1968 Summer 2021
Edmund Burke School Magazine
Seeds of Change
1 From Damian’s Desk 2 Spring Retrospective 3 “What Name Do We Give to What We Have Seen?” 8 Student Leadership Conference Reflections 10 Equity & Inclusion News 11 Susan’s Top 10 12 Nonexclusive Notes from Nigel 16 From the 2020-21 SGA Co-Presidents 17 Campaign Donors 18 Farewells 20 Class Notes
Dear Burke Community, We are grateful for your commitment to Edmund Burke School during a period marked by tragic loss. Compounding the pain of the pandemic have been the heartbreaks and traumas of racial injustice in America and a disturbingly violent insurrection at the US Capitol. Throughout it all, you have demonstrated such commitment to our school’s mission. You have continually recognized the importance of a diverse community where we stand up for truth and human dignity, where we challenge behaviors that demean, marginalize, exclude, and harm – and you know that fostering such a space demands constant work and vigilance. For more than 50 years, Burke has worked to provide access to an egalitarian, democratic, and participatory learning environment. While educating amid a global pandemic, amid such unrest and uncertainty, has been daunting – this commitment to conversation, to engagement across our community, has served us well. Through collaboration among students, teachers, staff, and families, we found a way forward. As you know, Burke aims to bring together students who are different from one another and to support their growth as skilled, independent thinkers. Today, those aims are more important than ever. Diverse voices, perspectives, and strengths are crucial as we plan for what comes next, both in and beyond the classroom. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our school’s mission and to the critical work that we are finding a way forward. Warm regards, Damian R. Jones Head of School
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SpringRETROSPECTIVE Looking back, 2020-21 was a school year defined by reinvention. From our weekly schedule to our plans for performances and graduation, each defining component of the year seemed to go through multiple drafts. We brainstormed, discussed, presented, and (oftentimes) returned to the drawing board. Throughout it all, we relied on for our nimbleness and closeness. Given our relatively small size, we could make decisions that were highly specific to our community – and we could revisit and improve decisions that didn’t work out as expected. Today, the comfort of repetition and predictability seems much closer at hand. Burke took a multi-stage approach to our campus return: first, outdoor sports in September, followed by outdoor grade programs in November, and then our “pilot program,” which invited back students in our main entry grades (6th and 9th) after Thanksgiving. Following a post-Winter Break quarantine, we invited all grades back to campus in January, with 6th and 7th grade attending Tuesday-Friday and 8th-12th grade attending on alternating days in assigned teams (“Team Mooskin” and “Team Roth,” named for our founders). We also invited remote students to ‘opt-in’ every six weeks. Behind the masks and across the mandated six-foot distances (now reduced to three feet), energy and camaraderie began to build. To be candid, we can’t wait to ditch the “desks in rows” configurations – but even now, the warmth and joy that come from being proximate cannot be underestimated. Spring sports ramped up. Dozens of students rehearsed and filmed our spring musical. In-person Graduation and the Moving Up ceremony are around the corner. And in Spring Term 3, we were thrilled to invite students back for all their classes on Tuesday-Friday – no more alternating by teams, and full grades were reunited. It’s been a year of iterations, occasional frustrations, and innumerable losses. It’s been a year when we needed, and found, these chances to be close.
“A SCHOOL YEAR DEFINED BY 2 \\
REINVENTION”
1968 Edmund Burke School Magazine
STUDYING HISTORY AS IT HAPPENS. “What Name Do We Give To What We Have Seen?”
Just after 3 AM on January 7th, 2021, the US Congress certified the Electoral Colleges votes and confirmed that Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris would take office on January 20th. In other years, January 6th passed without ceremony or notice – its procedures considered rote, mundane. But now the date has become something strange, something symbolic – to be held up, scrutinized, and studied, perhaps for years to come. It was a day that our democracy revealed its fragility. It was a day that we witnessed history. Only in the aftermath did we realize it. Three months after the violent storming of the US Capitol, five history teachers discussed how they investigate chaos (and change) in their classrooms. with thanks to Ginger Attarian P’21 and P‘25, Maureen Minard P’28, Mitch Masucci, Mustafa Nusraty, and Sean Felix
In the 6th Grade
In the 8th Grade
Now in his eleventh year at Burke, Sean is the Middle School Dean of Community and teaches 6th grade “Core,” guiding Burke’s youngest students through English, history, and humanities. Amid the fear and uncertainty of January 6th, he remembered “to stop, know its impact, and show its impact.”
This spring, Ginger is teaching Topics in US History to the entire Class of 2025 – and she echoes Sean that analysis of contentious current events must be rooted in the relationships between students and teachers. While Middle Schoolers may not be ready to untangle each and every complexity, they do understand the emotional toll – so that is where Ginger often begins.
