BBA Bullhorn

November 2009

November 2, 2009

Calendar

November

3 VSAC Financial Aid Night, 7 pm, Rowland Center
6 Calliope Cafe, 6:30 pm in the Rowland Center’s Scranton Room
9 Freshmen and New Parent Forum, 6 pm, Hunter Seminar Room
11 Full-day Faculty In-Service – No school
11-14 Play On! in the Riley Center, 6:30 pm
12 Winter Sports Mandatory Parent/Athlete Meeting, 6 pm
16 Winter Sports begin
18-19 Senior College Application Work Sessions 12:30 – 3:30 pm
18-19 Parent Conferences. Early dismissal at 12:35 pm
25-27 Thanksgiving Break

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,

I am delighted to report that we are back to full strength after the extraordinarily high absentee rates during the week of October 18. Now we can look forward to the busy days of November. This month, we have:

* Soccer playoffs. This is the first year that we are in Division I, and we are in the dangerous position of being considered “favorites” for the State title.
* Play On! a comedy, opens for a four-day run at the Riley Center on November 11. If it is like any other stage production at this school, you can be assured that it will be high caliber, professional, inspiring, and (since it is a comedy) funny show.
* Freshmen and New Parent Forum, November 9, 6 pm. The Parents Association is sponsoring a forum for parents of freshmen and new students to help you navigate the next four years. You will hear from a number of academic leaders as well as veteran Burr and Burton parents. I look forward to meeting our newest families at this event.
* Annual Giving Campaign. Our “Raise the Bar” challenge is in full swing. If you are a new donor or you increase your gift from last year, I will personally invite you to a celebration in February. Your support at any level is very important.

We are also entering the heart of the semester. With mid-terms complete, leaves off the trees, and shorter days, I suggest this is the perfect time of year for Burr and Burton students to hunker down and focus on their academic work. Your support of our educational goals is, as always, appreciated.

Sincerely,

Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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From the Athletic Department

Important Winter Sports Information Night

The mandatory winter sports parent/athlete meeting will be held Thursday, November 12, at 6 pm in the following locations:

Boys Basketball: Hunter Seminar Room
Alpine Skiing: gym
Nordic Skiing: Wellness classroom off the gym lobby
Girls Basketball: John Wright’s room #31 in the Seminary Building
Snowboarding: gym
Dance: Barb Miceli’s room #221 Rowland Center

November 16 All winter sports begin practice.

All freshmen and transfer students who did not play a fall sport will need a physical exam prior to participating. All returning students must have had a physical exam after March 2008.

Physical forms and permission forms can be downloaded from the schools web site burrburton.org. These completed forms must be brought to the meeting on November 12 or mailed (attn. Kathi Bierwirth) to the school before November 12 (please identify the sport on the form).

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Director of Athletics Kathi Bierwirth at 549-8119.

Attention All Theater-goers and Winter Sports Sign-up families: Spaghetti Dinner on November 12

Ever feel stressed finding time to squeeze in dinner prep when evening commitments force you out? Escape the hectic hassle of the kitchen and join us for an all-you-can-eat pasta dinner on Thursday, November 12, from 5-8 pm in the Rowland Center. Waiters and waitresses from the boys’ and girls’ ice hockey teams will proudly serve up a delicious dinner for all. Please come and support us and enjoy great time. Admission: $7 adults, $5 students with a maximum charge of $20 per family.

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Parent – Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled this semester for Wednesday, November 18 from 1 pm – 5 pm and Thursday, November 19, from 1 pm – 8 pm with a break from 5:00-5:45 for dinner. Students will be dismissed at 12:35 on both days. Scheduling is done again this year online starting November 5 at: https://www.pickatime.com/client?ven=11601183. This link will also be available on our web site: www.burrburton.org in the Parents Center.

All parents are encouraged to schedule appointments with teachers. If you have any questions or are having problems scheduling appointments, please email us at stowslee@burrburton.org.

Helpful Hints: The pick-a-time software is VERY sensitive to both case and punctuation. Please follow the examples exactly in order to register. The most common problem when trying to set up appointments is not entering your student’s birth date correctly. It needs to be entered exactly as the example is shown: mm-dd-yyyy. Also, if you are a split family, and another parent has already made appointments, you will need to contact us at stowslee@burrburton.org so that we can “clone” your student.

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From the Advancement Office

Annual Giving Campaign Kick-off – Raise the Bar Challenge
Be on the lookout for Mark Tashjian’s letter asking for your support of the 2009 – 2010 Annual Giving Campaign. Mark has a challenge out to our parents – all new donors and any donors who increase their annual gift will be invited to our Raise the Bar celebration party in February of 2010. Mark is encouraging all parents to participate in the Annual Giving Campaign. Every gift counts and we want your support. Please be as generous as you can and respond quickly to the parent appeal letter – return those pledge cards or make a gift. You can also give online to save time and having to track down a stamp. Thank you!

Freshmen and New Parent Forum
On Monday night, November 9, 2009, from 6 – 7:30 pm, the Parent Association is hosting a Freshmen and New Parent Forum in the Hunter Seminar Room, in the library of the Smith Center. The program will include a presentation on Technology at Burr and Burton, a curricular overview by Jen Hyatt, Dean of Studies, an update on the Mountain Campus by Mark Tashjian, and a panel of “seasoned” parents who will discuss what freshmen parents need to know to navigate through four years of high school. Light refreshments will be served and we would appreciate knowing if you will be attending. Please call Amy Comar at 549-8281 or e-mail her at acomar@burrburton.org. Questions can be directed to Eve Perni (362-0775) and Margaret Saling (362-1776), co-chairs of the Parent Association Welcoming Committee.

Mountain Campus Ribbon-cutting Ceremony

Celebrating the completion of Phase I of the project, Burr and Burton Academy marked the opening of the entry to the Mountain Campus in Peru on October 23 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a small reception on the site. Attending were trustees, Advisory Council members, and other invited guests including former Headmaster Chuck Scranton and Mountain Campus Committee members Mark Wright, Jack Phillips, and Tony Whaling.

“Today’s ceremony marks an important milestone not only in the development of this project, but in the history of this school,” said Headmaster Tashjian stated “It brings us one step closer to creating a program that will provide authentic, powerful opportunities for students to engage in hands-on scientific research and environmental studies, develop leadership skills, and instill an abiding appreciation for the magnificence of the natural world.”

Small groups of students will begin to visit the campus this coming winter for special environmental education projects. A post and beam cabin is currently under construction which will serve as a temporary shelter for ongoing programs. Plans for a permanent, state of the art, energy efficient L.E.E.D. certified building are underway.

E-Mail Addresses
It is very important that we have current e-mail addresses for all our parents. Unless you’ve turned in an e-mail address on the summer data collection sheet, you will not be receiving e-mail notices from the school. Please return your data collection sheet as soon as possible if you have not already done so.

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From the Performing Arts Department

Burr and Burton Academy Presents “Play On” November 11-14

Don’t miss the Performing Arts Department’s fall production of Rick Abbot’s hilarious comedy “Play On!” The show looks at how a local community theater company navigates the final days of rehearsal of an original old English-style murder mystery play ”Murder Most Foul.” The actors are squabbling, the director is losing control, the author keeps rewriting, and opening night fulfills the old theatrical adage that “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong!” The performances run from November 11 through November 14 at 6:30 pm in the Riley Center for the Arts. Tickets are $6 for Burr and Burton students and faculty and $10 for the general public. You can purchase your tickets online at: bba.ticketjunior.com. For 24-hour information, please call 802-549-8224.

Click here for a look at the commercial shot by the Digital Film students.

Calliope Café has been re-scheduled to November 6, at 6:30 pm in the Rowland Center’s Scranton Room. This is an evening of live entertainment in a coffee house environment to display student talent in all areas of the performing arts; many styles of music are represented as well as dancing, acting, and poetry reading. Drinks and dessert are provided throughout the night. Admission: $5 adults and $3 students.

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From the Library

Art Display
Mrs. Silver’s ceramic students have an ongoing display in the library of their favorite pieces. From teapots and bowls to sneakers and vases – please stop by to view this colorful display of student creativity.

Newspapers
Newspapers are available for students and teachers to use for a relaxing flip through or for photocopying an article for class. If you missed an article about Burr and Burton, we archive them all – just ask to see our BBA in the News book.

Websites to Check Out
The Biography Maker http://fromnowon.org/bio/biomak2.htm

Country Information http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

US Primary Sources http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amhome.html

Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org

Library Stats
Since school began 40 classes per week are scheduling time in the library! In addition it is SRO in the morning before school –we do not have enough seats to accommodate the students who choose to start their day in the library.

The top authors being read this week include Stephen King, Stephenie Meyer, Tim O’Brien, Libba Bray and Jon Krakauer.

New arrivals

First Darling of the Morning by Thrity Umrigar

Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

On Ugliness by Umberto Eco

Enchanted Hunters by Maria Tatar

We hope you enjoy your Lisa B. Tuttle Library experience. If you have any suggestions or comments we would love to hear them. Just stop by the Library and tell us!

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

Library Hours:

Monday-Thursday 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 1:00 pm

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School and College Counseling

VSAC Paying for College Night

Information about the Financial Aid Process
Tuesday, November 3, at 7 pm, in the Rowland Center

Seniors
Keep those applications coming! Let us help you brainstorm essays, review applications and consider good matches. Many seniors have already submitted one application; other students are still working through the initial process. A good rule of thumb is to apply before the December break. Remember to have your test scores sent directly to the colleges from the College Board or ACT. We’re here to assist and support you.

If you still need to schedule some campus visits, consider taking advantage of days and times when there are no classes: Wednesday, November 11 is an in-service day for teachers only. There are also two early release days (for parent conferences) on Wednesday, November 18 and Thursday, November 19. We will also host after-school application sessions in the Moritz Lab following early dismissal on November 18 and 19.

AP Exam Information
All students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses during the 2009-2010 school year are required to pay their exam fee of $86 per exam by November 10. Students may bring in cash or checks (made out to Burr and Burton Academy) to Cristin Rose or Lynne Welsh in the School and College Counseling Office. There are fee waivers available for eligible students. All students enrolled in AP courses are required by Burr and Burton to take the AP exam. AP exams will be held May 3 – May 13.

Castleton On-The-Spot Admission Program
Seniors with completed applications have an opportunity to interview with Castleton admission counselors at Burr and Burton and immediately receive their admission decision. Sign up in the School and College Counseling Office if you’d like to participate in this program that will take place on Tuesday, December 8.

Juniors Class Update
College-bound juniors took the PSAT on October 14 and those results are due in December.

Beginning in late January, when we will have completed our most intense period of work with the current seniors, we will conduct individual meetings with juniors.

Upcoming College Visits
Juniors and seniors may be excused from class, with teacher permission, to attend college meetings. Students and parents can find our most up-to-date list at http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton.We post a paper calendar inside the School and College Counseling Office and we also remind students through daily announcements.

College Athletics
Seniors interested in playing intercollegiate athletics next year need to register at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. Stop in the School and College Counseling Office for assistance or computer access.

Selective Service Registration
Eighteen-year-old males need to register with the U.S. Selective Service at www.sss.gov. Male students need to do so in order to be eligible for federal financial aid.

SAT/ACT Registration Information
We recommend that juniors hold off on these tests until the spring semester when they will have had a chance to review PSAT results and take a prep class, if desired.
Seniors should note that November 12 is the end of the late registration period for the SAT on December 5 at Burr and Burton. Go to www.collegeboard.com.
Seniors who want to take the December 12 ACT at another school should register by the Nov. 6 deadline at www.actstudent.org.

Scholarships
Forms for all of the scholarships listed below are available in the School and College Counseling Office. This scholarship information is also listed on the Naviance website at http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton.

Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship
Eligibility: senior, employment, community service, leadership, financial need
Award: $4,000 – $60,000; Deadline: November 2
Application online at www.elks.org/enf/scholars

AXA Achievement Scholarship
Eligibility: students who set and reach ambitious goals, demonstrate drive, determination and ability to succeed in college, respect for self, family and community
Award: $10,000; Deadline: December 15
Online Application: www.axa-achievement.com

American Legion of Vermont Scholarship
Eligibility: seniors accepted at approved or accredited school or college,
Award: $1,500; $1,000; or $500; Deadline: April 1
Application information online: www.legionvthq.com

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October 2009

October 1, 2009

Calendar

October

7   Junior Parent College Night, 7 pm
10   SATs
12   Columbus Day – No School
14   Senior Workshops PLAN & PSATs, 8:00 -11:30 am
16   Grandparents Day
24   ACTs
28   End of the Marking Period
29-30   Midterm Exams

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,

In the coming weeks, you will receive an invitation and a request, one which I announced at last week’s Parent Open House. The invitation is to join us in an event we are calling “Raise the Bar,” a celebration of those parents who either are first-time annual fund donors or who increase their annual fund donation from last year. The request, of course, is to participate in the annual fund. Here’s why:

One hallmark of Burr and Burton is the astounding array of opportunities available for our students to find excellence: in the classroom, on the sports field, in the dance studio, on stage, in our technology labs, making digital films, woodworking, creating art, working on service-learning projects….the list goes on and on. Each student here has the opportunity to explore their talents and passions, and it is through the annual fund that we are able to support these programs financially; tuition simply does not cover all of our costs. So, please look out for the upcoming letter, or simply respond to this note by clicking on the link below to make a pledge.

I support the “Raise the Bar” campaign.

We have now hit full stride in the school year. With October’s arrival, the school year is no longer “new,” and we now entering the most productive period in the semester. This month, there is a lot going on: Homecoming Weekend, the two-week visit of 20 students from our sister school in Germany, NECAP and PSAT testing, and a variety of other events that keep this place vibrant and busy. Please read through this month’s edition of the Bullhorn so you are well aware of what is going on.

Thank you for supporting this great school.

Sincerely yours,

Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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Homecoming Weekend October 8-10

The BBA Booster Club presents Diamonds and Denim Casino Night on Saturday October 10, from 7:30 pm until 11:30 pm, at the Eagles in Manchester. Tickets are $25 per person and include initial chips and food. There will be door prizes, and a Chinese auction. Games include black jack, wheel of fortune, craps, roulette. Come try your luck and benefit the Burr and Burton athletes.

Homecoming weekend begins on Thursday, October 8, with JV boys and girls soccer games at 4 pm on. Following the games there will be a Teams Parade at 6 pm, a cookout, and the traditional pep rally and bonfire at 7:30 in the upper parking lot.

On Friday, the girls and boys varsity soccer teams will play at Applejack Field; the boys at 5 pm and the girls at 7 pm. On Saturday morning at 10 am the JV Gold boys and girls soccer teams will play at 10 am. Starting at noon a chicken BBQ Tailgate party will be held on the field. The Varsity football game against Otter Valley kicks off at 2 pm. The Varsity Field Hockey team will play at 4 pm and the JV team will host Mt. Anthony at 3 pm. There will also be a Golf Ball Drop at 3:30.

A Burr and Burton Alumni hospitality tent will be in front of the library facing Pettibone Field on Saturday from 12 – 5 pm.

The Homecoming Dance for all students, sponsored by the Booster Club, will be held in the gym Saturday night from 8 – 11 pm. Admission is $3.

From the Booster Club
Last year, thanks to the efforts of the Burr and Burton Booster Club and numerous volunteers, we had a very successful and fun homecoming weekend. We would like to build on that success and stage another big weekend this year. On Thursday we will have a School Spirit Parade, a cookout, and bonfire. On Saturday beginning at noon, the Booster Club will be hosting a chicken barbeque on the main field. The last event planned for the day is a dance for the students sponsored by the Student Council and Parents’ Association. Naturally, we need parent and student volunteers to work the concessions at the different sporting events but we also need the parents to contribute food for the Thursday night BBQ, which will be free of charge to all students. Below is a list of the items we need:

Hot Dogs: 600
Hot Dog Rolls: 50 dozen
Chips: individual portion packages
Condiments
Desserts: cookies and brownies
Bottled water: 40 cases

Parents should e-mail Kathi Bierwirth at kbierwirth@burrburton.org and let her know what they can contribute.

