Almost There
From guest blogger Phil Kassen,
Dear Families,
Phew! What a full end to the 2008-2009 school year! Projects, tests, quizzes, presentations, potlucks, potlucks and more potlucks, concerts, recitals, more potlucks, award ceremonies and on and on. All interesting, all fun, all opportunities to display the hard work and serious learning that have gone on throughout year. My hat is off to the students and teachers who are managing to stay fresh and focused in the face of this series of quite fortunate events.
The seniors are counting the hours until graduation—25 or so at press time. Last week, the twelfth graders presented their Senior Projects, the result of internships and many weeks work, to standing room only crowds. Last Friday, the class attended the Senior Prom and tonight, along with their families, they will participate in the annual Senior Banquet. Performances, speeches, gifts for each student and the presentation of our most prestigious institutional awards—it is a wonderful evening and one to which we look forward each year. And tomorrow, their day of days, the senior class will be honored in LREI’s 64th Commencement Exercises. Hard to describe how moving this event is each year. If you are not a parent of a senior you will just have to wait to see.
Click here to see the most up to date list of our seniors’ college acceptances.
Click here to see the most up to date list of college matriculation plans for the Class of 2009.
Monday will bring a return to school for those the seniors will have left behind. Final exams will take up most of the last week in the high school, while Lower and Middle School students will finish up their academic and arts classes with a variety of events and participate in our traditional moving up exercises and then slip away to summer. Please visit the three divisional blogs to get a sense of what is happening throughout the school.
Our summer camp, “Summers at LREI”, will fill much of both campuses starting in late June. Summer will also bring significant construction to both buildings. On Sixth Avenue we will continue the upgrade and greening of the classrooms that we began last summer. The middle school classrooms that we renovated a year ago have added tremendously to the day-to-day life in the brownstones. During the coming summer we will renovate several lower school classrooms in a similar manner. I will be in touch to share renderings of these spaces as soon as possible.
On Charlton Street, we will continue the phase of construction that we started in March. Let me pause to thank the high school students and faculty for their patience during the construction. Major disruption was limited to a few days, but these days were hard. Thank you very much. This summer we will be renovating the 40 Charlton Street lobby and our chemistry lab, adding an elevator and renovating the townhouse (future home to the college guidance and admissions offices, humanities classrooms and faculty offices) to the west of the current high school building and integrating this restored landmark building into the existing facility. We will be adding considerable space to the high school’s basement classrooms and enlarging the cafeteria/student center. In the fall we will hold classes and receptions in a spacious outdoor courtyard. This project is a huge undertaking. The bulk of the work will be completed in time for the opening of school with the rest coming on line in mid-September.
I hope that you enjoy the exciting end of the school year. The thought and care and learning evident in all that the students will do in the next two weeks will earn them well deserved pats on the back and will send a raft of “Thank you’s” to their teachers. The summer will begin, and end, at the same breakneck pace that we are experiencing now. We will, and hope that you will, find some time during the summer to reflect on your child’s experience at LREI and how much they have learned and grown.
Warmly,
Phil
Of General Interest . . .
1) The 2009 LREI Camping Trip will take place this weekend (June 5-7) 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 , Friday, May 22, 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.
2) Lost and Found — the Lost and Found bin on the Sixth Avenue campus is over flowing with jackets, hats, scooters, socks, coats, gloves, etc. We will be donating all that is left on the day after school ends. If you are missing anything that might have found its way to the lost and found, now is the time to take a look. Thanks.
3) If you are interested in continuing as a rep next year or would like to volunteer to serve as rep for the 2009-2010 school year, please let Fung Lee know. You can email Fung at lee.funglee@gmail.com. Also, each year the Parents Association asks its members to vote on a slate of officers and representatives for the following school year. Attached is the ballot for electing Parent Association Officers for the 2009-2010 school year. Ballots need to be returned by Tuesday, June 9th.
4) 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).
