May 3, 1999
Volume 7, No. 8
You don’t want to miss Celebrate Summit! Friday, May 14, is the night to thank your child’s teachers and those responsible for creating Summit. It will be an evening of entertainment with Summit’s own Dean of Fun, Jeff Bradley. You should have received your invitation in the mail. If you haven’t, call Janet Christensen at 303-499-5786; otherwise send in your order form now.
Invitations are in the mail for parents of next year’s incoming students to come to a special Meet & Mingle on May 19, 1 - 2:30 PM, in the Community Meeting Room at the George Reynolds Branch Library, 3595 Table Mesa Drive. This will be an excellent opportunity to talk about Summit and to give the “inside scoop” to these parents! Bernie Grove and the PVC will host the meeting, and we will present information about specific ways to become involved in supporting the Summit community as parent volunteers. We believe that continuity of involvement and informed recruitment of new volunteers is very important for Summit. We look forward to seeing you there, too, to welcome new parents and for conversation about the events of this busy school year. Please drop by!
The Summit Board and PVC will host the 2nd Annual Summit Volunteer Recognition Breakfast on Saturday, May 29, at Eben Fine Park. The breakfast will again be catered by Jubilations. Watch for your volunteer invitation in the mail. Take a morning off and treat yourself to breakfast with us!
As we near the end of the year, we need to remain careful about procedures that help insure children’s safety. If your child will be absent, please call and let the office know. We need to be assured that you are aware of your child’s absence, and that the child is safe.
If you come for your child early, come to the office and check your student out. Do not remain in your car and expect your child to check out and join you. Also, do not go to the classroom to pick up your student without first checking in the office.
We appreciate your help with these simple safety precautions.
Fundraising Chairman Jeff Bradley reports that gifts are still coming in to Tools for Learning, which has surpassed its 1998-99 goal. "People send notes that say 'want to do my part,'" he explained. "They understand that their child or children have benefited from the generosity of others, and they want to do what they can to help."
Any surpluses in Tools for Learning donations are carried over to the next year, and will be spent to keep Summit strong. If you haven't made your donation this year, there's still time.
On Friday, June 11, a graduation party for the 8th grade class is being planned at the Elks Lodge. Watch for further details. If you would like to help, please contact Wendy Schermerhorn, 303-938-9150.
The Summit Board of Directors will have regular meetings on May 10 and 24 in the teachers' work room. Parents and staff are invited to attend, as always.
Congratulations to James Norton, who placed third in the state National History Day competition in the Individual Paper category, Junior Division.
A periwinkle blue, L. L. Bean, polar fleece vest with name inside was lost in the girls’ locker room 2-3 weeks ago. If found, please call Brita at 303-499-5786. Thanks.
It was a pleasure to see most of the incoming sixth-grade parents and students at registration night on April 28. We welcome you and hope that your forthcoming year at Summit is your best ever. In this article we offer you a "crash course" on Summit philosophy and expectations.
Philosophy. The Summit curriculum is designed to teach facts and knowledge ("content") and develop critical thinking skills ("process"). Lesson plans are deliberately varied to address both auditory/sequential and visual/spatial learning styles. At Summit we understand that students have different learning styles.
Level of Difficulty. Summit groups by ability in math, English, and foreign language. Honors math courses and most science and social-studies courses are accelerated (cover more material).
Gifted and Talented. Summit is not a G/T school. However, Summit was organized, in part, to effectively meet the needs of G/T students, including G/T students with special needs.
Core Classes. All students take English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language every year at Summit.
Electives. Students have two periods of electives every day. Some electives are offered on an every-other-day schedule, whereas others are on a daily schedule. Students may take an additional core class as an elective (e.g., a second foreign language).
Math. Incoming 6th-grade students will need to know their basic number facts and be ready for pre-Algebra. Students coming from elementary schools in which math is not stressed may need some workbooks, tutoring, or classes over the summer. Please consult Principal Bernie Grove, 303-499-9511, for suggestions.
Retention. Students who do not demonstrate an adequate level of mastery of the material in a given course are usually asked to repeat that course. This does not affect their advancement in other courses.
English. We offer four levels of English. Because English literature books are on a two-year cycle, students who repeat a year of English read different books. Advanced students who take English IV in 7th grade retake it in 8th grade.
