BPS Fine Arts Newsletter

We're so excited for another school year and the many opportunities in the BPS Art and Music programs. Students are looking forward to all the year has to offer, and we invite you to join us... come to a concert, visit an art exhibit, see what some of our community partners have to offer, and celebrate the Fine Arts in the Billings Public Schools and our community!

Each month, based (mostly) on birthdays, we will feature some of our Fine Arts staff. Learn a bit about these wonderful humans (and wish them a happy birthday on their special day!)

Terra is a K-5th grade music teacher at Alkali Creek, Arrowhead and Highland. She enjoys traveling, caramel lattes, cuddly animals and she loves to attend music performances. She especially loved seeing Bruno Mars in concert and has gone to the musical "RENT" at least three times (once in NYC!). When she's not teaching music, Terra spends time with her husband, Ben, and her two daughters, Autumn (9) and Blake (7)...they especially love traveling together! She also enjoys her "fur babies" - a Bernese Mountain Dog named Cole and a cat named Molly. Terra grew up with a passion and talent for music, plus an affinity for "playing school" with her little sister (as the teacher, of course). She had a high school band teacher that encouraged her to meld her two passions and pursue a career in Music Education. She's now in her 16th year of teaching and her wish is to instill a lifelong love and appreciation for music in her students. (Birthday: August 18)

You may recognize her as Tori Wardrip...but she got married last March! (Congratulations!) An Art teacher and Art Club sponsor at West High, Tori's students describe her as "goofy, gorgeous, loving, patient, careful, barf green (her favorite color is chartreuse), creative, welcoming, kind, loves Taylor Swift, a queen, talented, and understanding." Tori loves painting and drawing, coffee, reading, traveling, seeing concerts, mac and cheese, her friends and her husband. She hopes that her students know that no matter how confident they feel about making art, it's all about the process and experience of creating. Her wish is for them to embrace art and music and let it become a part of their daily lives. She was inspired by her HS art teacher, Ms. Dolan (at West!) who encouraged her to teach. She has taught 13 years - at the elementary level, Lewis & Clark MS, and now West High. (Birthday: August 20)

Now in her 10th year teaching art, Amber serves Newman, Orchard, Sandstone and Eagle Cliffs. She loves teaching art because of all the possibilities...seeing students' artistic interpretations is so fulfilling. She also works for Snowie shaved ice (her husband owns it)! In her spare time, she enjoys going for walks and gardening. She gets true satisfaction and enjoyment watching something grow and thrive...including her young son! She loves Dr. Pepper, Almond Joys, Cherry Sours, Starbucks, Mexican food and Chocolate labs. Amber's students describe her as loud, funny, nice and patient. Inspired by her own fifth grade teacher, Amber teaches her students to trust their gut when it comes to art, and to draw what they know and feel. She encourages them to share in art experiences rather than compare experiences. Amber reminds us all that "the language of art transcends language barriers. We have way more in common than you think." (Birthday: August 26)

Ryan is the Orchestra Director, General Music instructor, and a Football coach at Ben Steele Middle School. This is his 10th year of teaching, but he's been coaching even longer! Ryan is an accomplished string bass player who performs with regional symphonies. This past summer he helped with the Billings Parks & Recreation "Rock Band Camp." In his spare time, Ryan enjoys spending time with his family, his wife Keyleigh (also a teacher in the District) and his three children. Ryan and Keyleigh had the opportunity to take a 10-day trip to Ireland over the summer! (Birthday: August 23)

Born an artist, Kim has been teaching for the BPS since 2007. She currently teaches at Senior High - Go Broncs! Kim's love of art spans a variety avenues - painting, calligraphy, InDesign, photoshop, metal, gallery and drawing. Her other passions involve adventures outdoors - boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, horseback riding and gardening. In her spare time, Kim writes and illustrates fantasy for children. (Birthday: September 4)

12 years into his teaching career, Thomas is the Ben Steele Middle School Band director. His students say he's energetic, goofy, passionate, fun, rah-rah and over-the-top. This is no surprise when you know that his desire is to share what he loves with students and help them unlock their passion for music! When not at Ben Steele, Thomas keeps busy "gigging" with the Brickhouse Band, hosting the Levity Jazz Jam, and performing all around Billings. He loves to be with his family, spend time in nature, play board games, travel and eat seafood. Thomas plays all the instruments in the woodwind family, but specializes in saxophone. He once circular breathed a concert D (B on the alto) for 26 minutes...he says "a hiccup RUINED ME!" He encourages students to enjoy the "process" and to the keep the love of music in their lives long-term. (Birthday: September 6)

