Kit fall 2017

THE ROEPER SCHOOL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

Keeping In Touch

YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW VOLUME 11: 1 FALL 2017

In Memoriam It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of three Roeper Community members.

DANIEL LICHT ’74 Dan passed away from cancer on August 2, 2017. Dan moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s and eventually launched his own career as a film composer. He wrote music for a number of movies and TV projects, but it was his quirky music for the Showtime drama Dexter that became his best-known work. Dan is survived by his wife Hilary Kimblin Licht; a son, Kian; his mother, two brothers, a sister and several nieces and nephews.

JIM ORR, BASEBALL COACH Jim was Roeper’s much loved Varsity Baseball Coach from 1992 – 2006. Having been in the farm system of the Cleveland Indians, he knew the game from the inside out and was a kind, positive and cheerful teacher. He led his Roeper teams to four District Championships and a Regional Championship. Jim and his wife, Mary Ellen, are the parents of two alumni, Jimmy ’95 and Erin ’98. His family wants his players to know how important they Roeper Varsity Baseball 1995. Coach Orr is on the far left of the back row. were to him, and that his coaching days were some of the happiest of his life. He enjoyed hearing and reading about his former players’ lives and was extremely proud of them. Jim passed away in the early morning of October 31st.

TRACY NAPLES GASSEN ’77 died on November 18, 2017, from complications of an autoimmune disorder. She is survived by her husband, David Gassen, and her daughters, Jillian and Ellie. She is also survived by her sister, Lori Naples ‘80, and their parents, Shirley and Bill Naples.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS David Feldman Head of School david.feldman@roeper.org Denita Banks-Sims Director of Development denita.banks-sims@roeper.org Keeping in Touch Editorial Committee Katie Buchmann Editor Bonnie Schemm Art Director

Contributors Denita Banks-Sims Katie Buchmann Brian Corley David Feldman Leslie Hosey Karen Johnson Jason McIntosh Juliette Olejnik Kari Papadopoulos Marcia Ruff Pat Vance Emily Wine

THE ROEPER SCHOOL 41190 Woodward Avenue Bloomfield Hills Michigan 48304 248/203.7300 www.roeper.org

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

FEATURES

A TIME OF CONSTANCY AND CHANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 David Feldman, Head of School IMPACT OF ONLINE LEARNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jason McIntosh, Middle/Upper School Assistant Director

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NEW BOARD MEMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Emily Wine, Assistant to the Head of School MEET THE NEW DIRECTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Katie Buchman, Editor THE ESSENTIAL LINDA PENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pat Vance, Retired Faculty Member & Alumni Parent

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ALUMNI AMPLIFY THEIR IMPACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Leslie Hosey, Lower School Director ROEPER LEGACY FAMILIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Juliette Olejnik, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Fund ALUMNI UPDATES (News, Weddings & Babies) . . . . . . . . . . 12 Juliette Olejnik, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Fund THE GERMAN BRANCH OF OUR ROEPER FAMILY . . . . . . . . .

Marcia Ruff, School Historian

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PARTING THOUGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development & Publicatons

ON THE COVER “Flag book” made by Mehr Farooqi, Grade 8

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

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David Feldman Head of School

A TIME OF CONSTANCY AND CHANGE

Re-Accreditation from the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS) In July of this year we received word from the Board of Trustees of our accrediting organization, ISACS, that The Roeper School had successfully completed the process for our seven-year reaccreditation. This on-going process of review and renewal is a rigorous assessment of all elements of our program, operation, and governance.

The review was highlighted by the April visit of a team of 13 independent school teachers and administrators who spent four days on both campuses interviewing people in our community and comparing the self-study we wrote in 2016 to what they saw during their visit. The team wrote individual reports for each of the 36 subsections of our self-study and included in their report commendations and recommendations.

As a school, we will respond in writing to each recommendation the team made, and we will spend the next four years of the accreditation cycle implementing the agreed-upon recommendations.

Additionally, the team shared six major commendations and recommendations reflective of the whole school. It is the expectation of ISACS that the school will address these major recommendations beginning this year, during the first year of the re-accreditation cycle.

This is an exhaustive process that with thought and reflection leads us to our next strategic plan.

It is the type of reflection that causes us to look at our work honestly, talk to each other, and constructively problem-solve. This is not a process about griping, bashing, or individually targeting people or programs. This is a process that is about growth, inclusion, and making our school stronger.

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For those who wish to read the self-study or the report of the visiting team, hard copies are available for your review in the library on each campus.

RoeperNext: Strategic Planning The self-reflective nature of the ISACS accreditation process seems consistent for a school that philosophically values selfactualization and thinking about our unknown future. It provides us with the opportunity to begin to think about our goals and our priorities.

It is the first step in the reflective work of strategic planning.

When I arrived at Roeper six years ago, the community had just completed its most recent strategic plan. Led by the Board of Trustees, we articulated the goals and priorities we would undertake in the five years that followed.

As the new Head of School, this document provided me with insight into the thinking of the community, and guidance into what our collective constituencies believed were the school’s priorities.

Over the last six years, I have worked with the community to bring that document to life.

Together, we have articulated our Core Tenets, published our Educational Statement of Purpose, revised our Mission Statement, and expanded our instruction on the Roeper history, philosophy, and what it means to be gifted. We have worked diligently to strengthen our financial model by creating and regularly updating a five-year financial plan; we have benchmarked faculty salaries and benefits, strengthened our growth and review process, mapped our curriculum, and engaged in new forms of electronic communication. We made strategic decisions around our master campus plan and invested in the infrastructure of our Birmingham Campus, culminating with the construction of the new Naas Learning Commons.

At the same time, we developed a new partnership with Ultimate Soccer to support our athletic program, and strengthened our technological infrastructure on both campuses.

Our strategic plan led to partnerships with the E.E. Ford Foundation, the Malone Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and Student Shoulder to Shoulder. We celebrated our 75th Anniversary with new and expanded outreach to our alumni

PHOTO BY MARK ADRIAN

The Roepers’ 1981 Philosophy reminds us that we are stewards of a document that is both constant and changing. Within the text exists a set of values that firmly shapes our identity, and at the same time, thoughtfully acknowledges that our world is growing, changing, and evolving, and that the philosophy must be a living document. In this 77th year of The Roeper School, we have undertaken activities that encourage us to be reflective, planful, and thoughtful as we honor our rich history, and shape the vision for future generations of Roeperians.

