As we enter the home stretch. . .
From guest blogger Phil Kassen:
Dear Families,
As we enter the home stretch towards the end of the school year, we enter a time at LREI, and I imagine in most schools, when we see the results of the students’ hard work over the past eight months. While this growth did not occur overnight, there is something about the spring that allows this development to shine.
I watched two members of our Fours class carry the attendance to Eileen at the reception desk the other morning. If this had been September they would have walked nervously towards her not sure of what to do, where to go or how to get back to class. They likely would have been holding the one slim sheet of paper together, with four hands, as if the weight of the responsibility it represented was too heavy for any one mere mortal. When our paths crossed this week, these rising Kindergarteners strolled down the hall, chatting away, handed Eileen the attendance and then skipped back to class. They are fully at home in the school, confident of their abilities and a little full of themselves. The fourth graders seem a little too big for the lower school as they write their original musical based on their study of immigration, ready to go to the new world of the middle school, while the fifth graders seem right at home there and are moving about the building on their own with none of the timidity displayed in the fall. They are ready to welcome their replacements rising from the lower school and to stop being the youngest students in the brownstones. At our weekly middle school assembly, we watched the leads in the middle school musical perform for their division-mates. I remember when these two first stepped onto the stage, two years ago, as sixth graders. Talented even then, yet nowhere near as self-assured nor as charming. (Bugsy Malone, Jr. will be performed Friday at 7PM and Saturday at 2PM and 7PM, all in the Performing Arts Center, 40 Charlton Street.)
In ninth grade English today, as the teacher checked in with each student to make sure the past evening’s assignment had been completed, the group discussed the growth in their ability to annotate a text. Some students had developed their own method for doing this; others followed the teacher’s technique. The teacher asked the class to reflect on where they are now, “Is this where you want to be in tenth grade?” A great question and one that indicates expectations for each school year while acknowledging the ongoing, multi-year development that school holds for all students.
In classrooms throughout the school, we see evidence of all of the skills honed, content absorbed, talents fostered and a deepening of the students’ understanding of the world and their role in it. Most excitedly, we watch the seniors come and go, as much members of our alumni body as they are high school students. These young adults are prepared and ready to go.
Another project that has blossomed this spring is the work on our expansion project in the Charlton Street building. What was a hole in the ground is now clearly the foundation for our future Arts Pavilion. The townhouse is becoming its former self and will be completely renovated and restored this summer. Soon after work ends, the high school’s Science Lab B will receive its first ever renovation and the lobby of 40 Charlton Street will grow into its new, more mature self throughout the summer. We will also see newly renovated classrooms in the Sixth Avenue building when we return in the fall. More on the growth and development of our spaces next month.
Best,
Phil
Of General Interest . . .
1) The Middle School musical Bugsy Malone opens this Friday at the Charlton Street PAC. The performance begins at 7:00PM. While the Friday performance is sold out, tickets still remain for the performances on Saturday at 2:00PM and 7:00PM. Tickets will be on sale in the morning in the Sixth Avenue lobby for $10. What to expect … In this dramatic reenvisioning of the classic 70s movie, instead of throwing fists or bullets, the Prohibition-era kiddie mobsters in Bugsy Malone sling confections at one another. When Bugsy learns that a rival gang has developed a secret weapon capable of firing sweets as quick as a machine gun shoots bullets, he sets out to heist the high-tech tart-launcher. The production cleverly spoofs the rich, cliché-ridden history of films about organized crime while lightly mocking the childlike, selfish traits of grown-ups. The engaging silliness is spirited forward by rousing score. This production is suitable for all ages. See you at the theater!
2) We hope your family will participate in the 9th Annual Kids Walk for Kids with Cancer at 1:30PM on Saturday, May 9th, in Central Park. This kid-organized event, co-founded by the older sister of a current LREI student, has raised over $670,000 since 2001 to support pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Three LREI students are on this year’s NYC Organizing Committee, so we hope to have a big LREI presence! Please click here for more information.
3) A reminder that the Spring Book Fair is scheduled for Thursday, May 21st. This is a great opportunity to buy titles from the summer reading lists. Next week’s blog will include a copy of the Parent Pre-Authorization form, which you can complete and send in so that your child can purchase books at the fair in lieu of bringing cash to school.
