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THE ROEPER SCHOOL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

KEEPING

JOY

VOLUME 17: 1 FALL 2023

TOUCH

KIT

TABLE OF CONTENTS Christopher Federico Head of School christopher.federico@roeper.org Denita Banks-Sims Director of Development denita.banks-sims@roeper.org Keeping in Touch Editorial Committee Denita Banks-Sims Editor Bonnie Schemm Art Director

Contributors Denita Banks-Sims Carolyn Borman Meghan Doyle ’95 Christopher Federico Cynthia Harris Patrick Harris Susannah Nichols Marcia Ruff Meghan Stott Jack Williams Emily Wine Shani Yapa-Kimpson

THE ROEPER SCHOOL

FEATURES

MY “SOPHOMORE” YEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Federico, Head of School

MEET THE NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Emily Wine, Chief of Staff NEW FACULTY AND STAFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Carolyn Borman, Communications Associate JOY IN LEARNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cynthia Harris, Lower School Dean of Students Patrick Harris, Middle School Dean of Students Susannah Nichols, Middle/Upper School Director THE POWER OF ELECTIVES . . . . Meghan Stott, Lower School Director

WHERE WE CAME FROM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Marcia Ruff, School Historian ROEPER’S DEIJ JOURNEY — The CultureED Connection . . . . . . . 12 Carolyn Lett, Director of Diversity and Community Programs A MESSAGE FROM ALUMNI RELATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Shani Yapa-Kimpson, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund

41190 Woodward Avenue Bloomfield Hills Michigan 48304 248/203-7300 www.roeper.org

ALUMNI UPDATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shani Yapa-Kimpson, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund

PHOTO ESSAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack Williams, Digital Marketing & Design Specialist

The Roeper School is an independent coeducational day school for gifted and talented students preschool through grade 12 and an equal-opportunity institution

A SINGLE PASSING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development & Publications Meghan Doyle, Class of 1995

EDUCATING AND INSPIRING GIFTED STUDENTS TO THINK AS INDIVIDUALS AND TO ENGAGE AS A COMMUNITY WITH COMPASSION FOR EACH OTHER AND THIS WORLD

PARTING THOUGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development & Publications

COVER ART Stage III 3D Sculpture Studio Elective — Calaveras Color sketches for papier-mâché calaveras, inspired by Day of the Dead sugar skulls.

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Christopher Federico Head of School

MY “SOPHOMORE” YEAR

• With a view to strengthening the wholeschool identity and building connections across both campuses, we made changes to our timetable and school-year calendar, including introducing R days for community events at key times of the year. Our “First Friday” was a tremendous success, and we look forward to more of these cross-campus events unfolding throughout the year.

Sophomore, the etymologists say, is a combination of the Greek words for wisdom, on the one hand, and foolishness, on the other. So, sophomore is itself an oxymoron meaning something like “wise fool,” with the implication that while you might have learned a lot from your first year, there’s still a lot more to come. That is certainly true. Year One was nerve-wracking, exciting, educational, welcoming, sometimes perplexing, and invariably rewarding as I adjusted not only to a new role at a new school, but also being the resident of a new country (even though I can still see Canada from the window of my apartment). Many new Heads of School (and even many new senior leaders anywhere) spend their first year standing back and watching things happen before rolling up their sleeves to get to work in the second. That is not my style, nor did it seem to me to be the Roeper style, which embraces you firmly the moment you step on campus. As I start my sophomore year, I do so with a great sense of what we as a school have accomplished in the year that has just ended, and how that has set us up for the year ahead. For example: • Our collective efforts as a community to advance commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice brought us into a partnership with CultureEd Collective and led us to the development of our equity aspiration. This document provides us with both a roadmap and clear goals for our work this year and into the future, including with a new partner, RIISE. You will be hearing more about both of these soon.

• We made significant changes to our Financial Aid processes over the past year, again involving new partnerships, and will be continuing to refine them in the coming year as we strive to ensure that a Roeper education remains as financially accessible as possible, while ensuring the sustainability of our program into the future.

• Working with the Hartmann-Eton Center for Teaching and Learning, we concluded phase one of our project to better support twice exceptional (2e) students at Roeper. After a period of in-depth study, we are now armed with a series of recommendations which we are beginning to implement this year. These projects, and many others, have taken place alongside the work of continuous improvement throughout the school: of physical plant and accessibility; of curriculum, instruction, and assessment; social-emotional learning; of staffing and human resources; of enrollment, communications, and development; and of school governance and leadership. As I look forward to continuing this work in my sophomore year, and starting some new initiatives as well, I also look forward to the many opportunities to engage in (maybe slightly sophomoric) fun and community building that make Roeper such a great place to learn and lead. Keep in touch,

F 1

As I am talking about the meaning of words, I should be clear that I mean this in the sense of “a challenging question”, not someone who is putting on airs.

