Roycemore School senior Alex Ciancuillo was part of a panel of Chicago-area high schoolers on CBS This Morning! They shared their thoughts not only on the Kavanaugh allegations but the relevance of these hearings for young people today.

Alex called the notion that "boys will be boys" a "childish excuse for something you well know you were doing at one point or another." "Like at one point or another, he knows he was drinking, he knows he was getting drunk," Alex said. No matter where one stands politically, I think we can be proud of the values that Alex articulates, core values that are part of our ethos at Roycemore School!

FEMA, in coordination with the FCC, will conduct a nationwide alert of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA) at 1:18pm central time. Cell towers will broadcast a test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 1:18pm CDT - this means if your cell phone is WEA-compatible and within range of an active cell phone tower, and your carrier participates in WEA, you should receive this test message. It should have the same tone/vibration as all other WEA notifications (like weather warnings and AMBER alerts).

Tues. Oct. 2 - Financial Aid Night for Seniors and families, optional, 6:00-7:00 pm 

Wed. Oct. 3- Roycemore Day Pep Rally, 8:15-9:45 am (Details below)

Thur. Oct. 4- FREE Yoga (every Thursday) through Phoenix Yoga Project, 5:00 pm (Details below)

Fri. Oct. 5- Peggy Notebart Museum field trip, 5th & 6th grades, 8:00 am-4:00 pm

Mon. Oct. 8- NO SCHOOL - Professional Day

Wed. Oct. 10- PSAT Testing for 8th-11th grades, 8:30 am-12:00 pm

Fri. Oct. 12- Upper School Government Field Trip-Six Flags Fright Fest, 4:15-11:45 pm

Fri. Oct. 12- Lower School Pumpkin Carving, 5:30 pm

Fri. Oct. 19- Halloween Carnival - hosted by Upper School for younger students

Thur. Oct. 25- Middle School social outing to Altitute Trampoline Park, 3:45 pm (optional)

Sun. Oct. 28- Fall Admissions Open House, 1:00-3:00 pm

Mon. Oct. 29- Author Visit! Jordan Matter, author of Born to Dance: Celebrating the Wonder of Childhood, 10-11:30 am

Thurs. Nov. 1- Parent/Teacher Conferences, 2:00-7:30 pm

Fri. Nov. 2- Parent/Teacher Conferences, 8:30 am-3:30 pm

Tues. Oct. 2- Middle School Girls Volleyball vs Chiaravalle Montesori at Roycemore, 4:00 pm/5:00 pm                       

Tues. Oct. 2- Upper School Soccer vs Lake View High School at James Park, 4:30 pm

Thur. Oct. 4- Upper School Cross Country at Latin School, 4:15 pm

Fri. Oct. 5- Upper School Soccer vs Rickover Academy, Regional Game, at James Park, 4:00 pm

Fri. Oct. 5- Upper School Girls Volleyball at Willows Academy, 4:30 pm 

Last Week in Roycemore Athletics

Our intrepid Volleyball team traveled to Pilsen to battle Christo Rey. While it was a spirited match, the Griffins fell 0-2.

The Griffin high school runners journeyed to Lake Forest Academy.  All of our runners finished the 2 mile course!

The Middle School Griffins challenged Francis Parker in volleyball in the Roycemore Gym. The 5/6/7 team lost 1-2 in a close match. The 7/8 team pulled out a stunning victory 2-1!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR GRIFFIN ATHLETES!!

By Adrianne Finley Odell

“The need to approach others with enthusiasm for difference is absolutely critical to any change. I'm the toughest of fighters. I love a good fight, and I love to win. But I think what I have learned is that you have got to approach differences with this notion that there is good in the other and that if we can't figure out how to do that and there isn't the crack in the middle where there are some people on both sides who absolutely refuse to see the other as evil, this is going to continue.”  -  Frances Kissling, activist and president of the Center for Health, Ethics and Social Policy from her interview on the program On Being with Krista Tippett.

Like many of us, this past week’s hearings related to the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court disturbed me.  And I know that many of our students were thinking deeply about the issues around Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s accusations of sexual assault that she alleges took place when she and Judge Kavanaugh were in high school themselves.  One of our seniors even had the opportunity to participate in a panel on CBS This Morning’s national broadcast last week regarding the issues.

Over the weekend I listened to the podcast On Being with Krista Tippett.  As I listened I was struck by how relevant her program this week is for students today, and the skills and dispositions that are going to be important for them as they navigate an ever increasing complex world in their journey to adulthood.  The title of this week’s program was, “What Is Good in the Position of the Other.”  Krista Tippett interviewed Frances Kissling, former president of Catholics for Choice and current president of the Center for Health, Ethics and Social Policy.  Kissling is controversial among both the pro-life and the pro-choice movements as she tends to believe that there are valid points from both sides.  She argues that the issue is complex and that by trying to distill the issue to one that is clear cut with no “gray” does a disservice to important dialogue that would be good for our society.  “When people who disagree with each other come together with a goal of gaining a better understanding of why the other believes what they do, good things come out of that.  But the pressure of coming to agreement works against really understanding each other, and we don’t understand each other, ” says Kissling.

