Mary (left), with Michele Williams (center), and Christina Norman (GPC vice-chair)

A Special Farewell from Mary Robinson, Grandparents' Council Founding Co-Chair

Three years ago a few of us were having lunch and thinking aloud of ways that we could become more involved with our grandchildren, specifically our granddaughters who were attending Burke’s. “Why not form a group of grandparents, open to all, that would be more engaged in on-campus activities?” And so, the first Grandparents' Council was created. Barbara Sklar gamely agreed to be my co-chair and Christina Norman Vice-Chair. (Somehow having titles seemed important at the time.)

We made a few calls to friends and engaged the help of the amazing Head of School Michele Williams, Filomena Spero, her cohort Selena Shadle and later Erica Obando as our support staff. Our mission and purpose is to provide opportunities to observe firsthand experiences that our granddaughters are enjoying as Burke’s students, to interact with them on campus, to provide inroads for the faculty and staff to speakers and special outings, and to enjoy behind the scenes observations of our granddaughters.

We held our first meeting at Delmar House with a wonderful turnout. And the rest is history! We have become engaged as volunteers in the Library and at lunch duty, helped out at the Fall Festival and Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day, had a very festive “social gathering” at Christina and Geoffrey Norman’s, a lunch meeting in Napa, and had the opportunity to attend assemblies on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and other awesome presentations by the Burke’s students. We have initiated some new events and activities such as the Pansy Day Tea and volunteer participation at school events. And, we are afforded the wonderful opportunity to have Michele attend our meetings and give us first-hand updates on campus activities. All in all very unique and wonderful experiences.

As Founding Co-Chair, I have had the great good fortune to meet other grandparents, make wonderful new friendships, and see my graduating granddaughter Ella ('19) participate in class and at the Fall Festival as well as in sports activities. It is with great enthusiasm that I pass the baton to Barbara Sklar and Christina Norman and newly elected Tom Perkins to carry on this wonderful tradition. JOIN, this is great fun and you’ll love every minute of being part of the Burke’s Grandparents Council!

Sincerely,
Mary Robinson
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    • Mary (left), with Michele Williams (center), and Christina Norman (GPC vice-chair)