Keeping in Touch - Lessons

THE ROEPER SCHOOL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

Keeping In Touch

LESSONS VOLUME 12: 3 SPRING 2019

KIT

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 Lori Lutz ’75 Juliette Olejnik Marcia Ruff Hannah Wedepohl ’19

FEATURES ENCORE! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

David Feldman, Head of School

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LESSONS FROM ANNEMARIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Marcia Ruff, School Historian, Editor

LESSONS SHARED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development & Publications, Editor LESSONS DISCOVERED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Hannah Wedepohl ’19, Student Representative to the Board of Trustees INTENSIVE LESSONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Leslie Hosey, Lower School Director UNPLUGGED LESSONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Brian Corley, Middle School Director EQUITY LESSONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lori Lutz ’75, Associate Director, Roeper Institute

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ALUMNI UPDATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Juliette Olejnik, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund ONE WEDDING & TWO ENGAGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . 30 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

BABIES, BABIES, BABIES! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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PASSINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 LESSONS IN GRATITUDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Katie Buchmann, Development Officer PARTING THOUGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Denita Banks-Sims, Director of Development & Publications

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

Experimental Sculpture by Vaughn Roycraft, Grade 7

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KIT

David Feldman Head of School

ENCORE

During Spring Break, I spent some time in Washington, DC, visiting with alumni, sharing Roeper stories and being filled with the wonderful spirit of continuity that exists from generation to generation within our community. There is a sense of purpose that exists within people who have spent time in our school — a sense of responsibility and an understanding that they have had the privilege to be part of something unique.

Whether as a teacher or as a student, Roeper people are engaged in making a difference in this world. They can spend their lives in Michigan or travel to Brazil or Australia (as did one alum I met), but they take with them our philosophy of life, our commitment to social justice, and our hunger for learning.

In the coming months and years several members of our community will be retiring from teaching; they will be entering new stages and beginning new journeys. As we always do, we will make time to celebrate their legacies and all they have done to enhance this community, but like the alums I met in April, our colleagues will always remain Roeper people — connected to the community and sharing a philosophy of life.

I have frequently said to our faculty that a person can leave a job or step away from a career — but you can never retire from a community. Our ENCORE! faculty have so much wisdom to offer, and they care deeply about our school. As new faculty members begin their Roeper journeys, I can’t think of a better guide than a colleague with deep knowledge of our community and a love of working with gifted children.

Honoring our history by honoring the people who helped to shape that history strikes me as profoundly Roeperian. Each of us deserves an opportunity to enjoy the rest that comes with retirement, and each of us deserves an ENCORE! to ensure that the place we love and worked to shape continues to thrive.

I am grateful to the many former faculty and staff members who have stepped forward to be a part of the ENCORE! program; know that they are continuing to leave a rich legacy in the spirit of George and Annemarie Roeper. F

MARK WRIGHT

I shared with faculty upon my return that I suspect I could identify a Roeper alum within a few moments of dialogue. They are the people eager to speak deeply about a topic, seeking desperately to understand your point of view, and wanting very much to help you see the need to make a lasting impact on the lives of other human beings.

Roeperians are complex, they are intense, and they are highly precocious — it is what makes them gifted!

The ENCORE! group will serve as mentors, guides, sages, and leaders to current faculty and staff. They will support our new faculty orientation program, provide education to parents trying to better understand child development, and serve as a resource to Stages and Departments providing understanding of process, methods, and history.

Honoring our history by honoring the people who helped to shape that history strikes me as profoundly Roeperian.

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DENITA BANKS-SIMS

It is this ongoing connection that brought together a group of community members this year to form a new group called ENCORE!.

Led by retired faculty member Janice Haines, Roeper Historian Marcia Ruff, Board Member Donna Silk, and Director of Development Denita Banks-Sims, this group is working to maintain connection with our retiring faculty and staff by developing a program that honors their institutional knowledge and experience.

Recently, the ENCORE! Working Group (seen at right) was formed, providing additional leadership.

ENCORE! Working Group met with Roeper Directors in June, L to R: Brian Corley, Linda Pence, Emery Pence, Donna Silk, Pat Vance (back), Janice Haines, Karen Johnson (back), Rosalie Lake, Betsy Turner, Marcia Ruff. Member Diana Elshoff was unable to attend.

Attending but not pictured, Deb Veillette and Sue Williams.

KIT

Edited by

Marcia Ruff

School Historian

Quietly but persistently, Annemarie took every opportunity to learn something new and weave it into her everenlarging understanding of humanity.

In 1990, ten years after having retired from the school and moved to California with George, Annemarie Roeper finally wrote her manifesto, Educating Children for Life: The Modern Learning Community. Of course, being Annemarie, her manifesto wasn’t a diatribe. Instead, she picked up the conversation she had been having for 50 years with colleagues, children, psychologists, academics, housekeepers, family, friends, gardeners, and anyone who happened to sit down next to her. Quietly but persistently, Annemarie took every opportunity to learn something new and weave it into her ever-enlarging understanding of humanity. When it was time to draw her thoughts together into one book, instead of the numerous articles, memos and speeches she’d written over her career, she drew on those conversations.

ROSALIE LAKE

Retired, former Stage II Teacher I taught at Roeper in Stage II during the decade of the 1970s. It was the beginning of a 40-year career in education for me and my family, and the last decade of Annemarie’s daily presence as founder and mentor of Roeper School.

The most encompassing view of what I learned from Annemarie was the real meaning of a “cooperative community.” Annemarie had a particular sense of community at the heart of her interactions as Co-Head of the School and, most intimately, those relationships she made as Head of Lower School. Annemarie’s vision was based on dependable and shared trust and respect, together with an opportunity, if not an insistence, on participation and communication from ALL members of the Community. Some of these descriptive words are in many schools’ lexicons.

Annemarie’s vision went much deeper. It included both independent and collegial decision-making.

It did not eliminate a hierarchy, but its hierarchy was derived from deep respect for the Founders and was spread through and shared with those affected or served by it. At the heart was the dignity of the opinions of children, teachers, coaches, maintenance staff, and parents.

This book is the result of living my life. All my life experiences have been integrated into a conscious or unconscious pool of insights, beliefs, concepts and ideas which originate from a diversity of sources and have come together into a unified whole.

When she began to think about how to acknowledge all the people who had contributed to that unified whole, she paused.

An image appeared in my mind. It was as though a door to my mind opened and a person well-known and loved by me appeared. Soon another came, and then another, and then another until it became a crowd. It looked like a wonderful reunion.

Each time a new person entered, it was clear that this particular person was really an integral part of my life and growth. Soon the room was filled, and still they kept coming.

As we discussed ways to celebrate Annemarie during this centenary year, we knew we had to pick up those threads again — those threads that were so much the essence of Annemarie. We invited a few of those who knew her to share the lessons they had learned from Annemarie so that we could keep the conversation going. Some of the following stories were spoken at a panel discussion during a faculty meeting in January, while others were submitted in writing. Let’s enjoy each one as they come through the door.

DOUG ELBINGER

DOUG ELBINGER

LESSONS FROM ANNEMARIE

On a practical level, I learned from Annemarie that the “open classroom” had nothing to do with walls or the placement of furniture. It was all about relationships: kids with teachers, kids with kids, teachers with parents, kids with their own learning. It was about children’s innate creativity with language that could teach them to read; that piling up blocks and moving them around was a math experience;

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that raising chickens in the classroom was OK, knowing that one day the chicks would become chickens, ready to move on as the kids, too, were growing; and that cleaning fish in the big round bathroom sink to examine the scales and skeletons also brought the scent of an invitation to everyone in the Domes to come by for fish lunch …. or not.

I left Roeper in 1980 to become Head of Lower School in a very traditional K – 12 independent school in Florida. My [four] children, all of whom had attended Roeper, were with me.

We began our tenure, all of us feeling that we had ideas about what was needed at the school. Roeper was “in our pockets,” a phrase I have used to describe Annemarie and George’s influence. Five years later, the school was indeed different. It had become more “cooperative,” more open and inclusive, and a lot happier.

I held a number of administrative positions before I returned to Roeper after 20 years away. Annemarie was always, ALWAYS, with me, and George, too.

When I began at Roeper in the 1970s, the whole school was on the Bloomfield campus. The big kids read stories to the young ones, as they do today on Founders Day. We dictated stories to them to write down for us. Then we all went sledding or to the creek. George could see us from his office and would put on his coat and come down to join in. He and Annemarie loved the generations of the school coming together.

Annemarie influenced my whole life: the way I raised my family; how my son is raising his children; my service to the community in which I live and my neighbors there. So much goes back to Annemarie’s vision of the cooperative, inclusive community I first experienced at Roeper, first hand, about 40 years ago.

COLLEEN SHELTON Stage I Teacher

I started here as a co-op student in 1970. I was a student at Ferndale High School, and Roeper invited people to come to the school for a year. I didn’t know anything about the school, but I knew everyone wanted to come here. We drew tickets out of a jar for our placements, and I drew Roeper.

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I always felt that Annemarie had something to do with that.

The first day that I came, I was really nervous. I was 17 years old.

I walked into the igloos and thought, I love this already — we’re all hippies here! Kids were running around, laughing and everyone was talking. I noticed everyone was using first names, but I could only say, “Hello, Mrs. Roeper.” Well, you know, she would never say anything to you.

We had a lovely conversation and, as I left, she said, “I’m so glad you’re here and I would so love it if you called me Annemarie.”

