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 25^th.  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 7^th/8^th 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 9^th 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 2001.  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 30^th. 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.

–Phil Kassen

* * * *

LETTERS FROM LOWER SCHOOL TEACHERS

All grades: Parents please apply the sunscreen of your choice to your child(ren).  It’s sunny out there at recess!

Fourth Grade Families: The Moving Up Ceremony will be on Monday, June 13, at 8:45 in the Auditorium.

Dina and Farrah’s Fourth Grade: Click here for a classroom newsletter from Dina.

Kate and Nicole’s Fourth Grade: Click here for a classroom newsletter from Kate.

Diane and Alexia’s 4s/K: Click here for a classroom newsletter from Diane and Alexia.

Fourth Graders create teaching projects at the end of the year. For their teaching project, Zeb and Wilder teach the class how to sword fight! For more on the teaching projects, check out our newsletter!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiIQqGTKAGE

* * * *

LOWER SCHOOL REMINDERS AND EVENTS

For the most up-to-date information visit the school’s online calendar.
Or, click here to download the one-page 2010-11 school calendar.

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

* * * *

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

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 fours through twelfth grade are invited to participate. 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

END OF YEAR PICNICS

All picnics begin at 6pm and will be held on the roof at 6th Avenue.
Parent reps from each class will provide more information, including rain location if necessary.

Mon, Jun 6, 2011: Elizabeth’s K Picnic
Tue, Jun 7, 2011: Diane’s Fours/K Picnic
Wed, Jun 8, 2011: Beth’s Fours Picnic
Thu, Jun 9, 2011: Luise’e K Picnic