Thanks for your support,

Terry Merrow
President
BBA Booster Club

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From the Advancement Office

Annual Giving Campaign
With the appearance of the beautiful fall colors and the start of school, we kick off the Annual Giving Campaign. This campaign is vital in supporting the many opportunities that are available to your student throughout the year. Your support of the annual fund provides sports equipment, field trip opportunities, art supplies, clay for the ceramics studio, frogs for the science labs and so much more.

Parents – you have a vested interest in the education we provide here and we need your support. If everyone participates, if everyone gives what they can, we can meet the challenge of raising $450,000. The size of the gift doesn’t matter, but participation does.

Giving our young people a strong start, arming them with the skills they will need to go on to college, the military or into the job market is crucial to their success. But we need your help to make this happen.

You’ll be receiving an Annual Giving Campaign appeal shortly. Please read and respond to it by making a gift. It’s an important investment in your student’s future.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day
We recently sent out the invitation for Grandparents and Special Friends Day planned for Friday, October 16. We have an interesting program lined up so please encourage your student’s grandparents or special friend to attend. If you need more information, please contact Nancy Brown in the Advancement Office at nbrown@burrburton.org. You can also find the invitation and registration form on our web site in the Parents center.

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From the Health Clinic

H1N1 Flu Guidelines

• Students with flu-like symptoms (fever greater than 100 degrees, and cough or sore throat) must be kept home until they are fever-free for 24 hours.

• Students will be dismissed from school if they have a fever greater than 100 degrees, and cough or sore throat.

• If your student has been out of school with flu-like symptoms, he/she must stop into the Health Clinic for a temperature check before attending their first class. The student must be FEVER FREE FOR 24 HOURS WITHOUT FEVER-REDUCING AGENTS (such as Tylenol or Advil).

• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers have been mounted at the entrance of the campus’s main buildings; please encourage your student to use these sanitizers as much as possible.

• If your student has had a medically confirmed or highly probable case of H1N1 flu, please let the Health Clinic know as we are tracking school cases.

• To date, we have had roughly 10 cases of unconfirmed though highly probable H1N1 flu.

• We will continue to communicate with you about the level and type of illness being seen at our school and again, we ask for your assistance with the above guidelines to help decrease the spread of this influenza among students and staff.

Megan Cornell R.N.
Health Clinic Director

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Travel Opportunities

Trip to Guadeloupe in April
Announcing a community service French immersion trip to Guadeloupe in April 2010! We will be staying with families, doing community service, and enjoying the fun to be had on this Caribbean island that is an overseas department of France. The trip is open to all current and former French students. More information and downloadable forms can be found at https://sites.google.com/a/burrburton.org/mme-emery/home/links . Contact Michelle Emery at memery@burrburton.org for more details. A meeting for parents will be held at 6 pm on Thursday, October 8 in my classroom (Rowland Center 226).

Trip To Panama
If any student taking Spanish is considering a trip in the spring to Panama, please see Sue Ritchie. There are a few spots left. Students need to be in good standing with grades and all of the school rules.

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From the Library

Banned Books Week
In support of the right to choose books freely for ourselves, the ALA and the Lisa B. Tuttle Memorial Library sponsored Banned Books Week September 26 through October 3, an annual celebration of our right to access books without censorship. This year’s observance commemorates the most basic freedom in a democratic society—the freedom to read freely—and encourages us not to take this freedom for granted.

Banned Books Week has reminded us that while not every book is intended for every reader, each of us has the right to decide for ourselves what to read, listen to or view. This year, we featured a display of many of the books now considered “classics” that have been challenged in the U.S. since the inception of Banned Books Week in 1982. For further information about Banned Books Week, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/index.cfm

New Projection System
This fall, we added a wireless projection system to our library computer lab area allowing faculty more creativity with their use of computer technology during instruction. The teacher’s laptop can project onto a wall-size screen, allowing the entire class to view varied programs, instructional materials, software demonstrations, shared websites, and keynote presentations. Students can simultaneously view the instructor’s screen and continue to work at their own terminals.

New Portfolio Books
For students working to create portfolios, we recently purchased :

Creating the Breakthrough Portfolio: Strategies for Managing a Successful Career by Ken Thurlbeck. The book guides students through the essential steps in creating a portfolio that reflects who they really are, and includes a unique plan for defining your own “brand” or “image.”

Building Design Portfolios: Innovative Concepts for Presenting Your Work by Sara Eisenman offers tips and tricks, as well as the dos and don’ts; it also provides plenty of inspiration from a wide collection of portfolios, both virtual and real life.

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

Library Hours

Mondays – Thursdays 7 am – 4 pm

Fridays 7 am – 1 pm

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2010 Yearbooks

Burtonian 2010

Attention Senior Families and Friends

It is time to reserve a space in the 2010 Burtonian yearbook for your Family Recognition ad.

This is a place for you to give your senior student a shout out for all their hard work.

Each ad is 2.5 in x 3.5 in and can hold one image and some writing or just an image or just writing. The writing should be no more than 50 words.

Some parents have already submitted three images for their senior students; one of these images will be used for the ad space if desired.

There is a charge of $30 for each ad. There is limited space so please get your ads in by November 9, 2009.

Please make checks out to BBA Yearbook Senior Ad.

Ads can be emailed to yearbook@burrburton.org

Thank you,
Alex Vincent
Yearbook Advisor

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From the Performing Arts Department

The Performing Arts Department’s Calliope Cafe will be held in the Rowland Center at 6:30 pm Friday, October 23,, 2009. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for the general public.

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Refuse to Use Events for October

Event #1 TOBACCO
Thursday, October 8, in the Hunter Seminar Room
Freshmen 3 pm – 4:30 pm
Sophomores 5 pm – 6:30 pm

Thursday, October 22^,in the Hunter Seminar Room
Juniors 3 pm – 4:30 pm
Seniors 5 pm – 6:30 pm

Please plan ahead and make arrangements for your child to attend their grade level event.

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School and College Counseling

College Workshop for Parents of Juniors
Come to the Rowland Center for a discussion about the college admission process for parents on Wednesday, October 7, at 7 pm. Following a brief presentation on the college search, standardized testing, and related topics we’ll open the floor for questions. Please join us to learn how to explore the opportunities for your student. We will begin scheduling individual appointments with juniors in February once we have completed the fall application season with seniors.

Sophomore and Junior Testing October 14
Sophomores will take the PLAN on the morning of Wednesday, October 14. The PLAN helps students measure their current academic development and explore career training options. It is a test that has value for students planning to enter college as well as those entering the workforce.

Most juniors will take the PSAT (a preliminary, or practice, SAT) on Wednesday, October 14, during school hours. Students need bring the $15 registration fee (checks should be made out to BBA and fee waivers are available to students on free/reduced lunch) to Lynne Welsh in the School & College Counseling Office by October 6. The PSAT is a wonderful opportunity for students who have completed geometry to assess their testing skills.

Juniors who don’t wish to participate in PSAT will take a career-oriented field trip to local businesses or will remain on campus under the supervision of the Deans of Students.

October 14 Schedule for Freshmen and Seniors
While the sophomores and juniors are testing on the morning of October 14, freshmen will report to school as usual for alternative activities. Seniors may sleep a little longer but are encouraged to arrive at 9 am when Ms. Hyatt will conduct an essay writing workshop and counselors will assist students in completing applications in the computer labs. Seniors who have already completed their applications and have had them checked by counselors may sleep later. Regular classes for all students (9-12) will resume at 11:00.

Standardized Testing Registration for Seniors
For seniors who need additional testing:

October 1 is the deadline for the November 7 (not offered at BBA)

October 30 is the deadline for the December 5 SAT at BBA

November 6 is the deadline for the December 12 ACT (not offered at BBA)

Pick up these forms outside the School and College Counseling Office or register online at www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org. Please note that Burr and Burton does not collect the fees for the SAT or ACT; you must register directly with these organizations. Juniors will begin taking these tests in the spring semester.

Advanced Placement Exam Information
All students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses during the 2009-2010 school year are required to pay their exam fee of $86 per exam by November 10. Students may bring in cash or checks (made out to BBA) to Cristin Rose or Lynne Welsh in the School and College Counseling Office. There are fee waivers available for eligible students. All students enrolled in AP courses are required by Burr and Burton to take the AP exam. AP exams will be held May 3 – May 13.

Application Reminders for Seniors
Refer to your son or daughter’s Burr and Burton Academy College Application Guide for upcoming deadlines. Seniors should have already submitted requests for teacher recommendations. Students who plan to complete their applications during the month of November need to have their essays and applications to their school and college counselor by October 19 for a final review. Students with December applications should have a first draft ready for their counselor during the week of November 2.

Is your student experiencing a roadblock? Please contact your student’s School and College counselor regarding your concerns. We are regularly meeting with seniors throughout the fall to brainstorm essays, discuss college prospects, review applications and more.

Students planning to apply to the University of Vermont should apply by November 1 to take advantage of an application fee waiver for all Vermont students. Students who apply to this non-binding early action program also receive a reply by the December vacation break! Students who decide to apply to UVM after November 1 will need to pay an application fee and must patiently wait until late February to learn the admission decision.

VSAC Financial Aid Night November 3
The annual Vermont Student Assistance Corporation Financial Aid road show comes to Burr and Burton on Tuesday, November 3. Parents of juniors and seniors will especially benefit from attendance. The VSAC representative will present the principles and basic steps of the financial aid process and review the different parts of the various financial aid forms. Come to the Rowland Center at 7 pm.

Campus Visits
Seniors who haven’t yet visited colleges are strongly advised to make plans to do so as soon as possible. While scheduling college visits on holidays, during vacations and on weekends is preferable, we understand that it is sometimes necessary for students to miss school. When parents notify school in advance, campus visits are excused absences, although they still count toward the 14-absence total for individual classes. Wednesday, November 11, is a particularly good day to visit colleges because it is a faculty in-service day at Burr and Burton.

College Visitors
Juniors and seniors may be excused from class, with teacher permission, to meet with college representatives visiting Burr and Burton this fall. As of October 1, twenty-five colleges have scheduled appointments for the month of October. Please check the college visit list on Naviance (http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton). Daily announcements will also serve as a reminder of these appointments. College visits provide students with a great opportunity to make a connection with the representative to ask questions and learn the most current campus information.

Contact Information
Don’t hesitate to call us if you have a question, a concern or feedback. We welcome all contact and the opportunity to work with you to assure the quality of your student’s Burr and Burton experience.

Phil Anton, Director of Admission and School Counseling, counselor for all freshmen
549-8125; panton@burrburton.org
Andrea Hogan, School and College Counselor for sophomores, juniors and seniors
549-8145; ahogan@burrburton.org
Melissa Michaud, School and College Counselor for sophomores, juniors and seniors
549-8130; mmichaud@burrburton.org
Cristin Rose, School and College Counselor for sophomores, juniors and seniors
549-8126; crose@burrburton.org

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September 2009

September 1, 2009

Calendar

September

3 School Photos
7 Labor Day. No School.
16 Senior Parent College Night, 7 pm
18 University of Vermont College Fair, 7:15 am – 3:00 pm
24 Open House for Parents, 6 pm, Rowland Center

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From the Headmaster

Dear Parents,

After a busy summer of sprucing up the campus, Burr and Burton welcomed over 700 students this past week, including 50 international students. The senior class is the largest ever, with 216 students. The junior class has 172 students, the sophomore class has 183, and the incoming freshman class has 135 students.

As you may know, we have adopted the theme of Responsibility—to self, to community to guide discussions throughout the year. Here’s why: Study after study shows that it is not IQ or “intelligence” or god-given talent that determines success—it is perseverance and grit and hard work and follow-though that leads to success in school and success in the professional world. Every one of your kids can be phenomenally successful if they put forth the effort and take responsibility for their actions.

Burr and Burton offers a rich array of opportunities and a place where every student should find someone with whom to connect. Our faculty strives to bring to each student the attention and care that he or she deserves and that are the hallmarks of this school. It is our responsibility to provide the educational opportunity; it is each student’s responsibility to make the most of it. We ask for your support in emphasizing our theme of Responsibility.

I look forward to working together to keep Burr and Burton growing, improving, changing, and redefining excellence so this school continues to be a source of pride to us all. There is terrific energy in the air around here that comes with the start of a year filled with possibilities. On behalf of the entire faculty, I want to welcome your sons and daughters back to school.

Sincerely yours,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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From the Assistant Headmaster

We have adopted a new attendance policy this year. Please be sure you and your student are familiar with this new policy as excessive absences will now be reflected in your child’s final grade.

From the Student and Parent Handbook 2009-2010, p. 17:
“Consistent attendance at school allows students to fully benefit from the rich and diverse curriculum offered at Burr and Burton Academy. Not only does good attendance reinforce and enrich the learning process, it also establishes patterns and attitudes that will carry forward into adult work habits. Most important, students with good attendance can contribute and benefit from the work of their peers in ways that cannot be measured through traditional assessment methods. It is these dynamic interactions that make a school a healthy and stimulating learning environment….”

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact by e-mail at shoughton@burrburton.org.

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From the Dean of Students

Attendance Reminder
If your son or daughter is ill or has a viable reason to be out of school, please contact Mrs. Towslee by calling 362-1775 ext. 0. If a phone call is not possible, a written note explaining the absence must be given to the Main Office on the day your child returns to school. This system saves time and prevents your child from being marked as unexcused.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact by e-mail at acirelli@burrburton.org.

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From the Advancement Office

The campus has come alive again with students, faculty and staff. It’s a nice change from the quiet “daze” of summer at BBA. We welcome all returning families and new families to the school. There are many opportunities to get involved with the school in support of your child’s education.

The Parent Association is looking for volunteers to serve on various committees, as well as the Booster Club. If you wish to sign up, please call Amy Comar in the Advancement Office at 549-8281 or e-mail her at acomar@burrburton.org.

The Annual Appreciation Report will be coming out shortly thanking all of our donors and volunteers for their support last year. We hope you will take a moment to look through it. We are also grateful to our corporate sponsors and encourage you to patronize these businesses as they strongly support our Burr and Burton community.

We will be gearing up for this year’s Annual Giving Campaign shortly and will be asking for parent volunteers to help with writing notes on our solicitation letters. If you can help, just give a call to the Advancement Office at 549-8281.

We hope your student has a successful year and again, a warm welcome to all new Burr and Burton families .

Shop at Hannafords? Support Burr and Burton!
Burr and Burton participates in the program Hannaford Helps. Buy specially marked items and show your receipt at the Hannaford Helps display at checkout. A percentage of those specially marked items will go to support Burr and Burton. The program runs from September 6 to December 6. Every dollar counts!

Grandparents Day
Grandparents Day is Friday, October 16. Please make certain our Registrar has the contact information for your student’s grandparents. Please let your grandparents know of this day. Invitations will be sent shortly but if you think we do not have a grandparents address, please feel free to extend the invitation to attend and please RSVP to Nancy Brown 802-549-8281 or nbrown@burrburton.org

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Lunch Accounts

You can visit mymealtime.com and set up an account to view your student’s lunch account. You can check balances, see what your student has purchased and add funds to the account by debit or credit card. You will need a unique ID number in order to establish the account. Please email mharvey@burrburton.org to obtain the ID number.

Students need healthy meals to learn. Hunger pains are a distraction to learning. Burr and Burton strongly believes that every student should be well fed and ready to embrace the school day with a full belly. Therefore, we have partnered with the State of Vermont to administer the National School Lunch program. Depending on a family’s household income, your child may be eligible for free and reduced priced lunches. If your student received free/reduced lunch last year, you still do need to complete the necessary forms. You can find a link to these forms on the Burr and Burton website in the Parents center. Please feel free to call Dennis Filippi in the Business Office 549-8213 or Meg Burns in the Health Clinic 549-8132 for more information or with any questions you may have.

