PERSONAL, ENGAGED COLLEGE PREP
College preparatory education for age 3 through Grade 12
Inspire
Roycemore School is fully accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States. Roycemore also holds memberships in the National Association of Independent Schools, the Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools, and the Illinois High School Association.
Roycemore’s academic program is founded on a strong college preparatory curriculum that encourages intellectual curiosity no matter what age or grade level. In addition to core classes, there are many other opportunities for learning and discovery: whether through differentiated instruction, acceleration, after school enrichment, creative electives, independent study, January Short Term projects, Advanced Placement courses or taking classes at nearby Northwestern University. In small classes, committed, passionate teachers nurture and build upon students’ strengths, and provide them support when they feel challenged. Students are called upon to think both critically and creatively as they learn and prepare for success at the next level and, ultimately, college.
Excellence
Love
At the heart of our mission is the expectation that each student will be known personally and valued by his or her peers, teachers and the entire school community. Students thrive here in an open, supportive environment that allows them the freedom to explore new ideas and be themselves. Every student is valued as an individual with unique talents and abilities. We recognize that each individual learns differently and that varied teaching strategies are vital for helping all students to reach their full potential. Founded in 1915, Roycemore serves students from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. Our student body is a blend of city and suburban college-bound children, drawn from a wide range of economic, social and ethnic backgrounds.
Learning
Celebrate
A healthy spirit of camaraderie means there is always something going on at Roycemore. Activities and events during and after school help to create a vibrant social setting that emphasizes our core values of inclusiveness and respect for individual differences. Recognizing that Roycemore families come from neighborhoods across Chicago and the suburbs, we gather together several times a year for special occasions, including family nights, parent coffees, social activities, athletic events and music, drama and dance performances. Open and frequent communication between teachers, parents, students and administrators fosters a close-knit community that thrives on active participation and involvement. At Roycemore, we strive to build a safe, secure environment in which students can thrive.
Community
Participate
Roycemore students are encouraged to participate in all aspects of school life, regardless of their experience or ability, offering additional paths for personal and social success. With a variety of activities to choose from—musicals, plays, athletics, tumbling, clubs, field trips, extracurricular outings and more—nearly all Roycemore students take advantage of these opportunities to get involved and have fun. Regular, planned social activities offer a variety of pathways for developing friendships and strengthening community. Formal interscholastic athletics begins in fifth grade and any student willing to commit time and effort is welcome on the soccer, basketball and volleyball teams. We also encourage students to share their time and talents. Service to the school, to each other, and to the broader community is emphasized through class projects, school-wide initiatives and after-school clubs.
Fully
Early Childhood
In the Early Childhood classrooms, we help each student develop confidence, problem solving skills, and self-discipline. Through a combination of teacher and peer support, character education and role-playing, children feel important both as individuals and as members of the Roycemore community. Our experienced, certified Early Childhood teachers balance an age-appropriate academic program with time for creative play. They provide a safe, nurturing environment in which each child can grow intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. Students learn through a variety of hands-on activities presented in individual, small and large group settings. They are introduced to academic subjects in a way that is appropriate for their developmental levels. The curriculum is designed to allow each child to progress at his or her own pace.
Lower School
Roycemore’s Lower School has a multi-faceted curriculum with many hands-on activities and educational field trips. An atmosphere of creativity and collaboration across grades inspires an enthusiastic community of learners. Faculty encourage students to reach higher and they provide extra support when needed so that children are never bored or frustrated. Parents, teachers and administrators team up to build a network that supports students’ early success. Each child’s academic and social growth is carefully monitored, and the lines of communication are always open for parents, whether in the halls, via phone or email. Parent contributions to the classroom are appreciated as a valuable resource. Faculty specialists in art, music, French and physical education enrich our Lower School academic program. Character education is taught and reinforced daily to build a sense of community, responsibility and caring for others. A variety of after-school enrichment activities, ranging from scratch programming to Fitness Fun Friday, provide time with friends for extra educational and social opportunities.
Middle School
Creating a positive environment with engaging activities helps Middle School students approach learning with the enthusiasm they need to succeed. Focused on critical thinking and creativity, our core Middle School curriculum emphasizes how to study, explore, research, and write well. College prep academics are balanced with opportunities for social growth. Frequent after-school activities like a trip to Navy Pier, ice skating at Millennium Park or going to a movie give students a chance to hang out together in a more casual setting. A wide-ranging Creative Arts program lets students choose from unique electives like “The Physics of Roller Coasters” or “Living Green.” Electives like these are a valuable way to enable students to explore new things and broaden their experiences. Middle Schoolers earn recognition from teachers each quarter for displaying qualities such as responsibility, honesty, respect, caring, cooperation and openness to learning. Interscholastic basketball, soccer and volleyball begin in Middle School. Sports and other activities are open to everyone and teachers encourage all students to get involved. Combined with daily physical education class and a fun Middle School Olympics program, ample opportunities are provided for releasing energy!
Upper School
Roycemore is, first and foremost, a college-preparatory school with a challenging curriculum. Students may undertake college-level work through Advanced Placement offerings and an opportunity to take classes at Northwestern University. Typically 100% of Roycemore’s graduating seniors are accepted to one or more colleges of their choice, and classes earn over $2 million in merit scholarships each year. College prep means more than simply academics. It also means helping to give our students the range of skills they need to succeed in college and beyond, including independence, critical thinking, and self-advocacy. Active participation in the larger Roycemore community, where they are welcomed and celebrated, gives our students the confidence to expect more from their college experience. With an average class size of 16, faculty are always available for individual help, clarification or more indepth discussion. Upper School students choose a faculty advisor, who helps them with academic planning and more, including setting long- and short-term goals, developing strong study habits, becoming involved in school life, and managing time and energy effectively. Our athletics program is open to all students who wish to participate, with teams in soccer, volleyball, cross country and basketball.
