Middle School News

Welcome back!

msilberberg — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:09:07 +0000

Dear Middle School Families,

I hope that it has been and continues to be a wonderful summer for you and your family. As always, our middle school spaces were filled with the sounds of Summers at LREI in July, but with August here they are transforming themselves back into their familiar form and await anxiously the arrival of students and the start of a new year.

As for me, when I was not in the office, I tried to spend as much time outside as possible with various gardening and building projects. I also did some kayaking on the Hudson and some fishing with my two older sons. As measured by what we caught, the fishing was largely unsuccessful, but as I tried to explain to my sons, the real measure of a successful fishing experience is in the actual doing of it. To be solely focused on the catch is to lose sight of the beauty and joy of the water and the other animals and birds also at work on the water. It’s about learning how to balance the need for a desired result with the patience and dedication that is required to get there; and mostly, what really matters is finding pleasure in and learning from the experience itself especially when the fish aren’t biting. As I think about it, this is a state of mind that I want to take with me into the school year. There is no question that the middle school program is driven by a number of clear goals for students, teachers and families, but I also want to make sure that we connect these to the daily experience of being part of the middle school community. So I hope that you will join me this year as we work to make sure that the many rich opportunities for joyful and meaningful experience do not go unnoticed.

That said, I trust that things have been equally exciting for you and that you are all enjoying your summer and finding time to be with family and friends. Since it is only a short time before we are back in full swing, I hope that you make the most of these last few weeks. What follows are some important items to keep in mind as you prepare for the start of the school year:

Opening Morning Parent Q&A—I will be available from 8:00-8:45AM on Tuesday, September 7^th, in the cafeteria to answer any pressing “nuts and bolts” or “big picture” questions that you might have about the start of the year. It is not necessary to attend this meeting. If you have questions and cannot attend, you can always email (msilberberg@lrei.org) or call me (212-477-5316 ext. 221). I will also be available to answer questions on the afternoon of the 7^th (see next item) if you are not able to attend the morning Q&A session.
Beginning of the year meeting with your child’s advisor—Also on the first day of school, Tuesday, September 7th, from 12:15-3:15PM, we ask each family to schedule a 20-minute conference with their child’s advisor. As you will notice on the class lists, we have increased the number of advisors in each homeroom. This will allow more faculty to participate in this important role and it will also allow us to provide better support for each advisee. In order to schedule these conferences, please click here. If you have any questions about this meeting or how to schedule it, please do not hesitate to contact me.
The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for your child’s advisor to meet with you to introduce her/himself and for you to learn more about her/his role as an advocate and liaison. This meeting provides all parties with an un-charged, friendly environment to get to know each other. It is also a chance to establish connections and set goals. This is especially useful for new families and for fifth and sixth grade families as the meeting will provide you with a sense of what is new and what to expect. This meeting will also provide a chance for families to discuss any goals or concerns that they may have. Students are expected to participate in these conversations.

On the first day of school, we will run an abbreviated morning schedule during which students will meet their teachers. Following lunch and recess, the mini-conferences will begin. When not in their conferences, students will be engaged in a division-wide service activity. When you arrive for the conference, you will be directed to where you can pick up your child. You can leave with your child after meeting with the advisor. Your child may also remain until the end of the day and will be dismissed at 3:15PM. We hope that all families will be able to participate in these meetings on this day.

Another item to add to your to-do list is a review of the Middle School Student and Family Handbook. Click here to access the handbook. I encourage you to review the handbook with your child as this provides an excellent opportunity to talk about hopes and goals for the coming school year.

If you have specific questions about any of the above items, please do not hesitate to contact me before the start of the school year. Whether before school starts or during the year, my door is always open and I look forward to hearing from you. The following are a few other important items to keep in mind as you review the handbook:

The official start of the school day for Middle School students is 8:15AM. Morning homeroom will run from 8:15-8:30AM. It is important that students arrive to school on time. Please remember that students who are late to school and who do not have a note from their parent/guardian will be expected to make up this time at the end of the day.
I have posted to the blog a document that contains several of the letters of communication that faculty members may send out as email during the course of the year. We recognize that these letters have a formal tone, but we feel that they contain important information that you should know about your child’s progress. In addition, this information allows for better coordination among Middle School faculty members. It is helpful if you read these letters now so that you are familiar with their form. Click here to access the letters.
With regard to communication, please make sure to keep abreast of Middle School and schoolwide events by reading the weekly blog, which you can access at any time at http://blog.lrei.org/msnews. The blog is updated every Thursday afternoon.

As I mentioned in the spring, we welcome Christopher Jung, Alicia Wang and Robert Bloch to the Middle School community. Christopher will teach the fifth grade technology classes and will coordinate our on-going division-wide integration of technology into the curriculum. Alicia will teach fifth and sixth grade Mandarin classes. Robert will teach eighth grade core while Sarah Barlow is on maternity leave for the first part of the year.

Amidst travels, spending time with families and friends, and reflecting on the past year, many returning faculty members spent time this summer focusing on their curricula and on life in school in general:

Sherezada Acosta, fifth and sixth grade science teacher, taught a two-week robotics class at the Summers at LREI camp program.
Margaret Andrews, sixth and eighth grade math teacher, worked with Yale University students who were selected for the Courture Fellowship and the Yale President’s Fellowship. Her role was to present approaches to numeracy through a series of seminars. The program is dedicated to supporting the exploration of the vital world of elementary education and new practices that hold promise for exceptional achievement for all students through exchanges with experienced educators.
Lower school and middle school dance teacher Deborah Damast taught a modern dance technique and repertory graduate level summer intensive at the NYU Steinhardt School.
MS Librarian and Library Department Chair Jennifer Hubert Swan was accepted into the Cullman Center Institute for Teachers Summer Seminar taught by author Karen Russell that took place in July.
Sixth grade core teacher and dean Lynne Cattafi served as a program dean for the Oxbridge summer study abroad program in Cambridge, England. The Oxbridge program is for students in grades 8 to 12 and aims to give participants the opportunity to live and study at historic and scholarly centers of learning in Europe.
Elizabeth Simmons, seventh grade Core teacher, attended the Klingenstein Summer Institute for Early Teachers. The Institute brings together approximately 75 teachers from across the country and around the world, and is especially designed to make teachers more effective leaders in the classroom and throughout the school.
Matthew Rosen, seventh grade core teacher, was awarded an National Endowment for the Humanities grant to attend a summer institute at Yale, The Lost World of Early America, in which he explored themes in colonial American history, such as race relations, politics, economics, family and community life, and rites of passage. He also received a LREI Summer Program Grant to identify and develop additional resources and reading material, focusing on primary sources, for the seventh grade study of Colonial America
Wendy Bassin and Heather Brandstetter, fifth grade core teachers, also received a Summer Program Grant to add to the fifth grade’s study of ancient civilization and life by creating a unit that asks the students to make comparisons between the ways ancient civilizations produced food and the ways we do so currently;
Stephen Volkmann, seventh and eighth grade science teacher, was the divisions other Summer Program Grant recipient. His grant focused on the creation of several new units for both the 7th and 8th grades, establishing yearlong themes for each grade and integrating a number of new concepts into the course of study.

A most impressive list and reflective of the commitment that LREI faculty have to their own continued professional growth. Rest assured that whether connected to the projects noted above, or through the day-to-day work that the teachers have planned for students, we have many thought provoking and challenging activities planned for the coming school year.

A few final reminders:

Foreign Language—If you are a fifth grader or a student new to LREI and have not informed me of your choice for foreign language, please call or email to discuss this.
Summer Reading—Students do not need to bring their summer reading assignments with them to school on the first day. Their teachers will let know when to bring them to school. If you are not sure if you have completed all that you had to do, check out the summer reading section of our website— http://www.lrei.org/libres/sr.html.
Middle School Sports—Practices for Middle School soccer, volleyball, and cross-country will begin the week of September 13^th. You can access the game and practice schedule at http://lrei.org/athletics/fallsports.html. Fifth and Sixth grade intramural soccer will begin the week of September 20^th. Practices days and times for all teams will be posted by the first day of school if not before. Questions about the seventh and eighth grade teams should be directed to Athletic Director Peter Fisher at pfisher@lrei.org. Questions about the intramural program should be directed to Middle School PE teacher and Intramural Coordinator Larry Kaplan at lkaplan@lrei.org.
Middle School Chorus and Jazz Band—The Little Red Singers (grades 5-8) meets once a week on Tuesdays from 11:00AM-12:00PM. Lower School music teacher and Middle School vocal music teacher Ledell Mulvaney directs the chorus. Seventh and eighth grade jazz band members meet during the performing arts elective period. Fifth and sixth grade jazz band members meet on Fridays from 2:15-3:15PM. Middle School music teacher Matt McLean directs the band.
New Parents—you are invited to a cocktail party hosted by Board Chair Michael Patrick (LREI ’71) and his wife Carol Sedwick— Monday, September 20^th at 6PM, at the home of Michael and Carol, 250 West 94th Street, Apt. 15E
LREI Medical Forms—please make sure that you return all medical-related forms to School Nurse Kitty Highstein before the first day of school. For fifth and sixth grade families: Please make sure that your physician also completes and signs the Ashokan Trip Health Form.
Ashokan—Fifth and sixth graders will leave for their three-day outdoor education trip to the Ashokan Center in the Catskills on Wednesday, September 15^th. Please read and complete the forms that have been enclosed in this mailing. A parent informational meeting about the trip will take place on Friday, September 10^th, at 8:00AM in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.
Middle School Curriculum Night—Tuesday, September 28^th at 6:30PM. All are invited to attend.

Among the many highlights of the Middle School program are the overnight trips taken by each Middle School grade. The fifth and sixth grades begin our trip program for the year with their annual journey to the Ashokan Outdoor Education Center. Forms for this trip are included in this mailing. In late-October, seventh graders will travel to Williamsburg, VA as part of their study of Colonial America. Eighth graders will travel to Gettysburg, PA and Washington DC in May as a part of their study of American history. Click here to access the registration forms for these trips. All children will participate in these grade-level trips. In addition, our optional foreign language trips to France and Spain will take place over Spring Break. The projected cost for these trips is just above $2,000, which includes all travel fees and spending money. If you have not already registered your eighth grader for one of these trips, the trip coordinators will be in touch with you at the beginning of the year. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about the payment for your child’s trip(s).

That’s all for now. With the start of school just around the corner, I hope that you make the most of these last days of summer and that you return with interesting experiences and stories to share as we embark on new and exciting adventures in the fall.

See you soon!

Of General Interest . . .

1) Click here to access the most current “At a Glance” calendar for the 2010-2011 school year. This calendar includes Family Conference dates not included in the last version that was sent by Phil.

For All Grades . . .

1) Click here to get a jump on school supplies for next year. The attachment has the lists for all four grades.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) Looking ahead to the spring, click here to access the registration form for the spring Gettysburg/DC trip that will take place next May. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: 55757. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Click here to access the registration form for the Williamsburg / Jamestown trip that will take place next October. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: A76310. W e would like all families to register for the trip by the end of the month. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) Click here to access the registration forms for the Ashokan trip.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) Click here to access the registration forms for the Ashokan trip.

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

We’re Ready!

msilberberg — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:19:08 +0000

Dear Families,

This week’s Eighth Grade Moving Up Ceremony was a wonderful conclusion to a most exciting year. Since a number of you have asked, below is the speech that I gave at the ceremony. Click here for the text of the Marge Piercy poem ‘The Low Road” that Momii read.

You can also find at the bottom of the page links to the summer assignments and the supply lists.

As I mentioned last week, I also hope that the summer provides you with ample opportunities to spend quality time with family and friends and to also think about trying something new together as a family.

Be well,
Mark

Delivered on Tuesday, June 15, 2010,
on the occasion of the Class of 2014’s Moving Up

It is an honor to be able to share in this day with you; you have worked hard to get to this moment so savor it. As some of you know, it’s become something of a tradition for my words on this occasion to find their inspiration in your dream flags. That decision makes this speech something of a risk because I can’t really begin it until you have finished, which was yesterday morning. Despite the looming deadline, what was reassuring for me as I tried to find my way through the flags last night was that we’ve really been writing this speech together for the last four years. So it’s true that time is relative, our frame of reference – our perspective – really does matter. That was a comforting thought as the clock on my computer screen crept towards this moment, but . . .

I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready . . .

Not my words. They belong to SpongeBob SquarePants and are boldly painted on one of the flags behind you. And what of SpongeBob? Does he really deserve mention at this celebration of your accomplishments? I ask only that you withhold your judgment until we’ve found our path through the flags. So for what are we “ready?” What lies just ahead as we move on from Moving Up? As one of you commented,

Moving on is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard. (1)

We move on all the time, in a way it is like breathing, but as the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “You can never step into the same river; for new waters are always flowing on to you.” What the moving on of the river leaves behind is change and change can be hard to accept. Even in this moment, your cherished past is slipping away. So you are right when one of you acknowledges that . . .

Change is inevitable except from vending machines. (2)

And what do you do? Do you stand helpless in front of the machine, defeated and cheated? Or do you embrace the inevitability of this change? As one of you observes, do you understand that you must

Be the change you wish to see in the world, (3)

and that

You have to speak your mind to change the world. (4)

Be and speak – actions and words. They are intertwined. Neither is sufficient. Your words are empty if not followed by actions and action that does not lead to thought, which is embodied in language, does not last. Your middle school experience has sought to strengthen this crucial relationship between these two imperatives at every step. But it is not a simple matter of us just telling you that there is an important relationship here. It is true that . . .

Education is an admirable thing, but it’s well to remember . . . that nothing worth learning can be taught (5)

And that is why we have asked you to spend so much time inquiring, experiencing, questioning, analyzing, collaborating, sharing, presenting, evaluating and reflecting. These are the true building blocks of learning. And your teachers have not simply seen it as their job to talk and tell; they have sought to learn with you, to guide and be guided by you. So what is it that we have been trying to learn during our time together that we will carry with us after today? Is it . . .

When in doubt . . . Google

Maybe? But ours is an age where information is not the problem. There is more of it than has ever existed. So the question is really, “What will you do with the information you get when you Google when you are in doubt?” As Harvard’s Tony Wagner suggests, your Googling will only be of value if you have these “must-have” skills of the future:

Critical thinking and problem-solving
Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
Agility and adaptability
Initiative and entrepreneurialism
Effective oral and written communication
Accessing and analyzing information
Curiosity and imagination

We have tried to cultivate these skills during our time together, but acquiring these skills is hard work that requires commitment and dedication. One of you reminds us of Albert Einstein’s admonition that

Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.

