Burke's Magazine Fall 2023

FEATURE

A Winning Collaboration: Library, Makery & Technology

Buzz at Burke’s: Events and Happenings on Campus

Burke’s mission is to educate, encourage and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.

ON THE COVER

Lower School students check out the paper crane project done by Upper School students. The sixth-grade advisory team led the Upper School in learning about the book Sadako and the 1000 PaperCranes. Upper School students wrote messages of hope and peace on the blank sides of each origami square before folding them. The cranes were hung on 40 strings in the Upper School windows for all students to enjoy.

Table of CONTENTS IN

THIS ISSUE

Opening Shots...........................................................02

Snapshots from Burke’s

Greetings from the Head of School.................10

A Message from Michele Williams

Buzz at Burke’s..........................................................11

Events and Happenings on Campus

Traditions.....................................................................18

Burke’s DASH

Feature..........................................................................20

A Winning Collaboration: Library, Makery & Technology

Pansy Day & Commencement ...........................26

Celebrating the Class of 2023

Greetings from the Alumnae Association......28

A Message from Darby Glickman ’98

Alumnae Q&A.............................................................30

Ella Storey ’09

Alexandra Fox ’07

Alumnae Events ......................................................32

Distinctions..................................................................36

Eileen Gu ’17

Alumnae Updates....................................................38

Class Notes and In Memoriam

Remembering Diane Major...................................41

Donor Profiles.............................................................43

Dan Amin and Karyn Barr

Isabel Paxton ‘10

Melinda and Robert Torbin

OPENING SHOTS

Dolores Huerta

Burke’s had the incredible honor of hosting Dolores Huerta, Founder & President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Organized by the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) last October, it was a truly special event for all! Dolores Huerta is a civil rights activist and community organizer who has worked for labor rights and social justice for more than 50 years. In 1962, she and Cesar Chavez founded the United Farm Workers. She served as Vice President and played a critical role in many of the union’s accomplishments for four decades. Anna Yatroussis ’84, Associate Director of the Office of DEIB, moderated the evening. Students and families had the chance to ask Ms. Huerta questions and she ended the evening leading everyone in a chant of “Sí se puede!”

Chasing Rainbows

First graders explored rainbows as part of their weather unit in science. After some mini-experiments in the classroom to learn about how water, glass or plastic can bend light and separate white light into colors, they headed outside to capture rainbows with prisms. Along with learning about light, this lesson gave the students a chance to practice their “patience power.” It’s tricky to angle the prism just right and then hold very still while your partner traces it on paper! There were lots of giggles and exclamations of delight every time someone managed to “catch the rainbow.”

Maypole

Our School Families gathered in the sun to watch the Class of 2023 weave the green and gold ribbons of the maypole. Members of the eighth-grade class opened the event with a brief history and reflection on the tradition of the maypole dance, as well as a reading of a poem. This Burke’s tradition is the beginning of the festivities to honor and celebrate our graduating class!

GREEN AND GOLD

By Aisha McCulloch ’23 and Paloma Strutz ’23

A dance weaved in green and gold

Reclaimed from a century old, tradition now it’s our rendition — and our memories it holds

Clasped in our hands are ribbons

Twirling and twisting

As we envision, something entirely new Past conflicts are forgiven

Together we grew

Rooted in something bigger than us

We create a legacy for tomorrow

And as June comes we trust that we’ll have a community forever As we step behind and in front Holding on to everything we remember

From September 2014, and all the years in between

Now, as our time here comes to an end

We keep our memories close and our friends closer Our ribbons forever entwined Our last 9 years a blend

With every step, rhythm we hold Unified, and tied A tradition reborn, our story is told Now and forever Green and Gold.

Holi

This year, third grade celebrated Holi, an ancient Indian festival, marking the beginning of spring. Students and parents gave a classroom presentation about the holiday and then everyone gathered on the field for a celebratory throwing of colors.

Greetings

from the Head of School

A MESSAGE FROM MICHELE WILLIAMS

This past year, we were feeling joyful energy in every part of our campus. All our communal spaces, our Makery and science labs bustle with hands-on, collaborative activities; and our classrooms and art spaces are filled with creativity and discussion. I hope you enjoy this issue of Burke’s Magazine highlighting the past year’s traditions, special events and academic explorations.

Our feature article details the powerful cross-collaboration between Burke’s Library, Makery and Technology teams that both underpins and uplifts the Burke’s educational experience. This group of educators touches every classroom and enhances student and campus life on a daily basis. I encourage you to read the article to learn about the fantastic grade-level projects.

In other news, I am thrilled to share progress on our first year of the five-year Strategic Plan: Experience. Connection. Growth (www.burkes.org/strategicplan). Work has been happening across all three strategic goals, and I look forward to sharing more updates through the year.

Experience

• The Curriculum Council, a group of teachers and administrators, is focusing on Education for Sustainability as part of our work to provide academic preparation that is distinguished by a focus on real-world problems, purpose and habits of mind. The work began with a twoday retreat led by Jaimie Cloud of the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education.

• The Center for Wellness Exploration Team has developed a working definition of wellness, and conducted a wide array of community interviews to begin the next phase of work to establish a Center for Wellness (physical or programmatic space).

Connection

• We continue to increase diversity in the student population by examining admission and recruitment tools. A new website and streamlined application process have strengthened the admissions experience and made it easier to apply. The incoming kindergarten class is comprised of 57% students who identify as students of color, a 13% increase from the previous school year.

• Burke’s is prioritizing institutional practices that support environmental sustainability. The Facilities Department developed a water catchment system for irrigation and conducted comprehensive campus lighting upgrades and a campus-wide assessment of natural gas and electric appliances this past summer.

Growth

• For the 2023-24 school year, $3,040,000 of financial assistance was allocated to 28% of students. This is in contrast to the 2019-20 school year, when $1,700,000 was allocated to 21% of students.

We had a wonderful Reunion Luncheon last April with more than 100 guests and a video appearance from our Distinguished Alumna Eileen Gu ’17. We hope you will save the date for this year’s Annual Reunion Luncheon on Friday, March 22, 2024 at the Marines’ Memorial Club. More details will follow, and please reach out anytime to Melissa Sterling, Annual Fund and Alumnae Engagement Manager, at melissa.sterling@burkes.org with questions.

Thank you for your support and engagement as we continue our work to educate, encourage and empower our students.

Warmly,

MICHELE WILLIAMS Head of School

facebook.com/katherine.delmar.burke.school instagram.com/burkesschool

BURKE’S TRADITION: EIGHTH-GRADE MUSICAL

Each June, the eighth-grade class stages a musical that showcases the creative abilities of the students while also fostering teamwork, communication skills, and a deep appreciation for the performing arts. The eighth-grade production is a beloved Burke’s tradition and offers an unforgettable experience that allows the students to shine and make lasting memories.

“It’s my favorite part of the school year,” said Pamela Rickard, Burke’s Upper School Drama Teacher for the past 25 years. “This was my final Burke’s production, and I still love watching everyone come together in their final creative act before they leave the school.”

The Drama Teacher acts as the director and is joined by the Upper School Music Teacher, Sewing Teacher, Art Teacher and Makery Facilitator to lead the students in set and costume design. With their creativity, dedication, and teamwork, members of the Class of 2023 brought the iconic AddamsFamily characters to life on stage in a captivating and hilarious performance.

UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE: PROTECT THE EGG!

Student teams built car bases and enclosures to protect an egg as it rolled down a ramp at increasing slopes. During this in-depth physics-sciencetechnology-math activity, student teams designed, built and tested their prototype creations, and then performed mathematical calculations using the collected data.

SIXTH GRADE AND KINDERGARTEN BOOK SHARE

The authors were tasked with making their kindergarten buddies the main characters of their books, complete with illustrations. The sixth graders were over the moon to share their completed books with their kindergarten buddies! The pairings met during recess for interviews and some free play time. Not only did the kindergarteners receive beautifully personalized books, both grades saw the benefit of making new connections.

BURKE’S STUDENTS DO THE MATH

The MATHCOUNTS Competition, held since 1983, was an exciting opportunity for Burke’s students to show their mathematics prowess and meet students from other schools. A Burke’s parent reported, “They had great attitudes, were supportive of each other, and just wanted to have fun doing some math problems.”

Burke’s had a strong showing, coming in fourth place out of 17 schools. The MATHCOUNTS Competition had four rounds: Sprint, Target, Team, and Countdown. Three Burke’s students placed in the top 16 in the Countdown, a round where they go head-to-head against another student and perform in front of the entire auditorium, game-show style.

’ZINE: WRITTEN IN ROOTS

Written in Roots was launched last November to empower young creators and provide new opportunities for leadership and collaboration among Upper School students. Humanities

Teacher Jackie Beutell and Upper School Makery

Facilitator Vanessa Miller led a passionate group of sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students throughout the year to produce the ’zine. It is designed to serve as a platform for students to share poetry, photography and various other forms of artistic expression.

The heart of the project is driven by Burke’s mission to educate, encourage and empower. The student editorial team was responsible for presenting at assemblies, gathering submissions and organizing the layout, design and distribution. They dedicated countless hours during lunch, recess and at home to curate the contributions, with the aim of providing a space for students to share their voices with their peers. Along the way, the editorial team gained invaluable skills in organization, learning how to manage deadlines and working collaboratively as a team.

This first issue serves as a reminder that nurturing artistic expression not only develops invaluable skills, but also empowers our students to become confident contributors to their community.

UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE DAY

Upper School became an amazing science expo featuring 16 physicians, scientists, and medical professionals, including a Burke’s alumna from the Class of 2009.

Students rotated through classrooms, lab spaces and the library as each presenter gave presentations about their field of expertise. Sessions included examining healthy lungs versus those impacted by smoking, the development of the human body during adolescence and looking for indications of neurological diseases on brain scans. Throughout the day, students had plenty of time to ask questions, engage in hands-on exhibits and imagine career paths in science and medicine.

“Our traditional fifth-grade science field trip to UCSF had to be canceled for the past three years due to COVID, so we were thrilled to bring the field trip to Burke’s for ALL Upper Schoolers,” said Susan Deemer, former fifth and sixth-grade science teacher.

At the end of the day, fifth-grade students were fortunate to attend an hour-long Q&A session with 10 of the presenters. Each student was then presented with a personalized stethoscope and a lesson on how to listen to our hearts from Dr. Dawn Rosenberg, Burke’s parent and primary planning physician for the event.

PAVILION MURAL

Jim Caldwell, architect, artist and Burke’s grandfather, created a large mural for display in the campus pavilion last January. “I briefly fantasized about painting on the wall itself. Then I realized it’s so close to the ground that an original piece of art would be very vulnerable to rain and other weather.” In the end, the original painting was reproduced on vinyl, so that the original could be kept safe, with the vinyl reproduction on display outside the Front Office.

WEEK OF CODE ALUMNA VISIT

“There is no traditional career path.” “Women make awesome programmers.” “Coding is about resilience.”

Burke’s alum Stephanie Chong ’05 dropped in via Zoom to an Upper School Assembly in celebration of the Week of Code. She presented her path to becoming a coder, shared a sneak peek into her day-to-day coding experience and stressed that there isn’t just one path to becoming a programmer.

A PEEK INTO BURKE’S MANDARIN CLASS

The World Language program begins in fifth grade after a year of exposure to all three language offerings (French, Spanish, and Mandarin) in the last year of Lower School. It’s an exciting moment for Burke’s students when they choose their language pathway for Upper School. Students attend language classes three and four times per week for grades 5-6 and 7-8 respectively, focusing on vocabulary, speaking and listening and literacy skills, as well as developing their understanding of the culture.

Last spring, members of the Mandarin class joined the Burke’s AAPI Parent Affinity Group to create birthday cards and notes for our elderly Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking Richmond Neighborhood Center neighbors! They helped meet the goal of enough cards for all participants for an entire year with some to spare.

& THE ARTS

SEVENTH GRADE: RECYCLED POETRY PROJECT

Seventh-grade English students’ poetry about climate change was on display all summer at the Children’s Creativity Museum. Students wrote their haikus with the goal of expressing themselves clearly and quickly to take away all the extra talk around climate change. What’s the issue? How does it affect me? How do I feel about it? What should we do? In just 17 syllables, these students answered just that.

LIBRARY PROJECT: “PRESS HERE”

Third-grade students learned how to create their own interactive books based on Press Here by Hervé Tullet. As a part of the project, students used Press Here as a mentor text to create their own interactive books with Google Slides.

Students practiced a variety of skills and techniques, including adding text boxes, shapes and images; manipulating the color and size of backgrounds; and managing the order of slides. The project encourages collaboration, with the students sharing their knowledge and skills with each other.

LIBRARY FUN FACTS

COLLECTION:

39,587+ EBOOKS

VOLUNTEERS:

154

SHIFTS per year

CIRCULATION:

15,332

USERS:

1,000 + STUDENTS

Burke’s grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends of the Library

After creating their books, students practiced presenting them to each other and held a book share with the first grade. Some titles students created include: Paws Here, in which the reader learns to take care of their first pet; Puppy Power, where the reader gets to make friends with some lonely puppies and a panda; Halo, in which the reader goes on an unexpected journey into space and nature; and Press the Light, a visually stunning adventure with animated images and vibrant colors.

DASH: 25 YEARS OF COMMUNITYBUILDING

DASH is a hugely popular family fun run/fundraiser that celebrated its 25th anniversary last April. Families gathered together in Golden Gate Park to run (or walk) a 2-mile route, both to celebrate physical fitness and also to raise money for Burke’s athletics and physical education (P.E.) programs.

This community-building event was inspired by former Burke’s Trustee Dewey Rosetti and launched in 1998 by former Burke’s Trustee Bruce Callander (“Trail Boss”) along with a nine-member “Dads Steering Committee.” The event was designed to support the school financially and bring families together in the outdoors. At the time of the event’s launch, girls’ competitive and intramural athletic opportunities were lagging behind those offered to boys. The goal was to strengthen the P.E. program, bolster opportunities for Burke’s student-athletes and give them positive team experiences.

DASH has definitely maintained popularity in the community, and last year’s event had more than 500 registrants encompassing current parents, alumnae, alumnae parents, grandparents, and friends. Participants headed off down JFK Drive, weaving in and out of other morning joggers and cyclists. Per usual, some very motivated runners moved to the front of the pack, while others with dogs on leashes or strollers ambled along toward the back.

Snacks, coffee, and hot chocolate were waiting for the athletes after they crossed the finish line, and the crowd gathered around to hear announcements for the top finishers in the following categories: Upper School, Lower School, Parents/Faculty, and Siblings.

