Aspire Summit Charter Academy

I absolutely love this school and their academics. My oldest started in 5th grade and now goes to Vangaurd Prep Academy. My youngest started in Kinder and is now in 5th. My oldest struggled in school his 1st 4th years, and now after switching is excelling. Their expectations are high and their test scores reflect it. I would recommend this school to anyone! That being said, I am familiar with a lot of local schools, as I am a substitute teacher. Aspire and its way of teaching sets it aside and puts it above the rest. For any parent who dreams already of their child going to college, then Aspire is the way to go. Their motto: College For CERTAIN!
—Submitted by a parent

We are finishing our 5th year at Summit. My son is 4th grade and my daughter is in 1st grade. I really like the structure of the curriculum. The open door policy, really is open door. The C.A.R.E.S progream is great. I'm really happy with the progress my children have made. I like that the lessons are tailored to each student. I like that, as a parent , I can be on campus. I am able to vent frustrations and get answers. I appreciate all the staff looking out for my kids. I'm very blessed to be able to have my kids attend a school where they are able to speak of GOD. It is truly a blessing. Thank you Summit for providing an exceptional place for my kids to learn.
—Submitted by a parent

My son attends Summit currently; we are only 2 months away from completing his first year here. We switched from John Muir Elementary, where he attended kindergarten. The difference in schools is amazing! My son is a very active and strong-willed boy with special needs and the staff have all been amazingly involved, positive, and encouraging. They really have gone above and beyond to make my son's school experience awesome! His last school wouldn't even let me know on a daily basis how he behaved but at Summit they really have put in a lot of time and effort. Mele Benz is a spectacular principal. She and my son have spent quite a lot of time together and she is very patient with him; we have seen a LOT of improvement this year, and her focus is very positive--"How can we make better choices?" Attending here is not the anonymous experience I had as a child-- everyone, from the cafeteria to the library, encourages and cheers my son's successes on a daily basis. I can stop in at any time to volunteer in the classroom, without having to schedule, and I "attend" school with my son twice a week to help him out. I highly recommend this school and all of the amazing staff!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of two students at Summit Charter Academy. The teachers are FABULOUS! I am very pleased with the way the school adminstration is run. Not only is this school a great place to learn but it is also a FUN place to be. I love the ways the school teaches students to use C.A.R.E.S. (cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy and self-control). We are very proud to be a part of the SUMMIT FAMILY!
—Submitted by a parent

This was my daughters first yeat at Summit. It was hard to bring her because we loved her old school, yet I knew there is more offer here at Summit. I was amazed to see 18/20students scored above 90% in the mathe benchmark. I have never heard or seen this in any other school. I strongly recommend it to all parents who are looking for a great school.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of a K and a 3rd grader. This is my childrens first year attending summit and we are very happy that we have made the change. My children have improved just within these first months of the school year. We are happy with summit and the dedicated teachers that work very hard to help the children in becoming successful. Keep it up Summit Teachers.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a student who started out going to Summit Charter Academy in the 6th grade. It was a very hard transition from going to a regular school to a charter school. The learning was very different. Math was called 'CPM' and I had a real hard time with it. There was a lot of projects to do like Ropes and Exhibition. I felt like the projects were unnecessary. They were all about presenting them in front of judges, and that made a lot of kids uncomfortable and freak out. I wish I could make my own decisions towards my education, because Summit would not be one of them.
—Submitted by a student

I have 3 children attending SCA and all three of them have different learning abilities. SCA is great because they are able to motivate and engage my children. All 3 of my children love the school and the main reason they do is because of the caring teachers and office staff.
—Submitted by a parent

