Dear Families,

Tonight, all of the seniors will be honored at their senior banquet.  There, we will give out the school’s most prominent awards, The Community Service Award, the F.  Coit Johnson Academic Award, The Director’s Award, the LREI Award for dedicated involvement and outstanding contributions to the spirit and ideals of the school, and the Elisabeth Irwin award for outstanding contributions to the spirit of the community, personal motivation and academic growth and achievement.

There are two additional, prominent awards the faculty voted on and we gave them out this morning at assembly.  The first is the Susan Shrobe award.  The award is named for Susan Shrobe, a graduate of the school who was bright, engaged, academic, thoughtful, and caring.  After she graduated, she was interested in pursuing law as a career, but sadly she lost her life before she was able to fulfill her dream.  Her family established the award to honor her life, but also to encourage another young woman to continue to be encouraged and pursue her dream.  The award is given to a young woman of color in the 10^th grade.  This year’s award winner is described by her faculty as “impressive,” “stellar,” “enthusiastic” and a “pleasure to teach.”  This year’s award winner is Carina Cruz ’13.

The next award, The Smith College Book award, is given to an outstanding junior who exemplifies the academic achievement, leadership qualities, and concern for others that characterize the thousands of women who have graduated from Smith College, including Elisabeth Irwin.  The winner of the Smith College Book award is Hannah Silverman ’12.

I congratulate all high school students on this successful year.  We had a great time growing and learning together.  It was really a terrific school year.

When you get a chance, take a look at the summer reading.  Please note, final grades and comments on LREI Connect (formerly known as Podium!) will be posted on June 28.

Have a wonderful summer!  Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

From Denise J. Hills, Tuscaloosa City PTA Council President: Thank you SO much for your generous donation to the Tuscaloosa City PTA Council/Tornado Disaster Relief Fund. It is awesome to have schools helping schools. We are using funds to rebuild lives and our schools. Donations have been used to directly help children in the affected schools, and will be used to help purchase supplies for students and teachers for the next school year. This recovery is not a sprint, but a marathon. Our needs will continue long after the news tires of hearing of us. Thank you again for supporting our cause, and please refer your friends to our website, http://www.helptuscaloosaschools.com, to donate and for updates as to how funds are being used. you can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HelpTuscaloosaSchools.

This Year’s Successes

I am often asked, at this point in the year, “So, how was the year?  Successful?  Are you happy with the way things are ending?”  My answer, invariably, is “Yes.”  We always have a good year. Children learn.  They are healthy and happy. New families join, seniors graduate to terrific colleges. Some things change for the better, some stay the same, also for the better.  So, “Yes,” we had a successful year this year. Can we demonstrate or illustrate this? It is not always easy to measure the success of a school (which is surprising given how much time we spend measuring out students’ progress.) Clearly, there are some indicators of how well we performed this year.  What follows, in no particular order, are my thoughts on some of our successes.

To measure success in the divisions, we can look to awards, accolades, championships, publications, etc.  To name a few:

• The high school robotics team came in first in their division in the NY region, advancing to the world championship where they came in 25th.  Upon their return to NYC, they began to “deconstruct” the 24 robots ahead of them and are planning for next year’s competition.

• A group of high school students won the award for best documentary at the Toronto Student Film Festival

• The 7th/8th grade girls’ basketball team ended their season in first place.  All other inter-mural basketball teams, in the middle and high school, made it through at least one round of playoffs.

• A number of other teams won championships or tournaments or, in individual sports, had students who came in first place—cross-country and track are two examples.

• Our recently published literary magazine IE is excellent this year, as always.  This volume is just one example of LREI’s terrific student publications, which include the yearbooks—Expressions and Really Red—and our high school newspaper, The Charlton Label.

• Throughout the three divisions there are a multitude of other demonstrations of learning—publishing parties, art shows and museums.

• In all three divisions, weekly gatherings are student led.

• We produced four major theatrical productions plus at least four smaller plays that came out of the classroom curriculum.  In addition we held two seasonal concerts for the bands and choruses in which roughly 25% of the school participated.

• The number and variety of the field trips taken by our students is a true sign of our success as a mission driven school.

• A good number of faculty and administrators presented at conferences and workshops in New York and nationally.

Outside of the academic program:

• From an enrollment standpoint, we had a fantastic year.  Many, many applicants for all spots.  We were able to fill grades Fours-Nine with excellent students and families.  We are excited about the LREI community’s newest members and all that they will bring to the 2011-2012 school year.  We have enrolled our largest class of 9th graders ever at 63 students.  Almost 75% of eighth graders are moving up to ninth grade!

• We are thrilled by the college options and choices of the Class of 2011.  Congratulations to them and thank you to our new college guidance team.  The colleges in which our seniors are enrolled are excellent, highly academic, diverse and inspiring.

• Teacher turnover is at an all-time low.

• Thanks to the generosity of the LREI community we are poised to meet our Annual Fund goal, though are still hoping that we will see an additional increase in participation. Thank you to all who contributed and to all who helped to solicit donations.  Thank you, in advance, to any who will contribute between now and June 30th. The Big Auction added significantly to our Annual Fund successes bringing in at least $250,000. Thank you to the organizers.

• We are proud of our successes in making the school accessible and inclusive. We feel successful about the ways in which we have worked with students and families on issues of equity and justice.

• The Parents Association had a successful year with ever increasing levels of participation in their various events.  Surely a sign of success.

• As you may know, almost a year ago, LREI was awarded a grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation to fund our work in looking ahead a number of years and adding to our high school program in ways that will assure that we are preparing our students for their future, even though we don’t know where it will take them or us. The redesign team has made excellent progress and our work will continue into the summer and fall. As do all E.E. Ford grants, we were required to match the $50,000 with $50,000 from the LREI community. At last accounting, we had raised $67,000 in gifts to this fund.  Thank you to all who contributed.

There are many other examples of success waiting to be included on the list above, a list that could cover many pages and still leave out something or someone. We should be proud of these accomplishments; they are exciting and say a great deal about what we value, about our students and teachers and how they spend their time.

To shift focus somewhat, we should also be proud of those things that are less easily seen, such as the four year-old who learns to separate from a parent, the first grader who learns to read and the third grader who begins to learn to do research.  We should celebrate success in learning math at all levels, in being a scientist searching for answers and in speaking in a foreign language. We must give pats on the back all around for robots built, for essays written, for literature deconstructed. This list, too, is long, as long as the list of each of our students is, as we know that each of them stretched intellectually this year.

