Dear Families,

LREI encourages and teaches our students to probe, to challenge and to develop one’s own interests and passions, and certainly the goal of the Senior Project Program is to express our educational experience to those in the world of work. This requirement is of particular importance. As the internship demonstrates the ability of our students to move through the world and make a significant impact, the presentation, which will take place during the annual Senior Project Presentation Evening on June 5, 2008 at 6:30 PM, demonstrates the ability to utilize one’s experience to educate others. It is also important because it marks the end. At the end of this evening, all of our seniors will have fulfilled the requirements for graduation.

It is important to thank all of the faculty mentors who provided guidance and support throughout the process and especially the Senior Project coordinators, Adele Pelz and Antonio Valle who provided the vision and the organization. Many thanks to the organizations, companies and institutions who provided our 12th Graders with internships, including:

Bleecker and Sullivan Advertising, Peace Games, Nightingale-Bamford, Random House, Harlem Hospital, Mary Ellen Mark, DDC Lab, Democracy Now!, Public Theater, The Center for Constitutional Rights, Amnesty International, the UN Development Program, the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA), the Harlem Success Academy, and NYU School of Medicine (Departments of Pathology, Dermatology and Cell Biology).

All are welcome to attend what is always a terrific evening, June 5.

All the best,

Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

1. Last weekend’s ArtACTION, was a HUGE success!! Senior Ella Saunders-Crivello, put together a two-day event/art installation and benefit at a gallery space on Mercer Street. Young artists from our school, Grades 9-12, donated their favorite, original art pieces for purchase; 80% of the purchase price was donated to one of four charities–the artist’s choice. They are Action Against Hunger, Doctors Without Borders, the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation, and Sean Casey Animal Rescue, a no kill shelter in Brooklyn, NY. Congrats and thanks to Ella and all of the artists who donated their works for this worthy cause!

2. The Second Annual Literary Magazine Publishing Party Coffeehouse is on May 17, 7 PM, Performing Arts Center.

3. The 15th annual LREI camping trip will be held on the weekend of June 6-8. All LREI families and their children — pre-K through high school — are invited to participate. As in past years, we expect that a good time will be had by all: hiking, swimming, sports, fishing, camping, cooking, eating, singing around the campfire, etc. The site, as in past years, will be near the Delaware Water Gap (somewhat north of where I-80 crosses the Delaware River). The cost will be $30 per adult, $20 per child. Also, we need volunteers to help with hauling food and supplies and equipment out to the camp site (and back) and providing extra space in their vehicles for those who need a ride out and back. More details will be forthcoming for those who are interested. We will have a sign-up table on the mornings on Friday May 16 and Wednesday May 28 at LREI. Please save the date and let us know if you are interested in receiving more information — and especially if you are interested in volunteering. Send an email to Larry White, Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu. Click here for more information.

4. ONE DAY ONLY! The Spring Book Fair, May 22, 8:00 AM-6:00 PM, 6th Avenue Auditorium. Many titles from the Summer Reading List will be available. Concurrently with the fair, this year the Literary Committee is sponsoring the first Spring Literary Celebration to showcase the many written accomplishments of LREI students.

If your child is in need of community service hours, there is an opportunity to earn a few hours packing up books from the fair at 5PM, 6th Avenue. If your child is interested, he or she should let me know.

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

6. Please join a parent discussion on internet safety. Click here for more information.

7. Field day is around the corner! This year’s event will take place on Friday, May 23rd. Dismissal will be at 1:00PM. Please click here, FieldDay, for an important announcement about the day’s activities.

8. The Spring Concert is May 22nd at 6:30pm features the Little Red Chorus, Elisabeth Irwin Singers, cast of “Into the Woods” and the EI Jazz Band. All parents and friends of LREI are invited to attend this joyous music event.

Dear Families,

Last Friday, high school students enjoyed our annual Arts Festival. Thanks to all of the artists (and many parent-artists), Issac-Daniel Astrachan, John Towsen, P’08, John Wellington, P’09, Janet Koenig, P’08, Meira Gottlieb (sister of Micah Gottlieb, Dean of Students!), Les Guzman (company run by parents of Oskar Peacock ’08), Angela Jimenez, “JP”, Derick Grant (parent of Derick in the Fourth Grade, and Lulu in the Second Grade!), Imani Faye, Sandy Martini, P’07 and ’10, Scott Crowley, and Anne Sorce, who volunteered their time to provide workshops for the day. Workshops included, Painting the Clothed Figure; Composing Objects: A Lesson in Drawing Charcoal and Pencil; Polaroid Photography; Protrait Photography; Tap Dancing; and Multimedia Storytelling.

While students had memorable and educational times, I have to say, several of the visiting artists commented on how ‘professional’ our students are as artists themselves!Finally, many thanks to Micah for planning the day, and to the Arts faculty for their coordination of the many terrific workshops.

