Sandra Parker Adams, EdD

Dr. Adams came to Summit School in 1967.  She served as a Latin and English teacher and coordinator of counseling and staff development until she was named Head of the school in 1990.  She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wake Forest University with a BA in English and Latin.  She also earned an MA from Wake Forest in Counseling and has an EdD in Counseling and Supervision from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

A nationally known educator, Dr. Adams is past president of the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), a former board member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and was the first female member of the Southern Headmasters Association.  She also served as a board member and past president of the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS), and is past president of the Elementary School Heads Association (ESHA), a national association of heads of independent elementary schools.  Summit is the only school in the country to have had two Heads serve as president of that organization.

During her eighteen years as Head of Summit, more than $22 million has been raised for capital improvements and endowment.  She has overseen the construction of a new library, an athletics center, a new 2nd and 3rd grade building, the Dining Room for Young Children, the primary playground, and the renovation of the Junior High building.  During her tenure, the school’s endowment has grown from $4 million to $19 million.  Students of color have increased from 8% to 20%, making Summit one of the most culturally diverse independent schools in the state.  During her time as Head, the school has undergone three SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) accreditation cycles.  At the end of the last process, the SACS/SAIS team wrote:  "This is, in fact and in practice, how to do school… [Summit is] a case study in 'best of the American school experience'."