Calendar
3 Winter Clothing Drive Collection 12:30 – 6 pm in the cafeteria
4 Winter Clothing Drive Giveaway 8 am – 12 noon in the cafeteria
8 Parent Conferences 1 – 5 pm
9 Parent Conferences 1 – 8 pm
11 SAT at BBA 8 am – 1 pm in the cafeteria
13 Columbus Day – school closed
15 Junior Class Options – PSAT, ASVAB or Career Field Trip 8:10 am – 11 am
15 Freshman Service Day – 138 freshmen and 20 students visiting from Ecuador will be out in service to our community for the school day. Students will choose a site from more than twenty locations to volunteer. All students will return from their service site in time to meet after school commitments or connecting transportation home.
15 Senior College Application Workshop –
15 Mandatory for early applicants 8:10 am – 11 am
23 Difficult Conversations Toolkit Presentation by the Center for
15 Communication in Medicine (CCM) 6 – 9 pm in the Riley Center
24 Calliope Cafe 6:30 – 9 pm in the Riley Center
29 End of Marking Period
30 Midterm Exams (12:35 pm dismissal)
31 Midterm Exams (12:35 pm dismissal)
From the Headmaster
Dear Families:
For many of us, this is the most beautiful time of the year: the leaves are ablaze, those pesky mosquitoes have gone away, and school is in full swing.
We are off to a terrific start to the school year. Classes are productive as we approach the end of the first interim period, sports teams are all competing at a high -level, the fall play rehearsals are on track for what should be a hilarious rendition of The Odd Couple, we welcomed well over 300 parents to our open house, and our varsity sports teams had a clean sweep of reunion/homecoming weekend.
We also had a homecoming dance, and with it comes the issue of dance styles in the 21st century. Many of us can remember our high school dances, some with fond memories and others delighted that we are now adults. With each generation, it seems, there is the dialogue around what constitutes an appropriate dance style, and our neighboring school in Bennington, Mount Anthony Union High School, took the step of canceling their homecoming dance. That move got national attention, some strong support, and some strong criticism. As a fellow school head, I want to applaud Sue Maguire, principal of Mount Anthony, for taking a courageous stand that has engendered important dialogue within their community.
We will have similar dialogue among our students, and the process started yesterday with a very positive discussion in the student council. One of our core values is “Respect for individual differences,” and those differences are not only among our students, but the generational differences that exist within our school community. I have no interest in canceling our dances, which provide a supervised, substance- free venue for students to gather and enjoy each other. However, there are two issues that provide educational opportunity.
First and foremost, there is the issue of consent which is becoming increasingly important with the rise of date rape in our society and, especially, on college campuses. We owe it to our students to prepare them for the independence of college and adult life by ensuring that all have a deep and abiding respect for consent in all interactions.
Second is the dance style itself. We must find a place where chaperones as well as students are comfortable overseeing social events. With the rise of “grinding” as a dance style, we are finding more and more adults uncomfortable either implicitly approving of this dance style or looking the other way. We also must recognize that we have students who are choosing not to come to what could be a nice social gathering because of the peer pressure associated with participating in this particularly physical form of dance.
This is all to say that for you as parents and guardians, I want you to know that we are working as a community of learners to educate each other across generations so we can find ways to build community, have some fun, and ensure that we are respecting individual differences. The dialogue has begun within our student council, and it will continue with the objective of finding a place that works for our community.
Sincerely,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster
From the Assistant Head of School
Interim Reports and
Parent and Teacher Conferences
All families will receive interim reports by mail and email early next week. Interim reports are designed to give a snapshot of each student’s academic performance. All freshmen, new transfer students, and international students will receive their current grade and a comment for each class that runs as semester courses. All other students will receive a grade for each semester course and a comment if they currently have a C or below in the course. Please note that classes that run every other day (all year) do not report interim grades until the end of the first marking period.
Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, October 8th from 1-5 pm and Thursday, October 9th from 1-8 pm with a dinner break from 5-5:45. Students are welcome and encouraged to attend conferences. This is an important opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss progress. If your son or daughter cannot attend, please discuss the following with your him/her prior to your scheduled appointments — what do they like best? Least? What progress are they making? Where are they most successful? What challenges do they face? During your conferences, share your personal insights regarding your child. It is often this personal knowledge and perspective that teachers act on, leading to enhanced student learning.
We encourage all parents/students to schedule appointments. Please schedule your conferences by clicking on the pick-a-time link. This link is also available on our web site: www.burrburton.org under the “Parents” section. Please note that if you are a two household family, and another parent has already made appointments, you need to contact Sue Towslee at stowslee@burrburton.org so that she can set up an additional account for your student.
BBA teachers welcome parent-initiated conversation at anytime. If these days and times are not convenient for you, please email or call your child’s teachers directly to arrange an alternative time.
Best
Meg Kenny
Assistant Head of School
From the Parent Association
The Burr and Burton Parent Association endeavors to foster partnership between families, school, and the community through communication, education, social and fundraising activities and advocacy.
Autumn is upon us and I hope the school year is off to a great start for all of your students and they have been enjoying all that BBA has to offer. October has a busy schedule of events so please mark your calendars so there are not any last minute surprises.
We start the month off with the PA Association and National Honor Society Clothing Drive/ Free Exchange. Please donate any gently worn clothing or winter outer wear on Friday, Oct. 3 between 12:30 and 6 pm at the BBA cafeteria. Saturday, Oct 4 between 8 am and 12 noon is the free exchange for anyone in the community. This year we have partnered with the Stratton Foundation and the Stratton community has donated a nice selection of winter coats, snow pants, hats and gloves which I know will be greatly appreciated.
Parent Conferences are on the 8th and 9th – be sure to sign up early for appointments.
- Oct. 11 is the SAT at BBA
- Oct. 13 – Columbus Day – No School
- Oct. 16 – Senior Workshops, PLAN Test and PSAT
- Oct. 24 – Calliope Café
- Oct. 29 – End of Marking Period
- Oct. 30 – Nov 1 – Mid Term Exams with Early Dismissal- 12:35pm
Fall Sports will be preparing for post-season games at the end of the month and the Performing Arts Department will be preparing for the production of the fall play which debuts in early November. Please join in the excitement and witness all the activities that BBA students are excelling in. We look forward to seeing you!
Peggy Brockett
Parent Association President
From the Advancement Office
Please note: Grandparents and Special Friends Day has been rescheduled to April 24, 2015
Our annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day has been rescheduled for Friday, April 24, 2015, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Invitations will be going out in March. If you would like your children’s grandparents to be on the invitation list, please make sure we have their names and addresses in our database. If not, send an email to Nancy Brown in the Advancement Office at nbrown@burrburton.org.
It’s a fun and interactive day for grandparents and special friends to see what their grandchildren are experiencing here at Burr and Burton, and we will have an interesting and engaging program for them. The grandparents will be in the Riley Center for the program portion of the day, and then they will meet up the students in the Riley Center lobby, and move to the cafeteria for lunch. The lunch will take place after classes at 12:35 PM.
We will follow up with more information early next spring and sorry about the last minute change.
Annual Fund kicking off shortly
As Beth Eyre, Advancement Committee Chair, said at the Parent Open House, the annual fund will be starting shortly and we are counting on your support this year. We maintained our increase in participation last year, coming in at around 35%. Beth and co-chair, Diana Pagnucco, will be coming up with some fun ways for all parents to get involved and get counted in the parent challenge!
Why is parent participation important? When we are working with other donors and foundations, a strong showing of support from parents illustrates that you believe in what Burr and Burton is doing for your student and encourages generous support from others. Your lead inspires others who may not have as close of a connection to the school. And it is your child that benefits most from the Annual Fund.
