Summit Middle Charter School

Infobox School
name = Summit Middle Charter School


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established = 1996
closed =
type = Public charter Middle School
district = Boulder Valley School District
grades = 6-8
principal = David Finell
faculty =
staff = 38cite web |url=http://reportcard.cde.state.co.us/reportcard/pdf/2006_0480_8387_M.pdf |title=Summit Middle Charter School School Accountability Report 2005-2006 School Year |accessdate=2007-09-06 |date=2006-12-12 |publisher=Colorado Department of Education ]
students =
enrollment = 307 (spring 2006)
athletics =
conference =
colors = Purple and Silver
mascot = Husky
campus type =
campus size =
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location = 4655 Hanover Avenue Boulder, CO 80305
country = USA
coordinates = coord|39.982085|-105.241158|display=inline,title
website = http://bcn.boulder.co.us/univ_school/summit/

Summit Middle Charter School is a charter school program serving sixth through eighth grade students in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1996, it was the first charter school in the Boulder Valley School District.

History

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 occupies 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. [cite news |first=Amy |last=Bounds |title=Board Renews Summit's Charter |work=Daily Camera |date=2001-03-14 ]

A November 2006 bond issue for Boulder Valley school improvements provided Summit Middle Charter with $5.2 million. The expansion will extend the south end of the school into a large library, a computer lab, and a laboratory. Construction is slated to end at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. [cite news |first=Amy |last=Bounds |title=School remodeling work heats up |url=http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/may/28/local-school-remodeling-work-heats-up/ |work=Daily Camera |date=2007-05-28 |accessdate=2007-09-07 ]

Awards and honors

The middle school has been honored with numerous awards, including designation as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2003 and 2004 [cite web |url=http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-2003.pdf |title=Blue Ribbon Schools Program Schools Recognized 2003 Through 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-06 |publisher=U.S. Department of Education ] and consecutive John Irwin School of Excellence titles from 2003 through 2006 [cite web |url=http://reportcard.cde.state.co.us/reportcard/Irwin%20Award%20Winners%202006.pdf |title=John Irwin Schools of Excellence |accessdate=2007-09-06 |publisher=Colorado Department of Education ] .

Curriculum

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. 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 activities

Extracurricular opportunities include music, drama, yearbook, Student Council, Chess Club [cite web |url=http://www.colorado-chess.com/History/colorado_scholastic_team_champions.shtml |title=Colorado Scholastic Team Champions |accessdate=2007-09-07 |publisher=Colorado State Chess Association ] , 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.

Notable alumni

*Caitlin McCarthy, actress [cite news |first=Greg |last=Glasgow |title=A star on the rise |url=http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2006/dec/03/a-star-on-the-rise/ |work=Daily Camera |date=2006-12-03 |accessdate=2007-09-07 ]
*Radhika Rawat, 2006 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge finalist [cite news |first=Amy |last=Bounds |title=Student's curiosity pays off |url=http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2006/sep/17/student039s-curiosity-pays-off/ |work=Daily Camera |date=2006-09-17 |accessdate=2007-09-07 ] , namesake for asteroid 22810 Rawatcite web |url=http://www.ll.mit.edu/LINEAR/winners_2006.html |title=The Ceres Connection Winners 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-07 |year=2006 |publisher=Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology ]

Notable faculty

*Haydee Phelps, 2007 Colorado Science and Engineering Fair Teacher of the Year [cite web |url=http://www.csef.colostate.edu/2007_CSEF.htm |title=Colorado Science and Engineering Fair 2007 |date=2007-04-20 |accessdate=2007-09-07 |publisher=Colorado State Science Fair, Inc. ] and namesake for asteroid 22874 Haydeephelps

References

External links

* [http://bcn.boulder.co.us/univ_school/summit/ Official Website]
* [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/co/174 Summit at Greatschools.net]