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School and College Counseling

College Workshop for Parents of Seniors
Mark your calendar for Burr and Burton’s College Workshop for Parents on Wednesday, September 16, at 7 pm. This program will take place in the Rowland Center and will recap details of the college process, application tips, and other information we will have shared with seniors during their senior college workshops in August.

College Fair Field Trip
On Friday, September 18, Burr and Burton will bring interested juniors and seniors to the University of Vermont, where students will attend a large College Fair organized by the New England Association of College Admission Counseling. The bus will leave promptly at 7:15 am and return to Manchester by 3:00 pm. Approximately 250 college representatives will be in attendance to answer your questions. To sign up, bring a completed college fair worksheet and permission slip to the School and College Counseling Office. Bus seats are limited, and will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis until full. No reservations will be accepted after Tuesday, September 15.

Students and families may instead opt to attend the evening session of the college fair on Thursday, September 17, from 6 – 9 pm. Students will not be permitted to drive separately to the Friday daytime portion of the college fair.

Standardized Testing Registration for Seniors
Burr and Burton will be the host site for the SAT on Saturday, October 10. The deadline to register for that SAT is September 9. September 18 is the registration deadline for the October 24 ACT. October 1 is the deadline for the SAT on November 7. Pick up these forms outside the School and College Counseling Office or register online at www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org. Please note that Burr and Burton does not collect the fees for the SAT or ACT; you must register directly with these organizations.

College Workshops for Parents of Juniors
Juniors had a jump start on the college process during their special first day back to school in August. Now it’s time for parents to join the action. Mark your calendar for 7 pm on Wednesday, October 7, for a college workshop in the Rowland Center when Burr and Burton’s School and College counselors will present an overview of the college admission process.

Sophomore and Junior Testing
Sophomores will take the PLAN on the morning of Wednesday, October 14. The PLAN helps students measure their current academic development and explore career-training options. It is a test that has value for students planning to enter college as well as those entering the workforce.

Most juniors will take the PSAT (a preliminary, or practice, SAT) on Wednesday, October 14, during school hours. Students need to bring the $15 registration fee (checks should be made out to Burr and Burton Academy) to their advisors by October 6. The PSAT is a wonderful opportunity for students who have completed geometry to assess their testing skills. Juniors who don’t wish to take the PSAT can instead register for the PLAN.

Contact the School and College counselors if you have any questions or need to request a fee waiver for the PSAT.

VSAC Financial Aid Night
The annual Vermont Student Assistance Corporation Financial Aid road show comes to Burr and Burton on Tuesday, November 3. Parents of juniors and seniors will especially benefit from attendance. The VSAC representative will present the principles and basic steps of the financial aid process and review the different parts of the various financial aid forms. Come to the Rowland Center at 7 pm.

Campus Visits
Seniors who haven’t yet visited colleges are strongly advised to make plans to do so as soon as possible. While scheduling college visits on holidays, during vacations and on weekends is preferable, we understand that it is sometimes necessary for students to miss school. Campus visits are excused absences when parents notify school in advance. Wednesday, November 11, is a particularly good day to visit colleges because it is a faculty in-service day at Burr and Burton.

College Visitors
Juniors and seniors may be excused from class, with teacher permission, to meet with college representatives visiting Burr and Burton this fall. At this writing, 26 colleges have scheduled appointments for the month of September. Please check the college visit list on Naviance (http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton). Daily announcements will also serve as a reminder of these appointments. College visits provide students with a great opportunity to ask questions and learn the most current campus information.

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K1BBS Rocks!

The results are in and K1BBS rocks the world again! In February, a contest team composed of 39 Burr and Burton students activated amateur radio station K1BBS for a week-long contest called the School Club Roundup. Students made 151 contacts to finish first in the state, fifth in the high school division, and fourteenth in the world. For a complete look at this year’s statistics, the previous ten year’s statistics, and pictures of students in action, go to: https://wiki.burrburton.org/groups/kochenour/

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International Student Program

This year we are welcoming 50 international students. They come from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Germany, Spain, Brazil and Venezuela. We have 13 seniors who will be graduating and going on to college in the United States, our largest number ever. We would like to thank our 26 host families for taking an international student into their home. If you would like information about becoming a host family in the future or about the program, please contact Andrea Thulin at 549-8133 or by e-mail athulin@burrburton.org.

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From the Health Clinic

As you know, H1N1 first appeared this spring in Mexico and its worldwide spread has prompted the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic. As we move toward our usual (winter) influenza season, we fully expect H1N1 to begin causing illness as early as September. While there has been ongoing concern about the possibility that H1N1 would cause severe illness in many of those infected, experience over recent months has shown that the rate of serious illness in individuals is very close to that which we see in “the usual” seasonal influenza. The symptoms of H1N1 include fever, cough, runny nose, body aches, sore throat, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.

Education and early detection is the most important defense we have against this and any other flu. Teaching our students to practice good health habits will help slow the spread of this illness. We envision our teachers as a frontline defense, triaging students to the Health Clinic for assessments when they appear ill. As a parent, you can expect to receive regular communication from us about what is taking place on campus. We are also assessing our campus hand sanitizer pumps and plan to install more units in high traffic areas and classrooms will have ample supplies of tissues. Our Health Clinic staff is prepared to follow CDC guidelines regarding the management of sick students and school employees.

Common-Sense Precautions for Everyone

Wash your hands often and well.
Use alcohol-based hand wipes and gel sanitizers if soap and water are not available.
Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away.
Stay home from work or school and away from others if you are sick.
If you are ill or have health concerns, call your health care provider.

Burr and Burton’s reaction to the H1N1 will match the severity of the illness that is being reported as well as local flu activity. Parents can assist in the effort to keep our community as healthy as possible by keeping sick students home for one full day after the absence of a fever. Our school flu protocols and procedures have been discussed and reviewed by our Health Clinic Medical director, Dr. Robert Schwartz.

For more information we recommend the following web sites:

www.healthvermont.gov/panflu/SwineFlu.aspx

www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/K12.htm

Please feel free to contact the Health Clinic Director and School Nurse Megan P. Cornell, RN, if you have any questions: 549.8132 or by e-mail mcornell@burrburton.org.

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From the Library

New fiction and nonfiction books are on display throughout the library and if you are looking for a title from one of the extra-credit Social Studies reading lists your library staff will be happy to help!

National Banned Books Week is September 26 – October 3, 2009. Observed since 1982, this annual American Library Association event reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. We celebrate intellectual freedom during Banned Books Week stressing the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature! This year’s theme is KNOW the first amendment; SPEAK your mind and READ banned books! The Lisa B. Tuttle Memorial Library will feature a display of titles that have been challenged recently along with the American Library Association’s list of books challenged or banned in 2008-2009.

We hope you enjoy your Lisa B. Tuttle Library experience. If you have any suggestions or comments we would love to hear them. Just stop by the library and tell us!

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

Library Hours

Mondays – Thursdays 7 am – 4 pm

Fridays 7 am – 1 pm

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2010 Yearbooks

Seniors!
The 2009 Burtonian yearbook staff needs 2 senior photos, one portrait and one informal photo, delivered to them by Monday, September 15, 2008. Please arrange to have these photos taken over the summer. You can e-mail digital photos to the yearbook staff at yearbook@burrburton.org.

Please note: All digital photos must be 300 dpi (that’s the resolution). All photos must be larger than 2.5 inches wide x 3.5 inches tall. Please put the student’s name in the subject line. Photos that are in a hard copy format can be mailed to the Burtonian yearbook staff, attention Alex Vincent, PO Box 498, Manchester, VT 05254.

Seniors who wish to have their photos done by a photographer of their choice must arrange to have them completed in time to meet this deadline. Pictures must be in a vertical format. Remember that the portrait should be a head shot (head and shoulders only – no hats please). Students must also submit a candid photo at this time (baby picture, sports picture, family picture, or favorite activity). This must also be in a vertical format or able to be cropped into a vertical. The production of a quality book that comes out on time for distribution depends on meeting this deadline.

If we do not receive your senior’s photos by the deadline, they may not be included in the yearbook. Please write the student’s name on the back of all hard copy photos. They will be returned to you next May.

Information on how to order the 2009 Burtonian will be announced in September.

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From the Performing Arts Department

Major Events Schedule for 2009-2010
September 1, 2, 3
Auditions for the fall play will be held at 3 pm.

October 16
Instrumental trip to the University of Massachusetts Multibands Concert

October 23
Calliope Café Performance, 6:30 pm in the Rowland Center’s Scranton Room

November 4
Green Mountain auditions, vocal and instrumental

November 11-14
Fall play, 6:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

December 8-10
One Act Play auditions

December 17
Winter Concert, Large Ensembles, 7:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

January 12
Winter Showcase for Drama, Dance and Small Ensembles, 6:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

January 15
All-State auditions

February 5-7
Theater Arts Symposium, Riley Center for the Arts

February 23-25
Spring musical auditions, 6:30 pm

March 12
Green Mountain Vocal Festival (snow date March 13)

March 24-25
Prism Concerts 6:30 pm (5:30 call)

April 23
Calliope Café Performance, 6:30 pm, in the Rowland Center’s Scranton Room

May 6-8
All-State Music Festival

May 18-22
Spring Musical performances, 6:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

May 27
Spring Showcase at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, 6:30 pm

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August 2009

August 3, 2009

Calendar

August

16 Fall Sports Mandatory Parent and Athlete Meeting, 6 pm.
17 Fall Sports Practice Begins
20 Senior College Workshops 10:00-11:30 am OR
24 Senior College Workshops 1:00 – 2:30 pm OR 6:30-8:00 pm.
Every senior must attend one workshop.
24-25 Faculty In-Service
25 New Student Orientation for transfer students in grades 10-12:
9 am-12 pm
26 Freshman Orientation and Junior Jump Start 7:50 am – 1:20 pm.
26 Freshman and New Parent Orientation, 7 pm, Hunter Seminar Room.
27 School Opens. Dismissal at 12:35 pm.

September
3 School Photos
7 Labor Day. No School
16 Senior Parent College Night, 7 pm
18 University of Vermont College Fair 7:15 am – 3:00 pm
24 Open House for Parents

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,
Some summers are quiet, some are busy. This one was a busy one, with a number of significant events that strengthen our school.

First and most significant, we completed the purchase of 100 acres of pristine land in Peru for our Mountain Campus center for environmental studies. This completed a rather lengthy process of permitting and negotiation with Landgrove/Peru neighbors and allows us to now move forward with development of a semester program that, I believe, will provide an incredible opportunity for Burr and Burton students. The educational concept is fairly straightforward yet dramatic, something educators refer to as “place-based education.” The experience will be one of immersion in the study of the land, ecosystems, the interaction between humans and our environment, all while building a sense of community that can only happen when a small group works together day in and day out with a common purpose. Think of it as an intensive, extended retreat where students will be able to study, think, converse, explore, and interact in a way that is virtually impossible in the normal rhythm of modern life. Our goal is to open this program in the fall of 2011, and we have begun private fundraising efforts to build a state-of-the-art “green” structure (for those of you who know about these things, we will be striving for LEED Platinum certification and net-zero energy usage in the main building). We will send you periodic updates as the program nears reality to help you understand how it will work, but I wanted to give you this brief overview.

We have also undertaken some improvements around our main campus. We have reconfigured the field hockey field so there is substantially more space between the field and the rock walls, thereby decreasing the chances of injury. We installed a new, sprung dance floor in our studio to better serve our dance program. We purchased new computers for the music technology laboratory, and a number of classrooms have had overhead computer projectors installed in the ceiling. On the energy-saving front, we have installed new storm windows on the Seminary Building to keep the heat in and the cold out this winter. Finally, on this, the 40th anniversary of the Apollo lunar landing and the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s invention of the telescope, we have refurbished the observatory and installed a new telescope, so once again, “Observatory Hill” will be just that.

Teaching and learning, of course, are a fundamentally human endeavors, and I am delighted to report that our faculty has engaged in professional development and travel experiences too numerous to list. Our commitment to excellence demands that we all continually seek ways of redefining our own strengths, and our hard-working faculty has done just that.

We have also adopted a theme for the coming year: RESPONSIBILITY: to self, to community. We will engage students in discussions on responsibility and we will look to our student-leaders to set a tone for the school. If everyone takes responsibility for their results and shares in community responsibilities, there simply will be no better school anywhere.

Our goal? To insure that your sons and daughters have at Burr and Burton Academy the opportunity for an unparalleled education. With hard work and perseverance, this school can take you anywhere.

I look forward to seeing this school rumble back to life in a few short weeks.

Sincerely yours,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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From the Athletic Department

IMPORTANT FALL SPORTS INFORMATION
August 16 Mandatory Fall Sports Parent and Athlete Information Night, 6 pm, in the following locations:
Football: cafeteria
Boys Soccer: gymnasium
Field Hockey: Dave Miceli’s classroom, Seminary Building (room # 34)
Cross-Country: Wellness classroom off the gym lobby
Girls Soccer: Riley Center for the Arts

August 17 All fall sports begin practice.

You should have received information in the mail in late July from the coaches.
Football: Jason Thomas
Girls Soccer: Dan DeForest
Boys Soccer: Peter Mull
Field Hockey: Julie Fifield
Cross-Country: Dave Curtis

All incoming freshmen and transfer students will need a physical exam prior to participating; all returning students must have had a physical exam within the last two years.

Physical forms and permission forms can be downloaded from the schools web site: www.burrburton.org. These completed forms must be brought to the meeting on August 16 or mailed (attn. Kathi Bierwirth) to the school before August 17.
Returning Burr and Burton students must be in attendance at the first day of practice and all juniors must attend the varsity tryouts.

All returning Burr and Burton students must have the required number of Service Learning projects completed before the first practice.
Sophomores: 2 Service Learning projects completed.
Juniors: 4 Service Learning projects completed.
Seniors: 5 Service Learning projects completed.

If you have any questions, please call Director of Athletics Kathi Bierwirth at 549-8119.

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From the Dean of Students

Dear Parents and Students,
I hope that this letter finds you enjoying a relaxing summer. Like last year, input from the student policy advisory board played an important role in the development of several handbook changes. Although some policies remain the same, we recognize the importance of student voice and value student input when creating school policy.

The most significant handbook changes this year are in the areas of student attendance, procedures dealing with substance abuse violations, and the significance of student suspensions. We have also made a few minor adjustments to our dress code policy. Please note that advisors will review all handbook changes in detail during the month of September. And we certainly hope that you will take time to familiarize yourself with all school policies as well.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact via email at acirelli@burrburton.org.

Enjoy the remainder of your summer!
Tony Cirelli
Dean of Students

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From the Advancement Office

Once again we’d like to thank all of our parents who supported the Annual Giving Campaign last year and helped us reach our goal. We’d also like to thank those parents who helped out as volunteers throughout the year with the many different needs of the school – any and all sports-related support, the Booster Club, the Parent Association, help with advancement and fundraising efforts, the Fall Fest committee – there are so many ways our parent community joins in to help this school be successful. It was a great first year for Mark Tashjian and we thank you for offering such a warm welcome to our new headmaster!

This year we are looking for volunteers in many different areas, so if you are interested in giving some time, please feel free to contact the Advancement Office. The Booster Club and Parent Association are always looking for help with committee work, events and more. We’ll have a new Parent Association brochure for distribution when school starts.

We look forward to another great year as the summer winds down and we begin to prepare for the 2009 – 2010 school year at Burr and Burton.

Warmest regards,
Cynthia Gubb
802-549-8201
cgubb@burrburton.org

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Lunch Accounts

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School and College Counseling

COLLEGE WORSHOPS FOR SENIORS
Seniors planning to apply to college should plan to attend one of the following workshops where we’ll cover the important dates and details of the college application process. Yes, we will meet individually with seniors throughout the rest of the fall to consider college lists, review applications and otherwise support them in a more personalized way. We strongly recommend that all seniors attend one of these sessions so they don’t miss out on important time-sensitive information.
Senior College Workshops in the Hunter Seminar Room
Thursday, August 20, 10:00 am – 11:30 am or
Monday, August 24, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm; or
Monday, August 24, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

ORIENTATION FOR NEW SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS AND SENIORS
All new upperclass students should report to the Hunter Seminar Room in the Smith Center on Tuesday, August 25, at 9 am. They’ll talk with Student Ambassadors and learn tips about adjusting to Burr and Burton. We’ll walk students through their schedules so they’ll be able to easily find classes on the first day. And we’ll have some fun, too. The program will conclude by noon.