So our actions do define us. And repeated actions create habits and these habits define who we are – our characters. How often do we claim to know something that we have neither understood nor experienced simply because we want to impress or are afraid of how others might perceive us? If the response is “with some significant frequency” then are we willing to say as Socrates did and as echoed on one of these flags that . . .

All I know is that I know nothing.

Socrates is not being glib here. His commitment to this belief marked him as a corrupter of youth and cost him his life. He was instead opening himself up to the true possibilities of knowledge and learning. He was saying to us as one of you observed

Come as you are (6)

and as another noted

Today you are you that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you. (7)

Who you are is where you begin. It is the only honest starting point and touch point along this path of growth. And how you see your “youness” and your relationship to the world is of crucial importance and is captured in the flag that says . . .

You’re only as tall as your heart will let you be and you are only as small as the world makes you seem. (8)

It is certainly the case that when we are feeling small we aren’t likely to do our best thinking or be our best selves. And in those moments we may fool ourselves into thinking that we are getting by, but getting by is an illusion. As one of you correctly observes,

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. (9)

That middle ground is the home of inaction, of indecision. We would do well to abide by the flag that reminds us that

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. (10)

Over the last four years, we’ve talked about the importance of taking risks and how most if not all of our most important learning is the result of having taken a risk. To be clear, we’re not talking about foolish risks here; we’re talking about thoughtful risks, which are considerably harder to take than the foolish ones. The thoughtful risk leaves us vulnerable to those who choose to occupy that middle ground. This idea is reflected in the flag that says,

The higher we soar, the smaller we appear to those that cannot fly. (11)

So who you choose to fly with is of the utmost importance. Every Adolescent Issues conversation you’ve had over the past four years has been a variation on this theme. Continue to choose wisely and remember that as one of you points out,

Be who you want to be and say what you want to say, because people that mind don’t matter and the people that matter don’t mind. (12)

And who are these people that matter? They are the ones sitting next to you right now. You know that

Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget. (13)

And you know that you would not be here today were it not the case that

I get (You got) by with a little help from (your) my friends. (14)

Now I’m not so sure that I agree with the premise of the following flag that says,

Friendship is not something you learn in school, but if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship you really haven’t learned anything. (15)

I do however wholeheartedly agree with its concluding sentiment. Friendship is something that can be learned in school and it is a cornerstone of the LREI experience. Our commitment to the growth of whole student recognizes the absolute importance of these relationships. At LREI, the other is always present in everything we do. We do not use the word “community” lightly and as the next flag points out,

We both go together if one falls down. (16)

But friendship and community are ideas that demand committed and on-going work. We need only to look at the news to see that we live in a word where people do great harm to each other on a daily basis. This harm comes in many forms and as one flag acutely observes,

The tongue like a sharp knife . . . kills without drawing blood. (17)

At Houston Street when you were younger, you likely chanted, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me.” I think it is fair to say that you understand now that this is not true at all. Words have tremendous power and they can do immeasurable harm. Your study of history and human rights has shown you that words can be a powerful tool for prejudice, discrimination, and hatred. While you have learned the fundamental importance of empathy in the role of understanding, an idea embodied in Atticus Finch’s statement that “You never really know a man until you walk a mile in his shoes,” there is something deeper here. It is expressed in the flag that takes its inspiration from Bruce the Shark in the movie Finding Nemo:

I am a nice shark not a mindless eating machine. If I am going to change this image, I must change myself first. Fish are friends not food.

Empathy is necessary, but not sufficient. We also need to do the demanding work of looking at ourselves. We need to understand our own capacity for unkindness, which can give rise to the damaging ways that we may come to see and treat others. For those of us who enjoy certain privileges we need to be more mindful of the prices that have been paid by others to make these privileges possible. So it really is about choosing to participate, in our own development as individuals, as members of our families and as members of the various communities to which we belong. This is the journey that you have been on and will continue on as you move up. As one of you points out,

The road doesn’t end, it splits.

And today marks one of those moments where paths diverge, where you will go separate ways even when it may appear like you seem to be going together. You will not be together in this way again, but there is a flag that reminds you to

Look beyond.

Do not limit yourself, consider what might yet be and envision a role in that future for these people with whom you have traveled so far. And as you dream, remember that while

The sky is full of dreams, you need to learn to fly. (18)

And we have tried over the past four years to develop your flying skills as writers, historians, mathematicians, scientists, artists, athletes and activists so that you can.

Talk about a dream, try to make it real. (19)

We have asked you to think out of the box, to consider alternate perspectives and possibilities, to regularly ask, “What if” because we know that there is a certain elegant truth in the flag that says,

It takes skill to trip over flat surfaces.

It may take some hard work, but it is relatively easy to see what others already see. It is much harder to see that which is not yet visible, the promise of what is possible. Wherever your path takes you, we know that you will find opportunities for leadership and that you will share your vision of the world with others so as to make our world a better place. And in this process, consider the flag that reminds us that

A leader takes you were you want to go. A great leader doesn’t necessarily take you were you want to go, but where you ought to be. (20)

And in the process, make the most of each moment; as you think about the future, live fully in the moment so that you can say as one of the flags does

Tomorrow is another one. Today was fun. Today was good. (21)

This idea is echoed in a number of flags so be mindful that you

Live as if you were to die tomorrow . . . Learn as if you were to live forever (22)

and

Live, Love, Laugh – I believe you should live each day as if it is your last, which is why I don’t have any clean laundry because, come on, who wants to wash clothes on the last day of life? (23)

So keep a sense of humor about things. Getting through the day is hard enough and it is certainly true as one of you observed that while

Every man dies, not every man lives. (24)

It may often feel like our choices are confined to either/or possibilities and that we are somehow stuck with choices that aren’t really choices just two sides of the same coin. As one flag suggests, it is almost like

Darkness is moving at a speed of light

What do we mean here? If darkness is the absence of light how can it have a speed? But turn off the light and the darkness seems to appear at the same speed as the light recedes. Maybe the question is a trick question. Maybe it requires us to see in a different way. Three flags may offer a clue to that different way. The first,

I have to thank you . . . G-d,

The second,

If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor, love is the rhythm, and you are the music, (25)

And the third

All you need is love. (26)

Whether it be through an organized religion, a personal sense of spirituality, or an ethical framework, the discovery of our shared humanity is connected to the varied ways that we have found for foundational ideas and ways of being to coalesce into a set of values. It is these values that guide us and continually shape us as we move up. In our most difficult moments, we look to these values so that we may not be constrained by either/or thinking, which can limit us from seeing alternate possibilities. The challenge is that our values do not always overlap. One value is not necessarily wrong, while the other is right. They are different and our shared task is to understand even if we don’t always agree. As the last flag, suggests

We could flood the streets with love or light or heat whatever. Lock the parents out, cut a rug, twist and shout. Wave your hands. Make it rain. For stars will rise again. The youth is starting to change. Are you starting to change? Are you? (27)

So we are almost there, our journey takes us back to SpongeBob and the emerging realization that he too connects to your Moving Up and our progressive practice. He lives in a pineapple under the sea (that is certainly out of the box), curious, passionate, open to new experiences and others, a committed friend, and engaged in the world in which he finds himself. So I think we do have a developing sense of what he means when he says, “I’m ready . . .”

But just so we are truly clear, let’s go one step further. I do believe that the answer lies in a scene from the very first episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, which I will now recite (I’ll let you imagine the voices):

SpongeBob SquarePants: There it is. The finest eating establishment ever established for eating. The Krusty Krab, home of the Krabby Patty, with the Help Wanted sign on the front. I’ve waited years for this moment. I’m gonna go in there, march straight up to the manager, look at him straight in the eye, lay it on the line, and – I can’t do it!
[turns away, but is stopped by Patrick]
SpongeBob SquarePants: Patrick!
Patrick: Where do you think you’re going?
SpongeBob SquarePants: I was just…
Patrick: No, you’re not. You go in there and get that job.
SpongeBob SquarePants: No, I can’t! Don’t you see?
Patrick: Who’s first words were “May I take your order?”
SpongeBob SquarePants: Mine were.
Patrick: Who made a spatula out of toothpicks in shop class?
SpongeBob SquarePants: I did.
Patrick: Who’s a… who… Ungh… Who’s a big, yellow cube with holes?
SpongeBob SquarePants: I am!
Patrick: Who’s ready?
SpongeBob SquarePants: I’m ready!
Patrick: Who’s ready?
SpongeBob SquarePants: I’m ready!
Patrick: Who’s ready?
SpongeBob SquarePants: I’m ready!

And you are, Congratulations!

Sources for unattributed quotes from flags:

Dave Mustaine
Robert C. Gallagher
Mahatma Gandhi
Immortal Technique
Oscar Wilde
Kurt Cobain
Dr. Seuss
Christopher Drew
Helen Keller
Robert Kennedy
Friedrich Nietzsche
Dr. Seuss
G. Randolf
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Muhammad Ali
Jason Schwartzman
Buddha
Brandon Flowers
Bruce Springsteen
Rosalyn Carter
Dr Seuss
Mahatma Gandhi
Jeremy Schwartz
William Wallace
Pink
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
MGMT

Of General Interest . . .

2) Join us on the LREI Float to Gay Pride March 2010:

Sunday, June 27th, 2010: 12 p.m. -end
March sign up to come
Click here for the flyer
contact: cborows@gmail.com for more details.

For All Grades . . .

1) Click here to get a jump on school supplies for next year. The attachment has the lists for all four grades.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) Eighth graders moving on to EI should have their summer reading assignments. Additional information about summer work can be found at http://lrei.org/libres/sr.html. Also, click here to view faculty book talks on the summer reading choices.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Please read the attached summer reading and summer math assignments. Click here to read the grade level reading list and here to view the supplemental reading list. Next year’s core teachers will visit the class to go over the assignment. The lists and assignments are also accessible on the school website at http://lrei.org/libres/sr.html.

2) Looking ahead to next year, click here to access the registration form for the spring Gettysburg/DC trip that will take place next May. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: 55757. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

2) Looking ahead to next year, click here to access the registration form for the Williamsburg / Jamestown trip that will take place next October. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: A76310. W e would like all families to register for the trip by the end of the month. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

Inspiring Students and Inspired Teachers

msilberberg — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:16:12 +0000

Dear Families,

What a week! Tuesday began with our wonderful Sixth Grade Poetry Potluck where those present were treated to an incredible selection of poetic delights all expertly read by their authors. Tuesday evening saw the auditorium transformed into our Science Exploratorium. Eighth grade students presented the results of their individual science research projects that addressed an impressive range of questions that appear below for your consideration:

Can mice be trained to run a maze? And do mice learn better when they have been trained in a maze?
Do changing maze conditions affect how fast a mouse can learn a maze?
What living conditions do crickets prefer?
How can goldfish adapt to changes in their environment?
Do colors affect people physiological state?
How does lying effect people physically?
How do forensic scientists study fingerprints?
Can you tell a person’s gender from their bones? How do forensic scientists discover how bones have been broken or cut?
Which citrus fruit battery produces the most electricity?
What solutions can be separated using chromatography?
What factors determine a physical or chemical change in a substance?
What is the science behind pinhole cameras?
Which fin size and shape produces the greatest output from a waterwheel?
In a wind turbine, what blade configuration generates the most electricity?
What blade shape produces the most effective wind turbine?
How can buildings be reinforced to withstand earthquakes?
What weather conditions cause tornadoes?
How does arm length affect the distance a trebuchet throws a projectile?

Wednesday saw the fifth grade regale students and families with their rousing adaptations of a series of Greek myths accompanied by an original musical prologue and epilogue. The performance began with the showing 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 to play a variety of math games.

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 on Tuesday.

Congratulations to eighth grader Ivo 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.

I also 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 . . .

2) Join us on the LREI Float to Gay Pride March 2010:

Sunday, June 27th, 2010: 12 p.m. -end
March sign up to come
Click here for the flyer
contact: cborows@gmail.com for more details.

3) From the Admissions Team: Spring Admissions Alert — Greetings! In order to facilitate our planning for 2011-2012 we ask that you contact the Admissions Office by June 11th to provide your child’s name, date of birth, current grade and school name, and the grade to which she or he will apply for the 2010-2011 school year. As a point of reference, please be advised that LREI offers an optional Early Notification Program for applicants to Fours, Kindergarten and First Grade who are siblings of current LREI students, children of faculty or staff, and children or grandchildren of alumni. This program expedites the admissions process for those who are members of the community and benefits the School by clarifying the number of places available in each grade for the general applicant pool. Applicants to Fours and Kindergarten must be four years old and five years old respectively by September 1st of the year in which a child will begin school. Should you have any questions about the admissions process for your child, please contact the admissions office at 212.477.5316. You may also send us information about your child by sending the aforementioned details to admissions@lrei.org. We look forward to our continued work with LREI families. Best wishes for a healthy spring!

4) Click here to access the photo collection of LREI events and happenings at our on-line photo gallery.

5) From the Art Auction Committee: There are still some pieces of art that are for sale so please visit http://artauction.lrei.org/ for additional information and to view items that are available. If you have any questions, please contact Maude Kebbon at mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232.

6) The cookbook committee is still taking pre-orders for our new LREI community cookbook, Downtown Potluck, to be published in the fall of this year. Look for us in the lobby, or send an email to cookbook@lrei.org if you would like to order a copy ($25 each). If you place an order by the end of the school year, you will be entered in a drawing to win a free cookbook and a dinner for two at Minetta Tavern!Thanks to everyone,

7) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

8) 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 2010-2011 school year, please email the PA Co-Presidents PA-Presidents@lrei.org. Also, each year the Parents Association asks its members to vote on a slate of officers and representatives for the following school year. Click here for the 2010-2011 Ballot for Parents Association Officers. To cast your ballot, please print the form, complete it and return it to the receptionist in either building by Monday, June 14th.

9) The LREI Exchange, an informal discussion Google group run by and for current LREI parents, has been up and running since the start of the school year. Its purpose is to enable parents and guardians to communicate about non-school issues and share resources. Since starting the group, there have been a number of useful and interesting posts ranging in subject from new dance classes for kids, Carnival Night in Central Park, doctor referrals, sublet requests, and parents making other parents aware of new trends in our kids’ internet activities. All LREI families are currently members of the LREI Exchange, however, you must ‘Opt In’ to join the conversation. Please click here for instructions and more information.