Speaking of arts, please come to the Middle School Musical, Into the Woods which opens this Friday at the Charlton Street PAC. The performance begins at 7:00PM. If you can’t make the Friday performance, there are performances on Saturday at 2:00PM and 7:00PM. Tickets will be on sale in the mornings in the Sixth Avenue lobby for $8 and will be on sale at the door for $10. What to expect . . . When a Baker and his Wife learn they’ve been cursed with childlessness by the Witch next door, they embark on a quest for the special objects required to break the spell, swindling, deceiving and stealing from Cinderella, Little Red Ridding Hood, Rapunzel and Jack (the one who climbed the beanstalk!) This modern retelling of some classic fairy tales is suitable for all ages. I’ll be going on Friday night. See you at the theater!

All the best,

Ruth

Updates and Announcements:

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

Interims for students earning B- and below will be posted this Friday, May 9, on “My Backpack”. If your child is not earning B- or below in any class, you may not see any update. If you have trouble accessing your child’s information, please email help_desk@lrei.org. If you would like interims mailed home, please contact Adria Maynor, amaynor@lrei.org, or 212-477-5316, x323. If you have any questions regarding a grade or comment, please contact your child’s teacher, grade dean or advisor, directly.

1. Inspired by the art show at Synchronicity Arts, and the previous Broadway benefits, Senior Ella Saunders-Crivello, has put together a two-day event/art installation and benefit at a gallery space on Mercer Street. Young artists from our school, Grades 9-12, donated their favorite, original art pieces for purchase; 80% of the purchase price will be donated to one of four charities–the artist’s choice. The charities are Action against Hunger, Doctors without Borders, the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation, and Sean Casey Animal Rescue, a no kill shelter in Brooklyn, NY. This event, ArtACTION, will take place this Saturday, May 10 (opening reception, 3 PM-8 PM) and May 11 from 12 PM-8 PM, 7 Mercer Street, New York City. I have had the opportunity to preview the show; the works are incredible! Do not miss this opportunity to buy a wonderful piece of original art and make a contribution to charity!

2. The Second Annual Literary Magazine Publishing Party Coffeehouse is on May 17, 7 PM, Performing Arts Center.

3. The 15th annual LREI camping trip will be held on the weekend of June 6-8. All LREI families and their children — pre-K through high school — are invited to participate. As in past years, we expect that a good time will be had by all: hiking, swimming, sports, fishing, camping, cooking, eating, singing around the campfire, etc. The site, as in past years, will be near the Delaware Water Gap (somewhat north of where I-80 crosses the Delaware River). The cost will be $30 per adult, $20 per child. Also, we need volunteers to help with hauling food and supplies and equipment out to the camp site (and back) and providing extra space in their vehicles for those who need a ride out and back. More details will be forthcoming for those who are interested. We will have a sign-up table on the mornings on Friday May 16 and Wednesday May 28 at LREI. Please save the date and let us know if you are interested in receiving more information — and especially if you are interested in volunteering. Send an email to Larry White, Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu.

4. ONE DAY ONLY! The Spring into Summer Book Fair, May 22, 8:00 AM-6:00 PM, 6th Avenue Auditorium. Many titles from the Summer Reading List will be available.

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

spring

1. the season of the year following winter and characterized by the budding of trees, growth of plants, the onset of warmer weather, etc.
2. the first stage and freshest beginning

culminate cul-mi-nate

1. to reach the highest point or degree
2. to come to completion; end

Spring has clearly sprung. The weather is warming, the trees are budding, the ball field is full each afternoon, as are the benches in Little Red Square—with students, parents and faculty taking advantage of the season. While spring is a moment of new beginnings, as I walk the halls of the three divisions at this time of the year, the more prevalent feeling is that of a beginning of culmination, a coming to completion. All LREI students and families will have opportunities to participate in or witness these endings in the coming weeks. Among these events have been or will be:

· the upcoming middle and high school sports awards ceremonies;

· the middle school musical, Into the Woods;

· the first grade Learning Center, Funky Earth Café and block neighborhood;

· the second grade city constructions;

· the fourth grade immigration play;

· the eighth grade Sustainability, Day of Learning. On this day the eighth graders led workshops for all middle school students dealing with issues of sustainability. They also organized two assemblies featuring outside speakers;

· the seventh grade trip to Philadelphia and the eighth grade trip to Gettysburg and Washington, DC;

· the fifth grade Grecian Festival;

· the seventh grade’s mock Supreme Court hearings;

· the publication of IE, our literary magazine;

· Senior Project presentations;

· and ArtACTION, an exhibit of high school art, organized by senior Ella Suanders-Crivello, that will raise funds for a variety of causes. More information in each division’s blog;

and countless other moments taking place in each classroom and around the City.

