Dear Families,

The Thanksgiving holiday brings many alumni back to LREI; we always look forward to these visits.  Last week, several alums from the most recent graduating class now attending top 25 schools were able to share what they missed about their high school experience and how they see the results of their progressive high school education.  Here is some of what they had to share:

“None of the first year students speak in class except me!”

“I miss homeroom…I miss the faculty…”

“The writing in college is really not that hard, compared to what we used to have to write!”

“I have turned into an ‘old lady’.  Tea and toast every night at 10:30.”

“College is so segregated.  The most segregated place I have ever been in my life.  That is the most tragic part of college.  I miss being around so many different kinds of people.”

“I feel comfortable at Tufts, but feel more comfortable at LREI.  Here, everybody really knows you and everybody loves you.”

The academic transition to college has been a successful one for the class of 2006.  Although their college experiences vary, what the uniformly say is, “I miss LREI.”  It was nice to hear!

On another note, this week, the faculty participated in a discussion about academic integrity and plagiarism led by Glenn Novarr, a teacher and former copyright lawyer from Spence School.  The presentation and discussion changed the conversation for us here.  More to come on that topic in next week’s blog.

Finally, 2007-2008 class pictures are now available on Flicker!  Thanks to photography teacher, Susan Now, who is responsible for encouraging the beautiful smiles.

All the best,

Ruth

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

• 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. Save the date for Literary Evening: Thursday, Dec. 6, 7 PM in the Charlton St. PAC. This year’s event is entitled “Kinfolk and Other Strangers,” featuring authors A.M. Homes, Marthe Jocelyn, Bliss Broyard, Porochista Khakpour, and Dominic Carter. Please plan to join the Literary Committee for an evening of literature, plus great food and drink. Flyes can be viewed and downloaded here.

2.  Chorus News from Susan Glass: The EI Singers are getting ready their annual sing at the Hudson River Guild on Thursday, Dec. 13th at 12:00 – 2:45, and the big LREI Winter Concert on Tuesday, Dec. 18th at 6:00 p.m. at the Charlton Street PAC.   Please come see our terrific singers at either one of these events!

3.  Please note, if your child is interested in participating in the Spring Break trip to Germany, applications are due on Monday, December 3.  Any questions, please contact trip coordinators Julia Heaton (jheaton@lrei.org) or Tom Murphy (tmurphy@lrei.org) for more information.  All applications must be in on time to be considered for the trip.

4. From the Community Service Committee: Please view the calendar of events.

5. Please take a look at the following letter from the LREI Lesbian Gay Straight alliance (LGSA) announcing the upcoming Visibility show.

6. Many of you have read the reports in the news about MRSA, a methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus. MRSA is a strain of bacteria that does not respond to the penicillin family of antibiotics although it is treatable with other types of antibiotics. Please read the attached letter from School Nurse Kitty Highstein about this health issue.

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). 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, After the Thanksgiving holiday, students will return for one more week of classes, with the following week, beginning Dec. 3, being their Trimester I Exam Week. Below, please find what exam week will look like in case you have any questions, or need to make particular arrangements.

Monday, Dec. 3: Regular school day. Classes will review material or complete work. All students are expected.

Tuesday, Dec. 4: Reading Day. School open regular hours. This is a day for students to prepare for exams, final papers and exhibitions. This is also an opportunity to catch up with outstanding work, work with groups for final presentations, use the Tech Center and printers around the school, etc. This is a quiet work day. Students may choose to work at school or at home. Students are not required to report to school, and it is not counted as an absence if they are not here. However, you may prefer your child to come to school for the full day to work. Please send him or her. School will be open. The Library will be open all day. All teachers will be at school regular school hours to provide the opportunity to meet with students. No classes will meet so that all teachers are available. If a student is in crisis, teachers may encourage that student to make a mandatory appointment.

Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 5-7: Exams. Exam periods are 9 AM-11 AM and 1 PM-3 PM. Each day, students should come in plenty of time for their morning exam, and students may leave after their exams are complete.

Please take a look at the following link for helpful tips for Ninth Graders preparing for high school exams for the first time. Pay particular attention to “How to Prepare for Essay Exams,” “How to Manage your Study Time,” and “How to Study for Math Tests.” Our Academic Support staff, Pat Carter and Jerry Cascio, put these documents together for a workshop last year.

Again, please let me know if you have any questions. Once the exam schedule is complete, I will send it to families.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

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

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

• November 29, 6:30 PM, Parents of students who receive academic support will be meeting in Room 13.  I will attend this meeting to address specific things that have come up over the first trimester, including foreign language exemption and applying to college.

Updates and announcements:

We remind families to only take vacations during LREI breaks and that your child’s time away from school does not begin before the school break does or end afterwards. Teachers use each scheduled day to support their classroom program goals and the School’s mission. Students who miss days adjacent to breaks, or who take vacations outside of our break times, miss work and can disrupt planned activities. This affects the learning of the absent students and her/his classmates. In addition, divisional or all-school assemblies often precede our longer vacations. These gatherings are essential for creating the sort of community that drew you to LREI. Students sing, listen to speakers, applaud their schoolmates, meet students in other divisions and generally strengthen community ties.We will not honor families’ requests to receive work their children will miss due to family vacation plans. Families that are presented with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to make an extended visit to another city, country, etc. should speak to their child’s principal.In general, we are focused on making sure that we are using each moment of each school day as effectively as possible. Part of being able to do this is to have each student in school each of these days. Thank you for your support of these efforts.