10) LREI is now on Facebook and Twitter! Click here to view our Facebook page, and here for our Twitter account. These are two new great ways to stay in the LREI loop.

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

12) 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) So far 177 hours have been logged in our “Getting Tools to City Schools — Turning Chores into Service Drive.” Let’s see if we can get to 250 by the last day of school. The weekend should provide ample opportunity for some helpful work that your child can do around the home. Please use the attached certificate to record hours worked by your child. We ask that the monies earned and the completed certificate(s) be returned to your child’s advisor. At the end of the month, the homeroom that has logged the most hours will earn a pizza lunch party.

2) Tomorrow, Friday, June 11th, 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.

3) The Judo team will hold its annual spring LREI Shiai (tournament) tomorrow at 3:30PM in the Thompson Street Athletic Center. For the tournament , students will be grouped into small subsections determined by gender and weight to compete against each other. The winners of each of the smaller subsections will then compete against each other for the title, “The Grand Champion.” There will be one Grand Champion for boys and one for girls. Each Judoka (practitioner) will have at least one match and will medal. The awards for “Best Technique” and “Best Fighting Spirit” will be on the line for both girl and boy divisions respectfully. The award ceremony and belt promotions immediately follow the Shiai and, at this time, we will issue the esteemed honor of “Player of the Year.” The Shiai is always a great event and, as in years past, we hope to see many students and families in the stands.

4) Click here to get a jump on school supplies for next year. The attachment has the lists for all four grades.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

2) Mark your calendar: Eighth Grade Pre-Moving Up Party, Friday, June 11th. 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).

3) For Monday June 14th, 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.

4) The Moving Up Assembly/Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 15th, 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 . . .

2) On Monday, June 14th, the seventh graders will make their annual end-of-year trip to Bear Mountain. 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.

4) Looking further ahead to next year, click here to access the registration form for the spring Gettysburg/DC trip that will take place next May. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: 55757. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

2) On Monday, June 14th, the sixth graders will be participating with their advisory group and advisor in an adventure-packed scavenger hunt around the neighborhood. 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. Students must wear comfortable walking shoes or sneakers. No open toed shoes, sandals or flip flops.

4) Looking further ahead to next year, click here to access the registration form for the Williamsburg / Jamestown trip that will take place next October. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: A76310. W e would like all families to register for the trip by the end of the month. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

2) On Monday, June 14th, the fifth graders will make their annual end-of-year trip to The New York Aquarium. 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.

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

What Makes LREI Great

msilberberg — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:56:04 +0000

From guest blogger Phil Kassen:

Dear LREI Families,

As we sprint towards the end of the school year—two weeks filled with all sorts of special events and celebrations to go—it seems like a good time to congratulate members of the faculty on some of their successes this year. I asked the faculty in all three divisions to volunteer specific honors earned this school year. The responses were:

Ana Chaney, middle school math teacher and math department chair, completed Bank Street College of Education’s Leadership in Mathematics Education program and earned a Masters’ of Science in Education.

MicahDov Gottlieb, high school Assistant Principal, was chosen to represent Brooklyn College’s Educational Leadership program at their NCATE (National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education) accreditation. In addition, he will be working with PBS on an episode of a new program called “Do The Math.” His record label “The Brooklyn Label” will be showing children how math is used in the recording studio. The group that will be featured is DobleFlo (a hip-hop duo), which features LREI alum Luis Lopez, ‘03.

Matthew Rosen, seventh grade core teacher, was awarded an National Endowment for the Humanities grant to attend a summer institute at Yale, The Lost World of Early America, in which he will explore themes in colonial American history, such as race relations, politics, economics, family and community life, and rites of passage.. In addition, he was selected to be a recipient of the Richard Koppenaal Scholarship for superior academic achievement at NYU where he will continue with his graduate studies in English Literature and Writing in the fall.

Deborah Damast, lower school movement teacher/middle school dance teacher, was the recipient of the Outstanding Postsecondary Educator award from the National Dance Education Organization for outstanding contributions to dance education nationally and in the community. This award is given once every two years and nominations come from colleges and universities across the nation.

High school English teacher Ileana Jiménez has recently been awarded the Distinguished Fulbright in Teaching Award (which is different from the Fulbright Teacher Exchange). The Fulbright will allow Ileana to spend six months in Mexico conducting research at a major university, providing professional development to local teachers, and completing a capstone project on gender and education. Her Fulbright will extend from January through June 2011. She hopes to bring her research on gender and education back to both our English program and the high school’s program re-design focusing on global education and diversity.

Vin Scialla, high school music teacher/jazz band director was recently offered an album and distribution deal with Random Chance records for Snehasish Mozumder & Som, whom he performed with at Lincoln Center Out of Doors.

Elizabeth Simmons, seventh grade Core teacher, will attend the Klingenstein Summer Institute for Early Teachers. The Institute brings together approximately 75 teachers from across the country and around the world, and is especially designed to make teachers more effective leaders in the classroom and throughout the school.

Early childhood librarian Jesse Karp’s first novel, Those That Wake, will be published by Houghton Mifflin in Spring 2011. The young adult novel centers on two teenagers who stumble upon a dark force that secretly manipulates society, and their struggle against it. In addition, Jesse’s Graphic Novels in Your School Library, a non-fiction book about using comics and graphic novels in education, will be published by ALA Editions in Spring 2011. Finally, he is currently serving his second year on the American Library Association’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee, a body devoted to selecting the best graphic novels for ages 12-18.

Stacy Dillon, Lower School Librarian, has been selected to be a member of the Newberry 2012 committee. What an honor! As you may know, the “Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.”

MS Librarian and Library Department Chair Jennifer Hubert Swan has been accepted into the Cullman Center Institute for Teachers Summer Seminar taught by author Karen Russell this July, and will be chairing the 2012 YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Award for Excellence in Nonfiction committee starting in September. She is also a Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute in the School of Information and Library Science where she teaches evening courses in young adult and tween literature.

Karyn Silverman, high school librarian, is currently Chair of the Frances Henne YALSA/VOYA Research Grant Jury, which awards an annual fund to research supporting the Strategic Goals and Mission of YALSA, and am currently a member of the YALSA Nominating Committee, which is charged with finding qualified candidates for all award committees and governance positions. In addition, I will be teaching a graduate class on Young Adult Literature at Queens College this summer.

Each summer, for many years, LREI awards summer grants to support program development. Two years ago we began to award a series travel grants to support travel by LREI employees that may be, but does not have to be, related to the curriculum. Click here to go to the Director’s blog to see a complete list of grant recipients.

We also had a very successful year for some of our academic teams. To read of their successes, please click here.

Phil

Of General Interest . . .

2) From the Admissions Team: Spring Admissions Alert — Greetings! As the end of the school year approaches, the Admissions Office is already planning for Fall 2011. In order to best anticipate enrollment needs, it is helpful for the department to know the number of current LREI families who intend apply for admission for a sibling for the 2011-2012 school year. In order to facilitate our planning for 2011-2012 we ask that you contact the Admissions Office by June 11th to provide your child’s name, date of birth, current grade and school name, and the grade to which she or he will apply for the 2010-2011 school year. In doing so you will assist the admissions office with entering this information into our database so we may provide you with information about the process beginning in late summer. As a point of reference, please be advised that LREI offers an optional Early Notification Program for applicants to Fours, Kindergarten and First Grade who are siblings of current LREI students, children of faculty or staff, and children or grandchildren of alumni. This program expedites the admissions process for those who are members of the community and benefits the School by clarifying the number of places available in each grade for the general applicant pool. Applicants to Fours and Kindergarten must be four years old and five years old respectively by September 1st of the year in which a child will begin school. Should you have any questions about the admissions process for your child, please contact the admissions office at 212.477.5316. You may also send us information about your child by sending the aforementioned details to admissions@lrei.org. We look forward to our continued work with LREI families. Best wishes for a healthy spring!

3) Click here to access the photo collection of LREI events and happenings at our on-line photo gallery. Enjoy the following slideshows from the Spring Concert, 24 Tournament, the Charlton Street Ribbon Cutting event and Field Day.

4) From the Art Auction Committee: There are still some pieces of art that are for sale so please visit http://artauction.lrei.org/ for additional information and to view items that are available. If you have any questions, please contact Maude Kebbon at mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232.

5) Join us on the 17th Annual LREI Camping Trip — June 4, 5 and 6
All LREI families and their children — from the 4’s through high school — are invited to participate in fun, swimming, hiking, games, fishing, and S’mores! – Sign up online at http://lrei.org/caleven/camping/ with PayPal. Detailed information including directions/map, camping rules, etc. can be found at http://lrei.org/pdf/CampingInfo.pdf. We look forward to seeing you there!

6) From the Literary Committee: 6/8 – 6/9 Little REaD Book Swap! Are your kids’ bookshelves so full they’re about to buckle? You can start clearing them out for the first ever Little REaD Book Swap! On June 8th and 9th, bring those books that your kids loved a few years ago but will never read again to school to swap for something new. Drop off and pick up books from 8-9 AM and 2:45-3:45 PM next Tuesday and Wednesday. Please — only kids’ books in good condition. Foreign-language books are fine. Any leftover books will be given to the GO Project or other charities. Please help recirculate good books around our community! Please see the flyer for more information.

7) The cookbook committee is still taking pre-orders for our new LREI community cookbook, Downtown Potluck, to be published in the fall of this year. Look for us in the lobby, or send an email to cookbook@lrei.org if you would like to order a copy ($25 each). If you place an order by the end of the school year, you will be entered in a drawing to win a free cookbook and a dinner for two at Minetta Tavern!Thanks to everyone,

8) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

9) 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 2010-2011 school year, please email the PA Co-Presidents PA-Presidents@lrei.org. Also, each year the Parents Association asks its members to vote on a slate of officers and representatives for the following school year. Click here for the 2010-2011 Ballot for Parents Association Officers. To cast your ballot, please print the form, complete it and return it to the receptionist in either building by Monday, June 14th.

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) So far 34 hours have been logged in our “Getting Tools to City Schools — Turning Chores into Service Drive.” We can do better. The weekend should provide ample opportunity for some helpful work that your child can do around the home. Below is additional information about the drive:

Getting Tools To City Schools – Over the course of the year, we have had a number of collection drives to collect school supplies to make 200 binders that will be donated to students in one of Getting Tools to City Schools‘ partner schools. We are asking middle school students to ask parents, friends and relatives if there are chores around the home that they can do. In compensation for this work, you will contribute $2/hour worked to support our collaboration with Getting Tools to City Schools. All of the money raised will be used to buy school supplies at wholesale cost. Please use the attached certificate to record hours worked by your child. We ask that the monies earned and the completed certificate(s) be returned to your child’s advisor. At the end of the month, the homeroom that has logged the most hours will earn a pizza lunch party.

2) Just a heads up that the annual End-of-Year Middle School dance will take place tomorrow, Friday, June 4th a the Charlton Street PAC. 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. For seventh and eighth grade families, please make sure that you arrive by 8:25PM to pick up your child so that dismissal can flow smoothly.

3) On Friday, June 11th, 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.

4) The Judo team will hold its annual spring LREI Shiai (tournament) an Friday, June 11th at 3:30PM in the Thompson Street Athletic Center. For the tournament , students will be grouped into small subsections determined by gender and weight to compete against each other. The winners of each of the smaller subsections will then compete against each other for the title, “The Grand Champion.” There will be one Grand Champion for boys and one for girls. Each Judoka (practitioner) will have at least one match and will medal. The awards for “Best Technique” and “Best Fighting Spirit” will be on the line for both girl and boy divisions respectfully. The award ceremony and belt promotions immediately follow the Shiai and, at this time, we will issue the esteemed honor of “Player of the Year.” The Shiai is always a great event and, as in years past, we hope to see many students and families in the stands.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) Eighth graders moving on to EI will learn more about summer reading assignments tomorrow afternoon and will receive the assigned reading books at that time. Additional information about summer work can be found at http://lrei.org/libres/sr.html.

2) Please join is on Tuesday, June 8th, 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.

3) Mark your calendar: Eighth Grade Pre-Moving Up Party, Friday, June 11th. 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).

4) For Monday June 14th, 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.

5) The Moving Up Assembly/Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 15th, 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 . . .

2) The seventh grade potluck breakfast and Constitution Works is scheduled for Thursday, June 10th. The breakfast will begin at 8:00AM in the seventh grade classrooms. Following the potluck, we will leave for the Constitution Works program at 9:15AM, which will be conducted at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Please click here for important information about courthouse procedures and directions. Students should bring a bag lunch (no nuts, seeds or glass bottles) as they will east outside the courthouse after the simulation. Parents are encouraged to attend this exciting event. Your parent reps will be in touch with you about the potluck breakfast. Click here to access the potluck sign-up form (make sure that you select the tab for the correct event).

3) On Monday, June 14th, the seventh graders will make their annual end-of-year trip to Bear Mountain. 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 . . .

2) The annual sixth grade poetry and potluck breakfast will take place on Tuesday, June 8th at 8:00AM in the cafeteria. Your parent reps will be in touch with you about the potluck breakfast. Click here to access the potluck sign-up form (make sure that you select the tab for the correct event).

3) On Monday, June 14th, the sixth graders will be participating with their advisory group and advisor in an adventure-packed scavenger hunt around the neighborhood. 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. Students must wear comfortable walking shoes or sneakers. No open toed shoes, sandals or flip flops.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

2) Our annual Grecian Festival will take place on the evening of Wednesday, June 9th at 6:00PM. From 6:00-6:30PM, you are invited to view students’ 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. Click here to access the potluck sign-up form (make sure that you select the tab for the correct event).

3) On Monday, June 14th, the fifth graders will make their annual end-of-year trip to The New York Aquarium. 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.

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

In a Reflective Mood

msilberberg — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:59:15 +0000

Dear Families,

With the end of the year almost upon us, students in all grades are hard at work on a range of culminating activities. I look forward to seeing all of you in the coming weeks at the various grade level potlucks and celebrations. These are always wonderful opportunities to enjoy the impressive work that students have done this year and provide a window through which you can view the richness of their daily school experience.

