September 14, 2007

Summer accomplishments

Dear Families,

Although the summer seems far away, I have to share some of the extraordinary things our faculty accomplished over the summer. What they accomplished says a lot about their dedication to education and their energy levels!

Our drama teacher, Meghan Astrachan, went to clown college (but has yet to reveal her red nose), and our art substitute and Chinese teacher, Guo-Qing Heaton, traveled to Japan to show her sculpture art to various galleries. Several faculty members went to Europe, one flew over Europe to trek the Himalayas, one to the French Alps, one to Russia, and a few instructors visited Wisconsin (for unrelated reasons!). A few of our teachers taught over the summer. History teacher Tom Murphy and English teacher Julia Heaton both taught for Prep for Prep, Vin Scialla taught at a music performance school, our dance teacher, Peggy Peloquin taught at the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont, math/science teacher Benjamin Rubin taught at 826 Valencia, author Dave Eggers tutoring program in San Francisco, and college counselor Jane Gabin taught at the very popular College Admission Prep Camp at UC Berkeley. Other teachers took classes. In addition to travelling to Japan, Guo-Qing also traveled to China to begin the process of Advanced Placement certification for Chinese, and Mark Bledstein, who begins his 40^th year of teaching at LREI took classes at the University of Washington, the premier university for Asian Studies to study “Perspectives on the Modern,” and Ileana Jimenez went to the Iowa’s Writer’s Conference to begin her teaching memoir. While many of relaxed this summer, many faculty members worked. Susan Now, our photography teacher, traveled to Sri Lanka to shoot a cookbook and volunteered at a Cambodian orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS, our science chair, Preethi Thomas, worked at the Virginia Air and Space Museum in the military division. Our school nurse Joanne Gouge continued to develop her talents as a basket weaver, and math teacher Peter Bonfanti indulged his passion for bridge, by competing in a bridge tournament in Nashville. Other faculty members enjoyed internships, honeymoons, childbirth, childcare and recent engagements. After hearing about the travels, all of the stories and the good news, we feel we are a very lucky group, indeed.

The first few days of school revealed most interesting, individual and excited students. We are catching up with the students we know, and getting to know our newest members. All in all, school feels great and we are getting down to work. I invite you to stop by and take a look!

There are a few important calendar dates for families for the first few weeks of school.

Please note:

Monday, September 17, at 6:30 PM is Curriculum Night. Not only will you meet your child’s teachers, you will have the opportunity to learn more about Senior Systems, our internet based system used for student schedules, grades and comments, and directory information.
September 19 through September 21 is our annual 9^th and 10^th grade trip to Ramapo Outdoor Educational Center in Rhinebeck, New York. 9^th grade will leave on Wednesday, 10^th will leave on Thursday and all return on Friday by 1PM. We will dismiss 9^th and 10^th grade students upon return.
September 25, 6:30 PM is the 12^th grade potluck, cafeteria.
October 2, 6:30 PM is the 9^th grade potluck and meeting with our Student Wellness team.

More important announcements and dates are listed below. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your child’s advisor or me.

All the best,

Ruth

Updates and announcements:

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.
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
Please take a look at the Parent Association Welcome Fair details!
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. There will be more about this series in next week’s blog.
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…
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

August 9, 2007

Welcome back!

Dear Families,

Welcome to a new year! We have had a terrific summer here at Charlton Street. There have been several summer programs using the classrooms and cafeteria, and many LREI faculty members (including one who just moved to an apartment next door) have been here in the past few weeks. Our faculty has been hard at work this summer, with time for rest and relaxation. Several have used the summer to work on grants, take classes, and teach classes to students preparing for the academic challenges of private high school. There is no question, come September 6, the first day of school, we will be ready to go. We are looking forward to a fantastic year.

Let me share just some of the highlights, changes and dates to note for the beginning of the school year:

· In September, parents and students will have access to an internet-based program that will allow families to easily access password protected information such as:

o Online inquiries and applications

o Student’s schedule of enrolled classes

o Homework assignments

o Grades and comments

o Current year attendance

o Current report card

Again, all access is secure. While each family will have access to one’s personal information, families will not have access to each other’s. With this system, we can make grades and comments available almost immediately, families can change contact information with a click of a button (and all of our records here are simultaneously updated) and faculty and advisors can access contact information quickly, wherever they are. We are excited about this program and Tim Cooper, High School Technology Coordinator and Tech Department Chairperson will conduct informational (and informal) sessions at the first Parent Rep meeting, 6:30 PM, September 11 and at Curriculum Night, September 17, 2007. He has also created a handy information packet, which will be available to families if you cannot attend one of the sessions.

As you may know, our student government is a very active and motivated group. One of the things our 2006-2007 student government members worked on was clarifying with the faculty the more unclear aspects of the student handbook. One area of particular concern was that of attendance as it relates to one’s academic achievement, extra-curricular activities and physical education. As a result, this area of the student handbook now reflects this teamwork.

From the 2007-2008 High School Student Handbook:

Among the fundamental obligations of those who accept membership in a community is regular attendance. Our academic program emphasizes community. Students learn best, not only from instructors, but also from each other. Therefore, attendance is key to academic success here. The school has developed policies to deal with lateness, and with excessive or unexcused absence.

Yearlong and Trimester Course Attendance Policy

o 10 days absent or 20% of classes missed will result in automatic F/NC.

o 5 days absent will result in automatic grade reduction on the 6^th day, unless the Instructor, the Department Chair, and Principal meet to evaluate the situation or there is required documentation from a medical professional (other than a family member).

o If a student misses more than 20 minutes of a class for any reason, that student will be marked as absent from that class.

o Any major illness will require documentation from a medical professional (other than a family member) to the Principal and School Nurse.

o In a 6-week rotation, 20% of classes missed will result in an F/NC.

o If a student misses more than 2 periods during the school day, the student will be marked as absent.

Extra-curricular Activities, College Trips and Attendance

o If a student arrives to school past A block, or past 9:30 AM for any reason, it is counted as an official absence, and they cannot participate in after school activities, including sports practices and games, and rehearsals for productions and concerts. Students are not expected to be in school past 9:00 PM for school meetings, rehearsals, study groups, etc.

o College trips, which are excused, are limited to four in the 12^th grade. Documentation must be provided. Students are responsible for collecting assignments. If a student misses a test or an assessment when absent, he or she must take it the next day.

o Students may not be at school for events and rehearsal past 9 PM.

PE and Attendance

o Students sign up for Mon-Wed, Tues-Thurs, or Karate Wed-Thurs. It will appear on a student’s schedule like any other class.

o If a student is participating in a sport, the student is exempt for that trimester.

o If a student drops out of a sport, the student may not join a class for full credit.

o Each class will have the same attendance/cut policy as all academic classes. Miss 20% and students receive no credit.

o There is no making up PE; if a student fails for one trimester, students may sign up for two different classes the next trimester (two classes would be 4 days a week).

o Exemptions are granted only if a student is competitive in a sport or physical activity. Documentation is required.

Thanks to the student government and to the faculty for making this complicated issue a clear one for this school year!

As we do every year, we will have grade-level potluck dinners. They are informative and provide families with the opportunity for fellowship. All potlucks begin at 6:30 PM in our cafeteria or in the PAC.

o 9th grade potluck: October 2, 2007 (This potluck will also include discussion on the topics of student wellness and responsibility in high school with school psychologist Dr. Andrew Weiss and school nurse Joanne Gouge, R.N.)

o 10th grade potluck: October 23, 2007

o 11th grade potluck: January 15, 2008 (This potluck is also college night for Eleventh Grade families)

o 12th grade potluck: September 25, 2007.

