Summit School Newsletter
INNOVATIVE TEACHING. EXPERT EDUCATORS. THRIVING STUDENTS.
May 19, 2023
From the Head of School...
As we wrap up 22-23, let's take a moment to reflect on a successful school year.
- A new toddler program in the preschool.
- The Student Council collected 18,000 diapers for families in need.
- Athletics had an amazing year with a 10-0 volleyball season, new junior cheerleaders, a golf state champion, and a boys' basketball state championship.
- Robotics was exceptional this year wrapping up with a 9th in the world finish and many other awards including Robotics Teacher of the Year for Mr. Douwstra.
- Japanese, ASL, and Drone Flight School became a part of the Summit Middle School experience.
- Our math students did fantastic in the Noetic Math Competition.
- Our Spanish National Exam scores jumped up considerably over 2022.
- Enrichment Wednesday brought opportunities to our 1-8 students that included theater, poetry, dance, culinary, STEM, art, and ASL.
- And, many more individual, class, team, and school celebrations.
We look forward to continuing to share Summit School with you in 2023-24. Watch for messages from Summit in July as we prepare for the upcoming August start, and enjoy your summer break and time with your children. Thank you for all you do.
Congratulations Class of 2023!
Welcome Back Alumni!
End of the Year Data
Below you can see our 2022-23 assessment data by test, grade level, and subject. As you look over the results, consider that the data reflects national norms. With that, 50% is considered the norm. Our students consistently score well above 50%, and in many cases are well in the 90 percentile or higher. We know that these assessments are a single snapshot of progress, and we meet regularly to discuss student classroom achievement and struggles in relation to this data to make educational decisions.
In addition to the data you see here, our students in grades 3-8 participated in Arizona State Testing in literacy, math, and science. Those results will be shared when they are received later in June.
Please note the large jump our middle school students made in Spanish this year. We recognize that Ms. Collins has successfully implemented a strong Spanish program for our students, and we look forward to continued progress.
Assessment FAQs
What is the Fountas & Pinnell Reading Assessment? Why is there no fall data for kindergarten? Fountas & Pinnell is a teacher administered assessment of reading decoding and comprehension that is not new to Summit School. It helps teachers to determine a student's instructional reading level and reading comprehension goals. This assessment is given at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. There is no kindergarten fall data as this assessment is not typically administered until January in kindergarten.
What is STAR? STAR is a nationally normed standardized assessment for students in grades K-8. At Summit School, we will be giving this assessment to our students at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Students in kindergarten will take the early literacy assessment and math assessment, and will not take their first assessment until January. Students in grades 1-8 will take both reading and math assessments. The results of these assessments will be used to help teachers make decisions about instruction, intervention, and enrichment for our students.
What does the shaded row on the data report refer to? The shaded row of information on the data report refers to the expected or average range for a student at the grade level tested. For Fountas & Pinnell this is referred to as “meets expectations.” For the STAR assessment, these students would be in the middle or roughly 50th percentile of national scores. The range on STAR is recorded at 40-60% to account for standard deviations. As you can see from our data, the majority of our students exceed or are in the top percentages in the nation.
What does Average GE mean? Average GE stands for average grade equivalent. This is the average grade level equivalent that our students are performing at on this assessment. Your specific child’s GE was shown on the parent letter you received.
What does Average Yrs Ahead mean? This number shows the average number of grade level years our students are ahead of the national average. This number is derived from the GE above.
What will Summit School do with this information? Regular data collection is necessary to help Summit make informed decisions about instruction, intervention, enrichment, and overall programming. The data collected will be reported out to parents and the Summit Community on a regular basis.
Calling all athletes!!
Go Sabrecats!!
Join Us for Camp Invention!
Join us at Summit School for Camp Invention!
Scholarships are available. Contact Dr. Nardi for scholarship information.
https://invent-web.ungerboeck.com/programsearch/moreinfo.aspx?event=39705
2023-24 Sabrecat Athletics
We are looking forward to another successful year of Sabrecat Athletics in 23-24. Season one registrations will be opening on Monday, May 15, and we are welcoming a new Athletic and Activities Director to Summit School on May 22. Craig Kroupa, Summit basketball coach and substitute teacher, will be joining the Sabrecat team with Mr. Wimbish’s departure.
Along with a new Athletic and Activities Director, there have been some positive changes to our athletic program for the 23-24 school year.
