Spring '24 VIEW

Alumni Profile: Ed Campbell ’70

Faculty Interview: Kelly Cray on meeting students where they are

2023 Reunion

Celebrating seven decades of alumni BURR AND BURTON

WE ARE UNIFIED

BBA Becomes a National Unified Champion Banner School

Headmaster

Mark H. Tashjian

Associate Head of School

Meg Kenny

Director of Advancement

Kate Leach

Director of Communications

Jill Perry-Balzano

Design

Craig DesRoberts

Board of Trustees

Charley Stevenson, Chair

Ed Campbell ’70, Vice Chair

Scott Swenor, Treasurer

Sanfra Weiss, Secretary

Kellie Baker-Waite ’79

Brian M. Barefoot

Peggy Brophy Brockett ’88

D. William Cairns ’72

Rabbi Michael Cohen

Michael Cooperman

Pauline de Laszlo

Thomas N. Kelly, Jr.

Heidi Lynn

Carol O’Connor ’67

William V.N. Philip

Michael Powers ’60

Robert Redmond

Trustees Emeriti

Seth Bongartz ’72

Orland Campbell

Robert E. Treat ’55

Tony Whaling

Photography

James Chandler ’10

Oscar Forester

Jake Murnaghan

Sherry Steeves

Nora Hefner

Jamaica Kaercher

Maizie Rukat

Contact Us: 802-362-1775 burrburton.org

2024 SPRING

OFFICE OF THE HEADMASTER

Dear Friends,

With the school year winding down, there is excitement in the air as we simultaneously race toward summer and savor these last weeks together. Between now and June 7th, we will share the joy of the BBA Gala, the Student Awards Breakfast, Scholarship Night, our final assembly, Senior Day, and the Car Parade that winds through Manchester and up Seminary Avenue, all culminating in our 191st Commencement for the spectacular class of 2024.

Together, we will celebrate our shared experiences, honor our shared achievements, and appreciate the ways we have lived the mission and core values that make Burr and Burton so special.

I invite you to join in the celebration by diving into this issue of The VIEW, which highlights BBA’s core values in action. The cover story features our incredible Unified Programming, the courses and learning opportunities that have made mutual care and respect even more central to the BBA experience. We profile Kelly Cray, a rising star of empathic education, and Ed Campbell ’70, whose 43 years as a servant-leader on our Board of Trustees have provided an example for the ages.

This issue tells the story of what it takes for Burr and Burton to serve each and every student, and how a caring, supportive community brings out the best in all of us. I hope you enjoy and are inspired by the stories within these pages.

Onward and forward.

Mark H. Tashjian Headmaster

NEWS FROM CAMPUS

Welcoming Charley Stevenson as the New Chair of the Board of Trustees

IN OCTOBER, BURR AND BURTON ANNOUNCED THAT CHARLEY STEVENSON, PARENT OF TWO BBA ALUMNI AND A TRUSTEE SINCE 2020, HAS BEEN APPOINTED CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SUCCEEDING LONGTIME TRUSTEE ED CAMPBELL.

Stevenson brings a broad range of experiences in education to his role as chair. Starting his career as a math and science teacher, Stevenson taught at middle and high schools for several years before joining the staff at Williams College as an advisor and resource coordinator.

While working directly in education, Stevenson also served first as a founding board member and later board chair of the BART (Berkshire Arts and Technology) Charter School in Adams, MA. He then went on to serve as a member and eventually chair of the board of the Pine Cobble School in Williamstown, MA, where he remains a trustee emeritus.

Since 2011, Stevenson has run a consulting firm, Integrated Eco Strategy, that supports institutions in implementing green building plans.

“Charley brings a wealth of governance experience, perspective as a BBA parent, and a thoughtful sensibility to everything he does.” Headmaster Mark Tashjian said. “He listens, synthesizes, and guides with skill, and I look forward to working in partnership, all in service of this community.”

Stevenson is looking forward to carrying on the work of Burr and Burton as a school that is both “evolving and responsive” to the needs of the community: “I can’t think of a school that has a more beneficial impact on students and families than BBA. The fact that this community is at the core of what BBA does is remarkable, and this is something to be celebrated and built upon.”

Digging Deeper with Farm and Food Studies

BY NORA HEFNER, FARM AND FOOD STUDIES COORDINATOR

THIS FALL AND WINTER BURR AND BURTON FARM AND FOOD STUDIES STUDENTS WERE BUSY MAKING CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE HARVEST SEASON AND INTO THE COLDER MONTHS.

Lots of Learning

Students in three classes have been working hard at the Farm and Food Studies classroom, garden, and greenhouse at Hildene Farm this fall: Sustainable Agriculture, Farm Skills Internship, and Ethnobotany. Each of these classes takes advantage of our unique on-site farm resources and the skills and knowledge of farmers and land stewards in service of learning for a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future.

In the garden, students have been harvesting kale, basil, beans, and corn; planting cover crops and garlic; and preparing the soil for winter. In the greenhouse, students have been harvesting peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, ginger, and turmeric, and starting seeds. In the classroom, students have been processing crops, experimenting with soil composition, photosynthesis, fiber dyeing, and plant medicine as well as discussing critical ideas like sustainability, equitable access, resilience, and relationship-building.

Community Partnerships

We completed our second season as growers for the Abenaki Land Link Project, a collaboration between the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk-Abenaki Nation, NOFA-VT, and growers around the state. Students harvested, processed, and rematriated gorgeous black and white skunk beans, colorful Calais flint corn, and one algonquin squash.

Though much of our harvest this year was affected by flooding, many of the vegetables that made it through safely are donated to Grateful Hearts, whose volunteers help connect healthy local food with folks in our community who need support with food access.

Students also helped move forward a riparian restoration on a USDA Forest Service property on Richville Road with several community partners. The Richville Road Forest Service property is accessible to the public—take a walk down to the river and check out new trees planted by BBA students!

Spring on the Farm

Students in spring classes —Food Systems and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology —have been growing indoor greens, tapping trees and collecting sap to make maple syrup, tracking wildlife through snow and mud, planting herbs for the Manchester Community Food Cupboard, and working with local farmers to begin preparation for spring planting.

Inspiring Visitors

Chris Waker Visits Burr and Burton

IN NOVEMBER FORMER BURR AND BURTON STUDENT CHRIS WAKER VISITED BBA TO CATCH UP WITH STUDENTS AND FACULTY ABOUT PERSPECTIVE AND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF SUDDEN TRAGEDY.

Waker, who attended Burr and Burton and Stratton Mountain School, competed in snowboarding at the highest levels and went on to coach snowboarders, leveraging emotion and a growth mindset to help athletes push the boundaries of what is possible in the sport.

In 2019, Waker was honored as Snowboard Coach of the Year by the US Ski and Snowboard Association. A little over a year later, Waker was left paralyzed in what was described as a “freak” snowboarding accident.

Waker describes lying face down in the snow, knowing that he could not feel his legs, and deciding in that moment to focus on the next right thing to do, rather than the devastating fear of his loss of movement.

Students and teachers, some who taught Waker at BBA or other places in the community, came to hear his story and learn about the approaches and mindset that have allowed Waker to recover to the greatest extent possible and refocus his work on helping others find strength and purpose.

Athletic Director Dave Miceli relayed the themes of Waker’s presentation, “All those years of high level athletic training really kicked in following his accident; his focus was on having a positive attitude and relying on a strong community.”

“Knowing that you’re likely going to fail, but not worrying that you’re going to fail–failure is necessary as part of the journey.”

Professor David Hollander Shares How Basketball Can Save the World

ON A MISSION TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT HOW BASKETBALL CAN SAVE THE WORLD.

NYU Professor David Hollander came to BBA on Wednesday to share his ideas on how the principles that make basketball a great game can be applied to make positive change. Professor Hollander spoke to multiple groups at Burr and Burton, including faculty, student athletes, Humanities students and others over the course of several sessions throughout the day. In each session, Hollander enthusiastically explained and referenced his 13 Guiding Principles for Reimaging What’s Possible:

Students from the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network and the Rutland Area NAACP

President Speak About the Legacy and Work of MLK Jr.

