Little Red School House
and Elisabeth Irwin High School

A Pre-K-12 Progressive Education

Life @ LREI

Our Community

Parents

Like our student body, our parent population is diverse. LREI parents and guardians have one important thing in common: A dedication to our community and our mission. We are fortunate to have a strong partnership between LREI families and the school. It’s a partnership that not only strengthens our programs, resources and initiatives, but also sets a positive example for the people who matter most: Our students.

Welcome to all families, whether prospective, current or alumni.

Welcome to the PA Portal on LREI Connect and the school year for 2023-24!

As you might have read in our PA WELCOME LETTER this year, at LREI, every parent and guardian is a member of the Parents Association (PA), and contributes something unique to make our community vital and rewarding for all. There are so many ways for families to participate in PA events and activities. We hope that you will find a means to engage the way that works best for you. And we TRULY mean that!

We've created the Parents Association Portal to serve as a hub of PA related information that will be available throughout the school year. While it does not replace your communications with your parent rep, or the weekly PA email they will send you, we intend for the PA Portal to serve as a valuable resource for those who can not attend regular meetings and/or to have access to information about what's happening within our community.

The information on the PA Portal changes as the various groups have updates so be sure to pop back and check things out. You could find links to:

Calendar information.
Information and updates about our committees and identity/affinity groups
Parent Rep Division monthly meeting notes
Who to contact for information on the PA

If you are interested in learning more or joining some of the committees or affinity groups below, please email pa-presidents@lrei.org or the co-chairs for the group you are interested in by clicking through on the links below.

We look forward to an awesome school year!

Kellie Ferguson & Annie Denson

Your PA Co-Presidents, 2023-24

PA-Presidents@lrei.org

FOLLOW THE LREI PARENTS ASSOCIATION ON INSTAGRAM!

PA Executive Officers

PA Presidents
Kellie Ferguson
Annie Denson

(PA-Presidents@lrei.org)

PA Coordinator
Jenny Rogoff
(pacoordinator@lrei.org)

High School Vice-Presidents
Daniele Dolin
Wanda Garcia
(hsvp@lrei.org)

Middle School Vice-Presidents
Cyndi Cueto
Adrian Jones

(msvp@lrei.org)

Lower School Vice-President
Kristen Caesar
Samantha Dinerman Fung

(lsvp@lrei.org)

Treasurer
Mandy Cheema

(treasurer@lrei.org)

Secretary
Denise Zaraya

(secretary@lrei.org)

High School Coordinators

Carolyn Reeves

(hscoordinator@lrei.org)

Middle School Coordinator
Sophia Lo

(mscoordinator@lrei.org)

Lower School Coordinator
Alex Bernath

(lscoordinator@lrei.org)

Parent Association Committees

List of 12 items.

Art Party & Auction (Coming 2025!)

IT'S NOT A PARTY WITHOUT THE ART!

The Art Party & Auction Committee coordinate this biennial spring event to benefit annual fund raising, comprised of a silent auction of contemporary art donated by the LREI community and artist friends of the school and...pARTy. The Art Party & Auction alternates with Big Shindig and will be held next in 2025!

Questions? Email us at artauction@lrei.org.
Big Shindig (March 4 2024)

BIG SHINDIG 2024

SAVE THE DATE! The Big Shindig will take place on Monday, March 4, 2024 at Guastavino’s.

Help us plan the party! Everyone is welcome to join the Shindig planning committee, no event experience is required. Join us and other parents for our kickoff meeting on Wednesday, October 4 at 8:45 a.m. in the Sixth Avenue cafeteria. Learn about the Shindig and how you can get involved.

Co-Chairs: Kira Wizner, Cyndi Cueto & Kristen Moore
Email: shindig@lrei.org
LREI Camping Trip (2024)

The LREI Camping Trip is BACK!

After a hiatus we were so pleased to bring the LREI Camping Trip back in 2023... stay tuned for more information about the 2024 Trip!

Co-chairs: Adrian Jones, Eric Rogoff & Rick Hofmann
Email: CampingTrip@lrei.org
Community Service

Creates opportunities for parents and children to participate together in community service. This committee organizes a calendar of family-friendly volunteer activities that engage parents and students from all school divisions. Activities include clothing, food and book drives, park improvements, and the Martin Luther King Day of Service.

Volunteer Opportunities:creating community partnerships, organizing and participating in drives, MLK, Jr. Day of Service planning

Check out this link for more information:
https://sites.google.com/view/lrei-service-committee/preparing-serving-food?authuser=0

Chair: Carl Garrison
Email: CommunityService@lrei.org
Faculty and Staff Appreciation

Organizes and coordinates opportunities for families to celebrate the faculty and staff at LREI by bringing in homemade or store-bought goodies and coordinating special events.

We have a team for both locations:
Sixth Avenue
Co-chairs: Lara Seligman & Rocksy Sierrans
Email: 6thAveFSA@lrei.org
Wishlist: Coming soon!

40 Charlton Street
Co-Chair: Marika Bernstein-Condos
Email: CharltonFSA@lrei.org
Wishlist: Coming soon!
Fund for LREI

LREI's annual fund, which supports offering the full educational experience to every student, including peer-leading financial aid, fee-free overnight trips for every 3rd - 11th grader, professional development opportunities for our dedicated faculty, and more. Volunteers serve as ambassadors for The Fund to fellow parents, helping to educate our community via email, phone calls, and texts on the importance of our community's participation in The Fund for LREI

Co-chairs: Harriette Thomas, Jennifer Casriel & Leslie Cain
Email: AnnualFund@lrei.org
Halloween Fair (2023)

This year’s Halloween Creepy Carnival will take place on Saturday, October 28, at the Thompson Street Gym. Details to follow.