Another indication of success, I am convinced, are the many, many conversations that are going on concerning the next steps in the growth of LREI’s program, about projects for the summer and plans for the next school year.  These are not plans to remediate failure or to fill giant gaps, but are the result of thoughtful reflection on how best meet the school’s academic mission.  This sort of ongoing reflection and innovation are essential to our mission.  It is a great success when our teachers, at the end of a busy and taxing school year, continue to plan for the further development of our program.  This is clearly the path to increased success for LREI and to achieving the true potential of our progressive program.

Finally, I spent a number of hours over the past week meeting, in small groups, with all of our seniors. The goal of these exit interviews was to get some feedback from our oldest, wisest and most mature students.  Their comments and thoughts were honest and constructive.  The students have high expectations for themselves and for their schoolmates and, most importantly, for the school. They were encouraging about the directions the school is currently taking and clear about those things that should not change as well about areas where the students felt we should focus some attention.  More so than the specifics of their comments, their ability to be self-reflective, to make mature and constructive suggestions and to hold themselves accountable for some of what they wish would have happened during their time in high school are the true successes of our program.  Along with their families, we have fostered decent, caring, smart and hard working citizens who are going off to college able and eager to have an impact on their new communities, to learn and to succeed.

Best, Phil

Updates and Announcements:

Exam Week begins tomorrow with Reading Day!  Please take a look at last week’s blog for Trimester III Exam Week details.

Please click here for the 2011-2012 School Calendar.

The school store will be open for the last time this year on Wednesday June 8th. 8am -9am.  Be prepared for summer with LREI t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and water bottles!

1.  PA Officers Poll:  Each year the Parents Association asks its members to vote on a slate of officers and representatives for the following school year.  Click here for the ballot for the 2011-2012 school year.  All parents/guardians of LREI students are members of the association and are encouraged to vote.  There is no election for class parent representatives.  If you would like to volunteer to be a parent rep, please speak to your divisional coordinator or the current year’s parent reps.  Once completed, please return your ballot to the receptionist in either building.  Copies of the ballot are available at the front desk of either building. Ballots can also be mailed to the school; please address them to Parents Association Elections.

2.  TO ALL PARENTS FROM THE LREI PARENTS ASSOCIATION:

From the Parents Association: Spring is here, so it is time to start planning for the next school year. The Parents Association would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. You can also refer to the Family Handbook (accessible through our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. We will be matching parent reps to classes in mid-August or so, when the class lists are finalized. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees; please click here for the list. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

Dear Families,

Exam Week for Trimester III begins next Friday.  Attached, please find the exam schedule for Trimester III. The exam schedule may undergo a change or two in the next few days; the most current schedule will be posted at the high school. Below, please find what exam week will look like in case you have any questions, or need to make particular arrangements.

Next Friday, June 3:  Reading Day.  School open regular hours.

Reading Day is designed for students to prepare for exams, final papers and exhibitions. This is also an opportunity to catch up with outstanding work, work with groups for final presentations, use the Tech Center and printers around the school, etc. This is a quiet work day. Students may choose to work at school or at home. Students are not required to report to school, and it is not counted as an absence if they are not here. However, you may prefer your child to come to school for the full day to work. Please send him or her. School will be open. The Library will be open all day. All teachers will be at school regular school hours to provide the opportunity to meet with students.

Monday-Wednesday,  June 6-8: Exams. Exam periods are 9 AM-11 AM and 1 PM-3 PM. Each day, students should come in plenty of time for their morning exam, and students may leave after their exams are complete. Again, here is the exam schedule.

Thursday, June 9:  8:30 AM start time.  Special end of the year Arts Assembly and clean up.

Friday, June 10:  8:30 AM start time.  Class meetings, yearbook signing, lunch, then graduation at 1PM.  All students must be dressed appropriately for graduation.  No t-shirts, jeans.

Also:  Please take a look at the  History, English and Science electives for 10th, 11th and 12th grades.  There are course descriptions and sign up instructions .  Please take the time to look it over with your student if you are interested.  There are many wonderful choices for the next school year.  The sign-up sheets for English and History are due next Wednesday.  Students in academic support will need Jerry, Micah or me to review the options with them before turning in their forms.  The science elective sign ups will be done via survey monkey sometime next week.  If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me, Micah, Sarvjit, advisors and grade level deans.

Finally, tomorrow we will hold our annual Field Day at Pier 40.  We will also celebrate our senior class and hear what each senior’s plans are for after graduation.  We are looking forward to an exciting day! School will close at 1:00PM. Some additional information follows:

• It is important for all students to arrive on time in their colors!  Ninth grade:  YELLOW, Tenth grade:  PURPLE, Eleventh Grade:  ORANGE, Twelfth grade:  RED
• Students will spend the first part of Field Day in activities with their buddies. The younger lower school classes will return to the school after lunch while the third through twelfth grades will participate in a variety of activities in mixed age groups.
• Students will need to bring their own lunch along with a container of water. (No nuts or seeds, please.)  Plastic bottles are fine, but please no glass containers!  Clothing should be comfortable and easy to move in, shorts or sweatpants and athletic shoes.  No sandals.  Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are strongly recommended.
• We will return to school in time for 1:00PM dismissal, 12:45PM for the Fours, Fours/K and K.

All the best, Ruth

Please click here for the 2011-2012 School Calendar.

Save the date for an important event:  The Senior Project Presentation evening, Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 PM.  All 11th grade students are required to attend the Senior Project Evening.

1.  LREI Camping Trip: The 18th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place June 3-5 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. All LREI families and their children  from all grades pre-K through high school  are invited to participate. Sign-up tables will be in front of the 6th Ave building on Fri May 6, Tues May 17, and Thurs May 26. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help organize, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966. Further information about the camping trip can be found here.

2.  PA Officers Poll:  Each year the Parents Association asks its members to vote on a slate of officers and representatives for the following school year.  Click here for the ballot for the 2011-2012 school year.  All parents/guardians of LREI students are members of the association and are encouraged to vote.  There is no election for class parent representatives.  If you would like to volunteer to be a parent rep, please speak to your divisional coordinator or the current year’s parent reps.  Once completed, please return your ballot to the receptionist in either building.  Copies of the ballot are available at the front desk of either building. Ballots can also be mailed to the school; please address them to Parents Association Elections.

