Splendid Portraits will be on campus on Tuesday, September 10 to take student pictures during classes. 

A. I have been teaching internationally (in the Czech Republic, Peru and Indonesia) for the past 17 years. I love history and art, am passionate about food and cooking, and can't wait to watch American football at a normal time! This year, my wife Liz will be teaching in Two Rivers Public Charter School in D.C., and my son Mason just started 3rd Grade. He has never lived in the States before, and is very excited to be in his new country!

 

Q. Why did you decide to teach at Burgundy?

A. I wanted to work at a small school, and I loved how Burgundy describes itself as "community-centered."

 

Q. What are you most excited about in your multiple roles at Burgundy?

A. I can't wait to meet and work with all of the children and watch them grow in many great ways through the years. I am very glad to be part of the Burgundy community. 

 

Alyssa Roark, 2/3 Viceroys Teacher

Q. How would you introduce yourself to the Burgundy Community?

A. This will be my fourth year in the classroom. I've taught grades 3 and 4 in North Carolina and Southeast DC. I attended Hampshire College and went through the Mount Holyoke teacher preparation program, which provided me with a strong background in social justice and progressive education. I grew up always wanting to be a teacher, much to the annoyance of my little brother, who suffered through countless classroom reenactments at home. In my free time, I love to cook, go on hikes, and read just about anything and everything.

 

Q. Why did you decide to teach at Burgundy?

A. I was delighted to stumble upon Burgundy, a community that truly embraces the creativity and joy that come so naturally to children. Burgundy's commitment to creating an inclusive space for children to grow as whole people immediately spoke to my personal values in regard to teaching and education. 

 

Q. What are you most excited about in teaching at Burgundy?

A. I am already inspired by the creativity and ingenuity of the 2/3 Viceroys, and I am looking forward to all the ways they will push me to find new ways to challenge them and engage them daily. I am also excited to get to know as many members of the Burgundy family as I can!

It's hard to believe, but our annual Fall Fair will be here before we know it! This annual family-friendly event attracts current families, prospective families, alumni families and neighbors; and it is a fun, festive way to celebrate our community while also raising money for financial aid. There is food, live music, games and prizes, and so much more. The Fall Fair is one of the oldest community activities at the school, and new parents find that volunteering and attending this event is a great way to meet other parents and provides a wonderful opportunity to become more actively involved in the school community. You'll hear more information about the Fall Fair in the coming weeks from your room parents and Constant Comment, including specific attractions and volunteer opportunities; but what do you need to know now?

• First, save the date: Saturday, October 19, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Second, start saving supplies: as you clean out closets, set aside any books or clothing (child and adult sizes) that you can donate to the Book Sale, Kid's Closet or Scarecrow making.
• Last, book your bands! Our community is talented, and we encourage students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and administrators to showcase their bands at the Fall Fair. If you're interested, please email Cathy Manley (cathym@burgundyfarm.org) to inquire about scheduling. Please know that we have limited availability for performance times and that student musicians will have priority in the booking process.

If you have any other immediate questions about the Fall Fair, please email Fall Fair Coordinator Allison Niedbala (allisonn@burgundyfarm.org).

Buy a Book for Burgundy is a great fundraising program for the Library, begun in the early 1970s to enhance what was a very small Library budget. Through this program, families may donate the purchase price of one of our new books, which will then live in the Library with a bookplate stating "Given by" followed by a child's or family's name. These donations help to offset the expense of keeping our expansive Library materials (books, videos and online resources) up-to-date.

 

The Library will be offering Buy a Book for Burgundy in a slightly different format this year. Our new books will be on display in the Library for the entire month of September. Books will not be available for donation at Curriculum Night this year. Please come by before or after school, or even during the day -- whatever is most convenient for you. You and your child can choose one of our new books together. If you wish to have your student choose a book, just send $18 cash or check (made out to BFCDS) with them. Credit cards can also be accepted for payment. As an added bonus: your child will be the very first student allowed to check out the donated book!

 

Thank you for supporting the Library!

- Ann Van Deusen and Barbara Krainik, Librarians  

annv@burgundyfarm.org and barbarak@burgundyfarm.org 

Your vote makes a big difference to our school. This year, Target will give money to schools all over the country for one simple act: a vote. Burgundy needs just 25 votes to earn a $25 donation from Target. But that's only the beginning! For each additional vote, we will earn $1 more. So, please remember that, although the gesture is small, the rewards are potentially huge. Click here to vote for Burgundy once a week through September 21 (or until Target has given away $5 million). And please spread the word to friends and family! 