Parents of sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are new to Burr and Burton have a special orientation meeting of their own on Wednesday, August 26, at 7 pm in the Hunter Seminar Room in the Smith Center.

JUNIOR JUMP-START PROGRAM
Mandatory Attendance
All juniors must report one day early this year on Wednesday, August 26, from 7:50 am to 12:00 noon. They’ve reached an important milestone and we’ll mark this special day with activities to kick off the second half of high school! Students will be introduced to career and college information, standardized testing options, and more. They’ll also meet new students and have some time to reconnect with classmates and advisors. Check in at the Rowland Center to start the day.

COLLEGE APPLICATION WORKSHOPS FOR PARENTS OF SENIORS
Mark your calendar for Burr and Burton’s College Application Workshops for Parents on Wednesday, September 16, at 7 pm. This program will take place in the Rowland Center and will recap details of the college admission process. Application tips and other information we will have shared with seniors during their senior college workshops in August.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS:
Look for more information in next month’s Bullhorn about these upcoming programs:
Friday, September 18 NEACAC College Fair at UVM (junior field trip)
Wednesday October 7 College Workshop for Parents of Juniors
Wednesday October 14 PLAN and PSAT in-school testing for sophomores and juniors
Tuesday, November 3 VSAC Financial Aid Night, 7 pm

STANDARDIZED TESTING REGISTRATION
Burr and Burton will be the host site for both the SAT and ACT this October. Seniors take note: September 9 is the registration deadline for the October 10 SAT and September 18 is the registration deadline for the October 24 ACT. Pick up these forms inside the School and College Counseling Office or register online at www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org. Please note that Burr and Burton does not collect the fees for the SAT or ACT; you must register directly with these organizations.

SAT and ACT PREPARATION
Barbara Croft recently sent word that the nonprofit Manchester Tutorial Center is organizing a prep course for seniors planning to take the October 10 SAT. The first class begins on Sunday, August 23. Contact the Tutorial Center at 362-0222 for more information.

For free SAT prep, log on to www.number2.com. The College Board also has a SAT question of the day – bookmark www.collegeboard.com for a quick daily practice item.

ACT also has some free practice questions on its site: www.actstudent.org.

CAMPUS VISITS
Seniors who haven’t yet visited colleges are strongly advised to make plans to do so as soon as possible. While scheduling college visits during vacations and on weekends is preferable, we understand that it is sometimes necessary for students to miss school. Campus visits are excused absences if parents notify the Attendance Office in advance.

Every year, Burr and Burton’s School and College counselors make their own campus visits. This summer we visited a variety of colleges including some in Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maryland. Let’s trade campus tour reports!

CONTACT INFORMATION
Don’t hesitate to call us if you have a question, a concern or feedback. We welcome all contact and the opportunity to work with you to assure the quality of your student’s Burr and Burton experience.

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New Faculty

Burr and Burton Academy welcomes six new faculty members this year. Alexander Vincent will teach graphic design, digital photography, and publications in the Visual Arts Department. A graduate of New England College with a degree in art and photography, Vincent has taught digital and traditional photography, yearbook and graphic design for over ten years at the Marvelwood School in Connecticut. As a working photographer he as placed his work in national publications and in galleries. He is interested in exposing students to photography as an art form and finding opportunities for them to participate in community art shows.

Rose-Marie Pelletier is joining the Mathematics Department. A graduate of Fontbonne College in St. Louis with a B.A degree in secondary mathematics and an M.Ed. degree from College of St. Joseph in Rutland, she has taught at Mt. Greylock High School in Williamstown, MA, for the past thirteen years and before that at Mount Anthony Union High School in Bennington. She has also developed and taught courses for math teachers at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She received her national board certification in mathematics for adolescents and in 1991 was named Presidential Scholar Distinguished Teacher.

Michelle Emery will be the new French teacher. She received her B.A. in English and French from Grinnell College and an M.S. in secondary education from the University of Pennsylvania. She was most recently the Upper School French teacher at the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia and before that taught at the Solebury School and the American Embassy in Paris.

Ten-year Broadway veteran Claudia Shell-Raposa will join the Performing Arts Department as the new dance teacher. After earning a B.A. degree from Montclair State University, she went to work on Broadway where she appeared with Trevor Nunn, Nathan Lane, Chita Rivera, Donald O’Connor, Christian Slater, Leslie Caron, Natalie Makarova, and Rob Marshall. Her Broadway credits include Victoria the White Cat in “Cats” and Unicorn/Creature of the glade in “Merlin.” She has taught throughout her career in California, New York, and New Jersey. No stranger to the students at Burr and Burton, she’s excited to be teaching dance, having worked with them the past two years on “Grease,” “A Chorus Line,” and other productions. She will be working closely with her husband Jim Raposa who will be the drama teacher this year.

Burr and Burton graduate Kileen M. Deets ‘01 will be a part-time instructor in the Foreign Languages Department, teaching German. She received her B.A. in German studies from St. Lawrence University and also studied at the Karl Franzens Universitat in Graz, Austria.
Another Burr and Burton graduate, Dan Short ‘02, will be working with the Media Arts and Sciences Department. He received his B.A. in communications and video production from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.

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2010 Yearbooks

Seniors!
The 2009 Burtonian yearbook staff needs 2 senior photos, one portrait and one informal photo, delivered to them by Monday, September 15, 2008. Please arrange to have these photos taken over the summer. You can e-mail digital photos to the yearbook staff at yearbook@burrburton.org.

Information on how to order the 2009 Burtonian will be announced in September.

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From the Performing Arts Department

Major Events Schedule for 2009-2010
September 1, 2, 3
Auditions for the fall play will be held at 3 pm.

October 16
Instrumental trip to the University of Massachusetts Multibands Concert

October 23
Calliope Café Performance, 6:30 pm in the Rowland Center’s Scranton Room

November 4
Green Mountain auditions, vocal and instrumental

November 11-14
Fall play, 6:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

December 8-10
One Act Play auditions

December 17
Winter Concert, Large Ensembles, 7:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

January 12
Winter Showcase for Drama, Dance and Small Ensembles, 6:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

January 15
All-State auditions

February 5-7
Theater Arts Symposium, Riley Center for the Arts

February 23-25
Spring musical auditions, 6:30 pm

March 12
Green Mountain Vocal Festival (snow date March 13)

March 24-25
Prism Concerts 6:30 pm (5:30 call)

April 23
Calliope Café Performance, 6:30 pm, in the Rowland Center’s Scranton Room

May 6-8
All-State Music Festival

May 18-22
Spring Musical performances, 6:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts

May 27
Spring Showcase at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, 6:30 pm

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June 2009

June 1, 2009

Calendar

1 Performing Arts Showcase, 6:30 pm, Riley Center for the Arts
2 Scholarship Awards Night, 7 pm, Riley Center for the Arts
3-5 Senior exams
9 End of marking period
10-12 Underclassmen exams
12 Commencement, 5:30 pm
13 Alumni Reunion, 6 pm
15 Faculty meeting and make-up exams

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,
Thanksgiving in schools comes in June. This is a time for appreciation, reflection, and celebration of the collective accomplishments of this community. I ask that you take a moment to contemplate the many areas that students find success at Burr and Burton—in the classrooms, on the sports field, on stage, in the art studios, in our technology labs, performing community service, in leadership positions—and consider the many adults dedicated to the growth and success of your sons and daughters. A simple note of thanks to that special teacher, coach, advisor, or mentor can be very meaningful.

This completes my first year at Burr and Burton Academy, and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your warm welcome throughout. I look forward to celebrating in earnest on June 12, when we bring the year to its official close and bid farewell to the Class of 2009. I look forward to many more years of working at this great school.

Happy Thanksgiving, and have a great summer.

Sincerely,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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From the Arts Department

Performing Arts Department Presents
You are invited to a celebratory evening of theater, film, and music brought to you by the drama and music students, Monday, June 1, on the Riley Center for the Arts stage. Doors open at 6 pm and the show starts at 6:30 pm. Admission is free. Come enjoy an evening of comedies, dramas, short films, and awesome singing—a great way to end the year! Come one, come all!

A Chorus Line
After three months of intensive rehearsal, A Chorus Line played to sold-out, standing-ovation audiences. Thank you to everyone who helped with this season’s production The cast, crew, musicians, and staff raised $3,000 for Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids from donations and poster sales.

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From the Athletic Department

Girls Lacrosse Alumnae Game on Sunday June 14, 10:30 am on the Upper Field. All former players are welcome. E-mail RSVP to Dave Miceli: dmiceli@burrburton.org.

IMPORTANT FALL SPORTS INFORMATION
August 16 Mandatory Fall Sports Parent and Athlete Information Night 6 pm in the following locations:
Football: cafeteria
Boys Soccer: gymnasium
Field Hockey: Dave Miceli’s classroom, Seminary Building (room # 34)
Cross-Country: Wellness classroom off the gym lobby
Girls Soccer: Riley Center for the Arts

August 17 All fall sports begin practice.

You should receive information in the mail in late July from the coaches.
Football: Jason Thomas
Girls Soccer: Dan DeForest
Boys Soccer: Peter Mull
Field Hockey: Julie Fifield
Cross-Country: Dave Curtis

All incoming freshmen and transfer students will need a physical exam prior to participating; all returning students must have had a physical exam within the last two years.

If you have any questions, please call Director of Athletics Kathi Bierwirth at 549-8119.

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Lunch Accounts

School policy regarding money in lunch accounts at the end of the school year is as follows:
• If the student is a senior and has no siblings at Burr and Burton, a check will be sent to the parents.
• If a student is a senior and has siblings at Burr and Burton, the money will be transferred to the siblings account.
• If a student is not a senior, the money will remain in their accounts.
Any questions please call Mrs. Harvey @ 549-8139.

You can now visit mymealtime.com and set up an account to view your student’s lunch account. You can check balances, see what your student has purchased and add funds to the account by debit or credit card. You will need a unique ID number in order to establish the account. Please email mharvey@burrburton.org to obtain the ID number.

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From the Advancement Office

Burr and Burton would not be what it is without the loyal support of our parents and friends. All one needs to do is attend an athletic event or a performing arts production to see the passion and energy our students pour into their work. Or visit a language, math or science class and see the intensity and dedication that our faculty and students put into their teaching and studies. What a great place to work, especially for those of us involved in the fundraising end of things. While most people would shy away from this job – we embrace it because we see the results of our efforts day in and day out in the accomplishments of our Burr and Burton students.

So we want to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who have also embraced this learning community through your financial support and volunteer efforts. You have helped make this year a fantastic year for our students and for Mark Tashjian in his first year as the new headmaster.

We recently sent out a “Close the Books” campaign letter and we are still working toward our goal. If you’ve forgotten to make a gift to the Annual Giving Campaign, there is still time. Send your gift in before June 30 and join the 160 plus parents who have supported the school this year. It’s not too late and the size of your gift doesn’t matter – it’s the participation that is key. If everyone does something, it adds up.

You can send your gift directly the Advancement Office or make a gift online at www.burrburton.org/advancement and click on the ONLINE GIVING button. Help us reach our goal – we’re getting close and need your help.

Thank you again for all of your support this past year. Involved parents are so important in carrying out our mission and encouraging our students to reach their full potential with a focus on responsibility, integrity and service.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Gubb
Director of Advancement

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Summer Camps 2009

We have some exciting new camp offerings this year including tennis, music, techsploration, softball and gamers. We will continue to offer all the camps from last year: lacrosse, football, soccer, baseball, basketball, and dance. For your convenience, there is a link to our new camp website at www.burrburton.org (click on Summer Camps 2009 in the left column) where you will find more information about all of our camps.

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From the Library

What goes together like shorts and flip flops, sunshine and suntans, hot dogs and baseball? Summer and reading! Grab a few titles by your favorite author or try someone new, explore new genres and read… read… read.

If you are looking for book suggestions we have added links on the library home page to a variety of 2009 award winners including 2009 Best Books for Young Adults, Coretta Scott King Award winners, Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, National Book Award winners, Schneider Family Book Award 2009, Robert F. Sibert Award and the Alex Awards.

In addition, you can find a resource list in our online catalog of 50 recommended titles from our own Lisa B Tuttle Memorial Library collection that represent a variety of genres, some recent titles, a few older titles, a bit of fiction, a half dozen biographies, lots of history, and even some humor. http://northshirelibraries.com Here are five examples:
•   Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins takes place in a future North America where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people against one another and sixteen-year-old Katriss’s skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place.
•   Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill is the story of Aminata Diallo who was abducted from Africa as a child and enslaved in South Carolina. Aminata thinks only of freedom and of the knowledge she needs to get home. Her captivating story spans six decades and three continents and brings to life a crucial chapter in world history.
•   Seven Fires: The Urban Infernos That Reshaped America by Peter Charles Hoffer is the inspiring history of seven devastating but pivotal city fires, and how the men and women who fought them heroically rebuilt a new America from their ashes.
•   Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez tells the story of the beauty school she founds in the middle of the Afghan city of Kabul, and lifts the veil of secrecy about the vibrant women who were her students there.
•   Three Little Words: a Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter recounts her years growing up in the foster care system, revealing painful memories but also her determination to discover the power of her own voice and her refusal to fall through the cracks.

Although our Library is closed beginning June 15 for the summer, our book collection remains available through the Mark Skinner Library and the Northshire Libraries Media Consortium

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

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College and Career Counseling

Summer Homework for Rising Seniors
o   Request a college recommendation from a teacher before summer vacation and use the College Recommendation Request Form (available in the School & College Counseling Office)
o   Visit college campuses and enter your observations in your Naviance journal
o   Update your on-line resume (http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton)
o   Save your best writing from your classes for possible enclosure in applications
o   Complete all summer work required for your fall classes
o   Remind your parents to send in the Senior Parent College Questionnaire
o   Draft a sample college essay – see www.commonapp.org for topics (the new version of the Common Application will be available on July 1, 2009)
o   Work on Service Learning projects
o   Learn something new through work, summer programs, or self-study
o   Set a personal goal and achieve it; think about how you want to challenge yourself in your senior year.
o   Put SAT/ACT dates on your fall calendar. Register in August / early September
o   Mark your calendar for the Senior College Workshops. Plan to attend one of the following sessions: Thursday, August 20 (10:00 -12:30 am) or Monday, August 24 (1:00-2:30 or 6:30-8:00 pm).

Summer Homework for All
Students need to budget time over the summer for any required academic work. All students will have a summer reading requirement and assignment from the Social Studies department. Students enrolled in AP English 11 or 12, AP US History, AP Biology, and AP Psychology will have course specific summer work. Assignments will be posted on the Burr and Burton website and available in hard copy in the School and College Counseling Office.

Attention Class of 2011
All rising juniors must report to school on Wednesday, August 26, for the Junior Jump Start Program. They’ve reached an important milestone and we’ll mark this special day with activities to kick off the second half of high school! Students will be introduced to career and college information, standardized testing options, and more. They’ll also meet new students and have some time to reconnect with classmates and advisors.

School Counseling News
The School and College counselors do not work throughout the summer but we will be available to meet with students and parents at various times; please refer to the schedule that will be enclosed in the final report card mailing. We will also periodically check and respond to e-mail. Please keep in touch with your questions and updates.

As advisory groups, sophomores will shift counselors from Phil Anton to Andrea Hogan, Melissa Michaud, or Cristin Rose. Juniors and seniors will retain their current counselor for consistency. Phil Anton will continue to be the counselor for incoming freshmen. School and College counselor assignments will also be noted in the end-of-the-year mailing.