In January, to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr., the Burr and Burton Students of Color Alliance (SOCA) welcomed students from the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network (VSARN) alongside Rutland Area NAACP President Mia Schultz

1. Cooperation

2. Balance of Individual and Collective

3. Balance of Force and Skill

4. Positionless-ness

5. Human Alchemy

6. Make it Global

7. Gender Inclusive

8. No Barrier to Access

9. For the Outsider,the Other,and the Masses

10. Urban and Rural

11. Antidote to Isolation and Loneliness

12. Sanctuary

13. Transcendence

Hollander sees the principles as concepts humans can use as a roadmap for solving some of our most significant challenges: “There is no society that has ever been great that only solves the problems in front of our faces.” he said. The 13 principles are a way we can “get organized” for a brighter future.

to campus to speak about their work locally and statewide.

Mia Schultz spoke about the history of the NAACP, formed in 1909 to promote justice for African Americans by W.E.B Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey, Ida B. Wells and others.

VSARN spoke about their work to achieve education without racism through education about racism. Students spoke about local curriculum projects, legislation initiatives, and presentations through the Let Me Be Great campaign that are meant to educate, promote awareness, and serve as a space to discuss the local racial equity survey results.

Chris Alfano Goes to Washington

BY MARY FRANCIS

BBA SENIOR AND STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT CHRIS ALFANO WAS CHOSEN TO REPRESENT VERMONT AT THE 62ND ANNUAL UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM (USSYP) AND AWARDED A $10,000 SCHOLARSHIP.

The highly competitive merit-based program selects two students from each state to participate in an intensive week-long study of the federal government. Alfano was selected to join student leaders from around the country, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Peter Welch and other members of the US Senate, in Washington D.C. in March.

Alfano says he was most looking forward to engaging with other student leaders from across the United States. He describes the experience as “an extraordinary opportunity to

meet young people from every corner of the country to hear about their unique experiences, accomplishments, and aspirations. Gaining first hand exposure to the operations of the federal government is an added benefit.” Long interested in government and the political system, he says his first memory of it was during the 2012 election cycle. He was intrigued by the lawn signs around his neighborhood and his parents began explaining the electoral process to him. From there, he was eager to learn more and civics and social studies quickly became his favorite subjects in school. As he’s grown older, he says he began paying more attention to current events to see how the US government functions on a day-to-day basis.

Serving on the Student Council at BBA has also given him a glimpse into governing and the challenges of decision-making and representing a group of people, Alfano says. Above all, he said he’s learned that the most effective decisions aren’t made in isolation, but rather, in consultation with many different people. He tries to engage with as many students as possible to hear their perspectives on

events, policies, and other changes around the school.

Alfano is grateful for his time at Burr and Burton, citing extracurricular activities, course offerings, and most importantly, its exceptional teachers for helping him explore his interest in government.” From AP U.S. Government to Model United Nations and Holocaust Studies, BBA has allowed me to take a wide range of classes with amazing teachers who really care about their students' development. The teachers here foster a discussion-based, collaborative classroom environment that is very conducive to learning. I owe it to the BBA faculty for helping me discover my interests and pursue my passion for government.”

Taking his passion for government to the next level, in August of 2022 Alfano came up with the idea to create a civics education app called Civicly. Teaming up with his brother Michael, the pair created a tool that could help everyone become more educated and engaged in the government structure. Alfano says Civicly “gamifies” the civics education process with practice questions and

summaries of founding documents like the constitution and even notable Supreme court cases. Alfano feels lucky to live in a time when technology and the internet connects us to people and events around the globe. “Even with its drawbacks, one of the benefits of living in a digital age is that it allows us to access endless information and stay in touch with current events. I believe that one of the best ways to learn about government is to use technology as an educational tool.”

When asked about his hope for the future he says “I am most optimistic about the future of America when I look around a school like BBA and see so many passionate and motivated young people. I am confident that our generation can begin to restore civil discourse and bridge many of the divides that currently exist in our society.” In the fall, Alfano will be attending the University of Pennsylvania to study political science.

To learn more about the Civicly app you can go to civiclyapp.org or find it in the Apple app store.

ATHLETICS ROUNDUP

For the second time in four years, Coach Tom McCoy led Varsity Football to a Division I Vermont State Championship win. With “FAMILY” printed on the backs of their coaches’ jackets, the team, including those that were literally family like quarterback Jack McCoy (son of Coach Tom McCoy) and those that were part of the larger community family of Burr and Burton football, was resilient and committed in their pursuit of the title.

As a capstone to an unforgettable season, quarterback Jack McCoy was named 2023-24

Gatorade Vermont Football Player of the Year, an award that celebrates the nation's top athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

THE BURR AND BURTON

BETTER EVERY DAY: In a spectacular showcase of how small gains compound to BIG success, the fall athletics season was the stuff of legend.

Girls Golf had another strong showing at the State Championship, finishing 2nd.

Boys Cross Country placed 2nd in the Southern Vermont League, while Girls Cross Country were close behind in 3rd. At the State Championship, both teams finished strong in 3rd place.

GO BULLDOGS!

The Mountain Biking team built on momentum for a 2nd place finish in the Western Division of the Northern New England Mountain Bike Series.

Varsity Bass Fishing had an awesome season, finishing 2nd and 4th place at the Burr and Burton Invitational on Lake St. Catherine, and took home both 1st and 13th place at the VPA Fall Classic on Lake Champlain–which featured 36 competing boats!

Both Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer were champions of the Southern Vermont League.

ATHLETICS ROUNDUP

Though the winter season lacked the abundance of snow that propels our mountain sports, both Girls Alpine and Boys Snowboarding had excellent seasons. Girls Alpine were the Southern Vermont League Champions, and Boys Snowboarding remained inexorable, winning the 5th State Championship in a row.

Rock Climbing also had significant advances this season, winning their first League Championship in Rutland in mid March.

THE BURR AND BURTON WINTER 2024 ATHLETICS SEASON

The Dance team had an inspired season, winning 3rd in the State Championship in Pom, and competed in the New England Championships.

Varsity Girls Hockey had an excellent season, narrowly losing in the quarterfinal. Varsity Boys Hockey also had a strong season, with an upset at the semifinal.

BETTER EVERY DAY!

ARTS ROUNDUP

I WANT THE TRUTH. YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH.

Theater

By Stephanie Liy

In a flurry of fall leaves and crisp evening air, longtime theater director Jim Raposa wrapped up performances for BBA’s first serious play since the passing of the Covid pandemic: A Few Good Men Student actors poured themselves into every aspect of the play, building sets, memorizing lines, and studying military movements and etiquette with local recruiters and Burr and Burton’s own Howard Morgan. As the actors grew into

their roles, they introduced depth and strokes of realism to the characters they brought to life on stage. Empassioned speeches, high-level conspiracy, and whip-smart humor wove together to build a performance that brought audiences to their feet with applause.

The turn of the seasons to spring meant we were in for another exciting performance, this time a high-energy musical full of bubblegum fun: Mamma Mia! Look for the full recap of Mamma Mia! in the fall 2024 VIEW magazine.

Visual Arts

In the spirit of generosity, the fall semester students in art teacher Anharad Llewelyn’s Art Foundations and Studio Arts class created notecards from their own work to sell during the holiday season. The brilliantly colorful images created were a welcome pop of color during the winter season, and the students donated all the proceeds from their project to the Southern Vermont Arts Center’s Scholarship Program, supporting students in attending art classes at SVAC and building community engagement.

Keep an eye on the Headmaster’s Hallway for showcases of amazing works of art. AP Visual Arts student Emma Southworth ’25 brings us an exhibition of her artwork in the Headmaster’s Hallway in the Seminary Building. Her skilled contributions illustrate the intrinsic connection between animals and humans. This same space will soon house the abstract ceramic and sculptural work of Isaac Seiden ’24, as well as some graffiti-style street art canvas pieces. Taking hands, faces, words, and symbols, Isaac creates a new language to abstract his pieces.

Graphic design and photography teacher Alex Vincent is exploring creation and collaboration with his students. Photography students are focused on the creation of lithophanes — 3D printed photographs — using the 3D printers in Burr and Burton’s STEM lab. The students plan to create and print several lithophanes to display in the windows of the Founder’s Hall Library as an exhibition of their work. In a collaborative effort, the Graphic Design class is working with the Farm and Food Studies and Woodworking classes to create and build a new sign for the Farm and Food Studies classroom located at Hildene. In Video Game Design, a student is creating the packaging or “box art” for a videogame, and hopes to collaborate with the Cinematography class to create a promotional poster for the movie that is underway.

Early spring featured many exhibitions. On March 9th, a showcase for Senior Art Students was presented in the Wilson Gallery at SVAC that features both 2-and-3D work. The Art From the School exhibition—the most anticipated show of the year at SVAC—launched April 27th. This colorful exhibition celebrates art from all the schools in the Northshire region, from preschool through 12th grade.