Annemarie influenced my whole life: the way I raised my family; how my son is raising his children; my service to the community in which I live and my neighbors there. ­— Rosalie Lake

Annemarie has been with me ever since. I “live” in the Hill House, and every day when I leave, I hear Annemarie and Mariann talk to me about everything I did wrong that day. And I know that when I leave there thinking I did everything right, that’s when it will be time to leave.

What I learned from Annemarie is that you’re always dealing with people. I deal with the shortest people, but they come with parents, and they come with grandparents, and they come with baggage, and they come with we-don’t-know-what going on at home. What I learned from Annemarie is that you can’t just have that kid who is falling apart and not look at him and think, I gotta go find out what’s going on. I think about how Annemarie taught me to listen, to dig deep, to dig really deep.

But she also stood back. Annemarie let us make mistakes. She never told you you made a mistake, but instead said, “Hey, let’s have a cup of tea.

How do you think that went?” She’d help you find those pieces. There was never a judgment; everyone was a community and had your back.

Annemarie was courageous and bright and — one thing people often don’t realize — she was very funny.

I think about how Annemarie taught me to listen, to dig deep, to dig really deep.

—Colleen Shelton

— Dan Jacobs

JOSHUA KRISTALL

I thought my job was to work with the kids, and she really closed that circle for me about what a community is, that we watch out for each other, and we ask each other questions like we ask the kids.

he was. But she didn’t go there. She knew this person really well and knew where he was in his life, and she was able to give me insight in just a few sentences. I hadn’t thought about that. I thought my job was to work with the kids, and she really closed that circle for me about what a community is, that we watch out for each other, and we ask each other questions like we ask the kids.

DAN JACOBS

Middle/Upper School Forensics, Debate and English Teacher I came in 1997, and the main thing Annemarie taught me — in the way Annemarie taught pretty much everything, which was by example — was that she treated me the way she wanted me to treat other people in the community. And she taught me to hit the ground running with questions. I thought I knew how to ask questions because I knew how to ask forensicky and debatey sorts of questions, things like, what do you think about this piece, and how do you relate to this character?

Those are really, really good questions to ask, but she taught me to ask questions about the human being behind the work.

You know how we get together in the hallway and vent? When Annemarie visited, she would be, like, hey, let’s walk around the block and talk.

And I would think, oh, good, I can finally vent with Annemarie! It turned out she was terrible for venting. You would say something like, this kid, blah, blah, blah, or this parent, blah, blah, blah, and she would start asking questions like, well, what are they afraid of? What’s their home life like? And it became a reflex in my head to ask these questions. I grew up as a pretty emotional, compassionate person, but Annemarie was the first to guide me toward what emotional literacy is, which I think is a pretty hard lesson. It’s kind of easy, well, not easy to get subject matter, but it’s sort of doable in a logical way, but emotional literacy is something you have to feel your way through. When I paid attention to Annemarie, I got some really good role model-ly lessons of how to do that.

DIANNE O’CONNOR

Lower School Science Teacher When I first came to the school in 1980, Annemarie had already retired, but she was very present in lots of different ways when I was first teaching.

Particularly with me, I felt there was this connection with her. She sought me out; she asked me what I was thinking about things; she really listened. I think we connected because we both really cared about ideas. I remember being at their home where they invited faculty to discuss various issues.

There were lively discussions with other teachers. I was a new teacher, but I never felt any delineation based on stature. I noticed that she was an active listener and a keen observer. She knew when to be quiet, sit back and really take things in, and I really appreciated that. In thinking about lessons from Annemarie, two things float to the top of my thoughts. One is getting to the heart of things.

And the second one is enlarging one’s tent.

It also didn’t occur to me that this applied to the adults in the community. In my first year, another teacher treated me very badly. I was talking to Annemarie about him and, again, I thought I would be able to prove how right I was and how wrong

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Enlarging one’s tent was another lesson. When my children were young, I left the school to be home with them. One day I visited the school and Annemarie happened to be there. She asked me what I was doing, and I said I was home with my young children. She persisted and said, “Well, what else are you doing?” Inside I was a little indignant, thinking that of all people Annemarie ought to understand why I‘m home with my young children. I was very resistant, but I have found that when I am resistant, if I stay with it, it evolves and comes out in my experience in a way that benefits me. And that question did. I began to think about other things, and in the five years I was home, I did some landscape design professionally, took courses, sold some of my knitted socks and designs, and did some adoption paperwork. And yet I was still able to be with Lily and Leland during the day. I thought, that’s interesting how her question may have led me to do those things. And to this day, it’s still that way. I’m always thinking about what more I can do, how I can contribute.

George and Annemarie talked a lot about being citizens of the world, which really resonates with me. How can we go beyond our borders here and reach out?

LINDA PENCE

Retired, former 6th grade Science, Robotics and Lifeskills Teacher, Lower School Science Teacher, and Lower School Assistant Director As a new teacher to Roeper in 1976, I quickly learned that Roeper was a place unlike any other place I had taught. The lessons I learned through mentoring by “old time staff” and discussions with and questions posed by Annemarie guided me to become a teacher for children. Annemarie brought

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BOB BENYAS

Getting to the heart of things has a lot to do with the way she listened, the way she observed, and the way she cared about the way you thought. For those who know me, I’m a pretty independent thinker, and I’m also pretty principled. There was a decision made at the school that I disagreed with and I took a stand in a pretty open way.

Annemarie heard about it and wanted me to go out to lunch with her and talk about it. She was really interested in my position. It wasn’t only about her listening without judging as much as the way she always looked at all sides of a question and really considered them.

me to understand the importance of listening to my students, their families, friends and others to develop a true relationship and understanding of the kids who came each day to class.

It quickly became clear that I needed to do more than deliver content and curriculum. The ability of my students to participate in their own learning depended on my ability to understand who they were below the surface. The oft-assigned labels of “unmotivated, lazy, oppositional” and a host more given to kids were neither acceptable nor accurate. In fact, these labels were in themselves lazy, disrespectful and prevented true understanding of each child. Kids are inherently programed to want to learn. They each come with their own stories, experiences, fears, joys, passions, and challenges.

My job and that of our teachers, supported by Annemarie and her focus on the whole child, was to find ways to engage with students, provide a safe and open environment for exploration, failure, and encouragement to continue to move beyond what was comfortable and easy. I learned the importance of engaging with my students in and out of the classroom, not just in the words they conveyed, but the feelings, ideas, and talents shared, as well as the stories told and questions asked.

I also was encouraged to engage with parents in a partnership that helped us both to support their child, to share with colleagues, and to listen to others’ experiences with each child. These interactions helped round out an understanding and engagement that led to a trusting relationship.

The labels and stereotyping melted away as the individual child emerged ready to engage, take risks, and learn. These were the cherished lessons I learned from Annemarie and the Roeper Philosophy.

George and Annemarie talked a lot about being citizens of the world, which really resonates with me.

How can we go beyond our borders here and reach out?

— Dianne O’Connor

Annemarie brought me to understand the importance of listening to my students, their families, friends and others to develop a true relationship and understanding of the kids who came each day to class.

— Linda Pence

CAROLYN LETT

Diversity & Community Programs, Financial Aid & Scholarship Coordinator

Be good to each other.

Show your appreciation for people in the way you take them in, so that they are authentic and you are approachable.

—Carolyn Lett

As a teacher, Annemarie taught me to look more deeply at myself in regard to my understanding of children and actually all people.

— Diana Elshoff

I’ve been here since 1993, when I started out as Assistant to the Lower School Director, Lorene Porter. I worked with Annemarie on the schedule for her visits, and that’s when I really got to know her — over the phone before she got here. One time she said, “Carolyn, I heard you’re someone I need to get to know. So while you’re putting other people on the schedule, put yourself on the schedule.” So that’s what I did — I put myself on her schedule.

We met, and she wanted to know who I was, why I was even here, what I was called to be in this community. You learned from Annemarie without even knowing you were learning because she was modelling through her example. During her visits, I saw her being very authentic. I saw people be very confident around her. People wanted to meet and talk with her, students in Stage I and all the way through. And when they came out, they felt that they had gained something, that they had been in the presence of greatness, truthfully, because she listened to them with a purpose. We keep hearing this, that she was able to listen to you. When you talk about empowering people, or self-actualizing people, they have to have felt that they mattered.

They have to have felt that they were being heard, and that they are a partner in whatever it might be, whether it was finding a resolution to something or brainstorming, or whatever, but you were a partner in it. That’s how she made you feel, that you were a partner in this together.

Another lesson I learned from Annemarie came from when she came for her 90th birthday celebration. I was wondering, what will be the words of wisdom from this great person? And of all the things she could have said, what she said was, “Be good to each other. Show your appreciation for people in the way you take them in, so that they are authentic and you are approachable.” She was that person. When you appreciate someone, you realize you have something to learn, you’re not the one with all the knowledge, and that makes people comfortable with the conversation and the dialogue. Because if

you are really a true teacher, you’re a consummate learner. You’re always learning as you’re talking with someone.

There were just so many lessons with Annemarie.

I’m getting a little misty thinking about this because remembering being with her is to remember being with a person who never asserted her position.

DIANA ELSHOFF Retired, former Stage IV Teacher

I taught at Roeper for 26 years, 25 of those years in Stage IV as Teacher, Coordinator and later Trustee from 1998 – 2003.

I was hired

by Annemarie right before she retired, but I was fascinated by her for many years to come. She was like a beacon to me of what I wanted my life at Roeper to be like and indeed what I carry with me today now that I am retired myself but still espousing the Roeper philosophy.

As a teacher, Annemarie taught me to look more deeply at myself in regard to my understanding of children and actually all people. Too often as teachers we become so focused on our subject content that we forget to see learning through the eyes of each individual student. What are the needs of this child? What motivates this person? What might be interfering with my need to see learning progress and the student’s personal agenda?

