Middle School News

LREI at the UN

msilberberg — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:57:20 +0000

Dear Families,

As we take in events happening around the world and as adults debate and argue on how to best resolve them, we often fail to hear the true power and authority that imbues the voices of our younger citizens. That failure, a sort of generational silencing, can have profound consequences for both adults and children. That is why one of the driving forces behind our progressive practice is the belief in the transformative possibilities that come from helping each student to find her/his voice. Just such a moment occurred this week when several of our middle school students presented to a panel of adults at the UN. This presentation, which grew out of work being conducted by all of our eighth graders, is part of a larger social justice project that will culminate on April 28th, the day of the “Social Justice Teach-In.” On this day, the eighth grade will run the middle school morning schedule. In addition to putting together an assembly, each research group will run two hour-long workshops with the fifth-seventh graders in order to share their knowledge and inspire them to act. You can learn more about this project at http://blog.lrei.org/greencore/ and you can also read student posts about their work in the “field.”

For three of our students, this week’s fieldwork took them to the UN for a unique opportunity to give voice to their current work. As Middle School core teacher Sara-Momii Roberts recounts:

I had the pleasure of taking three eighth grade students to speak at the United Nations this week. As a part of our the eighth grade social justice project “Choosing to participate,” Phoebe, Samantha, and Niles began researching gun violence and gun violence prevention in New York City and started volunteering at IANSA (International Action Network against Small Arms). IANSA subsequently asked the three to speak on a panel at the United Nations, addressing their research and their school project. They worked for two months to prepare. The group presented statistics, interviews with a number of NYC gun violence victims and activists in our city, and shared about their personal interest in the topic. The other speakers on the panel included women from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Columbia, Guyana and Norway, in addition to a United Nations representative from the Department of Disarmament Affairs. The students were very well received and the response to having a “youth voice” from the “field” was overwhelming.! It was a very proud moment for their family members who were in attendance and our school at large.

And this from Sarah Master our contact at IANSA:

Thanks once more for everything, the kids really made a difference and I was delighted that their speeches were received so well, interspersed with applause -- fantastic! Thank you for making our event today so successful. There were over 80 people in the room, including lots of people sitting on the floor that we couldn’t see. The audience included diplomats from missions including the Gambia, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, Korea, Kenya, USA and Sweden. You were fantastic and the audience was engaged the entire time.

We are so proud of these students for their hard work! Below is some video from the event:

Of General Interest . . .

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

2) 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 had a wonderful time (see below for images from the event). 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, please watch this space for information regarding upcoming art related events in the spring.

3) VISIBILITY: Lesbian and Gay People We Love — A LREI Community Photo Exhibit.
Please join us to celebrate this year’s exhibit which includes over 120 submissions. The exhibit will be on display at Sixth Avenue from Monday, March 8th through Friday, March 19th, 2010. Here are some photos from the opening reception:

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

5) Grandparents/Special Friends Day is coming on May 7th for Lower and Middle School students. We will be sending invitations out very soon. If you have not given us addresses yet, please email them to Liza Sacks at lsacks@lrei.org. Thanks.

6) Our seniors are finishing their last full term of classes and are preparing for their senior projects, which include a six-week internship. We have students looking for internships in a number of fields, including: human rights, film/television/music production, medicine, photography, animation and the hospitality industry. If you are able to offer, or have access to, internships in these fields or in others, please contact our high school principal, Ruth Jurgensen at rjurgensen@lrei.org.

7) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

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

8) Stir the Pot: Taste of the Future — Thursday, May 13th at 6:00PM @ Charlton Street.
Click here for more information about this exciting event.

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) The Middle School Intramural Basketball finals are this Friday at 3:30PM at the Thompson Street Athletic Center. If past years are an indication, it should a great afternoon of basketball.

2) All members of the LREI community are invited to cheer on our Middle School and High School Robotics Teams as they appear in the 2010 City-Wide Championships. We are so proud of both teams. The championships will be held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th Street in Manhattan. The schedule for these free events is as follows:

Saturday, March 13^th—the high school robotics team will begin to compete at 9:45AM.
Sunday, March 14^th—the middle school robotics team will compete from 8-3:30 with the best times to see our team being between 10:00AM-12:00PM and 1:00PM-2:00PM.

3) Thinking ahead? Join us for the High School Preview Night on Tuesday, April 13th at 6:30pm in the Charlton Street Performing Arts Center (PAC). This event is a wonderful opportunity for Middle School and Lower School parents to learn more about the High School from parents, students and recent alumni. We hope to see you there! RSVP to Barbara Scott, Director of Admissions, at 212-477-5316 ext. 305, bscott@lrei.org.

4) Family Conferences and Subject Area Meetings (April 16th and 23rd): Please check your child’s advisor’s blog to schedule a family conference for one of the dates indicated above. At this conference, your child will share work samples, offer reflections on her/his work and identify some goals for the fourth quarter. It is also a time for you to dialog with your child and her/his advisor about your child’s learning experience in the Middle School so far this year.

As we did in the first quarter, you will also be able to have 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.

5) 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 familiesa 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. We hope to see you all there. In addition, the art displays in the auditorium wil also be up on Friday, April 30th.

6) A couple of week ago, I blogged that:

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

If the following images are any indication, we are well on the way to establishing a new tradition. Well done reps!

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

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

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Mark your calendars for our annual Sixth and Seventh Grade Parents Adolescent Issues Evening scheduled for Tuesday, April 20th at 6:30PM.

2) From Elizabeth and Matthew: We are excited to inform you that in conjunction with our current study of the American Revolution and our upcoming study of the Constitution itself, on Thursday, April 22nd the seventh grade will be traveling to Philadelphia for a day-long trip. We will visit to the National Constitution Center, where we will participate in 4 events that will help us better understand the founding and establishment of our country and its constitution. We will also visit Independence Hall and, time permitting, other historical sites. Like our trip to Williamsburg, the trip to Philadelphia will give us a first-hand understanding of important events in Colonial American history. Students should arrive to LREI on the morning of April 22nd by 7:00AM. Our chartered bus will be departing promptly at 7:15AM. Students should be sure to bring their writer’s notebook, a bag lunch (with an extra snack for the return trip — we will not stop at a rest stop on the return trip — and as always no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles), an extra sweatshirt and a backpack for these items. Cameras and some spending money (no more than $10) are optional. Students should dress as appropriately for that day’s predicted weather, and they should be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. We will be departing from Philadelphia at around 2:45pm, and expect to return to LREI by 4:15PM. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. Thank you.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) Intramural Basketball Schedule:

NO MORE PRACTICES
Friday, March 12 Consolation game 3:30, championship game 4:15
Wednesday, March 17 parents game at 3:30

Parents game schedule will be:
3:30 -- Green vs Green’s parents
3:50 -- Red vs Red parents
4:10 -- Grey vs Grey Parents
4:30 -- Blue vs Blue parents

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) On Wednesday, April 14th, your presence is requested at our annual Medieval Pageant. The evening will begin at 6:00PM and will afford you the opportunity to view your child’s work as it relates to her/his on-going studies of the Middle Ages. Following the viewing of this work, we will convene in the auditorium for a dramatic and musical telling of tales connected to this study. The evening will conclude with a potluck supper in the cafeteria. Your class reps will be contacting you about preparations. In the spirit of the event, you are encouraged to bring in medieval inspired dishes. Below are a number of useful resources for potential recipes:

2) A related Medieval Pageant request: Students are enthusiastically learning their music, making props and rehearsing their parts to get ready for the big event. Joanne has requested that all sixth grade students bring in a basic black outfit for the week of April 12th. The black bottoms and tops need to be comfortable and practical with regards to movement and will likely have other items of costume layered on top. Sneakers and shoes do not need to be black. If you have questions, you can contact Joanne directly at jmagee@lrei.org.

3) Mark your calendars for our annual Sixth and Seventh Grade Parents Adolescent Issues Evening scheduled for Tuesday, April 20th at 6:30PM.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) A reminder that our annual Egyptian Tomb exhibit will take place during the day on Thursday, March 18. Heather and Wendy will be in contact with you about scheduling visit times (8:30AM, 9:00AM, and 12:00PM — you should plan to spend about 30 minutes at the exhibit). They would also appreciate a few parent volunteers to help on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 17, with set up for the tomb and would also appreciate a few volunteers to help with taking down the tomb the day of the 18th starting at 2:15PM.

2) Mark your calendars for our annual Fifth Grade Parents Adolescent Issues Evening scheduled for Wednesday, April 21st at 6:30PM.