ARTS ROUNDUP

Music

I AM GRATEFUL TO THE VSO AND COUNTERPOINT FOR THIS GENEROUS COLLABORATION WHICH AFFORDS MY STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF A PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE VIA A TRADITIONAL CHORAL EXPERIENCE.

– Julie Freebern, Director

Humming with activity, the Music Department has wrapped up celebrated concert performances and created a calendar full of new course offerings, performances, and workshops to share.

Director Julie Freebern’s Vocal Ensemble performed in the December Christmas Concert, alongside Vermont’s professional vocal ensemble Counterpoint and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, to high accolades. Featured in the Bennington Banner and Manchester Journal, singers and audience members praised the experience, noting the power of learning alongside professional musicians.

Looking ahead, an exciting new course will be available to Burr and Burton students in the 2024-2025 academic year—but the story behind this offering begins in the past. Burr and Burton Alumnus Dan Frank ’12 created an independent study for Multicultural Music—something not offered among BBA’s many courses. Julie Freebern took note of this gap and proposed a course titled World Music: A Multicultural Exploration to Dean of Academics Jen

Hyatt, Dean of Faculty Mike Caraco, and Humanities Department Chair John Graf. The class is the perfect fit in a school that features an engaging International Department and strong school-wide JEDI and SOCA initiatives. Julie prepared for designing this course by reaching out to experts Corinna Campbell at Williams College and Joseph Aplar at Bennington Collegetwo extraordinary ethnomusicologists who shared their wealth of knowledge and resources. Julie will continue to consult with professors at Middlebury College and MIT to continue curriculum development, ensuring that BBA students have an experience that grows their skills and engagement with world music.

The Music Department is also proud to offer Opera Workshops with Operatic Soprano Anya Matanovic. Anya works with the Burr and Burton Vocal Music Ensemble and provides weekly vocal workshops, private lessons, and group coaching that culminates in a semistaged performance in the April Spring Concert. These workshops help vocal students build on their skills to become stronger performers both as vocalists in Burr and Burton’s Ensemble and in other performances like plays, musicals, and performative showcases.

IT WAS SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO SING WITH THE VSO AND COUNTERPOINT LAST YEAR IN THEIR HOLIDAY CONCERT. IT WAS AN OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE FILLING THE PACKED CHURCH WITH GORGEOUS MUSIC. I TRULY CAN’T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.

– Molly Harper '25

WE ARE

UNIFIED

By Jill Perry-Balzano

Joe McCoy ’20 is on the sidelines as assistant coach of the Unified Basketball team, dressed neatly in a suit and tie. For Joe, this first game represented a significant milestone in his and his peers’ quest to bring Unified sports to Burr and Burton. It had been more than a year since Joe and peers Johnny Miceli ’20, Grace Pinkus ’20 and Aryn Iannuzzi ’20 had attended a leadership conference in Indianapolis, Indiana as a part of Burr and Burton’s Student

Athletic Leadership Training program (SALT). At the conference, the group experienced a Unified athletic event at a local school—Joe says, “[We knew immediately] that it was something we wanted to bring back to BBA.”

Assistant Athletic Director Julie Crosier recalls the group arriving back at Burr and Burton after the conference, “They came to see me after they came back, and they said, ‘This is the most amazing thing we’ve ever seen, and we need to do this at our school.’”

BUZZER BEATER

THE CROWD IS CHEERING LOUDLY NEAR THE END OF THE BURR AND BURTON UNIFIED BASKETBALL TEAM’S FIRST GAME AGAINST BRATTLEBORO. THE ATHLETES (PLAYERS WITH DISABILITIES) AND THE PARTNERS (PLAYERS WITHOUT DISABILITIES) ARE HUSTLING UP THE COURT FOR A FINAL PLAY AT THE BURR AND BURTON BASKET. AFTER NEARLY FOUR QUARTERS OF PLAY, THE GAME IS INCREDIBLY CLOSE: THE TWO TEAMS ARE ONLY ONE POINT APART.

Julie, who is now, six years later, on the board of directors of Special Olympics Vermont, at the time did not know a great deal about Unified sports. She recalls, “I said, ‘Okay, we can start with some scrimmages.’ and Joe said, ‘No. We need to be all in. We need to do it, and we need to do it right.’”

Julie reflects, “That really is one of the best things about our program; it was student driven, right from the very beginning.”

Back on the sidelines of that Brattleboro gym, Joe and the spectators watch as the clock ticks into the final seconds of the game. Time slows down. Three. Two. A Burr and Burton player shoots—and the ball—goes into the net. One. Beep! The audience and players go wild.

Julie recalls, “Even the coaches of the opposite team were cheering! Because—that’s what Unified is all about.”

For Joe, it was an all-time favorite moment: “I experienced so many emotions in that moment— excitement, fulfillment, and inspiration. It was truly an experience I had never felt, and having that happen after all the work to get it going was special and kicked off what would become a major part of our community.”

FAMILY MATTERS

If you know Joe McCoy, you know that athletics are important to him and his family. At Burr and Burton, Joe was a three-season varsity athlete, notably leading the football team to its first ever Division I title as quarterback in the fall of 2019, under the careful guidance of his father, Coach Tom McCoy. That year, Joe was named Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year for football. Astoundingly, this legendary storyline was repeated this fall by Joe’s younger brother, Jack McCoy ’24 (see Athletics Roundup on page 10).

Now in his senior year of college at Hobart and William Smith, Joe continues to play football and baseball, while majoring in child advocacy and inclusion studies. For him, Unified sports represent the heart of athletics: “When we talk about competitive high school sports, we talk about winning and the competitiveness that goes into it,” he said. “But what Unified sports

is—it brings out that defining element of the joy and the spirit that is within sports.”

You may not know that his mother, Beth McCoy, Burr and Burton’s Speech Language Pathologist and Student Accessibility Services Coordinator, was also a three-season high school athlete who played softball in college. In Unified sports, Beth finds a confluence of things that have always been important to her.

She says that from a young age she was drawn to inclusive work: “When I was 14, I was working in summer camps with individuals with disabilities. It’s always been something I loved to do. I always root for the underdog.” In college, Beth knew she wanted to work in what was generally referred to as Special Education*, “I liked the clinical

aspect of being a speech pathologist— the neurology behind it and the ability to work one-on-one with students. Then, when I went on to do continuing education past my master’s degree, I focused on autism disorders.”

In building Unified programs at BBA, Beth has taken on the role of liaison from Student Accessibility Services, working closely with Julie Crosier to coordinate schedules, and building critical training for athletes into their school day. Beth feels that the Unified partnership has been life-changing for the students she works with: “[It has] led to a sense of belonging for our students. A sense of understanding from other students—and just compassion . . there’s been so much that has changed; it changed a lot about the culture of inclusion here at BBA.”

*Burr and Burton now refers to the continuum of services through which students with disabilities access education as Student Accessibility Services.

SYNERGY

Although the inspiration came directly from students, Unified found a passionate advocate and facilitator in Julie Crosier.

Moving to Vermont right after college, Julie ran the Bennington Recreation Center before family friend John Werner encouraged her to move into teaching in the schools. Julie first taught physical education at Arlington Memorial Middle-High School, before moving to Mount Anthony Middle School and eventually joining the Burr and Burton physical education department in 2012.

Alongside student leaders, Julie spearheaded BBA’s first Penguin Plunge fundraiser for Special Olympics Vermont in 2020. Despite the Covid pandemic disruption, she has managed to grow the Plunge to become a signature spring event with significant student and community-wide participation.

Julie also collaborated with coaches Don Benasich and Jef Amirault, respectively, to develop both Unified Soccer and Unified E-Sports, both

teams that are gaining in participation and popularity each year.

Julie is quick to credit Athletic Director Dave Miceli, Headmaster Mark Tashjian, and Associate Head Meg Kenny for their unwavering support of expanding and promoting inclusive programming at Burr and Burton: “I have 100 percent support of Athletics and Administration to bring as many inclusive practices to BBA as possible. Unified teams have coaches with stipends just like other teams; they are on the same uniform rotation. When we have school-wide events like the Unified Basketball game, it’s a collaborative effort to create a special schedule that enables the team to have the full community—800 plus students, faculty, and staff—cheering them on.”

Spiraling out of the momentum from Unified, Burr and Burton teachers have developed courses that are focused on promoting understanding of neurodiversity, the idea that people’s brains develop and process in a variety of ways.