Senior Plans
While picking up their caps and gowns, members of the Class of 2009 completed surveys about their various plans for life after BBA. We will automatically send final transcripts for seniors who indicated they are enrolling in a college. (There is no need for a special request or form!) Students who later change their enrollment decision should let us know so we can follow up appropriately.

We wish graduates good luck in their different ventures. Please know that we look forward to hearing from you. We’ll miss you!

Scholarship and Loan Information
Rizio-Wood Memorial Golf Scholarship
Eligibility: Graduating senior or current college student intending to pursue a career related to golf and/or agronomy as related to golf. (Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science.)
Award: not specified. Deadline: June 2

AES Engineers Scholarship
Eligibility: Graduating senior or current college student regardless of course of study. Must write an essay of no more than 1,000 words on topic listed on the website
Award: $500. Deadline: October 6
Info Online at: http://aesengineers.com/scholarships.htm

The Cooper Kelly Educational Fund
Eligibility: Senior planning to attend college.Dependable, responsible, and diligent with definite goals in mind. 2.0 average and references required.

Interest free LOAN. No specified amount ($25 application fee)
Application and information in the School and College Counseling Office

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May 2009

May 1, 2009

Calendar

2 SATs
4-15 AP exams
5 College Admission Program, 7-9 pm, Rowland Center
7-9 All-State Music Festival
20-24 A Chorus Line, 7 pm, Riley Center for the Arts
20-22 NECAP tests for juniors
22 Awards Assembly
25 Memorial Day. No school.
28 Showcase, Southern Vermont Arts Center
29 Jazz from the Schools, Southern Vermont Arts Center

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,
We are entering the home stretch of the school year. In these last six weeks, we will have myriad of special events, including the spring musical, A Chorus Line, NECAP testing, sporting events, papers, tests, and final exams. I ask that you as parents do everything you can to help your sons and daughters stay on track as spring bursts around us and the excitement of summer looms. If we can finish the year as smoothly as it has gone so far, we will be able to proclaim it a resounding success.

It is also Prom season, and with it comes opportunities for experimentation with substances and the always-dangerous mix of impaired judgment and driving. Yesterday, we had a “Ghost Out” assembly to highlight the dangers of drinking and driving, and I highly recommend that you have a follow up conversation at home. The assembly generated some powerful emotions among all of us—students and faculty alike—and my hope is that the emotions unearthed through this simulation will help keep our young people safer in the months ahead. I suggest you ask about the assembly and talk about “What if,” namely, what if someone is going to get behind the wheel while intoxicated? What will you do? How will you handle it? I suggest you reassure your son or daughter that they can call you at any time for help, and demonstrate to them that you will be able to handle the situation in the moment and discuss it later.

Students typically fear that their parents “can’t handle it,” so they avoid sharing information and seeking help when they might need it. The onus, therefore, falls on us adults to demonstrate ability to handle these discussions and situations. Most of all, I want to be sure all of our students make decisions that protect each other as well as themselves.
So, with that, I wish us all an exciting, productive, and safe end to the school year. I look forward to seeing all of you at the many events in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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From the Health Clinic

Dear Parents,
In an effort to keep you well informed regarding the international outbreak of a novel strain of swine influenza in humans, we share with you the following information:

Symptoms of swine flu are similar to seasonal influenza and include:
Fever
•    Lethargy
•    Lack of appetite
•    Coughing
•    Occasionally: runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Precautions you can take to stop the spread of ANY germs:
•    Wash your hands often and well
•    Use alcohol-based hand wipes and sanitizers (if soap and water are not available)
•    Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
•    Cough and sneeze into a tissue and throw it away
•    Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth – ALL germs are spread this way
•    Stay home from work or school if you are sick

If you feel you may have symptoms of ANY influenza strain you should call your health care provider for further advice and assistanc

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Lunch Accounts Online

You can now visit mymealtime.com and setup an account to view your student’s lunch account. You can check balances, see what your student has purchased and add funds to the account by debit or credit card. You will need a unique ID number in order to establish the account. You can email mharvey@burrburton.org to obtain the ID number.

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2009 Yearbooks

Attention Students and Families Wanting 2009 Yearbooks
…now is the time to buy your yearbooks! The Burtonian staff is currently accepting checks, or you can place your order through www.jostensyearbooks.com. Look forward to a new, fresh, and memorable 2009 yearbook.

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From the Advancement Office

Celebrate Your Graduate
Parent of seniors – if you’re struggling to figure out what to give your graduate, please consider making a gift in their honor to our endowment fund. A gift to Burr and Burton’s endowment is a thoughtful, meaningful way to mark this wonderful milestone in your son’s or daughter’s life. Your gift provides continuing support for a dynamic curriculum, challenging educational programs and a wide-range of offerings and opportunities for students from all backgrounds and walks of life. What better way to honor your student’s achievements?

In addition, you will be recognizing the faculty and school that helped your child transition from youth to adulthood and launch them onto their next endeavor, whether college, the military, a technical program or the workforce. And best of all, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar by the Rowland Challenge!

Your graduate will be notified of the gift and recognized in our Annual Appreciation Report published in September. Please include the graduate’s name and “Class of 2009” with your gift. For more information, contact the Advancement Office at 802-549-8110.

There’s Still Time to Support the Annual Campaign
The school year is just starting to wind down, but we’re still hard at work to meet our goal for the Annual Giving Campaign. Gifts can be made for this year until June 30, 2009. So if you’ve set aside our request thinking you’ll get to it later, please consider doing something now. We still have a ways to go to meet our goal of $450,000 and parent support is extremely important to our success as a school. Remember, the beneficiary is YOUR student, not the school. The annual fund supports many diverse programs at Burr and Burton Academy, in addition to academics, athletics and the arts. Gifts can be made online at www.burrburton.org/advancement/onlinegiving or by check.

And a heartfelt THANK YOU to all parents who have already supported the Annual Giving Campaign this year! We deeply appreciate your gift.

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From the Arts Department

Performing Arts Department Presents A Chorus Line May 20-24
A Chorus Line, the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all on the line! Winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for drama, this singular sensation is the longest-running American Broadway musical ever. Don’t miss Burr and Burton Performing Arts Department’s production of A Chorus Line, Wednesday, May 20 through Saturday May 23, at 6:30 pm with 2:00 pm matinees on Saturday May 23, and Sunday, May 24 in the Riley Center for The Arts.

For tickets and more information go to bba.ticketjunior.com or call the 24-hour information line at 802-549-8224. The box office will open one hour prior to the show. Some material may be inappropriate for younger audiences.

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Summer Camps 2009

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From the Library

We the People Bookshelf Grant Received
Thanks to the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association we recently received the We the People Bookshelf collection of 22 hardcover titles, all of which explore themes in American History and supplement the Picturing America poster set received earlier in the year.

We the People Bookshelf Titles
Here are 5 of the 22 titles received:
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne
Across America on an Emigrant Train by Jim Murphy
Founding Brothers by Joseph S. Ellis
1776: the Illustrated Edition by David McCullough

Visual Thesaurus
For a fabulous online thesaurus, check out http://www.visualthesaurus.com “which creates word maps that blossom with meanings and branch to related words.”

Media Literacy
If you haven’t seen Dove’s powerful videos about the beauty industry, be sure to watch Dove’s Evolution and Onslaught. Both can be found at the Dove website: www.dove.us/#/features/videos/videogallery.aspx/
Evolution will make you question reality in a digital world and Onslaught tugs at your heartstrings using many video techniques.

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

Library Hours
Monday – Thursday 7 am – 4 pm
Friday 7 am – 1 pm

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College and Career Counseling

Spring College Admission Program
On Tuesday, May 5, from 7 – 9 pm in the Rowland Center, Burr and Burton Academy will host an hour-long panel presentation on the college admission process followed by a variety of topical workshops as part of its annual spring College Admission Program. Panelists from Boston University, Hobart and William Smith College, Castleton State College, and the University at Albany will later discuss the college search, essay writing, campus visits, college athletics, and the admission process at selective colleges in breakout sessions at 8 pm. Another workshop option is the special talk on financial planning (see next item). Sophomores, juniors and their parents are encouraged to attend the entire program.

Financial Planning for College-Bound Students
Graduating seniors and their parents will want to come to the Rowland Center on Tuesday, May 5, at 8 pm for a special presentation by Dr. Karen Gross, president of Southern Vermont College, on “What You and Your College-Bound Student Should Know about Finances.” Currently a Visiting Professor of Law at New York Law School and an expert in the areas of consumer finance and over-indebtedness, Dr. Gross is co-authoring a new book on how Americans handle (or mishandle) money. Her mission is to financially empower students as they move on to college and careers. We are most appreciative that Dr. Gross is sharing her knowledge with the Burr and Burton community.

Standardized Testing Registration
Juniors should have already taken or signed up to take the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT with writing at some point this spring. If necessary, juniors may still register for the June administration of these tests with an additional late fee or on a stand-by basis. The next testing opportunity for both tests comes in October. Information is available at www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org.

Junior Papers
Juniors should save copies of their current best papers to submit to colleges next year. Increasingly, colleges are requesting that students provide graded writing samples in addition to their applications and essays.

Visit, Visit, Visit
Our college counseling mantra is “visit, visit, visit.” Juniors should make plans to make the trip to some college campuses in the upcoming months. College visits are legitimate absences for juniors but they need to let their counselor and their teachers know their visit plans in advance. Students are responsible for all work that they miss. Please contact your counselor if you need assistance in setting up tours, information sessions and interviews.

Advanced Placement Exams
AP exams run from May 4- May 15 this year. Please note that all Advanced Placement students taking morning exams will be released from school at the conclusion of the exam. Students taking exams that begin at noon are required to attend the first two morning classes, but are released at 11 am in order to have lunch and prepare.

Senior College Notifications
May 1 is the National Candidates’ Reply Date. Seniors should be sure to send in their deposit to the ONE college of their choice by May 1 in order to hold their place in the class. Families who have not received financial aid packages may want to request an extension for the deposit but all students should communicate with their college by May 1. At the same time, seniors should notify other colleges that they have decided to enroll elsewhere.

Attention Male Seniors
Don’t forget to register for the U.S. Selective Service when you turn 18 years old. Neglecting to register can prevent you from receiving college financial aid. Pick up a selective service form at any U.S. Post Office.

Upcoming Scholarships and Deadlines

For full listing please go to: connection.naviance.com/burrburton

Southern Vermont Arts Center Scholarships

Harriet Miller Memorial Scholarship

Thomas Reilly Dibble Memorial Scholarship

Churchill Ettinger Memorial Scholarship

Eva Mathiasen Memorial Scholarship

H. Thomas Clarke Memorial Scholarship

Eligibility: graduating senior accepted to an art program or art institution. Must be nominated by the BBA Art faculty member and have a comprehensive portfolio for review. Awarded to the artist who best shows a firm grasp on the principles of aesthetics and design. Award: $500; Deadline: May 1

Bill Muench Basketball Camp Scholarship
Eligibility: graduating senior (one boy and one girl) who participated in or worked as a counselor at Bill Muench’s Basketball Camp. Recognizes attitude, academic achievement and effort, involvement in sports, community or other extra-curricular activity)
Award: not specified; Deadline: May 1

Stephen Phillips Scholarship
Eligibility: Financial need, academic excellence, and exemplary citizenship, character and serious-mindedness. Extensive application form. Start early! (See if you qualify financial BEFORE filling out the application.)
Award: $3,000 to $10,000. Deadline: May 1. Application online at www.phillips-scholarship.org

BBA Wadsworth Art Scholarship
Eligibility: must be planning to major or double major in studio art. Award: $1,000; Deadline: May 1

Ray Pellegrini “Reach for the Stars” Scholarship
(sponsored by the Vermont Principals’ Association)
Eligibility: graduating senior, first generation college student, attending a college in VT, with the intention of remaining in VT after college. Community service and/or volunteer work will be given strong consideration.
Award: $1,000; Deadline: May 1. Applications also online at www.vpaonline.org.

Rutland Regional Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship
Eligibility: must be accepted at an accredited college or university and plan to study in the field of health care. Award: $1,000, $1,500, or $2,000; Deadline: May 4

St. Andrew’s Society of Vermont Cultural Grants
Eligibility: Vermont residents who plan to enroll or are already enrolled in studying Scottish History language, arts, literature, dance and/or music. Award: $1,000; Deadline: May 5. Application also online at http://www.standrewssocietyofvermont.org

BBA Booster Club Athletic Award
Eligibility: outstanding accomplishments and participation in the area of athletics. 100-word essay required. Awarded to one male and one female athlete. Award: $500 each; Deadline: May 5

BBA Teachers’ Association Scholarship
Eligibility: Seniors, based on personal integrity and commitment to learning. Brief essay required. Award: not specified; Deadline: May 5.

Rizio-Wood Memorial Golf Scholarship
Eligibility: graduating senior or current college student intending to pursue a career related to golf and/or agronomy as related to golf. (Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science.) Award: not specified; Deadline: June 2.

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April 2009

April 1, 2009

Calendar

3 Calliope Café, 6:30 pm, Rowland Center
7 Booster Club meeting, 5 pm, classroom off gym lobby
8-9 Parent and Teacher Conferences (see below)
13-17 Spring Break
29 Evening Open Parent Association meeting, 5 pm, Rowland Center

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,
As you may have read in the newspapers, Burr and Burton recently underwent the first layoffs in many years. Four non-teaching positions were eliminated due to challenges of the global economy and our need to streamline administrative costs. Layoffs are a difficult task, but these and other cost-containment measures are necessary so our budget will balance next year.

In determining how to address the budget issues, we have taken great care to ensure that we continue to be able to nourish the academic, athletic and artistic programs of this school. To give you a flavor for the philosophy behind our decisions, please find below two basic points that not only guided the current decisions, but will lead us through these difficult times:

• We will protect, above all else, great teaching and passionate learning, and we will do everything we can to support the work of educators in the classroom. We will continue to be a leader in education and educational innovation. We will continue to be a school that attracts and retains the best teachers in the land.

• We will resist calls to strip down to the so-called “essentials” and, instead, will continue to recognize that education is an endeavor of the mind, body and spirit. The vibrancy of this school is in large part due to the many ways that students can find personal success, and the expansiveness of the Burr and Burton opportunity must continue.

In short, we will continue Burr and Burton’s long tradition of excellence, we will continue to provide the full range of opportunities for students to explore their passions and talents, and we will unabashedly seek to fill this school with great educators. You can consider these statements to be a commitment to you as parent, taxpayer, tuition-payer, and caring citizen.

The importance of education is enhanced in tough times. Thank you for your support for this great school.

Sincerely,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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Parent and Teacher Conferences

Parent and teacher conferences are scheduled this semester for Wednesday, April 8, from 1 pm-5 pm and Thursday, April 9, from 1 pm-8 pm with a break from 5:00-5:45 pm. All students will be dismissed at 12:35 pm on both days.

Scheduling can be done again this year online at: https://www.pickatime.com/client?ven=11601183

We encourage all parents to schedule appointments. If you have any questions or are having problems scheduling appointments, please call Sue Towslee in the main office at Burr and Burton Academy at 549-8102.

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Lunch Accounts Now Online

To Use MealTime Online log on to the Burr and Burton web site www.burrburton.org/parents/index and click on “Lunch Accounts” which will take you to MealTime Online.
Step 1: Create a MealTime Online parent account. Click on the “Create new account” link and enter a username and password that you will use to login to MealTime Online. The username and password must be at least 6 characters. For example, username: jsmith password: pty845.
Step 2: Add your student. Login to your MealTime Online account (using the username and password that you created in Step 1), click on the “Add New Student” link, and add your student by entering their first name and ID number. The ID number is NOT your student’s school PIN/ID#. You will receive an email from MealTime Point of Sale that will inform you of your student’s unique identifying number.
Step 3: Make a deposit. Click on the “Make Deposit” link to make a deposit into your student’s account. There is a transaction fee of 4.9 percent for making deposits. If you do not want to incur a transaction fee, you may continue to send a check into the school with your student and have them deposit it in the lockbox located in the cafeteria next to the cashier stations.