For each student there will be many opportunities to demonstrate all that they have learned this year. For older students, there will be tests and quizzes and papers and presentations. For all there will be projects and events, including those listed above. Clearly, you will be invited to share in your child’s culminating events. There are also a number of events that are open to the whole community. Keep your eye on the blogs for more information. As a preK-12^th grade school, among our most important culminating events are the publication of our college list (we will email it to you next week, once all decisions have been made) and, of course, Commencement—an essential event. Enjoy these opportunities to celebrate our students’ growth and learning and their many, many successes.

Happy culmination,

Phil

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

Updates and Announcements:

1. Inspired by the art show at Synchronicity Arts, and the previous Broadway benefits, Senior Ella Saunders-Crivello, has put together a two-day event/art installation and benefit at a gallery space on Mercer Street. She is encouraging young artists from our school, Grades 9-12, to donate their favorite, original art pieces for purchase; 80% of the purchase price will be donated to one of four charities–the artist’s choice. The charities are Action against Hunger, Doctors without Borders, the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation, and Sean Casey Animal Rescue, a no kill shelter in Brooklyn, NY. This event, ArtACTION, will take place on May 10 (opening reception, 3 PM-8 PM) and May 11 from 12 PM-8 PM, 7 Mercer Street, New York City. Please encourage your child to participate! For more information, feel free to contact Photography teacher, Susan Now, snow@lrei.org. She is collecting art pieces from participants in grades 9 through 11. Students in 12th Grade can submit directly to Ella. All pieces need to be framed.

2. The Second Annual Literary Magazine Publishing Party Coffeehouse is on May 17, 7 PM, Performing Arts Center.

3. Please join us for a terrific and important community event: Glass Menagerie and Friends — A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT DECORMIER. Sunday, May 4th at 3:00PM at St. Joseph’s Church on 6th Avenue and Washington Place (2 blocks below 8th St.) Tickets are $20 ($15 students/seniors). For information contact gmenagerie@yahoo.com.

Dear Families,

Anne Delaney, P’11 (and parent of a 7th grader), sent me a terrific article from Sunday’s New York Times magazine about the importance of our efforts to curb global warming and work to preserve the planet. On Tuesday, Earth Day, I witnessed students and teachers enjoying class with the lights off, reflected on the fact that we have used less paper this year than in previous years, students are less wasteful with food and recycle their plastic and glass consistently, as do faculty members. I see fewer water bottles and more “Red is Green” bottles along with the typical Nalgene bottles, and members of the karate class, who enjoy exercise regularly on the rooftop, carefully avoid the newly built solar panels charging our laptops. Further, in Mark Bledstein’s History 10 class, an engaging discussion of science, religion and the role of nature in both has been taking place. An essential part of the discussion has been the role of science and do we in this modern age, “worship” science along side our other beliefs? Has that played a role in the environmental struggles we now face? The attached article certainly contributes to the class conversation. The debate rages on.

I think this year, the school has made great effort to go green, to encourage the discussion of this action, and we are succeeding in measurable ways even if they “seem utterly inadequate to the challenge”.

On another note, on Tuesday evening, Amy Shapiro, Director of College Guidance hosted a new event, a 10th Grade “Introduction to College” evening. I have heard from many parents that the evening was helpful and informative. Our student and parent panel was especially successfully! Thanks to Class of 2008 members Ava Hamilton, Dean DeChiaro, Jesse Towsen, Oskar Peacock, and Duncan Lewis, and parents John Towsen and DeniseCrisona (parent of Doug Crisona, ’08). Their participation was significant in alleviating some of the fear of the unknown; their anecdotes about the process will surely be remembered! We will be sure to add a similar event for 10th Grade families next year.

All the best,

Ruth

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

Updates and Announcements:

1. Inspired by the art show at Synchronicity Arts, and the previous Broadway benefits, Senior Ella Saunders-Crivello, has put together a two-day event/art installation and benefit at a gallery space on Mercer Street. She is encouraging young artists from our school, Grades 9-12, to donate their favorite, original art pieces for purchase; 80% of the purchase price will be donated to one of four charities–the artist’s choice. The charities are Action against Hunger, Doctors without Borders, the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation, and Sean Casey Animal Rescue, a no kill shelter in Brooklyn, NY. This event, ArtACTION, will take place on May 10 (opening reception, 3 PM-8 PM) and May 11 from 12 PM-8 PM, 7 Mercer Street, New York City. Please encourage your child to participate! For more information, feel free to contact Photography teacher, Susan Now, snow@lrei.org. She is collecting art pieces from participants in grades 9 through 11. Students in 12th Grade can submit directly to Ella. All pieces need to be framed.