In this 77th year of The Roeper School, we have undertaken activities that encourage us to be reflective, planful, and thoughtful as we honor our rich history, and shape the vision for future generations of Roeperians.

community, and we re-invigorated the Roeper Institute by hosting a symposium with the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University on the topic of high-achieving underserved children in the Detroit schools.

Our last strategic plan was more than a series of bullet points on a list; it was more than a document that gathered dust as it sat on a shelf. Our strategic plan was an action plan that we as a community decided to bring to life.

The strategic plan is our map — it is our guide — and while it is not something that is inflexible, it is a reflection of the voice of our community.

Now it is time to re-engage; now it is time to take the information we have gathered through our SelfStudy, our ISACS Visiting Team Report, and our work together these past six years and construct our next plan. It is time to write our goals, to prioritize our needs, and to make the commitment to achieve the tasks we set for ourselves to complete.

The Board of Trustees has hired Marc Frankel and Judy Schectman of Triangle Associates from St. Louis to facilitate our work on the next Strategic Plan. Marc and Judy are veteran consultants in the independent school world and have worked for decades with schools like ours to help make sure constituent voices are heard, and the Board is able to construct a document that reflects the needs of the school. I am pleased to share that we will be guided through this process by a planning committee led by Board of Trustees ChairDesignate Ashley Lowe.

People often ask me how we decide what our priorities are from year to year. The strategic plan is the place the Board and I begin that dialogue.

It is our map — it is our guide — and while it is not something that is inflexible, it is a reflection of the voice of our community; it is a document that articulates a consensus of what we think the best use of our time and resources should be over the next three to five years.

The Malone Schools Online Network (MSON) One concrete example of a programmatic change that was born from strategic planning is the partnership The Roeper School has forged with the John Malone Foundation. In 2000, Roeper became the only school in Michigan to become part of a network of 50 schools nationwide to partner with Philanthropist John Malone in his support of gifted

education. As part of our partnership, Mr. Malone provided a $2,000,000 gift to each of the schools’ endowments to be used for full need-based scholarships. The Roeper School currently has five Malone Scholars within our community because of this generous gift.

In return for what amounted to a $100 million gift distributed to 50 partnering schools, Mr. Malone asked that the collaborating institutions form a think tank to discuss and strategize responses to the key challenges facing independent school education. Partnering with Stanford University, the Foundation invites the Malone School Heads each year to a series of strategy sessions, where educational leaders from Silicon Valley, Stanford University, and the University of California, Berkeley share their ideas and research. It was at a conference like this that the idea for the Malone Schools’ Online Network was born.

The Malone Schools Online Network provides motivated, upper-level students at participating Malone Schools with a variety of academically challenging courses beyond what would normally be available to them. These interactive seminars bring students together from across the United States with dedicated teachers in real time. MSON joins the best of independent school education with the latest video conferencing technology to chart new territory in online learning.

Some Facts about MSON: • Member schools enroll their students in 29 courses including: Organic Chemistry, Data Structures and Design Patterns, Multivariable Calculus, Arabic I, Ancient Greek, American Voice, American Speech: Word as Action from Anne Bradstreet to Donald Trump.

• Real-time seminars on a set college-style schedule allow teachers and students to develop lasting bonds across geographical divides.

• Rich, intensive, and varied courses go beyond the AP; students dive into fields they might not otherwise encounter in high school.

• MSON faculty members teach to their passions, and their new pedagogical tools spur innovation on their campuses.

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• Students selected for MSON hone their abilities to work independently, communicate proactively, and manage their time.

• MSON is a consortium — with administration based at Maret School, the Dean of Instruction at Hopkins School, and the technological platform at Stanford Online High School.

This past year, Middle and Upper School Assistant Director Jason McIntosh and Roeper Faculty member Dan Jacobs joined me at the Malone Conference at Stanford to learn more about the program and to begin preparations for Roeper faculty to participate as MSON teachers next fall.

The Malone partnership provides mentoring and guidance to teachers as they think about how to best use the platform to teach classes they have developed.

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Using our new space in the Naas Commons, Roeper has created an MSON classroom, and during the fall semester six students began taking MSON classes. The collaboration with other independent school teachers and students from across the country adds another layer of enrichment to an academic program that is unparalleled.

The ISACS accreditation process, the Strategic Plan, and the Malone Schools Online Network are all initiatives that serve to keep our school reflective and growth-oriented. Each is centered around a thoughtful process of engagement designed to be mission-driven and forward-thinking. As stewards of a rich history, we proudly enter our next 75 years focused on the understanding that ours is a philosophy of life filled with both constancy and change. F

The collaboration with other independent school teachers and students from across the country adds another layer of enrichment to an academic program that is unparalleled.

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Jason McIntosh

Assistant Middle/Upper School Director

THE IMPACT OF ONLINE LEARNING

PHOTO BY DOUG ELBINGER

While my feeling is that learning in an environment with like-minded, similarly aged peers is the most valuable educational experience for adolescents in the modern world, for intellectual, social and emotional development, some may benefit from an experience that doesn’t necessarily fit the typical classroom model, or can’t because of the nature or accessibility of the subject. Of course, an atypical, nontraditional school experience is often the reason why families choose Roeper in the first place.

The Malone Schools Online Network (MSON) connects intellectually curious students from across the United States in real time, to learn from passionate teachers who are experts in their fields.

Now the experience, for advanced students in the Upper School, might include learning in a synchronous, video-conference style classroom that looks different, but actually feels quite familiar. The Malone Schools Online Network (MSON) connects intellectually curious students from across the United States in real time, to learn from passionate teachers who are experts in their

fields, who are grounded in independent school education, and share a commitment to excellence and the creative process, small class sizes, and meaningful relationships.

While spending a week at Stanford University last summer with the consortium of MSON teachers and liaisons, it was easy to imagine any one of them here at Roeper. MSON courses provide opportunities for students to discover and explore their passions with others who are similarly motivated, in practically any subject area — beyond the AP level, and in addition to the curriculum that is already offered in their schools.

Most important is that, for Roeper students who are taking an MSON class, it’s not about earning credit, but about having the experience built into their school day at no additional cost, connected with interesting and compatible students who love learning as much as they do. F

PHOTO BY JASON McINTOSH

Roeper senior Nick Lyon in his MSON art and architecture class, “Building Utopia.”

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Emily Wine

Assistant to the Head of School

NEW BOARD MEMBERS This year, the Board welcomes these new Trustees: ALANA GLASS ’97 is our newest Alumni Representative. She fondly remembers Roeper as a place that encouraged students to speak freely and make bold choices. She is eager to serve on the Board of Trustees so that future generations may be offered the inclusive and gifted education that Roeper provided her.

