Raven Report: November 8, 2023

Today was a very exciting day in fifth grade! Every year, fifth grade students get to "Soar into Sixth" grade and spend an entire day in The Summit Middle School. Students were able to engage in class discussions, enjoy lunch and recess with the older students, and had the opportunity to ask questions of their future middle school classmates and teachers about what to expect when they soar into sixth grade next year!

November 2023

9: Parent Informational Meeting for 3rd-5th Grades, 8:30 am

9: EARLY RELEASE at 1 pm

10: NO SCHOOL - Parent/Teacher Conferences

15: SPO Meeting, 9am 

15: High School Informational Meeting for 7th & 8th Grades

16: $2 Uniform Buyout, benefiting Ozarks Food Harvest

16-17: 8th Grade Bake Sale, 3:30-3:45 pm

20-24: NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

27: Board of Trustees Meeting, 5pm

28: Giving Tuesday, More Details TBA!

29: Official School Pictures, Retakes

December 2023

5: Parent Series, "How to Raise a Self-driven Child," 3:45-5 pm

7: $2 Uniform Buy Out Day, benefiting Upper School Film Fest

8: EARLY RELEASE at 1 pm, No Afternoon Fun Zone

8: Summit Spelling Bee (Grades 1-8), 1:15 pm

13: Late Start, 9:30 am 

18: Board of Trustees Meeting, 5-6 pm

19: Class Winter Parties, 10:30 am & EARLY RELEASE at 11:30am

20-31: NO SCHOOL - Winter Break

25-26: All Summit Offices Closed

Join Us in the Race to 100% on Giving Tuesday!

This Giving Tuesday, we're launching an exciting challenge. We're not just aiming for success; we're aiming for 100% participation from our incredible independent school families, employees, and board members. Let's show the world what The Summit Prep community is made of!

Our school is not just a place of education; it's a shining example of values, character building, and future leadership. But to keep our torch burning brightly, we need your help. Operational costs are the lifeblood of our institution, ensuring excellence in all we do.

So, what's your role in this challenge? It's simple—donate on Giving Tuesday to invest in a brighter future for our children, our school, and our community. Your contribution, no matter the size, is a powerful statement of solidarity with our mission.

Be sure to check your email for more information on incentives and recognition opportunities as we embark on this thrilling journey together.

Let's make Giving Tuesday 2023 the day that defines our commitment to education and the operational excellence of our school!

$2 Uniform Buyout Next Thursday, November 16th

Fourth grade will be hosting a $2 Uniform Buyout Day next Thursday, November 16th, benefiting Ozarks Food Harvest. Fourth grade students recently toured the Ozarks Food Harvest facilities and were moved by the organization and its mission to provide hunger relief in our community by "Transforming Hunger into Hope."

Students submitted the following proposal to Dr. Heet requesting a formal change to the school calendar to add this buyout:

This buyout would benefit the Ozarks Food Harvest and the people served by the food bank. We learned on our field trip that 1 Dollar is equal to 4 Meals for hungry families in the Ozarks! So we did the math and say 150 students (and teachers) chose to participate in the 2 dollar uniform buyout, then that means 300 dollars would be donated and 300 x 4 = 1200 meals in the holiday season for people who are hungry or have food access/scarcity issues! 

Dr. Heet and administration happily approved this well-thought-out proposal and its noble purpose! Please bring $2 cash (exact change appreciated) to morning carline to help support Ozarks Food Harvest this holiday season. This buyout is a FREE CHOICE dress day.

Keep reading below to learn more about third, fourth, and fifth grades' inspiring trip to Ozarks Food Harvest!

Eighth Grade Hosting Bake Sale on November 16 & 17th

Eighth grade students will be hosting a bake sale from 3:30-3:45 p.m. during afternoon carline next Thursday and Friday, November 16th and 17th.

Stop by their table and check out all the delicious baked goods! All proceeds will benefit the Eighth Grade Class Trip in the spring.

The Summit Prep is proud of our amazing faculty! Every Tuesday we'll be honoring our faculty on social media. This week, we honor Mrs. Dulsey Stewart, Lower School Yoga Faculty!

"Mrs. D is the best yoga teacher in the world. I like it when she helps us relax. She is very kind and very nice and very smart."

- Dottie B., 1st Grade

"Mrs. D uses a variety of techniques to bring mindful movement, breathing, and relaxation to our students through yoga. We are so grateful for her passion, dedication, and steadfast calmness in the yoga studio."

- Mrs. Bradley, Lower School Director

Say Hello to Ms. Sherri!

We are delighted to introduce a new member to our team who will be a familiar face to all of you in no time. Please join us in welcoming Sherri Rose, our new part-time receptionist.

