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Inside Billings
October 23, 2025
| | 🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚 | | |
As our students wrap up recent projects and experiences, they’re taking time to pause and reflect. Reflection helps them connect classroom lessons with real-world experiences, recognize personal growth, and set new goals for the months ahead.
Image by Lisa Merrill
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Mike on the Mic 🎤
Reminder that next Friday, October 31, is a full conference day and that we will not have any classes that day. The intention of our fall conferences is for conversation between adults. However, if you do not have any other childcare and your child needs to come with you and attend each conference, please reach out to Becca to let us know in advance.
At Billings, we are fortunate to have a community founded in shared beliefs, interests, and goals. Our mission to inspire students through academic challenge, personal discovery, outdoor and experiential learning, and community connection is central to our identity. Our field trip experiences this week to visit the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center in Bothell and the University of Washington Biology Department’s Greenhouse are prime examples of how we live our mission. From parent volunteers to student ambassadors, long-standing faculty members to teachers who bring new ideas to the community, each person plays a critical role in fulfilling this mission and in building a community we can all be proud of.
The school not only depends on our community to volunteer, support, inspire, and stretch our students, we also look to our community for support through our Annual Fund. Like most independent schools, tuition does not cover the full cost of expenses here at Billings. Generosity from our community through gifts to the Annual Fund make it possible for us to close the gap and continue funding the programs that are making such a huge impact on this community we know and love.
I invite you to make a gift to our community today and help us reach our goal for the Annual Fund!
Give online | Make a pledge to pay later | Annual Fund Info
Thanks for your support,
Mike
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In the all-grade meeting for 6th graders this week, we discussed the challenges of collaboration in large groups. We agreed that positive encouragement is the best way to motivate others, but this can be hard to maintain when facing obstacles or experiencing failure. We played a game called marble run, which has frequent individual and group failures, to practice staying positive when success is not achieved. Ask your student about this game; we’ll play new, more challenging iterations next week!
The 7th graders talked about inclusivity and kindness in their all-grade meeting, in addition to holding elections for 7th grade Class Representatives! Specifically, we talked about the importance of using inclusive language around identity characteristics (body type, race, religion, etc.) and ensuring that some of the harmful humor that exists in the greater culture doesn’t enter our community!
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This week, the 8th graders finished their beginning of the year reflection by setting expectations and intentions they want to hold for each other. The students spent time over the last few weeks looking back at the start of school & their Fall Outdoor Leadership Trip to address the questions: What do you appreciate about yourself? What self-discoveries have you made? What do you want to let go of? We are very proud of the students' thoughtfulness and engagement throughout this process, and are excited to see how they use this as an assessment of growth over the course of the school year.
| | This week in Instrumental Music we introduced the keyboards to class which were a huge hit. These small keys called midi controllers plug directly into the chromebooks and students learn how to read music in a program called Piano Maestro and then were able to use the keyboards to make any sounds they liked in the Soundtrap program. | | |
We are starting our plant biology unit in 7th grade Science! This week, students ventured to UW campus to tour the campus identifying native trees and the biology greenhouses. Students are brainstorming a photosynthesis experiment. This experiment will be fully designed and implemented individually or in small groups by students, and students will conduct their experiments over the course of the next three weeks. At the end, they will write a formal lab report/scientific paper about their findings.
In both sections of 7th grade math, we’re finally getting into our unit on Equations and Expressions - at long last, our math has letters in it. We introduced it by creating a number of truly ridiculous meal combos out of burgers, fries, mcnuggets, apples, water bottles, and other items, representing these combos - ridiculous names and all - as algebraic expressions. We learned about combining like terms and the difference between expressions and equations, and re-learned using the distributive property to factor and expand expressions. We’re beginning to connect these ideas and use them to solve multi-step equations, and will have a mid-unit quiz next Tuesday.
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🎓 Deans on the Scene ✒️
We are excited to celebrate Halloween at Billings next week on Thursday 10/30! As part of our celebration, the Billings ASB is excited to announce a Spirit Week: October 27-30. Students are invited to dress to impress around different themes for each day:
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Monday - Halloween colors
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Tuesday - Pajama Day
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Wednesday - Teachers dress like students and Students dress like teachers!
