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Burgundy Farm Country Day School
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September 14, 2012
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Quick Calendar
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September 14
6th Grade returns from Cove
Cross Country Practice
Varsity Soccer Practice
September 17
Cross Country Practice
JV Soccer v. Edlin School (home)
Varsity Volleyball v. St. Stephen's & St. Agnes (home)
September 18
JV Soccer Practice
Varsity Soccer Practice
September 19
7th Grade to the Cove
JV Soccer v. Alexandria Country Day School (home)
JV Volleyball Practice
Varsity Volleyball Practice
September 20
7th Grade at the Cove
JV Volleyball Practice
Varsity Volleyball Practice
September 21
7th Grade returns from Cove
Cross Country Practice
Varsity Soccer Practice
September 23
Garden Work Day
September 24
Lower School Curriculum Night
JV Volleyball Practice
Varsity Volleyball Practice
Varsity Soccer v. Gesher
September 25
JV Soccer Practice
Cross Country Practice
September 27
Middle School Curriculum Night
JV Soccer Practice
JV Volleyball Practice
Cross Country Meet at Loudoun County Day School
Varsity Volleyball v. Field School
September 28
Varsity Soccer v. Capitol Hill Day School (home)
Click here for a full calendar.
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 Greetings! Another great week, and here are three reasons why: 1. Once again this year -- on one of the nicest evenings we could have hoped for -- the Back to Burgundy BBQ was a resounding success, with about 400 community members attending and enjoying Famous Dave's menu, along with the good weather, swings, and the rest of campus. This event each year commemorates the start of another school year and our joy and good fortune in being Burgundians. This informal event, with no program other than socializing and eating together, signifies that the simple reality of belonging to the community is the foundation for all the learning and good that follows. 2. On the theme of community, we also are reminded this week that our connection with other people extends to all people around the world. Thursday we welcomed authors Susan L. Roth and Karen Leggett Abouraya to discuss their book, Hands Around the Library, with our students and expanded community. The authors led a Skype session between our 4/5 students and students in Alexandria, Egypt, during which they discussed everything from pizza and pets to the meaning of freedom and democracy. Our participating students and faculty connected immediately as they shared all of our similarities, and they were equally fascinated and curious about the stark differences in culture. A 10-year-old student in Egypt explained how he was too young to participate in Egyptian protests on the streets last year, so instead he used his Facebook account to post messages asking for freedom. Exchanges of experience and culture like these helped our students frame their own reality. 3. Finally we learned this week that three members of our class of 2009 are semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program, an honor that is among the highest academic distinctions for high school students across the nation. Each of the three is a unique individual with different kinds of intelligences, talents and personalities (a few overlap, if you ask their Burgundy teachers); but the point is this: they were always bright students, but they moved on from Burgundy energized and excited to continue to challenge themselves, willing to try new challenges and to be themselves, and they have been extraordinarily successful. I hope at the end of the second week of school, your child returns home with the same level of excitement for school as he or she did last week; and I look forward to watching these young learners grow and blossom together.  Jeff Sindler Head of School |
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Reminders
Text Message Alerts
Burgundy will again offer parents the opportunity to receive inclement weather announcements as well as other emergency alerts from Burgundy via text message. To receive these alerts, please text "ready" to 80464. Standard text messaging rates apply. Please contact Erin Futrowsky with any questions: erinf@burgundyfarm.org or 703.842.0474.
BCWS 50th Anniversary Celebration: Saturday, September 29
Join us in the Loft for food and fun as we honor 50 years of summer camp with the Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies. This is a rare opportunity for non-campers to experience the magic of BCWS camp without leaving home. There will be a "pop-up museum" to showcase BCWS artifacts and the stories that accompany them. The event is FREE to attend, but we ask that you register by Friday, September 21, so we may plan accordingly.
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National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month begins Saturday, September 15 and ends Monday, October 15. Throughout this 30-day period, we encourage you to celebrate the unique and beautiful cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Here are a few resources for educators and events for families in the local area.
Join in the celebration!
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Rosh Hashanah: L'Shanah Tovah!
The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is upon us. From Sunday evening, September 16, until Tuesday, September 18 at sunset, people of the Jewish faith will celebrate their New Year. This is a time for introspection and reflection. Similar to the American New Year celebration, this is a time to look back over the past year and plan for the future. Along with prayer and reflection, families and friends will partake in a feast. Among the delicacies served during Rosh Hashanah are honey-dipped apples. These treats represent the hope for a sweet year. YUM!