1. Save the date for Literary Evening: Thursday, Dec. 6, 7 PM in the Charlton St. PAC. This year’s event is entitled “Kinfolk and Other Strangers,” featuring authors A.M. Homes, Marthe Jocelyn, Bliss Broyard, Porochista Khakpour, and Dominic Carter. Please plan to join the Literary Committee for an evening of literature, plus great food and drink.

2. From the Community Service Committee: Please view the calendar of events, including:

• Saturday, November 17th, 11AM-1PM — LREI Arts Project at Hudson Guild. Please read the attached flyer for additional information about this annual event.

Nov 19 –21 Dollar for Thanks. We will be collecting in the Sixth Avenue lobby and the Charlton Street lobby. All proceeds will go towards purchasing a Thanksgiving turkey for a soup kitchen. LREI contact: Tatjana Kalinin – 917 371 6591

3. Please take a look at the following letter from the LREI Lesbian Gay Straight alliance (LGSA) announcing the upcoming Visibility show.

4. Would you like to contribute to a great cause and get in a good run or walk at the same time? Join the LREI Race to Deliver team! God’s Love We Deliver will hold their annual 4-mile run/walk called the Race to Deliver on Sun., Nov. 18; this year will be the first time there is an LREI team! To join, visit http://www.racetodeliver.org, click on Join a Team, and choose LREI from the list of teams. Prior to the main race, there are Fun Runs for kids, at manageable distances. It is lots of fun, the kids get goody bags, you can run, walk or cheer on the participants. Even if you don’t run, your children can participate in the kids’ runs, and any running friends you may have can sign up to be on our team as well.

5. Many of you have read the reports in the news about MRSA, a methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus. MRSA is a strain of bacteria that does not respond to the penicillin family of antibiotics although it is treatable with other types of antibiotics. Please read the attached letter from School Nurse Kitty Highstein about this health issue.

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

7. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). 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,

The faculty lounge here at our Charlton Street building, is stocked with professional resources, including “The Economist,” “Current History,” “Earth First,” and many books to encourage and support our faculty’s great work and commitment to staying informed. Recently, our high school librarian, Karyn Silverman, passed on the title of a book to me, a title which had been passed on to her from a professor at CUNY, to include in our professional resource collection. Unlike some of the other titles in the lounge, many of which have more to do with curriculum design and pedagogy, this title is one to pass on to any parent of an adolescent: Talking Adolescence: Perspectives in Communication in the Teenage Years, edited by Angie Williams and Crispin Thurlow. This is not a new book, published in 2005, but an important one for parents. In the forwarded email, the CUNY professor says the title “…is worth the price for the introduction alone.” The introduction, called “Deconstructing Adolescent Communication,” begins “Adolescence is first and foremost an economic and institutional construction, invariably marked less by chronological age and biological stage as it is by the conditions and realities established by formal education, the law and emplyment in the marketplace. Beyond that, adolescent is pretty much whatever adults say it is!”

This is a facinating issue, and the book includes such chapters as “Adult Constructions of Young People’s Communication,” “Young People’s Communication in Peer Contexts,” and “Young People in Communication with Adults.”

Talking Adolescence… is worth discussing. It is on my winter break reading list. Please let me know if you read it!

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.
• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
• November 16, 2007, Ninth Grade history trip to The Cloisters, all day.

Updates and announcements:

1. Would you like to contribute to a great cause and get in a good run or walk at the same time? Join the LREI Race to Deliver team! God’s Love We Deliver will hold their annual 4-mile run/walk called the Race to Deliver on Sun., Nov. 18; this year will be the first time there is an LREI team! To join, visit http://www.racetodeliver.org, click on Join a Team, and choose LREI from the list of teams. Prior to the main race, there are Fun Runs for kids, at manageable distances. It is lots of fun, the kids get goody bags, you can run, walk or cheer on the participants. Even if you don’t run, your children can participate in the kids’ runs, and any running friends you may have can sign up to be on our team as well.
2. Many of you have read the reports in the news about MRSA, a methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus. MRSA is a strain of bacteria that does not respond to the penicillin family of antibiotics although it is treatable with other types of antibiotics. Please read the attached letter from School Nurse Kitty Highstein about this health issue.
3. For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.
4. 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/.

From guest blogger, Phil Kassen

Dear LREI Families,

Over the next couple of weeks, each of you, across the divisions, will have the opportunity to have conferences with your child’s teacher(s) or advisor(s). These meetings are essential moments in your children’s school year as the conversations that happen on these days align the efforts of school and home, reinforcing and strengthening the work done by all. As many of you know, in the middle and high school divisions the students become the third and guiding voice in these conversations, allowing for an ever more accurate understanding of the classroom experience.

