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I hope all of you have had some summer, however you define it! While the first day of school, with a late Labor Day, is still nearly three weeks away, we have been very busy preparing here at school.
As summer here on campus draws to a close I feel fortunate to have a fully hired faculty at a time of national teacher shortages -- and a most talented and diverse faculty at that! And I feel fortunate to have such an amazing Burgundy community of adults, who are invested in every way in our children's collective as well as individual success. For more than three decades, no one was more invested in Burgundy than our dear colleague and friend Ann Van Deusen. We miss her already; her spirit will be with us always.
Thus, with what I trust would be Ann's strong blessing, I hope some of you will find a shred of truth and humor in the following "Sindler's definitions of summer," which have helped me reflect on the best of what summer represents (and a few of the ironies and challenges)! I hope a definition or two resonate with you.
Summer, noun:
1. The interval when school is not in session and children sleep as much as they need and pursue activities that most interest them;
2. A brief season for family outings, vacations and/or 'stay-cations,' characterized by more easy-going parents, un-harried children, and a more humane shared sense of time;
3. The few-and-far-between afternoons school administrators, still busy despite students being gone, find themselves freed of immediate responsibilities to confront the "summer list" (i.e., files to purge, stacks of journals to read, TED Talks to ponder, and thank yous to write);
4. A happy state of mind characterized by family-first thinking and wellness; as in, It being summer, I could sit here listening to my child explain her five-year-old's understanding of the world and finish this cup of coffee and arrive at work 30 minutes later, and the earth will not spin off its axis.
As we pass through mid-August, campus is getting its annual 'spa treatment,' following one of the most successful summer day camps in recent memory; new teachers and staff are gearing up for their official orientation next week, while the entire faculty prepares to kick off teacher work days. Everyone here -- and probably where you are as well -- is trying to enjoy the last vestiges of summer while preparing fully for fall. We look forward to seeing you soon but wish you happy final days of summer! Please note important news and reminders in this late-summer issue of Constant Comment. The next issue will be sent the first week of school. Be well!
Jeff Sindler
Head of School |
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Coming Up at Burgundy ...
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Party on the Playground
Enjoy the end of summer with another celebration of our new Outdoor Classroom and Discovery Playground! Join us Wednesday, August 26, 7-8:30 p.m. We'll have a visiting ice cream truck on the Blacktop. All Burgundy families and children are welcome to join us and enjoy the new space. No RSVP is required.
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Enjoying the Omni Spinner at the July party.
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Take Care When Visiting Campus
In these last few weeks before classes start, our Maintenance team is busy preparing campus for the new school year. While their work is in progress, some areas may be unsuitable for running and playing. Please avoid obvious work areas if you are visiting campus before the first day of school, and please take care and provide extra supervision for children.
Cove Chaperone Requests Parents wishing to be considered to chaperone a Cove trip this year must send their requests to covechaperones@burgundyfarm.org by Tuesday, August 25. Parents will be notified of their status within the first week of school. More information about requests to chaperone and the Cove policy is available in the letter (PDF) sent from Elizabeth Lener at the end of July. Please Complete Online Forms Burgundy's required school forms are online, and both new and returning families must log in and complete or update forms by Thursday, September 3. These forms include important authorizations, permissions, and emergency contact information. Please ensure your family's contact information is update to date, because this information will be printed in the school directory. Full, detailed instructions are available in an email from Kathleen Hennessey sent in early August. Contact Kathleen with any questions. New Families: Orientation and Forms Reminder Families with children who will be newly enrolled at Burgundy this fall are invited to a New Student/Parent Orientation on Thursday, September 3, 9-10:30 a.m. The orientation begins in the Gym. Parents will be able to meet and visit with current parents as well as Burgundy administrators while new students are accompanied by current students as they engage in fun activities on campus. In addition to the online forms required for all families due by Thursday, September 3, families with newly enrolled students need to complete additional forms for them. These forms include the health and physical form with immunization record, the Child Registration and Proof of Identity Form, and swimming and sunscreen permission forms. If you haven't already done so, these must be completed and submitted before the first day of school on Wednesday, September 9. Contact Lori Adams if you have any questions.
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Students at work on Chromebooks in the library.
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Middle School Families: Chromebook 1:1 Roll-Out Based on positive response to last year's pilot program, all Middle School students at Burgundy will participate in our 1:1 Chromebook program this fall. A "Rock 'n Roll-Out" Chromebook orientation event will be held Thursday, September 10 at 7 p.m. in the Gym. Attendance is required for each 6th and 8th grader and at least one parent/guardian for each student.
At the event, all Middle School students will be provided with a Chromebook, a laptop computer which runs the Google Chrome operating system, at no extra cost to Burgundy families. The Chromebooks will be an essential part of our Middle School students' academic program, and students should bring them to school every day.
