ROEPER
UNLOCK THEIR POTENTIAL
THE ROEPER APPROACH
A leader in gifted education, Roeper offers an inquiry-based program that focuses on the whole child and uniquely accomodates gifted students. Our approach offers the intellectual challenge gifted children crave and allows them to explore personal passions deeply and imaginatively.
We understand that gifted children face a complex journey to maturity, often navigating cognitive and emotional stages that don’t always align. Our nurturing environment supports their unique developmental journeys, helping them navigate their advanced cognitive abilities and emotional sensitivities. We empower students to become confident, independent thinkers, and compassionate, engaged citizens.
THE ROEPER STORY
George and Annemarie Roeper fled Nazi persecution and arrived in America in 1939 with a vow to establish a school that would educate children to become caring, humane adults engaged in the world. They founded The Roeper School on the principle that every child is a whole human being, worthy of respect and recognition, deserving every opportunity to fulfill their potential.
OUR MISSION
We empower gifted learners to be active and compassionate citizens of the world.
ROEPER
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GIFTED?
It means your child has an intensity that is never satisfied with easy answers. It means that even at a young age, they show glimmers of powerful thinking that make people pause.
To nourish their ingenuity, complexity, and enthusiasm, it takes an educational approach with unparalleled challenge, choice, and understanding. It takes Roeper.
GIFTEDNESS AT ROEPER
CAPABILITY
COLLABORATION
COMMITMENT
COMMUNICATION
CONNECTION
CREATIVITY
Excellence extends beyond academics to include arts, athletics, and other areas of learning. Capability integrates cognitive ability with curiosity and metacognitive skills, crucial for ongoing competence across domains.
The ability to interact and work productively with others toward the achievement of shared goals, including the ability to act with fairness and consideration for others and to contribute to and observe developmentally appropriate shared norms of behavior.
The ability to dedicate sustained attention to a specific task or undertaking. This includes both the ability to concentrate or remain focused in the moment and to plan long-term projects and to see them through to completion.
The ability to convey and process information and ideas effectively through oral, written, graphic, or other media. Communication includes expression in the fine and performing arts.
The capacity to feel and show empathy and understanding for the unique lived experience of others and value them intrinsically as individuals rather than as instruments, and to apply that empathy and understanding to work toward the good of the community.
The ability to generate novel works, ideas, and solutions to problems, including when working under conditions of constrained resources.
BIRMINGHAM CAMPUS MIDDLE & UPPER SCHOOLS
GRADES 6–12
Our Middle and Upper Schools offer a student-centric, collaborative learning environment rooted in the vision of the school’s founders who recognized the power of creativity, independence, and free thinking in education as early as the 1940s. This philosophy guides a curriculum that connects organically to both academic and life goals and embraces the idea that every student’s path is unique—and that’s what Roeper celebrates.
With a commitment to nurturing gifted students, Roeper provides a variety of academic opportunities at all levels, including capstone projects, independent study, and in-depth explorations through Interdisciplinary Week. We encourage students to engage deeply in subjects they are passionate about, with an emphasis on both breadth and depth of learning.
Our inclusive community also extends to athletics and performing arts through a no-cut policy, ensuring that every student has the chance to participate, grow, and contribute. Additionally, we are proud to be one of only 50 schools in the country—and the only school in Michigan—accepted into the Malone Online School Network. This provides students access to advanced coursework and collaborative opportunities with leading educators and students across the nation.
By fostering creativity, choice, and community, Roeper not only prepares students for college but equips them with the skills, empathy, and awareness necessary to lead meaningful lives in an interconnected world.
MIDDLE & UPPER SCHOOL
CLUBS
Anime Club
Asian Student Union
Automotive Club
Black Student Union
Book Club
Dance/Cheer Team
Entrepreneurship Club
Film Club
Finance Club
Forensics
Ghost Hunters
Jazz Combo
Jewish Student Union
March for Our Lives
Math Club
Michigan Junior Classical League
Model UN
Neurodiversity Alliance
People in Business Club
Physics Club
Pokemon Card Club
Roeper Helping Hands
Science and Social Justice
Science Olympiad
Sexuality and Gender Equality (SAGE)
Skateboard Club
Ski and Snowboard Club
Student Diversity Advisory Committee
Tally Hall Club
The Muse Magazine UMatter
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES 6–8
Our Middle School provides gifted students with the academic challenge and social-emotional support they need as they transition from childhood to adolescence. With small homeroom advisory groups, students have a steady foundation to manage academics, relationships, emotional wellbeing, and the increased independence that comes with middle school life.