Sean stressed that, in the immediate aftermath, “we don’t know everything.” With an event that was “close to home and visceral,” he encouraged students to talk to their families first and highlighted the adults around them who are here to help. Students also went through a photo slideshow so they could unpack the iconography and find the vocabulary for what took place together – especially when that vocabulary can be so fraught.
To build a foundation, she begins her US History course with the Constitution and what it can tell us about the meaning of “citizenship.” She encourages students to ask, “what is my place in all this?” Needless to say, our founding documents are imperfect – but Ginger emphasizes that “you can’t change something if you don’t know something.” Only from learning, analyzing, and researching can we move to action. She also encourages students to take action beyond the school building, even by doing something as simple as talking to their family.
For the Class of 2027, they are beginning Middle School (and beginning at Burke) in markedly different circumstances than they had envisioned. As Sean points out, “kids have a sense of loss, what they don’t get to have.” Their current world may not be the one they expected, but adults shouldn’t assume that they can’t handle it. Often, they can.
When asked how the storming of the US Capitol might change the teaching of US History, she confirms: “it will change everything.” Among the greatest challenges are helping students scrutinize their own sources of information: how do they find those sources, what biases are inherent in them, and how do they tease out the complexities of a given issue? Now in her 25th year at Burke, Ginger emphasizes that adults can teach by example through their own engagement in democracy. In her case, she volunteered at the polls in Wisconsin, requiring her to Zoom into a Fall Semester class from the O’Hare Airport. Summer 2021
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In the 10th Grade Currently teaching World History, Mustafa refers to January 6th as a “new prism from which to view historical events”. His class has not reached the Russian Revolution just yet, but it certainly may look different when they get there. Like Sean, he echoes the need “to stop what we’re doing” and locate today’s violence within our broader historical context. He adds that “humans aren’t very different than they were centuries ago.” Mustafa finds himself drawn to new components of 14th century history, despite their seeming distance from our contemporary reality. For the first time, he has focused on the Janissaries, an elite infantry formed during the Ottoman Empire, who signaled their intention to overthrow the sultan by turning over their cooking pots in the public square. This spring, he is leading an independent study on the Romanov Dynasty, delving into the small lies (and the greater ones) that men tell to accrue just a bit more power. Across history, he notes, we see people act passionately based on information that they know to be false. If anything, this year has reaffirmed his commitment to the nuances of historical inquiry. “We don’t teach the sandwich of history,” Mustafa explains. “we teach the bread – and that’s not the way it should be.” For the coming year, he may present examples of uprisings from all corners of the world and ask students, “Do we consider these noble or not? And why?”
Teaching AP US History in the fall and Government Studies in the spring, Mitch has remained immersed in current events – and the centuries-long tensions and violence that give rise to them. Mitch notes that January 6th was immediate for DC students, many of whom live steps from the US Capitol. For them, “we needed to address what happened in real time [...] When students are personally affected, we should let them lead the way.”
This semester, Mitch also identified the need to return to former President Trump’s second impeachment trial. Students began with the Constitutional basis, then moved to secondary sources about why impeachments happen – and why they rarely lead to convictions. Then in February, students held their own impeachment trial of the 45th President. They were randomly assigned roles as lawyers, witnesses, and senators; all senators were assigned a state and political party and told that they were up for re-election in 2022 – emphasizing that impeachment is a political process, often more so than a legal one. *As of December 2020, less than 6% of DC residents were registered Republicans, compared to 16% who have no party affiliation, according to the DC Board of Elections.
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from pure conscience to sheer desire for reelection.
Across Departments As Department Chair, Maureen knows well that history teachers are “always having difficult conversations.” She adds, “at Burke, we have the flexibility to stop.” Curriculum can be paused, lessons can be moved, so that teachers can freely listen, observe, and facilitate in the unsettling times. You can draw a straight line from Burke’s campus in Van Ness to the White House, just three and a half miles down Connecticut Avenue. From there, it’s less than two miles to the Capitol Rotunda. On January 6th, students had just returned from Winter Break, still in an all-remote “quarantine.” Via Zoom, Maureen encouraged her classes to write before starting a discussion and provided a breakout room for those who wanted to step away. She emphasizes that, when some systems break before our eyes, we often forget the ones that keep working. In this case, her class reviewed the voting and electoral college processes and saw how they were still moving forward despite everything. In other words, “we still have a comparatively well-functioning government,” albeit a frustrating one.
In the 11th Grade
In Government Studies, 11th and 12th grade engaged in a Socratic seminar on the concept of tribalism and the emergence of extremist positions, asking how we could move forward from such division. Mitch reports that he was “in awe of my students,” who are keenly aware that DC is far more “blue” than the country overall.* The students came to the conclusion that they needed to explore these ideological chasms.