A veteran elementary educator, Sherri comes to us with years of experience working with children, knowledge of school systems, and administrative office skills. Her friendly demeanor, professional attitude, and commitment to providing exceptional service make her an excellent fit for this important role. 

Sherri will be partnering with Kendra to assist you with various administrative tasks, provide information, and guide you to the right resources to address your needs. Please take a moment to introduce yourself when you see her at the front desk. We are excited to have her as part of The Summit team and look forward to welcoming her to our community! 

Lo and Behold. Left to right: Chayse Henke, Alex Henke,

Rush Trostel, Josh Cates. Photo Credit: KSMU Ozarks Public Radio

Mr. Alex Henke, Middle School Music Faculty, Featured on KSMU

Mr. Henke's band, Lo and Behold, was featured on KSMU Radio's SoundCheck with Jessica Balisle yesterday! The band discussed the evolution of their sound and their various methods of recording to create the best possible track. Balisle said their methods were "renegade". Anyone who has heard our amazing musicians at The Summit knows we love the sound of that! We are proud to have a local musician like Mr. Henke as part of our music program, sharing his many talents with our students.

Click the link below to listen to the full interview, and be sure to check out Lo and Behold on Studio Live this Friday, November 10, 2023 from 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Girls on the Run Race to the Finish Line

Girls on the Run of Southwest Missouri rounded out another successful season by running a celebratory 5K to highlight their accomplishments this past weekend at the CMC Recycling 5K at Bass Pro Shops! Running a 5K helps build confidence and provides each participant a tangible sense of accomplishment.

To prepare for the 5K event, the girls all ran a practice 5K around the track in the Big Backyard. Check out the picture of the girls showing off the stickers on their hands… Each sticker represents a lap they did around the track! Way to go, Summit Ravens (and friends)!

Samantha Scores Second Place in Law Day Essay Content

Congratulations to Samantha T. (8th) for another impressive showing in the Springfield Bar's 2023 Law Day Essay Contest!

Samantha took home second place out of 140 entries. Samantha and her parents (pictured left) were invited to a special recognition event where the winners were announced and celebrated. This year, the essays were judged by Nancy Allen, a New York Times bestselling author and local law professor, who was also there to present the awards.

Mrs. Smith, Samantha's Faculty Sponsor, says, "Samantha tackled this project like a professional! Coming off of last year's success with Law Day, Samantha researched and wrote her response to the 2023 prompt: "Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility, and Collaboration" on her own time, sharing a well-crafted draft for feedback after a weekend of work. Her intrinsic motivation to learn about this topic and pursue excellence in this essay competition was so impressive to observe! Her prize is much deserved."

Well done, Samantha! Her essay is now on display at the Springfield-Greene County Library, Library Center Branch. Go check it out!

First Grade Students Are School Community Helpers

As the trimester wraps up, all lower school classes at The Summit are looking forward to their First Trimester Celebrations! For many Kindergarten students, this will be their first-ever trimester celebration. To help them prepare for their presentation on community helpers, first graders visited their classroom last week. Many of the current first graders completed this same project last year. The first graders were so excited to act as leaders and support their younger peers in practicing sharing their projects!

First graders and Kindergarteners partnered up to ask questions, share ideas, and practice speaking about community helpers. The first graders came prepared with a list of questions to ask their partner, including:

• What is a community?
• What is your community helper job?
• What is your favorite thing about being a community helper?
• What does your community helper do?
• What tools does your community helper use?

The “big kids” did an excellent job of being calm, helpful, and responsible to their Kindergarten partners. After each student chatted with about four partners, all students enjoyed a read aloud together. Ms. Ursino, First Grade Faculty, says of the collaboration, "What a wonderful way to support our younger peers, build leadership skills, and enjoy the wonderful sense of community we have in our school!"

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades Get Hands-On at Ozarks Food Harvest

All third, fourth, and fifth grade students had an awesome and impactful time exploring all that Ozarks Food Harvest does to help hungry individuals in our community. As they walked through the doors of the bustling facility, their curiosity was met with a warm welcome from dedicated volunteers and staff. The students were given a comprehensive tour, during which they witnessed the impressive scale of the operation, from the vast shelves stocked with non-perishable goods to the bustling distribution center where food packages were prepared for those in need.

The students got some hands-on experience contributing to the positive impact of the organization by making seed packets to give out for gardens and creating cards to go in weekend food backpacks for other kids in our community. They learned a lot about how they can help, even at their age!

Eighth Grades Visits History Museum on the Square

This experience helped instill the students with a profound sense of connection to their local roots and the history that has shaped Springfield into the dynamic city it is today. The visit left them with a deeper understanding of Springfield's unique identity and a sense of pride in their community's heritage.