Looking ahead to Fall (and Summer)

Dear Burgundy families,

We’ve been in a global pandemic for two months now. We have been apart but together, as the school and families have collaborated, evolved and adjusted in myriad ways to meet the moment. Our efforts have proved our courage and commitment as parents and families and as a school. It’s been hard, no doubt. We’ve built a road literally while walking (nay, running) on it! We remain committed to our mission and philosophy. In a progressive mindset we’ve innovated solutions to innumerable challenges. Burgundy has been the epicenter of our lives more than ever, and we’ve all re-committed with a new sensitivity to our children’s wellness and learning—and to one another’s roles. I am confident that whatever awaits us we together will continue to adapt and maintain a supportive environment in which children learn and grow best.

Moving toward summer we remain ever-hopeful that we will be on campus again by Fall and able to celebrate our community and relationships in person. But we recognize that even a best-case scenario for next Fall will be impacted by the pandemic, and then there’s the immediate question of this summer. In this memo we’ll share basic information about the close of this year, a word about the summer, and more on planning and preparation for different scenarios in the next school year. To help parents process this spring and to talk through feelings and questions on these topics, I’ll also be offering a series of Zoom calls for parents (detailed below) as well as with teachers and staff over the next two plus weeks. We want to talk about the natural questions and worries, along with the things that have sustained us and that will continue to sustain us.

On that last note, this week’s lower and middle school community meetings reminded me of what has sustained me this spring, and that is an inexorable sense of community. That feeling of community has been stronger than ever, and thank goodness! I know I am one of many who feel such gratitude for the mutual care and support we have offered one another. As challenging as each week has been, just seeing our children’s faces, and those of teachers, staff and parents, has lifted me time and again.

Thank you. We all have made sacrifices, but we are coming through.

I know I am not alone in worrying what this summer will look like—for our children and for us as parents and guardians. Final decisions about our summer programming will be made very soon, but I think it’s becoming clear that the summer is not going to unfold exactly as we’d hoped. I can pledge this, however: regardless of whether a regular camp program can run in-person we will make our campuses and our creativity and resources as available as possible, with our School students and families as a first priority. As this picture comes into focus, we are very cognizant of the ongoing burden on families and the cumulative impact on children and adults, and we want to help in each way we can.

As the school year concludes we’ll process all that we have experienced. We know there is a lot to learn, and time will be short. We’ll be gathering lots more feedback from parents and from teachers to inform our efforts and launching all the necessary planning, beginning with the first two weeks of June, with teachers, and then throughout the summer. We will be prepared for whatever awaits us next fall. We recognize also that our taking the first week of June to press aggressively into the immense amount of planning that is necessary to prepare for diverse possibilities, while well intentioned, may ring as callous to demands on parents. We are taking time we would not have otherwise to generate feedback for students and parents and to give us more time for planning with teachers. In support of our families during these extra planning days, we will provide students with some activities (see below).

Review of the remainder of SPRING

There are two more full weeks of classes this year, taking us through Friday, May 29. 

• Students will be taught via remote learning through May 29. (8th grade will end remote learning a day earlier, on May 28.)

• The first week of June, Lower School students will enjoy a selection of offerings from specials teachers and other favorite Burgundy folks. We will continue to have activities for Middle School students such as optional arts block, wrapping up outstanding work, graduation prep, and more. 

• We will be making every effort to ensure that students will complete the year with the skills and content knowledge that will allow them to thrive, knowing that we will pick up with them where they are in the Fall.

• Memorial Day (Monday, May 25) is a national holiday; no classes will be held.

• Each class will hold end-of-year celebrations—albeit in different ways than normal. Please mark your calendars per teacher communications and look for more details to follow. For now: 

Lower School: Each class will be marking the end of the year and holding celebrations including Zoom parties and goodbye projects. Each classroom will be sending out information in the coming weeks with the particulars. Our last Small School Meeting will be May 27 and we will also take part in the all school Moving Up Zoom Ceremony on June 3.

Middle School: Please see the “Last 2 Weeks Overview in the Middle School.” 