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

Everything Old Is New Again

msilberberg — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:37:20 +0000

From guest blogger Phil Kassen:

Dear LREI Community,

Welcome to March—today it was warm enough for adventurous sixth graders to pull out a pair of shorts only a few days after our second snow day of the year. I missed this historic event as last Friday I was in San Francisco for the National Association of Independent School’s Annual Conference. It was a fascinating two days during which I heard a number of engaging speakers. Among the sessions I attended was a panel discussion entitled, “Building Schools for a Digital Age, Imagining Schools of the Future.” During one exchange, the moderator, Wanda M. Holland Greene—the head of the Hamlin School in San Francisco—asked what the panelists thought that schools would look like in the future. One panelist, Milton Chen, senior fellow at Edutopia: The George Lucas Education Foundation, said, “The future is changing, but it’s going to look a lot like the past. We’re returning to an age when kids were taught in a more intimate way.” As recounted on the NAIS web site, he then “cited the intersection of what technology offers with the ideas of progressive education pioneer John Dewey, calling him ‘Saint John.’ Chen said that Edutopia, the Lucas Foundation online space, is very much about project-based learning and integrated studies that break down the boundaries between disciplines.” “Dewey wanted to make kids more responsible for their own learning,” said Chen. Sounds a lot like LREI.

Stanford education profession Shelley Goldman also spoke of Dewey. In response to Chen’s comments she said, “Milton reminds me that I love Dewey, and his quote, ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”

In a conversation of where we all need to be headed, it was nice to hear references to one of LREI’s founders and about one of our ongoing guiding principals.

On other fronts:

GO KNIGHTS! Congratulations to our JV Boys Basketball Team on winning the league championship!!! We are so proud of you. We are also proud of the members of our other inter-mural basketball teams—middle school boys and girls 7th/8thgrade teams and the varsity boys and girls teams—all of whom made it to their league’s playoffs. There are still two Fridays of 5th/6th intramural basketball left—Friday, March 5th and Friday, March 12th from 3:30-5:30PM in the Thompson Street Athletic Center. Come and cheer for our youngest athletes.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of the high school’s production of Urinetown. Mark your calendars now; the middle school musical is coming the first week in May.
Speaking of the first week in May….Grandparents/Special Friends Day is coming on May 7th for Lower and Middle School students. We will be sending invitations out very soon. If you have not given us addresses yet, please email them to Liza Sacks at lsacks@lrei.org. Thanks.
Our seniors are finishing their last full term of classes and are preparing for their senior projects, which include a six-week internship. We have students looking for internships in a number of fields, including: human rights, film/television/music production, medicine, photography, animation and the hospitality industry. If you are able to offer, or have access to, internships in these fields or in others, please contact our high school principal, Ruth Jurgensen at rjurgensen@lrei.org.

Enjoy,

Phil

Of General Interest . . .

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

2) VISIBILITY: Lesbian and Gay People We Love — An LREI Community Photo Exhibit.
The Visibility Opening Reception will be held Monday March 8th, 6:00-8:00PM at the Sixth Avenue Auditorium. Please join us to celebrate this year’s exhibit which includes over 120 submissions. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served. For more information see the attached flier and poster or contact Carrie Borows or Merril Stern at Visibility@lrei.org. The exhibit will be on display at Sixth Avenue from Monday, March 8th through Friday, March 19th, 2010.

3) LREI 2010 Art Auction:

TONIGHT: Cocktail Reception & Final Bidding: March 4th from 6:00-8:00PM

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

4) Summers at LREI Registration: General Registration for Little Red Summer Camp (ages 3.4-13) and Musical Theater Workshop (ages 7-8 and 9-14) will open on Monday, March 8th in the early afternoon. Registration will be online through our website, directly accessible by going to summers.lrei.org. We will send an email to LREI families on Friday with more detailed instructions about how to register. You may also go to the website to view details about our programs, including class descriptions.

Little Red Summer Camp and Musical Theater Workshop are offered in three two-week sessions as follows:
Session 1: June 28-July 9
Session 2: July 12-July 23
Session 3: July 23-August 6

Please note that as programs fill quickly, we recommend registering early.

5) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

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

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

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

8) LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA -- 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) As promised, here is some video from last week’s Black History Month Assembly:

2) Congratulations to players and coaches on both the Boys and the Girls Middle School Basketball teams for their hard work and successful seasons. While both teams lost in championship games decided in the final minutes, they should not let this diminish their accomplishments over the course of the season. Well done!

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

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

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

1) Mark your calendars for our annual Sixth and Seventh Grade Parents Adolescent Issues Evening scheduled for Tuesday, April 20th at 6:30PM.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) Intramural Basketball Schedule:

NO MORE PRACTICES
Friday, March 5 Playoffs 3:30 (Red vs Gray), 4:15 (Blue vs Green)
Friday, March 12 Consolation game 3:30, championship game 4:15
Wednesday, March 17 parents game at 3:30

Parents game schedule will be:
3:30 -- Green vs Green’s parents
3:50 -- Red vs Red parents
4:10 -- Grey vs Grey Parents
4:30 -- Blue vs Blue parents

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

3) Mark your calendars for our annual Sixth and Seventh Grade Parents Adolescent Issues Evening scheduled for Tuesday, April 20th at 6:30PM.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

2) Mark your calendars for our annual Fifth Grade Parents Adolescent Issues Evening scheduled for Wednesday, April 21st at 6:30PM.

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

Why do we celebrate Black History Month?

msilberberg — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:01:15 +0000

Dear Families,

This week we were treated to a truly exceptional Black History Month Assembly. What originally started as a 5-10 minute video projected coordinated by Middle School math teacher Margaret Andrews, became, thanks to the dedicated and committed work of a group of third through fifth grade students (and Margaret), an hour-long celebration of Black History in words, images, music, dance and song. I’ll step aside and let some of their words take center stage with video to follow in next week’s blog.

Welcome to this Black History Month Celebration!

Some people have asked us, “Why do we celebrate Black History Month?” And here is what we have to say… It is because Black History Month is a very special time of year. Granted, we do not become less black on March 1st. And we take pride in our heritage all year long. But by setting aside this month, we set our heritage apart. We take it from the pages of history books and bring it to life. We take the time to remember, to reunite, and to rededicate ourselves to our history. And what a glorious history it is!

When we consider Black history, we think of it as a narrative of people crossing color lines….and fulfilling dreams. African-Americans, Black Americans have long struggled to understand their place in society. With each passing decade, we have pushed the color line forward, widened the circle, and moved closer to America’s promise of equality.

During Black History Month, we honor the memory of African-Americans like Dr. Martin Luther King, as we also celebrate current history makers like Dr. Condoleezza Rice. We remember the greatness of Jackie Robinson breaking down color barriers in sports and then cheer as Usain Bolt sets another record. These and so many other heroes pushed color lines and then broke through them, forever altering America’s history.

Today, we want to share our celebration with you. Please sit back, relax and enjoy!

Since we have said goodbye to 2009, one thing is clear: The first ten years of the 21st century have been as tumultuous and noteworthy as any in American history. The decade began with a Presidential election in which the man with the most votes lost and the horror of 9/11, when nearly 3000 people died in the worst terrorist attack ever on American soil. The decade ended with the first African-American in the Oval Office, the first Latina on the Supreme Court and the nation in the grips of a Great Recession even as Congress nears a final vote on historic health care reform. And while the goal of “Peace on Earth,” remains as elusive as ever, we are ending a major war in Iraq, setting the stage for the return of our troops from Afghanistan and celebrating Barack Obama’s 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. During the past decade we’ve experienced an almost equal mix of tragedy and triumph. But as the National Urban League prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2010, we share the belief of millions that America’s best days are yet to come.

If September 11, 2001 will be remembered as the day of terror in America, August 29, 2005 will forever be known as the day of Katrina. More than 1800 people in the Gulf Coast and New Orleans lost their lives in the storm, hundreds of thousands were displaced, and property damage exceeded more than $100 billion. But while the levees failed, the spirit of New Orleans remains unbroken. The city is rebuilding and a few weeks ago, you saw the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl.

The past decade also included a number of breakthrough achievements by African Americans and women. The election of Barack Obama in 2008 tops the list, but there have been other notable “firsts.” In the business world, Dick Parsons, Ken Chenault and Stan O’Neal became the first African American Chairmen and CEOs of Time Warner, American Express and Merrill Lynch respectively. And in May of 2009, Ursula Burns became the first African American woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company when she took over the reins at Xerox.

In politics, Colin Powell was appointed the first African-American Secretary of State in 2001. Deval Patrick became only the second elected African-American governor when he took office as Massachusetts’ chief executive in 2006. David Paterson was sworn-in as New York’s first African-American governor in 2008. Nancy Pelosi made history as the first woman Speaker of the House in 2007. And in 2009, Eric Holder became the nation’s first African-American Attorney General and Judge Sonia Sotomayor became the first U.S. Supreme Court Justice of Puerto Rican decent.