There is no charge to view your student’s cafeteria balance and purchase history. Click on the “View Details” link next to your student’s name to view their cafeteria account balance and purchase history. The purchase history starts on Thursday March 19, 2009, the date the new system was activated. If you need a purchase history prior to this date, please contact Maureen Harvey at 802-849-8139 or mharvey@burrburton.org.

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Summer Driver Education Program Begins June 17

The Driver Education Course begins on Wednesday, June 17, at 8 am in the Smith Center. This course is free of charge to Burr and Burton students. Driving permits are required at the first class. There are no exceptions.

The course runs from June 22 through July 10. Students are in the classroom from 8 -10 am (excluding weekends and July 4) and in-the-car driving sessions take place from 10 am – 12 noon or 12:15 – 2:15 pm.

The above schedule is for the first 3 weeks only. Classroom instruction ends on and includes July 10. Driving instruction continues until each student completes the required hours on the road, as outlined below:

July 11 through July 31 (or sooner depending on when 6 hours are completed; some students will finish their 6 hours of driving before others): 7 – 10 am, 10 am – 12 noon, 12:15 – 2:15 pm.

Each student must complete 30 hours of classroom time, 6 hours of driving, and 6 hours of observation. These requirements are mandated by the Vermont Department of Education. The course will include 3 separate classrooms, 3 instructors, and 3 vehicles. Typically we have about 75 students participating.

Students drive on a rotating basis, not every day. Copies of the driving schedule will be made available to students. We will accommodate students within limits as to what block of driving time suits them. Other than the 15 two-hour classroom blocks, students need NOT be at school except when they are scheduled to drive. Those times will be determined once the course begins.

Attendance is mandatory with no exceptions. If you have a conflict with work/vacation/camp activities, you must make a choice before the course starts.

Absences cannot be made up. In order to successfully complete this course, a grade of 70 percent must be achieved.

We recognize that a driver education course offered in the summer can be a challenge for some families. However, Burr and Burton has chosen this option as it allows for more academic offerings during the regular school year. Please feel free to contact Stan Blicharz, Director at 775-2827 (home) or 775-0566 ext. 2005 (work) if you have any questions.
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From the Advancement Office

It’s hard to believe spring is here and midterms have happened; the school year certainly is speeding by. The spring athletic season is underway with the track and field team running through town with pink cheeks from the cold and Dana Thompson Park is coming alive as tennis, lacrosse, baseball and softball prepare for their home opening games and matches. The buzz has begun as play practice begins for our spring musical A Chorus Line; everyone is looking forward to experiencing this next great production.

As we move closer to our goal of $450,000 we stay focused on our other goal of continuing to provide endless extracurricular programs and resources in the classroom. We also continue to be conscious of our expenses to ensure that every dollar donated is being used to provide the most necessary tools for our students. The support of our parents, alumni, grandparents, local businesses and friends has been phenomenal in this challenging economy.

We count on our parents to help support the needs of the school – please consider a gift of $25, $50, $100 or more. It’s not the amount but the participation that’s important. Burr and Burton Academy isn’t the beneficiary of your gift, YOUR student is! Make an investment in your student’s future today. For more information please contact Amy Comar, Annual Giving Campaign coordinator, at 549-8281 or by e-mail acomar@burrburton.org.

The Advancement Office will host a second Open Parent Association Meeting on April 29 at 5 pm in the Rowland Center. If you were not able to attend the first meeting at the beginning of March, we hope you can join us for this one. There will be a discussion with Headmaster Mark Tashjian for about an hour and some break- out groups afterward. An e-mail announcement will follow with further details.

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From the Arts Department

Please join us for Calliope Café on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 pm in the Rowland Center. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

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From the Athletic Department

Do you have unused sports equipment sitting in your closet? We’d love to have it for our international students! We have several students who would like to try a sport every year who decide not to because they have to buy equipment that they will never use again. Please contact Director of Athletics Kathi Bierwirth at 549-8119 or by e-mail kbierwirth@burrburton.org if you have equipment you would like to donate.

Booster Club Needs Your Support
The Burr and Burton Booster Club is dying. A dramatic statement, perhaps, but definitely not an overstatement. At present, the core of the Booster Club consists of about seven volunteers. Within the next two years, we will most likely lose three of those members as their children graduate from BBA. In the almost three years that I have been involved with the Booster Club, I have seen several other members leave but I have not seen one additional person come on board. Without additional members we will see our efforts slowly die away. Already we have seen the end of our ski sale and this year we have been forced to cancel our annual golf tournament. The loss of these events will have a substantial impact on our fundraising efforts, and in times like these fundraising is more important than ever. I am sure by now that most of you have seen Mark Tashjian’s letter outlining the financial pressures that Burr and Burton is experiencing. We would be naive to think that this will not have some impact on BBA’s sports programs.

The parent and student involvement in staffing some of our efforts has been tremendous. The times that we have had trouble getting people to run the concessions or handle the 50/50 raffle have been very, very few. Last year when we hosted the Harlem Rockets, I sent out an e-mail asking for help and within minutes had more than enough people to get us through the evening.

However, we still need people who are willing to make the commitment to help organize and run these events. Without those events our fundraising efforts will fall short of the total needed to support the commitments we have made in the past, let alone fund those things that need to be done in the future. So far this year, BBA has won seven state championships. The banners that will hang in the gym celebrating those championships will cost approximately $2,000 and are paid for by the Booster Club. The Booster Club has spent over $1,000 this year on travel money for our student athletes going to state playoffs. In addition, the club in the past has awarded an annual scholarship of $1,000 to a male and female Burr and Burton senior. This year we committed $1,000 to help pay for an indoor batting cage for the baseball and softball teams (a necessity for teams that are lucky if they see any outdoor practice before their first game). There are also the monies raised through the 50/50 raffles that have gone to help support the hockey teams. Through our golf tournament, we were able to pay for an outstanding weight room and exercise facility. However, without future fundraising events, maintaining that facility will be very difficult.

I know all of us are faced with numerous other commitments and demands for our time, but I also know that sometimes all that it takes is to ask someone to help out. Unfortunately, I can’t ask you all one by one, so I am asking you now through this letter to help. Please attend our meetings. They are held the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30 pm in Julie Fifield’s classroom, off the gym lobby. Please call me if you have any questions.

Thank you,
John Conlon
(James ’10 and Marjean ’12)
President
Burr and Burton Booster Club
802-362-1873
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From the Library

New additions to our nonfiction collection include:
•    We Are the Ship: the Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
•    John Steinbeck : a Twentieth-Century Life by Milton Meltzer
•    Blue Clay People : Seasons on Africa’s Fragile Edge by William Powers
•    Custom Kicks: Personalized Footwear by Maki
•    Outliers : The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
•    Nothing to Fear : FDR’s Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America by Adam Cohen
•    The Tyranny of Oil : The World’s Most Powerful Industry—and What We Must Do To Stop It by Antonia Juhasz
•    Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals by Temple Grandin
•    Mrs. Lincoln: a Life by Catherine Clinton
•    The Soloist : a Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music by Steve Lopez

New additions to our fiction collection include:
•    Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
•    The Watchmen by Alan Moore
•    The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson
•    Sovay by Celia Rees
•    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
•    The Boxer and the Spy by Robert B. Parker
•    Bonechiller by Graham McNamee
•    Diamond Willow by Helen Frost
•    Child of Dandelions by Shehaaz Nanji
•    Boot Camp by Todd Strasser

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

Library Hours
Monday – Thursday 7 am – 4 pm
Friday 7 am – 1 pm

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Summer Camps 2009

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College and Career Counseling

Mock Interviews for Juniors
Our annual Mock Interview Program takes place on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 8. Juniors will have an opportunity to test their interviewing skills while meeting one on one with visiting college admission counselors. Students will receive direct feedback from the admission professionals that they can put to use when they schedule college visits in the upcoming months. As previously announced, this is a first-come first-served program. nterested juniors who haven’t yet signed up should check with Lynne Welsh to inquire if there are any remaining spots.

Standardized Testing Registration Information for Juniors
Test: ACT
Registration Deadlines: February 27 and May 8
Test Dates: April 4 and June 13
Place: BBA and Other

Test: SAT or Subject
Registration Deadlines: March 31 and May 5
Test Dates: May 2 and June 6
Place: BBA and Other

Students can register for the SAT online at www.collegeboard.com. Please be aware that the June testing date may conflict with post-season athletic contests. The SAT Reasoning Test is the regular SAT (the previous SAT I) required by most colleges. The SAT Subject Tests are the old SAT IIs or even older Achievement Tests; all but a handful of the most selective colleges do not require Subject Tests.

The ACT is a nice alternative to the SAT; nearly every college accepts either test and some colleges accept the ACT in lieu of SAT subject tests. To register online, go to www.actstudent.org. Paper registration forms for both the SAT and ACT are also available in the School and College Counseling Office.

SAT Prep Class
There are still spaces remaining in the SAT Prep class coming to Burr and Burton on April 25 and 26. Bruce Hammond, an editor of the Fiske Guide to Colleges and national speaker and presenter will lead the class. Please sign up in the School and College Counseling Office asap.

College Planning To-Do List for Juniors
The School and College counselors have been meeting with juniors for the past two months. Please ask your student to check out their college list on the Naviance program: http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton. We’ll be sending you a more extensive to-do list in the upcoming midterm report mailing, but here are some of the highlights:
•   Sign up for SAT or ACT (see above).
•   Research colleges and make college visits (during April break or take an excused absence on another day).
•   Make journal notes in Naviance. Keep track of what you learn about each college and share your impressions with us.
•   Let us know when you’re ready to meet again.
•   Attend relevant programs like the Burr and Burton College Night on Tuesday, May 5.
•   Stay in regular communication with your counselor so we can assist you.

Local College Fair
Representatives from primarily Northeastern colleges will gather on Wednesday, April 8, from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at Castleton State College to speak with families about their programs. The list of participating colleges is posted in the School and College Counseling Office.

Graduation Information for Senior Families
Watch your mail for a booklet with comprehensive graduation information; it should arrive by the end of this month.

Senior College Notifications
May 1 is the National Candidates’ Reply Date. Seniors should be sure to send in their deposit to the ONE college of their choice by May 1 in order to hold their place in the class. Families who have not received financial aid packages may want to request an extension for the deposit but all students should communicate with their college by May 1. At the same time, seniors should notify other colleges that they have decided to enroll elsewhere.

Financial Aid Packages
Families of seniors who are receiving financial aid award letters may find the different presentations to be confusing. Use the “Award Letter Comparison Tool” available on the “Pay for College” page at www.vsac.org to better understand what different colleges are offering. The friendly folks at VSAC are available to answer questions about loans and other parts of the financial aid process; feel free to contact them at 1-800-642-3177.

The Order of the Eastern Star College Scholarship
Eligibility: High school senior planning to attend 2-4 year college or university full-time; academic achievement; community involvement; financial need.
Award: $500; Deadline: April 1

Nelson E. & Marie Williams Scholarship
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who live within the borders of the area served by Currier Memorial School. This includes the towns of Danby ad Mt. Tabor. The student must have been a graduate of Currier Memorial School; strong character, strong academics, financial need.
Award: Not specified; Deadline: April 1

Sons of American Legion – Denis Comai Scholarship
Eligibility: Senior planning to attend trade school or technical college. Must have an immediate family member who is a member of the American Legion Family
Award: $1,000; Deadline: April 1

American Legion of Vermont Scholarship
Eligibility: seniors accepted at approved or accredited school or college,
Award: $1,500; $1,000; or $500; Deadline: April 1

Stephen Wood Carman and Sean Stephen Wood Cornell Memorial Scholarship
Eligibility: Senior planning to attend college in fall 2009. Based on overall academic record, extra-curricular activities and community service
Award: not specified; Deadline: April 10
For further information contact Jackie Sargood, SVAC, 362-1405

Wantastiquet Rotary Club Scholarship
Eligibility: Senior planning to further education through vocational course of study or 2- or 4-year college; academic potential, participation and involvement in school and home communities.
Award: $150; Deadline: April 11

Vermont Space Grant Scholarship
Eligibility: graduating high school senior or current undergraduate at VT College or University. GPA 3.0 or above. Planning to pursue career with direct relevance to US aerospace industry and NASA.
Award: $2,500; Deadline: April 13
Application also online at: www.vtspacegrant.org/scholarship.htm

Manchester Lions Club Scholarship
Eligibility: graduating senior needing financial assistance with college, trade school, conservatory, AA degree program or other non-traditional training program. Also for a recent past graduate who may just now be moving ahead with their education.
Award: not specified; Deadline: April 15

VFW – Phil Kelleher and John West Scholarship
Eligibility: High school senior planning to enroll in college. Award based on academic record, personal achievement, community service
Award: not specified; Deadline: April 20 must be hand-delivered

Vermont Golf Association Scholarship
Eligibility: Senior, in top 40% of class, GPA of 80, minimum combined SAT of 1500; connection to golf through play, caddying, or working at a club or golf course. Demonstration of financial need.
Award: $1,000/year for 4 years; Deadline: April 20
Application also online at: www.vtga.org

Manchester Masons of VT Scholarship
Eligibility: senior planning to enroll in college; award based on leadership, community service and extra-curricular activities and financial need
Award: $500.00; Deadline: April 22

Vermont Grocer’s Scholarship
Eligibility: senior affiliated with VGA via family or as an employee: financial need
Award: $1,500 to $2,500; Deadline: April 24

Winona Smith Scholarship
Eligibility: senior who has demonstrated an interest in civic participation and community service, financial need. Must have a teacher recommendation specific to this scholarship
Award: $50; Deadline: April 28

Southern Vermont Arts Center Scholarships
Harriet Miller Memorial Scholarship
Thomas Reilly Dibble Memorial Scholarship
Churchill Ettinger Memorial Scholarship
Eva Mathiasen Memorial Scholarship
H. Thomas Clarke Memorial Scholarship
Eligibility: graduating senior accepted to an art program or art institution. Must be nominated by the BBA Art Faculty and have a comprehensive portfolio for review. Awarded to the artist who best shows a firm grasp on the principles of aesthetics and design.
Award: $500; Deadline: May 1

Stephen Phillips Scholarship
Eligibility: Financial need, academic excellence, and exemplary citizenship, character and serious-mindedness. Extensive application form. Start early! (See if you qualify financial BEFORE filling out the application.)
Award: $3,000 to $10,000
Deadline: May 1
Application online at www.phillips-scholarship.org

BBA Wadsworth Art Scholarship
Eligibility: must be planning to major or double major in studio art.
Award: $1,000; Deadline: May 1

St. Andrew’s Society of VT, Cultural Grants
Eligibility: VT residents who plan to enroll or are already enrolled in studying Scottish History language, arts, literature, dance and/or music
Award: $1,000; Deadline: May 5
Application also online at http://www.standrewssocietyofvermont.org

BBA Teachers’ Association Scholarship
Eligibility: Seniors, based on personal integrity and commitment to learning. Brief essay required.
Award: not specified; Deadline: May 5

COMING SOON: The Reverend Canon Robert L. Clayton Scholarship Program
Eligibility: graduating senior, strong academic record, financial need, extra-curricular involvement, community involvement, character, goals
Award: $4,000/year for four years; Deadline: TBA (Probably early to mid-May)

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Posted by bbabullhorn

March 2009

March 1, 2009

Calendar

5 Mandatory Spring Sports Parent and Athlete meetings, 6 pm (see below)
11 & 12 Prisms Concert, Riley Center, 6:30 pm
13 Green Mountain Choral Festival
16 Spring sports season begins
23 End of the marking period
24-26 Midterm exams
30 Full-day faculty in-service. No school for students.

