Billings iNews: January 8, 2026

Inside Billings

January 8, 2026

Welcome Back!

🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚

Happy New Year, Billings! January is a time of renewed focus and momentum, and we are excited to continue supporting our students as they learn, grow, and challenge themselves.

Mike on the Mic 🎤

Happy New Year! We loved welcoming all of your children back! I hope that you enjoyed some special time over the break and found ways to disconnect from your typical schedule and reconnect with loved ones.

A reminder that our next BFA Meeting is tomorrow, January 9, at 8:30am.

On Monday, our teachers were hard at work preparing for students to return to campus. We’ve jumped into Winter Term with a special schedule designed to inspire your students with unique field trips and opportunities to explore the outdoors in winter and prepare for an awesome Winter Production. We’re excited that 7th and 8th graders are on their first daytrip of the new year today. Teachers are putting in so much extra effort to make all of these things work simultaneously, so please give them some special shout-outs and thank yous!

RSVP for UW Bowling Night on Sat 1/24!

Join us for an evening of community and family fun as Billings takes over UW’s bowling alley from 5-7pm on Saturday, January 24th! Bowling, shoe rentals, pizza, and drinks will be provided. Parents/guardians, siblings, and students are all invited to join in the fun. There is no cost for this event, though we are asking for a suggested donation of $15 per attendee to defray costs of food and rentals. You can RSVP and make your donation here. Additional event info is available here.

Here’s to a wonderful 2026,

Mike

🎓 Deans on the Scene ✒️

Family Survey - response requested by 1/16

On Tuesday, we shared an email requesting your input on our programs and communication. We would like to hear about your experience this year so that we can plan and improve. Please take a few minutes to complete our short Billings Family Survey Winter 2025-26. Your participation by January 16 would be greatly appreciated.

i-Ready

Students will take their 2nd i-Ready diagnostic in ELA and Math classes in the next few weeks. We will share your child’s results with you after we’ve reviewed them, which is usually within 2 weeks of administering the diagnostic.

As we’ve shared in previous communications, the i-Ready diagnostic is an additional tool to support instruction and student growth in reading and math. While there is no special preparation for you or child to take prior to the assessment, we recommend sharing the following reminders for students to build their stamina and confidence:

Get a good night’s sleep and eat a full breakfast the day of the assessment.
Try their best on each question and try not to rush.
Try not to worry about questions they do not know—remind them that it is expected they will get only about half of the questions correct.
Be respectful of other students who take longer to finish.
Remember that this is a tool to help them, their teachers, and you support their learning.

🖥️Business Office💼

Hello Billings Families,

As I hope you saw from Mike and Amelia Marckworth’s email yesterday, Billings tuition next year will be $43,900.

A brief reminder that if you are currently receiving Tuition Assistance, you need to re-apply every year. The Tuition Assistance portal is currently open. Please apply through our Clarity App HERE. Your application needs to be completed and submitted no later than February 1st, 2026. We ask that you apply sooner rather than later so we have ample time to review your application.

If your child is a scholarship award recipient, you do not need to re-apply. That award is valid for your student's entire time at Billings as long as they continue full participation in our program, maintaining strong academic standing, and adherence to the policies outlined in our Student Handbook.

Agreements for the 2026-27 school year will be sent out via Clarity on or before Friday, February 27th.

You are welcome to email or call me directly if you have any questions,

Joan Krussel

joank@billingsmiddleschool.org

206.412.5626

🏕️ ExpEd 🥾

The snow trip season is finally here! Why do we go on snow trips each week? These expeditions provide students and faculty a chance to build and strengthen connections with their peers, practice self- and group-care, and bridge the lessons students learn in class with applications out in the field. The expeditions team has put together a thoughtful and exciting progression of trips, with each grade having their own theme and learning targets.

As a reminder, here are the dates for each grade’s snow trips this year:

6th Grade – 1/15; 1/29; 2/26
7th Grade – 1/8; 1/22; 2/5
8th Grade – 1/8; 1/15; 1/22; 1/29; 2/5

Please make sure to review the Snow Trip Gear List with your student to ensure they have all the items they need. Any student that requested gear will receive their items the day of their grade’s first trip. Please reach out to Nathan if you have any questions or concerns. Additionally, a weather report email will be sent out each Wednesday evening to notify students and families of the projected conditions and if there are any changes to the schedule.

🏀 Sports ⛹️‍♀️

Girl's Basketball Registration is open!

This program is intentionally designed to help all Billings Girls build Basketball technique, active sports skills, and be a part of a team. No prior basketball experience or skills necessary. Whether your student is trying basketball for the first time or has joined a team in the past, we will aim to create a supportive and fun environment for all to participate!

Program Details:

Registration closes January 22nd
Practices begin Thursday, January 22nd
Practice Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Please complete the registration form and concussion waiver. Once registration is complete and turned in at the Front Desk, parents will be added to GameChanger. GameChanger will be used to share the full schedule, provide updates and communication. Please install the app to stay connected. For questions please feel free to contact Daniel.

🖌️ Arts 🎭

Call for Cardboard Donations!

The Props & Set class is putting out a call for cardboard donations to bring our Winter Production dreams to life! Students will be building everything out of cardboard and we are specifically looking for:

Standard brown-color (the sturdier the better!)
Corrugated
BIG pieces
Minimal tape/glue/designs (as much as possible!)

All donations can be brought to Frida before/after school and we will accept them through mid-March. Questions? Contact Greyson & Amira.

THANK YOU!

Fiber Club is Back!

A new session of Fiber Club is beginning on Monday, January 12th from 3:45-5pm and will run on Mondays after school until Monday, March 9th. We have some exciting new projects and skills we’ll be focusing on that students of all experience levels will enjoy!

Sign ups are open now! Contact Amira & Sabrina to sign up your student or ask any questions.

Billings Family Association

BFA Meeting Tomorrow 1/9 at 8:30am

The BFA meeting follows Friday morning coffee! All are invited to come grab a cup, meet other Billings family members, and get the latest school and BFA news.

Neurodiversity Affinity Group Meeting Next Tue 1/13

Next Tuesday 1/13 at 7pm on Google Meet, Billings parent Erika Wright will host a discussion of issues coming up around supporting our neurodivergent children. Pssst: It’s not too late to join the group!

RSVP for UW Bowling Night on Sat 1/24

In case you missed it, registration for this evening of family fun is now open! Additional info and FAQs are posted here.

Volunteers to Plan Fall Family Camping Trip

Group campsite reservations go fast in our area, so believe it or not, it’s time to start planning the family camping trip for this fall! If you’re interested in helping plan this community-building event, please contact us.

Parenting Resources

Birds & Bees for Parents: Supporting Your Middle and High Schooler

With Amy Lang, sexuality and parent educator

January 14, 12–1pm

Inside the ADHD Mind: Tools to Help Your Child Thrive

With Dr. Sasha Hamdani, ADHD specialist

January 21, 12–1pm

Upcoming Events: 📅

BFA Family Meeting: January 9, 8:30-9:30am
NO SCHOOL: MLK Jr Day, January 19
Bowling with Billings: January 24, 5-7pm at UW
NO SCHOOL: Prospective Student Visit Day, January 30
Winter Dance: February 6
8th Grade Winter Immersion Trip: February 12-13

See our full calendar below:

Community Calendar

📣 In the Community 🏘️

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!

All Billings families will receive 10% off with the code: BILLINGS10

If you missed out on your chance to snag some discounted Billings swag over the holiday season, take advantage of the store-wide Winter Sale to get something to keep you warm!

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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