During the past decade words like Facebook, YouTube and iPod became a part of our everyday lexicon. But one simple word – Hope – has defined the American spirit since our beginning, 234 years ago. As we celebrate Black History month this year, it is our fervent hope that we will find the courage to build on our successes, meet our many challenges and create an even better tomorrow.

Congratulations to all of the students for their work and a well-deserved thanks to Margaret for leading them through this experience, which was valuable for them, but immeasurably valuable for those of us who received the gift of their efforts.

Of General Interest . . .

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

2) The High School production of URINETOWN is on February 25th, 26th and 27th at 7pm in the PAC, 40 Charlton Street, New York, NY 10014. URINETOWN is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he’s had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, URINETOWN is an irreverently humorous satire in which no one is safe from scrutiny. Tickets are on sale from Monday 22nd Feb all week in the Sixth Avenue lobby 8am-9am and in the high school at lunch time. $12 adults $10 Students. Please note: Some aspects of the play may not be appropriate for the youngest members of the community, parental discretion is advised.

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

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

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

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

5) LREI 2010 Art Auction:

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

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

7) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

1) For all math 8X families, please read the new math unit letter from Michelle Boehm

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

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

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

Monday, 3/1 — Frank and Margaret’s Sixth Grade and both Fifth Grade classes
Tuesday, 3/2 — Both Sixth Grade classes

2) Intramural Basketball Playoffs for this Friday:

First game: Red vs Gray
Second Game: Blue vs Green
There will be practice this week and next, but none the week of the Parents Game

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

============= 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 Class Reps Do

msilberberg — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:00:15 +0000

Dear Families,

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

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

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

Of General Interest . . .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6) LREI 2010 Art Auction:

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

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

8) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

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

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

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

11) LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA – http://www.parentsinaction.org/). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Click here to view upcoming events and/or to download their calendar.

For All Grades . . .

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

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

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

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

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

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

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

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

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

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

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

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

We will explore social dances from the Euro-American and African-American traditions, and how these translate to our experience in the 21st century. From tradition, we’ll take the caller and fiddler who prompts the dancers who are in sets, mostly with a partner. From the 21st century we’ll see how dances are done in Eastern Europe, South Africa and Louisiana today. Students might recognize connections to Square dancing, Contradancing, and Line dancing. These are all “shoes on” dances, not barefoot, so be sure to have dance shoes: Sneakers are O.K., a little slippery is good, sandals and slip-ons not so good. These are active dances! Be prepared to be polite, responsive, and get your heart going.

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

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

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

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

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

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

Be well,
Mark

A Literary Feast

msilberberg — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:45:19 +0000

Dear Families,

Despite the interruption of a much welcomed (by students) snow day, we are back to this week’s atypical routine of desks in rows and sharpened #2 pencils. Students continue to be thoughtful and focused as they contemplate a range of language arts and math concepts and skills and practice their test taking skills. This afternoon’s annual Literary Festival proved to be as popular as ever as students participated in two hour-long literary focused workshops given by LREI faculty and outside guests. Here is the menu of this year’s rich and varied offerings:

Travel Writing (with David Lee). In this awesome workshop you’ll write a short travel article and get the opportunity to submit it for publication in Teen Ink magazine. Please come to the workshop equipped with an idea of the place you want to write about – foreign or local. The smaller the place, the better, as it provides a microcosm of the culture. For example, if you want to write about NYC, you could write about a local store or a subway route, or a person you see on your route to school. This is a great opportunity to learn about travel writing from your Spanish teacher, who also happens to be a NEW YORK TIMES PUBLISHED WRITER!
How to Write a Brilliant Book Review (with Jennifer HS). Want to write the GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL? Sorry, can’t help ya. Want to become a New York Times reporter? No can do. Want to learn how to write a brilliant book review in 175 words or less? THAT I can show you! Come prepared to learn how to be a concise wordsmith and still get your point across when it comes to sharing your opinion about books
Found Poetry (with Heather Brandstetter). Explore the streets of New York and find the poetry that is there everyday. Heather will lead participants on a poetry-finding adventure!
Who the Heck Are You?!(with Dennis Kitchen). A perennial favorite! Ever wonder who that person is you see wandering around the building? You know they work here, but you’re not quite sure what they do. In this workshop, you’ll be outfitted with a camera and you’ll hunt these people down, snap their picture and then interview them. Dennis Kitchen will share interviewing techniques and help you create a fascinating bio on that person you think you know, but not really.
Make a Book of Secrets! Historically, books have been used as a hiding place–holding secrets, memories, charms, treasures, jewelry, etc. This bookmaking and collage workshop uses small matchboxes as drawers to tuck away your secrets. You can create a Book of Secrets for a literary or historical character, or create a book that holds your own secrets. What secrets or treasures would Parvana from The Breadwinner tuck away? or Harry Potter? or Jonas from The Giver? or Anne Frank? or you?
Picture Books and Children’s Literature (with Matthew Rosen and Michelle Boehm). Matthew Rosen, former editor, will talk about writing and constructing picture books. You will have the opportunity to create their own picture-book dummies, and you’ll lay out text, add illustrations, and format their dummies accordingly. This is lots of fun, so don’t miss out.
Songwriting. Join middle school music teacher and band director Matt McLean in this workshop where you’ll explore the exciting world of songwriting. Participants will explore the various components that go into creating a memorable song and then will set out to create their own hit.
Spanish One Act (with Gabrielle Keller). Participants will read through and perform a very short one act play in Spanish and then will rework the language to change the dilemma, but not the humor.
Striking Viking Story Troupe. In this interactive workshop, you’ll work with members of the Striking Viking Story Pirates theater troupe. They’ll guide you through a dynamic process in which individuals and small groups will write and act out stories. After the workshop, the Story Pirates will take these ideas back to their secret headquarters/laboratory, and several weeks later, they will return for Middle School meeting with newly-built puppets, props, and a brand new sketch comedy show, including some new stories written by participants in the workshops.
Dramatic Writing Workshop with Performance Component (with Meghan Astracan) A dramatist, also known as a playwright, is a person who writes dramatic literature or drama. These works are usually written to be performed in front of a live audience by actors. In this workshop, participants learn some tricks of the trade from professional dramatist and LREI high school drama teacher and director, Meghan Farley Astrachan. Participants will write short scenes and have the opportunity to bring some of the writing “to its feet” by having participants work as actors, bringing the dramatists’ words to life.
The Comic Book (with Sanjun Chon) Graphic novelist/comic book author Sanjun Chon will lead you in a workshop where you’ll create your own graphic novel, and he’ll show you how he creates his own comic books using a computer. This promises to be a great time!
Designing a Superhero (Frank Portella, Ana Chaney and Larry Kaplan). In this workshop, you will get the chance to create a superhero based on original images drawn by an illustrator. You will create a character history, decide on superpowers and more!
What’s it like to be a rock journalist? (with Lizzy Goodman) Do you get put on a special list for shows? Yes. Do record companies send you free music? They sure do. Do you get to meet some of your heroes? Absolutely. But after you’ve attended the rock show, listened to the free records and met your heroes, you have to synthesize those experiences into crisp, clean copy that tells your reader something new. And you often have to deliver this copy very quickly under less than ideal circumstances (like from the back of a tour bus or under a tent in the rain at a music festival). Staying cool under pressure is key and knowing your craft is the secret to staying cool under pressure. In this workshop we’ll go through the basics of rock writing, from how to deal with a difficult interview, to what makes a good live review, to how to write a profile of a band. Students will practice interviewing several real musicians and then writing short pieces based on the quotes they get from these artists.
Poems, Prose and Play with Language (Sarah Barlow). Play with words while trying forms you may never have worked with before. Come to write ticker thangas, puzzle poems, list poems, poems within poems and 5 words and go! poems.
Concrete Poetry (Momii Roberts). In this workshop, participants will explore the rich world of concrete poetry, which uses words and images. Students will explore a variety of techniques and will create their own concrete poems.
Political Cartoons (Steve Volkmann). Political cartoons are not all fund and laughs; they are a serious matter and often say as much in a small space as a written news story. In this workshop, students will explore this fascinating news medium. We will look at the history, techniques and various approaches cartoonists use to communicate their sharp-witted and often sarcastic views to their audience. By the end of the workshop, each student will produce a political cartoon that delivers their own commentary on a current pressing issue in their lives.
Enter The Writing Ninja (with Libba Bray) The mighty writing ninja approaches the story. It will not get away this time, for the ninja is strong and creative and also, the story is due tomorrow at 8:20, and not to turn it in is unacceptable to the ninja’s code of honor and the teacher’s grade book. Suddenly, from out of the shadows come the ninja’s greatest enemies: Writer’s Block, Lack of Inspiration, Boring Characters, Even More Boring Plot, and–worst of all–the dreaded Inner Critic. It will take all the stealth warrior’s cunning and writing ninjutsu to lay waste to these enemies. But how to defeat these monsters? Come learn tricks to get your mind into prime fighting mode, featuring the Nunchuks of Word Styling, the Legendary Pressure Point Move of Improv Story-Building, and the Final Whammy of Something-I-Have-Yet-to-Make Up. For this workshop, you will need only paper, a writing implement of some sort, a sense of humor, and a thirst for adventure which cannot be slaked through ordinary means, such as Snapple Fruit Punch. Your heart is strong, mighty warrior. Soon, your writing will make nations tremble.