SARAH WEDEPOHL ’88 is the new Parent Representative for the Birmingham Campus.

Her children, Hannah ’19 and Ben ’22, attend Roeper, and she is a Roeper alumna herself.

Sarah feels that the Roeper philosophy has influenced the course of her life and the culture of her family and hopes to use her past and present experiences to support the work of the Board.

LAURA PANEK is the new Faculty Representative for the Birmingham Campus.

She has taught at Roeper for 18 years and is a current Roeper parent to two wonderful boys.

Laura looks forward to serving on the Board and sharing her multifaceted perspective during this year of strategic planning.

LAURA KARMANOS was elected to a threeyear term this year.

Laura is the parent of 2017 graduate Peter and current student Sophia ’19. She is also hosting an exchange student from Italy this year. Laura has been an active Roeper volunteer for several years, and we are grateful for her continued service in this new role.

HANNAH WEDEPOHL ’19 is a new Student Representative and, like many of our students, very busy! Hannah rows for the Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle and is on the Roeper Cross Country team.

During her school day, she serves as Secretary for the Upper School Student Government and participates in Yearbook, Diversity Advisory Committee, and a student spirit club called Fun, Fun, Fun — just to name a few.

MADDY HARNER ’18 partners with Hannah as the other Student Representative.

Maddy is very active in Forensics as a participant, coach and judge. She has worked as the Roeper Theatre Company Stage Manager for the past two years and is actively involved on planning committees including Spirit Week, Community Service Day, Founders Day and many more. Outside of Roeper she enjoys yoga, camping, water and snow skiing. F

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We are grateful to all our newly elected trustees and thankful for their time and dedication to The Roeper School.

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Katie Buchmann Editor

MEET THE NEW DIRECTORS A list of questions was sent to Karen and Brian to aid them in telling us some things about themselves we might not otherwise know ...

KAREN JOHNSON INTERIM UPPER SCHOOL DIRECTOR What is your most treasured possession?

PHOTO BY DOUG ELBINGER

I was an archaeologist in my former career, and I’ve always been fascinated by the way that humans will curate objects. It is a behavior that is unique to humans: we simply like to collect stuff, whether it is for utilitarian or sentimental reasons. Objects entangle themselves in our lives, connecting us to people or places or moments in time and evoking memories as vivid as a photograph.

One of my favorite exercises as an archaeologist was to construct an object biography, a narrative that would follow the creation of an artifact through its various lives, contexts, owners. We catch a glimpse of such biographies with family “hand-me-downs,” but it could also be as exotic as a piece of amber jewelry from the Baltic Sea region finding its way into a Roman grave in Italy.

I’ve curated various objects throughout my life, amassing my own “curiosity cabinet” of wonders fascinating to probably no one else but me.

Perhaps one of my most treasured possessions is a stained glass hamsa given to me when I lived in Israel during the summer of 2000. So many memories inhabit the aura of this hamsa — a period of personal difficulty, my first academic publication, a love lost, my first cell phone, even a tattoo.

One day I dropped the hamsa and it cracked. I wept as if somehow through that crack, all the memories in the atmosphere of this object began to evaporate. The hamsa lies buried today in acidfree tissue paper in the top drawer of my dresser, preserved as if in a museum archive — a relic of inexplicable value, a chapter in my own biography.

BRIAN CORLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR Which talent would you most like to have?

I would love to learn to play a bass guitar, a bass, and the piano. I have no musical talents.

PHOTO BY DAN DINNEWETH

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Business and Administration degree from Northwestern University What is your most treasured possession?

My wedding ring and an autographed Ray Allen jersey from the Boston Celtics Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

The Meteor Man What is your motto?

Once you know better, do better — Maya Angelou It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men — Frederick Douglass F

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Pat Vance

Retired Roeper Chemistry Teacher and Alumni Parent

THE ESSENTIAL LINDA PENCE Students first. Exciting science. Openness to new challenges. Perspective born of experience and inner strength. Mentor. Friend. Environmentalist. Gentleness with a focus forged in iron.

These are just some of the many phrases that come to mind when trying to describe Linda Pence.

Linda was there when my son, Michael, arrived at Roeper a year ahead of me. We shared the science hallway for 22 years. It has been 13 years since I left Roeper, and she is just now leaving herself. It is difficult to imagine the Science Department without her.

As a department, we always prided ourselves on our jointly shared view of what science education should look like, and Linda was a leader in that view. She came to teaching after doing research, as did many of us. She wanted science to be inquiry-based and hands-on long before those became the buzz words of science education.

And yet, that is definitely not the whole of Linda. Her creativity spawned many new electives for middle-schoolers, not only in science but in life skills. Under her guidance and dedication the middleschool robotics program enjoyed huge success. She was an integral part of the formation of the health curriculum so unique to the school. She taught students to care for the environment by example.

Nothing seemed to faze Linda. I could count on her to calm me when I was upset, to be there with advice when there were problems, to make me smile when I didn’t feel like smiling — in other words, to be a friend. She and Emery were always ready to open their home for a staff or department party, and, in the way of many busy people, she made it all seem effortless.

At the 75th anniversary reunion, Linda and I chatted about what retirement could look like. Her vision was one of getting to the things she had put off through the years (as all Roeper teachers do) — of reading, painting her house, organizing, and relaxing.

My friend — I wish all of this for you and more. May you find that special niche that allows you to still be a science teacher or mentor, and may you find relaxation in abundance! F

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“A bench with a view” honors Linda at Camp Wolverine.

Pat Vance in her classroom.

Linda wanted science to be inquirybased and hands-on long before those became the buzz words of science education.

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Leslie Hosey

Lower School Director

ALUMNI AMPLIFY THEIR IMPACT

PHOTO BY DAN DINNEWETH

Alumna SARA PUZEY MENDEZ ’96 returned to Roeper as a teacher when my son was in her Lower School Spanish class, and I have been in awe of the passion and drive she brings to her teaching, continuously seeking strategies to improve the engagement, joy, and learning of her students.

It is a privilege and joy to see the legacy of George and Annemarie realized through Sara, Hale, Dan and Ryan.

I have known HALE WILLIAMS ’09 since he was a student at the Lower School and followed his progress during college through his mother, Sue Williams. Since his hire as an Upper School Math teacher, I’ve had the great fortune to know him as a colleague and as a homeroom advisor and Math teacher.