Foreign Language. Students who complete Beginning, Level 1, and Level 2, and demonstrate competency, will be prepared to enter Level 3 (or I.B. Level 3) in high school.
Homework. The average homework load is 10 hours per week. Parents may help their students grasp concepts, they may edit their students' papers, but they may not do their students' homework for them.
Study Hall. Summit has a mandatory 20-minute study hall at the end of the school day. Students are able to get started on their homework or confer one-on-one with teachers on appointment. In addition, some students choose a study hall as one of their electives.
Discussion with Teachers. Summit has a policy of respectful communications with teachers; we will not tolerate abusive interactions. Parents with concerns about their student's education are always welcome to talk to the principal if problems cannot be resolved in polite conference with a teacher.
Grades. The average grade in core classes at Summit is B-. A grade of C is considered passing. For comparison to typical schools, a "rule of thumb" is to add one letter grade. Thus, a B- at Summit is probably comparable to an A- at most middle schools across the country.
Do not expect your child to get straight A's, especially during the first year. Please support your child in learning how to study and in adjusting to the demands and high expectations at Summit. Do not argue with teachers about grades (unless you suspect a computation error or an overlooked assignment). Remember, grades provide valuable information, and middle-school grades do not count toward high-school graduation standing.
Placement. Teachers recommend course placement to incoming students based on assessments and to continuing students based on performance at Summit. Parents may override these recommendations upon request, at their own risk.
Student Behavior. The leaders of tomorrow are at Summit today. We expect students to balance their exuberance with dignified behavior as appropriate. Disruption in the classroom is not allowed.
Volunteerism. We strongly encourage parents to volunteer to help at the school. Contact our volunteer coordinator, Barbry Hogue, 303-665-3798.
Last week the District released the results of its February 1999 "Snapshot" satisfaction surveys. Summit parent and staff satisfaction have increased steadily every year since the school opened. Although satisfaction was very high last year, the percentages of "strongly agree" responses were even higher this year. Especially high ratings were in areas related to student learning and learning environment.
Compared to District averages, Summit parents and staff expressed significantly higher agreement in all areas, especially if "strongly agree" responses are distinguished from just "agree."
In prior years, Summit parents were more satisfied than staff. This year, parent and staff responses were very closely correlated. (District wide, staff members tend to rate their schools higher than do parents.)
This year the District mailed only 157 surveys to Summit parents, compared to about 242 in 1997 and 1998. The return rate this year was 59%, however, somewhat higher than in 1997 and 1998. In any case, the results are statistically valid.
Summit heartily applauds Horizons Alternative Charter School for earning recognition from the Colorado Board of Education as a "John J. Irwin School of Excellence."
The PVC Committee is already making plans for next school year. We will need parents to coordinate and assist with preparation for the start of the 1999-2000 school year --- packing and moving teacher materials into and out of summer storage, compiling information packets, helping with new student orientation day, and being available for general site preparation tasks during the summer. Call Barbry at 303-665-3798 to commit a bit of your summer for Summit.
We are also inviting you to volunteer yourself for the PVC Committee! Several of us will be “graduating” along with our 8th graders, and this is an excellent opportunity for you to become more directly involved with supporting Summit staff and students. We do have fun with event and project planning, and our own volunteering! Please call Barbry to learn more and to sign on as a PVC volunteer.
As we look forward to involving additional parents in the Summit community for the coming year, we also appreciate and recognize all of our current hard-working parent volunteers. Special thanks to Dave Burchett, Janet Christensen, Harriet Fox, Marti Gorman, Anne Horlbeck, Tom Perry, Jon Riksheim, and Margie Riksheim for meeting with members of the Colorado League of Charter Schools site visit team to share their perspectives as parents of Summit students. This conversation with parents was an important component of the site visit team’s evaluation of Summit’s program.
Thanks to Dawn Mahowald, Ingrid Johnson, and Carol Pahlke for helping with new student registration on April 28, and thanks to Susan Crocker for organizing in-class and field trip volunteers for Ms. Hutton’s sculpture classes.
Read this sentence:
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.
Now count aloud the F's in that sentence. Count them only once; do not go back and count them again. How many did you find? The answer is at the end of the newsletter.
