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Inside Billings
October 31, 2024
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š¬ What's Happening at Billings? š | |
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Things are getting spooky at Billings Middle School, from costumes to Halloween scavenger hunts to a haunted house escape room! Check out our Holidays gallery on SmugMug over the next few days to see more pictures of our festivities, as well as pictures from tomorrow's DĆa de los Muertos celebration! If you need the password please reach out to the Front Desk.
ļ»æNow, ye mortals, read on for more of what's going on at Billings... if you dare!
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Mike on the Mic š
Happy Spirit Week Billings! Cheers to our student leaders for bringing the fun this week with trips down memory lane through the decades, welcoming famous stars on campus, and enjoying warm and cozy joy. Make sure you bring your best Billings spirit wear tomorrow to finish strong!
As Election Day approaches, I want to acknowledge the range of emotions many of us may be feeling. In such a closely contested race, with drastically different visions for our countryās future, it is natural for both adults and students to experience heightened emotions.
On the morning of Wednesday, November 6, we may not know the results of the presidential election, but we will know eventually. Regardless of the outcome, our focus will remain the sameāproviding support for our students and offering space to reflect. As part of this effort, we will hold our regular All School Meeting on Wednesday, and Advisors will guide students through discussions to help them process their thoughts and emotions.
As always, we expect all of our community members to align discussions with the schoolās mission and vision statements, our values, and our commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging.
We encourage you to continue conversations at home and reach out if you have any questions. We are here to work together to continue to create an inclusive and supportive environment for our students.
In moments like this, we have an opportunity to model the values we want our students to carry forward. They will be watching us, as they always do, learning not just from what we say, but from how we act. I am deeply grateful for the dedication and care our teachers and staff bring to their work each day.
Thank you for being part of this community and for your support,
Mike
| š¦āā¬ Deans on the Scene š§ | |
Fall Community Event
(6:00-7:30pm on 11/7)
Please join Dean Rob and Laurie Alexander (Billings Family Association Chair) for our fall family event: Framing the Year - The World of Middleschoolers! During this event, Rob will give a short talk on the middle school brain followed by a Q&A. After a brief overview of the brain science, Rob will hit on the three key components of the Billings student experience: academic support, social support, and at-home support! We'll then turn to breakout sessions with targeted questions so that parents and caregivers can share experiences, ideas, and wisdom!
This event will run from 6:00-7:30pm on Thursday, 11/7. If you are planning to attend, please RSVP via this link so that we can get a head count. Light refreshments will be provided.
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Break Camps at Billings - Steve & Kate's Camp
With Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks quickly approaching, we wanted you to know that Billings will be hosting Steve & Kateās Camp on our campus for Fall, Winter, Mid-Winter, and Spring Breaks this year.
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Mike had the pleasure of touring a Steve & Kateās Camp location this summer and it was a joyful experience where children planned their own days with all kinds of activities. As soon as we put up a flyer outside the main office this week, we immediately had staff and student interest and excitement about it!
Steve & Kateās Camp is very flexible - families can buy any number of days to use whenever and drop off and pick up any time between 8 am and 6 pm. Many large companies like Microsoft provide Bright Horizons Enhanced Family Supports benefits that can be applied directly to Steve & Kateās Camp.
For more information or to help spread the word, please visit their website and check out their Fall Break Flyer and Winter Break Flyer.
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Philanthropy at Billings
Wowā¦we are so close to making our goal!! We have raised $84,444 towards our goal of $100,000 and we have just one more day to get there. This community has really come together to help students EMPOWER, EXPLORE, and EXCEL as we continue to build the future of Billings. This would not be possible without each of you. Thank you to everyone who has made a giftāit truly makes a difference.
Today is the final day to meet the 100% participation goal for your class and win a free pizza party!! 7th Grade has pulled ahead to take the lead in participation, but 6th and 8th are hot on their tail! All three grade levels are so close!
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Participation standings:
- 6th Grade: 84%
- 7th Grade: 92%
- 8th Grade: 80%
If you havenāt already, we ask you to consider making a gift, and celebrating with us when we exceed our goal! 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 or email Koby for more details on how to make a stock donation. Donāt forget to check with your employer to see if they will match your donation! Boeing, Microsoft, Nintendo, PokĆ©mon, 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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Upcoming Events: š
- Friday, 11/1 - BFA All Family Meeting, 8:30am
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Thursday, 11/7 - Parent Talk: The World of Middle Schoolers!, 6:00pm-7:30pm at Billings
- [NO SCHOOL] Monday, 11/11 - Veterans Day
- Saturday, 11/16 - Open House, 10:30am-12:00pm
- Saturday, 11/16 - Pinehurst Craft Fair, 12:00pm-4:00pm
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ā ļø Inside the Classroom š» | |
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6th grade advisees presented their SMART goals during their conferences last Friday. Now, our 6th graders are enjoying Spirit Week and preparing for a Halloween celebration this Thursday. We have a few exciting field trips planned for November and December! Our field trip to the MoPop Museum and Pike Place Market is next week, on November 8th.