We have added a college night for Tenth Grade families! This informative evening program will introduce students and their families to the college process on April 22, 2008 at 6:30 PM

Other important dates to keep in mind:

o New Student Orientation for all students new to the high school: September 5, 9:30 AM

o First Day of School: September 6, 8:30 AM

o September 11 Concert in Washington Square Park, featuring the LREI Step Team and the EI Jazz Band, September 11, 12:00-4:00 PM

o High School Parent Rep. Meeting: September 11, 6:30 PM (Parent Rep meetings meet every second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM, except January, when the meeting is on the first Tuesday)

o High School Curriculum Night: September 17, 6:30 PM

o Overnight retreat for Ninth and Tenth Grades: September 19, 20 and 21

o Class picture day: September 28, 11:00 AM

o Minimester, October 31-November 2

o Parent/Advisor conferences, November 9, all day.

· Both new and returning teachers are full of enthusiasm for what promises to be a wonderful year. Our new science teacher, Rebecca Leahy, is coming to us from Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, Florida. Prior to her experience at Lincoln High School, Rebecca spent ten years teaching biology, chemistry, and ecology as Science Chairperson at The Beekman School here in Manhattan, where she was also Dean of Students. She has a BA in Multidisciplinary Studies in Science from Stony Brook University, an MA in Environmental Conservation from NYU, School of Education. She offers so much to our community; we feel fortunate to have her join our team and are thrilled to welcome her.

· Finally, in other news, Sunny Kim, our wonderful choral director, has decided to return to Korea. While this is a great loss for us, she is very excited about the change and will keep in touch. We will keep you posted as we attempt to fill her shoes. Also, High School Librarian, Karyn Silverman and her husband welcomed their new son to the family on July 31. Welcome to the world, Kieran!

I look forward to a productive, exciting and safe year. If I can do anything to assist you and your family in the transition from summer to the school year, please let me know.

Finally, starting September 27, I will host a very informal drop-in morning for parents and families who want to see how things are going, or just have a cup of coffee on the way to work. Drop-in mornings for the first trimester will be every Thursday morning, from 7:45-8:15 AM.

Best,

Ruth

June 7, 2007

Dear Families, Tonight is the Senior Banquet and …

Dear Families,

Tonight is the Senior Banquet and tomorrow is graduation. Bittersweet events. Tonight, Micah will sing the following song in The Class of 2007’s honor:

Too Cool For High School (2007) by Micah Dov Gottlieb

The Year 20-03 they began,
Had a rough start but hit their feet and ran.
Their was strife in their life, that can always be said,
In this City, in a school named Little Red,
Dreamers, Writers, Schemers, look how they have grown
Learned a few things, this they’ve shown

That They Are:
Too Cool For High School 4X

It’s a Story that never ends,
About a rag-tag group that became friends.
Actors, Poets, Photographers, see worlds through their eyes
Musicians and Artists with dreams to realize
Dancers and Singers who know they’ll be stars
What really scares me is that they can drive cars

But They Are:
Too Cool For High School 4X

Lisa Rakhel Leah, Alex Brunnell
Sebastian Graham Genesis, Kristin Danielle

Adrianne Al Amara, Shameena Khan
Dana Bruno Elle and Shelley will soon be gone

Hanna Beau Kortney, Melissa Ricky
Kamillah Jerelyn Sara, Nick and Lily

Shenique Samantha Yanirys, Naida Zach
Molly Jesse Sophia Bella please come back

That you are:
Too Cool For High School

Please take a look at the summer newsletter; you do not want to miss excerpts from the graduation speeches.

Have a wonderful, safe summer. Thanks for a terrific year.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar

June

8 Graduation, 1:00 PM, The Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts @ NYU
566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York City. RSVP & Ticket Policy for parents of graduating seniors: Seats for the LREI Commencement are limited. All attendees MUST have a ticket to enter the Skirball Center.

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

1. Please join LREI families, faculty and administrators on the first ever LREI float in the Gay Pride Parade, Sunday June 24, 2007. We leave Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street at noon. High school students can receive three hours of community service credit by helping out. We will have music, kids, and fun–all are welcome!

2. Please be reminded that all students must complete 25 hours of community service this school year. If hours are not completed by June 8, students will have to complete their hours during the summer, but Ruth must approve the community service opportunity.

There are many opportunities available to students now that spring is here! Opportunities include several spring clean-up opportunities through the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. Check out the calendar of opportunities offered by LREI for the rest of the school year.

3. Thank you to all of you who have served as Parent Representatives during the 2006-2007 school year. Your attention to the children is much appreciated. If you would like to be a Parent Rep during the 2007-2008 school year, email Kasey Picayo at picayosmith@aol.com

4. To all families who have children participating in the LREI extracurricular sports program: In order to make sure that you receive timely notifications about changes to the practice or game schedules, we have created an email list that we will be using to provide these updates. If you child participates on an LREI sports team, we ask that you go to LREI SPORTS where you will be able to subscribe to the list. The instructions are posted on this page. After you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation email and instructions for how to reply. This email will be followed by a welcome email that will give you additional information about the list. Please note that subscribers to the list will not be able to post to the list. The list is for information distribution from the school. If you need to respond to an update, please respond directly to Marcus (mchang@lrei.org) or Larry (lkaplan@lrei.org). These updates will also go to coaches who will include this revised information in subsequent emails to their team lists. When you receive an email from this list , the subject line will indicate the group for which it is intended (e.g., [LREI-Sports] HS Baseball). If your child is not a member of the indicated team, you can delete the email without reading it. We do not expect the volume of this list to be that high so this should not be a problem. As we pilot this list, please send Marcus and Larry any feedback that you think would help us to refine this process. Thank you!

5. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

As always, please browse the web site at www.lrei.org. Also, note the links to the Middle and Lower School weekly emails on the right. Please take a look at what the students in the other two divisions are up to!

May 31, 2007

Dear Families, In the midst of preparing for final…

Dear Families,
In the midst of preparing for finals, our students once again demonstrated the mission and goals of the school. On Tuesday afternoon, over 60 kids filed into the cafeteria to work on a very important project introduced to us by Amy Shapiro, Director of College Guidance. The Art Miles Mural Project is an “interactive initiative that spreads inspiration around the world. Donated shoes [and sneakers! In our case, NY Knicks team member, Stephen Marbury donated 100 pairs of sneakers for us to paint] painted by community Peace Paint Ambassadors are shipped internationally to children in need.” The sneakers our students painted with messages of peace and hope, will eventually be sent to disarmed child soldiers in Uganda. However, they will be on display at the United Nations on June 5, to send a different message. The shoes painted by LREI students will be displayed to announce how “1,000,000 students will measure the use of greenhouse gases with the aim of reducing it by 25 billion tons–sharing, monitoring, measuring and evaluating it together on line over the next 3 years.” As consistent sustainability education is something we are moving toward as an institution, we are excited to participate in this effort.

While our students are reminded of the importance of their own contribution to environmental action through such things as assemblies and community service projects, the students who volunteered three hours of time after school to paint 100 pairs of shoes only had one thing in mind: the kids who would ultimately be putting the sneakers on their feet. Their messages of peace included song lyrics and images of hope (a sun rising, toes in grass, hearts), and each student wrote a note to include with each pair. The notes revealed the messages they have heard themselves, they who are lucky enough to have families who care for them, a good education, a safe place to go to school, and a safe place to return to. Consideration and action on behalf of others are important aspects of progressive education; every opportunity we get to think outside of ourselves is an important one to take.