2. The Second Annual Literary Magazine Publishing Party Coffeehouse is on May 17, 7 PM, Performing Arts Center.

3. Please join us for a terrific and important community event: Glass Menagerie and Friends — A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT DECORMIER. Sunday, May 4th at 3:00PM at St. Joseph’s Church on 6th Avenue and Washington Place (2 blocks below 8th St.) Tickets are $20 ($15 students/seniors). For information contact gmenagerie@yahoo.com.

Dear Families,

I was recently asked to give some current highlights of the high school. It was a pleasure to compile the list of excellent happenings here, and I thought I would share them with you:

• We have two Scholastic Writing Award winners this year. Senior Duncan Lewis won a GOLD KEY for his short story “Sexy Caramel” and a SILVER KEY for his science fiction/fantasy story “Stairway to Heaven.” Junior Margo Pomelova won TWO SILVER KEYS for her short stories “The Photo” and “The Icy Boulevard (Through the Eyes of an Observer)”.
• 21 students participated in our Honors Project program last trimester; 30 are participating this trimester. Project topics include: Building an Electric Generator, a Study of the Techniques, Chemicals and Processes used in Forensic Science, a documentary about family values in the lesbian and gay community versus anti-gay comments in the media, an Exploration of the Modernist Era, Writing Memoir: Walt Whitman’s “Song of Self”, a Study of Quantum Mechanics, and AP American History prep. Our annual Honors Project Breakfast will be on May 15, and an assembly celebrating these projects will be the same day at 1 PM.
• The students continue to demand to discuss the upcoming election. Today’s assembly focused on the issue of biofuels and the effect it is having on food supply prices and the resulting riots taking place around the world.
• Half of the 11th Grade class applied to be a Peer Leader next year; this program, in its third year, is now an important leadership opportunity for our students. Peer Leaders provide mentorship and guidance to incoming Ninth Grade students. Peer Leaders for the 08-09 school year will be announced in two weeks. Thanks to this year’s Peer Leader group for their invaluable service and work with the Ninth Grade: Jesse Towsen, Dean DeChiaro, Ava Hamilton, Alley Dumas, Gavin Cady, Samru Abraha, Liz Zimilies, Keith Nocera, Sophie Balis-Harris, and Alejandro Montoya, all members of the Class of 2008.
• We have added another evening for the college process (date was announced last year) for our Tenth Grade families, “Introduction to the College Process” with Amy Shapiro, Director of College Guidance will take place on April 22, at 6:30 PM.
• Inspired by the art show at Synchronicity Arts, and the previous Broadway benefits, Senior Ella Saunders-Crivello, has put together a two-day event/art installation and benefit at a gallery space on Mercer Street. She is encouraging young artists from our school, Grades 9-12, to donate their favorite, original art pieces for purchase; 80% of the purchase price will be donated to one of four charities–the artist’s choice. The charities are Action against Hunger, Doctors without Borders, the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation, and Sean Casey Animal Rescue, a no kill shelter in Brooklyn, NY. This event, ArtACTION, will take place on May 10 (opening reception, 3 PM-8 PM) and May 11 from 12 PM-8 PM, 7 Mercer Street, New York City.
• The Second Annual Literary Magazine Publishing Party Coffeehouse is on May 17, 7 PM, Performing Arts Center. The magazine is incredible this year.
• Last night, 11th and 12th Grade participants of our performing arts classes, Playwriting, Musical Theater and Drama, presented their best works. The evening, Dionysus: Celebration of Spring truly was a celebration! The students who participated, Seniors Jane Sternbach, Gavin Cady, Duncan Lewis, Jeffrey Adler, Emory Cohen, Dylan Rossman, Ava Hamilton, Dean DeChiaro, Liz Zimilies, Laura Hallman, Alejandro Montoya, Aaron Michel and Brendan McCormick, and Juniors Ben Wellington, Alec Feld, Vera Aaron, Jessica Wilson, Vio Picayo, Lola Lorber, and Thea Aguiar were all memorable in their roles. Thanks to their instructors, Meghan Astrachan, Julia Heaton, and Carrie Korn, who went above and beyond to put this now-annual event together.

This is a great time to be part of the high school community. As always, there is more to come.

All the best,

Ruth

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

Updates and Announcements:

1. Are you interested in being a parent representative for the 08-09 school year? Please contact Kasey Picayo, P ’09, picayosmith@aol.com or Ronnie Halper, P ’11, rsh@panix.com.

2. Next Monday evening, April 21, the Literary Committee invites you to stay home with your family and read together. Choose an old favorite, try a new story, or peruse poetry to get ready for our schoolwide Poem-in-Your-Pocket Day on Tuesday, April 22. Please click here for the flyer.

