The Results

From guest blogger Phil Kassen:

Dear Families:

Wednesday was a thrilling day at LREI.  As they greeted each other, teachers, students and parents were bubbling with excitement, thoughts, ideas and hopes.  No matter which candidate one supported, it was not lost on anyone that we were living in an historic moment.  Even our youngest students knew that it was a day to work hard to understand.  Each division had an assembly to mark the day.  These gatherings varied so as to be age-appropriate, yet all were joyful events filled with conversation, singing, speeches and, most of all, optimism.

We are thrilled by the level of interest the students, in all three divisions, have shown for the candidates, the election process and the issues.  As many of you know the election has been a part of the curriculum throughout the fall and for many of our students for much of last year, as well.

  • Our fourth graders worked with librarian Stacy Dillon to study electoral politics through a process of “electing” their favorite books. Stacy announced the winner on Wednesday. Congratulations go to Green Eggs and Ham.
  • Middle school students participated in a national mock election that allowed them to vote on the major party candidates for President and on local ballot initiatives.  I am looking forward to seeing the results.  In addition, one of our middle school advisory groups spent time out and about in the neighborhood registering more than a dozen people to vote.
  • In the High School, discussions, projects and assemblies dealing with the candidates and the campaign have been going on for quite some time. Throughout the primary season, the high school students created a series of debates with students portraying the candidates. Our high schoolers are to be commended for their deep understanding of each candidate’s beliefs.  One of our high school students even arranged for the candidates from the Socialist Workers Party to come in and speak to interested schoolmates about this party’s platform.
  • Over the past couple of weeks, many high school faculty and students traveled to Pennsylvania on the weekends to campaign.  A group of faculty and students spent last Thursday supporting the last moments of their candidate’s campaign as part of our Minimester—a series of three-day intensive classes in which all eighth – twelfth graders participate.  (See Ruth’s blog from two weeks ago to see all of the Minimester offerings.)

As I have said to a number of you, I have been in the school for five election cycles and have never seen this level of interest, education and commitment.  I hope that our students’ interest in civic involvement remains at this level. Excellent work, all.

My family decided that we would vote very early on Tuesday morning.  All agreed that the excitement of Election Day and avoiding lines was a good reason to set our alarm clocks to rouse us before the usual time.  The plan was to vote and go out for a celebratory breakfast before the school day began. As I sat on the edge of my four year old son’s bed, watching him at peace and allowing him a last moment’s rest before our adventure began, I realized that there was a possibility, that is now a reality, that the first face he really remembers as the face of a leader, of a President, will be a Black man’s face. That for him and many others this simple fact will change their assumptions and judgments, the goals they will have and the plans they will make.    Am I making too much of this?  We will have to wait and see, but I don’t think so. While there is still much work to do, the fact that in a few short months the United States of America will have an African-American President will have a long lasting and far-reaching impact.  I am eager, for myself and for our children, to see what the future holds.

One final thought, I hope that the future holds a recognition that two people choosing to commit themselves to each other is good for everyone and that all people should have the same right to be a family.  So even as we celebrate Tuesday’s victory, we should not ignore Tuesday’s defeats.  We need to keep our eyes on any discrimination that needs our continued focus and energy.

On a completely different note…..I want to take this opportunity to remind you of some important upcoming due dates:

  • Monday, November 17, 2008: Irwin Scholar applications are due. Each year LREI offers merit scholarships to students moving from our eighth grade into the ninth grade who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishment and promise in the areas of scholarship, citizenship, leadership and service.
  • Monday, December 1, 2008: Sibling and Alumni/ae Admissions to the Fours, Kindergarten and First Grade Early Notification forms are due. LREI offers the option of Early Notification to siblings of current LREI students, and to the children and grandchildren of LREI alumni. Should you wish to participate in this program, please download the Early Notification form from our web site and submit by Monday, December 1, 2008.  Please note that all Early Notification application files must also be completed by this date.
  • December 15, 2008: Tuition Remission deadline for applying for Tuition Remission.
  • January 15, 2009: Re-enrollment contracts will be mailed to all families no later than this date.
  • February 1, 2009: Re-enrollment contracts are due.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Regards,
Phil

Mark here . . .

As Phil commented, Wednesday was an exciting day in the Middle School. During an extended homeroom period, students reflected on the election, considered its historic implications and began to think about what lies ahead for the next four years. At our regular Middle School meeting, we watched Barack Obama’s victory speech as a community and together relived this significant historical moment. The energy and passion that students have demonstrated throughout the election has been inspiring; we will continue to find ways for this spirit of civic engagement so evident in our student body to find meaningful avenues for expression.

On other fronts, you should have received your child’s progress report earlier this week. If you did not or if you had any problems opening it, please let me know. Family Conferences are scheduled for November 7th and 14th (the Middle School will be closed on both days). For additional information from last week’s blog on progress reports and family conferences, please click here.

I look forward to seeing you at the conferences.

