Summit School (The)

Authority, respect & structure go hand in hand with success! Something I learned from my parent who has always been actively involved in my education. That is why I respect authority & understand why schools like the Summit school require structure. Because it is a school for students with a wide-range of special needs, disabilities, OHI, ED, etc., obviously adjustments have to be made to fit each individual students needs. In the case of a student with a neurological disorder who has involuntary symptoms, a "system" like the one the Summit school has, based on rules with punishment or reward is ineffective just as it would be for students with seizure disorders. Two of my former teachers at Summit Upper school humbly adjusted. Hopefully their attitude rubs off on school leadership. I am very happy to say that I have found learning success elsewhere! So have others I know who used to attend Summit. Its interesting to read the review from a parent whose son has been attending Summit for 50 days, "My son does very well with structure & clear rules so this system really works FOR HIM." A Star for Summit & "MI" for More Improvement (Message approved by Parent)
—Submitted by a student

My son has started The Summit Upper school this year. He is extremely happy in school. The teachers know how to lift the children's self esteem and teach the kids in the way that they learn best. There is a lot of positive reinforcement all around. My son does very well with structure and clear rules so this system really works for him. I speak to the staff often and they always address our needs and concerns. I have 3 other children in different private schools and they do not get the attention and guidance that my son gets in The Summit School. I think he is a little under-challenged, but for now its ok for him. He's getting a lot of skills in dealing with his anxieties. Once he is a little stronger, I will push for him to be in higher level classes. I think its important for the parents to be very involved in the school and speak with the teachers often to make sure the child is getting the most from the school.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a NYC School Parent Member. Summit has challenging academic programs that pave the way for students future goals. The teacher who rated the Summit Upper school on March 23, 2009 naturally highlighted the school in that area. Note the remarks about the Summit Upper school from Parents, a Teacher and a Parent Advocate from 2009-2012. "VERY RESTRICTIVE, TOO RESTRICTIVE, TAKES ADVANTAGE OF STUDENTS, RESTRICTIVE SETTING, OVERLY RESTRICTIVE." When determining what school best fits your child with special needs, dont agnore what counts most...your childs emotional needs. After all, It's not always about where the student will go after H.S., it's also about the students self-esteem, dignity & pride during H.S. that shapes who they will be after H.S., after college and into the future. Think About It: You would not send your car to a repair shop that is known for doing great repairs to the outside of a car while damaging the seating on the inside of the car.

I am a advocate of parents of students with special needs and I am a parent of a student with a medical condition that does not allow the student to attend mainstream school. The Summit Upper schools ideas and goals OFFERED are marvelous. Homework is given out in a reasonable manner that does not make the student feel overwhelmed. Unfortunately the disciplinary actions by long-term staff is negative and over restrictive and takes away dignity from the students with special needs who deserve to have their self-esteem lifted. The school "team" as they refer to themsleves, require humility so that they can accept advice on how to promote positive reinforcement strategies that work in the classroom. The long-term class assistants that over monitor the students need to be monitored themselves. The schools overall potential can be improved tremendously if they are willing to humbly make positive adjustments in their form of discipline. Knowing when its needed and taking into account each INDIVIDUAL students need verses characterizing students. I look forward to hearing that the Summit Upper school has improved in that area.

The students here are at or near grade level in their academics, meaning that educational achievement in a regular classroom is possible. The problem with students at Summit is that they do not show their abilities in the regular classroom, which is a criterion for a more restrictive setting, which would be to receive alternative instruction at home. These schools should be left for students whose education in the regular classroom, even with the aid of special materials and supportive services, cannot be achieved. Students with disabilities have to "earn" their right to be in regular classrooms. Students at Summit didn't "earn" it. So why should the school work hard to use appropriate accommodations to provide full access to a general education curriculum? We are wasting valuable special education services that truly belong to the more severely disabled children such as people with mental retardation. Full-inclusion programs could be implemented but no, the state rather waste services on more functioning children. So excuse me for my lack of sympathy for the children at Summit School but when unfairness occurs, it seems very appropriate to express that.
—Submitted by a teacher