A

Winning Collaboration:

LIBRARY, MAKERY & TECHNOLOGY

The cross-collaboration between Burke’s Library, Makery and Technology (LMT) teams offers a wealth of opportunities for enhancing our students’ educational experiences.

LIBRARY, MAKERY & TECHNOLOGY

By aligning goals, integrating resources and fostering a student-centered approach, these teams create a dynamic learning environment that promotes creativity, critical thinking and technological literacy.

Project Collaboration Highlights

KINDERGARTEN

Students create stop-motion animation with an app called Koma Koma. These movies are based on students’ very first writing samples and stories. Students create characters and a setting using clay and have to patiently capture 100 frames for their animation. They practice reading and recording their voice to go along with the movie, and it is so exciting for them to share their first story with the class and their families.

The teams support the K-8 curriculum by integrating library skills, design thinking and STEM concepts through collaborative projects with classroom teachers. A primary goal is to foster a growth mindset in students through learning experiences that require resilience, independence and the pursuit of students’ personal areas of interest.

These collaborative efforts pave the way for a holistic educational experience designed to educate, encourage and empower our 400 students.

Our Makery classrooms are joyful and liberating spaces where students tinker, persist with difficult challenges and make their learning personal. It is so important for our students to see connections between every subject, and also to see that their teachers talk to one another, share ideas and love to create rich learning experiences.

- JIMMY SANTOSA, Lower School Makery Facilitator

SECOND GRADE

Last year, our second grade researched different countries and the diversity of homes, climate and flora and fauna, found around the world. In Makery, students spent several weeks designing various styles of pop-up cards to express what they had learned about their assigned countries. This collaboration featured elements of science, social studies and even the second-grade standards around diversity, equity and inclusion.

FIRST GRADE

In Music class, first graders are introduced to musical instrument families. While they can see and listen to string, percussion, or wind instruments, the activity of making and performing their very own original instrument, reinforces their understanding of timbres, or the quality of the sound that is produced, and the pitch, the different notes that you produce by lengthening a tube or tightening a string.

THIRD GRADE

In third grade, students put on a Circuit Circus where science and Makery work together to deepen students’ understanding of electricity and circuits.

FOURTH GRADE

The capstone project collaboration between Art and Makery centered on skateboards for last year’s Arts Festival. In Makery, students took damaged and heavily used skateboards and used tools like heat guns to remove the grip tape, and rotary sanders to prepare the surfaces for priming and painting. In Art, students researched female artists to inspire original artwork. Finally, in Makery, students used the Cricut Design Space app and the Cricut cutting machine to cover the backs of their skateboards with inspiring messages and logos.

Students coded maps using Makey Makey Maps in their Humanities classes to bring information about various regions in the US to life.

5TH GRADE

SIXTH GRADE

In H.E.A.R.T., students took a six-week coding class to produce robots using Hummingbird Kits.

SEVENTH GRADE

During science class, students created a variety of musical instruments using different materials and the laser cutter.

EIGHTH GRADE

During the start of the year retreat, eighth graders designed mugs using Cricut to use during their Advisory “Tea and Talk.”

Navigating a Digital World

Our students are immersed in a digital world, and in every grade they are taught lessons on caring for devices, themselves and others. We reference the Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship curriculum, with age-specific lessons taught in Library, the Makery and H.E.A.R.T or Advisory time in Upper School. Students explore topics such as Media Balance & WellBeing, Privacy & Security, Digital Footprint & Identity, Relationships & Communication, Cyberbullying, Digital Drama & Hate Speech and News & Media Literacy.

Coding & Problem Solving

The Makery provides students with foundational skills for coding and problem-solving, also known as computational thinking. Not all coding takes place on-screen or requires students to know how to read. In kindergarten, our students program the motions of a wooden robot called Cubetto. They place colorful tiles into an interface board, which make Cubetto travel across a story map on the floor. They learn to break problems into smaller parts, consider the order of each step, and practice their directions like left from right, and north, south, east, and west. In first and second grade, students use the line-following robot Ozobot, where they write

code with markers. Patterns of colors drawn in each line make the robots spin, speed up or flash colorful lights. Students design mazes and logic games for these robots, and similarly, no screens are required.

For more conventional on-screen coding work, students are exposed to programming environments like Scratch Jr., Scratch and Blockly from first through fourth grades. When students are ready to code with the Dash Robot, they are presented with some authentic coding challenges that require the engineering of some physical components. Students were given a challenge around recycling and trash to make the robots either gather piles of paper or throw them away. This group had to make their Dash Robot drop a paper into a recycling bin from three feet away. They were given some tape and paper cups and accomplished the feat in 20 minutes.

In Upper School, students use Micro:bits and learn how to use microcontrollers to creative interactive experiences. In sixth grade, students use Hummingbird Robotics Kits to build an understanding of if/then statements to create interactivity and use electronic components to build a robot from scratch. Seventh-grade students learn how to write and debug code using p5.js to design images and the eighth-grade coding elective allows people to combine digital fabrication with coding.

PANSY DAY

Wednesday, June 7 marked our annual Pansy Day to celebrate the outgoing eighth graders.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2023 PANSY DAY AWARD WINNERS

May Hickey Award

~ by vote of the class, for care and concern for the younger students in the school.

Aisha McCulloch

Patricia Franklin Swanson Writing Award

~ to honor a girl who, as Pat did, shows not only talent in writing but also a love of writing.

Amalia Viator

Sarah Babcock Award

~ established in 1992 in honor of Sarah, this award commemorates Sarah’s spirit and her love of photography and the arts.

Mia Shan - Visual Arts

Kiyomi DallasKidd - Performing Arts

Julie Song Award

~ established in 1998, this award recognizes the eighth grader whose kindness, good humor, and generosity of spirit make every day a better one for all around her.

Brooke Barry and Paloma Strutz

Head’s Award

~ for generosity of spirit, appreciation of others and strength of leadership.

Zoe McCulloch and Scarlett Park

The Head’s Cup

~ for seriousness of purpose, devotion to excellence and citizenship which best exemplify the ideals and purposes of the school.

Emma Hui and Diana Jimenez

COMMENCEMENT 2023

We bade a fond farewell to the 45 members of the Class of 2023 on Thursday, June 8 in a beautiful ceremony with joy, music, and cheers. We wish them the best of luck in high school and beyond!

CLASS OF 2023 HIGH SCHOOL DESTINATIONS

Bay School

Branson School

Cate School

Choate Rosemary Hall (CT)

Convent of the Sacred Heart

Deerfield Academy (MA)

Drew School

San Francisco University High School

CLASS OF 2019 COLLEGE DESTINATIONS

Carnegie Mellon University

Colby College

Duke University

Congratulations as well to the members of Burke’s Class of 2019, who wrapped up four years of high school and are headed to the institutions below. A list of some of their college destinations is included here.

Georgetown University

George Washington University

Haverford College

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

New York University

The Ohio State University

Penn State University

International High School

Lick-Wilmerding High School

Marin Academy

North Tahoe High School

Nueva School

Philips Andover Academy

Saint Ignatius Preparatory High School

San Domenico School

St. Andrew’s School (DE)

Urban School

Smith College

Stanford University

Texas Christian University

Tulane University

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, San Diego

University of Chicago

University of Miami

University of Virginia

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Washington University

Yale University

Alumnae Board

THE BURKE’S ALUMNAE BOARD REPRESENTS MORE THAN 2,000 MEMBERS OF THE BURKE’S ALUMNAE POPULATION.

