Volume 9| October 22, 2019
Roycemore School Weekly Newsletter
From The Head of School
Our "Culture Code" at Roycemore

By: Adrianne Finley Odell- Head of School
Recently I was given a book as a farewell gift from a Roycemore faculty member who was relocating to another state. As she suspected, it was a great read for me and I introduced an exercise in the book to our faculty. The book is Culture Code by Dan Coyle. This past summer Roycemore faculty and staff collaborated to define the culture of our school community. The process was intended as an exercise to articulate the unique aspects of our culture so that when it was time to fill a faculty or staff opening at school, we could check for “cultural alignment” between the candidate and our school. The process, however, resulted in much more than the creation of the document, it became an affirmation of our community and our core values. It also serves as a tool to help us share with others what matters in our work with young people and reminds us why we believe in the value of our mission and vision at Roycemore.  

As we enter into a busy admissions season where families are assessing whether Roycemore is the “right fit” for their child and family, we decided that sharing our “culture code” might be helpful in the decision making process.  

What is unique about Roycemore’s Culture?

Our culture is how we work together to serve our students and their families. Our culture has been instrumental to the longevity of Roycemore. It helps us attract amazing new colleagues and helps make working at Roycemore a great experience.  

What is unique and special about Roycemore...

Coming Up on the Calendar
  • Thursday, October 24th - FREE Yoga at Roycemore, 5:00pm (All Ages and Abilities)
  • Friday, October 25th - Carnival
  • Friday, October 25th - Middle School Pot Luck, 5:00-8:00pm
  • Saturday, October 26th - Upper School Parent Social, 5:00-8:00pm
  • Sunday, October 27th - Roycemore School Open House, 1:00-3:00pm
  • Thursday, October 31st - FREE Yoga at Roycemore, 5:00pm (All Ages and Abilities)
  • Tuesday, November 5th - Lower School Tour, 9:00-10:00am
  • Thursday, November 7th - FREE Yoga at Roycemore, 5:00pm (All Ages and Abilities)
  • Thursday, November 7th - Fall Conferences (2:00 to 7:30 pm)
  • Friday, November 8th - NO SCHOOL, Fall Conferences Continue (8.30-3.30) (No EDP Available)
Athletics at Roycemore
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  • Tuesday, Oct. 22, US Volleyball Invitational at Home, Time TBD
  • Wednesday, Oct. 23, MS Volleyball vs CMS at Home, 4:00pm
  • Friday, Oct. 25, US Cross Country Regionals at Pooch Park, 2:30pm
  • Saturday, Oct. 26, US Cross Country Regionals, Time and Location TBD
Open House
The Roycemore Open House is this Sunday! This event is a great way for prospective families to visit campus, hear about our signature programs, talk to current faculty and students, and see the Roycemore community in action. Please be sure to spread the word to anyone you know who has expressed interest in finding out more about our school.

Open House
Sunday, October 27th
1:00-3:00pm
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

Upper School Parent Social
The Roycemore Family Association (RFA) is excited to also announce that an Upper School Parent Social will be held this Saturday evening and all US parents are invited to attend. This event will be held at the home of a Roycemore family and interested parties can email for more information: smcguire@roycemoreschool.org .
Upper School Parent Social
Saturday, October 26, 2019
5:00 - 8:00pm
It's Carnival Time!
This Friday, October 25th , is the Roycemore School Carnival! This event is entirely run by the Upper School students and takes place during the school day. Lower School and Middle School will spend the afternoon enjoying Halloween fun, games, and treats.

What should your student bring to Carnival?
1.Halloween Costume
2.Money (for bake sale items and game tickets)
3.A Plain White Shirt (for the T-shirt decorating booth)
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Design Thinking
Middle School students are using the design thinking process throughout the P3 program this year. To begin, students completed a “design sprint” to answer the question “How might we choose passion projects that remain interesting and relevant to us throughout the school year?” To answer this question, students interviewed one another to gain understanding and empathy, then did some rapid brainstorming to come up with solution ideas. They then worked in groups to combine their ideas, and finally voted on which ideas they wanted to move forward with. Many of their ideas are being implemented as students choose which passion topic they want to work on for the rest of the school year.
Mentors Needed!
Speaking of Personal Passion Projects, we are in need of P3 mentors! Every Roycemore Middle School student is paired with a mentor for the duration of their P3. These mentors offer feedback, guidance, and advice to the students as they work on their projects. This year, all projects are tied to a real-world problem that is connected to each student's own passion and interest. Areas of particular interest are animal welfare, environmental action, community service, entrepreneurship, and technology, but please know that ALL areas of expertise are needed.

If you or anyone you know is interested in being a P3 mentor, please sign up below.
Upcoming FAN Events
Roycemore School is proud to be a member of the Family Action Network and an event sponsor for these upcoming free presentations open to the public:
The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students

Author Anthony Abraham Jack, Ph.D., reveals that the struggles of less privileged students continue long after they’ve arrived at their Elite Universities - and that admission is not the same as acceptance.


October 23rd
Anthony Abraham Jack, PhD.
Northwestern University
7:00-8:30pm
The Power of Human: How Our Shared Humanity Can Help Us Create a Better World

Award-winning social psychologist and author Adam Waytz, Ph.D. explores our innate need for human interaction, our capacity for dehumanization, and the ways in which we can reinvest everyday life with value and meaning.

November 4th
Adam Waytz, PhD.
Northshore Country Day
7:00-8:30pm
Lost and Found Reminder
The Roycemore Lost and Found is getting bigger and bigger! If your student is missing something, encourage them to take a look through the Lost and Found area at the bottom of the stairs. Another great opportunity to scan through the Lost and Found is over the Fall Parent-Teacher Conference days (Nov. 7 and Nov. 8).

Please note: all un-claimed belongings will be donated to charity during the Thanksgiving break.
Three Cheers
This past weekend, we had three Griffins participate in the 128th Kumbaya Chess Tournament at Niles North High School. Approximately 170 players were present to test their skills and the Roycemore team competed in the U1200 Scholastic category, which was the highest level available for K-12 students at the tournament. The team was represented by Jacob, Daniel, and Franklin and we are very proud to share they they ended up coming in 2nd place!
A heartfelt congratulations to the team from the rest of Roycemore!

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