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,

In like a lion, out like a lamb? Burr and Burton is roaring through the winter, with two state championships under our belt—the dance team and girls’ ice hockey—a second place for boys’ ice hockey, and the snowboarding and ski teams as well as and our undefeated girls’ basketball team concluding their seasons this week. Also on the sports front, our Access students will compete in the Special Olympics against Bennington on Tuesday night. Then there are the many activities that do not involve points and referees and competitors—one of which took place this past Saturday: the One-Act Symposium in the Riley Center for the Arts. Students acted in and directed a series of “skits,” a term that does not do justice to the quality of the performances. I can only say that the audience witnessed performances that result when talent, passion and hard work converge. It was a special evening.

In the midst of all of this activity, the work of academic learning guided by our talented teaching staff continues. That is, of course, our core purpose, the foundation that gives substance and strength to everything else. At Burr and Burton Academy, I am happy to report that winter is going out like a lion!

Please take a look at what’s ahead for March. I know we have a ways to go until flowers bloom on our hillsides, but there is much to see and enjoy at Burr and Burton Academy.

Sincerely yours,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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From the Athletic Director

The Mandatory Spring Sports Parent and Athlete meetings will take place Thursday, March 5 at 6 pm for the following spring sports: baseball, softball, track, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls golf and boys and girls tennis. The individual meeting locations:

Baseball: Hunter Seminar Room in the library
Boys lacrosse: Rowland Center in cafeteria
Softball: Cory Herrington’s room, third floor of Seminary Building
Track: gymnasium
Boys tennis: Dave Miceli’s room, third floor of Seminary Building
Girls tennis: John Graf’s room, third floor of Seminary Building
Girls lacrosse: John Wright’s room, third floor of Seminary Building
Boys and girls golf : Wellness classroom off of the gym lobby

Spring Sports Start Dates
Monday, March 9 Baseball pitchers and catchers.
Monday, March 16 All spring sports begin.

REMINDERS: Community Service hours and Service Learning projects must be up to date. Sophomores need 2 Service Learning projects completed and juniors need 4 Service Learning projects completed. Seniors need to have completed their 50 hours of community service. All athletes must have had a physical exam within the last two years; any athlete who had a physical prior to July 2007 you must have a current form on file before the season opens.

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From the Health Clinic
Students need healthy meals to learn. Hunger pains are a distraction to learning. Burr and Burton Academy strongly believes that every student should be well fed and ready to embrace the school day with a full belly. Therefore, we have partnered with the State of Vermont to administer the National School Lunch program. Depending on a family’s household income your child may be eligible for free and reduced priced lunches. Please feel free to call Dennis Filippi in the Business Office 549-8213 or Meg Burns in the Health Clinic 549-8132 for more information or with any questions you may have.

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From the Advancement Office

As we head into March, we continue to work on raising funds for the Annual Giving Campaign. As we all know, Burr and Burton is making every effort to continue to provide the very best programs. At the same time, we are looking at every expense in the budget to trim costs and be more efficient. Every dollar we raise through the annual fund is spent responsibly, knowing how challenging it has been this year for some parents to make their gift.

We would like to thank all of our parents, businesses, and friends that have already supported the Annual Giving Campaign. Your support and partnership in the face of the current economic situation sends a strong message to our students that we care about the quality of their education and will do everything we can to make it happen for them.

We count on our parents to help support the needs of the school – please consider a gift of $25, $50, $100 or more. It’s not the amount but the participation that’s important. Burr and Burton Academy isn’t the beneficiary of your gift, YOUR student is! Make an investment in your student’s future, today.
Thank you,
Amy Comar
Annual Giving Coordinator
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From the Arts Department

The annual “Art from the Schools” student show will take place March 14 through April 9 at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester. All are welcome to attend the complimentary opening March 14, from 2 pm to 4 pm, as well as the Young Picasso’s Pizza Party on March 25 from 3 pm to 6 pm.This show will feature Burr and Burton Academy student work from the visual arts classes, including paintings, drawings, ceramics, photography, and woodworking.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
The opening reception for Arts Department Chair Betsy Byrne Hubner’s showing of her Irish-inspired paintings and photographs will take place Tuesday, March 17, from 5-7 pm at the Manchester Artists Guild on Route 11/30. All are welcome!

Performing Arts Department Events

The Prisms Concert will take place March 11 and 12 at 6:30 pm in the Riley Center for the Arts. For tickets please go to www.bba.ticketjunior.com.

On March 13 the Green Mountain Choral Festival will be held at Green Mountain College in Poultney.

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College and Career Counseling

Course Registration for 2009-2010
Juniors, sophomores and freshmen will be registering for classes at the beginning of April. Please keep an eye out for the new Course of Study book and take the time to discuss appropriate course choices with your son or daughter. Parents need to sign off on course registration forms for the requests to be processed. Please call your student’s counselor if you have any questions.

Mock College Interviews
Juniors will have the chance to participate in individual practice college interviews with college admission officers on the afternoons of April 8 and/or 9. Details will be forthcoming and registration for this program will begin on March 23 in the School and College Counseling Office. Students will be accommodated on a first-come -first-served basis until spots are filled.

College Fair
Castleton State College will host a College Fair on Wednesday, April 8, from 6:30 to 8 pm. Admission representatives from a variety of Northeastern colleges will be available to speak with students and parents.

Burr and Burton’s Spring College Program
Juniors, sophomores, and their parents are invited to attend our Annual Spring College Program on Tuesday, May 5, at 7 pm, in the Rowland Center. The evening will begin with an hour-long discussion by a panel of college admission professionals, followed by a variety of related workshops. In addition, Dr. Karen Gross, president of Southern Vermont College, will be a featured speaker at 8 pm. Her talk, “What College-bound Students Should Know about Finances,” is also appropriate for the parents of seniors and members of the current graduating class.

VSAC Admission Programs
VSAC is also organizing a series of workshops on college admission. These Saturday programs take place on March 14 at St. Michael’s College; March 28 at Castleton State College; and April 4 at Lyndon State College. Find more information and register for VSAC’s College Pathways workshops on-line at www.vsac.org/pathways or by calling 1-800-798-8722.

Standardized Testing Registration Deadlines
All juniors who plan to attend college at some point in the future should register to take at least one standardized test this spring. Please confer with your counselor for advice. Registration deadlines and test dates are as follows:

Test: ACT
Registration Deadlines: February 27 and May 8
Test Dates: April 4 and June 13
Place: BBA and Other

Test: SAT or Subject
Registration Deadlines: March 31 and May 5
Test Dates: May 2 and June 6
Place: BBA and Other

We recommend that students register on-line; for the SAT at www.collegeboard.com and for the ACT at www.actstudent.org. Paper registration forms are also available in the School and College Counseling Office. Please see counselors with any questions.

Juniors interested in area test-prep opportunities should review the February mailing sent to their homes. Please see Lynne Welsh in our office for additional copies. She is also accepting registrations and fees for the Bruce Hammond SAT Prep Workshop at Burr and Burton on April 25 and 26. To sign up for other programs, students need to contact the providers directly.

Summer Opportunities
The School and College Counseling Office has information about various types of summer programs for students. Please stop by to check out our collection of materials.

All students are eligible for the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont which include week-long sessions organized around the following topics: Arts, Asian Cultures, Current Events and Issues, Engineering, Information Technology, Mathematics, and Science and Technology, and. These last three programs are available to girls at half-tuition, thanks to special grants. Applications are due in the School and College Counseling Office by March 15.

Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors interested in a health-care career may want to attend one of the week-long MedQuest programs offered in June in Bennington and in August in Brattleboro. The School and College Counseling Office has applications available for pick-up. The application deadline is March14.

Financial Aid Alert
Seniors need to complete and submit their financial aid forms (FAFSA and VSAC Grant Application) this month if they have not already done so. Contact VSAC at 1-800-642-3177 for assistance in filling out the forms. Don’t delay!

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From the Library

We have added sixty-five eBooks to our library’s electronic catalog. From Shakespeare’s As You Like It to Jack London’s Call of the Wild, these eBooks are accessible right from our catalog and include a built-in keyword search function making them great for research and reference. Follett eBooks are single books that can only be checked out to one user at a time. You will need to access your Destiny account to check out a Follett eBooks. The book will be downloaded onto your computer using Adobe Acrobat Reader. After the download is complete you can save a copy of the book to your computer for easy access. The book will automatically open each time at the page where you left off.

Headlines and Sidelines is a large three-ring binder containing clippings of all the articles about Burr and Burton and its students that have appeared in the Rutland Herald, the Bennington Banner and the Manchester Journal since school began last August. This wonderful book of media coverage celebrates student accomplishments in sports, in academics, in community activities and in community service. The book is updated daily and kept at the circulation desk in the library. We are glad to be able to honor the talents of Burr and Burton students by sharing the Headlines and Sidelines book with everyone so stop by and take a look.

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

Library Hours
Monday – Thursday 7 am – 4 pm
Friday 7 am – 1 pm

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February 2009

February 2, 2009

Calendar

5 Open House for Parents, 6:15 pm

6 Green Mountain Instrumental Music Festival

7 ACTs

16-20 Winter Break

28 One Act Drama Festival Workshop [see below under Performing Arts]

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From the Headmaster

Dear Families,

Out with the old, in with the new. No, I am not talking about the Inauguration; there has been plenty written already, and I don’t need to add to that dialogue in this forum. Rather, I am talking about the new semester, what we refer to as the “spring” semester, something of a misnomer with more snow on the ground than anyone can remember. But here we are: the second semester has begun.

Next week, we will have the Parents Open House (February 5, 6:15 pm). This past fall, we had well over 500 attendees at the Open House in early October, and I hope to exceed this figure next week. As you contemplate whether or not to attend, I’d like to share some thoughts on its importance:

#1 Study after study shows that student performance in school is directly connected with parent involvement. By coming to the Parent Open House, you are demonstrating an interest in—and commitment to—a Burr and Burton education. You send a message that you care about your child’s education. You send a message that you value Burr and Burton Academy and the opportunities that this school presents.
#2 If you know the teachers, the teachers know you. We all communicate better with those we know, and strong communication is essential to any partnership.
#3 By attending Parents Open House, you are recognizing and appreciating the efforts of our teachers. Teachers work very hard all year long, and there are too few opportunities simply to say “Thank you.” This is one of them.

So we invite you to come to the Open House, and we also ASK that you attend. Your attendance will help make us a better school.

Sincerely,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster

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Parents Open House February 5

All parents and guardians are encouraged to return to campus for our second semester Parent Open House on Thursday, February 5, 2009. This is your opportunity to meet your student’s teachers, to understand curricular expectations and grading policies, and to gain a better sense of how your son or daughter spends their day at Burr and Burton Academy. We look forward to seeing you on February 5 starting in the cafeteria in the Rowland Center.

Schedule
6:15 pm – 6:45 pm
Registration, pick up schedules, and socialize with other parents

6:45 pm
Welcoming remarks: Headmaster Mark Tashjian

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Class rotation for A, B and C blocks

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From the Advancement Office

Considering the economic challenges we have been facing in the past six months, as a nation, as families and as individuals, we are making good progress on the Annual Giving Campaign for Burr and Burton. To those parents who have already stepped forward and made a gift we are most grateful. To date, about 20 percent of our parents have given.

While we’ve made progress, we still have over $100,000 left to go to reach our goal. Participation is key to the success of this effort, so if you haven’t made a gift please consider making one. The size of your gift doesn’t matter – if all you can do at this time is $25 that is OKAY! If your personal circumstances allow you to do more, we would appreciate your support. But please do something.

In his letter to parents, Mark Tashjian stated, “Parent giving sends a powerful message to others in this community.” We’re asking you to respond to his appeal and show your strong support for this school and Mark in his first year as headmaster of this amazing institution. Thank you!

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We’re Looking for Host Families!

Every year Burr and Burton welcomes students from Asia, Europe and South America to study for one or both semesters. These students come to Burr and Burton hoping to perfect their English skills and to learn more about American culture by living with a host family in Manchester. Many go on to study at American universities before returning home.

We invite community members to experience the joy of hosting a young person and giving them a chance to know our country. A host family may consist of a traditional nuclear family, a single-parent household, “empty nesters” whose children are grown, a family with young children, or any variation thereon.

“Our participation in the International Program at Burr and Burton Academy has been fun, rewarding, and very surprising,” says Mary Kayhart. “My only regret is that we did not participate in the International
Program as a host family sooner.”

There are only two requirements: students must have their own bedrooms and families must have a willingness to share their lives and hearts with a student from a different culture. A stipend is provided to cover the host’s costs. Contact Andrea Thulin at 549-8133 or e-mail a athulin@burrburton.org.

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Performing Arts Department

February 1 Scotland trip meeting and dance demonstration 12:00-2:00
February 6 Green Mountain Instrumental Music Festival
February 28 One Act Drama Festival Workshop

Performing Arts Department Hosts Actors Symposium
February 27-28
Burr and Burton Academy’s Performing Arts Department is sponsoring a new initiative this winter for aspiring student actors and directors. The Actors Symposium, to be held on February 27 and 28, will provide students with the opportunity to study with professional actors and directors during this two-day event. These professionals draw from a diverse range of experience on and off Broadway, reaching from the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York to international experience in Europe, Denmark, and Australia.

In preparation for this event, several one-act performances are currently in rehearsal under student direction. Faculty mentors are working with these student directors on advanced directorial techniques. In the spirit of collaboration, the Performing Arts Department has invited the Varsity Players from Arlington High School to join the symposium.
During the symposium, students will share their one-act performances with the professionals who will in turn provide constructive feedback, workshops, and mentorship for all participants. At the conclusion of the event, these one-acts will be performed for the public on Saturday February 28, at 6:30 pm in the school’s Riley Center for the Arts. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Doors will open at 5:45 pm.

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College and Career Counseling

Meetings with Juniors
Individual meetings with juniors are now underway as we help them shape their futures in college, gap programs, employment, military service, and other options. All students will have a scheduled appointment with their counselor sometime in the next few months when they will complete a resume of activities and explore opportunities with us.

For students who don’t have college in their sights at this time, we will discuss ways for students to determine possible career and job interests. Field Study, elective courses and part-time jobs are good avenues for students to prepare for employment after high school.

We assist college-bound students with the college search process, discuss academic preparation, review PSAT scores and plan for standardized testing. We look forward to continued contact with juniors throughout the next year as we work together to find good college matches.

Parents often wonder how they can help. We meet with students and help them compile an appropriate college list, but families need to take the next step. Please facilitate some college visits during the spring semester. In our experience, we have found that students who have visited a few campuses prior to applying find the process more meaningful, directed and manageable. With advanced notice to teachers and the Dean of Students, college visits are excused absences from school. Plan a trip to see a campus or two and take advantage of information sessions and tours. Then be sure to let us know your family’s impressions.

Another way that we coordinate efforts with students and families is through the Naviance Program (http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton). This on-line program has multiple resources and also serves as a communication tool. We demonstrated various program functions during our evening College Program for Junior Parents in October. Individual account access codes were also mailed home earlier this year. If you have misplaced your access code or need to reset your password, please email Lynne Welsh, office assistant, by e-mail at lwelsh@burrburton.org.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. We are eager to partner with parents in the college and career planning process.

Andrea Hogan, 549-8145; ahogan@burrburton.org
Melissa Michaud, 549-8130; mmichaud@burburton.org
Cristin Rose, 549-8126; crose@burrburton.org

Standardized Testing Registration
Most juniors should sign up to take either the SAT Reasoning Test (the regular SAT) on May 2 or the ACT (with writing) on April 4 since they are given here at the school and students are generally more comfortable in a familiar testing environment. Some highly selective colleges also require SAT Subject Tests so some students should also plan to take these on June 6 at another site. Although this is the traditional junior testing schedule, individual students do choose alternative plans. For example, students anticipating athletic championship contests during the first weekend in June need to be aware of a potential conflict.

Information on the SAT and ACT, registration forms and free practice booklets are available in the School and College Counseling Office and at www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org, respectively. The table below outlines spring testing options. Additional testing opportunities will come next fall. Please contact us if you have questions.