5) From the Lesbian, Gay, Straight Alliance (LGSA): Information on the upcoming upcoming Gay Pride March — The parade this year is Sunday, June 28th and celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. These riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. They are frequently cited as the first instance in American history when gays and lesbians fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted homosexuals, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world. This year LREI’s participation in the parade will include a float along with music, balloons, bubbles, flags and more. For the first time we will be joined by families from The Calhoun School, another independent school in New York City. The theme for the float this year is “Together We Are One” and t-shirts for the event will be sold outside the Lower School on Wednesday, June 10th, and Thursday, June 11th, in the morning. Anyone who is interested in attending the parade should contact Keith Stout at keithstout@mac.com or Carrie Borows at cborows@gmail.com to be placed on the mailing list for informational updates such as when and where to arrive for the parade, safety tips, weather forecasts, etc. The parade and the LREI float are an amazing way to show support for our school and community and as always is a day of amazing fun and excitement for the kids. If you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you. Click here to view the flyer.
6) For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.
7) 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/.
For All Grades . . .
1) Please read this letter about an important food drive connected to one of our advisory group service projects.
2) Click here to read librarian Jen Hubert Swan’s blog about a recent visit from Young Adult author Lauren Myracle who discussed her latest novel, Peace Love & Baby Ducks and here to read the article that appeared in Publishers Weekly (scroll down to the bit titled “What a Week”).
3) Information about summer reading and math assignments for each grade are posted below. In addition to the regular reading and assignment, all Middle School students will read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. Three Cups of Tea is a compelling story of dedication, service, education and peace (click here to watch an interview with the author). The school will provide a copy of the book for each student and advisory groups will discuss the book in the fall and use it to frame a number of cross-divisional activities.
4) 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.
5) On Friday, June 5th, the Middle School students will attend our High School Graduation Ceremony held at 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.
6) Just a heads up that the annual End-of-Year Middle School dance will take place on Friday, June 5th (not the 15th as indicated on the Art calendar). The dance will start at 6:00PM and pizza and ice cream will be provided. The dance will end at 8:00PM for fifth and sixth graders and at 8:30PM for seventh and eighth graders.
7) As we have done in the past, I will be posting a sign-up sheet outside of my office for students who want to help lower school teachers pack up their rooms. Lower school teachers will need help all day on Wednesday, June 17th. Some Middle School teachers may also need some help packing up their rooms on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 17th and throughout the day on Wednesday, June 18th. Students who want to help Middle School teachers should speak directly to their teachers. Students will be paid $5 per hour for work that is done after school hours. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.
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 admissions director Samantha Caruth at scaruth@lrei.org.
2) Please join us on Tuesday, June 9th, at 6:00PM in the Sixth Avenue auditorium for the Science Exploratorium. This culminating event will afford students an opportunity to share with you the fruits of their independent research on key science concepts that were explored throughout the year.
4) Mark your calendar: Eighth Grade Pre-Moving Up Party, Friday, June 12, 2009. 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.
5) The Moving Up Assembly/Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 16th, 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.
2) The seventh grade potluck breakfast and Constitution Works has been rescheduled for Friday, 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 Seventh and Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) Please review the attached performing arts elective sign-up sheet (your child was given a hard copy) with your child over the weekend. Please make sure that your child brings a completed signed form in on Monday and return it to her/his advisor. These choices are not binding; we will use this information to get a sense of the level of interest for each class. Students will officially sign-up for their electives in the fall. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about this exciting new program.
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.
2) The annual sixth grade poetry and potluck breakfast will take place on Tuesday, June 9th at 8:00AM in the cafeteria. Your parent reps will be in touch with you about the potluck breakfast.
For Sixth and Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) Intramural Softball News: Playoffs will be held on Tuesday, May 26th, and Thursday, May 28th, at JJ Walker Field. Congratulations to Team 2, who finished in first place during the regular season! Team 1 will play Team 3 on Tuesday and the winner will play Team 2 on Thursday. The Parents versus Kids game will be played on Tuesday, June 2nd at JJ Walker field. Awards will be given out at the end of the game. JJ WALKER FIELD is located on the corner of Hudson and Clarkson Street (click here for a map). Thank you to all the parents, players and coaches for all of your help this season! GO KNIGHTS!!
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.
2) Our annual Grecian Festival will take place on the evening of Wednesday, June 10th 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.
============= For additional information, follow these links: =============
- 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