Frequently Asked Questions
1. What grade levels does Summit serve?
Summit is an independent, coeducational day school for Pre-Kindergarten through Ninth Grade. The arc of learning at Summit begins with our Early Childhood Program (JrK and K) and continues through the Elementary Grades (1-5), the traditional middle school years (6-8) and culminates in a capstone Ninth Grade program. We are a vibrant learning community nurturing high standards of scholarship and intrinsically motivated learning.
2. What is an independent school and how is it funded?
Independent schools are distinct from other private schools in that they are independently governed by a board of trustees, and they do not depend on church funds as faith-based schools do, or on tax dollars as public schools do. Tuition and fees cover 88% of the cost of educating a student at Summit. The remaining amount is provided through annual fund-raising and income from the endowment.
3. Does Summit School offer financial assistance?
Sixteen percent of the student body receives need-based financial aid as part of the school's commitment to building a diverse community. The school awarded $878,000 in financial aid for the 2009-2010 school year.
4. What is the composition of the Summit student body?
Students come from 25 different zip codes. Students of color comprise 18% of the school. Of the 409 families at Summit, 66% have dual incomes or are single heads of household. We value racial, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic diversity, and we believe that every child brings a distinctive potential and a unique voice to Summit.
5. Does Summit have after school care?
Yes, for Junior Kindergarten through Grade 9, Summit offers both before and after school care at an additional cost. Students may come as early as 7:00 a.m. and stay as late as 5:45 p.m. The students enrolled in our after school program experience the same fertile learning environment as they learn cooking, woodworking, art, and music.
6. Is there school in the summer?
Summit offers six weeks of summer programming for students from age 4 through 9th grade. Course topics include sports, arts and academics. Morning and afternoon child care is available during the summer program.
7. What co-curricular activities does Summit offer?
Our educators engage the whole child, and each student participates in guidance, physical education, art, drama, pottery, and music. Those in grades 6-9 also take other activities such as photography, cooking, robotics, digital music, digital media, animation and television production. The school offers 21 athletic teams, chess club, math club, the opportunity to play in a band, as well as the Summit Afternoon Academy.
8. How many computers does Summit have?
Summit has seven computer rooms plus 2-5 computers in each classroom. There are a total of 440 computers available for student use. Students also use the television production studio to create their own broadcasts for Summit TV 6, our closed-circuit television channel. A Design Center and studios for digital music, digital media and animation encourage students of all ages to develop an intellectual independence.
9. Do students take a world language?
At Summit we teach French, Spanish, Latin and Mandarin Chinese. Our students will be adults in an increasingly complex world. To be successful, they must possess social, interpersonal and language skills as well as an awareness and appreciation of other cultures.
10. How large is the campus?
The 28-acre campus includes eleven instructional buildings and one residence (the Associate Head lives on campus). The physical plant is valued at almost $46 million. The campus includes a state-of-the-art Athletic Center and an Arts and Technology Building, as well as numerous gardens and courtyards.
