Progressive Education

Burke creates an environment where you’ll feel comfortable and challenged.


College and Life Preparation

From grade six through 12, Burke’s curriculum prepares students to succeed at a diverse range of colleges—from Ivy League schools to state universities to art institutes. What remains consistent, however, is the intellectual and emotional readiness of our graduates to make choices, advocate for themselves and others, and lead their peers.

Open House

Saturday, Dec. 8
1–3:30 p.m.

Purposefully Progressive

Burke’s educational philosophy gives students the freedom to learn through their interests while following a curricular framework that is both deliberate and proven. Students call faculty by their first names because it stimulates learning by breaking artificial barriers between students and teacher.

Mission and Philosophy

student reading

Dynamic Faculty

Two-thirds of faculty hold advanced degrees, and 100 percent serve as full-time advisors. Most importantly, they embrace the progressive pedagogy, collaborating to develop interdisciplinary projects and creating educational tools that will foster your strengths as a learner.

teacher helping student

Open House

Saturday, Dec. 8
1–3:30 p.m.

student reading
teacher helping student

Rigorous and Exciting

Burke students don’t shy away from challenge. Our students embrace demanding courses and difficult concepts because they have the natural curiosity and the drive to solve tough problems. Here, your classes, your teachers, and your peers will push you to excel academically, so you’ll be ready for success in your college studies and beyond.

Rotating Schedule

We understand that everyone has cognitive highs and lows throughout the day. That’s one reason why we rotate class times on a seven-day cycle. So you won’t have English after lunch every day or math first thing in the morning. Instead, you’ll be alert and engaged in all your classes.

Senior Seminars

Burke seniors engage in an extensive research and writing project in which they explore a topic that interests them in the context of a seminar setting. At the end of the trimester, students complete a sophisticated 10- to 15-page analytical research paper. Past senior seminars have included:

  • American conservatism
  • American education
  • Ancient Mediterranean history
  • Disability studies
  • Modern capitalism
  • Modern Chinese history