The purpose of the Alumnae Board, made up of 15-20 alumnae, is to strengthen and maintain the ties between Katherine Delmar Burke School and its alumnae. The board also encourages interest in the school and promotes its welfare.

The board convenes at Burke’s four times per year and is available to share updates with and hear perspectives from the alumnae community year-round. Each board member attends and participates in two or more alumnae-sponsored events per year, such as Burke’s Festival, the Alumnae Holiday Celebration, the Mentorship Network panel, Reunion and more!

Please contact Darby Gaynor Glickman ’98 (darby.gaynor@gmail.com) or Melissa Sterling (melissa. sterling@burkes.org) to learn more about joining the Alumnae Board for our 2023-24 year!

2023-24 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Darby Gaynor Glickman ’98 President

Jewel Devora ’09 Vice President, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

Anna Snyder ’01 Vice President, Events

Natalie Jamison Tiret ’98 Vice President, Development

Lisa Harada ’03 Co-Vice President, Governance

Tiana Rideout-Rosales ’97 Co-Vice President, Governance

Class Representatives

CLASS REPRESENTATIVES ARE ADDITIONAL ALUMNAE VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP FOSTER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ALUMNAE AND BURKE’S, AS WELL AS BETWEEN ALUMNAE.

Ideally, each graduating class has at least one Class Representative who helps promote alumnae and school programs, encourage support of the Burke’s Annual Fund from their class and collects alumnae contact information and life updates for our annual Class Notes.

Don’t know who your Class Representative is? Interested in volunteering? Contact Melissa Sterling, Annual Fund and Alumnae Engagement Manager at melissa.sterling@burkes.org.

Sinclaire O’Grady ’09 Vice President, Mentorship

Talia Seidman Rhodes ’03 Secretary

MEMBERS

Julia Baron ’01

Mira Hui Cheung ’95

Natalie J. Engmann ’01

Jenna Friedel ’12

Sara Poole ’10

Katherine Abbey Prill ’03

Callie Ranahan ’06

Katy Congdon Williams ’96

Burke’s Distinguished Alumna

The Katherine Delmar Burke School Distinguished Alumna Award is given each year to an alumna who embodies the values at the heart of the school’s mission to educate, encourage and empower girls. The recipient exemplifies a life of learning, service to community, individuality, and the ability to make a difference in the world. The awardees are nominated by the alumnae community and voted on by the Alumnae Board.

We are currently accepting nominations for the 2024 Distinguished Alumna. Nominations will close in mid-November 2023.

Please reach out to Melissa Sterling (melissa. sterling@burkes.com) with your nomination!

Alumnae Updates

It has been an incredible year, and I am looking forward to a second year as president of the Burke’s Alumnae Association. My daughter Graham has just completed her first year at Burke’s and it has been a joy to watch her embark upon her own Burke’s journey. Our wonderful alumnae community has grown even stronger this year and I am so delighted that one day being a part of that larger community is something that Graham and I will share.

One of my goals this past year was to build connections in our alumnae community, especially with ways to come together in person. Our New York event last January brought together more than 50 alumnae and our spring luncheon in San Francisco had more than 100 guests. Together with the Festival Alumnae Booth, The Burke’s-Town-Cathedral-Hamlin Cocktail event and our Burke’s holiday cookie decorating celebration, we have had many opportunities to gather and connect.

We will continue to share ways to come together throughout this upcoming year. Please keep your eyes out for a save-the-date to the annual Alumnae Reunion Luncheon on Friday, March 22 . If you would like to get in touch or are interested in getting involved as a Burke’s alumna, please reach out to me at darby.gaynor@gmail.com.

I look forward to another fun and engaging year with all of you!

DARBY GAYNOR GLICKMAN ’98 President of the Alumnae Board

Ella Storey ’09

When you were a student at Burke’s, what did you dream you’d be doing at this point in your life?

In middle school I loved going to Sephora to try on makeup and thought I might become a makeup artist. Towards the end of my time at Burke’s, I took my first photography class, which launched my interest in photography and was something that I was passionate about at Marin Academy. Having the opportunity to explore photography at Burke’s played a big role in my focus on photography at MA, which got me started on thinking about how photography might be a part of my future career path.

and should be fun.

In Upper School Ms. Spengler was definitely a favorite. She played a pivotal role in transitioning us from Burke’s into high school and was an extremely supportive figure during that time. When you’ve been at a school for nine years with the same girls, it’s scary to think about what’s next. She really helped launch us from the Burke’s bubble into the real world.

What is a favorite memory from Burke’s?

My memories from Burke’s span from playing on sports teams to being in plays and musical productions, and sewing and cooking classes. It was really special to be in an environment where you had the opportunity and encouragement to participate in all types of groups and activities just for the sake of trying and exploring without needing to be the best.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you live, what you’re doing and where you attended school after Burke’s.

After graduating from Burke’s I went to Marin Academy for high school followed by Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. In high school and college I participated in tutoring and community service programs, which helped to foster my career path. I’m currently living in New York City completing my doctorate degree in clinical psychology at Ferkauf’s Graduate School of Psychology in the Clinical Child Psychology program. I’ve loved my training thus far because I’ve had the opportunity to work with children and adults in many types of settings. Over the past four years of graduate school I have trained in a school for twice-exceptional children, a clinic serving underserved communities in Westchester and a public hospital in the Bronx. I love that this work can take shape in so many different ways with different demographics and in multiple settings. While I don’t know what is next for me after I graduate in 2024, I hope to continue working with people throughout my lifespan and am excited by the numerous possibilities within this field.

What three words or phrases come to mind when you hear “Katherine Delmar Burke School”?

I think about a strong community. I think about female empowerment. I think about a love of learning, curiosity and questioning the world around us.

Being in a girls’ school like Burke’s provided a sense of confidence no matter where I was, what room I was in or what type of people were around me. When I went to a co-ed school, I had confidence and a sense of empowerment; this has stayed with me through high school, college, graduate school and my first jobs. No matter what, I knew I had a voice and what I had to say was worth saying.

Who was one of your favorite teachers at Burke’s and why?

In Lower School it was my third grade teachers Ms. Auberson and Mr. Davidson. That year stood out for our class as they made our classroom environment fun and exciting with things like cooking lessons to help learn math and shaving cream to learn cursive. Every day was an adventure in that classroom and it was an important lesson that learning can

One memory in particular that comes to mind is from our backpacking trip in Joshua Tree. I remember singing “Bohemian Rhapsody ” at the top of our lungs and solving riddles as we hiked through the desert for a week. Even though our bags were heavy and our bodies were tired, nothing was a better distraction than having each other’s company.

What advice would you give to a current Burke’s student?

Put the time and effort into your Burke’s friendships. One thing I find to be really special about Burke’s is that you will inevitably create strong bonds and friendships. As I’ve gotten older, finding and keeping good friends has been really important to me, and I think I learned the importance of that at Burke’s. Above all else, it’s important to surround yourself with good people and maintain those relationships.

How do you stay connected to Burke’s now?

