Adult Red
Guest blog from Phil–
Dear LREI Community, I hope that you and yours found time to rest over the long weekend as the next three weeks are chock full of events. I encourage you to check out the on-line calendar to make sure that you do not miss anything, including home basketball games. Our middle and high school teams are exciting to watch and love to have fans in the stands. After Winter Break you can also stop by the gym on Friday afternoons at 3:30 to see the 5th and 6th graders play in our intramural basketball league—a great introduction for lower school fans! Thanks to the PA Sports Committee for creating the home game banner that hangs outside the Sixth Ave. building on any day there is a game in our Thompson Street gym. Book Week, the Book Fair and our annual Literary Evening are next week. All of the info that you need follows this note. These are always fantastic events! Finally, it is a pleasure to announce a new LREI experience…….
ADULT rED
Have you ever wanted to go back to school in a progressive classroom similar to your child’s? Intrigued by what you hear around the dinner table? Many parents of LREI students tell us how they wish that they could have the experiences that their children have each day.
In response to significant parent interest, this winter LREI will be offering two evening courses for adults, taught by members of our outstanding faculty. These will be seminar style courses, with an emphasis on discussion and open dialogue between participants. Two members of our high school faculty, Julia Heaton (English Teacher, former Acting High School Principal, former Academic Dean) and Tom Murphy (History Teacher, History Department Chair), will be offering abridged versions of their most popular offerings—Dangerous Language and Global War on Terror: American Foreign Policy Since 9/11, respectively.
Each course will be open to 15 participants. There will be pre-seminar reading assignments (to be completed over Winter Break) with additional shorter supplemental assignments during the five-week session. The courses meet simultaneously. If you are interested in participating, please choose one, with the expectation that you will attend all five sessions. While there are no required writing assignments, participants are encouraged to take notes and respond in writing to the week’s guiding questions.
Classes will meet on the following Tuesday evenings—January 12th, January 19th, January 26th, February 2nd and February 9th. Courses will meet from 6:30PM-8:00PM in the high school, 40 Charlton Street.
There is a $100 registration fee for each participant.
If you would like to register for one of these courses, please contact Rowena Penaranda-Askins at rpenaranda@lrei.org or (212) 477-5316, x295.
Course Descriptions:
Pornography or Masterpiece: Reading Lolita at LREI
“I shall never regret Lolita. She was like the composition of a beautiful puzzle– its composition and its solution at the same time, since one is a mirror view of the other, depending on the way you look.“ – Vladimir Nabokov, 1964.
“What frightens or disturbs us in Lolita…opens our eyes to ourselves and our worlds. Everyone should read it for the pure joy.” — Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran
Published in 1955, Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita was hailed by Graham Greene as one of the best books of all time and also “the filthiest book I have ever read…sheer unrestrained pornography” (John Gordon, London Sunday Express, 1956). For the past half century, this iconic story of a middle-aged professor’s infatuation with his adolescent stepdaughter continues to fascinate, intoxicate and alienate readers of all ages. In this five-week seminar, we will journey together through the novel Lolita, analyzing the text in terms of character, language, formal structure, and theme. Furthermore, we will consider the novel’s publication history (banned in several countries) as well as its complicated position in the literary “canon”. Finally, we will discuss the societal and moral implications of the novel’s subject, and the complicity we feel as readers when we are at once “entranced with the book while abhorring its author” (Nabokov, Lolita). Participants will read an annotated version of Lolita as well as selected works of literary criticism.
The Global War on Terror: American Foreign Policy Since 9/11
“We will rid the world of evildoers.” — Bush, Sept. 17.
The Global War on Terrorism (or GWOT) is the name of a campaign with the stated goal of ending international terrorism by preventing terrorist groups from posing a threat, and by putting an end to state sponsorship of terrorism. This campaign was launched by the United States following the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. carried out by al-Qaeda. After more than eight years the name has changed yet the conflict continues. In this five-week seminar, we will use a combination of primary sources, articles and Frontline documentaries to examine the evolution of the war against radical Islam. By looking at how we got here we may develop a better understanding of what we should do next.
Week One: Al Qaeda and the New Terrorism
Week Two: The Bush Foreign Policy Revolution
Week Three: The War in Afghanistan
Week Four: The War in Iraq
Week Five: The Global War on Terror and Human Rights
THE LOOMING TOWER Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11. By Lawrence Wright. Illustrated. 469 pp. Alfred A. Knopf.
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LETTERS FROM LOWER SCHOOL TEACHERS
Beth & Samson’s Fours: Please click here to view this week’s letter, with updates about the goings on in our fours classroom.
Dot & Becka’s 3rd Grade: Please click here for info on this week’s spelling words, homework, and an upcoming field trip!
Vonick & Randi’s 3rd Grade: Please click here for info on this week’s spelling words, our next math unit, and an upcoming field trip!
Dina & Kruti’s 4th Grade: This week your child practiced conducting interviews in class. Click here to learn more!
Both Fourth Grade Classes – Field Trip Tomorrow: Please remember to report to your classroom promptly at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, Friday Dec 4th, so that we can leave on time for our exciting field trip to Ellis Island! We will return to school at approximately 3:30 p.m. Please also remember to pack a bagged lunch for the day.
LS Chorus Members, a note from Ledell: Attention all Little Red Chorus Members! The Little Red Chorus will be singing at the Winter Concert on Tuesday, December 15th at 6:30 PM at the Charlston St. PAC. Chorus Members should meet me at 6:00 PM at the High School dressed in their white top and dark (black) pants or skirt. The concert features the Jazz Bands from the MS and HS as well as the HS, MS and LS Choruses. If you have any questions please email Ledell at lmulvaney@lrei.org.
