Volume 18| January 12, 2020
Middle School News
Personal Passion Projects (P3)

This year for their Personal Passion Projects (P3), Middle School students have been focusing on solving a problem that affects them. Topics range from training a new pet to solving global warming. Using design thinking, students are encouraged to approach their "problem" from many angles, rather than zeroing in on a solution right away. During Experience Week, students will spend time empathizing with users, brainstorming ideas, and creating prototypes for their projects.

Due to the nature of this problem-solving approach, students will continue with the same topic after Experience Week and the P3 Expo this year, and will not be given the opportunity to switch topics.
Experience Week is Coming!!

Experience Week 2020 is January 21-24. During Experience Week, all Middle School students will focus on their personal passion projects (P3) each day. There are no regular classes, but we will still observe regular school hours. Many students will be using some of their time that week to visit sites relevant to their P3 work, while others will complete project work at school. Here is a schedule for those who are at school.

Each student completed an Experience Week planning document, which they then shared with parents. All off-campus P3 work should have been signed off by parents last week. Unless a student is visiting a P3-related site (with parent permission) during Experience Week, attendance is required at school.
P3 Expo

The culmination of Experience Week will be our P3 Expo, held on Friday, January 24 , from 2-4 pm. All Middle School students are required to attend, even if they have been off-campus earlier in the week. The Expo will allow P3 students to showcase what they have explored and created so far on their problem-solving P3 journey.

The Expo will be a "trade-show" style event. Students will share their learning in various ways, such as posters, displays, demonstrations, and traditional presentations. These will take place in various locations in the school, mainly in the multipurpose room and library. Click here for more details. All from the Roycemore community are welcome!

If you have any questions about P3, Experience Week, or the Expo, please contact Beth Shutters (eshutters@roycemoreschool.org).
Additional Presentation Opportunity

Our P3 program is so unique that other local educators are eager to learn more about it! A few of our Middle School faculty will be speaking about P3 at the 2020 IDEA Northern Suburbs MiniCon , and we'd like to take some student presenters with us! We are looking for several students who could show their P3 work; the setup will be very similar to our P3 Expo the day before.

If your student would like to be a presenter at the MiniCon, please contact Beth Shutters (eshutters@roycemoreschool.org). The IDEA Northern Suburbs MiniCon is at Evanston Township High School, on Saturday, January 25, 2020 . Our students would need to be there from about 10:00 to 11:00 am.
Seventh Grade Science

Seventh grade Science students have been studying landforms and maps and created some of their own to enhance the learning process!
Congratulations to Middle School Students who made
the Honor Roll or Star Honor Roll first semester!
 In the Middle School, the standard for Honor Roll is no grade lower than a B- in all graded classes. The standard for making Star Honor Roll in both divisions is to have no semester grade below an A-. Honor Roll and Star Honor Roll recognition by semester is listed on the Middle and Upper School transcripts.

STAR HONOR ROLL


5th Grade
Gabriel Cooper
Pauloc Hetler
Maci Litberg
Brendon Ohlinger
Lenora Schnitger
Ruth Walgreen
Pasha Zabadneh

6th Grade
Aliza Ahmed
Jacob Black
Jacqueline Gorski
Robi Iliev
Sophia Kwok
Marko Maruszewski
Gabriel Melson
Eva-Rae Rivera
Raf Umana

7th Grade
James Harris
Krishna Jagannathan
Keira Kim
Conor Scheidt

8th Grade
Rachel Ashley
Shiza Frahim
Faelyn McGuire
Xavier Miyazaki
Macy O’Donnell


HONOR ROLL


5th Grade
Isabel Amat
Max Amat
Ariana Bretones
Levi Jurecka Jacobson
Julia Steenbergen
Lucas Trowbridge
Richard Yenkin

6th Grade
Matthew Ohlinger

7th Grade
Dominique Barkmeier
Dave Condurat
Isabella Goldberg
Hamza Keshk
Kees Keiper
Emma Quinlivan
Jano Santiago
Aidan Scheidt
Makayla Valentine

8th Grade
Youngnim Choi
Jahnavi Gorla
Madeleine Landon
Alex Murphy
Maya Nyima
Haido Saltouros


Homeroom and Advisory

Last week middle school Homeroom and Advisory classes explored what it means to be Proactive- the first of Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Students additionally discussed what being "reactive" looks and sounds like.

