To be mission driven

Dear Families:

At LREI we talk a lot about mission – about those core values that are present in all that we try to do. We met as a full faculty this week to talk about the mission of the school in general and our mission statement in particular. What was exciting about the discussion was the profound consensus across all three divisions about what these core values are. This consensus tranlates to an educational experience for students four to eighteen years old that builds on these shared values in developmentally appropriate ways. In Middle School meeting this week, I shared the following excerpt of the mission statement with students: “The progressive ideals that in 1921 gave life and inspiration to the school — academic excellence and creativity, active learning and innovative teaching, respect for the individual and responsibility to the community-continue to guide the school today.” We then spent some time thinking together about how they would define those progressive ideals. Here is a selection of some of their ideas about the driving forces behind the LREI experience:

  • It’s a place where learning is fun
  • It’s a good place to make and have friends
  • The teachers are really cool
  • It’s about forming a community
  • It’s a place where you can have an opinion
  • It’s a place where you help other people
  • It’s a good place just to be yourself

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

A reminder that Family Conferences are scheduled for Friday, November 4th (full day) and Friday, November 11th (half day). Sign-up sheets for conferences with core teachers are posted outside of their classrooms and sign-up sheets for conferences with specialist teachers are posted on the bulletin board outside of my office.

This Week’s Attachments
(Click on the links below to open the attachments. If you are having trouble opening the links, go to http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ms/ to access the files.)

General:
MS Parent Rep Meeting Minutes
Halloween Fair
MS Parent Rep Meeting Minutes
Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
Sixth Grade:
Fifth Grade:

1) If you were able to attend this week’s Benefit Concert to Aid the Victims of Hurricane Katrina, you know that it was an incredible evening. Special thanks to Henry Chapin for his passionate work with the Middle School Band and Chorus whose combined performance, along with performances by the High School Chorus, the High School Jazz Band and an amazing cast of Broadway stars combined an evening of incredible entertainment with important service work. Twelfth grader Javier Picayo organized the entire event; I will let his words speak for themselves: “Thank you to the LREI community for making the Katrina benefit concert a huge success. With all of your support, we have raised over $16,000 so far to go to Habitat for Humanity. It was an amazing night, but what I will always remember is that together, we made a difference.”

For information about LREI’s other efforts to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina please go to http://www.lrei.org/whoweare/katrina.html

2) This week, the eighth grade participated in Minimester at the High School. Minimester is a three-day immersion term of mini-courses designed to engage students in a stimulating range of subjects. Students experience extraordinary opportunities to learn and experience a subject on multiple levels – immersion in one topic, an interdisciplinary approach and freedom from the constraints of the regular schedule. Minimester is a laboratory of progressive education. It inspires teachers, allowing them to create experimental, experiential learning activities, bring in outside experts and resources and develop material that reflects their passions and experiences. Click here to view a description of this year’s courses.

3) Just a reminder that Picture Day is scheduled for Monday, October 24th.

4) From PA Co-President Kasey Picayo: THANKS to everyone who has signed-up and delivered toys and trinkets (suitable for prizes) to the Lobby Box. If you’re still planning on contributing, please do so by next Thursday, October 27th. That’s when we’ll start spinning magic for the Howlin’ Halloween Fair, which takes place SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30th from 1:30PM to 4PM in the haunted Gym at St. Anthony’s School. Enter if you dare on Thompson Street between Houston and Prince St. See the attached flyer for additional information.

5) LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices. towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. You can access their on-line calendar of events at www.parentsinaction.org. Two upcoming seminars that may be of interest to Middle School families are: Wednesday, November 16th – Independence: Holding On and Letting Go; and Wednesday, December 7th – Independence in Middle School: Safety, Self Reliance and Risk Taking.

For 8th Grade Families . . .
1) Please don’t forget to attend one of the High School Open Houses. The last Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25th from 6:30-8:ooPM at Charlton Street. Please email (scaruth@lrei.org) or call (ext. 305) Director of Admissions Samantha Caruth to RSVP.

2) The schedule of boys and girls basketball games is on-line at http://lrei.org/athletics/at_4b.html. The practice schedules for the team will be forthcoming.

For 7th Grade Families . . .
1) Please don’t forget to attend one of the High School Open Houses. The last Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25th from 6:30-8:ooPM at Charlton Street. Please email (scaruth@lrei.org) or call (ext. 305) Director of Admissions Samantha Caruth to RSVP.

2) The schedule of boys and girls basketball games is on-line at http://lrei.org/athletics/at_4b.html. The practice schedules for the team will be forthcoming.

For 6th Grade Families . . .
1) A reminder about dismissal: All Middle School students are dismissed from their homerooms. Fifth and Sixth grade students who are waiting to be picked up must wait in front of the school building. Students who have not been picked up by 3:30PM must come back into the building and wait in the lobby. If you have given your child permission to walk home on his/her own, please send me a note indicating so. We will review these procedures with students and ask that you also review them at home. Thank you.

For 5th Grade Families . . .
1) Fifth Grade Chorus – Helen will have two extra chorus rehearsals to make up for those missed due to holidays. These will be after school on Monday, October 24th and Monday, November 21st and end at 4:00PM.

2) A reminder about dismissal: All Middle School students are dismissed from their homerooms. Fifth and Sixth grade students who are waiting to be picked up must wait in front of the school building. Students who have not been picked up by 3:30PM must come back into the building and wait in the lobby. If you have given your child permission to walk home on his/her own, please send me a note indicating so. We will review these procedures with students and ask that you also review them at home. Thank you.

Middle School Sports
Schedules and general information about Middle School sports programs can be found at http://lrei.org/athletics/at_4b.html. Information is also available through the LREI Sports Hotline at 212.477.5316 x 494.

Looking Ahead . . .
On the LREI web site additional information about upcoming events can be found at http://www.lrei.org/caleven/index.html (the middle school events page can be found at http://www.lrei.org/midschool/Events.html)

  • Monday, October 24th — Raindate for Class Photos
  • Thursday, November 3rd, 8:00AM — Lesbian/Gay/ Straight Alliance Meeting in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.
  • Friday, November 4th, 8:30AM-3:30PM — School is closed for Family Conferences
  • Friday, November 11th, 12:10PM- 3:00PM — School closes at noon for Family Conferences
  • Monday, November 14th – Friday, November 18th — Seventh Grade trip to Williamsburg
  • Tuesday, November 15th, 8:15AM — Parent Rep Meeting
  • Thursday, November 17th, 6:00PM — MS Parents of Children of Color Meeting
  • Thursday, December 1st, 8:00AM — Lesbian/Gay/ Straight Alliance Meeting in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.
  • Friday, December 2nd, 7:00PM-9:00PM — Seventh Grade DISC dance. The dance will be held at St. Luke’s School (487 Hudson Street).
  • Monday, December 5th — “Book Week” begins. The Book Fair will take place Wednesday-Friday.
  • Thursday, December 8th — Literary Evening
  • Tuesday, December 13th, 8:15 AM — MS Parent Rep Meeting
  • Thursday, December 15th — Winter Concert
  • Thursday, December 15th — School closes at 12:00PM for Winter Break

Don’t forget to check the LREI website for updates and interesting information – http://www.lrei.org.

Be well,
Mark

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