The School’s goals in these discussions are to give families a sense of the student’s experience in school, to celebrate successes and to work with the family to support areas of challenge. We look forward to hearing from students and families about these areas and to creating strategies that ensure increasing success for all. While clearly the exception, there may well be times when the educators and family members disagree about the best ways to address concerns and, as is always the case in our community, we look forward to respectful conversations about these areas as we work to reach consensus. Clearly, all share the goal of creating the best school year possible for each student.

One other thought on the essential partnership between school and family. There will be times throughout the school year when families have questions or concerns and might not be sure to whom to turn for assistance. These questions might concern the School’s educational program or might have to do with the general operation of LREI. In order to help with this question, we created a diagram, which we previously shared with those families new to LREI who attended our orientation program—LREI 101. While each situation is different, we hope this diagram helps when you are unsure who is most likely to have the answer to your question. As stated on the chart, “Look for the person most directly involved with your question or concern and contact that person first.” This can be difficult. However, finding a way to approach the person most closely involved, no matter how uncomfortable, will, more often than not, lead most quickly to an answer. When in doubt, ask anyone and we will help you to find the correct person or people with whom to confer.

Thank you all for your honest and thoughtful partnership.

Best,

Phil

Calendar:

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.
• For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
• November 9-Parent/Advisor conferences, all day. Advisors will call individual families to make an appointment.

Updates and announcements:

1. The Parents of Children of Color Breakfast is scheduled for Tuesday, November 6th at 8:00AM in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria. Many high school students will attend this event. For additional information, please view the flyer.
2. Family Book Night! Wed., Nov. 7, 6:30 to 8 PM, Charlton St. Performing Arts Center at 40 Charlton St.—A free family-friendly event that showcases our wonderful LREI librarians. Jen, Stacy, Karyn and Jesse will give their latest recommendations for all ages on the theme, “From Double Fudge to Gossip Girls: Social Class in Youth Literature.” Middle and High School students will also present book reviews of some of their latest reads. Featured titles will be on sale. Children of all ages are most welcome. There will be food and drink, plus a separate storytime space for younger children, all courtesy of the Literary Committee. Please join us for an evening all about books that will get you and your kids reading and thinking! For more information, please read the attached flyer.
3. Would you like to contribute to a great cause and get in a good run or walk at the same time? Join the LREI Race to Deliver team! God’s Love We Deliver will hold their annual 4-mile run/walk called the Race to Deliver on Sun., Nov. 18; this year will be the first time there is an LREI team! To join, visit http://www.racetodeliver.org, click on Join a Team, and choose LREI from the list of teams. Prior to the main race, there are Fun Runs for kids, at manageable distances. It is lots of fun, the kids get goody bags, you can run, walk or cheer on the participants. Even if you don’t run, your children can participate in the kids’ runs, and any running friends you may have can sign up to be on our team as well.
4. Many of you have read the reports in the news about MRSA, a methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus. MRSA is a strain of bacteria that does not respond to the penicillin family of antibiotics although it is treatable with other types of antibiotics. Please read the attached letter from School Nurse Kitty Highstein about this health issue.
5. For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.
6. 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 next meeting, on November 5 at 6:30 PM, will take place in our Charlton Street cafeteria! Also, the next seminar:

• Life Skills 101:
  Mastering the Big Transitions in Middle and Upper School
  The seminar will take place Thursday November 8, 2007 from 6:00-7:30 PM at Temple Israel located at 112 East 75th Street in New York City.
  Featured panelists will include: Bernard Dreyer, M.D. NYU Professor of Pediatrics and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Kimberly Williams Psy.D. NYU Child Study Center, Edes Gilbert Retired Head of the Spence School and President of Resource Group 175, an education consultantcy, and Bruce Breimer Principal Emeritus of Collegiate School and college consultant.
  This seminar will be moderated by Lucy Martin Gianino. Reservations are required. To place a reservation send an email to reservations@parentsinaction.org, or call NYC-Parents in Action at 212-987-9629. To view a copy of the Seminar Flyer click on http://parentsinaction.org/file/Life_Skills_Flyer.

Dear Families,

Trimester I interim grades are now available for all Ninth Graders, new students, and students earning B- and below in their classes. Please go to this link to login your name and password. Instructions with this information was mailed; if you do not know your login name and password, please email help_desk@lrei.org. Further, if you would like your child’s interims mailed, please call Adria Maynor at 212-477-5316, x323.

Please note that Arts grades for Ninth Graders are final grades for the six week rotation.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding an interim grade or comment, please contact the instructor directly or your child’s advisor. Parent/Advisor conferences are on November 9, all day. Advisors will contact all families to make the appointment. You may also request to meet with any teacher on that day, as well. Please let your child’s advisor know who you would like to see.

Remember, we have five weeks before exam week, December 3-7.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

• The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.
• Tonight! Time Management workshop, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria. Students are welcome to attend.
• High School Basketball meetings coming up this week: Boys basketball meeting (JV and Varsity), Friday October 26 3:30 at TSAC; Girls basketball meeting (JV and Varsity), Monday October 29 3:30 at TSAC. For general LREI Athletics news go to . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
• October 31-November 2-Minimester
• November 9-Parent/Advisor conferences, all day. Advisors will call individual families to make an appointment.

