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Signature Programs

Empowering All Griffins to Learn Experientially

All students engage in experiential learning throughout their time at Roycemore. Our engaging curriculum allows students at every grade level to learn by doing. This may include building a dream car during a transportation unit in Kindergarten, creating a new city utopia in middle school, or designing a mini-golf course in upper school geometry. 

Our three Signature Programs empower students to drive their own experiential, hands-on learning. Though these programs vary by division, what they all have in common is an abundance of student choice, academic connections, and experiential learning that includes design thinking. Through these programs, all students can explore their individual passions on a deeper level.

JST, a long-standing Roycemore tradition, gives Upper School students an opportunity for independent, exploratory study. With guidance from staff and project directors, students spend three weeks researching a topic that is meaningful to them. JST helps students learn to build and apply knowledge that they find personally enriching. Students may choose between group projects, led by Roycemore faculty, and individual projects, designed by students themselves. 

Past projects have included:

  • Accounting Internship
  • Sailing and Navigating the Caribbean
  • Kinesiology
  • Cooking
  • Museum Curation
  • Immigration
  • Feminism in Film

Each Middle School student works on a passion project to experience the joy of self-directed learning and growth. Throughout the school year, students meet with a teacher and an expert mentor to help stay on track as they move through the design thinking process to solve a problem they are passionate about. The week prior to spring break is deemed “Experience Week,” and is completely dedicated to P3. The week is full of field trips, community service, guest speakers, workshops, and other hands-on activities. The culmination of the project is our P3 Expo at the end of Experience Week, where all middle schoolers share their solutions, prototypes, and knowledge with our community. 

Past projects have included:

  • Equal Pay in Women's Sports
  • Climate Change
  • Mental Health
  • Podcasting
  • Animal Shelters
  • Improving Roycemore's Schedule

Learn more about P3 and view past student work.

"Getting a new passion is opening a door to new possibilities." Middle School Student

Each spring, the Lower School devotes a week to an in-depth, project-based study of design thinking and problem-solving. Different groups explore different aspects of a problem to be solved, working together in multi-age groupings that engender collaboration and team support. Students have proposed solutions for improving the playground, garden, and other outdoor spaces.

When I remember my years at Roycemore, it is clear to me that Roycemore’s culture of excellence and individuality has positively shaped my life since graduation. Roycemore emphasized learning through discovery, critical thinking, and challenging oneself; values that have remained with me to this day. Through my January Short Term projects, I learned and was inspired by the logic behind how computers operate and went on to study Computer Science in college. I still remember how I learned to critically analyze film on another JST project. Roycemore provided me with a truly unique experience. 
— Dr. Terry Gdoutos '05

Project Gallery

Meet Our E.A.G.L.E. Coordinator

Beth has worked at Roycemore School since 2006 when she joined the faculty as a Technology Coordinator and math teacher. She has taken on several different roles at Roycemore before arriving at the role of Director of Curriculum and Innovation. Previously, she was a high school math teacher in Chicago. Though her title has changed, her commitment to supporting the school’s innovation efforts, helping teachers be the best they can be, and inspiring lifelong learning for all has remained strong. She loves helping teachers learn new things and frequently presents at local, regional, and national conferences. Recent presentation topics include effective professional development, design thinking, and using Google tools in the classroom. Beth is a Google for Education Certified Trainer and Educator. 

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