4) Plan for a fantastic summer at the LREI Institute! This summer LREI Institute workshops include familiar topics such as Robotics, Rube Goldberg Machines, Moviemaking and Creative Writing, and exciting new ones, including Wilderness Skills with Charles Hassell (with an camping overnight trip), Contemporary Art-Making with Matt Mahler, and Drawing from Nature with Megan Dunphy Gottlieb. LREI Institute takes place at LREI’s Elizabeth Irwin High School for and is for students ages 10-14. The core of the program consists of major and minor workshops, led by teachers from LREI and other specialists. Registration is by two-week sessions. For each session you have the following registration options:
- Major only: 9am-1pm Monday-Thursday, and 9am-4pm on Friday
- Minor only: 1:30pm-4pm Monday-Thursday
- Full Day (including a Major and Minor): 9am-4pm Monday-Friday
Click the links below for a full listing of the workshops offered in each session:
You may register online by going to summers.lrei.org and following the “Register” tab on the right to “Register Now.” Click here for information on program fees. You may contact the Summers at LREI office at 212-477-5316 ext. 506 or by email at cfriesen@lrei.org.
5) From the LREI Lesbian, Gay and Straight Alliance (LGSA): America has struggled in the past with civil rights issues about the basic values of love, commitment, fairness, and freedom. Today’s civil rights conversation is about gay and lesbian families (and their children), who need and deserve the tangible and intangible rights and privileges that come with the ability to marry. The time has come to take action to help all families obtain equal marriage protection in New York State. Marriage equality legislation has been introduced in NY (A07732) and will be decided in the coming weeks. Freedom to marry would assure that everyone in the state, regardless of sexual orientation, is treated equally under the law, and that the American values of fairness, freedom, and choice are upheld. Do something today! Help your friends, family and community members in the fight for civil rights. Please write, phone and email your public officials. And please pass this on to everyone! Click here for additional information about how you can get involved.
6) Red is Green Committee Updates:
- May will be our last recycling drive for the LREI school year. During the month of May we are teaming up with the Community Service Committee. We will be collecting and recycling travel size toiletries. These items will be donated to the Outreach Program at St. Francis Xavier Church on West 15th Street. We need the following UNUSED travel size toiletries: soaps, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shaving cream and razors. These items will be given out free primarily to homeless individuals who come to the church where they are offered food, clothing and toiletries.
- Don’t forget to check out Lets Go Green’s website for eco-friendly water bottles, garbage bags, light bulbs, paper goods etc. LREI receives 25% of all sales as profit. Thanks for all your help. Start collecting and keep recycling!
- If you have any questions or suggestions, please email the Red is Green committee (lhommen@hotmail.com or kbeck2@nyc.rr.com).
7) Save The Dates: The 2009 LREI Camping Trip will take place the weekend of June 5-7 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River, about 15 miles North of the Delaware Water Gap. Students and their families may camp Friday and/or Saturday night. Sign-up tables will be in front of the Sixth Avenue entrance on the mornings of Monday, May 11 and Wednesday, May 27. The cost is $30 per adult and $20 per child. Payment can be by cash, check, credit card or PayPal. For more information, click here.
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 2008-2009 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.
This Week’s Attachments
General:
Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
Fifth Grade:
Sixth Grade:
For All Grades . . .
1) Margaret, Sherezada and Sharyn’s advisory is currently participating in a campaign called Skip Lunch Fight Hunger. The point of this campaign is to raise money for those who do not have enough food, (particularly children) in NYC. This is very important for the city because one out of every five children in the city does not always have enough food to eat. Skip Lunch Fight Hunger is a fundraiser for the non-profit organization City Harvest. City Harvest is a food rescue program that not only saves the lives of New Yorkers, but it prevents food from being wasted by using valuable resources from local stores and restaurants that would otherwise be thrown out. On Wednesday, May 6 we will decorate donation jars to put in small businesses in the LREI neighborhood to raise awareness and funds for the organization. We will collect these jars and all of the donations will be given to Skip Lunch Fight Hunger. This will make a significant difference to those in need. If you own a business or know of a small business in your neighborhood that would be willing to host a jar, please contact our advisor Margaret Andrews at mandrews@lrei.org. If you would like to learn more about our team’s efforts, click here. Thanks for your support.
