Dear Burke Community, The 2020-21 school year brought many profound challenges, from the ongoing global pandemic to the devastating impact of long-standing racial injustice, and a polarizing political landscape. At each turn, I have been stuck by the resilience and fortitude of our Burke family. None of us could have imagined what the next month, week, or day could bring, but through it all, the Burke community stood together in support of one another and of our school as a whole. Faculty and staff were creative, compassionate and steady in their approach, constantly pivoting to ensure that students thrived and felt met in both in-person and remote learning spaces. Parents worked hand-in-hand with the administration to support the happiness and success of our students in an ever-changing landscape. And through all of this, you stood beside Burke when we called. Because of the outpouring of generosity from this community, we have much to be proud of and to celebrate. As you know, at the end of the 2019-2020 school year, we celebrated the successful conclusion of the historic $6 million Stand with Burke comprehensive campaign. I am pleased to report that after years of anticipation, we are actively in the process of renovating several spaces in our original building, Mooskin-Roth Hall, which was made possible by this campaign. We anticipate a completion date in January for the first phase of the project, and are thrilled that these spaces will now better meet the needs of our community and will truly reflect the excellence of our programs. In December of 2020, Burke held its first annual Day of Giving. Not only did our community rally to more than double our participation goal by mid-day, unlocking an initial $15,000 challenge gift, but together we unlocked a second $10,000 challenge gift as well as 10 individual challenge matches for each class, alumni, and grandparents. When the clock struck midnight, over $91,000 was raised! Though circumstances prevented us from gathering in person this past April for our annual Auction for Financial Aid, the Development team and a dedicated group of volunteers turned the usual event into a delightfully whimsical and retro virtual celebration. It was such a joy to see hundreds of members of our current and past community “tune in” to Burke at Nite and raise their (virtual) paddles high, delivering Burke’s highest-grossing live auction ever and raising more than $330,000 total for Financial Aid — a school record! During one of the most difficult years imaginable, Burke remained Burke because you continued to believe in the powerful work that happens here and understood the importance of continuing to stand beside us, even as the world around us shifted. Burke also thrived during such a challenging period because of the steadfast and caring leadership of Head of School Damian Jones. For nearly eight years, Damian has served as an inspirational leader, stewarding the school through both joyful milestones and achievements and tumultuous times, all the while strengthening Burke’s commitment to our mission. As the sun sets on this, Damian’s final year at Burke, I know that you will join me in expressing gratitude to Damian and celebrating his exceptional contributions to the Burke Community. This fall, the Board of Trustees began a national search for Burke’s next Head of School. Though we will move through a period of transition ahead, I am confident that Damian has paved the way for Burke’s next Head to continue to build upon his legacy and guide Burke through our sixth decade and beyond. On behalf of all of us at Burke, I cannot fully express our gratitude for the Parents, Alumni, Grandparents, Faculty, Staff, and Friends whose names fill the following pages — representing an incredible outpouring of care and support for our shared Burke home, even in the face of a global crisis. Thank you for all of the ways in which you continue to support our school. I can’t wait to see what we’ll do together next!
In partnership, Sharon Davis P’19 President, Board of Trustees
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1968 Edmund Burke School Magazine
2020-2021 ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021 ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021 ANNUAL REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT
Winter 2021
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