Students are also in the process of reflecting on the year and considering goals achieved and areas for continued effort. These reflections will ultimately be shaped into their end-of-year comments that will appear in their fourth quarter progress reports. Giving students the final word in these reports has been an exciting process for us. While it has helped to narrow the distance between the student and her/his report, it has also helped students to discover a greater sense of ownership in their work and their overall school experience.

It is a powerful experience for me to read all of these comments. Students are articulate, celebratory, demanding, critical and honest in ways that are truly inspiring. When considered in total, they provide compelling evidence for the thoughtful and passionate teaching and learning that goes on in the Middle School each day. I look forward to reading this year’s collection of comments; I know that you will too.

So far only 13 hours have been logged in our “Getting Tools to City Schools — Turning Chores into Service Drive.” We can do better. The long weekend should provide ample opportunity for some helpful work that your child can do around the home. Below is additional information about the drive:

Getting Tools To City Schools – Over the course of the year, we have had a number of collection drives to collect school supplies to make 200 binders that will be donated to students in one of Getting Tools to City Schools‘ partner schools. We are asking middle school students to ask parents, friends and relatives if there are chores around the home that they can do. In compensation for this work, you will contribute $2/hour worked to support our collaboration with Getting Tools to City Schools. All of the money raised will be used to buy school supplies at wholesale cost. Please use the attached certificate to record hours worked by your child. We ask that the monies earned and the completed certificate(s) be returned to your child’s advisor. At the end of the month, the homeroom that has logged the most hours will earn a pizza lunch party.

Finally, tomorrow, Friday, May 28th, we will hold our annual Field Day at Pier 40. Prior to beginning the day’s Field Day festivities, we will convene as a community on Charlton Street to celebrate the completion of the most recent phase of renovations/expansion at the high school.

All members of the LREI community are invited to join in the Ribbon Cutting event of the new Charlton Street facility. This event will take place at 9:00AM on Friday, May 28, before Field Day. Parents of MIddle School students are invited to walk to the event with their child’s class or join us at Charlton Street. The ribbon cutting ceremony will last for 20-30 minutes and then the students will go to Field Day. Adults will then be invited into the building to join a tour and enjoy refreshments.

We’re looking forward to an exciting day! School will close at 1:00PM on this day. Some additional information follows:

It is important for all students to arrive on time.
To celebrate the importance of the day, LREI will be providing each student with a Ribbon Cutting/Field Day t-shirt. T-shirts will be distributed on Friday morning. Students do not need to wear any special color shirt to school on Field Day.
Students will spend the first part of Field Day in activities with their buddies. The younger lower school classes will return to the school after lunch while the third through twelfth grades will participate in a variety of activities in mixed age groups.
Students will need to bring their own lunch along with a container of water. (No nuts or seeds, please.) Plastic bottles are fine, but please no glass containers! Clothing should be comfortable and easy to move in, shorts or sweatpants and athletic shoes. No sandals. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are strongly recommended.
We will return to school in time for 1:00PM dismissal.

Of General Interest . . .

3) Click here to access the photo collection of LREI events and happenings at our on-line photo gallery. Enjoy these pictures of our middle schoolers beautifying Little Red Square as part of the city’s It’s My Park Day efforts:

5) Join us on the 17th Annual LREI Camping Trip — June 4, 5 and 6
All LREI families and their children — from the 4’s through high school — are invited to participate in fun, swimming, hiking, games, fishing, and S’mores! – Sign up online at http://lrei.org/caleven/camping/ with PayPal. The deadline for sign up is tomorrow, May 28. Detailed information including directions/map, camping rules, etc. can be found at http://lrei.org/pdf/CampingInfo.pdf. We look forward to seeing you there!

6) The School Store will be open on Wednesday, June 2nd, at the Sixth Avenue entrance from 8:00-9:00AM. If bad weather, we will open on Thursday, June 3rd. See you there!

7) From the Literary Committee: Are your kids’ bookshelves so full they’re about to buckle? You can start clearing them out for the first ever Little REaD Book Swap! On June 8th and 9th, bring those books that your kids loved a few years ago, but will never read again to school to swap for something new. Please–only kids’ books in good condition. Foreign-language books are fine. Any leftover books will be given to the GO Project or other charities. Please help recirculate good books around our community! Stay tuned for more details.

8) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

9) From PA Co-Presidents Regina Trumbull and Kim Hostler: Spring is here, so we are starting to plan for the next school year. The PA would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. In the meantime, you can look at the Family Handbook, page 36 (link on our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. Of course, until the classes are actually made up for next year (mid-August or so), we cannot match parent reps to classes. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees. Also in the Family Handbook (p.38), there is a list of the co-chairs of the PA committees if you would like to contact them for more information. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you would like to get involved.

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

For All Grades . . .

1) On Monday morning we had our annual 24 Challenge Tournament and the finals were held at this week’s Middle School meeting. The object of the game is to make 24 from the four numbers on the game card. Players can add, subtract, multiply and divide all four numbers on the card, but each number can only be used once. Here is an example:

Example: One solution to the card shown above is:

4 x 3 = 12, 12 x 2 = 24, 24 ÷ 1 = 24

Congratualtions to the following middle schoolers for winning their respective categories:

Single-digit double dot: sixth grader Ethan A.
Double-digit double dot: sixth grader Adam
Integer single dot: sixth grader Pia
Integer double dot: eighth grader Benno

2) From the Afterschool program:

The Afterschool Piano and Voice Recital and Instrumental Concert will take place on Tuesday, June 1st.
Piano and Voice Recital, 5:30 in the PAPAS
Instrumental Concert, 6:30 in the Auditorium
The Afterschool Karate Share and Enrichment Share will take place on Thursday, June 3rd.
Karate Share, 5:30 in the Auditorium
Enrichment Share, 6:00 in the PAPAS
Take a look at what we’ve been cooking in Afterschool! Our recipe blog includes detailed recipes and pictures of the dishes that the Reds and Blues have been making in Afterschool: http://blog.lrei.org/afterschoolphotos/recipes/

3) 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, May 31st. 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.

4) Just a heads up that the annual End-of-Year Middle School dance will take place on Friday, June 4th a the Charlton Street PAC. The dance will start at 6:00PM and pizza and ice cream will be provided. The dance will end at 8:30PM.

5) On Friday, June 11th, 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) The Judo team will hold its annual spring LREI Shiai (tournament) an Friday, June 11th at 3:30PM in the Thompson Street Athletic Center. For the tournament , students will be grouped into small subsections determined by gender and weight to compete against each other. The winners of each of the smaller subsections will then compete against each other for the title, “The Grand Champion.” There will be one Grand Champion for boys and one for girls. Each Judoka (practitioner) will have at least one match and will medal. The awards for “Best Technique” and “Best Fighting Spirit” will be on the line for both girl and boy divisions respectfully. The award ceremony and belt promotions immediately follow the Shiai and, at this time, we will issue the esteemed honor of “Player of the Year.” The Shiai is always a great event and, as in years past, we hope to see many students and families in the stands.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) Please join is on Tuesday, June 8th, 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.

3) The Moving Up Assembly/Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 15th, 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 is scheduled for Thursday, June 10th. The breakfast will begin at 8:00AM in the seventh grade classrooms. Following the potluck, we will leave for the 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. Click here to access the potluck sign-up form (make sure that you select the tab for the correct event).

2) Looking further ahead to next year, click here to access the registration form for the spring Gettysburg/DC trip that will take place next May. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: 55757. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) The annual sixth grade poetry and potluck breakfast will take place on Tuesday, June 8th at 8:00AM in the cafeteria. Your parent reps will be in touch with you about the potluck breakfast. Click here to access the potluck sign-up form (make sure that you select the tab for the correct event).

2) Looking further ahead to next year, click here to access the registration form for the Williamsburg / Jamestown trip that will take place next October. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: A76310. W e would like all families to register for the trip by the end of the month. If you have specific 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 9th at 6:00PM. From 6:00-6:30PM, you are invited to view students’ 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. Click here to access the potluck sign-up form (make sure that you select the tab for the correct event).

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

Beyond the classroom

msilberberg — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:17:02 +0000

Dear Families,

Thank you to those of you who were able to attend the Middle School Awards Evening this past Tuesday. 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, play an important role in helping us to fulfill 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.

Please note: On Friday, May 28th, we will hold our annual Field Day at Pier 40. Prior to beginning the day’s Field Day festivities, we will convene as a community on Charlton Street to celebrate the completion of the most recent phase of renovations/expansion at the high school. We’re looking forward to an exciting day! School will close at 1:00PM on this day. Some additional information follows:

It is important for all students to arrive on time.
To celebrate the importance of the day, LREI will be providing each student with a Ribbon Cutting/Field Day t-shirt. T-shirts will be distributed on Friday morning. Students do not need to wear any special color shirt to school on Field Day.
Students will spend the first part of Field Day in activities with their buddies. The younger lower school classes will return to the school after lunch while the third through twelfth grades will participate in a variety of activities in mixed age groups.
Students will need to bring their own lunch along with a container of water. (No nuts or seeds, please.) Plastic bottles are fine, but please no glass containers! Clothing should be comfortable and easy to move in, shorts or sweatpants and athletic shoes. No sandals. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are strongly recommended.
We will return to school in time for 1:00PM dismissal.

Of General Interest . . .

1) Click here to access the photo collection of LREI events and happenings at our on-line photo gallery. Enjoy these fabulous pictures of the cast members of the recent middle school musical Mulan!

2) From the Art Auction Committee: Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this year’s Art Auction a rounding success! It was a spectacular event and everyone has a wonderful time. There are still some pieces of art that are for sale so please visit http://artauction.lrei.org/ for additional information and to view items that are available. If you have any questions, please contact Maude Kebbon at mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232.

3) Join us on the 17th Annual LREI Camping Trip — June 4, 5 and 6
All LREI families and their children — from the 4’s through high school — are invited to participate in fun, swimming, hiking, games, fishing, and S’mores! – Sign up in person with cash or a check the morning of Thursday, May 27 in front of the school –OR– online at http://lrei.org/caleven/camping/ with PayPal. The deadline for sign up is May 28. Detailed information including directions/map, camping rules, etc. can be found at http://lrei.org/pdf/CampingInfo.pdf. We look forward to seeing you there!

4) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

5) From PA Co-Presidents Regina Trumbull and Kim Hostler: Spring is here, so we are starting to plan for the next school year. The PA would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. In the meantime, you can look at the Family Handbook, page 36 (link on our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. Of course, until the classes are actually made up for next year (mid-August or so), we cannot match parent reps to classes. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees

Adoption Committee
Art Auction (the next art auction will be in the 2011-2012 year. But the committee will meet next year.)
Big Auction Committee
Community Service Committee
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee
Food Committee
Graphics & Communications Committee (Supporting other committees)
Halloween Fair Committee
Lesbian/Gay/Straight Alliance
Literary Committee
LREI Camping Trip Organizing Committee
Multicultural Committee (this is the committee that organized Karamu)
Parents of Children of Color (Lower School and Middle School)
Red Is Green (our sustainability committee)
School Store
Sports Committee

Also in the Family Handbook (p.38), there is a list of the co-chairs of the PA committees if you would like to contact them for more information. Please email us at PA-Presidents@lrei.org if you would like to get involved.

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 – 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) 24 Tournament – Monday, May 24th at 7:45AM in the seventh grade rooms – Come enjoy some early-morning mathematical fun! Students from the third to the eighth grades will challenge themselves and each other to solve mathematical puzzles. Students can sign up at one of many levels of play, from one-digit to two-digit to integer-level cards. There will be door prizes for everyone and a few students will compete as finalists in each category. All students are encouraged to sign up and parents are welcome to come support the players.

2) From the Afterschool program:

The Afterschool Piano and Voice Recital and Instrumental Concert will take place on Tuesday, June 1st.
Piano and Voice Recital, 5:30 in the PAPAS
Instrumental Concert, 6:30 in the Auditorium
The Afterschool Karate Share and Enrichment Share will take place on Thursday, June 3rd.
Karate Share, 5:30 in the Auditorium
Enrichment Share, 6:00 in the PAPAS
Take a look at what we’ve been cooking in Afterschool! Our recipe blog includes detailed recipes and pictures of the dishes that the Reds and Blues have been making in Afterschool: http://blog.lrei.org/afterschoolphotos/recipes/

7) The annual LREI Spring Book Fair is open today and tomorrow. As usual, the book selection for this fair is based on the summer reading lists put together by the faculty and librarians. The lists are posted online at http://lrei.org/libres/sr.html, so please check them with your kids to plan out some great summer reading! All grades have reading requirements, which will be noted on the lists. Click here for a credit card pre-authorization form for parents to fill out; this form will enable kids to purchase books at the book fair, spending up to a limit determined by their parents. Please fax the forms to (212) 677-9159 (Attention Tracie McGee) by Monday, May 17. Students can also bring the forms with them to the book fair.

8) POCOC-Spring Book Club: This event, scheduled for May 21st, 2010 from 6:00- 8:00PM in the Sixth Avenue Auditorium, is a potluck event open to the families of both committees. After the potluck, children will break into their age/book groups with a facilitator (LREI teachers) to discuss the book they have read and/or do a project around it. During this time parents will be free to socialize. Book selections: 5th – 6th –Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis; 7th – 8th – Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Click here for the event flyer.