You're Invited: Back to School Events Come celebrate the start of school at the annual Burgundy Parent Association (BPA) Welcome Coffee immediately following carpool drop off on the first day of school, Wednesday, September 9. By 8:30 a.m., our Burgundy kids will be settled into their new classrooms, and it will be time for parents to take over the Blacktop! Enjoy light refreshments and a cup or two of coffee while catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Mark your calendar for more upcoming events: the Burgundy BBQ on Friday, September 18, at 6 p.m. and the BPA Morning Mingle on Friday, September 25, at 8:30 a.m. BPA Survey: Seeking Volunteers
Since Burgundy's founding, families have come together to form a strong, diverse, supportive, and close-knit community. In this parent-school partnership, everyone works together to enrich the lives of students and the greater Burgundy community. Parent volunteerism in particular is essential for a thriving school environment. Through this survey, the Burgundy Parent Association is inviting you to share your time and talents with the school community by volunteering in the 2015-2016 school year. We know that as parents you have many competing demands on your time and we're sensitive to that. Based on this understanding, we are pleased to offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, including many projects that can be done off campus and/or outside of school hours to better accommodate challenging schedules. Any way you can participate is welcome! (Grandparents are also welcome to sign up for any of our volunteer efforts.) Though we welcome you to inquire about volunteering at any time, the sooner we hear from you the better, since many volunteer activities take place early in the school year. The survey closes Wednesday, September 2. Thank you in advance for your help and commitment to continue the legacy of making Burgundy the amazing place it has always been!
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Affinity Giving
As we head into the new year, make sure you don't forget about opportunities to support Burgundy through affinity giving with regional and national retailers.
 Please note that Safeway's affinity giving program has been discontinued. Giant, Harris Teeter, and Target still offer giving programs. And all grocery stores carry products that have the Box Tops for Education label. Each Box Top is worth 10 cents. Collection forms (PDF) make it easy and fun for children to participate. We have collection deadlines twice a year, but you are always welcome to drop off your Box Tops in the Main Office or Advancement Office. Sign up at http://www.boxtops4education.com to receive coupons and participate in sweepstakes to win more Box Tops for Burgundy.
Carpool Reminders and Transition Before students head back to class, they'll have to head back to carpool! Help keep our students, families, and staff safe by respecting the carpool rules. Morning carpool runs 8-8:25 a.m. Thereafter students must check in at the Main Office desk. Afternoon carpool is 3:15-3:45 p.m. -
The campus speed limit is 5 m.p.h.
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If you want to walk your child to class, first drop him or her off in the carpool lane, then park and meet your child at the Blacktop. We want to avoid children crossing the carpool lane so they are out of the way of drivers.
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After you have dropped off or picked up your child, wait until the car at Station #1 pulls away before following station by station.
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Do not back up from the circular parking lot during carpool times. This creates potential rear-end collisions. If you park, you must wait until after carpool to back out.
After many years of service as our afternoon carpool announcer, Redtails teacher Henry Edwards has decided to pass the microphone. Efrem Solomon, our associate teacher, will take on the role when school starts.
Personnel News Pat Harden will return to Burgundy as our full-time school counselor. Many current families may already know Pat, who is the parent of alumni Adam '89, Yusuf '99, and Nadia '05. She recently finished her second round of service on Burgundy's Board of Trustees, where she served on several committees and as an officer. From 1996-2003, Pat was a member of Burgundy's administration, as Director and Assistant Head for Admission, Multicultural Affairs, and Student Support. Pat earned a bachelor of arts and master of social work degree from Smith College, and is eager to return to the field of counseling after several years doing admission work at several area independent schools, most recently Connelly School of the Holy Child in Bethesda.
Chiquita McCoy (mother of Darius Wise, a rising Burgundy 4th grader) will be joining us as Middle School Learning Specialist. Chiquita most recently has served as a Master Educator (teacher coach, mentor, professional development expert) for DC Public Schools. She has served previously as Director of Education at the Focus Point School, a nonpublic school in Crownsville, Maryland, serving students with disabilities. Chiquita also spent an extended term as Interim Director of Education at the Ridge School in Rockville. Chiquita began her career as a special education teacher in Upper Marlboro. She holds a Master's in Special Education, as well as her undergraduate degree, from George Washington University.
Cynthia (Cindy) Woodruff will join us as Librarian, alongside Barbara Krainik. Cindy most recently worked at Mercy High School in Baltimore. Previously she worked for 20 years at Gilman School in Baltimore, where she was Director of Libraries and Archives for grades K-5. Cindy also worked several summers with the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth as a reading list consultant, and she was Co-Founder and President of the Peace Study Center, a nonprofit that offers a summer camp for youth and provides resources and training for educators. Cindy is originally from Herndon, Virginia. She earned her MLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. |
Parting Photos
Scenes from the Parents of African American Students potluck last weekend.
Photos by De Shan Lett.
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