The first of these courses is Neurodiversity in Sport and

Performance, created by BBA Wellness teacher Aimee Christensen. In Aimee’s class, which has a waiting list each semester, students collaboratively design and implement a fitness program for learners with disabilities.

Another class, CP Neurodiversity Studies, was developed by BBA English Language and Cultural Support teacher Kelly Cray. In this Humanities course, students examine the history of the Neurodiversity movement and the challenges that neurodivergent people continue to face. (See the faculty profile of Kelly Cray on page 32.)

BBA’s Music Department also offers Unified Music and Adaptive Arts as a special offering that brings students together around experiencing and performing a range of musical styles.

Combine these more in-depth opportunities with whole-community events, like the annual Unified basketball game that is held at the end of the school day and attended by all students, and you begin to find the large-scale culture shift that Julie, Beth, Joe and many others have worked towards.

NATIONAL BANNER UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOL

Julie reflects on a conversation that she had with Joe during his senior year at BBA: “[Once we had Unified basketball up and running], Joey said, ‘Okay, now we’ve got to become a banner school.’ I looked into it, and I said, ‘Absolutely. That will be my goal, but when we achieve it, you have to come back for it.”

A National Banner Unified Champion School is a significant recognition awarded by Special Olympics to schools that demonstrate a commitment to inclusion by achieving ten standards within four key areas: commitment to Unified sports, inclusive youth leadership, whole-school engagement, and program sustainability.

The National Banner school recognition standards are intentionally rigorous. The first principle is that Unified athletics must have parity with all other athletics teams in terms of requirements for practices, coaches, transportation, etc. and that teams must have a balance of students with and without disabilities. The second, inclusive youth leadership culture, requires that the school promote and maintain leadership opportunities where students with and without disabilities work together in a meaningful way. The third, whole school engagement, requires that activities promoting inclusion reach the majority of students. The fourth principle, sustainability, focuses on strategic planning to ensure that Unified programming can continue in the future through budgetary planning or fundraising.

Thanks to the synergy of the way the community embraced Unified programming, Burr and Burton was able to meet or exceed each standard in the National Banner school application. When Julie received the good news last fall, she picked up her phone: “When I found out that we were a banner school, [Joey] was the first one that I texted. I said, ‘We did it.’”

True to his word, Joe did return for the announcement of the National Banner Unified Champion School recognition, which took place during a festive, fullschool assembly on October 16, 2023. A delegation from Special Olympics Vermont, including President and CEO Sarah McCafferty were also present.

“We are immensely proud of Burr and Burton Academy for achieving

this well-deserved honor,” Sarah said. “Thanks to the hard work of the entire school community, and dedication of school leadership, especially Assistant Athletic Director Julie Crosier, Burr and Burton has become a clear leader in the Unified Champion Schools movement in Vermont. Their commitment to the core values of inclusion and respect makes their impact truly exceptional.”

During the ceremony, which featured a drum circle, dancing, a short basketball game, and recorded messages from the

ADVOCACY

In February Julie and two BBA Unified students were invited to travel to Washington DC alongside members of Special Olympics Vermont to participate in Capitol Hill Day, a day when lawmakers meet one-on-one with participants in Special Olympics programming.

For Julie, the advocacy comes from the heart: “One of the most meaningful things that was ever said to me was, ‘I never thought my son would be playing a varsity sport . . . I never thought he would have his peers cheering for him.’ That’s why we do it. That’s why we do Unified here. And really through all of this involvement— my life has changed because of those students”.

Seniors Riley Barton and Bella Lam were selected to accompany Julie to Washington. Bella is Riley’s partner on the Unified basketball team and the two have known each other for many years. In Washington, the pair had an incredible experience meeting lawmakers, including Representative Becca Balint and Senator Peter Welch, and participating in workshops with other athletes and partners from around the country. Both also prepared remarks about Unified to share with lawmakers.

In addition to playing Unified basketball, Bella has taken both the Neurodiversity in Sport and Performance class and CP Neurodiversity Studies, and is helping to teach the Neurodiversity in Sport class this semester as an intern. Bella says she has been increasingly shaped by her experience with Unified sports: “The program has impacted my life by helping shape my future goals. I learned that I wanted to study health science and later go into occupational therapy. Unified has taught me to be more patient and appreciate the little things around us and how amazing it is to work with this

“ “A NATIONAL BANNER UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOL IS A SIGNIFICANT RECOGNITION AWARDED BY SPECIAL OLYMPICS TO SCHOOLS THAT DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION BY ACHIEVING TEN STANDARDS WITHIN FOUR KEY AREAS: COMMITMENT TO UNIFIED SPORTS, INCLUSIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP, WHOLE-SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT, AND PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY.

community. I have grown so much and learned so many skills, and I am so happy I got to be a part of Unified.”

Riley, who has participated in Special Olympics since she was nine years old, has become a strong advocate for Unified programming. Her mother, Courtney Barton, who made the trip to Washington with her, said that it was an honor for her to participate in the trip: “Unified has given her confidence and the opportunity to make [new] friends . . . she wants this to be something that everyone has and continues to have.”

When speaking about playing Unified basketball and the trip to Washington,

Riley is effervescent: “It’s really fun with Bella; she’s so sweet.” Riley recalls that it was “nerve-wracking” preparing for her speech, which she began by detailing the Special Olympics involvement that led her to Unified.

Her speech concludes this way: “I have been to two championship games with my Unified basketball team. Special Olympics and Unified Sports have helped me make new friends and grow more confident and feel included in my community.”

“I have grown up with this and want other people to be able to have this experience because I have fun and learn so much.”

“I FELT LIKE I WAS PLAYING IN THE NBA. THE PARTNERS WERE GREAT. IT WAS ELECTRIC PLAYING IN FRONT OF THE HOME CROWD.”

– KYLE ’22

“Unified has truly changed my life. It showed me how much of an influence I can have and the impacts I can make on someone’s life by just showing up each week. It taught me to be more open minded as well as more appreciative of the little moments in life.”

– MAX ’24

“The Unified program has had an amazing impact on my life. Being a part of this program is one of the best things I have done in my life. It has really helped me realize we are all people, everyone is different and peoples brains function differently . . . knowing that I am able to help make an impact on [our athletes’] lives means everything to me.

– TREVOR ’23

“I love the community. Each practice just felt like being with friends, like I was in a place where I truly belonged, and I never felt any judgment—I was fully accepted by everyone there.”

– NICK ’22

“What I love the most about BBA Unified is the passion and support that is driven into the community. There is absolutely nothing like the all-school home game we have each year. I support our athletes endlessly, but to then see their faces when the whole school is chanting their names is absolutely priceless. I don’t think you can find that sense of community anywhere else.”

– CALUM ’24

“I LOVE THE CONNECTIONS THAT I HAVE MADE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. I EAT LUNCH WITH SOME OF THE ATHLETES EVERYDAY, AND THAT FRIENDSHIP BEGAN IN UNIFIED.”

– KAELIN ’24

“Unified is something I will forever cherish, being able to create a bond with the students is something bigger than

“Unified programming has impacted my life in so many ways. Not only has it taught me how to be a more positive person, but it taught me to take advantage of experiences and opportunities that come my way. Seeing the smiles on the athletes faces no matter the outcome of a shot or a game showed me that worrying about the future simply takes away from the moment you are in; being present is much more enjoyable.”

– ANABELLE ’22

“BEING ON THE UNIFIED TEAM WAS FUN. THE PARTNERS WERE NICE AND HELPFUL. I LOVED PLAYING ON A BBA TEAM.”

– KARL ’22

“Athletics have always been a big part of my life, helping me develop self-discipline, build and strengthen relationships, and hone leadership skills—all things that improve my life. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to build essential life skills through sports. Participating in these events inspired my passion to bring athletes with disabilities the joy and pride that comes from being on a team”.

– DILLON ’22

ALUMNI PROFILE YEARS

OF BUILDING BELONGING with ED CAMPBELL ’70

By Meredith Morin

The idea of belonging isn’t really new to Burr and Burton, or to the world at large. But there can be no doubt that this feeling of belonging as a mantra is having a moment in our collective social lexicon. As with most motivational ideas, the successful ones are steeped in self-evident truths. And this truth of belonging at Burr and Burton can be traced to a history of student, faculty, administration, and community leaders deeply believing in the power of the cooperative spirit.

One such person who has steadily led Burr and Burton for the past 40-plus years is Trustee Ed Campbell ’70. Ed has served the Northshire for decades as an attorney at Woolmington, Campbell, Bent & Stasny P.C., working in the field of estate planning, trust law, and real estate law. Ed has been a member of the Burr and Burton Board of Trustees since 1982 and has served as Chair of the Board three times, under three Headmasters. Undoubtedly, the Burr and Burton of the past four decades has been shaped in so many ways by the steady and loyal hand of Ed Campbell.