3. A message from Chap, Director of Diversity & Community:

Bring the Conversation Home: Strategies for addressing challenging diversity topics your child brings home. Thank you to those who were able to attend last Tuesday’s diversity discussion. A list of articles and parent resources can be found at the following link: http://lrei.org/diversity/pdf/bit_parent_resources.pdf

4. Big Auction 2008 is coming on May 1. You should have received an invitation during the last week – if not please contact Pippa Gerard at pgerard@lrei.org.

5. As a class fundraiser, the Ninth Grade is collecting used ink jet cartridges and old/broken cell phones. They will send the collected items to an organization that recycles them and the class will receive cash for these items. Please note that the collection is limited to used ink jet cartridges and old/broken cell phones. For additional information go to www.fundingfactory.com. Their collection will continue until Thursday, May 22nd. A collection box is located in the Charlton Street lobby. Tell your friends and family about this opportunity so that these items can be recycled and don’t end up in landfills.

 

Dear Families,

This week’s blog is all about the calendar! We have about 9 weeks left in the school year, and as you can imagine, there are many events and meetings, so please take note of the dates that are most relevant to you and your family.

April

• Thursday, 4/10-College Trip for 11^th Grade, all day (to SUNY Purchase and Vassar
• Wednesday, 4/16-Please join us for this *new* event!  Dionysus: Celebration of Spring Performance, 11th and 12th Grade Musical Theater, Playwriting and Drama classes perform their best works, 7:00PM, Performing Arts Center.  
• Friday, 4/18- Professional Day, school visits by department. No classes for students.
• Tuesday, 4/22, Poem in your Pocket Day-10^th Grade College Night, “Introduction to the College Process,” 6:30 PM, Cafeteria
• Friday, 4/25-College Trip for 11th Grade, all day (to University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore)
• Tuesday, 4/29-Math Placement test for all incoming 9th Graders, 3:30-4:30 PM, Rooms 10 and 13

May

• Friday, 5/2- Arts Festival, all day
• Monday, 5/5- Cinco de Mayo celebration sponsored by the Spanish language classes, Charlton Street Gym, D and E lunch
• Wednesday, 5/7- Interims due for any student earning B- and below.
• Friday, 5/9-Saturday, 5/10- Middle School Musical, 7:00PM
• Thursday, 5/15-Honors Project breakfast (for all students and faculty members who participated in the honors project program this school year) 8:15-8:45 AM, Room 10; 1:00PM-2:00PM, Honors Project Presentation Assembly, Performing Arts Center
• Friday, 5/16- 7^th Grade Visiting Day (A, B and C blocks)
• Friday, 5/16- Senior project ends.
• Saturday, 5/17- Literary Magazine Publishing Party Coffeehouse, 7:00 PM
• Monday, 5/19-Senior Project Research Journal due, 8:30AM; all seniors must report to school.
• Wednesday, 5/21-New High School Families reception, 6:30 PM
• Thursday, 5/22-Spring Choral Concert, 6:30 PM, PAC
• Friday, 5/23-Field Day; School closes at 1:00 PM for Memorial Day weekend
• Tuesday, 5/27-School Re-opens; Senior Seminar for all 12th graders with School Psychologist Andrew Weiss and School Nurse Joanne Gouge, begins, 8:30AM (through 5/30)
• Wednesday, 5/28-Transition to College meeting with 12^th grade parents and students, 6:30 PM,
• Thursday, 5/29-High School Sports Awards Night, 6:30 PM, Thompson Street Athletic Center

June

• Tuesday, 6/3-Last Advisory meeting during activities period, 1:50-2:50 PM
• Thursday, 6/5-Senior Project Presentation Evening, 6:30 PM
• Friday, 6/6-Thursday, 6/12- Exam Week
• Friday, 6/6-Review Day, all classes meet.
• Monday, 6/9-Reading Day, no classes, no exams. Library open all day.
• Tuesday, 6/10-Thursday, 6/12-Exams
• Thursday, 6/12- Senior Banquet, 6:30 PM
• Friday, 6/13- Graduation, last day of High School, 1:00PM
• Monday, 6/30-Grades and Comments posted on “My Backpack”.

Time is flying by! I look forward to seeing you at the end of year events.

All the best,

Ruth

 

 

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

Updates and Announcements:

 Big Auction 2008 is coming on May 1. You should have received an invitation during the last week – if not please contact Pippa Gerard at pgerard@lrei.org. Attached is a flyer about a wonderful auction tradition – the community afghan. If you are a knitter or crocheter there is still time to participate and donate a square to be included in the afghan. April 11th is the deadline for afghan submissions.

From guest blogger Phil Kassen:

Dear Families,

I hope this note finds you well and rested after your children’s Spring Break. I want to use this week’s blog to share a few updates and thoughts.

