In the absence of man, we turn to nature, which stands next. In the divine order, intellect is primary; nature, secondary; it is the memory of the mind. That which once existed in intellect as pure law, has now taken body as Nature. It existed already in the mind in solution; now, it has been precipitated, and the bright sediment is the world. We can never be quite strangers or inferiors in nature. It is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone. But we no longer hold it by the hand; we have lost our miraculous power; our arm is no more as strong as the frost; nor our will equivalent to gravity and the elective attractions. Yet we can use nature as a convenient standard, and the meter of our rise and fall. It has this advantage as a witness, it cannot be debauched. When man curses, nature still testifies to truth and love. We may, therefore, safely study the mind in nature, because we cannot steadily gaze on it in mind; as we explore the face of the sun in a pool, when our eyes cannot brook his direct splendors.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Families,

We have had an extraordinary few weeks, with Minimester, the NYSAIS visit and exam week. Friday marks the end of the first trimester, which means on Monday, students will enjoy "First Monday," where we provide special programming for the first Monday of the second and third trimesters. For Monday, Dec. 4, we will use the day to focus on the environment, global warming and determine our own goals regarding sustainability. After this memorably warm November with several days of record temperatures, including today, and many struggling to get into the holiday spirit despite the weather, this topic is apropos. Whether or not current conditions are a result of irreversible global warming, we still waste too much, use too much and throw away too much. It is time for students to determine their own personal responsibility and remind adults to protect what they cannot.

What is one's ethical responsibility to the environment? Is the earth here for our enjoyment, our comfort? I love the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson because his work is the truth and a reminder of who we really are when we are alone. "In the absence of man, we turn to nature, which stands next." How many of us, when feeling alone or literally alone, have turned to the sky, face to the rain, the horizon, the ocean, a sunset or star, for comfort, a sign, hope, or strength? How many of us long for a room with a view?

The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence. Nature never wears a mean appearance.

While we seem to instinctively look outward, our efforts seem to aim to provide us, buy us, only surface comforts and we have to destroy nature in order to get them. Light bulbs replace natural light. Air conditioners replace the breeze.

Believe it or not, high school students are very romantic in their views of nature, and of course they consistently refer to nature's magic and ability to understand and heal in their creative writings, as maybe you once did in high school. We will take next Monday and do the best we can to educate ourselves and determine our responsibilities towards maintaining and improving our planet, not so we can preserve it for future generations, but because its health reflects our health.

Every earnest glance we give to the realities around us, with intent to learn, proceeds from a holy impulse, and is really songs of praise. What difference can it make whether it take the shape of exhortation, or of passionate exclamation, or of scientific statement?

All the best,

Ruth




Calendar for December and January:

December 4, 2006- First day of Trimester II; Environmental Day, 8:30-3:00 PM, Charlton Street.
December 4-8, 2006- Book Week!
December 5, 2006- Arts Assembly, 1:00 PM, PAC
December 7, 2006- Literary Evening, 7:00-9:00 PM, PAC
December 8, 9, 2006- Middle School Play, 7:00 PM, PAC
December 14, 2006- Winter Concert, 6:30 PM, PAC
December 15, 2006- School closes for Winter Break, 12:00 PM.
January 3, 2007- School reopens.
January 10, 2007- College Night with Junior parents and families, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria
January 12, 2007- Parent-Advisor Conferences, all day. School closed for students.


This Week's Attachments and Announcements:


1. Book Week is almost here! During the week of Dec. 4th through 8th, authors will be visiting all grades to read from their work and talk to the kids about books. The annual Book Fair will take place from Wednesday, Dec. 6th, through Friday, Dec. 8th, in the Sixth Avenue auditorium, with books on sale for all ages. Please click here for more information on Book Week. This year's Literary Evening will be on Thursday, December 7th, in the Charlton Street PAC at 7 PM. This year's theme is "Who am I? An Evening Contemplating Cultural Identity" featuring authors Nilo Cruz, Stephane Gerson and Todd Shepard, Madhur Jaffrey, Josclyn Lieu, and Nahid Rachlin. The emcee is High School Vice Principal, Sarvjit Moonga. Enjoy an intimate evening listening to great literature, with complimentary wine and delicious food courtesy of Balthazar and 'Ino Restaurants.