DAN THIBODEAU ’13 was a student while my children were students here, so again, I have had the opportunity to know him for several years prior to his hire as a Math teacher at the Upper School.

RYAN ZINSER ’10, brother to Erik ’06 and son of longtime Roeper administrator Lori Zinser, is yet another person I’ve known since he was a student in Lower School while my children were there. As a Maintenance Staff member, his day-to-day stewardship of our facilities and grounds, as well as his support for special events, is invaluable.

Sara embraces each day with enthusiasm and seeing the Roeper legacy lived out through both Sara and her son Filo (so great to have alumni children on campus!), provides validation and authenticity to our daily work. Both Hale and Dan lend a certain sense of calm and optimism to the otherwise tenuous high school experience with our precocious, complex, and intense students.

Ryan has put his considerable basketball prowess to great use in coaching the Roeper Boys Middle School teams and assisting the Boys Varsity squad with endless enthusiasm. In a school of highly accomplished and experienced teachers and coaches, all of these young people have quickly established respect among both students and faculty alike. In addition to their high intelligence, these alumni demonstrate positive regard, respect for individuals, and stewardship of the community.

At a time in our history when we can no longer query our founders for guidance on living the Philosophy, it is a privilege and joy to see the legacy of George and Annemarie realized through Sara, Hale, Dan and Ryan. F

Returning to Roeper gave me a greater appreciation for the unique and caring community within.

This school is filled to the brim with gifted, inquisitive students; brilliant, creative teachers; and a passion for knowledge and growth. With these as the backbone of the school, and a strong administration consistently pushing the school into the future, it is clear why any educator wants to be in a place like this. While these are all meaningful to me as an educator, none of these qualities of the school has an impact on me quite like the Roeper Philosophy, which is the basis of the community. The Roeper community was the most valuable part of the school to me growing up as I was able to safely make mistakes, and I was given freedom and independence to grow at my own pace. Returning made me realize the freedom and independence is present for all, including teachers in the community. With this freedom comes support and encouragement from colleagues and students alike. The school continues to have a strong and caring community with enough freedom to empower every individual within.

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Juliette Olejnik

Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund

ROEPER LEGACY FAMILIES

PHOTO BY ANTHONY MORROW

PHOTO BY ANTHONY MORROW

Lower School Legacy families include (L to R): Joel Kimpson’08 and Shani Yapa-Kimpson ’08 and their children Carter (Stage II) and little Chloe (not yet enrolled; Rebecca Fried Bolton ’98 and Ella (II) — not pictured are dad Jordan Bolton ’95* and Hannah (III); Elisabeth Lawrence Stayer ’00 with Matilda (II); Sara Puzey Mendez ’96 and Rafael “Filo” (II); and Theresa Del Giudice Andare ’98 with Julian (III).

Middle/Upper School Legacy families include (L to R): Sam Weiss (Grade 10) and his mom Sharon — dad Steven was a former student; Aristide Gardette (7) with Patrycja Krzok ’96; Anessa Owen Kramer ’89 and Sam (9); Navid SerajiBozorgzad ’88 and Salmaan (8); Jeremy Schemm ’92 and Cameron (9).

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Roeper is pleased and proud to have a number of children of our alumni enrolled.

We’ve included all the families we are aware of, but please let us know if someone is missing!

Left Column, top to bottom: Ann Marsh Senic ’89 with her children Adeline (IV) and Lucas (III); Erik Sinka ’87 and Everett (I); Sander Cohen ’86 and Christy Dunn Cohen ’94 with Carter, who will be in 6th grade when they return from a year’s “sabbatical” next fall. Middle row: Lauren “Buddy” Stein ’95, Stella (III) and Harper (I) Handel; Morgan Elliot Andahazy ’95 with former Stage I daughter Raylan and Charlotte (I) — not pictured is dad Laddie Andahazy ’01; Linde Levin Hutson ’98 and Luke (I); Eric Nelsen ’92 and Zoe (II). Right Column: Sarah Baltman Wedepohl ’88, Hannah (11) and Ben (8); Brian Dietz ’83 with twins Rachel and Claire (10); Marc Gorelick ’83 and Maya (10); Rob Conway ’91 with Stella (II) and Ian (IV). Right edge: Fiona (III) and Charlotte (9) Silverstein —no photo available of dad Josh Silverstein ’86.

Matteo (II) and Marx (I) Bartoni, whose dad, Bishop ’96* was a former Roeper student.

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Juliette Olejnik

Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund

ALUMNI UPDATES

island. He and his teammates look forward to returning to San Juan soon to be able to relax as tourists, meet up with heroic peers in San Juan’s city government, and support their rebuilding.

TYNE TURNER ’80 ^ was recently awarded the 2017 Outstanding Educator Award from the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted.

In a recent Facebook post, Tyne wrote, “George Roeper saved my life, letting me teach Lower School Drama in exchange for my Upper School tuition. Today I won the 2017 Outstanding Educator Award from the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted. Had I been asked to say a few words, it would have been all about Roeper.

Thanks to all the wonderful teachers and classmates ... and especially dear George.”

In October, ERIC > PETERSON ’95 was deployed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for two weeks with an interdisciplinary team from NYC Emergency Management to assist with recovery from Hurricane Maria. The team’s mission was city-to-city assistance, working under Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz to support relief efforts, build capacity for ongoing response, and liaise with FEMA and other aid organizations. Eric worked on tracking and distributing food, water, and other commodities, and assisted with building assessments and coordination with FEMA and union volunteers. Eric also toured San Juan's flagship park with Mayor Yulin Cruz as they began to clear and reopen the park. In his career at NYC Parks, Eric has worked on response to other storm events, but reports that Maria was in a different class because of the destruction of the electrical network and difficulty mobilizing resources to the

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Cranbrook Schools’ Associate Dean of College Counseling, PATRICK O'CONNOR ’78, (far right below) has been named an adviser to the U.S. Department of Education for the next year. Patrick is one of six educators from around the country appointed a School Ambassador Fellow by the U.S. Department of Education. While continuing his duties at Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Patrick will work directly with staff of the Department of Education to increase their understanding of how policies and programs are implemented and experienced by students, educators and families at the local level. He is the first college counselor to be selected.

JONATHAN TUKEL ’78 > has been appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals by Governor Rick Snyder. Tukel succeeds longtime Judge Henry Saad and will serve in the Court of Appeals 2nd District, which covers Oakland, Macomb and Genesee counties. He will need to seek election in November 2018 for a two-year term. Tukel has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney with the Department of Justice since 1990, most recently serving as chief of the national security unit supervising investigations and prosecutions with national security implications.