January Short Term
For the three weeks following first semester exams in January, regular classes do not meet and Upper School is fully immersed in January Short Term. JST provides students the opportunity to incorporate imagination and independent exploration into their Roycemore education. With guidance from faculty and project directors, students delve into areas of personal interest beyond the school’s curriculum. Projects may be academic or nonacademic, individual or part of a faculty-sponsored group. January Short Term empowers students to: n
Design a piece of their own education.
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Learn about subject matter that typically cannot be taught in a classroom.
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Attain educational success beyond grades.
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Learn for pure enjoyment.
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Participate in activities and events they may not have experienced on their own.
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Explore a career or another country!
Individual projects are built on student ingenuity and may take the form of independent study or an internship. Formal proposals for projects must be approved by a committee comprised of faculty and students, and must outline specific educational goals.
College Level Work
Northwestern University Taking classes for full college credit through a special arrangement with Northwestern University is one of the most valuable opportunities available to qualified Roycemore Upper School students. Classes taken by our students at Northwestern in recent years include Archeology, Comparative Politics, Electrical Engineering, Gender Studies, Integral and Vector Calculus, Jazz History, Linear Algebra, Macroeconomics, and Music Theory. Advanced Placement The AP Program consists of college level courses based on course descriptions approved by the College Board for highly motivated students. Roycemore offers college level work in Biology, Calculus AB and BC, Chemistry, English Composition, English Literature, European History, French Language, Music Theory, Physics I and II, Spanish Language, Studio Art and U.S. History. Independent Study Inspired students may work with a supervising faculty member to design their own course, which is expected to be equal to the most demanding courses in the regular curriculum. This option opens up even more possibilities for students to work at college level and earn valuable experience advocating for their own interests and education.
College Placement Here are some of the colleges and universities to which Roycemore graduates were accepted over the last few years: Adelphi University American University Arizona State University Auburn University Augustana College Baldwin-Wallace University Ball State University Beloit College Boston University Bradley University Butler University Canisius College Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Carroll College Carthage College Case Western Reserve Clarkson University Clemson University, Honors College Coe College Colby College, College of Business College of Lake County College of Wooster Columbia College Columbia University Concordia College Cornell College DePaul University DePauw College Dillard University Drexel University Earlham College Eastern Illinois University Eckerd College Elmhurst College Emory University Fairfield University Fashion Institute of Technology (NY) Ferris State University Florida Atlantic University Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Institute of Technology Fordham University George Washington University
Gonzaga University Goucher College Grand Canyon College Grinnell College Hampshire College Harper College Harvard University Hendrix College Hiram College Hofstra University Hope College Howard University Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois State University Illinois Wesleyan University Indiana University Iowa State University Ithaca College Kalamazoo College Knox College Lake Forest College Lawrence University Lesley College Lewis and Clark College Lewis University Lincoln College Long Island University Loyola University of Chicago, Honors College Loyola University of New Orleans Luther College Manhattanville College Marian University Marquette University, Honors College Marymount Manhattan College Maryville College Methodist University Michigan State University, Honors College Millikin University Milwaukee School of Engineering Monmouth College Montana State University New York University North Carolina State University
North Central College North Park University Northeastern Illinois University Northwestern University Norwich University Oglethorpe College Ohio State University Ohio University Ohio Wesleyan University Oxford College of Emory University Pennsylvania State University Prairie View A&M Purdue University Rhodes College Ripon College Robert Morris University Rochester Institute of Technology Saint Louis University Sarah Lawrence College School of the Art Institute of Chicago Southern Illinois University St. Catherine’s University St. John’s University St. Mary’s University St. Xavier University SUNY at Stony Brook Susquehanna College Syracuse University University of Arizona University of California, Davis University of California, LA University of Central Florida University of Chicago University of Colorado, Boulder University of Connecticut University of Davenport University of Dayton University of Denver University of Hartford University of Illinois, Chicago University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Engineering University of Indianapolis University of Iowa University of Kansas University of Lincoln University of Maryland University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota University of Missouri University of New Hampshire University of New Orleans University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Oregon University of Puget Sound University of Redlands University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern Indiana University of Southern Maine University of Tampa University of Texas-Austin, Butler School of Music University of Utah University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison Valparaiso University Virginia Military Institute Washington and Lee University Washington State University Washington University Western Illinois University Western Michigan University Westminster College Willamette University Williams College Wittenberg University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Wright College Xavier University New Orleans Xavier University (OH)
Even before Junior year, future Roycemore graduates and their families begin the very personalized process of planning for the next stage of their education with our college counselor, who works with about 30 students each year—in contrast to the national average of 1 to over 400 students in public schools and 1 to 100 in private schools. The college counselor draws from her own experiences with many of the students, as well as input from their advisors and teachers, to offer suggestions regarding the best college choices based on a student’s goals, personality, and academic record. A Roycemore Upper Schooler’s application file also includes details regarding each year’s January Short Term project, a unique experience that allows colleges more insight into an applicant’s interests and initiative. From in-school SAT preparation to thoughtfully written personal recommendations by faculty, Roycemore Upper Schoolers’ preparation and applications stand out from the crowd.
We look forward to meeting you! Finding the right fit for your child goes beyond looking at websites and reading brochures. We are happy to arrange individual visits so you can experience Roycemore first-hand. Please call the Admissions Office at 847-866-6055 to make an appointment or e-mail info@roycemoreschool.org. In addition, we have several small, informal admissions open houses throughout the school year. Join us for coffee, walk the halls, observe classes in session, and talk with administrators, faculty, current students and parents. Go to www.roycemoreschool.org/admissions to view upcoming open house dates or to learn more about applying to Roycemore.
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