Truly, a literary feast.

Of General Interest . . .

1) Below are some recently uploaded photos from last week’s Coffee House to Benefit Haiti. Click here to access other photo collections of LREI events and happenings at our on-line photo gallery.

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

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

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

Please join LREI in celebrating diversity at the Visibility Photo Exhibit! Submit a photo of your family with a loved one who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered (the deadline for photo submission is this Friday, February 12). Visit the exhibit and show support for family, friends and community. Come to the opening ceremony to share stories and experiences about visibility. For more information see the attached flier and poster or contact Carrie Borows or Merril Stern at Visibility@lrei.org.

5) LREI 2010 Art Auction:

March 3 & 4, 2010
Cocktail Reception & Final Bidding: March 4th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

This year we will also be holding a series of art-related events called “LREI Loves Art.” These events will kick off with a private tour given by Gabriel Orozco, an LREI parent and artist, of his current show at MoMA. The tour takes place on Thursday, February 11th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $200 and space is limited to 25 people. Tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis so please contact Maude Kebbon in the Office of Advancement at mkebbon@lrei.org if you are interested in attending. Additional information for other “LREI Loves Art” fundraising events will soon follow.

7) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

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

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

9) 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) Click here to read the minutes from this week’s Middle School Parent Rep Meeting.

2) The ERBs scheduled for Wednesday will be administered tomorrow in the afternoon.

3) From the LREI Athletic Department: Basketball Postseason is right around the corner. All of our LREI teams have been working extremely hard and the players, coaches and fans can smell the playoffs. Here is a quick synopsis of our teams and a list of important games left:

The varsity boys need one more win (2 chances) to secure third place and win the final playoff spot for the Big Apple Conference.
The JV boys have secured 2nd place and will host the 3rd place team on March 1st. Congratulations!
The middle school girls have one more league game left. A win will force a three way tie for first place, and secure second place and a trip to the Championship Game.
The middle school boys have one more league game left. A win will secure second place and a trip to the Championship Game.

LREI HOME GAMES — Knights Basketball — Catch us if you Can!!!

Thursday – Feb 11 – MS GIRLS vs BWL, 3:15
Thursday – Feb 11 – MS BOYS vs BWL, 4:15
Wednesday – Feb 17 – MS BOYS vs St. Luke’s 4:15
Thursday – Feb 18 – MS GIRLS vs VCS, 4:00
Monday – Mar 1 – JV BOYS playoff game — TSAC, time: TBD

PLAYOFFS

MS BOYS — Feb 25th – #2 seed vs Garden, @ Garden
MS GIRLS — TBD — If LREI wins Feb 11, Championship game is at LREI March 1st
JV BOYS — March 1st – – JV Boys vs #3 seed — March 2nd – JV Championship (winner of above) vs BWL @ Churchill, 4:00PM
VARSITY BOYS — Feb 22 – #3 seed @ #2 Garden, @ Garden — Feb 24 – Winner @ NYC division champion — Feb 26 – ISAL Championships, @ John Jay College

4) Please read Middle School librarian Jennifer Hubert’s most recent blog post that provides an overview of the 2010 American Library Association’s award winning books.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

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

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) From Athletic Director Peter Fisher: The Athletic Department would like to invite you and your child(ren) to our Middle School Home Games, on Feb 17th (MS Boys vs St. Luke’s – 4:15PM Start) and 18th (MS Girls vs VCS – 4:00PM Start). The 7th/8th grade MS basketball teams have been playing very well and we would like to invite our future players to see the teams in action. This will be a great way to support the teams and to see what MS traveling team experience is like. Larry Kaplan will be available to walk the kids to the Thompson Street Athletic Center from Sixth Avenue at 3:30PM to watch our middle school teams play. There will be a half time shoot out contest for all kids in attendance with prizes available. Please contact me at pfisher@lrei.org if you would like Larry to walk your child over to the Athletic Center after school on these days. We will expect all students to be picked up at Thompson Street by a parent/care giver around 5PM.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) This Friday morning the Sixth Grade will be traveling to St. John the Divine for a set of workshops. Students should bring a bagged lunch (no nuts, seeds or glass bottles) and will eat lunch in the classroom when they return. At St. Johns the Sixth grade will break into two groups:

One group will be led on a tour of the cathedral by a teaching artist. Sixth graders see both Romanesque and Gothic designs in the cathedral because designers (and their tastes) have switched several times since construction started in 1892. Sixth graders will take a tour of the different rooms and halls so they can observe the architecture, statues and works of art.
Another group will be led through an arts workshop at the Cathedral School. Students will learn more about the piping systems of the cathedral and the function of the gargoyles, tapestries, and sculptures. Students will then make gargoyles out of clay, create illuminated letters and try to sculpt a huge block of granite.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

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

Benefit Coffee House

msilberberg — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:16:50 +0000

From guest blogger Phil Kassen:

Dear LREI Community,

I write with a quick update on this coming weekend’s Benefit Coffee House. On Saturday, February 6^th, at 6:30 PM, LREI’s high school students will host a benefit open mike night to raise money to support relief work in Haiti. Tickets prices are $20 for adults and $10 for students. We have a full lineup of performers and the makings of a delectable bake sale.

From MicahDove Gottlieb, HS Assistant Principal, “This Coffee House will be an entertaining event in support of a worthy cause. We already have a great line-up of high school, middle school, faculty, and community members set to perform. If you are interested in performing or helping out in any way, please contact Micah a MDGottlieb@LREI.org. Mark your calendar now!”

The Coffeehouses are always fun events. In addition to having a good time, this month’s Coffeehouse will support relief efforts in Haiti. All money raised during the Coffeehouse will support the work of two organizations. One, Partners in Health, has been involved in healthcare efforts in Haiti for many years. Learn more about them at www.pih.org. The second, The Harris Rosen Foundation, was founded by LREI alum, Harris Rosen, ’57. The Rosen Foundation is working with Haitian communities in Florida to send money and supplies to Haiti. The Foundation is also beginning to plan for rebuilding efforts including funding the development of earthquake and hurricane resistant housing. Coffeehouse proceeds will be added to the over $3,000 dollars raised at last month’s Karamu! celebration. Thank you to all who created and participated in that terrific event.

Some community members have asked about sending additional contributions to these two organizations. A great idea. You can do so on your own or leave checks made out to one, or both, of these groups in an envelope, marked “Haiti Relief Fund” with the receptionist. We will send these contributions to either Partners in Health or the Harris Rosen Foundation as a community gift. Many of you already contributed to the relief efforts, in cash or in kind, through these organizations. Thank you for your generosity.

I hope to see you at the Coffeehouse on Saturday night.

Best,
Phil

PS Please don’t forget to send in your photographs for our upcoming Visibility photo exhibit. There is additional information about Visibility farther down in the blog. Visibility is an essential event for our community and one that helps define LREI as a leader in educating for social justice. Please join our efforts to have all families be seen for their accomplishments and for the love they bring to the world rather than being seen through the lens of the intolerance of others.

Of General Interest . . .

1) Here are some recently uploaded photos from the fabulous Middle School play The Jungle Book:

2) Coffeehouse – Open Mic Benefit Event, Saturday February 6th beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center (at 40 Charlton Street). All money raised during this event will support the relief efforts in Haiti. From MicahDov Gottlieb, High School Assistant Principal—This Coffee House will be an entertaining event in support of a worthy cause. We already have a great line-up of high school, middle school, faculty, and community members set to perform. If you are interested in performing or helping out in any way, please contact Micah at MDGottlieb@LREI.org. Mark your calendar now!

3) Also this Saturday, click here for information on the latest offering from the PA Community Service Committee.

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

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

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

7) LREI 2010 Art Auction:

March 3 & 4, 2010
Cocktail Reception & Final Bidding: March 4th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

8) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

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

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

10) Click here to access the new LREI on-line photo gallery.

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) Middle School “Pajama Day” is scheduled for this Friday, February 5th. Highlights will include hot chocolate and cookies at lunch and stories read by eighth graders during independent reading. Here are a few guidelines, which were developed by the Student Representatives on the occasion of the first Pajama Day:

Just because it’s Pajama Day doesn’t mean the dress code went to sleep
A robe adds a nice touch
No lingerie or underwear
If you wear boxers, please wear some type of undergarment beneath
Slippers are fine, but you should bring a pair of shoes/sneakers (especially if you have PE)
Blankets and stuffed animals are welcomed, but should not be so big that they require their own desk
If you don’t wear pajamas, we do not want to know about it!
If you can imagine Mark wearing it, it is probably okay.