MARK WRIGHT

As we were planning this issue of Keeping in Touch, I was given the task of writing a piece about my “sophomore” year at Roeper. That in itself was a bit of a poser1 for me because, although I knew what it meant, it’s not a word that’s typically used in Canada, so I had to spend some time thinking about its connotation (especially because to describe something as sophomoric does conjure up a certain image in my mind). And maybe that’s better, because having to spend time musing about the word gave me an opportunity to think differently about the (brief) past and future of my role as well.

As I start my sophomore year, I do so with a great sense of what we as a school have accomplished in the year that has just ended, and how that has set us up for the year ahead.

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Emily Wine

Chief of Staff Office of the Head of School

NEW BOARD TRUSTEES On behalf of the Trusteeship Committee, we would like to thank the departing valued Board members for their time and dedication to the Board of Trustees:

We are deeply grateful for the time, dedication and stewardship of all our Trustees, and we look forward to another successful year.

Jay Marks

Julia Raphael ’23

Signe Smith ’23

Scott Vartanian

With a new school year, we are honored to introduce our newest trustees: Roshan Shah (’24) and Johnathan Dinneweth (’24) are the newly elected student Trustees. Both of these seniors have been at Roeper since their Lower School years and have continued to be engaged community members throughout their tenure. We thank them for continuing to enhance our community with their new Board roles. Elisabeth Stayer (’00) was elected by her colleagues to serve as the Faculty Trustee, representing the Bloomfield campus. She is a Roeper alumna, a Stage II teacher at the Lower School, as well as a parent to one Lower School and one Middle School student. Elisabeth’s multiple roles will provide a unique and broad lens to her trusteeship. Sujana Gundlapalli was elected as the Birmingham Campus Parent Trustee. She is the parent of three current students; two in the Middle School, and one in Upper School. Professionally, Sujana is a cardiologist at Corewell Health William Beaumont Hospital and a member of the Cardiovascular Compensation Committee. Sujana looks forward to working with Trustees on planning for the future in an ever-changing world. Anna Kohn, Class of 2002, is the newly elected Alumni Trustee. She is the Reentry and Parole Team Lead for the State Appellate Defender Office and the President of Safe and Just Michigan. Anna hopes to use her experience in strategic planning and nonprofit management to shape her work on the Board. F

JACK WILLIAMS

The Roeper School Board of Trustees for 2023/24. Standing, L to R: Shannon Martin, Julian Wong, Kenny Miller, Kevin Carlson, Mykolas Rambus ’96, Chair Clay Thomas, Andres Blechman, Roshan Shah ’25, Johnathan Denneweth ’24. Seated, L to R: Amy Beth Fleischer, Sujana Gundlapalli, Colleen Allen, Anna Cohn ’02, Beth Vens, Alana Glass ’97, Elisabeth Stayer ’00, Carol Appel. Not pictured: Jameel Montgomery Smith

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Carolyn Borman

Communications Assistant

NEW FACULTY & STAFF CAROLE CARLIER — Lower & Middle Schools French Teacher

Meghan Stott: I am delighted to welcome Carole Carlier to the Roeper School, as the new Lower and Middle School French Teacher. Originally from Brussels, Belgium, Carole comes to us with over a decade of teaching experience, primarily to Elementary and Middle School-aged students. From Belgium, she and her family moved to Brazil, and then in 2018 they moved to Michigan. Prior to joining Roeper, Carole taught French at both Bloomfield Maples Montessori School and Cranbrook. Carole’s ability to inspire and deliver engaging lessons came through her sample lesson at the end of the previous school year. She is passionate about learning languages, loves to read, travel, and go to the cinema. What is your new position at Roeper? I’ll be teaching French at the Lower School and Middle School. What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? I’ve been teaching in different schools throughout my career; I have always been teaching in schools with a strong community, a caring culture where students can learn with passion and integrity, feel respected and supported by the teachers and staff around them. I believe Roeper has lots of values that I align within my daily life. I feel lucky to join this community and look forward to my first year! NEDA EBRAHIMI — Lower School Student Support Counselor Meghan Stott: Neda holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan, and comes to Roeper with a wealth of experience working as a counselor in school

settings. Most recently, she served as the Lead Upper School Counselor at Cranbrook Schools where she designed and implemented the Upper School’s first comprehensive counseling program. Neda also led a series of successful initiatives implementing evidence-based programs such as Social Emotional Learning, Positive Behavioral Supports and Interventions and Restorative practices. She also believes that dance is an important domain that supports physical health and emotional wellness in student success. I am so happy to have her experienced guidance for the social and emotional health of our students. What is your new position at Roeper? I will be serving as the Student Support Lower School Counselor and will contribute to both individual and overall social-emotional health and wellbeing of the Lower School community by offering education, interventions, and resources to students, faculty, and families. What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? As soon as I read Roeper’s Educational Philosophy, I felt a sense of what it would mean to join the community. Everyone was so warm, genuine, and welcoming. I’m overjoyed to work with the “littles” again after spending the last six years with upper school students. I’m excited to experience the world through their eyes while holding the vantage point of who and all that they can become when they are older. JEANNIE GODDARD — Stage III Associate Teacher What is your new position at Roeper? I am an Associate Teacher in Stage III and am very fortunate to be working with Venee Natarajan, who is a wonderful teacher. I look forward to getting to know the children in our class better and better over the coming year and working with them as they build math, literacy, and social skills What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? I knew several people whose children had attended Roeper and were happy here. Also,