I like to stay connected through my friendships. I have a close friend from Burke’s who I’m actually having dinner with tonight. I also got to connect with old friends at the New York City Burke’s reunion. It’s never weird or awkward reconnecting with old Burke’s friends or meeting new people who are Burke’s alumnae. No matter where you are in the world, the bond of Burke’s is always there and that’s the way Burke’s stays alive in me.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you live, what you’re doing and where you attended school after Burke’s. After Burke’s I graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory and then started my undergraduate degree at Fairfield University before transferring to Boston University, where I received a bachelor’s in International Relations and was a NCAA Division I athlete on the track and field team.

After graduating from college I got an internship on Capitol Hill where I fell in love with politics and working with the hardworking women who helped make democracy run. I have worked for Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) and most recently as a political appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration at the Department of Homeland Security in the Office of the Secretary.

During my career I assisted my offices with the work related to the withdrawal of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan, the two impeachment trials of President Donald Trump and the Senate Judiciary Hearings for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

I now work as the Director of Scheduling for the House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. I live in Washington, D.C. with my wife Blair, and our black lab puppy Stanley!

When you were a student at Burke’s, what did you dream you’d be doing at this point in your life?

When I was at Burke’s I wanted to be a war photographer, but I ended up pursuing a far more risk averse lifestyle! Burke’s gave me a strong sense of purpose to help other people, and to shine a light on those who are disenfranchised and speak for those who don’t have a seat at the table.

What three words or phrases come to mind when you hear “Katherine Delmar Burke School”?

Educate, encourage and empower, of course!

major moment in my adolescence, to be able to form my own opinions and to not take opinions at face value. She likely just meant for us to ask questions like, “Why is the sky blue,” but here we are! Thanks, Ms. Deemer!

What is a favorite memory from Burke’s? How would you describe your time at Burke’s?

I always loved the fall festivals, and the Halloween parades! Every Halloween I have to grab the ear of anyone who will listen to talk about the Transylvania two step. They’re very precious childhood memories for me.

What advice would you give to a current Burke’s student?

Don’t worry about pushing yourself to do every activity just because you think it may help you get into the best schools after Burke’s. Authenticity and happiness is far more important, and at the end of the day you will receive a great education from whichever institution you decide to attend.

How do you stay connected to Burke’s now?

Who was one of your favorite teachers at Burke’s and why?

Ms. Susan Deemer is a warm and talented educator Burke’s was lucky to have. I accredit Ms. Deemer in 7th grade science who urged my class to question everything, which was a

I’m still very close to my friends from Burke’s! One of my best friends was in my wedding as a bridesmaid.

We were overjoyed to host more than 100 alumnae at the annual Alumnae Reunion Lucheon last April. The foggy day at the Presidio Golf Course couldn’t dampen the joy inside the tent where alumnae classes from 1957 through 2018 had a chance to reconnect in person after two years.

We celebrated our alumnae from milestone graduation years ending in ’8 and ’3. Activities are open to all classes and will include special recognition of the classes of 1970 through 1973 in celebrating their Golden Reunion Years!

The event featured remarks from Head of School Michele Williams, the Alumnae Board, and Luncheon Chair Katy Congdon Williams ’96. Two Burke’s fifth-grade students shared their short stories, and 2023 Distinguished Alumna Eileen Gu ’17 made remarks via a video. You can read her live remarks from Pansy Day on page 36.

We invite you to become involved with planning this year’s reunion by joining the Reunion Committee. Please email Yukiko Meadows, Director of Advancement, at yukiko. meadows@burkes.org for more information!

THE CLASS OF 1958. Mary Dolan Shenk, Susie Colomb Pfau, Ann Johnson, Connie Biaggini

THE CLASS OF 1963. Back row: Rosalia Taylor, Tracey Coss Green, Barbara Hansen Reding, Virginia Dolan Hall Front row: Peggy Knickerbocker, Kathe Hardy

THE CLASS OF 1972. Nancy Caton, Lynn Mettier Wolter, Peggy Haas, Juana Schurman

THE CLASS OF 1973. Mary Piel, Nancy Dickson Golden, Terry Mailliard Keyes, Katie Allende Finlay, Beth Sherman Noland

THE CLASS OF 1993. Tatiana Beitashour Berger, Stacey Lee, Morgan Allen Dewey, Alison Jacobs Goodman

THE CLASS OF 1983. Anna Banks, Julia Wong, Elizabeth Garrison, Carolyn Mannon Kryger, Caitlin Blue, Heidi Houtkooper Temkin Front row: Jenny Sampson, Elizabeth de Bord

THE CLASS OF 1998. Alice Chambers, Natalie Jamison Tiret, Darby Gaynor Glickman, Emma Wesolowski, Amanda Dowell

THE CLASS OF 1988. Susan Peirce Thompson, June Kitagawa Sakamoto, Holly Williamson, Rachel Skiffer

THE CLASS OF 2003. Back row: Laura Minasian, Talia Seidman Rhodes, Cameron Baker, Chiara Kuryan, Lisa Harada Front row: Nicola Fleischer, Catherine Diao, Cynthia Whitman, Katherine Abbey Prill

THE CLASS OF 2008. Beccy Valentine, Ebere Emenike, Samantha Lee

New York City Alumnae Event

Head of School Michele Williams and members of the Burke’s Advancement team met up with New York City alumnae on January 30, 2023.

San Diego Alumnae Event

Head of School Michele Williams had a fun brunch with four San Diego alumnae on June 25.

Four School Alumni

Happy Hour

Alumni from Burke’s, Town, Hamlin and Cathedral met up at Harper and Rye in San Francisco for a multischool happy hour on February 8, 2023!

March 22, 2024

Marines’ Memorial Club 609 Sutter Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

Celebrating our alumnae from milestone graduation years ending in ’9 and ’4. Activities are open to all classes and will include special recognition of the class of 1974 in celebrating their Golden Reunion Year!

All Burke’s class years are invited and encouraged to attend.

We invite you to become involved with planning this year’s reunion by joining the Reunion Committee. Please email Melissa Sterling at melissa.sterling@ burkes.org for more information!

2023 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD: EILEEN GU ’17

The Katherine Delmar Burke School Distinguished Alumna Award is given each year to an alumna who embodies the values at the heart of the school’s mission to educate, encourage and empower girls. The recipient exemplifies a life of learning, service to community individuality, and the ability to make a difference in the world. The awardees are nominated by the alumnae community and voted on by the Alumnae Board.

Eileen Gu is an exceptional talent in the world of freestyle skiing and a trailblazer for aspiring athletes. With a dual American and Chinese heritage, she has bridged cultures and broken barriers through her performances on the slopes and beyond. At the age of eight, Eileen Gu began skiing and quickly developed a passion for freestyle skiing. She rose to prominence on the international stage in the 2020-2021 season when she claimed her first World Cup victory in a halfpipe event in Calgary, Canada. Her meteoric success continued as she dominated the freestyle skiing circuit, accumulating several World Cup titles and a gold medal at the 2021 FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships in Aspen, Colorado. Eileen’s groundbreaking performances

at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing solidified her status as a global sensation. She won three medals, including two golds in the halfpipe and big air events, and a silver in slopestyle, making her the first freestyle skier to achieve such a feat in a single Olympic Game. Apart from her athletic achievements, Eileen is an outspoken advocate for cultural exchange and understanding. With a modeling career that has seen her grace the covers of prestigious magazines, she has become a symbol of diversity and breaking barriers. In addition to competing in freestyle events around the world and serving as a spokesperson for international brands, Eileen is currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at Stanford University.

