Royle School Royle Welcome 5-25-16

New Principal Approved for Royle School, Interim Principal John Grasso Departs

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Royle School’s next principal has been named by the Board of Education: Dean Ketchum, a former elementary and middle school teacher, principal and education official, will take over on July 1 from John Grasso, who was named interim principal in the summer of 2014. Here’s an announcement about Ketchum’s appointment that the school district sent out Wednesday to staff and parents:

Last evening, by a unanimous vote, the Darien Board of Education appointed Dean Ketchum as principal of Royle Elementary School, effective July 1, 2016. Mr. Ketchum graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor of arts in Classics and went on to earn both his master’s in education and administrative certificate. Mr. Ketchum began his career as an elementary teacher at Madison Elementary School in Norman, Oklahoma. After teaching first, third, fourth and fifth grades at Madison for seven years, he moved to the University of Oklahoma, where he served as senior program development specialist at the College of Continuing Education.

Around the World Festival at Royle School

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Third grade students at Royle Elementary School took a trip around the world without leaving the building this month. As part of an interdisciplinary unit, all Grade 3 students researched a country of their choice. Using the information from the research, students created presentations – slide shows, poster boards — to demonstrate a “Day In The Life” of a student living in that special place. As a culminating activity, students put together a booth or station with artifacts and food to represent their country. They then shared their new learning with parents and staff (pictured above).

Let Me Run 3-8-16

‘Let Me Run’ Program Registration Opens for 4th & 5th Grade Boys

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A running program for boys in 4th and 5th grade is open for registration this year, with teams at Royle, Ox Ridge, Tokeneke and Pear Tree Point schools in Darien. “We try to get boys from schools that don’t have programs onto another team, if possible,” said Shannon Silsby, an organizer at Royle School. You can reach her by emailing thesilsbys@optonline.net. Here’s the announcement about the program on the Royle Parent Teacher Organization website:

Let Me Run is back this Spring! This program inspires boys through the power of running to be courageous enough to be themselves, to build healthy relationships and to live an active lifestyle.