We were excited to see work resume this week on the Outdoor Classroom and Discovery Playground. Of course, we are all eager for this project to be complete! There have been several factors contributing to delays, including wet winter weather, materials on backorder, and change orders for some parts of the project. (Changes orders are very common in construction projects when necessary adjustments are made to the plans.)

We are pushing in every way to complete construction and have the playground open -- as soon as possible! If you want to see the progress, the Advancement office upstairs in West Barn has the best views. Stop by (use the new bridge behind the First Grade building, walk past the Early Childhood classrooms, and climb the stairs) or contact Jen Pusatere if you'd like to set up a time to talk about Campus Renewal.

At the same time, planning for the new Community and Arts building -- which will eventually replace the Loft -- continues. We are drawing lessons from our first phase of Campus Renewal that will help as we execute that next project. We don't know yet when that construction will begin, but it will not be in the immediate future. I heard a rumor the other day from one of our students that the Loft would be out of use in preparation for demolition following our upcoming Burgundy on Broadway performances (February 26 and 27, mark your calendars!). I wish! We're doing planning work, but  we have no timetable for construction at this point. Of course, as soon as we do we will let you know!

Meanwhile, we are deep into the admission season. Re-enrollment contracts have been issued, shadow days are happening each week, and Lori Adams and the Early Childhood teachers have been hosting prospective families and conducting admission testing on Saturdays. Many parents and students have led open house tours. Maybe you've gotten or will receive phone calls from prospective parents. I hope that when you interact with these interested families, you'll think back to your early visits to Burgundy, and help them see what you saw in our school when you first encountered Burgundy.