But, Ed might disagree.

Or, at least, he would be quick to give away the credit of successful leadership to those who have worked alongside him. “If you look at the three Heads I’ve served with, their tenures have

all been long,” Ed said. “They brought such a sense of stability and continuity to Burr and Burton. They are all great leaders, and they worked to move the school forward.”

When Ed joined the Board in 1982, Bob Kennedy (see p. 43) was Headmaster, serving for 15 years in that position from 1978-1993. Bob was followed by Chuck Scranton as Headmaster, serving from 1993-2008, followed by current Headmaster Mark Tashjian, who has held the position since 2008. With the average independent school Head tenure hovering just under six years*, Ed Campbell’s contribution to Burr and Burton leadership is evident to anyone who has had the pleasure of working with him.

“It is extraordinarily rare for any institution to have a trustee with Ed’s 43-year tenure. Ed possesses tremendous institutional memory,

*NAIS Independent School Magazine, summer 2022.

deep roots in the community, and calm wisdom in the face of challenge,” said Headmaster Mark Tashjian. “He brings integrity, intelligence and care to every conversation, and I am grateful to benefit from his leadership.”

Ed’s quiet and calm leadership was unmistakable, even from the beginning, even in the most unlikely of places—in the heat of a high school basketball game. Boris Funtow ’71

“You always have to keep moving forward. I’m very conscious of the history here,” he said. “You feel it when you’re walking around, but you always have to move forward. You can’t become enmeshed or bogged down by the past.”

remembers depending on Ed’s steady hand on the court. “My lasting sports image of Ed is always on the basketball court with him wearing sports safety glasses, a knee brace on one leg, and a knee pad on the other,” Boris said. “He always played with a calm demeanor. If he really got mad, you could hardly tell.”

Boris and Ed were also soccer teammates and French classmates, but the one lesson from Ed that has stuck with Boris more than 50 years later is something that Ed jotted in his yearbook. “He wrote, ‘Boris, keep working hard at your basketball. You can’t lose if you don’t get down on yourself,’” Boris said. “I hate to say it, but even now, when I’m playing, I have a tendency to get down on myself. Ed was so right!”

Ed’s longevity on the Burr and Burton Board of Trustees is just one of the ways that he has served this community for decades. He and his wife Lynne (Ameden) Campbell ’75 made Manchester home with their four children: Tison Campbell ’99, Cailen (Campbell) McCormick ’02, Anders Campbell ’05, and Eamonn Campbell ’07. Not only did Ed go to work in his father’s law practice, he also moved into the home where he grew up. “It was my grandfather’s doctor’s office. It was where my father grew up. It’s where I grew up, and it’s where our kids grew up.”

There was a time, however, when Ed wanted to move away. Turning down the

BUILDING BELONGING

(far left) Ed Campbell as one of the Managers of the Magazine Campaign in 1970; (left) Ed Campbell’s father, James Campbell ’28 (front, center) with his graduating class of 1928; (right) Ed Campbell as a Burr and Burton student in the late 1960’s.

offer to attend his father and brother’s alma mater Dartmouth, Ed headed to Virginia to earn his degree in history from Washington and Lee University. “My mother was from the south, from Georgia. So, I think she might have influenced my decision,” he said.

After a gap year working buildings and grounds for the Southern Vermont Arts Center, Ed went to law school and prepared to take over his father’s practice here in Manchester. Ed is quick to bring any conversation about the successful raising of his family or his work back to his wife, Lynne. “When you talk about what I’ve done or what our kids have done, you can’t talk about it without mentioning Lynne. When I was up here (at BBA) at meetings, she was home managing four kids,” he said.

In 2010, with their children all successfully launched, Ed and Lynne found themselves with the opportunity to serve Burr and Burton and their community in a new way. In January of that year, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake and its aftershocks killed more than 300,000 people in Haiti. People displaced by the wreckage needed aid, and Ed and Lynne hosted one such student in their home. Billy St. Louis ’11 remembers the first few days after arriving in Vermont. “I wasn’t used to being in such a cold climate,” he said. “It was St. Patrick’s Day when I arrived in Manchester, and I was warmly welcomed by Ed and Lynne, who went

above and beyond to facilitate my transition.”

Billy recalls the kindness of Lynne who would research Haitian food and prepare meals that reminded Billy of home. “Growing up, my family would gather after school, share meals, and discuss our days,” he said. “That was a tradition that continued when I came to live with the Campbells.”

Graduating from Burr and Burton in 2011, Billy earned his undergraduate degree from Champlain College in Burlington and his master’s degree from Norwich University. He lives in Burlington with his wife and child, and he and the Campbells still keep in touch and visit a few times a year.

Ed’s father, James Campbell ’28, and his grandfather Claude Campbell both served on the Burr and Burton Board of Trustees. And Ed’s paternal great grandfather James K. Batchelder was one of the first graduates of Burr and Burton in 1860. Batchelder went on to serve as a state’s attorney and as a Vermont Representative for five terms. Ed followed in his father’s and great-

grandfather’s footsteps and became an attorney. Ed even graduated from Albany Law School, just as Batchelder did back in the 19th century.

Ed learned the importance of serving his community through his father’s example serving on the Burr and Burton board. “I picked things up around the dinner table,” he said. “I was 30 years old when I was asked to join the board,” he said. “I was so young and naive.” Ed added, laughing, “Now, I’m just old and naive.”

What Ed jokingly discounts as naivety is really deep-rooted optimism for the power of collaboration. It is fascinating to listen to Ed’s casual accounting of these forefathers of Vermont as simply just another branch in the Campbell family tree. Unsurprisingly, Ed is quick to qualify his ancestry as nothing special in an area such as ourspointing out the deep ties of many local families.

“Ed is a true Vermonter. I’m a true Vermonter myself—born here, raised here,” said Benjamin Beers ’61. “Ed is the type of person who is just there for you—he is there to serve and to lead.”

A legendary local himself with more than 60 years of experience on the staff of Burr and Burton, Ben said that he was impressed with Ed from his earliest days on the job. “Even as a student, Ed was a go-getter,” Ben said. “From sports to the Model UN. And, he is still the best kind of servant leader - from his work on the Board of Trustees to his service to the community.”

At first glance, by virtue of his long family history in the area and with Burr and Burton, one might think that Ed might have a tendency to look backward and rest on the successes of yesterday. You’d be wrong. His curiosity and belief in others make Ed the best kind of partner and innovator. He

listens. He collaborates. And, he always moves forward.

“You always have to keep moving forward. I’m very conscious of the history here,” he said. “You feel it when you’re walking around, but you always have to move forward. You can’t become enmeshed or bogged down by the past.”

In his first months on the Board of Trustees, Ed remembered that there was an imminent teacher strike. “There were picket lines, and they were getting ready to change the locks on the doors,” Ed said. “Back then, the Board was very paternalistic, made up of pretty conservative business leaders. I don’t think they viewed the faculty as partners. They viewed them as employees.”

Ed said that he and some of the newer board members, including Orland Campbell, “...just decided we need to get on an off-ramp and change this.” With that collaborative approach, they were able to stop the strike. “And, the feeling here has been fairly cooperative since then,” Ed says. “I think if I had any part of that, that’s one of the things I’m most proud of.”

That feeling of trust and cooperation has endured throughout Ed’s tenure on the Board, even through the navigation of difficult times. And, there will always be difficult times, Ed said. He talked about Act 60, “The Equal Educational Opportunity Act,” of 1997, which aimed

to balance educational spending across school districts throughout the state, and how the faculty partnered with the Board to curb spending by agreeing to a shortterm salary freeze.

More recently, Ed spoke of the ongoing statewide challenge to the preservation of independent schools that serve the public, like Burr and Burton. “That independence is critical,” Ed said. “It’s critical to the mission. And, it’s critical to the future.” The throughline for Ed is that he has witnessed strife and difficulty many times before in his 40 years as a Burr and Burton Trustee. “It’s like a pendulum that goes back and forth,” he said. “You fend it off, and it swings away and then comes back.” The value of Ed’s cool determination can’t be overstatedfrom his days on the basketball court in high school to his decades of work in his own law practice to his experience on the Board. Ed’s tenacity, collaboration, and work ethic are the winning combination.