Updates and announcements:

1. Every Thursday through November 29, I host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria.
2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
3. From Michel de Konkoly Thege, Associate Director, regarding the Debate Series: Phil Kassen has asked me to help organize the creation of a series of debates and discussions leading up to the Presidential elections in November 2008. Our hope is to create a community forum to discuss and debate the issues, not the candidates. If you would like to be part of a small group of faculty, parents and students who will organize these debates, or if you have suggestions for debate topics, please contact me at mdekonkolythege@lrei.org or 212.477.5316, ext 319 by October 3 to let me know of your interest. I would like to convene an initial meeting of the organizing group in mid-October to discuss the format and potential content of these debates.
4. Many of you have read the reports in the news about MRSA, a methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus. MRSA is a strain of bacteria that does not respond to the penicillin family of antibiotics although it is treatable with other types of antibiotics. Please read the attached letter from School Nurse Kitty Highstein about this health issue.
5. Save the Date!!! The LREI Halloween Fair is this weekend. It is the first PA community event of this school year. It will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 1– 4PM, at the Thompson Street Athletic Center, 145 Thompson Street (just below Houston St). There will be fun games, spooky crafts, great food, and a haunted maze. Volunteer sign up sheets are located in the lobby. We need you to get involved, so take a look at the board and see what might interest you. There is also a box for donating old toys to recycle into Halloween Fair prizes. So, this is a great opportunity to clean out the toy bin and recycle at the same time. This year’s theme is Ancient Egypt with lots of mummies and pyramids. So wear your favorite costume and join us for a spooktacular good time. If you have any further questions, please contact Pam at PamDalton@aol.com or Zoe at ZedPicayo@aol.com.
6. For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.
7. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). 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/. Upcoming Seminar:

• Life Skills 101:
  Mastering the Big Transitions in Middle and Upper School
  The seminar will take place Thursday November 8, 2007 from 6:00-7:30 PM at Temple Israel located at 112 East 75th Street in New York City.
  Featured panelists will include: Bernard Dreyer, M.D. NYU Professor of Pediatrics and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Kimberly Williams Psy.D. NYU Child Study Center, Edes Gilbert Retired Head of the Spence School and President of Resource Group 175, an education consultantcy, and Bruce Breimer Principal Emeritus of Collegiate School and college consultant.
  This seminar will be moderated by Lucy Martin Gianino. Reservations are required. To place a reservation send an email to reservations@parentsinaction.org, or call NYC-Parents in Action at 212-987-9629. To view a copy of the Seminar Flyer click on http://parentsinaction.org/file/Life_Skills_Flyer.

• October 25-Time Management presentation, 6:30PM, Cafeteria, sponsored by Parents of High School Students who receive Academic Support (PHSSAS)
• October 31-November 2-Minimester! No parent coffee on Thursday, November 1, due to this special programming.
• November 9-Parent/Advisor conferences, all day. Advisors will call individual families to make an appointment.

Updates and announcements:

1. Every Thursday through November 29, I host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria
2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
3. From Michel de Konkoly Thege, Associate Director, regarding the Debate Series: Phil Kassen has asked me to help organize the creation of a series of debates and discussions leading up to the Presidential elections in November 2008. Our hope is to create a community forum to discuss and debate the issues, not the candidates. If you would like to be part of a small group of faculty, parents and students who will organize these debates, or if you have suggestions for debate topics, please contact me at mdekonkolythege@lrei.org or 212.477.5316, ext 319 by October 3 to let me know of your interest. I would like to convene an initial meeting of the organizing group in mid-October to discuss the format and potential content of these debates.”
4. Coat Drive for St. John’s Church — October 22-26: We are holding our annual coat and outerwear drive for the clients of the St. John Food Pantry. The church has asked that we focus on larger sizes this year- older teen and adult. THEY WOULD ALSO WELCOME MEN’S PANTS, JEANS, AS WELL AS NEW (IN PACKAGE) UNDERWEAR FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. Please bring your clean and gently used donations to Matthew’s room in the Middle School (push 2 in the elevator) beginning Monday, October 22rd. Thanks!
5. Save the Date!!! The LREI Halloween Fair is coming up soon. It is the first PA community event of this school year. It will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 1– 4PM, at the Thompson Street Athletic Center, 145 Thompson Street (just below Houston St). There will be fun games, spooky crafts, great food, and a haunted maze. Volunteer sign up sheets are located in the lobby. We need you to get involved, so take a look at the board and see what might interest you. There is also a box for donating old toys to recycle into Halloween Fair prizes. So, this is a great opportunity to clean out the toy bin and recycle at the same time. This year’s theme is Ancient Egypt with lots of mummies and pyramids. So wear your favorite costume and join us for a spooktacular good time. If you have any further questions, please contact Pam at PamDalton@aol.com or Zoe at ZedPicayo@aol.com.
6. For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.
7. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). 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/. Upcoming Seminar:

• Life Skills 101:
  Mastering the Big Transitions in Middle and Upper School
  The seminar will take place Thursday November 8, 2007 from 6:00-7:30 PM at Temple Israel located at 112 East 75th Street in New York City.
  Featured panelists will include: Bernard Dreyer, M.D. NYU Professor of Pediatrics and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Kimberly Williams Psy.D. NYU Child Study Center, Edes Gilbert Retired Head of the Spence School and President of Resource Group 175, an education consultantcy, and Bruce Breimer Principal Emeritus of Collegiate School and college consultant.
  This seminar will be moderated by Lucy Martin Gianino. Reservations are required. To place a reservation send an email to reservations@parentsinaction.org, or call NYC-Parents in Action at 212-987-9629. To view a copy of the Seminar Flyer click on http://parentsinaction.org/file/Life_Skills_Flyer.

Dear Families,

Last week, thirteen 11th and 12th Grade students of the new high school history elective, “Green,” headed upstate for three days and two nights of camping and “green” education. On the itinerary, a visit to John Fahnestock State Park and Glynwood Center for Sustainable Farming, a view of the geothermal plant for Howland Library, a biodiesel plant tour, a boat ride with Clearwater, which provides educational program on environmental activism, a visit and talk by Pete Seeger, and of course, many evening adventures including camping site set up, and what the students called a “van party” where they ate chili and told ghost stories to pass the time in torrential rain. It took days for the tents to dry out in our PAC balcony!

This trip not only emphasizes what we believe here, “if you don’t do it, you don’t know it,” but creates life-long memories for this terrific group of students. They returned with the sniffles, and some with full-blown colds, but all with smiles, great pictures (as you can see!), and the memories!

Please take a look at the impact the class is having on our students on their class blog site.

On another note, our own Associate Director of College Guidance, Jane S. Gabin, was asked to provide college admissions advice for the website , insideschools.com, “the independent guide to New York City public schools,” and now has a column called, “Ask the College Counselor.” The advice is really valuable; please take a look!

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

• October 23-10th Grade Potluck, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria
• October 24-Interims, midterm reports, available through Senior Systems. Interims will be written for all 9th Graders, new students in 10th and 11th Grades, and any student earning B- or below in any class. Every family will be mailed this week an instructional letter and password, and trouble-shooting instructions. In an effort to make a significant contribution to sustainability efforts here at LREI, interims will not be mailed unless requested. If you would like interims and grade reports mailed, please call Adria Maynor at 212-477-5316, x323 to make the request, and we will be happy to send them to you.
• October 25-Time Management presentation, 6:30PM, Cafeteria
• October 31-November 2-Minimester
• November 9-Parent/Advisor conferences, all day. Advisors will call individual families to make an appointment.

Updates and announcements:

1. Every Thursday through November 29, I host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria.
2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
3. From Michel de Konkoly Thege, Associate Director, regarding the Debate Series: Phil Kassen has asked me to help organize the creation of a series of debates and discussions leading up to the Presidential elections in November 2008. Our hope is to create a community forum to discuss and debate the issues, not the candidates. If you would like to be part of a small group of faculty, parents and students who will organize these debates, or if you have suggestions for debate topics, please contact me at mdekonkolythege@lrei.org or 212.477.5316, ext 319 by October 3 to let me know of your interest. I would like to convene an initial meeting of the organizing group in mid-October to discuss the format and potential content of these debates.”
4. Coat Drive for St. John’s Church — October 22-26: We are holding our annual coat and outerwear drive for the clients of the St. John Food Pantry. The church has asked that we focus on larger sizes this year- older teen and adult. THEY WOULD ALSO WELCOME MEN’S PANTS, JEANS, AS WELL AS NEW (IN PACKAGE) UNDERWEAR FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. Please bring your clean and gently used donations to Matthew’s room in the Middle School (push 2 in the elevator) beginning Monday, October 22rd. Thanks!
5. This Saturday, October 20th at 7PM in the PAC at 40 Charlton Street is the first Coffee House of the school year. The Coffee House is always a great show and an excellent opportunity to hear student and faculty performers.
6. Save the Date!!! The LREI Halloween Fair is coming up soon. It is the first PA community event of this school year. It will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2007 from 1– 4PM, at the Thompson Street Athletic Center, 145 Thompson Street (just below Houston St). There will be fun games, spooky crafts, great food, and a haunted maze. Volunteer sign up sheets are located in the lobby. We need you to get involved, so take a look at the board and see what might interest you. There is also a box for donating old toys to recycle into Halloween Fair prizes. So, this is a great opportunity to clean out the toy bin and recycle at the same time. This year’s theme is Ancient Egypt with lots of mummies and pyramids. So wear your favorite costume and join us for a spooktacular good time. If you have any further questions, please contact Pam at PamDalton@aol.com or Zoe at ZedPicayo@aol.com.
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). 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/. Upcoming Seminar:

• Life Skills 101:
  Mastering the Big Transitions in Middle and Upper School
  The seminar will take place Thursday November 8, 2007 from 6:00-7:30 PM at Temple Israel located at 112 East 75th Street in New York City.
  Featured panelists will include: Bernard Dreyer, M.D. NYU Professor of Pediatrics and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Kimberly Williams Psy.D. NYU Child Study Center, Edes Gilbert Retired Head of the Spence School and President of Resource Group 175, an education consultantcy, and Bruce Breimer Principal Emeritus of Collegiate School and college consultant.
  This seminar will be moderated by Lucy Martin Gianino. Reservations are required. To place a reservation send an email to reservations@parentsinaction.org, or call NYC-Parents in Action at 212-987-9629. To view a copy of the Seminar Flyer click on http://parentsinaction.org/file/Life_Skills_Flyer.