As you know, 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 is to express our educational experience to those in the world of work. Last night, senior class parents, faculty, eleventh graders and guests enjoyed the terrific Senior Project Presentation Evening. This evening 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 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 fulfilled the requirements for graduation. Congratulations to all of them and thank all of the faculty mentors who provided guidance and support throughout the process. Special thanks to the senior project coordinators, Adele Pelz and Antonio Valle, who provided the vision, the organization and the rehearsal direction.

All the best,

Ruth

June
2 Prom at AVEenue Loft, 15 West 28th Street, Suite 10B, 9:00 PM-12:00 AM
7 Senior Banquet, 6:30 PM, PAC. Senior class guests are limited to 2 people per senior. Please RSVP to Adria Maynor, extension 323.
8 Graduation, 1:00 PM, The Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts @ NYU
566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York City. RSVP & Ticket Policy for parents of graduating seniors: Seats for the LREI Commencement are limited. All attendees MUST have a ticket to enter the Skirball Center.

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

4. From our librarians:

Exciting news! The library will be migrating to a new computer catalog during June. Our current catalog and circulation software has become outdated, and is no longer accessible from most of our computers. The new software allows for catalog access from any computer via the internet, so our students will be able to check holdings from anywhere in the building or elsewhere– including home! The new system has numerous additional advantages, and once it is running we will let you know so that you can explore the options.

There is only one complication–to ensure the smoothest possible transition, we need to close circulation of all library materials for several weeks. All library materials must be returned by Friday, June 1st. Your students have been and will continue to receive overdue notices and reminders, but it would be a great help if you could look around your homes and urge your student(s) to bring in those piles of books left from a research project during Trimester I!

5. To all families who have children participating in the LREI extracurricular sports program: In order to make sure that you receive timely notifications about changes to the practice or game schedules, we have created an email list that we will be using to provide these updates. If you child participates on an LREI sports team, we ask that you go to LREI SPORTS where you will be able to subscribe to the list. The instructions are posted on this page. After you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation email and instructions for how to reply. This email will be followed by a welcome email that will give you additional information about the list. Please note that subscribers to the list will not be able to post to the list. The list is for information distribution from the school. If you need to respond to an update, please respond directly to Marcus (mchang@lrei.org) or Larry (lkaplan@lrei.org). These updates will also go to coaches who will include this revised information in subsequent emails to their team lists. When you receive an email from this list , the subject line will indicate the group for which it is intended (e.g., [LREI-Sports] HS Baseball). If your child is not a member of the indicated team, you can delete the email without reading it. We do not expect the volume of this list to be that high so this should not be a problem. As we pilot this list, please send Marcus and Larry any feedback that you think would help us to refine this process. Thank you!

6. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

7. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student’s progress in any given class. Thank you.

8. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

May 24, 2007

Dear Families, Traditionally, Memorial Day weeken…

Dear Families,

Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of summer. Last night, we hosted our annual new student reception, and celebrated (with strawberries, of course!) not only the end of the school year, but the beginning of summer, and looked forward to the fall. Our student hosts, current community members in Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Grades, were welcoming, encouraging and excited to meet their new school mates.

Every new student received a gift bag, which included a t-shirt, and a folder to keep. The folder contains important information, including a description of the 2007 summer reading assignments. While some may not consider summer work appropriate for a gift bag, in fact it actually is. What our students are receiving is a gift from their teachers. Not only do they receive the confidence that they as students will be able to enjoy and complete the assignments on their own, but the message that education does not stop once school is out is an important one to receive. Our students should be reminded that they have the luxury of living the life of the mind. They are given books, assignments are thoughtfully considered and rooted in the curriculum. Our assignments ensure that every student enters with something to talk about with a classmate, something to say in class, something to discuss with a teacher, something to connect him or her to LREI. As we are thinking of them all summer, they will undoubtedly be thinking of us. I encourage you to take a look at the assignments, which teachers will go over in classes in the next two weeks, and if you have any questions, please be sure to connect with any particular teacher before the summer vacation.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

25 Field Day, 8:30 AM. All Twelfth Graders must attend.
28 Memorial Day, school closed
29 Honors Project Breakfast, Room 10, 8:00 AM; Rehearsals for senior project presentations, all day.
30 Graduation rehearsal, 8:30 AM; Senior Project Presentation Evening, 6:30 PM

June
2 Prom
7 Senior Banquet, 6:30 PM, PAC. Senior class guests are limited to 2 people per senior. Please RSVP to Adria Maynor, extension 323.
8 Graduation, 1:00 PM, The Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts @ NYU
566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York City. RSVP & Ticket Policy for parents of graduating seniors: Seats for the LREI Commencement are limited. All attendees MUST have a ticket to enter the Skirball Center. Each graduating senior is allotted a maximum of six tickets. All other attendees may request tickets which will be available on a first come – first served basis. Please contact Adria Maynor with your ticket requests by May 18. Telephone:(212) 477-5316 x 323 E-mail: amaynor@lrei.org

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

1. Thank you to the High School Parent Representatives for their hard work. If you are interested in continuing as a rep next year or would like to volunteer to serve as rep for the 2007-2008 school year, please let Kasey Picayo know. You can email Kasey at picayosmith@aol.com.

Also, please fill out the PA ballot and return to the reception desk at the Sixth Avenue or Charlton Street buildings by Wednesday, May 30th. Hard copies are also available at the reception desks.

3. On Friday, May 25th, we will hold our annual Field Day at Pier 40. This is a wonderful school event in which students from all three divisions will have the opportunity to participate in a fun-filled day of recreational activities. Students will spend the first part of the day in activities with their buddies. The younger lower school classes will return to the school after this while the third through twelfth grades will participate in a variety of activities in mixed age groups.

Students will need to bring their own lunch along with a container of water. (No nuts or seeds, please.) Plastic bottles are fine, but please no glass containers! Clothing should be comfortable and easy to move in, shorts or sweatpants and athletic shoes. No sandals. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are strongly recommended.

Finally, it is very important for students to arrive at school on time, by 8:30AM. We will return to school in time for 1:00PM dismissal. Fours through First Grade will be dismissed at 12:45PM

Thank you for your cooperation. We are looking forward to an exciting day!

Thank you,

Field Day Organizers

4. Thank you to all of you who have served as Parent Representatives during the 2006-2007 school year. Your attention to the children is much appreciated. If you would like to be a Parent Rep during the 2007-2008 school year, email Kasey Picayo at picayosmith@aol.com

5. From our librarians:

6. To all families who have children participating in the LREI extracurricular sports program: In order to make sure that you receive timely notifications about changes to the practice or game schedules, we have created an email list that we will be using to provide these updates. If you child participates on an LREI sports team, we ask that you go to LREI SPORTS where you will be able to subscribe to the list. The instructions are posted on this page. After you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation email and instructions for how to reply. This email will be followed by a welcome email that will give you additional information about the list. Please note that subscribers to the list will not be able to post to the list. The list is for information distribution from the school. If you need to respond to an update, please respond directly to Marcus (mchang@lrei.org) or Larry (lkaplan@lrei.org). These updates will also go to coaches who will include this revised information in subsequent emails to their team lists. When you receive an email from this list , the subject line will indicate the group for which it is intended (e.g., [LREI-Sports] HS Baseball). If your child is not a member of the indicated team, you can delete the email without reading it. We do not expect the volume of this list to be that high so this should not be a problem. As we pilot this list, please send Marcus and Larry any feedback that you think would help us to refine this process. Thank you!