2) It’s My Park Day: We’ll do some more work on the flower beds in Little Red Square on the morning of Saturday, May 16th. Students and families are welcome to joins us.
3) AIDS Walk 2009: The AIDS Walk is an important LREI community service event and is scheduled this year for Sunday, May 17th. We’re hoping for strong representation from all Middle School grades this year. Please remember that students in grades six and below must be accompanied by an adult. Registering for AIDS Walk New York has never been easier. Just click on this link below and choose your registration type (“Join a Team” — we are team #1222). If you prefer, you can always register by phone. Simply call (212) 807-WALK (9255) and they will be happy to register you. If you are not able to walk, please make every effort to support the team by making a donation.
4) Our annual Middle School Awards Night will take place on Tuesday, May 19th, at 6:00PM in the Sixth Avenue auditorium (please note this venue change). This is a wonderful night in which all students in grades five through eight who participated on sports teams and/or in extracurricular activities are recognized for their effort and participation. Students will be recognized for their participation in the following activities: Model Congress, Little Red Singers, Band, Play, Musical, Robotics Team, Rube Goldberg Team, Intramural Soccer, MS Soccer, MS Cross Country, MS Volleyball, Intramural Basketball, MS Boys Basketball, MS Girls Basketball, Intramural Softball, and MS Softball.
5) A message from librarian Jennifer Hubert Swan: Please keep in mind that as in years past, circulation in the Sixth Avenue library will end on Monday, June 1. This means that we will no longer check books out so that we can prepare the library for our annual inventory of the collection. Please do your very best to return any and all library materials during this week so the librarians can shelve them before starting inventory. This inventory is crucial to maintaining the integrity of our holdings and making sure that what is on our shelves matches what is in our computer catalog. Students and parents can continue to use the library space, computers and materials for independent reading or small group work during this time. If you have any questions or concerns about these procedures, please do not hesitate to speak to me.
For Eighth Grade Families . . .
1) A reminder that students should arrive at school on Tuesday, May 12, at 7:45AM packed and ready to go for the Gettysburg/DC Trip. Click here for the permission slip, packing list and trip itinerary. Trip updates will be posted at http://twitpic.com/photos/LREI_MS_Trips and http://twitter.com/lrei_ms_trip.
2) For students in the math 8X section, please read the new unit letter from math teacher Michelle Boehm.
For Seventh Grade Families . . .
1) Last week’s High School Arts Festival was a resounding success. Students participated in a truly impressive set of workshops that included, Improvisation, Tap Dancing, Hip Hop Dance, Acting, Playing the Blues, Song Writing, Polaroid Photography, Multimedia Storytelling, Painting Abstract Expressionism, Monotype, Light & Shadow, Expressionism in the age of the Internet, Comic Book Creation, and Rapping. Quite a selection.
2) Building on this experience, all seventh grades will spend the morning of Friday, May 15th, visiting classes at the high school and learning more about the high school program.
3) Please read the new unit letter from math teacher Michelle Boehm.
For Sixth Grade Families . . .
1 ) On Thursday, May 21st, the sixth grade will have the unique opportunity to participate in a Korean tea ceremony with a tea master who comes from a long lineage of tea masters dating back to the 14th century. Students are currently in the process of making ceramic tea cups in art to use for his event. In addition to its obvious connection to the social studies curriculum, the tea ceremony should be a very meditative and relaxing experience for students.
For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) Intramural Softball: If inclement weather necessitates practice having to be canceled, please consult the LREI online calendar, which will indicate that practice has been canceled (please make sure that you have selected and applied the filter for “Sports-MS Intramural Softball;” to do this click on the “Filter Events” link on the left sidebar). This information will be posted by 6AM on the day of the practice. If your child has a glove, s/he should bring it with her/him to the practice/game. If your child does not have a glove, s/he will likely be able to borrow one from another player. Click here to download a permission form. If you have any questions, please contact Larry Kaplan at lkaplan@lrei.org.
For Fifth Grade Families . . .
No updates this week.
============= For additional information, follow these links: =============
- View important middle school dates here.
- View all events with the LREI On-line Calendar
- Click here to see the 2009-2010 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