Dear Families,

By popular demand, and thanks to the vision of Lisa Auerbach, P’08, LREI is able to bring to you a special program from Piece of Mind Associates on Thursday, October 25, 6:30 PM. The program is designed to help parents and families help their student(s) with time management. The program includes discussion and presentation to create strategies for students and answer the following questions:

How do we measure time? How do students use their time? What is a habit? How do we classify time? What are some ways to combat procrastination?

The presentation will also demonstrate different planning systems, how to break large tasks into mini-tasks, the importance of breaks and review, the best time to take breaks, when to review for major assessments and of course, time management for all.

Speaking of time management, please take a look at this important article about the importance of sleep for young people from the October 15 issue of New York magazine.

I hope you will be able to join us for what promises to be an informative evening.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

• October 17-PSAT test for all 10th and 11th Graders
• October 23-10th Grade Potluck, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria
• October 24-Interims, midterm reports, available through Senior Systems. Interims will be written for all 9th Graders, new students in 10th and 11th Grades, and any student earning B- or below in any class. Every family will be mailed this week an instructional letter and password, and trouble-shooting instructions. In an effort to make a significant contribution to sustainability efforts here at LREI, interims will not be mailed unless requested. If you would like interims and grade reports mailed, please call Adria Maynor at 212-477-5316, x323 to make the request, and we will be happy to send them to you.
• October 25-Time Management presentation, 6:30PM, Cafeteria
• October 31-November 2-Minimester
• November 9-Parent/Advisor conferences, all day. Advisors will call individual families to make an appointment.

Updates and announcements:

1. Every Thursday through November 29, I host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria.
2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
3. From Michel de Konkoly Thege, Associate Director, regarding the Debate Series: Phil Kassen has asked me to help organize the creation of a series of debates and discussions leading up to the Presidential elections in November 2008. Our hope is to create a community forum to discuss and debate the issues, not the candidates. If you would like to be part of a small group of faculty, parents and students who will organize these debates, or if you have suggestions for debate topics, please contact me at mdekonkolythege@lrei.org or 212.477.5316, ext 319 by October 3 to let me know of your interest. I would like to convene an initial meeting of the organizing group in mid-October to discuss the format and potential content of these debates.”
4. Coat Drive for St. John’s Church — October 22-26: We are holding our annual coat and outerwear drive for the clients of the St. John Food Pantry. The church has asked that we focus on larger sizes this year- older teen and adult.  THEY WOULD ALSO WELCOME MEN’S PANTS, JEANS, AS WELL AS NEW (IN PACKAGE) UNDERWEAR FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. Please bring your clean and gently used donations to Matthew’s room in the Middle School (push 2 in the elevator) beginning Monday, October 22rd. Thanks!
5. Tonight’s session of LREI 101, an in-depth, interactive, and engaging introduction to LREI, its mission, philosophy, and diversity initiatives, is cancelled. Contact Director of Diversity and Community Chap Chapman either by phone (x294), or by e-mail schapman@lrei.org, if you have questions about LREI 101.

Dear LREI Families,

Hello. Phil Kassen here, contributing to the divisional blogs this week. Please be sure to check below to read important announcements from your division’s principals.

Three short comments this week.

1) At this point in the school year most of you have been to your division’s curriculum night. You have heard from your child’s teacher(s) and have a sense of the academic journey your children will undertake this school year. If you continue to have questions about the year’s program or about how it matches your child’s interests or needs, please contact your child’s teachers or your divisional principal.

In the divisional blogs of the past few weeks the principals have written a great deal about community and the ways in which we foster and support the development of classroom communities. This was also the topic of conversation for our LREI 101 meeting for new families this week. (New families that did not participate in LREI 101 this week should contact Chap, our Director of Diversity and Community at schapman@lrei.org to sign up for next week’s session.) I encourage you to visit the Lower School blog to read Sharon Dupree’s comments on her introduction to the Lower School community as the new principal. I also suggest that you visit the Middle School blog to read Mark Silberberg’s posting on the new Middle School advisory system. Mark and the Middle School faculty worked tirelessly over the past year to create an advisory system that meets the needs of middle school students and works to create safe comfortable places in which early adolescents can foster relationships with classmates and feel increasingly comfortable taking personal and academic risks. Finally, please visit the High School blog to read Ruth’s comments on “Gender and Sexuality, What’s Next in the Conversation,” a series of discussions and assemblies that will occur throughout the year for the High School students. I was amazed at the focused attention that our high school students brought to this difficult topic at last week’s assembly with Don McPherson. Our High School students are so trusting of each other and enjoy being challenged to be their best selves individually and their best collective self. Very impressive!