In other words, Annemarie challenged me to really get to know my students, to appreciate the complexities of these gifted young people and to be willing to reflect on my own part in helping them to grow in the best possible ways. In turn, she taught me to better understand myself in the process and to apply what I learned to my own life. Thank you, Annemarie.

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The other amazing lesson that I learned was that when it comes to discipline and rules, we have to as a group buy into them all. Kids are going to stray, and they may have conflicts, but it wasn’t my job to tell them how to resolve it. If there were two children having a conflict, I was kind of the go-between. I learned to listen, and I still work at having the children own it, having the children resolve it. The children had as many rights as I did. I was there to give them guidance and to help them. Obviously, I need to keep them safe, but we’re people first and we’re teachers and students second.

DEB VEILLETTE PE Teacher and Coach

I was student-teaching at a school in Lake Orion and the principal was tough and mean. Kids lost recess; they had to walk silently in the hall — it was that kind of school. I got a job at Roeper Summer Day Camp. At that time, most of the camp staff was Roeper staff, and that was my ahha! moment. There are people here who believe like I do: that children are equals, that we can talk with them and engage with them on a level that doesn’t have to be, “I’m the authority, I’m the boss, I know everything.”

I got to know Sandy Dooley Lawson Short, and she hired me as a team teacher. I was in Stage II and I got to teach with some very amazing people. And what amazed me the most was that social-emotional growth of the children was at the forefront. The lesson from Annemarie was, if they’re not socially and emotionally healthy, if they don’t know who they are, if they don’t know where they are, how are they going to learn? How are they going to learn?

EMERY PENCE

— Deb Veillette

Retired, former 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher, Alumni Director, Philosophy Dude, Middle School Director, and Lower School Science Teacher I have two main gifts from Annemarie.

The first relates to what Annemarie taught us and what, through her writings and the living Roeper Philosophy, she continues to teach us. I want to explain about how we should react when people urge us to try harder and be our better selves.

My main contact with Annemarie was after she had retired. She would come back or get on the phone to, frankly, tell us what to do. With a purity and focus on high ideals she was our keeper of the faith, our benchmark, our guide, our nudge, OUR PAIN IN THE BUTT.

DOUG ELBINGER

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And finally, as a PE teacher, I had sensed a question in the air about competition. I met with Annemarie and asked her how she felt about team sports and competition and whether there was a place for them. She said there was definitely a place for them, and it’s not the competition or the aspect of winning that’s important. It’s coming together as a group, challenging yourselves, and working cooperatively toward a goal. I felt better about coaching team sports after that.

The lesson from Annemarie was, if they’re not socially and emotionally healthy, if they don’t know who they are, if they don’t know where they are, how are they going to learn?

I learned from Annemarie the importance of always having and always referring to a core set of values, a perspective, a group of benchmarks that consistently reminds us that the children and their growth should be the primary focus.

— Emery Pence

Former Board of Trustees Chair Doug Winkworth tells the story of trying to take the elevator on the Birmingham campus with Annemarie as both had great difficulty climbing the stairs. The elevator required a key and she asked why. Doug responded that the school didn’t want anybody who didn’t need it to be able to use it, so it was usually locked. Annemarie stated strongly (she usually stated strongly) that such a policy was wasting a teachable moment, a good time for a community discussion, and a chance for individuals to learn responsibility.

Doug thought to himself, “Gee, lady, can’t you just relax and let something go?” My answer was, “No, she can’t because that was her job.”

I learned from Annemarie the importance of always having and always referring to a core set of values, a perspective, a group of benchmarks that consistently reminds us that the children and their growth should be the primary focus. It should never be just about our convenience or just adherence to bureaucratic rules or just fear of anarchy.

Her job was to remind us who we were supposed to be without her having the shackles of having to actually live in the practical world of running a school and living in a community. She needed to keep the dream alive and the message pure because we who were so immersed in everyday life find it so, so easy for us to cut corners, to be expedient, and to become complacent.

What is our job when a former head or a current administrator or a consultant or the 1981 Philosophy or an unreasonable student or the writings of George or a professional development idea or any other source urges us to do something hard and to reach beyond the status quo? How should we respond to “You could do better”?

Our immediate reaction to such exhortations is usually much like Doug’s: “Give me a break.”

“Easy for you to say.” “I’m already doing too much.” “I am not listening to you — la, la, la, la.”

We feel resentful and put upon. AMR had many “discussions” with me in which I didn’t sit at her feet with dewy eyes. She and I only resorted to fisticuffs a couple of times.

Our job, when we have an available, high-ideal Isaiah, is to try not to reject out of hand the advice.

We need to keep an open mind and get past the to-be-expected automatic negative reaction. But, also, we shouldn’t easily accept what we are asked to do without wrestling with it. Annemarie’s and my arguments helped me figure what I should and could do differently. After I worked through all of this and after asking her a million tough questions, any of my plans to improve and change from the status quo were truly mine and therefore weren’t resisted. They were more likely realistic and doable than her advice because, unlike Annemarie, I knew more about the situation on the ground with all of its messy realities. But without her coming down from the mountaintop to drag me up to show me what could be, I probably wouldn’t have ever moved forward. Thank you, Annemarie.

AMR Lesson #2. Our great national poet once sang, “He who isn’t being born is busy dying.”

Annemarie lived her entire life fully, unlike many who have given up even at an early age.

An old joke has a person saying they are so old they don’t risk buying green bananas. Annemarie in her 90s was planting banana plantations. On her death bed, she worried about her Roeper and how she could help it.

Annemarie taught us that to find meaning and purpose in this absurd existential situation we call life, we need to create, to reach out, to change, to connect, and to be so busy being born. Annemarie was my mentor on how to be a better person who is more fully alive.

KAREN ROEPER

Daughter, former Stage II Teacher and Roeper Summer Day Camp Director This discussion is about lessons from Annemarie, my Ma. I keep having the urge to share this one particular story which happened in my adulthood, because I feel like it’s such a beautiful example of who my mother was. Both my parents and I lost our homes in the big Oakland firestorm, which was more than 20 years ago. We both lost all our photographs in that fire. If we had duplicates, we lost both of them. That’s one of the hardest things, to lose one’s history. Six months later, my mother handed me memories she had

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written down, memories of images of me she’d recalled from the photographs we’d lost. It just brings tears to my eyes to think about it again — that she had the creativity and the thoughtfulness to want to give me that as a way of remembering the parts of my childhood we often relive through photographs.

In concluding the panel discussion, Karen returned to her opening questions.

Although the discussion had been by and for teachers, her thoughts are relevant to everyone within the Roeper community.

A phrase that I think also expresses my mother’s orientation is to “replace ambition with curiosity.” This doesn’t mean you don’t want to grow and get somewhere, but when we get blindsided by ambition, we lose sight of what’s around us. Keeping sight of what’s right here and now is another important learning you bring to the kids. And my parents were led by love. Love is really what it’s all about, and love is what you were all talking about. Love is what we bring to the kids.

Letting yourself be led by love is really the heart of the matter.

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MARCIA RUFF

What comes back to me is the question I asked you in the beginning: For the sake of what have you chosen this path? What is the heart of the matter? You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t bringing your heart to it. There are probably a lot of other places that would be easier to work in. Working here is demanding, and requires honesty, openness, and curiosity. When I think about both of my parents, those are among the first qualities that come to me. Their minds were open. When they moved to California, they were open to the things that were there. They were always wanting to learn and be curious about what came to them.

You can purchase Educating Children for Life: A Modern Learning Community by Annemarie Roeper from Royal Fireworks Press at https://www. rfwp.com. F

Letting yourself be led by love is really the heart of the matter.

— Karen Roeper

Edited by

Denita Banks-Sims

Director of Development & Publications

KIT LESSONS SHARED

George Roeper once wrote, The truly gifted person, it appears likely, is one who is capable of revising what is known, exploring the unknown and constructing new forms.

how are you? How are things, and what are those things, whatever they may be, which are important to you, my students, in your life? The fundamental ideas and substance of my teaching philosophy are based in asking. Asking, how does a writer write?

What is he or she trying to say? And what do you, the student, think about it, and why?

MARK WRIGHT

In other words, he or she is a teacher!

In other words, he or she is a teacher!

In 1993, I had the privilege of interviewing Annemarie Roeper and A. Harry Passow, who gave me a peek into the motivation and vision of those who so expertly “explore the unknown.”

Harry had been a collaborator of George and Annemarie’s since 1956 and, at the time, a professor at Columbia University and one of the best-known figures in both urban and gifted education. In other words, he was a teacher.

Twenty-six years later — and in celebration of Annemarie’s Centenary — I was once again intrigued by the profound construct of meaning and the power of learning. What can Roeper alumni tell us about guiding young minds “toward the novel and the speculative, in addition to having the ability to learn the known, the problems already solved, and the answers known to be acceptable?” In other words, what it means to be a teacher.

Here are those reflections:

And so, we learned how we were, together.

— Amy Forman Voigt ’85

AMY J. (FORMAN) VOIGT Class of 1985

When I was in the eighth grade, my English teacher, Chuck Webster, was new at his job.

Each day, he’d sit on his desk, look across the gathered dozen or so of 13 – 14 yearolds, and ask, “Well, how is everybody?” Today, almost 34 years later, after graduating from what was then called Roeper City and Country School in 1985, I am 28 years into a career of asking the same question everyday: Well, how is everybody?

