The Lower Primary division of Summit School consists of Junior (JrK) and Senior (SrK) Kindergarten. Most students enter Summit in this division. Our admission format demonstrates the thoughtful and personal approach that is a hallmark of our school. Prospective JrK students visit classrooms in small groups with seasoned teachers who have designed an abbreviated session to observe the readiness of each child.
Our teachers are well trained and highly experienced. The lead teachers in JrK and SrK have been teaching an average of 18 years! They show genuine care for each student and family. Each teacher brings vast knowledge of teaching and child development to the classroom in addition to a sense of humor and attention to detail. Teachers see each student as an individual and adjust academic challenges to the development of the child. We have high academic expectations for each student but recognize that primary age children are at various levels of emotional and cognitive development. Our programs allow for the celebration of all talents and achievements along the developmental continuum.
Our classrooms are furnished with excellent equipment and resources for teaching young children and we think they are the best kindergarten classrooms anywhere. All classrooms have a second-level loft that functions as a playhouse, office or anything that the children can imagine together.
Days spent in JrK and SrK are full of deeply meaningful experiences and projects, age-appropriate lessons in all subjects, guidance in developing friendships, responsibility and independence. Our broad subject areas overlap each other. For instance, a science activity like gardening may also involve mathematics (seed counting, measurement, weighing, graphing) and language arts (vocabulary, descriptive language, making labels or signs). Summit is a school that blends tradition and innovation to provide a challenging curriculum. We strive to build community in each classroom while focusing on the needs of each individual.
As teachers of young children, we welcome and depend upon the involvement and input of parents. We begin each school year with a Parents' Night. Each teacher prepares for three regular conferences in October, January and May. In addition, frequent communication occurs through informative weekly newsletters. Our teachers are approachable and eager to communicate about the progress of each child.
Students in the Lower Primary have a wide variety of learning opportunities including French, Spanish, physical education and music. Being part of a JrK-9 school offers opportunities to interact with older children and make use of facilities not always available at a preschool or elementary school, such as multiple gyms, a first-class theatre, award-winning gardens and a vibrant pond, not to mention, a playground beyond compare. To echo the words of our founder, Louise Futrell, it really is a dream school.
Jeff Turner
Head of Lower Primary