For these events to be successful, the Literary Committee needs help from parent volunteers! Please sign up in the Sixth Avenue lobby to help with all aspects of Book Week, or e-mail susiemarples@yahoo.com.



2. The divisional Parents of Children of Color Groups will be hosting a potluck breakfast for the parents and children of color in all three divisions on Tuesday, December 5th from 8:00AM-8:30AM in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria. Please attend and bring a breakfast treat to share. See you there.

3. Please join us for a longstanding LREI tradition:
The Glass Menagerie Chorus Holiday Concert.
Susan Glass, founder and director (former LREI music teacher, current LREI parent)
Friday, December 8th at 8:00PM
St. Joseph's Church in the Village
371 Sixth Ave. (2 blocks south of 8th Street.)

4.Ragtime DVD is available now! Professionally shot and edited DVDs of Ragtime (of the Saturday evening performance) can be ordered through danmeyerson@gmail.com or mattschlichter@gmail.com. DVDs are $28 each and include a copy of the artwork on the playbill and the cast list. This is a great opportunity to hold onto the experience of this production for future portfolios, family screenings, as well as adding a great DVD to your collection.

5. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student's progress in any given class. Thank you.

6. Please check out the Community Service Calendar!

7. There is a change of date for the next Parent Rep meeting. We will be meeting on December 5, 6:30 PM in the Charlton Street cafeteria.

8. The Parents' Association Food Committee is hard at work! Through the efforts of this very active parent body, we aim to work with an enthusiastic administration and an open-minded catering company to continue to upgrade the quality and variety of the food served in school. We are also discussing ways to bring nutrition discussions into each classroom to educate our children about how to eat more healthfully. In the future, the Food Committee hopes to invite guest speakers to talk to parents interested in learning more about your family's nutrition. Stay tuned!

10. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

11. Next Thursday, December 7, will be the last drop-in coffee of the season, 7:45-8:15 AM. All parents are welcome.

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!

All attachments are in .pdf format. To view these files, please download Adobe Reader, if you do not already have it. Click on this link or paste it into your browser: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html.
If you are having trouble opening the attachments, go to http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ms/ to access the files.

If, in the light of things, you fade
real, yet wanly withdrawn
to our determined and appropriate
distance, like the moon left on
all night among the leaves, may
you invisibly delight this house;
O star, doubly compassionate, who came
too soon for twilight, too late
for dawn, may your pale flame
direct the worst in us
through chaos
with the passion of plain day.

Derek Walcott

Dear Families,

Please join us on Monday night for our "Save Darfur" benefit, produced by students Vio Picayo, Lily Wiggins and Kamillah akLaff. Some reasons to make every effort to support this cause (from SaveDarfur.org):

-Darfur has been embroiled in a deadly conflict for over three years. At least 400,000 people have been killed; more than 2 million innocent civilians have been forced to flee their homes and now live in displaced-persons camps in Sudan or in refugee camps in neighboring Chad; and more than 3.5 million men, women, and children are completely reliant on international aid for survival. Not since the Rwandan genocide of 1994 has the world seen such a calculated campaign of displacement, starvation, rape, and mass slaughter.

-Since early 2003, Sudanese armed forces and Sudanese government-backed militia known as “Janjaweed” have been fighting two rebel groups in Darfur, the Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). The stated political aim of the rebels has been to compel the government of Sudan to address underdevelopment and the political marginalization of the region. In response, the Sudanese government’s regular armed forces and the Janjaweed – largely composed of fighters of Arab nomadic background – have targeted civilian populations and ethnic group from which the rebels primarily draw their support – the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.

