Look out world for the Class of 2033! 

- By Adrianne Finley Odell

One of my favorite places to visit at Roycemore is our early childhood wing.  There, our Pre-Kindergarten, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten students are developing foundational skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.  They are recognizing connections between cause and effect, they are gaining an appreciation for music and art, they are learning to communicate in a variety of ways with their peers and with adults, and they are learning about themselves as learners.  Our current Pre-Kindergarten class will graduate from high school, presuming the current K-12 model remains, in the year 2033. That feels like a long way off, but remember when 2020 felt that way to most of us? In 2006, our current junior class--the class of 2020--was in Pre-K.  Could we have imagined in 2006 how the iphone would fundamentally change nearly every aspect of our lives? The iphone wasn’t even announced by Steve Jobs until January 2007 and released in June that year.

Technological advancements are progressing so rapidly, it is hard to imagine what our current Pre-K students will be experiencing by the time they graduate.  According to Quantumrun Forecasting, some of the following are predicted for our Pre-K students for their graduation year:

• Injectable brain implants will allow scientists to alter neurons to treat disorders and brain damage

• Humans will be able to telepathically communicate with the help of computers

• Not only will we have driverless cars, but also planes and trains

• Health care will advance to constant and predictive diagnosis allowing doctors to develop a “healthcare roadmap” for patients

• Wearable technology will replace smartphones

• Touchscreens and smart surfaces will be everywhere- from the tables at Starbucks to your own home desk

These are just a few of the predictions for the future- just FOURTEEN years from now.  The technology to make these advances possible already exists, it will just be further perfected in the years ahead.  

With this in mind, what skills will our current Pre-K students need when they are 18 or 19 and head on to whatever is next for them?  According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, the top ten skills in demand in 2022 (just three years from now) will be:

• Analytical thinking and innovation

• Active learning and learning strategies

• Creativity, originality, and initiative

• Technology design and programming

• Critical thinking and analysis

• Complex problem-solving

• Leadership and social influence

• Emotional intelligence

• Reasoning, problem solving and ideation

• Systems analysis and evaluation

Some of the skills that will be declining in demand include memorization, manual dexterity, management of financial resources, quality control and-- shock-- reading, writing, math and active listening.  This is not to say these skills will not be needed, just that some of the other skills will be in greater demand in the new economy. Don’t worry, we’re not going to stop teaching reading, writing, and math at Roycemore, as we believe these foundational skills are still important.  We will be focusing more on the application of these skills for complex problem solving, divergent thinking and analysis.

We have a strong emphasis on teaching leadership skills at Roycemore and these include how to lead from the front, but more importantly how to communicate effectively and build teams to work together.  One of America’s strengths has been in the area of innovation. Innovation is often borne out of challenge. When we can creatively solve problems, we innovate. It will be our priority to ensure that our students have the foundational skills to do this so that they can be the ones that are at the front lines of innovation and leadership in the coming decades.  Preparing our PreK students for success in a dynamic and complex world is, indeed, part of our mission statement at Roycemore. I, for one, am excited about the impact this group of young people will be making as they advance in their careers, when I will be nearing the end of mine.

- Wednesday, April 24th - Ethnic Food Fair for Upper School, 12:30pm
- Wednesday, April 24th - School-Wide Participation in the Stand Against Racism (on Ridge Ave.), 1:30pm
- Thursday, April 25th - Jesse White Tumblers Assembly, 10:20am
- Thursday, April 25th - Free Yoga at Roycemore, 5:00pm (All Ages Welcome)
- Thursday, April 25th - US Boys Volleyball Away vs. Cristo Rey, 5:30pm
- Friday, April 26th - Celebration of Dedication and Excellence, Whole School Assembly Recognizing our Faculty's Years of Service, 10am 
- Friday, April 26th - US Boys Volleyball at Away vs. Acero Cruz, 4:30pm
- Saturday, April 27th - Scholarship Dinner and Auction: April In Paris, 6.30pm
- Wednesday, May 1st - Lower School Musical, 6:30pm 
- Thursday, May 2nd - Free Yoga at Roycemore, 5:00pm (All Ages Welcome)
- Friday, May 3rd - Middle School Pot Luck, 5:30pm

Join us for April in Paris this Saturday!

