What Class Reps Do

Dear Families,

One of the fall traditions in the Middle School is the election of student representatives. The essays prepared by the candidates are always thoughtful and, while some candidates make bold promises (e.g., a three-day school week, extended recess, nap time), all address issues of real concern to middle school students (e.g., more recess equipment, additional clubs, independent art time).

So far this year, representatives have been asked to seek out the full range of opinions on issues discussed by their classmates and they have helped their classmates to work towards consensus on a variety of these issues. On some occasions, they have also had to represent ideas with which they did not agree. Along the way, they have also helped to resolve conflicts, problem solved with their classmates, welcomed and spoken with families visiting the school as part of the admission process, made presentations at middle school meeting, and worked with the deans and the principal to clarify old roles and develop new roles for class representatives.

In the midst of all of these efforts, the representatives also want to leave their mark in some more permanent way on the life of the Middle School. This year’s representatives are hopeful that our first Mid-Winter Afternoon Olympics becomes an on-going tradition. Tomorrow afternoon, eight teams of fifth through eighth graders will meet at the Thompson Street Athletic Center dressed in their team colors with matching names, cheers, songs and dances to face a series of team challenges. The reps have worked hard with dean Gabrielle Keller and PE teacher Larry Kaplan to make the event a success. While it promises to be a fun afternoon, only time will tell if the Mid-Winter Afternoon Olympics enters the honored pantheon of desert, chocolate milk, Crazy Hat Day and Pajama Day, which are the lasting legacy of reps from the not so distant past.

Of General Interest . . .

1) Click here to access other photo collections of LREI events and happenings at our on-line photo gallery.

2) Please join the LREI Community Service Committee in supporting Room to Grow. Each year Room to Grow provides hundreds of children living in poverty with clothing, books, toys and many other needed items! The drive ends tomorrow and items can be dropped of in the Sixth Avenue lobby. You can help us help them by donating the following items:

new and gently used clothing for newborn to 5 years, toys, books, bedding, strollers, bassinets, swings, baby bath tubs… or you can purchase and donate new items like bottles, sippy cups, dishware, pacifiers, teethers and breast pumps.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at deniseadler@mac.com or check out their website at www.roomtogrow.org.

3) LREI Night at YANK: Tuesday February 23rd. Limited Tickets available, please contact Liza Sacks , lsacks@lrei.org if interested. Set during World War II, Yank chronicles the romantic relationship between two servicemen long before don’t-ask-don’t-tell was part of the national discussion. With a lively score inspired by the pop sounds of the 1940s, Yank! captures the spirit and exuberance of the era even as it explores questions of prejudice, courage and survival. It tells the story of Stu—a photographer for Yank magazine—and Mitch, an Army Private, who fall in love and struggle to survive in a time and place where the odds are stacked against them.

4) Monday, March 1, 2010 — Project Cicero Book Drive (through March 4)
Project Cicero is an annual non-profit book drive designed to create — or supplement — school and classroom libraries for children in under-resourced New York City public schools. Now in its tenth year, Project Cicero has distributed nearly 1,000,000 new and gently used books to 5,500 New York City classrooms and libraries, reaching 180,000 students. Boos can be dropped off in the Sixth Avenue lobby.

5) VISIBILITY: Lesbian and Gay People We Love — An LREI Community Photo Exhibit. Exhibit dates:

• Charlton Street, Monday, February 22nd – Friday, March 5th, 2010
• Sixth Avenue, Monday, March 8th – Friday, March 19th, 2010
• Reception: Sixth Avenue, Monday March 8th, 6:00 – 8:00pm

Please join LREI in celebrating diversity at the Visibility Photo Exhibit! Submit a photo of your family with a loved one who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered. While the deadline for submission has passed, if you have a photo, contact one of the organizers listed below. Visit the exhibit and show support for family, friends and community. Come to the opening ceremony to share stories and experiences about visibility. For more information see the attached flier and poster or contact Carrie Borows or Merril Stern at Visibility@lrei.org.

6) LREI 2010 Art Auction:

• March 3 & 4, 2010
• Cocktail Reception & Final Bidding: March 4th from 6:00PM to 8:00PM

Don’t miss the chance to see artwork by some of the world’s finest artists and community members. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend! It’s our main fundraiser this year. The event provides essential support for our Tuition Assistance Program and it is going to be a wonderful evening with refreshments and fun. Admission is free! Visit http://artauction.lrei.org/ for additional information and to view items that will be auctioned.

