Happy International Day of the Girl!

Dear Fellow Alumnae and Friends,

This past Sunday, October 11, was International Day of the Girl, and it is my honor to celebrate the occasion by introducing myself to all of you as your new Alumnae Board President. It is my privilege and pleasure, and I am truly excited about these next two years in your service. 

While sometimes it has felt like this year has stretched into a decade, there are other moments when, for a moment, I'm convinced it's still July. (The last few days' fog in the Bay Area might have something to do with that!) However and whenever it feels like in this journey of 2020, fall is definitely here, which means school is back in swing at Burke's -- both on campus and off! 

With Burke's faculty and staff taking on the herculean effort of educating this year's 400 girls while they're socially distancing in their classrooms AND at home learning remotely, your Alumnae Board and I are doing our part to plan creative, engaging, and meaningful programming to connect our alumnae community in these unusual times. Between the Alumnae Mentorship Network, our reunion next June celebrating the graduating classes ending in '0, '1, '5, and '6 (!), and our commitment to support the school's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts with our alumnae, we have our work cut out for us. On behalf of the Alumnae Board, we welcome your help, thoughts, and suggestions. Reach out to me any time, and please take good care.

Stay safe and well,
Lisa Harada '03
Alumnae Board, President 
Burke's Back to School! 

We are thrilled to have brought the youngest members of our community safely back to campus. To check out more photos of our Kindergarten and First Grade return to campus, click here
Traditions, with a Twist

The first few weeks of every school year are full of special moments, some of which alumnae from decades past will remember fondly. Burke's has worked hard to reimagine these time-honored traditions for our students and their families. Read more about ringing in this year at our All-School Opening Assembly to welcome our newest community members and celebrate the Class of 2021, and learn how we took the Snake Dance virtual at our Lower School Picnic.

New to the Upper School

We know that former Upper School Director Rebekah Wolman touched many of your lives over her long tenure at Burke's. And while it has to be one of the most unusual times to start a new job, we are thrilled to introduce you to new Upper School Director Sheena Tart-Zelvin. She has been thrilled to be part of the Burke's community as it navigated teaching and learning in the midst of a pandemic. We know she's going to have an amazing impact at Burke's. Meet Sheena!
Distinguished Alumna Award

Each year, the Katherine Delmar Burke School Distinguished Alumna Award is given each year to an alumna who embodies the values at the heart of the school's mission to educate, encourage, and empower girls. The recipient exemplifies a life of learning, service to community, individuality, and the ability to make a difference in the world. Nominate a fellow alumnae today!

Burke's AMN Corner

Want to connect with fellow Burke's alumnae in your industry? Hoping to make a professional change? Here are a few resources from the Alumnae Mentorship Network:
Affinity Spaces for our Alumnae of Color 

On Monday, August 31, we hosted a gathering for Burke's alumnae of color and we were honored to hold space with 16 attendees whose graduation years ranged from 1975e to 2013. We were grateful to spend that time together and to begin building our community. 

We are honored to be hosting another Alumnae of Color Affinity Space on Wednesday, October 28, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. PST. Please register here and contact Diana Kaw, Associate Director of Advancement, or Jewel Devora '09, VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, if you have any questions or comments.

Burke's 20-21 Alumnae Annual Fund: Grateful for All-Girls Education

Burke's Annual Fund makes up 10% of the schools operating budget every year. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Burke's has spent more than $750,000 to simultaneously create and sustain two safe and effective educational models: distance learning and hybrid (in-person) learning. Our mission is to educate, encourage, and empower girls, even in these strange times, because our country needs more women in leadership roles.

Check your mailbox for a letter inviting you to show your gratitude for your time at Burke's by investing in current and future Burke's students! 
Hear from Burke's Director of Inclusivity & Community Building

Our Director of Inclusivity & Community Building, Quise Rodriguez Edwards, is a member of The San Francisco Equity Leaders (SFEL), a cohort of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Directors from five Bay Area independent schools. We are proud to share a CATDC interview with Quise and another member of SFEL where she speaks the value of affinity spaces and collaboration. CATDC, the California Teacher Development Collective, is an organization focused on empowering educators, connecting schools, and transforming education. With SFEL, this year Quise will facilitate a six-part online workshop called Surviving and Sustaining: People of Color in Independent Schools for CATDC. Watch her interview here.
Inside the Classroom

Fifth graders have launched into their first novel -- Amal Unbound -- with an emphasis on exploring what it takes to create change. We were inspired by one student's reflections on "What is the change you want to be in the world?" and wanted to share them with you.

Let human rights be equal rights
Let honesty and trust lead us
Let love and beauty prosper
Let us stand in the face of fear
 
We can have faith that you will do just as well as me
We can have faith that you will be there, waiting for us to come home
 
We can come together to fight injustice
We can breathe the same air, and live on the same planet
We can hope for the same outcomes
We can live in peace

Burke's girls will change the world. Learn more about this project here.
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