#prep school nyc

[lemanmanhattan-blog]

Remembering our Veterans

By Drew Alexander, Head of School

Twylla and I fondly remember our entire seven years in Russia but few events surpass our memories of Victory Day, the day (May 9) that Russia commemorates its victory in World War II, the Great Patriotic War. During this day, many of the Russian veterans don their dress military uniforms decorated with a variety of medals and gather at the various war memorials for reunions of the different military divisions. Watching the veterans embrace as they reunite is quite emotional. However, neither my wife nor I were prepared for the wave of emotion we experienced as we watched the younger generations present flowers and chocolates to the veterans while saying spasiba (thank you) and giving an embrace, offering a handshake and/or bowing in respect. After our first Victory Day, we joined the ‘younger’ generation in presenting chocolates and flowers to the obvious dwindling number of veterans. They would often ask us our nationality and when we said ‘Americanskee’ they would smile and say, spasiba in return, “We were comrades.”

  We experienced our first Veterans’ Day in America in November 2011 after being out of the country during this holiday for many years. And while there are many celebrations honoring our veterans during this day, we wondered if our American veterans felt the same warmth and love as their Russian counterparts. Can anything compare with some chocolates or a few flowers from a member of the younger generation accompanied with a “THANK YOU for the sacrifices you made for us”?

  During this Veterans’ Day, I encourage you to reach out to a veteran and extend the warmth, love and adoration they deserve.

[lemanmanhattan-blog]

Compost Sale Raises Over $1K For Feeding Children Everywhere

Léman Manhattan students are putting food waste to good use. Last week, we hosted a series of compost sales – using material made in the classroom – to promote sustainability and raise money for Feeding Children Everywhere, an international organization that provides healthy meals for hungry children. Over $1,000 was raised, enough to feed over 4,000 children around the world.

Neighbors, business owners, and parents of our students packed the ballroom the afternoons of October 1 through 5 to purchase homemade compost. The nutrient-rich material – created from food scraps and other cafeteria refuse – was sold in bundles ranging from $5 to $15. Each package was accompanied by a bookmark filled with seeds, making it easy for community members to cultivate their own plants and keep the concept growing.

“The compost sale was a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn a powerful lesson,” said Rachel Griffin, Interim Head of Lower School. “Composting scraps daily is such an easy, smart way to recycle waste – and in this case, feed hungry children as well!”

As part of our forward-thinking curriculum, composting teaches students about the decomposition process, sustainable agriculture, and social and environmental responsibility.

Every spring, second and third grade students visit the nearby local Battery Park urban farm to gain hands-on experience growing their own crops. This compliments their lectures on plants and agriculture, and gives students a first-hand look at the many processes that bring food to their table. Since the start of the school year, students have been separating their daily waste into bins that is then brought to the rooftop, where they rotate and mix the material into pure compost.

As a part of the prestigious Meritas International Family of Schools, which as a whole supports Feeding Children Everywhere, our curriculum is based on a proven philosophy that stresses global awareness and focuses on each student’s unique potential and learning style. Led by an inspired and talented faculty, we provide grades pre-K 3’s through 12th grade students with “Personal Learning Plans” tailored for each student’s needs. Creative academic programming encourages growing minds to view the world as their classroom, including Touchpoints, which, starting in second grade, engages students from around the world in conversations about complex global issues.