“How do I raise an Ally?”

A Message from Chap, Director of Diversity & Community:

Dear Families,

Civic education specialist, Joel Westheimer, encourages us to raise justice-oriented citizens (click here to read his article on democracy and education). This individual looks at the root of a problem and the layers of complexity involved in understanding unjust situations before attempting to join others in exploring strategies and finding resolutions. There are various curricular opportunities at LREI where students’ awareness of social justice issues in history and in the present is raised. They learn of the actions of justice-oriented citizens and the impact their work has in creating necessary change.

Social_Justice-1While at home, on a play-date, or on a walk around the city, you and your children are encountering injustices and unfair treatment of various groups of people. Sometimes our observations lead us to take action and we join organizations, volunteer our time, write letters, read literature to become more informed, or talk about the issue further at the kitchen table. Sometimes it is as simple as how we address a disagreement between siblings that begins with, “That’s not fair!” One might ask, “What else can I do to help my child be an engaged, sensitive, and active citizen?” “How do I raise a child of the 21st Century to be inclusive and socially just?” “How do I raise an Ally?”

Join us in a discussion to explore how you can help raise a social justice ally. Friday, November 20, 2009 at 8:45 am in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria. Grab some coffee, bring a friend, and engage in the first of a 3 part series of discussions with fellow LREI parents.

On other fronts, please click here to read Acting High School Principal Julia Heaton post on the many exciting things happening over at the Charlton Street campus.

Of General Interest . . .
1) LREI High School Thespians present an original play for all LREI audiences (LS, MS, & HS)!

THE SPIRIT OF THE RIDGE
is inspired by the lives and legends of the Lenni Lenape,
the indigenous Native Americans who lived here in NYC
and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic States for thousands and thousands of years.

Set inside a pre-contact Lenape wigwam, THE SPIRIT OF THE RIDGE is a story about the timelessness and necessity of friendship and peace, and the importance of connecting to the past. Themes and topics covered in the play include school bullying, inner-strength, loyalty, compassion, celebrating differences, and learning about Native cultures and traditions. Shows are scheduled for Friday, November 13th, at 7:00PM, and Saturday, November 14th, at 2:00PM and 7:00PM and will take place at the Charlton Street Performing Arts Center. Tickets will be on sale next week in both the Sixth Avenue and Charlton Street locations. For more information contact Meghan Farley Astrachan at 212-477-5316 x399.

2) Coffee Pond Photography recently sent information for ordering your child’s school portraits. Occasionally, a parent or student may want a different look from the original portrait taken, in which case Coffeepond will offer an opportunity for a retake, which is scheduled for 11/16/2009. Simply click on the retake link on your child’s portrait page to register. Please sign up at least 2 days before the scheduled day. If you have not received information by either email or mail please contact their Customer Care Department directly for assistance. By phone: 1-800-632-2323 ext “0.” By Email: Lifeguards@coffeepond.com

3) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

  • The Climate Quilt Campaign. The Green Schools Alliance is sponsoring a Climate Quilt and LREI students are invited to participate.  Join children from all around the globe in creating a quilt with your very own signed environmental pledge.  This quilt will be displayed in Copenhagen during the UN Climate Conference and other places leading up to Earth Day 2010.  Let world leaders hear your voice.  Look for our tables next week on Monday, 11/16 and Wednesday, 11/18 after school. For more information, click here for our flyer or visit www.climatequilt.org.
  • Textile Recycle Drive. Thank you to the LREI community for bringing in your unwanted textiles.  Rather than ending up in landfills, so for we have collected over 20 large garbage bags worth of used clothing, towels, sheets and other textiles to be recycled.  We will have a box in the lobby on Friday for any last-minute drop-offs.
  • Ink Cartridges. We continue to collect empty ink cartridges through November to be recycled. Every year in the US we through away over 375 million cartridges.  Bins are located by the reception desks at both the high school and 6th Ave.
  • For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

4) Visit the Afterschool Photo Blog at http://blog.lrei.org/afterschoolphotos/ to get a glimpse of what we have been up to in Afterschool. Photos will continue to be posted, so please return throughout the year (you may visit any time by clicking “Afterschool Photos Blog” on the left side of this page, under “LREI Links”).

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

6) LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA – http://www.parentsinaction.org/). 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. Click here to view upcoming events and/or to download their calendar.

For All Grades . . .
1) A reminder that you can access teachers’ blogs by following the “Digital Classroom” link on the sidebar.

3) Family Conferences and Subject Area Meetings (November 6th an 13th): Please check your child’s advisor’s blog to schedule a family conference for one of the dates indicated above. At this conference, your child will share work samples, offer reflections on her/his work and identify some goals for the second quarter. It is also a time for you to dialog with your child and her/his advisor about your child’s learning experience in the Middle School so far this quarter.

We have also decided to adjust the conference schedule on these two dates to allow for brief meetings with each of your child’s teachers should you so choose. To schedule these subject specific meetings please click here. As always, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teachers if you have questions about her/his performance and/or the curriculum.

3) From Middle School librarian Jennifer Hubert Swan: While it’s always a good time to write, the month of November is notable for a couple of great writing opportunities:

For Eighth Grade Families . . .
1) From Director of Admissions Barbara Scott: Completed Irwin Scholars Program applications are due Monday, November 16th, by 4:00PM (click here to download the application).

For Seventh Grade Families . . .
2) The seventh grade will go to the main branch of the New York Public Library to attend the National Book Award Youth Division press conference on Tuesday, November 17, from 10:00AM-12:00PM. They should bring a bagged lunch (no nuts, seeds or glass bottles) to school on that day.

At this event, the moderator generally takes questions from students in the audience. In the past, students have left their seats to stand in line at microphones to address their questions to the panel. Please have each of your students prepare a question for the author about the book they have read. They may or may not have a chance to ask it, but it would be nice if everyone was prepared.  Students can learn more about the books and authors by going to this page http://www.nationalbook.org/ and clicking on the cover of their book. At the end of the panel, students will have an opportunity to meet the authors personally and get their books signed.

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

For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) Please read the new math unit letter from math teacher Ana Chaney.

============= 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

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