7. The 14th annual LREI camping trip will be held on the weekend of June 1-3. 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.

Click here for more information. We will have a sign-up table for a few mornings at LREI in May, when we get closer to the camping trip weekend.

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 e-mail to Larry White (Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu).

Organizers:
Neil Capobianco (CapobiancoN@gtlaw.com)
Seth Tapper (sethtapper@yahoo.com)
Dave Trumbull (dave.trouble@gmail.com)
Larry White (Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu)

8. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

9. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student’s progress in any given class. Thank you.

10. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

May 17, 2007

Dear Families, Over thirty high school students w…

Dear Families,

Over thirty high school students will be walking in the annual AIDS walk this Sunday to raise money for education and research. As they gear up for this fun-filled, challenging, and important event, they remind me of my own HIV/AIDS education. I think it actually started in middle school, when I first heard of Ryan White, who became the face of AIDS in the mid-80s. I remember being so impressed with him because he was able to befriend my idols, Elton John and Michael Jackson. I did not quite understand what AIDS was,even after the prerequisite high school health class. Our students, in their life issues classes, have the opportunity to discuss the issues of health and wellness, and leave the class with substantial awareness. Still, when it comes to decision making, adolescents can’t help but have an “it won’t happen to me” attitude.

In fact, the face of AIDS for most of our students, unless affected personally, is an orphan child’s face from Africa. Yet, AIDS is still too prevalent in their generation.

From the CDC:

STATISTICS

HIV/AIDS in 2004

The following are based on data from the 35 areas with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting.*

* An estimated 4,883 young people received a diagnosis of HIV infection or AIDS, representing about 13% of the persons given a diagnosis during that year.
* HIV infection progressed to AIDS more slowly among young people than among all persons with a diagnosis of HIV infection. The following are the proportions of persons in whom HIV infection did not progress to AIDS within 12 months after diagnosis of HIV infection:
o 81% of persons aged 15–24
o 70% of persons aged 13–14
o 61% of all persons
* African Americans were disproportionately affected by HIV infection, accounting for 55% of all HIV infections reported among persons aged 13–24.
* Young men who have sex with men (MSM), especially those of minority races or ethnicities, were at high risk for HIV infection. In the 7 cities that participated in CDC’s Young Men’s Survey during 1994–1998, 14% of African American MSM and 7% of Hispanic MSM aged 15–22 were infected with HIV.
* During 2001–2004, in the 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting, 62% of the 17,824 persons 13–24 years of age given a diagnoses of HIV/AIDS were males, and 38% were females.

Age of persons with HIV infection or AIDS diagnosed during 2004

No. = 38,730 Around less than 1% for persons less than 13 years of age Around 13% for persons between 13 and 24 years of age Around 26% for persons between 25 and 34 years of age Around 34% for persons between 35 and 44 years of age Around 19% for persons between 45 and 54 years of age Around 6% of persons between 55 and 64 years of age Around 2% of persons over 65 years of age

Note. Based on data from 35 areas with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting.

AIDS in 2004

* An estimated 2,174 young people received a diagnosis of AIDS (5.1% of the estimated total of 42,514 AIDS diagnoses), and 232 young people with AIDS died.
* An estimated 7,761 young people were living with AIDS, a 42% increase since 2000, when 5,457 young people were living with AIDS.
* Young people for whom AIDS was diagnosed during 1996–2004 lived longer than persons with AIDS in any other age group except those younger than 13 years. Nine years after receiving a diagnosis of AIDS, 76% of those aged 13–24 were alive, compared with
o 81% of those younger than age 13
o 74% of those aged 25–34
o 70% of those aged 35–44
o 63% of those aged 45–54
o 53% of those aged 55 and older.
* Since the beginning of the epidemic, an estimated 40,059 young people in the United States had received a diagnosis of AIDS, and an estimated 10,129 young people with AIDS had died. They accounted for about 4% of the estimated total of 944,306 AIDS diagnoses and 2% of the 529,113 deaths of people with AIDS.

RISK FACTORS AND BARRIERS TO PREVENTION

Sexual Risk Factors

Early age at sexual initiation. According to CDC’s Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS), many young people begin having sexual intercourse at early ages: 47% of high school students have had sexual intercourse, and 7.4% of them reported first sexual intercourse before age 13. HIV/AIDS education needs to take place at correspondingly young ages, before young people engage in sexual behaviors that put them at risk for HIV infection.

High school students reporting ever having had sexual intercourse, 2003

African American: Male: 73% Female: 61% Hispanic: Male: 59% Female: 46% White: Male: 42% Female: 44%

Source. CDC’s Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, 2003.

High school students reporting sexual intercourse for the first time before age 13, 2003

African American: Male: 32% Female: 8% Hispanic: Male: 13% Female: 6% White: Male: 7% Female: 4%

Source. CDC’s Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, 2003.

Heterosexual transmission. Young women, especially those of minority races or ethnicities, are increasingly at risk for HIV infection through heterosexual contact. According to data from a CDC study of HIV prevalence among disadvantaged youth during the early to mid-1990s, the rate of HIV prevalence among young women aged 16–21 was 50% higher than the rate among young men in that age group. African American women in this study were 7 times as likely as white women and 8 times as likely as Hispanic women to be HIV-positive. Young women are at risk for sexually transmitted HIV for several reasons, including biologic vulnerability, lack of recognition of their partners’ risk factors, inequality in relationships, and having sex with older men who are more likely to be infected with HIV…

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The presence of an STD greatly increases a person’s likelihood of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Some of the highest STD rates in the country are those among young people, especially young people of minority races and ethnicities.

Substance Abuse

Young people in the United States use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs at high rates. Both casual and chronic substance users are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex, when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Lack of Awareness

Research has shown that a large proportion of young people are not concerned about becoming infected with HIV. Adolescents need accurate, age-appropriate information about HIV infection and AIDS, including how to talk with their parents or other trusted adults about HIV and AIDS, how to reduce or eliminate risk factors, how to talk with a potential partner about risk factors, where to get tested for HIV, how to use a condom correctly. Information should also include the concept that abstinence is the only 100% effective way to avoid infection…

CDC research has shown that early, clear parent-child communication regarding values and expectations about sex is an important step in helping adolescents delay sexual initiation and make responsible decisions about sexual behaviors later in life. Parents are in a unique position to engage their children in conversations about HIV, STD, and teen pregnancy prevention because the conversations can be ongoing and timely…

For Guidelines for Effective School Health Education to Prevent the Spread of AIDS, visit http://www.cdc.gov/
HealthyYouth/sexualbehaviors/guidelines/guidelines.htm.

The statistics are stunning and scary. This weekend may be the perfect time to speak with your teenager about the issue.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

14-31 Senior Banquet Entertainment Rehearsal 3:30-5:30 PM
15 Parent Rep meeting, 6:30 PM, Room 13
21 Prom tickets on sale! Tickets are $50 each. Students in grades 9 through 11 must be invited by a senior.
21 NYU College Preview proposals due for all 10th and 11th graders interested in taking an NYU class in the fall.
22 Sports Awards Night, 6:30 PM, PAC. Please RSVP to Adria Maynor, extension 323. If your child participated on a sports team this year, please plan to attend. Eleventh Graders who participated on a team, but were encouraged to attend the college event, “CTCL – “Colleges That Change Lives,” should attend awards ceremony. The college fair is from 7-9:30 PM, and will also be in Tarrytown on May 23. Questions? Please call Amy Shapiro, Director of College Guidance at extension 324.
23 New Families reception, 6:00 PM, PAC
24 Spring into Summer Book Fair, 6th Avenue Auditorium. Spring Concert, 6:30 PM, PAC
25 Field Day, 8:30 AM. All Twelfth Graders must attend.
28 Memorial Day, school closed
29 Honors Project Breakfast, Room 10, 8:00 AM; Rehearsals for senior project presentations, all day.
30 Senior Project Presentation Evening, 6:30 PM

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

1. Come to the coffeehouse
Saturday, May 19 at 7PM in the PAC
to celebrate the new issue of IE.

There will be readings by HS and MS students, and performances by th 9th grade band!