-The Bush Administration has recognized these atrocities – carried out against civilians primarily by the government of Sudan and its allied Janjaweed militias – as genocide. António Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has described the situation in Sudan and Chad as “the largest and most complex humanitarian problem on the globe.” The Sudanese government and the Janjaweed militias are responsible for the burning and destruction of hundreds of rural villages, the killing of tens of thousands of people and rape and assault of thousands of women and girls.

-With much international pressure, the Darfur Peace Agreement was brokered in May 2006 between the government of Sudan and one faction of Darfur rebels. However, deadlines have been ignored and the violence has escalated, with in-fighting among the various rebel groups and factions dramatically increasing and adding a new layer of complexity to the conflict. This violence has made it dangerous, if not impossible, for most of the millions of displaced persons to return to their homes. Humanitarian aid agencies face growing obstacles to bringing widespread relief. In August 2006, the UN's top humanitarian official Jan Egeland stated that the situation in Darfur is "going from real bad to catastrophic." Indeed, the violence in Darfur rages on with government-backed militias still attacking civilian populations with impunity.

-On July 30, 2004, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1556 demanding that the government of Sudan disarm the Janjaweed. This same demand is also an important part of the Darfur Peace Agreement signed in May of 2006. On August 31, 2006, the Security Council took the further step of authorizing a strong UN peacekeeping force for Darfur by passing resolution 1706. Despite these actions, the Janjaweed are still active and free to commit the same genocidal crimes against civilians in Darfur with the aid of the Sudanese government.

Many thanks to all who have supported this event. If you cannot attend the benefit, but would like to make a donation, please let me know.

In other LREI news, as you may know, this week we were visited by a group of educators and administrators for our ten year accreditation review for NYSAIS. Although the week was incredibly busy, it was also rewarding for all of us, since we had the opportunity to discuss all aspects of our program. Following is a letter from Director, Phil Kassen:

Dear LREI Families,

Our NYSAIS Visiting Committee left at the end of the school day on Wednesday. As the next steps in the accreditation process will continue for the next few months, there was little that our visitors could tell us at a meeting we had on Wednesday afternoon. A few comments they did share:

· They were impressed with the level of engagement of students in all three divisions. They commented on how welcoming and articulate the students are and how happy they seem in school.
· They spoke of the thoughtful conversations they had with LREI’s faculty and staff.
· They thanked us for the ways in which we welcomed them into the LREI community.

Once we have received a final copy of the committee’s report we will share appropriate sections with the community. We will share commendations, recommendations and our plans for addressing the recommendations. We will share a similar set of plans that grows out of our conversations about your responses to the parent survey.

Thank you for your participation and interest.

Best,

Phil

Finally, as this will be the last blog before Thanksgiving, there is quite a bit of information and announcements, so be sure to scroll down. Most importantly, let me wish you and your family a wonderful holiday.

All the best,

Ruth


Calendar for November:
November 17, 2006-Special Assembly: The Skidmore Accents, an acappella group from Skidmore which includes our own alum, Allison Wiggins (class of 2005), 1:00 PM, PAC
November 20, 2006-Please join us for a very important event: Save Darfur benefit concert, 6:30-8 PM, PAC
November 22, 2006- Thanksgiving break. School closes at 12:00 PM.
November 27, 2006- Review Day (regular classes meet)
November 28, 2006- Reading Day (School is open. Students may use this time to work on papers, projects, meet with teachers and use the Tech Center and Library. No regular classes.)
November 29-Dec. 1, 2006-Trimester I Exams and Exhibitions
November 30, 2006-Parents of Children who receive Academic Support meeting, 6:30 PM. The topic for this meeting will be The Learning Support Program here at the high school. Jerry Cascio and Patricia Carter will join the meeting.
December 4, 2006- Human Rights Day, all day, Charlton Street.
December 5, 2006-Arts Assembly, 1:00 PM, PAC


This Week's Attachments and Announcements:


1. Join the LREI Varsity boys and girls basketball teams for their home openers on Tuesday, November 28th at 4:15 and Wednesday, November 29th at 4:00PM in the Thompson Street Athletic Center, 143 Thompson Street. Come out and cheer on our student athletes. Go Knights!

2.Ragtime DVD is available now! Professionally shot and edited DVDs of Ragtime (of the Saturday evening performance) can be ordered through danmeyerson@gmail.com or mattschlichter@gmail.com. DVDs are $28 each and include a copy of the artwork on the playbill and the cast list. This is a great opportunity to hold onto the experience of this production for future portfolios, family screenings, as well as adding a great DVD to your collection.

3. This Saturday, the Parents Association Community Service Committee will be going to the Fulton Community Center of Hudson Guild to join with some of the seniors to make centerpieces and decorations for the Hudson Guild's Annual Thanksgiving Feast.

This event is open~to students in~all divisions as well as parents, teachers and staff. As an added benefit, this~is a community service opportunity for High School students. More importantly, it is a wonderful intergenerational event that affords the opportunity to meet some very interesting senior citizens who live in our area. It's really a lot of fun. There will be bagels, juice and coffee.

4. LREI in the news: The New York Sun

5. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student's progress in any given class. Thank you.

6. Please check out the Community Service Calendar!

7. There is a change of date for the next Parent Rep meeting. We will be meeting on December 5, 6:30 PM in the Charlton Street cafeteria. Here are the minutes from our last meeting on November 7, 2006 written by parent Denise Adler:

Joining us was Amy Shapiro who introduced Jane Gabin (jgabin@lrei.org), who is working as a part time associate with Amy until she goes on maternity leave. Jane will be full time until Amy's return, and then will go back to part time. This is Jane's third year in college counseling; she has ten years experience working in college admissions at UNC Chapel Hill. She started her career as an English professor. She is very much into “de-stressing the college selection process” and knows what admissions offices are looking for based on her experience. She is also a mother who has been through this process with her own children.
The two counselors described the process as it takes place at EI. They said it helped that they were able to really get to know the students because it was such a small community. They also said that it was fine for students to be undecided in a major, that professors preferred this. The key is to find out what students expect in their college communities by distinguishing between the must haves and the negotiable. There is a college trip in the spring to three or four campuses with the Eleventh Grade. Where they go is based on the broad a spectrum of needs in the class. January 7, 2006 is College Night and College Class starts in December with two trimesters in Eleventh Grade and one in Twelfth.
A question was asked about taking a gap year (deferring for a year). Both Amy and Jane said it was much better to take advantage of the support available here, which means if a student is considering this, he or she should apply, get accepted and then defer. There are established gap year programs and some colleges are more flexible to them than others.
Also on the agenda was PSAT, SAT and ACT tests. Tenth and Eleventh graders take the PSATs in October. This is a preparatory test only and the scores do not count. They are a good measure of where a student is and where one should be. For students who are not strong test takers, there is test prep program in the spring for Eleventh Graders. This prep is for the SATs but some people think they should also try ACT test as these tests are gaining popularity in our area. In addition, there are some colleges that do not require tests -- go to www.fairtest.org where there is a list of colleges that are test optional.
Finally, Ruth told us of the new schedule for exams. Instead of starting right after Thanksgiving break, Monday will be a review day. Attendance is required. Tuesday is a reading day (the library will be open, all staff will be here and students can use this day to prepare at school or at home), and exams begin on Wednesday -- students may come for their exams and then leave.

Submitted 11/15/06 DJA

8. The Parents' Association Food Committee is hard at work! Through the efforts of this very active parent body, we aim to work with an enthusiastic administration and an open-minded catering company to continue to upgrade the quality and variety of the food served in school. We are also discussing ways to bring nutrition discussions into each classroom to educate our children about how to eat more healthfully. In the future, the Food Committee hopes to invite guest speakers to talk to parents interested in learning more about your family's nutrition. Stay tuned!

9. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

10. It is essential that all students arrive at school on time. Students who arrive late often find it difficult to enter into the class’s discussion or activity. Some students find that this lag can last for the whole school day.

11. Parents! Have your own LREI experience through the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity) monthly parent dialogue group. Share stories, explore assumptions, view films and exchange information. Please contact Sharon DuPree (sdupree@lrei.org) or Peggy Peloquin (ppeloquin@lrei.org) if you are interested in joining LREI's first parent SEED group and the next meeting.

12. Please remember, every Thursday morning through December 7, parents are invited to have coffee at the high school with me. We are there from 7:45-8:15, in the cafeteria.


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!

All attachments are in .pdf format. To view these files, please download Adobe Reader, if you do not already have it. Click on this link or paste it into your browser: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html.
If you are having trouble opening the attachments, go to http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ms/ to access the files.

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.

Jane Austen

Dear Families,

We are so proud of our high school. Please see the following letter from Phil Kassen, Director:


"Congratulations to the High School students and faculty on being named to the Blackboard High School Awards Honor Roll for excellence in three areas:

· Teaching of Reading and Writing
· Teaching of Math and Science
· Respect by Students for Each Other

There are so many other areas of the high school program we could recognize. After this past weekend’s performance of Ragtime it is hard not to mention our tremendous arts program. In addition, I invite all to join our digital arts students next Tuesday, November 14th at 6:30PM, at the Apple Store SoHo for a showcase of work from LREI. Finally, please join us on Monday, November 20th for a student-organized concert to benefit relief efforts work in Darfur. Tickets are on sale now in both buildings. We are proud of your hard work and of the incredible learning community you have created on Charlton Street."

Since day one, the high school community has worked together to create a supportive, nurturing, challenging academic environment while supporting students in their efforts to respect each other and themselves. In addition, our commitment to social justice continues. It is nice to be recognized by Phil and The Blackboard Awards.

All the best,

Ruth




Calendar for November:

November 12-15, 2006-NYSAIS Decennial Visit
November 14, 2006- We invite you LREI High School Arts Showcase at the Apple Store Soho, 103 Prince Street. This will be a wonderful opportunity to see our talented High School students' artistic and technological successes. Join us to experience their photography and digital film creations. 6-8 PM.
November 20, 2006-Please join us for a very important event: Save Darfur benefit concert, 6:30-8 PM, PAC
November 22, 2006- Thanksgiving break. School closes at 12:00 PM.
November 27, 2006- Review Day (regular classes meet)
November 28, 2006- Reading Day (School is open. Students may use this time to work on papers, projects, meet with teachers and use the Tech Center and Library. No regular classes.)
November 29-Dec. 1, 2006-Trimester I Exams and Exhibitions
November 30, 2006-Parents of Children who receive Academic Support meeting, 6:30 PM. The topic for this meeting will be The Learning Support Program here at the high school. Jerry Cascio and Patricia Carter will join the meeting.


This Week's Attachments and Announcements:


1. Reminder for all Tenth Grade parents: You are invited to a parent discussion on Monday, Nov. 13th from 6:15-8:00 in the High School Cafeteria. The discussion will be lead by two facilitators from the Parents in Action group. Those who attended last year's meeting found it very informative. The meeting is open to any topic that parents would like to discuss. Hope to see you there.

2. Please see Phil's NYSAIS letter.

3. Please do not schedule appointments, medical or otherwise, during the school day, between 8:30 AM and 3:50 PM. When a student must leave early for a non-emergency, it is very disruptive to the academic program and to a student's progress in any given class. Thank you.

4. Please note the following message from Admissions regarding early notification for applicants to the Fours and Kindergarten.

5. Please check out the Community Service Calendar!

6. There is a change of date for the next Parent Rep meeting. We will be meeting on December 5, 6:30 PM in the Charlton Street cafeteria.

7. The Parents' Association Food Committee is hard at work! Through the efforts of this very active parent body, we aim to work with an enthusiastic administration and an open-minded catering company to continue to upgrade the quality and variety of the food served in school. We are also discussing ways to bring nutrition discussions into each classroom to educate our children about how to eat more healthfully. In the future, the Food Committee hopes to invite guest speakers to talk to parents interested in learning more about your family's nutrition. Stay tuned!

8. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

9. It is essential that all students arrive at school on time. Students who arrive late often find it difficult to enter into the class’s discussion or activity. Some students find that this lag can last for the whole school day.

10. The LREI Business Office has relocated into 40 Charlton Street. Members of the Business Office can now be reached through LREI's main phone number, 212.477.5316, Michel de Konkoly Thege at ext. 319, Tema Tischler at ext. 306 and Marie Horan at ext. 317. E-mail addresses remain the same. In general, inquiries regarding status of tuition accounts may be directed to Tema, regarding facility rentals to Marie and all others, including tuition remission issues, to Michel.

11. Parents! Have your own LREI experience through the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity) monthly parent dialogue group. Share stories, explore assumptions, view films and exchange information. Please contact Sharon DuPree (sdupree@lrei.org) or Peggy Peloquin (ppeloquin@lrei.org) if you are interested in joining LREI's first parent SEED group and the next meeting.

12. Please remember, every Thursday morning through December 7, parents are invited to have coffee at the high school with me. We are there from 7:45-8:15, in the cafeteria.


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!

All attachments are in .pdf format. To view these files, please download Adobe Reader, if you do not already have it. Click on this link or paste it into your browser: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html.
If you are having trouble opening the attachments, go to http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ms/ to access the files.

Life is ten percent what you make it, and ninety percent how you take it.

Irving Berlin

With the holiday season, which seems to begin right after Halloween, and of course, with the high school musical, Ragtime, opening tonight and running through Saturday, I have thought of Irving Berlin, who played an essential role in the age of musicals, the advent of jazz and in ragtime. I especially love the quote above and think of it often.

I will really miss the music drifting from the PAC in the evenings, the sound of student voices warming up and running through songs, members of the cast stopping by for a chat between scenes, and talking with Musical Director, Julia Collura, about the complexities of not only the musical itself, with its challenging songs and involved setting, but also the difficulties of our American history and how Ragtime inspires discussion. When reviewing the script initially, we were disturbed by the extensive use of racist language by many characters in the show. After meeting with Director of Diversity and Community, Sharon Dupree, it quickly became clear to us that, while we were confident our students and families have the education to put into context the use of such racially prejudiced and hateful language, we could not guarantee this would be true for every single audience member. We felt that its use would detract from the musical as a whole.

As you may know, Ragtime, is set in the early 1900’s, and examines immigrant tensions and issues of race in America. The musical as it was originally written employs racist and offensive language considered acceptable during the period in which the story is set. Yet, since the musical opened on Broadway in 1988, it has been critically acclaimed and considered by some to be one the preeminent American musicals, which makes the issue very complex but worth addressing. Our production features a very large cast, dynamic musical numbers, and many moving moments. It is ambitious, challenging, entertaining, and thought provoking. We hope to see you tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night. Enjoy the show!

All the best,
Ruth


Calendar for November:

November 2, 3 and 4, 2006- Don't miss Ragtime, The High School Musical, 7 PM, PAC.
November 7, 2006-High School Parent Rep meeting, 6:30 PM in the cafeteria
November 12-15, 2006-NYSAIS Decennial Visit
November 14, 2006- We invite you LREI High School Arts Showcase at the Apple Store Soho, 103 Prince Street. This will be a wonderful opportunity to see our talented High School students' artistic and technological successes. Join us to experience their photography and digital film creations. 6-8 PM.
November 22, 2006- Thanksgiving break. School closes at 12:00 PM.
November 27, 2006- Review Day (regular classes meet)
November 28, 2006- Reading Day (School is open. Students may use this time to work on papers, projects, meet with teachers and use the Tech Center and Library. No regular classes.)
November 29-31, 2006-Trimester I Exams and Exhibitions


This Week's Attachments and Announcements:


1. Reminder for all Tenth Grade parents: You are invited to a parent discussion on Monday, Nov. 13th from 6:15-8:00 in the High School Cafeteria. The discussion will be lead by two facilitators from the Parents in Action group. Those who attended last year's meeting found it very informative. The meeting is open to any topic that parents would like to discuss. Hope to see you there.

2. Please note the following message from Admissions regarding early notification for applicants to the Fours and Kindergarten.

3. Please check out the Community Service Calendar!

4. The Parents' Association Food Committee is hard at work! Through the efforts of this very active parent body, we aim to work with an enthusiastic administration and an open-minded catering company to continue to upgrade the quality and variety of the food served in school. We are also discussing ways to bring nutrition discussions into each classroom to educate our children about how to eat more healthfully. In the future, the Food Committee hopes to invite guest speakers to talk to parents interested in learning more about your family's nutrition. Stay tuned!

5. Please do not plan vacations that fall outside of scheduled school breaks. Each school day is important. Today’s classroom experiences are building blocks for tomorrow’s. Missing school on either end of a scheduled break, or at any time other than when school is closed, is disruptive to your child’s education and to that of her/his classmates. Often, the days preceding our longer breaks include community events such as buddy activities and assemblies. These essential community events are important. We feel strongly that students should not miss these occasions. It is our policy that teachers not prepare work ahead of time, or help students to catch up, if your family will be vacationing at times when school is in session. If your family is presented with a singular opportunity to travel that offers significant educational advantages we encourage you to speak with the division’s principal in advance.

6. It is essential that all students arrive at school on time. Students who arrive late often find it difficult to enter into the class’s discussion or activity. Some students find that this lag can last for the whole school day.

7. Attention book lovers: On Tuesday, November 8th join the Literary Committee as the LREI librarians present, "East Meets West" an evening of youth books that feature culture clashes and truces, diverse viewpoints and changing perspectives. Each year our nationally recognized librarians share their literary suggestions for students in all grades, Fours-12th grade, with the LREI community as they do with other school and professional audiences throughout the school year. All three of our full time librarians have served, or are presently serving, on American Library Association panels responsible for selecting prize winning books. Join this evening as Stacy, Jennifer and Karyn share their book selections with us, along with LS library teacher and graphic novel reviewer, Jesse Karp (LREI '87), who will give his suggestions for the best in graphic novels.

Each year the Literary Committee brings us the book fairs, Book Week, the amazing Literary Evening (December 7th) and this evening with our librarians. The Committee also supports the librarians', and their students', attendance at conferences.

If you have questions for the librarians, don't forget to join us for Learn Your Library morning on October 23rd in the Sixth Avenue Library.

8. The LREI Business Office has relocated into 40 Charlton Street. Members of the Business Office can now be reached through LREI's main phone number, 212.477.5316, Michel de Konkoly Thege at ext. 319, Tema Tischler at ext. 306 and Marie Horan at ext. 317. E-mail addresses remain the same. In general, inquiries regarding status of tuition accounts may be directed to Tema, regarding facility rentals to Marie and all others, including tuition remission issues, to Michel.

9. Parents! Have your own LREI experience through the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity) monthly parent dialogue group. Share stories, explore assumptions, view films and exchange information. Please contact Sharon DuPree (sdupree@lrei.org) or Peggy Peloquin (ppeloquin@lrei.org) if you are interested in joining LREI's first parent SEED group and the next meeting.

10. Please remember, every Thursday morning through December 7, parents are invited to have coffee at the high school with me. We are there from 7:45-8:15, in the cafeteria.


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!

All attachments are in .pdf format. To view these files, please download Adobe Reader, if you do not already have it. Click on this link or paste it into your browser: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html.
If you are having trouble opening the attachments, go to http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ms/ to access the files.