3.  TO ALL PARENTS FROM THE LREI PARENTS ASSOCIATION:

From the Parents Association: Spring is here, so it is time to start planning for the next school year. The Parents Association would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. You can also refer to the Family Handbook (accessible through our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. We will be matching parent reps to classes in mid-August or so, when the class lists are finalized. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees; please click here for the list. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

4.  EE Ford Grant Announcement:

As you may know, LREI has been awarded a prestigious $50,000 matching grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation to redesign the high school curriculum for the 21st century. EE Ford is the only foundation that awards money solely to independent secondary schools and it is a huge honor for LREI to be among the few recipients. This is a challenge grant and LREI has been successful in raising the needed matching funds from our community.

Phil has given several talks about the grant and his vision for our high school curriculum. If you have not already attended his presentation, please join him on Tuesday, May 31st at 8:45am in the Sixth Avenue Library to learn more.

Dear Families,

We are so proud of Julian Pratt ’12, Arvid Logan ’12, and Zac Teller ’12, who won Best Documentary for their film, “Gatfish” at the Toronto Student Film Festival this week! Please take a look at their winning film here.  Even though the students could not attend the festival, festival organizers, when realizing they had won a major award, asked Julian, Arvid and Zac to send along an acceptance speech.  Please read it as it informs the viewer of the intention behind their film.  Here it is:

If we had things our way, we would be on a bus on our way to Toronto this very night so that we could accept this award in person. As for the few lines to be read aloud, we have agreed upon the following:

“When we began production of this film, we had no idea it would win an award of any kind. Our process began with a simple idea: To show the viewer that there is a correlation between pulling the trigger of a controller and pulling the trigger of a gun. Not to say that we are anti guns or anti video games. We just want people to think, and to realize that actions, such as playing video games, can have affects other than the immediate gratification one gets from what is happening on screen. We would like to thank our participants for being completely honest and for sharing so much of themselves with us. Thank you to our brilliant teacher, Vinay Chowdhry, for his constant encouragement and unending stream of suggestions. And most of all, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to watch our film. We hope you enjoyed watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Also, as you know, we were able to bringthe film, Pediatric Cancer Research, by Simon Staples-Vangel ’12, Leon Sukhram ’12, and Tiffany Ramos ’12, to  The Westport Youth Film Festival (WYFF) in Fairfield County, CT this past weekend.   Here are Leon and Simon being interviewed at the fest.

Finally, we hope to see you all at the publishing party coffeehouse this Saturday at 7PM, PAC, Charlton Street.  This annual coffeehouse celebrates the newest edition of IE: The Literary Magazine. Come and enjoy an evening of readings by our middle and high school writers.

All the best,

Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

Please click here for the 2011-2012 School Calendar.

Save the date for two important events: Tuesday, May 24, 6:30 PM, The HS Sports Awards, Thompson Street Gym, and for all Seniors and their families, The Senior Project Presentation evening, Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 PM.  All 11th grade students are required to attend the Senior Project Evening.

* Dear LREI Families,

Many in our school have been affected by the natural disasters in the Midwest and South, and students in both the Lower and  Middle School are now trying to assist those who have been suffering because of these natural disasters. The first and eighth  grade buddy classes have decided to host a bake sale in order to raise funds to help rebuild schools in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. For more information about the organization coordinating these efforts, visit http://helptuscaloosaschools.com.  The bake sale will take place at 3:00pm on Monday, May 23rd in front of the Sixth Avenue building. We hope that you will support these efforts to help rebuild schools in Tuscaloosa on Monday afternoon. Additionally, if you want to support the efforts of of first and eighth graders by also bringing in baked goods (remember no nuts or seeds) you may do so. First and eighth grade families should bring baked good into their classrooms on Monday. Other grades can drop good of in one of the eighth grade classrooms.We hope to see you on Monday!

-The Eighth Grade Class Student Representatives.

1.  LREI Camping Trip: The 18th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place June 3-5 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. All LREI families and their children  from all grades pre-K through high school  are invited to participate. Sign-up tables will be in front of the 6th Ave building on Fri May 6, Tues May 17, and Thurs May 26. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help organize, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966. Further information about the camping trip can be found here.

2. Field Day and Senior Appreciation Day! Friday, May 27 8:30AM – 1PM

Field Day is fast approaching, so get ready for some outdoor fun! In the morning, students will walk with their buddies (younger kids will take a bus) to Pier 40. We will start the day by celebrating our seniors and then will break into our buddy groups for fun games and activities. After lunch, our third through sixth graders will be playing cooperative games and relay races and our seventh trough twelfth graders will be playing team sports, or doing Yoga!  We will return to school by 1PM for early dismissal.

This year, we will be wearing colored shirts!

Each buddy team has been assigned a color. Please wear a shirt in this color, if possible, to show team spirit.

first and eighth grades:  GREEN

second and ninth grades:  YELLOW

K and seventh grades:  WHITE

third and tenth grades:  PURPLE

fourth and eleventh grades:  ORANGE

fours and sixth grades:  LIGHT BLUE

fifth and twelfth grades: RED

Don’t forget to have students bring a lunch (No nuts, seeds, glass bottles), proper athletic clothes and shoes, and remind them to drink lots of water, and wear a hat and sunscreen.

3.  PA Officers Poll:  Each year the Parents Association asks its members to vote on a slate of officers and representatives for the following school year.  Click here for the ballot for the 2011-2012 school year.  All parents/guardians of LREI students are members of the association and are encouraged to vote.  There is no election for class parent representatives.  If you would like to volunteer to be a parent rep, please speak to your divisional coordinator or the current year’s parent reps.  Once completed, please return your ballot to the receptionist in either building.  Copies of the ballot are available at the front desk of either building. Ballots can also be mailed to the school; please address them to Parents Association Elections.

4.  TO ALL PARENTS FROM THE LREI PARENTS ASSOCIATION:

From the Parents Association: Spring is here, so it is time to start planning for the next school year. The Parents Association would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. You can also refer to the Family Handbook (accessible through our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. We will be matching parent reps to classes in mid-August or so, when the class lists are finalized. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees; please click here for the list. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

All parents are cordially invited to the Volunteer Thank You and Welcome Breakfast on Friday, May 20th, from 8 to 9:30 AM in the courtyard at 40 Charlton St. This event is for all present and future parent volunteers, and will be a time to learn more about what the PA does. Representatives of all PA committees will be present, so it will be a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

5.  EE Ford Grant Announcement:

As you may know, LREI has been awarded a prestigious $50,000 matching grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation to redesign the high school curriculum for the 21st century. EE Ford is the only foundation that awards money solely to independent secondary schools and it is a huge honor for LREI to be among the few recipients. This is a challenge grant and LREI has been successful in raising the needed matching funds from our community.

Phil has given several talks about the grant and his vision for our high school curriculum. If you have not already attended his presentation, please join him on Tuesday, May 31st at 8:45am in the Sixth Avenue Library to learn more.

