Tell me, Show me, Involve me . . .

Dear Families:

Yesterday, fifth and sixth graders worked collaboratively in the forests at Greenkill to solve a variety of physical challenges. Today, they confronted the rigors of a two-hour long hike, the low ropes course, canoeing, and navigating with compass and map. Tomorrow, they will meet the challenge of the climbing wall. At the same time, eighth graders will travel to Prospect Park to participate in the Doctors Without Borders “A Refugee Camp in the City” program. Whether confronting challenges in the natural world or attempting to understand challenges that are the direct consequence of human actions, our goal as educators is to narrow the distance between ideas in the abstract and the direct experience of these ideas. The Chinese proverb, “Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” provides a concise formulation of our ideas about experiential education. In his 1916 book Democracy and Education, John Dewey wrote:

To “learn from experience” is to make a backward and forward connection between what we do to things and what we enjoy or suffer from things in consequence. Under such conditions, doing becomes a trying; an experiment with the world to find out what it is like; the undergoing becomes instruction–discovery of the connection of things.

In the spirit of our collective effort to discover the “connection of things,” I also encourage you to attend our Middle School Curriculum Night, which is scheduled for this Tuesday, September 26th, at 6:00PM.

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:
9-19-06 Parent Rep Mtg. Minutes
Middle School Play Letter
Parents in Action Flyer
Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
Williamsburg Trip Payment Forms
Sixth Grade:
Fifth Grade:

Of General Interest . . .
1) From Middle School play director Julia Collura: Next week at Middle School meeting, I will be announcing this year’s Middle School play. The performances are December 8th at 7:00PM and December 9th at 2:00PM and 7:00PM. Please read the attached letter for information about important pre-audition meetings for students and parents.

2) From Asian-American Families Chairperson Ruth Yang: Set your alarm clocks for our 3rd annual start-of-year Asian-American Families Potluck Breakfast for parents and students in all divisions. The breakfast will take place on Wednesday, September 27th, 8:00-8:45AM. Things to Bring: orange juice, apple juice, bagels, cream cheese, donuts, yogurt, fruit, eggs, breads, cereal, bialys, muffins. BUT, NO NUTS OR SEEDS please! RSVP to Ruth Yang at ryang@walzyanglaw.com with food and beverage commitments. Hope to see you all there.

3) From Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance chair Kate Edgar: Please join us on Friday, September 29th, at 8:00AM in the Sixth Avenue Cafeteria  for the Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance Family Welcome Breakfast. All LGBT-headed families, including kids, from all divisions are invited

4) From the PA Co-Presidents–Thank you to all who have completed the parent survey for LREI’s 10-year reaccreditation process. Your responses are very helpful to us as we prepare the Parent Association’s section of the self-study. By popular request, we will continue to accept responses through the end of the month. The survey can be accessed at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=11362252235

5) Middle School Chorus and Band—The Little Red Singers (grades 5-8) meets twice a week for 45 minutes (Mondays, 8:00-8:45AM and Wednesdays, 3:00-3:45PM). The Little Red Singers are directed by Henry Chapin. The Middle school band meets on Fridays from 2:15-3:45PM. All instrumentalists and vocalists are invited to attend. The focus of the band is on performance and not individual instruction. Henry Chapin also directs the band.

6) Just a reminder that Coffee Pond Photography will be with us on Monday, October 16th to take individual and class pictures (in case fo inclement weather, the pictures will be taken on Monday, October 23rd). After the pictures are taken, you will receive a proofs and an order form in the mail. To get the best portrait of your child, please make sure that they are dessed appropriately on Portrait Day. If you have specific questions about the ordering process, you can contact Coffee Pond Photography at lifeguards@coffeepond.com or by phone at 1-800-632-2323 extension 0.

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

8) LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Please read the attached flyer to view their 2006-2007 calendar. You can also access their on-line calendar of events at www.parentsinaction.org.

For Eighth Grade Families . . .
1)This Friday, September 22nd, the eighth grade will travel to Prospect Park to visit the Doctors Without Borders interactive program “A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City.” Eighth graders will return to Prospect Park the following Friday, September 29th, to participate in our annual park clean-up project. Students should bring a bagged lunch on this day (the 29th — please remember no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles).

2) In conjunction with a program sponsored by the Carmine Street Recreation Department, girls in grades 7-12 will have the opportunity to participate in a weekend basketball program run by our high school girls basketball coach Orville Drummond. The goal of the program is to build fundamental basketball skills, support individual growth, and develop team skills. Depending on the size of the group, participants may be placed into smaller groups according to skill level. We are hoping to compete in the Carmine Recreation League tournament, which starts in December. The program will also help the girls prepare for their respective school teams. Practices will start on Saturday, September 23rd at 1:00PM at the Thompson Street Athletic Center. There will be a no cut policy, but competing at this level demands skill, dedication, and commitment. Therefore, attendance and punctuality will determine playing time. All guidelines set forth by the LREI Athletic Department will be followed. Please visit the school’s website to get the necessary permission forms. If you have questions about the program, please contact Orville Drummond at odrummond@lrei.org.