My classes are larger, but the sentiment is the same. Over the years, I have realized that this really is the question students want to be asked;

These questions are very Roeper. Almost 29 years ago, I student-taught in Pinckney, Michigan, where I was told, “Be careful with that Martin Luther King activity; someone might slash your tires.” My first real job was in the Southfield Public Schools. My final interview was 27 hours before my wedding; hired on my honeymoon over the phone in Bermuda, I arrived in my interior, windowless classroom (the former sewing room — I was instructed to keep the student desks away from where the floor plugs used to be) four days before the students did. Marriage changed my name, and I had yet to feel like a newly named person.

At this school, teachers collected their first hour students in the gymnasium and walked them to class. I spent the three or four minute walk nervously thinking ... when will the teacher arrive?

Oh. Wait. She’s me. Students filed in, and I looked across the room and asked, “Well, how is everybody?”

And so we learned how we were, together. Eight years of seventh and eighth graders (theatrical Shakespeare extravaganzas! Forensics tournaments!

Overnight bus trips to Washington, DC, with 55 eighth graders!), and I was ready for a change.

Perhaps it was time to ask high school juniors the same question. How’s it going? What is that writer trying to say? How are they saying it? Where do you want to go to college? What do you want to do? What kind of adult do you want to be? How can I help you get there?

Then, the phone rang, and John Lawson, my Roeper debate coach, called me up: we have an opening in the English department at Wylie E. Groves High School. Are you interested?

Teaching high school in the same community in which I live has been an exceptional experience.

Whenever we went to the grocery store, the movies, or the park, my daughters, Hannah and Kate, would count the “Groves sightings.” Over the years, we have lived and learned together.

Teaching is, honestly, both hard and wonderful.

And, as time has passed, the world has made it

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harder by not trusting teachers, by not supporting teachers, by not believing in teachers, by open public malalignment: Summers off! You don’t like my kid! Anyone can teach! Charter Schools!

Teachers are losers! Yet, everyone can name a favorite teacher. A favorite class. A favorite subject. When we ask the right question, “How are you?” we better learn who students are, what they believe and value, and thus they find mentorship with us as their teacher. That’s what teaching is, not the subject, not the homework, not the detention-because-you-were-on-your-phone, but the deep and abiding connection between people who care about each other’s lives, and that moves us forward as a community.

DAVID GOLDEN Class of 2006

I’m in the midst of my ninth year in the classroom and I couldn’t be any happier to be a high school teacher.

There’s no way I would be teaching today without all the wonderful teachers at Roeper who inspired me with their passion for learning and their commitment to students. The greatest compliment I ever hear from my students is when they tell me “Mr. Golden, you’re not like other teachers, you talk to us and treat us like real people and not just as kids.” When students tell me that I realize I’m just following the examples of my teachers at Roeper who valued the thoughts, opinions and feelings of their students. These teachers inspired me to join to them in the teaching profession, and I feel honored to follow in their footsteps and practice many aspects of the Roeper Philosophy in my classroom. I’m proud and happy to be a teacher and love helping young people in the community find self-fulfillment and joy through their education. I thank Roeper for continually inspiring me as an educator, and I look forward to many more happy years teaching!

working in theatre education for my mother, (a former Roeper Theatre teacher) at Will-O-Way Apprentice Theater in Bloomfield Hills — our family business. I met with George myself at the ripe old age of 14 and offered to teach Lower School Drama in exchange for my Upper School tuition. He said yes. From 1977 – 1980 I taught improvisation and theatre games to Stage IV students while attending high school.

Although I became a professional actress, I always had one foot in the door of teaching. I started a prestigious Professional Actor Training Program for young people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1992 that is still going strong, at the same time as I taught voice and speech for several prestigious theatre programs at Southern Methodist University — Meadows School of the Arts, University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and Madison. Finally, in 2002, I decided to shift from college to K – 12, feeling the debt I owed Roeper — a place I always say saved my life.

For the past 15 years I have taught theatre for Milwaukee Public Schools, and 13 of those years have been spent at the Golda Meir School for the Gifted and Talented. I even went back to school to get a G&T license, feeling so committed to the work of Roeper and the difference it made in my life. In our teacher’s lounge we have a running subscription to The Roeper Review, and with each issue I get a special little smile, remembering the joy and work ethic the place instilled in me.

Gifted education empowers individuals to grow and make a difference in the world. I am forever grateful to Annemarie and George, as well as so many teachers who appreciated me for who I was and guided me toward becoming something better.

ADAM WETSMAN Class of 1983

TYNE TURNER Class of 1980

I began my teaching career in high school at Roeper. I needed a scholarship and had been

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I have been a professor of Anthropology at Rio Hondo College, one of California’s 115 community colleges, for close to 20

I realize I’m just following the examples of my teachers at Roeper who valued the thoughts, opinions and feelings of their students.

— David Golden ’ 06

Gifted education empowers individuals to grow and make a difference in the world.

— Tyne Turner ’80

The inspiring teachers at Roeper who cared deeply about students and being in an environment that fostered service to community were great influences on me.

— Adam Wetsman ’83

Contrary to what my 16-year-oldself thought, 47 years later, I am still proudly involved in English language education.

— Mignon Hayes ’67*

My passion for education was certainly fueled by Roeper, and I carry on a commitment to bringing meaningful, deep educational experiences to young people in order to inspire them to build a better world.

—Nicole Oppenheim Ramus ’97

Teaching is a gift that I both share and receive. ­— Pam Victor

’84

years. The inspiring teachers at Roeper who cared deeply about students and being in an environment that fostered service to community were great influences on me. I work hard to ensure that students learn about anthropology and am dedicated to developing skills that will help them thrive once they enter the workplace. My service has gone beyond the classroom, as I have taken on leadership roles in both the union and Academic Senate at Rio Hondo. Finally, I am currently serving as president of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC), a statewide professional membership association with over 9,000 members that advocates for community college faculty.

NICOLE OPPENHEIM RAMOS Class of 1997

While I am no longer a classroom teacher, I am still working in the field of education. I’m proud to share in this update that I recently started working with HighResolves.org, a global nonprofit that teaches a social justice curriculum to middle and high school students around the world (literally!). My passion for education was certainly fueled by Roeper, and I carry on a commitment to bringing meaningful, deep educational experiences to young people in order to inspire them to build a better world.

MIGNON HAYES Class of 1967*

In the fall of my senior year in high school, my grandfather, a noted Black educational administrator from Indianapolis, passed. When we went to his funeral, many people wanted to know where I was headed to college and what field of study I planned to pursue. Because my great-grandmother, grandmother, grandfather, uncle and mother were educators, the foregone consensus among those in attendance was that I would be entering the family business. However, armed with the sagacity of a 16-year-old, with great assurance, I told them that I didn’t know what my major would be, but I knew it WOULD NOT be education. Contrary to what my 16-yearold-self thought, 47 years later, I am still proudly involved in English language education. For 35 years, I taught or was a department chair in secondary English language arts. I became a College Board Consultant and a standardized test essay reader; I scored standardized test essays.

Since my retirement, I have been coaching English teachers in underperforming schools. That support has primarily focused on ELA standardized test skills that are needed throughout life. I thank Roeper for my foundational knowledge provided by a patient, dedicated Phoebe Chow. I also thank Kingswood School Cranbrook for further refining that knowledge. I thank Joseph Curran and Ellen Morris at Mumford High School for elevating my composition writing skills. Finally, and most important, I thank Thelma Dinwiddie, mother of Roeper student Michael Dinwiddie ’73, who expertly guided me through the practice of guided, focused, relevant instruction and life.

PAM VICTOR Class of 1984

When I started at Roeper in 7th grade, my mother “helpfully” assured me that based on my test scores I was not gifted but “merely” above average. This still tickles me — insert additional adolescent eye roll — to this day. However, I do know that I have one true gift, and that is teaching. As soon as I learned to read, I started teaching my little brother to read, and I’ve been teaching ever since! I’ve taught kids of every grade from preschool to high school in a variety of educational settings (public school, private school, homeschool), in a variety of subjects (reading, math, theatre writing, etc.).

Currently, I’m teaching improv comedy to adults, which combines both my passions. Though there are ups and downs in my professional and artistic lives, teaching is the one constant joy for me. I really do think it’s a blessing to be able to share what I love with others in a way that feels joyful and easeful to them. Teaching is a gift that I both share and receive.

Ed. Note: The admiration I have for Roeper alumni is a present and constant motivator. They are the embodiment of The Roeper School and the good fortune of their present and future students is a shared lesson and legacy. They are teachers! F

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KIT

Hannah Wedepohl

Student Representative to the Board of Trustees Class of 2019

LESSONS DISCOVERED

ANTHONY MORROW

Before my time on the Board of Trustees, the technical operations of the Roeper community were largely a mystery to me. Having served on Student Government, I had some concept of how the school is run on an administrative level, and of course being a member of the student body I had a pragmatic sense of the Roeper Philosophy in practice. However, as I learned quickly when I began my work on the Board, framing philosophically motivated, long-term policy goals on an institutional level requires a different mindset.

Without having been involved in decisions pertaining to the long-term future of the school before being elected, I realized how easy it was to become focused on only the present state of Roeper. However, serving on the Board allowed me to appreciate the opportunity as a student to be involved in these types of decisions, which in turn gave me a greater appreciation of George and Annemarie’s vision of a school where students are truly on equal footing in the community.

