Dear Families,

IN BRIEF:

• THANKSGIVING ASSEMBLY: Just a reminder that the day before Thanksgiving is a half-day – and an especially important one for the children. On the Wednesday morning of November 23rd, the entire Lower School will gather in the auditorium around a rug covered with spectacular vegetables and assorted greenery from the Farmers’ Market. The assembly begins as two students from each class present their group’s beautifully wrapped baked goods for donation to St. John’s Pantry. Led by Sue and Helen, students sing together - some traditional songs that honor Native American nations, as well as more playful tunes that honor the feast to come. Phil and I speak. Some classes will recite poetry. Children then return to their classrooms to share a trayful of mixed baked goods from each of the thirteen classes. It is one of the warmest events of the school year, and my personal favorite.

• CONFERENCES: Thanks to all of you for your thoughtful sharing and participation in Parent Teacher Conferences. These will continue for some of you tomorrow afternoon after 12:00PM noon. (School closes at 11:45 for early childhood and noon for elementary students. Please be prompt in picking up your child.) Kelly and Meredith’s conferences will resume a week from this Friday on the afternoon of 11/18.
  

• http://www.lrei.org/: We’ve been adding new photos and articles to our site. You may want to take a look.

• GRANDPARENTS and SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY: We are looking forward to this day set for early spring (May 19, 2006), and in preparation, are contacting Lower School families for the names and addresses of children’s grandparent/s or special adult friends. If you have not done so already, please send the name and address of your grandparent/special friend(s) to Rowena Penaranda, Assistant to the Director, at rpenaranda@lrei.org so that an invitation may be mailed to them. This is a day beloved by many – student hosts as well as their visitors, and our goal is to make it as happy and as inclusive as we can. Each family has three comfortable "guest" options: You may invite your child’s grandparent/s or other relative, you may invite a caregiver or other adult family friend, or as we near the date, you may ask your child’s teacher to arrange for a special "teacher friend", someone your child feels close to. The latter might be Kitty, Julie, Peggy, Margaret…. all of our specialist teachers and support personnel are happy to participate.

• UNICEF: Thanks to parent Jennifer Edson and Middle School faculty member Gabrielle Keller for coordinating our Trick-or-Treat collection. Results coming soon.

• NYC MARATHON: Even here, LREI was well represented as Fours teacher Laura Araman completed the entire race. Since then, Laura has generously shared her experience with different groups of students, describing how persistent practice allowed her to reach a personal goal. The Fours were appropriately awed.

Elaine

This Week's Attachments:

Early Kindergarten - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/Diane%20Molly.pdf

Early Childhood Music - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/Sue%20music.pdf

Tasha and Caroline's Second Grade - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/Tasha%20Caroline.pdf

Third Grade Math -http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/Third%20Grade%20Math%20Meeting.pdf

Food Drive - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/Kelly%20food.pdf

Coat Drive - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/laura%20coat.pdf

Visibility - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/visibility.pdf

Announcements:

Parent-Teacher Conference Childcare for November 11th - Drop-in care for the time of your conference only is available tomorrow afternoon until 3:00PM. If you would like your child to go directly from the half-day of school to childcare for either part of or the whole afternoon, you must make Bonnie aware of this in advance (bmaloney@lrei.org, x215). The cost of tomorrow's care is $10 and lunch is included.

Photo Retake Day - If your child was absent on photo day, she/he will have an individual portrait taken on December 1st for free. If your child was here on photo day, but you would like to have his/her individual portrait re-taken, this will also happen on December 1st. Please know that there is a fee for electing to re-do a portrait that has already been taken. Detailed information on this is available in your Coffee Pond Photography proof package. Please also be aware that all pictures should be available in time for the December holidays if you are careful to follow the deadlines included in your proof package.

Message to Fourth Grade Families from Elaine - Some of you have asked me about an additional opportunity to tour the Middle School. If you missed the first tour but are interested in visiting, please contact Mark Silberberg, Middle School Principal, at ext. 221.

Third and Fourth Grade Chorus - Helen will have an extra chorus rehearsal after school on November 21st until 4:00PM.

Mark Your Calendars!

--There is a half-day tomorrow for Parent-Teacher Conferences. (School dismisses at 12:00, 11:45 - Fours-Fourth Grades)

--Heidi's Fourth Grade Parent Meeting has been rescheduled for December 1st.

--The Third and Fourth Grade Assembly Schedule has changed slightly to make our auditorium more comfortable:

• January 18th will be a Third Grade Assembly only.
• March 15th will be a Fourth Grade Assembly only.
• April 26th will be a Third and Fourth Grade Assembly.

In the Next Few Weeks...

11/11 - Parent-Teacher Conferences - school closes at 12:00PM (11:45 - Fours-First Grades)

11/11 - Kelly, Meredith and Third Graders return from the farm

11/14 - Food Drive for classrooms on the Fourth Floor (Second & Third Grades)

11/14 - Diane and Molly's EK Apple Tree Trip

11/16 - 8:45AM - Kindergarten Assembly

11/16 - Gina/Elizabeth and Jamie/Dave's field trip to Associated Supermarket

11/17 - 8:45AM - Parent Rep Meeting

11/18 - Diane and Molly's EK field trip to a Pediatrician's Office

11/22 - 8:45AM - Erin and Carin's Farm Publishing Party

11/22 - 6:00PM - First and Second Grade Math and Science Night

11/23 - School Closes at noon (11:45 - Fours-First Grades)

11/28 - 8:45AM - Third Grade Math Meeting

11/29 - 8:30AM - Chap and Michael's Third Grade Farm Breakfast

11/30 - 8:45AM - Fours & EK Assembly

12/1 - Photo Retake Day

12/1 - 6:00PM - Fourth Grade Parent Meeting with Heidi