June 8, 2023
Dear LREI Community,
Greetings from the corner of Sixth and Bleecker as we move into the last days of school. It is incredible how quickly this year has gone. Much like parenting, the days seem long, but the year(s), the big picture, fly by. I imagine this is true for many experiences that are challenging, about which we care a great deal, and we know in the long run our efforts and love will lead to fruitful and fulfilling outcomes.
Zooming out to the school’s longer run/bigger picture, a few thoughts about LREI’s Board of Trustees. A school’s board of trustees works in partnership with the director and administration to protect the institution’s mission and to ensure that the school has the resources it needs to achieve its goals. LREI has an excellent and hard working board composed of 35 generous and dedicated volunteers. The chair is the main representative of the board and the chair’s work with the school’s head is one of the closest professional relationships that a school leader has. The chair, if the relationship is working well, is the director’s most trusted advisor and who, among many other responsibilities, leads the director’s goal setting and evaluation processes.
I have been fortunate to have had three excellent board chairs during my years as LREI’s director – Michael Patrick ’73 P ‘03, Amy Zimmerman P’17 P ‘19 P ‘22 P ‘24, and Jim Harris H ‘23 P ‘09 P ‘13 P ‘22. All terrific and all people from whom I learned so much and all three having had a significant impact on the future of LREI. Jim, who many of you have met during your time at LREI, is stepping down as board chair on June 30 after five very full years and will leave the board after 15 years, which is only part of his 28 years as a member of the LREI community.
Thank you, Jim, for all of your efforts as a trustee, for all that you accomplished during your time as board chair, and for your support and guidance over the past five eventful years, a very busy moment in LREI’s history. As I said to the board, more than the 24/7 availability and participation in meetings, your steady hand as we navigated roiled seas helped during the long days and made the years fly by. Maybe most of all, I am grateful for your ongoing belief in LREI, in our importance in the lives of children and families, and in our bright, bright future. 
Earlier this week at their last meeting of this school year, LREI’s Board of Trustees unanimously elected Anh-Van Nguyen to be the next chair of LREI’s Board. Anh-Van P‘27 P’29 has been a hugely involved parent since the day her family arrived at LREI. She was a Parents Association Co-President for two years, serving on the board in that role, and joined the board two years ago as an elected trustee. She has spent the last year shadowing Jim, joining nearly every meeting of all Board committees. I am thrilled by the board’s choice of the fourth excellent chair with whom I will partner and learn from and am looking forward to our work together.
To all – enjoy the last few days of the school year. I am so excited for next week’s lower school Moving-Up, middle school Moving-Up and, of course, Commencement.
To the seniors and their families – it was so great to chat at Senior Project Presentations and I hope that tomorrow’s prom is simply wonderful. See you at the Senior Banquet and then, of course on Wednesday at Graduation.
Peace,
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An invitation from Kalil Oldham, LREI’s Director of Equity and Community….
“I’m excited to announce that we are registered to participate in the 2023 NYC Pride March, taking place on Sunday, 6/25! Marching in Pride is a longstanding LREI tradition, and a clear example of our community’s ongoing commitment to standing up for freedom and equality for all people in our community, especially those who have faced a history of marginalization and oppression. As we witness ongoing efforts at the curtailing of rights and freedoms of members of the LGBTQ+ community around the country, our school’s participation in Pride is an important opportunity for us to come together in celebration, affirmation, and solidarity. I hope you’ll join us!
Please fill out this form if you’d like to be part of the LREI group at Pride, and please let me know if there are any questions.”
From Phil – I hope you choose to join us on June 25th. Celebrate the rights and humanity of the members of the LGBTQ+ community.
See you there.