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Inside Billings
March 27, 2025
| | 🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚 | | Heartfelt congratulations to our student body for all the amazing work they put into Billings' production of The Nut-Brown Girl both on-stage and behind-the-scenes. Thank you to all families, friends, and community members who came out to support it! Below is a link to the photo gallery from our shows. If you (or even your student!) took any pictures before or during the show, please upload them to our gallery here. If you require the password for the gallery, email Becca! | | |
As we continue to feel the glow, and stress relief, of a performance-well-done, we are excited to spring into our Spring Term that will be full of growth both inside and outside of the classroom. Maya jumped back in on Tuesday and led climbing for PE/GO! We are preparing our 7th graders to apply their climbing skills on natural rock faces in Eastern Washington in the upcoming trip before Spring Break.
A big part of the magic of Billings is to create a place where learners discover their unique strengths, embrace challenges, and are inspired to learn deeply and make our world a better place. There are so many leadership opportunities here, made possible by teachers that see those individual strengths and push our students - whether that’s leading a backpacking trip, researching their 8th Grade Project, or being a leader in one area or another in the winter performance. I regret that I forgot to mention last week that several of our students represented Billings admirably at the Northwest Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Retreat! They pushed themselves out of their comfort zones, connected with students from other schools, and embraced new leadership opportunities. They came back with fresh ideas and excitement, ready to inspire our community with new energy and insight.
Finally, we are really excited for the Annual Celebration and Fundraiser on April 4th – we have almost 150 people! It’s going to be so much fun!
Thank you for your support,
Mike
| | 🌱 Philanthropy at Billings🪴 | |
We are just one week away from the Billings Base Camp Celebration and Fundraising Dinner! We are truly delighted to share this evening with all of you who bought tickets.
If you need to change your RSVP, please email Koby with the details. If you cannot attend, but would still like to participate, you can visit the auction website and make a donation. We greatly appreciate all of your support!
Catalogue Spotlight
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Indulge in an unforgettable dining experience with a $1,000 gift card to Canlis, Seattle’s iconic fine-dining restaurant. Renowned for its exceptional service, stunning views, and exquisite menu, Canlis offers an unparalleled culinary journey. Whether you're savoring expertly crafted dishes, enjoying world-class wines, or taking in the breathtaking views of Lake Union, this gift card unlocks the ultimate dining experience. Treat yourself and a loved one to an evening of elegance, or use it to create a memorable celebration. It’s the perfect way to enjoy one of Seattle’s most celebrated restaurants!
Tickets are $50 apiece and there are only 100 tickets available, so don’t miss out on this fabulous chance to win a Canlis gift card!
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✒️ Deans on the Scene 🎓
Winter term progress reports will be published today. Please look for a notification from Alma that your child’s report is available in the portal. If you are having any difficulty logging in, reach out to Becca. Teachers prepared these reports to convey a brief assessment of your child’s academic status, work completion, and suggestions for improvement or options for honors and challenge. Arts classes for Winter Performance are not included in the reports. Please let April know if you have not received a report by Friday.
| | We hope everyone had a great Rob Heavner Day yesterday! Rob Heavner Day was made as a little joke between teachers to celebrate Dean Rob's birthday. Amy made a shirt with an iconic image of Rob carrying an umbrella on a backpacking adventure. Rob often does this because - well, he doesn't want to get wet! While out in the woods, Rob often entertains staff and students with "shaggy-dog" stories or summarizes a movie plot or posits a riddle for folks to ponder. The point, of course, is to distract us from our struggles on the trail. A classic character in every Rob Heavner backpacking trip is the infamous, Morris Lump, who parallels the fictional character of Forrest Gump. Whereas Forrest describes that "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get," Morris explains that life is rather "like a bag of oranges...you pretty much know what you're gonna get." | | |
Our Olympic Backpacking trip is now full, but space is available for our other two trips as well as our on-campus workshops. Please check out the website for all the information and register below while there's still time.
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Upcoming Events: 📅
- BFA All-Family Meeting: April 4, 8:30am - 9:30am
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Billings Base Camp: Annual Celebration and Fundraising Dinner - Friday, April 4th from 5:30pm - 9:00pm [purchase tickets here]
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Screen-Time Family Event with Rob: April 8, 6:00pm - 7:30pm [LINK]
- 7th Grade Trip: Wednesday, April 9 - Friday, April 11
- [NO SCHOOL] Spring Break: Monday, April 14 - Friday, April 18
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Happy Spring Term! This week we introduced the 6th grade sections. Please help students start this term strong by reminding them to bring in their planners every day, have their Chromebooks charged for class, and be responsible with their technology and internet activity.
7th graders are beginning to gear up for their Central Washington Trip on April 9-11! Students are covering rock climbing basics in their PE classes with Rob and Maya, who are both impressed with what they remember from last year. Speaking of Maya, we’re excited to have her back, and we’re doubly excited to have Amira around for a few more weeks!
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8th graders are enjoying this new semester and a fresh start. With many due dates and test prep behind them, we want to remind students to bring planners and great attitudes everyday to class and commit to ending the year - and their middle school experience - strong!
The 6th graders have fully entered the Geology Unit in Science. Students are learning about Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Layers. Make sure to check out the New Google Classroom site for your student. One is listed as 6A Science and the other is 6B Science. We will be migrating away from the previous Google Classroom by the end of March.
