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LETTERS FROM LOWER SCHOOL TEACHERS

From Phil: From time to time the local paparazzi alert us to the presence of a well-known person eating lunch at one of the restaurants near school.  We ask that students, parents and caregivers allow these people to enjoy their lunch and the weather and not to block access to these establishments.  We understand the attraction for the kids, but are asking the adults’ help in being good neighbors to these businesses that are very good neighbors to LREI.

From Both Fourth Grades: Click here for a PDF on activities to do at home to support the current math unit.

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LOWER SCHOOL REMINDERS AND 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 2010-11 school calendar.

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Field Day and Senior Appreciation Day! Friday, May 27 9AM – 1PM: Field Day is fast approaching, so get ready for some outdoor fun! In the morning, students will walk with their buddies 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.

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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

EE Ford Grant: 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.

Website Contest: We hope you’re enjoying our newly redesigned website. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you for that! Remember to enter our contest to name the behind-the-password area of lrei.org. You have until this Friday, May 20. The community member who comes up with the name that best suits our site will win an iPad 2. LREI students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff are invited to participate. Entries should be submitted here by Friday, May 20. We will announce the winner—and the new name—next week.

Book Swap: 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. You can bring them to the swap directly. Hope to see you there!

From Athletic Director, Peter Fisher:
Get ready for LREI Basketball Camp! Great players are made in the off-season!
Don’t miss this opportunity to work on basketball skills, play fun and exciting games, and hang out with all your friends! Varsity basketball coaches and players will be running drills and skill work in the mornings, breaking for lunch, and then running games and tournaments in the afternoons. The camp runs from 9AM-4PM for one week only: June 20-24. We have two gyms (Thompson Street Athletic Center and our High School) and are looking forward to a big turnout. The camp is open to all fourth though eighth graders, no matter their skill level.
If you are interested, please contact Peter Fisher — pfisher@lrei.org 212-477-5316 ext 233

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. 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.

Afterschool Recitals:

• Tuesday, May 31st at 5:30 – Piano & Voice Recital for 2nd grade – Middle School, PAPAS
• Tuesday, May 31st at 6:30 – Instrumental Concert for 2nd grade – Middle School, 6th ave auditorium

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PARENTS ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

All parent association meetings are held in the LS Cafeteria at 8:45 am, unless otherwise noted

Parents Association Meetings:

• 5/23: Community Service Meeting
• 5/24: PA Exec. Meeting w/Phil
• 5/26: Adoption Committee Meeting
• 5/26: Red is Green Committee Meeting

LREI School Store: The LREI School Store will open on Monday, May 23rd from 8am – 9am in the Sixth Avenue lobby.  New spring items include LREI water bottles, Knights long-sleeve tees and ‘groovy’ colorful t-shirts!

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.

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 Sixth Ave. cafeteria. Click here for flyer. 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

Red is Green: For the remainder of the school year middle school science teacher Stephen Volkman’s middle school advisory group is collecting batteries and corks for recycling. Their creatively designed boxes are in the lobby for your drop off. The group will also be collecting CD’s and cellphones. Watch for the new containers. Thank you to Steve and his group for their efforts.

LOWER SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES

All Lower School Assemblies are held in our Auditorium at 8:45 a.m, unless otherwise noted.

Wed, May 25, 2011: 4th Gr. Musical (note change)
Wed, Jun 1, 2011: 4s/4k Movement Assembly, in Sixth Avenue PAPAS

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.

Thu, May 19, 2011: Gina’s 1st Grade Picnic
Mon, May 23, 2011: Deborah’s 2nd Grade Picnic
Wed, May 24, 2011: Galen’s 1st Grade Picnic
Thu, May 26, 2011: Rebecca’s 1st Grade Picnic
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

LOWER SCHOOL PARENT REPRESENTATIVES 2010-2011

Beth’s Fours Maren Berthelsen, Becca Markley
Fours/K Marjorie Goldner,
Sara Taplitz
Elizabeth’s K Juliet Burrows,
Carmen Lenzi
Luise’s K Shannon Barden,
Yael Goverover
Gina’s 1^st Diane Hoffman,
Ceci Van Blerkom
Galen’s 1^st Dawn Eig,
Christine Boyle
Rebecca’s 1^st Hilary Meltzer,
Mishi Hosono
Tasha’s 2^nd Mary Gerzema,
Linda Phillips
Deborah’s 2^nd A.M. Homes,
Fia Hatsav,
Julia Wilbur
Dan’s 3^rd Holly Glass,
Denise Roederer
Vonick’s 3^rd Heather McMaster,
Beth Dary
Dina’s 4^th Connie Butler,
Lara Olivieri
Kate’s 4^th Susan Harris,
Liselotte Vince