Spirit Week 2011

Dear Families,

With tomorrow’s Spirit Day, we end this year’s Spirit Week.  We have had a lot of fun determining this year’s EI Idol (to be announced tomorrow), daily spirit and costume winners for such days as Wacky/Tacky day, 80’s Day, and Twin Day , and the class with the most spirit demonstrated all week wins a Ben and Jerry’s sundae party served by Director of LREI Phil Kassen and Associate Director Michel deKonkly Thege.  Seeing faculty and students participate in the fun has brightened these last (hopefully!) days of cold winter weather.   Take a look at more Spirit Week photos on Facebook.com/lreinyc.

We are incredibly proud of our basketball teams!  Both Boys Varsity and Girls Varsity teams are headed to the semi-finals.  From Athletic Director and Boys Varsity Coach, Peter Fisher:

The LREI Varsity Basketball program has a problem… but don’t worry, it is a good problem to have. Both varsity teams have made it to the ISAL semi-final playoffs!  The problem is that both teams play their first round games at the same time, so the fans will have to decide which team to watch.

Varsity Boys:

The Varsity boys squad won their play-in playoff game against Churchill on Tuesday, Feb 15th in front of a huge home crowd 62-51.  They finished 2nd in their conference with a 7-3 conference record.  They will play at Columbia Prep in front of a very big and very loud audience.  Columbia Prep finished in first place again this season and are the reigning ISAL champions from a year ago.  The LREI Knights are looking to avenge their season ending defeat to Columbia Prep in a rematch of last year’s semi-final game.  Playing at Columbia Prep can be very intimidating as their fans are loud and unforgiving.  Our fans need to show up in huge numbers!!  If you choose to go to this game, I suggest you get there early as seats run out fairly quickly.

Varsity Girls:

The Varsity Girls team finished tied for first place in our conference with York Prep.  The #1 seed gave the girls an automatic place in the ISAL semi-finals.  They will host Columbia Prep who finished 2nd in their conference at the Churchill School.  The girls are looking to avenge an early season loss to Columbia Prep, when they played in the Tip-off tournament in December.  Seating is limited for this game as well, so try to get there early!

Varsity Boys ISAL Tournament:

LREI @ Columbia Prep Wednesday, Feb 23rd, 4PM (5 West 93rd, just off Central Park West)

Trevor Day @ York Prep Wednesday, Feb 23rd

Winners play at CCNY on Feb 25th, 6PM

Varsity Girls ISAL Tournament:

Columbia Prep @ LREI Wednesday, Feb 23rd (@ Churchill School, 301 East 29th @ 2nd Ave)

Brooklyn Friends/Churchill @ Loyola, Wednesday, Feb 23rd

Winners play at CCNY on Feb 25th, 4PM

Go Knights!

Finally, we are so proud of our Scholastic Key winners!  Over 110,000 works in writing and art were submitted for this year’s The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.  Senior Margret Wiggins won a Gold Key for her writing portfolio of three pieces: Richard’s Day, Mr. Henry, and The Night They Shot The Raccoon. Also winning Gold Keys this year:  Senior Sonrisa Murray-Fox for Personal Essay, Junior Jesse Rubinstein for her The Great Gatsby essay and Junior Hannah Silverman for Memoir.  Junior Grace Tobin and Junior Hannah Rivkin both won two Silver Keys for photography, Junior Talia Feldberg won a Silver Key for writing, and Junior Lisa Remar won a Silver Key for painting.

Congratulations to all of our writers, artists and athletes!

Best, Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

HAIRSPRAY! February 24th, 25th and 26th at 7pm and 2pm on Saturday the 26th in the PAC at 40, Charlton Street. Tickets on sale Tuesday 16th at 8am in both school lobbies. $10 students and senior citizens, $12 for adults.

In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad’s dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight. She then launches a campaign to integrate the show. HAIRSPRAY is not only a social commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960s but also a story of how a single person can make a change within a community. Tracy is a tornado of positivity and open mindedness that we follow as she navigates through high school and beyond.

LREI’s high school students have been working hard in rehearsals through this tough winter to bring you a spectacular show. We guarantee to warm you up and blast away the winter blues! This huge production, with larger than life characters and up beat numbers featuring our fantastic students should not to be missed. HAIRSPRAY is for the whole family and we sincerely hope you will come and support the many high school students and faculty involved.

Directed by Joanne Magee and Lorna Jordan.

Musical Director: Matt McLean

Choreographer: Peggy Peloquin

Set Design: Jorge Dieppa

Costume Design: Mark Caswell

Vocal Coach: Susan Glass

1.  Red is Green: In February the Red is Green Committee will be recycling plastic bottle caps.  We are collecting rigid plastic caps such as caps on shampoo, water, milk and other beverage bottles. Also, pharmaceutical lids, flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles (such as ketchup and mayonnaise), and laundry detergents.  When these caps are thrown away, they often end up in rivers and oceans with drastic consequences for both wildlife and the environment. The caps will be recycled through the Aveda plastic bottle cap recycling program. Caps can be dropped off in the collection bin in the 6th avenue lobby.

2.  Please participate in the annual Room to Grow drive for babies born into poverty.  Donations accepted at 6th Ave.  Please click here for details.

3.  From the PA Literary Committee

Did you ever wonder what that book was that had your child so enthralled, or why everyone is suddenly so gaga over teenage vampires? Then come to Well-REaD, a children’s and young adult book discussion event for parents, sponsored by the LREI Literary Committee. It will be held on Thursday, April 7th, from 6-8pm, in the Sixth Avenue building. Sign up for one of four book discussions led by our LREI librarians featuring titles that your children have read and enjoyed.

Like all good book discussions, wine and cheese will be served along with lots of lively discussion on some of the most popular titles published for youth today. Books will be made available for order through the LREI Literary Committee, and make great additions to your child’s bookshelf. Click here for the list of books/order form and credit card authorization form.

Childcare will be available for those attending WELL REaD.  The cost will be $15 per child and $5 for siblings.  A sign-up sheet will be available at the front desk (you may also e-mail Mary Shea, at mshea@LREI.org).

We’re looking forward to a night of lively discussions. Hope to see you there!