Summit Schools

Summit Schools is a place where children love to come to school! Not only can you see that in the classrooms, but you can also feel it when you walk through the doors and around the halls. Families come to pick up and drop off their children daily with smiles on their faces and satisfaction in their hearts.

Summit Schools is an independent, private PreK-8th grade school located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Summit is dedicated to the educational and social development of children. As the only independent school in the metropolitan area, we enjoy our unique position and are proud of the progress our students make individually and as a whole. Summit is accredited by the Iowa Department of Education. It is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of parents and community leaders and supported by active parent volunteers that guide and coordinate parents’ efforts to enhance and support Summit’s educational program.

Founded in June 1998, Summit offers a strong academic program that is traditional and well-rounded, continuing to build upon the quality educational foundation established by Linn Academy and McLeod Academy. Language arts, math, science and social studies are balanced by a complementary curriculum in music, art, physical education and foreign language. Computers and technology are fully integrated into the daily learning of all students while character development and service learning enrich the core program.

Summit’s mission is to challenge educational growth through personalized instruction and innovative teaching. This is accomplished by providing a safe and nurturing environment that allows students to progress at a pace and level appropriate to their needs. Small class sizes and individualized attention helps to create confident learners while fostering intellectual curiosity, reasoning skills and creativity. Summit serves 117 students in our traditional school setting with an average of 16 students per class. Classrooms are organized in order for students to receive personalized instruction from teachers in small classes. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each student and putting in place a plan to move each child forward is part of the unique Summit experience. Summit’s curriculum is structured, yet has the flexibility to accommodate the special interests and skills of both students and teachers.

Families select Summit Schools for their children because they place a high value on education. Summit’s dedicated faculty continuously strives to meet the challenge of preparing students for the future in an ever-changing world and collectively create an excellent educational program that allows students to become confident, independent thinkers who demonstrate a love for learning throughout their lives.

Summit strives to involve students in community service. We feel that students gain a better understanding of themselves, the world in which they live, and the opportunity and responsibility they have to improve both. Through opportunities in our Yet Another Learning Experience (Y.A.L.E.) program and student and staff projects, service to the community is tied to both our curriculum and to activities in our community. We assist students in developing lifelong habits of thinking and action that lead to lives as responsible world citizens.

Summit provides intensive year-round individual and small group tutoring to anyone in the metropolitan area. Through the use of a multi-sensory approach to learning, certified tutors are able to create individualized sessions that are action-oriented with auditory, visual and kinesthetic elements reinforcing each other for optimal learning. Most Summit tutors specialize in the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching reading.

Summit also has a tradition of offering rich and exciting summer school opportunities that serve around 200 students in the metropolitan area each summer. Summit’s camps are fun, recreational and educational programs open to children PreK-6th grade. In addition to the basics (reading, writing and math), and the most popular art, science and foreign language camps, we offer a "Healthy Lifestyles and Recreation Camp," which includes lots of indoor and outdoor fun. Students may choose a half-day camp for a week or several camps for up to 8 weeks of all-day learning and fun.

Summit also offers Learning Extensions Camps/In-Service Day Camps during the school year. These camps are offered on Summit's and local school district's "day off" and give PreK-6th grade students a "day on" of fun and interactive learning opportunities. Summit partners with local community partners and professionals to offer these fun day camps located throughout the Cedar Rapids community.