Curriculum

The academic challenge and personal growth that begins in the Lower School continues in the Middle School during grades 5-8. Guided by faculty who are dedicated and skilled in addressing the needs of pre- and emerging adolescents, Middle School students extend their academic foundation and social skills in a caring and comfortable environment.

GENERAL PROGRAMS

Academics
Middle School students receive instruction in each of the core disciplines, including language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and religion, as well as educational opportunities in music, art, physical education, health, foreign language, drama and communication. This curriculum provides a well-balanced educational experience and involves hands-on instruction as well as collaborative learning and lecturing to reinforce subject materials.

Health
The Middle School health education program consists of physical wellness, psychological wellness and social wellness. The physical elements of health include such characteristics as exercise and fitness, anatomy and physiology, personal healthcare and proper nutrition, susceptibility to diseases and disorders and body functioning. The psychological elements of health include intellectual and emotional practices and conditions, value and belief systems, levels of self-image and self-confidence and one’s coping mechanisms. The social element of health refers to one’s interactions with others, the ability to adapt to various situations and one’s daily behavior.

Foreign Language
The foreign language program is a FLEX Exploratory Program, which focuses on the exposure of students to one or more languages and cultures for one or more school years. It emphasizes cross-cultural appreciation and contrasts and is considered a foundation in language learning with goals in foreign language proficiency. This program is primarily language-, culture- and motivation-based. FLEX also permits a wide variety of formats and scheduling patterns. In grade five students take Spanish or French for a period of 30 minutes twice a week. In the sixth grade, all students take Latin and Graeco-Roman civilization. In the seventh and eighth grades, students take the first and second halves of the traditional first year of high school foreign language study in their choice of French, Spanish or Latin.

Physical Education
This curriculum emphasizes skill units intended to introduce students to a wide variety of sports. Special attention focuses on how to practice, how to learn and how to set and achieve one’s goals. Class is a mixture of sports units emphasizing skill and strategy combined with intramural activity that incorporates team concepts. The program is concerned with developing competence in movement and providing appropriate challenges. Activities include softball, field hockey, badminton, team handball, soccer, razzle-dazzle football, cooperative games, floor hockey, ultimate frisbee, basketball, track and field, volleyball, recreational games and pickle ball.

Pastoral Services
The religious development of each student is a prime purpose of The Summit program. Spiritual growth and development will be encouraged through our religion curriculum, Masses and other para-liturgical services. These programs are carefully constructed for each year and announced at the beginning of the school year. A student’s behavior at all such programs is expected to be open, polite, positive and spiritually dedicated.

Middle School students are expected to participate in Christian service activities. Christian service is defined as those projects or actions that enable The Summit student to build a relationship with another person. This ideal is best exemplified by Christ in the Gospels: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, taking care of the poor, ministering to the sick, aiding the outcasts, housing the homeless, preaching of the Gospel and caring for the persecuted.

GUIDANCE SERVICES

Advisory System
The Summit has an advisor/advisee system in which every student in the school has his/her own faculty advisor. During the advisory period, students study, plan, organize and do activities to enhance positive group interaction. The advisement period is also a time to meet informally with a student to discuss academic, personal or social issues. The advisors call home early in the year to introduce themselves to the parents. The relationship between the advisor and the advisee is built on sensitivity, empathy and trust. The advisor is the student’s advocate in the Middle School.

School Counselor
The Middle School counselor is available for the students, parents and teachers of the Middle School to provide support, consultation and intervention. The counselor works to assist in the personal, social and academic growth of the students by working with the students individually, in small groups or by presenting lessons in grade-level classrooms or during advisement.

ATHLETICS
The fifth- and sixth-grade parent-run athletic program exists to provide students an opportunity to participate and learn a variety of sports and activities. This program is managed by the parents of The Summit, and all coaches and sponsors are volunteers from the parent community. The athletic department provides support, guidance, and field and gymnasium space after the seventh through twelfth grade interscholastic needs are met. All management of the program stems from the individual parent sports commissioners.

The Summit offers a variety of interscholastic sports opportunities for both boys and girls beginning in the seventh grade. Participation by students is encouraged while each team focuses on achieving the very best results its talents and schedule permit. Every team stresses quality participation in the athletic contests for each team member who has successfully maintained team attendance, practice, training and work guidelines. The Summit employs a no-cut policy for athletics, which allows every student the opportunity to participate, regardless of ability.

Fall Sports

Boys

• Football
• Soccer

Girls

• Field Hockey
• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Cheerleading

Winter Sports

Boys

• Basketball
• Wrestling

Girls

• Cheerleading
• Basketball

Spring Sports

Boys

• Track
• Baseball
• Lacrosse

Girls

• Softball
• Track

TECHNOLOGY
The Summit maintains over 700 computers throughout the campus, both in lab settings and in the classroom. Student use of these facilities includes keyboarding and computer application classes, lab work, research, class projects with movable laptop labs and graphic design. Technology is used as a tool for learning throughout the entire curriculum.

Students in the Middle School gain experience with computers in a variety of ways. Curricular areas use word processing software, graphing software, art and drawing programs, and Library resource databases in completing projects. PowerPoint is used for many class presentations by students and teachers. As new technologies become available they are readily integrated into classroom use. Easy Tech Computer Literacy activities expand student skills in the use of computers and productivity software.

The Summit Middle School also uses the Blackboard e-education platform that serves as a valuable learning resource for students, parents, and faculty. Daily use is made of Blackboard, for assignments, grades, and class information. Blackboard helps parents monitor their children’s performance and daily activities by providing a customized view of academic activities. In addition, parents can become more active in the school community through updated announcements from teachers and administrators.

LEADERSHIP
The Summit takes great pride in educating tomorrow’s leaders, and as part of that education, leadership skills are emphasized in both the classroom and extra-curricular activities. The following is a partial list of leadership opportunities available to Middle School students.

Mass Preparation — Students will actively participate in the planning and execution of a Middle School liturgy. Through teacher guidance, children will select songs, prepare readings, and share petitions.

Making a Difference — Students adopt a needy organization or group and participate in Christian Service activities throughout the year.

Advisement — Emphasis on bullying, self-esteem and service.

Peer Tutoring — Students who are doing well in class are encouraged to help peers who are having difficulty.

SKORE — “Summit Kids Recycling Efforts” - Every Friday student volunteers will collect items to be recycled.

Leadership — Action Teams will volunteer for service at various venues throughout Cincinnati. The Middle School faculty will assume responsibility for leading this activity.

New Student Orientation — Representatives from each grade level discuss ways to make new students feel welcome.

Training of 8th Grade Students as Eucharistic Ministers — Leadership attributes/behaviours of values identification and definition.

Lead group discussion — Collaborative learning environment provides ample opportunity for students to facilitate discussion.

Cooperative learning — Another product of collaborative learning, students learn to work together on projects.

Foreign Language Reaching Out — Opportunity for students to learn entrepreneurship and to develop leadership skills while helping the Hispanic community.

Leadership Development Class — Seventh and Eighth grade students will rotate through a six-week program of leadership training. The topics are meant to be skill building and experiential in nature with emphasis on application. Topics selected are as follows:

• Defining Leadership
• Building Consensus
• Qualities of Leaders
• Tolerance, Diversity & Gender Differences
• Styles of Leadership
• Communication and Listening
• Motivation and Leadership
• Conflict Resolution
• Taking Leadership Risks: Doing it, Fixing it, Trying it again
• Ethical decision making