Special Events
Burgundy Blast Off
The Burgundy Blast Off kicks off the school year and the current parent Annual Giving campaign. Families come together to share a meal and community fellowship, and to learn about annual giving priorities for the school and its programs.
Curriculum Nights
Curriculum Nights (similar to Back to School night) are held for both Lower School and a Middle School in the early weeks of the school year. These events provide parents and guardians with an introduction to faculty and administration followed by a classroom presentation about the upcoming year. Topics on curriculum night include an overview of the curriculum and class schedule and provide an opportunity for parents to meet teachers and ask questions.
Fall Fair
The Fall Fair is one of the oldest community activities at the school. This year’s Fair will be held on Saturday, October 13 from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Activities include games, a bake sale, a haunted house, an artisan fair, White Elephant and Kid’s Closet Sales, as well as entertainment by Burgundy community members! Current families, neighbors, alumni families and friends from the community gather on the campus for this traditional family-friendly event. The Fall Fair showcases the enormous volunteer spirit and creativity of parents, faculty and staff. New parents find that volunteering and attending this event is a great way to meet other parents and provides a wonderful opportunity to become more actively involved in the school community.
Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Grandparents and Special Friends Day is held on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., this event honors a grandparent(s) or special friend(s) of Burgundy. The morning includes coffee and pastries, a presentation for the honored guest(s), and an assembly with performances by students. Following the assembly, guests are invited to visit classrooms to view student activities. Invitations are sent to grandparents, special friends or relatives who are listed on Parent Participation Forms. Additional names of people to be invited may be sent to the Advancement Office.
Festival of Lights
The Festival of Lights assembly, held on the last day of school before winter break, invites family and friends to see every grade level perform. The assembly encompasses celebrations by many cultures sharing the theme of light. Each class learns about a different culture and prepares a song, dance, or skit about their customs to share with the community. A class party or other celebration, which families are also welcome to attend, typically follows the assembly.
Annual Auction Gala
The Annual Auction Gala is a community based and focused event that features a cocktail reception, dinner, dessert and coffee, music, viewing silent auction items, raffles, and a live auction. The Auction Gala is the school’s primary major fund-raising event.
Current parents, alumni parents, and alumni generously donate and/or obtain donated auction items from other individuals, businesses and organizations. The silent and live auctions allow parents to bid on class projects, parent donations, business services and vacation packages. A wide range of types and values for auction items offer opportunities for community members to bid and accommodates all pocketbooks. This is a fun and exciting evening for Burgundy parents and guests. Last year’s Auction netted over $80,000.
As a complement to Auction Gala activities, current parent volunteers lead a “Special Ask” program to solicit additional contributions to increase Burgundy’s Endowment. During 2006-2007 over $115,000 was contributed to help the Scholarship Endowment Fund reach $1,000,000.
The 2008 Auction Gala will be held on Saturday evening, April 12, 2008.
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Lois and Eric Sevareid Forum
The Lois and Eric Sevareid Forum was established in 1994 in memory of Burgundy founders Lois and Eric Sevareid. The forum features presentations by distinguished speakers on cutting-edge educational ideas and brings together current parents, alumni, alumni parents, and guests from the community and area independent schools. This year’s forum is scheduled for Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.
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Spring Arts Festival
The Spring Arts Festival is a two evening program showcasing student artwork from every grade level, as well as a variety of performances by students. This program highlights the diverse media and both two and three-dimensional works that students create throughout the school year. Parents and students enjoy this opportunity to celebrate their own and fellow students’ artistic talents and the creativity inspired by the Burgundy curriculum. Annual artwork may include student photography, ceramics, painting, drawing, and collage.
Diversity Picnic
The Diversity Picnic is held each summer and welcomes families to celebrate the variety of cultures and ethnicities represented in the Burgundy community. The picnic is a great event for current families to come together and a welcoming event for new families whose children are starting in the fall.
