| Summit Middle Charter School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 4655 Hanover Avenue Boulder, CO 80305 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public charter Middle School |
| Established | 1996 |
| School district | Boulder Valley School District |
| Principal | David Finell |
| Staff | 38[1] |
| Grades | 6-8 |
| Enrollment | 324 (2009-2010)[2] |
| Color(s) | Purple and Silver |
| Mascot | Husky |
| Website | http://www.bvsd.org/schools/summit |
Summit Middle Charter School is a charter school program serving sixth through eighth grade students in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1996, it is the first charter school in the Boulder Valley School District.
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After being granted a school charter by the Boulder Valley School District, Summit Middle Charter School opened in the fall of 1996. The new school's classes took place in portable classrooms on the campus of Southern Hills Middle School. A few years later the school moved into Majestic Heights Elementary School, where it occupied its own hallway.
In 2001, the school's charter came up for renewal. After being tabled for a month by the school board the charter was renewed but did not include provisions for a long-term location for the school.[3]
A November 2006 bond issue for Boulder Valley school improvements provided Summit Middle Charter with $5.2 million. The expansion extended the south end of the school into a large library, a computer lab, and a laboratory. In January 2010 the School completed building its new "green" gym at the North end of the original school. This welcome addition was funded entirely by private donations from Summit families, alumni, and members of the community. Having a separate gym rather than a multipurpose gym and cafeteria puts a fresh and healthy emphasis on athletics for the school, and allows it to host interscholastic basketball and volleyball games.[4]
The middle school has been honored with numerous awards, including designation as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2003 and 2004[5] and consecutive John Irwin School of Excellence titles from 2003 through 2006.[6]
Summit students take five core courses (English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language) and four elective courses every semester. Electives include art, music, science, liberal arts, and technology or, possibly, study hall. All core classes meet every day along with two electives, for a total of seven periods. Students choose mixed-age classes according to interest, motivation, ability, developmental level, and mastery.
Extracurricular opportunities include music, drama, yearbook, Student Council, Net-Zero Club, Chess Club,[7] Math Olympiad, MATHCOUNTS, Quiz Bowl, National History Day, and Science Fair. Summit offers a full complement of interscholastic and intramural sports activities including soccer, flag football, wrestling, track and field, basketball, and volleyball.