Summit Spelling Bee: Grades 1-8

Calling all 1st-8th graders! Register for The Summit's Spelling Bee, to be held after school on Tuesday, January 24th. Check out the sign-up for more details.

Register for Clubs, Beginning in January 2023

The third session of after school clubs and activities begins the week of January 17, 2023. Use the link below to register your student(s)!

Lower School Winter Dance 2023

We are excited to bring back a Summit tradition: the Lower School Dance! All Lower School families are invited to attend with their student(s) on Thursday, February 16th from 6:30-8:00 pm (no school on Friday 2/17). Use the link below to register for this memorable night!

Upper School Winter Mixer 2023

Sixth through Twelfth Graders are encouraged to save the date for the Upper School Winter Mixer on Thursday, February 16th from 8:30-10:30 pm (no school on Friday 2/17). Use the link below to register and invite guests.

Summit Gala on Friday 4/21

The Black and White by Candlelight - 18th Annual Gala benefiting The Summit Preparatory School will be held the evening of April 21, 2023, at the brand new Judy Thompson Executive Conference Center on the Drury Campus. This is the signature event for The Summit, an event that inspires and connects the community with our mission while having a great time! 

There are several supporter and event sponsorships available. If you are interested in more information about these sponsor opportunities, please contact Shelly Drymon, Development Officer, at sdrymon@thesummitprep.org or 417-869-8077

Sign Up For After School Athletics and Activities

The third session of after school clubs and activities begins the week of January 17, 2023. There are 11 options available, ranging all grade levels at The Summit. Use the link below to register your student(s). More information will be emailed to families who have registered detailing specifics for each activity. Questions? Contact Dr. Jones, Summit Athletic Director, at ajones@thesummitprep.org.

Penguins in Early Learners

Summit Early Learners returned from Winter Break and dove right into their studies. This week, they're learning about penguins! Here's a few facts they learned about these animals:

• Penguins are birds.
• Penguins do not fly.
• Penguins are excellent swimmers.
• Penguins swim in very cold water.
• Penguins stay warm because of a layer of blubber and layers of feathers.
• Penguins stay dry! How?

Penguins have a lot of feathers that are densely packed together and cover their entire body. Additionally, these feathers have an oil-producing gland that make their feathers waxy. The wax on their feathers repel the cold water and help keep them dry.

Summit Early Learners put this to the test! Using white crayon, they colored a picture of a penguin. After covering the picture with white, they were given a black crayon to color the edges. They wanted to see if the wax of the crayon would act like the oil on a penguins feathers. They gently sprayed water (with a little bit of blue food coloring in it) onto the white portion of the penguin they colored. Right before their eyes, they watched as the water turned into beads of blue color!! 

The experiment worked! Water really does repel off of a waxy surface!

Middle school students have jumped right back into History classes this semester with quick topic explorations through research.

Sixth Grade students chose a 19th century US President to learn about, and they were tasked with writing a half page on the person of their choice. This assignment required students to edit their findings and include only the key detail, and they understood the challenge! Upon completion, the group circled up in the classroom and each student received a sheet on which to write their feedback. After some modeling with a biography on Abraham Lincoln, students were ready to give each other specific feedback on their writing. In this practice, each person takes a few minutes to read aloud their work and then demonstrates humility to receive critiques (both kudos and areas to work on) from their peers. Early on in the exercise, students were using the information shared within the circle to edit their own works and to see how they can improve on their previous drafts.

Seventh Grade students are warming up with a quick research project on a famous American of their choice. They are also drafting a half page on their person and use that limited space to make a compelling argument for that person’s inclusion to the “hall of fame.”

Eighth Grade students did a quick research project and practiced sharing verbally in a concise manner. After some modeling of feedback, students felt more confident to jump in and critique each other honestly and supportively. From here, they're exploring the expansion of the United States throughout the 19th century, specifically focusing on the theme of Manifest Destiny.

SPO Meeting: Wednesday 1/18 at 9:00 am

The first SPO Meeting of 2023 is happening next Wednesday, January 18th at 9:00 a.m. All parents are welcome to attend.

• Early Learners Reps: Sarah Fry and Dara Sumners
• Kindergarten Rep: Heather Calhoun
• 1st Grade Rep: Elizabeth Avery
• 2nd Grade Rep: Kelsey Jenkins
• 3rd Grade Rep: Angela Tang
• 4th Grade Rep: Shannon Russell
• 5th Grade Rep: Angela Teters
• 6th Grade Rep: Melissa Kimmons
• 7th Grade Rep: Emily Buckmaster
• 8th Grade Rep: Elizabeth Thompson