HS Student Readers Include:
Curtis Seeman
Harry D’Agostino
Kyle Deane
Ariana Sholette
Kortney Hartz

There are many opportunities available to students now that spring is here! Opportunities include the AIDSWALK on May 20 and several spring clean-up opportunities through the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. Check out the calendar of opportunities offered by LREI for the rest of the school year.

Finally, it is very important for students to arrive at school on time, by 8:30AM. We will return to school in time for 1:00PM dismissal. Fours through First Grade will be dismissed at 12:45PM

Thank you for your cooperation. We are looking forward to an exciting day!

Thank you,

Field Day Organizers

5. The Diversity Dialogue Continues
Topic: Socio Economic Diversity
Sharon Dupree will facilitate a conversation
in the Sixth Ave cafeteria this Friday, May 18th
at 8:45 am.
All are welcome.
Thank You,
The Parents’ Association

6. A reminder that this Sunday is AIDS Walk NY. If you and/or your child is/are registered to walk, please read the attached AIDS Walk NY Information Guide. Is it too late to join the team? No! If you or family members or friends would like to walk, you can register with Gabrielle Keller or you can register online at www.aidswalk.net any time between now and Sunday. LREI’s team number is 1222. You can make your own sponsor sheets or pick up one at the Sixth Ave/Charlton Street reception areas. You can also sign-up on the day of the walk at our team table and raise money after the walk. Thank you for joining the LREI AIDS Walk team! Every step brings us closer to a cure.If you have any questions, you can contact Gabrielle at 212-477-5316 (ext.260) or gkeller@lrei.org. See you Sunday!

7. Please join our music department choruses and instrumentalists at the LREI Spring Concert Thursday, May 24th, from 6:30PM until 8:00PM, in the PAC. The concert is free.

This grand culminating event for the performing arts this year includes singers and instrumentalists from all three divisions. The Little Red Chorus (Lower School) directed by Helen Yoo, The Little Red Singers (Middle School) directed by Henry Chapin, The Elizabeth Irwin Singers (High School) directed by Sunny Kim and The High School Jazz Band directed by Vin Scialla will all perform. The concert will conclude with a grand finale: All choruses and jazz band players will join forces to perform “Des Colores,” LREI’s 2007 anthem-like favorite, which has been sung at various assemblies this year, including Founder’s Day. This concert is for the entire LREI community, including families of students who are not participating currently in school ensembles. Come out and support our music department, and hear a splendid concert of magnificent choral and instrumental music.

8. From our librarians:

9. Glass Menagerie, LREI’s resident adult chorus, conducted by former LREI music teacher and current LREI parent Susan Glass, will perform its annual Spring Concert UPTOWN:

Friday May 11th, 8:00PM
Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew
86th Street and West End Avenue

For more information: www.glassmenagerie.org

10. Summer is coming, and so is the LREI Spring into Summer Book Fair!

11. To all families who have children participating in the LREI extracurricular sports program: In order to make sure that you receive timely notifications about changes to the practice or game schedules, we have created an email list that we will be using to provide these updates. If you child participates on an LREI sports team, we ask that you go to LREI SPORTS where you will be able to subscribe to the list. The instructions are posted on this page. After you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation email and instructions for how to reply. This email will be followed by a welcome email that will give you additional information about the list. Please note that subscribers to the list will not be able to post to the list. The list is for information distribution from the school. If you need to respond to an update, please respond directly to Marcus (mchang@lrei.org) or Larry (lkaplan@lrei.org). These updates will also go to coaches who will include this revised information in subsequent emails to their team lists. When you receive an email from this list , the subject line will indicate the group for which it is intended (e.g., [LREI-Sports] HS Baseball). If your child is not a member of the indicated team, you can delete the email without reading it. We do not expect the volume of this list to be that high so this should not be a problem. As we pilot this list, please send Marcus and Larry any feedback that you think would help us to refine this process. Thank you!

12. Is your teen looking for a summer opportunity? See below:

Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) has an online application for 2007 NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Access the site here. Applications are due May 18, 2007.

The program runs for 7 weeks from July 2-August 18. Students ( age 14-21) work 25 hours per week while earning $7.15/hour. Jobs assignments are at government agencies, law firms, nonprofits, small businesses, sports and retail organizations.

13. The 14th annual LREI camping trip will be held on the weekend of June 1-3. 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.

Click here for more information. We will have a sign-up table for a few mornings at LREI in May, when we get closer to the camping trip weekend.

Organizers:
Neil Capobianco (CapobiancoN@gtlaw.com)
Seth Tapper (sethtapper@yahoo.com)
Dave Trumbull (dave.trouble@gmail.com)
Larry White (Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu)

14. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

15. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student’s progress in any given class. Thank you.

16. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

May 9, 2007

Dear Families, Today’s New York Times has an inte…

Dear Families,

Today’s New York Times has an interesting article, Harvard Task Force Calls for New Focus on Teaching and Not Just Research which begins, “You would be stupid if you came to Harvard for the teaching.” Of course, Harvard has a distinct reputation. But perhaps it is not for teaching, despite the fact that people attend Harvard “to be around some of the greatest minds on earth.” But there is a price. “It’s well known that there are many other colleges where students are much more satisfied with their academic experience,” states a member of the Harvard Board of Overseers. He goes on to point out that Amherst is “always pointed to” when it comes to excellence in teaching. In fact, this year, we had one senior struggling to decide between an Ivy and Amherst. His decision came down to exactly that point. He wanted to be recognized as an individual with diverse interests, as he has been here, and to truly interact with his professors, as he has had here. At Harvard, “People…are concerned when they hear that some of our undergraduates can go through four years here and not know a faculty member well enough to get a letter of recommendation.” As Harvard reflects on the possibility of a shift from research and publishing to teaching, it is clear from the article that the value of teaching, of interactive, student centered learning is key in one’s educational experience. From the end of the article:

He threw out his lectures in his introductory physics class when he realized his students were not absorbing the underlying principles, relying instead on memory to solve problems. His classes now focus on students working in small groups.

“When I asked them to apply their knowledge in a situation they had not seen before, they failed,” Professor Mazur said. “You have to be able to tackle the new and unfamiliar, not just the familiar, in everything. We have to give the students the skills to solve such problems. That’s the goal of education.”

