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"C'mon...Hurry up now! We are going to be late!"
How many mornings or afternoons do we find ourselves exhorting our kids (or ourselves) gently or not-so-gently to get moving? I know I am not the only one who feels a compounded sadness in some of these moments as I ask myself why I am yelling at my kid, and how we got to this point!
A few years ago, as I was posting my New Year's resolutions at my desk at home, I had the sinking realization I had rewritten the same goals related to wellness and flourishing I'd set the year(s) before. I realize now, having had several years to reflect, that all of the lack of progress has to do with prioritization and the choices I am making in response to time pressures. I have made some progress; exercise and sleep have moved up my list a little. But I rarely get to some other priorities, and, for instance, focusing 100% on family when it's family time is a work-in-progress.
I know that we all often feel there are too many things to do and too little time to do them! Email and newsletters crowd our inboxes, birthday parties and travel sports fill our weekend calendars. There are demands on our time from every direction. Email alone can be overwhelming.
Too often we can feel like we are aspiring to be a great worker and a good spouse and a decent house keeper -- not to mention a loving and thoughtful parent -- while keeping up with everything and everyone we should, and not succeeding. Worst can be the feeling that we are not doing as well as we'd like with any of it! And when we are feeling the stress of trying to fit it all in, some of that stress is seeping into our family lives and into our kids.
That is part of why we were excited to invite Overwhelmed author Brigid Schulte to be this year's Sevareid Forum speaker. Tuesday evening Brigid will offer us a data-driven perspective as well as reflections on the choices we make and how some people in America and abroad are making different decisions with happiness- and life-sustaining results. Don't miss it--please RSVP if you haven't yet! And bring a friend. We had nearly 30 parents out last Friday for a preliminary discussion at Java with Jeff (and Pat Harden), and we are hoping to offer a follow-up conversation after the Sevareid Forum as well!
Jeff Sindler
Head of School
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Coming Up at Burgundy ...
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Campus Renewal Construction Update
This weekend, October 31 and November 1, the Outdoor Classroom and Discovery Playground will be closed for caulking work on the surrounding sidewalks. Thank you for your cooperation as this "punch list" work is completed.
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| | A model of the Outdoor World Learning Lab. |
Yesterday contractors started work ahead of construction of the Outdoor World Learning Lab, which will be a covered, open-air outdoor classroom adjacent to the Science Cottage and the pond. Contractors Thursday were digging and moving dirt for the foundation.
We anticipate preparation and construction work will take at least 4 weeks, and progress is weather dependent. During this time, some classes will take different routes to access the Science Cottage. Teachers will receive regular updates so students can take appropriate routes to and from science.
All permits have been approved and all construction materials for the lab structure are on campus. Once completed, the Outdoor World Learning Lab will need to be inspected by a representative from Fairfax County before it can be opened to students.
Extended Day During Conferences, Nov. 5-6
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| | Extended Day is available November 5-6. |
Extended Day will be open during parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, November 5 and Friday, November 6, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. There is no Morning Ex Day during these days. If you are registered for the Holiday Plan, these days are already included in your Extended Day registration and you are all set to attend.
If you are not on the Extended Day Holiday Plan but would like to send your child(ren) to Extended Day on those days, you are welcome to do so for a fee of $80 per student per day. Any student that stays for the whole day will need to bring a lunch; Extended Day will provide a mid-morning and afternoon snack. Please email Hugh or Laura by 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 3 if you would like to reserve a space in full-day Extended Day November 5 or 6.
Parents who need short-term childcare during their conference time (no more than one hour per conference) may drop their student off at Extended Day during that time free of charge. Please email Hugh or Laura by 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 3 if you plan to use this short-term service.
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| | Everyone gets put to work at the Cove closing weekend! |
RSVP for Cove Closing Weekend This year we are closing up Cooper's Cove for the winter on the weekend of November 7-8, and everyone is invited to come help! RSVP to Vini by Wednesday, November 4 with how many people will attend, for which meals, and any dietary issues. Cove Closing is a family-friendly event, and you are welcome to come for all or any part of the time. Days are busy with a lot of hauling, packing, storing and weather-proofing, but there is time to catch up around the fire in the evening. We promise to feed you well! Bring 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, but parents are completely responsible for them and they will be put to work.