We welcome many forms of support and will count any of the following as a gift toward the Annual Fund:
- A gift of cash or a check
- Appreciated stocks (or ones that haven’t performed that you want to get rid of them)
- Committing to a Corporate Sponsorship if you own a businesses
- A donation of a service, product or other item for the Online Auction (last year window washing was a hot item, and yard maintenance, an oil change, a cord of wood are a few other examples)
- Support the Friends of Hockey
There are lots of options and we try to make it easy for you to participate based on what works best for you. We ask you to do what is right for your family, whether it’s $5 or $5,000 or anything in between, it’s the parents who give that we’re counting, not the amount.
So look for the Annual Fund brochure in your mail in early October and please consider supporting this year’s campaign. It’s all about providing your student with the best educational opportunities possible. And we need your help to do that.
2014 – 2015 Student and Parent Directory
The Online Student and Parent Directory will be available shortly. We will send out notification in an email blast to all parents which will include a link to the directory. Please take time to review the information listed about your student, family, address and phone number. If any of the information is incorrect, please email Mary Grabarz with any changes at mgrabarz@burrburton. The information you provided the school this past summer was used in the directory and the phone book is current as of September 30, 2014.
Many thanks,
Cynthia Gubb
Director of Advancement
We have been exceedingly busy up on the mountain this past month. Study of forest ecology and southern Vermont history, supplemented by expert guests and field trips have laid the foundation for a deep understanding of our landscape and culture. As we enter the second unit of study, out focus shifts towards more contemporary issues of sustainable social, ecological and economic development here in Vermont. We are so fortunate to live and learn in such a rich and innovative state!
Here is an excerpt from a parent email we received after our Open House this week:
I wanted to send a note to say thank you for the amazing opportunity you are offering at the Mountain Campus. Nicholas has always been a great student, but I have never seen him as excited about “school” as I did last night. He walked me through every detail and every display last night and explained everything he has done and is doing. He is just so happy being there and I was just so elated to see that in him. To have an 18 year old boy so willing to walk “mom” around, reminded me of when he was a little boy. It really was just amazing. – Christine Fayette
http://mountaincampus.tumblr.com
Ben Freeman
Mountain Campus Director
Mountain Campus students, faculty, alumni, families and friends joined 310,000 others in New York City at the largest climate rally in history. Across the world others joined too, marching in 2,900 solidarity events in 161 nations. Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. Secretary General, marched along with the crowds, in an unprecedented show of support for climate justice. On Tuesday Ban Ki-moon will lead the United Nations, including President Obama and other world leaders, in framing the critical next phase of climate policy.
We are so proud that our students joined in this international display of democracy and diplomacy. The power of so many people joined together was awe-inspiring, humbling, and incredibly joyful. We hope that leaders around the world take notice and make the changes demanded by citizens from all nations.
From the Athletics Department
On Tuesday, October 7 the Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country team will host their only home meet of the season. The meet will be held off campus at the Severance property which is approximately 3 miles south of the Equinox Hotel.
The athletic department would like to thank all those parents that volunteered and contributed food items for the homecoming events, it was a great weekend!
FALL SPORTS POST SEASON DATES:
Field Hockey:
- October 20 – Tournament pairings are completed and can be found on vpaonline.org after 1:00.
- October 21/22 – Play downs
- October 24/25 – Quarterfinals
- Semi Finals – 28/29
- November 1 – State Finals- UVM
Soccer:
- October 20 – Tournament pairings are completed and can be found on vpaonline.org after 1:00.