The food has been ordered, the wine has been selected and the musicians are warming up. Join us Saturday for a delicious sit down dinner with an amazing live auction emceed by the one and only, Jerry Springer. It's time to celebrate the wonderful community that is Roycemore. 

If you still need tickets, please contact Sara McGuire directly.

New items are added every day to the ONLINE AUCTION! Don't miss your chance to bid on over 100 items that include international travel, favorite restaurants, sporting events, unique artwork, home goods, and more. Plus, Roycemore Teacher Parties are filling up! Get your bidding in now.

The online auction closes April 27th!  

This event supports the financial aid and scholarship funds of Roycemore School where nearly 50% of our student body receives some amount of financial aid. This incredible commitment is due to the support of our entire community, from current parents and grandparents, to alumni and their families - all who want to see Roycemore continue to thrive in a manner that is accessible to people from all different backgrounds.

Roycemore's Performing Arts has been busy this Spring!  The Variety Show was held last Thursday and everyone in the audience was in awe of the talent showcased by our Roycemore students.  The Upper School Choir also visited retirement homes last week to bring the joy of music to members of our community.  Bravo to all of our Roycemore performers!

Please Save The Date For These Upcoming Performances:

• Lower School Musical: 101 Dalmations
  May 1st, 6:30pm
   
• Spring Show
  May 23rd, 7:00pm

The amazing Jesse White Tumblers are coming to campus!  They will show off their tallents at an all-school assembly this Thursday and all Roycemore families are welcome to come watch the action.

Thursday, April 25th
Roycemore Gym
10:20 - 11:20am

Have you ever dreamed of having your own magic school bus? Those dreams can come true!! They don’t work. It’s true, our mechanic gave up on them as viable modes of transport.  But just imagine what they could be…

A Clubhouse
A Tiny House
An Oversized Window Box
A Decoration for a Roadside Attraction
An Indoor Hot Tub
A Whimsical Storage Facility
A Large Dog House
A Treeless Tree House
A Recording Studio

And More!

Imagine the possibilities! Basically, you buy it, you tow it and Roycemore gains two more parking places!

Roycemore sent four Upper School students to Northwestern University's 4-day Model UN Conference earlier this month. At the conference, student ambassadors discussed crisis-oriented topics that were either historic in nature or current issues facing developing nations today.

• Trip and Rowan, served on crisis-committees that held various meetings throughout the weekend, including some "emergency" sessions that were called to order in the middle of the night and lasting until the early morning hours! 
• Alem participated in a historic module representing King Fredrick William III and addressed border issues at the Congress of Vienna circa 1815. 
• Hanu, represented the country of Monaco on the UN's Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Committee, and participated in a forum that discussed the importance of Journalistic Freedom around the globe.

It was a fun weekend and we are very proud of these delegates who represented Roycemore at the event.  All their hard work paid off as they performed admirably throughout the event with Trip, a Roycemore Sophomore, receiving special recognition for his performance and his diplomacy.  Congratulations to Trip and everyone on Roycemore's Model UN Team!

Middle School students used Adobe Spark to create posters to help support our annual Scholarship Dinner and Auction taking place on Saturday, April 27th. The students showed off their graphic design skills and created some amazing posters to help support the school. The Auction Committee chose the posters created by 5th Graders Aidan Scheidt and Jacqueline Gorski to be featured around campus this week in anticipation of Saturday's Dinner.   

Roycemore is proud to be part of the YWCA's annual Race Against Hate.

Sunday, June 16, 2019
7:30am
Floyd Long Field (Northwestern University)

There are four different race options to choose from:
- timed 5K
- timed 10k
- 5K walk
- Youth/Family 1 Mile

For more information about the events, click here: Race Against Hate. 

Not a runner but want to still get involved? Contact Griffin Team Captains Darcy Aksamitowski or Bellamy Taylor Pines to help volunteer for Roycemore the day of the event. This can be a great option for parents who want to help while their student runs in one of the races.

The Evanston Children's Choir (ECC) is holding a free Spring Concert on May 17th, 2019!  They warmly welcome the students and families from Roycemore to attend and see what the ECC has to offer.  Early registration is now open for Fall 2019, and they have programs for all ages (adults too!).  As always, nobody is ever turned away for lack of ability to pay so please contact them if your family is interested.

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