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How We Teach

At Summit, HOW we teach is as important as WHAT we teach. 

Utilizing proven, research-based teaching methodologies, our talented and highly-trained faculty teaches our students to read, write, do math, and become confident learners. Students are grouped into small classes based on skills which enable our teachers to truly understand their students' learning profiles and differentiate instruction for their students' needs.

student building words and syllables

Instructional Highlights

  • Research-based methodologies
  • Activity-based multisensory learning
  • WordSenseTM
  • Read Naturally® Live
  • EmPOWERTM writing program
  • Social ThinkingTM
  • STEM infused curriculum
  • Standards-based math
Oyster Gardening

Multisensory & Discovery-based 

The Summit School employs multisensory teaching approaches, utilizing auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic modalities. 

Teachers use discovery and project-based techniques and learning approaches to ensure student engagement.

 

Student with headphones on chromebook

Progress Monitoring & Benchmark Testing

The Summit School uses an assessment and reporting tool called aimswebPlus to screen and monitor reading and math for each student. With a robust set of standards-aligned measures, aimswebPlus uncovers learning gaps quickly, identifies at-risk students, and assesses individual and classroom growth. Summit teachers use aimswebPlus as a tool to determine if their instruction is effective and if not, they make adjustments that target a student's individual learning needs.

Benchmark testing and progress monitoring to individual goals supported by “real-time” data is just one of the ways that The Summit School ensures students are prepared for success in high school and beyond.

 

Executive Functions

Our program embeds numerous instructional strategies and programmatic supports to help students become more independent and able to “manage” school.

Our homework philosophy:

  • Homework reinforces content taught in school and does not teach new concepts

  • Students should do homework independently

  • Homework is a diagnostic tool for teachers to know what students are retaining and what they need to work on more.

Learn More About Our Program:

"It was an almost IMMEDIATE impact that Summit had on my son’s mental well-being as well as ours as parents. Summit removed homework responsibilities from us. Dinners and evenings after school were immediately a more enjoyable experience for the whole family. He was gaining confidence because he was surrounded by peers that were similar to him. But more importantly, he had educators who knew how to adjust their teaching so he could understand. Previous to Summit it really didn’t matter how much time and effort the teachers put in to helping him…. they just didn’t know HOW to teach him."

Summit Parent

students using band boards for hands on learning
Student stacking cups and measuring

"I told a new student, 'We’re going to find a way for you to learn that’s not too easy, or too hard, it’s JUST right.' Her face lit up and she gave me a hug. ‘I want to go to this school! You’re going to teach me how to read!’"

Summit Faculty Member