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Burgundy Farm Country Day School
| October 11, 2013
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Greetings!
Greetings from Burgundy! I hope you are doing well and enjoying a beautiful fall with plenty of time to explore and appreciate nature and all of your other passions.
Here in Alexandria, we are watching the oak and ginkgo leaves change colors and fall throughout campus, which is a good indication that we are quickly approaching our annual Fall Fair. This year's Fair will be on Saturday, October 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and we'll be coordinating all the fun events you remember from years past, from face painting to live music, and of course, Dave's Famous Chili! Make sure to stop by the Library to reconnect with friends and faculty, and join us in front of the Library at 1:00 p.m. for the alumni photo.
If you are nearby and interested in helping, we'll begin collecting donations for the Kid's Closet, Scarecrow Stuffing, Used Book Sale and Bake Sale next week. Click here for a PDF of what to donate and when, and email Allison Niedbala (allisonn@burgundyfarm.org) with any questions.
The Fall Fair is fun for the whole family, and all proceeds benefit financial aid at Burgundy. We look forward to seeing you there!
Sincerely,
Jen Pusatere
Director of Advancement
jenp@burgundyfarm.org
703.842.0470
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Burgundy Hosts Visiting Teachers from Singapore
We are excited to share that the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) has asked Burgundy to host a group of visiting teachers from Singapore on Wednesday, October 16. ACEI is coordinating a leadership training in the D.C. area and wanted the teachers from Singapore to spend some time on Burgundy's Alexandria campus to gain an understanding about early childhood and elementary level education in the United States. We are always thrilled to share our unique campuses, and we are particularly honored that this visit will help inspire conversations about best practices in elementary and early childhood education around the world.
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 Burgundy Receives Environmental Excellence Award
On Tuesday, September 24, Burgundy was among six individuals and businesses to receive an Environmental Excellence Award from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Burgundy was recognized for our implementation of environmentally beneficial improvements to campus, as well as for supporting broader environmental science and sustainability principles in our curriculum. Photo at right courtesy of Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs.
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| Cove Closing Weekend: October 26-27
This year we are closing up Cooper's Cove for the winter on the weekend of October 26 and 27, and everyone is invited to come help!
It's a family-friendly event, and you are welcome to come for all or any part of the time. It's mostly a lot of hauling, packing, storing and weather-proofing, but it's also a time to enjoy the Cove at a very pretty time of year in the company of other people who love being there so much that they just don't care what the weather brings. We all have a great time visiting as we work, we take time out for a nice walk and we enjoy catching up around the fire in the evening. We promise to feed you well, and all you have to bring is yourself, a pair of favorite work gloves, and the usual bedding/layers of clothing that you would for a vigorous Cove visit. Children of all ages are welcome, and we do put them to work; but parents are completely responsible for any children they bring.
Still interested? Let us know you are coming by emailing vinis@burgundyfarm.org.
We need to know: how many/for what meals/any dietary issues.
Email vinis@burgundyfarm.org with any questions.
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Bikes for the World: November 16
In a creative celebration of America Recycles Day, Burgundy will partner with Bikes for the World on Saturday, November 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to collect, repair and donate bicycles to community development programs in more than 12 countries. Burgundy students and parents participate in the program each year, becoming bike mechanics for a day to provide affordable transportation to low income laborers, business people, farmers, health workers and students around the world.
We would love your help! Local families, please save or collect any bikes you are no longer using and bring them to Burgundy's Middle School parking lot on Saturday, November 16. We encourage you to ask your neighbors or friends if they have any unused bikes as well. Bikes do not have to be in perfect condition!
Last year, Burgundy students and parents broke down 41 bicycles and donated them to high school students in a small town in the Philippines. While the elementary school in that town is within walking distance from the children's homes, high school students must travel six miles to and from school. Thanks to Burgundy's collection, these high school students now have a reliable way to get to school each day and are less likely to drop out.
If you have any questions about Burgundy's Bikes for the World collection, please contact Doug Fishman (dougf@burgundyfarm.org).
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 Give Back to Burgundy: Thank a Teacher
Every day, we watch our teachers in awe of the magic they create in the classroom. Time and again, we hear from alumni that one of the most valuable aspects of a Burgundy education are the relationships with their teachers, who not only teach academics, but guide students through difficult moments, and inspire them to explore new challenges and reach new heights. This year, we are asking our alumni to make a gift toward Annual Giving in honor or memory of a teacher who had an especially notable impact on them. There is often no better way to honor or memorialize that special teacher than by making a gift in their name.
During the 2012-2013 fiscal year, 58 alumni donated to Burgundy's Annual Giving fund, which supports our current teachers through program and instruction and professional development. Annual Giving also supports Burgundy's financial aid.
