Volume 7| October 8, 2019
Roycemore School Weekly Newsletter
From The Head of School
Grow Up!

By: Adrianne Finley Odell- Head of School
Image Source from Monster.com
“Growing up doesn’t stop until you reach your final resting place.” 
-Viola Davis, from her speech at the NAIS Annual Conference,
Long Beach, March 5, 2019

Thousands of independent school teachers, administrators, and board members were packed into the convention center at the NAIS Annual Conference last March to hear the opening speaker, Anderson Cooper, but they were surprised to learn of a last-minute conflict that left them with actress Viola Davis as the speaker instead. I was among them-- and by the time Ms. Davis had finished addressing the attendees, I found myself, along with the entire hall of attendees, on my feet offering Ms. Davis a standing ovation. Months later, her words remain so inspiring to me, I want to share them with you.

Ms. Davis revealed her story of overcoming a childhood spent in abject poverty, wondering where her next meal was going to come from and yet, remembering many happy times from her youth. She said she “sacrificed a childhood for food” and grew up with profound shame. She certainly did-- grow up-- and she did so fast. But she recognized that “sometimes the dragons that you slay aren’t dragons at all--they’re you--becoming the messed up perfect avatar of you is what gets in your way.” She came to the realization that she had to move past the shame she felt from dumpster diving for food to embrace her “inner geek.” She summoned up the personal power to work for what she wanted and what she knew deep inside was possible. “The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born,” she told the audience. Part of that discovery was that she couldn’t wait for Hollywood to give her her dream. She had to vigorously pursue it...


Coming Up on the Calendar
  • Monday - Friday, October 7th - 11th - Roycemore Book Fair
  • Wednesday, October 9th - School Closed for Yom Kippur (EDP Available)
  • Thursday, October 10th - FREE Yoga at Roycemore, 5:00pm (All Ages and Abilities)
  • Friday, October 11th - Picture Retake Day
  • Friday, October 11th - Parents Night Out and Babysitting at Roycemore
  • Monday, October 14th - School Closed for Professional Development Day (No EDP)
  • Tuesday, October 15th - Book Chat: iGen by Jean Twenge, 5:00pm
  • Thursday, October 17th - FREE Yoga at Roycemore, 5:00pm (All Ages and Abilities)
  • Friday, October 18th - Lower School Pumpkin Carving, 5:30-7:00pm
Athletics at Roycemore
  • Thursday, Oct. 10, US Cross Country at Latin, 4:15pm
  • Thursday, Oct. 10, US Volleyball vs Beacon at Home, 4:30pm
  • Tuesday, Oct. 15, LS Cross Country Meet at Butler Park, 3:40pm
  • Tuesday, Oct. 15, MS Cross Country Meet, 4:00pm
  • Tuesday, Oct. 15, US Cross Country Meet, 4:30pm
  • Wednesday, Oct. 16, MS Volleyball Tournament at Home, 4:00pm
  • Thursday, Oct. 17, MS Volleyball Invitational at Home, 4:00pm
  • Thursday, Oct. 17, US Volleyball Game vs. Cristo Rey, Away, 6:00pm
Congratulations to our Middle School Girls Volleyball Team . Friday evening, they played the Willows Academy 7th Grade team and won. Then the same Roycemore players faced the Willows Academy 8th Grade team and won again... earning back to back victories!
Well done Griffins.
Picture Retake Day
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Reminder: This year's Picture Retake Day is scheduled for October 11th, Friday. All students are invite to have their pictures retaken that day if needed.
Middle School Pot Luck
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Please join the Roycemore Family Association (RFA) for this year's Middle School Potluck! Bring your favorite dish. Bring a dessert. Bring a beverage. And bring the kids! We will have board games and the gym will be open for them to run around and play after they eat, while the parents socialize.

RFA
Middle School Potluck
October 25th, Friday
5:00 - 8:00pm

Roycemore's First "Parents Night Out" Is This Week!
The first Roycemore's Parents Night out is October 11th, this Friday! Middle School students (along with volunteer parents) will be offering their babysitting services on campus for children ages 3-10. All money earned will go towards their Middle School trip later this year. Please consider singing up and enjoy this great opportunity to help our Middle School students while also having a fun evening out in Evanston.

Middle School Babysitting
At Roycemore School
6:00 PM - 9:00PM
$25.00 Per Child
or $40 for a Family)
Recommended Ages 3-10


October 11
and
November 15
Final Reminder: iGen Book Talk
Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up
Less Rebellious, More Tolerant,
Less Happy --

And Completely Unprepared for Adulthood

Join us at Roycemore for a book chat featuring, iGen, by Jean M. Twenge PhD. Named one of the “Best Tech Books” by Wired magazine, this is the first book to analyze and document the cultural changes shaping today’s teens and the generation that will be the first to spend its entire adolescence in the age of the smartphone.



October 15th
Roycemore School
5:00-7:00pm
Childcare available for 2-12 year olds.


Roycemore School is proud to co-host this event with:
Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy and
Northwestern University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute


Last Week to Enter the Roycemore Lawn Sign Contest
There are two grades currently in the lead:

1st Grade
and
7th Grade

Who will take the lead? Will your grade win?
Get your Lawn Sign from the front desk and email pictures to info@roycemoreschool.org .
Don't Forget: Creativity Counts

The Deadline is October 15th!
Author Visit
Roycemore School is excited to welcome author Carolyn Crimi to campus to discuss her career as an author and her new book, Weird Little Robots . This visit is scheduled for students in grades 2nd-6th, however, any Roycemore student can order her new book.

Author Visit
Carolyn Crimi
October 17th, Thursday
Lower School Pumpkin Carving
Our annual Lower School Pumpkin Carving night is next week! Sign up for dinner and some Halloween fun.

Lower School Pumpkin Carving
October 18th
5:30-7:00pm


Please note: Northwestern University has a football game scheduled for October 18th. If you are planning to come to the Lower School Pumpkin Carving, please expect extra traffic in the area that night and take caution.
Become A Host Family This Fall
One of our exchange partners, Faces And Our Cultures, is still seeking host families for their upcoming 8-week program . Students from Guatemala will come to Chicago to live and attend school from Mid-October through Mid-December. If you are interested, please contact Ana Gabriela Padilla .
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