At my first official meeting I sat there nervously unsure of how the meeting would go and how I would participate. However, I knew that it was important for me to contribute as I felt a great responsibility to speak from a student’s perspective in decisions that the Board was making for the sustainability and future of the school. As the meeting proceeded, I became more comfortable, and as I looked around the room, I noticed that I was surrounded by this group of people who loved Roeper as much as I. This community that I have always considered myself a part of since I came to Roeper in Stage IV first year — and assumed I knew everything about — taught me something entirely new when I joined the Board of Trustees. Within the Roeper community we learn to live the Roeper Philosophy, but to expand the Roeper’s vision beyond our campuses requires that we put careful thought into how we conduct ourselves as an institution. This is what I learned on the Board of Trustees, and this is the wisdom I hope to impart to future student Board representatives. F

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Serving on the Board allowed me to appreciate the opportunity as a student to be involved in these types of decisions, which in turn gave me a greater appreciation of George and Annemarie’s vision of a school where students are truly on equal footing in the community.

KIT

Leslie Hosey

Lower School Director

MARK WRIGHT

INTENSIVE LESSONS

Continued focus on developing the 21st Century skills around critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity, as evidenced during Intensives and ongoing project-based learning, well serve our gifted population and are aligned with our mission and philosophy.

Intensives this year focused on the theme of “Community” and again provided an amazing learning opportunity for our students, as well as for our teachers to engage in creative and innovative work based on their own personal passions. I have noted the challenge of Intensives to our teachers and schedule, but one particular element remains a source of tension all teachers are engaged in resolving. At a time when the school age population is declining, economic instability is increasing anxiety, as well as greater school choice, teachers feel tremendous stress around academic “outcomes.” Indeed, for all of us the desire to increase enrollment can result in a retreat to the familiar. However, the result of what is being termed the “fourth industrial revolution” (https:// www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/08/13/ the-4th-industrial-revolution-is-here-are-youready/#74c3ed66628b), will be that independent schools that prepare students to be disruptors and innovators, as well as workers who can tolerate rapid change will likely better serve the next generation. In this regard, continued focus on developing the 21st Century skills around critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity, as evidenced during Intensives and ongoing project-based learning, well serve our gifted population and are aligned with our mission and philosophy.

physical education, and dance teachers are integrating their content within various Stage intensives. As these units of study unfold, student voice continues to be a high priority while each stage builds enduring understanding and asks essential questions around their theme.

While far too complex to summarize in a brief report, a brief snippet may prove to provide some insight into the nature and impact of the Intensives.

The Stage IV Immigration unit was awe-inspiring, and it very much represented student choice and voice, reflected creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. I had an opportunity to be present during the classroom visit by the grandfather of one of our students, who emigrated from Syria many years ago. He was so emotional and moved to tears that our students were interested in his story, and welcomed him as a valuable member of our community, particularly at a time when our government is marginalizing immigrants. Our students were so compassionate and gave him the time and space to regain his composure, and quietly offered reassurances that his tears were simply part of being human.

Intensives are yet another opportunity for our students to engage in a curriculum that is multicultural and culturally relevant, and allows

Lisa Bottesi, Assistant Lower School Director, noted the following regarding Intensives in a newsletter to parents: The project-based exploration and learning your child will be involved in over the next three weeks provides opportunities for students to build these qualities, as well as more deeply learn content in an interdisciplinary way and understand how it applies to the real world. Students will be dealing with advanced concepts, with a focus on developing multiple points of view, compassion, empathy, critical thinking and connections with our parent community, alumni, and community agencies. Themes center around community (Stage I Domes/ Stage I Hill House), helping the community around us (Stage II), communities (Stage III), and migration/immigration (Stage IV).

Throughout the course of the intensives students will engage in developing questions, research, reading, writing, and social studies.

Music, art, the sciences, computer science,

As Stage I explored the Hill House, they discovered that the supports for the building were steel. With plaster and steel nails, they built their own support structures.

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Stage II packed activity kits for children in the hospital as part of their Helping Community Around Us intensive.

In every Stage I witnessed incredible learning, with students evidencing pride and ownership of their learning. Witnessing the Intensives is always overwhelming due to their complexity, and a deeply emotional experience.

our students to engage with and value multiple perspectives. It is a unique privilege to visit classrooms and witness the impact and outcome of our progressive and gifted program.

As I have noted in previous writings, the Intensives create major angst for our teachers, in part I believe because the need to release control to students can cause tension with the expectations for desired outcomes. However, the outcomes of the Intensives are absolutely amazing and reflect the best pedagogy in gifted education.

Intensives allow engagement around the three core characteristics of gifted learners at Roeper, precocity, complexity, and intensity and as such, Intensives truly meet the needs of both our students and faculty. Feedback from students is that they enjoyed Intensives much more this year because of the lessons we learned from last year and because their voice was much more present in our work.

In preparation for Intensives next year, several faculty members are engaging in Professional Learning opportunities this summer. Teachers will once again be provided opportunities to engage in retreats for planning at the end of this school year, and we will again work to create dedicated planning time to teachers within our existing faculty meeting structure.

In reflecting on the Intensives this year, it is clear that they provide a unique opportunity for our students to engage in the two central tasks that George and Annemarie felt were fundamental to the human experience, “to come to understand themselves and to discover how they will contribute to the world” (Educational Statement of Purpose). F

During Stage III’s Community intensive, students learned about planning physical spaces — like parks and playgrounds.

Beyond the curricular benefits, however, the Intensives allow our students to fully engage in our mission “... to engage as a community with compassion for each other and this world.” Our students, teachers, and families give me such hope and joy for the future!

With the consultation of Roxanne Higgins (Independent School Management president) around our schedule, we are continuing to create structures and timing that will reduce the stress on teacher planning. Our institutional trust in teachers allows them a level of autonomy that consistently results in innovation and creativity.

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Our institutional trust in teachers allows them a level of autonomy that consistently results in innovation and creativity.

Below: Abigail Kendall’s grandfather spoke to Stage IV about his immigration from Syria.

KIT

Brian Corley

Middle School Director

ANTHONY MORROW

UNPLUGGED LESSONS

Students and faculty were highly stressed, and that stress manifested in a number of ways, mainly anxiety and restlessness.

So, my thought was, what can we do about it?

How could we decrease the amount of stress that permeated the Middle School?

The Roeper Middle School unplugged from cell phone usage for seven weeks in order to gather data about technology’s impact on social relationships, classroom behaviors, student health, and academics, in early adolescence students.

We are currently in the process of analyzing data from students, faculty, and parents. However, the anecdotal evidence observed during the policy implementation suggested that technology’s impact is great. To make it clear why we decided to unplug, let’s go back to early March 2019 to get a feel for the tone and tenor of the Middle School that served as a catalyst in jumpstarting the unplug policy.

Over spring break, I had an opportunity to review the Roeper Strategic Plan that focuses on community health and wellness, which accounts for students, faculty/staff, and parents. Since the start of the school year, the topics of health and wellness has been elevated and a critical part of our programming. Therefore, this hyper-focus on the health and wellness of the community was on my radar for months, more so during the last month leading up to spring break. I was beginning to notice that students and faculty were highly stressed and that stress manifested in a number of ways, mainly anxiety and restlessness.

There was an increase in student-to-student conflict; a frequent misuse of technology and forms of social media, a growing number of students experiencing sleep deprivation or at least suffering from similar symptoms; students and faculty were becoming ill and missing school; and the list went on and on.

So, my thought was, what can we do about it?

How could we decrease the amount of stress that permeated the Birmingham campus, more specifically the Middle School?

A few weeks prior to spring break, I asked Middle School students how we could improve the culture and climate of the Middle School. We broke into homeroom discussions and began to brainstorm. Needless to say, our students produced a lot of practical ideas, many of which I developed guidelines and policy to support.

Students submitted a number of proposals — eight stood out: (1) hold individuals accountable for their actions; (2) consistently remind students about the community guidelines; (3) restrict cell phone usage during the school day; (4) allow more time

for community engagement and fun; (5) develop a digital citizenship class so that students know how to use technology well; (6) empower students to speak up when others are abusing technology; (7) adjust the pace of the day as to be less stressful; and finally, (8) add security cameras. The last proposal was retracted by students because of fear of losing the trusting culture of the community.

I assured students that I heard them and would respond to their call-to-action after spring break.

It did not fall short on me that internal, structural systems existed on campus that contributed to student stress — increased homework loads, pace of scheduling, a lack of campus-wide recess.

Those internal systems have been and will continue to be monitored, adjusted, and managed by the school. For instance, in March, faculty and staff met with scheduling consultants to help reimagine the schedule with health and wellness as the goal. Additionally, this summer, faculty are developing a scope and sequence for digital citizenship so that students are more prepared to handle the demands of technology responsibly.

Many of the initiatives that students proposed were either adopted or considered for the future work of the administration.

As we continue to elevate the health and wellness of our school community, it became important that we focused our attention on cell phone usage in Middle School. Developmentally, we know that the frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for impulse control, is not fully developed in middle school-aged children. Yet, when we expect young adolescences to learn how to handle phone usage in places like classrooms, we are setting many of them up for failure.

France made the decision to ban cell phones in middle school, and California is considering doing the same. There is simply too much science involved to ignore. A study published by the Pediatrics Journal found that the increasing rate of depression in adolescents, especially in girls, correlated with the use of cell phones and texting apps. Youth who spent more time on social media, often accessed through smartphones and tablets, have a greater likelihood of being unhappy.

Conversely, it has been found that face-to-face time with friends strongly correlates with less depressive feelings.

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It is also important to note that, according to a study done by Common Sense Media, 13- to 18year-olds spend: • 8:56 hours a day consuming entertainment on TV, computer, smartphone; • 6:40 hours a day of screen media.