This is a snapshot of new members of the Roeper faculty and staff sharing a little about themselves through their answers to our questions. Please join us in welcoming them to our community.

everyone I met during my interviews and tour was exceptionally nice. They seemed like people I would want to be friends with. I was also attracted to the Roeper philosophy to encourage students “to think as individuals and to engage as a community with compassion for each other and this world.” I liked the idea that children would get a sense of their power to do good in their community and beyond. DANIELLE HELLEMS — Stage III Associate Teacher Meghan Stott: Danielle Hellems is a Stage III Associate teacher with Ciaran McQuiston. She comes with a variety of interesting experiences as a teacher. Danielle has been working as an Associate Teacher at the Meridian School in Seattle, Washington. Additionally, she brings experience working in various educational settings such as Vancouver Public Schools where she was an AmeriCorps VISTA project coordinator. Danielle has also worked for the Reading People in Lansing, Michigan, where she was the site supervisor for the Family-School partnership program. We are so excited that Danielle has joined the Roeper teaching team. Ciaran McQuisten: Danielle joined our classroom this year with a wealth of experience supporting classrooms and the students in them. She has a deep understanding of gifted kids and contributes a calm steadiness to our classroom environment. She also enjoys a good laugh! We are so glad she has joined our Roeper family this year! GRACE JOLLIFFE — Stage III Associate Teacher What is your new position at Roeper? I’ll be teaching Stage III core classes with Rachel Blum-Jose as an associate teacher! What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? I wanted to join Roeper’s community because I want to learn how to be a leader who empowers, encourages, and plays with others, not controls them. I am so moved by this school’s commitment to “justice rather than power” — which shapes the school down to the way our classrooms are set up. Being around young people with intense passions for learning, truth, connection, and justice

energizes me to let my own intensities shine; in my time here, I want to support this community and let it change me too. CELIA KACHELE — Middle & Upper School Social Studies Susannah Nichols: Celia has an undergrad degree from U of M in Political Science and International Studies and a JD from Michigan State where she was the Editor-in-Chief of the Michigan State Law Review. After practicing law, she discovered through volunteer work that she found most joy from a MUN program. She shared, “I have developed a passion for guiding students, fostering critical thinking, and creating engaging learning environments, and I am excited about doing that kind of work full-time.” What is your new position at Roeper? I will be teaching 7th grade American Studies and 11th/12th grade American Government to start, as well as helping Adam with the Middle School Model UN program. What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? I’m sure everyone says it, but it has to be the sense of community you feel as soon as you walk in the door. I would have loved Roeper as a student, and I’m so excited to be a part of it now. VENEE NATARAJAN — Lower School Stage III Teacher Meghan Stott: Venee brings a strong history of teaching and a natural affinity to teaching here at Roeper when she was a Stage II and Stage III teacher. In her first experience with Roeper, Venee came to the interview all dressed up and ended up participating in Stinky Fish Day — an annual art project tradition in Stage I in which prints

are made from paint-smeared fish. She took a break from teaching when Anjali was born and came back last year as a substitute teacher. Her contributions have been and will continue to enrich Roeper, especially her passion for the work of DEIJ.

ownership of their own learning and the freedom to be authentically themselves.

What is your new position at Roeper? I will be a Stage III teacher.

Susannah Nichols: As a student here at Roeper, I remember Akwia as an unfailingly kind spirit; thoughtful and honest writer; and an incredible athlete who carried herself with humility and good humor. In her interview, we were particularly moved by her love and appreciation for what Roeper had given to her and how she hoped to extend similar opportunities to other students.

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? The simple idea that students get to learn at their own pace, challenged when ready, and given time and space to just be is what appealed to me about Roeper. KYLA ROBISON — Lower School Spanish Teacher Meghan Stott: Please welcome Kyla Robison as our new Lower School Spanish Teacher. A bilingual Spanish and English speaker, Kyla lived and taught at the International School in Tegucigalpa in Honduras where she designed and delivered a standardsaligned curriculum to her students in both the lower and middle schools. Kyla is a TEFL and ESL certified teacher, and her strong classroom management skills were evident throughout her demonstration lesson. In addition to teaching, Kyla has a passion for sports and has played a variety of team sports. She loves coaching and will support our Middle School Volleyball team this year. What is your new position at Roeper? I am the new Spanish Language Teacher at Roeper, and I am so excited to do dramas, projects, and more to support my amazing students in gaining Spanish fluency. What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? One thing that really impressed me about Roeper when I first decided to apply was the focus on student-led lessons and student individuality. My philosophy of education is very similar; I strive to have an engaging and safe educational environment, where each student knows they have

AKWIA TILTON ’16 — Lower & Middle Schools PE & Health Teacher

What is your new position at Roeper? I will be teaching Elementary PE with Deb, and Middle School health with Todd! What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? The community and dedication to the students. CAMELLIA LEWIS — Assistant to the Department of Diversity and Community Programs Carolyn Lett: I am so happy to have Camellia back in the Roeper community. Camellia’s selfassurance and passion and commitment to DEIJ work will enrich and further the work that we are doing. I am looking forward to working with such a capable colleague! What is your new position at Roeper? I am the assistant to the Department of Diversity and Community Programs. I look forward to supporting all DEIJ programming and activities at Roeper. What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? This one is easy … because I had previously worked at Roeper, it was the opportunity to be part of this wonderful community of people again!