2) Please visit www.lrei.org and experience the fresh look of the home page. In addition, we are excited to let you know that the LREI Event Calendar can be accessed online at http://www.lrei.org/calendar/. From the main page you can view the calendar, by day, week or month. When you first view the calendar, you will see the events for a default set of event categories.

If you click on the “Filter Events” link in the lower left-hand corner, you will be taken to a window that will allow you to personalize the calendar. For example, sports schedules are not included in the default set of events. If your child plays on a Middle School or High School team, you can check the box for that team to have the schedule appear on your calendar. When you make changes, click on the “Apply Filter” button to have your new preferences stored.

If you have a desktop calendar or PDA compatible with the iCalendar standard you can subscribe to a calendar or download events. Currently the iCalendar standard is fully supported by Apple’s iCal, and the Mozilla Calendar. If your calendar software cannot subscribe to a whole category of events, you should still be able to download a category. To subscribe to or download the whole calendar or a specific category, click on the link “Subscribe & Download” in the lower left-hand corner of the main calendar page. You can also download individual events by clicking on the link “copy this event into your personal desktop calendar” which you will find on each page that lists event details.

We hope that this calendar will provide an additional avenue for you to be connected to the many events at LREI.

3) Thanks to those who offered thoughts and suggestions about the dangerous crossing at Houston St. and Sixth Ave. We are working with the Sixth Precinct and our City Councilperson to address this situation. In the meantime I encourage you to avoid crossing Houston St. on the east side of Sixth Avenue.

Calendar:

• October 5-School closed, Professional Day
• October 8-Columbus Day, School Closed
• October 17-PSAT test for all 10th and 11th Graders

Updates and announcements:

1. Beginning September 27, every Thursday through November 29, I will host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria.
2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
3. From Michel de Konkoly Thege, Associate Director, regarding the Debate Series: Phil Kassen has asked me to help organize the creation of a series of debates and discussions leading up to the Presidential elections in November 2008. Our hope is to create a community forum to discuss and debate the issues, not the candidates. If you would like to be part of a small group of faculty, parents and students who will organize these debates, or if you have suggestions for debate topics, please contact me at mdekonkolythege@lrei.org or 212.477.5316, ext 319 by October 3 to let me know of your interest. I would like to convene an initial meeting of the organizing group in mid-October to discuss the format and potential content of these debates.”
4. A reminder for families new to LREI: LREI 101 will provide an in-depth, interactive, and engaging introduction to LREI, its mission, philosophy, and diversity initiatives. This orientation session will offer you an opportunity to understand our core values as you begin to take part in activities that help you become a member of the LREI community. LREI 101 will be held on Thursday, October 11 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm at 40 Charlton Street. Please contact the receptionist at 212-477-5316 to let us know which session you will attend. Contact Director of Diversity and Community Chap Chapman either by phone (x294), or by e-mail schapman@lrei.org, if you have questions about LREI 101.

Dear Families,

Today, Don McPherson, former college (Syracuse University) and professional athlete (Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Oilers), featured on “Nightline” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, board member of the Ms. Foundation and founder and executive director of the Sports Leadership Institute at Adelphi University, spoke to our students as the first speaker in a series called, “Gender and Sexuality, What’s Next in the Conversation.” His talk touched on quite a few issues surrounding gender and power. As a former professional athlete and as someone in the spotlight, he uses his time to address violence prevention, reducing violence against women, masculinity, what it means to be a man, and ending homophobia. He was able to connect with students right away, as he understands that often society asks that students “make good decisions about difficult issues with little information.”

We are fortunate to have had him here, as he had inspired conversations that I hope come home with your child (or children!) tonight.

This series, which includes eight different assemblies over the course of the 2007-2008 school year and smaller group workshops, is meant to continue to support and create more safe space for our diverse population. It is critical for us to use our assembly time as “class time.” Assembly is a place where we all learn, students, faculty and staff together, and this educational experience strengthens our bond as we work to better understand the issues facing us in the world, especially in an election year. At the same time, as our school’s mission encourages, we create opportunities for our students to explore issues “beyond celebration” and often, this is difficult for us to do. While some of the topics, which include human rights, national and international issues, challenge us all, the dialogue is important and we are excited to begin the dialogue.

As assembly speakers are confirmed, I will add the speaker information and flyer to this blog, and if you would like to attend any of them, please feel free.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

Please be reminded that tomorrow is class picture day! While we do not take individual portrait photographs, class pictures will be available for purchase online through a photo-sharing website. I will update the purchasing information as it comes.