Attention! Parents of a 3rd, 4th, or 5th Grade Girl:

 

This Fall Burgundy is excited to be continuing its "Girls on the Run" program. Girls on the Run is a national after school program that uses the power of running to help prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. Through interactive activities such as running and playing games to discuss important issues, participants learn how to celebrate being girls. The girls also train together to walk or run in a culminating 5K non-competitive event to be held this year on Sunday, November 24 at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Va. This nine-week program will meet twice weekly on the Burgundy campus -- Tuesdays from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. beginning Saturday, October 5.

 

Registration for Girls on the Run is now open and ends on Sunday, September 15. If your daughter is interested in participating, you must register her during this time period at: http://www.gotrnova.org/program/registration. The program fee is $165, and $70 for financial aid qualifiers. The program accepts a maximum of 20 girls per team. If more than 20 girls register, Girls on the Run will conduct a computer-generated lottery to select Burgundy's team, and you will receive an email confirmation. The coaches will be back in touch with more information for parents after the registration period closes.

 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Burgundy's coach team directly: Jane Marcus (janemarcus@earthlink.net), Susan Regan (loyd_susan@yahoo.com), Tara Carter (tara_e_carter@yahoo.com) and Allyson Senie (allyson@senie.com).

Cassie Cope '14 will appear in Port City Playhouse Alexandria's production of The Children's Hour, the 1934 stage play that established Lillian Hellman as one of the most important playwrights in American Theater. Cassie appears in the first act as Helen Burton, a classmate of a girl whose gossip has tragic consequences for the owners of a boarding school. Performances run Fridays and Saturdays, September 13-28, with an additional show on September 24. Performances are at 8:00 p.m., with 2:00 p.m. shows on September 21 and 28. Please note, this play contains mature themes. Tickets are available at www.portcityplayhouse.org.

In Recognition of Jewish Holidays

September is a month filled with new beginnings. The start of a new school year that brings new Junior Kindergarten Chicks and their families to Burgundy, the entry of new Burgundy educators to round out our already dynamic teaching body, and the beginning of a new year in Jewish culture and faith, Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish New Year 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. The common greeting at this time is L'shanah tovah, which means "for a good year." So if you know a family that is celebrating Rosh Hashanah, wish them well!

 

Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement in the Jewish faith, is the holiest day of the year -- the day on which the Jewish people feel closest to their God and to the quintessence of their own souls. For nearly 26 hours, people practicing the Jewish faith will abstain from certain worldly pleasures like food and drink and will pray and reflect.

 

A Celebration of Culture: Hispanic Heritage Month

In 1968, under President Lyndon B. Johnson's leadership, Hispanic Heritage week began. President Ronald Reagan expanded the celebrations to last 30 days (Public Law 100-402). National Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sunday, September 15 and ends Tuesday, October 15. This period of time is significant in Hispanic history and culture because it marks the anniversaries of independence for many Latin American countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Throughout this 30-day period, people around the United States celebrate the unique and beautiful histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

 

A Push for Peace

This month we will also celebrate the International Day of Peace and World Gratitude Day, a day on which we pause and reflect on how grateful we are and how we can personally, and as a community, promote peace. We encourage everyone to take a moment to think about the people in our lives who make our lives and the world we live in joyous. The International Day of Peace is a day of ceasefire and non-violence throughout the world, and World Gratitude Day is a day to show appreciation to people in your life who have done good deeds. We celebrate these two wonderful occasions on Saturday, September 21.

Burgundy parent Kim McDaniel is interested in coordinating morning bus transportation from the Oxon Hill/Ft. Washington area to Burgundy. She has identified a licensed bus driver who is willing to drive the route, but she would like to identify other parents who would utilize the service. If you are interested in this opportunity, please call Kim at 202.431.5181.

Be sure to check your child's backpack and be on the lookout for the Parent Handbook and Student Directory, which includes important information about the school, as well as a listing of each family's address, telephone number and email address. This publication also includes a complete list of group email addresses to help facilitate communication among class parents and teachers. 

 

Please check your child's backpack this afternoon for you 2013-2014 issue of the Parent Handbook and Student Directory. If you would like to purchase an additional copy for $5.00, please contact Michele McCabe (michelem@burgundyfarm.org or 703.842.0470). As well, if any of the information listed in the directory is incorrect, please contact Kathleen Hennessey with any corrections (kathleenh@burgundyfarm.org or 703.842.0472).  

 

Anna Ustun '13 is now part of the West Potomac High School (WPHS) Dance Team, which is coordinating an opportunity for students in Kindergarten through 8th Grade to learn to dance and perform with the WPHS team during a WPHS football game. Click here to see a flyer about the program, and email Coach Gen (glisenby@verizon.net) to register by September 16. 

Second-grader Graham Haberl walks to class on the first day of school. 

Junior Kindergarten students make quick friends on their first day at Burgundy. 

Seventh-graders enjoy pool time on a beautiful day during the first week of classes.