No matter where we stand politically, or what we believe about the testimonies of Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh, I maintain that it is critical to find ways to encourage civil discourse and create a space that is safe for different points of view to be expressed.  In our increasingly polarized environment, we must protect the values of respect and empathy.  Regardless of one’s political views, it is important that students feel that they can express their thoughts safely.  Ensuring our students find their voice is more critical than ever as we work with them to gain the skills that will serve them well to tackle the complicated problems of our age. As they continue in their life journey, they will need to collaborate and communicate with people who are different from them in their views, beliefs and experiences.  As important as it is for students to feel safe expressing different points of view is to facilitate students’ ability to maintain an open heart and mind, to listen deeply, maintain respect for each other and attempt to understand.  As Kissling aptly put it, “The point of listening is to bring our lives into conversation, which is the original meaning of conversation:  to live among, be familiar with, keep company.  This points at the richness that civility might hold -- an idea that is ours to invent anew-- as something full-blooded and muscular, more culture-shifting and reality based than a choice between politeness and argument.”  

At Roycemore we seek ways to encourage such respectful dialogue through homeroom conversations in the lower school and advisory in middle and upper school.  In November, we will also be commencing a three part “intercultural workshop” for upper school students to help them better understand and navigate conversation around difference.  These workshops will take place during several of the school periods that have opened up for special programming due to our new Thursday schedule.  We hope through such intentional and professionally facilitated opportunities, our students will further embrace an “enthusiasm for difference."

Senior Alex Ciancuillo appeared on CBS This Morning as part of a panel of Chicago-area high school students discussing their thoughts on the Brett Kavanaugh hearings and allegations.

The 7th/8th grade Middle School Girls Volleyball team won 2-0 against Francis Parker School!

The 1st-4th Graders celebrated the end of Leadership Week with a field trip on the Wendella Boat Architecture Tour.

Join us on Wednesday October 3rd to celebrate Roycemore Day, our 103rd birthday! Parents' coffee, pep rally, games, and spirit!  The pep rally is a school pride event to generate excitement about the coming year, sports and school spirit. Parents are invited to participate in our spirit games!  A brief address from Adrianne Finley Odell will kick us off! We aim for everything to be concluded by 9:45 am.

8:15 - Mix & Mingle coffee with RFA reps and fellow families.

8:45 - Join your students for an incredible pep rally, games and other announcements!

Grab your blue and gold spiritwear and join us to celebrate!

Please visit our online store at  www.roycemoreschool.org/schoolstore  to get wonderful items to wear and use.  We know you will all love what the RFA has chosen.  Wear your swag on October 3, Roycemore Day, the 103 anniversary of the opening of our school!

Free Community Yoga at Roycemore School - We are thrilled to partner with Phoenix Yoga Project to offer free yoga classes every Thursday at 5:00 pm. Founded by Roycemore alumnus and trustee, Scott Kinsloe, Phoenix Yoga Project offers free yoga to help bring people across a community together. Spread the word that everyone is welcome to join our community for this free and healthy weekly class! 

Wondering what to do and when? Well, we have a doc for that! The Recommended Timeline for the College Application Process is designed for all Upper School Griffins. Feel free to download and consult it. We have seven colleges coming to meet our juniors and seniors in person, be sure to bookmark Roycemore’s Coordinator of College Counseling Stacia Campbell’s blog for up-to-date information.

Admissions needs you! As we speed ahead into the fall, Amanda Avery, Director of Admissions seeks volunteers to represent Roycemore at upcoming fall school fairs and admissions events. It takes a village to help spread the word about our amazing school! If you are interested in becoming an Admissions Ambassador, contact Amanda directly: [email protected]. Thank you!!

This public lecture, given by CIERA research center director and Roycemore parent Vicky Kalogera, and held at Northwestern University, will be appropriate for middle-school and high-school students and will not require specialized science knowledge.

Learn more about CIERA at http://ciera.northwestern.edu 

A quick link to all the Northwestern community diversity and inclusion events. Northwestern encourages community members to take part in events like these to increase their cultural competency and understanding. View All Upcoming Events.

See what is going on at Northwestern this month and next. Concerts, lectures, athletic events - there is always something going on. View October Events.

"Comic Book Lessons That Shape How I Lead" by Astro Teller, Ph.D., Captain of Moonshots at X: The Moonshot Factory, the R&D lab of Alphabet, and Distignuished Alumni Award recipient, ETHS Class of 1988; Co-Founder, Cerebellum Capital  

Monday October 8, 2018 at 7:00 pm at the Evanston Township High School Auditorium at 1600 Dodge Ave. in Evanston. View flyer here.

"Stamped from the Beginning" by Ibram X. Kendi, Ph.D., Professor of History and International Relations and Founding Director, Antiracist Research and Policy Center, American University; recipient of the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction for Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America

Friday, October 12, 2018 at 7:00 pm at the Evanston Township High School in at 1600 Dodge Ave. in Evanston. View flyer here.

Please be aware of the major resurfacing and bridge repair project that is taking place on Lake Shore Drive between Monroe St. and Grand Ave. The project is on an accelerated schedule that will require lane closures reducing Lake Shore Drive to two lanes in each direction. Work began on August 27 and will continue to through October.

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