Former math faculty member Dan DeForest remembers his interactions with Ed as his children’s teacher. “I had the good fortune of having all four of Ed and Lynne’s children in my classes at Burr and Burton. On open house night, Ed was always in my class, and on the fourth go around, I asked Ed if he wanted to give my 10-minute talk since he was so familiar with it. He declined, but this loyalty to his family serves as a precursor to the loyalty and pride that he has for

ED IS CERTAINLY A MASTER CLASS ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR COOL. HOW TO LISTEN. HOW TO EMBRACE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS. FOR ANY OF US LUCKY ENOUGH TO STUDY HIS EXAMPLE, HE SHOWS US HOW TO TRY. HOW TO GET IT RIGHT. THEN, GET IT WRONG. THEN TRY AGAIN. AND, GET IT RIGHT(ER). THIS ITERATIVE PROCESS OF CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT MAY SEEM GROUNDBREAKING AND MODERN, BUT IT JUST ISN’T.

YEARS

Burr and Burton and the Northshire Community at large. As the Chairman of the Board of Trustees or as a parent, fan, or alumnus, he has devoted his talents to the betterment of Burr and Burton.”

Dan was also the coach of Ed and Lynne’s daughter Cailen who played on the girls' soccer teams that won three consecutive state championships. Dan remembers how Ed and Lynne would decorate the telephone poles along the route 7A stretch in front of their home with posters that recognized players for every team that would drive by their house on their way north for playoff games. Ed and Lynne’s commitment to celebrating all teams and students made a difference, Dan said.

This deep belief in celebrating and elevating others runs through our conversation and indeed through Ed’s work on the Board of Trustees. Although Ed is quick to take responsibility and give credit, he does not minimize his impact for effect

or lack of confidence. Rather, he embodies collaboration and belonging himself and elevates others. Ed deeply understands the power of partnership and amplifying the voices of others.

“I think that this idea of building belonging comes from the leadership,” Ed said. “Mark is great at that, and Meg is great at that. I really think, from what I can see, the whole faculty is great at that.”

Ed talked about a moment he saw this leadership through a connection at a game. “Mark has an incredible knack for connecting with people,” Ed said. “Years ago, we were at a basketball game. I was standing in a corner, and it turns out, I was standing near the Mount Anthony student section. Mark came in, and he started interacting with the kids, and it was remarkable how he connected with them. It could have been a difficult interaction, but it was very friendly. Just last fall, we were at a football game against CVU, and he did the same thing with the CVU

fans. I don’t think they even knew he was the Headmaster, he just connected with them and made them feel welcome. It’s a remarkable thing to see.”

Dan DeForest reflects on the impact of Ed Campbell at Burr and Burton. “Ed attended Burr and Burton, and while the Mission Statement was written and adopted after his graduation,” he said. “It is my opinion that it is likely that Ed Campbell was the model for this statement. ‘The mission of Burr and Burton is to educate its students intellectually and morally for a life of integrity, responsibility and service.’ It could be amended to add, ‘just like Ed Campbell.’”

“No one has a deeper, broader, or more invested understanding of this institution and the standing that it holds in this community. Ed Campbell is truly the gift that keeps on giving,” Dan said.

Ed is certainly a master class on how to keep your cool. How to listen. How to embrace difficult conversations. For any of us lucky enough to study his example, he shows us how to try. How to get it right. Then, get it wrong. Then try again. And, get it right(er). This iterative process of constant improvement may seem groundbreaking and modern, but it just isn’t. Ed has brought his true self to the job as a Burr and Burton Trustee for more than 40 years, and he isn’t afraid to have candid conversations, and leave the place better than he found it.

“This place—Burr and Burton—it sort of gets into your blood. It’s definitely in my blood.”

Kelly Cray: Intrepidly Meeting Students Where They Are

By Jill Perry-Balzano

Sometimes the simplest ideas in practice are transformative. This is the case for Burr and Burton English Language and Cultural Support teacher, Kelly Cray. For Cray, the determination to meet all learners exactly where they are has driven her to teach English in South Korea, to create meaningful experiences for disadvantaged elementary students in Arizona, and to relentlessly adapt, adopt, and create a setting, curriculum, and pedagogy that not only enables but empowers all students in their own learning.

Arriving in Cray’s classroom on the second floor of the Seminary Building, students flock to the central wooden table to sit across from one another and discuss the day’s work. The overhead fluorescent lights are off in favor of

warmly lit lamps carefully set up around the room. Plants hang in front of the windows and colorful fabrics cover surfaces, radiating a feeling of comfort. She is most at home with her students-–greeting, catching up, connecting, and making each feel welcome.

Since Cray began teaching at Burr and Burton six years ago, her work has grown in both depth and scope: from providing English language and cultural support to coordinating the English Language program to creating and teaching a neurodiversity studies course and promoting an inclusive pedagogy known as Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

Inspired by these innovative ideas in inclusive teaching and

learning, Cray has taken her expertise on the road, speaking at professional conferences around the country, including the CAST UDL Symposium and the Global Respectful Disruption Summit. She is also president-elect of Northern New England Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (NNETESOL).

In the workshops she leads, Cray is open about how her own learning disabilities inform her practice working with students: “I didn’t have the best experience as a student. I wasn’t classified as an English language learner, but I did learn English from people who didn’t speak fluently. Reading didn’t come easily for me, and math was incredibly confusing... I struggled a lot, and it was really the way

THROUGH PIONEERING METHODS AND UNWAVERING ADVOCACY, CRAY HAS NOT ONLY TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS LEARNERS BUT ALSO CHALLENGED THE STATUS QUO, PAVING THE WAY FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE AND COMPASSIONATE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE.

my brain worked. I had to acquire a certain number of pieces to the puzzle and suddenly everything made sense.”

“Building a lot of different ladders for students to access the curriculum is important. Your curriculum can be as rigorous as you can imagine, but if somebody can’t get that first handhold or that first step, they’re not going to have a rigorous learning experience.” Through pioneering methods and unwavering advocacy, Cray has not only transformed the lives of countless learners but also challenged the status quo, paving the way for a more inclusive and compassionate educational landscape.

“I

HAVE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCES WORKING AND LIVING IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND MEETING AMAZING ADULTS AND CHILDREN. THE MORE PEOPLE THAT TELL YOU THEIR STORY, THE MORE OPEN YOUR MIND BECOMES.

“

Q&A

What made you want to become a teacher?

I think it was mainly the experiences learning English that my mom had. As an immigrant who came here in the early 1960s—when teachers were less prepared to meet the needs of students who hadn’t spoken English before they immigrated—her experience was particularly bad. It took her a long time to become fluent and fully literate. She often felt upset and embarrassed about her English skills, and she felt vulnerable and dependent upon the people around her, which isn’t her personality at all.

I also wanted to become a teacher because although I had some fabulous teachers, I struggled in school. I related to people differently and really had a

hard time learning to read and with numeral literacy. I really hated when teachers assumed I was being lazy when I was trying really hard to learn. I wanted to be a patient teacher that was more open and accepting. However, being that kind of teacher takes a lot of work, and you kind of have to grow into it. I feel like I am now the type of teacher that I would have been able to learn from really well as a teen, but it wasn’t an overnight process.

What experiences have most impacted your pedagogy?

I think what most affects my pedagogy is that I have had the opportunity to talk to and meet so many people. I have had a lot of experiences working and living in other countries and meeting amazing adults and children. The more people

that tell you their story, the more open your mind becomes. I didn’t have the whole picture of how my brain worked until I was older, and I remember sitting at the doctor’s office in shock when I realized that I wasn’t just terrible at life, and so much guilt flowed out of me. Until that point, I think I lived every moment trying to prove I was good enough; after that conversation, I was able to relax at a depth I had never felt before. It was so freeing.

However, after some time, I realized that I shouldn’t have had to feel that way to begin with, even when I didn’t have a label to help me feel less alone. So that is what my work with neurodiversity is all about. Neurodiversity is the understanding that there are all kinds of brains in this world and that they are all here for a reason; the variation is

part of the beauty of this world. Within the umbrella of neurodiversity are two main categories: neurotypical, brains that generally follow predictable patterns in how they function, and neurodivergent, brains that have significant variations. Most of these variations have names attached to them, and they can include learning disabilities, neurological and developmental disorders, mental illness and more. Many neurodivergent people also have disabilities, but many do not. I do a lot of work advocating for both those who identify as disabled and those who do not.

Tell me more about your work and experiences speaking about UDL and neurodiversity.

