|
Inside Billings
November 14, 2024
| |
🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚 | |
Despite the classic Seattle gloom, our students are still going out and experiencing and exploring! Please ensure that your student is coming to school prepared for rain with warm clothes, waterproof shoes, and a water-resistant coat. | |
|
Mike on the Mic 🎤
At Billings, we believe in providing our students with a variety of experiential learning opportunities to enrich their education and help them succeed. Learning extends beyond the classroom, and our teachers are enthusiastic about taking students outside and off-campus. Field trips offer incredible opportunities for hands-on learning and help students broaden their understanding of the world.
Recently, Billings classes have been active around Seattle: our 7th graders explored Licton Springs Park, our 6th graders ventured to the MoPop Museum and Pike Place Market last week, and tomorrow our 6th graders will visit the University of Washington Planetarium.
Leaving the classroom allows students to connect what they’re learning in school to the real world. They start to see that their classroom knowledge can help them approach challenges outside of school. Field trips grant them access to unique resources and environments, transforming our community into an expansive learning space. Students can investigate ecosystems, interact with historical artifacts, experience live performances, and so much more. Every field trip enriches their learning and reinforces key academic skills!
Thank you for your support,
Mike
| |
|
✒️ Deans on the Scene 🎓
Our teachers love to teach, but they also love to learn! In addition to teaching, advising, and chaperoning trips, they are modeling lifelong learning by deepening their knowledge in their content areas and honing their teaching practices.
All faculty attended the NWAIS (Northwest Association of Independent Schools) Fall Educators Conference in October, and several teachers are engaged in other professional learning activities. Emma is enrolled in an online course called “Digital Citizenship in Action,” which is offered through ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). Ian is participating in an NWAIS workshop on “The Art of Facilitating Difficult Conversations” and earlier this month, Christine attended the WAEA (Washington Art Education Association) conference in Ellensburg. In December, April and Rob will attend the NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) People of Color Conference in Denver.
| |
|
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 & Kate’s Camp on our campus for Fall, Winter, Mid-Winter, and Spring Breaks this year.
| |
|
Mike had the pleasure of touring a Steve & Kate’s 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 & Kate’s 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 & Kate’s 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.
| |
|
Upcoming Events: 📅
- Saturday, 11/16 - Open House, 10:30am-12:00pm
- Saturday, 11/16 - Pinehurst Craft Fair, 12:00pm-4:00pm
-
[NO SCHOOL] Fall Break 🍁, Monday, 11/25 - Friday, 11/29
- Friday, 12/6 - BFA Meeting, 8:30am
| |
|
6th grade students enjoyed their trip to the MoPop and Pike Place last Friday! Students explored worlds of fantasy and science fiction, looking through franchises like Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Some students even found the lair of a slumbering dragon with a sign reminding us of Rob’s convocation speech: “Here be dragons!”
8th grade students worked on study skills last week with Emily and Greg. They are working with advisors to improve their use of school planners, and they will all have weekly check-ins about planner use. Please see the email from Amy about supporting planners use at home.
6th graders took their first astronomy quiz and the average score was in the honors range! Keep up the amazing work. They continue to work on their Astronomy unit and will visit the University of Washington Planetarium on Friday, 11/15. Students will engage with graduate students in the departments of astronomy and physics to learn more about our solar system and the universe.
7th grade has been hard at work writing official lab reports for their photosynthesis experiments. Students learned about scientific writing and practiced communicating directions with a “do it, write it” activity where they described pictures with their partner without looking!
|  | |
7th grade has been hard at work writing official lab reports for their photosynthesis experiments. Students learned about scientific writing and practiced communicating directions with a “do it, write it” activity where they described pictures with their partner without looking! | |
|
8th graders have been learning about radioactive decay and half life reactions. This week, students are preparing for a debate about the pros and cons of nuclear energy use; the debate will take place on Tuesday, 11/19. In the meantime, students are preparing research documents in order to learn more about nuclear energy in the United States and abroad.