9) Some other important dates:

Wed, May 19, 2010, 3:00pm Spring Book Fair (through Friday)
Fri, May 21, 2010, 6:00pm POCOC-Spring Book Club
Thu, May 27, 2010, 6:30pm Spring Concert
Fri, May 28, 2010, Field Day-School closes at 1pm
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 4:00pm LREI Camping Trip (through Sunday)
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 6:00pm MS Dance
Tue, Jun 15, 2010, Last Day of School-School closes at 12noon

10) IMPORTANT SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES: As a follow up to the eighth grade Social Justice Teach-In, here is some information about related fund-raising opportunities:

Getting Tools To City Schools – Over the course of the year, we have had a number of collection drives to collect school supplies to make 200 binders that will be donated to students in one of Getting Tools to City Schools‘ partner schools. As we enter the final phase of this work, we are excited to announce a service drive that will run through the end of the month. We are asking middle school students to ask parents, friends and relatives if there are chores around the home that they can do. In compensation for this work, you will contribute $2/hour worked to support our collaboration with Getting Tools to City Schools. All of the money raised will be used to buy school supplies at wholesale cost. Please use the attached certificate to record hours worked by your child. We ask that the monies earned and the completed certificate(s) be returned to your child’s advisor. At the end of the month, the homeroom that has logged the most hours will earn a pizza lunch party.
Free Rice – http://www.freerice.com/index.php (this site quizzes in many subject areas: math, vocab, foreign language, chemistry, geography and art–correct answers earn rice donations)

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

For Sixth and Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) From intramural softball coaches Peter and Luis: This year’s intramural regular season came to end after 5 weeks of great practices and games! Every morning was a blast for the players, coaches and fans (thank you for the coffee!). We all had a great time playing and learning together and the teams came a long way from the first day. There were spectacular plays, big hits and heads up base running every day from the 5th and 6th graders. The Championship game is scheduled for 7AM at JJ Walker on Tuesday, May 25th. The Penguins will be playing the Ant Eaters in the final game.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

Modeling Congress

msilberberg — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:31:47 +0000

Dear Families,

On Saturday, April 24, 11 middle schoolers participated in the 21st Packer Collegiate Middle School Model Congress. This year’s participants included sixth grader Kai, seventh graders Benjamin, Georgia, Jerel, Marcelo, Nicholas, Odelia, Olivia, Simmon and eighth graders Danica and Jasper. The group has worked with faculty facilitator Sharyn Hahn since the end of October to write bills, prepare speeches, read students’ bills from the other schools that participate, and learn about and practice parliamentary procedure. The team spent the entire day at Packer Collegiate High School on the 24th for the annual culminating event.

Nearly 200 middle school students from 13 area independent schools, including LREI, sent delegations of model legislators to the event. When students arrived at the event, they broke off into one of 17 separate committees based upon the content of their bill. These committees were meant to resemble actual congressional committees and included among others Judiciary, Education, Health, Housing & Urban Affairs, and Science Space & Technology. After a morning committee session filled with heated debate and criticism, the bills that passed committee were reviewed in one of four full sessions. (House I, House II, Senate I and Senate II).

The bills introduced by the LREI delegation included the following:

Delegates: Danica and Jasper
Title: An act to reduce pollution in the United States by charging small fees based on large companies’ carbon footprints.
Preamble: By fining companies for their neglect toward the environment, we can create a healthier, stronger, greener nation.
Delegates: Olivia and Odelia
Title: An act to ensure the health and well-being of shelter pets and to make pet adoption and care-taking more affordable for all families, especially those for whom this would be a financial hardship.
Preamble: To enable all families, including those with financial limitations, to adopt and/or care for a pet, when the animals would otherwise be kept in an unstable and unsafe environment.
Delegates: Simmon, Jerel, and Georgia
Title: An act to prevent the New York City MTA from ceasing to provide students with free student metro cards to travel to and from school, and to institute this practice in other metropolitan areas in the United States that do not already provide this service.
Preamble: The intent of this bill is to have the MTA continue to provide funding that will defray the full cost of student metro cards so that both public school and private school students who must travel over a mile can do so free of charge and to incorporate this in other cities.
Delegates: Nicholas and Kai
Title: An act to make all restaurants in The United States display the correct calorie value and all the ingredients that go into their food on their menu in clearly visible type.
Preamble: The purpose of this bill is to allow everyone to see clearly the nutritional value of a prepared meal at the restaurant.
Delegates: Benjamin and Marcelo
Title: An act to create cleaner and more efficient public transportation systems in metropolitan areas.
Preamble: The purpose of this act is to ensure that public transportation systems all over the Unites States would become more efficient in order to transport more people, as wells as reduce the use of fossil fuel emitting vehicles. After this act is initiated it will create a safe and stable atmosphere for public transportation riders. This act will also ensure that public transportation systems are sanitary and are not harmful to their customers.

The students’ hard work throughout the year resulted in a day of excitement and accomplishment. All 11 of our delegates participated in all of the sessions and several debated in the plenary committees. 4 of our 5 bills were passed in their committees.

The afternoon concluded with an Awards Ceremony in which all of the delegates were recognized for their the hard work and performance. In addition, special awards were given out to the best prepared and most “professional” delegates. At the ceremony, Marcelo was awarded Honorable Mentions. All of the delegates had a good time and they are all looking forward to next year with their eyes on the coveted Golden Gavel award (of which we have won two over the past five years). We are very proud of all of the delegates for their commitment to the Model Congress program.

Of General Interest . . .

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

2) “Stir the Pot” Tasting Event – Tonight, May 13th at 6:30PM at 40 Charlton Street. We hope to see you there.

3) From Phil Kassen, Director: Last week there was a front page article in the New York Times conerning the ERB test for admission to Pre-K and Kindergarten programs and the fact that some schools are considering dropping the test as an admissions requirement. Below are links to the article and to a letter to the editor that I wrote in response to the article that was printed on Wednesday.

A Test Parents Fear and Loathe Loses Luster in Private Schools

My letter

4) from High School media arts teacher Vinay Chowdhry:

The Kimmel Center was abuzz with hundreds of young activists from all over the 5 boroughs. The atmosphere was positive, with considerable energy built up around the star of this event, Social Justice. It was evident as we rounded the second hour of judging that things were looking good for LREI. A queue of judges gathered around our sleek Macbook Pro stations; some of the judges even went so far as telling the students bluntly: “This should win hands down” and “This is really incredible.”

So we weren’t that surprised when LREI seniors Kayla, Harry, Kevin, and Gabe walked away with the 3rd place overall Social Justice Expo prize, awarded by a jury of activists, NYU alumni, filmmakers, and journalists, for their film “201 Varick Street.” The film highlights the injustice and abuse faced by detainees just a few blocks from our school.

Another film that received considerable attention was “Number One” by junior Cameron . It is an informative piece about the horrors of the domestic human sex trafficking industry. After the screening, an NYU faculty member came over to commend Cameron for her amazing film, citing it as her favorite. She told Cameron that her film was “one of the only ones here that actually is about something serious.”

5) From the Art Auction Committee: Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this year’s Art Auction a rounding success! It was a spectacular event and everyone has a wonderful time. There are still some pieces of art that are for sale so please visit http://artauction.lrei.org/ for additional information and to view items that are available. If you have any questions, please contact Maude Kebbon at mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232. Additionally, there are still tickets available for two exciting events this spring. Please contact Maude if you are interested!

“Greater New York” Emerging Artists Survey, PS 1: Saturday, May 22nd at 2:00PM
A private tour with curator & LREI parent Neville Wakefield one day before the exhibit opens. Meet the artists and see their art! Tickets are $200 each.

6) LREI Camping Trip: Sign-up tables will be in front of the Sixth Avenue building on the mornings of Tuesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 27. The 17th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place the weekend of June 4-6 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. Swimming, hiking, games, fishing, bird-watching & S’mores! All LREI families and their children — from all grades pre-K through high school — are invited to participate. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help out, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966. For more details click here.

7) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

8) From PA Co-Presidents Regina Trumbull and Kim Hostler: Spring is here, so we are starting to plan for the next school year. The PA would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. In the meantime, you can look at the Family Handbook, page 36 (link on our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. Of course, until the classes are actually made up for next year (mid-August or so), we cannot match parent reps to classes. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees

Adoption Committee
Art Auction (the next art auction will be in the 2011-2012 year. But the committee will meet next year.)
Big Auction Committee
Community Service Committee
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee
Food Committee
Graphics & Communications Committee (Supporting other committees)
Halloween Fair Committee
Lesbian/Gay/Straight Alliance
Literary Committee
LREI Camping Trip Organizing Committee
Multicultural Committee (this is the committee that organized Karamu)
Parents of Children of Color (Lower School and Middle School)
Red Is Green (our sustainability committee)
School Store
Sports Committee

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

10) 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) Please come to this Saturday’s Coffeehouse for an evening of readings and musical performances to celebrate the newest issue of IE, the school literary magazine! The Coffeehouse starts at 7:00PM at the Charlton Street PAC.

2) Congratulations to the cast and crew of the Middle School musical Mulan. Thanks also to director Joanne Magee, musical director Matthew McLean, and choreographer Peggy Peloquin for so ably leading the students on this journey. Look for photos in next week’s blog.

3) Congratulations to all of the members of the Middle School track team for their efforts this season. Special acknowledgments to the following students who qualified for the league Gotham Games:

100m and 400m: Eighth grader Naomi
Mile run: Eighth grader Harry
Boys 4 x 400 relay: Seventh grader Will and eighth graders Harry, Lenny and Niles

4) The Judo team will hold its annual spring LREI Shiai (tournament) an Friday, June 11th at 3:30PM in the Thompson Street Athletic Center. For the tournament , students will be grouped into small subsections determined by gender and weight to compete against each other. The winners of each of the smaller subsections will then compete against each other for the title, “The Grand Champion.” There will be one Grand Champion for boys and one for girls. Each Judoka (practitioner) will have at least one match and will medal. The award ceremony immediately follows the Shiai. The Shiai is always a great event and, as in years past, we hope to see many students and families in the stands.

5) IMPORTANT SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES: As a follow up to the eighth grade Social Justice Teach-In, here is some information about related fund-raising opportunities:

Getting Tools To City Schools – Over the course of the year, we have had a number of collection drives to collect school supplies to make 200 binders that will be donated to students in one of Getting Tools to City Schools‘ partner schools. As we enter the final phase of this work, we are excited to announce a service drive that will run through the end of the month. We are asking middle school students to ask parents, friends and relatives if there are chores around the home that they can do. In compensation for this work, you will contribute $2/hour worked to support our collaboration with Getting Tools to City Schools. All of the money raised will be used to buy school supplies at wholesale cost. Please use the attached certificate to record hours worked by your child. We ask that the monies earned and the completed certificate(s) be returned to your child’s advisor. At the end of the month, the homeroom that has logged the most hours will earn a pizza lunch party.
Skip Lunch Fight Hunger: While we want all middle school students to eat a healthy lunch each day, middle school students can help in the effort to raise money to feed New York City’s most vulnerable. All this week, in afternoon homeroom, students will have an opportunity to make a donation to support the LREI team participating in the City Harvest Skip Lunch Fight Hunger initiative. We are asking that students donate money that they might otherwise have used for their own snack and that if they choose to do so that they do not ask you for additional money to underwrite their donation. In this way, students will be giving up something in order to help others.
L.E.S. Girls Club Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, May 15:
http://www.girlsclub.org/about/walk
AIDS Walk NY- on Sunday, May 16 (LREI has a team):
http://www.aidswalk.net/newyork/
The AIDS Walk is an important LREI community service event. We’re hoping for strong representation from all Middle School grades this year. Please remember that students in grades six and below must be accompanied by an adult. Registering for AIDS Walk New York has never been easier. Just click on this link below and choose your registration type (“Join a Team” — we are team #1222). If you prefer, you can always register by phone. Simply call (212) 807-WALK (9255) and they will be happy to register you. If you are not able to walk, please make every effort to support the team by making a donation. You can do this by searching registered teams and enter “Gabrielle Keller” or the name of another LREI team member in the “name” field.
Free Rice – http://www.freerice.com/index.php (this site quizzes in many subject areas: math, vocab, foreign language, chemistry, geography and art–correct answers earn rice donations)

6) Our annual Middle School Awards Night will take place on Tuesday, May 18th, at 6:00PM in the Charlton Street PAC. This is a wonderful night in which all students in grades five through eight who participated on sports teams and/or in extracurricular activities are recognized for their effort and participation. Students will be recognized for their participation in the following activities: Model Congress, Little Red Singers, Band, Play, Musical, Robotics Team, Rube Goldberg Team, Intramural Soccer, MS Soccer, MS Cross Country, MS Volleyball, Intramural Basketball, MS Boys Basketball, MS Girls Basketball, Intramural Softball, MS Softball and MS Track.

7) The annual LREI Spring Book Fair is coming up on May 20-21. As usual, the book selection for this fair is based on the summer reading lists put together by the faculty and librarians. The lists will be posted online at http://lrei.org/libres/sr.html before the fair starts, so please check them with your kids to plan out some great summer reading! All grades have reading requirements, which will be noted on the lists. Click here for a credit card pre-authorization form for parents to fill out; this form will enable kids to purchase books at the book fair, spending up to a limit determined by their parents. Please fax the forms to (212) 677-9159 (Attention Tracie McGee) by Monday, May 17. Students can also bring the forms with them to the book fair. Please note that high school books will also be on sale at Charlton Street the afternoon of May 18, just after the book assembly.

9) Some other important dates:

Wed, May 19, 2010, 3:00pm Spring Book Fair (through Friday)
Fri, May 21, 2010, 6:00pm POCOC-Spring Book Club
Thu, May 27, 2010, 6:30pm Spring Concert
Fri, May 28, 2010, Field Day-School closes at 1pm
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 4:00pm LREI Camping Trip (through Sunday)
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 6:00pm MS Dance
Tue, Jun 15, 2010, Last Day of School-School closes at 12noon

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) Please read the new math unit letter for section X from math teacher Michelle Boehm.

2) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Tue, Jun 8, 2010, 6:00pm 8th Grade Science Exploratorium
Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 6:00pm 8th Grade Moving Up Party
Tue, Jun 15, 2010, 8th Grade Moving Up

For Eighth and Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) High School Dance Choreographers Workshop: Four high school students need seventh and eighth grade students who like to dance and are interested in being in student created dances. The workshops will take place on the following Fridays from 4:00-6:00PM: May 21st; and on the following Mondays also from 4:00-6:00PM: May 17th and May 24th. If you are interested, email high school dance teacher Peggy Peloquin at ppeloquin@lrei.org. No experience necessary but welcomed.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Fri, May 14, 2010, 7th Grade Visiting Day
Fri, May 14, 2010, High School Preview Event
Thu, Jun 10, 2010, 8:00am 7th Grade Potluck Breakfast & Constitution Work

For Seventh and Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) High School Preview: Are you thinking about what’s on the horizon for your sixth or seventh grader? Please join us on May 14th at 8:30AM for High School Preview Morning with High School Principal Ruth Jurgensen. You will learn about the program, hear from students and briefly see classes in action as we tour our fabulous new space! Contact the admissions office at bscott@lrei.org to confirm your attendance no later than May 12th. This event is a rescheduling of the High School Preview evening previously slated for April and is designed to connect with Seventh Grade Visiting Day that will take place on the 14th as well.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Fri, May 14, 2010, High School Preview Event
Tue, Jun 8, 2010, 8:00am 6th Grade Poetry & Potluck Breakfast

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Wed, Jun 9, 2010, 6:00pm 5th Grade Grecian Festival

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

The Beginning of the End

msilberberg — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:05:32 +0000

From guest blogger Phil Kassen:

Dear Families,

It is surprising how quickly it happens, but the long ending of the school year has started. Signaled by the first lower school potluck earlier this week, or maybe it was the middle school Performing Arts Showcase last week (a great new event), and culminating with the school’s 65th commencement exercises in June, the end is beginning. Between now and then, when the ending ends, we will host 14 lower school potlucks, the middle school musical (tomorrow evening, Saturday afternoon and evening), senior project presentations, the senior banquet, MS and HS awards ceremonies, the fourth grade immigration play, the Spring Concert, field day, Stir the Pot (buy your tickets now) and the Afterschool share and instrumental concert, among others. I encourage you to make time not only for your child’s events but also for events that sound interesting, maybe featuring students in another division. This is a great way to see what is going on at LREI.

