Green!

picture-008.jpgpicture-027.jpgDear Families,

Last week, thirteen 11th and 12th Grade students of the new high school history elective, “Green,” headed upstate for three days and two nights of camping and “green” education. On the itinerary, a visit to John Fahnestock State Park and Glynwood Center for Sustainable Farming, a view of the geothermal plant for Howland Library, a biodiesel plant tour, a boat ride with Clearwater, which provides educational program on environmental activism, a visit and talk by Pete Seeger, and of course, many evening adventures including camping site set up, and what the students called a “van party” where they ate chili and told ghost stories to pass the time in torrential rain. It took days for the tents to dry out in our PAC balcony!

This trip not only emphasizes what we believe here, “if you don’t do it, you don’t know it,” but creates life-long memories for this terrific group of students. They returned with the sniffles, and some with full-blown colds, but all with smiles, great pictures (as you can see!), and the memories!

Please take a look at the impact the class is having on our students on their class blog site.

On another note, our own Associate Director of College Guidance, Jane S. Gabin, was asked to provide college admissions advice for the website , insideschools.com, “the independent guide to New York City public schools,” and now has a column called, “Ask the College Counselor.” The advice is really valuable; please take a look!

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

  • October 23-10th Grade Potluck, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria
  • October 24-Interims, midterm reports, available through Senior Systems. Interims will be written for all 9th Graders, new students in 10th and 11th Grades, and any student earning B- or below in any class. Every family will be mailed this week an instructional letter and password, and trouble-shooting instructions. In an effort to make a significant contribution to sustainability efforts here at LREI, interims will not be mailed unless requested. If you would like interims and grade reports mailed, please call Adria Maynor at 212-477-5316, x323 to make the request, and we will be happy to send them to you.
  • October 25-Time Management presentation, 6:30PM, Cafeteria
  • October 31-November 2-Minimester
  • November 9-Parent/Advisor conferences, all day. Advisors will call individual families to make an appointment.

Updates and announcements:

  1. Every Thursday through November 29, I host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria.
  2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
  3. From Michel de Konkoly Thege, Associate Director, regarding the Debate Series: Phil Kassen has asked me to help organize the creation of a series of debates and discussions leading up to the Presidential elections in November 2008. Our hope is to create a community forum to discuss and debate the issues, not the candidates. If you would like to be part of a small group of faculty, parents and students who will organize these debates, or if you have suggestions for debate topics, please contact me at mdekonkolythege@lrei.org or 212.477.5316, ext 319 by October 3 to let me know of your interest. I would like to convene an initial meeting of the organizing group in mid-October to discuss the format and potential content of these debates.”
  4. Coat Drive for St. John’s Church — October 22-26: We are holding our annual coat and outerwear drive for the clients of the St. John Food Pantry. The church has asked that we focus on larger sizes this year- older teen and adult. THEY WOULD ALSO WELCOME MEN’S PANTS, JEANS, AS WELL AS NEW (IN PACKAGE) UNDERWEAR FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. Please bring your clean and gently used donations to Matthew’s room in the Middle School (push 2 in the elevator) beginning Monday, October 22rd. Thanks!
  5. This Saturday, October 20th at 7PM in the PAC at 40 Charlton Street is the first Coffee House of the school year. The Coffee House is always a great show and an excellent opportunity to hear student and faculty performers.
  6. Save the Date!!! The LREI Halloween Fair is coming up soon. It is the first PA community event of this school year. It will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 1– 4PM, at the Thompson Street Athletic Center, 145 Thompson Street (just below Houston St). There will be fun games, spooky crafts, great food, and a haunted maze. Volunteer sign up sheets are located in the lobby. We need you to get involved, so take a look at the board and see what might interest you. There is also a box for donating old toys to recycle into Halloween Fair prizes. So, this is a great opportunity to clean out the toy bin and recycle at the same time. This year’s theme is Ancient Egypt with lots of mummies and pyramids. So wear your favorite costume and join us for a spooktacular good time. If you have any further questions, please contact Pam at PamDalton@aol.com or Zoe at ZedPicayo@aol.com.
  7. For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.
  8. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Please read the attached flyer to view their 2007-2008 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/. Upcoming Seminar:
  • Life Skills 101:
    Mastering the Big Transitions in Middle and Upper School
    The seminar will take place Thursday November 8, 2007 from 6:00-7:30 PM at Temple Israel located at 112 East 75th Street in New York City.
    Featured panelists will include: Bernard Dreyer, M.D. NYU Professor of Pediatrics and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Kimberly Williams Psy.D. NYU Child Study Center, Edes Gilbert Retired Head of the Spence School and President of Resource Group 175, an education consultantcy, and Bruce Breimer Principal Emeritus of Collegiate School and college consultant.
    This seminar will be moderated by Lucy Martin Gianino. Reservations are required. To place a reservation send an email to reservations@parentsinaction.org, or call NYC-Parents in Action at 212-987-9629. To view a copy of the Seminar Flyer click on http://parentsinaction.org/file/Life_Skills_Flyer.

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