JACK WILLIAMS — Communications: Digital Marketing & Design Specialist Kari Kress: I am excited to have Jack on our team and am confident that he will successfully capture the Roeper spirit and philosophy digitally and in print. In past jobs he has demonstrated a passion for graphic design and demonstrated his writing prowess. His experience has helped him to understand the impact language has on messaging and communication.

What is it that appealed to you about Roeper? I knew about Roeper and have always had a familiarity with K-12 schools, but what really stood out to me was when I learned about the organization’s commitment to creating a diverse environment for the students. The school doesn’t fit the mold of the stereotypical private school — it definitely seemed like a fun place to learn while growing up. F

What is your new position at Roeper? I’m a digital marketing and design specialist. I’ll be managing Roeper’s social media content, working on digital advertising, and helping implement marketing/communications plans. I’ll also be working on some designing and branding for the school.

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Cynthia Harris Patrick Harris Susannah Nichols

JOY IN LEARNING Experiential Learning —Living History by Cynthia Harris, Lower School Dean of Students Family Night is the culmination of a wonderful project-based learning unit that allows students to bring their learning to life. Last year, Stage III students learned about the Industrial Revolution. They took their learning deeper by choosing a character from that time, either factual or fictional, learned as much as they could about that character, and on Family Night, brought their chosen person to life in a living museum. Students sat or stood as statues in the CCB building until a “magical button”, which was placed on the floor in front of them, was pressed. Families and friends walked around and were enchanted and delighted as

students shared all they had learned. They shared their stories of Henry Ford, Mary Kies, Benjamin Banneker, John Deere, Tabitha Babbit and George Washington Carver. Some students made up their own names and shared what it would have been like to be a matchstick girl, lamplighter or “newsie” (a child who sold newspapers). J.P. Morgan was there and told visitors that he was scheduled to be on the Titanic. “Aren’t you glad I missed the boat?” he asked. In addition to being dressed as different characters, students stood in front of backdrops and props they had spent weeks creating. One student shared, “I really felt like a real matchstick girl.” This immersive experience was one that families in attendance and students who transformed themselves will never forget. F Left: Max Turner speaks to Family Night attendees as George Washington Carver while (far left) Kolbi McCormick (left) and Sutton Girlando portray “newsies” as part of the Stage III Living History study of the Industrial Revolution.

In our continuing commitment to the joy of learning, Middle School Faculty member and Roeper Alumnus Ben Fisher ‘17, moderated a guest panel of divergent clergy leaders to discuss peace and restoration.

Transitions by Patrick Harris, Middle School Dean of Students In 2023, the Birmingham Campus welcomed 41 new Roeperians, including 15 transitioning from the Lower School to the 6th Grade. The transition to Middle School can be rocky. Our youngest Roeperians are experiencing growth spurts while questioning who they are on the inside. They are discovering who they want to be amid new and existing friendship groups. They are immersed in a rigorous academic program that has high expectations, asking students to excel in at least six different courses. All of this, and more, continues to make 6th Grade one of the most dynamic and challenging years on the Birmingham campus. Recognizing the challenges of this pivotal year, the 6th Grade team revamped the orientation not only for students, but also for parents. To ease first-day nerves for both students and parents, the orientation featured a unique approach. Parents and students competed in a live version of Generation Gap, an interactive game testing knowledge on their generation’s topics, technologies, and dance moves. While

Joy and Brilliance by Susannah Nichols, Middle/Upper School Director There are many conventional metrics used to measure academic success: they usually involve GPAs, test scores, impressive-looking certificates, and other extrinsic indicators that something impressive has occurred. At Roeper, however, I see a different evidence of authentic and joyful learning. When I conducted intake interviews for this year’s senior projects, I saw a myriad of proposals that translated students’ knowledge and passion into action, including graduate-level inquiry, culturally significant artistic endeavors, service initiatives, and theatrical productions. The students were empowered and excited to launch these projects. These projects have their origins in semesters spent with teachers who cultivated students’ interests and talents. When I read teachers’ narrative reports at the end of each semester, I marvel at the

students settled into their new homerooms, parents participated in a workshop to better support their rising 6th graders. The workshop began with parents delving into their own 6th-grade experiences, sharing interests, challenges, and smiles. Recognizing similarities between their needs and those of their children, parents then collaborated on Roeperspecific transition scenarios. The session fostered vulnerability and grace as parents shared strengths, growth areas, and advice. This masterclass in community building laid the foundation for lasting bonds that persist to this day. The redesigned orientation aimed to address the holistic experience of 6th Grade, acknowledging the pivotal role of parents in supporting their children’s academic and personal growth. Since the 6th Grade orientation, parents have felt more equipped to support their kids. And students have shared feelings of a greater sense of preparedness and community as they tackle this year of transition. It is the human connection and commitment to community that truly makes The Roeper Difference. F