MICHAEL TILCHIN ’72 — Greetings from Bethesda, Maryland, outside of Washington, DC. This has been my home region since 1982, although I spent most of last year back in Michigan, where my wife, Linda Greer, was the Interim Director of the University of Michigan Biological Station. Linda and I met there in 1977, so the past year had a nice circle-of-life aspect. My job at CH2M, a global engineering and infrastructure company, is portable, so there was no problem relocating for a year. We have two children, Ross

L to R: Arthur Ensroth ‘68, Ken Ensroth ‘72, Mike Tilchin ‘72, David Shapero ‘71

Though separated by lots of decades and considerable distance, I continue to feel a nice connection to Roeper. Dikran Kashkashian ’72 and Richard (Grossman) Gelbard are close friends and confidants — I only wish I got to see them more often.

While living in Michigan, I got together with Sam Hurwitz ’74 on multiple occasions, and we would wax nostalgically about Roeper. I have occasional sightings of Richard Koretz ’71 — as funny and smart and warm in ‘17 as he was in ’71. Richard (as Ricky) introduced me to Bob Dylan’s Bringing it All Back Home album, setting the course for my musical interests. Paula Amann ’71 and I kept going to the same institutions but at different times. We finally synchronized our schedules and are concurrent members of the same synagogue. It was great to see several late ’60s/early ’70s school mates at one of the 75th Anniversary events, and I had a chance to catch up with Art Ensroth ’68, Ken Ensroth ’72, and David Shapero ’71. It is surprising and kind of wonderful how you can cover many of the essentials of +45 years of life during a 20-minute stroll around the Woodward Campus. Ken and I got together a few months later near his home in Portland, Oregon, to fill in some of the gaps. If you’re with someone who was a trusted friend at age 18, turns out you can get right back in to it when you’re 63.

My favorite recent Roeper reconnection has been with Suzanne La Croix. We found each other somewhat by chance about a year ago — a step or so removed from Linked-In. I had many wonderful teachers at Roeper, with Suzanne first among them. When David and I were doing our speedlife-story-telling, I mentioned that I was in touch with Suzanne, and he expressed the same sentiment — Suzanne was his most influential teacher.

Dikran said something similar, although in fewer words (of course!). I was so happy to read that great piece about Suzanne in the Beyond the Classroom issue put together by Marcia Ruff for the 75th Anniversary. The performance of Carmina Burana described in the piece happened before I started at Roeper, but I knew all the performers quoted in the story. I visited with Suzanne in New York in early November, and several weeks later I am still

buzzing from the experience. We talked for most of an afternoon, and covered about two percent of what we absolutely need to cover. (I am aware this contradicts what I wrote in the last paragraph about catching up quickly. And yes, I do think it is gender related.). Unfortunately, Suzanne is facing some significant health issues. As Suzanne and I discussed, she is very interested in hearing from former students and faculty contemporaries.

The best way to reach Suzanne is by email, at s.lacroix241@gmail.com. This would be a good time and a great season to contact Suzanne.

I always enjoy hearing from Roeper friends — my email is mike.tilchin@gmail.com.

DAN AMBOYER ‘02* is co-starring with Melissa Joan Hart in his first Lifetime holiday movie, A Very Merry Toy Store.

Since finishing his story arc as Thad (and, briefly his twin brother Chad) on Younger, Dan has been busy with other work. He co-starred as a bad guy on NBC's Blacklist: Redemption, had a role in Brawl in Cell Block 99, a gritty prison drama with Vince Vaughn, and will appear in an upcoming Lifetime movie, Faith Under Fire, starring Toni Braxton and directed by Detroit native Vondie Curtis-Hall. Dan now resides in New York City where he is preparing to direct his first theatre workshop, an eco-drama set at the Standing Rock protest to halt the Dakota Access Pipeline.

(Excerpt from Detroit Free Press article: www. freep.com/story/entertainment/2017/11/24/lifetimechristmas-movies-very-merry-toy-store-dan-amboyer/888946001/) A Salute to Roeper Alumnus and Pioneer DWAYNE McDUFFIE ‘80 As millions flock to theaters to enjoy the Justice League and various Marvel characters, and many children happily emulate superheroes of color, we are honored to reflect and celebrate the life and impact of Roeper alumnus Dwayne McDuffie.

(Dwayne died on February 21, 2011, only one day after his 49th birthday, due to complications from emergency heart surgery).

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Photo courtesy of Lifetime

(28) and Carla (26), and they are both doing well in their professional pursuits and personal lives.

A voracious reader, Dwayne then dedicated his energy to writing. He and three partners founded Milestone Media, in order to express a multicultural sensibility he felt comic books were lacking. With Dwayne as Editor-in-Chief, Milestone's characters included the African-American Static, Icon, Hardware, the Asian-American Xombi, and the multi-ethnic superhero group the Blood Syndicate, which include Black, Asian and Latino men and women. Milestone debuted its titles in 1993 through a distribution deal with DC Comics.

Dwayne McDuffie was an African American comic book and animation writer best known as one of the founders of Milestone Media, an imprint of DC Comics dedicated to promoting better stories and characterizations for minorities, and for his contributions to Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, the final installment of what DC Comics fans refer to as "the DCAU." Dwayne, who notoriously despised stereotypes and vehemently fought against them in his work, won three Eisner Award nominations for his work in comics.

Dwayne was born in Detroit, and as a child he initially dreamed of becoming an astronaut and studied physics, but he was rejected from that occupation due to his 6’5“ stature. In a wonderful twist of fate, The Roeper School presented a Golden Apple Award to Dwayne on the same occasion where we featured Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell, and we gleefully cheered the character inspired by our own Mariann Hoag (“Mrs. Hoag” below)!

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HEATHER JOY THOMPSON ’95 ^ spoke at Roeper’s all-school assembly on September 13.

Heather Joy is a lawyer and former Peace Corp volunteer, and is this year’s U.S. Department of State Diplomat in Residence for the Southern California region. In addition to her fascinating legal career, she spent time as assistant to rap artist and producer Sean “P. Diddy” Combs.

During a 2015 interview, Oprah Winfrey called Heather Joy’s story “impressive.” Heather Joy’s inspirational message included a call to action for Roeper students to do the following three things every day: LEARN something, DO something, and LEAVE something.

Inset: Head of School David Feldman was happy to welcome Heather Joy and her mother, former Roeper Trustee, Margaret Thompson.