7) Grandparents and Special Friends Day will be held on Friday May 7th from 1:00-3:00PM. Please send your names for Grandparent and Special Friends to Liza Sacks, lsacks@lrei.org , (212) 477-5317 ext.291. Invitations will be mailed March. You can also contact Liza if you have questions about this important community event.

8) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

• Donate Old Cell Phones: Cell phones will be donated to Phones for Haiti, a partnership with the American Red Cross and ReCellular, Inc. For more info, see phonesforhaiti.com. By donating your old cell phone, you can provide critical aid to people in Haiti, protect the environment and bring new technology to developing areas. 100% of the proceeds from Phones for Haiti will go to aid victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
• Recycle Used Batteries: We will accept all rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries. Electronic waste is the fastest growing was concern in the world! Batteries contain toxic substances like mercury that are harmful to our landfills. Don’t throw them out in your regular trash – let us help you recycle them.
• Batteries and cell phones can be dropped off in the Red is Green recycle bins at the Sixth Avenue and Charlton St. lobbies throughout February and March.
• For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

9) We want your recipes! Plans for the LREI Community Cookbook are under way, and we are now seeking recipes from all members of the community. Recipes can be for any dish that you would bring to a potluck. Please send recipes or questions to cookbook@lrei.org. The deadline for recipes is March 19 (right before spring break). Help us create a cookbook that represents all the diverse facets of our community!

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

11) 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) From the LREI Athletic Department: Congratulations to ALL 5 of our intermural basketball teams for making the post season schedule. All of the teams have worked hard. The players and coaches would love to have your voices and support at the following games:

Middle School Boys – Finished in second place with a 5-1 league record. Watch them in the finals: LREI (2) vs Garden (1), @ The Garden School, Feb 25th. 5:00PM

Middle School Girls – Finished in a 3-way tie for first place with a 5-1 league record! LREI won a coin-toss and earned a playoff bye. Watch the girls in the finals: LREI (1) vs. the winner of Dwight/Garden (1), @ LREI’s Thompson Street Athletic Center, March 1st, 3:15 PM

JV Boys – Finished in second place with a 7-3 league record. Watch them in the playoffs: LREI (2) vs York (3) @ LREI’s Thompson Street Athletic Center, March 1st, 4:30 and in the conference final: BWL (1) vs. winner (above) @ The Churchill School, March 2nd, 4:00PM

Varsity Girls – Finished in a tie for third place with an 8-4 league record. Watch the girls in the conference playoff play-in game: LREI vs. Garden, Feb 22nd, @ The Garden School at 3:45PM. The winner will play in a playoff game: vs. Lycée Français de New York, @ LFNY, Feb 23rd Time: TBA The winner of this game plays in the Girls Independent Schools Athletic League inter-conference game: Feb 24th, who: TBA time: TBA

Varsity Boys – are in third place with a 5-4 league record. Conference Playoffs: LREI (3) vs. The Garden School (2), @ Garden, Feb 22nd, 5:15. The winner plays in the Independent School Athletic League inter-conference game @ Columbia Prep (1), Feb 24th, time: TBA

There are also several weeks of 5th/6th grade intramural basketball games left each Friday afternoon at the Thompson Street Athletic Center, beginning at 3:30PM.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) A reminder that final payments for the DC trip are due on February 18th. If you have payment questions, please let me know. If you have not registered, please do so ASAP using the attached form.

2) The eighth grade will travel to the Tenement Museum on Monday, 22. They will leave after lunch and will return by 3:00PM.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

1)A reminder about the upcoming PE/Dance unit. Classes will meet as follows:

• Thursday, 2/18 — Lynne and Jennifer’s Sixth Grade and both Fifth Grade classes
• Monday, 2/22 — Frank and Margaret’s Sixth Grade and both Fifth Grade classes
• Tuesday, 2/23 — Both Sixth Grade classes
• Thursday, 2/25 — Lynne and Jennifer’s Sixth Grade and both Fifth Grade classes
• Monday, 3/1 — Frank and Margaret’s Sixth Grade and both Fifth Grade classes
• Tuesday, 3/2 — Both Sixth Grade classes

The final session for each grade will end with a celebratory dance with both classes. Here is a brief description about the unit:

2) Click here for the intramural team rosters. Regular team practices will start on Wednesday and Thursday, December 16th and 17th. Players must have a completed permission slip to play. Forms can be downloaded from the Athletics section of the LREI website.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) A reminder that tomorrow is the Sixth Grade DISC dance. The dance runs from 7-9PM and is being hosted by VCS (272 West 10th Street). Please make sure that your child has returned a permission form and dance fee of $7 ($1 of this fee will go to the Red Cross to support relief efforts in Haiti).

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

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

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