Eight- to 12-year-olds spend: • 5:55 hours a day consuming entertainment on TV, computer, smartphone; • 4:36 hours of screen media.

That study also suggests that 95% of teens have access to a cell phone.

With Roeper Middle School students’ health and wellness in mind, in conjunction with student voice, the Middle School implemented a temporary restriction of cell phones, game consoles, and similar digital devices (excluding laptops and tablets that are used for educational purposes) for middle school-aged students which began Monday, April 15, 2019. The goal was to begin to collect data on the benefits of more face-to-face student interactions without screens centered in the experience. The observable results during

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the policy implementation showed students are outside frequently — at lunch, during free blocks, and during classes with their teachers, playing, exploring, being kids. During the implementation of the policy, there were only two reports of negative student-to-student interactions that involved the Middle School Director’s attention, compared to three or four daily encounters prior to the policy. The cell phone policy implementation period ended the last week of standard classes, which was Friday, May 31, 2019.

A committee of faculty and administrators hosted student focus group conversations, along with student, faculty, and parent surveys to learn about community experiences, which will directly impact the crafting of the future technology plan. The data will be reviewed over the summer, and the cell phone policy will be adjusted accordingly to assure certain communication pathway logistics and safety concerns are addressed and taken into account.

I look forward to reviewing all of the data to guide the policy; however, it is important to acknowledge that the seven weeks with no cell phones ushered in a sense of community and togetherness that we drifted from and yearned to revisit. F

The observable results during the policy implementation showed students are outside frequently — at lunch, during free blocks, and during classes with their teachers, playing, exploring, being kids.

Lori Lutz

Associate Director, Roeper Institute Class of 1975

KIT

DONTAE ROCKYMORE

EQUITY LESSONS

While George and Annemarie Roeper dedicated the majority of their lives to the independent school they founded … they never viewed either the school or its mission as independent from the world in which it exists.

The Roeper School, founded by educational pioneers George and Annemarie Roeper, uniquely addresses the comprehensive academic and emotional needs of gifted and talented children from pre-kindergarten through high school.

George and Annemarie, refugees from Nazi Germany, dedicated themselves to creating an environment in which a powerful few would never again be able to impose their will upon an unchallenging majority. They set out to achieve their goal through education by opening a school in Detroit in 1941, gradually growing a full pre-K through 12th grade program housed on two campuses in suburban Detroit. Now in its 78th year of operation, The Roeper School is an international leader in the field of gifted education through its model of holistic development of high ability founded on the humanistic philosophy of its founders.

While George and Annemarie Roeper dedicated the majority of their lives to the independent school they founded and which bears their name, they never viewed either the school or its mission as independent from the world in which it exists; interdependence, rather than independence, is a key tenet of The Roeper Philosophy. George and Annemarie Roeper believed that the School should not just operate as a vessel for its (remarkable) students’ growth as citizens of the world, but also that the school, its institutional identity and purpose, like the students it educates, must intentionally and deeply engage with the community, local and global. Whether through founding and publishing The Roeper Review academic journal, hosting gifted education conferences for public school educators, or helping to develop Sesame Street educational TV and Head Start foundational work at the Merrill Palmer Institute at Wayne State University, Roeper’s founders envisioned a role for the school far beyond the classroom and any given year’s student population. It was precisely this broader perspective that led the Roepers to create The Roeper Institute, an affiliated non-profit organization, that serves to educate and advocate for gifted children within and without the walls of the school.

The Roeper School is located in metropolitan Detroit, one of the most racially- and economicallydivided areas in the country. While Roeper prioritizes expanded access through a strong

commitment to diversity underwritten by a generous financial aid program, such aid is simply not a sufficient solution to systemic inequality.

Opportunities for Detroit’s neighborhoods, longterm residents, schools, and children remain limited and severely under-resourced. In this environment, it is understandable that little to no attention has been paid to gifted and talented children in Detroit. Yet we know that this population exists and these children, like all children, deserve an opportunity to reach their potential. Contrary to common assumptions, high-potentiality does not automatically translate to either high-achievement or high-fulfillment. In fact, without creating the conditions for nurturing high-potential children, they often lose ground as they progress through school. Contemporary society and Roeper history demand that Roeper use its institutional gifts to further the cause of educational justice.

In October 2016, The Roeper Institute partnered with the Damon Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University Law School to host a symposium called: A Matter Of Equity: How We Are Failing High-Potential Detroit Schoolchildren and What We Can Do about It. Seventy-five regional community leaders, including several Detroit Public Schools administrators, attended a day of workshops presented by national gifted education leaders who specialize in serving low-income and culturally diverse gifted and talented students. Together, participants pushed back against the assumption that “smart kids” can achieve without support and workshopped ways to meet the unique needs of these students.

Our symposium brought to light the fact of and reasons for “the excellence gap” and the negative consequences of any reform effort that fails to address it.

Through a $250,000 1:1 Educational Leadership Matching Grant from The Edward E. Ford Foundation to The Roeper School, the school and institute are completing the first year of a $500,000 three-year initiative to expand on the school’s commitment to financial aid and community outreach to one of transformative, sustained collective impact work. With the assistance of the Center for Gifted Education at College (“CFGE”) of William & Mary and the College of Education at Wayne State University, A Matter of Equity is a public/ private partnership between Roeper and Detroit

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Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to further educational equity by developing an ongoing professional learning community for DPSCD and Roeper teachers to serve gifted and talented children in Detroit.

Beginning this summer, a cohort of 20 teachers from four DPSCD middle- and high-schools plus four Roeper Middle and Upper School teachers along with experts from CFGE will spend two weeks together on the campus of Wayne State University learning, mentoring, training, and collaborating with each other and national experts on identifying and serving the needs of gifted and talented children with a particular focus on lowincome and culturally diverse populations. The cohort will continue to work together throughout the 2019/2020 academic school year and will return in the summer of 2020 for advanced work in a peer-to-peer training model.

The summer of 2020 will also welcome a brand new second cohort of 24 (DPSCD and Roeper) teachers to The Matter of Equity Professional Learning Community, beginning with its own twoweek intensive summer institute, and continuing throughout the 2020/2021 academic year.

We have already witnessed considerable success during this first “design” year of the project. The District has shown its commitment as a partner in numerous ways, including its recent hiring of

a Director of Gifted and Talented Education — Kimberly Phillips, a former Roeper teacher. The DPSCD host principals have welcomed our team into their schools, and 28 teachers (from the four designated schools) applied for the 20 slots in the first cohort, evidencing a real demand for this kind of sustained professional growth opportunity.

In addition, The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has joined the project as an important local partner with a very generous grant of $54,000. We are profoundly grateful for the early support of several Roeper alumni and alumni families who, though their own generous gifts to the matching challenge, have furthered the Roeper legacy in such a profound way. Finally, we would never be where we are without the leap of faith taken and continued stewardship by The Roeper Institute Board of Directors — Ann Deneroff, Dante Dixson, David Feldman, Joan LessenFirestone, Leslie Hosey, Qiana Lilliard, Robert Schultz, Doug Winkworth.

We would love to have you join fellow Roeper alumni families and friends as we seek to raise the remaining $100,000 toward our matching campaign goal of $250,000, allowing us to take full advantage of E. E. Ford’s $250,000 grant. To find out how, please contact Lori Lutz, Associate Director, The Roeper Institute, at roeperinstitute@ roeper.org. F

A short video on the project can be found at this link: https://www. youtube.com/ watch?v=8 P6hh2sNPuo

Head of School David Feldman speaks to the cohort of teachers and administrators during the inaugural Matter of Equity gathering at Wayne State.

JULIETTE OLEJNIK

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KIT

Juliette Olejnik

Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund

ALUMNI UPDATES

JOSEPH (JOEY) SALATINO ’12 made academic history at MSU! Joey recently graduated from MSU as its first PhD in Biomedical Engineering. His doctoral research developed “cuttingedge techniques to improve the integration of implantable neurotechnologies used to treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression and traumatic injuries.” Recipient of many awards during his academic career, Joseph will be moving on to be a “translational scientist at nference, Inc., in Cambridge, Massachusetts.”

BILAL EZZEDDINE ’02 and his wife, Salma, welcomed Denita Banks-Sims (Roeper’s Development Director), and Juliette Olejnik (Roeper’s Alumni Director) into their Philadelphia home for a lovely dinner one January evening while Denita and Juliette were in town. Pictured from left to right: Bilal’s mother, Beverly Ezzeddine, wife Salma Ezzeddine, new baby Aziza, Denita Banks-Sims and Bilal Ezzeddine ‘02.

MAX MILSTEIN ’02 was recently elected to a two-year term as chair of the Oak Park–Huntington Woods Democratic Club. Max makes his home with his bride, Ksenia, in the same north Oak Park neighborhood where he was born. He is active in local politics because he has a stake in the area where he lives. As club chair, Max said, “I hope to keep our group active and engaged in the concerns of our community.”

BRIAN KLOC ’01 worked his magic as the Lighting Artist on SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Film at the 2019 Oscars!

EMILY SNYDER-LINDBLOM LAIDLAW ’99 is Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s new policy director.

MELISSA SOMMERFELD GRESALFI ‘95 has been named the next dean of The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons at Vanderbilt University. Melissa’s areas of expertise include transforming learning spaces to focus student activity on mathematical engagement that involves sense-making, decisionmaking and problem-solving. Her projects include empowering students to view the world as a complex system, studying learning environments that integrate mathematical and computational thinking, and examining the role of different forms of feedback on students’ learning and engagement with mathematics through videogame technologies.