We’re way ahead of you.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

8 2007-2008 Registration for courses will begin (Grades 10-12)
9 Interims due for all students in the arts rotation and earning B- and below.
11 Senior Project ends.
14 John Lennon Bus visits the High School! Senior Class Meeting, 8:30 AM-11:00 AM; Senior Project Presentation meetings to be arranged with Twelfth Grade Dean, Adele Pelz. These meetings will take place through May 24.
14-31 Senior Banquet Entertainment Rehearsal 3:30-5:30 PM
15 Parent Rep meeting, 6:30 PM, Room 13
22 Sports Awards Night, 6:30 PM, PAC. If your child participated on a sports team this year, please plan to attend. Eleventh Graders who participated on a team, but were encouraged to attend the college event, “CTCL – “Colleges That Change Lives,” should attend awards ceremony. The college fair is from 7-9:30 PM, and will also be in Tarrytown on May 23. Questions? Please call Amy Shapiro, Director of College Guidance at extension 324.
23 New Families reception, 6:00 PM, PAC
24 Spring into Summer Book Fair, 6th Avenue Auditorium. Spring Concert, 6:30 PM, PAC
25 Field Day, 8:30 AM. All Twelfth Graders must attend.
28 Memorial Day, school closed
29 Honors Project Breakfast, Room 10, 8:00 AM; Rehearsals for senior project presentations, all day.
30 Senior Project Presentation Evening, 6:30 PM

June
2 Prom
7 Senior Banquet, 6:30 PM, PAC
8 Graduation, 1:00 PM, The Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts @ NYU
566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, New York City. RSVP & Ticket Policy for parents of graduating seniors: Seats for the LREI Commencement are limited. All attendees MUST have a ticket to enter the Skirball Center. Each graduating senior is allotted a maximum of six tickets. All other attendees may request tickets which will be available on a first come – first served basis. Please contact Adria Maynor with your ticket requests by May 18. Telephone:(212) 477-5316 x 323 E-mail: amaynor@lrei.org

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

1. Please be reminded that all students must complete 25 hours of community service this school year. If hours are not completed by June 8, students will have to complete their hours during the summer, but Ruth must approve the community service opportunity.

There are many opportunities available to students now that spring is here! Opportunities include the AIDSWALK on May 20 and several spring clean-up opportunities through the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. Here is a terrific opportunity offered this Saturday and the calendar of opportunities offered by LREI for the rest of the school year.

2. From our librarians:

3. Glass Menagerie, LREI’s resident adult chorus, conducted by former LREI music teacher and current LREI parent Susan Glass, will perform its annual Spring Concert UPTOWN:

Friday May 11th, 8:00PM
Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew
86th Street and West End Avenue

For more information: www.glassmenagerie.org

4. Summer is coming, and so is the LREI Spring into Summer Book Fair!

6. Is your teen looking for a summer opportunity? See below:

Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) has an online application for 2007 NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Access the site here. Applications are due May 18, 2007.

Click here for more information. We will have a sign-up table for a few mornings at LREI in May, when we get closer to the camping trip weekend.

Organizers:
Neil Capobianco (CapobiancoN@gtlaw.com)
Seth Tapper (sethtapper@yahoo.com)
Dave Trumbull (dave.trouble@gmail.com)
Larry White (Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu)

8. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

All attachments are in .pdf format. To view these files, please download Adobe Reader, if you do not already have it. Click on this link or paste it into your browser: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html.
If you are having trouble opening the attachments, go to http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ms/ to access.

May 3, 2007

Dear Families, Thanks to all who attended and par…

Dear Families,

Thanks to all who attended and participated in the auction last night. This is such an exciting time for LREI! Thanks to the board, we have a brand new building, 42 Charlton Street. Our seniors have all made their college decisions, and are excited about the future. Our juniors are enjoying their new role as leaders of the school, the sophomores are furiously trying to raise money for their prom in two years, and the freshmen no longer feel like the youngest ones in the high school(although they still are). The weather is consistently improving, and just yesterday we could spy a third of the sophomore class outside cheering as one classmate taught another to ride a bike. Such is life here. If you are ever in the neighborhood, stop by.

As you may know, all seniors are required to complete a senior project, an internship, for five weeks in the third trimester. Next week is technically the last full week for the project, which ends on May 11, although some are committed to continuing their work into the summer. On May 14, they will return to school regular time, 8:30 AM, for a class meeting, turn in four copies of their research journals (they have their instructions) and to begin the process of taking their experiences and creating the ten-minute presentation, which serves as their final. Presentations are on May 30 at 6:30 PM. All senior parents are invited, as well as faculty, staff, internship mentors, and Eleventh Graders.

As a community, we look forward to the senior project presentations because it serves as the culmination of the senior year. This year, the presentations should be even more significant because of the terrific internship opportunities. Just a few of the opportunities offered include working with:

Holtzbrinck Publishing company (parent of St. Martin’s Press, Picador, and more) in the Library Marketing Department

Kate Spade, organizing the seasonal collections

Brooklyn Academy of Music in the Department of Education and Humanities preparing materials for the Young Critics class, producing the Spoken Word Poetry event, and participating as a fully functioning member of the department

Oliphant Backdrops painting and creating sets for advertising and photo shoots

IRC to work with children who have recently immigrated to the United States

Commercial photographer Sara Silver in post-production

Pre-production for the art department of Sam Mendes’ new film, “Revolutionary Road”

La Esquina owner Serge Becker to learn about NYC nightlife and the restaurant business

Developing a website for teenagers with Cerebral Palsy

Larry Kaplan in the PE department creating PE classes for the LREI Middle School and implementing them, focusing on fair-play

The list does not fully capture the entire range of internships, but they are all enjoying their experience and the challenge of time management in the ‘world.’ They are certainly fully prepared for the same challenge in college.

Speaking of college, here is a message from Phil Kassen, Director:

We are so proud of our seniors. As they move towards graduation, just over a month away, it is time to step back and look at all that these wonderful people have accomplished during their time at LREI. Among these accomplishments is gaining admission to many fine colleges and universities. Follow the links below to see a list of this year’s college acceptances and a list of college acceptances for the 2004-2006 school years. Congratulations, seniors!!!!

2007 College Acceptances
2004-2006 College Acceptances

Please scroll down for the calendar, which includes the schedule for seniors after May 11.

All the best,

Ruth

May
8 2007-2008 Registration for courses will begin (Grades 10-12)
9 Interims due for all students in the arts rotation and earning B- and below.
11 Senior Project ends.
14 Senior Class Meeting, 8:30 AM-11:00 AM; Senior Project Presentation meetings to be arranged with Twelfth Grade Dean, Adele Pelz. These meetings will take place through May 24.
14-31 Senior Banquet Entertainment Rehearsal 3:30-5:30 PM
15 Parent Rep meeting, 6:30 PM, Room 13
22 Sports Awards Night, 6:30 PM, PAC. If your child participated on a sports team this year, please plan to attend. Eleventh Graders who participated on a team, but were encouraged to attend the college event, “CTCL – “Colleges That Change Lives” should attend Awards Night.
23 New Families reception, 6:00 PM, PAC
24 Spring Concert, 6:30 PM, PAC
25 Field Day, 8:30 AM. All Twelfth Graders must attend.
28 Memorial Day, school closed
29 Honors Project Breakfast, Room 10, 8:00 AM; Rehearsals for senior project presentations, all day.
30 Senior Project Presentation Evening, 6:30 PM

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

2. Glass Menagerie, LREI’s resident adult chorus, conducted by former LREI music teacher and current LREI parent Susan Glass, will perform its annual Spring Concert UPTOWN:

Friday May 11th, 8:00PM
Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew
86th Street and West End Avenue

For more information: www.glassmenagerie.org

3. You are all invited to a Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday!

5. Is your teen looking for a summer opportunity? See below:

Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) has an online application for 2007 NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Access the site here. Applications are due May 18, 2007.

6. The 14th annual LREI camping trip will be held on the weekend of June 1-3. 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.