The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah, which means "for a good year." If you know a family that is celebrating Rosh Hashanah, wish them well.
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 Introducing Irène Harris and Emily Jonas
Irène Harris, Early Childhood French and Spanish Teacher
Q. How would you introduce yourself to the Burgundy community?
A. I'm a native of Switzerland and have been living in Alexandria with my husband and our two daughters for the past two decades. I love to travel and get to know different cultures and languages. I enjoy spending time in nature, preferably hiking, skiing or bodysurfing! I also enjoy cooking and hosting, and one day, closer to retirement age, I would love to open a café or B&B near the beach. I adore the sound of waves!
Q. What inspired you to become a teacher?
A. When I came to the U.S., I wanted to put to use the five languages I speak, however, other than in an office (I used to organize tennis events in Europe). I had the opportunity to teach a French class to elementary school children as part of an after school enrichment program. I was inspired by the kids' interest in new territory, their enthusiasm and responsiveness. I knew I had found my "niche" and pursued my new calling.
Q. What do you love about teaching at a progressive school, in particular?
A. I love the fact that foreign languages and cultures are introduced from an early age on, and that I am given the liberty of creating a fun and playful approach to teaching...indoors and outdoors.
Q. Why did you decide to teach at Burgundy?
A. I observed a Spanish class at Burgundy a few years ago as part of professional development in a different language teaching position, and ever since I have secretly wished to be involved with this school at some point in my life. "Et voilà" my wish came true.
Q. What are you most looking forward to at Burgundy?
A. I look forward to getting to know the children I teach and the fellow teachers I work with. I know I will enjoy the "family feel" at Burgundy, and working in a peaceful learning environment, away from the "hustle bustle" of the city.
 Emily Jonas, Middle School Humanities and Fine Arts Teacher
Q. How would you introduce yourself to the Burgundy community?
A. I am Emily Jonas, and most of the students call me EJ. I am an alumna of Burgundy and graduated with the class of 2003. I went to school here for all 10 years, JK-8, and am glad to be back on campus. I am a singer/ performer, a traveler, a nature lover, and a sports fan. I love meeting new people and performing in musical theatre productions.
Q. What inspired you to become a teacher?
A. I was definitely inspired by my teachers here at Burgundy. From them I learned how to be open-minded and 100% myself. Through traveling I have worked with kids all over the world, which has led me to fall in love with teaching.
Q. What do you love about teaching a progressive school, in particular?
A. I loved going to this progressive school as a child, and I believe in the philosophy of being open-minded and respectful of children. I did well in this learning environment, where I was an actual person and not just a number, and I want to aid in that philosophy as a teacher.
Q. Why did you decide to teach at Burgundy?
A. The first time I was on the Burgundy campus I was two weeks old. It quickly became my second home, and I just can't stay away.
Q. What are you most looking forward to at Burgundy?
A. I am looking forward to being back in the Middle School, and getting to know these awesome kids. Also, I can't wait to start working on the middle school productions!
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Lower School Curriculum Night: Monday, September 24
Lower School parents, mark your calendars for Lower School Curriculum Night on Monday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Gym. Teachers will share what to expect from the class and curriculum, and there will be opportunities for questions and answers. Extended Day will be open for childcare beginning at 6:45 p.m. If you will be taking advantage of childcare that night, please email Janice Kinard-Bean (janicek@burgundyfarm.org) to reserve your child's spot. Space is limited.
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Middle School Parent Book Talk, The Shawl
On September 20 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Library, Middle School parents are invited to convene for a book talk hosted by Middle School Learning Support Coordinator Stephanie Borges and Middle School Humanities Teacher Tom Kim. These book talks are informal monthly discussions on selections from the new Humanities curriculum. This first book talk will center around the short story The Shawl by Louise Erdrich (a copy can be found on The New Yorker website), which 7th Grade students will read at the end of September.
This will be a wonderful opportunity for intellectual exchange, insight into the Humanities curriculum, fellowship with other parents, and ideas for engaging with families about the themes and concepts emphasized within classrooms. Light refreshments will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to do the reading ahead of time, but inability to do so should not prohibit anyone from still coming. Please email Stephanie (stephanieb@burgundyfarm.org) to let us know if you'll be attending, so we may plan accordingly.
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All Parent Meeting: October 9
Did you know that as a parent at Burgundy you are a member of the Burgundy Parents Association (BPA)? Make your parental voice heard!
