A MESSAGE FROM MRS. FINLEY ODELL
Head of School and Interim Head of Middle School:
I want to extend my deep appreciation to the incredible support and partnership that our families have shown during our remote learning days due to COVID-19. I recognize that this is not easy! Most of you are home with your children helping them stay on top of their school work while also managing your own jobs remotely.
Our Middle School faculty recognize that this has been difficult and they, too, have had their own challenges in figuring out the incredible balancing act. They are learning new ways of teaching and assessing students, mastering new technology, and all the while taking care of family members at home- be they young children or older parents. The amazing spirit of our community, however, has been on full display and the collaboration and creativity of our faculty and students is inspiring! I described it recently to our faculty as analogous to all of us learning how to ballroom dance (if we hadn't done it before.). We are learning new techniques, new routines, and trying to get our rhythm. It may not be pretty at the beginning, but we are learning hour-by-hour and perfecting techniques that will result in a spectacular and beautiful performance as we master the skills we are learning.
As we head into Spring Break, we wanted to provide families with some resources and activities to support your children who will be seeking ways to connect with peers, continue to learn, and have fun. Below are some of the ideas our faculty have created for this purpose as well as some of the exciting things that took place during our remote learning week #2!
During Spring Break, we will be working to refine the schedule for students that will be in place for them when they return from break- assuming we will likely be continuing remote learning. We want to take your feedback into account so we will soon be sending you a survey to learn from you.
Be sure to look for the survey in your inbox!
We are also communicating with our peer schools around the nation. I am fortunate to have friends who lead schools in different parts of the country who are generously sharing with us. There is a beautiful spirit of collaboration in support of students! I am confident that even though we are not physically together, our students will continue to make great strides in learning and skill development. They, too, are "learning to dance"-- it is beautiful to see!
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What in the World Can Roycemore
Middle School Students Do on Spring Break?
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Below are some opportunities students might be interested in:
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Take This Opportunity to Be Creative!
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With appreciation to the leadership of:
- Humanities Teacher, Amy Milner
- Gifted Coordinator, Judy Wahl, and
- Incoming Middle School Head, Adrienne Floro
we present to you a Roycemore Middle School Creativity Choice Board! There are many ideas here for students to choose from! Coming soon.... more choice boards with other themes from Storytelling to the Great Outdoors!
Click on the Creativity Choice Board image to open for an easier to view version.
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MORE Creative Opportunities Through Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
We are pleased to share with you a resource from Evanston's Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and Piven Workshop.
Founded in 1979, under the name of the Foster Community Theatre, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre has been thrilling audiences with over three decades of unique, inspirational and invigorating African American and African Diaspora-centered storytelling. From original plays to the best of Broadway, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre remained committed to supplying the very best in professional theatre.
Join Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and Piven Theatre Workshop, Monday through Friday, for a new
Facebook
series
,
"Stay Creative."
Each day will include a variety of stimulating, interactive family activities from beginning ballet and modern dance lessons, to theatre games and Black Theatre History lectures.
View the weekly schedule below.
Mondays
8 a.m. - Morning Movers/Beginning Ballet with Kara Roseborough
Noon - A Journey Through Black Theatre History, Professor Bria Walker
Tuesdays
8 a.m. - Morning Movers/Family Theatre Games with Piven Theatre
Noon - Black Poets Then & Now with Kara Roseborough
Wednesdays
8 a.m. - Morning Movers/Beginning Modern Dance with Kara Roseborough
Noon - A Journey Through Black Theatre History with Professor Walker
6 p.m. - Special Guest Artist Series
Thursdays
8 a.m. - Morning Movers/Beginning Acting Technique with Piven Theatre
Noon - Black Poets Then & Now with Kara Roseborough
Fridays
8 a.m. - Friday Freestyle/The Family Weekend Challenge/Happy Birthday
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The Week in Review...
Remote Physical Education- Griffin Style!
