Endings and Beginnings, from Phil

Dear Lower and Middle School Families,

As the school year comes to a close, your families are involved in a variety of culminating activities—potlucks, recitals, award ceremonies, performances and concerts. No doubt about it, LREI is a busy place. Clearly, the most significant conclusions are filling the lives of the twelfth graders. In the days to come, the seniors will share their Senior Projects, celebrate their time together at the annual Senior Banquet and participate in our 63rd Commencement Exercises—tremendously important events in the lives of our seniors and their families.

While the school year is winding down, this summer is shaping up to be one filled with much excitement. Only a few days after school ends our summer program, Summers at LREI, begins. This program, the summer camp and the Summer Institute for middle school aged students, will fill the buildings with activity until the end of July.

As if that is not enough for one summer, the Sixth Avenue buildings and the Charlton Street building will be undergoing significant work this summer. Over the next three summers we will be updating, renovating and “greening” all lower and middle school classrooms and offices, as well as a number of the larger, community spaces. With new lights, floors, paint and cabinetry, at the end of this process the rooms will be brighter with better storage and will be more environmentally responsible. This summer, the work will begin with the middle school classrooms and the two fourth grade rooms. In the coming summers, we will pay equal attention to all Sixth Avenue spaces. All work on the Sixth Avenue campus will be completed in time for school to begin in September.

Work on the Charlton Street building is part of a larger effort. In 2003 the Board of Trustees approved a Strategic Plan that called for the high school to grow to 240 students in a site that supported this larger student body and our expanding program. In order to fulfill this plan the School purchased, debt free, the townhouse directly to the west of the 40 Charlton Street building. The plan is to combine the two buildings into a larger, improved facility. At a special Board meeting in mid-May the Trustees voted to begin this work this summer. The work on Charlton Street has started already and will continue through the summer and into the school year. The more disruptive work will be completed by the time school begins in September. This project, as I have explained to high school families, will continue throughout the 2008-2009 school year in the rear of the building and in the townhouse adjacent to the high school. All work on our Charlton Street campus will be completed by September 2009. While I am not able, now, to share the complete plans as they are still evolving, we are looking forward to doing so in the fall—on September 24th to be exact.

We are very excited about the coming months and the improvement that they will bring to our buildings and to the program. I will send home periodic updates of the projects in both buildings. Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have.

Best,

Phil

 

 

Please view our on-line Lower School gallery for great photo’s of recent events: http://lrei.org/photos/0708/ls.

 

WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS

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A note about IE, the literary magazine:
You may have found copies of IE Magazine, which is the literary magazine for the Middle and High schools, in backpacks and cubbies yesterday. Please read through the entire magazine before sharing it with your Lower School aged children. The literary magazine is a wonderful piece of student work that showcases the artistic and literary talents of both the Middle School and High School. It is the only school publication for which both content and layout is student driven. For the third year in a row, the magazine contains work that won Scholastic Writing Awards. While the content is suitable for adults and Middle and High School students, some parents may not wish for their younger children to have access to the content in the magazine.

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Bracelet Sale Fundraiser for China and Myanmar: Lower School students have begun making bracelets to be sold to support and worn in solidarity with the people in China and Myanmar who have suffered devastating losses due to the recent earthquake and cyclone in their countries. The bracelets will be sold on Wednesday, June 11, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in front of the school. The money will be donated to Project HOPE, which is providing relief in both countries. Please click here (0605-Braceletfundraiser) for more information.

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We are so proud of the college acceptances of the members of the Class of 2008. Well done! Thank you to our college guidance counselors, Amy Shapiro and Jane Gabin, for their expertise and support. Click here for this year’s college acceptances list and matriculation list.

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What to Expect…. Please join us on the following mornings for discussions about moving on to the next grade level. All meetings will be held in the Bleecker street cafeteria. Click here (0515-WhatToExpect) for the PDF flyer.

  • What to expect in fourth grade – Monday, June 9 at 8:45am
  • What to expect in fifth grade – Friday, June 6 at 8:45am

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LS class picnic schedule – All class picnics start at 6pm. Please contact your classroom parent representative to confirm the time, date and location for your class.

  • Monday, June 9 – Diane & Charles’ EK
  • Tuesday, June 10 – Beth & Caroline’s Fours
  • Wednesday, June 11 – Kate & Dave’s fourth grade

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PARENT MEETINGS & EVENTS

  • Monday, June 9 – 6PM: EK’s Picnic
  • Tuesday, June 10 – 6PM: Fours Picnic
  • Wednesday, June 11 -6PM: Kate & Dave’s Fourth grade picnic
  • Friday, June 13 – 1PM: High School Graduation. School closes at 12Noon for Lower School (11:45AM for Fours – First grade; Regular dismissal for MS and HS)
  • Monday, June 16 – 9AM: Fourth Grade Moving Up Ceremony
  • Tuesday, June 17 – 9AM: Middle School Moving Up Ceremony
  • Tuesday, June 17: Last day of School. School Closes at 12Noon (11:45AM for Fours – First grade)
  • Monday, June 23: Summers at LREI begins
  • For an up-to-date, searchable all school calendar, please visit lrei.org/calendar

 

LOWER SCHOOL NOTES & ATTACHMENTS

  • EK: Please click here (0605-EK-letter) for a letter from Diane and Charles.
  • First grade: Please click here (0605-1st-DDflyer) for a flyer from Dorothy and Debbie.
  • All grades: Please click here for the calendar for the 2008-09 school year.

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