Afterward, Mitch reported, “the trial was passionate and illuminating, and both sides put up well-reasoned and logical arguments,” with the defense making a strong, Constitutionally-based case. While the students/senators ultimately voted to convict, the margin was narrow – and the motives were varied, ranging
Mock Impeachment Trial, Feb. 2021
Mock Impeachment Trial, Feb. 2021 Students spent time reviewing the history and purposes of impeachments, the recent events leading to President Trump’s second impeachment, and the process of impeachment and removal from office. The trial was passionate and illuminating, and both sides put up well-reasoned and logical arguments. Some Senators voted with their party, some voted with the election in mind, and some voted their conscience. In the end, the Senate Jury voted 4-2 to convict Donald Trump of violating his oath of office. - Mitch Masucci
Across classes, teachers gave students the forums and the tools to draw their own conclusions, from mock trials to impromptu discussions. In her US History class, Maureen pointed students to the formal definitions of terrorism on the FBI’s website, and then let them decide if those terms applied to the storming of the Capitol. She and her colleagues have also pivoted to more “practical sessions” in the last year, helping students find ways to get involved and take action in our democracy, given the limitations of the pandemic. She adds that, in the most vital social movements, “a lot happened behind the scenes that we didn’t see.”
History Department
From 6th to 12th grade, Burke’s history faculty concur that students wanted to talk about what they have witnessed. They want to name its causes and find its roots. Sean adds that, for many years, teachers halted the US History curriculum before they came to September 11th 2001 – because they themselves still felt the pain and bore the scars of that day. But we can’t do that again, he emphasizes: “We need to make sure that we can confront this together and put everything out on the table. We actually can do that, together.” Summer 2021
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2021 Art bySummer Kiyari J. ‘22
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A N T I D O T E S T O I S O L AT I O N :
REFLECTIONS ON THE 2020 STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (SLDC) with Julia B. ‘23, Kalea G.P. ‘21, Leah W. ‘22, and Montanna N. ‘22. Editor: How did this year’s event work, logistically speaking, in the virtual space? Kalea ‘21: The organizers put us into groups, as they would normally do it, and we would meet at a certain time on Zoom. I met with my “family group” in the morning for about an hour and a half, and then I followed a different link to an affinity group for African American and Black students. Then there was a seminar every day, more in a webinar-type setting, and then an “evening of fun,” like dance parties or trivia.
This November, four Burke students attended the first all-online SDLC, “a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders from across the U.S. and abroad,” according to the National Association of Independent Schools. In December, these students again gathered to share their experience and takeaways with the community.
Ed.: And what did the webinars involve? Montanna ‘22: The webinars were more about listening and reflecting, usually with a keynote speaker.I would also say that the webinar and Zoom group meeting facilitators allowed time for us to introduce ourselves in break out rooms to the different students who attended schools from all over the world. Although it was probably impossible to meet every student because there were over 1,000 students who attended the conference, this was nice to me because it gave me a sense of connection and unity and that can be hard sometimes, especially in a virtual setting. Kalea ‘21: I especially remember when some of our adult facilitators spoke about what it was like for them, as People of Color in independent schools, predominantly white institutions. One keynote speaker [Indigenous scientist and educator], Lyla June, talked about sacred land and how it should be respected. Montanna ‘22: Dr. Bettina Love, a professor at the University of Georgia shared the experiences that she had as a Black woman, and she was really empowering. She talked about the importance of abolitionist teaching. Ed.: What was your favorite part of the conference? Leah ‘22: I probably liked the affinity groups the most. I was in the Black and African American students group, and we had almost 600 kids on Zoom. We were the biggest group, and I had never been around so many Black kids before. While we all have different experiences and live in different parts of the country, there were so many places where we could relate – which was sad, since some of those experiences weren’t the best. But it also made me feel understood.
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Kalea ‘21: It was culture shock to surround myself with so many people who look like me. The fact that there were more African American and Black students on one Zoom call than total students at Burke? It was amazing to be part of that.
Ed.: Did your experience at SLDC suggest that we should do anything differently at Burke? Julia ‘23: The focus on intersectionality. I think it was important to discuss and to bring to, not only to my affinity group, but the others at Burke. Leah ‘22: I agree. Some other schools even have a student-led Equity & Inclusion team that can push equity, inclusion, and diversity work forward. I also just think having conversations about race, class, sexual orientation, ability, religion, and gender identity can be so helpful. Montanna ‘22: I also think those uncomfortable conversations need to be discussed often. It sometimes gets skimmed over, or teachers at Burke try to avoid it; but it’s important to talk so that we can see change. Burke could definitely incorporate intersectionality more in lesson plans. It’s not enough just to be an ally. You have to learn the foundations of why you act the way you do and why things happen a certain way. I’d say it’s also important not to teach history from a white-savioured point of view because that is detrimental to all of us.
Montanna ‘22: I also haven’t been surrounded by that many different kinds of people. Attending SDLC was truly a transformative experience. There really was a place for everyone at SDLC. Even though this conference was only a week long, I know I felt like I was heard.
