Our spring teams have become more competitive; the teamwork throughout the school day and during games is beautiful to see, and the leadership from our 8th graders has been phenomenal.
Spring Sports Recap from Jerad
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Admission FAQs
We’ve collected the most frequently asked question from families interested in Burgundy and compiled our answers below. Did we miss your question? Contact us at admission@burgundyfarm.org.
What does progressive education mean at Burgundy?
Progressive education at Burgundy is part of our child-centered educational philosophy. We believe that the educational process is as important as the product. Burgundy teachers focus on the development of the whole child, not merely the academic. The social and emotional development of each child is the foundation for the academic because a child who is happy, confident, and able to work with his or her peers is ready to learn. At Burgundy, this approach can be seen in our small class sizes, group- and project-oriented class work, hands-on experiential learning including service learning, differentiated instruction according to developmental readiness, and integrated curriculum that emphasizes the relationship and inter-dependence of diverse people, places, and ideas. View this comparison sheet to see some of the differenced between traditional and progressive education.
What makes for a good match at Burgundy?
At Burgundy, students, parents, and teachers work in partnership to provide the most successful educational outcome for each child. Students who are a good match for Burgundy typically exhibit the following qualities:
- a genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for learning
- joy in discovery and exploring the natural world
- creativity, excitement in searching for answers to problems
- a preference to be actively engaged in learning by doing and through collaboration
- a desire to contribute to their communities
- a peaceful demeanor and an appreciation of diverse people and perspectives
- the ability to self-regulate and handle numerous transitions throughout the day
- independence and intrinsic motivation.
Students who thrive at Burgundy respond well to the balance of freedom and structure the school provides.
Parents who relish the opportunity to partner and be involved with the school in myriad ways, who appreciate Burgundy’s emphasis on inquiry-based learning, learning by doing, and environmental education, who are open to a developmental, less frantic and less competitive approach to education that preserves children’s innate interest in and love of learning, and who value diversity will be a good fit as Burgundy parents.
What does cooperative education mean at Burgundy?
The fundamental concepts of a cooperative community are established in Early Childhood and re-emphasized throughout the program. At Burgundy our small classes, integrated curriculum, frequent group and project-based work, emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning and teamwork encourage students’ innate enthusiasm for learning. Burgundy’s curriculum emphasizes the relationship and interdependence of people/cultures, places, and ideas across centuries and throughout the world. At Burgundy, the educational process is collaborative, with teachers, students, and parents working in close partnerships.
Do Burgundy students take standardized tests? How do they perform?
In grades 6-8, students take the MAP Growth Assessment in both the Fall and Spring to measure achievement and growth. The test is norm-based by grade and helps teachers target instruction for each individual student. Burgundy students typically perform well above the national norms and at or above the independent school norms. We don’t put too much weight on these results as we consider the tests just one data point among many. The data are helpful as a general measure of relative strengths and areas for growth. They can also provide a helpful sense of student test-taking skills and highlight strategies for performing better on standardized assessments.
Does Burgundy have an age cut-off for applicants?
Yes. Applicants for our Junior Kindergarten must be 4 years of age by September 30 of the year of enrollment; applicants for Kindergarten must be 5 years old by September 30, and so on.
What are your school hours?
Burgundy school hours are 8:25 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, we dismiss all students at 2:15 pm. Morning drop off begins at 8:00am, and afternoon pickup concludes at 3:45pm.
Do you have before or after care available?
Yes, we provide before and after school via the Extended Day Program, or ExDay, between 7am to 6pm daily. ExDay offers both plan and drop-in services. Visit our before & after school page for additional information and rates.
Do you offer meals or snacks?
No, we do not provide lunch as there is no cafeteria on campus. Students should bring a nut-free bag or box lunch clearly marked with his or her name.
Is there a school uniform?
No, but students should dress in a manner that is comfortable and appropriate for school and active play. Students travel often from building to building for classes, and should have adequate outerwear for cold and inclement weather.
What are the possible admission decisions?
Applicants can receive a decision of accepted, declined or wait pool. The wait pool is reserved for applicants that have met all admission requirements but there are not enough spaces in the grade to accommodate the number of qualified applicants. If the Admission Committee finds that the student is not mission-appropriate at the time of application, the applicant will be declined but can reapply during another admission cycle.
How often are students accepted from the waitpool?
Unfortunately, we cannot predict when a space will be available for applicants but applicants remain in the waitpool until the start of the school year. If a space becomes available, the Committee reviews all waitpool candidates and will offer a space to the candidate that will best fit the class. If a space does not become available, waitpool applicants can roll over their application to the next grade and school year.
Is Burgundy Farm Country Day School accredited?
Yes, Burgundy Farm is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. We are also members of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW).
Do I have to visit campus before I apply?
While it is not a requirement, the best way to get to know us is by visiting our Alexandria campus and seeing teachers and classes in action. Families are encouraged to visit the campus during an open house or tour.
Why do we combine grades in our elementary program?
Combining 2nd and 3rd grades and also 4th and 5th grades provides students with unique opportunities to work in a collaborative environment. Combining grades in social studies enables teachers to organize group work so that students develop cooperative social skills and learn to serve in leadership and supporting roles. Students are grouped by grade for math, language arts, and science.
Does Burgundy offer any student support services?
Burgundy has a school counselor, a Lower School reading specialist, a Lower School learning and differentiation specialist, and a Middle School learning and differentiation specialist, along with a health coordinator.
The school is not staffed to support serious learning disabilities or learning or emotional issues that generally would require ongoing specialized services.
Through our selective admission process, Burgundy seeks to admit students who will be successful in our challenging, hands-on program and autonomous and collaborative academic environment. We recognize that each child develops at a unique pace and has his/her own individual learning style. Within the classroom, teachers incorporate a variety of teaching methodologies to make sure that all of our students are challenged and meet their potential as learners.
Our Lower School reading specialist assists students in 1st and 2nd grade who may need additional support in their reading skill development. Our learning and differentiation specialist supports our classroom teachers and provides support for children in Kindergarten through 5th Grade. Sixth- through eighth-graders are supported by our Middle School’s learning and differentiation specialist. The school counselor provides social emotional curricula consultation to teachers and short term social and emotional support for Lower and Middle School students and their families.
Our full-time health coordinator provides health care and administers authorized medications to Burgundy students. All new and any referred students are screened by an independent speech/language pathologist in the fall. Parents may also hire specialists for speech/language or occupational therapy or tutors that may provide their services at the Burgundy campus.
Burgundy is a one-of-a-kind independent school for Junior Kindergarten through 8th Grade. We believe children learn best in an inclusive, creative, and nurturing environment that engages the whole child.
3700 Burgundy Road
Alexandria, VA 22303
703.960.3431
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