Roycemore School

1200 Davis Street

Evanston, IL 60201

43 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on November 14, 2024

One of Roycemores strengths is being able to support students with social emotional health. Everyone has bad days, and many faculty members and teachers are ready to support the students that express needing extra support. Roycemore values a students well being a lot, and makes students feel comfortable in having a safe space.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2024

We have a few children at this school and have had a wonderful experience. The children love the small team projects they work on and the curriculum is great. The grades mingle often and so the children get exposure to interacting with kids both younger and older than themselves. There are things like Parent's Night Out where the 7th and 8th grade kids watch K-4 kids for the evening and learn a lot about running an effective program for a group of young kids.The school emphasizes a total and well-rounded learning experience. There are great whole school events and a caring and supporting parent community. We're happy to send our children here!
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2023

My student started at Roycemore for 8th grade. We moved from another independent school in Chicago. My student had struggled to make friends and had been bullied at her previous school. Roycemore's small size and individual attention has bolstered my student's confidence and given them the skills to become a class leader. When they graduate this year and go off to college I am confident they will be successful both academically and socially. The education Roycemore offers academically is appropriately challenging and prepares students for college. Socially my student has had the opportunity to become a leader in a number of activities and clubs and built their confidence. They would not have had the individual attention or the opportunities if they had attended a larger private school or a public school. We will always be grateful we found Roycemore, a true hidden gem.
Submitted by other on April 17, 2023

I am a proud Roycemore alumna. I am also involved in several aspects of the current school community and have extensive professional experience with independent schools. The recent 1 star review dated Mar 24, 2023 does not reflect my experience as a student at Roycemore nor the current climate at Roycemore School. Roycemore is a unique small school that prides itself on engaging, encouraging and challenging its student body. I was well-prepared for college, graduate and professional education. After Roycemore, I attended a highly competitive elite college and graduate and professional schools at internationally recognized universities. Many of the skills and values I learned at Roycemore inform my life and work to this day. These values include open and honest communication and respect for others. Perhaps this parent should consider the importance of modeling these skills and values to her child and have an open dialogue with the Head of School instead of posting such virulent posts about their child’s alleged experiences. I would note the Head of School is a compassionate, insightful, knowledgeable and experienced educator. I think anyone interested in a thoughtful individualized educational experience for their child should consider Roycemore.
Submitted by principal on April 17, 2023

Roycemore is unlike any other school that I have been a part of. The attention to the individual needs of students, and fostering an equitable and inclusive environment is unmatched. Roycemore students are creative, curious, and intelligent. They are given opportunities to discover their passions and pursue their interests from a young age. They have a skill set that allows them to navigate the unknown with confidence, and think outside the box. There are many extracurricular activities for students to participate in outside of the classroom as well. Because Roycemore is an intentionally small school, the ability to tailor extracurricular activities to the interests of students is possible -- more so, encouraged. I would highly recommend Roycemore's education and community to anyone interested in a meaningful, challenging, and nurturing educational experience for their child(ren).
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2023

I don't feel confident that academic rigor is up to par, or that my student is being adequately prepared for the college environment. There is a lot of busywork assigned, but not much that challenges the intellect or cultivates analytical thought. The school is heavily embedded in the "woke" culture and it is not comfortable for students with differing views to voice their thoughts. It is concerning to me that some of the teachers are a little too chummy with students and say things they shouldn't (sometimes about other students) which is highly unprofessional. I detest the attitude the school has toward athletics (going so far as to trash talk their own sports teams). I understand not wanting to perpetuate jock culture but this is too far to the other extreme. I can't stand that students don't have regular PE, and that extracurricular activities and elective classes are nearly non-existent. For the few extracurricular activities that are offered, scheduling and communication is atrocious and makes it very difficult for parents to plan transportation. We are not fans of the student culture here, it's coddled and quite frankly weird. The school administrators are very unaware that the students are not even remotely enthusiastic about the innovation center they are seeking gobs of money to finance.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2022

Roycemore is a fantastic school. Enrolling at Roycemore was the best decision we've made for our kids so far. That being said, if you're looking for a variety of varsity sports or a choice of extracurricular activities, this may not be the right school for you. Roycemore focuses on project-based learning in a small class environment with a mix of traditional instruction and individual project development. If your child is comfortable in a small class setting and doesn't mind being challenged or encouraged to develop public speaking and presentation skills, they will love this school.
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2021

Great school. Excelente academics. Teachers really care. Good activities
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2019

Small parking lot where parents with big fancy cars bully the average folks with average cars. The school is not all that they make it out to be.
Submitted by parent on May 22, 2018

Roycemore is an amazing school with exceptionally strong academics without all the pressure. Its family feel is evident every day with a faculty unsurpassed in their dedication to each and every child.
Submitted by parent on February 19, 2018