Students were asked, how to think about finding solutions when roadblocks get in their way. They were encouraged to think about every setback being an opportunity to turn it into triumph.

During Advisory students discussed and learned about the "Victimitis Virus". Habit 1: Be Proactive explains that reactive people can suffer from a contagious virus called “victimitis.” People infected with this disease believe that everyone has it in for them and that the world owes them something. Instead of recognizing that their attitude is the problem, reactive people are easily offended, blame others, get angry and say things they later regret, whine and complain, wait for things to happen to them, and change only when they have to. Students imagined what their "Proactive Self" might look like and drew images of themselves ten years from now.

Middle School Social Outing- Ski Trip Coming Up!

On Friday January 31st at the end of the day, we will have our first Middle School social outing of 2020-- to Wilmot in Wisconsin to ski! This is a great opportunity for both experienced skiers and those who have never skied before! Students will have a chance to sign up for a ski school session to gain skills and confidence and enjoy the opportunity to learn something new while having fun with friends.

Be on the lookout for sign ups in your email this week!
Sports and Clubs this coming week!!*
Mon:
  • Homework Club 3:30pm-4:20pm
  • Board and Video Game Club 3:30-4:30pm
  • Girls Basketball GAME vs. Parker- HOME 4:00pm

Tues:   
  • Homework Club 3:30pm-4:20pm
  • Girls Basketball practice 3:30-4:00pm
  • Boys Basketball GAME vs. Baker HOME 4:30pm

Wed:
  • Girls AND Boys Basketball practice 3:30-4:20 pm
  • Homework Club 3:30pm-4:20pm
  • Robotics Club- 3:30-4:30pm

Thurs:
  • Girls Basketball practice 3:30-4:00pm
  • Boys Basketball GAME vs. Solomon Schechter HOME 4:30pm
  • Community Yoga 5:00-6:00pm

Fri:
  • Improv Club 3:30-4:30pm
Upcoming Dates

  • Jan. 15- Re-enrollment opens for 20-21 school year
  • Jan. 20 NO SCHOOL- MLK Day
  • Jan. 21-24- Experience Week for MS
  • Jan. 24- 2-4pm P3 EXPO
  • Jan. 25 IDEA Mini-Con
  • Jan. 28.- Admission Open House- Spread the Word!!
  • Jan. 30th- State of the School night and JST (January Short Term) EXPO
  • Jan. 31- Priority Application Deadline for new families
  • Mar. 2.- Priority Sliding Scale Application Deadline

Last Chance to Sign up for Baking Club

Video Game Programming & Design- cancelled for Winter session due to low enrollment
*** Enrollment for this club is currently lower than needed to run. If your student is interested, the deadline to sign up is Monday January 12th.!!***
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We're excited to announce a new Baking Club hosted by HandCut's Own, Chef Lily on Tuesdays after school starting January 14th! Chef Lily is a trained pastry chef and is looking forward to sharing her expertise with Roycemore Middle School students. Space is limited, download the flyer attached below to learn more and to register.
Violin and Ukulele Lessons + More!
Chicago School of Musical Arts is pleased to offer Ukulele and Violin Classes (January 6 - May 29, 2020). Ongoing private instruction is also available in many disciplines. All instructors are experts in their field and are excited to teach your children!
For further information and to register, please click  here !

Middle School Community Guidelines
We will create a community in Roycemore’s middle school based on RESPECT. We will respect ourselves, our space, and our peers. In doing so, we will assume the best intentions of others and create a space where we are welcomed, feel we belong, and are known!
(created by representatives from each grade 2019-20)
SHOW YOUR GRIFFINITY!!
The Roycemore mascot, the Griffin, is legendary, powerful, and magical. Show your Griffin LOVE by wearing Roycemore Spirit items!! You can find them 24-7 through our online store at    www.roycemoreschool.org/schoolstore