Our school has many hearts...

Dear Lower School Parents,

I feel like our school has many "hearts" and certainly one that beats strongly is that of the arts. This week’s Lower School Art Show not only furthers its own tradition and that of Little Red through the decades, but surpasses all of these in vibrant depictions loaded with color and character. There is no doubt but that each and every child committed themselves to the creative process. We see examples of new techniques explored, such as observation drawing, weaving, glazing and printing. New colors have been mixed and designs generated. Students shaped clay bowls and vessels and created animals sturdy enough to stand upright. In some cases, children’s own experience is primary; in others, their work reflects social studies projects such as Northeast Woodland artifacts and papier mache immigrant representations. Much of the work is individual, but some, like the murals and quilts, represent collective sharing and effort.

I hope that some of you had the chance to attend this afternoon’s parent "opening" and to tour the exhibits with your children. During the day, children replicated this experience with each other. In true and meaningful progressive fashion, classes visited the exhibit in pairs so that children could describe their work, their process and their goals to students from another group. Admiring Q and A sessions followed each presentation.

Thanks go to art teacher Ann Schaumburger for her sensitive and talented leadership of our program and for her coordination of the Art Show; likewise to shop teacher Peggy Resnick for teaching students to appreciate and enjoy the potential of wood working, carving and animation and for her many efforts in making the show happen. Though fleeting, it is a wonderful gift to us all, and, in some ways, the heart of our program.

Also noteworthy this week is the marking of the 100th Day of School. In celebration, Luise and Julia’s Kindergarten invited interested Lower School classes to visit their collections of 100 objects. In their room are baggies filled with 100 bottle caps, candies, popcorn kernels and lids. There are 100 piece block and lego buildings and puzzles. One hundred cookies are frosting-numbered. Chains of paper clips and paper adorn the walls, while collections of paper towel tubes, small milk cartons and miscellaneous boxes line the floors. In their own best phonetic spelling, students labeled the following: 100 COCEZ, 100 JLE BENS, 100 PES POZZL, 100 BIG PAPR CLIPS, 100 MLC KRTNS and 100 CRNOLS (of popcorn).

HAPPY 100TH DAY!
HAPPY ART SHOW!

This Week's Attachments:

Tasha and Caroline's Second Grade

Placement Conversations

Parent Rep Meeting Minutes

Spanish Resource List

Announcements:

From Phil Kassen, Director: Please see the attached invitation to join The Glass Menagerie--an adult chorus started at LREI over 20 years ago. We are thrilled to continue to host their rehearsals and that many members of the LREI community are part of this talented group of singers.

Fourth Grade Parents: Please note that Celeste is sending home letters today with each Fourth Grader regarding their Keyboarding Class.

Tomorrow is the last day that items will be collected for the Room to Grow drive. For more information on the organization and a detailed list of accepted donations, please visit www.roomtogrow.com

Afterschool's March 3rd First Friday
Afterschool welcomes musicians Sruli and Lisa for an afternoon of Klezmer folk music and dance on Friday, March 3rd at 4:15pm. The afternoon will be a lively introduction to the Jewish folk music that people played, sang, and danced to for hundreds of years in the Eastern European countries of Russia, Poland, the Ukraine, Hungary and Bulgaria, and brought with them to the United States in the 1880's. Parents and caregivers are welcome to attend and participate. Come ready to move! Contact the Afterschool office at 212-477-5316 ext. 239 for more information.

Sruli and Lisa are multitalented musicians who play the clarinet, violin, accordion, bass recorder and drum, as well as teaching and performing internationally. They have performed on Polish National Television, were featured on PBS-TV, and frequently perform live on National Public Radio. They have also performed at festivals including the Jewish Festival in Crakow, Poland, The Lower East Side Festival, and at the Lincoln Center, The Museum of Jewish Heritage, and the Jewish Museum. They are on staff at KlezKanada and regularly teach Klezmer and Yiddish music at the Workmen's Circle schools.

DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY DISCUSSION SERIES:
Part I: March 7, 2006 at 6:00PM
Sixth Avenue Auditorium
Topics:
Introduction of LREI's Diversity and Community Action Plan.
How to continue diversity conversations at home.
Hosted by: Sharon DuPree, Director of Diversity and Community; Phil Kassen, Director and the divisional principals.

Part II: Date TBA (will be after Spring Break)
Sixth Avenue Auditorium
Topic:
Discussion of Lower School Class and Middle School Class Placement Policy
Hosted by: Phil Kassen, Director; Elaine Winter, Lower School Principal; Mark Silberberg, Middle School Principal; Sharon DuPree, Director of Diversity and Community and Samantha Caruth, Director of Admissions.

Art Auction
Thanks to all who attended LREI's Art Auction on February 2, 2006. The Art Auction is an annual silent auction of contemporary fine art. This year's auction has raised almost $100,000 for the Tuition Assistance Program. Please help us to meet our goal by browsing the work still available - go to the Events section of www.lrei.org. If you see a piece that you are interested in buying, feel free to drop by LREI's Sixth Avenue Campus (272 Sixth Avenue at Bleecker Street) between 8AM-5PM, Monday through Friday. You may also call 212.477.5316 ext. 236 to make an appointment.

The Big Auction
LREI's spring benefit, The Big Auction, will be held on Wednesday, April 26. The auction committee needs help in securing donations from the community in order to be able to offer a wide range of items to make the auction exciting for all who attend. We welcome all creative and unique ideas. Please use the attached donation form and return it to the Development Office. If you have any questions, or would like to discuss a potential donation, contact Pippa Gerard in the Development Office by phone: 212-477-5316 ext. 236 or email: pgerard@lrei.org.

In the next few weeks...

2/24 - Last day of the Lower School Art Show

3/1 - 8:45AM - Kindergarten Assembly

3/2 - 8:00AM - Lesbian Gay Straight Alliance (LGSA) Meeting

3/8 - 8:45AM - Fours and EK Assembly

3/15 - 8:45AM - Fourth Grade Assembly

3/16 - 8:45AM - Parent Rep Meeting

3/17 - Founder's Day; school closes at noon (11:45, Early Childhood) for Spring Break

4/3 - School Reopens

Click here to view the full calendar.