2) ERBs are scheduled for February 9th-11th. The ERBs represent one piece of the assessment puzzle at LREI and it is important that they are seen in this light. They convey useful information, but not the full-picture of a child’s achievement. While the content of the ERBs is generally aligned to grade-level expectations, there are areas where this is not the case. For example, a math concept that appears on the sixth grade test, may not be addressed in our curriculum until the seventh grade and teaching this concept out of context may not always make sense. Your child’s teachers will make every attempt to identify these particular alignment areas. So while much of our ERB prep is focused on reviewing concepts that have been addressed in the curriculum, teaching general test prep skills, and helping students to feel comfortable with standardized testing conditions, our focus tends not to be on “cramming” new concepts. Please do not hesitate to speak with me if you have questions about the ERB process. Please also read the attached letter from the Middle School math teachers regarding prep for the upcoming ERBs.

3) Both the girls and the boys Middle School basketball teams are likely headed to the playoffs. Both play important home games on Thursday, February 11th. We hope to see as many of you as possible in the stands. Go Knights!

4) Please read Middle School librarian Jennifer Hubert’s most recent blog post that provides an overview of the 2010 American Library Association’s award winning books.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

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

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) On Tuesday, February 9th, after the morning ERB sessions, the fifth grade will head off to the New Victory Theater to see a performance of the comic opera The Enchanted Pig. Your child should bring a bagged lunch AND a snack on that day (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles). They will eat the snack while en route to the play and will eat lunch in the classroom when they return. The students will also participate in a pre-performance workshop on Monday, February 8th. Click the following links for additional information about the production:

============= 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 are you doing for others?

msilberberg — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:43:14 +0000

Dear Families,

On Wednesday, January 20th, we held our annual Martin Luther King Assembly that was organized and run by our eighth graders. The focus of this year’s assembly was on service and the ways small and large that LREI students are committing themselves to serving others. To frame the assembly, we listened to an excerpt from Dr. King’s “The Drum Major Instinct” speech. Prior to the assembly, the eighth graders had asked middle schoolers to respond to a set of questions about ways that they serve; these written responses were shared at the assembly in a slideshow set to James Taylor’s “Shed a Little Light.” This was followed by a series of student presentations on a range of service projects being pursued by LREI students.

Middle schoolers first heard from seventh grader Esme who talked about her experiences with the shoe4africa project. Sixth graders Leo and Emilio, seventh graders Mikayla and Katya and eighth grader Benno talked about their “Imagine” group that has supported humanitarian projects in Uganda, Tanzania, and Nepal. Middle Schoolers also heard from eleventh graders Jane and Marget who described transformative service-focused international experiences. All of these projects “shed a little light” on King’s call to service and his persistent and urgent question, “What are you doing for others?” The assembly also raised important questions that we will continue to explore about how we can make sure we ask others about the kind of service that is most helpful and not assume that we know what others need. That King’s vision was ultimately rooted in the understanding of the value and worth of each individual and that our perceptions of other’s needs must not be allowed to replace their essential character are ideas that we will continue to explore throughout the curriculum.

Our assembly also served as a kick-off event for the eighth graders multi-month service project “Choosing to Participate” that they are about to undertake in their core class. This project will culminate in April with a “Teach In” during which the eighth graders will lead workshops for the rest of the Middle School on a range of social justice topics connected to their volunteer experiences and their related research.

On other fronts, congratulations to the members of the Middle School Robotics Teams and coach Sherezada Acosta who continued their winning ways with excellent performances at this past weekend’s FIRST Lego League Manhattan borough competition. Both teams have now qualified for the citywide competition that will take place at the Javits Center in March. Both teams performed well in the challenge portion of the event, but really rose to the occasion in the research presentation phase of the competition with the Advanced Team coming in 2nd place and the Rookie Team coming in 3rd place. What looked to be a building year at the start of the season is turning out to be a year with both teams right in the thick of the competition. Congratulation on these most excellent achievements. Below are some photos from the competition.

On the subject of achievement, I want to acknowledge our 2009-2010 Irwin Scholars. The Irwin Scholars program is a merit-based scholarship that recognizes eighth graders for their sustained commitment to academic excellence, active participation in the life of the Middle School, service to the community, demonstrated leadership, and the potential to serve as a community leader in the High School. This year we had a most excellent cohort of applicants, which made the selection process all the more difficult because the quality of applicants was so strong. I would like to extend my thanks on behalf of the faculty and administration to all of the applicants for their thoughtful essays and am pleased to share with you the 2009-2010 Irwin Scholars. They are Cheyenne, Danica, Jason, Josh and Samantha.

Of General Interest . . .

1) It’s been a few weeks, but here are some recently uploaded photos from the fabulous Winter Concert:

and the last week’s wonderful Karamu! celebration:

2) School Spirit Game! This Friday, January 29th, 3:15PM at the Thompson Street Athletic Center (143 Thompson Street). All families invited. Show your school spirit and come out in our school colors – RED & WHITE! Middle and High School basketball teams play against faculty & staff. Come cheer on your teachers and teams. Shoot Off competition at half time for younger students. Fun for all!

2) Food Talk, a presentation sponsored by the LREI PA Food Committee, is scheduled for Wednesday, February 3rd at 8:45AM in the Sixth Ave. Cafeteria – Click here for flyer with details!

3) Coffeehouse – Open Mic Benefit Event, Saturday February 6th beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center (at 40 Charlton Street). All money raised during this event will support the relief efforts in Haiti. From MicahDov Gottlieb, High School Assistant Principal—This Coffee House will be an entertaining event in support of a worthy cause. We already have a great line-up of high school, middle school, faculty, and community members set to perform. If you are interested in performing or helping out in any way, please contact Micah at MDGottlieb@LREI.org. Mark your calendar now!

5) Please read the attached letter from the Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance committee about the upcoming Visibility exhibit.

7) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

This Friday, Jan 29 is the last day to drop off holiday and other greeting cards. Cards are donated to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, where they are recycled into new cards.

Starting Monday, February 1, we will begin collecting batteries and cell phones. Recycling cell phones saves energy and, as with recycling batteries, helps to keep toxic ewaste out of landfills. Our battery/cell phone drive will continue through March 19 (until Spring Break). Batteries and cell phones can be dropped off in the Red is Green recycle bins at the Sixth Ave. and Charlton St. lobbies.

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

8) The LREI Cookbook Committee is working on creating a LREI community cookbook. The theme of the cookbook is potlucks. If you have any recipes that you would like to submit for consideration, please send them to cookbook@lrei.org. Also, if you are interested in participating in the creation of the cookbook, email Kathryn Kellinger at kksidedish@aol.com or Susie Marples at susiemarples@yahoo.com

9) Click here to access the new LREI on-line photo gallery.

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) Just a reminder that the Middle School dance is scheduled for Friday, January 29th. The dance will start at 6:30PM for fifth graders and at 7:00PM for sixth through eighth graders. The dance will end at 8:30PM for fifth and sixth graders and at 9:00PM for seventh and eighth graders. Permission slips will go out the week of the dance.

To support their on-going efforts, we are encouraging students who attend the dance on Friday to bring in one or more of the following school supply items: *1.5″-2″ three-ring binders (preferably black), *pocket dividers (sets of 5), *pencil pouch (three-hole to be used in binder), boxes of pens, boxes of pencils, lined paper packs; (*most needed).

GETTING TOOLS TO CITY SCHOOLS was started by a former LREI parent. This Friday’s dance will be one of several opportunities that will take place over the course of the year in which LREI students will support the group’s work. This service relationship is also connected to our reading and on-going discussions about Three Cups of Tea; our work with GETTING TOOLS TO CITY SCHOOLS reinforces the value of education and the need for activism to ensure that all children have access to quality schools and materials.

2) Middle School “Pajama Day” is scheduled for Friday, February 5th. Highlights will include hot chocolate and cookies at lunch and stories read by eighth graders during independent reading. Here are a few guidelines, which were developed by the Student Representatives on the occasion of the first Pajama Day:

Just because it’s Pajama Day doesn’t mean the dress code went to sleepA robe adds a nice touch
No lingerie or underwear
If you wear boxers, please wear some type of undergarment beneath
Slippers are fine, but you should bring a pair of shoes/sneakers (especially if you have PE)
Blankets and stuffed animals are welcomed, but should not be so big that they require their own desk
If you don’t wear pajamas, we do not want to know about it!
If you can imagine Mark wearing it, it is probably okay.

