ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Summit School Elementary and Middle School programs have earned nationally recognized accreditation from the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), an accreditation division of AdvancED® in 2010, and earned re-accreditation in 2014.

Preschool

Summit School Preschool earned national re-accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals. Summit was re-accredited for the third time in 2014.

Summit School has secured a multitude of national, state and local awards, two national accreditations, and has produced remarkably successful graduates. While these awards only paint a small picture of our school, we are proud to share our accomplishments and show the recognition our school has achieved.

National Awards

Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY)

Each year, the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) identifies and develops the academic talents of the most advanced Kindergarten through12th grade learners worldwide. In 2012, Summit School was awarded a certificate of recognition for the support of students with high academic potential in the International Mathematics and Verbal Talent Search.

National Merit Scholars

2015: One 2012 Summit Alum (Semifinalist)
2014: One 2011 Summit Alum
2013: Four 2010 Summit Alumni
2011: One 2008 Summit Alum

2012-2013 Creative Achievement Award

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), awarded the Vitruvius Program at Summit School the prestigious 2012-2013 Creative Achievement Award. The ACSA lauded the accomplishments of teachers Kathleen and Selene Kupper, and co-founder of Vitruvius, Eugene Kupper. This award recognized the Vitruvius Program research and curriculum integration at the Summit School.

National recognition in 2015 for Let’s Move! Active Schools

Summit School earned National recognition in 2015 for Let’s Move! Active Schools, a sub-initiative of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign

The Best Art and Architecture School Curriculum in the United States

In 2011, our Vitruvius Program was named The Best Art and Architecture School Curriculum in the United States by the Association of Architecture Organizations (AAO). As the winner of the National School award, the Vitruvius Program represented the United States in the UIA Golden Cubes International Competition in Tokyo.

one of the top 35 schools in the United States for the physical education curriculum

The Arizona Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AzAHPERD), listed Summit as one of the top 35 schools in the United States for the physical education curriculum and related programs.

State Awards

Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics (AATM) Algebra Competition

2016: Summit student earns the highest math score in the state! Two classmates tied for a 2nd place win, with two other Summit students scoring in the top 10% of all participants.
2015: A Summit student earns the highest math score in the state! A classmate earns the 4th place win, with two other students scoring in the top 10%.
2013: A Summit student tied for the 3rd highest score in the state, and another tied for the 4th highest state score. Six additional students scored in the top 10% in the state.
2012: Twelve Summit students scored in the top 10% in the state.
2011: Four Summit students scored in the top ten percent statewide, with two students earning an additional distinction by being among the top 10 highest scores in state.

Summit School sixth-graders wins Arizona State “Letters About Literature Contest” for three consecutive years

The Library of Congress sponsors a nationwide writing contest in which close to 50,000 students participate annually. Students are invited to reflect upon books that have meaning to them and to write a letter to the author, explaining how the book changed their view of the world or themselves. Summit sixth-graders crafted letters as a project in Language Arts class. Their efforts earned state-wide honors.

In 2011, a Summit student earned the second place award for her composition.
In 2012, Summit students swept the first and second place honors.
In 2013, Summit students were again recognized by the state, earning both the first and second place awards!

Ranked a top private school

Summit School received recognition from The Phoenix Business Journal, earning a spot on The Journal’s “Top Private Schools List” in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Local Awards

BEST PRESCHOOL!

Ahwatukee Foothills News readers have chosen Summit School as one of the Best Phoenix Preschools in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and again in 2016!

Golden Gator Award for Excellence in Teaching

Many Summit School middle school teachers have received a “Golden Gator Award for Excellence in Teaching” from Xavier College Preparatory High School. Xavier High School recognizes junior high teachers who have been inspirational to their freshmen students. Several teachers have earned this honor multiple times from (2008-2014) including:

Melissa France (math, social studies and student council advisor)
Christy Menard (7th & 8th grade pre-algebra, algebra and geometry)
Andrea Yocum (6th – 8th grade science)
Amy Lecky (7th and 8th grade literature and language arts)

Best Private School

In 2021, Summit School was voted Ahwatukee’s Best Private School and Reader’s Choice Best Preschool.

Homeward Bound and the Diaper Bank of Central Arizona “Super Hero Award”

Summit School students collected 35,000 diapers during their annual diaper drive in December of 2014. Ginger Clayton of the Diaper Bank of Central Arizona exclaimed, “This drive was a rock star of all drives. The results of Summit’s diaper drive was the largest that any school, any company, any entity, period, has ever brought in, over the past 17 years of the annual baby diaper drive!”

The drive is led each year by Summit’s active student council. Kids helping kids is Summit’s mantra.

Barnes & Noble annual “My Favorite Teacher Contest”

A Summit School seventh-grader, won the Barnes & Noble annual “My Favorite Teacher Contest” by submitting her essay about her fifth- and sixth-grade teacher. (2014)

Educational Mentor of the Year

Ahwatukee Chamber of Commerce honors Summit School teacher, Melissa France, naming her the Educational Mentor of the Year! Mrs. France created and leads Summit’s active student council and teaches math, social studies and life skills. (2014)

Arizona’s Private Education Excellence Awards

Arizona’s Private Education Excellence Awards through AZCAPE: Arizona Counsel for American Private Education.

Summit School middle school math teacher Christy Menard, and second grade teacher Molly Danforth were honored as finalists for Arizona’s Private Education Excellence Awards (2013)
Sixth grade math teacher Melissa France and sixth grade Language Arts and Literature teacher Lori Christianson honored as teacher finalists. (2014)
Summit’s art, architecture & design program for preschool through 8th grade named a finalist for program of the year. (2014)
Administrative Assistant, Michelle Stone honored as a finalist for staff member of the year. (2014)