examples of students who are active participants in their own learning: students taking multiple classes in a discipline of their passion even if no college or graduation requirement demands it; teachers encouraging students to bring their own interests and life experiences to assignments; and classrooms that are rich in discussion, exploration, risk-taking, and creativity. When I walk through the halls on an average weekday, what strikes me the most is not the sophistication of material being presented to students, but rather the collaboration and support these remarkable young people show one another. If there is one common element of Roeper Kids, it’s their love of learning — and even if they don’t all love learning the same things at the same time, they respect the curiosity and eclectic talents of their peers. Information is easy to find — people who delight in exploring, extending, and delighting in that information are harder to come by. Those people are in abundance at Roeper. F

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Meghan Stott

Lower School Director

THE POWER OF ELECTIVES At Roeper, the emphasis is on the individual journey of each student. Here, the curriculum doesn’t dictate the student, the student shapes the curriculum. The power of choice in education cannot be understated. We recognize that when students take the lead in their education, the outcome is profound. I was not truly introduced to the power of electives until I first set foot on Roeper’s campus. While electives were a part of my High School experience, I never truly had the opportunity to shape my own educational destiny by choosing what I wanted to learn and study. I was part of an educational system that told me what subjects I would have to take and what specials I would participate in. In providing students the opportunity to shape their own path as early as Stage III, Roeper offers something unique, authentic and even magical — an offering that truly places the child at the center of their own educational experience. At Roeper, we offer a wide range of unique electives, each designed to spark interest, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning. Our students may opt to learn about puppetry for the Humanities film project, participate in yoga, learn dynamic movement through leaps, jumps, and turns in Dance, or participate in Library electives such as the Social Justice Book Club: Antiracism. Children also have access to Music and Physical Education electives and thought-provoking Science topics such as exploring gravity and connecting indigenous wisdom and modern science. This variety of programming allows our gifted students to explore new ideas and skills, and to hone their passions and nurture their love of learning. Our incredible educators share that love, designing and delivering classes that reflect their expertise and passions. Electives at Roeper fulfill the mission and vision of the school. As shared in our philosophy, our programmatic offerings “create opportunities for the child to participate in their destiny to the extent they are developmentally able, and by creating a program rich in opportunities for all kinds of growth: academic, creative, physical, social, moral, and opportunities for joy.” Taken together, those growth opportunities represent the true magic of both electives, and the Roeper experience. By giving our students the opportunity to follow their passions, we help them find joy and meaning in learning — something that represents the most important lesson that any school can provide. F

In providing students the opportunity to shape their own path as early as Stage III, Roeper offers something unique, authentic and even magical — an offering that truly places the child at the center of their own educational experience.

Marcia Ruff

School Historian

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WHERE WE CAME FROM The best path forward is often formed by knowing where you have been.

The Roeper School’s path forward is always rooted in the vision of its founders, George and Annemarie Roeper, but we can’t forget the impact of their teachers: Annemarie’s parents, Max and Gertrud Bondy. Amidst the devastation that followed the First World War, Max, an art historian, and Gertrud, a psychoanalyst, turned to education for healing. They established a school in Germany that created a safe space in which students could learn to trust themselves, each other, and the adults who taught them, seeing trust as the foundation for authentic learning and the students’ growth as moral beings. Fleeing Nazi tyranny, George and Annemarie brought those values to the United States and their own school.

This summer the school celebrated that history by mountinåg a series of drawings of the Bondy and Roeper schools in the main stairwell of the Birmingham campus.

This summer the school celebrated that history by mounting a series of drawings of the Bondy and Roeper schools in the main stairwell of the Birmingham campus. The exquisite drawings were made by Janet Szeto, the Upper School Art Teacher. Her richly detailed drawings capture the warmth that is at the heart of the Bondy-Roeper philosophy, in which schools are communities, not just classrooms. We are grateful to Janet for lending her talent to provide this history, as well as all the others who contributed to this installation: Jason McIntosh and his unfailing good taste; Vern Arnold and his graciousness in adding this project to his long list of summer maintenance tasks on both campuses; Bonnie Schemm and her commitment to always elevating the school’s visual presence; and our generous suppliers — alumni parents Diana Ostrand (Accent on Art) and Rob Waters (Lloyd Waters Associates), and also the Lighting Company. F

Left: Janet Szeto’s pencil drawing of the Hill House. Below: All nine of Janet’s signed, labeled, and framed drawings of the Homes of The Roeper School with Marcia Ruff’s explanation of the project.

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Carolyn Lett

Director of Diversity & Community Programs

ROEPER DEIJ — The CultureED Connection The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. — Chinese Proverb.

