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Inside Billings
January 15, 2026
| | 🎒 What's Happening at Billings? 📚 | | Navigating new environments and challenges helps students develop independence, adaptability, and perseverance. Our Winter Term provides multiple opportunities for our students to foster creativity and build critical thinking skills in and out of the classroom. | | |
Mike on the Mic 🎤
Dear Billings Families,
As a follow-up to yesterday’s email, in our faculty meeting, our staff debriefed the police arrest and recovery of stolen property that happened adjacent to school on Tuesday. I want to reiterate that your child was never in any danger. Our number one priority is always the safety of your child, and it is a responsibility we take extremely seriously. We train our staff multiple times a year on a wide range of emergency and safety protocols during in-service days and faculty meetings and we always debrief after any event to make sure that we are always improving.
Although we were stymied by potentially hazardous conditions at Snoqualmie Pass last week, the 7th and 8th grade students made the most of the day. We are excited that 8th graders will lead a number of stations for 6th graders on their first snowshoeing trip today. Students should always bring rain jackets and pants for snowshoe days because they are lightweight and exponentially more waterproof than snow clothing and we really get into the snow!
For our new families, Winter Term is a great time to talk about one of our favorite concepts to explore with students: Type 2 Fun! We proudly define Type 2 fun as:
Type 2 Fun is difficult (and sometimes awful) pretty much the entire time you are doing it, but you recognize its value as character building or good for you. You are generally excited to brag about Type 2 Experiences to your classmates.
Type 2 Fun experiences create the stories that bond classes together long after their time here at Billings, usually with some creative exaggeration. This could be anything from overcoming an obstacle, persevering through a challenge or fear in the classroom, trying something new with the Winter Performance, or an unexpected challenge in the outdoors. These experiences truly push students to grow!
I want to put in a plug for April’s short family survey requesting your input on our programs and communication. Please take a few minutes to complete our Billings Family Survey Winter 2025-26 by tomorrow January 16.
Finally, I hope that you have all registered for the annual Billings Bowling Night at the UW HUB Student Union on Saturday, January 24th from 5-7pm. I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Thank you for your support,
Mike
| Join us for the Billings Base Camp Annual Celebration and Fundraising Dinner! We are so excited for the 23rd Annual Billings Celebration and Fundraiser Dinner on Friday, March 6th at Billings Middle School. This fundraiser is a celebratory all community event, and we can't wait to share the evening with you! | |
The event is also a fundraiser that supports the critical needs of the school and the robust tuition assistance that we provide to many of our students. If you are interested in volunteering to support the auction, please reach out to our Auction Chairs to get connected or stop by at drop off on Fridays and learn more about how to get involved.
You should have received an emailed invitation earlier this week with the link to our auction website and other helpful information. In case you missed it, take a look at our event website, where you'll find more information. Tickets are $95 each and space is limited, so get your tickets today!
Join us for:
- Cocktail Hour
- Buffet Dinner
- Live Auction & Raise the Paddle
- Dessert Dash
We can’t wait to see you there!
| | 6th graders are enjoying their first winter expedition trip today! This trip is being led by their 8th grade peers, who are sharing their skills from prior experiences while leading 6th graders through a variety of activities (snow shoeing, creating snow shelters and sculptures, sports in the snow, etc.). Ask your child about what they enjoyed most from today's trip and if anything was particularly surprising or challenging. Our next trip is scheduled for January 29th; the main activities will be sledding and a longer snowshoeing trek. The weeks between offer plenty of time to reflect on how prepared and comfortable students felt spending hours outside in cold, snowy weather. |
| |  | An overabundance of snowfall made 7th grade’s original snowshoeing plan infeasible and we had a very snow-less first trip of the new year. Instead, the students went to Carkeek Park in the Broadview neighborhood and constructed makeshift shelters! The 7th grade was split into groups of 4-5 students and set loose in the park. They were given an initial time limit of 20 minutes to construct a barebones structure using tarps, rope, and various sticks, twigs, logs, and trees, with an additional 40 minutes to modify and improve their shelters. Across the board, the students took to their task with enthusiasm, camaraderie, and curiosity, and they had a great time presenting their completed shelters to their classmates after the time limit was up. They also greatly enjoyed the hot chocolate they consumed after said presentations, and had the chance to get even more energy out during lunch, playing frisbee and availing themselves of the more permanent play structures in Carkeek Park. The kids all did a wonderful job collaborating with their peers, and their reflections and appreciations after conclusion of all tasks were genuine and thoughtful!