For Seventh Grade Families . . .
1) Before you know it, students will be packing and hitting the road for the annual seventh grade trip to Williamsburg and Jamestown, Virginia, which is scheduled for the week of October 23rd. The attached form provides important information about payment for the trip.

2) Seventh graders will journey to Prospect Park on Friday, September 29th, to participate in our annual park clean-up project. Students should bring a bagged lunch on this day (please remember no nuts, seeds, or glass bottles).

3) In conjunction with a program sponsored by the Carmine Street Recreation Department, girls in grades 7-12 will have the opportunity to participate in a weekend basketball program run by our high school girls basketball coach Orville Drummond. The goal of the program is to build fundamental basketball skills, support individual growth, and develop team skills. Depending on the size of the group, participants may be placed into smaller groups according to skill level. We are hoping to compete in the Carmine Recreation League tournament, which starts in December. The program will also help the girls prepare for their respective school teams. Practices will start on Saturday, September 23rd at 1:00PM at the Thompson Street Athletic Center. There will be a no cut policy, but competing at this level demands skill, dedication, and commitment. Therefore, attendance and punctuality will determine playing time. All guidelines set forth by the LREI Athletic department will be followed. Please visit the school’s website to get the necessary permission forms. If you have questions about the program, please contact Orville Drummond at odrummond@lrei.org.

For Sixth Grade Families . . .
No updates this week.

For Fifth Grade Families . . .
1) This is to announce a change in policy regarding chorus activities in the Middle School. Fifth grade singers are now invited to join the Middle School Chorus. The Middle School Chorus rehearses on Monday mornings, from 8:00AM until 8:30AM, and Wednesday afternoons afterschool, from 3:00PM until 3:45PM. Previously, fifth graders were invited to join the Lower School chorus. If you have any questions regarding this change, please do not hesitate to email Middle School Chorus director Henry Chapin at hchapin@lrei.org.

Middle School Sports
Schedules, permission forms and general information about Middle School sports programs can be found at http://www.lrei.org/athletics/index.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)

  • Friday, September 22, 2006 — Eighth grade to Prospect Park for Doctors Without Borders program
  • Tuesday, September 26, 2006, 6:00PM — MS Curriculum Night
  • Friday, September 29, 2006 — Seventh and Eighth Garde to Prospect Park for park clean-up
  • Monday, October 2, 2006 — Yom Kippur School Closed
  • Wednesday, October 4, 2006 — Sixth Grade DISC Field Day (raindate Tuesday, October 24, 2006)
  • Monday, October 9, 2006 — Columbus Day – School Closed
  • Tuesday, October 10, 2006, 6:30PM — Diversity and Community Evening
  • Wednesday, October 11, 2006 — Eighth Grade HS Tour
  • Monday, October 16, 2006 — Photo Day (raindate Monday, October 23, 2006)
  • Tuesday, October 17, 2006, 8:15AM — MS Parent Rep. Mtg.
  • Wednesday, October 18, 2006 – Sixth Grade to the Cloisters
  • Wednesday, October 18, 2006 — Eighth Grade HS Tour
  • Thursday, October 19, 2006, 6:00PM — MS POCOC Meeting
  • Saturday, October 21, 2006, 7:00PM — Coffeehouse
  • Monday, October 23, 2006, 8:00AM — Seventh Grade to Williamsburg (return on Friday, October 27, 2006)
  • Tuesday, October 24, 2006 — HS Minimester (through Thursday, October 26, 2006)
  • Sunday, October 29, 2006 — Halloween Fair
  • Tuesday, October 31, 2006 — Fifth Grade to the Met (Ancient Near Eastern Art)
  • Friday, November 3, 2006 — MS-End of 1st Quarter
  • Wednesday, November 15, 2006, 12:15PM — MS Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • Thursday, November 16, 2006, 6:00PM — MS POCOC Mtg.
  • Friday, November 17, 2006, 8:30AM — MS Parent-Teacher Conferences (MS closed)
  • Monday, November 20, 2006 — Irwin Scholars Application due
  • Tuesday, November 21, 2006, 8:15AM — MS Parent Rep. Mtg.
  • Wednesday, November 22, 2006 — Thanksgiving-School closes at 12:00PM (school reopens on Monday, 27, 2006)
  • Friday, December 1, 2006, 7:00PM — Seventh Grade DISC Dance 40 CHST
  • Monday, December 4, 2006 — Book Week (through Friday, November 8, 2006)
  • Wednesday, December 6, 2006 — Book Fair (through Friday November 8, 2006)
  • Thursday, December 7, 2006, 7:00PM — Literary Evening
  • Friday, December 8, 2006, 7:00PM — MS Play
  • Saturday, December 9, 2006, 2:00PM and 7:00PM — MS Play
  • Tuesday, December 12, 2006, 8:15AM — MS Parent Rep. Mtg.
  • Tuesday, December 12, 2006, 6:00PM — Seventh Grade Colonial Museum
  • Thursday, December 14, 2006, 6:00PM — Winter Concert
  • Thursday, December 14, 2006, 6:00PM — MS POCOC Mtg.
  • Friday, December 15, 2006 — Winter Break – School closes at 12:00PM (school reopens on Wednesday, January 3, 2007)

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

Be well,
Mark

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