March 13, 2008

Here and abroad . . .

Dear Families:

It would be an understatement to say that it has been a busy week in the Middle School. Over the course of the week, the third floor slowly transformed itself into an ancient Egyptian tomb. With their “excavations” complete, fifth grade “archaeologists” led insightful tours to parents and students throughout the day today. The tomb was notable for the many fine antiquities that our young scholars “unearthed” and studied in a rigorous and systematic fashion.

A few floors below and centuries apart, the sixth graders have been hard at work preparing for the Medieval Pageant, which took place on Wednesday. Through drama, music, art, and scholarship in their other classes, the sixth graders provided a powerful and nuanced demonstration of the journey they have taken so far through the Middle Ages and of the interplay between “east” and “west.”

Closer to home and connected to their reading of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” the seventh graders have been making presentations on the Red Scare, that served as a cultural and historical subtext for the play. They have also sought to make connections between the hysteria of this more recent period and the hysteria that came to define an important moment in our colonial history. Embedded in both explorations are important themes of politics, power, and privilege.

And finally, the eighth graders have been researching a range of social justice issues connected to their “Choosing to Participate” project. This work has been profoundly captured in a series of “muckraking” expose posters that are on display in their classrooms and in the vestibule between the two eighth grade rooms. I encourage you to take a look when you are in the building.

Reading this makes me think that we are due for a well-deserved break. Fair enough, but for most of our eighth graders, spring break will find them in either France and Spain as they participate in our annual foreign language trips. These trips provide students with ample opportunities to put to use in authentic contexts the languages they have been studying. In addition, the trips provide students with direct exposure to the culture and customs of these two countries. In the spirit of full disclosure, a group of high school students will also journey to Germany over the break, so we’ll have the continent well covered.

It goes without saying that behind all of these incredible curricular projects and experiences are the truly gifted and dedicated members of the LREI faculty. Their passion for what they do and their commitment to your children often creates the illusion that what they do is easy. It is the hardest work imaginable and I am continually impressed by what they give of themselves each day in support of your children.

Have a restful and well deserved spring break!

This Week’s Attachments
General:
2008-2009 LREI Calendar
High School Preview Night Flyer
Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
Sixth Grade:
Fifth Grade:

Of General Interest . . .
1) LREI High School students will be participating in the Youth Media Arts Show taking place this Friday, March 14, from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Titus Two Theater, Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street. Students will be presented awards for their distinguished contributions in film and media. Dr. Eric Heyworth, Director of the Youth Media Arts Show, describes the show as a day where:

Students from New York’s high schools and middle schools will come together to share the media works they have created. When students use language, the arts, technology, community investigation, teamwork, and problem solving, they are deep in the process of what education is all about. The display of student video and multi-media productions is a vivid test of authentic learning.

With regard to our participation in the show, Director of Media Arts at LREI Vinay Chowdry comments that:

LREI has had a media arts program for a number of years now and has been a leader in this field among independent schools. Much of what we do is synthesis of practice and theory. The films selected represent our great school and were chosen based on merit, content quality,educational value, and production value. It was a tough decision as we have so many talented students who have created a such good work. Our success can be claimed by everyone at LREI; media is truly an all encompassing and collaborative medium.

While our submissions have been edited down for time, and not all of the selected films will be shown, we congratulate our students, Brendan McCormick, ’08, Gavin Cady, ’08, Laura Hallman, ’08, Oskar Peacock, ’08, Keith Nocera, ’08, Duncan Lewis, ’08, Nemo Allen, ’08, Jane Sternbach, ’08, Dash Lunde, ’08, Ava Hamilton, ’08, Jesse Towsen, ’08, Ellie Shnayer, ’09, AJ Sims, ’09, and Lola Lorber, ’09, who represent our Media Arts program beautifully.

2) A message from Phil, Director and Chap, Director of Diversity and Community:
Bring the Conversation Home – An Open Parents Association meeting. Join us on April 8th at 8:45AM OR April 10th at 6:00PM for a discussion and Q&A on strategies for addressing challenging diversity topics with your child(ren). Click here for more information. RSVP to Chap by Friday, April 4th at schapman (at) lrei.org or call at 212-477-5316, ext. 294.

3) The LS and MS Parents of Children of Color Committees (POCOCs) Book Club: The POCOCs have been talking about starting a book club for the children of color in the lower and middle schools for some time as a great way to get the children together again after our very successful breakfast in the fall. We are excited to announce that we are now ready to launch our book club! We would like to invite all families with children of color in the lower school and middle school to participate fully and help us make this a wonderful, successful event. Please click here for more information. We are looking forward to a fun evening of books, camaraderie, community building and of course, food. A few notes:

If you are the parent of a child of color of the lower school, we invite you to read the attachment, commit to participate and invite at least two other families with children of color in your classroom.
You do not have to be a member of the POCOC to participate… the book club is open to all families with children of color in the lower school.

Important dates:

RSVP March 14th
Book Club meeting date: April 4th 2008 6-8pm

If you have questions please email Shindy Johnson at shindy@kenduuwa.com.

4) Summers at LREI news: Summers at LREI offers six weeks of programs from June 23-August 1. Programs are:

Little Red Summer Camp, day camp for ages 3.5-10
Musical Theater Workshop for ages 7-14
LREI Institute, an academic and arts program for ages 10-14.