Kalea ‘21: I think it’s important to just start. There’s no excuse to move slowly. Just jump in and have the conversations that need to be had. I also realized that, even though Burke could do more, we have done a lot compared to other schools. It’s impressive how we, as students, can push Burke to change for the better without going through all these layers of administration.
Julia ‘23: My favorite part was also the affinity groups. You could pick and switch through different groups, but I stuck with the same one and it was a really good experience.
Leah ‘22: While Burke still has work left to do, I felt grateful to go to a school like this; when I heard what some of my peers from around the country experienced, my heart dropped.
Ed.: Why do you think it’s important for independent schools to offer this opportunity? Kalea ‘21: In our “Burke bubble,” we sometimes don’t realize how many people are out there who are going through the same things that we are. We were surrounded by students from all around the country, and the world – there were even international students there. And it’s nice to be able to connect with people who are both like and unlike you at the same time, and find a safe space throughout it all. I never felt alone or isolated in the experience that I’d had. Leah ‘22: While I love Burke, I do feel like I am isolated sometimes. Being at SDLC and having so many students who understand what I’m going through – that made me feel validated. It was healing. But it was bittersweet.
Leah ‘22: One theme that came up in my groups is that diversity isn’t enough. There needs to be support for teachers and students once we’re there, and a focus on equity and diversity of the curriculum. Montanna ‘22: A big takeaway from the conference is the importance of accountability. Our white peers could do a lot more to challenge the system because they have privilege that they didn’t earn. Especially if they claim to be allies for the black community. It is also not a black person’s job to educate a non-person of color about what’s racist and what’s not. The biggest takeaway from the conference overall is to stop being performative and start educating ourselves more deeply about the oppressive system. Ed.: Are there other ways to stay in contact with communities beyond DC, in part to counteract these feelings of isolation? Kalea ‘21: If there are other opportunities for school conferences, or even if Burke worked to create their own space for the DC area or the East Coast, it is always nice to interact with kids your own age – even over Zoom. I got to see different faces for a week, which doesn’t sound super exciting, but it felt like I was out in the world. Hopefully, in the near future, we have actual in-person conferences.
The norms that stuck with me were “lean into discomfort” and “listen, listen, process.” That can definitely be useful at our school. During conversations about race and racism there were times where I was interrupted and ignored and felt dismissed, as one of few African American students in the room. So I think all of us taking the time to fully hear our classmates and process what they are saying can be very beneficial. I also was reminded to protect my own space and have boundaries, and to not let the education of my peers come at my own expense. That’s one thing I plan to take forward with me. Ed.: Are there any other takeaways that you would like to share more broadly? Julia ‘23: It was really important to give everyone space to share their perspective. It was eye-opening to hear perspectives that I may not have thought about before.
1968 Edmund Burke School Magazine
Summer 2021
SLDC, 2019
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Adapted from an email circulated to Burke families in January 2021. We encourage you to explore these questions with your family and friends. Susan Hearn, Dean of the Middle School
This morning, we facilitated our most recent Racial Justice Discussion Group (RJDG). During last month’s discussion, we reviewed “systems of power” and “systemic racism,” defined “privilege,” and introduced the “privilege spectrum.” Students had the opportunity to analyze different forms and dynamics of privilege by watching and discussing two short video clips from “black∙ish” and “Kim’s Convenience”.
After more than 25 years at Burke, both as an English teacher and a parent of two alumni, Susan has taken the helm of Grades 6-8 this year. At this January’s Virtual Open House, Susan shared her “top 10” with prospective families, illuminating just what makes Burke’s Middle School program special and joyful.
Today’s RJDG built upon this foundation of knowledge with a specific purpose in mind: to prepare our students for next Tuesday’s special assembly honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Our invited guest this year will be civil rights lawyer and trial attorney, Roy Austin, who will speak on policing and civil rights. Mr. Austin was previously a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice under President Obama and is currently representing the family of Bijan Ghaisar, the young unarmed man killed by US Park Police in Fairfax County in 2017. To introduce this topic, we first asked all of our RJDG participants to compose a short written reflection in response to the following prompt: What comes to mind when you think of the police and policing? From where do your attitudes toward and beliefs about the police and policing originate? Next, our Adult Facilitators led a screening of the Washington Post video, “Perspective | The origins of policing in America” (September 24, 2020), pausing to define key terms, ask clarifying questions, and assess student comprehension. Last week’s violent events at the Capitol once again put the importance and urgency of this topic in bold relief. We hope that today’s RJDG will assist you in engaging in conversation about the role of police and policing in a democratic society. Towards this end, we concluded by asking students to reflect upon the following question and encourage you to do the same: What might just policing look like for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Color) individuals and communities in the United States? As always, we thank you for your partnership. Best, Amanda, Karen, Jim, Steven & Wan Equity and Inclusion Task Force
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SUSAN’S TOP
Dear Burke Parents,
1968 Edmund Burke School Magazine
EQUITY & INCLUSION UPDATE
10. The encouragement for and ways students embrace trying
new things. I am a huge fan of our inclusive sports and arts programs, and every year there are Burke middle and high school students who try a new sport, such as cross country, or who have never done anything in the theater, and they choose to participate in the middle school play as actors or set designers or learn how to do the lighting. I will also say, having been in the building with students this strange year, I’m reminded of how resourceful and resilient young people are, and have enjoyed the socially distant games they’ve invented to play during breaks and at lunchtime. On a day when it snowed in December, a group of 6th graders used their iPads to set up fireplaces during lunch.