UDL is a lens to view education that says, if you cannot access your education, then having a vigorous educational experience is not possible. It (promotes a belief) that teachers should create as

many pathways to knowledge and skill acquisition as possible. For example, if a newly immigrated child moves to town, they should be able to experience high level math and science courses even if they haven’t spoken much English, because if they don’t get the opportunity now, they might never get the opportunity to learn those things. If a student struggles with reading, help them learn to read, but don’t deny them the opportunity to learn about Shakespeare. Students can listen to Shakespeare one block and learn to read the next, [the experiences] aren’t mutually exclusive. We have a lot of social rules around education where students traditionally have had to prove worthiness to be allowed access to knowledge. I think everyone deserves to have the opportunity to access their education, and I make as many avenues available to my students as I can.

When I started having these conversations with educators, I realized

how hungry they are to learn from people who have had lived experiences with learning disabilities like me, as well as educators who know a lot of creative options to help students be able to access their learning. We have students for a very short time—only four years. If we wait until they are “ready,” they might never get the opportunity to be taught the things they want to learn. So we have to teach them both at the same time, the foundational skills as well as the grade-appropriate concepts.

I started using UDL over a decade ago, but it was a process to excel at it. Now, I have the privilege of working with groups or teachers and administrators all over the world. I help them understand diverse viewpoints and share approaches for making sure students still get the foundational skills they need while being encouraged to learn and experience the same educational opportunities as their peers.

Where do you draw strength and inspiration from?

I draw a lot of inspiration from Burr and Burton. This is the first place where I really felt at home. In fact this is the longest I have stayed in one place as an adult. We have an amazing community. If I tried to list all the people who influence me everyday I would accidentally leave many off the list. BBA is so much more than a school; sometimes it’s hard to sleep because I get inspired everyday, and there are not enough hours to devote myself to all the opportunities and good ideas. There are two kinds of exhausted. There is the bad kind that depletes you. Then there is the good kind when you are tired from devoting yourself to so many amazing things, but those opportunities refresh your soul at the same time. BBA definitely falls into that second category. I am good exhausted every day.

All of my life I had to fight for opportunities to learn, to do things, to meet people; at BBA I have to actively turn down opportunities because there are so many amazing opportunities that are afforded to the students and teachers of this school daily.

What is next for you in your career?

I really love this school, and I hope I get to spend the rest of my career here. In a perfect world BBA would exist in a more tropical climate, but it is worth braving the cold for. I hope to continue helping my colleagues learn about UDL and working with [the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion group] and leadership to advance our understanding of the lived experiences of all of our students. I hope someday I will be able to delve a little deeper into curriculum, perhaps write some books that will help other educators.

I am also very excited that I was accepted into an incredibly unique program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. It is a Master of Educational Leadership program designed for working teachers to take over the course of two years. It involves some on campus institutes and activities, but the majority of the teaching and learning is done through online night classes. I hope that this program will help me to become a leader promoting equitable practices so that all students get to have an educational experience where they NEVER feel the way I did [in school], or how my mom did before she became fluent in English.

WHERE THEY ARE

BURR AND BURTON ACADEMY IS GRATEFUL TO ITS BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO INVEST IN A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

Annual Fund Business Partners

Founders $10,000+

Bromley Mountain Resort

Headmaster’s List $5000+

Manchester Country Club

rk Miles, Inc.

High Honors $2500+

The Bank of Bennington

Home Maintenance Associates

Hub International Limited

Mountain Goat North, Inc.

The Orvis Company

The Richards Group

Sebonack Golf Club, LLC

Honors $1000+

Earth & Sea Fish Market, Inc.

Lily of the Valley Florist

Northshire Bookstore

Salem Farm Supply, Inc.

TÖST Beverages

Wright Construction

Academic Letter $500+

Brice Home Improvements, Inc.

Baierlein Landscaping, Inc.

High-Tech Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

The Inn at Manchester

Kramer Services, Inc.

Manchester Capital Management, LLC

Manchester Discount Beverage

Scott Thompson Builders

Terry J. Hosley Insurance Agency

Academic Pin $250+

100 Yards To Go

802 GOLF ACADEMY

The Avocado Pit

Coggins Auto Group

Evergreen Property Management

Flying Cow Signs

Gibson Painting Co.

Gala Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor - $10,000

Berkshire Bank

Lead Sponsor - $5,000

H.N. Williams Store

Champion Sponsors - $2,500

Express Copy

Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty

High-Tech Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Lily of the Valley Florist

Nathan Auction and Real Estate

TÖST Beverages

Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning

Green Mountain Drywall

H.N. Williams Store

HBH Holdings LLC

Mad Tom Builders LLC

Manchester Carpet Care, Inc.

The Maple Reserve

Metropolitan Engineering Associates, Inc.

Miosek Law

Mountain View Storage LLC

Northshire Civic Center

Plouffes Boiler & Mechanical Service

Inc.

Ramsay Gourd Architects

RE/MAX Four Seasons

TPW

Walnut Hill Farm

Willoughby's Depot Eatery

Woodlawn Farmstead

Advocate Sponsors - $1,000

DesRoberts Creative

Langway Chevrolet Volkswagen of Manchester

MVP Health Care

Polar Beverages

Rutland Regional Medical Center

Smith Brothers Insurance

Wine Sponsors

Special Friends of Burr and Burton

2023 REUNION

BBA Alumni were back on Campus for Reunion Weekend on September 29-October 1

On Friday evening a large group of Alumni gathered in the EH Henry Gym lobby for the Alumni Social. Attendees toured the campus with student volunteers, enjoyed refreshments and caught up with faculty and friends on a rainy fall evening.

On Saturday morning alumni celebrated the classes of ’73 and beyond during a special breakfast at the Headmaster’s Home, Birchbrook. After breakfast, they enjoyed a memorable Hall of Fame ceremony, followed by a victorious BBA Homecoming Football Game and an additional campus tour.

On Saturday evening, nearly 150 alumni and guests enjoyed a beautiful evening at the Reunion Party in Founders Hall and in the courtyard.

Guests gathered to sing the Alma Mater and were welcomed by BBA Headmaster Mark Tashjian and Alumni Board Vice President Liz Mackey ’05 Alumni and guests celebrated with classmates and friends during the cocktail reception and a catered BBQ dinner.

Class photos were taken on the Founders Hall balcony and in the courtyard with the beautifully rebuilt belltower and the green mountains in the background. Classes spanning from 1948 to 2016 were in attendance. The most senior alumna was Sally Baldwin Utiger ’48, youngest alumnus was Dillon Wood ’16 - Dillon is our 2023 Special Olympian Hall of Fame recipient as well! Farthest travelers for

Reunion was a tie: Daniel Ward ’03, (2,932 miles, from Kent, Washington), and Mike Thulander ’07, (2,927 miles from Sammamash, Washington) with a close third for David Markey ’73 from Bend, Oregon. The largest class turnout was the Class of 1983, celebrating their 40th Reunion.

2024 Reunion dates have been scheduled for September 20-22. If you would like to help gather your classmates for this year’s event or you need to update your contact information to stay informed, please contact Meredith Morin at mmorin@ burrburton.org or 802-549-8103.

CLASS NOTES

Life Beyond Graduation

1964

Mary Rowland ’64 wrote to say, “We were saddened to learn of the passing of two of our classmates in four days in early February. Charlie Goodwin one of our Weston guys and Art Martinez one of our Ormsby Hill guys have joined our heavenly BBS Class of 1964 circle. We are in the process of planning for our 60th BBS reunion on the third weekend in September with a Friday evening dinner and ending with our traditional ladies' luncheon on Monday. On Ye BBS 1964 Bulldogs.”

1969

Gayl Heinz ’69 wrote to say, “I think we've got an annual BBS Reunion South in the works! Last year Keith Porter ’68 rented a home down here for a week and Eddie Colon ’71 and I met up with them for a Spring Training game. It was so much fun that Keith rented another house this week, just three miles from mine here in PGA National Golf & CC. Yesterday, a bunch of us met up at the ballpark for a game, but due to stormy wet weather, it got canceled before it even began, so we all drove over to Keith's rental for the afternoon. We had some additions this year, and the storytelling and reminiscing were hilarious! Many of us hadn't seen each other for 50+ years. Burr and Burton

alumni have a common thread and are together because they remember those BBS years so fondly. That school created great friendships then and is still doing it now, 50-60 years later!” Photo at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens (l-r): Scott Porter ’71, T. J. Carmody ’73, Leo Reynolds ’64, Pam Fisk Reynolds ’67, Geoff Porter ’70, Eddie Colon ’71, Keith Porter ’68, and Gayl Heinz ’69

1972

Michael Mansur ’72 is the Director and Founder of the Cave Formation Repair Project, which is a national volunteer cave restoration and conservation project. He has also written a book about the project, titled “The Cave Formation Repair Project: Restoring the Beauty of America’s Greatest Caves.” It has been sold and distributed worldwide.