- October 22/23 – Play downs
- October 24/25 – Quarter finals
- October 28/29 – Semifinals
- November 1 – Finals- Burlington High School
Cross Country:
- October 25 – State Meet – Thetford Academy
Football:
- Oct. 31/Nov. 1 – Semi Finals
- November 8 – State Finals – Rutland High School
IMPORTANT WINTER SPORT DATES AND INFORMATION:
BBA Alpine Skiing Updates
The shorter days and the falling temperatures are a sure sign that snow is just around the corner! If your son or daughter is planning to tryout for the alpine ski team please review the following information. More detailed updates will follow in the November Bullhorn and at the Mandatory Winter Sports Meeting.
The varsity alpine ski team is for those athletes that have previous experience in both alpine disciplines – slalom and giant slalom. Like last year there will be a tryout period and per Burr and Burton policy – any sport where there is only a varsity team (snowboarding, alpine skiing,and ice hockey) athletes may be cut after the tryout period if he/she is not at the varsity level.
If you plan to ski on weekends and over vacations we recommend you purchase a season’s pass through the Bromley Mountain Student Season Pass program. Afternoon passes and full day passes are available a reduced rate. Please pick up a season’s pass form outside of Sue Towslee’s office. Please note that applications are due by October 15, 2014.
Varsity athletes who do not purchase a ski pass, are required to purchase a training pass. Bromley Mountain generously offers this pass to our athletes for $100. These passes will be issued after the varsity team has been selected and they are only valid Tuesday – Friday while an athlete is training with the BBA team.
In addition, all athletes are required to pay a $25 membership fee to the Bromley Outing Club (BOC).
BBA will once again offer an enhanced training option for varsity alpine athletes. This early release option is open to varsity athletes who are in good academic standing and receive a recommendation from a teacher and coach. Students who participate are required to attend Monday afternoon and Wednesday evening study/support sessions at BBA. The fee for the program is $250 which covers transportation, additional coaching and academic mentoring.
The snowboarding team will be training at Stratton Mountain again this year, so we encourage those students to take advantage on the early season specials on passes to Stratton.
IMPORTANT WINTER DATES:
November 11 – Mandatory parent/athlete meeting for all winter sports 6:00 in the gym.
November 17 – Winter sports tryouts begin.
From the Creative Arts Department
Calliope Concert Friday October 24 at 6:30 pm in the Riley Center
The Creative Arts Department will host a Calliope Concert; an evening of music, drama, dance, art, poetry and film Friday October 24 at 6:30 pm in the Riley Center. Admission is $3 students / $5 adults. Students interested in performing should contact Julie Freebern at jfreebern@burrburton.org by October 16 to schedule an audition.
College and Career Information
Junior Testing – Wednesday morning, October 15
College-bound juniors will take the PSAT (a preliminary, or practice SAT) and need to bring a $15 registration fee by October 8 (Late fee is $20) to Lynne Welsh in the School and College Counseling Office. (Checks are payable to Burr and Burton. Fee waivers for students on free and reduced lunch are available.) The PSAT is a wonderful opportunity for students to assess their testing skills in preparation for the college admission process.
Juniors who do not wish to participate in the PSAT have the opportunity to take the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), an entrance test for students interested in serving the US Military. The ASVAB highlights skill areas not normally tested so students planning to find a civilian job after high school may benefit from taking this exam.
Juniors also have a third option for October 15. Instead of testing, they may opt to participate in the activities scheduled for sophomores.
Sophomore Program for October 15
The PLAN test is no longer offered by the ACT so we have developed a program for sophomores for October 15 focused on career information, cyber safety and other activities to be announced.
October 15: Special Program for Freshmen
All freshmen will participate in their annual day of service learning on October 15. They are currently signing up for activities in their advisories.
October 15: Schedule for Seniors
Although seniors are excused from school on Wednesday, October 15, UNTIL 11:00 am when regular classes resume, all seniors applying to college under Early Action or Early Decision programs MUST attend an application workshop. Please check in with your counselor in the Library sometime between 8:10 and 11:00 to review your application and essay. (This workshop is available for ALL seniors.)