PAAS Meeting Nov. 9 Parents of African American Students will hold its next meeting in the Middle School Atrium on Monday, November 9, at 6:30 p.m. Please join us to discuss the group's leadership and its goal for this year.
Music Box Student Performance Nov. 10 The first student recital of the year is coming up soon: Tuesday, November 10, 7 p.m. in the Loft. All styles of music and recitations of poems or monologues are welcome. Students need to preview their performance for Emily (McCrory) East or Cathy Manley before the recital. Email Emily or Cathy by Monday, November 9 to make arrangements; include your name, song or reading selection, and instrument if applicable. On the evening of the recital, students should bring their music and arrive by 6:30 p.m. Students, families and friends are welcome to attend the performance!
Board Meeting Nov. 14 Burgundy's Board of Trustees will have its next meeting Saturday, November 14 at 9 a.m. in the Loft. All current parents/guardians are welcome to attend Board meetings. Please notify Board President Charlie Rawls if you plan to attend to ensure adequate seating.
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Burgundy's next Open House is on
Wednesday, November 11, 9-11 a.m. Want to give information about our Open House events to friends or neighbors? Share posts from our Facebook page or pass along a flyer (PDF)!
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New Sibling Applications Due Nov. 15 We give priority consideration to applications from siblings of current students and others in the Burgundy community. If your family includes children who are not currently attending Burgundy, but for whom you would like to apply for admission for the 2016-2017 school year, applications are due Sunday, November 15. Apply online and contact Lori Adams (loria@burgundyfarm.org or 703.842.0464) if you have questions or need assistance. Campus visits for these potential students will be scheduled in early December.
8th Grade Pizza Sales Continue Grade 8 students would like to thank everyone who has ordered pizza this year. We thank you for your support and can't wait for our Wilderness Adventure trip, which is paid for thanks to the pizza sales.
If you are interested in ordering pizza on a weekly basis (PDF), please be reminded that envelopes with money and order details need to be sent in to Steve LeBoo or your child's teacher by Wednesday mornings of the weeks you would like pizza for your child. Thanks again!
Using Campus Spaces When using classroom space for an after school meeting or event, please notify Cathy Guertin. Cathy will add the event to Burgundy's internal calendar to help avoid conflicts with other events.
For parties and other large events, the Loft and playing field are available to rent. See page 39 of the Parent Handbook and School Directory for more details. A PDF copy is available on the Family Resources Haiku page.
Calling All Federal Employees If you work for the government or another organization that participates in a United Way or Combined Federal Campaign, please consider making charitable contributions to Burgundy through your workplace, either as a direct gift or through payroll deduction. Tax regulations require Burgundy to receive all pledges in writing. Please send a copy of the United Way or CFC payroll deduction form to the Advancement Office.
Burgundy's United Way number is 8380, and our CFC number is 15325. Please contact Advancement Coordinator Michele McCabe (michelem@burgundyfarm.org or 703.842.0470) with any questions, or learn more about ways to give to Burgundy. |
Don't Forget!
Monday, November 2: Work Smarter session, 3:15 p.m., Library.
Tuesday, November 3: Varsity soccer home game against Congressional, 3:30 p.m., Field. 7 p.m., Sevareid Forum with bestselling author Brigid Schulte, 7 p.m., Gym. Registration required.
Wednesday, November 4: Cross country home meet, 3:30 p.m., Field.
Thursday, November 5: Work Smarter session, 3:15 p.m., Library.
November 5-6: Parent-teacher conferences. School closed, Ex-Day open.
November 7-8: Cove Closing Weekend. Please RSVP to Vini.
Monday, November 9: PAAS Meeting, 6:30 p.m., MS Atrium.