Click here for more information. We will have a sign-up table for a few mornings at LREI in May, when we get closer to the camping trip weekend.

Organizers:
Neil Capobianco (CapobiancoN@gtlaw.com)
Seth Tapper (sethtapper@yahoo.com)
Dave Trumbull (dave.trouble@gmail.com)
Larry White (Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu)

7. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

8. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student’s progress in any given class. Thank you.

9. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

April 25, 2007

Dear Families, Tomorrow we celebrate another grea…

Dear Families,

Tomorrow we celebrate another great tradition in the High School: Arts Festival! While this is a day long event celebrating the arts with a variety of professionals who volunteer their time is a lot of fun for our students (and Seventh Graders who will join us), the day’s offerings are also rigorous. Our students are ready for such rigorous and intensive workshops because they are fortunate to have art every day; here at LREI, art is an academic, not an afterthought.

This year’s workshop offerings include:

LA VIE BOHÈME with Sara Heaton (sister of Julia Heaton, English teacher and Eleventh Grade class dean)
Long before RENT became a hit on Broadway, La Bohème – the opera upon which RENT is based – was one of the best-loved operas of all time. Composer Giacomo Puccini wrote some of opera’s most beautiful music to tell the love story of Mimi and Rodolfo (a.k.a. Roger), the unstable relationship between Marcello and Musetta (Mark and Maureen), and the antics of their friends Schaunard and Colline. Hailed as one of opera’s most dramatically-driven composers, Puccini used specific musical gestures to add depth to his characters, to dictate the atmosphere of a scene, or even to direct the action on stage. In this workshop, we will compare the music and stories of La Bohème and RENT. How closely did Jonathan Larson stick to Puccini’s plot and characters? Can we find any traces of Puccini’s music in RENT? Students will study musical scores, listen to recordings, and watch video of recent productions. Although singing ability and musical training are not required, interested students will have the opportunity to perform vocal numbers from both shows.

COMMERCIAL FILM with Honest
Honest is creative firm that directs commercials and short films and does graphic design for websites, print and identities. They also publish their own magazine. Some recent projects include a music video for Rapcat, the mascot of the Checkers fast food chain, filming a commercial for Nike during the world cup and building the Axe – boostyouresp.com website. Go to Stayhonest.com or Honestdirectors.com to learn more. Honest will guide students through the process of creating a 30 second commercial for LREI. Students will quickly brain storm an idea to create a spot. Once the idea is agreed upon, they will draw boards or create a shot list. This will lead to shooting the desired shots, which we will edit. While some students are shooting, others will work on the graphics and music. In the end all assets will be combined to create a final spot, which will show how LREI is the best school in Manhattan.

MYSTERIES OF THE FACE-THE PORTRAIT with John Wellington P’09
This is a workshop on the portrait. Students will work in dry mediums (pencil, charcoal, etc.) on paper. There will be an introduction to drawing the anatomy of the face, focusing on proportions, and concepts for drawing the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

COMIX CLASS with JP Cummings
This class is an exciting look into creating one’s own comic book. Bring your pencils, designs and imagination and students will plunge into the wild, unpredictable world of comics and graphic storytelling.

WHACKY T-SHIRTS with Janet Koenig, P ’08
Transform old T-shirts into nifty, thrifty fashion statements. Bring in your old tees and alter them: swap, add, or remove sections (sleeves, collars, parts of backs, fronts, sides); add collages, cartoons, thought bubbles, words, etc. using colored felt, fabric remnants, permanent markers, beads, buttons, ribbons, feathers, etc. and apply with thread or fabric glue.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC with Valery Ponomorev
We will form a music ensemble that will blur the lines between jazz, blues, funk and the modern world of music. We will be performing Jazz compositions and learn the techniques involved in musical improvisation. The ensemble will arrange a piece of music and then perform it in the afternoon. This is an opportunity to work with one of the premier trumpet players of Jazz. Ponomarev has worked with Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Benny Golson, and the Mercer Ellington Orchestra.

HIP HOP, Spoken Word and Playback Theater with Baba Israel
This workshop uses free style Hip Hop and improvisational theater to transform the stories into the art of theater. Rooted in ancient story telling traditions and tempered by current poetic and musical forms, this workshop takes the script from audiences, memories, feelings, dreams, social and political conflicts and are all transformed into a performance. Baba is an actor, rapper, beat-boxer, playwright and cultural activist. www.openthoughtmusic.com

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE: PERFORMING SHAKESPEARE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY with Daryl Embry
By merging texts from Shakespeare’s most famous works along side your creative energies, participants will create a performance that draws a connection between timeless literary themes and the world we live in today.

USING COLLAGE TO ILLUSTRATE FOR CHILDREN with Marthe Jocelyn, P ’08
In this workshop students will look at the tradition of pictures made for children using papers, fabrics, and found objects. We will analyze different techniques and effects. Each student will create a collage illustrating one page in a children’s book.

BOOKS ARE WACK (because you are not writing them…) with author Gabriel Tolliver
A fun, informative workshop on how to create a book proposal and pitch your great novel, coffee table, or photo book idea.

THE CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE with Isaac-Daniel Astrachan (husband of Meghan Farley-Astrachan, Arts Department Co-Chair)
Students will visit the Center for Architecture on LaGuardia Place and see the current exhibits including POWERHOUSE a juried design competition for affordable, sustainable housing, and the 2007 AIA New York Chapter Design Awards. A hands-on workshop pertaining to the exhibits will then take place at the Center before returning to school.

DIGITAL DARKROOM with Denise Adler, P ’08
Students will experiment with layering images and parts of images to create a computer generated composition from multiple photographs. The outcome can be abstract, surreal or completely realistic. The goal can be to create art, intrigue or advertising or all of the above.

IMPROV with Zohar Adner
“I know what you’re gonna say. Um, well… actually, we don’t. With a little help you can take your conversations to a whole new place – one where you’re communicating openly and comfortably … and hilariously.”

FASHION DESIGN with Roberto Crivello, P ’08
Co-owner and Co-designer of the New York City fashion brand DDCLAB which produces men’s and ladies wholesale and retail. DDCLAB has 2 retail locations, one in the hip and trendy, MEAT PACKING DISTRICT here in NYC and the other in LOS ANGELES on Melrose Ave. We also own DDCUSA an apparel design studio which previously designed for companies like GAP, LEVIS, REEBOK, TOMMY HILFIGER, ENYCE, DIESEL,BMW apparel, DUPONT FIBERS , and now have an exclusive contract with NEW BALANCE. We also do special projects for the likes of celebrities as LENNY KRAVITZ, LAUREN HILL, FERGIE, and BRAD PITT. Students will experience the A to Z for constructing a garment from concept to retail.

WEST AFRICAN DANCE with Imani Faye
This west African dance class is a beginner level class, and will begin with a series of warm up exercises which will prepare the students to dance. They will learn vocabulary from a traditional dance which will lead to their final presentation. Students will be introduced to the music and the dance Ku-Ku, a dance of celebration from Guinea, West Africa, along with song and historical background. This will involve a breakdown of individual steps and movements, which will develop into a dance combination. They will execute the dance movements in small groups and going across the floor; and the dance combination will be repeated together in the center. Building on this process, choreography will develop for the final presentation.

SOLARIZATION WORKSHOP with Kostas Kiritsis
Ever wonder how to turn a black and white image into a metallic image? In this class, students will look at some of Kostas’ artist books, review the solarization process and then begin making images.

