took a field trip to view the murals at Robert Eagle Staff and Cascadia schools. They have learned a bit about the history and significance of this location and the artistic murals. We continued over to Licton Springs Park to see one of the city's "first Native American historical landmarks" and a site considered sacred to the Coast Salish, especially Duwamish, people.
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7th graders visited the Yakama Nation Cultural Center and will be visiting the former site of Celilo Falls, now lost because of the Dalles Dam. One of our goals is for students to view and to think deeply about indigenous history and current conditions. When we return from the trip, students will participate in a debate about dams as well as the history and significance of Treaties between the US government and tribal nations.
Meanwhile, 8th graders are wrapping up their unit on ethics with a quiz and final project. Their final task will be to show their learning by performing an original skit that includes an ethical dilemma and explanation of three different ethical frameworks. In the coming weeks, students will be exploring Hinduism and visiting the Hindu Temple in Bothell.
In 6th grade Spanish, students have been practicing the alphabet and counting to 100! They have also been learning the days of the week and how to talk about today, tomorrow and yesterday. In 7th grade, students have been using their understanding of Spanish verbs to construct sentences and talk about their class schedules and activities. Our 8th graders have been learning about how to talk about the weather, discussing different seasonal activities, and practicing speaking about their likes and dislikes of those seasonal activities.
Students of all grades (and Fluffy the tiger) gathered to watch a little bit of the Mariners game yesterday during lunch!
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🎓 Deans on the Scene ✒️
On Tuesday, we shared information and sign-ups for Fall Conferences, which will take place on Thursday, October 30 from 4:00-7:00pm and Friday, October 31 from 8:30am-2:00pm. We're pleased to offer this opportunity for parents/guardians to meet with their child's advisor and teachers: 8th grade families will meet with Amy, Nathan, Emily, and April; 7th grade families will meet with Ryan, Greyson, Maya, and Rob Howard; 6th grade families will meet with Kruthi, Ian, and Rob Howard. If you have not yet done so, please sign up for a session at your earliest convenience as the appointment slots are filling up quickly.
i-Ready
Fall i-Ready diagnostics are still in progress. We anticipate that all classes will have completed the diagnostics by early next week, and results will be emailed to all families by the end of the following week. Please remember that results are used internally as an additional data point for student learning and growth. While the tool is not in complete alignment with our curriculum, it can help teachers identify areas of focus for instruction, and provide a measure for growth throughout the year. We share this perspective with students, and we encourage you to join us in this messaging with your child. Please know that teachers will contact you if there is a particular concern with the results. For help interpreting the diagnostic results, please visit Understanding Your Student’s i-Ready Diagnostic Results (English) or Understanding Your Student’s i-Ready Diagnostic (Spanish).
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We have officially kicked off our 2025-26 Annual Fund Campaign! It was great to see those of you who stopped by for a cup of coffee on Friday!
If you haven't already, please check your inbox for our Annual Fund appeal. Inside, you'll find information about where your contributions go and the impact they're making as well as a heartfelt message from this year's chair, Erika Wright (pictured above with her family!). Gifts of every size matter and our hope is to achieve 100% participation by all Billings families. Now more than ever, we depend on your support to be able to continue to provide the Billings experience to all of our students.
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Help your student’s grade meet the 100% participation goal by October 31st and win a free pizza party!
You can make a donation by dropping off a check at the front desk or by clicking here to make a donation online. You can also click here to make a pledge for a future donation. Don’t forget to check with your employer to see if they will match your donation! Boeing, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pokémon, and many other major employers offer an employee match program. This is a really great way to double the impact of your donation!
| | Billings Family Association | | |
Neurodiversity Affinity Group Meeting on 10/14
The Neurodiversity Affinity Group will meet online next Tuesday 10/14 from 7-8:30pm. The group is open to all Billings parents/caregivers of neurodiverse kids. You can sign up to join the group here and view the meeting agenda here.
Family Contacts Directory Opt-Out
Last chance to opt out before the directory is distributed to families next week! The secure directory will include each student's name and grade, as well as their parents/caregivers' names, email addresses, cell number, and home address. If you do not want any or all of this information to be included in the secure directory, please notify the Front Desk by Monday 10/13.
Save the Date – Parenting Event: The World of Middle Schoolers
On November 6th from 5:30-7:00pm, Dean of Students Rob Heavner and the BFA will co-host an in-person event for Billings parents and caregivers. Rob will speak on the big-picture themes in middle schoolers’ development and parents’/caregivers’ roles in supporting them. There will be breakout group discussions by grade. More info to follow soon!
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Upcoming Events: 📅
- [NO SCHOOL] WA State In-Service Day: October 10
- [NO SCHOOL] Teacher In-Service Day: October 13
- Open House: October 15, 5:30-7:30pm
- Parenting Event: The World of Middle Schoolers - November 6, 5:30-7:00pm, Zoom link coming soon
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Story is my Superpower
Northwest Equity & Inclusion Speaker Series is dedicated to making impactful discussions accessible to everyone. Join us to hear from Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin.
November 12, 2025
5:00-6:15 pm PT
This event is free and open to the public.
RSVP to get your Zoom link: Registration
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Downtown School
Math Circle
7th and 8th graders are invited to The Downtown School Math Circle, a free, hands-on math event happening on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at The Downtown School (160 John Street, Seattle, WA).
During this fun and interactive morning, students will work with our teachers and students to solve creative mathematical puzzles and challenges that stretch their problem-solving skills and spark curiosity.
Parents and guardians are welcome to stay for coffee and pastries, or they can drop students off for the event.
Space is limited, so we encourage anyone interested to register soon using the QR code on the flyer or by following this link.
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Adults 21 and up: catch Birch Pereira and the Gin Joints!
Birch teaches instrumental music at Billings Middle School, so check out what he does when he's not teaching!
When: Friday, October 10th, at Bake's Place in Bellevue WA, 8:00-9:30pm or Friday, October 24th at the Shanty Tavern in Lake City.
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Looking for something to do as a family? Check out the Mosaic Room which is located just around the corner from the Billings campus. The Mosaic Room offers family friendly classes from Yoga and Salsa dancing to Yo-Yo tricks! Scan the QR Code to sign-up!
All Billings families will receive 10% off with the code: BILLINGS10
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Climate Action Families (CAF) is offering a free, 2-day workshop for 6-11th graders.
This workshop brings together two big themes:
- Migration (why people move, especially due to war, danger, or economic need)
- Climate Change (how environmental disasters like droughts, fires, and floods force people to migrate)
The course encourages young people to think about what it means to be welcomed (or not) in a new place — whether that’s a new school, new country, or new home, considering the question: If more people are forced to migrate due to climate change... how do we make space for everyone?
Sense of Belonging: Migration and Climate Change on October 18-19th, 10:00 am-3:00 pm.
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Executive Function Workout!
Join me (Greg: Director of The Learning Center at Billings) for a regular morning EF workout from 8:30am to 9:30am 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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