On Saturday, April 17, Student Council sponsored a field trip to Gateway Fun Park. Student Council members brought seven children from the Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) to ride go-carts, play mini-golf, run through the human maze and have lunch. Many of these children’s parents are looking for a home and work and don’t have the opportunity to take their kids to places like Gateway. Many thanks to the students who volunteered their time and the parents who drove the kids from EFAA: Patty Hansen, Jenny Lucas, and Shirley Nemanic.
Several Summit Spanish students turned in stellar performances in the Colorado Chapter of the 1999 National Spanish Examination. At Level 1, Ben Gardner placed second and Max Carey and Ashley Witt placed third. At Level 2, Adam Petherbridge placed first and Summit alumna Katherine Smartt placed second. Most students who take the examination are in high school, so this is a fantastic accomplishment.
The Summit Odyssey of the Mind team placed 12th in their division of “O, My Faire Shakespeare” at the state OM competition on April 24. The sixth through eighth grade team members are Tyler Fox, Kent Gonzales, Wendy Harig, Meg Kelley, Willy Kilkenny-Patrick, Meghan Robertie, and Tricia Rubi. Their commendable effort involved a valuable process of creative problem solving, teamwork and a long-term time commitment. Many thanks to coaches Joan Harig, Anita Gonzales, and Ms. Stough.
The Media Center commemorated National Library Week, April 12 through 16, with daily contests for students. Fourteen students claimed prizes. Congratulations to all winners and to all entrants. Thanks to the following community businesses that generously contributed prizes for the students:
If you have an opportunity while shopping at any of these businesses, please mention that you have a student at Summit Middle School and that you appreciate their support.
A Census Bureau report, "Educational Attainment in the United States: March 1998," shows a strong correlation between level of education and salaries. Adults over 18 without a high school diploma earned only $16,124 per year on average. Those with a high school diploma earned $22,895. Those with a college bachelor's degree earned $40,478, and those with advanced degrees earned $63,229. Although 83 percent of adults age 25 and over completed high school, only 24 percent had bachelor's degrees or higher.
The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration is offering a free clinic for infants and children up to 16 years of age on Sunday, May 23, 11 AM - 4 PM. Call for an appointment, 303-449-5903.
The Greenlee Family Foundation has awarded the Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools a $25,000 challenge grant in the wake of the Columbine High School tragedy. Donations will be matched dollar for dollar and the funds will be used for Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools programs. This challenge grant is a way for members of the community to turn their despair into something more positive and make a difference in the lives of students in the Boulder Valley School District. Checks should be made out to the Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools and mailed to P.O. Box 9011, Boulder, CO 80301. For more information, please contact the Foundation at 303-447-5132.
High-tech summer science classes will be offered in June at Eisenhower Elementary School for students entering grades three to seven. Bob Litsey will be the instructor.
Students in all classes will learn LOGO, a graphics based program.
Students interested in these classes can pick up a registration form in the school office for more details or call 303-665-9300, evenings.
The Colorado Dance Festival is offering a summer Youth Arts Institute for middle and high school students. The program offers students the opportunity to work and train with artists of local, national, and international stature while creating their own work. There are brochures in the Summit Office, or call the Festival at 303-442-7666.
Join the Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools at the Colorado Rockies vs. the San Francisco Giants baseball game on June 16, 1:05 PM start. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Foundation.
To receive tickets by mail, write a check payable to FBVS, a self addressed stamped envelope, and a note specifying the quantity and type of ticket. Send them to: Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools, P.O. Box 9011, Boulder, CO 80301. For more information, contact Freya Olson, 303-447-5132.
The CU College of Engineering’s Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory will offer six Engineering in Everyday Life summer ‘99 classes for middle school age students.
For more information or to register for these classes and others, get CU’s Science Discovery Program catalog, 303-492-7188, or contact the ITL Laboratory, 303-492-4676, or check out the ITL Laboratory Web Site, http://itll.colorado.edu
Incoming 1999-2000 6th graders will need a full series of DPT and polio immunizations and one MMR immunization. Incoming 7th and 8th graders will need DPT, polio, two MMR's, and a full series of Hepatitis B. Exemption forms are available in the office for those who require them. All students planning to participate in sports next year will need a new athletic-participation statement from a physician.
There are six F's in the sentence. Many people overlook the F's in the word "OF."