Edmund Burke School
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| Edmund Burke School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
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United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private Preparatory School |
| Established | 1968 |
| Head of School | Damian Jones (2014-present) |
| Faculty | unknown |
| Enrollment | 300 (2015-present) (grades 6-12) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 7:1 |
| Campus | Connecticut Avenue and Upton Street, NW |
| Color(s) | Burgundy and gray |
| Athletics conference | Potomac Valley Athletic Conference |
| Mascot | Bengal tiger |
| Website | www.burkeschool.org |
The Edmund Burke School is a private college preparatory school in Washington, D.C. Located on Connecticut Avenue, NW, near the Van Ness metro station. It covers 6th through 12th grades, and it currently enrolls about 300 students.[1] Founded in 1968 by Jean Mooskin and Dick Roth, the school practices progressive education: teachers are called by their first names and classes are small. In 2003, after years of legal negotiations with neighbors, Burke gained city approval to expand its facilities with a new building which would increase both size and capacity. New computer labs, offices, classrooms, athletic facilities, a theater, and a large parking garage were built.
The school was named for British parliamentarian and philosopher Edmund Burke, a founder of modern Conservatism. The quote, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," of which attribution to Burke is disputed, hangs in the main hallway adorned with statues of the school's founders, Dick Roth and Jean Mooskin.
Facilities
The school has two buildings, dubbed "Calvin" and "Hobbes". The buildings occupy the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Upton St.[2] The school, while small in comparison to others in the area, still has all of the essential educational facilities, including a black box theater, a gym, a library, one computer lab, and a music room. Future plans for a pool have been rebuffed. In 2011, Burke refurnished Howard field, the athletic field on Upton St. utilized by Burke for general athletic use.
History
1968 Founded by Dick Roth and Jean Mooskin, teachers formerly employed by the Hawthorne School in Southwest Washington, D.C., which had previously gone bankrupt. The school opens in a building on California Street, Northwest, Washington, DC.
1973 Purchases and moves into 2955 Upton Street,Northwest, Washington, DC, in the science building of a former girls' school which occupied what is now Howard University Law School.
1984 Constructs addition on west side of building, roughly doubling the size. New addition includes gymnasium
1985 Joe Sharlitt, a board member and parent of alumni Peter Sharlitt, pens a speech in which he coins the phrase "The Burke Style" which most closely defines Burke's culture.
1998 Founders Roth and Mooskin retire. Search committee selects David Shapiro as Headmaster.
2006 New building opens at corner of Connecticut and Upton street, across alley from existing building. Buildings are connected via 2nd floor walkway over the alley.
2011 Andrew Slater named head of school upon David Shapiro's retirement.
2013 Damian Jones named head of school upon Andrew Slater's departure.