Please remember to pick up your auction items from Allison Niedbala (allisonn@burgundyfarm.org or 703.842.0488) in the Advancement Office at your earliest convenience. 

Come help open the Cove for the 2014 Season! Email vinis@burgundyfarm.org by April 9, if you are interested in helping, and let Vini know: how many people are coming, for what meals, and whether you have any food allergies or restrictions. Those who are unannounced are welcome, but may be fed plain pasta and oatmeal. Children are welcome and put to work. Parents are also welcome and are utterly responsible for their own kin. We often organize group jobs for children, so that adults can handle the many tasks that are not child-friendly. 

We are in need of parent volunteers to help staff the front desk and clinic on an as-needed basis. If you are available during the school day and interested in helping, please contact Geraldine Portillio (geraldinep@burgundyfarm.org or 703.960.3431). 

We hope you will join us for the 2014 Lois and Eric Sevareid Forum on Wednesday, April 16, at 7:00 p.m. in the Gym. We are excited to welcome nationally recognized Internet safety experts Marje Monroe, who has a background in clinical social work and counseling, and Doug Fodeman, a former Technology Director with expertise in Internet technologies. During the forum, Marje and Doug will discuss the use and impact of technology on child and adolescent development, offering concrete and real-life strategies on this important topic.

Marje and Doug's workshop with parents on Wednesday evening will be the culmination of a full-day workshop with our students and teachers. Before their visit, we will conduct surveys of our students' behavior online, providing Marje and Doug with a snapshot of what is happening in our community and how it compares to trends across the country. They will use this data as a jumping off point for discussions with students in Grades 4 through 8 during the school day, and they will share their insight with staff and teachers at a faculty meeting that afternoon.

 

Co-directors of ChildrenOnline.org since 1997 and co-authors of several books and many articles on the topic of Internet safety, Marje and Doug have conducted research on the Internet and cell phone behavior of thousands of children around the United States. With more than 50 years of combined experience in education and counseling, Marje and Doug have offered workshops to schools, religious groups and other organizations across the country for 17 years and have been featured on numerous television and radio interviews. Their books include Safe Practices for Life Online, A Parent's Guide to Online Safety, and Racing to Keep Up.

 

This will be Marje and Doug's third visit to Burgundy, having visited the school in February of 2007 and December of 2010. Parents who have attended their talks have expressed the highest praise.

 

Attendance is free, but we ask that you help us plan accordingly by registering beforehand. Please click here to register today. 

 

On Friday, March 14 (3.14, of course!), the Middle School celebrated Pi(e) Day with pi(es), recitations of the digits of pi, songs, and awards. Twenty-four students brought in pies of all kinds to be shared. Most were student-designed and made with a little parent help and supervision.

 

Prizes were awarded in the following categories:

 

Most Savory Pie: Brendan Miller '16

Cleverest Design Pie: Hannah Miller '15

Messiest Pie: Tyson Barrett '14

Looks Good, Tastes Good, Feels Good Going Down Pie: Eliza Marcus '16

Tallest Pie: Christiana Cody '15

Closest in Weight to 3.14 lbs Pie: Annette Hasnas '15

Tastiest Pie: Evan Roper '16

 

The 6th and 7th Grades were tied for most pies each.

 

The day would not have been complete without some other pi-inspired contests, including memorizing the most digits and reciting the most digits in 30 seconds. Eliza Marcus '16 won both competitions, and Eamon Abramson '15 earned second.

 

Just for fun, you might want to check out these links for some pi jokes, as well as some pi songs, including "What Pi Sounds Like" (the notes are the digits of pi!!!).

 

Our students reminded us that we have a very special Pi(e) Day next year, 3.14.15, so start memorizing now!   

- Your Math Team, Charlene Pritzker, Doug Fishman and Julie Vega

Last week's list of Auction contributors was far from complete. Our apologies! Here is the corrected list. Thank you to all who contributed funds to make the auction successful.   

Date: Friday, April 11

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Where: The Gym

 

Please join us for BPA Movie Night. We will be showing a movie geared toward students in grades JK- 2nd grade; however, everyone is invited to attend. Pizza will be served. Look for more information after Spring Break. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Heist at amy.heist@us.army.mil. 

Congratulations to Reid Ridenhour, 4/5 Redtails, who has qualified as a semifinalist in 2014 Virginia State Geographic Bee. Reid will compete with other semifinalists at Longwood University on April 4. Congratulations and good luck! 