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6. The role of music during Middle School. Every student is involved
in the music program at some point. They sing, they play instruments, they work together, and they entertain us in assembly. There’s nothing quite like the boost a fun bit of live music can give in the middle of the day.
5.
Our flexibility. Because we’re small, we can respond to students’ interests. For example, if there’s a new exhibit at the Museum of Native American History, we can quickly arrange a field trip. Or if there’s a current event that students want to learn more about, we can shift what we’re doing in class to make sure we address their curiosity.
4.
Our visual art program. I love that the halls are full of extraordinary work done by 6th-12th graders. Burke is full of photographs, drawings, sculpture, paintings, ceramics, and art made from books and other found materials.
3. 9.
The culture of academic challenge with support. Our assignments ask students to think deeply and creatively, and to learn many new skills. But teachers break assignments into small chunks, and give a lot of individual feedback, so that the work is manageable and fun, not overwhelming.
How comfortable the kids are being themselves here. I think about a student who wore Harry Potter glasses for the first three years she was at Burke (they were clear- she didn’t need glasses), and students who’ve shared their skills and outside-of-school interests with the community- such as the yo-yo master, and the Irish dancer, who both performed in assembly.
2. 8.
How well we all know one another. We enjoy one another’s company. Students know who to go to to ask for help studying for a quiz, or for a laugh, or where there’s a dog to say hi to.
7.
That students are at the center of their school experience. We help them build the skills to ask good questions, to seek support, and to create what they need, academic or otherwise. For example, a new 6th grader decided he would like for there to be a Lego club, and we made sure he knew how to get that started. He asked me to be the faculty advisor, and we ordered materials. And then, because this is Burke, a number of seniors joined the club, because they thought it would be a nice way to relax during a stressful year.
The creativity of the lessons. One example is the interdisciplinary Tiny House Project, for which students designed and furnished a tiny house within a certain budget. It included a field trip to Ikea to measure and price furniture, and students used various materials, including the 3-D printer, to build the houses. The current 7th grade science activity is space farming.
1. The students who are Burke. They’re an
interesting, diverse, curious, funny, lively bunch, who I enjoy every day. I particularly love seeing the students - and it’s a lot who do this- who come back to visit after they’ve graduated and share what they’re up to in their college and adult lives. They’re scientists, soccer players, fashion designers, foreign service officers, and Summer 2021 // 11 educators.
Nonexclusive Notes from Nigel Academic Dean Nigel Hinshelwood reflects on more than three decades at Burke (1987-2021)
How did you make your way to Burke in the first place? I came to DC in 1980 or so to play music. Then in 1983, I got married. In 1985, I went back to graduate school at American University. I had intended to get a Ph.D. in literature, and maybe become a university professor. But an advisor of mine said, “you know, they do teach in high schools.” I had never thought of it before, but I needed a job, probably more than I needed another degree. That advisor’s former student, Robbie Murphy, was a teacher at Burke at the time. So I got an interview here and was hired in 1987. How did you move into your current position as Academic Dean? Backstabbing and skullduggery. A little subterfuge and a small measure of honest brokering. I was a full-time teacher, two courses in the Middle School and two in the High School, and an advisor for ten years. Around the time that Dick [Roth] and Jean [Mooskin] were retiring, the Academic Dean was Ann White – and she was the person who invented the position, as the founders had limited interest in hierarchy. Ann decided to move out of the position, I made it known that I was interested, and I never stopped. What has changed the most since the last ‘80s? One of the answers will sound very pedestrian. Today’s school structure, the way consensus is reached and on which issues, very little of that existed in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. We did not have a structure similar to what we have now, and what you can expect from other schools this size, until the late ‘90s under [then-Head of School] David Shapiro. All of the structures that we now take for granted went through a period of enhancement, clarification, and creation in some cases. That all would have looked very different 30 years ago.