This year, we hope at least 100 alumni make a gift to Annual Giving in honor or memory of the teacher (or teachers) who have helped shape the person you are today. When you make your contribution, please feel free to write a sentence or two to explain the impact that particular teacher had on your and your learning, and why you support Burgundy.
Below is part of a letter we received from Priscilla "Pri" Scull Burnham '59, that we enjoyed so much, we wanted to share it with everyone. As you can see (and we hope you can also attest to!), more than 50 years after graduating, the lessons students learn here at Burgundy continue to guide them every day. Please help us make more memories like the ones Pri describes below by clicking here to make a gift or pledge toward Annual Giving via our secure website. Thank you!
I wanted to include a note...just to say, as I do almost daily, that everything of importance I know I learned at Burgundy. The breadth of the Burgundy experience is hard for people to comprehend.
I learned how to add, subtract and multiply and still do it without a calculator -- and more quickly than my spouse using one. I learned to love libraries and books, and the art of choosing the right one from among so many titles. I learned how to hold a snake without being agraid (a skill that has come in handy more times than I can count, especially when camping out with my Girl Scout troop or working as a camp counselor). I learned about Egypt and Persia from Rachel Hall, and Native Americans from Max Ropshaw. I learned not just how to build a birdhouse, but how to measure and cut wood and hold a hammer (thanks, George). I learned how to take piles of sawdust, or strips of newspaper, or lumps of clay, and turn them into puppets, masks, and dinosaurs (thanks, Adele Brown). I learned that a scarf can help you dance, and that you can throw a ball, even if you think you are clumsy (thanks, Camay Brooks). I learned that I love cabbage rolls (thanks, Mrs. Leggars). I learned about dreidels and Hanukkah and the importance of sharing our blessings (thanks, Mr. Basom)...
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 Seventh Grade Cove Vespers
At the closing circle at the end of their Fall Cove trip earlier this month, seventh-graders shared excerpts of their journal writings with each other anonymously. They were all given quotes to read aloud, one after another. Each quote was written by someone else, but no one knew who wrote the quote they were reading. Their words captured the trip, and it was a privilege to hear. Below are three examples of "Cove Vespers," and you can click here to open a PDF of all of the vespers that were read aloud, which we hope will bring back some fond Burgundy memories.
During break, a group of people and I went down to the rock wall near the swing and made an arch with the rocks. It was hard but we worked as a team and finished it. After it was done, it looked cool and it stood up on its own.
Middle School has taught me a lot about myself that I never would've known if I wasn't at Burgundy. Also: Burgundy ROCKS!
Today was very fun. First thing this morning, we woke, went to have a delicious breakfast. After that I did workshops. There were four. The first one I did was drawing a detailed image of a flower. After that I made a model cell and then I looked at a cell through a microscope, and then we worked in the kitchen to help cook. Then we did more workshops. During break, I played a great game of football. Now we are at the Bald. I think the temperature is perfect. I am not very cold.
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News and Notes
Fuse Box, a popular Alexandria band that includes Perry Conner '11, Kent Jenkins '11, Ian Lloyd '11, Luis Milburn '10 and Augustus Koch, released an EP of original songs this summer. You can click here to listen, and you can follow the band on Facebook. Mary Lee Anderson, mother to Elizabeth '07 and Rachel '12 and former member of Burgundy's Board of Trustees, has been named as executive director for Senior Services of Alexandria. Mary Lee has served the Alexandria nonprofit community for more than 30 years, volunteering for Meals on Wheels, the Bag Lunch Program, the Virginia State Bar Association and Old Presbyterian Meeting House in addition to Burgundy. Click here for more information. Neal Fitzpatrick, who taught at Burgundy in the early 70s, recently retired from his 33-year career as an educator, advocate, researcher and Executive Director of the Audubon Naturalist Society of Maryland. Click here to read more about Neal in the "Naturalist Quarterly." Congratulations to Liz Piper '11, who placed third in the Landon Invitational Cross Country Meet on September 24, 2013. We're happy to share that Joshua Prentice '84 will be publishing two of his poetry manuscripts. Click here to follow Joshua on Facebook and receive official notifications and details.
Erin Reynolds '04 and husband Andrew Paul Zagrocki welcomed son Andrew Paul Zagrocki Jr. on September 30. Andrew weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. and was 22 inches long at birth. Our condolences to Jessica Wood Shepherd '99, daughter of David Wood, who passed away on September 17, 2013, surrounded by family and friends. Please click here for his obituary. |
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Keeping in Touch
No matter what paths our graduates follow, we are proud of their accomplishments. Please keep us up-to-date on your journey and let us know how we can support you. You can contact our Alumni Coordinator Michele McCabe (michelem@burgundyfarm.org or 703.842.0470), post on our Facebook wall, or send a letter to:
Michele McCabe
Burgundy Farm Country Day School
3700 Burgundy Road
Alexandria, VA 22303
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