Summit School Newsletter

Dear Summit School Community,

I hope this message finds you well and in good spirits. I am thrilled to share some fantastic news and upcoming events that have our Sabrecat family buzzing with excitement.

First and foremost, our Girls Cross Country team has achieved a remarkable feat by clinching the State Championship title. It is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship. Congratulations to our outstanding athletes for this incredible achievement!

Furthermore, we are delighted to announce that our Elementary Cybercat Robotics team has been awarded the Elementary Excellence Award. This recognition is a testament to their exceptional talent, creativity, and innovation. In addition, we are elated to share that this team has been invited to compete in the prestigious US Open in Iowa. This is a tremendous opportunity for our students to showcase their skills on a national stage, and we couldn't be prouder of their accomplishments.

We also celebrated a heartwarming event with the successful "New Friends Lunch." This event brought together our newest Sabrecats and the wonderful students who have warmly welcomed them to our school. The sense of belonging and community that this event fostered truly embodies the spirit of Summit School.

In other exciting news, we are pleased to announce that Miss Gayle will be returning to preschool in early November. Her presence and dedication have been missed, and we are looking forward to her continued positive impact on our young learners.

Looking ahead, we have an engaging lineup of events:

Dodie Blomberg Parent Education Event: We will be hosting Dodie Blomberg, https://dodieblomberg.com/, for a special parent education event. Don't miss this valuable opportunity to gain insights into your child's learning journey.

Halloween Hoopla (Friday): Get ready for some spooky fun and festivities as we celebrate Halloween as a community. We encourage all our students and families to join in the festivities and wear their costumes.

Community Advisory Team (CAT): Our first meeting of the Community Advisory Team is just around the corner. This will be a platform for parents to collaborate and shape the future of Summit School.

Family Picnic (November 21): Diversity & Inclusivity will be sharing information soon about this community event at Summit.

Hovercraft Project: We are excited to announce that our 4th to 6th-grade students will have the opportunity to participate in the thrilling Hovercraft Project this spring. This hands-on experience promises to be both educational and exhilarating.

These accomplishments and upcoming events demonstrate the strength of our Summit School community and the boundless potential that lies ahead. We look forward to your continued support and involvement as we embark on these exciting journeys together.

Thank you for being an integral part of our extraordinary Summit School community. Your enthusiasm and commitment are invaluable, and we are excited to celebrate these milestones and create more memories together.

Wishing you all a wonderful day, and stay tuned for more remarkable achievements in the days and months to come!

Warm regards,

Dr. Stephanie Nardi

Head of School

The Pre-K Whales have been learning all about pumpkins! First, we spent a week learning about the pumpkin life cycle and the parts of a pumpkin. We learned about the shape of a pumpkin (sphere) and recognized more spheres throughout our classroom! We even made our own pumpkin patch in the preschool hallway. Then, we spent a week learning about the inside of a pumpkin. We cut it open and discovered what was inside (seeds, pulp, and flesh), and a big open space! Then, we decided to see if it would float! All the students had a chance to hold the big pumpkin and use background knowledge to decide if it would sink or float. Most thought it would sink because it was so heavy! We were so surprised when it floated but then we remembered what we saw inside the pumpkin – that big space was filled with air! We also conducted a mystery science experiment by mixing some ingredients into a small, pie pumpkin. We added glue, water, and liquid starch! As we began mixing it all together, the students noticed it became sticky and stretchy and was turning into pumpkin slime! The students had this as a surprise center for that day, it was full of pumpkin seeds and pulp and became a great sensory experience. We finished our learning with a pumpkin taste test. We tested out pumpkin puree, roasted seeds, pumpkin pie, muffins, and bread! The students colored in a happy or frowny face on their recording sheet as they tried each food. The pumpkin bread was a fan favorite!

It was an outstanding weekend for the girls and boys cross country team! The girls dominated the competition and captured the State Championship! Seven Summit girls received medals placing in the top 15! Medal winners include:

Carly 5th

Camille 9th

Lucy 11th

Savannah12th

Nina13th

Josie 14th

Amaya 15th

Harper and Emma also had incredible performances for the Summit team!

The boys finished 4th place in our Division overall. Rohan and Zane led the team earning 4th and 11th place medals respectively. Ries, Sayan, Ethan, and Carson had unbelievable performances overall! Almost every runner ran a personal record for the day. We are so proud of our Sabrecats!

Our lone team (Royal Cybercats) participated in Saturday's VEX IQ robotics tournament and came home with the Elementary Excellence Award.

"The Excellence Award is the highest award presented in the VEX Robotics competition. This award is presented to a team that exemplifies overall excellence in building a high-quality robotics program. This team is a strong contender in numerous award categories"

Congrats to Anya, Declan, Nathan, and Amelia! Unfortunately, Amelia was not able to make it today.

This tournament was a blended tournament as it included MS teams as well as elementary teams. They placed 4th place in both skills and teamwork, behind 3 MS teams. This includes beating all 5 BASIS Ahwatukee MS teams.

Next tournament will be in Laveen on Dec 9th.

I am so excited to let you know that I will be returning to the classroom on November 6th!

Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and support, while I began my recovery from the car accident that occurred on Meet The Teacher night. I am so pleased that the next step in my recovery is getting back to work!

I am eternally grateful to the Summit staff and community for the love and support they have shown me! I am also appreciative of all the hard work Ms. Julie, Ms. Olivia, and the rest of the preschool team tackled in my absence!

