On April 2, eighth-graders Daniela Bernstein, Gwyneth Collins, Lindsay Cullen, Cayli Dobbs, Mae Hunt, Hannah Petitti, Maya Sullivan, Anna Ustun and Madeline Wales met at The Kennedy Center for the Vital Voices 12th Annual Global Leadership Awards. The evening honors and celebrates women leaders around the world and included six award presentations to social entrepreneurs, political representatives, businesswomen, human rights defenders and civil society advocates who are working to elevate the role of women in society, fight violence against women, and make necessary changes in laws and cultural norms. The presenters for the evening included Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Each award followed an inspirational story of perseverance that had a definite impact on all who attended.

Teacher and chaperone Paige Pluymers-Durand says one of the highlights of the evening was hearing one of the 8th Grade girls say at the end of the event, 'That was amazing...I really think that was amazing...Don't you think that was amazing, Paige?'" Paige, of course, agreed that the evening was indeed "amazing."

Thank you! Parent Cindy Dyer Ankele coordinated this opportunity for our students. 

Building Bookcases for Community Lodgings

At Burgundy, we prepare our students for success by educating and nurturing the whole child. Since 1946, we have operated with the foundational belief that care for the whole child is the foundation for all learning and growth. Recent research from the Samueli Institute similarly indicates that integrative wellness -- care for the whole person -- is essential to our nation's prosperity, and that we may be undermining our own future by failing to support holistic and integrated health in children.

Join us on Tuesday, April 30 to hear from Gail C. Christopher , DN, Vice President at the Kellogg Foundation, and Wayne B. Jonas , MD, President and CEO of the Samueli Institute, as they discuss the current reality of "unwellness" that many American children face and describe how we, as parents and educators, can support healthy development for our children and, as a result, a better future for our children and our nation.

Burgundy is excited to host this thought-provoking seminar in our 2013 Lois and Eric Sevareid Forum. This annual forum was established in 1994 in memory of Burgundy founders Lois and Eric Sevareid. The event features presentations by distinguished speakers on cutting-edge educational ideas and brings together current parents, alumni, alumni parents, and guests from the community and area independent schools. One of this year's featured speakers, Dr. Wayne Jonas, is an alumni parent and former Board of Trustees member, and we are thrilled to welcome him back to campus to share some of his compelling research from the Samueli Institute.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online or at the door, though registration is required. Please click here to register.  

We have arranged two sessions for current Middle School parents to meet with our Middle School consultant Bruce Shaw: Tuesday, April 16 (3:00-3:50 p.m.) and Wednesday, April 17 (8:45-9:45 a.m.). We hope that you will seriously consider coming out to help Bruce understand your experience of our Middle School, particularly relative to the progressive identity of the Middle School and the key questions we have identified around a) congruency of mission/philosophy and program, b) communication from/within and about the Middle School, and c) collaborative relationships that are the foundation of what we aspire to do.

If you are able to attend, please email Cathy Guertin (cathyg@burgundyfarm.org) by the end of the day today, Friday, April 12.