The following is excerpted from the speech given at the Pansy Day Ceremony on June 7, 2023.

Good morning.

My time at Burke’s made me believe I was able to do anything I put my mind to. From the maypole to four square to flag football, there are countless memories that I will treasure forever.

Burke’s is such a unique microcosm in which people are encouraged to do their best, to try things and to break their own boundaries, all within this safe and beautiful environment in which you are supported and loved by your sisters.

When I was at Burke’s, I was challenged in many ways. For one, I learned that academics are something that can happen outside class and that learning is something that’s unbounded. You can learn in an accessible way and do so in a way that is able to impact the world around you.

I still remember sixth grade when Ms. Wong would give me challenge packets after math class. I remember turning them in with such pride every week, feeling as though I was able to conquer the world. Actually, this gave me the confidence to take quantum physics in my first year at Stanford. I loved the class — it’s one of my favorites. To be quite honest, Burke’s gave me the feeling that I could really, really change the world.

One of the most beloved Burke’s traditions is the Eighth-Grade Musical. When I was at Burke’s, I was as much of an athlete as I was an academic. I ran cross country, I played soccer, basketball and all the different sports. One thing I did not see myself as was star material. I remember being a kindergartner and watching the eighth graders in the musicals. They were like Broadway superstars to me. The very first celebrities I knew were those eighth graders.

Never in my life did I think that I would be able to stand in front of hundreds of people and sing. Fast forward to eighth grade. I’m auditioning for our musical, MaryPoppins . I audition for the part of Miss Andrews, who is this witchadjacent caretaker character. I think that maybe I can play it off if I just give it my all.

On the day that the parts come out, I found out that I was given the role of Mary Poppins. I was so scared. I was holding that script, flipping through the pages, looking at the solos that I had to read and I realized that this was a challenge like none other I had experienced before. This was a situation in which I had to perform in front of people, sing solos and learn choreography, and I wasn’t sure if I could do it.

With the support of Ms. Thompson and some of the other lead roles, I was able to slowly build up the confidence to stand on that stage, memorize my lines, and go through each and every scene. I was able to meticulously learn how to perform and learn the beauty and expressiveness that one can find through art. On the day of the musical, I put my heart on that stage. I gave it my all. And I can truly say that it was an unforgettable night.

In 2022, I was standing at the top of the Winter Olympic figure banking. There were hundreds of millions of people watching me. I was at my third and final run, meaning that I had one chance to land a single trick that could determine the outcome of this competition.

I’d already done my two best tricks, including one in which I was the first woman in the world to land. So I felt as though I had already done the best of my abilities. But then I remembered the seventh-grade speech I gave at Burke’s. I spoke about Title IX and women’s sports and how important it was that we find female representation across different sports, especially in underrepresented ones.

At the time I gave the speech, I was the only girl on my ski team. Since then, I’ve seen an incredible explosion across the sport. But still, I knew that I had a role to play. I knew that given the platform I had at the moment, I had a responsibility to share the lessons that I learned from Burke’s and to share the lessons and values that I held true to myself.

I knew that if people heard about skiing for the first time from a girl who looked like them, sounded like them and acted like them, then they would see that there was a place in the sport for them, too. That they belonged and that they were welcome, that they would feel the way that I had at Burke’s, which is a privilege not many people get to have.

I called my mother and told her, “Mom, I’m going to try a leftside double cork 1620.”

And she said, “Please do not do that.”

The reason she said that was that this particular trick had never been attempted by any woman ever on snow, during training, during contest, ever, much less during the final run of the Olympics. But I knew that even if I didn’t land that trick, being unafraid to try at that moment was transmitting those values that I cared about. It was representing myself, my sport, my sisters, my friends, my peers, my communities.

If it would be inspiring to just one girl at home, that was all I could hope for. So I told her politely, “Mother. I’m going to do the trick anyways.” And she said, “Why are you being so philosophical right now? People are terrified for their life of that trick, and you’re thinking about inspiring millions of people.”

And I said, “Once a Burke’s girl, always a Burke’s girl.”

The moment that I landed that trick, I knew that my life was changed forever. Not only had I become the youngest free ski gold medalist ever, but I had also realized that the platform I gained now afforded me the opportunity to spread the message of educating, encouraging and empowering girls to a scale of people that I’ve never before been able to reach.

This has endowed me with incredible responsibility, but also incredible privilege and pride. I really do attribute my time at Burke’s for giving me the confidence that I don’t have to wait until I’m older to change the world, that I don’t have to wish that I was someone else or worry that people are going to treat me differently because I’m a girl.

Burke’s made me feel as though I can do what I can now, no matter who I am or what my reach is, to make lives better for my friends, my peers and the communities around me. Burke’s has taught me not only to be aware of the world around me, but to be critical of my place in it and to constantly be questioning how I can leave it better than how I found it.

As you may have noticed, I didn’t write a speech today. I didn’t memorize anything because I feel like I’m coming home. This really is a home for me. This is a family for me. I have my sisters in the back. You guys are all my younger sisters. I’m seeing some people in my School Family. I remember the day that some of you guys were born, which is actually kind of crazy.

As I wrap up today, I really just wanted to say that I hope no matter where you go, no matter how far you grow from each other, you will find home and sisterhood wherever you may be.

And that you will always, always remember those lessons, the values, the confidence and bring your beauty, your joy, all the inspiration, the precociousness, everything that Burke’s has to offer you to all the walks of life that you have yet to conquer.

I wish you congratulations. I wish you all the best blessings. You are all such superstars. I cannot wait to see what you guys achieve.

Congratulations.

CLASS NOTES

Alumnae Updates From Burke’s

Class of 1951

ANN TAYLOR was recently widowed after 69 years of marriage. She is still involved in breeding Morgan horses.

Class of 1957

YVONNE GODDARD’s daughter Renee has been on the city council for 10 years in Fairfax, CA. Son Sean-Marc travels the world as a guide and owner of Bio Bio Expeditions World Wide.

Class of 1961

CYNTHIA SUTCLIFFE POETT says thanks to the technical expertise of ALISON GREY ANDERSON, the class of ’61 has kept in touch via Zoom.

Class of 1964

KATHARINE ASHLEY COBB is retired and living in Woodland. She has two granddaughters, 8-year-old Sylvia, and 4-year-old Elise.

CISSY MOORE HARRIS is still teaching at Lone Mountain Children’s Center and still having fun!

Class of 1966

MELANIE MCCOMISH LYNN reports that all is well in Arizona and she is

traveling to Spain and the Panama Canal this year! She would love to get a 75th birthday reunion scheduled in ’23.

Class of 1968

PRISCILLA SLOCUM is “still enjoying retired life with my husband of almost 37 years, and cherishing every moment I can grab with my son and his wife who live busy lives in Chicago where both work at Northwestern, and tend to their sweetly stubborn Basset Hound.”

Class of 1975

KATY DICKINSON gave a presentation at the Graduate Theological Union’s (GTU) Women and Religion conference in Berkeley. Some recent adventures include graduating with a master’s in theology from GTU and a certificate in spirituality and social change from the Pacific School of Religion, both in 2021; serving as a chaplain intern at Stanford Medical Center from 2021-21; earning a certificate in interreligious chaplaincy from GTU in 2022; and working as a relief chaplain in correctional institutions since then. She was also honored by the Assistant Secretary of State, U.S. State Department for ten years of service as a STEM Mentor in the TechWomen program. Read more at katysblog.wordpress.com.

