Summit Is Better:
“We Believe in Our Students”
If you were to ask any teachers at Summit Academy why they are so dedicated to their students, you would get the same response; “We believe in them.”
When we say that we believe in our students, we are not just talking about a select few of them or the ones we already know.
We believe that every student walking into our school has what it takes to succeed, no matter where they come from, what they look like, or who they were before we met them. We believe that each and every one of our students have the potential to be great at whatever they wish to accomplish.
That type of belief does not come with conditions. Our No Excuse philosophy was created to ensure that there is never a reason one of our students cannot do well and rise to success. We know that before we can ask a student to believe in our ability to provide them with a progressive, challenging, and individualized educational experience, we must first believe in their ability to handle it.
Whether your child has been at Summit Academy for a few years, or just wrapping up their first school year with us, we look forward to being there for them and you no matter what lies ahead. You can trust that we will keep finding ways to give your child the best education because we believe that the best deserve nothing less.
Resources for Getting Help with Math
While math itself has remained the same, the way we understand and learn it has changed many times.
Parents across the country have voiced frustration in recent years because they feel unable to help their children with math homework and studying for tests.
We greatly appreciate the desire our parents have to be involved in their child’s academic success and we want to do all we can to support you in that effort. Below are a few free resources you can take advantage of to help you assist your child with their math work.
+ Khan Academy
We cannot express the usefulness of Khan Academy when it comes to understanding math. This free online resource first assesses your individual math skills and helps you create a learning plan from there. You can pick what areas you want to focus on and both you and your child can begin understanding the math concepts they are learning in class.
+ YouTube
YouTube is not just a source for funny viral videos. By searching math topics, you can find tutorials and even short lectures that can help increase your understanding and answer specific questions in depth.
+ Tutoring
Your child is always able to seek additional help from our staff if they are struggling in math. Likewise, you are welcome to sit in on tutoring sessions with your child to stay on top of their progress and to address specific concerns you may have.
+ FreeMathHelp.com
As the name implies, students and parents can visit FreeMathHelp.com for free online assistance in algebra, trigonometry, calculus and much more. Additionally, this website has a community message board frequently visited by teachers. This is a great way for you and your child to get feedback outside of the classroom setting.
Spring Time Craft:
Paper Flowers
Spring is finally here! While you wait for the flowers outside to start blooming, here is a great way for you and your child to make some flowers of your own.
Materials:
- Small paper plates
- Paint (what every colors you want for your flowers)
- Craft Stick
- Green paper
- Scissors
- Glue
Instructions:
- Cut small slits into the parameter of paper plates. Go back through and cut another slit so that the slits connect and you cut out a small piece. My preschooler was able to cut the first slit but needed help with the second slit. This makes your flower petals.
- Paint craft stick green and allow to dry.
- Paint paper plate and allow to dry.
- Glue craft stick to the back of the paper plate as the stem.
- Cut two leaves from the green paper and glue to either side of the craft stick.
For more instructions and ideas for your flowers, please visit http://www.theresourcefulmama.com/paper-plate-flower-craft-for-kids/.
Resources:
Five Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Well
As adults, we constantly hear about the importance of a good night’s sleep. Yet few of us understand that good sleep is just as important for our children as it is for us.
If your child is having issues getting to sleep or waking up in the morning, below are five tips that may help improve their sleep habits.
1. Establish a bedtime routine.
Aside from helping your child wind down, a clear nighttime routine helps signal the brain that the time for sleep is approaching. This can help eliminate potential bed time battles and provide a smooth transition to bed.
2. Encourage your child not to eat past a certain time.
Certain foods have been shown to cause interruptions in sleep, whether due to dreaming or simply in how the body processes them. Should your child absolutely need to eat before bed, try a snack consisting of cherries, bananas, or milk, all of which can actually help promote restful sleep.
3. Address any potential health issues.
Allergies, asthma, sleep apnea, side effects from medications, etc… These are just a few issues that could be causing disruptions in your child’s sleep. Bring any concerns you may have about your child’s sleep to their pediatrician so they can rule out any possible health problems.
4. Eliminate screens at night time.
Electronic devices such as phones and tablets can cause a significant amount of sleep loss in children and teens. Establish a cutoff for screen time at night and enforce it by keeping devices out of the bedroom after that time.
5. Make sure they have time to sleep.
It may seem obvious, but a full night’s sleep does not mean 4 or 5 hours. School aged children need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night. Bedtime should be set accordingly to give your child ample time to complete their night and morning routines.
Discussion:
Three Questions to Help Start Dinner Discussions
Family time is an essential part of a student’s growth.
Strong family relationships can help make children more confident and motivated to succeed academically. We sincerely appreciate the effort all of our students’ parents make to ensure they are provided with a home environment where they feel secure and loved.
Still, we understand that scheduling family time during the school year is not always easy. Making the effort to have at least one meal as a family goes a long way to establishing a regular routine of family time. Likely, dinner is the only meal where it may be realistic to eat together. To help you make the most of that precious time, here are three questions you can ask to get the conversation started:
1. What did you learn today?
This is a step above asking “How was your day?”, because it typically cannot be answered in one or two words. Your child is forced to think about their entire day while they attempt to recap what they learned.
2. What is one thing you were grateful for today?
Teaching your child to appreciate things in life can help them be a more grateful and humble individual in the long run. Making them reflect on the good aspects of their day will help them end the day on a good note and provide for up building and positive dinner conversation.
3. Who did you talk to today?
Asking this question can help your child shift their focus towards someone else as they begin to think about the people they interacted with during the day. Follow it up by asking them what they talked about with each individual, focusing on what the other person said.
MEET OUR STAFF & STUDENTS
Student:
Kathryn Bogema
Age: 13
Favorite subject:
“My favorite subject is math because I don’t have to guess what the answer is. I like when things are straight forward.”
Favorite Teacher:
“Mrs. Bourdua is my favorite teacher. She pushes me to be a better math student.”
Why she loves Summit Academy:
“I love Summit Academy because of the family atmosphere. I know everyone in my grade and there is always someone to talk to.”
Student:
Skylar Majorsmith
Age: 7
Favorite subject:
“Art because I get to use paint. I like to create things.”
Favorite Teacher:
“Mrs. Hall is my favorite teacher because she is nice to me. She helps us learn important things like subtraction.”
Why she loves Summit Academy:
“Summit is a fun school because I get to play with my friends and I like to be silly with my teachers.”
Faculty:
Nancy Kopytko
Role at Summit Academy Flat Rock:
Nancy is the middle school social studies teacher. She has worked at Summit Academy Flat Rock for 4 years.
Nancy in three words:
“Caring, hard-working, and knowledgeable.”
Why she loves Summit Academy:
“I enjoy working and joking with students. I also like creating a fun learning atmosphere.”
Most memorable moment at Summit:
“Every year at 8th grade graduation I enjoy seeing my students move on to the next step in their education. I cry every time!”
Interesting Fact about her:
“I was really shy when I was in school, but you’d never believe it now.”
Summit Academy is better because…
“The teachers really care about students and their success.”