EDWARD BENYAS ’80 just completed his 25th year at the Southern Illinois University School of Music, where he is Director of Orchestras and Professor of Oboe and Conducting. The university just completed their 15th anniversary season of the Southern Illinois Music Festival, which Ed established in 2005. The Festival presents three dozen professional performances around the region, including opera, orchestral and chamber

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music and jazz, and has been recognized as a Midwest Travel Treasure by AAA Magazine and by the Chicago Tribune as one of 24 top summer activities in an eight-state region. In addition to conducting fully staged productions of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Verdi’s Il Trovatore, and symphonies by Haydn, Mendelssohn and Dvorak, one of the Festival highlights is the Benyas Family Recital, where Ed, his daughters, and wife (piano, violin, cello and oboe) perform music by Vivaldi, Verdi, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Morricone, raising several thousand dollars for the Carbondale Women’s Center. Ed’s work with the Festival contributed to being named the Outstanding Scholar of the SIU College of Liberal Arts in 2018.

He also conducted a unique version of Mozart’s Magic Flute set inside a Super Mario Brothers video game with Pacific Opera Project in Los Angeles, which was favorably reviewed by Opera Today.

From HILLARY BURNETTE ’72: KATIE MICHAELS ’72 and I were best friends at Roeper, and still dear friends, though the distance between Anchorage and New York has hampered our time together. Last fall we met up in Washington D.C. As we wandered we came upon Einstein, which seemed a perfect opportunity for a Roeper picture. Katie, after giving her heart and soul to being a Montessori Primary teacher working with six- to nine-yearolds for 26 years, is enjoying retirement and rekindling her interest in expressing herself visually through oil painting and drawing. I am still an artist, involved as a volunteer in foster care programs in NYC, and living amongst my beloved extended family. My website is: hillaryburnettstudio.com. I have spent a great deal of time in Detroit over the last 40 years and so happy that Roeper, which did so much to form me, is moving vibrantly along. My best to all of the current and future alumni … we are lucky souls.

Lower left: Hillary Burnett ’72 and Katie Michaels ’72 enjoy a visit with Einstein while in Washington, DC.

KIKI LOUYA ’01* and Rohani Foulkes currently operate Folk, an awardwinning breakfast and brunch spot, and the Farmer’s Hand specialty grocer. They will be

joining the proprietors of Royce and Marrow, another one of Detroit’s best new restaurants, for a new joint venture, in effect forming something of a female-led hospitality supergroup. The joint venture, dubbed Nest Egg LLC, will bring significant changes to the northwest corner of Trumbull and Bagley in Corktown. F

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< Far left, L to R: The Benyas Family — daughter Maya (13), wife Kara, Ed, and daughter Gabriela (16).

Above, L to R: Nest Egg partners Royce and Marrow proprietor Ping Ho, Folk and Farmer’s Hand co-owner Kiki Louya, Marrow Executive Chef and co-owner Sarah Welch, and Folk and Farmer’s Hand co-owner Rohani Foulkes.

PHOTO: MARK KURLYANDHIK, DETROIT FREE PRESS)

ALUMNI VISITS A VISIT FROM THE NEXT GENERATION OF ROEPER FAMILY

^ L to R: Karen Roeper ’66*, School Historian Marcia Ruff and Tom Roeper’s ’61* daughter Maria Roeper

Below: Frank Crosby ’85 delivered his annual “bonus” gift for the staff in person this year.

It’s been a particular gift to the school to have George and Annemarie’s children, Tom ’61*, Peter ’63*, and Karen ’66*, increasingly engaged in the school. All three attended Roeper (then called City and Country School) through 8th grade, which was as far as the school went at the time. All three, however, worked at Roeper Camp when they were young, and Karen later served as Camp Director for five summers. She also taught at the school for a few years after college, and Tom was Assistant Headmaster during George’s last year as Head.

Their careers have largely been spent elsewhere, however. Tom has enjoyed a long career as a linguistics professor at University of MassachusettsAmherst; Peter recently retired from a career in public health; and Karen teaches a movement practice she developed in mind-body-spirit alignment and awareness, as well as consults in leadership training.

One of the first commitments they accepted was to take turns at continuing Annemarie’s tradition of delivering the Founders’ Address each year at Commencement. All three were active participants in the School’s 75th Anniversary celebration, as well as with both their parents’ centenary celebrations. Tom has done guest teaching on linguistics in the Upper School, and Peter participated in research on governance for the Don Ambrose book, The Roeper School: A Model for Holistic Development of High Ability. Karen has regularly returned to assist with the emerging wellness strategies and practices at the school.

In May, another generation of Roepers came to visit. MARIA ROEPER, Tom’s daughter, was in town for a labor attorney conference at the same time Karen was visiting, and so Maria came to see the school

and meet with Roeper staff. Maria lives in Takoma Park, Maryland, and has three children ages 12, 10 and 4, so she was particularly interested in seeing how the Roeper classes compared with her children’s classes in a diverse school in a strong district. It was a delightful visit, with a lively conversation about the challenges everywhere of educating children to know and live their individual potentials.

^ TIM SISK ‘88 visited the Bloomfield Hills campus with his two sons over spring break. He enjoyed taking his boys on a walk down memory lane as they explored the inside of the infamous Domes. The boys seemed to most enjoy bouncing basketballs in the Big Dome and listening to the cool echo of the bouncing balls. Fun fact: Tim and his twin boys share the same birthday! Pictured above, L to R: David Feldman, Head of School; Juliette Olejnik, Alumni Director; Tim Sisk ‘88, and sons Will and Jack.

FRANK CROSBY ‘85 visited Roeper during the month of March to hand-deliver a generous gift to Roeper Faculty and Staff. For nearly 10 years, Frank has made a special gift with a request that it be distributed to faculty and staff as a “bonus.”

This year Frank delivered Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins to be distributed to each staff member.

“My thought is to have a gift that could last longer ... and I also wanted something that was tradable, for people who are not collectors!” Frank Crosby now resides in Panama City, Florida.

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> CLIFF WOODARDS II ‘79* was a student in the Hill House from 1967–74 and stopped by to visit the school one April afternoon. The sight of several classrooms brought back a flood of childhood memories, and he wanted to let everyone know that “Reminiscing was sooo WONDERFUL!!” Cliff still resides in the Detroit area.

> MICHAEL DINWIDDIE ‘73* brought his entire NYU Detroit Cycles class to tour Roeper’s campus with Development Director Denita Banks-Sims during their March field trip to the city of Detroit.

Roeper alumnus and former Fighting Tuna mascot Ethan Rosenberg ‘15 helped coordinate the visit as a student in Michael’s class!

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ALEX DICKINSON ‘04 came back for Founders Day to share heartwarming remarks for four distinguished retirees: Jarie Ruddy, Jennifer Evenson, (Alex), Gloria Cook and Pat Lawrence (not pictured).

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^ RUSTY WILDE ’72 visited with David Feldman on May 1, 2019.

ALUMNI REUNIONS Submitted by NICOLE OPPENHEIM RAMOS ’97: On January 26, 2019, four late ’90s Roeper alumni and their families gathered at my house in Seattle, Washington. In total we had nine kids (all between one and eight years old!) playing together, which was a blast for all of them! Judy’s husband made an amazing brisket for us all to share, along with plenty of wine, cheese and homemade cookies (Erin). We talked about the ways Roeper shaped our lives, how it has created a unique bond for us all, even though we weren’t close friends in high school, and generally how unique The Roeper School and community is. Also, the Seattle area is famous for the “Seattle Freeze”— a social phenomenon of making vague plans and then flaking out. We all thought it was special that we found a time to get together; no one backed out last minute; and all the kids were healthy enough to be at a party together! It was such a lovely night. ^ Seattle Reunion, L to R: Jesse Foster ‘96, Nicole Oppenheim Ramos ‘97, Judy Kadoura Yee ‘98, Erin Abraham ‘99.

A group of Roeper alumni from the ’70s held an informal gathering on March 30, 2019 at the home of Linda and Emery Pence. < L to R: Keith Cornfield ‘79, Pat O’Connor ‘78, Andy Rudnitsky ‘79, Nick Lauer, Brian O’Connor ‘78, Marlita Reddy-Hjelmfelt ‘79, Jon Hague ‘77, Randi Franklin ‘74, Eric Siegel ‘84

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SPRING REUNION — APRIL 13, 2019

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The inaugural SPRING ALUMNI REUNION held on the Birmingham Campus was a blast!

Special thanks to members of the Alumni Leadership Council who helped to plan and implement this memorable event.

PHOTOS BY DONTAE ROCKYMORE

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1 – Brittany Gracey ‘08, Emery Pence, Ali Rose VanOverbeke ‘08, Victoria Moore ‘08, Paige Wilson ‘08, Herman Marable Jr ‘80.

2 – Tuna Talks and Muses to remember. 3 – Edward Glass ’95, Alana Glass ‘97, Sara Puzey Mendez ‘96, Luis Mendez.

4 – Anika Kumar ‘02, Paige Wilson ‘08, Denita Banks-Sims. 5 – Michael Ploof ‘04, Andrew Baum ‘04, Alexa Johnson ‘04.

6 – Organizers and hostesses Gloria Despard, Shani Yapa-Kimpson ‘08, Juliette Olejnik, Denita Banks-Sims. 7 – Linda Pence and her son David Lauer ’08. 8 – David Jaffe ’74, Herman Marable ’80. 9 –Emily Lardner ’06 and Andy Hayden. 10 – Eleanor Gamalski ’11, Lola Kristie Gibson-Berg ’09. 10 – Lonell Carr, Kristen Perry Carr ‘08, Emery Pence. 11 – Ali Rose VanOverbeke ‘08, Lori Lutz ‘75, Greg Gamalski. 12 – Aaron Frantz ‘09, Hale Williams ’09, Jamie Lyons-Eddy. 13 – Denita Banks-Sims, Benjamin Voyt ’14.