Navigating Parent Involvement in Kid Friendships

During our Kid Friendships Parent Coffee on Thursday, March 6, Elizabeth, our School Counselor, and Stephanie, our Director for an Inclusive Community and Middle School Learning Specialist, facilitated a community discussion about the many ways parents can help their children navigate the sometimes stressful and emotional dynamics of peer relationships.

 

Highlights from the meeting:

Parents were given the opportunity and space to discuss questions and concerns they have regarding their child's friendship dynamics and struggles.

Discussion included:

• When to get involved/involve the teacher/school

• How to help kids take different perspectives

• Helping your kids expand beyond the idea of a "best friend"

Some Advice

• Model positive peer interactions and conflict resolution at home whenever possible.

• Encourage your child to solve conflicts/ social problems him/herself. Ask questions like "What have you already tried?", "What might you try next?", "How might an adult be able to help you?"

• Acknowledge the feelings of your child while avoiding imposing your own feelings about the situation.

• The more domains in which a child has positive relationships the better. For example, if your children has friends at school, at church and at horseback riding, if they are experiencing conflicts with friends at school, they still have the positive relationships at church or at horseback riding.

Kid Friendship Resources

• PBS Parents: Girl Friends: Understanding Girls' Social Lives 

• Journal of Research on Adolescence: We Know Some Things: Parent-Adolescent Relationships in Retrospect and Prospect, Volume 11, Issue 1, pages 1-19, March 2001

• WebMD: When You Don't Like Your Kid's Friends 

• Psychology Today: How Kids Make Friends 

• Friendships in Childhood and Adolescence by Bagwell and Schmidt

• Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children by Thompson

• The Second Family: Dealing with Peer Power, Pop Culture, the Wall of Silence-and Other Challenges of Raising Today's Teens by Ron Taffel and Melinda Blau

Our Final Morning Coffee for this School Year:

Date: Friday, May 9, 2014

Time: 8:40 a.m.

Location: The Loft

Topic: Stress Less: Mindful Meditation

Stephanie and Elizabeth will complement the student mindfulness component of the Middle School Advisory Curriculum and the Middle School Social Emotional Curriculum by offering this mindfulness lesson/activity.

 

Basic Details about the Morning Coffees:

• These morning coffees are scheduled to last between 60 and 90 minutes.

• Stephanie and Elizabeth provide coffee and pastries at each event.

• Everyone in the community is welcome to attend.

• Parents are encouraged to engage in open dialogue around these topics and use one another for advice and support.

• Stephanie and Elizabeth will facilitate the discussions and will chime in with research-based suggestions and information. 

If you are interested in attending any or all of these events, please RSVP to Stephanie at stephanieb@burgundyfarm.org or call 703-842-0465.

"All American families want to give their children the opportunity to succeed. But the truth is, opportunity is just the first step, particularly for families raising black boys. We hope American Promise shines a light on these issues." 

- Michele Stephenson; Co-Producer, Co-Director 

 

Our copy of American Promise is here! We are planning on watching the Sundance award-winning film as a community on April 6 at 5:00 p.m. in the Loft. We will be serving pizza and snacks during the showing, which will be followed by a community discussion facilitated by Leroy Nesbitt of the Black Student Fund and Stephanie Borges, our Director for an Inclusive Community.

 

We highly encourage parents to view the film together in small groups prior to our discussion. Small groups can check the film out of our Burgundy Library.

 

What:

1. American Promise Community Screening, 5:00-6:30 p.m. (Pizza will be served)
2. American Promise Community Discussion, 6:45- 8:15 p.m.

When: Sunday, April 6

 

Where: Loft

 

Essential Questions to reflect upon prior to our discussion:

1. At Burgundy, we frequently talk about meeting students where they are because of who they are, respecting their backgrounds and life experiences while building on them. In your opinion, how does Burgundy meet various kinds of diversity among our students (i.e. gender, race, ethnicity, ability/disability, religion, sexual orientation, age, and/or socioeconomic status)?
2. In most institutions and/or organizations, the members often think about best fit and mission-appropriate community members. When thinking about independent schools, particularly Burgundy, do you believe that the school should acclimate to the student, or do you believe that it is the job of the student to acclimate to the school?

"Our goal is to empower boys, their parents, and educators to pursue educational opportunities, especially to help close the black male achievement gap." 

- Joe Brewster; Co-Producer, Co-Director

 

If you are interested in attending the showing of American Promise and/or participating in the community discussion please RSVP to Stephanie at stephanieb@burgundyfarm.org.

 

To learn more about American Promise and to view the trailer, please visit the film's website.