3) ERBs are scheduled For February 9th-11th. The ERBs represent one piece of the assessment puzzle at LREI and it is important that they are seen in this light. They convey useful information, but not the full-picture of a child’s achievement. While the content of the ERBs is generally aligned to grade-level expectations, there are areas where this is not the case. For example, a math concept that appears on the sixth grade test, may not be addressed in our curriculum until the seventh grade and teaching this concept out of context may not always make sense. Your child’s teachers will make every attempt to identify these particular alignment areas. So while much of our ERB prep is focused on reviewing concepts that have been addressed in the curriculum, teaching general test prep skills, and helping students to feel comfortable with standardized testing conditions, our focus tends not to be on “cramming” new concepts. Please do not hesitate to speak with me if you have questions about the ERB process. Please also read the attached letter from the Middle School math teachers regarding prep for the upcoming ERBs.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

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

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

1) From Athletic Director Peter Fisher: The Athletic Department would like to invite you and you kid(s) to our Middle School Home Games, on Feb 17th (MS Boys vs St. Luke’s – 4:15PM Start) and 18th (MS Girls vs VCS – 4:00PM Start). The 7th/8th grade MS basketball teams have been playing very well and we would like to invite our future players to see the teams in action. This will be a great way to support the teams and to see what MS traveling team experience is like. Larry Kaplan will be available to walk the kids to the Thompson Street Athletic Center from Sixth Avenue at 3:30PM to watch our middle school teams play. There will be a half time shoot out contest for all kids in attendance with prizes available. Please contact me at pfisher@lrei.org if you would like Larry to walk your child over to the Athletic Center after school on these days. We will expect all students to be picked up at Thompson Street by a parent/care giver around 5PM.

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

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

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

LREI Reflects on the Situation in Haiti

msilberberg — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:41:36 +0000

Dear Families,

On Wednesday, we held our annual MLK Assembly that was organized and run by our eighth graders. I’ll have more to say about this important event in next week’s blog.

Tomorrow, progress reports for the second quarter will be emailed to you. Please see below for additional information on the importance of these reports.

What follows is an important note form Phil on the school’s response to the earthquake(s) in Haiti.

Dear LREI Community,

I want to start this note by thanking all who donated to Monday’s collection of materials bound for Haiti. The outpouring of support was inspiring. Thank you also to the middle school students, families and faculty who participated in the organization and packing of your donations. According to our sources at charity : water your donations have already arrived in Haiti. Click here to view a short video about charity : water’s efforts. Thank you to Ella Crivello, (LREI ’08) for connecting us with charity : water.

Each year our high school students host a number of Coffeehouses—informal open mic evenings of music and spoken word. The students have decided to devote the Coffeehouse on February 6^th to support of the relief efforts in Haiti. I join the students in inviting you to come together with fellow members of the LREI community on Saturday, February 6^th, beginning at 6:30PM in the Performing Arts Center, 40 Charlton Street for this benefit event.

From MicahDov Gottlieb, High School Assistant Principal—This Coffee House will be an entertaining event in support of a worthy cause. We already have a great line-up of high school, middle school, faculty, and community members set to perform. If you are interested in performing or helping out in any way, please contact Micah at MDGottlieb@LREI.org. Mark your calendar now!

All money raised during the Coffeehouse, and other fundraising efforts, will support the work of two organizations. One, Partners in Health, has been involved in healthcare efforts in Haiti for many years. Learn more about them at www.pih.org. The second, The Harris Rosen Foundation, was founded by LREI alum, Harris Rosen, ’57. The Rosen Foundation is working with Haitian communities in Florida to send money and supplies to Haiti. The Foundation is also beginning to plan for rebuilding efforts including funding the development of earthquake and hurricane resistant housing.

In addition to the Coffeehouse, all proceeds from this year’s Karamu! celebration—this Friday night—will also be used to support these two organizations.

A number of LREI community members have asked how we plan our responses to events such as last week’s earthquake. In general, we allow ourselves the time to make deliberate decisions about our involvement. Our responses to world events must address LREI’s educational and social justice missions. Through our responses we teach about the specifics of the events, about the politics and history of the region, about how we can use current circumstances to think ahead to the “next time,” and about activism. Finally, we have to plan for our ongoing involvement, if any, and as events slow somewhat we find time to learn from our actions. To the point of ongoing involvement, we have decided that next February’s Coffeehouse will be a second fund raiser for organizations involved in rebuilding efforts in Haiti.

Thank you again for your interest and involvement.

Best,
Phil

For those of you with questions about how to talk with your child about the events that have taken place in Haiti, please click here to read Lower School principal Namita Tolia’s very thoughtful blog (it follows Phil’s message).

Of General Interest . . .

1) Thank you to the all of the families who dropped much needed supplies off at the school Friday, Saturday and Monday. Thank you also to the many students and families who helped to sort, organize and bag all of the supplies that we received. The following is a conservative estimate of the number of items that were donated:

1500 liters of water

more than a thousand individual bars of soap

close to 200 blankets

175 packs of gauze and band-aids

150 packs of feminine hygiene products

135 packs of medical gloves

55 tooth brushes and toothpaste

45 towels and linens

30 sleeping bags

20 packages of deodorant

20 packages of diapers and wipes

13 tents

10 bedrolls and tarps

2 first aid kits

2 bags of assorted clothes

2) Save the Date for Karamu! Friday January 22nd… Karamu! is LREI’s annual multicultural event of music, dance, and food celebrating the diversity of our school and community. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 19th… Karamu! always sells out; get your tickets early (discounted tickets available – contact Juliet Burrows: julietburrows@mac.com). We need food and volunteers! …Sign up boards will be in the 6th Avenue Lobby – please volunteer and join this wonderful community building event. If you would like to solicit a donation of food or wine from a restaurant or business please use this letter and forward information to Juliet.

3) A Message from Chap, Director of Diversity & Community: Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” With that in mind, how do we help our children tap into and develop their social justice identity in order to find the courage to act against bias of any type? Join the LREI Parent Community for part two of How to Raise an Ally: Social Justice at LREI as we consider, share examples of, and learn about ways to raise a strong ally with anti-bias educator Dr. Jane Bolgatz (see attached flyer). Two sessions are offered to better accommodate family schedules. Wednesday, January 27, at 6:00pm in the Charlton Street Cafeteria OR Thursday, January 28 at 8:45am in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria.

4) School Spirit Game! Next Friday, January 29th, 3:15PM at the Thompson Street Athletic Center (143 Thompson Street). All families invited. Show your school spirit and come out in our school colors – RED & WHITE! Middle and High School basketball teams play against faculty & staff. Come cheer on your teachers and teams. Shoot Off competition at half time for younger students. Fun for all!

5) Food Talk, a presentation sponsored by the LREI PA Food Committee, is scheduled for Wednesday, February 3rd at 8:45AM in the Sixth Ave. Cafeteria – Click here for flyer with details!

6) Please read the attached letter from the Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance committee about the upcoming Visibility exhibit.

8) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

- During the month of January we will be recycling holiday and greeting cards. These cards will be donated to St. Jude’s Ranch. No photo cards please. For more information click here.
- Also during the month of January you can bring in your wrapping paper scraps. These scraps will be used to decorate the school for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day. Look for the box in the lobby after the holidays.
- For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

9) The LREI Cookbook Committee is working on creating a LREI community cookbook. The theme of the cookbook is potlucks. If you have any recipes that you would like to submit for consideration, please send them to cookbook@lrei.org. Also, if you are interested in participating in the creation of the cookbook, email Kathryn Kellinger at kksidedish@aol.com or Susie Marples at susiemarples@yahoo.com

10) Click here to access the new LREI on-line photo gallery.

11) 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) As you review second quarter reports, which will go out on Friday, please remember that they provide an important opportunity for shared discussion about successes to date and challenges to address as we move forward into the second half of the year. In reviewing assessments for the second quarter, we hope that you will look at the progress for this quarter in a broader context of your child’s overall learning experience. If you have not done so already, I encourage you to take the opportunity to speak with your child about his/her perceptions of the work s/he has completed this past quarter and how s/he sees this work in relation to the work completed last quarter. This will help to frame your ongoing discussions about her/his learning experience.

While progress reports provide an opportunity to reflect on a student’s progress and to think about strengths and challenges, it is important to remember that assessment is an on-going process at LREI; it is a means to an end, but not an end in and of itself. Its aim is to improve student understanding of key ideas and skills. In the Middle School, teachers strive to develop assessments that are learner-centered and focused on student understanding in relation to the particular goals identified for each area of inquiry. Rather than being separate from learning, assessment plays a central role in the instructional process. The assessment process also sheds light on which instructional strategies are most effective. Through thoughtful assessment, the teacher gains critical feedback for choosing and utilizing those teaching strategies that can best help a learner progress towards the goals of a particular unit of study. Opportunities for meaningful assessment also allow students to gain deeper insight into areas of strength and challenge and allow them to develop plans to address growth in both of these areas.