One event that took place this week and that was a very big deal in the life of the School was this past Monday’s High School Ribbon Cutting—a small ceremony for the high school students and faculty inaugurating our newly enlarged high school campus. After some thoughtful words from Ruth Jurgensen, high school principal, and Michael Patrick ’71, Board Chair, the ribbon was cut and the students streamed into our newly expanded facility. They were so excited! Maybe it was the beautiful cake provided by the PA, but I like to think that it was the new classrooms, the student lounge and the courtyard. A very exciting morning indeed. However, I think that the next day may have been even more exciting. The hoopla was over and, from the student lounge to the new seminar room, the students had made the building their own. In one day we went from brand new to well used. Fantastic! Stay tuned for information about an all LREI Ribbon Cutting event—coming soon!

As with the new high school spaces, in the midst of all of the big events of the season, I encourage you to keep your eye on the day-to-day, the “regular.” While the big moments are exciting, and I surely don’t want to minimize their importance, the day-to-day learning, hard work, struggle and success continue to be our main focus. So, while you are finding time to be with children at big moments be sure to ask them about the journey that took them there. These will truly be things of which to be proud.

Of General Interest . . .

1) Click here to access the photo collection of LREI events and happenings at our on-line photo gallery. Here are some photos from last week’s Visual Art Show and Performing Arts Festival:

2) “Stir the Pot” Tasting Event – Thursday, May 13th at 6:30PM at 40 Charlton Street
It is hard to believe that Stir the Pot, our cocktail party/restaurant tasting event, is only a week away! This new event will allow us to gather as a community in the renovated high school building to enjoy each other’s company and reconnect before the school year ends. A lot of work has gone into the planning of this event and we need all of you to make it a success. We hope that you have already purchased your tickets, in case you have not, we will continue to sell tickets during drop off at the Sixth Avenue building this week and next until the day of the event. You can contact the advancement office to purchase a ticket if you cannot make it into the building. Even if you can’t make the party, we ask that you join in the fun and purchase raffle tickets. We have some amazing raffle items including PK’s NYC -a year of monthly hand selected goodies by the Phil Kassen ($5.00 or 6 for $25), or for $10 (6 for $50) a table for 6 at RAO’s, an overnight stay at the Bowery Hotel with dinner at Gemma, A tour of the Fresh Direct plant, cookbooks, gift certificates to fabulous restaurants all over town and more! Raffle tickets can be bought ahead of time or at the event. There is free childcare for LREI students only at the Sixth Avenue building during the event. YOU MUST SIGN UP AHEAD OF TIME TO USE THE CHILDCARE. Contact Maude Kebbon at mkebbon@lrei.org. We hope to see you at Stir the Pot!

3) The GLASS MENAGERIE, LREI’s resident adult chorus, conducted by Susan Glass, will hold their annual spring concert this Saturday, May 8th, at 8:00PM at St. Joseph’s Church located at Sixth Avenue and Washington Place

4) From the Art Auction Committee: Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this year’s Art Auction a rounding success! It was a spectacular event and everyone has a wonderful time. There are still some pieces of art that are for sale so please visit http://artauction.lrei.org/ for additional information and to view items that are available. If you have any questions, please contact Maude Kebbon at mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232. Additionally, there are still tickets available for two exciting events this spring. Please contact Maude if you are interested!

“Greater New York” Emerging Artists Survey, PS 1: Saturday, May 22nd at 2:00PM
A private tour with curator & LREI parent Neville Wakefield one day before the exhibit opens. Meet the artists and see their art! Tickets are $200 each.

5) LREI Camping Trip: Sign-up tables will be in front of the Sixth Avenue building on the mornings of Tuesday, May 11 and Thursday, May 27. It’s time for the 17th Annual LREI Camping Trip, which will take place the weekend of June 4-6 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. Swimming, hiking, games, fishing, bird-watching & S’mores! All LREI families and their children — from all grades pre-K through high school — are invited to participate. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help out, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966.”

6) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

7) From PA Co-Presidents Regina Trumbull and Kim Hostler: Spring is here, so we are starting to plan for the next school year. The PA would like to let you know the many ways you can participate. Becoming a parent rep is a great way to get involved. If you have not been a parent rep before but would like to try it or find out more about it, please let us know. We would be happy to talk to you more about what the job entails. In the meantime, you can look at the Family Handbook, page 36 (link on our website www.LREI.org) for the Parent Rep Guidelines. Of course, until the classes are actually made up for next year (mid-August or so), we cannot match parent reps to classes. If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, you could consider volunteering for any of our PA committees

Adoption Committee
Art Auction (the next art auction will be in the 2011-2012 year. But the committee will meet next year.)
Big Auction Committee
Community Service Committee
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee
Food Committee
Graphics & Communications Committee (Supporting other committees)
Halloween Fair Committee
Lesbian/Gay/Straight Alliance
Literary Committee
LREI Camping Trip Organizing Committee
Multicultural Committee (this is the committee that organized Karamu)
Parents of Children of Color (Lower School and Middle School)
Red Is Green (our sustainability committee)
School Store
Sports Committee

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

9) 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) While there is still much to be accomplished in the 2009-2010 school year, spring also signals the beginning of our formal planning cycle for the 2010-2011 school year. A crucial piece of this planning is the hiring process; while I am excited to report on some new additions to the middle school team, these efforts are connected to the more melancholy task of reporting to you on faculty who will be moving on.

After 32 years of dedicated service to the LREI community in a variety of different roles, middle school technology teacher Steve Neiman will be retiring at the end of the year. In his work with countless students and teachers, Steve has fully embodied the mission and values of the school. Always willing to listen and to lend a hand to any and all requests, Steve has helped us all to better ourselves and the LREI community. He will be sorely missed, but we know that in making this decision Steve will find the time for many of his other passions that were often put on hold in service to LREI. I’m sure that we will continue to see Steve around the LREI community for many years to come and that his presence will continue to be felt.

I am excited to report that Christopher Jung will be joining us as our next middle school technology teacher. Chris will work directly with students, but will also support technology integration in other classes across the division. Previously, Chris has worked as a director of technology and teacher in other independent schools, as a network designer and software developer and as a graphic designer. We were impressed with his demo lesson and our many conversations. He will be a great addition to the team.

In the time that David Lee has been with us, he has established himself as an important member of the community. Whether teaching French or Spanish, coaching track or helping to chaperon foreign language trips, David’s expectation for excellence, his enthusiasm and his joie de vivre have become an important fixture in the middle school community. David has decided to return to his former home in the Bahamas. This was not an easy decision for David who has found a home-away-from-home here at LREI, but we wish him the best and know that our paths will cross again in the future.

David’s decision presented us with an opportunity to look at our foreign language program and I am happy to report that beginning next year we will be adding Mandarin to our current program of French and Spanish. We will begin this program in the fifth and sixth grades next year and will grow the program into the other grades in subsequent years. I am also happy to report that Alicia Wang will be our first middle school Mandarin teacher. Alicia has taught Mandarin to native English speakers and English to native Mandarin speakers in a number of different settings; she has also just completed a Masters in Foreign Language Education at NYU. We are excited to welcome Alicia to LREI. More information about the Mandarin program will be forthcoming to current fifth grade families.

Finally, middle school learning specialist Susannah Flicker who has provided learning support services for both the seventh and eighth grades this year while Jennifer Haakmat was on leave will continue on in this position on an on-going basis. We are excited for Susannah to join the middle school team on a formal basis and know that she will continue push us forward in efforts to best meet the diverse learning needs of our students.

As I have said in the past, I am honored to work with such outstanding and passionate educators all of whom are equally committed to serving your children and to supporting each other in their own professional growth; I know that our new additions will prove no less remarkable. Setting aside any pretense of modesty, the Middle School faculty really is an exceptional team!

2) Save the date for the Middle School Musical — this Friday (5/7 @ 7:00PM) and Saturday (5/8 @ 2:00 and 7:00PM): Travel back to the legendary days of ancient China with this stage adaptation of Disney’s Mulan. This is a heartwarming celebration of culture, honor and a fighting spirit. Come see the middle school musical, with an outstanding set, beautiful costumes, action, singing and dancing. This production is sure to delight your senses and guarantees a wonderful family night out. Tickets will be on sale all next week in the Sixth Avenue lobby from 8:00-9:00AM. Directed by Joanne Magee, Musical Director, Matthew McLean, Choreographer, Peggy Peloquin.

3) Grandparents and Special Friends Day is tomorrow. Here is the schedule:

1:00-1:25 — Middle schooler to tour grandparent(s)/guest(s)
1:25-1:50 — Classroom activity
1:50-2:00 — Student escorts guest(s) to the auditorium
2:00-2:30 — Presentations by chorus, band and musical cast
2:30-3:00 — Remarks from Mark and Phil

4) IMPORTANT SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES: As a follow up to last week’s eighth grade Social Justice Teach-In, here is some information about related fund-raising opportunities:

Getting Tools To City Schools – Over the course of the year, we have had a number of collection drives to collect school supplies to make 200 binders that will be donated to students in one of Getting Tools to City Schools‘ partner schools. As we enter the final phase of this work, we are excited to announce a service drive that will run through the end of the month. We are asking middle school students to ask parents, friends and relatives if there are chores around the home that they can do. In compensation for this work, you will contribute $2/hour worked to support our collaboration with Getting Tools to City Schools. All of the money raised will be used to buy school supplies at wholesale cost. Please use the attached certificate to record hours worked by your child. We ask that the monies earned and the completed certificate(s) be returned to your child’s advisor. At the end of the month, the homeroom that has logged the most hours will earn a pizza lunch party.
Skip Lunch Fight Hunger: While we want all middle school students to eat a healthy lunch each day, middle school students can help in the effort to raise money to feed New York City’s most vulnerable. All next week, in afternoon homeroom, students will have an opportunity to make a donation to support the LREI team participating in the City Harvest Skip Lunch Fight Hunger initiative. We are asking that students donate money that they might otherwise have used for their own snack and that if they choose to do so that they do not ask you for additional money to underwrite their donation. In this way, students will be giving up something in order to help others.
5th Annual Walk Against Gun Violence NYC, Saturday, May 8:
http://www.bradycampaign.org/chapters/NY
L.E.S. Girls Club Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, May 15:
http://www.girlsclub.org/about/walk
AIDS Walk NY- on Sunday, May 16 (LREI has a team):
http://www.aidswalk.net/newyork/
Free Rice – http://www.freerice.com/index.php (this site quizzes in many subject areas: math, vocab, foreign language, chemistry, geography and art–correct answers earn rice donations)

5) Our annual Middle School Awards Night will take place on Tuesday, May 18th, at 6:00PM in the Charlton Street PAC. This is a wonderful night in which all students in grades five through eight who participated on sports teams and/or in extracurricular activities are recognized for their effort and participation. Students will be recognized for their participation in the following activities: Model Congress, Little Red Singers, Band, Play, Musical, Robotics Team, Rube Goldberg Team, Intramural Soccer, MS Soccer, MS Cross Country, MS Volleyball, Intramural Basketball, MS Boys Basketball, MS Girls Basketball, Intramural Softball, MS Softball and MS Track.

6) The annual LREI Spring Book Fair is coming up on May 20-21. As usual, the book selection for this fair is based on the summer reading lists put together by the faculty and librarians. The lists will be posted online at http://lrei.org/libres/sr.html before the fair starts, so please check them with your kids to plan out some great summer reading! All grades have reading requirements, which will be noted on the lists. Click here for a credit card pre-authorization form for parents to fill out; this form will enable kids to purchase books at the book fair, spending up to a limit determined by their parents. Please fax the forms to (212) 677-9159 (Attention Tracie McGee) by Monday, May 17. Students can also bring the forms with them to the book fair. Please note that high school books will also be on sale at Charlton Street the afternoon of May 18, just after the book assembly.

7) POCOC-Spring Book Club: This event, scheduled for May 21st, 2010 from 6:00- 8:00PM in the Sixth Avenue Auditorium, is a potluck event open to the families of both committees. After the potluck, children will break into their age/book groups with a facilitator (LREI teachers) to discuss the book they have read and/or do a project around it. During this time parents will be free to socialize. Book selections: 5th – 6th –Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis; 7th – 8th – Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Click here for the event flyer.

8) Some other important dates:

Wed, May 19, 2010, 3:00pm Spring Book Fair (through Friday)
Fri, May 21, 2010, 6:00pm POCOC-Spring Book Club
Thu, May 27, 2010, 6:30pm Spring Concert
Fri, May 28, 2010, Field Day-School closes at 1pm
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 4:00pm LREI Camping Trip (through Sunday)
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 6:00pm MS Dance
Tue, Jun 15, 2010, Last Day of School-School closes at 12noon

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) Please read the new math unit letter for section X from math teacher Michelle Boehm.

2) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Tue, May 11, 2010, 8th Grade trip to DC (return on Friday)
Tue, Jun 8, 2010, 6:00pm 8th Grade Science Exploratorium
Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 6:00pm 8th Grade Moving Up Party
Tue, Jun 15, 2010, 8th Grade Moving Up

For Eighth and Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Join us on Monday, May 10th at 6:30PM for a discussion with a counselor from the Freedom Institute about substance abuse and prevention issues. Students have also engaged with Freedom Institute in related discussions and this is an excellent opportunity to dialog with other parents about strategies to best support your children so that they make safe and healthy decisions.

