Weekly Email June 9, 2005

Dear all,

What a blur as we charge toward the finish line! I have not stopped glowing from last week's Senior Project Presentation Evening. I have spent some time thinking about that evening as the most appropriate culmination of a progressive education - students proving their ability to use their hard-earned academic skills and knowledge, and their leadership, out in the world in order to make that world a better place.

There have been further developments in the life of the High School as well. As the school year wraps up, the new Student Government - elected in the early Spring, as soon as the Seniors began their field work for Senior Projects - began to plan for next year and beyond. The Student Government representatives have been busy reconstituting the Honor Board, and the students and faculty are engaged in a lively and productive debate about what a school honor board can and should do. The faculty has also engaged the Student Government in a discussion of how, as the school grows, we can help to ensure that students from all grades get to know each other. This was a major concern voiced by the outgoing Seniors, and we are eager to plan now for the Fall.

The major planning for the fall, however, has been curricular. Let me begin with a brand new program and a brand new teacher. We are pleased to announce the start of LREI's Mandarin Chinese program in the High School. The program will start in the 2005-2006 school year with classes taught to ninth graders by Guo-Qing (pronounced "Ching") Zhang Heaton. Guo-Qing comes to us with over fifteen years of teaching and tutoring experience. She has not only taught Chinese in a variety of locations and situations, from Kyoto, Japan to New York, but has also taught Chinese calligraphy as well as sculpture and other fine arts as a Professor of Sculpture and Design in her native Xian, China. Guo-Qing plans to develop students' aesthetic appreciation of Chinese characters along with proficiency in oral and written communication. The course will be designed for students who have never studied Mandarin before, but Guo-Qing is confident that she will be able to accommodate students who do have some familiarity as well. The program will expand to ninth and tenth grades in 2006-2007, ninth, tenth and eleventh grades in 2007-2008 and then to all four grades in 2008-2009. For the next few years, students in grades in which Chinese is not taught will have the opportunity to do independent study/Honors Projects with Guo-Qing (in addition to their regular foreign language classes). Please feel free to contact Foreign Language Department Chair Adele Pelz or myself if you have further questions.

Let me take this opportunity to introduce you quickly to other new faculty (I will give more details in my summer letter). Alissa Wall will teach mathematics and some physics next year. Alissa has an AB in Geophysics from Harvard and has taught mathematics at the Commonwealth School in Boston as well as at St. Ann's in Brooklyn. Alissa is also a serious dancer and a volunteer at Housing Works. Preethi Thomas will be our new science teacher, teaching physics, chemistry and a new eleventh grade Astronomy course. Preethi has a BS in Science Education from NYU (concentration in Physics) and an MA in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. Preethi has taught at Washington Irving High School and has most recently been working with Girls Incorporated of New York City. Bill Bailey will teach one section of tenth grade History. Bill is a thirty-five year veteran of Concord Academy, birthplace of GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Educators Network). For the past three years, he has been teaching history part-time at a variety of New York City independent schools. Bill has a BA and an MA in History from Columbia University. Finally, Vinay Chowdhry will be our new Media Arts teacher. Vinay has a BA in Film and Video from Penn State University and an MFA in Film and Video from Bard College's Milton Avery Graduate School. Vinay has a variety of teaching experiences, including teaching graduate-level film courses at The New School as well as teaching film to at-risk youth in the Bronx through the Women's Housing Economic Development Corp. Vinay is an accomplished filmmaker, with experience making commercials and narrative films, as well as experimental films, many involving dance and politics.

Along with new faculty, we have additional courses to announce. In addition to the Chinese program and the new Astronomy course mentioned above, the English Department will move from fixed eleventh and twelfth grade courses to mixed-grade electives, just as the History Department did starting last year. The History Department will add electives, including a course taught by Director of Diversity and Community Sharon Dupree tentatively titled "Economics, Race and Class" (taught this year as a Seniors-only two trimester course) and a course taught by Director of Education Nick O'Han titled "The Communities of New York." The Arts Department is also expanding with additional Music courses as well as course offerings in Graphic Design and Animation.

With all of this growth has come some growing pains; we have to rethink all of our 'systems', from fire drills to scheduling classes, and as our Seniors have reminded us (as mentioned above), we have to work to keep the small school feel even as we grow ever larger. When I started two years ago, I invited any and all families who wished to meet with me over the summer to set up a time to do so. Let me make that same offer now. I am eager to hear your thoughts and suggestions as we continue to move the High School forward.

One attachment to this email: An end-of-year message from Director Phil Kassen.

And one announcement: LREI celebrates Gay Pride: Sunday, June 26, 2005. Be a part of a worldwide movement for freedom and equality, and march with the LREI banner in the 2005 NYC PRIDE parade. It's fun and festive, and kids are very welcome. High School students may earn three hours of community service credit. The LREI group will meet on the northwest corner of 29th St and 5th Avenue by the Marble Collegiate Church at 12.15 PM. (We will join the march midway, along with the CenterKids families.) LREI will be officially announced at two points along the route: 24th and 5th, and Christopher and Greenwich. Two years ago, we were the first school ever to march, and we proudly wore our Elisabeth Irwin T-shirts. The crowd went wild! Come and join us, or come out and cheer us on. For more info, contact nancy@workman.com or phone Kate Edgar, 917-583-6269.

Finally - the summer reading list will be ready in a matter of days. Ninth and tenth graders will choose one book from the list of books suggested by faculty plus one mandatory book, while eleventh and twelfth graders will choose two books from the list. The list will be mailed to all High School families shortly. If you are away, it will be available online at http://www.lrei.org/libres/ls_3e.html.

Schedule for the remainder of the year:
- Thursday, June 9, 6:30 PM (Tonight) - Senior Banquet - The School Store will be open for those who want a last shot at LREI paraphernalia!
- Friday, June 10, 1:00 PM - Graduation at NYU's Skirball Auditorium - Ticket Required
- Tuesday, June 15, 12:00 PM - SUMMER VACATION BEGINS!!!!

On a personal note - thanks to all faculty, parents and especially students for a tremendously fun and fulfilling second year. Have a great summer - see you in September!

Take care one and all,

Tony


As always, please browse the web site at www.lrei.org. Also, note the links to the Middle and Lower School weekly emails on the right. Please take a look at what the students in the other two divisions are up to!

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