Weekly Email December 1, 2005

Dear all,

The High School is buzzing with terrific presentations of culminating projects over the past week and a half. As the Trimester I exams/presentations period comes to a close, we look forward to a truly exciting first week of the new trimester:

* BOOK WEEK!!! LREI Book Week (see attached flyer) is December 5 through 9, and we have an incredible line-up of authors coming to visit High School classes, as well as the High School assembly:

+ Tuesday's Assembly-Diana Ossana, co-writer of the movie script of Brokeback Mountain (based on short story by Annie Proulx)
+ Gini Alhadeff, author of The Sun at Midday, Tales of a Mediterranean Family
+ Holly Black, author of VALIANT: A Modern Tale of Faerie
+ Libba Bray, author of A Great and Terrible Beauty
+ Jim Knipfel, author of Slackjaw and Ruining It for Everybody
+ John Leland, New York Times Reporter and author of History of Hip
+ Eliot Schrefer, author of The Glamorous Disasters
+ John Patrick Shanley, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Doubt
+ Ed Sikov, author of Mr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers and Screwball
+ Diana Son, playwright, author of BOY and Stop Kiss
+ Martha Southgate, author of The Fall of Rome

Also as part of Book Week, on Thursday, December 8th at 7 PM at Charlton Street, we will have the 9th annual Literary Evening. This year we are featuring six outstanding Gulf Coast authors (including LREI parent and poet Ron Price), and serving Gulf Coast cuisine; see attached flyer for more details. Tickets cost $20 and will be available in the 6th Avenue lobby or at the door. As part of the evening, on the 8th we will have the Book Fair Annex at Charlton Street from 2 PM to 6 PM, featuring many of the authors who are visiting High School classes as well as those who will speak at the Literary Evening. Please see a note from the Literary Commitee to High School parents regarding Book Week in general and the purchasing of books inn particular.

Speaking of books: Here is a response from a High School in Louisiana to the great quantity of High School books that were gathered by our terrific Literary Committee with High School Librarian Karyn Silverman and sent down to the area from LREI:

Once again, I can't thank you and all of those who helped you for your time and generosity. I have divided books among eleven English teachers, a drama teacher and a chemistry teacher. The leftover chemistry books will go to my friend who is the principal of the Math/Science High School in New Orleans. Their building flooded and most of their materials could best be described as mush. They think they may re-open in January. My school's enrollment is at about 80%, and our principal announced that we will probably lose about 7 teachers. (We are supposed to be one of the lucky schools.) I am not concerned about my job, but I do feel for the younger faculty members. It is a very strange year indeed. We have taken in kids form New Orleans and other area schools so obviously many of ours have not returned.

Things here are far from normal-- even though much of the stuff in our neighborhoods has been picked up. Some neighborhoods are still piled with trees, trash, sheet rock and carpets, and most New Orleans neighborhoods are still uninhabitable after dark because there is still no electricity. In some areas people come in to work during the day and then drive 50 or more miles to sleep at night. The French Quarter and the University areas are slowly coming back. The mayor estimates that about 20% of New Orleaneans are back now. Others say less. Others should return as utilities are restored; however, we know some areas will never be the same or even rebuilt.

Anyway-- I wanted to thank you again and update you on our progress. Your generosity made a difference.

And there's even more going on during this packed week:

* On Tuesday and Wednesday, the school store will be open (see attached flyer) during both lunch periods (11 to 1 and 12 to 2, respectively). Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like stuff with the LREI logo!

* Our next Parent Reps meeting will be on Tuesday, December 6 and will focus on issues regarding safety and the Internet. High School Graphic Arts teacher and Technology Coordinator Tim Cooper will join us. Please peruse the minutes of the most recent meeting on November 15.

* On Thursday, December 8, the Human Rights/Amnesty International Club will run an ambitious day centered around a viewing of the movie Hotel Rwanda. The discussion groups will be run by students and teachers who have trained specifically for this day and will use materials developed by high school educators, including our own Spanish teacher Nick Sullivan, specifically for Amnesty International USA. For more information about this program, see Amnesty International USA's education website, or look at the "Hotel Rwanda Teacher's Guide."

* An announcement from High School and Middle School Musical Director Julia Collura:

Dear all:

The Middle School is currently in production for "Arabian Nights", which goes up January 20th and 21st. If you have any of the following items that you are able to lend or donate for the production, I and the cast would be very grateful. Thanks so much and hope to see you at the show!

Theatrical regards,

Julia Collura
Middle School Drama Director

old cushions that can be re-covered.
oriental rugs
two or three divans
sari tops
wide turkish type pants
belly dancing outfits and/or accessories
pointed slippers
costume jewelry
very wide leather belts

A quick summary of just some of the recent events at the High School:

* Buddy Day activities linking our students with their fellow LREI-ers from the Lower and Middle Schools
* An exciting and fun-filled Spirit Game (yes, the faculty were victorious!)
* A student-run Hispanic Heritage assembly
* Another successful showing at Apple Store Soho
* A student-run assembly paying tribute to departing Biology teacher Bhawanie Singh (see the email from October 27 for more details about Bhawanie's careers inside and outside of LREI)

Finally, another reminder - please see the invitation to participate in VISIBILITY: Celebrating the Lesbian and Gay People We Love, coming February 13, 2006.

All the best,

Tony

December
* Thursday 1 - Friday 2 Trimester I Exams/Presentations; End of Trimester I
* Monday 5 Trimester II begins
* Monday 5 - Friday 9 Book week
* Tuesday 6 Parent Reps Meeting, 6:30 PM
* Tuesday 6 Book Week Assembly
* Thursday 8 Literary Evening, 7:00 PM
* Thursday 15 Winter Concert, 6:00 PM

January
* Monday 2 School closed – Legal Holiday
* Tuesday 3 School closed – Professional Development Day
* Wednesday 4 School reopens
* Friday 13 School closed (High School) – Parent-Advisor Conferences
* Monday 16 School closed – MLK, Jr. Day
* Tuesday 17 High School Parent Rep Meeting
* Saturday 21 Coffeehouse!

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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