General registration for Little Red Summer Camp and Musical Theater Workshop is currently open. You may download the registration form from the Summers at LREI website or call the Summers at LREI office to receive a hard copy in the mail. Registration for LREI Institute will begin in late March. Please see the attached flyer for a listing of the major workshops being offered this year. Feel free to contact the Summers at LREI office with any questions at 212-477-5316 ext. 506 or email cfriesen@lrei.org.
5) Here is a great way for all you knitters and/or crochet aficionados to contribute to the Big Auction….read the attached flyer and remember the April 11th deadline for submissions!

6) The NY INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL runs from February 29 through March 16. Check out the best new film and video for ages 3-18 featuring animated, live action and experimental shorts and features. For info and to purchase tickets click here and use the LREI discount code (DCT2007)

7) As a class fundraiser, the ninth graders are collecting used ink jet cartridges and old/broken cell phones. They will send the collected items to an organization that recycles them and the class will receive cash for these items. Please note that the collection is limited to used ink jet cartridges and old/broken cell phones. For additional information go to www.fundingfactory.com. They will begin collecting used cartridges and cell phones on Wednesday, February 6th and will continue until Thursday, May 22nd. A collection box will be located in the Sixth Avenue lobby. Tell your friends and family about this opportunity so that these items can be recycled and don’t end up in landfills.

8) For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.

9) LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Please read the attached flyer to view their 2007-2008 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.

Seminar with Dr. Mel Levine: NYC-PIA and Mt. Sinai Children’s Center Foundation are co-sponsoring a seminar with Dr. Mel Levine on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at the 92nd Street Y at 1395 Lexington Avenue. In this seminar,”A Mind in the Middle: What Leads To, Takes Place, and Results from Middle School Learning”, Dr. Levine will speak about the critical brain changes that occur during early adolescence. Please make a reservation by calling us at (212)987-9629.
Luncheon Speaker Event: On Tuesday, May 6th, NYC-Parents in Action is holding a luncheon speaker event, “Ready, Set, Go: Preparing for Transitions in Childhood and the Tween Years”. The speakers are Jean Mandelbaum, Head of All Souls Preschool and Jeanette Friedman, consultant and therapist focusing on the causes and effects of substance use in teens and families. To receive your invitation to this luncheon, contact your NYC-PIA School Representative Carol Pratt.

For all Grades:
1) Please note that the Family Conferences scheduled for Wednesday, April 16th, from 12:15-3:30PM, will take place the following week on Wednesday, April 23 (this will still be a full day for students). These conferences will be with your child’s advisor and will address work in all subjects. Your child’s advisor will contact you to set up a conference on either Friday, April 18, or Wednesday, April 23. These two conferences days will not be days to meet with individual subject area teachers. If you have questions or concerns about a specific subject you should contact that teacher directly to set up a time to meet or speak on the phone.

2) A reminder that Grandparents and Special Friends Day is scheduled for Friday, May 9. For Middle School students, those grandparents and special friends who do attend will be treated to a tour of the school by their student from 1:00-2:30PM, which will be followed by tea, coffee and discussion with Phil and I. We will send invitations home, which you can send to a grandparent or special friend. Click here to view the invitation.

For Eighth Grade Families . . . .
1) Please read the new math unit letter for 8X from math teacher Michelle Boehm.

2) Please note that the science Forensics Evening, which had been scheduled for Thursday, April 3, will take place on Monday, April 28, at 6:00PM in the Sixth Avenue auditorium.

3) Any eighth graders who are interested in playing on the LREI tennis team should come to the first practice/try-outs on Wednesday, April 2nd, from 3:30-5:30PM at the Houston Street courts. If you have questions, please contact Gabrielle Keller.

4) Please read the attached letter about our Adolescent Issues substance abuse prevention education sessions with the Freedom Institute.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .
1) Please read the new math unit letter from math teacher Michelle Boehm.

2) SAVE THE DATE: All Middle School and Lower School parents are invited to attend High School Preview Night on Tuesday, April 8th at 6:30pm, in the Charlton Street Performing Arts Center (PAC). This annual event is a great opportunity to hear about our progressive high school from current students, parents and recent alumni. We hope to see you there! RSVP to Samantha Caruth, Director of Admissions, at 212-477-5316 ext. 305, scaruth@lrei.org.

3) Monday, April 14th from 6:30PM to 8:00PM: Adolescent Issues Parent Evening

4) Please read the attached letter about our Adolescent Issues substance abuse prevention education sessions with the Freedom Institute.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) SAVE THE DATE: All Middle School and Lower School parents are invited to attend High School Preview Night on Tuesday, April 8th at 6:30pm, in the Charlton Street Performing Arts Center (PAC). This annual event is a great opportunity to hear about our progressive high school from current students, parents and recent alumni. We hope to see you there! RSVP to Samantha Caruth, Director of Admissions, at 212-477-5316 ext. 305, scaruth@lrei.org.

5) Monday, April 14th from 6:30PM to 8:00PM: Adolescent Issues Parent Evening

For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) The second parent Adolescent Issues evening will take place on Monday, April 7th at 6:30PM and will be lead by Mark Silberberg and Middle School psychologist Andrew Weiss. All parents/guardians are encouraged to attend. Childcare will be available for this event. Please email Mary Shea directly at mshea@lrei.org to confirm that you will need childcare.

For additional information, follow these links:

Calendar of Events
LREI Athletics. For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
Click here to view the Middle School Photo Gallery.

A reminder that the homework blog “feeds” for every class can be accessed from the Digital Classroom link on the sidebar (you may want to bookmark this page for easy access). These feeds provide an easy “one-click” solution to find out what has been assigned for homework. Keep in mind that a feed will only show what has been posted as of the time you check it.

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark