Dear Parents,

This week I had the good fortune of attending a workshop entitled "Addressing Gender Expression, Sexuality and Family Diversity in Pre-K, Elementary and Middle School". I was joined by Bonnie, Suzanne and Kelly, and, of course, by teachers and administrators from NYC and further a-field. It was a lively, thought-provoking conference – one that made us proud of LREI’s commitment to these issues and our willingness to grow and learn in this area. It also demonstrated how many questions remain.

At the end of this month, on Tuesday, January 31st (in anticipation of the "Visibility" photo exhibit and our Families Assembly), Sharon Dupree and I will speak with some of you about ways of talking to your children about lesbian and gay issues. We’ll meet in the cafeteria at 8:45AM, and I invite any of you who are interested to join us. I’m hoping this will develop into a discussion rather than a Q & A, so that we can share our experiences.

If you have a question, comment or anecdote, I hope you’ll email it to me so that it can become a part of our discussion. I look forward to this conversation! To prompt your thinking, here is some of the feedback I have heard over the years:

• My children talk about their classmates’ lesbian moms without skipping a beat. I wish I’d had that opportunity.
• My child asks, "How do people know they are gay or lesbian?" I don’t know what to say.
• My son wonders if he might be gay when he grows up. How do I answer?
• My daughter asks, "How can two mommies have a baby?" What do I say?
• She’s only five! Why does she have to hear about these issues now?
• My son’s classmate is teased for being a sissy. What do I say to my son?
  

As we open the photo exhibit, "VISIBILITY: Lesbian and Gay People We Love", on February 6th (Opening Reception on February 13th), we’ll have ample opportunity for discussion with our children.

Elaine

This Week's Attachments:

Fours - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/michelle%20january.pdf

Early Kindergarten - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/diane%20january.pdf

Third & Fourth Grades - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/new%20choristers.pdf

Spanish Resource List - http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/Lower%20School%20Spanish%20Resource%20List.pdf

Announcements:

Lower School Spanish Workshop - Are you curious to know more about your child's Spanish learning? Do you wonder how you can help further your child's Spanish skills? If so, please join Julie Sterling for a Spanish workshop on Tuesday, January 24th, at 8:45AM in the cafeteria. Learn about the goals of the Lower School Spanish program and the many resources we have available. ¡Hasta Luego!

Don't forget to bring in your photos for the VISIBILITY - Lesbian and Gay People We Love photo exhibition! Click here for details: http://www.lrei.org/weekly/ls/poster-visibility.pdf

In January...

1/13 - Third Grade trip to the Museum of Natural History

1/16 - School Closed for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

1/18 - 8:45AM - Third Grade Assembly

1/19 - 8:45AM - Parent Rep Meeting

1/23 - 8:45AM - Suzanne and Patricia's Fourth Grade Biography Breakfast

1/24 - 8:45AM - Lower School Spanish Workshop

1/25 - Martin Luther King, Jr., Assembly (students only)

1/26 - 8:45AM - Erin and Carin's Fourth Grade Biography Breakfast

1/27 - 5:00PM - Karamu!

1/31 - 8:45AM - LREI Parents on Lesbian and Gay Issues

Click here for the full calendar: http://www.lrei.org/lowerschool/ls_2b.html