Dear Families,

As you may know, we have the good fortune of participating in NYU’s College Preview program.  This program allows high school students in 11th and 12th grades to take college courses for a grade that is included on their transcript.

Attached please will find the course offerings and application process for the Fall NYU College Preview Program. This is an exciting opportunity where high school students in exceptional academic standing can take an actual NYU course for high school credit. We are allowed to send six LREI students each semester, so if your student is interested in the program, and is a rising 11th or 12th grader,  he or she should fill out the application form and turn it in to me or to Analisa in the college office no later than 2nd period on Wednesday, May 18.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the college office or me and we will be happy to help. Unfortunately, NYU dictates the time frame of the process so there is no flexibility with this deadline.

For all families, as you enjoy this beautiful weather, I encourage you to read  the following article which I find to be very thought-provoking and conversation starting, particularly when thinking about redesigning education.  Worth sharing.

“Paper Tigers”: New York Magazine’s cover story this week on “what happens to all the Asian-American overachievers when the test-taking ends?”

Best,

Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

Please click here for the 2011-2012 School Calendar.

Save the date for three important events: Thursday, May 18, 6:30 PM, LREI’s Annual Spring Concert (click link for details), Tuesday, May 24, 6:30 PM, The HS Sports Awards, Thompson Street Gym, and for all Seniors and their families, The Senior Project Presentation evening, Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 PM.  All 11th grade students are required to attend the Senior Project Evening.

1.  LREI Camping Trip: The 18th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place June 3-5 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. All LREI families and their children  from all grades pre-K through high school  are invited to participate. Sign-up tables will be in front of the 6th Ave building on Fri May 6, Tues May 17, and Thurs May 26. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help organize, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966. Further information about the camping trip can be found at: http://www.lrei.org/community/parents/pa/camping?rc=0

2.  Sing for Hope’s Pop-Up Pianos

Piano Painting Event for LREI Students and Families! SATURDAY, May 14, noon-3pm

Sing for Hope, a New York City-based non-profit, will place 88 pianos in parks and public spaces throughout the five boroughs from June 18 – July 2.  A symbol of Sing for Hope’s commitment to make the arts available to all, the Pop-Up Pianos will unite and engage diverse communities throughout New York City. After their public residency, the Singfor Hope Pop-Up Pianos will be donated to local schools, hospitals, and community centers, enriching lives for years to come.

Last year, LREI students painted the piano placed at Little Red Square!  This year, we are inviting LREI students and their families to do the same, under the guidance of a Sing for Hope Teaching Artist.  On May 14, from noon to 3pm, participants will have the chance to decorate a piano at Sing for Hope’s Piano Warehouse at 32 Avenue of the Americas in TriBeCa.  We hope that you will take part in this special celebration of public art!

To sign up, RSVP to Rowena Penaranda-Askins at rpenaranda@lrei.org.

To learn more about Sing for Hope, please visit www.singforhope.org.

3.  Bring in your old books and exchange them for new ones at this year’s LREI Book Swap, on Thursday and Friday, May 19-20. Last year’s Swap was such a success that we decided to try it in place of the Spring Book Fair this year. So, please bring in everything from beginning board books to adult books. We’d especially like any books from past summer reading lists. You might write a note about why you loved the book and leave it in the pages for the new owners.  We’ll have donation boxes in the Sixth Avenue Lobby on May 17 and 18th. After that you can bring them to the swap directly. Hope to see you there!

4. TO ALL PARENTS FROM THE LREI PARENTS ASSOCIATION:

From the Parents Association: Spring is here, so it is time to start planning for the next school year. The Parents Association would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. You can also refer to the Family Handbook (accessible through our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. We will be matching parent reps to classes in mid-August or so, when the class lists are finalized. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees; please click here for the list. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

All parents are cordially invited to the Volunteer Thank You and Welcome Breakfast on Friday, May 20th, from 8 to 9:30 AM in the courtyard at 40 Charlton St. This event is for all present and future parent volunteers, and will be a time to learn more about what the PA does. Representatives of all PA committees will be present, so it will be a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Dear Families,

We are so proud of the seniors’ acceptances to a terrific set of colleges and universities-a  wonderfully varied and interesting list! Working individually with Carey Socol, our Director of College Guidance, and her associate Analisa Cipriano, LREI ’05, in order to choose schools that match the students’ specific academic and personal ambitions. Our seniors are confident that they have chosen exactly the right schools for them.  The college process, which also involves families, advisors, teachers and the high school principal Ruth Jurgensen is comprehensive and inclusive.

Click here to see a complete list of acceptances earned by the class of 2011.

Now that they have chosen the schools that they will attend for the next four years, what will the members of the class of 2011 take with them to their new campus homes?  We know, through the experience of our alumni, that the class of 2011 will arrive academically and intellectually prepared to succeed.  College will be challenging, as it should be, but our alumni tell us, year after year, that they have had the academic preparation required to thrive in the next stage of their academic career.

One tool for success was noted at this past January’s Alumni College Panel by Lily Wiggins ’07. (Lily is currently attending Pitzer College. She started at LREI at five and is the recent recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship to study in Indonesia next year.) Lily told us, “LREI really fosters good relationships between teachers and students. When you go to college, you have the confidence to email them, to get into the classes you want or meet with them outside of office hours because we were used to meeting with teachers at LREI.”

We hear this quite often.  LREI not only prepares students with the necessary academic and communication skills, but also with the ability to be advocates for themselves and their beliefs. Taylor Bello ’10, noted:

“My bio class, my chem lab and my chem class all have over 300 students, which was bigger than my whole high school. That was a big change, but because the relationships between teachers and students at LREI are so strong, I was able to go up to professors, talk to them, so they could recognize my face when I raised my hand in class and call me by my first name. Don’t be afraid to talk to professors when you get to college because it makes a huge difference and LREI definitely prepared me for that.”(Taylor is a pre-med student at Boston College.  She started at LREI in ninth grade.)

An important component of LREI’s preparation for success in college is providing our students with a range of academic experiences.  According to Kai Furbeck ‘10, (Kai, who started at LREI in Kindergarten, is now finishing his first year at Brown University):

“Academically, [at LREI] there’s a lot of room for self-directing and self-motivating and pursuing things you wouldn’t necessarily get a chance to pursue in the classroom. I got the opportunity to take a lot of honors courses where I would meet with teachers individually outside of class or in small groups, and basically, anything you could think of that you wanted to learn, there would be a teacher who knew something about it and could either jump in and learn about it, or if there weren’t many teachers who knew about it, you could find someone willing to learn about it with you and you could both jump in and just sort of explore anything you were interested in. That was one of the most valuable opportunities I had here.”