1979

Leigh Lombardy Miles ’79 is married with three children. She works in Library Intervention at Barstow Memorial School in Chittenden, VT.

1988

Robert Galbreath ’88 married Nicole Stratmann (class of ’89 Long Trail) on September 17, 2022. They currently reside in Manchester.

2006

Lily Calfee ’06 wrote to say, “I just wanted to let you know that I just celebrated my daughter's first birthday. Camilla June was born on January 28, 2023. (I forgot to write when she was born, imagine that!) I'll also be graduating this May with a Master of Science in Forest Policy from Colorado State University.”

SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NOTES: alumni@burrburton.org.

MAIL YOUR CLASS NOTES: Burr and Burton, Alumni Office P.O. Box 498, Manchester, VT 05254

Emily Welsh Kohler ’06 and her husband, Joseph, welcomed a baby girl, Grace Noelle back on March 20, 2023. After relocating from Atlanta, GA in 2021, Emily currently works in School Counseling and Admissions here at BBA.

2007

Matt Sleeman ’07 moved back to Vermont in 2023 with his wife (Ellen) and son (Henry). They welcomed a daughter (Julia) early this year.

2008

Kelsey Welsh DePriest ’08 and her husband, Tyler, welcomed a baby girl, Avery Lynne back on May 17, 2023. After relocating from Corpus Christi, TX in 2021, Kelsey is now the Chief Hospital Orthopedic PA at William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, Connecticut.

2013

Since graduating from BBA, Michael Nolan ’13 lived in France and Brazil, becoming fluent in the languages of those countries. Upon returning to the United States, he earned a Bachelor's Degree from Villanova University and spent several years as a research biologist at Harvard University. He recently returned to academia and is currently studying at the University of Georgia.

2014

After leaving BBA, David Nolan ’14 earned a Bachelor's Degree from Emory University. He taught English and English as a Second Language in the suburbs of Boston for several years and earned a Master's Degree from Boston University. He is taking the current year to travel throughout Central and South America while simultaneously teaching on-line.

2016

Alma Avalle ’16 finished a threeyear stint at Bon Appétit magazine to focus on radical labor organizing, building on her experiences unionizing Condé Nast from 2021 until late 2023. When she is not actively fighting bosses and scabs, she runs Amuse Bouf, an independent food magazine publishing fiction, non-fiction, and visual art out of her apartment in Brooklyn, New York, and plays saxophone for a variety of bands in the city’s punkrock and ska scenes.

2018

Bryan Emery ’18 will be marrying his college sweetheart Anna Dye on May 31, 2024 in Montana. They met as Outdoor Education majors at Sterling College. Bryan is a proud alumnus of the Mountain Campus program (2016) which, clearly, was a massive influence on his career choice!

Riley Vogel ’18 is a 2022 alumnus of Roosevelt University with a BFA in Musical Theater, and he is proud to be appearing as Cosmo Brown in Singin' In The Rain at the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West, FLA. Just six weeks after graduating from BBA, Riley appeared in A Chorus Line as Larry produced by the Bucks County Center for the Performing Arts in Doylestown, PA. With his home base in Chicago, Riley has been working constantly since his graduation in 2022 throughout the United States.

HEY ALUMNI,

Are you still getting mail at your parents' address?

Scan the QR code to update your address or go to:

burrburton.org/alumni/ alumni-community

CLASS NOTES

Erin Norton ’21 is a Creative Writing Student at Emerson College in the class of 2025. She is excited to share that an original play of theirs will be produced as a full-scale production in the springtime at Emerson College. She is thankful that she was able to follow her passion at BBA and appreciates being able to explore and find her passion for acting a playwriting through all that BBA offers.

2022

Sierra Claudio ’22 is majoring in Adventure Education at Plymouth State University and has been named to the President’s List for the Fall 2023 semester. To be named to the President’s List, a student must achieve a grade point average of 3.70 or better for the semester while completing at least 12 credit hours.

Beginning in our spring 2025 issue of The VIEW, we will include an IN MEMORIAM SECTION. This section will include excerpts of obituaries submitted in the preceding year. Send In Memoriam submissions to alumni@burrburton.org.

Submissions must include a link to the subject’s obituary. Submissions will be edited for space.

Burr and Burton bids farewell to former Headmaster Robert Kennedy

On January 6 of this year, former Burr and Burton Headmaster Robert G. Kennedy passed away. Mr. Kennedy was remembered by his colleagues, family, and friends as a dedicated leader, an avid outdoorsman, and most importantly, a devoted husband and father. Throughout his 15-year tenure leading Burr and Burton from 1978-1993, Mr. Kennedy’s most impactful personal goal was to hire and retain the best faculty, a charge he took very seriously. One of his many accomplishments as Headmaster included initiating a retirement program for faculty and staff.

In the mid-1970s before Mr. Kennedy’s arrival, Burr and Burton faced dwindling enrollment and a nationally stalled economy. Facing pressure to take the school public, the Board of Trustees in 1975 voted instead to renew its commitment to Burr and Burton’s independence, a commitment they asked Mr. Kennedy to help affirm. Upon his start as Headmaster, Mr. Kennedy was asked by the Board to help Burr and Burton “remain independent for the next

century,” and “raise academic standards,” according to his obituary. Throughout his time as Headmaster, Mr. Kennedy worked tirelessly to complete several fundraising projects, including the Arts Challenge Campaign, which allowed for the full renovation of what is now The Riley Center for the Arts.

Working in the wake of Title IX (1972 act that gave women better access to all areas of education, including equitable access to sports), Mr. Kennedy worked to enforce Burr and Burton’s compliance with this important amendment.

Among his many accomplishments as Headmaster, Mr. Kennedy implemented the community service graduation requirement, started the alumni newsletter, and initiated the weekly school-wide assembly still conducted today.

Upon his retirement from Burr and Burton in 1993, Mr. Kennedy went on to serve as a New York State Superintendent for 10 years, where he was nominated for State Superintendent of the Year.

However, he left a piece of his heart in Vermont and “always planned to return full-time,” his obituary said. Mr. Kennedy’s love of the outdoors was legend. In fact, when he retired from Burr and Burton, the senior class of 1993 dedicated the yearbook to him, saying in the inscription, “We wish you success in your future endeavors - time for your family, friends, and your pursuit of ‘The Big One.’”

Mr. Kennedy is survived by his loving wife Shirley, daughter Tia Vanderminden ’84 (Henry IV), grandchildren Rachael, Henry V, Carter; son Robert Kennedy Jr. (Natalie), grandchildren Charlee, Campbell, Coby; daughter Ali Kennedy ’94, grandchildren Grace, Hazel; and son Michael Kennedy. In his obituary, his family reflected on his love of the outdoors, saying, “His spirit is now standing somewhere at the edge of dreams, on the shore of a vast wilderness lake, canoe by his side while gazing at the far shore with rod in his hand.”

JOIN US THIS ON CAMPUS

Future Bulldogs will have a blast on campus with Burr and Burton teachers, students and community members leading age-appropriate explorations of athletics and some of our most popular programs.

ATHLETICS, THEATER, MEDIA ARTS AND MORE...

Week of 6/17 - BBA Basketball (Gr. 2 & 3)

Week of 6/24 - Bulldog Basketball 1 (Gr. 4-6)

Week of 6/24 - Girls Lacrosse (Gr. 5-9)

Week of 7/01 - Bulldog Basketball 2 (Gr. 7-9)

Week of 7/01 - Boys Lacrosse (Gr. 5-9)

Week of 7/08 - Dance Camp (Gr. 5-9)

Week of 7/08 - Bulldog Soccer (Gr. 5-8)

SCHEDULE

Week of 7/08 - Digital Photography (Gr. 6-9)

Week of 7/08 - Softball (Gr. 3-8)

Week of 7/15 - Ultimate Frisbee (Gr. 6-9)

Week of 7/15 - Field Hockey (Gr. 5-10)

Week of 7/15 - Baseball (Gr. 3-8)

Week of 7/15 - LEGO Techsploration 2 (Gr. 4-6)

Week of 8/05 - BBA Soccer (Gr. K-7)

’24 CLASS OF 2024 Congratulations!

B URRANDBURTONACADEM Y