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Engaging in Physical Education class remotely? How does one do that? Well, our creative PE teachers have "flexed their muscles" to provide interesting lessons for students. They include HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout assignments like
THIS
,
Yoga for Teens
,
or even "Choose Your Own PE." Students are assigned to do the workout and take a photo or video of themselves to demonstrate that they have done it. The photo and text above was a submission by Faelyn (8th grade) for a "Choose Your Own PE" assignment.
WAY TO GO GRIFFINS! KEEP CALM AND KEEP MOVING!!
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The Week in Review...Humanities Happenings!
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Sixth grade students worked on an assignment related to "Personification" this past week. Personification is described as the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form. (dictionary.com)
In this assignment, students were asked to write a letter or journal entry from an item of theirs that they used to use all the time before the social distancing and quarantine.
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The Humanities Team has been creative in their assignments. 7th & 8th grade Humanities students have been involved in creative lessons using Quizizz and Edpuzzle. A recent Quizizz "game" involved students taking a quiz to better understand COVID-19 and what they can do to help prevent the spread.
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Sixth-Grade Humanities participated in The 2020 “Take Your Best Shot” Photography Contest at Roycemore School. They were tasked to “take your best shot” in a very short amount of time and under rather difficult and unprecedented circumstances, then they had the opportunity to "vote" remotely on the "best shot". Above is one of the submissions-- we'll call it "Cat's Backyard Pandemic Perspective."
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Don't Forget to Submit to the Roycemore Literary Magazine!
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A message from Ela Chintagunta(11th grade), Literary Magazine Editor to the Roycemore Community:
Hi!! Hope that everyone is doing well. The literary magazine is keeping submissions open until May 1st to allow for more time to create beautiful works of writing and art. (Maybe something to think about over spring break?)
Remember, this is an all-school project, so any type of art, comics, short pieces of writing, poetry, etc. from anybody in the school is welcomed. I hope that everyone submits work so Roycemore can show how creative students are. This would be a perfect time to work on pieces to submit while we are at home.
Thanks!! From Literary Magazine Staff
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Share Your Photos and Videos During Remote Learning!
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Share your photos and videos. If you are on social media, post them using the hashtag #roycemorefamily. This is a great way to stay connected with each other. Also, visit the
Roycemore Family page
for a daily video, riddle and word of the day, plus a weekly virtual field trip!
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Help Griffin With His Experiment--Share Your Love of Roycemore!
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Griffin is working hard to make sure people don't forget about Roycemore during this remote learning period. He's hoping that through his pictures and postings on Instagram and Facebook that you will SHARE them! And share the other postings about remote learning. You can also help him beyond those shares... Please share your LOVE for Roycemore online by
writing a review on Niche.com.
It matters!! Also, during the campus closure, we are in touch with prospective families virtually and are in the process of adding photos to the website so visitors can get still "visit" the school remotely.
Finally, if you want to be on Griffin's team and talk to prospective families about your Roycemore experience by phone, through Google Meet or Zoom, please
email Mrs. Finley Odell
to let her know!
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Important Dates
- Mondays during spring break- Board and Video Game Club continues!
- Tues. April 7th-3pm- Roycemore Middle School Kahoot!
- March 27- end. of 3rd quarter. Grade reports will be emailed home this week!
- March 30- April 12th- SPRING BREAK
- April 13- School resumes- most likely in Remote Learning mode- Students must check in with teachers and submit attendance each day
COMING ATTRACTIONS!
Scholarship Fundraiser: A Live Stream Experience
Auction items will be live starting next week. Volunteers are still needed, especially those with live streaming experience. Please email
Sara McGuire
if you would like to join the fun!
Videos for Scholarship Fundraiser
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Middle School Community Guidelines
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We will create a community in Roycemore’s middle school based on RESPECT. We will respect ourselves, our space, and our peers. In doing so, we will assume the best intentions of others and create a space where we are welcomed, feel we belong, and are known!
(created by representatives from each grade 2019-20)
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