In addition to providing a range of academic experiences, our students value the variety of co-curricular opportunities they have.  According to Jeffrey Adler ’08, “One thing that’s great about LREI is that you’re able to pursue completely different passions at the same time…. A lot of my friends when I went to college, they were like ‘How can you do that? You can’t really manage that.’ The basketball players were like, ‘Theater?’ And all of the theater people were like, ‘Sports? No way.’ But only at a place like LREI can you become the type of person where you can do so much. I am really grateful for that.”  (Jeffrey is currently a student atOccidental College and began at LREI at 5. His younger sister Jaquie is in the LREI class of 2019—the third grade.)

In what other ways does LREI prepare its students for the rigors of postsecondary life? What other experiences enable our students to be as successful as they are?  According to Ana De La Cruz ’10, currently a freshmen at Georgetown University, who started at LREI in the eighth grade, “We also got the chance to take classes at NYU. It prepared me so much for college. I took a journalism course and it really helped me improve my writing.”  (Ana was speaking of our College Preview Program through which juniors and seniors can take classes at NYU.  LREI is the only independent school participating in this program.  Students enroll in these classes in addition to all of the requirements for their grade).

Speaking of the lasting impact of her time at LREI, Kamillah Aklaff ’07 added:

“We had all of these amazing speakers come in during our assemblies and all these just really exciting events. People at Tufts are always so impressed when I say that x person came to speak to us in high school and I went on all these trips in school. That was when I think we really got to apply our critical, analytical skills. And then that helped me as I learned and grew at Tufts. I think that I have grown academically and personally and socially in a number of ways at Tufts, but I still always think back to my time at LREI. When I think about how I’ve sort of flourished into this person who is passionate about sociology and doing all these social justice initiatives, I think a lot of that came from my time spent at LREI and all of the skills and values that I learned while I was here.”(Kamillah is a sociology major at Tufts University.  She began at LREI at five.)

Confident, connected, passionate, competent, well rounded—our students leave LREI eager and prepared as they go off to college.  Once again, please join me in congratulating our seniors as they head off to the colleges and universities of their choice and as they prepare to use all that they learned at LREI as active and involved young adult members of society.

Click here to see a complete list of schools in which the class of 2011 has enrolled.

Click here to read last year’s college blog and list.

Sincerely,
Phil

Updates and Announcements:

Please click here for the 2011-2012 School Calendar.

Save the date for three important events: Thursday, May 18, 6:30 PM, LREI’s Annual Spring Concert (click link for details), Tuesday, May 24, 6:30 PM, The HS Sports Awards, Thompson Street Gym, and for all Seniors and their families, The Senior Project Presentation evening, Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 PM.  All 11th grade students are required to attend the Senior Project Evening.

This is a great weekend to see ART!

• Students and JSA member schools (LREI is one) cordially invite you to it’s annual photography exhibition/reception, Independent Visions, featuring school selected student photography by upper school students from New York City Independent Schools.  LREI students have several photos in this exhibit thanks to photography teacher Susan Now.  The exhibit will be held this Sunday, May 8th (Mother’s Day) at the Stux Gallery in Chelsea.   This year students have chosen The CNN Project: Ending Modern-Day Slavery, as their ‘Vision’ recipient and awareness project. Stefan Stux has generously offered to donate the gallery space for the student exhibition.  The student exhibit will accompany the works from the current show ‘WONDER’ Ruud van Empel.  JSA is an organization which handles many charitable events throughout the year with the assistance of parents and high school students.  You are welcome to view the website at  http://www.jointschoolsny.org/.  The following students have contributed work in this one-day only show!  Victor Aaron ’13, Lily Gavin ’13, Surayya Diggs ’13, Maya Kaufman ’13, David White ’13, Taylor Brando ’12, Nicholas Cleves ’12, Talia Feldberg ’12, Jesse Rubenstein ’12, Hannah Silverman ’12, Lili Thomases ’12, Nick Van Zandt ’12, Lisa Remar ’12, Lucia Zerner ’12, Hannah Rivkin ’12, Olivia Tjernberg ’12, Lucas Renique-Poole ’11, Zoe Lubin-Fosha ’11, and Alice Ng ’11
• An invitation to Sue Scott Gallery this Saturday, May 7 from Olivia Feal ’11:  As you know for part of my senior project I have been working at Sue Scott Gallery [parent of Chase Squier ’14].  There is a new exhibition up, David Shapiro:  Money is No Object, which I have been helping set up. Please forward this to faculty and parents who might be interested in seeing the pieces as well as seeing the hard work we have put in, culminated into an exhibition.
• Congratulations Nell Jocelyn ’08 on the publication of your first book “Ones and Twos,” written in collaboration with your mom, award winning author and LREI Book Week regular (and inventor), Marthe Jocelyn. Join Nell and Marthe for a book party to celebrate the publication of their beautiful first piece together.  We sure hope it is not the last!

1.  LREI Camping Trip: The 18th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place June 3-5 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. All LREI families and their children  from all grades pre-K through high school ­ are invited to participate. Sign-up tables will be in front of the 6th Ave building on Fri May 6, Tues May 17, and Thurs May 26. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help organize, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966.

2.   This year’s middle school production of Oliver is tomorrow night, Friday, 6th May at 7pm and Saturday 7th May at 2pm and 7pm. With a cast and crew of 60 students, this is one of the biggest musicals we have seen at LREI. The musical has been winning awards since 1963 but is still as exciting and entertaining as ever. Charles Dickens originally wrote the novel Oliver Twist which is a rich story of the impoverished lives of characters in the 1850s in London, England. This musical is an entertaining and compelling adaption, with many musical numbers and larger than life characters. We celebrate the wonderful talents of our middle school students and hope that you all come. Tickets are on sale in the Sixth Ave lobby between 8am and 9am, so make sure you get yours before we sell out! Adults $12 and students and senior citizens $10.

3.  Sing for Hope’s Pop-Up Pianos
Piano Painting Event for LREI Students and Families!

SATURDAY, May 14, noon-3pm

Sing for Hope, a New York City-based non-profit, will place 88 pianos in parks and public spaces throughout the five boroughs from June 18 – July 2.  A symbol of Sing for Hope’s commitment to make the arts available to all, the Pop-Up Pianos will unite and engage diverse communities throughout New York City. After their public residency, the Singfor Hope Pop-Up Pianos will be donated to local schools, hospitals, and community centers, enriching lives for years to come.