JEREMY STEWARD ’85 > visited both the Upper and Lower School on September 25, 2017. His trip to Michigan and visit to Roeper was inspired by his 50th birthday. Jeremy currently resides in Seattle, Washington. Happy Birthday from all of us at Roeper! < MARC DONES ’04 received the “True Leader Award” during the 40 to None Summit on October 3. Every year the 40 to None Summit, sponsored by True Colors Fund, honors leaders working to end lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questions (LGBTQ) youth homelessness.

Marc spoke at the Summit about racial equity and LGBTQ youth homelessness.

CHRISTIE BAGNE ’11 > competing with her horse Tinker Toy at the Hunter Jumper horse show at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio, in April 2017. < BRIAN KLOC ‘01 helped to make the impossible look real.

As the Lead Look Development Artist for Sony Pictures Imageworks, Brian was tasked with developing a cloaking method for the airplane used near the end of the newest Spiderman: Homecoming movie.

The result was an idea grounded in reality with a touch of movie magic! Brian says it is a fun job that is extremely technical but all in the service of art.

DR. JOAN LUBY ‘77 > gave the presidential address to 130 members of the International Society for Research on the Mental Disorders of Children and Adolescents on July 1 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Her topic was The Effect of Adversity and Poverty on Brain Development in Preschool Children.

After graduating Roeper in 1977, Joan followed in her older brother’s footsteps to Brown University, where she graduated Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Medical Degree at Wayne State University, where she also attended her father Dr. Elliot Luby’s lectures on Psychiatry.

After medical school, she began her residency in Psychiatry at Stanford University, then a fellowship in Child Psychiatry at Stanford. Joan moved from San Francisco to Saint Louis to begin her career as a professor and researcher at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Over her 25+ year tenure at Washington University, Joan has received numerous achievement awards and worldwide recognition for her pioneering work in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She has published extensively on the topic of early childhood depression and brain development, and is regularly invited to speak at conferences around the world. She has chaired or been a member of numerous committees for Child Psychiatry, been

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on the Board of Review for the NIMH, and is the current President of the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology.

She is the Samuel and Mae S. Ludwig Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Joan lives in St. Louis with her husband Steve, a professor of history at Washington University. Her daughter, Leah, also graduated from Brown University and is about to start medical school at Washington University this year. Her son, Adam, has developed an interest in environmental sustainability and is currently completing his undergraduate degree at Washington University with that focus.

Joan remains in contact with several friends from Roeper, including Joanie Shekter ’76 and Lisa Vihos ’77 along with many other university classmates.

ARTHUR LUBY ‘71 — Following his Roeper graduation in 1971, Arthur graduated with a BA degree, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Brown University in 1975 and received his JD from University of Michigan Law School in 1979.

Art moved to Washington, DC, in 1980 when he accepted a position as Democratic Staff Counsel to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. After leaving the Senate, he became a partner in a labor law firm, where his practice focused on representing unions in a number of major industries, including postal workers, airline workers and rail workers. In 2005 he accepted a position as the Assistant Director of the Airline Pilots Association, and now handles pilot collective bargaining and litigation at United Airlines, UPS, DHL, Spirit, and JetBlue. He currently chairs several American Bar Association Committees related to labor and employment law.

Art lives in Virginia with Cindy, his wife of 34 years. They have two children — Matthew, who is also a lawyer in VA, and Meredith, a published author and creative writing teacher at Guilford College in North Carolina. Along with being a varsity athlete on Roeper’s Basketball and Football teams, Art was the founding captain of the Roeper tennis team, and, in his last two years on the team, earned two State Runner-up team titles for Roeper in the Michigan Class C-D tournament. He still plays competitive tennis in senior tournaments and spends other leisure time writing plays, several

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of which have been performed at theaters in the D.C. area to (mostly) good reviews. He occasionally connects with some of his Roeper classmates, including Curtis Blessing ’69 and Tim Teasley ’72, and has happy memories of George and many talented friends and teachers at the school.

HOWARD LUBY ’73 — After graduating Roeper in 1973, Howard received a BS degree from the University of Michigan and began his career in computer programming and digital media, combining his interests in science and humanities.

After a 14-year career at Chrysler Corporation, finishing there as Research and Development Manager for Graphic Systems, Howard began Mediascape, now an award-winning digital media company in its 25th year, having developed exhibits at hundreds of trade shows worldwide. His company specializes in interactive graphics, and is recognized for innovations in exhibit technology.

There, he continues to work with staff in software and hardware applications, graphic art, animation and video production.

Over the years Howard has traveled extensively and had hobbies including tennis and flying small planes, though those have pretty much taken a back seat to creative engineering and managing a technology company. After living in Birmingham for most of 40 years, Howard recently moved to Bloomfield Hills with Margot, his wife of 12 years.

There they harbor a menagerie of pets including a dog and two cats. Howard’s memories of Roeper span the morning assemblies where George offered parables to prompt opinions on ethical dilemmas, the personal attention from teachers, the attic art studio and the diverse personalities of his friends. The only Roeper classmate Howard still sees is Sheldon Cohn ’73, but would be glad to know what his other classmates have been up to.

On Air with Roeper Alumni — AM910 Superstation, “The Voice of Detroit,” boasts three Roeperian hosts! They include the CLIFF RUSSELL ’74, STEVEN HOOD ’77* and CLIFF WOODARDS II ’79*.

Take a listen! (photos above right) CHERYL BLAU ‘80 & CHRIS RAMIREZ ‘80 > visited the Hill House on July 7.

Cliff Woodards II ’79*

Steven Hood III ’77*

Cliff Russell ’74

Former Roeper staff member, Betsy Turner and her husband John celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their son, alumnus Josh ’91, his wife Rachael and their children, Dahlia and Ben. Josh and his family live in Arlington, Virginia. Ben is in first grade and quite a car guy, following in his dad’s “tire tracks.” Dahlia is in 6th grade and plays guitar in a band, along with having many other interests. John and Betsy are still living on Seabrook Island, South Carolina, where John has just finished his second term as a Town Councilman; Betsy is enjoying retirement and painting. F

Roeper alumni enjoyed a reception in the new Naas Commons cafe before the RTC’s November production of Into the Woods.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11

Clockwise from top middle, L to R: Geoff Armstrong ’84 and his wife, Michelle, with Director of Development Denita BanksSims; Brittney Pearson Feggan ’07 and Alumni Relations Director Juliette Olejnik; Dan Thibodeau ’13 and Jacob Dalton ’13; Data Manager Julie Gillikin, Ethan Silk ’17 and Anna Gillikin ’16; Adam Harris ’17 and Jonathan Harris ’17.