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The other answer, and I give credit to Damian [Jones] here, is the reenergizing of the school around the last line of the mission: positioning yourself to make a positive contribution to the world. He has refocused the school on that, from the teaching and learning to the experiential work in that area. But much about the school, what is really, essentially good about it, has remained the same. Do you think high school in general has changed? I am trying to get away from the truism that of course it’s different. The data around learning, and the way it has enabled us to focus on the individual student in more precise ways, is different. There has been an explosion of diagnostics around learning differences, which has meant that we’re able to pay attention to students, particularly in the High School, in more effective ways than we even thought of doing in the late ‘80s. Our language is more precise, our interventions are more precise. More often than not, this has allowed high school students to gain a more precise understanding of themselves, as students. Are there any memories that stand out, from any point in your tenure? #10. Bringing pizza from Vace to the faculty and staff each year before BTSN (“Back to School Night”). Nanny’s after BTSN. #9. Watching the building next to Burke being torn down (finally) with then-Director of Facilities Eddie Thomas and my young son Eddie. A rainy Saturday morning. I thought the whole school would be there – and it was just the three of us.
#5. MS community building trips in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Having so much fun on the Chesapeake Bay and learning from Monica what it meant to be a Burke teacher and advisor. #4. Wandering aimlessly around Harlem with J.D. and the 11th graders during the trip to NYC. Tacos at tables on the street. #3. New teacher orientation with Monica and Jeremy at Alero in Cleveland Park. #2. Asking Dick and Jean for a raise after only one year of teaching and Jean waited a beat before replying “Ah, I think you’ve got a pretty good deal as it is.” And, to tell you the truth all these years later, I did. #1. Monica. Just Monica. How about your favorite class? One would be the Linguistics class that I taught in the Middle School in the late ‘80s. The 6th grade didn’t exist yet, so this was a class for 7th graders before they started World Language. When I interviewed with Dick Roth, he said a number of things to me, and I just answered yes: “Do you know how to clean out a boiler?” “Yes, I can do that.” “We need somebody to do the school newspaper, can you do that?” “Yes, I can do that.” “Can you teach Linguistics?” “Sure!” And that was a wild class, full of all kinds of language fun and games. We did a unit where you invent your own language, and they would have to write scenes in their language. I had a big, hold-over-your-shoulder video camera, I took the 7th graders to Rock Creek Park, down Melvin Hazen Trail, and I’d take film of them speaking these invented languages.
#8. Playing guitar, with John on recorder, during a holiday party, holding down the backup rhythm, when he said “take it Nige!” because he ran out of breath during some medieval religious tune and I only halfway knew the melody. Then he quit playing while I played the chords once through by myself.
I also taught a Senior Seminar on education. David Shapiro had been a classroom teacher, but never at Burke. So the year he retired, I said, “you and I are going to co-lead a senior seminar on the history of education.” He and I co-taught, but it was really me sitting around for the David Shapiro Show. But after he left, I kept teaching it and I loved some of the conversations that I had with seniors.
#7. Taking and teaching karate classes for years in the gym and Atrium with my teacher Betsy Toth. Also the Weidman sisters, Amanda and Rebecca, both eventual black belts.
Anything else I should be sure to include? No comment.
#6. The Davids. David Shapiro. The t-shirts in the colors of the cycle. The NAIS conference in NYC. Working SMARD. “It’s not mine, but I’ll pick it up.” Work hard, have fun, be kind, and help out.
Summer 2021
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Art by Kalea GP ‘21
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Summer 2021
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Dear Burke Community, This year has been a whirlwind of change and uncertainty, but still fun for the four of us. We entered our presidency with a multitude of ideas, goals, and plans due to the combination of *two campaigns. However, due to our ever-changing world, we quickly had to adapt. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for the many people who helped make this year a success. During our term, we worked throughout the summer on the Community Building Re-Opening Task Force, grade competitions, technological advances, optional office hours for upperclassmen, grade get-togethers, virtual games for all grades to enjoy, and the new student orientation. We were also fortunate enough to participate in hiring committees for new community members such as Aimée, who is now the Assistant Head of Finance, and Yvette, our new school Counselor (starting this summer). Most importantly we would not have achieved all these goals without the support and reliability of our SGA grade representatives. They have added invaluable perspectives surrounding hybrid learning and keeping grades engaged with one another. We would especially like to acknowledge the faculty and staff, who have been working tirelessly to make this year as successful as possible. We would like to extend our gratitude to the teachers who kept us engaged, the administration who listened to our concerns, and to the staff who worked non-stop to keep our school running, specifically the custodial staff who did the crucial work of keeping our school clean and safe for return. We sincerely appreciate your relentless commitment to our student body and school community. We are extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve the Burke community to the best of our ability. Congratulations to Ingrid and Jay we are excited to see the amazing things you all will do throughout your term. Although we began this journey as friendly rivals, the opportunity to come together as friends allowed us to find more proactive solutions to unexpected challenges. It’s been real. The Co-Presidents Sidney H. ‘21 Marlon D. ‘21 Jonah L. ‘21 Leah W. ‘22
2020-2021 STUDENT GOVERNMENT
CO-PRESIDENTS 16 \\
1968 Edmund Burke School Magazine
* Due to a tie in the run-off election, two pairs of Co-Presidents were elected in Spring 2020.