• September 28, 11:00-1:00 PM-Class pictures, PAC
• October 2, 6:30 PM- 9^th grade potluck and meeting with our Student Wellness team.
• October 5-School closed, Professional Day
• October 8-Columbus Day, School Closed
• October 17-PSAT test for all 10th and 11th Graders

Updates and announcements:

1. Beginning September 27, every Thursday through November 29, I will host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria.
2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
3. From Michel de Konkoly Thege, Associate Director, regarding the Debate Series: Phil Kassen has asked me to help organize the creation of a series of debates and discussions leading up to the Presidential elections in November 2008. Our hope is to create a community forum to discuss and debate the issues, not the candidates. If you would like to be part of a small group of faculty, parents and students who will organize these debates, or if you have suggestions for debate topics, please contact me at mdekonkolythege@lrei.org or 212.477.5316, ext 319 by October 3 to let me know of your interest. I would like to convene an initial meeting of the organizing group in mid-October to discuss the format and potential content of these debates.”
4. A reminder for families new to LREI: LREI 101 will provide an in-depth, interactive, and engaging introduction to LREI, its mission, philosophy, and diversity initiatives. This orientation session will offer you an opportunity to understand our core values as you begin to take part in activities that help you become a member of the LREI community. LREI 101 will be held on Wednesday, October 3 from 8:45am – 10am at 272 Sixth Avenue, and then again on Thursday, October 11 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm at 40 Charlton Street. Please contact the receptionist at 212-477-5316 to let us know which session you will attend. Contact Director of Diversity and Community Chap Chapman either by phone (x294), or by e-mail schapman@lrei.org, if you have questions about LREI 101.

Photo: Susan Now

Dear Families,

This has been an eventful and memorable week for our students. Ninth Graders continue to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery at Ramapo in Rhinebeck, NY; Tenth Graders arrived today to participate in team building, risk taking and group bonding until tomorrow afternoon. I look forward to their return, as I know that the spirit they create together will carry through the school year. The team building and bonding I witnessed was absolutely inspiring; I am deeply impressed with the Class of 2011 in their willingness to play, to have fun, to support each other, and to get to know their classmates. They are a generous and creative group, mindful and thoughtful, and a perfect match to the equally spirited Class of 2010.

At the same time, our upperclassmen participated in an important event today. First thing this morning, the Eleventh and Twelfth Grades left to travel to East New York to perform community service in six different community gardens but also learn about technology, sustainability and urban agriculture by senior gardeners. Not only do our students have the opportunity to participate in this intergenerational experience, they help to support the lovely gardens in this economically disadvantaged neighborhood. Additionally, the Youth Farm provides produce for a local greenmarket, which was founded by students of the United Community Center/East New York Farms. To offer fresh produce in an underserved neighborhood offers much in a place that historically has few, to no, options for healthy foods. When they returned, they were tired but excited about the impact they felt they had today and by what was learned. A teacher brought me some fresh sage, which scent fills my office as I write, and in fact, many seniors piled into my office to tell me that we should have more opportunities like the one they had today. With the success of the Community Service Roundtable, led by Nick O’Han, and with our new community service coordinator and science teacher, Rebecca Leahy, we will keep an eye out for more opportunities like this one.

Finally, I am so proud of this high school (we really do enjoy the most inspiring, thoughful student body), and thrilled the weather has cooperated with our plans so far!

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

• September 25, 6:30 PM- 12^th grade Potluck and college meeting, Cafeteria.
• September 28, 11:00-1:00 PM-Class pictures, PAC
• October 2, 6:30 PM- 9^th grade potluck and meeting with our Student Wellness team.
• October 5-School closed, Professional Day
• October 8-Columbus Day, School Closed
• October 17-PSAT test for all 10th and 11th Graders

Updates and announcements:

1. Beginning September 27, every Thursday through November 29, I will host a very informal morning coffee from 7:45 to 8:15 AM in the cafeteria.
2. If you would like to be a parent rep, please contact Ronnie Halper, P’11 and Vice President of the Parent Association at rsh@panix.com
3. Our efforts to create a safe and inclusive community continue into the 2007-2008 school year. High School teacher, Ileana Jimenez received a summer grant to help implement a series of events exploring gender and sexuality. The Gender and Sexuality Series: What’s Next in the Conversation? begins this fall and will include book circles for faculty, film screenings, performances and guest speakers. There will be eight assemblies this year for high school students, beginning with keynote speaker, former NFL player Donald G. McPherson on September 27, 2007. Please check out more information about Don here.
4. Class picture day is Friday, September 28, 2007! Parents will have the opportunity to purchase copies of the pictures through a photo sharing website. More information and link to come…
5. From Sandra “Chap” Chapman, Director of Diversity and Community:

Dear Families,

I hope your and your child(ren) experienced a fulfilling first few days of school. I would like to inform you of our orientation session for families of children that are new to LREI.

LREI 101 will provide an in-depth, interactive, and engaging introduction to LREI, its mission, philosophy, and diversity initiatives. This orientation session will offer you an opportunity to understand our core values as you begin to take part in activities that help you become a member of the LREI community.

LREI 101 will be held on Wednesday, October 3 from 8:45am – 10am at 272 Sixth Avenue, and then again on Thursday, October 11 from 6:30pm – 8:00pm at 40 Charlton Street. Please contact the receptionist at 212-477-5316 to let us know which session you will attend. Contact me either by phone (x294), or by e-mail schapman@lrei.org, if you have questions about LREI 101.

I look forward to further discussions with you about LREI.

Best,

Sandra (Chap) Chapman

Director of Diversity & Community