PHOTOS BY XXXXXX

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KIT

WEDDINGS & AN ENGAGEMENT Sarah Ang-Sheng Ewing ’07 & Daniel Lee Johnson WERE MARRIED

APRIL 8, 2017 dearborn michigan

d Lee Ang-Wen Ewing ’00 & Ryan John Kamphuis EXCHANGED VOWS

SEPTEMBER 23 2016

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BIRMINGHAM MICHIGAN

LEE’S SISTERS KATIE ’05, AMY ’02 & SARAH ’07 WERE HER ATTENDANTS.

f f f

Dan Amboyer ’02* (right) & Eric Philip Berger WERE JOINED IN MARRIAGE

OCTOBER 7, 2017 marble collegiate church, new york

Andrew Short ’97 & Lauren Geller WERE WED

OCTOBER 15, 2017 brooklyn new york

Engaged!

Christine Curry ’05 & Al Asante THEY ARE PLANNING A NOVEMBER 2018 WEDDING

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KIT BABIES!!

Corinne Jaya Jhaveri Born November 3, 2017 • 1:30am 7 lbs 8 oz • 20” long She is the daughter of

Nathan Jhaveri ’02 & Natalia Jhaveri “Nanny” Karen Hines-Kennedy is one of our Stage I teachers.

Janaki Rani Vanderlinden Born July 10, 2017 7 lbs 10 oz

(exactly matching her birthday!)

She is the daughter of

Elyssa Juni Vanderlinden ’08 & Luke Vanderlinden Now residing in Ypsilanti

Oliver Frank Born June 7, 2017 He was welcomed to the world by his parents

Ben Frank ’98 & Lara Clayton Frank & big brother

Ian

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KIT

Marcia Ruff

School Historian

PHOTO BY SABRINA PANNING-TERNES.

THE GERMAN BRANCH OF OUR ROEPER FAMILY

Marcia Ruff and Jay Blume, standing in front of the Main Building at Marienau in October. Jay, who teaches English and math at the school and is the new archivist, was Marcia’s host for the visit.

Visiting Marienau gave me the chance to discover new details of George and Annemarie’s history that enriched my understanding.

This October I finally had the chance to visit Schule Marienau, the German school founded by Annemarie’s parents, Max and Gertrud Bondy, which is still a thriving boarding school. Annemarie met George when he arrived as a student at the age of 13. For both of them, growing up within the Bondy philosophy of education shaped them intellectually, emotionally, philosophically and aesthetically. Visiting Marienau both confirmed for me the depth of that impact, and gave me the chance to discover new details of their history that enriched my understanding. Here are some of my favorite discoveries.

First, for background, Max and Gertrud were brilliant young idealists who decided to become educational reformers in the wake of the devastation of Germany after the First World War. They joined with other reformers in a movement called the Landerziehungsheime, which established small schools in the countryside in which students would be educated in a kinder, gentler fashion, and encouraged to find inspiration in nature, supportive friendships, and the pre-industrial German traditions of craftsmanship, art and literature.

Even among those schools, Max and Gertrud’s school was progressive. It was the first coed boarding school; it had a unique democratic structure empowering students and faculty; and Gertrud’s pioneering status as a female psychoanalyst provided a sophisticated emotional framework for understanding human development.

They started out with a school located in Bad Gandersheim, a culturally significant but isolated spa town about 130 miles south of Hamburg. In 1923, they rented space in an old sanatorium and opened the Schulgemeinde Gandersheim, or the School Community of Gandersheim. The name already set it apart as a community rather than a traditional school. George arrived as a student in 1923, escaping a tyrannical father thanks to the

recommendation of a teacher who was a friend of Max Bondy’s and thought Max’s new school would be a good fit for George.

By 1928, the school was growing beyond its capacity, and Max decided to look for a new location. As a community, he and the students took off on bicycles to examine potential properties. They called themselves “der Bondyten,” a play on words with Banditen, the German word for bandits, as in the Bondy Bandits. They decided on Gut Marienau, a charming 300acre gentleman’s farm near the culturally rich medieval town of Luneburg and only 50 miles from Hamburg, the cosmopolitan city where Max had grown up. While he wanted students to be immersed in a beautiful natural landscape, Max, who had a PhD in art history, also wanted close access to high culture. Marienau provided both.

When they moved there, they changed the name to Schulgemeinde auf Gut Marienau, or the School Community of Marienau.

When the Nazi Party seized control of the German government in 1933, the Bondys’ prospects dimmed. Although they had converted to Christianity in 1923, they were Jewish by heritage and Jewish by Nazi definition. George, who was not Jewish and was in graduate school by then, kept urging them to leave Germany. In 1936, Gertrud took the two younger children, Ulla and Heinz, to Switzerland, where she started a new school, Les Rayons, near Geneva. In 1937, increasingly restrictive German laws forced Max to sell the school, and he and the newly graduated Annemarie joined Gertrud in Switzerland.

In 1938, as the prospect of war looked imminent, the family decided to emigrate to the United States. George, who had joined them because he was under threat of execution for having helped the Bondys leave Germany, sailed to the U.S. in November to begin to look for a property for a new school. The Bondys sailed in March 1939 and joined him. They founded Windsor Mountain School in Windsor, Vermont, in the fall of 1939; moved to a larger property in Manchester, Vermont, in 1940, and finally settled on a large estate in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1944, until the school closed in 1975. Max had passed away in 1951, and Gertrud then came to Detroit, where she passed away in 1977.

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While I was at Marienau, I had the chance to look through their archive. Tom Roeper, George and Annemarie’s oldest son and a fluent German speaker, was with me. Together, we were able to discover some nuances to this already compelling story.

a trip with students, the photos show a cheeky couple comfortable displaying their affection for each other.

This portrait of George in 1924 — only 14 years old but already looking like a grown man — struck me as illustrating why he was such an effective student leader at Marienau, a forceful engine in the family’s migration, and a compelling figure in all the other arenas of his life. Even at 14, his handsomeness, composure and intelligence are evident.

Schulgemeinde Gandersheim I found one of the rare photos of the school when it was located in Bad Gandersheim. This was taken in 1926, and you can see the high spirits and friendliness that were characteristic of the new reformist schools reflected in the students.

Second from the right is Annemarie, age 8. She was supposed to go to the local schools, because the Bondy school was a secondary school, which started with 10-year-olds. She hated the public schools, though, and often feigned illness or any other excuse she could imagine to stay at home.