Last year, LREI students painted the piano placed at Little Red Square!  This year, we are inviting LREI students and their families to do the same, under the guidance of a Sing for Hope Teaching Artist.  On May 14, from noon to 3pm, participants will have the chance to decorate a piano at Sing for Hope’s Piano Warehouse at 32 Avenue of the Americas in TriBeCa.  We hope that you will take part in this special celebration of public art!

To sign up, RSVP to Rowena Penaranda-Askins at rpenaranda@lrei.org.

To learn more about Sing for Hope, please visit www.singforhope.org.

4. TO ALL PARENTS FROM THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION:

Spring is here, so it is time to start planning for the next school year. The Parents Association would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. You can also refer to the Family Handbook (accessible through our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. We will be matching parent reps to classes in mid-August or so, when the class lists are finalized.

If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees; please click here for the list. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

All parents are cordially invited to the Volunteer Thank You and Welcome Breakfast on Friday, May 20th, from 8 to 9:30 AM in the courtyard at 40 Charlton St. This event is for all present and future parent volunteers, and will be a time to learn more about what the PA does. Representatives of all PA committees will be present, so it will be a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Thank you and have a great spring,

Regina Trumbull and Susie Marples

5.  LREI’s adult chorus -in -residence, The Glass Menagerie Chorus, directed by Susan Glass, will give a full performance of Carl Orff’s CARMINA BURANA at FIT’s Haft Auditorium.

With Two Pianos and Percussion.

This Saturday, May 7th 8pm

Tickets:  $20, $15 students/seniors

Click here for more!

6. Downtown Potluck, LREI’s own community cookbook, will be on sale in the Sixth Ave. lobby Thursday and Friday, May 5th and 6th, for all your spring giftgiving needs. (Mother’s Day is May 8th!)

7.  Bring in your old books and exchange them for new ones at this year’s LREI Book Swap, on Thursday and Friday, May 19-20. Last year’s Swap was such a success that we decided to try it in place of the Spring Book Fair this year. So, please bring in everything from beginning board books to adult books. We’d especially like any books from past summer reading lists. You might write a note about why you loved the book and leave it in the pages for the new owners.

We’ll have donation boxes in the Sixth Avenue Lobby on May 17 and 18th. After that you can bring them to the swap directly. Hope to see you there!

Dear Families,

Trimester III interim grades will be available Wednesday, May 4 by 3PM for all students earning B- and below in their classes. Please note, some teachers will put a running grade up for every student in their class, but students earning B- and below will receive a comment. Interims will be online on Podium. Please check to make sure you can log on to the system successfully. If you have any problems logging on, please contact help@lrei.org, which can assist you.  Further, if you would like your child’s interims mailed, please call Adria Maynor at 212-477-5316, x323.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding an interim grade or comment, please contact the instructor directly via phone extension or email (first initial, last name@lrei.org) or your child’s advisor. Please note, exam week for Trimester III begins with Reading Day, June 6. The end of Trimester III is June 9, with the last exams.  Graduation is June 10.

Next Friday on May 6, students will participate in our annual Arts Festival, organized and implemented by the Arts Department.  The day will begin at 8:30 with Morning Meeting and continue with each student participating in a workshop.  Each workshop, including ones that focus on dance, design, improvisation, drawing, experimental filmmaking, collage, and portrait paintingamong others, is open to all students.  The workshops will run from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and then we will have a community share at 1:00 PM.   Many thanks to the Arts Department for putting it all together and to the wonderful and talented artists (several are also parents of current high school students!) who are volunteering their time.  Click here to see this year’s offerings!

Finally, we are so proud of three great films that will be shown at this year’s Social Justice Expo at NYU on Monday:

Pediatric Cancer Research by Simon Staples-Vangel ’12, Tiffany Ramos ’12,  Leon Sukhram ’13

The Public Issue by Sam Irwin ’12and Aaron Naves ’12

Gatfish by Arvid Logan ’12,  Zac Teller ’12  and Julian Pratt ’12

The third annual New York Social Justice Expo will take place  from 12 to 2 pm. The event is open to students of all ages/grade levels. The Social Justice Expo is a unique opportunity for students to showcase social justice projects they completed during the year. Last year students presented nearly 40 social justice projects for an audience of more than 200 people.

New York University, Kimmel Student Center, 60 Washington Square South.

The Social Justice Expo is presented by Brooklyn International High School, the Center for Multicultural Education and Programs at NYU, the Education for Liberation Network, Make the Road New York and Validus Preparatory Academy.

All the best, Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

Please click here for the 2011-2012 School Calendar!

From our College Office:

** THIS SUNDAY, MAY 1st from 6-8pm is the COLLEGE FAIR being held at The Chapin School (100 East End Avenue at 84th Street).  It is mandatory for all juniors to attend.  If a student has a conflict with attending the fair, have them see Carey Socol before Friday.  Because of the large amount of students that will be in attendance (students from 11 different private schools), parents cannot be accommodated at this event.

**NEXT WEDNESDAY, MAY 4th, at 6:30 pm is a FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP being held in the High School cafeteria for interested 10th and 11th grade families. Bill Rabbit from College Funding Services will be here to give financial advice as you begin the college process with your children.

Junior Family Meetings are wrapping up this week.  We will begin individual student meetings next week which will run through the end of the year.

Reminder, if your student is planning to take the JUNE SAT or ACT, the deadline to sign up for both tests is May 6th. Go to www.collegeboard.com or www.actstudent.org to register.

1.  LREI Camping Trip: The 18th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place June 3-5 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. All LREI families and their children  from all grades pre-K through high school  are invited to participate. Watch for details and sign-up tables coming soon. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help organize, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966.

2.   This year’s middle school production of Oliver is next week on Friday, 6th May at 7pm and Saturday 7th May at 2pm and 7pm. With a cast and crew of 60 students, this is one of the biggest musicals we have seen at LREI. The musical has been winning awards since 1963 but is still as exciting and entertaining as ever. Charles Dickens originally wrote the novel Oliver Twist which is a rich story of the impoverished lives of characters in the 1850s in London, England. This musical is an entertaining and compelling adaption, with many musical numbers and larger than life characters. We celebrate the wonderful talents of our middle school students and hope that you all come. Tickets are on sale in the Sixth Ave lobby between 8am and 9am, so make sure you get yours before we sell out! Adults $12 and students and senior citizens $10.