Just 3 months after switching to the Aspire School System (first at UCS, now at Summit), I saw an improvement in both academic achievement and personal development changes in both my kids. The teachers here are very involved and genuinely interested in providing the best possible education for the children. Mrs. Backman is a great motivator for both the staff and the parents to become and stay involved. I couldn't be happier here and I can recommend this school to anybody without reservation.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is in the 2nd grade and has attended SCA since Kindergarten. Overall I believe she is a lot better off than she would be in a regular Modesto public school. Luckily they changed from split grade classes to one grade this year, or it would have been her last year there. She was in a K/1 class, which was fine when she was in Kindergarten, but even her 1st grade teacher admitted that for the last 4 months of 1st grade she was basically wasting her time, not learning anything. The individual learning plans are a great concept, but the reality is how does one teacher teach 20 kids 20 different things at the same time? The former principal Dr. Dowd was great! The new one, Mrs. Backman has yet to prove she is any kind of an asset. I'm just not seeing it.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has helped me so much. After I leave, I know I will feel confident that I am prepared for high school. Because of what I've learned at Summit, I have earned the oppertunity to attend any high school I want. My teachers are stupendous. I feel like they are my friend. If you are looking for a school that provides a comfortable, supportive community, look no further than Summit Charter Academy. We receive art classes twice a week, with a myriad of selections. Summit offers dance, a Shakespearean play, a newspaper and yearbook class, improvasational classes, visual art classes, choir, recoder and uklele, and TV studio. We broad cast our own school biweekly. Parent involvment is neccessary to help with our fun Saturday schools and Renaissance fair.
—Submitted by a student

Our daughters attend Summitt Charter Academy and they love the school as well my husband and I. The teachers are wonderful and they give their full attention to their students when asked of them. We are very happy with the school that our daughters go to.
—Submitted by a parent

My son has been an Aspire student since Kindergarten (at a different campus). At this point it would be academically devastating to enroll him in a regular public school. He has blossomed in comparison to his peers who attend local non-Aspire schools. This year is my son's first year at Summit. I have been impressed with academic gains so far. I am pleased with the arts curriculum and also that he receives a Spanish class (something I previously had to pay for at his other school). There could always be more parent involvement (myself included), but the Pareto principle holds true at Summit. I would encourage any parent to consider Summit as a choice in their child's education without reservation.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have been at Summit since 8/05. I have a Kinder and a 5th grader. I have also been an Aspire parent since 8/2000, my oldest son began school at the UCS campus. I love the education my children are getting and did get at both schools. Although, I think that Summit has additional challenges that UCS does not have, I believe they are doing a wonderful job. Dr. Dowd the principal is doing a great job, as well as all the teachers that I have met. I love the individual learning plans, and know that in no time this campus will be right up there with UCS.
—Submitted by a parent

While Summitt strives to be the highest of quality it still lacks a little in the teacher involvement and interactions with parents and students. The overall educational experience is far superior to that from the local public schools and the safety of the students is superior. I love the morning routines and overall believe the experiance to be gained is well worth the fundraising efforts that must be endured throughout the year.
—Submitted by a parent

Summit was a great educational option for my child. He has done well in school and he is planning to attend college because the consistent message at Summit is that he will go. The academic program is rigorous and the teachers push academic success in a nurturing atmosphere. Students receive personalized educational plans and parents are welcomed on site. I volunteer weekly and I feel that the teachers appreciate my presence and my input.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has done fairly well. I like the diversity and the sense of community enjoyed at this school. The emphasis on the arts has been great. Maybe not the best for struggling students. Many new teachers, which could be seen as good and bad. Lots of great ideas, fresh, but also lots to learn about differentiated instruction.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is going to be an incredible arts school under the direction of Mr. Rohwer and Dr. Dowd. They truly have the energy to make it happen!
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is thriving in the middle school. Because she is gifted she needed the differentiated instruction Summit provides. Her teachers are great at keeping her challenged and confident. Her drama class is now preparing for a Shakespeare comedy to be shown in the Spring in conjunction with a Renaissance Faire open to the whole school! They are really trying to keep learning meaningful and make it come alive for students!
—Submitted by a parent

Summit Charter has been a great experience for both of my children. I am particularly impressed with the dedicated teachers, staff, and especially the principal. If you are looking for a school that challenges your child to excel, Summit can be that place. If you are a parent who wants to be involved in the education of your child, Summit not only creates that environment; it insists that parents become involved. If you know your child is going to college, Summit reinforces that idea every day for every child. There is more to this school than meets the eye; please go visit and talk to the teachers. See for yourself the excellent job they do everyday.
—Submitted by a parent