Max Bondy was a serious man, but everyone who knew him also spoke of his gentle charm and charismatic appeal. He was quite ill by the time he left Europe in 1939, and devastated by his beloved homeland’s rejection of him. Consequently, many of the photos I’ve seen of him show a somber man that didn’t reflect the way he was often described.

In a photo album, I found some relaxed photos of Max and Gertrud during the Bad Gandersheim years in the early Young Max & Gertrud 1920s. Shot on

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George at age 14

This early photo of Annemarie as a young teenager on the beach (the chilly, northern beaches) were less surprising but made me smile. Part of her charm throughout her life was that she was a thorough flirt, delighting in people who intrigued her — and almost everyone did. Her flirtatiousness was clearly acquired early on.

I knew George came from a long Annemarie line of successful entrepreneurs. George’s father, George Paul Roeper, was a steel broker supplying steel for the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which is why George spent his early years in Japan. The family was originally from Lübeck, a town east of Hamburg that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We drove by the Roepers’ Hamburg home (a handsome prewar building that now houses apartments and professional offices), but in the archive at Marienau I found a photo of the Roeper family’s elegant summer home in Timmendorf, an exclusive seaside town on the Baltic Sea, east of Hamburg.

Seeing the house reinforced my understanding of the sophisticated and privileged childhood George had. George lost his parents early — his father died in 1929, while George was still at Marienau, and his mother died in 1935, while George was in college — so the Timmendorf summer home Bondy family was an important second family to George.

Max loved to travel, and he loved to drive.

Every holiday and every summer, he took the family and children on trips through Europe, stopping at museums and lecturing his companions on the architecture 1935 Trip to Italy and design of the small towns they passed through. He liked open cars, and would travel with nine people in this one, 11 if some were children. Sometimes the detachable celluloid windows would get too close to the exhaust and start to burn. This photo was taken on a trip to Italy in 1935. Max is on the left side of the car, and

Gertrud on the right, with her arm in George’s.

Next to him is his older brother, Hanns Roeper, who worked briefly as an assistant to Max. Marienau was physically different from many of the other Landerziehungsheime schools. Many of them were housed in grand houses, almost castles.

Max and Gertrud were deliberately seeking to establish an atmosphere of friendliness and ease in their school, and so a homey setting, with a beautiful manor house and traditional German farm architecture that evoked pre-industrial values, was a specific choice. Marienau is located on quite sandy soil, so it wasn’t a productive farm. Its old name was Hungerdorf, or Starvation Farm. The owner before Max was a gentleman farmer looking for an attractive rural setting for horses rather than crops. The name comes from the owner’s wife, Marie. Nau in German is the name for an attractive combination of stream and woods, so the name is roughly Marie’s Glen. F

Marienau “manor house” & mill house

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KIT

Denita Banks-Sims

Director of Development & Publications

PARTING THOUGHTS Sometimes a singular moment can reveal the magnitude of an accomplished goal.

Most recently, while I was making my way to a meeting at the Birmingham Campus, a quick glance at one of the window alcoves created by the Designing for the Difference Capital Campaign suggested that a quintessential Roeper evolution had indeed, occurred!

PHOTO BY MARK ADRIAN

A lone backpack was leaning against the window pane of a newly constructed window alcove and a large, handwritten sign was taped to the glass that announced an upcoming Student Government meeting. Of course, taped signage on an 8½ x 11” sheet of paper is often our “go to” form of Roeper communication (thank you, Emery Pence), but what struck me more profoundly, was that the paper sign was taped to be read from inside the Dennis Naas Commons — my own subjective signal that the anticipated outcomes for the project had been achieved.

In addition, an unexpected and jubilant wave of Middle and Upper School dancers and enthusiastic faculty and staff emerged from every level, nook and cranny of the Naas Commons — to the fabulous roar of Can’t Stop the Feeling — in another authentic indication that this space will soon tell its own story!

The impact of the Designing for the Difference Campaign/Phase I is immeasurable, and we have exceeded the $4 million goal. Plans are well underway toward the successful completion of Phase II, and we look forward to keeping you apprised of those efforts.

Cheers for increased opportunities toward making our new spaces feel like HOME.

With enormous gratitude for the extraordinary generosity of hundreds of community members, this collective investment yielded remarkable results and inspired countless dividends. They include the new Commons area … state-of-the-art Library, Social Collaboration area, Academic Collaboration area, Digital Classroom, Malone Online Classroom, Breakout Rooms … and renovated College Counseling Office, Upper School Director’s Office and Student Publications Center.

We are now Celebrating the Difference — and cheers for increased opportunities toward making our new spaces feel like “HOME.” Happy Holidays, and please keep in touch!

Yours,

L to R: Roeper Moms making the CCB home at the recent Spooky Volleyball Night — Communications Director Kari Papadopoulos, Lower School Director Leslie Hosey, Stage IV Head Teacher Stacy Holloman, Assistant to the Head Emily Wine,and Sarah Miller — JV and Varsity triumphant!

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Do you know a #RoeperKid? Roeper will be hosting a number of Open Houses over the next few months.

As a member of the Roeper community, your Roeper stories have a big impact on the decisions families and friends make when searching for a school for their children.

If you know a child who would benefit from a Roeper education, we encourage you to share your experiences and to pass along this invitation.

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY MORROW

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO AN OPEN HOUSE PRESCHOOL – GRADE 1 ONLY

MIDDLE/UPPER SCHOOL

PRESCHOOL – GRADE 5

AGES 2½ – 5 YEARS

GRADES 6 – 12

Programs begin promptly at 9am in The Children’s Library.

Parents only please.

Drop-in format in the Domes and Hill House 10am – Noon Parents and children are encouraged to attend.

Programs begin promptly at 9am.

Parents and students are encouraged to attend.

LOWER SCHOOL

Friday, January 12 Tuesday, February 27 Friday, April 20 Tuesday, July 17 BLOOMFIELD HILLS CAMPUS STEWARD BUILDING

Saturday, March 10

BLOOMFIELD HILLS CAMPUS HILL HOUSE & DOMES

WWW.ROEPER.ORG

Wednesday, February 7 Wednesday, March 21

BIRMINGHAM CAMPUS LIBRARY

THE ROEPER SCHOOL

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT NO. 16 BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304

41190 WOODWARD AVENUE BLOOMFIELD HILLS â&#x20AC;¢ MI 48304-5020

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Save the Date!

Mariann Hoag Scholarship Dinner

Saturday Evening 21 April 2018 Invitation to follow!

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