The New Year

Dear Families:

Over the break, I was touched (but ultimately not surprised) by the emails that I received from middle school students inquiring as to what we, as a school, could do to support the relief efforts for those communities affected by the tsunami in Asia. I say not surprised because LREI’s commitment to service as a core value is not something we simply talk about, but it’s something we do. I have no doubt that as our community, guided by its students, more fully develops a coordinated plan to assist in the relief efforts, we will also be furthering our progressive mission as we connect thought to action.

On a related note, in light of this week’s National Geographic Bee, I am also struck by the critical role that the study of geography, which is a crucial element of our curriculum, plays in helping students to better understand the world in which they live. As our students come to acquire a global worldview and understand the interplay of the physical world, culture, economics, and politics, it is our hope that they will better situated to take action as citizens not only of this country, but of the world.

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.columbia.edu/~mis14/ to access the files.)

1) Middle School Chorus Rehearsal Schedule

2) Middle School Play Poster

2) 5th-6th Grade Basketball Team List and Schedule

3) Artist Lecture Series

4) AfterSchool Winter Schedule

5) Student Writings from the Recent 5th Grade Publishing Party

6) Message from the Director of Education

Of School-wide Interest . . .

1) Please see the important message from Director of Education Nick O’Han describing the fundraising efforts that are being planned by the Student Emergency Response Committee to address the humanitarian crisis in Asia caused by the recent tsunami.

2) Please join us for the Middle School production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged.” Students performed a short preview at a recent middle school meeting and the audience really enjoyed it! Please keep in mind that the show is geared toward middle and high school audiences, and that while lower school students and parents are welcome to attend, it is not recommended. Shows are: Friday, January 7 at 7pm and Saturday, January 8 at 3pm and 7pm. Kasey Picayo is selling tickets in the mornings at Bleecker Street for $8.00. Tickets are on sale at the door for $10.00. I hope to see you at one of the shows!

3) From Phil Kassen, Director: As many of you have noticed, we have not scheduled a Grandparents/Special Friends Day this year. We will be organizing this event in alternate years from now on. Please feel free to invite grandparents and special friends to your child’s parent assemblies and to other special events. We hope to see many Middle School grandparents and friends at this weekend’s middle school play.

4)This year we registered to participate in the National Geographic Geography Bee (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/index.html). The first round of the Bee took place today in classrooms. In this round, students responded orally to a series of geography-related questions. Participation was voluntary and those who didn’t want to participate served as the audience for their peers who did choose to participate. We will do the final and championship rounds at Middle School meeting on Wednesday, January 12th. The winner of the championship round will then take the state-qualifying test on the 13th.

5) From the AfterSchool Program: The above link to the AfterSchool winter schedule is provided so that you may begin to consider Afterschool options for the Winter/ Spring semester. It is not a registration form. Registration packets were mailed to LREI families on Monday, December 20th. Registration for all Afterschool at LREI programs began on January 3rd at 2:30pm.

6) From the Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance (LSGA): LGBT Family Luau at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Saturday, January 8th from 6PM to 8PM – Escape the snow and join us for a winter luau! We invite all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families and their friends and to meet, mingle, and explore the Museum. One free membership will be awarded to the most tropically dressed family! Tickets are $5 per person. Please RSVP by January 5th at 718-735-4400 x125. For directions visit http://www.brooklynkids.org/plan/directions.html.

7) THE ARTIST LECTURE SERIES: a slide presentation and talk with LREI parent Marlene McCarty and LREI alumnus Nayland Blake ’78. Tuesday, January 11th 2005 from 7:00PM – 9:00PM at the Charlton Street PAC. Tickets $10.00 / Students and faculty free. Childcare available for $15.00 per child, $5 per sibling. For further information and reservations call 212.477.5316 x 232. Tickets on sale in the lobbies at the 272 Sixth Avenue and 40 Charlton Street campuses. For more information see the linked attachment above.

8) Save the Date – January 28, 2005 at 5:00PM – KARAMU: An LREI Community Multicultural Arts Celebration of Food, Dancing and Entertainment in the Charlton Street PAC. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $5 for kids and will be on sale in the Sixth Avenue campus lobby in January. One addition please.



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, January 7th, 8:30AM — Multicultural Comm. Mtg.
  • Friday, January 7th – Middle School Play @ 7PM
  • Saturday, January 8th – Middle School Play @ 3PM and 7PM
  • Monday, January 10th, 9:00AM — Comm.Serv.Mtg.
  • Monday, January 10th, 5:30PM — Edu.Comm.Mtg.
  • Tuesday, January 11th, 8:45AM — MS Tour for 3rd gr. families
  • Tuesday, January 11th, 7:00PM — Artist Lecture Series
  • Wednesday, January 12th, 2:30PM – National Geography Bee @ Middle School Meeting
  • Wednesday, January 12th, 5:30PM — PA Exec. Bd. Mtg, ChSt. PAC
  • Wednesday, January 12th, 6:30PM — PA Open Mtg, PAC
  • Friday, January 14th — Professional Development Day – school closed for all divisions
  • Monday, January 17th — Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday – school closed
  • Tuesday, January 18th, 8:15AM — MS Parent Rep. Mtg.
  • Wednesday, January 19th, 5:30PM — HR Comm. Mtg.
  • Friday, January 21st, 8:30AM — Multicultural Comm. Mtg.
  • Friday, January 21st, 8:30AM — Lit.Comm.Mtg.
  • Friday, January 21st – Love Shakespeare production for 7th and 8th graders @ 2:00PM (tentative)
  • Monday, January 24th, 8:00AM — Development Comm. Mtg.
  • Tuesday, January 25th, 5:30PM — Enroll. & Mkt. Comm. Mtg.
  • Wednesday, January 26th, 6:30PM — PA Exec. Bd. Mtg. w/Phil ChSt. caf
  • Friday, January 28th, 5:00PM – KARAMU (set up at noon) ChSt. PAC
  • Saturday, January 29th, 7:00PM — Coffeehouse, ChSt. PAC
  • Wednesday, February 2nd, 10:00AM – 6th Grade to Cathedral of Saint John the Divine

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

Be well,

Mark

To view the attached .pdf files, please download Adobe Reader, if you do not already have it. Click on the following link or paste it into your browser: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Post a comment