3.  Sing for Hope’s Pop-Up Pianos
Piano Painting Event for LREI Students and Families!

SATURDAY, May 14, noon-3pm

Sing for Hope, a New York City-based non-profit, will place 88 pianos in parks and public spaces throughout the five boroughs from June 18 – July 2.  A symbol of Sing for Hope’s commitment to make the arts available to all, the Pop-Up Pianos will unite and engage diverse communities throughout New York City. After their public residency, the Singfor Hope Pop-Up Pianos will be donated to local schools, hospitals, and community centers, enriching lives for years to come.

Last year, LREI students painted the piano placed at Little Red Square!  This year, we are inviting LREI students and their families to do the same, under the guidance of a Sing for Hope Teaching Artist.  On May 14, from noon to 3pm, participants will have the chance to decorate a piano at Sing for Hope’s Piano Warehouse at 32 Avenue of the Americas in TriBeCa.  We hope that you will take part in this special celebration of public art!

To sign up, RSVP to Rowena Penaranda-Askins at rpenaranda@lrei.org.

To learn more about Sing for Hope, please visit www.singforhope.org.

4. TO ALL PARENTS FROM THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION:

Spring is here, so it is time to start planning for the next school year. The Parents Association would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. You can also refer to the Family Handbook (accessible through our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. We will be matching parent reps to classes in mid-August or so, when the class lists are finalized.

If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees; please click here for the list. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

All parents are cordially invited to the Volunteer Thank You and Welcome Breakfast on Friday, May 20th, from 8 to 9:30 AM in the courtyard at 40 Charlton St. This event is for all present and future parent volunteers, and will be a time to learn more about what the PA does. Representatives of all PA committees will be present, so it will be a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Thank you and have a great spring,

Regina Trumbull and Susie Marples

5.   From Chap, Director of Diversity and Community:  Dear Families, please join us for the screening of Straightlaced: How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up during Part 3 of 3 of How to Raise an Ally: Social Justice at LREI, Friday, April 29, 8:45 – 10:45 am in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria.  Please click here for more information!

6.  LREI’s adult chorus -in -residence, The Glass Menagerie Chorus, directed by Susan Glass, will give a full performance of Carl Orff’s CARMINA BURANA at FIT’s Haft Auditorium.

With Two Pianos and Percussion.

Saturday, May 7th 8pm

Tickets:  $20, $15 students/seniors

Click here for more!

7. Downtown Potluck, LREI’s own community cookbook, will be on sale in the Sixth Ave. lobby Thursday and Friday, May 5th and 6th, for all your spring giftgiving needs. (Mother’s Day is May 8th!)

Dear Families,

Everyone knows that I appreciate all of the students we have here at LREI.  We have the most terrific community of individuals, and each student has his or her own story that makes their experience here a unique one.  One student, Simon Staples-Vangel, who I know as a typical 11th grader and know as a student very well as I taught him in two literature classes this year, has an amazing story of survival from pediatric cancer that will inspire you truly, but most importantly, has a cause that we absolutely need to support:  Kids Walk for Kids With Cancer. On May 7, in Central Park, this annual event will raise funds that are desperately needed to support research and hopefully cures for cancers that affect children.  Pediatric Cancer research is significantly underfunded and much of the treatment for these illnesses, experimental.

To hear more about Simon’s personal experience and more information about Kids Walk for Kids With Cancer, please watch this talk Simon gave to The Calhoun School last week.  Our own Grace Tobin ’12 designed the Kids Walk logo on their website, posters and shirts again this year!

Also, please take a look at this important, short documentary that highlights the challenges families face when confronting pediatric cancer and provides an insight into why funds for pediatric cancer research are needed.  It was directed, produced and edited by Simon, Tiffany Ramos ’12, and Leon Sukhram ’13 for our Media Advocacy class.

This film has been selected to be shown in the 2011 Lighthouse International Film Festival K-12 Student Film Category.  This year’s festival runs June 3rd to June 5th in Red Bank, NJ with the  film  showing on Sunday, June 5th, from 1-3 pm.  It was also selected for The Westport Youth Film Festival (WYFF) in Fairfield County, CT.  This is a two-day film festival for high school student filmmakers and their film was selected from  “over 2,000 film submissions throughout the United States, and from other countries, including China, Indonesia, India, and Israel.”

And…

“WYFF celebrates the work of youth filmmakers, from across the United States and world, who show their work at the festival each spring and receive support and career guidance from film professionals through WYFF programming and events. WYFF has launched the film careers of numerous alumni, who have gone on to some of the best film schools in the country, and subsequently graduate to pursue successful careers in the field.”

This year’s 8th annual Westport Youth Film Festival will take place at the Fairfield Community Theater, in downtown Fairfield, CT on May 14, 2011. Tickets are on sale now.

Please support this important cause either by registering for the walk on May 7 and/or by donating funds.  If anything, take a look at the links above and be as proud of Simon and our students as we are.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

*Families, while we do not hold formal spring conferences for students in grades 9-11, do not hesitate to contact your child’s advisor, dean, Sarvjit, Micah or me, to schedule an appointment before the end of the school year.

1.  BIG THANK YOU to all who participated in last weekend’s coffeehouse fundraiser for Japan!  So far, LREI with the previous bake sale and coffehouse combined has collected over $5000 for Japan’s Red Cross Society.   Donations will still be accepted until May 6.  Donation boxes are at reception at both Charlton Street and Sixth Avenue buildings.

2.  TO ALL PARENTS FROM THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION:

Spring is here, so it is time to start planning for the next school year. The Parents Association would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. You can also refer to the Family Handbook (accessible through our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. We will be matching parent reps to classes in mid-August or so, when the class lists are finalized.

If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees; please click here for the list. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

All parents are cordially invited to the Volunteer Thank You and Welcome Breakfast on Friday, May 20th, from 8 to 9:30 AM in the courtyard at 40 Charlton St. This event is for all present and future parent volunteers, and will be a time to learn more about what the PA does. Representatives of all PA committees will be present, so it will be a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Thank you and have a great spring,

Regina Trumbull and Susie Marples

3.  From Chap, Director of Diversity and Community:  Dear Families, please join us for the screening of Straightlaced: How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up during Part 3 of 3 of How to Raise an Ally: Social Justice at LREI, Friday, April 29, 8:45 – 10:45 am in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria.  Please click here for more information!

