Endings and Beginnings
From guest blogger Phil Kassen:
Dear 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
This Week’s Attachments
General:
PA Officers Ballot
Middle School Supplemental Reading List
2008-2009 LREI Calendar
Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
Summer Reading Assignment and Reading List
Summer Math Assignment
Sixth Grade:
Summer Reading Assignment and Reading List
Summer Math Assignment
Williamsburg Trip Registration Form
Fifth Grade:
Summer Reading Assignment and Reading List
Summer Math Assignment
Of General Interest . . .
1) Once again, our annual 24 Challenge Finals proved to be an exciting event. While some of the winners were decided at our morning event, this week’s Middle School meeting became the forum for a number of impressive displays of mathematical acumen. When all was said and done, the following individuals emerged as winners for the 2007-2008 @4 season: Single Digit – Single Dot: Leo (4th grade); Single Digit- Double Dot: Harmon (5th grade); Double Digit – Double Dot: Niles (6th grade); Double Digit – Double Dot: Odelia (5th Grade); Integer – Single Dot: Benno (6th grade). I’m also pleased to let you know that three of our students also medaled in the citywide 24 Challenge Finals that took place last week. 5th grader Odelia and 6th grader Ryan earned bronze medals and eighth grader Ella earned a silver medal. Congratulations to all of the participants in this year’s 24 Challenge. Well done!
2) Attached is the ballot for electing Parent Association Officers for the 2008-2009 school year. You can print out the attachment or pick up a hard copy of the ballot from the Reception Desk at either the Sixth Avenue or Charlton Street buildings. Ballots need to be returned by Tuesday, June 10th. If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to contact Kasey Picayo or Sharon Fong. Thanks so much for participating in the election.
3) From Middle School librarian Jennifer Hubert: A gentle reminder that Sixth Avenue library will end book circulation on Monday, June 2. This means that no more materials may be checked out from the library so that we can begin shelving and shelf-reading. However, regularly scheduled classes will continue as usual and students, faculty and parents should feel free to use the library space for study and independent reading. Please encourage your students to look for and return any overdue library books that may be hiding in their desks, lockers, closets, backpacks or under the bed. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s library books, please contact me.
4) For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.4) 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/.
For all Grades:
1) The attached 2008-2009 calendar reflects an important change. Next year’s Family Conference dates for the Middle School will mirror those of the Lower School (November 7 and 14 and April 17 and 24 — All Fridays and both divisions will be closed on these days).
2) Please make sure to read the attached summer work assignments, which appear below in the grade level sections.
3) On Friday, June 13th, the Middle School students will attend our High School Graduation Ceremony at the New York University. Please note that this is not an early dismissal day for Middle School students. Students will leave the Sixth Avenue building at about 12:45PM. At the graduation, Middle School students will be recognized for their hard work, completion of their current grade and their movement to the next, and will join in the celebration of the accomplishments of the seniors as they move on to the next phase in their education. As this is a very special occasion, we ask that students dress appropriately—no jeans, no printed T-shirts, shirts with collars and shoes are preferable. After graduation, the students will return to the Sixth Avenue buildings by 3:15PM.
4) Just a heads up that the annual End-of-Year Middle School dance will take place on Monday, June 16th (not the 9th as indicated on the Art calendar). The dance location has been moved to the Thompson Street Athletic Center because of renovation work at Charlton Street. The dance will start at 6:00PM and pizza and ice cream will be provided.
5) Also for Monday June 16, please make sure that your child comes to school with a bag lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles). The fifth grade will be going to Central Park for lunch and after lunch will visit the Central Park Zoo. The sixth and seventh graders will be off to Bear Mountain and the eighth grade will spend the day at the beach.
For Eighth Grade Families . . . .
1) For those students moving on to EI, you should have received the summer work assignments. If you have not received them, please contact high school principal Ruth Jurgensen.
2) Mark your calendar: Eighth Grade Pre-Moving Up Party, Friday, June 13, 2008. Please arrive by 6:00PM for the Potluck Dinner and Recognition Program, which will be followed by dancing until 9:00PM. The event will take place in the Sixth Avenue auditorium. Please note that due to space consideration, we ask that attendance at this event be limited to parents/guardians and their eighth grader. Additional details from your parent reps will follow.
3) The Moving Up Assembly/Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 17th, in the Sixth Avenue auditorium. The assembly will start promptly at 9:00AM and will run until about 10:30AM. Given space constraints we ask that only immediate family members attend (that being said, if there are extenuating circumstances please contact me directly). Immediately following the assembly, the eighth graders will return to their classroom and parents will exit out the Bleecker Street doors and gather by the steps in front of Sarah’s classroom. The rest of the Middle School community will exit the building from the Sixth Avenue side and then join families by the steps. When all are assembled, the eighth graders will receive their certificates and process one-by-one down the steps.
For Seventh Grade Families . . .
1) Please read the attached summer reading and summer math assignments. Click here to view the supplemental reading list. Next year’s core teachers will visit the class to go over the assignment. If you have questions about the summer math work, please let me know. If there is sufficient interest, we will do a morning informational session for parents/guardians with the math teachers.
2) The seventh grade potluck breakfast and Constitution Works event will take place on Thursday, June 12th. The breakfast will begin at 8:00AM in the seventh grade classrooms. Following the potluck, we will leave for Constitution Works program at 9:15AM, which will be conducted at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Parents are encouraged to attend this exciting event. Your parent reps will be in touch with you about the potluck breakfast.
For Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) Please read the attached summer reading and summer math assignments. Click here to view the supplemental reading list. Next year’s core teachers will visit the class to go over the assignment. If you have questions about the summer math work, please let me know. If there is sufficient interest, we will do a morning informational session for parents/guardians with the math teachers.
2) Just a reminder that sixth grade students who want to do work in the library or lab after school must do so under the supervision of a parent, guardian, or caregiver. The supervising adult must be with the student in the library or lab. Students who do not have an adult to supervise them will be asked to wait in the lobby for pick-up. Thank you for your cooperation with this policy.
3) The annual sixth grade poetry and potluck breakfast will take place on Tuesday, June 10th at 8:00AM in the cafeteria. Your parent reps will be in touch with you about the potluck breakfast.
4) While there is still much to do this year, I wanted to get information about next year’s trip to Williamsburg out to you. We are asking that families register for the trip by June 1, 2008. Registration for the trip is handled by our tour company NCT. The attached form continues the relevant registration information. If you have questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.
For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) Please read the attached summer reading and summer math assignments. Click here to view the supplemental reading list. Next year’s core teachers will visit the class to go over the assignment. If you have questions about the summer math work, please let me know. If there is sufficient interest, we will do a morning informational session for parents/guardians with the math teachers.
2) Just a reminder that fifth grade students who want to do work in the library or lab after school must do so under the supervision of a parent, guardian, or caregiver. The supervising adult must be with the student in the library or lab. Students who do not have an adult to supervise them will be asked to wait in the lobby for pick-up. Thank you for your cooperation with this policy.
3) Our annual Grecian Festival will take place on the evening of Wednesday, June 11th at 6:00PM. From 6:00-6:30PM, you are invited to view students’ robotics projects in the computer lab and in the science lab. At 6:30PM, we will convene in the Sixth Avenue auditorium for a dramatic presentation, which will be followed by the fifth grade potluck in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria. Your class reps will be contacting you about the potluck. Per Ledell’s email, if you have not done so already, please make sure that your child brings in her/his costume ASAP.
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