| Welcome Summer! We have been busy celebrating our Senior Class of 2025 with the annual Bell Ringing Ceremony (photo above), Senior Breakfast, Final Assembly, and Senior Day. We are getting ready to welcome them to the ranks of Burr and Burton alumni this Friday, June 6 at 5:00 p.m. Or, you can Livestream Graduation by clicking here. We would love to have you join us! Click here for the Commencement website, including weather-related venue announcements. In this issue of The Belltower, there's so much we want to share with you - from the Five Things That Matter interview, to the Gala, to the newest issue of The VIEW. And, don't forget to register for Reunion 2025 coming up in September - we can't wait to connect with you here at Burr and Burton!  |
Five Things That Matter with Samantha Eisenstein Watson '96 by: Erin Scott ’26, Burr and Burton Advancement Intern This spring, Samantha Eisenstein Watson ’96 joined Burr and Burton as our new Director of Advancement. Her journey is rooted in resilience, community, and a deep commitment to lifting others through some of life’s most difficult moments. It started with a pain in Sam’s knee during her senior year of high school—nothing that raised alarms at first. But, the discomfort followed her into college, persistent but unexplained. It wasn’t until the middle of her senior year in college at Brandeis that doctors finally found the cause: bone cancer. Because Sam, at the time, didn't know enough about cancer, the moment she got diagnosed didn't bring fear, but instead relief – Finally after years of running tests, there was an answer. Sam wanted to finish out college, but she hadn't realized how much of a toll the chemo was going to take on her body. She made the difficult decision to take a year-long leave from school, but she was supported every step of the way by her college community, her family, and especially her mother, a nurse whose quiet strength had shaped Sam’s life in ways she would come to understand more deeply over time. |
Registration is open for Reunion Weekend 2025 We are so excited to welcome you back for Reunion 2025 next fall, September 19-21. Click here or on the button below to register. Everyone is welcome to attend Reunion 2025, with a special welcome to classes ending in 5s and 0s. If you'd like to contact your class personally, email us, and we can send you a list. Please reach out to your classmates, and encourage them to attend Reunion 2025! Don't forget to check back on the Reunion webpage throughout the spring and summer for event updates. Check out the Spring issue of The VIEW The spring issue of The VIEW hit mailboxes last week, with a feature on the Burr and Burton STEM Vision. With the construction of the Smith Center entering Phase 2, faculty and the administration are busy building accessible avenues for STEM integration. In addition to The VIEW cover story, we featured an alumni profile of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory planetary scientist Dr. Kevin Hand '93, who just aided in the launch of NASA's Europa Clipper in October of last year. And, we profiled Academic Dean Jen Hyatt about the push toward prioritizing student engagement and interdisciplinary connections. To read The VIEW online, click here or on the button below. |
2025 Gala raises money for STEM at Burr and Burton Thank you to everyone who joined us last week at the Gala! In a beautiful surrounding with the sun (finally!) shining, it was a truly special night. We enjoyed performances by BBA students Aya Addington '26, Edward Stauffer ’27, Pengju Sui ’27, and Kobi Addington ’27. We learned about projects created by STEM students, celebrated the progress made towards our STEM vision, and raised more than $150,000 to ensure that students have the materials and support they need when the new Smith Center for STEM Education opens this fall. Thank you again for helping to make the 2025 Gala such a success. We are truly grateful for the many ways in which you continue to support BBA and our students. Best, Director of Advancement
Burr and Burton Academy Vermont Education Funding Bill at an impasse Following several weeks of abrupt changes and intense negotiations, the Legislature failed to reach agreement on H454, the Education Transformation Bill, due to ongoing disputes over tax equity and student weighting. Burr and Burton and other independent schools are closely monitoring developments, particularly concerns about the lack of grade-level weights, which could underfund secondary programs, and unresolved criteria for public tuition eligibility. While the Senate has preserved some favorable provisions—such as a two-part test for eligibility and a delayed timeline for the new funding formula—questions remain about class size requirements and funding fairness. The Governor’s role remains central as lawmakers work toward a compromise that may differ significantly from current drafts. We continue to advocate for a solution that protects educational diversity and long-term sustainability. Click here for a recent story in VT Digger. |
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| Smith Center gets a facelift This spring, construction was underway before the students even left campus for the summer, to finalize the Phase 2 renovation of the Smith Center for the start of the 2025-2026 school year. This renovation of science and math facilities will allow Burr and Burton to realize its STEM vision (see the spring issue of The VIEW). This renovation will allow for: -- Programmatic support for our new STEM courses and faculty, including lab equipment and furniture, including equipment for our new Engineering Lab, our Computer Aided Design, microcontroller programming, and AI model training. -- Creation of project-based learning opportunities in our centralized Engineering Lab that will integrate students’ learning experiences across academic disciplines. -- Focus on Computing, Programming, Electronics, Engineering and 3D prototyping, Physics, Computer Science, and Robotics. To learn more about how you can support STEM at Burr and Burton, contact the Burr and Burton Advancement Office at 802-856-8201. Thank you for joining us on Giving Day! Thank YOU for joining us on Giving Day on April 3 with your gift to Burr and Burton Academy. We finished the day strong with lots of alumni participation. Your love of Burr and Burton continues to shine through every day - thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! |
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| There's still space in Burr and Burton's Summer Camps |
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| | Class Notes for the FALL issue of The VIEW Tell us about your latest news - we need the tea! New house? New job? New spouse? Send your news and photos to alumni@burrburton.org, and don't forget to include a photo! We'll include your news in the next issue of The VIEW. The cast of Urinetown, the musical during the spring performance in March. |
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| Stay Connected Burr and Burton's mission is to educate students intellectually and morally for a life of responsibility, integrity, and service. |
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| | | | PO Box 498 Manchester, VT 05254 |
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