We wish you a very pleasant winter break and a happy New Year!

This morning we held the Festival of Lights, our annual tribute to the winter holiday season. The Festival of Lights celebrates various cultural and religious traditions, highlighting the shared values and beliefs that connect people across many cultures and traditions. These shared values include community and solidarity, mutual respect and collaboration, peace and the hope that all people everywhere can be safe and happy!

Many of the traditions honored in the Festival of Lights focus on light as a symbol of these values. The formal program in recent years concludes with a group of faculty singers singing the Civil Rights era anthem, "This Little Light of Mine."

Picking up where that song leaves off, I hope that we who experienced this program today (and in all years) are inspired to be the light we wish to see in the world: by actively supporting peace and harmony in the world and by demonstrating a belief that the enjoyment of our own rights and safety and pursuit of happiness is tied to that of our brothers and sisters, everywhere, regardless of our differences!

Year-End Giving

Burgundy strives to provide many rich experiences for everyone who steps foot on our beautiful campus. Think about visiting authors inspiring young readers, a violin sparking a lifelong love of music, field trips putting the wider world in our student's grasp. These experiences are only possible because of those who have generously given in the past. Burgundy's Annual Giving fund picks up the cost of these incomparable "extras" that tuition alone cannot cover, but that students and even parents count on year after year.

Your donation will enable Burgundy to continue providing an innovative academic program, effective professional development, and important financial aid in the coming year. As we teach our children, the value of a gift is not based upon its material worth, but rather upon the thought and the generosity that inspires it. Please give what you can today.

Don't Forget!

• Registration for winter/spring enrichments ends today.
• BPA hosts a fitness themed family fun night on Sunday, January 25 (time TBD) in the Gym. The event features group exercises, healthy snacks, and time to mingle. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.
• Complete Burgundy Calendar 

Creating a Community Mural

A contingent of student painters recently completed the 8th grade mural on the Loft. This year's design, by Kendall Johnston, is a mandala. Sanskrit for "circle," a mandala is a round design that can be found in several cultures and religions. This mural was meant to represent thankfulness for Burgundy and celebrate the school community--in fact, the design incorporates a burgundy colored circle in the middle.

Margaret Ann Herbold, Katie King, and Kendall Johnston with the completed mural.

Community Service Report

A large group of Middle School students, along with their parents, delivered hot and cold meals to homebound seniors in Alexandria on December 14, as part of an ongoing volunteer effort with Meals on Wheels. With strong community interest in this program, Pam Hunt (parent of Owen, 6th, and Lily, 7th and Mae '13) has worked with Senior Services of Alexandria to reserve time for Burgundy volunteers to deliver meals on a monthly basis.

Middle School students and parents delivered meals recently.

Lost and Found: Cell Phone

A Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone with a black case and a New England Patriots home screen photo was recently discovered in the Gym. It appears to be a child's phone, with no recent calls since early July. If you know someone who may have misplaced this phone, please contact Meghan Williams.