• First, it is my pleasure to announce that Sandra “Chap” Chapman will be returning as our Director of Diversity and Community next year. When Chap began in her current role last July it was as Interim Director of Diversity and Community. As you know there was a small, dedicated group of parents, teachers and administrators who interviewed a number of candidates and hosted half-day visits by Chap and another finalists. Thank you to those parents who attended the group interviews and to the members of the PA and the affinity groups who participated in interviews and discussions. In the end, it was clear that Chap was the best candidate and I am thrilled that she will be continuing her work with families, faculty and students in all three divisions.
• As her first official act, Chap has asked for me to remind you of two events next week—actually one event being offered at two times. We invite you to participate in ”Bringing the Conversation Home: Strategies for Addressing Challenging Diversity Topics Your Child Brings Home,” happening on Tuesday, April 8th at 8:45AM in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria and Thursday, April 10th at 6:00PM in the Charlton Street cafeteria. These conversations will focus on real situations that have occurred in LREI homes throughout this past year. The situations deal with issues of class/wealth, race/ethnicity, gender, and family structure. These have been interesting and fruitful conversations in the past and I encourage you to join in this year. Please RSVP, particularly for the Thursday evening session, as it will only take place if we are expecting sufficient parent participation. You can email Chap at schapman@lrei.org or let the receptionists know that you will be attending.

Over Spring Break, 47 LREI students traveled overseas on school sponsored trips:

• Fifteen eighth graders traveled to France with their French teachers Sharyn Hahn and David Lee. This group visited Paris, Versailles, took the train (TGV) south to Avignon, and Aix-en-Provence, then off to Nimes, St. Jean de Vence, Monaco, Aise, and Nice.
• Nineteen eighth graders traveled to Spain with Gabrielle Keller, Middle School Spanish teacher, Margaret Andrews, middle school math teacher, and Victor Diggs, seventh grade core teacher. This group went to Madrid and Barcelona, visiting the new Prado, a comprehensive Picasso exhibit at the Reina Sofia and the Sagrada Familia Cathedral as well as strolling, shopping and eating along the Ramblas in Barcelona.
• Thirteen high school students visited the Gunter-Stohr-Gymnasium, the school with which we have had an exchange program for the past five years. These students stayed with a host family in Munich, attended school, visited many museums, the Royal Residence and Dachau, as well as reuniting with friends made when the German students visited us in October. Many students traveled with their host families over the Easter weekend. Some went skiing in Austria and others visited Verona and Venice.

Finally, we are nearing the departure date for seven of our middle school robotics team members and their coaches—Sherezada Acosta, Carin Cohen and Steve Neiman—who will travel to Tokyo for a global robotics tournament. In the coming days you might see afternoon bake sales that this group is organizing to help pay for some sight seeing excursions and to support the other US team that has been invited to attend this event.

It was wonderful to welcome your children back to school on Monday. They all seemed to have grown so much in just two weeks! One of the aspects of the spring that makes it such a fruitful time of the school year is that students fully inhabit their grades. When they entered school in September they were essentially still operating as members of the grade they had left in June. For example, new fifth graders still had one foot firmly planted in the lower school. Students’ slow journey through the fall and into the winter supported, encouraged, nudged and demanded their maturation into fully-fledged members of their current grade. Upon returning from a two week break on Monday there was absolutely no part of last year left in them. We have even started to see glimpses of next year from time to time. There is a confidence and easiness in the students in the spring; the student’s work, individually and in groups, is graceful and smooth in a way that it was not just a few weeks ago. Much will be asked of all LREI students in the coming weeks. The last quarter of the school year will require that the students continue to develop skills and competencies while putting to use all that they have experienced and learned in the past seven months. Each child will have a number of opportunities to share with their families and the community all of the abilities that are part of their new selves and that will support them as they, in a few short months, take that step into the next set of challenges.

Best,
Phil

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

Updates and Announcements:

1. Please note, Thursday, 4/10-College Trip for 11^th Grade, all day (to SUNY Purchase and Vassar). 11th Graders must be ready to leave by 7:30AM from Charlton Street.

2. Big Auction 2008 is coming on May 1. You should have received an invitation during the last week – if not please contact Pippa Gerard at pgerard@lrei.org. Attached is a flyer about a wonderful auction tradition – the community afghan. If you are a knitter or crocheter there is still time to participate and donate a square to be included in the afghan. April 11th is the deadline for afghan submissions.

Dear Families,

Our students have worked hard this trimester, and they certainly deserve a break before beginning the end of the year!

While they have time, students may want to participate in community service opportunities around the city. As you know, each student is to complete 25 hours of service, 10 of which can be served in school (helping with coffeehouses, assisting in the library, etc.) by the end of the school year. While we will announce opportunities for community service throughout the spring, I encourage you to take a look at these youth volunteer opportunities because students may find a connection with an organization they truly want to invest in, which is the purpose of the program.

