Summer is in full swing, which means that the new school year is soon to begin. Enroll your child at Summit Academy Charter School – a tuition free K-8 public charter school in Coral Springs! The mission at Summit Academy is to create an inclusive and diverse environment that’s reflective of the local population.
The new school year welcomes a new principal, Ms. Mari Canetti, whose teaching career began in, of all places, high school, where they had a work experience program that lit her fire for teaching. From being lead teacher in several different grade levels at schools in Dade County, then Davie, she went on to get her masters degree, became Dean of Students, and then Assistant Principal. She is now excited to transition to Principal at Summit Academy Charter School! She tells us, “Many parents choose Summit Academy because their child is not just a number, but treated in a more private school way; as individuals. We strive to cater to each child’s, not only academic, but their social needs as well. We get to know each child and their families, and we pride ourselves on our school being a close, family-like environment.”
Summit Academy parent Roxanne Rossi has nothing but great things to say about the school. Her daughter, Rosalia Di Pietro, attended sixth through eighth grade in the advanced group, and is now better prepared for high school. Roxanne says, “First off, I love this school! It was a great fit for my daughter. I researched many schools, but what made Summit Academy stand out to us was the simple fact that they claimed not to put a ton of pressure on the children regarding state testing, which usually results in better results for the children. I felt her education there was very well rounded and the teachers were wonderful.”
She agrees with Ms. Canetti when she tells us, “It truly felt like you were part of a family. Everybody was friends with each other, often doing things together outside of school. The parents became our friends and it was such a nice feeling knowing that everyone there had the best interest of the children in mind; not just their child, but the other children as well.” Now that Rosalia is moving on, her mother tells us, “We are really going to miss our Summit Academy family.”
Ms. Canetti says that her favorite groups to work with have always been elementary through middle school students. “I think it’s important to have a good relationship with the kids, and from there you can build on their academics, their self-esteem and, if you don’t have a good rapport with the students and their parents, you’re not going to get anywhere. It’s important that the students feel welcome, that they are comfortable, and that they feel they can do it.” She tells me that she is not the typical principal, standing in the corner and observing. She likes to get involved, and meet the students and their parents face-to-face, understanding their variety of needs. She says, “My doors are always open to both the students, their parents, and the staff.“
With a population of approximately 475 students, Ms. Canetti shares, “Since we only have the kids until eighth grade, we want to create well rounded individuals to move further into the community, since they will be moving on to four years of high school. It’s not just about academics; it’s about each individual’s needs, and cultivating a more pos
itive person in each of our students.”
For more information please call 954-603-3303 visit www.SummitAcademy.org.