I will start this article with thanks and gratitude to George and Annemarie Roeper for starting their school with strong conviction and commitment to (1) justice rather than power and (2) making human rights for all people a priority. They created a philosophy that is the foundation for building an inclusive community. Our Roeper School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice journey continues to grow and evolve with each step we take toward the goal of leaving no one behind. The DEIJ audit was an opportunity for us to do a “check in” and to assess how we are doing in the multiple facets of building an inclusive community. After a two-year process of asking for input from students, parents, staff, board and alumni, and affinity groups, the Multicultural Leadership Team took the next step. After engaging in conversations with community members and leadership teams it became clear that we would benefit from professional assistance and guidance to make meaningful and sustainable changes to support the needs of all constituents in our school. The Administrative Team, consisting of Christopher Federico, Head of School; Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development; and Carolyn Lett, Director of Diversity and Community Programs, collaborated to find a suitable consultant. Their objective was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of our current state and to chart a path forward in establishing a culture of belonging — the goal being to ensure that every individual within the community feels acknowledged and valued with a sense of ownership regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) initiatives and to enhance leadership capabilities for this work. CultureED Collective Collaboration CultureED Collective, a DEI consultancy based in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded by Black women leaders with deep experience in working with public, charter, and independent as well as nonprofit organizations.

In the summer of 2022, we received an introduction to CultureED Collective co-founder Jacinta Williams from Roeper parent Tamara Rambus. Jacinta and co-founder Kori Million were former educators, each having 15+ years of experience working as DEI practitioners in both public and independent schools. We found that the CultureED Collective mission statement was in alignment with our DEIJ goals and plans as stated in their proposal to us: CultureED Collective believes in building organizational cultures that are inclusive, equitable and just. Our work is rooted in equipping you with the foundation to not only learn, but to also build your capacity to make sustainable and meaningful change both in the short and long-term. We provide learning experiences that allow leaders, teams, and organizations to bravely and competently examine where they are, where they want to go, and to chart a path to creating a culture of belonging, where every individual is seen, heard, treated fairly, and protected. After speaking with their references, we knew we had found the consultants we sought. We got glowing recommendations such as this one: Jacinta was our Head of Equity and Inclusion here at AIS and served on our Senior Leadership Team here with me for 3+ years. She is outstanding and her DEIJ work is strategic and world class. She has my highest possible recommendation. — Kevin Glass, Head of School In May 2023, our work with CultureED Collective began when Kori Million made a two-day visit to Roeper to engage our community in a learning process to start understanding and enhancing our culture of belonging. Kori led a workshop with staff and engaged them in an exercise that she called “Equity Aspirations”. The prompt was, If The Roeper School was featured on the front cover of a major magazine that embraces DEIJ and evidenced commitment to creating and building an inclusive community what would that front cover look like, include, say, etc. Staff were engaged in small group tabletop discussions using a flipchart paper to create their cover for “Equity Aspirations.” The same exercise

Our Roeper School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice journey continues to grow and evolve with each step we take toward the goal of leaving no one behind.

was offered to students and parents. Kori collected and organized the information from the flipchart sheets and sent us a summary of the overarching themes and findings. Kori and Jacinta did a wonderful job in leading and with follow up for this community activity. They wrote this about their experience with our school:

“From the moment we met the team, we knew that Roeper was a special place, a place committed to ensuring all students know they belong, can meaningfully contribute, and thrive across all of their differences.”

CultureED Collective had an amazing experience working with Roeper staff and students. From the moment we met the team, we knew that Roeper was a special place, a place committed to ensuring all students know they belong, can meaningfully contribute, and thrive across all of their differences. We had the opportunity to see both campuses and learn more about Roeper’s social justice philosophy, history, and foundation and could feel and see that commitment in action across the school. Through the Cover Story activity, the community was able to co-create an equity aspiration to live even stronger in its founding mission and principles. With such a strong foundation, we hope that your efforts now and moving forward will be clearly felt in the months and years to come. — Jacinta Williams & Kori McMillion

DEIJ – Here and Now Starting with our Opening Staff meeting this year, we did our own work of follow-up from the Consultant’s visit and feedback. We shared with the staff the “Equity Aspirations” summary and asked them to review and discuss some of our core DEIJ documents such as The Roeper Philosophy, Core Tenets and the Board’s Anti-Racism Resolution. Added to this was a Roeper Equity Aspiration Activity gallery walk where staff placed themselves at a flipchart that stated one part of the Equity Aspiration that 1) they feel ready/excited to contribute to this year or 2) they have questions about/need support to be able to contribute. We are living in both exciting and challenging times for DEIJ work and aspirations. The work will continue because we believe that each person wants to do their part in making Roeper and this world a better place. We are grateful to Jacinta and Kori of CultureED Collective for their expertise and leadership to date and we look forward to continuing our work with them in the near future. F

Jacinta Williams (left) Kori McMillion (right)