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Summer 2021
// 17
All The Best
FR OM B URKE
Nigel Hinshelwood
Vanessa Aird
High School Academic Dean Burke Tenure: 1987-2021
Hired by Burke’s founders, Jean Mooskin and Dick Roth, to teach in the English Department in the 1987-88 school year, Nigel has since developed and led the Senior Seminar Program, guided our Professional Development Committee, and of course served as Academic Dean. Today, Nigel is one of the longest-serving members of the community – known for his intellectual rigor, quick wit, and deep care for each teacher and student. We will miss his musical talent, literary recommendations, and myriad quips at faculty meetings. Nigel, we often wondered whether you were being sarcastic or serious, but know that we will seriously miss you either way.
High School Dean of Students Burke Tenure: 2018-2021
We are wishing Vanessa well as she relocates to the sunny southeastern United States this coming summer! Her passion for dance, meditation, and wellness could be felt throughout the school, and we will miss her artistic talents, calm demeanor, and dedication to our high school students – not to mention her wonderfully organized spreadsheets. Assembly won’t be the same without you, and our High School community will greatly miss you.
Read “Nonexclusive Notes from Nigel” on page 10. .
What is your most vivid memory of Nigel?
“There are a hundred, but they all coalesce into one memory, or sub-memories, all related to a porch, some guitars, some beer, some singing, and a thousand things he’s taught me over the years. I know a lot more about a lot of things because of Nigel, and I love him most dearly.” -- Daniel Running (English Department, 1999-present)
Lucy Kernan-Schloss, PhD School Psychologist Burke Tenure: 2003-2021
Proud parent of twin alumni Julia ‘06 and Finn ‘06, Lucy has been a wise, caring, and sensitive presence at Burke for years. In that time, countless parents and family members have benefited from her fall “Lucy workshops,” students from her support and welcoming office in Calvin, and teachers and staff from her mentorship and counsel.
Steven Lee
Director of Equity & Inclusion Burke Tenure: 2015-2021 Join us in congratulating Steven on his upcoming move to Deerfield Academy (MA), where he will be the Director of Inclusion and Community Life. At Burke, he has played a vital role in developing our integrated civics and equity curriculum and, this year, pioneering the Racial Justice Discussion Group program and expanding the affinity group program. Steven adds, “I’m excited by the challenge of helping to lead DEI efforts at such a tradition-bound institution. I’m also looking forward to joining a boarding school community, that is literally part of an old village, where Oli Jo can live her best life!”
What will you miss about Lucy?
“Lucy will go at any length to support a student. We have teamed up and texted [junior] advisees to ask if they needed coffee runs or to send them silly messages. As friends, we share interests: fellow Francophiles, sewing, gardening, Maine-loving, and fans of a good relaxing day. I will miss her cheerfulness, welcoming everyone in18 the\\ morning withEdmund some Starbucks and a smile. But mostly, I will miss the fierce advocate of our students who understood the need for us to nurture all aspects of 1968 Burke School Magazine students and our community. I will miss her intuitiveness and love of Burke.” -- Maureen Minard (History Department, 2006-present)
Summer 2021
// 19
IN MEMORIAM
CLASS NOTES
Our thoughts and care are with the family and friends of Jennifer Margolius ‘88, who passed away in November 2020.
Congratulations are due to Kenny McCombs ‘91 on his promotion to SAIC Program Manager, responsible for providing data data analysis and technical support services to NASA HQ and its installation Centers, as well as training development and execution, applications systems, and policy development.
Bridget Arbury Riemer ‘88 wrote this tribute to her dear friend:
Jennifer was my friend. Jennifer was funny. So, so funny. And weird and quirky and smart, and she had a mouth on her that tended to speak before she’d thought things through. And her heart was big as the sky. And her soul was deep as the oceans. An old soul, for sure. It felt like she had been here before. Even when I felt my most confident, I would look to her and think, “I know nothing compared to the wisdom she holds.” It was a palpable sense. Don’t be confused, she never faltered in telling people exactly how she felt. Sometimes that was hard. But people who knew her well always knew her honesty came from a place of truth and love. Months would go by and we would not speak. A few texts would fly back and forth. There were a few scattered opportunities to get together; but as happens, family, babies, divorces, marriages, careers, health scares tend to pile up in front of us and we put those get-togethers off. The last time I saw her in person was years ago. In her home. We sat in a front room and sipped tea while her children darted in and out. Jesse and Jocelyn. Beautiful, like their mother. Sassy and sharp-witted like her, too. She adored them. No children were more loved than they. And now I find I don’t know how to end this, or where I am even going. I miss her. Every day, I miss her. Love always to you, too, Jennifer. And to the rest of the Class of 1988, the entire Burke family, our communities, and the world. Stay safe and know that you are loved always.