Speaking of service, what does it mean to think ‘green’? Gloria Bardin ’09, Ryan Kim ’09, and AJ Sims ’09 have submitted an exhibit to the Feedback exhibition at Eyebeam, 540 West 21st Street, this month. Together, they designed, built and programmed a small robotic controller and accessories to control a solar array to follow the sun. The system analyzes power information from the array and then move arms that tilt the panel so that it is at the best angle to get power from the sun. This can double the power from a stationary solar panel. The students built the project in their 11th grade technology elective. Later the array is going to Cafe Habana in Brooklyn and will be there to give power to people using laptops in the cafe. The system is made out of Lego and uses a Mindstorms NXT controller running RobotC.

This is a large exhibition with lots of artists and engineers creating sustainable projects, and the service they provide is important! The exhibition runs from March 13 – April 19, 2008, and the opening is tonight, Thursday, March 13, 6 – 8PM. The closing reception is April 19, at 3PM. 540 W. 21st St.

On another note, LREI HS will be participating in the Youth Media Arts Show taking place this Friday, March 14, from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Titus Two Theater, Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street.

From Vinay Chowdhry, Media Arts Instructor:  “LREI has had a media arts program for a number of years now and has been a leader in this field among independent schools. Much of what we do is synthesis of practice and theory. The films selected represent our great school and were chosen based on merit, content quality, educational value, and production value. It was a tough decision as we have so many talented students who have created a such good work. Our success can be claimed by everyone at LREI; media is truly an all encompassing and collaborative medium. ”

From Dr. Eric Heyworth, Director, Youth Media Arts Show:  ” On Friday, March 14, 2008 a unique event will take place in our media-rich city. Students from New York’s high schools and middle schools will come together to share the media works they have created. When students use language, the arts, technology, community investigation, teamwork, and problem solving, they are deep in the process of what education is all about. The display of student video and multi-media productions is a vivid test of authentic learning.”

While our submissions have been edited down for time, and not all of the selected films will be shown, we congratulate our students, Brendan McCormick, ’08, Gavin Cady, ’08, Laura Hallman, ’08, Oskar Peacock, ’08, Keith Nocera, ’08, Duncan Lewis, ’08, Nemo Allen, ’08, Jane Sternbach, ’08, Dash Lunde, ’08, Ava Hamilton, ’08, Jesse Towsen, ’08, Ellie Shnayer, ’09, AJ Sims, ’09, and Lola Lorber, ’09, who represent our Media Arts program beautifully.

Finally, congratulations to all who participated in An Evening with Tennesse Williams, A Series of One-Acts featuring American Blues, which will be performed at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer in Scotland. We are so proud of the cast and crew and director Meghan Farley Astrachan!

All the best,

Ruth

Updates and announcements:

Grades and comments will be available beginning March 21 on “My Backpack.” If you would like your child’s grades and comments for Trimester II sent home, please contact Adria Maynor, amaynor@lrei.org, at 212-477-5316, x323.

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

1. A message from Director Phil Kassen and Sandra “Chap” Chapman, Director of Diversity and Community:
Bring the Conversation Home – An Open Parents Association meeting. Join us on April 8th at 8:45 AM OR April 10th at 6:00 PM for a discussion and Q&A on strategies for addressing challenging diversity topics with your child(ren). Click here for more information (0313-PAmeeting). RSVP to Chap by Friday, April 4th at schapman (at) lrei.org or call at 212-477-5316, ext. 294.

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

3. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Please read the attached flyer to view their 2007-2008 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.

The following note from Phil was published for the opening celebration of the Visibility: Lesbian and Gay People We Love photo exhibit. The exhibit is currently up in the Sixth Avenue auditorium and hallway and will be there until Spring Break. Please feel free to drop in and visit this wonderful show.

Dear LREI Community.

Thank you for joining us for the opening of this year’s Visibility: Gay and Lesbian People We Love photo exhibit. I am sorry to miss this wonderful event. While not here in body, I am with you in spirit and as a fellow supporter of the School’s social justice mission. This mission was clearly present at the student organized opening at the high school last week.

Thank you to Keith and Kim, to the other members of the LGSA, to the many volunteers and to Chap for the time and energy and care that has gone into creating this show. Thank you, as well, to all who have contributed photos. Without your participation and, in many cases, your courage, this show would not be possible.

We host this exhibit every other year and are often asked the same two questions as we approach the opening. The first question concerns the goals for the exhibit. This is an excellent question and one that we spend a good deal of time discussing. As a school and as a community we need to support colleagues who are not afforded the same rights as others. LREI has always been active in the fight for equality and social justice. We host this exhibit to give voice and hope to those who must hide part of themselves from family, friends and colleagues. I have never had to hide who I love from anyone. As a matter of fact, society has always encouraged me to be very open about this part of my life—whether when I was in school or now as an adult. Yet many people risk rejection and injury for sharing this joy with family and friends. Often, when discussing the visibility exhibit, it is suggested that the prejudice against people who are lesbian or gay does not exist anymore. Unfortunately this is not so. Witness the tragic killing of Lawrence King in Oxnard, CA just a few weeks ago. King, a middle school student, was shot to death in school, reportedly because he was gay.