7th grade advisees presented their SMART goals at their conferences last Friday and created actionable plans to achieve those goals. This week, 7th grade has had a fun-packed week full of team challenges, a field trip, a Halloween scavenger trivia hunt, and hard-earned class parties for both 7A and 7B!
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Some of our 8th graders worked towards our goals of stewardship and leadership by becoming trash monitors after lunch. This will help us to keep the school community clean and pest-free in the cold weather. Students helped to make posters for the Open House with their own insight into life at Billings. Some of the 8th graders also participated as student ambassadors for this event. We will keep working towards all of our individual and 8th grade goals this year.
In Spanish all grades are learning about DĆa de los Muertos.
We have been doing research, having discussions, and going on virtual field trips to learn more about ofrendas (altars that honor our ancestors and loved ones). On Friday you will see an ofrenda set up under the Billings bear. Keep checking the Holidays SmugMug gallery for all the pictures of our event!
|  | 7th graders have begun their final project for their Plant Biology unit! Students will be designing their own experiment and learning how to write a formal lab report. Each group has picked one input of photosynthesis (water, carbon dioxide, or light/energy) to manipulate and will observe the effects on their plants over a two week period. | |
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In Social Studies, all students are learning about US and Washington State elections. Students will have an "electoral college tracker" they can fill out for election results next Tuesday night.
Science and Social Studies came together to take 7th grade students on a field trip to 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 the city's "first Native American historical landmark" and a site considered sacred to the Coast Salish people. In addition to seeing the park and the spring, students searched for native plants using a "bingo card".
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The time has come for AUDITIONS for the Winter Production!
Next week, we will hold audition workshops to help those who would like help in understanding how auditions work and to prepare for their acting or singing audition.
- Audition Workshop for Singers: Monday, November 4th during lunch
- Audition Workshop for Actors: Wednesday, November 6th during lunch
The official auditions will be after school on Wednesday, November 13th.
Please sign up for workshops and auditions here.
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7th and 8th grade vocals students practiced the pitch and harmonies of the old Appalachian song "Maddie Groves". | |
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From the BFA:
Help with DĆa de los Muertos Celebration
Itās not too late to help with tomorrowās DĆa de los Muertos celebration! Spanish teacher Kruthi Isola is still looking for a couple volunteers to bring in treats and help hand them out on Friday 11/1. Please sign up here.
Join Us for BFA Meeting Tomorrow 11/1
The November BFA meeting will be tomorrow Friday 11/1 from 8:30-9:30am. Check out the agenda here. Come learn about upcoming events at Billings!
Billings Parenting Event: The World of Middle Schoolers!
Next Thursday 11/7 from 6-7:30pm, 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 social-emotional themes in middle school kidsā development and parentsā roles in supporting them. There will be time for Q&A and small group discussion. Please RSVP via this link.
Help with Admissions Events
Please email Stephanie if you can help register prospective families and answer their questions about the school at Billingsā open houses on:
- Sat 11/16 - 10:30am-12pm
- Wed 12/11 - 5:30-7:30pm
Neurodiversity Affinity Group Rescheduled
The groupās 10/29 meeting had to be rescheduled. Stay tuned for the new meeting date! The group is open to all parents and caregivers of neurodiverse students. To sign up for the group, register here. Not sure if youāve already signed up? You can view your google group memberships here.
Parenting Resources
Level Up: Winning Strategies for Parents of Gamers
With Dr. Alok Kanojia, cofounder of Healthy Gamer, author of āHow to Raise a Healthy Gamerā
Nov. 7, 2024, noonā1 p.m. PT
Register here for this webinar from ParentMap
Got BFA questions or suggestions? Let us know!
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šøļø In the Community š¦ | Come support local and student artists at the Pinehurst Craft Fair, taking place in the Billings' courtyard after the Open House on Saturday, November 16th! All proceeds from the Billings booth will be donated to a charity chosen by the student artists. | |
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Hello 8th grade families,
If your student will be considering private high school applications, click this link (English & EspaƱol) to learn about the test prep sessions Billings will be offering from September 9th through December 19th.
Executive Function Workout!
š” FEEL THE BURN! š”
Join me (Greg: Director of The Learning Center at Billings) for a regular Tuesday morning EF workout from 8:30am to 9:30am starting Tuesday, September 10th. 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.
ļ»æThink of 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 Tuesday mornings. Regular attendance is not a prerequisite. I don't need advanced notice. Drop in any Tuesday morning.
We will be meeting in person in Mercury, during advisory and the beginning of first period. Check-in at the front desk before heading down to Nadia. 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 Tuesday 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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