Micah Susman ‘93 reports that she is still teaching English (thanks Paul K!) and moved to Durango, Colorado, from Austin, Texas, a few years back and got settled with a new job at an online school right before the pandemic hit. She has one child and a wolfhound. As a non-social media user, Micah adds, “I have no idea what my fellow alums are up to, so if you are ever in Durango, look me up!” After 3+ years at Lyft, most recently as a Product Manager and Payments Product Lead on the Transit, Bikes & Scooters team, Nadia Eldeib ‘09 recently founded Nod Labs, Inc., and joined South Park Commons’ inaugural Founder Fellowship program. Nadia writes from Del Mar, California, “I am deeply excited/nervous to be starting a company and currently exploring opportunities where I can align doing well as a business with doing good for people and the wider world through technology.” On February 16, Washington Post readers glimpsed a familiar face in the Music section: Nora Button ‘11, of the indie duo Caution. The Post reports that, “during the pandemic, [Button and Cash ML] been collaborating remotely, each songwriter using his and her alone time to cultivate a sensitivity to whichever emotions might spark a new Caution song.” Conall Rubin-Thomas ‘17 can be spotted in the music videos for Orden Ogan’s “Inferno” (2021) and Solence’s “Good ____ Music” (2021). Madison Welborn ‘20 has launched the Black Film Society, a new student organization at Chapman University, where she is a freshman in the College of Film & Media Arts. As she told The Panther, “I wanted to create a space where people in the Black community at Chapman can discuss the Black experience and can have a way to navigate through the film industry.”
Head of School Damian Jones
Board of Trustees 2020-2021
Sharon Davis, President Susannah Baruch, Vice President Nick Keenan, Treasurer Ruta Puskorius, Secretary Damian Jones, Head of School Maureen Minard, Faculty Representative Angela Jaffee Brian McMaster Dawn Chism Emily Alexander Gretchen Lamberg Hadley Boyd
John Jenkins Kira Swencki Lisa Hall Lucinda Eng Garcia Martin P. Griffin Monique Willard Peter Sheridan Richard Gersten Stephen Weisbrod Thomasenia “Tommie” Duncan Wendy Cividanes
Edmund Burke Parents Association 2020-2021
Sydnye White-Oyugi, President Kyle Kenney, Vice President Caitlin Oppenheimer, Treasurer Joe Fiorill, Events Jeanne Black, Communications Angela Gildner Tiffany Rogers Tasha Hutchins Kelly Kenneally Lori Jennings Melissa Kimball Rocio Schmunis
Rachel Tillman Kat Song Maria O’Donnell Rachael Yocum Eliane Catilina Patricia Levy Zuckerman Tasha White-Sims Dawn Chism Larissa Korde Monique Coleman Monique Willard Wendy Cividanes
Office of Development and Alumni Affairs
Jennifer Kozak Rawlings, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs Susan Kay Jones, Assistant Director of Development, Advancement Services Kate Maskarinec, Assistant Director of Development, Special Events
Office of Communications
Julia Harman Cain, Director of Communications and Marketing Jadéa Asante, Communications and Marketing Associate
Address
4101 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Website
www.burkeschool.org
Phone
202-362-8882
Alumni Email
Follow Burke on Social Media
alumni@burkeschool.org
Facebook /edmundburkeschool Twitter @burkeschooldc Instagram @edmundburkeschool
1968: Edmund Burke School Magazine is produced by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and the Office of Communications and Marketing for alumni, parents, and friends of the School. Letters and comments are welcome. The editors express their appreciation to all the writers and photographers who contributed to this issue of 1968.
ALUMNI Facebook /groups/BurkeAlumni
Cover Image by Helen K. ‘21 Layout & Design by Jadéa Asante
Pictured: Aviva N. ‘17 (U. Michigan), Orly S. ‘17 (Brandeis), and Zach R. ‘17 (Franklin & Marshall) reconnected during Winter Break, from six feet apart and outdoors of course, reported Jessica N. (P ‘17 and ‘22).
Editor: Julia Harman Cain
Photo courtesy of Sofie Shore
Summer 2021
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4101 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008
In such a difficult year, we are filled with tremendous gratitude and pride: We are PROUD of our students, faculty, staff, and families who demonstrate perseverance, compassion, and resilience every day. We are GRATEFUL that our community stood together, supporting one another and giving back in ways small and large. Before the year comes to a close, consider making a gift in celebration of a teacher, staff member, or other community member who has made us all GRATEFUL and PROUD.
Support Burke with an Annual Fund gift by JUNE 30 using the enclosed envelope, or online at: www.burkeschool.org/give. 22 \\
1968 Edmund Burke School Magazine