Eligibility and Teams
After discussions with both the CAA and our Athletic Committee, we have restructured our teams with a developmental program for grade 4 (and grade 5 or 6 for some sports) that will practice and play non-CAA scrimmages as schedules allow, but will not officially participate in CAA competitions. Our student athletes in grades 5-8 (only 6-8 for some sports) will compete through CAA as in the past. This will enable our younger Summit athletes to build their skills and prepare for conference competition. Watch for clinic opportunities throughout the school year as well.
Registration and Fees
To create a uniform and predictable process, our registration windows are set for the 2023-24 school year and listed below. Communication will be sent out via email prior to each window opening. Fees have been standardized. With the exception of Junior Cheer, all developmental registration fees will be $150 per sport, per athlete. All regular team fees will be $300 per sport, per athlete. Fees cover costs related to each sport including CAA registration, venue fees, referee fees, and coach stipends.
Coed Junior Cheerleading
Coed Junior Cheerleading has been an exciting new addition to our program. Due to participant requests, we have expanded the program to include PreK-grade 4 students. The fee for Junior Cheerleading will be $200 plus the price of the cheer skirt, briefs, and socks (or shorts and socks). For students who participated in Junior Cheer in 22-23, you will only need to order a new skirt, briefs, and socks if yours no longer fit. Tops and poms will be provided by Summit. Cheer lasts through multiple seasons and the schedule is yet to be determined.
Our 2023-24 Sabrecat Athletics Program
Season 1
Registration window- May 15 to June 19
Girls' Volleyball (grade 4 developmental, grades 5-8 middle school teams)
Coed Cross Country (grade 4 developmental, grades 5-8 middle school team)
Season 2
Registration window- September 1 to September 15
Cross Country continues
Coed Junior Cheer (preK to grade 4)
Boys’ 7 v 7 Football (5 and 6 developmental, 7 and 8 middle school teams)
Season 3
Registration window- November 1 to November 21
Junior Cheer continues
Girls’ Basketball (4 and 5 developmental, 6-8 middle school teams)
Coed Flag Football (4 and 5 developmental, 6-8 middle school teams)
Season 4
Registration window- January 8 to January 29
Coed Golf (4 and 5 developmental, 6-8 middle school team)
Boys’ Basketball (4 and 5 developmental, 6-8 middle school teams)
Coed Track (teams to be determined based on registration)
Thank you for all you do to support your student athlete and the Sabrecat athletics program.
Season 1 Athletics
Registration for season 1 sports is now open and will remain open until Jun 19th, 2023. Season 1 sports will include the following:
Girls Volleyball grades 4-8
Cross Country grades 4-8
Volleyball will run from August 1st- October 7th. Cross Country will run from August 1st-Nov 4th.
New IBE 2023-24 Application to complete and submit to IBE!
Summit parents who utilize the Arizona Private School Tax Credits for tuition need to complete their preferred School Tuition Organization (STO) new application each spring. Please find the Institute For Better Education, IBE 2023-24 application here. Upon completion, please submit it and any required documents directly to IBE at Services@ibescholarships.org before June 1, 2023. IBE will only release tax credits towards tuition in July if they have a completed 2023-24 IBE application by that date. For questions regarding the application please visit www.ibescholarships.org or call 520-512-5438. If you use a different STO, please visit their website to find their 2023-24 application form.
Summit School Community Partnerships
Dear Community Member, Summit School is pleased to announce that we are starting a community partner program with businesses in our local community. We know that connections in the community are invaluable to the success of our school and our local businesses. We would like to invite you to become a Summit Community Partner. This partnership requires no donations or financial support. Instead, we ask for mutual participation. Here is how it works. You agree to be a Summit Community Partner by posting our Summit School Community Partner flyer, poster, or our Summit School brochures in your business. We add your logo to our Summit Community Partners website page and our weekly school digital newsletter. We will reach out to you when we have campus events that you may be interested in for the purpose of sponsorship, table displays, or other connections. We offer you the opportunity to add items or information to our new family welcome bags. To get started, please complete this form or reach out to Kyle Allen, Director of Admissions and Marketing at kyle.allen@summitschoolaz.org. In addition, please send your business logo as a .png or .jpg file to the email address above. Want to know more about Summit School? We would be happy to give you a tour of our campus. If you would like a tour or have any questions, please email Kyle Allen or call 480-403-9506. Thank you for your consideration. In Partnership, Dr. Stephanie Nardi Head of School
Support Our Summit School Community Partners
Summit School
Email: Summit.School@SummitSchoolAZ.org
Website: https://summitschoolaz.org/
Location: 4515 E Muirwood Dr, Phoenix, Arizona 85048, USA
Phone: 480.403.9500
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SummitSchoolAZ
Twitter: @SummitSchoolAhw