Originals

- By Adrianne Finley Odell
 

Merriam-Webster English Language Learners Definition:
a person who is different from other people in an appealing or interesting way: not like others: new, different, and appealing

This is a big week at Roycemore.  The last week of classes for the 2018-19 school year.  There are many celebrations of accomplishments for the year, including our Lower School Culmination Night, Middle School Awards & 8th Grade Graduation and the 102nd Commencement Exercises to recognize the graduating Class of 2019.  

Over the weekend I was writing my remarks for a tribute to our seniors at graduation.  It is a very personal tribute where every student is recognized in some way and honored for the contributions they have made during their journey as a Roycemore Griffin.  As I pondered over their many achievements, talents and the variety of paths that lie ahead of them, I was reminded of what a unique and special place Roycemore is.  

We have 27 seniors, five of them who have been together at Roycemore since kindergarten or earlier.  They are heading off to 24 colleges in 15 different states, from Maine to Oregon, and from North Carolina to Michigan.  They will be attending large public institutions, small private colleges, art schools, tech schools and Ivy League institutions.  They’ll be pursuing everything from art and design to engineering, medicine to meteorology.  And on the side, they will likely continue some of the activities they enjoyed in high school, from theater to martial arts, from tutoring young children, to pursuing photography.  This diverse group of individuals--indeed ORIGINALS-- has found beauty in their diversity and strength and joy in their uniqueness.

I have reflected often on what makes Roycemore unique and why the students who attend school at Roycemore thrive in our environment.  I believe much can be owed to our small size, that there is a closeness between teacher and student allowing students to be truly known and supported in an individual way.  The small size also allows our students to pursue many different activities.  Eight of our seniors were three-sport athletes, two of those eight were four-sport athletes!  How is this possible?  Well, our very flexible and adaptable soccer and cross country coaches, who both coach fall sports, work together to accommodate all athletes who want to participate in both soccer and cross country!  Of the eight that were three-sport athletes, they also ALL participated in our signature tumbling program!  But that’s not all, six of those eight, either performed in the play or musical, or play an instrument.  And that’s not all, two of those six are members of the National Honor Society and one was a National Merit Commended Scholar.  The aspect of all of this that makes it unique, is that our students have FUN!  They participate in many activities, they want to do well and perform well, but they do so without much of the kind of external pressure that you often find in college-prep schools.  Now they work hard, no doubt.  You have to work hard to do all of the activities that many of them do and, for some of them, also take classes at Northwestern University through Roycemore’s partnership with NU.  But that pressure is pressure they give themselves, not to each other.  In fact, they encourage each other.  And they know how to have good, clean fun-- even the week before AP exams!  I know because I watched an impromptu volleyball game among these exact students the Friday before APs where they were filling in time while waiting for their opponents to arrive.  Everyone got into the game, even a parent and the team manager!  It’s a delight to see and I have only just scratched the surface of the unique and amazing qualities of this class.  On Thursday at 4 pm, we will have a complete tribute to them at the 102nd commencement exercises for Roycemore in the Joseph Becker Gymnasium.  All are invited to celebrate our newest Originals, the class of 2019!
 

- Tuesday, June 4th, Pre-K and JK Breakfast, 8:30am
- Tuesday, June 4th, Last Day of School for Upper School
- Wednesday, June 5th, Middle School Late Start, 10:00am
- Wednesday, June 5th, Last Day of School for Early Childhood, Lower School and Middle School
- Wednesday, June 5th, Middle School Awards and 8th Grade Graduation, Families Welcome, 1:30-3:00pm
- Wednesday, June 5th, Alumni Social in Honor of Geoffrey Mark '85, Roycemore School Library, 5:00-7:00pm (RSVP Here)
- Thursday, June 6th, Upper School Commencement, 4:00 - 6:00 pm

Important Dates -  Start Of The 2019-2020 School Year

August 20th - New International Student Orientation, 11:00am
August 20th - New Parent Orientation and Dinner, 5:30pm
August 23rd - RFA Griffin Back to School Gathering, 4:00pm
August 26th - Orientation for 5th Grade, 9th Grade, and All New Students
August 27th - First Day of School

Summer Time = Reading Time

Roycemore students should read for fun as much as possible this summer. Get a library card from your local public library (soon to be a requirement for all Griffins) and start reading! Reading for pleasure during the summer has proven to help improve academic performance during the school year in all subject areas!

Check out the Summer Reading flyer below or go to the Summer Reading tab on the Library Website.  

Scaredy Squirrel Summer Vacation!

Scaredy Squirrel lives in the Roycemore Library and he wants to go on vacation with your family this summer! If you’d like to take him somewhere spectacular – for a day trip, sleepover, family reunion, or vacation, just let Ms. Fisher know and you can check him out from the library! There are four Scaredy Squirrels available for check-out.

Take some photos of you and Scaredy Squirrel, send them to Ms. Fisher ([email protected]) and she’ll make a video of all the places Scaredy Squirrel goes this summer!

Do you know someone who has always wondered what it would be like to work at Roycemore? If so, we have some new job openings that could be perfect for them. Check out our current list of employment opportunities and contact the school with any questions or interest. 

Evanston 4th of July Parade 

Join us to celebrate Independence Day this summer with the Evanston 4th of July Parade.  We are looking for volunteers to participate in the 4th of July parade with the Roycemore School float!

Thursday, July 4th
Parade Starts at 2:00pm
Meeting Spot Details (Provided Closer to the Event)
Parade Information: http://www.evanston4th.org/

We Need Griffins to Volunteer at the Roycemore Tent!

YWCA's Race Against Hate
Sunday, June 16, 2019
7:30am
Floyd Long Field (Northwestern University)
Click Here for Event Information: Race Against Hate 

Ready to volunteer? Contact Darcy Aksamitowski: daksamitowski@roycemoreschool.org

Want to run or walk with Team Roycemore?
Options include 5K, 10k, Youth/Family 1 Mile

We look forward to seeing you there to represent Roycemore and show support in the stand against racism.

Roycemore Upper School students are using Euclidean Geometry to engage in a favorite summer past time... Mini Golf!

They are doing more than just playing Mini Golf, they are engineering it! Students first designed a model to scale of their project design (using proportions). Then they calculated the approrpiate ramp elevation (using right triangle trigonometry). Next they determined how much green felt was needed to cover their structure (using principals of area). And finally, they established the most ideal angels to aim for when hitting the ball (using laws of sines and cosines).

Keep an eye out for this Mini Golf project at the fall Carnival.

Lower School News
This Week in Upper School
Lunch Menus
2018-2019 Calendar 
2019-2020 Calendar

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