| | Meanwhile the 8th grade class travelled to Magnuson Park in Seattle for their first day trip of 2026. While we did not encounter snow, the expedition was an excellent setup for their snow trip this week. The students were split into groups and took on the orienteering course at Magnuson Park built by the Cascade Orienteering Club, for the first half of the day. Students ventured throughout the entire park, walking through mud and dense forested areas to find markers and complete team challenge tasks. In the afternoon, the students rehearsed their activities they planned to run for the 6th grade students on their snow day adventure today. The class did an excellent job adapting to the conditions, modifying their plans to the surrounding environment, and reflecting on the takeaways from the experience. | | Both 7th grade Math sections are in the second week of our new unit, titled Percentages and Proportional Relationships. We began by reviewing the percentage concepts taught so well to them last year by Ian and have progressed into percent increase and percent decrease! The kids have been taking very well to this new unit across the board, and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a lot of “light bulb” moments in recent days in both sections. It has many relevant, real-world applications, including sales tax, tipping at restaurants, discount shopping, and population growth and decay, and I’m hoping to make forays into the world of simple and compound interest with the kids if we can continue at our current pace! In the more immediate future, kids should look forward to a rigorous game of throwing crumpled up paper into a trash can later this week and analyzing percent change in our trashketball accuracy. | |
On Wednesdays, alum parent Blake is helping out in Instructional Music class with his drumming prowess! If your student is in the band, ask them about what they're learning.
In 7th grade Science we are beginning our “Climate Change & Environmental Justice” unit. Currently, students are learning some basic chemistry before we delve into greenhouse gases and their impacts on Earth’s climate. Students have been incredibly engaged in this challenging unit! In the coming weeks we will explore the causes and effects of climate change, and students will end the unit by completing an open-ended project.
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🎓 Deans on the Scene ✒️
Family Survey - response requested by tomorrow January 16.
Last week we shared an email requesting your input on our programs and communication. We would like to hear about your experience this year so that we can plan and improve. Please take a few minutes to complete our short Billings Family Survey Winter 2025-26.
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🖥️Business Office💼
Hello Billings Families,
A brief reminder that if you are currently receiving Tuition Assistance, you need to re-apply every year. The Tuition Assistance portal is currently open. Please apply through our Clarity App HERE. Your application needs to be completed and submitted no later than February 1st, 2026. We ask that you apply sooner rather than later so we have ample time to review your application.
If your child is a scholarship award recipient, you do not need to re-apply. That award is valid for your student's entire time at Billings as long as they continue full participation in our program, maintaining strong academic standing, and adherence to the policies outlined in our Student Handbook.
Agreements for the 2026-27 school year will be sent out via Clarity on or before Friday, February 27th.
You are welcome to email or call me directly if you have any questions,
Joan Krussel
joank@billingsmiddleschool.org
206.412.5626
| | Billings Family Association | | |
Family Messages for Faculty Appreciation Project
Mid-Winter Faculty Appreciation starts next week, and we need your help to create a special Word Cloud Art piece for every Billings faculty member! Via this Google Form, you and your family can share as many words as you like that describe or celebrate the faculty your child interacts with. We will take the submissions and turn them into a Word Cloud Art piece they can keep forever.
Thank you for helping show our gratitude for the amazing people who support our kids every day! The submission deadline is Wednesday 2/4.
RSVP for UW Bowling Night on Sat 1/24
Registration for this evening of family fun is now open! Additional info and FAQs are posted here. Did you know that 7th-grade parent and architect Scheer Chan designed UW’s HUB building, where we’ll be bowling? At the end of the evening, he will lead a tour for those who are interested. Thank you, Scheer!
Mark Your Calendar: Family Movie Event on Fri 2/27
The BFA and Scarecrow Video are partnering to put on a Family Movie Event in Nadia on Friday, February 27th after school. Kids are voting on the movie to be screened. Pizza, popcorn, and drinks will be provided, and all family members are welcome. Keep an eye out for the signup form coming soon!
Volunteers to Plan Fall Family Camping Trip
Billings 6th-grade parent Wendy Watson is leading the planning for this fun community-building event, and we could use a few collaborators. Interested in helping out? Please let us know.
Parenting Resources
Inside the ADHD Mind: Tools to Help Your Child Thrive
With Dr. Sasha Hamdani, ADHD specialist
January 21, 12–1pm
Register here for this free webinar from ParentMap
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Upcoming Events: 📅
- NO SCHOOL: MLK Jr Day, January 19
- Bowling with Billings: January 24, 5-7pm at UW
- NO SCHOOL: Prospective Student Visit Day, January 30
- Winter Dance: February 6
- 8th Grade Winter Immersion Trip: February 12-13
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Youth Climate Advocacy Training
January 31st 10am-2pm
University Heights Building
This training will:
- Demystify WA’s legislature to show how laws are made and how young people can have a powerful role in the process
- Workshop a wide range of advocacy roles like writing op-eds, submitting comments and public testimony so that youth can build confidence through practice
- Simulate the legislative process through “mock” exercises like writing bills and pushing bills through mock legislature to learn how to navigate different legislative steps
Students can RSVP here!
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Mindfulness & Art: NEW After-School Class on Wednesdays at Squirrelly!
Starting February 4, Squirrelly Workshop offers a new Wednesday after-school class (4:30–6pm) blending mindfulness and art for kids ages 5–12. This 7-week series uses breathing, sensory awareness, and creative projects to build focus, emotional regulation, and confidence. Led by Sylwia Mazur Johnson, certified special education teacher and mindfulness instructor. Register per class or save with the full series. Scholarships available. Learn more at squirrellyworkshop.com or email info@squirrellyworkshop.com.
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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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