Billings iNews: May 14, 2026

Inside Billings

May 14, 2026

Gratitude Garden

🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚

May offers our community a balance of reflection and anticipation. This time of year offers an opportunity to celebrate how much our students have grown academically, socially, and personally, while also looking ahead to the exciting milestones and experiences still to come. From classroom projects and outdoor adventures to end-of-year traditions, there is much to appreciate as we finish the school year with purpose, energy, and connection.

A resounding THANK YOU to our students for their notes, and to our parent community whose generosity, thoughtfulness, and kindness made Faculty Appreciation Week so special.

From all of us on campus — thank you! Your support and appreciation mean so much, and we are grateful to be part of such a caring community.

Announcements

No Study Club Week of May 18-22

After-school Study Club will not be running next week, May 18-22. Please make arrangements for your student to be picked-up at regular dismissal (3:30 PM).

Who Can? Soup Can!

Billings' Ultimate Frisbee team will be participating in the Disc NW C division Championship game Saturday, May 16, at 10:45am on the Lower Woodland Playfield at Woodland Park. Come support our students and cheer them to victory!

Billings "Little" School

Attention 8th grade parents! As part of the upcoming Graduation ceremony, we are putting together a Baby Picture Slideshow.

Please email Becca with two pictures: one with your student as an infant/baby, and one from their elementary school days by tomorrow, May 15th. If you have a physical picture, we can scan it here on campus!

Volunteers:

Dear Class of 2027 and Class of 2028 Parents & Guardians: we are looking for a few more volunteers to help make our annual 8th Grade Parent Dinner on May 27 a special and memorable evening for our community. If you’re available to lend a hand with set-up and decorating, or would like to contribute a favorite dessert, please sign up using the link HERE.

We’re also planning ahead for Graduation on June 9 and would greatly appreciate donations of sweet treats for guests to enjoy after the program. If you’d like to contribute, please sign up HERE.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Stephanie. Thank you for helping us celebrate our 8th graders and their families in such a meaningful way!

Upcoming Events: 📅

Ultimate Frisbee Championship Game: May 16 @ 10:45am, Lower Woodland Playfield at Woodland Park
8th Grade Backpacking Trip: May 18-22
6th Grade Overnight Trip: May 20-22
NO SCHOOL: Monday, May 25
8th Grade Parent Dinner: Wednesday, May 27
End-of-Year Conferences: Friday, May 29

See our full calendar below:

Community Calendar

Billings Family Association

Thank-You Messages for Faculty Appreciation

It’s not too late to write messages of appreciation for teachers and staff via Ellacard. It’s quick and easy, and your words of gratitude mean a lot! The deadline for submitting messages is TONIGHT Thursday, May 14th.

Rescheduled Neurodiversity AG Meeting 5/21

Next Thursday, May 21 at 7pm, Billings parent Shannon Otto will host a discussion on navigating the summer with our neurodiverse kids. We have emailed the online meeting link to group members. Please let us know if you didn’t receive it. Also, it’s not too late to join the group if you’re interested!

Signups Now Open for Family Camping Trip in October

Please join us for the Billings family camping trip at Rasar State Park this October 2-4, 2026! Plan to attend the whole weekend or whenever it works for you. This is a parent-organized event, and all Billings families are welcome. Please sign up here if you plan to attend, indicating if you would like to stay at the group campsite or plan to come for daytime activities and stay elsewhere (e.g., an Airbnb, other campground).

Parenting Resources

How to Talk to Youth about Alcohol & Vaping, with Ray Lozano of Prevention Plus

May 19, 12-1pm

🏫 Admissions 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Your voice makes a difference!

If your family has had a positive experience at Billings, we would be grateful if you would take a moment to leave a review. Parent reviews help prospective families learn more about our community and the impact of a Billings education.

Below are a few sites that will help us attract more families to our amazing community. Please click on the logos below to leave your review at the site of your choice. Thank you for helping us share the story of our school!