The ASVAB Test is also available for interested seniors (for students interested in joining the military or entering the civilian workforce)
Naviance Workshop for Junior and Senior Parents
On Thursday November 20, Naviance workshops will be held from 3-4 pm in Mr. Morrison’s Tech Lab in the lower level of the Smith Center and from 7 – 8 pm in the Library to familiarize junior and senior parents with the Naviance program. Please sign up with Lynne Welsh in the School and College Counseling Office at 549-8242 or lwelsh@burrburton.org.
Standardized Testing Registration for Seniors
For seniors who need additional testing:
- October 9 deadline for November 8 SAT (not offered at Burr and Burton)
- November 6 deadline for December 6 SAT at Burr and Burton
- November 7 deadline for the December 13 ACT (not offered at Burr and Burton)
Register online at www.collegeboard.org or 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. (We recommend that current juniors wait to take the SAT and ACT until the spring after they have received their PSAT results and have had the opportunity to participate in a test-prep course.)
Application Reminders for Seniors
In addition to hosting the Application Workshops on October 15, the counselors are busy meeting with students on an individual basis to consider college lists, review applications and discuss essay topics. If your student is experiencing a roadblock in this process, please let us know so we can reach out to them.
By now, seniors should have 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 counselor by October 15 for final review. Please refer to the Burr and Burton College Application Guide on the school’s website for more detailed information about timelines and the overall application process.
We encourage students interested in the University of Vermont to apply by November 1st to take advantage of the free application fee waiver for Early Action applicants and to receive a non-binding reply by the December holiday break.
Financial Aid Information Night
Thursday, November 13 at 7 pm in the Riley Center. Susan Rochette, Director of Student Financial Services at Southern Vermont College, will present the principles and basic steps of the financial aid process All junior and senior parents are encouraged to attend this important informational meeting.
Campus Visits
Seniors who have not visited colleges are strongly advised to make plans to do so as soon as possible. While scheduling visits on holidays and weekends is preferable, we understand that it is sometimes necessary for students to miss school. Parents should notify the school in advance for absences to be excused, although these absences still count toward the 14-absence total for individual classes. Monday, October 13, and Monday, November 10, are particularly good days to visit colleges because Burr and Burton will not be holding classes.
College Visits
Juniors and seniors may be excused from class with teacher permission to meet with college representatives visiting Burr and Burton. Please check the college visit list on Naviance (http://connection.naviance.com/burrburton). Daily announcements also serve as a reminder of these appointments. College visits provide students with a great opportunity to indicate their interest in specific colleges, ask individual questions and learn the most current campus information.
Opportunity for Students to attend Health Careers Conference
There is a one-day conference Focus on Health Careers at Vermont Technical College on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 10-4. The event is for any interested student. Register by October 15. Registration $45 For more info: Beth Brothers, Health Careers Manager, bbrothers@svahec.org, 802-885-2126 www.svahec.org
Sophomores
Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) is a dynamic and interactive educational program designed to prepare our country’s youth to become effective, ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace and community. Sophomore students who attend the Vermont seminar interact with leaders in business, government, education, media and nonprofits. They get a realistic look at our nation, its people, and their role within the world community. The VT HOBY seminar will be held May 21-24, 2015 at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, VT. Stop by the School and College Counseling Office for an application. Applications are due back to Mrs. Welsh by October 31.
The School and College Counseling Office contacts:
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
Maria Bittinger, School and College Counselor for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, 549-8126; mbittinger@burrburton.org
Student Travel Opportunities
Please contact Sue Ritchie at sritchie@burrburton.org for further information.
Costa Rica February 2015 –
Service to Community, Earth, Flora and Fauna
The Costa Rica Service Learning Trip is a student travel experience whose focus is to gain a better appreciation for the culture, climate and the natural resources of Costa Rica by engaging in experiential learning, service, fun and adventure. We are looking for students who believe in the key words stated in the mission of BBA, responsibility, integrity and service. Please see or email Bonnie Niles: bniles@burrburton.org or Lauren Silver: lsilver@burrburton.org for more information.