This school is disorganized, as it does not cater to children with disabilities. It also caters to the at-risk population destroying the progress of disabled children. I would not send any child struggling with a disability here. They are better off at a separate school specifically designed for students with disabilities or at a mainstream school. HORRIBLE SCHOOL that takes advantages of students with disabilities by allowing them to interact with at-risk students (non-disabled students). The fact that it accepts non-disabled students to this institution proves it's not a separate school specifically designed for students with disabilities.
—Submitted by a teacher

This school is structured, nurturing, supportive, academically demanding/enriching, and the children for whom it is the right fit all LOVE it and thrive. As with all schools for special children, there is no "one size fits all" but Summit does a wonderful job reaching children like mine who is very creative, very bright and plagued by a reading disability and Aspergers. The school effectively engages the children and teaches them to make a contribution to the world around them.
—Submitted by a parent

Please ignore the reviews that debate special school vs. mainstream. If your child can handle the mainstream environment, great, but if that's not appropriate for him/her, there's no better place than Summit. The staff really, really care about the kids, they have a host of strategies up their sleeves, and, unlike some other schools we've tried, they partner with the parents to understand the child and his strengths and weaknesses. I'm sooooo happy we found this place, and my son seems happy for the first time in years.
—Submitted by a parent

Provides an environment for our children like no other. Unbelievably dedicated and talented staff.
—Submitted by a parent

If you are planning to put your child in this school and they have problems like ADHD, etc, this is right place to go. My life changed completely when I came to this school. I found out I have a gift for music when I came here. If anyone out there is reading comments from people that they don't like this school, well they got a problem because your child's life you change when they come to this school. So if your looking for a school for your child and they have certain problems. Brings them here. They start off on a great path and by the time they graduate they found there future.
—Submitted by a student

My daughter was suffering in public school, being beaten up daily at recess, which was ignored. CTT does not work for all children, and for those like my daughter, who are bright but need more support, this is an amazing place. The teachers and staff truly know and understand her and she is thriving!
—Submitted by a parent

My son who is musically gifted, and very bright was melting down every day and actually ran out into the street as he was not on the right medication while at Summit. The principal ran after him to make sure he was safe. No, he was not asked to leave, but saved from being yet another casualty both of the psychiatric and educational system. He was wildly bipolar, something the school alerted us to. NO one, not his previous therapist or any other psychiatrists caught this. My child is on his way to college(CUNY) for a BFA this September. Bravo Summit.
—Submitted by a parent

When the CSE referred my daughter to go to Summit School, I was extremely relieved as the traditional school was not meeting her needs at the time. For a month, my daughter was crying everyday after school saying Summit School was too restrictive. I started to realize what it meant why advocates of inclusion say children with disabilities should be educated with typically developing peers as much as possible. Special education schools in my opinion should only be attended by those with more intensive needs. The majority of special needs kids should be educated with their non-disabled peers. I personally feel that Summit School is a disappointment to the majority of special needs children. Seriously, this school needs to go.
—Submitted by a parent

Summit is definitely a safe haven. Students who are graduating from Summit or have graduated from Summit have been accepted into Adelphi University, Quinnipeac College, Hofstra University, NYU, all of the CUNY Colleges and we just had our first student accepted into Yale. We boast a lawyer, an author, a number of teachers and a Con Ed Executive. Many of these students say that they would not have been nearly as successful if they had not attended Summit.
—Submitted by a teacher

This is not a safe haven for the fragile or victimized kids with high academic ability. This is a special education school for special needs students not able to thrive in a regular high school. I personally would not recommend any child to come here as the environment is very restrictive. I would teach my child to never give up on the regular high school. I want my child to be smart and to succeed in the traditional school!

Safe haven for fragile or victimized kids with high academic ability, but minimal social skills.
—Submitted by a parent

Summit is exceptional for bright kids with learning disabilities. It's probably very good for other kids, too, but I can only speak for my kid, who has had consistently good teaching and counseling in the lower school. Administrations is superb, some teachers have been there a bit too long, but almost all of these people really know their stuff when it comes to working with complex, complicated, wonderful kids. I don't think the program can accomodate very advanced kids in the long term--and there are quite a few--but I've never seen a regular school that could, either. (If your kids is doing college math in the 8th grade, as some of my son's classmates are, it's tough.) I do think some of the classes could be tracked more successfully--with more challenges for kids who have certain skills--but we're very pleased.
—Submitted by a parent