Profile: Billinghurst Principal Jason Mallick

This is one of a series of articles featuring the schools where our youngest Somersett residents spend most of their time.

Guest author: Kim Maples, Somersett resident and parent

Walking into B.D. Billinghurst Middle School’s entry quad I’m immediately intrigued with the hundred or so flags hanging high above me giving me a very Harry Potter Hogwarts feel. Each flag has a logo and a year displayed, such as “Black Lightning - 2005” or Maximum Velocity - 1996.”

When I ask Billinghurst Principal Jason Mattick about the banners, he exclaims, “Yes! Those are our 7th & 8th grade student’s team names. After each 8th grade class promotes out of Billinghurst, we retire their banner with the decades of other teams that have come and gone through this building.” He explains that students have been grouped into teams since the day the school first opened, under the direction of founding Principal Ken Vaughan. Teams encourage increased collaboration, morale, leadership, and team building. Sixth graders come into Billinghurst as a single, smaller cohort where they’re gently introduced to the rigors of middle school. Then when they move to 7th grade, they are grouped into academic teams for their duration at Billinghurst. They keep the same core teachers for both years and mix in a handful of electives, and an enrichment class to start every day. Teams pick a name and have their own T-shirts and unique cheers. Students respond positively to the friendly competition, but most importantly to bonding with adults in the building by cultivating a trusting and positive relationship during these middle school years.

Coffee Talk with B.D. Billinghurst Principal Jason Mattick

Who is Benson Dillon Billinghurst?

He served as a Superintendent of schools in Reno from 1908-1935, leading the school system into the modern era. He authored many of Nevada’s educational laws and introduced the junior high school system, vocational classes, and adult education classes to Reno.

Each flag represents a unique group of students that have come through Billinghurst. I’m sure there are a few Somersett Billinghurst alums who know exactly where their flag is hanging.

Now, a little about Principal Mattick - his love for the Sierra Nevadas and all four seasons brought him to Reno from Southern Nevada. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a degree in Math and Secondary Education. An avid outdoorsman, he spent many winters working at Northstar ski resort. During college and after graduation he taught Algebra at Reno High School for 13 years while coaching the

high school football team and forming their ski and fly-fishing clubs. With a penchant for data and statistics, he proudly led the formation of the Sophomore Success Program at Reno HS to close an achievement gap with sophomores – successfully improving their grades and core credit successes. In 2008 he earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Jason loved teaching high school and didn’t expect to leave but an opportunity as the Dean of Students arose at Clayton Middle School where he fell in love with the middle school days. After a year, he was promoted to Assistant Principal at Cold Springs Middle School for two years. He then moved to Northwest Reno and B.D. Billinghurst as the Assistant Principal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, in 2021, Jason officially moved into the role of Principal at Billinghurst Middle School.

Jason has two children aged 11 and 9 and the three of them can be found enjoying the outdoors with their two dogs, or at sporting events in our community.

When asked about the importance of middle school, he passionately explains that “this is an incredibly important time of a child’s life. They’re going through a lot chemically and emotionally and the time we spend lays the foundation for how successful they’ll be in high school and in life.” Jason is a very energetic person and shares with me the school’s “Bighorn Attitude” philosophy where students are encouraged to “Bring their A-game!” Aim to do their best and be the best version of themselves. He includes local neighborhood influences such as Somersett in creating each student’s “Bighorn Nation,” because the community holds huge influence on the success of students. “We all play a part,” Jason says. “We’re always looking to the community to aid in the success of students with donating, fundraising, and volunteering in the school, but more importantly, it is a mindset or vibe that we are all in this together, raising these young humans together. Grocery clerks, bankers, mail delivers, bus drivers, custodians, kitchen workers, teachers, parents, the list goes on. We ALL impact a middle schooler’s journey and life course, and that excites me!”

Somersett families are proud to be a part of the Bighorn Nation and are happy to have such dedicated and passionate educators helping our kids prepare for the independence that comes with graduating to high school. Thank you to the entire B.D. Billinghurst staff for your commitment to bringing your A-game to school every day for the benefit of our families!

Quick facts about Westergard:

1. 900 students pulling from Westergard, Verdi, Winnemucca, and Melton elementary schools 2. Students mostly move on to Robert McQueen High School 3. Opened in 1992 4. Mascot is “Thunder” the Bighorn 5. Billinghurst was originally located on Plumas, where the original gymnasium still stands.

Courageous Conversations on Important Issues

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