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Mission, Philosophy, & History

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Our Mission

Educating and inspiring gifted students to think as individuals and to engage as a community with compassion for each other and this world.

Our Philosophy

Upon retiring from the school, founders George and Annemarie Roeper outlined the principles underlying what would evolve into the Roeper Philosophy, influenced by their heritage and shaped by their experiences, particularly in Nazi Germany.

Recognizing each individual's worth and potential, celebrating diversity, and fostering responsibility, our teachers empower students to take ownership of their learning journey. Through nurturing relationships, trust, and equality, we cultivate self-motivated learners and critical thinkers, ready to navigate the modern world. Committed to our founders' legacy, Roeper offers a vibrant learning environment where students flourish intellectually, artistically, and emotionally.

The Roeper Philosophy (2010 version)

The Core Tenets of the Roeper Philosophy

History

The Roeper School was founded in 1941 by German educational pioneers George and Annemarie Roeper.

Forced to flee Nazi persecution, they came to America in 1939 vowing to establish a school that would educate children to participate in the world as caring, humane adults. They originally settled in Detroit then moved the school to Bloomfield Hills in 1946.

In 1956, the Roepers focused their mission on educating gifted children, making it the oldest independent school for gifted children in the United States. In 1981, the Roepers added a second campus in Birmingham, Michigan, creating learning communities for students from preschool through grade 12.