2) High School Dance Choreographers Workshop: Four high school students need seventh and eighth grade students who like to dance and are interested in being in student created dances. The workshops will take place on the following Fridays from 4:00-6:00PM: May 7th and May 21st; and on the following Mondays also from 4:00-6:00PM: May 17th and May 24th. If you are interested, email high school dance teacher Peggy Peloquin at ppeloquin@lrei.org. No experience necessary but welcomed.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Tomorrow, the seventh graders will participate in our annual High School Arts Festival. The Arts Festival is an intensive one-day arts elective experience. Each student will participate in a workshop led by a practicing artist. This year’s workshops include Improvisation, Textile Design, Architecture, Figure Drawing, Music Improv, Hip-Hop Dance, Portrait Painting, Adventures in Operetta, Animation, Pen and Ink Collage, Comedy Theatre Sports, Folk Dances and Drumming, Abstract Art, Storyboarding, Drawing with Light and Shade, Monologue, Knitting, Mask Making, Experimental Filmmaking and Solarization Photography

2) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Fri, May 14, 2010, 7th Grade Visiting Day
Fri, May 14, 2010, High School Preview Event
Thu, Jun 10, 2010, 8:00am 7th Grade Potluck Breakfast & Constitution Work

For Seventh and Sixth Grade Families . . .

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) Next Tuesday May 11th, we have the pleasure of hosting Australian author Lian Tanner on her first American book tour for her fantasy novel City of Thieves. All the 6th graders were provided with ARCS (Advance review copies) of the book last week, which won’t be published until September 2010. The students will have a chance to chat with Lian and get their books signed. While most of the 6th grade are working on or finishing up their book partnerships in Core, please encourage them to read as much of the novel as they can before next Tuesday’s visit. Some students have already finished the novel and would probably be happy to discuss it with you:)

2) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Fri, May 14, 2010, High School Preview Event
Tue, Jun 8, 2010, 8:00am 6th Grade Poetry & Potluck Breakfast

3) Looking further ahead to next year, click here to access the registration form for the Williamsburg / Jamestown trip that will take place next October. I’m sending you this information now so that you can spread out payments over a longer period of time. If you register online, please use the following trip ID#: A76310. W e would like all families to register for the trip by the end of the month. If you have specific questions about payment, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For Sixth and Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) From Athletic Director Peter Fisher: Softball games will still be at Houston Street ball field, with one team practicing and two teams playing each Tuesday and Thursday. For the next few weeks, we’ll play a few games and determine the playoff structure. Both days are ON next week, unless the weather turns ugly, then I will update the schedule and send an email. Please let me know if you have any questions.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) High School Preview: Are you thinking about what is on the horizon for your fifth grader? Please join us on Tuesday, May 4th at 8:30AM for High School Preview Morning with Ruth Jurgensen, HS Principal. You will learn about the program, hear from students and briefly see classes in action as we tour our fabulous new space! Contact the admissions office at bscott@lrei.org to confirm your attendance no later than April 30th. This event is a rescheduling of the High School Preview evening previously slated for April.

2) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Wed, Jun 9, 2010, 6:00pm 5th Grade Grecian Festival

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

Be the Change

msilberberg — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:28:37 +0000

Dear Families,

Several times this year (3/11, 1/28, and 11/19), I’ve written about the eighth grade social justice project “Choosing to Participate,” which has become a cornerstone of the eighth grade humanities curriculum. The culminating event of this project took place this past Wednesday, as the the eighth graders ran two assemblies and facilitated workshops for the fifth through seventh graders. The day’s events were not only exceedingly well-executed, but also challenged middle schoolers to think deeply about a range important social justice issues and asked participants to consider how each individual can make a difference. This work reflected substantial research done by the eighth graders over the past few months and included significant volunteering opportunities at the following organizations:

Aid for AIDS: http://www.aidforaids.org/
AIDS Walk NY: http://www.aidswalk.net/newyork/
IANSA: The International Network on Small Arms: http://www.iansa.org/
Getting Tools to City Schools: http://www.gettingtoolstocityschools.org/home
Go RED for Women: http://www.goredforwomen.org/
Positive Exposure: The Spirit of Difference: http://www.positiveexposure.org/
LINC: Literacy Inc NY: http://www.lincnyc.org/
Lower East Side Girls Club: http://www.girlsclub.org/
PEN American Center: Protecting Free Expression and Celebrating Literature: http://www.pen.org/
Village Temple Soup Kitchen: http://www.villagetemple.org/soupkitchen.asp
HUC: Hebrew Union College Food Bank: http://huc.edu/
Food Bank of NYC: http://www.foodbanknyc.org/
Father’s Heart Ministry NYC: http://www.fathersheartnyc.org/

In the opening assembly, the eighth graders provided some important context to help frame the day’s activities.

They also shared their public service posters, which were created in core and art (these posters are also on display in the lobby and outside of the eighth grade rooms) . . .

and performed an original song written by Lenny whose lyrics appear below:

eating drinking breathing living life

eating drinking breathing living life
that’s the way were told to give and strive
light the fire but don’t think to put it out anytime
volunteering strong with all your might
fighting sickness helping women’s rights
you got to learn to take your part in society

you’ve got to wipe the tears
and volunteer
for faith and peace
and justice please
don’t take what you can break
it’ll be your mistake
its for others sake
there are people at stake

gun violence seems to tear us up
our economy isn’t high enough
world hunger is eating us all alive all the time
why not take a look at the world today
with all our help we’ll be ok
but not when the wind of hate
blows us all away

you’ve got to wipe the tears
and volunteer
for faith and peace
and justice please
don’t take what you can break
it’ll be your mistake
its for others sake
there are people at stake

The morning assembly concluded with a moving speech given to UN delegates in 1992 by 12-year-old Severn Cullis Suzuki.

Following the assembly, fifth through seventh graders participated in two hour-long workshops facilitated by the eight graders. The following descriptions of the workshops give you a clear sense of the richness and depth of the morning’s activities:

Free the Freedom in a Square: In this workshop, we will write out loud! We will go out to Little Red Square and express ourselves using sidewalk chalk, sidewalk paint, and our own opinions about freedom of expression and freedom of speech. We will create a “democracy wall”, answering the question, “What does freedom of expression mean to you?” You will draw, write, or create, liberating your inner voice. People will stop and stare at the art we’ve all made; all you need is your imagination!
Chocolate for Change: In this workshop we will talk about the ongoing and very important issue of world hunger, and hunger in NYC. We will show you a brief presentation on the topic and then we will make chocolate-covered pretzels to donate to The Village Temple Soup Kitchen. Your work will allow those served at this soup kitchen to have a dessert with their meal, and you will also learn how to make these treats!
Repairing Hunger — One Grain At A Time: People in this workshop will learn about hunger in both NYC and around the world. We will show you a website filled with online quiz games about math, science, geography, foreign language that help feed the hungry while you play! For every question you get right, 10 grains of rice get donated to the World Food Programme. In this workshop, you will have fun, make a difference, and go for the high score!
A Pencil Per Person: All over NYC, kids go to school without the basic school supplies they need to function effectively as students. Our organization, Getting Tools to City Schools, raises money and collects supplies to donate to these students. Come and decorate pencils and stamp them with facts about our organization and its mission. These pencils will be circulated around the school, spreading awareness and inspiring others to get involved with our campaign. You will walk away entertained, informed, and having made creative pencils that make a difference!
Justice Jeopardy: Did you know that the largest epidemic in our time is preventable? Did you know that you cannot get HIV/AIDS from shaking hands? What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? What does AIDS stand for anyway? Come and play your favorite game: Jeopardy, while answering these questions and learning more about these four key categories: the difference between HIV and AIDS, HIV and AIDS prevention, discrimination towards people with HIV and AIDS, and testing your HIV/AIDS knowledge. Finally, find out how to be a part of the LREI AIDS Walk Team!
Changing the World One Book at a Time: Are you a person who loves kids? Are you the one who’s always trying to teach them new things? Do you appreciate the gift of literacy? If so, you will love Changing the World One Book at a Time. In this workshop, you’ll be educated about the importance of childhood literacy, learn the secrets to a great read-aloud, and find out strategies to make reading with children more beneficial. You’ll get time to try out these skills with a trip down to a Lower School classroom where you will read to kids!
Love Your Heart: Have you ever wondered what’s in that buff, blood-pumpin’ organ you call a heart? Well, we have got the answers! You will learn about the organ that keeps you alive, and how to keep your food heart-healthy. You will be able explore different types of mid-day munchies and see what mutant sugar monsters they actually are. After our discoveries we will play Battle of the Heart! Will YOU win?
Stitching Up The Facts About AIDS: Come and use your head to learn and your hands to decorate and sew! This workshop has everything you need to know about what’s true and false about HIV and AIDS. Once you have some knowledge, we will sew up the facts by making a quilt together! You will create quilt patches with your own drawings and words that will educate others about HIV/AIDS. Your unique quilt will be hung up in the Middle School for our whole community to see and from which to learn!
Gender Bender — Empower Yourself in the Face of the Media: How do advertisements affect you as a male or a female? How do they use stereotypes? How can you become empowered instead of subject to the ad’s power? In this workshop, we will examine advertisements targeted towards men and ones towards women. Based upon what we see, we will write skits that show what an average woman/man is like and then also what a woman/man can really be if given room to move beyond stereotypes. Empower yourself to make up your own mind about gender stereotypes and the media!
In Harm’s Way: Stop Gun Violence: Guns seem cool. James Bond uses guns and so does the American soldier in the videogame “Call of Duty.” Guns are made to seem fascinating, exciting and fun. The facts are, however, that guns do terrible things such as harm, hurt, and kill people all over the world. In our workshop, you will learn more about the effects of gun violence in NYC and how to stop it. You will learn that everybody has a voice against gun violence in our society. Take back the power and use your voice while having fun. We will create skits, make posters and songs, and play trivia games that will educate others to stand up for those in harm’s way due to guns.

The day concluded with a reflection activity and a final assembly in which several of the groups shared ways in which our middle school community will continue to take action on these issues (more on this to follow). A reflection by activist Severn Cullis Suzuki on her journey concluded the eighth graders’ stewardship of the day:

I spoke for six minutes and received a standing ovation. Some of the delegates even cried. I thought that maybe I had reached some of them, that my speech might actually spur action. Now, a decade from Rio, after I’ve sat through many more conferences, I’m not sure what has been accomplished. My confidence in the people in power and in the power of an individual’s voice to reach them has been deeply shaken…In the 10 years since Rio, I have learned that addressing our leaders is not enough. As Gandhi said many years ago, ‘We must become the change we want to see.’ I know change is possible.”

Real change depends on us. We can’t wait for our leaders. We have to focus on what our own responsibilities are and how we can make the change happen. I know change is possible, because I am changing, still figuring out what I think. I am still deciding how to live my life. The challenges are great, but if we accept individual responsibility and make sustainable choices, we will rise to the challenges, and we will become part of the positive tide of change. Over the last few years, after Rio, I was invited to many, many different conferences. Over time I’ve realized: this is not where we’re going to see change. We’ve seen positive activism happening in the last ten years at the grassroots level, in small communities. It’s about the individuals that make up the statistics about consumption and pollution, as well as the people who feel the negative impact, who are actually going to be the change. It is powerful, because you realize that each individual really does count. And the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized that each person is a role model to all the people around us. Not only the children, but everybody. That’s how cultures evolve and things change because the influence of a few individuals catches on.

There’s no doubt in my mind that the influence of our eighth graders was profoundly felt by their peers and teachers during this year’s “Teach-In.” Well done!

Congratulations also to the members of the Model Congress team! More on their efforts in next week’s blog.

Of General Interest . . .

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

2) Click here for a summary of key points from this Monday’s Internet Safety Parent Meeting.

3) “Stir the Pot” Tasting Event Committee – The “Stir the Pot” event will take place on Thursday, May 13th at 6:00PM @ Charlton Street. Click here for more information about this exciting event.

The Jim Cottrell/Joe Lovett & Sue Scott Collections: Wednesday, May 5th at 6:00PM
Hosted by LREI Parent Sue Scott: An evening of art & conversation at two private collections including works by Baechler, Basquiat, Murray and Bourgeois. Tickets are $200 each.
“Greater New York” Emerging Artists Survey, PS 1: Saturday, May 22nd at 2:00PM
A private tour with curator & LREI parent Neville Wakefield one day before the exhibit opens. Meet the artists and see their art! Tickets are $200 each.

5) LREI Camping Trip: The 17th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place June 4-6 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. All LREI families and their children — from all grades pre-K through high school — are invited to participate. Watch for details and sign-up tables coming soon. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help organize, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966.

6) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

April’s recycle drive is… Corks. Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree. While it is a renewable resource, it takes a long time to harvest (25 years for the first harvest, 9 years thereafter). We recycle corks either by fulfilling teacher demand for them, or sending them to Terracycle, who turns them into products like cork boards. Drop off all used corks – natural or synthetic, wine or champagne. Drop off corks in the Red is Green bins in the Sixth Ave. or Charlton St. lobbies through the month of April.
For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

Adoption Committee
Art Auction (the next art auction will be in the 2011-2012 year. But the committee will meet next year.)
Big Auction Committee
Community Service Committee
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee
Food Committee
Graphics & Communications Committee (Supporting other committees)
Halloween Fair Committee
Lesbian/Gay/Straight Alliance
Literary Committee
LREI Camping Trip Organizing Committee
Multicultural Committee (this is the committee that organized Karamu)
Parents of Children of Color (Lower School and Middle School)
Red Is Green (our sustainability committee)
School Store
Sports Committee

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

9) 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) Just a heads up that our first MS Art Festival opens tonight at 6:00PM for seventh and eighth grade families and at 6:30PM for fifth and sixth grade families. The evening will feature studio art work from students in all grades, digital art created by the eighth graders and performances by the seventh and eighth grade performing arts major classes (instrumental music, vocal music, dance and drama). The entire Sixth Avenue building will come alive with the arts on this special evening. We hope to see you all there. In addition, the art displays in the auditorium will also be up on Friday, April 30th.