BETTY SCHWARTZ MARCON reports: “I thought I would never leave California - and in my heart I never will. But this past year, my husband and I moved to Montana from the Bay Area. It didn’t work out — we moved again after nine months in Helena. Now we are in Peterborough, New Hampshire. So far so good! It’s good to be closer to my daughter (CAMILLE MARCON ’08) on the East Coast, as well as my mother and brother. We are an hour and a half from Boston.”

Class of 1980

TANYA MALOTT reports that after 21 years in Sag Harbor, New York, she sold her home and moved to Hudson, New York about two hours north of NYC. Thanks to a fellow Burke’s classmate, KATE KARDOS-POLEVOI, she was introduced to a fellow San Franciscan who has become a very good friend. “She went to Hamlin, but I don’t hold that against her. Ha! My first few months here have been a challenging adjustment because I am always happiest by the ocean, but I own a commercial building on the main street in town, and I’m looking forward to opening my own gallery this year. I have been a professional photographer for more than 32 years, and I’m looking forward to being able to show my work, and the work of other female photographers and artists. If you are an artist looking for a place to show, please reach out to me!”

Class of 1986

LEONA GODIN was thrilled to perform for the first time in her hometown of San Francisco at “Turn Me into Gold: A Storytelling Party,” which was produced by Back Pocket Media and took place at the Saint Joseph’s Arts Society on March 2, 2023. Four dear Burke’s alums were there to support: ARTEMIS ANDERSON, OLGA AZAR, KATE ETTINGER, and MIMI WONG. [1]

Class of 1989

ALICIA THOMAS ULIN works as the head of a booking software company called Dibs. She lives on the Upper West Side of New York City with her husband Erik, and their two kids 9-year-old Julia and 12-year-old Lukas. They also have a one-year-old Basenji named Tammy.

Class of 1995

After 20 years in the classroom, MELISSA A. HOLMAN-KURSKY transitioned to educational therapist at The San Francisco School and in private practice. She is also a graduate advisor for the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute and loves fostering a new generation of teachers!

Class of 1999

LILY BOWLES LEO lives in San Francisco with her husband and two children. She is finishing up her second master’s degree and works as a science communicator.

Class of 2003

NICOLE FLEISCHER is co-Founder of edwell.org.

ELISA GORES sang with the Chicagobased vocal trio Artemisia on “What Happens When a Woman” by Alexandra Olsavsky.

Class of 2009

ARIELLE SACKS OTTO married Carl, her high school sweetheart from St. Ignatius, on October 1, 2022, in Nantucket.

ELLA STOREY is in her fourth year of a clinical doctorate psychology program (PsyD) and is currently doing a clinical placement at Jacobi Medical Center working on the oncology unit as well as with patients affected by HIV.

Class of 2010

KASSIE ENCINAS LEON is a longtime coach at Burke’s, but just moved to New York and works in human resources for One Medical.

Class of 2012

JENNA FRIEDEL recently joined the Alumnae Board and works in Private Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs, based in San Francisco. She was raised in Mill Valley and now lives with her partner in Burlingame. After graduating from Burke’s, she attended high school at the College Preparatory School in Oakland. Following her freshman year, she was recruited to join a tennis academy in South Florida. She went on to receive her B.A. in Economics from Harvard University, where she played on the varsity tennis team and served as president of the first women-founded final club called The Sab Club. She attributes her Burke’s experience to the phenomenal teaching staff, who exemplified how to lead with kindness and humility in all things, and a relentlessly supportive class.

KENDALL SUI is currently at Columbia University School of Nursing studying to be a pediatric nurse practitioner!

ALLTON VOGEL-DENEBEIM has recently started the Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy program at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Prior to that Allton taught K-3 special needs kids in the Oakland Unified School District for two years as part of the Teach for America program.

Class of 2014

SARAH MAHNKE-BAUM was working at the Walt Disney Family Museum and is now finishing senior year at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Class of 2019

MEI LING BRENNAN is “so thankful for my Burke’s friends, the community, and the memories we’ve made in San Francisco. I’m excited to venture forward. Congrats to my classmates!”

PIPER HOLMES is excited to study business at Ohio State with a minor in genetics, with the goal to one day be a part of curing inherited diseases on a genetic level before the child is born, such as the BRCA2 gene mutation.

YOSELIN COLIN will be attending Yale University on a full-ride scholarship, where she intends to double major in Political Science and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration. “I plan to continue my commitment to police reform and advocacy (the work I did as a Commissioner on San Francisco’s Youth Commission, where I represented the youth of District 9 and advised the Mayor and Board of Supervisors).”

KELSEY OTRIDGE graduated from The Bay School of San Francisco this May and will be attending Hobart and William Smith Colleges in the fall. She is excited to continue to play soccer at the collegiate level at HWS.

In Memoriam

Burke’s is proud of its strong legacy of graduating strong, confident women. We sadly report the loss of these members of our alumnae family.

Virginia Lowrey Brown ’38

Nadine Herrmann Jones Lawton ’40

Margo Steninger Wise ’49

Judith Crafts Gorman ’50

Lynn Dunne ’57

Katherine Metcalf Nelson ’58

Barbara Rogers ’71

Jessica Kellar ’00

Katharine Wallace Thompson ’44

Margaret Virginia Clifton Boyd ’45

Mary Pruett Gibson ’46

Barbara Hand Burke ’54

Eleanor George Burke ’56

Ms. Holly Gales Holbrook ’57

Anne Hogan Ayers ’63

Deborah Rhodes ’65

Sally Rosenman ’67

Tony Holyoake ’59

Patricia Landis Hulting ‘53

Joan Leahy Whitehorn ‘62

Remembering Diane Major BELOVED BURKE’S EDUCATOR

BURKE’S STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF DIANE MAJOR, A BELOVED TEACHER AT BURKE’S FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

Diane was a force of nature, bringing joy, positivity and high energy to all that she did at Burke’s. A devoted mother, grandmother and an exceptional friend and colleague to so many here at Burke’s, she will be deeply missed.

The following information has been excerpted from Mrs. Major’s obituary:

Diane Major, beloved wife, mother and nana, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on June 10, 2023. She was born Diane Hodgson on January 12, 1945, in Albany, California. Diane was a lifelong educator, teaching at Katherine Delmar Burke School for over 30 years. She played an instrumental role in opening the doors of the South End Rowing Club to women, becoming the first female member in 1976. Diane had unmatched energy and encouraged others to join her in various activities, whether it was hiking over the Dipsea, swimming in the bay or playing various sports. She loved to cook, bake, sew and garden. Diane leaves behind her loving husband Roger, her children, Jennifer Wallen (Tim) and Graham/Buck (Erica), and her adoring grandchildren Anna and Ella Wallen, and Eoin, Evan and Ethan Major, who brought immense joy to her life. She is also survived by her brothers, Gordon and Jay Hodgson. She cherished every moment spent with her family, creating lasting memories and imparting valuable life lessons. Diane will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. Her impact as an educator, her passion for life and her unwavering love for her family will forever be remembered.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on Jul. 28, 2023.

MAKE

MAKE

At Burke’s, we teach our students to learn by making. They make their own inventions. They make works of art. They make connections between what they’re studying and real life.