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14 15 – Top Row: Anika Kumar ‘02, Andrew Baum ‘04. Bottom Row: Brittany Gracey ‘08, Alana Glass ‘97 Paige Wilson ‘08, Sara Puzey Mendez ‘96, Ed Glass ‘95, Alexa Johnson ‘04, Michael Ploof ‘04, Shani Yapa-Kimpson ‘08, Kristen Carr ‘08.

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ALUMNI & NINTH GRADE IN WASHINGTON, DC Roeper’s 9th grade class spent an entire week in Washington, DC, and many said that connecting with area alumni was the most impactful experience of the entire trip. Special thanks to Alex Dickinson ‘04, Ari Schartman BenAissa ‘89, Jocelyn Beer ‘86, Brian Forest ‘03, Jacob Courville ‘00, Peyton Kinchen-Reed ‘17, Miranda Beebe ‘84, Christina Krysinski ‘09, William Schmittel ‘86, and alumni parent Sheila Ronis, for sharing their time and expertise with Roeper students!

1 – The entire 9th grade class on the steps of the Portrait Gallery. After the photo, they split into smaller groups and walked to local restaurants where they enjoyed dinner and great conversations with alumni. Alumni pictured in the front row, L to R: Christina Krysinski ‘09, Ari Schartman Ben Aissa ‘89, Alex Dickinson ‘04, Bill Schmittel ‘86, Miranda Beebe ‘84, Peyton KinchenReed ‘17.

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4 2 – A small group of 9th graders visited Ari Schartman Ben Aissa ‘89 at the Department of Energy to learn about her work and her personal experience as a public servant. Ari is the Deputy Director for the Office of Asian Affairs.

3 – A panel discussion held at the Capitol with: Sheila Ronis (alumni parent) National Security Consultant, Brian Forest ‘03 former speech writer for Mitch McConnell, Jacob Courville ‘00, Director of Federal Affairs at Michigan State University.

4 – Alex Dickinson ‘04 provided an exciting and informative nighttime monument tour starting at the White House during sunset.

5 – Peyton Kinchen-Reed ‘17 led a campus tour for students interested in attending Howard University.

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ONE WEDDING, TWO ENGAGEMENTS

Stephanie Holloman ’09 & Cole Talsma MARRIED ON APRIL 20, 2019 PONTIAC, MICHIGAN MARIAH HARRISON ’09 (FAR LEFT) STOOD UP IN THE WEDDING

PHOTOS BY MARK ADRIAN

Ted Barton ’82 & Nicole Monet

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visited the hill house on valentine’s day. it was ted’s first time back in decades. it turned out to be a very special day because they became engaged that same morning! ted entertained us with a great impression of george roeper and many of his roeper stories and memories. ted is an actor and currently lives in los angeles.

Jennifer Martin ’03 & Jacob Moore will be married on august 24th of this year; the ceremony will be performed by roeper teacher, dan jacobs. they live in birmingham and work as both private tutors and forensics coaches at roeper. they would like to thank the teachers, staff, parents, and students for all of the warm congratulations they have received!

BABIES, BABIES, BABIES!

Matthew Suo ’04 & Arria Petke Suo’06

Natalie Issa’05 & Elie Khoury

EVE ISSA KHOURY Born November 21, 2018

PERSEPHONE HOPE SUO Born December 8, 2018 They currently live in Washington state.

in San Francisco

Jon Wilcox ’03 & Erin Milbeck Wilcox ‘04

THEODORE ROBERT WILCOX Born December 16, 2018 7lbs 10oz The Wilcox Family is back in Metro Detroit!

Erin is working at the Detroit Institute of Arts and Jon is doing freelance illustration and design.

MORE

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Alison Lisi ‘07 & Daniel Dena

ROSA ELEANOR DENA-LISI Born March 18, 2019 7lbs 3oz 20” Alison, Daniel, and Rosie live near the U.S.-Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas.

Both Alison and Daniel work defending noncitizens, Alison as an immigration attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and Daniel as a Federal Public Defender.

Matt Kohlenberg ’01 & Elizabeth Kohlenberg

ROSE MARIE KOHLENBERG Born May 16, 2019 11:56pm 7lbs 2oz 21” The Kohlenbergs live in Huntington Woods.

Amanda Sommerfeld Case ’97, Andrew Case & Big Sis’ Lena

MAREN STELLA CASE

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Born May 21, 2019 12:20am 8lbs 7oz 20”

PASSINGS EXPRESSING OUR SHARED LOSS ON THE PASSING OF THESE ROEPERIANS …

BRUCE THOMAS WEBSTER CLASS OF 1971 JUNE 8, 1953 – DECEMBER 10, 2018 a quote from bruce’s senior yearbook page: “BUT SOMETHING’S LOST AND SOMETHING’S GAINED IN LIVING EVERY DAY.” — joni mitchell

JESSICA ANN MORRISON CLASS OF 2000 APRIL 26, 1982 – FEBRUARY 6, 2019 a quote from jessica’s senior yearbook page: “I HAVE DECIDED TO START THINGS FROM HERE: THUNDER AND LIGHTNING WON’T CHANGE WHAT I’M FEELING, AND THE DAFFODILS LOOK LOVELY TODAY.” — dolores o’riordan

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Katie Buchmann

Development Officer/Event Coordinator

LESSONS IN GRATITUDE We are pleased to share that the MOSAIC Auction 2019 — March Madness — was a stunning success! Your generosity allowed us to, once again, reach our goal! We raised $100,000 toward the Mariann Hoag Financial Aid Grant Award Program and Professional Development for Faculty and Staff. It is an exciting time to be a part of the Roeper community, and your investment in current and future Roeperians ensures an even brighter future as we imagine and prepare for the next 75 years and beyond!.

We offer our heartfelt gratitude to our Auction Committee for their dedication and tireless commitment to the community. We depend on many hands and many variables to present the MOSAIC Auction: the amazing creativity of our students, faculty and staff, our corporate sponsors, and the generosity of our bidders and donors. In part and whole, they made a significant impact, and the sum combines for a triumphant achievement for The Roeper School.

We look forward to sharing another exciting night on April 18, 2020 for the Mariann Hoag Scholarship Dinner!

Clockwise from top: Katie Buchmann, Jeannie Kaiser, Susheilla Mehta & Shelly Boedeker

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1 AUCTION PHOTOS

BY DONTAE ROCKYMORE

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Adjacent page: 1 – Head of School David Feldman welcomes the crowd.

2 – Founders’ son Peter Roeper with David’s wife Elane Feldman & mother Loretta Feldman.

3 – Check-in!

4 – Happy diners.

5 – Christine Lyon, Mike Girolami, Gina Adams-Levy & Marcy Sznewajs.

6 – Free Library crafted by Jessica & Megan’s Stage II class.

7 – The Board’s live item starter wine cellar.

8 – Current & alumni parents Colleen (Board member) & David Allen.

9 – Parent & Board member John Sznewajs photobombs Charles & Mary Albrecht.

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18 10 – Denita Banks-Sims with Auction Chair Beth Vens. 11 – Clay Thomas with Andrea & Dave Fluent.

12 – 8th Grader Ruby McKeever entertains. 13 – Kevin & Stephanie Clark with Ron Robinson & LS Director Leslie Hosey. 14 – Alumni parents Roman & Kathleen Lesnau consider a bid. 15 – Dana Aronoff, Stephanie Reed, Melissa Bihl & John Jessmon. 16 – Mike, Molly and Mary Peterson with Barbara & Steve Scavone.

17 – 10th Grade hosts Nathan Schechter, Hannah Wise, Meredith Grekin & Francis Allen. 18 – Parent Beth Fienman peruses Silent Auction items. 19 – Alumni parents Steve (former Board Chair) & Danita Milbeck.

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Denita Banks-Sims

Director of Development & Publications

PARTING THOUGHTS From my office in the Hill House (or Main Building), I have a delightfully outsized view of the world outside and of the Roeper community.

It is a view that many others have shared, and I am cognizant of this special privilege when I peer through the French doors or when an alumna or alumnus stops in to say hello and subsequently shares what the space “used to be.”

The view also includes a peripheral view of the benches and beautiful stones dedicated and placed in honor of George and Annemarie Roeper. “George’s Bench” — the one that was gifted to the school in 1991 by friends in Germany — has emerged as a favorite backdrop for alumni to be photographed while visiting the Bloomfield Hills Campus — and Annemarie’s newly established bench is destined to be a place of reflection and celebration in years to come.

Most especially and most often, I am mindful of Mariann Hoag — or just “Mariann” to so many of us. This vantage point was distinctly hers, and in recent years, we have placed the signature red geraniums that she tended outside those same French doors, on the Hill House stairs. They adorn your ascension to the school, and as we move from spring to summer, they nourish our sense of belonging and identity.

These days they invite a community caretaking, and it is not unusual to witness someone stop to remove a withering stem, make multiple watering can trips, or reposition them for optimal sunlight.

In contrast to many institutions our age, Roeper does not observe many hard and fast traditions. I have always owed this to our allowing new opportunities to emerge. So when the geraniums arrive, I feel deeply connected and grateful to once again enjoy this delightful view.

Have a wonderful summer and please Keep In Touch!

Yours,

Mariann Hoag tending geraniums in preparation for commencement.

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The geraniums adorn your ascension to the school, and as we move from spring to summer, they nourish our sense of belonging and identity.

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