8th grade students were challenged to see if they could “Survive Jamestown” during Social Studies. As part of their exploration of colonial America, students have been learning about the lost colony of Roanoke and the difficulty of life in 17th century Jamestown Virginia. Ask your student how they did!
| |
|
8th grade ELA students are wrapping up “The Thrill of Horror” unit by working on projects that address the EQ (essential question): “Why do we sometimes like to feel frightened?”. Project choices included illustrating or writing a video game storyline for the graphic novel except Hades: Lord of the Dead or creating a graphic novel storyboard for the short story “The Veldt” or a myth of their choosing.
On Wednesday after school, drama held their first audition session for the winter production, The Nut-Brown Girl. The next audition session will be during lunch on Monday, 11/18.
In Visual Arts 6th grade is working on "color as emotion" with acrylic paints. Christine is blown away by their creativity and fearlessness! 7th grade design students are working on making larger(or smaller) than life creatures in conjunction with a math lesson on scaling and proportion. 8th grade Art History will be working on linocut prints based on their study of illuminated manuscripts. Last, but certainly not least, 7th & 8th Arts Block are creating self portraits, and they are looking great so far!
Billings students are doing a great job working on the difficult skills across each grade level and growing so quickly! The Arts Department is excited to see how far their skill sets grow this year.
| |
|
From the BFA:
Kick-off Meeting for UW Bowling Night Planning
The event team for January’s UW Bowling Night will hold its kick-off meeting tomorrow, 11/15, from 8:30-9:30am at the school. If you can’t make the meeting but would like to help out with this event, just let us know.
Pinehurst Craft Fair This Saturday
Come join the fun at the fall Pinehurst Craft Fair this Saturday 11/16 from 12-3pm, after Billings’ open house. Hosted in the school’s parking lot, the fair will include a Billings alumni table plus a table for Billings kids’ crafts. If you’d like to pitch in with the Billings students’ table, please contact 7th-grade parent Shawna Collins.
Recording of The World of Middle Schoolers
At last Thursday’s event, Rob spoke on brain development and the big-picture social-emotional themes in middle schoolers’ lives, as well as parents’ roles in supporting them. A link to watch the recording will be available soon. In the meantime, you can click the image below to view the slides used during the presentation.
| |
|
Parenting Resources
Raising Digital Natives: Solutions for Healthy Screen Time Habits
With Delaney Ruston, documentary filmmaker, author and physician
Nov. 19, 2024, 7–8 p.m. PT
Register here for this webinar from ParentMap
| |
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. | |
Did you know that Birch and his band regularly perform in the Seattle area? Join the Gin Joints at one of Seattle's oldest dive bars and dance out your blues to some americana, swing and New Orleans rock 'n' roll.
Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints
Nov 15th at the Shanty Tavern, $10
9002 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
| |
|
SQUIRRELLY WORKSHOP
After-School Art & Holiday Gift Making
Squirrelly Workshop is an art studio in Sand Point Village (5414 Sand Point Way NE), hosting a wide array of art classes for kids and adults. Monday through Friday, we offer After-School Art Classes for kids, and would love to have yours join us! Their upcoming four-week series is their favorite:❤️ Surprise Holiday Gift Making!
Adults can also join in the fun! Learn collage, glass painting or wreath making in a weekend family class, or join for an adult night out creating pottery, mosaics, watercolors, or beaded jewelry. Pop into our Holiday Open House on Saturday, 12/1, 12-3pm. All ages welcome.
More at www.squirrellyworkshop.com
| |
|
Hello 8th grade families,
If your student will be considering private high school applications, click this link (English & Español) to learn about the test prep sessions Billings will be offering from September 9th through December 19th.
Executive Function Workout!
💡 FEEL THE BURN! 💡
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.
Think 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.
|  | |
|
Click the icons to follow us on Social Media!
Looking for old issues of iNews?
Visit the archive.
| | | | |