The second question often comes from parents of our youngest students. They ask about our sharing and discussing this exhibit with our youngest students. As you view the photos in the exhibit a number of themes will emerge for you–dignity, friendship, equality and courage, among others. But most of all, the theme or feeling or emotion that you will take away from viewing these beautiful photographs is love—love for family and friends and parents and children—and I can think of no reason that, of all things, we should ever question the appropriateness of love, the power of love, the importance of love and the right to love. This seems to me to be a wonderful topic for discussions with young children, and with people of all ages, for that matter.

Enjoy the show,

Phil

Updates and announcements:

Grades and comments will be available beginning March 21 on “My Backpack.” If you would like your child’s grades and comments for Trimester II sent home, please contact Adria Maynor, amaynor@lrei.org, at 212-477-5316, x323.

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

Please attend the March 8th Community Service Coffee House: One Night for New York’s Children: A Coffee House Benefit for the High School Community Service Roundtable. The High School Community Service Roundtable is a unique service learning program in which students work on behalf of New York City’s children, their families and their communities both through direct volunteer service and grants of financial assistance. Since 2002, the Roundtable’s Student Action for Children project has devoted hundreds of hours of volunteer service and distributed grants totaling more than $60,000 dollars to over twenty-five literacy, leadership, cultural and arts programs for children from communities throughout New York City and, when special circumstances arise, beyond.

You can be part of this worthy cause by attending this Saturday’s Community Service Coffee House, 7PM in the Charlton Street PAC. Enjoy performances by student musicians and performers, as well as hear from special guest Stephen Shames whose foundation that provides education for AIDS orphans and child soldiers in Uganda the Community Service Roundtable has supported over the past two years.

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

2. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Please read the attached flyer to view their 2007-2008 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.

Dear Families,

As you may know, tomorrow is our professional day. NAIS, National Association of Independent Schools, is hosting its annual conference in New York City this year. That means, I have the benefit of not only enjoying workshops designed for educators and division heads in independent schools from around the country, but of seeing colleagues and friends from ages ago.

My best friend from high school, Don Orth, is Director of Communications at Cate School in California, and visiting for the conference. Of course, one of the things we planned was to have him visit LREI’s high school while in town.

When we talked about his visit later, he remarked, “In any good school, the kids feel confident and comfortable, they are at home and look you in the eye when speaking to you; that’s what I found in your school.” He went on to say, “Your students are invested and involved in lots of things, not just coming to school, then leaving. And ideally, a school should be like this, like yours, but they’re rare.” Finally, he noticed that the faculty members he met, Micah, Vinay, Preethi, Peggy, just clearly seem to “love the work.”

It feels great to be able to show off this awesome community and academic experience to someone who is so thoughtful and knowledgeable about education. I am happy he recognizes how particularly special this school is; as we host prospective students during these revisit days, I have heard from those newly admitted students similar remarks. They want to be like the students they meet and see in class. They want to know their teachers as our students know theirs, and they want to be as proud of their high school as we all are.

LREI is so different than the high school Don and I attended (a private Quaker school), and that is a very good thing.

All the best,

Ruth

Updates and announcements:

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.

• Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.

• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.

1. Our Annual School Spirit Game, in which our middle school and high school basketball teams play against the faculty has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 5th at 3:30PM in the Thompson Street Athletic Center at 145 Thompson Street. This is a fun event for young and old. You are all invited to attend.

2. Please attend the March 8th Community Service Coffee House: One Night for New York’s Children: A Coffee House Benefit for the High School Community Service Roundtable. The High School Community Service Roundtable is a unique service learning program in which students work on behalf of New York City’s children, their families and their communities both through direct volunteer service and grants of financial assistance. Since 2002, the Roundtable’s Student Action for Children project has devoted hundreds of hours of volunteer service and distributed grants totaling more than $60,000 dollars to over twenty-five literacy, leadership, cultural and arts programs for children from communities throughout New York City and, when special circumstances arise, beyond. You can be part of this worthy cause by attending the March 8th Community Service Coffee House (7PM in the Charlton Street PAC). Enjoy performances by student musicians and performers, as well as hear from special guest Stephen Shames whose foundation that provides education for AIDS orphans and child soldiers in Uganda the Community Service Roundtable has supported over the past two years.

3. Please note: Six of our students have been chosen to display their photography at Synchronicity Fine Arts, 106 West 13th Street. The show runs from February 5 through March 1.

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

5. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Please read the attached flyer to view their 2007-2008 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.