Test: ACT
Registration Deadlines: February 27 and May 8
Test Dates: April 4 and June 13
Place: BBA and Other

Test: SAT or Subject
Registration Deadlines: March 31 and May 5
Test Dates: May 2 and June 6
Place: BBA and Other

Prep for Standardized Testing
SAT prep classes are currently forming for the spring semester. The Manchester Tutorial Center offers two courses at a moderate fee. Please call 362-0222 for information and to register for classes beginning in mid March. High-End Test Prep offers an intensive and pricier course beginning in mid February (call 802-233-7732 or email highendtestprep@yahoo.com). A best value SAT prep option will take place on the weekend of April 25-26 when Bruce Hammond, former managing editor of the Fiske Guide to Colleges, will offer a two-day workshop for approximately $100. Details on that course are forthcoming.

Financial Aid
Financial aid information was distributed to all seniors in advisory in December. All Vermont students applying for need-based financial aid must submit the FAFSA and VSAC forms. Pay close attention to individual college financial aid deadlines; many colleges require students to file the FAFSA in February and March.

To file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and VSAC grant application, go the these websites: www.fafsa.ed.gov and www.vsac.org. Families are urged to file on-line as soon as possible and you are welcome to use our office computers if you need internet access. If you have questions about the FAFSA or other financial aid forms, don’t hesitate to contact the helpful folks at VSAC’s toll-free help line: 800-642-3177.

In addition, some private colleges require students to file the CSS Profile form. You will need to check your individual college financial aid requirements. Information about the CSS Profile can be found in the financial aid section at www.collegeboard.com.

Scholarships
Students can pick forms for individual scholarships in the School and College Counseling Office. For a current list of scholarships available please go to www.burrburton.org/parents. VSAC coordinates applications for multiple Vermont-based scholarships through its VSAC Scholarship Booklet and Unified Scholarship Application (due March1). This publication is available for pick-up in our office; information and forms are also available on the VSAC website.

Summer Programs / Study Abroad
The School and College Counseling Office has collected information about a variety of summer programs, including two Vermont-based programs: MedQuest (for health-related careers; www.southernvermontahec.org) and Governor’s Institutes (topical sessions: www.giv.org). See websites for details and deadlines.

Students planning to spend a semester abroad or in an alternative educational setting in 2009-10 should meet with their counselor to plan an appropriate academic schedule. Students need to submit a Burr and Burton Off-Campus Study application for approval.

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Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning
Cabin Fever Classes

The Green mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning is offering some great Cabin Fever classes, several taught by Burr and Burton faculty. For complete information visit their website at www.gmall.org.

The Joy of the Recorder with Julie Freebern
Session 1 (Getting Started/Restarted)
4 Wednesdays, Feb. 4, 11, 25; March 4
Session 2 (Experienced and Beyond)
4 Wednesdays, Apr. 1, 8, 22, 29
Secrets to Making a Great Soup with Sissy Hicks
Thursday, February 12
Hot Topics & Current Events: A Great Conversations Discussion Group
6 Thursdays, February 12, 26; March 12, 26; April 9, 23
Duplicate Bridge: An Introduction with Andy Avery
4 Mondays, February 16, 23; March 2, 9
Building Brain-Power with Math’s Hottest Technologies with Michael Caraco
4 Tuesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24
(Almost) Everything You Need to Know about Practical Psychology with Bill Muench
4 Wednesdays, March 4, 11, 18, 25
Astronomy: From Stargazers to Moon-Walkers with Bill Muench
4 Thursdays, March 5, 12, 19, 26
A “Taste” of Spring: Beekeeping for Gardening
and Farming Success with Maddie Sobel
Tuesday, March 10

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School Club Roundup Announcement
The School Club Roundup is an annual ham radio contest with the purpose of promoting amateur radio communications in schools. During the week of February 9-13, Burr and Burton Academy’s ham radio station (K1BBS) will participate for the eleventh consecutive year. Over the past decade, 277 Burr and Burton students have made 2,342 contacts with individuals, clubs, and schools. K1BBS has ranked nationally between third and ninth for the high school division with nine of the ten years producing the Vermont state champion. Worldwide, depending on the year, K1BBS ranked between fourth and thirtieth. Come 20:00 UTC on Monday, 2-9-09, K1BBS keys the microphone to defend BBA’s state, national, and international honor. For previous year’s statistics, pictures, etc. go to: http://bba-kochenour-chemistry.wikispaces.com/Ham+Radio

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From the Library
Come Join Us for a 200th Birthday Party for Abraham Lincoln, Thursday February 12. Books, Photos, Trivia Contest and Birthday Cake!

With more than fifty Lincoln titles in our collection, there is much to read and enjoy and many works will be on display all month for borrowing. Here are just three suggestions: The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage by Daniel Epstein, Abraham Lincoln the Writer, compiled and edited by Harold Holzer and Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President by Harold Holzer. In addition to books we have other formats such as DVDs, photographs and CDs that focus on Lincoln.

We are featuring a presidential trivia contest during February – just five correct answers results in a “sweet” reward!

Library website: http://northshirelibraries.com

Library Hours
Monday – Thursday 7 am – 4 pm
Friday 7 am – 1 pm

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New Club in Town Holds Food Drive February 21
The Manchester Lions Club’s new Leo Club, under the direction of Pam Nichols, is having a Stuff-a-Bus food drive on Saturday, February 21, at Shaw’s supermarket from 8 am to 2 pm. Stop by and help them fill the mini-bus. All food donated will go to the Manchester Food Cupboard. The Leo Club, a youth version of the Lions, is an international community service club and is open to all local high-school students. Burr and Burton junior Mary Kate Hancock is the current president of the club. Please call Pam for more information: 362-3504.

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January 2009

January 4, 2009

Calendar

5 Classes resume

13 End of marking period

14 – 16 Final exams. Dismissal at 12:35 pm.

17 All-State Music Festival auditions

19 Martin Luther King Day. No school.

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From the Headmaster

Dear Burr and Burton Community,

I hope you all have enjoyed a restful break after a whirlwind December that featured many highlights: rousing performances by the orchestra, jazz ensemble, chorus, dancers, and, of course, the dramatic production, The Diviners. Winter sports teams are off to strong starts, with special kudos to the still-undefeated girls varsity basketball team (with hopes that my mention does not jinx them!). Final exams are on the horizon, and then, miraculously, we take the turn into the second semester and the second half of the year. With Burr and Burton’s strengths as a backdrop, I want to talk a little bit about the dramatic changes in our nation’s economic outlook and how this affects our school.

As a school that serves eleven sending towns, we are acutely aware that our tuition is paid via taxes. In the coming months, we will be presenting next year’s tuition at local town meetings, and I thought it might be worthwhile to share certain aspects of our financial situation in anticipation of those discussions.

First, what we charge in tuition does not cover the cost of providing the rich array of opportunities, the small class sizes, the extraordinary facilities and the dedicated teachers at Burr and Burton. In recent years, there has been an annual shortfall of roughly $1 million that is paid for privately via extensive fundraising efforts and draw on the endowment. In fact, last year, we experienced a deficit of $357,000 despite all those fundraising efforts. Obviously, we cannot experience deficits indefinitely, so this year we have looked closely at our cost structure and enacted a range of measures, including installation of energy-efficient electric fixtures and bulbs funded by Efficiency Vermont, projected to yield annual savings of $20,000; double-sealing of all windows during the winter months; lowering of thermostats; deferring certain capital expenditures; and looking carefully at the entire operating budget to insure that we are operating as efficiently as possible. Efforts to improve efficiency are ongoing.

Second, but really most important, we will not compromise the quality of education in the interest of so-called “efficiency.” In fact, we must continue to grow and strengthen ourselves as an educational institution even as we challenge ourselves to do more with less. In the global economy, Burr and Burton students must be prepared to compete with the best and the brightest not only from this region and this country, but globally. We simply cannot meet our educational mission, we simply cannot responsibly prepare students for the challenges they will face if we focus solely on cost-cutting; we must always keep in mind our aspirations for the future as a way of inspiring our present.

The Board of Trustees has set the 2009-2010 per student tuition rate at $13,350, a number which is still projected to result in a deficit of $280,000. This is an increase of $750, roughly 6 percent, from last year’s tuition. The trustees approved this figure, citing their desire for tuition to remain affordable to the towns, the school’s responsibility to maintain high quality academic programs, and trustee responsibility to manage the fiscal health of the school. Through enhanced fundraising efforts and efficiency improvements, we will strive to balance the budget despite the current deficit projection.

Burr and Burton’s high-quality programs and its reputation for excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics continue to draw families to the Manchester community. In fact, the notion that a private school could serve the public—that, in fact, the public deserves the quality of education that wealthy families pay $20,000 or more to experience—is what attracted me to the Manchester community. Burr and Burton has the highest scores on state-mandated assessment tests administered to juniors, as well as the highest graduation rate and the lowest drop-out rate in the state. And we will continue to strive for improvement.

I hope you find this information to be useful. Let’s hope for health, education, and an economic rebound in 2009. Happy New Year.

Sincerely yours,
Mark H. Tashjian

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From the School and College Counseling Office

College and Career Planning for Juniors
The School and College counselors will meet with all juniors in individual student appointments to be scheduled in late January, February, and March. We will discuss the student’s academic record, extracurricular and work experiences, and other positive factors that will contribute to a successful college application process or transition to work or other opportunities. Our goal with all students is to help them create a successful plan for life after Burr and Burton. We will assist college-bound students in developing an appropriate college list, answer questions and provide support for the college search. We welcome parental contact and feedback at any time.

Standardized Testing for Juniors
All students who took the PSAT in October should have received results through the mail in mid December. We also enclosed a testing calendar and prep information in the packet for your reference. Students have many options about which tests to take and when to take them. Please contact your counselor if you have questions.

Upcoming Test Dates and Deadlines

ACT Saturday, Feb. 7
Register by Jan. 6 at www.actstudent.org
Sign up for ACT with writing!
Test is offered at Burr and Burton

SAT Saturday, March 14
Register by Feb. 10 at www.collegeboard.com
SAT Critical Reasoning Test only (no subject tests)
NOT offered at Burr and Burton
If student has potential athletic or other conflict for May or June test date, he /she may want to consider taking this one.

ACT Saturday, April 4
Register by Feb. 27 at www.actstudent.org
Sign up for ACT with writing!
Test is offered at BBA

College Application Update
Congratulations to the many seniors who have already been admitted to college (more than 40 percent of the class)! Most of the rest have applied and are now waiting for responses from colleges that don’t report decisions as quickly. We are working with the small percentage of seniors who are still in the process of applying and aim to get their applications off by the end of the month.

Mid-Year Grades for Seniors
Many colleges request the mid-year or first semester grades of their applicants. Rest assured that the registrar will process grades as soon as possible following exams. We’ll then forward an updated transcript to all colleges listed on students’ transcript request forms. Because we use a universal mid-year report form, there is no need to provide us with college-specific forms.

Financial Aid
January 1 is opening day for 2009-2010 Financial Aid Season! All students applying for need-based aid should be ready to submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the VSAC (Vermont Student Assistance Corp.) grant application in the next month or so.

Parents should begin gathering financial statements and information in anticipation of filing financial aid forms. Be careful to meet individual college financial aid deadlines. Please remember that you can estimate on your forms and revise them later. Many colleges distribute financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis.

Families are encouraged to apply online whenever possible: www.fafsa.ed.gov and www.vsac.org

Some private colleges also require a form called the CSS Financial Aid Profile Form. This process should be started immediately so as not to delay funding: https://profileonline.collegeboard.com.

Families who have specific questions about how to complete portions of the financial aid forms may want to take advantage of scheduling an individual appointment with Rick Bernasconi, Burr and Burton’s VSAC Outreach counselor, on Wednesday, January 14, beginning at 3 pm. Families who want to participate should call Lynne Welsh in the School and College Counseling Office as soon as possible to put their names on an appointment list. Other VSAC counselors are on call and available to answer questions families have about any aspect of applying for financial at their toll-free number: 1-800-798-8722.

Scholarships/ Contests
The VSAC Unified Scholarship application and information is available on the VSAC website and as a booklet in the School and College Counseling Office. The deadline for all scholarships in this application is March 1.

Additional Scholarships:

Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship
Eligibility: senior, employment, community service, leadership, financial need
Deadline: January 9
Application in School and College Counseling Office and online at: www.elks.org/enf/scholars

Vermont JCI Senate Foundation Scholarship
Eligibility: Seniors continuing their education at college, university or vocational school
Deadline: January 19
Application online: www.usjcisenate.org

Discover Scholarship Program
Eligibility: High School junior with at least a 2.75 GPA for 9th and 10th grades who demonstrates accomplishments in community service and leadership and has faced a significant roadblock or challenge.
Deadline: January 31Online Application: www.applyists.net (Access key DISC)

VERMONT-NEA Maida F. Townsend Scholarship
Eligibility: Seniors who are sons or daughters of VT NEA members, must submit a 400-word essay
Deadline: February 2
Cover sheet at www.vtnea.org

Burger King Scholars Program
Eligibility: GPA 2.5 or higher, work 15 hours/week, 40 wks/year; community service; financial need; enrolling in 2 or 4 year college or voc/tech school. Do NOT need to be employed by Burger King.
Deadline: February 15
Application Online: www.bk.com/scholars

Knights of Columbus 2009 Scholastic Achievement Scholarship
Eligibility: high school senior who is a son or daughter of a Knight of Columbus; four scholarships based on merit, four based on merit/need.
Deadline: February 15

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From the Advancement Office

We greatly appreciate the support from our parents to date of the Annual Giving Campaign. Thanks for helping us get halfway to our goal of $450,000! We can only reach this goal through the help of many different friends of the school – not just our parents. Businesses, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, Board of Trustee members and many other friends help make this happen.

After the holidays, we will be continuing our efforts to encourage each and every parent to participate in this year’s campaign. We need parent volunteers to help with our phon-a-thons – it’s only a time commitment of one or two evenings. This is an important way to build strong relationships with all parents, peer to peer. To sign up, call or email Amy Comar at 549-8281 or acomar@burrburton.org.

Again, our most sincere thanks to all parents who have supported this year’s campaign with a gift. We hope 2009 will be a successful and joyous year for all of our Burr and Burton families.

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Purchase Your 2009 Yearbook Now!

Many students were disappointed last year that they could not purchase a yearbook when they were delivered in May. We cannot order more copies than we have sold so it is very important that you order your yearbooks now. In order to make this convenient for you, we are offering two methods for ordering. We’re sure you won’t want to risk not having one for your son or daughter. If you’d like to pay by check, just print out an order form (available under the Parents section on the Burr and Burton website) and mail it in along with your payment to the school. If you’d like to pay by credit card, go to www.jostensyearbooks.com and order your book that way. If you have questions, please email Brook Bull at bbull@burrburton.org

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From the Library

Where to Go When Google Doesn’t Know
Tapping into the “Hidden Web” can help students make the grade

With the help of sites such as Google and Clusty, students have become savvy online searchers. But even the most agile Internet searchers find that some questions just don’t produce the right results, leaving them unable to adequately complete their assignments.

The problem may not be that the answer isn’t out there, but that the usual search engines just can’t get at it. General search engines search what’s free on the Web, but often the most accurate, educational information resides in what insiders call the “Hidden Web”— password-protected subscription websites typically not open to Web search engines.

Free search engines are great for finding simple answers to simple questions, but when the answers really matter — like a student’s homework— we recommend using something more authoritative. Using more authoritative resources doesn’t mean more work or paying extra, you just need to add the school library’s homepage found online at http://northshirelibraries.com to your “Favorites” or “Bookmarks” list. The Lisa B. Tuttle Memorial Library makes these resources available free to every student and faculty at Burr and Burton Academy. Tapping in through the library’s website can be done from school, at home, or at any other Internet-enabled computer.

Once logged on, students can find information that can help with assignments and homework at any grade level, and access a wealth of resources in the Biography, Gale and SIRS databases.

We offer tutorials on the use of any of our databases!

Library Hours:
M-Th 7 am – 4 pm
Fri 7 am – 1 pm

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November 2009
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