A Note from the Head of School

First, I would like to extend a special thank you to Mary Robinson and Barbara Sklar, who were gracious enough to take on the role of co-chairs for our first Burke’s Grandparents’ Council.
 
We are so excited to create the Grandparents' Council as a way to foster a vehicle for grandparents to be more involved with your grandchildren while supporting Burke’s mission at the same time.
 
There are some major changes ahead in the next couple of years, so we are looking for ways to include more of our Burke’s community, particularly our grandparents. We are looking to you for advice on how we can best communicate with the grandparent community, and we feel that the creation of this council will be a good start.
 
We also want you to be included in the life of the school and the plans for where we are headed so you can be an ambassador for Burke’s. It is no secret since my arrival at Burke’s, the primary goal, and one that I am deeply passionate about, is how we make Burke’s the best school for Kindergarten through eighth grade girls education in the country.
 
The world our girls live in is changing right before our eyes. By the time they are in high school, college, and pursuing their careers, Burke’s alumnae will experience amazing opportunities and challenges. Our mission as educators is to ensure that our girls will be flexible and inventive enough to flourish, no matter what comes their way.
 
Recently, the Makery has showed us the incredible impact a space and philosophy can have on project-based, experiential learning, and we have started to shift and develop our curriculum, across the board, to follow that model. Through professional development, we have largely shifted the mindset of our teachers to embrace this kind of learning — learning that prepares our girls for the modern world.
 
To achieve these goals, in focus and in line with our Strategic Plan, we will be renovating our Lower School classrooms to allow for more project-based learning. We will also continue to focus on curriculum development to keep our program current and at the forefront of educational trends.
 
As you can see, we remain committed to our mission and will continue moving in the right direction to keep us on track to reach our goals, and we are very excited to have you on board as another resource for our girls.
 
It really is about finding ways of communication amongst all of you, as well as being a resource for Burke’s. Whether it is making a connection to bring a speaker here on campus or contributing to the Grandparent Newsletter, we are confident your council will have a positive influence both for our girls and our entire Burke’s community.
 
Thank you again for being such a vital member of our Burke’s family.
 
Warmly,
 
 
Michele Williams
Head of School
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