SAVE THE DATE!

Join us to help plan this year’s event! Our first planning meeting will take place on 9/20 at 8:45am in the Sixth Ave Cafeteria. We hope to see you there!

Co-chairs: Jillkerry Toolan, Kelly Nottingham, Margaret Sullivan, Mandy Cheema, Jenny Rogoff
Email: HalloweenFair@lrei.org
Karamu (2024)

Join us as we plan for the return of a beloved LREI tradition - Karamu!

Karamu is a celebration representing the cultures and rich diversity of our community. Families from all divisions come together for delicious food, musical performances and an epic dance party.

(Karamu means feast, banquet, festive, in Swahili)

Co- Chairs:
Shira Cornfeld
Kanya McMahon
Mano Alexandre Jr

If you have interest in participating in planning Karamu for early 2024 please reach out to the PA Presidents: pa-presidents@lrei.org
Literary

Enriches the literary life at LREI, organizing, among other events, the annual Book Week, Book Fair, Literary Evening and the Book Swap.

WELL RE(a)D - LREI’S PARENT BOOK CLUB
Join us for our first gathering of the year! Each month we pick a book for discussion, gather for nosh, a little wine and some book chat! We will meet on Wednesday, September 20th at 5:30pm in the Sixth Avenue Library to talk about Moth by Melody Razak.

If you can’t make it, but are interested in coming another time, check in on the weekly email for future meetings, or email literarycommittee@lrei.org to be added to the mailing list!

Co-chairs: Kathryn Struthers Ahmed
Email: LiteraryCommittee@lrei.org
School Store

This team handles the design, production and sale of school merchandise and school spirit! Keep an eye on the weekly PA email to find our next pop-up store or you can shop online here: https://lrei-school-store.myshopify.com/

Co-chairs: Pam Cloud & Margaret Gould Korn
Email: SchoolStore@lrei.org
Sports

Promotes athletic participation among LREI students and encourages school spirit at LREI games. Organizes the annual Spirit Game, a lively faculty vs. student basketball game.

Click here for the latest sport schedules.

Co-chairs: Theo Dotson & Sherri Schnall
Email: SportsCommittee@lrei.org
Street Fair

Imagine an NYC block party, and then add the creativity of the LREI community. From our youngest students “fishing” for an LREI house to performance opportunities for high schoolers - the Street Fair is designed for everyone in our school. And everyone loves a bouncy house! Food and frolicking to celebrate spring!

Co-Chairs: Maren Berthelsen, Sophia Lo, Natalie Sanz & Kelsey Collins

For more information contact: StreetFair@lrei.org

Parent Association Identity Groups

List of 8 items.

Asian American Families (AAF)

Provides a forum for discussion and social interaction for families with roots in Asia and throughout the Pacific Rim, including adoptive and multiracial families. Some issues for discussion include language instruction, student recruitment and retention, and cultural education.

For more information, click here.

Co-chairs: Larry Lee, Pinky Fung, and Bejal Shah
Email: AsianAmericanFamilies@lrei.org
Azúcar!

Connects the Latinx community across all divisions of LREI including students, parents and faculty. In addition to supporting Spanish language proficiency, the members coordinate activities that focus on Latinx culture and heritage.

Co-chairs: Sofia Hernandez, Sofia Zuberbuhler & Diana McGraw
Email: Azucar@lrei.org
Families of Black Students (FBS)

A community for parents to advocate and support Black students within the school’s mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This community is a forum for parents to discuss the experiences of their children. An open community to all parents with Black children, this group will support Black children in their pursuit of a fair and inclusive, vibrant, and engaging learning experience.

Co-chairs: Kristen Charles, Naomi Grant & Leslie Cain
Email: FBS@lrei.org
Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA)

Works towards a greater understanding of, and sensitivity to, LGBTQIA+ issues in all areas of school life. Committee members meet and sponsor events, including the Visibility Photography Exhibit, and the annual Pride Parade.

THE GSA IS LOOKING FOR LEADERSHIP FOR THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR.

If you are interested in learning more please reach out to the PA Co-Presidents - PA-Presidents@lrei.org
Jewish Affinity Group (JAG)

Co-Chairs: Nadia Gold, Lyle Casriel, Manja Lyssy
Email: JAG@lrei.org
Learning Differences

The new LREI Learning Differences Affinity group consists of parents of neurodiverse children as well as neurodiverse parents. Created so we can share, and learn together how to better navigate through current parental and personal challenges. We welcome you to join us in exploring the many ways different brains and cognitive functions can, will, and do change the world for the better.

Co-Chairs: Chantale Mitchell & Peter Shankman
Email: LearningDifferences@lrei.org

Please feel free to join the WhatsApp group created exclusively for this affinity group, you can join by clicking here.

RECORDING LINK:
LREI Learning Differences Affinity Group held our first meeting on 12/6/23 which included guest speaker, Dr. Jennifer Hartstein, a child developmental psychologist, the former CBS Early Show Psychologist, and the founder of Hartstein Psychological Associates, Specialists in Dialectical and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (DBT and CBT). Dr. Hartstein came to our meeting to discuss best practices for parents of Neurodiverse children.
You can find a recording of that meeting here.
Middle East and Muslim Roots (MEMRoots)

Chair: Carmel Kooros
Email: MEMRoots@lrei.org
White Parents for Anti-Racist Community (W-PARC)

W-PARC offers a space for white-identified parents to learn together to combat systemic racism and raise anti-racist children by encouraging conversation around questions of whiteness and anti-racist community engagement. The group works to be accountable to and learn from community members of color while helping to make LREI inclusive and equitable for everyone.

Co-Chairs: Rosemary Corbett & Kate Singh
Email: WPARC@lrei.org