Dear Families,

We hope to see you at LREI’s benefit to support relief efforts in Japan, this Saturday, April 16.  Because of the level of interest in participation the community has expressed, this event will now begin with activities such as origami, calligraphy and t-shirt making for kids at 6PM.  At 7PM, performances will begin!  In addition to our jazz ensemble and EI Singers, performances include:

• the spectacular percussionist Damon Duewhite
• Guitarist Graham Whitford ’10 (in town to play for this event) and guitarist Harry Whitford ’13 playing together on stage
• Pianist and singer Lenny Weissman ’14
• Pianist and singer Lisa Remar ’12
• a variety of performances from our lower school students, including a cellist, violinist and pianist
• a samurai demonstration from Samurai Sword Soul

There will also be a raffle for free passes to the Sakura Matsuri Festival at Brooklyn Botanical, a simple kimono, and signed cds from jazz artist Emi Meyer.

Maya Peart ’12, one of the organizers, also designed a limited edition t-shirt in children and adult sizes ($20) that will sell out quickly!  

The traditional bake sale, central to every LREI coffeehouse, will feature cookies from our neighborhood chocolatier Jacques Torres thanks to a donation!  We will also have sushi provided by Director of Admissions Julia Heaton!

Eleventh graders Maya Peart and Emma Jacoby and tenth grader Aaron Feliciano (along with Preethi Thomas and Clair Segal, advisors to the Japan Club and Micah Dov Gottlieb, coordinator for our coffeehouse program) have worked tirelessly to put this event together.  Thanks to pre-event donations, we have already raised over $500 for the victims of the Tohoku Earthquake in Japan. All funds raised will go to the Yoshiki Foundation of America. Yoshiki Foundation of America is a non-profit, public benefit corporation whose funds are going to the Japanese Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami recovery efforts through the Japanese Red Cross Society.   Tickets are $10. If you cannot attend the benefit, donation boxes are at the Charlton St and Sixth Avenue buildings until May 6th.

For more information about the event, to volunteer, or to donate food, please email us at LREI-Japan@lrei.org.

See you there!

Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

Reminder:  School is closed next week on Tuesday, April 19 and Friday, April 22.

1.  For 10th and 11th grade families:  Director of College Guidance Carey Socol has arranged a financial aid workshop on funding college, May 4, 2011, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria at Charlton Street.  There is no cost to attend this workshop provided by College Funding Services.

2.  From the Red is Green Committee:

We are having a week of activities to celebrate Earth Day–April 22nd.  We are calling the week of April 18th Earth Week at LREI.

• Monday April 18th – interested children will have the opportunity to decorate canvas tote bags. We will also have a demonstration of how to make green cleaning supplies. Click here for the recipes.  We will also have a petition for people to sign about stopping the use of plastic bags.
• Thursday April 21st – Children will be able to plant seeds.
• Wednesday April 20th from 6:00PM-8:00PM – the PA will host a presentation/workshop with Jamie Cloud (LREI parent) of the Cloud Institute on Sustainability.  This will be an interactive and enlightening evening during which participants will think about sustainability and their relationship to the planet. Basically, how you can start thinking in new ways to help us “operate the planet” in a more effective, sustainable manner. For more information, see  www.cloudinstitute.org. All LREI adults and students in the fifth grade and older are invited.  It is very important to RSVP to redisgreen@lrei.org

Hello and welcome back from Spring Break. Whether you found yourself in a far-flung locale or here in NYC (with the least “springy” weather of any Spring Break in memory) I hope you had good times with family and friends. As we enter the last quarter of the school year, I offer a couple of updates:

• The admissions season for the 2011-2012 school year (next year) is officially over. Now we can look ahead to next fall when we will have wait lists in all grades, Fours-Ninth. We will enroll our largest ninth grade class ever – over 60 new excited, eager and talented freshmen will arrive in September. This growth is an essential component of LREI’s strategic plan and includes 75% of our current eighth grade continuing on to ninth grade.

• Speaking of admissions, we are in the home stretch of the college admissions process. I look forward to sharing lists of acceptances and final choices with you in the next few weeks.  Congratulations to the class of 2011!

• The 11^th grade spent yesterday visiting Bard College and Sarah Lawrence College as a way to learn more about how to visit and evaluate schools. Today, the juniors got back on the bus with Director of College Guidance Carey Socol and her Associate, Analisa Cipriano LREI ’05, and set off to visit Brown University and Connecticut College.  Not to be left out, 10^th grade families will meet with our college guidance staff next week to begin their journey.

• As you read in a recent email from me, our high school robotics team came in first in the recent NY/NJ championships. Before they leave for the world championships at the end of this month they would like to share their robots with you. Members of the middle school and high school robotics teams will be out in Little Red Square before school on Monday, April 25^th. Stop by and congratulate your robotics champions.

• The 25 honors projects created for the coming trimester by our high school students include: a ninth grade study of non-Euclidian geometry, a tenth grade study of the Watergate scandal and a group of five students studying organic chemistry.  We will also have an eleventh grade student studying the portrayal of Christ and Christ-like figures in cinema, another studying stem cells and a third focusing on Before Night Falls: Spanish Literature and Poetry.  We will also have a senior focusing on drawing human anatomy.

There are so many special events and classroom projects this month and during May and June. Participating in these is a great way to see the power of the education your children are engaged in each day. Choose a concert or play to attend.  How about cheering for a middle or high school baseball team?  Take time to see how your children and their schoolmates apply what they learn in class, ask questions and find new answers to old problems. Of special note, please make time to attend the all school benefit to support relief efforts in Japan on April 16^th. More information coming soon.

Lastly, I draw your attention to the Parents Association’s Red is Green Committee’s plans for Earth Week—April 18^th – April 22^nd.

• We are asking that students give a pledge of one thing they will do to help the environment. For example- Lily, Kindergarten: “I will turn lights off when I leave the bathroom“. These pledges will stream on the TV in the Sixth Avenue lobby during Earth Week. Please send your pledges to redisgreen@lrei.org.

• Monday April 18th – after school, children will decorate canvas tote bags and we e will have a demonstration of how to make green cleaning supplies. (The recipes will be posted in the blog.)  We will also have a petition for people to sign about stopping the use of plastic bags.

• Wednesday April 20^th from 6:00PM-8:00PM – the PA will host a presentation/workshop with Jamie Cloud (LREI parent) of the Cloud Institute on Sustainability. This will be an interactive and enlightening evening during which participants will think about sustainability and their relationship to the planet. Basically, how you can start thinking in new ways to help us “operate the planet” in a more effective, sustainable manner. For more information, see is www.cloudinstitute.org.  All LREI adults and students in the fifth grade and older are invited.  It is very important to RSVP to redisgreen@lrei.org

• Thursday April 21st – children are invited to attend an after school gathering during which they will learn to plant and care for their own seedlings.

Best, Phil