KIT

Shani Yapa-Kimpson

Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund

A MESSAGE FROM ALUMNI RELATIONS Dearest Roeperians —

I am ecstatic to be the Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Fund and to connect with alumni spanning many decades. Roeper has given me so much to be grateful for over the years, and having the ability to continue my work with Roeper to support an extraordinary experience for our alumni is such a gift. As I reflect on my time as a student, now alumna, current parent, and staff member of The Roeper School, I am encouraged by what Roeper has meant, means now, and will forever mean to me personally and as a citizen of the world. When I reminisce about my experiences and fond memories, I recognize what I have gained from those experiences and friendships, and where it has brought me today; successful in purpose, I feel obligated to give my time, talent, and treasure back to Roeper because of what it has given to me. Therefore, I challenge us all to recommit ourselves and to consider how we might contribute in ways that align with your comfort level. Beyond financial support, which is greatly appreciated, there exists a multitude of avenues for giving back. These include sharing positive testimonies to recruit students, reclaim alumni and former students by encouraging them to keep their contact information updated, dedicating time to attend reunions and gatherings, and participating in academic and social functions. Wherever you are, at whatever stage of life you are in, there’s something here for you! In my role as Alumni Director, I uphold the privilege to advance Roeper’s rich history of tradition, community and philanthropy while simultaneously focusing on my goals to preserve a mutually beneficial, enduring relationship amongst fellow alumni and with Roeper. As a liaison, I will continue to seek meaningful ways to embrace alumni needs and unite our efforts. I look forward to celebrating our legacy with each of you! With kind affection,

Shani Yapa-Kimpson ‘08 Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund

I feel obligated to give my time, talent, and treasure back to Roeper because of what it has given to me.

KIT

Alumni Updates BRIAN FELDER ‘85 (1st Knight of the Order of the Fighting Tuna) spent part of his summer at Kirkland House working on his MA in Psychology at Harvard, giving presentations on perseverance and passion in achieving long-term goals that comprise the concept of “grit” (something he knows a little bit about having taken 40 years to achieve his dream of studying there!). Brian plans to graduate from Harvard May 2024 with plans to pursue his doctorate in California where he and his husband of 27 years live. In addition to his maritime law practice, Brian joined USC’s Gould School of Law this fall to lecture on legal research and writing. Roeper Trustee and Alumna, ALANA GLASS ’97 has been named Michigan State University Law School’s Assistant Dean of Career Services. On Halloween, REYNE LESNAU ‘17 visited the Birmingham Campus to show off their amazing skills to current students — pictured at left with Steam Punk Mad Hatter Dan Jacobs. Reyne was interested in art and cosplay as a student at Roeper, and they used the opportunity of the George A. Roeper Senior Projects to dial in and develop their capacities in that area. Their presentation was legendary in terms of the scope, detail, and flair of their final efforts. In addition to showing off one of their creations, Reyne also shared the scope of their journey through college, their choice to switch their area of focus to art, and their current job with AOA, a company that contracts with places such as Disney and Universal Studios to craft props and costumes.

On Saturday, August 12th, the CLASS OF 2008 held its 15-year class reunion at the Birmingham Campus followed by an alumni-led dinner at Hazel’s Seafood. From the top: Joel Kimpson, Susan Knight, Jamie LyonsEddy, Susannah Nichols, Jamie Benigna, Abigail Noa Heinrich, Trey Villafane, Zoe Miller, Edward Ewell, Linda Vernon, Meme Resnick, Jonathan Parker, Victoria Moore, Paige Wilson, Shani Yapa-Kimpson, Jake Mickley, David Lauer, Nick Skardarasy, Allan Golden, Ned Baker, Donivan Abraham, Zack Trosch. Not pictured: Kristen Perry and Carolyn Borman. F

WEDDINGS & BABIES Aaron Appel 2012 & Julia Quintavalle exchanged vows JUNE 25, 2023 AMERICAN SWEDISH HISTORICAL MUSEUM philadelphia

Lauren Holsey 2013* & Martin Maybin MARRIED

MAY 29, 2023 • CANCUN, MEXICO

2012 classmates in attendance: alex pacifici, amit khandhadia

(co-best man), aaron, evon pervan-keller (graduated elsewhere), derek rocco, and blane rucker (co-best man, graduated elsewhere). photography by zak bratto (briefly a student in the lower school).

David Golden ’06 MARRIED

Yuting Golden AUGUST 5, 2023 ZINGERMAN FARMS • DEXTER, MICHIGAN

LEFT TO RIGHT: ALLAN ’08 AND KATY GOLDEN WITH BABY MOLLY, MELISSA GOLDEN (’11) YUTING AND DAVID GOLDEN ’06, ROEPER MOM SANDY GOLDEN AND JOE ’03 AND LINDSEY GOLDEN

We want to keep in touch with you and celebrate your milestones. Please be sure to share your Alumni Updates and photos by emailing alumni@ roeper.org

Nick Skardarasy 2008 & Hannah Pearlman wed on

OCTOBER 13, 2023 hannah and nick surprised their guests by doing the iconic handshake from the parent trap before they shared their first kiss.

WILLIAM (TRE) FERGUSON was born on

May 25, 2022 in Los Angeles, CA to proud parents,

Brittani Holsey ’10 & William Ferguson II They are excited to announce that their daughter will be arriving in January 2024

LOUISE KATHLEEN MICKLEY was born on

June 18, 2023 at 4:00am 7lbs 9oz • 21 inches The Happy Family (left)

Lyz, Baby Louise & Jake Mickley ’08

KIT FALL HAPPENINGS

CELEBRATING OUR DAYS ...