Tuesday, November 10: Volleyball home game against Congressional, 3:30 p.m., Gym. Student Recital, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, November 11: Burgundy Open House 9-11 a.m.; Work Smarter session, 3:15 p.m., Library; Volleyball home game against St. Stephen's & St. Agnes, 3:30 p.m., Gym.
Thursday, November 12: Work Smarter session, 3:15 p.m., Library.
Saturday, November 14: Board of Trustees meeting, 9 a.m., Loft.
Continuing: Dori Gonzalez-Acevedo offers a weekly "Morning Mindfulness" with meditation and yoga, 7:30-8 a.m. Wednesdays, Loft. Note: canceled for November 11.
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Parent Perspective: Java with Jeff
I thought I was taking time off last Friday to mill around chatting at the Java with Jeff last Friday. Then Pat Harden, our school counselor, made my day when she emailed that the event would be a discussion about hectic family lives and finding a way to slow down. It was a precursor to next week's Sevareid Forum, featuring Overwhelmed author Brigid Schulte.
Jeff and Pat led a discussion about how parents work to keep from over-scheduling kids but still wind up fairly consumed with activities outside of school.
As a parent of one of Burgundy's littlest kids, I couldn't help but think, "I hope Anne wants to do that," as parents mentioned soccer, swimming, dance and piano. The pressure is there already! I'm putting it on myself, comparing my family to other families. Then I took a breath, because a big point of the coffee was to talk about resisting the urge to compare.
And it's not just about our kids. We broke into groups to talk about all we are asked to do, and about taking a step back to just say no.
The message was a relief to me; I've probably signed up for a little too much already (and now I want to make time to read that book!). It's reassuring that Jeff and the Burgundy staff care so much about the issue, they're bringing in Brigid for the forum. I'm looking forward to it. - Libby Quaid, parent of Anne Hubbard, JK
DaPonte String Quartet Visits Campus The DaPonte String Quartet was on campus Monday for a performance and Q&A session with students in 4th-8th grades. They used variations of the song "Happy Birthday" to give students a tour of European and American musical history, interpreting the song in various musical styles, from Baroque to cake walk to tango.
Cathy Manley reports that the polka style seemed to be a favorite among several of her 4/5 students. Dae Taylor, 5th grade saxophone player, was amazed at the range of notes of the cello. Middle School students also appreciated the concert. Max Heltzer, 6th grade violinist, said it was inspiring. Sophie Edwards, 7th grade flutist, said the musicians really seemed to enjoy what they were doing, and Nathaniel Chapman, 6th grade violinist, noted that they worked very well together. Priel Felton, 6th grade guitarist and singer, appreciated the wide range of the presentation: he said "Music is universal, and they represented that."
The DaPonte musicians were likewise impressed with Burgundy's students! After playing at hundreds of schools, they said Burgundy was one of the best groups, with knowledgeable and inquisitive students. The musicians' campus visit was made possible thanks to contributions to Burgundy's Annual Giving Fund.
Thank You: First Auction Donation! Thanks to Jonathan Pruett and Kelley Sullivan (parents of Ena Sullivan, 7th grade), who earlier this week delivered the first item for the 2016 Burgundy Auction: a facial mask and spa kit from local business owner Mellenie Runion. Her business Truly-Life creates eco-friendly skin care items. Burgundy's 34th annual auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 5, 2016. Mark your calendars now to join us for this elegant evening! Contact Allison Niedbala with any auction questions. |
Parting Photos
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| Students, teachers, and staff dressed up for Burgundy's Halloween Parade on Tuesday. More photos are on Burgundy's Facebook page. Thanks to parents Caitlin Garvey, Joanne Petty, and Sarah Riseman, as well as staffer Cathy Guertin, for the photos!
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| | Orange, yellow, and green autumn leaves on a tree outside the Main Office. |
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| Ana Burcroff Koons '93 shared photos of baby Quinn sporting his Burgundy bib. One of the ways Burgundy stays in touch with alumni is by sending a bib
to those who share birth announcements.
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