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UPCOMING LOWER SCHOOL MEETINGS & EVENTS
For the most up-to-date information visit the school’s online calendar at www.lrei.org/calendar. Click here to download the one-page 2009-10 school calendar.
12/4 The Lower School and Middle School Parents of Children of Color Committees (POCOC) Winter Book Club: December 4, 2009, 6-8 PM. Our 3rd Book Club Meeting is almost here and we hope that all families with children of color will participate fully (the book club is for kids, not adults). This is a wonderful evening of books, art, comraderie, community-building and of course, food! You do not have to be a member of the POCOC to attend. Click here for a flyer with details. Please contact LS POCOC Co-chairs Shindy Johnson (shindy@kenduuwa.com) or Rhonda Hartley (rhonda.hartley.gs.com) for more info.
12/7 – 12/11 is BOOK WEEK! Authors and illustrators will be visiting all LREI grades. These visitors donate their time to enrich our students’ love of reading. We encourage you to support them by visiting the Book Fair, where titles by all visiting authors will be on sale, as well as a wide selection of other titles for children and grown-ups. The Book Fair starts Wednesday, December 9 at 2 PM, and runs through Friday, December 11 at 6 PM in the 6th Avenue Auditorium. Please click here to fill out a Pre-Authorized Purchase Form, for your child to pick out books at the fair!
12/7 – 12/11 Afterschool Open Enrichment Class Week, December 7 – 11, 2009. This is an opportunity for a parent or caregiver to come and observe your child’s Afterschool Enrichment Class. Please feel free to show up at any point during your child’s regular class time – click here for the schedule. As this is the first time we have held an Open Class Week, we welcome your feedback in looking forward to planning for next year. Please contact the Afterschool Office if you have any questions, at 212-477-5316, ext. 239.
12/11 & 12/12 Joanne Magee is proud to present the middle school production of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” Dec 11th 7pm and Dec 12th 2pm and 7pm. This stage adaption, which retains much of Kipling’s original poetry, but with all the charm of a middle school play, focuses on Mowgli’s journey of discovery as he grows up with his family and comes to terms with his unique and complex identity. Come to the play as a family and join us as we follow Mowgli through the challenges he faces both in the jungle and in his heart. Enjoy our colorful set, costumes and of course, the outstanding talents of our middle school students.
Tickets are on sale in the Sixth Avenue Lobby from 8am-9am Dec 4th-11th. Students $10 Adults $12. Click here for the poster!
12/15 LREI Winter Concert – Charlston PAC at 6:30 PM. Featuring the Lower School Chorus as well as the MS & HS choruses and jazz band.
12/18 Winter Break – dismissal is at 11:45 a.m. for 4s – 1st grade, and 12 noon for 2nd – 4th grade. Afterschool is closed on this date. School reopens Tuesday, January 5, 2010. Happy Holidays!
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LOWER SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES
All Lower School Assemblies are held in our Auditorium at 8:45 a.m.
SPRING 2010
4/7 – 4s & 4s-K Music Assembly
4/14 – 1st Grade Music Assembly
4/21 – Kindergarten Music Assembly
4/28 – 2nd Grade Music Assembly
5/12 – 3rd Grade Music Assembly
5/19 – 4th Grade Music Assembly
5/26 – Kindergarten Movement Assembly
6/2 – 4s & 4s-K Movement Assembly
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UPCOMING PARENT ASSOCIATION MEETINGS
12/4 Literary Committee Meeting
12/7 Multi Cultural Committee Meeting
12/9 Community Service Meeting
12/11 Parent Co-Chairs Affinity Meeting
12/11 Literary Committee Meeting
12/14 Multi Cultural Committee Meeting
12/14 Red is Green Committee
12/14 Literary Committee Meeting
12/15 LS POCOC Meeting
12/16 Adoption Committee Meeting
12/16 Cookbook Committee Meeting
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
*From the LRE Family Handbook… Families (including those whose children are non-allergic) must never send in snacks or food that contain nuts or seeds of any kind, either for themselves or for their children, even if the snacks or food are not intended to be consumed on school property. In particular, backpacks and pockets should never have any nuts or seeds in them.
*HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT LREI SCHOOL SPIRIT STORE!
The school store will be open the following mornings at the Sixth Avenue building from 8 – 9 a.m.:
Tuesday 12/8
Friday 12/11
Wednesday 12/16
Thursday 12/17Charlton St. building, both lunch periods:
Monday 12/14
Tuesday 12/15
*The LREI Literary Committee is hosting a Literary Evening for the adults of our community. This year’s evening, called Only in New York: Folly in the Big Apple, takes place on Tuesday, December 8 at 7 PM in the Charlston St. PAC. Authors include: Jonathan Ames, Susan Choi, Gabriel Cohen, Jennifer Egan, Marian Fontana and Victor LaValle, with Andy Borowitz as MC. Tickets are on sale for $25 in the Sixth Avenue Lobby every morning, along with gift certificates for the Book Fair. Your ticket will get you an evening of New York stories, as well as great food and drink. Please click here for more information.
*Save the Date! The Afterschool Piano and Voice Recital and Instrumental Concert will take place on Wednesday, December 16th.
Piano and Voice Recital, 5:30 in the PAPAS
Instrumental Concert, 6:30 in the Auditorium
*The Glass Menagerie, LREI’s resident adult chorus, conducted by Susan Glass, LREI parent and teacher, is giving their annual holiday concert this weekend (click here for the poster):
A Choral Flourish
Saturday, December 5th at 8 PM St.
Joseph’s Church 6th Ave and Washington Place
$20/ $15 students and seniors