SUMMER

We continue to refine plans for summer and we will communicate decisions regarding programming in the next few days. As part of this, our auxiliary services team has been developing a range of possibilities for students and families. We are considering academic options for students, engaging and exciting enrichment programs that will bring the fun of camp to campers wherever they are, family- and community-building events, opportunities for professional learning, and more. Our goal for the summer will be the same it has been during these last months of the official school year—to be there for our families and to support you in as many ways as we can.

FALL

Even with the pandemic’s unknown course and not knowing what our reality in the Northern Virginia and D.C. region will be, we remain committed to starting school on Tuesday, September 8. We are ready to advocate for independent schools and Burgundy in particular, under the right conditions, to open our campus. Most important, we remain committed to our Burgundy core values and philosophy, and these will guide our planning. Whatever scenarios we face next year we’ll continue to emphasize: learning by doing and creating engagement and excitement in learning; collaboration and cherishing our diversity—and learning from it; learning in and from Nature; and being creative and innovative. We’ll be attending to scenarios for next year with each of these in mind, designing the most developmentally friendly and engaging program we can for each. Our incredible indoor/outdoor campus, spread-out layout of age-specific classroom buildings, and small student body are all assets.

We’re assembling a Burgundy Re-Opening Task Force, and we already have begun planning for a range of different scenarios for the fall. At a high level (and these could intermix), these are the general scenarios for which we’ll be readying. In our coming town hall Zooms and in future memos through the summer we’ll expand our explanations as we know more:

a) Back on Campus Model: a better-case scenario with a more regular start to the year; we’re on campus, with required health and safety adjustments;

b) On Campus with Alternating Attendance Model: we’re on campus but not all at once, either in partial classes, or in staggered or alternating attendance, to allow for more physical distancing;

c) Blended On/Off-campus Model: we are forced to begin the year off campus and/or we are forced to move to remote online learning at some point in the year;

d) Remote Learning Model: we’re unable to be on campus for the majority of next year and building on what we and educators around the world have learned we will orchestrate the best experience we can via online and other creative and distanced means.

Regardless of which scenarios we believe to be more likely and what variation of one or more of them materializes, our response to the immense challenges will have to continue to be community-minded and mission-focused. You, our community, are our greatest resource. Caring for you, hearing your feedback, and planning for next year, whatever comes, is the work in front of us.

Transitional Planning

Trustees, parents, faculty and staff, and even friends of the school with special expertise may be asked to serve on a work group, such as one of the following (names are placeholders for now): 

• Campus Reopening Task Force

• Academic Program Task Force

• Finance and Business Task Force

*Note: An expanded Head’s Council for now will serve as a fac-staff COVID/back-to-school advisory and members and other faculty-staff may serve on the three work groups above.

Leadership & Decision-Making

The admin team and board are working closely to evaluate needs, risks, and opportunities associated with our current situation and planning for what’s coming. We are operating a ‘Command Central’ composed of administrative and board leadership. This group meets every few days, if not daily, and can function as an emergency risk-assessment or quick-response unit. Our Board contingent is led by parent Joanne Petty, Board President, parent Chad Breckinridge, Risk Committee Chair, and Board Executive Committee members: alumni parent Seileen Mullen, parent Ama Adams, and parent/alum Allen O’Neill. Major decisions follow their normal process of full Board and administrative approval.

Town Hall Zoom Calls

To discuss these and other matters, I will offer several opportunities for parents to meet and ask questions of a trustee and of me next week. Each Zoom call will be limited to 15 attendees to allow for ample conversation.

The time slots are as follows:
Monday, May 18, 7-8 p.m.
Monday, May 18, 8-9 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20, 7-8 p.m.
Thursday, May 21, 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Friday, May 22, 7:30-8:30 a.m

To join one of these conversations, please RSVP to Cathy Guertin at cathyg@burgundyfarm.org and list your preferred time(s)—1st, 2nd, 3rd choices. You will then receive the Zoom link and login information. Note: if we have more interest we will add Zooms!

I look forward to speaking with many of you (we had a great JK family Zoom last night!). While we can’t know what the future holds we will address whatever blend of scenarios comes our way, together, resolute, grounded in our Burgundy values, and anchored by a long history of giving children a supportive community and a well rounded and developmentally friendly learning experience.

Jeff

Head of School