Students are encouraged to take risks in a safe environment— whether working collaboratively on service-learning projects to benefit the greater community or diving into new interests through a wide range of electives. Interdisciplinary Week invites students to conduct in-depth research on a shared topic, fostering teamwork, curiosity, and deeper learning. Beyond the classroom, grade-specific trips to places like Camp Leelanau and Chicago offer opportunities for exploration, adventure, and community building.
With a curriculum that spans English, world languages, mathematics, science, arts, computer science, and more, middle school at Roeper offers students the chance to pursue advanced upper school coursework or independent study with faculty mentors. Here, students are not just preparing for the future— they are empowered to explore who they are today.
UPPER SCHOOL GRADES 9–12
At the Upper School, the humanistic values at the heart of our school’s philosophy empower students to embrace intellectual curiosity and personal responsibility. The closeknit community values respect, individuality, and cooperative learning, creating a space where students feel safe to take risks, explore their passions, and engage deeply with their education. Courses, many of which are honors level and above, challenge students to think critically, develop selfdirection, and grapple with ethical questions. With only two required courses—Health and American Government— students are free to design their academic journey based on personal goals and future aspirations.
Roeper’s commitment to learning extends beyond the classroom, integrating service learning locally and nationally. Whether exploring urban renewal in Detroit, meeting with legislators in Washington DC, students are encouraged to connect their passions with advocacy and agency.
Programs like Senior Projects exemplify Roeper’s emphasis on innovation and resilience, as students address complex challenges with confidence, supported by the school’s focus on both intellectual and emotional well-being.
ALUM HIGHLIGHT
“The skills I learned in MUN have been fundamental to my success after high school—both public speaking and collaborative/policy thinking.”
-Sydney Levy ’21
Student at Parsons School of Design invited to a United Nations meeting on Sustainability Development Goals
FORENSICS
2024 & 2025 STATE CHAMPS
“Forensics fosters a culture of interdependence, connecting students, building lifelong skills, and inspiring alumni to give back.”
Johnathan Dinneweth ’24 University of Michigan Engineering Student
ROEPER THEATER COMPANY
“Theater has impacted me by heavily improving my performance and memorization skills, but it has also helped me develop a community with my fellow actors.”
Sunny Middle School Student
ATHLETICS
“Athletics have allowed me to build community with peers outside of the classroom and to compete in a positive and encouraging environment.”
Natalie Upper School Student
ROBOTICS
“Robotics has strengthened my teamwork, problemsolving, and creativity, integrating skills from many classes to enhance my overall learning experience.”
Jordan Upper School Student
EQUITY
DIVERSITY JUSTICE INCLUSION
EQUITY AND JUSTICE
form the cornerstone of the Roeper philosophy. We integrate diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice into every aspect of our community, not merely as trends but as fundamental values.
AT ROEPER, WE SEE
• Diversity as meaningful differences.
• Equity as ensuring full access and meeting diverse needs.
• Inclusion as fostering belonging and valuing all perspectives.
• Justice as embodying equity, love, and compassion.
We uphold justice by providing equal opportunities and respecting the dignity of every individual, especially those historically marginalized. Our community values diversity, emphasizing the interdependence between individuals and our school. We strive to create a safe, inclusive environment where every voice is valued and heard.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY
We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and consider admission based on evidence of academic achievement, teacher recommendations, a personal interview, and an on-campus visit.
The Roeper School is an equal opportunity institution, and admits students of any race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin, granting them all rights, privileges, programs, and activities available to all students.
$5.0+ million in scholarships earned by 44 students in the class of 2024
YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE
Roeper students embark on a continuous journey beginning in the Lower School, nurtured in an environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, creativity, and responsibile citizenship. As they progress through the Middle and Upper Schools, students take ownership of their learning, exploring new interests, and developing their talents in a setting that encourages risk-taking and self-discovery. This approach ensures that by graduation, students have not only cultivated their unique passions but have also developed the skills to apply them effectively, leaving them well-prepared for the next stage in life.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
American University
Boston Conservatory at Berklee College for Creative Studies
Colorado School of Mines
Cornell University
Davidson College
Eastern Michigan University
Elon University
George Washington University
Harvard University
Hope College
Kalamazoo College
Miami University
Michigan State University
New York University
Northwestern University
Oakland University
Purdue University
University of Groningen
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
University of Wisconsin
Villanova University
Wayne State University
William & Mary
Yale University
$2.9M million given each year in financial aid 40% of families receive tuition assistance
TUITION & FINANCIAL AID
We provide substantial financial aid to support as many students as possible.
A few key details about our program:
• Roeper’s financial aid program is entirely need-based.
• Financial aid reduces tuition and does not need to be paid back. An independent third party assesses your financial situation.
• Scholarships are available for new students.
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