Starting her second year with BPS, Elizabeth teaches Art at Bench, Burlington, Highland, McKinley and Ponderosa. A "silly, caring" teacher who is excited about art, she even spends her spare time making art examples for students and creating art with her son. In addition, Elizabeth loves singing in her car, going to concerts, snowboarding, camping, hiking, rock hounding, reading, watching movies, playing board games, gardening, and napping! Elizabeth got excited about education when she volunteered in her son's preschool classroom. An art class and a friend in college brought her to art education. Elizabeth loves to share and discuss art with students, as they surprise her daily with their thoughtful comments. She loves teaching and believes it an honor to navigate the journey with wonderful and supportive colleagues. Elizabeth reminds students to "keep on practicing art and music! It is such a great way to ignite your creativity and express yourself!" (Birthday: September 7)

Now in her third year of teaching, Haylee is the Bench Elementary Music teacher, the extracurricular band assistant at Senior High and will direct the 6th grade Honor Band in the Spring. She teaches part time so that she can finish her Master's degree in Education at MSU-B where she is building some of her own classes! Haylee has known she wanted to teach music since she was in Middle School. She enjoys working with students and watching the growth, seeing the "aha" moments happen and just being silly and creative with them. Haylee loves coffee, puzzles, paddle sports, the Farmer's Market, going on adventures (traveling, outdoors, downtown, really anywhere), performing in ensembles at MSUB and around town and her cat named "Pico!" Haylee hopes her students can find a creative outlet for self-expression that they can take along with them forever. (Birthday: September 13)

An Art teacher and Art Club sponsor, Jenelle has been teaching 7 years at Skyview High School (her alma mater!) Jenelle knew from the first grade that she wanted to be a teacher. "I remember watching JoAnn Sustarsic teaching and thought she was magical. I wanted to be just like her and immediately set up my 'school' at home to play." Jenelle always gravitated towards the arts, both music and visual. So as an 18-year-old, she figured out how to combine two passions by pursuing Art Education! Jenelle loves being a mom to Garritt and a dog-mom to Catahoula Leopard Hound, Sage. She enjoys drawing and painting with watercolor, attending concerts (she's a drummer), hunting, fishing, flowers, old things, golf, figure skating, cold weather and being in the mountains and prairies. Jenelle finds it important to be honest and to care for the whole student. She hopes her students learn something that can carry with them through the ebbs and flows of life. (Birthday: September 13)

Before having children, Kathy taught 2 years of Elementary school. She is now the Music Secretary at Senior High School (since last October)! Kathy has loved being back in the school setting, particularly the music department, where her own kids have spent a lot of their time. Her daughter was in choir and orchestra and graduated last year. Her son is a sophomore in the Symphonic Band. Kathy and her husband, Will, have been married for 22.5 years and have three kids and a German Shepherd named "Luna." She has held positions as "Team Mom" for many sports and activities throughout the years with her kids. That truly prepared her for this "Music Mom" role. She desires to create a safe space for students at Senior, whether or not they're in music. In her free time, Kathy likes to read, garden and relax with her family. (Birthday: September 24)

Arts Without Boundaries is kicking off its lesson program with mentors from all 3 BPS High Schools and 6th grade students from all 6 middle schools. HS instrumentalists will be teaching small group lessons after school weekly from October - February. These lessons are completely free to the learners and HS Mentors are paid by Arts Without Boundaries. Do you know a 6th grader that would benefit from this opportunity? Fill out the registration form at www.bit.ly/AWBlessons. Learn more about AWB and it's other outreach programs and events by clicking the logo (above).

The Billings Symphony is offering its "Adventures in Music Day" again this year at the Billings Public Library. All students in grades K-5 will receive an AIM "passport" from their school music teacher to bring on their adventure. Kids and adults of all ages are invited to come to the event on Saturday, September 23rd from 9:30am-12:30pm. View, listen, and try to play the instruments of the orchestra. Stay to watch a great performance of the "Magnificent Magical Musical Time Machine" at 11:30am.

The Alberta Bair Theater partners with BPS to send many of our grade levels to shows throughout the year. These matinee performances are chosen through a committee and serve to expose students to live theater...some connect with curriculum, others are informative, some celebrate the arts - music, drama, dance - and others focus on characteristics we wish to see in fellow humanity...all of the shows are top-notch and memorable for our students. The shows below are paid for by the BPS, but the ABT includes programming all season long appealing to all ages. Click on the logo (above) to see the ABT's full education brochure for the 2023-24 school year. Take a class on a field trip, attend an educator workshop, receive discount ticket prices, and more...