Justin Burris Is Orchard's New Athletic Director

Dear Orchard family,
 
Our school is a remarkably special place, and I am humbled daily by the members of our community and what they give in order to make the “Orchard Experience” something valuable, revered, and memorable; and this “experience” goes beyond the days that our students walk the halls as Owls. This time shared and lessons learned – in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and beyond – foster amazingly positive and undeniable growth that affects our children and the paths that they cross for a lifetime.
 
As a teacher, I’ve found that the most successful educators hold a strong dedication to making a difference in the lives of students by providing a nurturing atmosphere where they can have a successful experience as they develop into lifelong learners and well-adjusted, productive members of society. I have attended, taught, and coached at numerous schools before coming to Orchard, but 11 years ago, this wonderful place became my home. Some people are what they do, and some people do what they are. The teachers, coaches, and administrators at Orchard tend to be the latter – truly passionate, interested, and, most importantly, caring about the futures of our students. At Orchard, the children encounter on a daily basis the simple fact that learning doesn’t always concern textbooks, homework, and/or tests but can be a way of discovering oneself, finding talents, uncovering virtues, and encountering new and exciting experiences. Because of this, as a teacher, I am incessantly considering my audience, which causes the curriculum – or at least the method(s) of instruction – to evolve or shift or oscillate from year to year. The content is generally the same, yet I do try something new each time out and am encouraged to do so with autonomy.
 
At Orchard, I have been a coach of cross country and track and field for a number of seasons. For some time now, I have remarked about the traditions that have been established by the programs’ assiduous ancestors, and those traditions purely did not come into existence overnight. Tradition can mean many things to many people. Regardless of semantics, though, once tradition has been arduously established, it requires consistent maintenance. For some, tradition can simply be numbers of participants. Consistently, our cross country teams have hovered around 40 participants (roughly one-sixth of the students in the middle school), and our track and field squads have routinely hit numbers in the mid-70s, which is approximately one out of every three Orchard middle schoolers. To get kids to come out to run – a punishment in most sports – is not an easy task, yet we manage to have exceptional numbers year after year. For others, tradition may be related to continued formation of progress. Without falter, the Owls who run demonstrate improvement that is measurable and worthy of celebrating. It’s really quite incredible to witness the metamorphoses that can take place over the course of a season. Lastly, for others, tradition comes down to winning. Although our programs do not preach coming out on top day in and day out, we certainly find our win columns to be overflowing and impressive. I can fill you in on the exact numbers, if you’re interested. As a coach of cross country and track and field at Orchard, I have been blessed with brilliant colleagues who understand the dynamics of the sports, supportive parents who buy in to the high expectations that we have for the programs, and an abundance of eager athletes willing to work to become better at most other sports’ punishment – running.
 
It is with great honor and privilege that I write to you today as the new director of athletics at The Orchard School. Following an act like the legendary Steve Thompson is a tough one to attempt, to say the least. He has been a phenomenal mentor this summer and has worked long after his retirement became “official” to ensure the continued success of Orchard Athletics. I cannot thank him enough for the extra efforts that he continues to offer and the thoughtful guidance that he continues to provide.
 
It has been quite a busy summer, and with optimistic yet gently nervous excitement, I hit the ground running back in June. Since the 2017-2018 school year ended, I have been assiduous with my attempts to serve the athletic program to the best of my ability. Below is a list of some of the tasks accomplished:
 
  • Contacting and building relationships with other middle school athletic directors
  • Securing our rental of courts at Broadmoor Country Club
  • Coordinating the schedules for fall sports competitions and confirming locations and times
  • Creating a new transportation plan to venues off campus in order to utilize the three minibuses
  • Securing additional transportation via Miller Transportation, Inc.
  • Contacting and obtaining officials for games and matches hosted at Orchard
  • Contacting and building relationships with equipment and apparel vendors
  • Meeting with parents to gain their perspectives regarding fall sports
  • Interviewing and hiring four new middle school coaches
  • Creating athletic team pages on the parent portal
  • Communicating with coaches about equipment, apparel, and volunteer needs
  • Ordering apparel and equipment
  • Collecting donations of nearly 400 tennis balls from local racquet clubs
  • Ordering uniforms for physical education
  • Working with our technology and business departments to make payment for PE uniforms on the parent portal possible
  • Creating rosters for each fall sport on the parent portal
  • Making sign-out sheets for each fall squad
  • Meeting with the school nurse regarding CPR, AED, and concussion protocol certifications
  • Touching up the Athletic Program’s narrative and Codes of Conduct
  • Making an informative bulletin board regarding Orchard Athletics
  • Communicating with parents and fielding questions about the athletic program
  • Numerous other tasks
 
As the 2018-2019 fall athletics season is on the horizon, I’m tremendously excited about autumn’s outlook, and I’m lucky to be here.
 
Go Owls!
 
Sincerely,
 
Justin
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