🚸 Advisory 📖

On Monday, 6th graders walked to nearby North Acres Park for a mini-exped training day. We reviewed our EGGS protocol, practiced setting up and taking down tents, and enjoyed some outdoor play. Students completed tasks in randomized groupings to help push them beyond their social comfort zones. On our trips, we have to be ready and willing to help anyone at any time; 6th graders took this to heart and did a fantastic job working together! During advisory periods, students are busy selecting academic work and other experiences to highlight in their portfolios. Please be sure to sign up for a May 29th conference slot if you haven’t yet!

7th graders did a wonderful job on the Baker Lake Trip last week. Check out the photos on SmugMug! Please reach out to the Front Desk if you do not have the password. With the trail behind us, we are now setting our sights on Portfolio Conferences. In advisory, students have begun collecting work to share with you all. Please ensure you’ve signed up for a time slot via the link your child’s advisor has emailed to you!

This week, the 8th graders met in their backpacking groups during Advisory to prepare for the Coast Trip next week! The students analyzed tide charts and trail maps to determine the best times to hike along the coast, decided their permanent roles – Gear Boss, Quarter Master, Journalist – and rotating roles – Water Boss, Cook, and Leader of the Day – as a group, and established group culture through team names and chants. The 8th grade team is so excited to take part in this magical experience with the students and can’t wait for the stories that come with it.

👀 Inside the Classroom 📰

This past week 8th graders reviewed all they have learned over the course of this school year by creating “Math for Dummies” presentations. For these presentations, students had to pick a unit they felt confident enough to teach to a “non-math teacher.” Students did an excellent job making their presentations informative and detail-oriented, while captivating the audience. It clearly showed, as the grade demonstrated overall growth on their final iReady. Check out two awesome 8th graders – Dashiell & Kieran – teaching Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 about Trigonometry Ratios!

In 6th grade Math, we’re wrapping up Unit 6: Expressions & Equations this week. Students are well-versed in essential algebraic vocabulary, exponent concepts, substituting values for variables, matching expressions to various area models, and solving problems with four or more terms using order of operations. Ask your student about our weekly “PEMDAS for points” quizzes. Students will complete their final i-Ready round early next week before we depart to Mt. St. Helens. Though it’s a busy time of year, we’re encouraging students to finish strong by helping each other in class (teaching a peer exemplifies mastery), finishing their weekly Delta Math homework (just a few more!), and trying the enrichment activities on Delta and Google Classroom (if they want even more).

In PE/GO, we have focused on soccer in recent weeks. Student athletes have enjoyed dribbling games, passing drills, and indoor scrimmages that utilize walls and various mats blocking stage-area gaps to create a more authentic indoor soccer arena. We’ve also added a new core workout to our warm-up routine. Ask students about 6-7 feet (sorry!), flutter kicks, and the other parts of the sequence. It’s a challenging series of static holds and smooth leg movements that only takes a few minutes. Perhaps they can show you!

In 6th grade Science students have been gearing up for our upcoming Mt St Helens expedition. Students are currently creating field guides which include the local plants, animals, and rocks of Mt St Helens. The goal is that students will be able to use their field guides, and their knowledge of the history of the volcano, to run a geology expedition while we are on the trip.

In 8th grade Science students are finishing up their Waves Unit. Students are currently designing homes that utilize wave properties to influence temperature, light, and sound. After the coast trip, we will spend the final weeks of the year learning all about circuits!

In 8th grade Design Lab, students have been hard at work researching and planning their Outdoor Legacy Projects, and this week they have started building! Currently in the works are restoring the gaga ball pit, basketball hoop, and sports equipment storage, painting a garden bed and community library box, and building a brand new picnic table. The goal of these projects is to beautify and improve the outdoor space and for the 8th graders to help leave Billings better than they found it!

📣 In the Community 🏘️

Hands-on, social, and screen-free.

Located in NE Seattle at: 5414 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105.

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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