Dear Families,

In the spirit of this week’s Book Fair, I thought I’d give you a glimpse at some of the literacy activities that have been taking place in Middle School core classrooms:

• In fifth grade, students are currently working on “A Day in the Life” journal entries written from the point of view of a real or fictional ancient Greek person. This is a culmination of their ancient Greek research unit in which students studied and took notes on a particular aspect of Greek life.
• In sixth grade, students recently completed a research project on the “ABCs of Islam.” They are currently in the middle of a poetry unit, exploring haiku (in conjunction with their study of Japan), personification poems, creative translations, elegy, poetry comics and concrete poetry. They’re also working on writing poems in the the styles of their favorite poets.
• In seventh grade, students recently completed vignettes modeled after Sandra Cisneros’ House on Mango Street. Currently, seventh graders are reading William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and will be writing literary essays on the role of fate and free will in the play. In these essays, students will argue whether or not the lovers were fated to die, and what role, if any, free will played in this tragedy.
• In eighth grade, students recently completed muckraking-style exposés on a sustainability issue after studying various Progressive Era and modern investigative journalists such as Upton Sinclair and Eric Schlosser. Students also took a variety of paths in their approach to their final written projects on Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. These included researching the real-life Scottsboro Boys trial, creating Boo Radley’s journal, interviewing friends and family about their experiences with the text, and doing a close reading of the text.

All impressive endeavors and reflective of the thoughtful approach to writing that takes place throughout the year. It is an approach that is grounded in the belief that while students must master the many aspects of writing as a craft, the literary terrain they travel must also inspire them to take risks in their thinking, to be bold in their writing, and to embrace writing as a medium for communicating their real insights and passions.

In a similar vein, thank you to those of you who were able to attend The Middle School Awards this past Tuesday evening. The number of students involved in extracurricular activities and the diversity of these activities was inspiring. There is no doubt that these opportunities, which challenge students to think and learn in powerful ways, contribute in important ways to our mission of educating the whole child. As with all endeavors, these experiences are not without their own obstacles (being over-matched by an opposing team, struggling to get the harmonies just right, having to adapt materials to meet a robotics challenge). However, when we see our students pushing themselves to do their best for themselves and for the team/group, the opportunities for learning are self-evident. These programs also provide students with the opportunity to “bump” into a new passion or to deepen a commitment to an area of interest and strength. Through our extracurricular programs, students with varied prior experiences and abilities regularly come together under the guidance of experienced teacher leaders to support each other as they work to be their best selves. I hope that this year’s Awards Night sparked some new areas of interest for students and faculty alike. I look forward to future evenings where we are able to come together as a community to celebrate this important work.

On the subject of our community, I’m pleased to let you know about the three new members of the Middle School faculty:

• Susannah Flicker who has worked this year in the lower school providing academic support will join the Middle School learning support team next year. Susannah will work primarily with the seventh grade team. Prior to coming to LREI, Susannah was the director of learning support at another NYC independent school
• Sara Roberts-Harding will join us as an eighth grade core teacher. For the past four years, Sara has taught middle school social studies in the NYC public schools. She made an immediate connection with our students during her visit and brings with her a solid background in project-based learning. Prior to her work in the public schools, Sara worked in a NYC independent school teaching and supporting a range of diversity initiatives.
• Matt McLean also comes to us from the NYC public schools. For the past 10 years he has taught music classes, directed choruses, run instrumental programs, and served as a musical director. His varied musical experience will be an asset to our music program.

All three are excited to join the LREI learning community and are looking forward to working with your children.

This Week’s Attachments
General:
2008-2009 LREI Calendar
LREI Camping Trip
Field Day Information
Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
Sixth Grade:
Williamsburg Trip Registration Form
Fifth Grade:

Of General Interest . . .
1) We are so proud of the college acceptances of the members of the Class of 2008.  Well done!  Thank you to our college guidance counselors, Amy Shapiro and Jane Gabin, for their expertise and support.    Click here for this year’s college acceptances list and matriculation list.

2) I would again like to thank this year’s Middle School Parent Representatives for their hard work on your behalf in helping to make the Middle School the vibrant learning community that it is. If you are interested in continuing as a rep next year or would like to volunteer to serve as rep for the 2008-2009 school year, please let Kasey Picayo know. You can email Kasey at picayosmith@aol.com.

