In preparation for the first day of school, please review this newsletter with important upcoming events and start of school details. Be sure to always check our school website for more information, http://www.reyn.org/summitroadelementary_home.aspx

August

19 - Summit Meet the Teacher

21 - First Day of School (Last name: A-K)

22 - First Day of School (Last name: L-Z)

23 - All Students Attend School

September

2 NO SCHOOL – Labor Day

20 Walk-a-Thon Fundraiser Ends

October

4 Walk-a-Thon

We are using TalkingPoints as our main communication method. Parent/Guardians will be automatically enrolled with your phone number and e-mail addresses on file in the office.

It is very important that your phone number is updated so you can stay up to date with information from the building!

Any changes in phone number, e-mail address, or other important information should be communicated to the front office.

To help ease your child’s adjustment to school, we will be initiating a split start for all students the first two days of school.

The split start will take place as follows:

A student whose last name begins with A-K, WILL attend school Wednesday, August 21

but will NOT attend school on Thursday, August 22.

A student whose last name begins with L-Z, will NOT attend school Wednesday, August 21

but WILL attend school on Thursday, August 22.

All students will attend school on Friday, August 23, 2024

Please note:4th and 5th grade will be departmentalized. Students will change classes for Reading, Math, and Science/Social Studies.

Hello Summit Road STEM Families! My name is Matthew Jacobs, and I am excited to introduce myself as the new principal for Summit Road STEM Elementary. I cannot wait to begin meeting the students, families, and community members of Summit Road STEM, and Reynoldsburg. From a family of teachers, I knew the education calling was for me after High School. I attended Ashland University for Early Childhood Education, and my Masters in Educational Leadership from Ohio Dominican. Previously, I have been an elementary teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal.

As an Ohio native, I am a fan of all Ohio sports teams especially the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians, and Ohio State Buckeyes. My free time is mostly spent with family including my wife Sarah, one year old, Janie, and our extended families. When we do get some free time, I enjoy volunteering with our Therapy dog, Kip, spending time by a bonfire, and relaxing outside.

I know that creating a community of achievement is a team effort. The staff at Summit Road STEM are amazing advocates for education, and our partnership with you is something I am looking forward to.

My name is April Washington, and I am thrilled to serve as the assistant principal for Summit Road STEM Elementary. With 16 years of experience in education, I have held various roles, including classroom teacher, reading specialist, ILT chair, union building representative, and member of the district strategic leadership team in the Cincinnati area. I was honored with the Teacher of the Year award at a charter school in Cincinnati.

Originally from the Cleveland suburbs of East Cleveland and Shaker Heights, Ohio. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Notre Dame College, and a Master of Art in Curriculum Development and Teacher Leadership from Miami University. Additionally, I obtained a principal license from Miami University and held a Reading Endorsement from Xavier University. Education runs in my family, as my passion for this field comes from my mother, Sadie Washington, who taught in East Cleveland for three decades. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, playing tennis, reading, and volunteering in the children's ministry at church. I am dedicated to creating nurturing learning environments and am enthusiastic about the growth and success of both staff and students in education.

STEM education is an integrated approach to innovative teaching and learning where rigorous academic concepts are learned through real-world, problem-based experiences. The Ohio STEM School Designation was created to award and recognize schools that are exemplars of this work.

STEM Designated Schools such as Summit Road STEM, employ highly effective teachers and leaders who meet the needs of the whole child. In addition, these schools have well-established partnerships with businesses, non-profit organizations, institutes of higher education and other entities in their communities to prepare students for post-high school success.

Summit Road STEM is excited to be one of six schools last year, which were redesignated by Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

Hello Summit Road Families and welcome to our 4th Annual Walkathon Fundraiser event! This is a super fun event for the whole school and an important fundraiser for Summit. We will raise money leading up to the actual event in September. We will have music and some giveaways to motivate us along the way. Our Walkathon will have a “Level Up” theme and students can wear something to represent their favorite video game to show their spirit as they walk to raise money for Summit Elementary on Friday, October 4, 2024. More information will be at our Meet the teacher Night on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 from 4:30-6:00pm.

Fundraising Starts Today!

Walk-a-thon donations are collected through our personalized webpage at 99Pledges, https://app.99pledges.com/fund/SUMMITRd. Our goal is to raise $10,000. You will receive an email from 99Pledges with a link to your student’s pledge page. Simply share your link with friends and family to make their flat rate donations. It's that simple! No keeping up with miles or laps, just one flat rate donation. If you don’t receive a link, you can search and find your student’s page by clicking the button below.

Purpose of Walk-a-thon

Summit Road STEM Elementary will be hosting our 4th Annual Walkathon fundraiser and we are so excited for this event! Funds raised from our Walkathon will be used to support our Environmental STEM focus by helping to update our Makerspace for students, purchase books, classroom supplies, and materials for our gardens, courtyard, and Ecolab, help cover the cost of transportation for outdoor education trips, purchase materials and resources for our Culinary and Ornithology Labs; and other special school events/activities. The more money we raise, the more we can support our students and STEM program at Summit! *If sponsors are unable to use the 99Pledges site, we will gladly accept cash, check, or money orders. Contact Mr. Jacobs with questions regarding the fundraiser.

Walk-a-thon Event

Our Walk-a-thon will take place on Friday, October 4th, 2024 at 9:30, parents are invited to attend! All pledges must be submitted by Friday, September 22, 2023. Start raising money TODAY!

Forms available during Meet the Teacher Night or sent home the 1st day of school. Please complete and return ASAP. Thank you

EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION FORM: (purple form)

Please complete legibly and return to the school no later than Monday, August 26th, 2024.

This important form updates our school with your most current contact information. In addition, students who have not updated this form will not be able to participate in any school field trips we may plan this year.

Any changes in RESIDENCY, CHILD CUSTODY, NAME CHANGES and/or PARENTAL STATUS need to be updated within 10 days of the legal date. Failure to present required documents may constitute a falsification of enrollment status.

Please contact the Welcome Center (614-501-1033) with any questions.

2024-25 Bus Routes will be available at the link below

Enter your user name (your student ID number, which is the last 6 digits)

Enter password (default is student ID number, which is the last 6 digits)

Follow instructions to change password (only for first time users)

Click students tab at the top left corner of the page

Click view my student from the drop down

Click on student name

Bus Information will appear:

- If you have more than one student in the district all of your students’ names will appear and you can click on each student to get their bus stop information.

REMEMBER: Please arrive at your bus stop about 15 minutes early. RCSD buses are scheduled tightly, so last minute enrollment and withdrawals might affect routes. Adjustments also are likely in the first weeks of the school year.

Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade

• Backpack
• Headphones*(over the ear)
• Rain boots (large enough to fit all year)

*please note: this may need to be replaced throughout the school year

Summit Road will be providing all students with their additional supplies and resources this school year.