What a week!
Dear Middle School Families,
What a week! Tuesday began with our wonderful Sixth Grade Poetry Potluck where those present were treated to an diverse selection of poetic delights all movingly read by their authors. Tuesday evening saw the auditorium transformed into our Science Exploratorium. At the Exploratorium, eighth grade students presented the results of their individual science research projects that addressed an impressive range of questions. Their questions appear below for your consideration:
- How do different liquids affect plant growth?
- Does the amount of light affect plant growth?
- Do plants really grow faster when talked to?
- Do different types of music affect the behavior of a rat?
- What is the impact of diet on a mouse’s ability to learn?
- Can a rat be trained using Pavlov’s Theory?
- Does a deficiency in one sense, strengthen
- other senses in mice?
- Are people aware of their choices regarding repetitive tasks?
- Are people affected the same by optical illusions?
- What are some ways to overcome inertia?
- Which variables affect speed and distance in a Mousetrap Powered Vehicle?
- How does hull design affect aerodynamics?
- How does wing design and shape affect lift?
- Does the height of a slider (airfoil) affect lift?
- Is a motor’ s output affected by the amount of wire in the coil?
- Which wind turbine generates the most electricity?
- What variables affect the output of a waterwheel?
- How can a boat be powered by a mousetrap?
- How can buildings be made more earthquake proof?
- What are the principals behind magnetic levitation trains?
Wednesday saw the fifth grade regale students and families with their rousing adaptations of two tales from The Adventures of Ulysses accompanied by a musical prologue and epilogue. The performance began with the viewing of an animation project created in their art classes with an accompanying original soundtrack created in their music class. Prior to the performance, families had a chance to view students’ technology animation projects, science robotics projects, core memoirs and essays and math friezes created using Geometer’s Sketchpad.
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Today, the seventh grade presented its Constitution Works First Amendment role play at the courthouse in Brooklyn and, tomorrow night, the eighth grade will celebrate their upcoming Moving Up, which will take place this coming Tuesday.
Congratulations to eighth grader Olivia who was selected as this year’s recipient of the Andrew McLaren Scholarship. This award was established in honor of former LREI Director Andrew McLaren to recognize an eighth grader moving on to the high school who exemplifies the school’s values and who has also showed dedication and promise in the arts.
No question that this has been an amazing week that is capping off a truly wonderful year in the middle school and at LREI. In addition to the potlucks at which teachers are formally thanked, I hope that you will each find a moment over the next few days to thank the members of the middle school faculty for their inspired teaching and unwavering care of your children.
On a final note, LREI has always seen itself as an experimental school with an on-going mission of supporting the development of progressive practice beyond the walls of our own school. Below are updates on two of our exciting middle school programs whose reach we hope to extend next year:
- For a number of years, our Rube Goldberg Team has participated in a competition at the Fay School in Massachusetts. This year, we decided to embark on a project whose goal is for LREI to become the home for a NYC-based Rube Goldberg competition. As a first step in this process, we recently hosted a Rube Goldberg workshop for teachers and students from Grace Church School, VCS, and City and Country. These schools along with Friends Seminary and St. Luke’s School will participate in our first full NYC competition next spring. At the kickoff workshop, middle school science teacher Steve Volkmann and a group of LREI sixth and seventh grade students demonstrated a machine that they had built. They then helped the groups from the other school to build machines that were able to turn the page of a book. Here are some photos from the event:
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- Last Thursday’s Young Composer Concert was a resounding success. The compositions written by our talented fifth and sixth graders were brought to life by accomplished instrumentalists from the New School graduate music program. It is our plan to expand this program to include student composers from other NYC schools next year. Click here to listen to selections from the concert.
As the year comes to a conclusion, I hope that the summer provides you with ample opportunities to spend quality time with family and friends and to think about trying something new together as a family.
Enjoy!
Of General Interest . . .
1) From Director Phil Kassen: We ask that you take 15 minutes to login to LREI Connect to update your personal and emergency contact information before the end of the school year. Here are video tutorials to show you how:
2) Please read this important letter from school nurses Kitty Highstein and Sue Gower. You can also access school health forms at http://www.lrei.org/community/parents/downloads.