Outstanding experience for my middle school son! He was supported in every way; academically, socially and emotionally. Challenging teachers who were respectful of outside interests. Learning takes place at school instead of parents struggling for hours with pointless homework. Administration planned social activities for students during school hours such as allowing the students to pick a restaurant to visit together off campus (supervised) for lunch once a month. They really get the middle school child. It's the place to be of you want a happy, healthy child!
Submitted by other on December 12, 2017

Going to Roycemore for high school was one of the best decisions I ever made. Five years ago, I began looking at schools that were academically rigorous and had a supportive teaching staff. Roycemore had both and something else no other school around had; a genuinely kind and happy student body. During my perspective student visit, most students went out of their way to interact with me and to ensure that I felt welcome. At Roycemore, I took, and succeed in, eight AP classes, had a sufficiently strong academic résumé to get me into my first-choice college (Haverford), but most importantly, I was happy. Roycemore is a home and its community a family. It was the place I rushed to in the mornings, and that I was reluctant to leave at night. I am writing this review in the hopes of more students experiencing what it feels like to actually enjoy going to school, to be an equal member of a family, and to not just a name on an attendance sheet. I could not recommend this school more.
Submitted by parent on November 20, 2017

Roycemore is a truly unique place where my kids are thriving. I have 2 children in Roycemore's Lower School, one of whom struggles with learning differences and other of whom is far above grade level. It amazes me that both of them are doing amazingly well. THIS is true differentiation (a word I hear but do not see often). All that, plus they get 40 minutes to eat lunch, 45 minutes at recess and 30 minutes of PE, each of these EVERY DAY!!! Best of all, they LOVE going to school each day. I could not be happier with our experience at this wonderful, loving place.
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2017

WE LOVE ROYCEMORE!After extensive research on schooling options across the North Shore, my husband and I decided to apply to Roycemore for our then five-year-old daughter. This probably was one of the best parenting decisions that we have made so far. Now a second grader, our daughter has been thriving academically, socially, and emotionally at Roycemore. In addition to my topical comments below I would to emphasize two more points about the school:The diversity: The school operates on a sliding tuition model that allows kids from a variety of social and ethnic backgrounds to learn to know and respect each other. According to the most recent statistics, 48% of Roycemore kids come from non-Caucasian families. In addition, the school models a sense of social responsibility by taking part of several community-oriented projects throughout the academic year.The space: the facilities are bright, clean, colorful. I feel happy each time I come in. Also the location in down-town Evanston near the Metra, the L, the post-office and a range of shops has turned out to be super convenient.ROYCEMORE ROCKS!
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2017

Best decision I made for my son. The Kindergarten teacher/program has a great approach to the curriculum and my son is learning leaps and bounds. I could not express enough how amazing the school is. There is a school house feeling with teachers and administration that have been there for years and alumni that have gone back to teach or send their children to their old alma mater. I love their approach to "community" and learning. There is not enough good to say about Roycemore.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2017

My kids love Roycemore school everyone is awesome there.
Submitted by parent on September 08, 2017

Roycemore is a wonderful place where students are valued for who they are. The teachers really care about the students and it shows.
Submitted by parent on July 06, 2017

We are very satisfied with our experience and interaction with the student population, parental community and faculty. They have provided a positive learning environment to support our children and their educational needs.
Submitted by parent on June 30, 2017

I am a licensed Clinical Psychologist board certified in treating families. I am also a professor at Northwestern University. I say all of that to say that I was almost obsessive when looking for a school for our daughter. We looked at EVERY major private school in the greater Chicagoland area and when you look at ALL of the major quality indicators of a successful school, I promise that you will not find a school that compares! The academics are top notch and are scaffolded by teachers committed to teaching kids how to learn! The teachers don't just lecture, but rather use a multi methodological approach to ensure they reach every child. Moreover, they have mastered differentiated instruction and they are transparent with children about how to learn the concepts and extract pertinent knowledge. Roycemore is small by design. That may be a turn off to some because there is no such thing as a one size fits all mentality. However, for us it is a perfect fit because we wanted our child to be known and to be appropriately pushed. Despite the small size, Roycemore has ample opportunities for extracurricular activities! We also love the family like atmosphere of Roycemore and most importantly so does our daughter! She has thrived in this environment! My wife and I feel as though we stumbled on a goldmine! I would also be remissed if I didn't mention their outstanding commitment to diversity! Roycemore is not only one of the most diverse independent schools in the region, but it is also a school that values diversity! The ethos of the school is to embrace and appreciate differences! This is inextricably linked too their character education. I truly believe that if everyone went to a school like Roycemore we would be better off as a society! No school is perfect and I don't claim to suggest Roycemore is perfect. I will say that I firmly believe there is no school that is stronger than Roycemore when you take into consideration all factors. And with Roycemore's new Headmaster who is already winning over the hearts and minds of many parents, the future for Roycemore couldn't be brighter! For those families on the search for a new school, please give Roycemore a close look! You will NOT be disappointed!!!
Submitted by parent on June 22, 2017

Terrible! They had kids of 4 years old watch films for 3 hours in a row. I have never seen teachers who could care less about the children!