8th graders are moving on to the next Physics unit on Waves. Students have started learning about Sound Waves this week in class. Make sure to check out the New Google Classroom site for your student. The new site is listed as: 8 Science - Spring Term. We will be migrating away from the previous Google Classroom by the end of March.
7th grade ELA students are springing into a brand new unit! Students are learning all about rhetoric this week with a focus on understanding ethos, pathos, and logos. Students are analyzing posters and video advertisements and will be learning about the rhetorical devices authors use to target and influence specific audiences.
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6th graders presented their dioramas of Ancient Egypt in Social Studies, the culminating project for their unit. There were pyramids, representations of the Nile river and images of the mummification process. Students showed their learning and creativity in a fun way.
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In Math, the 7th graders are exploring the geometric relationships between 2-D and 3-D shapes to prepare for their project this coming week. Students will design their dream homes, and must ensure that they fit within the parameters of Seattle building requirements. Students will create a blueprint model in 3-D, calculate the cost of their building materials, and reflect on the space they use. Nathan is excited to see what they create!
8th graders visited Temple Beth Am on Wednesday as part of their study of Judaism and to see a Reform synagogue. Rabbi Dana welcomed students and discussed the Torah, the architecture of the temple and some of the core beliefs and values shared by Jewish people. Rabbi Dana sang a portion of the Torah and discussed the meaning of Shema. Students wrote a reflection about their learning and how this house of worship differed from the Orthodox synagogue that students visited last week.
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What a weekend for the Arts! The team is so incredibly proud of every single student at the school for the hard work they put in over the past ten weeks to prepare, design, rehearse, support, and perform the school-premiere production of The Nut-Brown Girl. We had our post-show celebration in Arts Block classes today; a mellow time to chat, snack, and sign posters for each other. Fair warning - you may be hearing quotes from the show around the house for the next few weeks!
And a huge thank you to all of you, families, for supporting your child through the largest group project of them all! We also appreciate the intense hours of volunteer work that parents and students put in to prepare our space for the performance: our stage has never looked better!
In Spanish, 6th graders are preparing to start their travel brochure projects! They will start planning a trip itinerary or creating a travel agency.
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🥾 ExpEd ⛰️
The 7th graders are just a few weeks away from the Central Washington trip! Reminder:
If you have not done the following, please do so ASAP:
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Turn in gear survey if you need to borrow anything, using the packing list as a guide
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Complete Alma permissions at billings.almastart.com (email Becca if you're unable to log in).
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Complete Kaf Adventures Climbing Waiver at: Billings Middle School Registration Link.
For 7th grade families interested in purchasing backpacking gear for their student to test on this front country trip, check out our Billings Gear Guide!
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🎾 Sports 🎳
Ultimate will be having their first game this Saturday, March 29 at 3:00pm. Players should arrive at Magnuson Park by 2:30pm. Come out to support Billings Soup. Who can? Soup can!
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From the BFA:
Got Questions about the April 4th Event?
We’ve got a bunch of answers! Check out this event overview, and if you still have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. See you next Friday!
Volunteers Needed for Event Set-Up
We are still looking for volunteers to help with set-up and clean-up for the Billings Annual Celebration and Spring Fundraiser on Friday, April 4th. Click here to sign up. Thank you!
Screen Time: A Parenting Topics Evening Event
On April 8th from 6-7:30pm, Dean Rob and the BFA will host a conversation around screens, social media, and middle school connection for Billings parents and caregivers. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Please let us know if you are planning to attend by RSVPing here.
Snackulty Faculty Signup
We are looking for volunteers to bring snacks and treats for the staff meeting on April 2nd and beyond. You can sign up and view additional slots here.
April BFA Meeting
The April BFA meeting falls on the day of the spring fundraiser, so we will use that time to help set up for the event. Please join us and lend a hand if you’re able!
Parenting Resources
From Chaos to Calm: Compassionate Discipline for Spirited Kids, with Joe Newman, author of “Raising Lions”
April 1, 2025, 12-1pm
Register here for this webinar from ParentMap
Beyond All or Nothing: A Pragmatic Approach to Social Technologies, with Dr. Lisa Damour
April 3, 2025, 12-1pm
Register here for this webinar from PNW Parent Education
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Costume Shop Sale
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 11am-5pm
Where: 305 Harrison Street
The Center Theatre and Center Theatre Lobby, Seattle Armory Building
Seattle Shakespeare is having a costume sale from accessories to shoes to dresses and more! Bring bags of any size and whatever you can fit will cost you only $5 per bag! There is no limit to the number of bags.
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How to Build Equitable Schools
Join Elena Aguilar, author of the highly acclaimed book Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching, to discuss the importance of emotional resilience in equity work. Walk away with a number of strategies to cultivate the emotional resilience needed to build equitable schools.
- April 23, 2025
- 5:00-6:15 pm
- Via Zoom
- Free and Open to the Public
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Check out these ParentMap articles:
For more support and resources surrounding the youth mental health crisis, screen time and social media, and the importance of play, visit ParentMap’s Antidote for the Anxious Generation page.
Speaker links
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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 Wednesdays. Developing EF, or Executive Function, requires the exercise of the brain in specific ways. Drop in on any Wednesday 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 Wednesday 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 provided upon request.
And if Wednesday 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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