End of Year
June 11th 2025
June 11, 2025
Dear LREI Community,
Having just completed LREI’s 80th commencement exercises our newest alumni are headed out into the world. We are so proud of them for all that they have accomplished and for being terrific role models for their younger schoolmates. Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
Congratulations to all LREI students for a year filled with questions and answers, with hard work and achievement, and for doing it all with joy and purpose. Thank you to LREI families for all that you do to support the school and to enrich our community. Thank you to LREI’s Board of Trustees for your steady and mission-focused leadership. And, of course, thank you to all of my colleagues for what you do each day to continue the work Elisabeth Irwin envisioned 104 years ago. You are the best.
We have a busy summer ahead. In addition to our wonderful summer camp, during the next few weeks we will spend time reflecting on the year that just ended and slowly but surely our attention will turn to next year and, truth be told, I am already a wee bit excited about ‘25-’26.
Today, just after the high school students walked to NYU for graduation, we began a renovation of the Performing Arts Center, our high school auditorium. We will be renovating and upgrading the balcony, improving the acoustics and updating lighting etc. In addition to this project we will be completing a number of smaller facilities projects on both campuses.
If you and yours are looking forward to continuing some of the year’s learning over the summer:
- Connecting with the wider world is a muscle that can be exercised all summer long. There are many ways for families to engage in this as we do during the school year. NYC offers so many opportunities to experience the lives of others through visits to museums, cultural festivals, music, food festivals, and markets. (I have linked a few favs, but these are but a small slice of all that is happening this summer.)
- There is a lot going on in the world, much of which is noticed by and impactful on your children. Want to discuss current events with your children and would like a little guidance?
- I have been thinking a lot about summer science. For their senior projects, two seniors secured internships in a laboratory only to have these opportunities cancelled when the labs lost funding. Pivoting, they taught science in the middle school. They were such wonderful additions to the team. Seeing their energetic teaching reminded me of how much fun it is to engage in scientific thinking with children. I have been so impressed with what has come out of LREI’s science labs this year. Here are a few science related activities that will keep the learning going all summer long. Some require outdoor spaces, so apologies if that is not available to you.
- Composting with a worm bin! Fun, useful, icky!
- Build a pizza box oven. And….you get to eat a pizza.
- A bunch of fun and WET
experiments. - Here is a guide to stargazing in June. There is also free stargazing on the High-Line every Tuesday all summer and into the fall. These are good events for older students as they can stay up later.
- Or, maybe travel to the stars.
There are also all sorts of ways to experience science taking advantage of the summer weather and spending time outside in NYC. Join bird watching walks in Green-Wood Cemetery, among other locations. Take a hike in a NYC park or maybe a walk through the forests of old NYC.
Less science, more creative play? You can turn to Wired Magazine’s Five Best Toys Ever. Fun, simple, creative.
Oh, and don’t forget to read. Our librarians have put together lists for students of all ages and MS and HS kids, remember your summer reading assignments.
More information coming early in the summer and then later in August.
Wishing you the best of everything this summer.
Peace and health this summer,
