A Helping Hand

Dear Families:

We had an exhausting and fulfilling trip to Prospect Park on Tuesday. In their advisory groups, students worked together to help weed and clear a section of the roadway that runs through the park. We learned that when the park was first opened there was a staff of 100 full-time workers who were responsible for the upkeep of the park. Today there are only 13 full-time workers to do this work. As a result, the park is dependent on the efforts of volunteers. Needless to say, the park employees with whom we worked were much impressed with our collective efforts and the students really did make a difference. They day also afforded the members of advisory groups an opportunity to get to know each other better. We returned to school tired, but satisfied in light of a day’s work well done. We’ll have pictures from the trip up on the web with next week’s email.

Following on the heels of this week’s primary election, elections for class reps are also underway. These elections afford student-candidates the opportunity to think about the roles and responsibilities of elected officials and challenge our student-voters to consider what personal characteristics and ideas they are looking for in a candidate. They then face the very important challenge of measuring their idea of the ideal class representative against slate of candidates as they cast their vote. At middle school meeting, we talked about the responsibility that comes with this decision making and its connection to the development of informed citizens in a democratic society. We also discussed how much of what needs to be done or what we would like to see done often rests in our own hands. One of the first major projects that the class reps will handle is coordinating the Middle School efforts for the schoolwide Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Additional information about these efforts appears below.

IMPORTANT CALENDAR CHANGE:
The Middle School Curriculum Night has been moved to Tuesday, September 27th at 6:30PM so as not to conflict with the fifth and sixth grade Greenkill trip. We look forward to seeing you all on this night where you will have an opportunity to hear about the curriculum in each of your child’s classes. Childcare will be available. The fee for childcare is $15, which includes pizza diner. If you are interested in childcare, please call Mary Shea at ext 244 by Friday, September 23rd.

Please note that the dates for the Lower/Middle and High School PA Welcome Fairs have also changed dates. Please read the attached flyer for additional information on these changes.

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:
PA Welcome Fair
Middle School Fall Sports
Eighth Grade:
9/16 – Central Park Trip
Seventh Grade:
Williamsburg Trip
Sixth Grade:
Greenkill Information
Fifth Grade:
Greenkill Information

Of General Interest . . .
1) Please read Director of Education Nick O’Han’s message on LREI’s response to Hurricane Katrina, in which Nick writes about two in-kind donation drives the school is launching next week.

2) From Chorus and Band Director Henry Chapin: The Little Red Singers (grades 6-8) will meet on Tuesday, September 20th from 8:00-8:45AM in the auditorium. All interested singers are invited to attend. Regular practices will begin on Tuesday, September 27th. The Little Red Singers will meet twice a week for 45 minutes (Tuesdays, 8:00-8:45AM and Wednesdays, 3:00-3:45PM). There will be an informational meeting for all students interested in playing in the Middle School band on Friday, September 16th in the auditorium. Regular rehearsals for the band will take place on Fridays from 2:15-3:45PM. All questions about the Little Red Singers and the Middle School Band should be directed to Henry Chapin at hchapin@lrei.org.

3) From PA Co-President Kasey Picayo: A reminder that the 1st Halloween Fair planning meeting will take place on Friday, September 23rd at 8:45AM in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.

4) From Multicultural Committee member Jeannie Park: Please join us for the annual, school-wide Welcome (Back) Potluck Lunch, hosted by the Parent Multicultural Committee, noon-3 PM, Sat., Sept. 24th, at the home of parent Manuel Jaimes, 201 Eastern Parkway, 6A, Brooklyn (across from the Brooklyn Museum & Botanic Garden), tel: 718-398-1192. (2/3 train to Eastern Parkway; 4/5 to Franklin). Sign up in the 6th Ave lobby starting Monday; or e-mail MCC co-chairs Mario Murillo and Noreen Stallings-Hall at mario@wbai.org. Come and meet new families and catch up with old friends, even if you can stop by for only a bit!

For 8th Grade Families . . .
1) On Friday, September 16th, the eighth grade will travel to Central Park for their annual challenge program. Please read the following attachment for more information.

2) For those of you with children participating in the Fall Sports Program, please review the attached document that provides an overview of practice and game schedules for the fall.

For 7th 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 November 14th. Please read the attached letter for more information.

2) For those of you with children participating in the Fall Sports Program, please review the attached document that provides an overview of practice and game schedules for the fall.

For 6th Grade Families . . .
1) This year’s outdoor education program for the fifth and sixth grades is planned for the Greenkill Outdoor Environmental Education Center in Huguenot, New York. This trip is scheduled for Wednesday, September 21st to Friday, September 23rd. Many of the fifth and sixth grade teachers will accompany the group. We will leave promptly at 8:00AM on Wednesday the 21st and will return home around 3:00PM on Friday the 23rd. Please read the attached letter for additional information.

For 5th Grade Families . . .
1) This year’s outdoor education program for the fifth and sixth grades is planned for the Greenkill Outdoor Environmental Education Center in Huguenot, New York. This trip is scheduled for Wednesday, September 21st to Friday, September 23rd. Many of the fifth and sixth grade teachers will accompany the group. We will leave promptly at 8:00AM on Wednesday the 21st and will return home around 3:00PM on Friday the 23rd. Please read the attached letter for additional information.

2) From Lower School Music Teacher and Little Red School House Chorus Director Helen Yoo: Welcome back! I am very excited to meet you all Chorus on Thursdays. I wanted to let you know that our first rehearsal will be on September 15th. There is a tiny change in our schedule. We will meet every Thursday afternoon from 3:15 – 4:00PM. Third and Fourth graders are dismissed at 3:00 and can come right down to the auditorium. Fifth graders can join us when dismissed at 3:15. I am looking forward to meeting you and hope many of you will join the Little Red Chorus. All questions about the Little Red School House should be directed to me at hyoo@lrei.org.

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)

  • Tuesday, September 20th, 8:15AM — Parent Rep Meeting
  • Saturday, September 24th, noon-3:00 PM — School-Wide Welcome (Back) Potluck Lunch, at the home of parent Manuel Jaimes (details above)
  • Tuesday, September 27th, 6:30 PM — Middle School Curriculum Night. All families are invited to come, meet teachers, and hear about our academic program.
  • Wednesday, September 21st to Friday, September 23rd — Fifth and sixth grade trip to Greenkill Outdoor Education Center.
  • Monday, September 26th – Class Photos
  • Tuesday, September 27th, 6:30 PM — Middle School Curriculum Night. All families are invited to come, meet teachers, and hear about our academic program.
  • Thursday, October 6th, 8:45AM— Lesbian/Gay/ Straight Alliance Meeting in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria.
  • Thursday, October 6th, 11:00 AM-2:30 PM — Downtown Independent Schools Committee (DISC) Field Day: Sixth graders from LREI will lunch and participate in a variety of games and athletic events with students from Village Community School, Grace Church School, Friends, City and Country, and St. Luke’s School. (Raindate is October 12th.)
  • Tuesday, October 19th — Library Open House at drop-off. Ever wonder where the easy readers are, or how to check out a book when a librarian isn’t around? Please come and visit Jennifer and Stacy in the Sixth Avenue library, have a cup of coffee and find out how the library works!”
  • Tuesday, October 18th, 8:15AM — Parent Rep Meeting
  • Wednesday, October 19th – Friday, October 21st — 8th grade participates in EI Minimester
  • Thursday, October 20th, 6:00PM — MS Parents of Children of Color Meeting
  • Monday, October 24th — Raindate for Class Photos

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

Be well,
Mark

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