ANIMAL PAINTING with Shaunna Finn
Students will work in either oil or acrylic paints, on either canvas or paper, depending on preference. The class begins with a brief showing of a few examples of various animal paintings; from old-master works to modern childrens’ book illustrations, and a couple of my own. Next, students will move to a discussion about different symbolic meanings that animals can have. Students will then paint a live animal model!

BENTO BOX LUNCH with Takako Honda
In this workshop, students will learn how to make two types of Japanese bento boxes. One is for everyday and the other is for a trip or a picnic, but both are works of art. Students will learn how to put together two lunch boxes and make rice balls. They will not only prepare this visually beautiful meal, but they will also get a chance to sample what they have created.

Our students are very lucky to enjoy this fantastic tradition; we are so fortunate to have so many people who have gone to great lengths to offer terrific workshops. Many thanks in advance to all of the parents participating, and all of the parent and faculty connections who provided many of the workshops. If you have a chance on Friday, you are more than welcome to come for the afternoon assembly which will celebrate the great work that took place in the day’s workshops, 1:00 PM in the PAC.

All the best,

Ruth

May
1 2007-2008 Registration for courses will begin (Grades 10-12)
1 Special Meeting with 12th grade parents, “Transition to College,” 6:30 PM, Library
2 Big Auction
9 Interims due for all students in the arts rotation and earning B- and below.
15 Parent Rep meeting, 6:30 PM, Room 13
22 Sports Awards Night, 6:30 PM, PAC
23 New Families reception, 6:00 PM, PAC
24 Spring Concert, 7:00 PM, PAC
25 Field Day
28 Memorial Day, school closed
29 Honors Project Breakfast, Room 10, 8:00 AM
30 Senior Project presentations, 6:30 PM

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

1. The second open Community Meeting will be held on Monday, April 30th from 8:45-9:45 in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria.

2. Friday, April 27 is your last chance to purchase tickets for the Big Auction which is next Wednesday, May 2nd at 6:00pm at The Puck Building. Tickets must be purchased prior to the event,so if you haven’t already done so, please contact Patricia Conroy at pconroy@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232.

To see all the great items on offer, you may view the catalog on line at www.lrei.org, pick up a catalog in either the Sixth Avenue
or Charlton Street lobby or ask Patricia to mail you one. If you are not able to attend but would like to place an absentee bid, please contact Sandra Song at ssong@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 275 before the end of business
on Tuesday, May 1st.

Thank you for supporting LREI.

3. Please be reminded that all students must complete 25 hours of community service this school year. There are many opportunities available to students now that spring is here! Opportunities include a community service opportunity at East NY Farms this Saturday, the AIDSWALK on May 20 and several spring clean-up opportunities through the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.

5. Is your teen looking for a summer opportunity? See below:

Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) has an online application for 2007 NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Access the site here. Applications are due May 18, 2007.

Marty Markowitz has a program in Brooklyn – Brooklyn Summer HEAT (Help Employ Ambitious Teens). The deadline is April 30 and students must be age 16-18. Pay is also $7.15/hour.
For more information click here.

More details will be forthcoming for those who are interested. We will have a sign-up table for a few mornings at LREI in May, when we get closer to the camping trip weekend.

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 e-mail to Larry White ([ mailto:Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu ]Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu).

Organizers:
Neil Capobianco ([ mailto:CapobiancoN@gtlaw.com ]CapobiancoN@gtlaw.com)
Seth Tapper ([ mailto:sethtapper@yahoo.com ]sethtapper@yahoo.com)
Dave Trumbull ([ mailto:dave.trouble@gmail.com ]dave.trouble@gmail.com)
Larry White ([ mailto:Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu ]Lwhite@stern.nyu.edu)

7. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

April 19, 2007

Dear Families, Next Tuesday is Poem in Your Pocke…

Dear Families,

Next Tuesday is Poem in Your Pocket Day, a wonderful tradition at the school. It is a perfect opportunity for students and faculty to revist some of the poems that have made an impact in one’s life, or to find a new poem to share. Many students choose poems they have written themselves, which is appropriate since they all have the opportunity to write original work in their English classes. Every year I have been part of this community, I have chosen the same poem to share.

Those Winter Sundays
by Robert Hayden

Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,
then with cracked hands that ached
from labor in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.
When the rooms were warm, he’d call,
and slowly I would rise and dress,
fearing the chronic angers of that house,

speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?

When reading this poem I am reminded of many things, including how children do not often realize or appreciate the sacrifices of a parent while they are younger, and how important it is to demonstrate that appreciation, that love while you can. The poem makes the reader feel the cold, the lack of feeling, and the loss, but also the hope that the memory will be enough to make up for it all. It just haunts me.

I encourage you to remind your child of this significant tradition for all ages.

In other news, please note that the high school is closed tomorrow for a faculty professional day. Also, there are several new updates below. Please take a look.

All the best,

Ruth

Calendar:

April
20-High School Professional Day, School Closed.
24-Poem in your Pocket Day.
27-Arts Festival

May
1 2007-2008 Registration for courses (Grades 10-12)
1 Special Meeting with 12th grade parents, “Transition to College,” 6:30 PM, PAC
2 Big Auction
9 Interims due for all students in the arts rotation and earning B- and below.
15 Parent Rep meeting, 6:30 PM, Room 13
22 Sports Awards Night, 6:30 PM, PAC
23 New Families reception, 6:00 PM, PAC
25 Field Day
28 Memorial Day, school closed
30 Senior Project presentations, 6:30 PM

This Week’s Announcements and Attachments:

1. Please be reminded that all students must complete 25 hours of community service this school year. There are many opportunities available to students now that spring is here! Opportunities include the AIDSWALK on May 20 and several spring clean-up opportunities through the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.

2. To all families who have children participating in the LREI extracurricular sports program: In order to make sure that you receive timely notifications about changes to the practice or game schedules, we have created an email list that we will be using to provide these updates. If you child participates on an LREI sports team, we ask that you go to LREI SPORTS where you will be able to subscribe to the list. The instructions are posted on this page. After you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation email and instructions for how to reply. This email will be followed by a welcome email that will give you additional information about the list. Please note that subscribers to the list will not be able to post to the list. The list is for information distribution from the school. If you need to respond to an update, please respond directly to Marcus (mchang@lrei.org) or Larry (lkaplan@lrei.org). These updates will also go to coaches who will include this revised information in subsequent emails to their team lists. When you receive an email from this list , the subject line will indicate the group for which it is intended (e.g., [LREI-Sports] HS Baseball). If your child is not a member of the indicated team, you can delete the email without reading it. We do not expect the volume of this list to be that high so this should not be a problem. As we pilot this list, please send Marcus and Larry any feedback that you think would help us to refine this process. Thank you!

3. Is your teen looking for a summer opportunity? See below:

Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) has an online application for 2007 NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). Access the site here. Applications are due May 18, 2007.

4. LREI’s Big Auction is coming – Wednesday, May 2nd at 6:00pm at The Puck Building.
Tickets must be purchased prior to the event,so if you haven’t already done so, please contact Patricia Conroy at pconroy@lrei.org or 212-477-5316, ext. 232. Tables are for 10 people – gather your friends and make it a party. This is a fun night and a terrific way to support LREI and the Tuition Remission Fund. To see all the great items on offer, you may view the catalog on line at www.lrei.org, pick up a catalog in either the Sixth Avenue or Charlton Street lobby or ask Patricia to mail you one. We look forward to seeing you in two weeks!

5. Click here for the calendar for the 2007-2008 school year.

6. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student’s progress in any given class. Thank you.

7. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.