3) Tomorrow, Friday, May 23rd, we will hold our annual Field Day and Senior Appreciation at Pier 40. We’re looking forward to an exciting day! Please read the attached letter for additional information and t-shirt color assignments.

4) It’s a party to celebrate Sharon Dupree’s four years at LREI! Please join us for a Sixth Avenue Rooftop celebration on Tuesday, May 27th from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. All parents welcome. Childcare will be available in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria. Please RSVP to Sharon Fong at sharonf@bflnyc.org if you plan to attend and to sign up for childcare by Thursday, May 22nd.

5) From Middle School librarian Jennifer Hubert: A reminder that all LREI library books be returned to both libraries by Monday, June 2nd. Like past years, we will be closing to circulation on this day, which means that while we will continue to check materials in, we will no longer check any more materials out. Please look through your child’s bookshelves at home, through closets and under beds for any stray LREI library books. We will be sending home overdue slips as usual, and please let me know if there are any errors on your child’s slip.

6) Save the date: The 15th annual LREI Camping Trip will be held on the weekend of June 6-8. All LREI families and their children — pre-K through high school — are invited to participate. As in past years, we expect that a good time will be had by all: hiking, swimming, sports, fishing, camping, cooking, eating, singing around the campfire, etc. The site, as in past years, will be near the Delaware Water Gap (somewhat north of where I-80 crosses the Delaware River). The cost will be $30 per adult, $20 per child. Also, we need volunteers to help with hauling food and supplies and equipment out to the camp site (and back) and providing extra space in their vehicles for those who need a ride out and back. More details will be forthcoming for those who are interested. We will have a sign-up table on the mornings of Friday May 23 and Wednesday May 28 at LREI. Please see the website. Please save the date and let us know if you are interested in receiving more information — and especially if you are interested in volunteering: Send an email to Larry White at Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu. Click here for more information.

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 2007-2008 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.

For all Grades:
1) Our annual 24 Challenge will be held this year on Tuesday, May 27th (the day after Memorial Day). It will be held in the seventh grade rooms from 7:45 to 8:30AM. One important change to this year’s competition is that students will compete at tables of 4 rather than against a single other person. The stack of cards in the center will be larger and the person with the most cards at the end will win that round. Winners may proceed to another table to play other rounds, or (if the bracket is small) they may not. Categories will be the same and sign up sheets will appear when we get closer to the actual day. The finals for our in-house 24 Challenge will take place at Midde School Meeting on Wednesday, June 4th.

2) On Friday, June 13th, the Middle School students will attend our High School Graduation Ceremony at the 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.

3) From School Nurse Kitty Highstein: By now you have received the packet from my office that includes the health form for 2008-09. I need to bring several things to your attention:

1. The health form must be returned to my office before school opens in the fall. Your child’s physical should be current for the 2008-09 school year. If the date for this physical falls on a birthday that is after the first day of school, please include a note with the other forms you’re returning to me to let me know when the appointment with your pediatrician will be.
2. Please make sure you complete the medication permission and that your pediatrician signs it.
3. Always make a copy of the health form to keep with your child’s records. Parents of children going on overnight school trips will need information it contains to complete forms for those events.
4. Check over all the forms before you send them in. Be sure they’re completed and signed so they don’t have to be returned to you! Thank you.

For Eighth Grade Families . . . .
1) Gabrielle and Sharyn would like to invite you to the their respective foreign language trip slide shows on Thursday morning, June 5th at 8:00AM.  You will have the opportunity to see images from the trip and your children will share their Memory Books with you.  The presentations will finish by 8:45AM at the latest.

2) Mark your calendar: Eighth Grade Pre-Moving Up Party, Friday, June 13, 2008. 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.

3) The Moving Up Assembly/Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 17th, 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) The seventh grade potluck breakfast and Constitution Works event will take place on Thursday, 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 Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) The annual sixth grade poetry and potluck breakfast will take place on Tuesday, June 10th at 8:00AM in the cafeteria. Your parent reps will be in touch with you about the potluck breakfast.

2) While there is still much to do this year, I wanted to get information about next year’s trip to Williamsburg out to you. We are asking that families register for the trip by June 1, 2008. Registration for the trip is handled by our tour company NCT. The attached form continues the relevant registration information. If you have questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) Our annual Grecian Festival will take place on the evening of Wednesday, June 11th 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:

• Calendar of Events
• 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 homework blog “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