Jack Williams

Digital Marketing & Design Specialist

KIT A SINGLE PASSING

JANE KYRIACOPOULOS We regret to share that “Jane K” died in Rockville, Maryland, on June 22, 2023. She was surrounded by family and was peaceful at the end. Jane was a beloved Stage IV Teacher from 1977 to 1991 and relocated to the Washington, DC, area, where she continued to be quite active and live independently until a recent fall and declining health. A Tribute by Meghan Doyle ’95 (July 2023) … So saddened by the loss last month of Jane Kyriacopoulos, a phenomenal teacher and inspiring human being. I was fortunate enough to have Jane as my Stage IV teacher when I was nine and 10 years old. While Jane was my teacher for only two years (1986-88), she had a profound impact on me at a foundational time in my life, inspiring me and so many of my classmates, with her strong guiding values of social justice, caring and compassion. Through sharing slideshows of photos from peace rallies she was involved in from the 1960s to inspiring us as children to have an interest in current social affairs to encouraging us to express ourselves through writing and performing plays in her classroom, Jane inspired us as nine- and 10-year-olds to have confidence in ourselves and genuinely be the change we want to see in the world. So many of us from Jane’s class have gone on to work in public services, supporting the needs of vulnerable communities and fighting to effect social change. Without question, I know that Jane’s inspirational teaching has been a significant factor in my decision to work in community development over the past two decades, and I believe that to be the case for many of my peers who have gone into community nursing and labor law. Having not seen Jane in many years, I was so excited when our paths crossed again in 1997 when I was working for a summer at Matrix Theatre in Southwest Detroit. While with a group of young people who were performing at the Bowen Public Library, I looked out to see the unmistakable long silver-gray hair of Jane Kyriacopoulos in the audience. We got chatting after the performance and realised not only that Jane was on the board for the charity I was working for, but also that we had both been painting murals with young people in recent years — Jane in Detroit and me in Glasgow, Scotland, where I had since gone to art school. We kept in touch for the next few years, speaking over the phone when I was back in town, until she moved out of state with her son, after her husband John passed away. While we hadn’t spoken in recent years, Jane has always held a very special place in my heart. I feel a great loss knowing that Jane is no longer in this world. But at the same time, so grateful that the world had her in it as long as it did, truly making the world a better place and encouraging future generations to continue in her footsteps. What an incredible legacy to leave. I know she has had a similar impact on so many fellow Roeper students and her fellow teachers over the years. Personally, I will be forever sincerely grateful for what she taught me and the ways in which she has encouraged me to be the person that I am today. On behalf of those of us who knew her and were touched by her love and humanitarian spirit, I want to say an enormous thank you. We love you, Jane.

Jane K and Betsy Turner’s Stage IV class organized a Gift of Reading project for underprivileged children. Upper School students pitched in by wrapping the books.

Condolences may be directed to Jane’s son, Peter Kyriacopoulos 5304 McKinley Street Bethesda, MD 20814

KIT

Denita Banks-Sims

Director of Development & Publications

PARTING THOUGHTS On the first day of the 2023/24 school year for all faculty and staff, we grabbed a few moments to gather very special members of this remarkable group of educators. The community within this extraordinary community were faculty and staff that are also Roeper Alumni. These are literally the folks that were “in the room where it happened.”

As I stood just behind IT Staff Associate Jacob Vacante — our terrific photographer for the day — I requested a positioning on our historic Hill House (Main Building) stairs. The graduated levels mimicked my distinct memory of each of their journeys … several from birth, a few from Stage I, others from entry at the Birmingham Campus … and all from their captivating days as Roeper students.

We attribute much of our strength and success to the unique relationships we develop and to our shared commitment to the humanistic philosophy articulated by George and Annemarie Roeper and literally lived by Roeper alumni.

Our philosophy requires a community in which we live and learn by trusting one another, relying on one another, listening to one another, accepting differences and seeing one another truly as equals. We attribute much of our strength and success to the unique relationships we develop and to our shared commitment to the humanistic philosophy articulated by George and Annemarie Roeper and literally lived by Roeper alumni. They are — individually and collectively – the embodiment of a Roeper education. As we strive to constantly refine and revise the ways in which we act upon that philosophy for our own benefit and that of others, it is a distinct privilege to be led by the people that were “in the room where it happened.” Our gratitude for their authentic and incomparable contributions. Don’t forget to Keep In Touch! Yours,

Alumni members of the faculty and staff (clockwise from left): Ben Shepard ’03, Hale Williams ’09, Amy Romano Turner ’13, Ryan Zinser ’10, Elisabeth Lawrence Stayer ’00, Sara Puzey Mendez ’96, Sosha Haynes ’96, Akwia Tilton ’16, Shani Yapa-Kimpson ’08, Angela Stitt McClain ’05, Cor Vens ’14, Ben Fisher ’17.

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NOVEMBER 28, 2023 24 Hours of Celebrating and Supporting the People, Programs, and Future of Our School.

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