From The Yearbook
Please feel free to submit other digital photos you may have taken at games and/or other school related functions. Please note, these photos may or may not be included in the yearbook.
Digital photos can be uploaded to ReplayIt.com via this link: http://www.replayit.com/r/8755100/
You may also email digital photos and quotes to: yearbook2015@burrburton.org
Please be sure to include the name of the student on all photos and quotes.
Print photos can be submitted to Deborah Hansen in the Burr and Burton Academy ~ Lisa B. Tuttle Memorial Library.
If you have any further questions, or would like to request the ReplayIt account password, please email Deborah Hansen at: dehler-hansen@burrburton.org or call (802) 549-8123.
Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Deborah Hansen
From the Library
Please take a look around the Library website which can be found under Academics on the BBA homepage. It is always being updated with more links and resources so that it meets the needs of students and teachers.
This fall we added Bloom’s Literature to our 62 research databases. Databases differ from search engines in several ways — databases are purchased, search engines are free to anyone with a computer. The content of databases is reviewed and recommended by librarians, search engines have no review standards with regard to content. Database information is organized and stable while search engines are not organized and are not stable with locations and content continually changing.
Here are the Highlights and Features of Bloom’s:
• Complete coverage: reference essays and literary criticism examining the lives of great authors and their works throughout history
• Authoritative source list: more than 1,600 scholarly and critical books, more than 700 books from Infobase Learning, and more than 500 peer-reviewed journals and other periodicals
• Full-length videos of classic plays: streaming video of 100+ famous productions, including King Lear (starring James Earl Jones) and The Iceman Cometh (starring Jason Robards and Robert Redford), plus 2,100+ video clips
• Bloom’s How to Write about: specific, student-friendly guidance on the most frequently assigned authors and works of literature
• Works: overviews, synopses, analyses, and literary criticism of thousands of works
• Authors: a wealth of content on the finest contemporary and classic writers from around the world
• Topics and themes: in-depth, full-text entries on literary movements, groups, periodicals, and historical events that help place literature in context
• Characters: information on more than 48,500 major and minor literary characters
There are always new books to review, so stop by and say hello to your library staff: Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Hansen!
We can help you find great books and great web resources!
As always, if you need anything, please let us know. Have a great year!
Regular Library Hours
Monday – Tuesday 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
Wednesday 8:10 am – 4:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am – 1:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 1:00 pm
Corporate Sponsors
We thank the corporations below for their generous support of Burr and Burton Academy and hope you will in turn support these businesses.
Headmaster’s List
Berkshire Bank
Bromley Mountain
Mack Molding
r.k. Miles
Rugg Valley Landscaping
Stratton Mountain Resort
The Orvis Company
The Vermont Country Store
TPW
Vermont Country Properties/ Sotheby’s Int’l Realty & Manchester Gym
High Honors List
Equinox Hotel and Resort
Finn and Stone Insurance
Spiral Press Cafe
The Perfect Wife
W.H. Shaw Insurance Agency, Inc.
Honors List
Casella Waste Management
Mettowee Mill Nursery, Inc.
The Bank of Bennington
The Richards Group
Academic Letter
Aspen Motel
Battenkill Communications
Bradley D. Myerson Law Offices
Dublois and Associates
Equipe Sport Ltd.
Hand Motors
JK Adams / The Kitchen Store
JOY – all things underthings
Mountain Goat North, Inc.
Mountain Weavers
Northshire Bookstore
People’s United Bank
Prospect Rehabilitation
Spivey Lemonik Swenor, PC
Academic Pin
Black Diamond Tree Service, Inc.
Cole Engineering and Construction
Glebe Mountain Gardens & Landscaping
Goepel Construction
Heinel’s Clothiers
iShip Express
TD Bank
Vermont Kitchen Supply
BBA Bullhorn 