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Thursday - Halloween Costumes
On 10/30, students are more than welcome to wear Halloween costumes to school. Please take a look at this family letter from Dean Rob!
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We are excited to report that we have raised just over $27,000 towards our goal of $150,000 so far for our Annual Fund! This is a great start! Thank you to every family who has made a gift and volunteered. Your support allows our small school to make a big impact every single day and we are so thankful!
As with most private schools, tuition alone is not enough to keep Billings Middle School running and we rely on the generosity of our families and community to be able to continue to offer a competitive curriculum, a fabulous team of teachers dedicated solely to middle school education, and the incredible hands on programs that expand your student’s education. Laurie Demeritt, board member and alumni parent, would like to share with you why she supports the annual fund:
“I am supporting the Annual Fund because my son Davis benefited from the small class sizes, the dedicated faculty, the robust academic programing, and the experiential education - and I want other students to have this same amazing experience!”
We have also decided to extend our Annual Fund drive for one more week - so you have until Friday, November 7th to make your gift!
Participation standings:
- 6th Grade: 30%
- 7th Grade: 50%
- 8th Grade: 28%
Help your grade meet the 100% participation goal by November 6th and win the 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!
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🏫 Admissions 👨👩👧👦
Thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers, student ambassadors, and alumni who helped make our first Open House a success! Your warm welcome and enthusiasm created a meaningful experience for prospective families and showcased the spirit of our community. We’re excited to host our next Open House on Saturday, November 15, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - help us spread the word!
| | Billings Family Association | | |
Help with Día de los Muertos Celebration
Are you available to hand out Mexican candies to the kids as they leave school on Thursday 10/30? We are looking for 2 parents/caregivers available from 3:20-3:40pm-ish. Please contact us if you’re game.
Launching a LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
Are you a parent/caregiver in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, or raising a child who is? You're invited to join the LGBTQ+ Affinity Group at Billings. Led by a queer Billings parent, this group brings families together for potlucks once or twice a year. Members stay connected between meet-ups via a private message board to ask questions, share invitations, and offer support. Sign up here to be notified as we start organizing. We hope you’ll join us!
Neurodiversity Affinity Group Follow-up
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first Neurodiversity Affinity Group meeting of the year! It was so special to connect. Our next meeting will be Tuesday 1/13 at 7pm on Google Meet. Please look for an email from group leader Erika Wright with information about topics for January. And pssst: It’s not too late to join the group!
Other Affinity Group Ideas?
If you are interested in forming an affinity group for Billings parents/caregivers or families, please let us know.
Family Contacts Directory Now Available
This Monday 10/20, IT wizard Daniel emailed a link to the secure directory to all current families (except those who opted out). If you did not receive the email or wish to remove your family’s information, please contact the front desk.
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Upcoming Events: 📅
- Fall Conferences: October 30 & 31
- NO SCHOOL: October 31
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Framing the Year: The World of Middle Schoolers! -November 6, 5:30-7:00pm
- NO SCHOOL: Veteran's Day, Tuesday, November 11
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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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SQUIRRELLY WORKSHOP:
Teens & 'Tweens: Holiday Gift Making Series (4 Fridays)
Sign up your Teen or 'Tween for a Squirrelly Art Class where they can get creative with art in a safe and fun space! Squirrelly offers diverse art experiences every day of the week in our bright, woodland studio on Sand Point Way.
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Our favorite series starts November 14th, Surprise Holiday Gift Making. Register now at squirrellyworkshop.com to secure your child's spot!
- Squirrelly has after-school art for kids, art for adults, and art for preschoolers, too! Come enjoy an adult evening out learning watercolor or print-making, sign your elementary school aged student up for after-school art class or bring your mini-artist for our Friday morning preschool open studio!
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Learn more and register at squirrellyworkshop.com! Financial assistance and scholarships are always available.
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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 24th, 8:00-9:30pm at the Shanty Tavern in Lake City.
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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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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