Please plan to join other BPA parents on Tuesday, October 9, at 7:00 pm in the Loft for coffee and dessert but more importantly, an open discussion with Jeff, Kari and Jason as they discuss
Lower and Middle School news and future plans. Members of the Board of Trustees will also be on hand to share their areas of focus.
Bring your questions! The BPA meeting is a wonderful opportunity for face-to-face dialogue with Burgundy administration.
Complementary childcare will be provided for children 4 and older in the Extended Day building (any children enrolled in Extended Day can stay on). Pizza will be served. So that we can provide the right amount of childcare providers - and pizza - we will require registration. You'll receive an email invitation with registration instructions in the coming days. If you have any immediate questions, please contact BPA President Nancy Weissman (echoivus@aol.com).
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Buy a Book for Burgundy
Each year at Lower School Curriculum Night, we in the Library display new books purchased for the school year. Parents are asked to donate the purchase price of a book or books. A nameplate is placed in the front of each book with a child's name on it and that student may be the first to check it out. This fundraiser began in the 1970s when there was almost no Library budget. Thanks to the wonderful support of parents, we have been able to build the Library collection to one that serves as the center of the curriculum and has brought us some wonderful visiting authors.
We look forward to seeing you Monday, September 24. We will have the books available in the Gym beginning at 2:00 p.m. Stop by before or after carpool or after Extended Day if you want to avoid lines that night.
For those who want to pick something out but have a Middle School student, or for those who want to do it before or after September 24, the books are on display in the Library. You are welcome to come in, or send a check (made out to "BFCDS") for $18.00 per book with your student. He or she can then choose a book from those on our shelves.
Please contact us if you have any questions. We thank you so much for your continuing support of the Library and its programs.
- Ann Van Deusen and Barbara Krainik, Librarians
annv@burgundyfarm.org and barbarak@burgundyfarm.org
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Community Garden Work Day: September 23
Our first Burgundy Community Garden Work Day is coming up on Sunday, September 23, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome! We will be preparing the garden for classes to plant some crops this fall. If you indicated an interest in the Garden in this summer's Parent Interest Survey, or if you signed up to be a Class Garden Coordinator, you'll be hearing from us soon. If you have any questions, please email Jane Hanson (janehanson@yahoo.com) or Jill Reuter (jreuter@answerware.com).
- Jane Hanson and Jill Reuter, Community Garden Co-Chairs
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Fall Fair: Volunteer Opportunities and Class Assignments
The Fall Fair is one of Burgundy's signature events, and it attracts hundreds of people to campus each year. We rely on support from all of our community members, particularly parent volunteers, to make this event a successful event. To help "divide and conquer," we assign each class a particular piece of the Fair to manage and support with guidance from that class's Fall Fair Coordinator and that particular event's chairperson. Those class assignments are:
Junior Kindergarten: Bake Sale Kindergarten: Games and Prizes 1st Grade: Food Tent 2/3 Classes: Kid's Closet and Lemonade Stand 4/5 Classes: Burgundy Mart and Pumpkin Patch*
(*face painting, pumpkin painting, scarecrow stuffing) 6th Grade: Book Sale and Games and Prizes 7th Grade: Haunted House 8th Grade: Bake Sale and Moonbounce
We also ask our Middle School students to help make the Fair a success by volunteering to support Games and Prizes (6th Grade), and the Haunted House, Face Painting and Scarecrow Stuffing (7th and 8th Grades). You'll hear more about the Fall Fair in future issues of Constant Comment, and you'll get class-specific information, including student volunteer information, from your classroom's Fall Fair Coordinator. If you have any immediate questions, please contact Fall Fair Volunteer Coordinator Amy Heist (amy.heist@us.army.mil).
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Support Burgundy Through Easy Affinity Programs
Going shopping for groceries? Making a trip to Target? Help Burgundy when you make your everyday purchases by participating in our affinity programs. It's a simple way to give to Burgundy and can make a big impact, but only if everyone jumps on board! Invite your family, friends and co-workers to participate as well! Proceeds from these programs benefit Annual Giving. Remember, you must enroll in these programs every year. Click here to see the programs we participate in and how to enroll.
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Handbook Update
Waller, Carter - 7th
Amy Waller: amwaller11@gmail.com
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Burgundy Bulletin
Come to the Alexandria Story Festival on Saturday, September 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at T.C. Williams High School. This free festival, for students in grades pre-K through high school, brings great authors to Alexandria to read to children and to sign books. Raffle prizes and hands-on activities will round out the experience for families.
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