2) Save the date for the Middle School Musical — next Friday (5/7 @ 7:00PM) and Saturday (5/8 @ 2:00 and 7:00PM): Travel back to the legendary days of ancient China with this stage adaptation of Disney’s Mulan. This is a heartwarming celebration of culture, honor and a fighting spirit. Come see the middle school musical, with an outstanding set, beautiful costumes, action, singing and dancing. This production is sure to delight your senses and guarantees a wonderful family night out. Tickets will be on sale all next week in the Sixth Avenue lobby from 8:00-9:00AM. Directed by Joanne Magee, Musical Director, Matthew McLean, Choreographer, Peggy Peloquin.

3) Grandparents/Special Friends Day is coming on May 7th for Lower and Middle School students. If you have not given us addresses yet, please email them to Liza Sacks at lsacks@lrei.org. If you have not yet rsvp’d please do so as soon as possible, or no later than Wednesday, April 28, 2010. Please call or email Mary Shea at mshea@lrei.org to let her know the name of your child’s visitor.

4) POCOC-Spring Book Club: This event, scheduled for May 21st, 2010 from 6:00- 8:00PM in the Sixth Avenue Auditorium, is a potluck event open to the families of both committees. After the potluck, children will break into their age/book groups with a facilitator (LREI teachers) to discuss the book they have read and/or do a project around it. During this time parents will be free to socialize. Book selections: 5th -- 6th –Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis; 7th -- 8th – Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. Click here for the event flyer.

5) Some other important dates:

Fri, May 7, 2010, 7:00pm MS Musical
Sat, May 8, 2010, 2:00pm MS Musical
Sat, May 8, 2010, 7:00pm MS Musical
Tue, May 18, 2010, 6:00pm MS Awards Night
Wed, May 19, 2010, 3:00pm Spring Book Fair (through Friday)
Fri, May 21, 2010, 6:00pm POCOC-Spring Book Club
Thu, May 27, 2010, 6:30pm Spring Concert
Fri, May 28, 2010, Field Day-School closes at 1pm
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 4:00pm LREI Camping Trip (through Sunday)
Fri, Jun 4, 2010, 6:00pm MS Dance
Tue, Jun 15, 2010, Last Day of School-School closes at 12noon

6) Saturday, May 1st is the annual event known as Free Comic Book Day. It’s as simple as the title suggests: go to your local comic book store and they give you FREE COMIC BOOKS. To find out which comic books are available, and to find a comic shop near you, just visit http://www.freecomicbookday.com/comics.asp. Be aware that, depending on your neighborhood, there might be a line at the store, so checking on hours might not be a bad idea.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Wed, May 5, 2010, 8:00am 8th Gr. DC trip Parent Mtg.
Tue, May 11, 2010, 8th Grade trip to DC (return on Friday)
Tue, Jun 8, 2010, 6:00pm 8th Grade Science Exploratorium
Fri, Jun 11, 2010, 6:00pm 8th Grade Moving Up Party
Tue, Jun 15, 2010, 8th Grade Moving Up

For Eighth and Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Join us on Monday, May 10th at 6:30PM for a discussion with a counselor from the Freedom Institute about sustenance abuse and prevention issues. Students have also engaged with Freedom Institute in related discussions and this is an excellent opportunity to dialog with other parents about strategies to best support your children so that they make safe and healthy decisions.

2) High School Dance Choreographers Workshop: Four high school students need seventh and eighth grade students who like to dance and are interested in being in student created dances. The workshops will take place on the following Fridays from 4:00-6:00PM: April 30th, May 7th and May 21st; and on the following Mondays also from 4:00-6:00PM: May 17th and May 24th. If you are interested, email high school dance teacher Peggy Peloquin at ppeloquin@lrei.org. No experience necessary but welcomed.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Fri, May 14, 2010, 7th Grade Visiting Day
Fri, May 14, 2010, High School Preview Event
Thu, Jun 10, 2010, 8:00am 7th Grade Potluck Breakfast & Constitution Work

For Seventh and Sixth Grade Families . . .

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) The sixth grade has been invited to participate in a Scholastic Summer Reading Live Webcast with famous award-winning childrens’ authors Lisa Yee, Christopher Paul Curtis, Gordon Korman and R.L. Stine this Friday, April 30th. The students will be able to meet the writers and then be members of a live audience cheering on their favorite authors as they participate in a jeopardy-like trivia game show. Please make sure that your child has returned the release form so that s/he can attend the event.

2) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Fri, May 14, 2010, High School Preview Event
Tue, Jun 8, 2010, 8:00am 6th Grade Poetry & Potluck Breakfast

3) LREI sixth graders are invited to attend the “School for a School Dance!” an interschool sixth grade dance, which is scheduled for Friday, April 30th from 7-9PM. The dance will take place in the auditorium at the Nightingale-Bamford School (92nd and Madison). The cost is $10 to be paid at the door. Funds raised from the dance will support an all-school campaign at Nightingale to build a co-ed school in Cambodia (you can find more information at www.cambodiaschools.com). R.S.V.P to abuckfire@nightingale.org. Parents should email giving permission and a phone number where they can be reached during the dance. There will be chaperones present from Nightingale-Bamford present.

For Sixth and Fifth Grade Families . . .

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) Some important dates (see above for important division-wide dates):

Wed, Jun 9, 2010, 6:00pm 5th Grade Grecian Festival

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark

Testing Boundaries

msilberberg — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:31:38 +0000

Dear Families,

On Tuesday and Wednesday night, Middle School psychologist Andrew Weiss and I enjoyed spirited discussions with fifth-seventh grade parents as part of our annual Adolescent Issues Parent Evenings (click here for an overview of topics being explored in Adolescent Issues classes).

In these discussions, we spent much time talking about the many ways in which adolescents seek to test boundaries and that this can invariably lead to a certain level of conflict. As Andrew astutely observed, the goal for parents and teachers is not to find ways to avoid this conflict, but rather to work through it. For it is precisely these moments of conflict that define where the boundaries are and how they connect to the values that serve as a foundation for your family and for us at LREI. Navigating through these waters is certainly difficult for both kids, parents and teachers, but is is essential. We also acknowledged that these values may differ from family to family and with the school and that this can create additional challenges.

We talked about the challenge of responding to difficult questions that we may not want or feel prepared to answer. We agreed that acknowledging the significance of a question is important, but that we may want to let our child know that we want to think about it for a bit to figure out the best may to respond. In this way, we can model thoughtful and reflective thinking for our child as we look for the best way to enter into the conversation. We talked about the importance of finding a response that was honest, but that also felt comfortable with regard to what you may or may not want to share with your child.

We also discussed situations where parental expectations/requests don’t need to be justified with an immediate explanation (e.g., you need your child to act in a particular manner at a given moment or you may choose to not give them permission to do something that they want to do). That said, finding a way in a quieter moment to circle back to what was at the heart of the matter and to explore your response and its connection to important family values with your child is essential. It is precisely this on-going dialog, which often has its origins in conflict, that provides a sense of safety and consistency for your child. And each time you return to these conversations you also send an important message about what you value. Below are a few links to some resources that you might find useful in this on-going work:

For parents, adolescence marks the beginning of a “letting go” and by the end of adolescence, your young adults will be very much responsible for their lives. Because we/you can’t always be there for them, we hope that the values that we have worked to instill in them hold fast and guide them through their difficult moments. This is the clearest evidence that that you and your child are productively making your way through adolescence. I see ample evidence of this in our students and it is a reflection of the hard work that you do at home and that we reinforce at school.

On other fronts, the seventh grade was in Philadelphia today exploring Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center as part of their on-going inquiry into the birth of our nation and the drafting of the Constitution. Click here to view some photos.

Of General Interest . . .

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

2) LREI – Adult rED: Back by popular demand—we are announcing a second term of adult ed classes. This Spring’s Adult rED offerings are Twentieth Century American Cultural History, taught by high school history teacher Mark Bledstein, and Writing Memoir, Finding Voice, taught by high school English teacher Ileana Jimenez. Please see the attached announcement for more details. To enroll, please email Rowena Penaranda Askins, at rpenaranda@lrei.org or by phone at 212-477-5316, ext. 295. Do not hesitate to email with questions.

3) The Internet Is Public Life Today- social networking for parents. Join your fellow LREI parents/guardians for a discussion of our childrens’ online lives with a presentation by Don Buckley, Director of Communications Technology at the School at Columbia. April 26th, 6:30-8:00PM, Sixth Avenue Auditorium.

4) “Stir the Pot” Tasting Event Committee – The committee needs more volunteers! Please come to our meeting on Thursday, April 29th at 8:45AM in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria. The “Stir the Pot” event will take place on Thursday, May 13th at 6:00PM @ Charlton Street. Click here for more information about this exciting event.

5) Congratulations to the lucky winner of the LREI Cookbook drawing . . . Rina Root! Thanks to Rina and all others who have contributed to our new community cookbook, to be published later this year. Also, special thanks to Julia Wilbur, who donated our lovely prize for Rina from her linen collection Plover Organic. If you haven’t sent in a recipe yet, this is your final chance; please send recipes for potluck dishes (anything but desserts) t0 cookbook@lrei.org.

6) From the Art Auction Committee: Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this year’s Art Auction a rounding success! It was a spectacular event and everyone has a wonderful time. There are still some pieces of art that are for sale so please visit http://artauction.lrei.org/ for additional information and to view items that are available. If you have any questions, please contact Maude Kebbon at mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232. Additionally, there are still tickets available for two exciting events this spring. Please contact Maude if you are interested!

The Jim Cottrell/Joe Lovett & Sue Scott Collections: Wednesday, May 5th at 6:00PM
Hosted by LREI Parent Sue Scott: An evening of art & conversation at two private collections including works by Baechler, Basquiat, Murray and Bourgeois. Tickets are $200 each.
“Greater New York” Emerging Artists Survey, PS 1: Saturday, May 22nd at 2:00PM
A private tour with curator & LREI parent Neville Wakefield one day before the exhibit opens. Meet the artists and see their art! Tickets are $200 each.

7) LREI Camping Trip: The 17th Annual LREI Camping Trip will take place June 4-6 this year at the Riverbend Group Campground along the Delaware River. All LREI families and their children — from all grades pre-K through high school — are invited to participate. Watch for details and sign-up tables coming soon. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help organize, please contact Larry White at LWhite@stern.nyu.edu or (212) 533-1966.

8) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

Please join us for a presentation on Monday, April 26, at 8:45AM in the Sixth Ave. cafeteria on how climate change is affecting our NYC water supply and wastewater infrastructure. Hilary Meltzer, LREI parent and part of NYC’s environmental law team will discuss regional projections about environmental changes and threats to our water supply all posed by climate change.
April’s recycle drive is… Corks. Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree. While it is a renewable resource, it takes a long time to harvest (25 years for the first harvest, 9 years thereafter). We recycle corks either by fulfilling teacher demand for them, or sending them to Terracycle, who turns them into products like cork boards. Drop off all used corks – natural or synthetic, wine or champagne. Drop off corks in the Red is Green bins in the Sixth Ave. or Charlton St. lobbies through the month of April.
For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

Adoption Committee
Art Auction (the next art auction will be in the 2011-2012 year. But the committee will meet next year.)
Big Auction Committee
Community Service Committee
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Committee
Food Committee
Graphics & Communications Committee (Supporting other committees)
Halloween Fair Committee
Lesbian/Gay/Straight Alliance
Literary Committee
LREI Camping Trip Organizing Committee
Multicultural Committee (this is the committee that organized Karamu)
Parents of Children of Color (Lower School and Middle School)
Red Is Green (our sustainability committee)
School Store
Sports Committee

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

For All Grades . . .

1) Family Conferences and Subject Area Meetings (April 23rd): Please check your child’s advisor’s blog to schedule a family conference for one of the dates indicated above. As we did in the fall, you will also be able to schedule 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. In addition, the structure of our Family Conferences is always an evolving one and I encourage you to let me know about your conference experience. Your feedback is tremendously useful in helping us to shape this experience so that it is a meaningful and productive one for all.

2) Mark your calendars: Just a heads up that our first MS Art Festival will open on Thursday, April 29th at 6:00PM for seventh and eighth grade families and at 6:30PM for fifth and sixth grade families. The evening will feature studio art work from students in all grades, digital art created by the eighth graders and performances by the seventh and eighth grade performing arts major classes (instrumental music, vocal music, dance and drama). The entire Sixth Avenue building will come alive with the arts on this special evening. We hope to see you all there. In addition, the art displays in the auditorium will also be up on Friday, April 30th.

For Eighth and Seventh Grade Families . . .

From Athletic Director Peter Fisher:

Our new 7/8 grade track team is off and running and is having a blast training and running meets at Randal’s Island. If you would like more information on Track, please email me or the coach – David Lee dlee@lrei.org

The judo team has added Wednesday practices, and now meet Wednesdays and Fridays. If you would like any more information about our Judo team, please email Larry Kaplan — lkaplan@lrei.org
Softball started practicing but NEEDS MORE PLAYERS. We practice every Tuesday and Thursday after school at Houston St. from 3:15-4:30. Some kids were worried about being in the play, but if they come talk to me, I can make arrangements with them and Joanne McGee and see if we can work out a schedule to allow them to do both. Also, six graders will be allowed to join this week as we need more players to field a team.If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.

For Seventh and Sixth Grade Families . . .

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) From music teacher Matt Mclean: For the next two weeks all 6th Grade students will be Ethnomusicologists! As a class we will read this NY Times article that describes the importance of being an ethnomusicologist by examining the Brazilian ethnomusicologist Mario de Andrade. After reading the article all students should take the online Ethnomusicology practice test found on our music class home page. We will do this together in class. Working in pairs, students will then go out into a designated part of the LREI community to make an audio documentation as an ethnomusicologist. All audio recordings along with a written description will be posted to our class website. Click here to review the step by step instructions and due dates. I invite you to read the NY Times article and feel free to contact me with any questions regarding our ethnomusicology project.

2) LREI sixth graders are invited to attend the “School for a School Dance!” an interschool sixth grade dance, which is scheduled for Friday, April 30th from 7-9PM. The dance will take place in the auditorium at the Nightingale-Bamford School (92nd and Madison). The cost is $10 to be paid at the door. Funds raised from the dance will support an all-school campaign at Nightingale to build a co-ed school in Cambodia (you can find more information at www.cambodiaschools.com). R.S.V.P to abuckfire@nightingale.org. Parents should email giving permission and a phone number where they can be reached during the dance. There will be chaperones present from Nightingale-Bamford present.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

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

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and other interesting school-related information.

Be well,
Mark