With a donation to Burke’s Annual Fund, you can make magic happen.

Support your alma mater, fellow alumnae, beloved faculty and staff, and generations of Burke’s girls. Donate to the Annual Fund now at burkes.org/give.

a gift to Burke’s.

MAKE a difference for current and future students.

sure that the legacy of your Burke’s experience lives on.

Every gift, of any size, makes an impact. MAKE yours today.

Donor Profiles

Dan Amin and Karyn Barr O

ur daughter is one happy kid at Burke’s — from the day she first stepped foot into K Red to trying to convince her fourth-grade teachers to keep Burke’s open during Thanksgiving Break (not joking). Our kid bounces into school every morning, comes home with stories of the day’s adventures, and truly misses her Burke’s crew when “forced” to take a school vacation. It’s her unwavering enthusiasm that continuously reaffirms our decision those many years ago to join the Burke’s community, and we’re delighted to support in whatever way we can.

If there are 400 ways to be a Burke’s girl, there are 400+ ways to be a Burke’s supporter. Giving to Burke’s isn’t about monetary donations. It’s more about discovering your own approach to supporting this incredible community. As parents, our ways of giving back have taken many paths over the years — from serving as a room parent and chairing the Burke’s DASH to shuttling kids to playdates and chaperoning the occasional field trip. There’s absolutely no one-size-fits-all at Burke’s. You give back what you can, how you can and when you can, and above all, in ways that align with your schedules and family’s interests.

I [Dan] am fortunate enough to work for a company that

Isabel Paxton ’10

The impact that Burke’s made on my life was immense. I truly believe that my nine years at Burke’s set me up for success throughout high school, college and now as a working professional. I feel strongly that every girl should be afforded the same opportunities that I was lucky enough to get; I hope that my gifts can help to contribute to making Burke’s more accessible.

As a student and recent grad, I always thought that the amount that I would be able to contribute to Burke’s wouldn’t be meaningful. One year the development office sent a fundraising letter asking for $20.10 in honor of my graduating class. Knowing that I could start giving at an approachable amount pushed me to make my first gift to Burke’s.

Having classmates always rooting for each other’s success and knowing that there are other people who’ve shared

generously supports its employees’ philanthropic interests. But it’s a benefit that not all tap into simply due to unawareness of its existence or how easy the process can be. Burke’s development team does nearly all the work and liaised with my employer to secure the matching benefit. For me, it was a win-win situation because Karyn and I could amplify our contributions to a school our family feels so deeply connected to, while also providing my employer the opportunity to give back in a more personal and meaningful way.

some of my most important moments has been so important to me. Connections like that and memories of my school years are the greatest gift that Burke’s gave me, and why I continue to give.

Melinda and Robert Torbin

Bob and Melinda Torbin met as high schoolers in eastern Massachusetts and have been together ever since. Melinda’s high school was severely lacking in resources and “that always stuck in the back of my mind that my education didn’t provide me with the skills I really needed. I had to do a semester at Merrimack College before I could attend a fouryear college.”

Bob joined the ROTC in high school to support his college ambitions and went on to become a captain in the military after graduation. When his time in the military was nearing an end, he left to begin his engineering career. Melinda said, “I had the choice to be a nurse or a teacher. I chose to be a teacher. It wasn’t the ‘you can be anything you want to be’ type of world as it is today, especially for women. That’s why we’re so happy to have our granddaughter at Burke’s. You want to open up the world to these children and not box them in.”

According to Bob and Melinda, “we see education as the golden gift that is just priceless. And it’s not all book learning. You need confidence in yourself and you need to be a good self-advocate. That’s a piece of their education that’s so important. ”

Burke’s child-centered approach to education and “400 Ways to be a Burke’s Girl” philosophy appealed to them both. Melinda believes, “Every child is a learner, but they’re all different and diverse. One

thing we like about Burke’s is the faculty and staff focus on engaging every student to succeed. We can see that the whole staff respects the child as a learner, and they also learn from each other.”

They have also appreciated Burke’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning. “At Burke’s, you educate across subjects. Students are building skills in reading, science, writing and math at the same time within projects.”

When asked what they would tell a new grandparent volunteering at Burke’s, Melinda said, “Every grandparent wants their grandchildren to succeed, and contributing to Burke’s in whatever form is a small part of that ultimate goal. You never lose giving to the school where your grandchildren attend, whether it’s financial or your participation.”

“We’ve always said that the best gift you can give your children is education because it’s the one thing they can’t lose. Your education is with you forever.”

GRANDPARENT COUNCIL MEMBERS

Ways to Give

CASH, CHECK OR CREDIT CARD

Gifts of cash, typically payable by check, and credit card gifts are tax deductible and provide immediate funds to the school. The easiest way to give is online at www.burkes.org/give.

You can also send a check to:

Katherine Delmar Burke School Advancement Office

7070 California Street San Francisco, CA 94121

CRYPTOCURRENCY

Burke’s now accepts select cryptocurrency donations at www.burkes.org/crypto. Donating cryptocurrency directly to Burke’s is a non-taxable event.Your gift will be larger because instead of paying capital gains taxes, Burke’s will receive the full value of your contribution. If you are interested in donating a cryptocurrency not listed on the website or have questions, please contact Yukiko Meadows, yukiko.meadows@burkes.org.

MATCHING GIFTS

Many companies offer their employees the opportunity to double — or in some cases triple — their gifts to certain programs or organizations by matching them. Please check with your employer about their Matching Gift Program.

SECURITIES & PROPERTY

Gifts of stocks, other securities or property have two significant advantages to the donor — they are tax deductible for the full fair market value of the gift when it is made, and the donor does not pay capital gains on the appreciated value of the stock or property. Contact the Advancement Office for more information on making a gift of securities or property.

PLANNED GIVING

The Barbara Burke Legacy Society honors alumnae, past parents, grandparents, current parents and friends who have remembered Burke’s by bequest in their estate plans or who have made a life income gift or other type of planned gift. You can become a member by:

• placing Burke’s in your will

• making Burke’s the beneficiary of a retirement account

• making a gift of a life insurance policy (a gift of life insurance can result in tax savings and can be made through an existing or a new life insurance policy)

• establishing a charitable trust

• making a gift of real estate or other tangible property

Each of these gifts can result in substantial tax savings for the donor. Please consult the Advancement Office or your tax adviser for more information.

Please notify the Advancement Office if you have made a deferred or planned gift to Burke’s so that you will be included in The Barbara Burke Legacy Society.

OTHER DEFERRED GIFTS

It is possible to make gifts of property that may allow income tax benefits for the donor during his or her lifetime, may be used during the lifetime of the donor, and which would revert to Burke’s, with possible estate tax savings. Institutions can achieve stability and growth through planned giving. Contact your tax adviser for specific advice that relates to your particular circumstances.

GIFTS IN KIND

Burke’s welcomes donations such as classroom supplies, athletic equipment and other items related to the educational program, as well as donations of auction items to the annual Burke’s Benefit. Gift value is determined by the donor through appraisal or a record of purchase. Please contact the Advancement Office if you would like to make a gift in kind.

For more information about making a gift of any type, please contact Yukiko Meadows, Director of Advancement, at 415.666.3204 or yukiko.meadows@burkes.org. To make a gift online, please visit www.burkes.org/give.

BURKES.ORG