Head of School: Joan A. Mele-McCarthy, D.A.
Founding Executive Director: Jane R. Snider, Ed.D.
Director of Admissions: Kathleen F. Heefner, M.Ed.
The Summit School is committed to providing an intensive, yet mainstream academic program that challenges intelligent young minds while addressing learning differences in a supportive, creative, and innovative environment.
Our program is designed for children:
-
with language-based reading difficulties, particularly in the area of decoding
-
with average to above-average cognitive ability
-
with executive function difficulties which may impact reading comprehension, written expression, organization or problem-solving ability
-
who may ultimately be placed in a college-prep high school with limited support
Our program is NOT designed for children who:
-
have a primary diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
-
have a primary diagnosis of behavioral difficulties
-
have severe communication disorders or fall below the average range on measures of cognitive ability
Program Highlights:
-
Our faculty is trained in a variety of specialized methods: Orton-Gillingham®, Wilson®, PhonoGraphix®, Lindamood-Bell®, EmPOWER® and a standards-based problem-solving approach to math.
-
Speech-Language Pathologists, School Counselor, Occupational Therapist, Technology Coordinator and Librarian all bring their expertise to the school program.
-
With team teaching, each student’s program is individually monitored, diagnostic, and flexible, changing as the needs present themselves.
-
Technology instruction is integrated across the curriculum with specific skills expected for each grade level.
-
Organizational strategies are directly taught and monitored daily in small advisory groups. Summit students begin and end each day in Connect Time which is a period that helps students plan, organize and transition between home and school.
-
Our Homework policy builds independence and self-advocacy skills.
Curriculum: A highly specialized curriculum taught by skilled and trained educators makes the Summit program strong and unique. The Summit School's curriculum employs multi-sensory teaching approaches, utilizing auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic modalities. Our research based strategies translate to growth and progress. Summit’s key subjects of English, language arts, math, science, and social studies are carefully integrated to support the fragmented learner.
Life after Summit: Summit’s total commitment continues after a student graduates. A careful guidance program is put into effect for every student at the end of his or her seventh grade year. The Director holds extensive conversations with high school personnel to insure a continuation of services. For students leaving Summit before the eighth grade, the same careful attention is given to help families transition their child to an appropriate school placement.
Accreditation and Certification: Our school is accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) as a special education site.