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Gayle

Did you know that you qualify for significant tuition reimbursement through the Arizona Universal ESA program if you have a Summit Student in K-8? This program is designed to support families in securing the best education for their children.

To discover more about the Arizona Universal ESA program and how it can benefit your family, we encourage you to visit our dedicated Tuition Assistance page at https://summitschoolaz.org/tuition-assistance/. Here, you will find valuable information, resources, and guidance on the reimbursement process.

For any specific inquiries or assistance related to the program, please do not hesitate to contact Carrie Slade at Carrie.Slade@SummitSchoolAZ.org. She will be more than happy to address your questions and provide personalized support.

At Summit School, we are committed to making high-quality education accessible to all families. We believe that this program can make a significant difference in your educational journey, and we are here to assist you every step of the way.

Thank you for being part of our Summit School community, and we look forward to helping you explore this valuable opportunity.

Congratulations to these Sabrecats for being sent to Mrs. France with POSITIVE office referrals!

Mrs. Bernice said, “Quinn unselfishly helps the teachers assistants at lunch. She reminds the students of their responsibilities using the microphone and is a great leader!”

Ms. Vosseller said, “Margot always had a kind word or compliment for others. She cheers others on and encourages others to do their best!”

Mrs. Phillips stated, "Kelvin has become the water bottle helper of the class. This is not an assigned job. He has taken it on to be the one who find the forgotten bottles on campus."

Ms. Jude said, "Mercedes took it upon herself to clean up a mess with the sand that she didn't make. She is always friendly and respectful with a positive attitude."

Mrs. Harris stated, "Rohan has been a spectacular friend and has been helping another student by carrying their belongings while he is on crutches. He gets his lunch from the office for him daily as well. What a great example of being caring, kind and helpful, Rohan!”

Just as reading and literacy are crucial for a child's development, math skills are equally essential for their academic and life success.

At Summit, we believe that math education doesn't have to be limited to drills and exercises. Math can be an enjoyable and interactive experience for your child, one that can be incorporated into everyday conversations and activities. My goal as the math coach is to provide you with resources and guidance on how to make math an exciting part of your daily routine.

To help you with this endeavor, I recommend these excellent resources that can assist you in promoting math at home:

• Table Talk Math: A Practical Guide for Bringing Math Into Everyday Conversations: This book by John Stevens offers practical and creative ways to integrate math discussions into everyday life. It provides you with engaging activities and conversation starters that can make math a part of family discussions, whether you're at the dinner table or simply spending time together. This book is a great resource if your child is in elementary school.

• Talking Math with Your Kids by Christopher Danielson (Kindle): Christopher Danielson's book provides insights into the thought processes behind mathematical concepts and strategies to have meaningful math conversations with your children. This resource can help demystify math and make it more accessible for both you and your child. This is a good book to read, if your child is in pre-school and/or in k-2nd grade.

• Podcast: Mathisfigureoutable Part 1

• Podcast: Mathisfigureoutable Part 2

• Tips for Caregivers pdf

By incorporating math into your daily life, you'll not only reinforce what your child is learning at school but also foster a positive attitude towards math. Children who see math as fun and applicable to their everyday experiences are more likely to excel in this subject.

I encourage you to take advantage of these resources and engage in math talks at home. Share your own mathematical thinking with your child, ask open-ended questions, and explore math concepts together. Whether you're measuring ingredients while cooking, calculating discounts while shopping, or discussing patterns in nature, these everyday opportunities can be rich learning experiences.

I will be hosting a virtual “Talking Math with Your Child” for grades K-2 on Wednesday, November 29 at 6:30.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further guidance.

Ms Danforth

Wednesday, November 1

Presented by Preschool

Wednesday, November 15

Presented by Grade 2

Wednesday, December 6

Presented by Grade 4

• Guardians are responsible for transporting their children to and from school.

• Guardians and visitors must park in designated lined parking spaces only.

• Do not park in such a way to hinder the flow of traffic or jeopardize the safety of children.

• Parking is not allowed along the red curbs.

• Do not park in the designated spaces purchased by guardians at the annual Summit School Auction.

• State law prohibits neglect and endangerment of children. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle at any time, and always use car seats and seat belts.

• Students cannot be dropped off in the parking lots.

• Pedestrians are not permitted to cut through the carline.

• Please do not try to meet with teachers while they are supervising carline.

• There is no use of wireless phones (or other digital devices) while in the carline.

• At dismissal, please do not arrive earlier than 15 minutes before your child’s dismissal, time as this blocks our fire lane and inhibits emergency vehicles from entering our facility.

• Summit School is not responsible for damage to vehicles or theft. Please secure all valuables and use caution while moving through the parking lot and carline areas.

• Key fobs will allow access to campus on scheduled school days at the following times/locations:

• Front Office doors during office hours (7:45 AM – 3:45 PM)

• Front blue gate during drop off (8:00 AM – 8:15 AM), pick up (3:15 PM – 3:30 PM) and afternoon extended day (3:30 PM – 6:00 PM)

• Front Office doors will be unlocked for drop off until 8:30 AM. After 8:30 AM, K-8 students must be walked into the office by an adult that will need to sign the student in to school using the School Check In system located in the front office.

• When leaving campus, you must exit through the Front Office during the school day (8:15 AM – 3:15 PM) and not through the outdoor gates.

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