This Week’s Attachments
General:
Eighth Grade:
DC Trip Registration Form
Seventh Grade:
Fifth and Sixth Grade:

Of General Interest . . .
1) The dynamic high school cast and crew, and musical director Joanne Magee, have been working hard to put together a fantastic evening of music and drama. City of Angels opens tonight with shows on Friday and Saturday evening, 7:00PM, Charlton Street Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at the Charlton Street reception desk this week and Saturday evening. Hope to see you at the show!

2) Click here to view the LREI Fall Newsletter, which is focused on the theme “Learning By Doing.” As part of our ongoing sustainability efforts,  the newsletter is only available in PDF format at this time.

 3) A message from Chap, Director of Diversity and Community: Bring The Conversation Home — Strategies for addressing challenging diversity topics your child brings home: Part I. Join us on Tuesday, November 11th at 8:45 AM in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria for a discussion and Q&A on a number of diversity topics you and your family face on a regular basis, with a particular focus on socioeconomic class. Please consider inviting another LREI parent or two to this important community discussion. Click here to view the event flyer.

4) From the Red is Green Committee: Thanks to all who turned out for our first Red is Green Committee meeting. We had a great turn out. Starting Monday November 10th, we will begin our monthly recycling drive. During the month of November, we will be collecting plastic bags in the lobbies of both buildings. Plastic bags currently can not be recycled with our plastics in NYC. We will take them to venues in NYC where they can be recycled. Future recycling drives: December – bring in any brand of old sneakers to be recycled into sports surfaces like basketball courts or playgrounds. Stay tuned for future recycling drives. Our next meeting is Monday November 24th at 8:45AM in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria. If you would like to receive updates please email Liselotte at lhommen@hotmail.com or Kim at kbeck2@nyc.rr.com.

5) From High School principal Ruth Jurgensen: Mark Bledstein, who has been teaching at LREI for 40 years, will be presenting “Teaching Modern China: Art and Politics/Images and Documents” on November 11, 2008, 3:45-5:15PM in the Charlton Street Cafeteria. Parents and student families are invited to attend. This presentation is sponsored by Teaching East Asia at the University of Colorado, Boulder and funded by the Freeman Foundation and an LREI summer grant.

6) From the Big Auction Committee: The Big Auction will be held on March 5th, 2009 and the Art Auction is scheduled to take place during the 2009-2010 school year. You should have received a letter in the mail, along with a donation form. Our goal this year is to have every parent solicit one item for the auction…we hope that you will join us in realizing this goal! If you have any questions or would like to discuss a potential donation, please contact Jenn at jenn_espo@msn.com or Mamie at mamie.mcindoe@gmail.com. If you prefer, you can also contact the Office of Advancement. Pippa can be reached at 212-477-5316 x236 or pgerard@lrei.org, and Sandra at 212-477-5316 x275 or ssong@lrei.org. Thank you in advance for your support!

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

8) 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 2008-2009 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.

  • November 11, 2008
    An Expert’s Guide to Negotiating the Prickly Points of the ‘Tween Years
    Temple Israel, 112 East 75th Street, 12:00-2:00 pm
    Speaker: Julie Ross, M.A., Executive Director and Founder of Parenting Horizons; Author of “Practical Parenting for the 21st Century: The Manual You Wish Had Come With Your Child” and “How to Hug a Porcupine: Negotiating the Prickly Points of ‘Tween Years”

For all grades . . .
1) Retakes and individual and class pictures for the fifth and sixth grade will be taken on Tuesday, November 18th. If you want your child to do a retake, please contact me directly at msilberberg@lrei.org. You will receive proofs in the mail directly from Coffee Pond and can choose which photograph you like best. All orders will be placed online using the Coffee Pond website. If you have any questions about ordering, you can email Coffee Pond at lifeguards@coffeepond.com or call 800.635.2323 between 9AM and 5PM on weekdays.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .
1) A reminder that Irwin Scholar Applications are due no later than 4PM on Monday, November 17, 2008. Irwin Scholars are expected to be exemplary members of the community. Students will be considered for Irwin Scholarships on the basis of:

  • Knowledge, understanding and commitment to the program;
  • Sustained commitment to academic excellence;
  • Positive contributions to the daily life of the Middle School community;
  • Demonstrated leadership skills in and out of the classroom;
  • Meaningful contributions to the Middle School co-curricular and community service programs.

Scholars will receive up to $10,000 per annum towards their high school tuition at LREI.

2) While the trip to DC is not until the spring, please use the attached form to register your child for the trip. If you have questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .
No updates this week.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .
No updates this week.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) On Thursday, November 13th, the fifth grade will visit the Met to view their Ancient Near East collection. Students will need to bring a lunch on this day (no nuts, seeds, and glass bottles).

===============For additional information, follow these links: ===============

  • View important middle school dates here.
  • View all events with the LREI On-line Calendar
  • 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 individual homework blog and the “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

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