2) Also on the subject of assessment, ERBs are scheduled For February 9th-11th. The ERBs represent one piece of the assessment puzzle at LREI and it is important that they are seen in this light. They convey useful information, but not the full-picture of a child’s achievement. While the content of the ERBs is generally aligned to grade-level expectations, there are areas where this is not the case. For example, a math concept that appears on the sixth grade test, may not be addressed in our curriculum until the seventh grade and teaching this concept out of context may not always make sense. Your child’s teachers will make every attempt to identify these particular alignment areas. So while much of our ERB prep is focused on reviewing concepts that have been addressed in the curriculum, teaching general test prep skills, and helping students to feel comfortable with standardized testing conditions, our focus tends not to be on “cramming” new concepts. Please do not hesitate to speak with me if you have questions about the ERB process. Please also read the attached letter from the Middle School math teachers regarding prep for the upcoming ERBs, which are scheduled for February 9-11.

3) Click here to read the minutes form this week’s Middle School Parent Rep Meeting.

4) The second Middle School Students of Color Meeting will take place on Thursday, January 28 from 11 am – 12 pm. Again we will share lunch together before attending to any agenda items and celebrating our community. Please consider encouraging your child to attend this next meeting. Feel free to direct any questions to Sherezada Acosta at sacosta@lrei.org or Chap, Director of Diversity and Community at schapman@lrei.org. Thank you for your ongoing support of our school and your/our children. Click here for information about the group’s discussion at the first meeting.

5) Just a reminder that the Middle School dance is scheduled for Friday, January 29th. The dance will start at 6:30PM for fifth graders and at 7:00PM for sixth through eighth graders. The dance will end at 8:30PM for fifth and sixth graders and at 9:00PM for seventh and eighth graders. Permission slips will go out the week of the dance.

To support their on-going efforts, we are encouraging students who attend the dance on Friday to bring in one or more of the following school supply items: *1.5″-2″ three-ring binders, *pocket dividers (sets of 5), *pencil pouch (three-hole to be used in binder), boxes of pens, boxes of pencils, lined paper packs; (*most needed).

6) Middle School “Pajama Day” is scheduled for Friday, February 5th. Highlights will include hot chocolate and cookies at lunch and stories read by eighth graders during independent reading. Here are a few guidelines, which were developed by the Student Representatives on the occasion of the first Pajama Day:

- Just because it’s Pajama Day doesn’t mean the dress code went to sleep
- A robe adds a nice touch
- No lingerie or underwear
- If you wear boxers, please wear some type of undergarment beneath
- Slippers are fine, but you should bring a pair of shoes/sneakers (especially if you have PE)
- Blankets and stuffed animals are welcomed, but should not be so big that they require their own desk
- If you don’t wear pajamas, we do not want to know about it!
- If you can imagine Mark wearing it, it is probably okay.

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

8) Read about our Middle School sports teams and game summaries at http://lrei.org/athletics/news.htm.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .

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

2) The student-parent meeting for the spring Spanish class trip will take place on Thursday, January 28th, at 8:00AM. If you have questions, please contact Gabrielle Keller. Before the meeting you should:

- check the expiration date on your child’s passport (or apply for a passport TODAY)
- check your Explorica account and see that you have paid in full- they won’t make our reservations until the group has a 0 balance
- fill out the Parental Consent form which your child will bring home on Thursday this week. The form gives me permission to travel with your children to Costa Rica. It must be notarized and Jesse, the Lower School librarian, has very generously consented to sign your completed forms at the meeting.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth and Sixth Grade Families . . .

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

For Sixth Grade Families . . .

No updates this week.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .

1) The fifth grade will visit the Brooklyn Museum to view their Egyptian collection on Friday, January 22. Students should bring a bagged lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles) on this day.

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

View all events with the LREI On-line Calendar
Click here to see the 2009-2010 calendar.
LREI Athletics. For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
Click here to view the Middle School Photo Gallery.

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

Be well,
Mark

Our Place in the World

msilberberg — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:50:03 +0000

Dear Families,

Our thoughts over the past few days have been with the citizens of Haiti and with our own LREI families who have relatives and friends in the country. Over the next few days, we will be thinking about how to best coordinate an institutional response and students will play a crucial role in shaping how we respond. Students have been asking lots of questions about Haiti and about earthquakes and we are helping them to find answers to these questions. Why these kinds of tragic events occur are, of course, harder questions to answer, but they are also at the forefront of our work with your children.

Understanding our relationship to others and our relationship to the larger world in which we live has never been more important. Many of us carry powerful tools in our phones and in our cars that help us navigate from point A to point B. These tools offer incredible opportunities for better understanding our world and the many ways that it is interconnected. At the same time, if we are not careful these tools can also induce a certain passivity that can preclude our active engagement with the world (i.e., I simply follow my Google map instructions without really understanding where I am going.) So the geography strand of the middle school curriculum plays an important role in helping students to better understand the concept of place and how place informs the way we live in and with the world and with others. In this spirit, each year middle schoolers participate in the National Geographic Geography Bee.

At this Wednesday’s Middle School Meeting, we had our annual National Geography Bee. Preceding the meeting, students competed in their homerooms to identify our eight finalists. The first round was exciting and challenging. Students pondered a range of questions and supported each other as we worked through this preliminary competition. A number of these competitions were decided by tie breakers, which added to the excitement. So with a thank you first to all of those students who participated, the participants in the Final Round were as follows: Fifth Grade – Sadie Isabel W., Sixth Grade – Kai and Allesandro., Seventh Grade – Elizabeth and Marcelo, and Eighth Grade – Viviane and Ivo. At the end of the Final Round, two students – Kai and Alessandro – moved on to the Championship Round. The Championship Round was decided after 3 questions with Kai emerging as the champion. Next week, he will take the qualifying exam for the State Geography Bee competition. The state level competition will take place in the spring in Albany, NY. Congratulations to all of the finalists for a job well done!

In addition to the good fun that the National Geography Bee provides, it also points to the critical importance that a basic understanding of geography plays in being an informed citizen of the world. As technology makes the world smaller and increases our interconnectedness, we should not let ourselves be fooled into thinking that the boundaries, borders, and geographic features of our planet don’t matter any more. The geography of our planet provides a key to understanding important aspects of history and culture and provides a lens for focusing on issues that are “of the moment.”

Knowing where something is by necessity establishes a relationship to it. With an understanding of place, we can gain a deeper insight into the people who inhabit that place while we simultaneously gain new insights about our own place in the world. It is these moments of insight that help to define us and our relationship to the larger world. These ideas are very much on our minds as we work to understand what has happened in Haiti and as we think about how we can best respond.

Of General Interest . . .
1) From Director Phil Kassen: I write with a reminder from the Parents Association Community Service Committee and from me to consider spending part of this weekend honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through participation in a community service project. Click here for a list of projects that the committee has generated. If you have ideas for other projects that will be available to LREI families during the coming weekend, please email them to me at pkassen@lrei.org.

2) If your contact information—address, phone numbers, email addresses—has changed since we distributed the directory in September, please contact Mary Shea, mshea@lrei.org, as she is preparing an updated directory for distribution in the coming weeks. Thanks.

3) Save the Date for Karamu! Friday January 22nd… Karamu! is LREI’s annual multicultural event of music, dance, and food celebrating the diversity of our school and community. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 19th… Karamu! always sells out; get your tickets early (discounted tickets available – contact Juliet Burrows: julietburrows@mac.com). We need food and volunteers! …Sign up boards will be in the 6th Avenue Lobby – please volunteer and join this wonderful community building event. If you would like to solicit a donation of food or wine from a restaurant or business please use this letter and forward information to Juliet.

4) New LREI Event “Stir the Pot”– The next committee planning meeting will be held on Tuesday January 12 at 8:45am in the cafeteria at Sixth Avenue. We would like to have as many volunteers as possible and hope that you will join in making this a wonderful LREI evening. You can let us know by contacting Jenn Esposito (jenn_espo@msn.com), Ceci Van Blerkom (cloebl@gmail.com), or Maude Kebbon in the Office of Advancement (mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232).

5) Please read the attached letter from the Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance committee about the upcoming Visibility exhibit.

6) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

During the month of January we will be recycling holiday and greeting cards. These cards will be donated to St. Jude’s Ranch. No photo cards please. For more information click here. Also during the month of January you can bring in your wrapping paper scraps. These scraps will be used to decorate the school for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day. Look for the box in the lobby after the holidays.
For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

7) The LREI Cookbook Committee is working on creating a LREI community cookbook. The theme of the cookbook is potlucks. If you have any recipes that you would like to submit for consideration, please send them to cookbook@lrei.org. Also, if you are interested in participating in the creation of the cookbook, email Kathryn Kellinger at kksidedish@aol.com or Susie Marples at susiemarples@yahoo.com

8) Click here to access the new LREI on-line photo gallery.

