Summit School (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

Summit School
Address
2100 Reynolda Rd
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Forsyth, 27106
United States
Coordinates 36° 7′ 23.5″ N, 80° 17′ 12.18″ W
Information
School type Private
Motto Inspiring Learning
Founded 1933
Founder Louise Futrell
Principal Jeff Turner
Principal Roanne Ornelles
Principal Danette Morton
Head of school Dr. Michael Ebeling
Faculty 96
Grades JK-9
Years Offered 11
Age 3 to 15
Age range 3-15
Number of students 550
Average class size 20
Student to teacher ratio 1:5
Classes offered English, Language Arts,
Language English
Hours in school day 7
Color(s)         Green and Orange
Mascot Screech (Eagle)
Nickname Screaming Eagles
Rival Forsyth Country Day School
Publication Summit Echoes
School fees $300-$1050[a]
Tuition $9,990-$19,110[a]
Revenue $15 million
Website
1 Jr. Kindergarten-9th grade

Summit School is an independent, co-educational day school for pre-kindergarten through ninth grade, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. Summit is nationally recognized for the quality of its academic programs, its attention to individualized education, and the strength of its extracurricular activities. The school's stated mission is to "provide a challenging curriculum within a caring environment to help students develop their full potential." The school has a staff of 125 and an enrollment of 606.

Contents

History

Summit was founded in 1933 by Miss Louise Futrell. Miss Futrell (born 1893) had previous experience as both a teacher and administrator. A group of Winston-Salem parents, concerned about funding cuts to the public schools during the Great Depression, invited Miss Futrell to found a school. Mrs. Wingate Johnson donated the use of a vacant home at 405 Summit Street and on 26 September 1933, eighteen students and three teachers began the first day of school. Summit grew rapidly, spreading into nearby buildings during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The school was incorporated in 1938. In 1939, the school merged with Miss Lillian Dalton's Twin City Primary School a few doors away. In 1944, Mrs. Charles Babcock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Reynolds, offered the school a 4.5-acre (18,000 m2) plot of land on her Reynolda estate near Reynolda Village. In 1945, construction began on a new building, its design inspired by an exhibit mounted by The Museum of Modern Art and showing the potential of modern architecture in a school setting. The new campus opened in 1946.

In 1957, Douglas R. Lewis became headmaster of Summit, a capacity in which he served for thirty-three years. Mr. Lewis oversaw the expansion of the school including the 1962 construction of a junior high building and gymnasium, the 1977 construction of a science building and another gymnasium, the 1984 construction of a teaching/learning center, and the 1986 construction of a middle school building. By 1987, the school had three sections at every level from junior kindergarten through ninth grade.

Dr. Sandra Adams became head of school in 1990. She retired in 2008 following the celebrations of the school's 75th anniversary. During her tenure the school constructed a 3-story state-of-the art library. The school has recently added a new sports facility and an Arts and Technology Building. Dr. Michael Ebeling is the head of the school.

Physical plant

Summit is situated on a 28-acre (110,000 m2) campus within walking distance of Reynolda Village and Wake Forest University. The campus comprises ten instructional buildings and two residences. In addition to 53 classrooms, the school has a 300-seat arena-style theatre, three dining rooms, three sports fields, a pottery studio, a photography studio, a television studio, a screening room, and specialized rooms for art, music, computers, robotics, and other activities.

Every classroom has high speed internet access and there are 420 computers available for student use.

Programs

In addition to a rigorous academic program at every level, Summit provides numerous enrichment opportunities for its students. Summit is known for its innovative approach to experiential education. Long-standing traditions such as Pioneer Day, Native American Day, and an annual Medieval Feast are just a few of the ways in which the school uses a multi-intelligence approach to learning. The school offers a varied program of extracurricular activities, including sports, drama, art, music, robotics, radio/television, computer animation, and pottery. The school offers after-school and morning care as well as an extensive summer program of academic, athletic, and extracurricular camps.

Distinguished alumni

References

External links