3) From Denise J. Hills, Tuscaloosa City PTA Council President: Thank you SO much for your generous donation to the Tuscaloosa City PTA Council/Tornado Disaster Relief Fund. It is awesome to have schools helping schools. We are using funds to rebuild lives and our schools. Donations have been used to directly help children in the affected schools, and will be used to help purchase supplies for students and teachers for the next school year. This recovery is not a sprint, but a marathon. Our needs will continue long after the news tires of hearing of us. Thank you again for supporting our cause, and please refer your friends to our website, http://www.helptuscaloosaschools.com, to donate and for updates as to how funds are being used. you can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HelpTuscaloosaSchools.
4) Click here for the 2011-2012 school calendar.
4) For additional school news, you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
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) Click here to view a recent ABC news story featuring some of our sixth graders.
2) Here are some photos from this year’s Field Day:
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3) Information about summer reading lists and summer assignments can be found here: http://libresources.lrei.org/mssummerreading. Please read the attached summer math letter as well.
4) On Friday, June 10th, 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.
5) From judo team coaches Larry, Frank and Ana: Our final Shiai (tournament) will be held at the Thompson Street Athletic Center on the afternoon of June 10th. This is the culmination of all the work the team has done this season. It is a chance for students to demonstrate what they have learned and for families to watch and cheer them on. It is well-attended and highly anticipated each year – we strongly encourage you to come. Every student on the team will earn a medal, and everyone who has participated this season will be promoted. We hope to see you there!’
6) On Wednesday, June 15th, LS and MS teachers will be packing up their rooms. As we have done in the past, students who are interested in helping can earn $5 per hour for this work. A sign-up sheet for the lower school classes that need help is posted on the bulletin board outside of Mark’s office. Students who want to help in middle school classrooms should speak with their teachers about helping.
7) From Athletic Director, Peter Fisher: Get ready for LREI Basketball Camp! Great players are made in the off-season! Don’t miss this opportunity to work on basketball skills, play fun and exciting games, and hang out with all your friends! Varsity basketball coaches and players will be running drills and skill work in the mornings, breaking for lunch, and then running games and tournaments in the afternoons. The camp runs from 9AM-4PM for one week only: June 20-24. We have two gyms (Thompson Street Athletic Center and our High School) and are looking forward to a big turnout. The camp is open to all fourth though eighth graders, no matter their skill level. If you are interested, please contact Peter Fisher — pfisher@lrei.org 212-477-5316 ext 233
For Eighth Grade Families . . .
1) Mark your calendar: Eighth Grade Pre-Moving Up Party, Friday, June 10th. Please arrive by 6:00PM for the Potluck Dinner and Recognition Program. Additional details from your parent reps will follow. Click here to access the potluck sign-up form (make sure that you select the tab for the correct event).
2) For Monday June 13th, the eighth graders will be making their annual trip to Jacob Riis beach. Please make sure that your child comes to school with a bag lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles), bathing suit, towel, hat, sunglasses, sunblock and any sports equipment (including basketballs as there are courts next to the wild beach roses). We also recommend a sweatshirt in case of chilly breezes and anything else one might want at the beach (ipod, book, camera, etc). As students will receive their yearbooks in the morning, a pen is also recommended.
3) The Moving Up Assembly/Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 14th, 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) On Monday, June 13th, the seventh graders will make their annual end-of-year trip to the Ross Dock Picnic Area in the Palisades Interstate Park. Please make sure that your child comes to school with a comfortable light backpack containing a bag lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles), a hat, sunblock and a windbreaker. Students must wear comfortable walking shoes or sneakers. No open toed shoes, sandals or flip flops.
For Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) On Monday, June 13th, the sixth graders will complete their year-long PE Olympics at the Thompson Street Athletic Center. Please make sure that your child comes to school PE appropriate clothing and shoes. Students in Jennifer, Lynne and Melissa’s advisory should also bring a backback containing a bag lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles), a hat, and sunblock as they will have lunch outside of the building. Frank, Larry and Margaret’s advisory will enjoy a pizza party in recognition of their efforts in this year’s Pennies for Patients Drive.
For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) On Monday, June 13th, the fifth graders will make their annual end-of-year trip to Brooklyn for some high-spirited bowling fun. Please make sure that your child comes to school with a comfortable light backpack containing a bag lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles), a hat, and sunblock as they will have lunch outside of the building.
============= 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