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

2) Read about our Middle School sports teams and game summaries at http://lrei.org/athletics/news.htm.

3) The second Middle School Students of Color Meeting will take place on Thursday, January 28 from 11 am – 12 pm. Again we will share lunch together before attending to any agenda items and celebrating our community. Please consider encouraging your child to attend this next meeting. Feel free to direct any questions to Sherezada Acosta at sacosta@lrei.org or Chap, Director of Diversity and Community at schapman@lrei.org. Thank you for your ongoing support of our school and your/our children. Click here for information about the group’s discussion at the first meeting.

4) Just a reminder that the Middle School dance is scheduled for Friday, January 29th. The dance will start at 6:30PM for fifth graders and at 7:00PM for sixth through eighth graders. The dance will end at 8:30PM for fifth and sixth graders and at 9:00PM for seventh and eighth graders. Permission slips will go out the week of the dance.

As part of our on-going community service initiatives, this year we are partnering with the organization GETTING TOOLS TO CITY SCHOOLS (http://www.gettingtoolstocityschools.org/home), which seeks to procure and deliver free basic school supplies to low-income public schools in New York City. To support their on-going efforts, we are encouraging students who attend the dance on Friday to bring in one or more of the following school supply items:

- * 1.5″-2″ three-ring binders
- * pocket dividers (sets of 5)
- * pencil pouch (three-hole to be used in binder)
- boxes of pens
- boxes of pencils
- lined paper packs

*most needed

5) Please read the attached letter from the Middle School math teachers regarding prep for the upcoming ERBs, which are scheduled for February 9-11.

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

check the expiration date on your child’s passport (or apply for a passport TODAY)
check your Explorica account and see that you have paid in full- they won’t make our reservations until the group has a 0 balance
fill out the Parental Consent form which your child will bring home on Thursday this week. The form gives me permission to travel with your children to Costa Rica. It must be notarized and Jesse, the Lower School librarian, has very generously consented to sign your completed forms at the meeting.

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

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

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

For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) The fifth grade will visit the Brooklyn Museum to view their Egyptian collection on Friday, January 22. Students should bring a bagged lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles) on this day.

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

View all events with the LREI On-line Calendar
Click here to see the 2009-2010 calendar.
LREI Athletics. For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
Click here to view the Middle School Photo Gallery.

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

Be well,
Mark

Joyful Celebration

msilberberg — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:00:19 +0000

From guest blogger Phil Kassen:

Dear LREI Community,

Happy New Year and welcome back for LREI 2010! It was fun to greet your children on Tuesday. The students were excited to see their friends and teachers and to begin classes again, while at the same time it seemed to be a little bit of a challenge for them to leave the restful habits of Winter Break behind.

On Monday, the faculty gathered for our second colleague led professional day. Much of the day was spent in workshops that allowed teachers to engage in conversations with colleagues from all three divisions about a variety of topics—gender issues in education, learning to draw, the architecture of NYC, math in everyday life and Flash animation, for example—while examining how to have the teaching and learning of these topics, and others, meet the progressive mission of the school. It was an energizing day and a joyful celebration of the school and our talented faculty.

On Friday, January 22^nd, the Parents Association’s Multicultural Committee will present Karamu!, our annual multicultural celebration. (Karamu means “joyful celebration” in Swahili.) The evening begins with a delicious potluck supper in the Charlton Street cafeteria. If past years are any indication, dinner will present a tremendous range of enticing offerings from families in all three divisions, representing a range of cultures and tastes. Following dinner, attendees will be treated to a series of performances reflecting a variety of artistic traditions. This year’s performers include a Latin alternative band, West African drummers, Irish dancers and our annual multi-culti dance party. My favorite part of Karamu is that it illustrates the importance of exploring those traditions—culinary and artistic—that are unique to specific cultures while also reinforcing those values shared by all cultures—a need to connect with each other, food as a cultural messenger and the arts as a center of celebrations. How are we the same and how do we differ—together these questions allow us to better understand others and ourselves.

Sign up sheets to help produce Karamu! will be posted in the Sixth Avenue lobby in the coming days, as will sheets to sign up to contribute to the potluck. If you would like to sign up and do not visit the buildings often, you can email Juliet Burrows at julietburrows@mac.com or Holly Glass at hcritch@earthlink.net. Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, January 19^th. I hope to see you at Karamu!

Best,

Phil

P.S. If your contact information—address, phone numbers, email addresses—has changed since we distributed the directory in September, please contact Mary Shea, mshea@lrei.org, as she is preparing an updated directory for distribution in the coming weeks. Thanks.

Of General Interest . . .
1) Afterschool Spring Registration Information - The deadline to register for Afterschool is tomorrow, Friday January 8. Here are the links for the Winter-Spring 2010 Registration Materials: Instrumental – Registration, Instrumental – Bios, Core Afterschool – Registration, Core Afterschool – Descriptions. The materials have also been e-mailed to all Lower School and Middle School families, and are available on the school’s website. Registration forms are being processed on a first come, first served basis through Friday, January 8th.

3) New LREI Event–Many of you have asked about the yellow “Stir the Pot” postcards that you received in recent days. We wanted to whet your appetite and to be sure that you mark your calendars for LREI’s Spring tasting event called “Stir the Pot: Taste of the Future.” You won’t want to miss the chance to meet and mingle with other parents and enjoy great food–Thursday, May 13th in the Charlton Street campus. The next committee planning meeting will be held on Tuesday January 12 at 8:45am in the cafeteria at Sixth Avenue. We would like to have as many volunteers as possible and hope that you will join in making this a wonderful LREI evening. You can let us know by contacting Jenn Esposito (jenn_espo@msn.com), Ceci Van Blerkom (cloebl@gmail.com), or Maude Kebbon in the Office of Advancement (mkebbon@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232).

4) Please read the attached letter from the Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance committee about the upcoming Visibility exhibit.

5) Red is Green Committee Announcements:

During the month of January we will be recycling holiday and greeting cards. These cards will be donated to St. Jude’s Ranch. No photo cards please. For more information click here. Also during the month of January you can bring in your wrapping paper scraps. These scraps will be used to decorate the school for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day. Look for the box in the lobby after the holidays.
Mulchfest 2010: Recycle your Christmas Tree at NYC Parks Jan 9-10, 2010. Click here for more information on where you can drip off your tree in the 5 boroughs. Alternatively, you can put your tree outside with your regular garbage for recycling. Clean, non-bagged Christmas trees that are left at the curb will be recycled into compost. Pickup dates are Monday, January 4th through Friday, January 15th.
For more details about our monthly recycling drives and Go Green to School dates, please click Red is Green PA Page.

6) The LREI Cookbook Committee is working on creating a LREI community cookbook. The theme of the cookbook is potlucks. If you have any recipes that you would like to submit for consideration, please send them to cookbook@lrei.org. Also, if you are interested in participating in the creation of the cookbook, email Kathryn Kellinger at kksidedish@aol.com or Susie Marples at susiemarples@yahoo.com

7) Click here to access the new LREI on-line photo gallery.

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

2) Read about our Middle School sports teams and game summaries at http://lrei.org/athletics/news.htm.

3) Just a reminder that the Middle School dance is scheduled for Friday, January 29th (check). The dance will start at 6:30PM for fifth graders and at 7:00PM for sixth through eighth graders. The dance will end at 8:30PM for fifth and sixth graders and at 9:00PM for seventh and eighth graders. Permission slips will go out the week of the dance.

- * 1.5″-2″ three-ring binders
- * pocket dividers (sets of 5)
- * pencil pouch (three-hole to be used in binder)
- boxes of pens
- boxes of pencils
- lined paper packs

*most needed

4) Please read the attached letter from the Middle School math teachers regarding prep for the upcoming ERBs, which are scheduled for February 9-11.

check the expiration date on your child’s passport (or apply for a passport TODAY)
check your Explorica account and see that you have paid in full- they won’t make our reservations until the group has a 0 balance
fill out the Parental Consent form which your child will bring home on Thursday this week. The form gives me permission to travel with your children to Costa Rica. It must be notarized and Jesse, the Lower School librarian, has very generously consented to sign your completed forms at the meeting.

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

For Sixth Grade Families . . .
1) The sixth grade will visit the Met on Friday, January 8th to see their Arms and Armor collection. Students should bring a bagged lunch (no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles) on this day.

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

View all events with the LREI On-line Calendar
Click here to see the 2009-2010 calendar.
LREI Athletics. For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
Click here to view the Middle School Photo Gallery.

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

Be well,
Mark