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SEF's mission is to maintain and enhance the high quality of a Summit, New Jersey public school education through community funding of innovative and essential educational programs, a close working relationship with the school district, and careful review, evaluation and financial oversight of supported initiatives.
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Thanks to You
SEF would like to thank Sotheby's Prominent Properties, Liss Printing, Lois Schneider Realtor, Point View, Summit House Restaurant and Salerno Duane for sponsoring our Spring For Excellence.  For a complete list of business donors click here!
 
Battle of the Books Crowns Summit Champs!  Read More.
 
Summit High School now offers enrichment courses through the Virtual High School!  Read more at this link.
 
Family Technology Night at Franklin Elementary!  Read More!
 
Our "Spring For Excellence" fundraiser raised over $120,000!  
 
 
Did You Know?
Doug Orr, District Technology Supervisor, won the Nora Radest award for Excellence in Education. Read More.
 
2016 fall grants totaled over $449,000.  Click here for more info.
 
SEF is in the news.  Check out the latest stories.
 
Think Big
SEF marked our 30th anniversary in April 2016, and celebrated $5.4 million in grants awarded over three decades. Click here for more about the event.
 
 
Endowment Fund reaches $4 million! Over $690,000 from the Endowment Fund has been doled out to support grants. Click here to learn more.
"Hamilton" Drummer Shares Talent with SHS Students
Hamilton Drummer  

Drummer Andres Forero, from the Broadway hit “Hamilton”, shared his talent and experiences with Summit High School students thanks to a Summit Educational Foundation grant written by music teacher Alex Bocchino.  Forero, one of the most talented and respected drummers in the world, played excerpts from Hamilton and In the Heights, as well as a piece entitled "Toshiko" from an album he created with other artists.  In between, Forero shared stories of performing on Broadway and recording with world-class artists.  He answered the students questions.  Forero told the students, “The most important thing is to carry yourself in a great way.  To be a good person.  Be passionate.  Be kind.  Be great.”

The hour and a half session took place in the SHS auditorium and was open to all students.  Students came and went as their class schedules permitted and over 150 students enjoyed all or some of Forero’s session.

 

  • New Arthur C. McCann Speaker Series Endowed at SEF

    The Summit Educational Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of the Arthur C. McCann Speaker Series, named in honor of retired Summit High School English teacher Arthur McCann. This endowment was made possible by a $50,000 donation from Nicholas Stephens, Summit High School Class of 1972, in honor of his former teacher.

    Mr. McCann is remembered fondly by Mr. Stephens and other students as a dynamic and caring teacher who had a lasting impact on them. SEF is thrilled to honor Mr. McCann with this endowment and to see his legacy continue. Each year, through our regular grants process, grants for speakers at the Summit Public Schools will be eligible for funding through proceeds from this endowment.

    This is an open endowment, and others who would like to celebrate Mr. McCann are invited to contribute in any amount. Click here to donate, or email Christine Murray at themurraycrew@gmail.com for more information.
Little Steamers at Jefferson School
 
Little Steamers  
 
The "Little Steamers" program at Jefferson School has been a wonderful opportunity to motivate and inspire female students in second and third grades in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). In this after school enrichment program funded by SEF, the girls learn basic engineering concepts and have completed projects such as structures, weight bearing towers, simple machines, and a working pipeline. According to teacher Jackie Campagna,"The students have been excited to learn what their weekly goal has been and are developing the skills and confidence to complete each task.”
 
 
 
 
SHS Peer Leaders Attend Leadership Training Retreat At Camp Nyoda Hills
 
Peer Leadership 2016  
STEAM Heats Up Imagination at 2nd Annual Carnival
Steam 2016-1
 
Melting gallium rods, mysterious bubbling liquids and teetering superstructures captivated audiences at Saturday, October 15th’s Second Annual STEAM Carnival. Funded by an SEF grant and hosted by Jefferson School, the carnival had over 400 visitors marveling at its many interactive exhibits. The brainchild of Nicole Plumbo Gutierrez, a teacher at Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School, and Michelle Hawley, the Elementary Instructional Facilitator, the carnival exposed K-5 students to science and engineering design challenges and promoted STEAM thinking and creativity. Some of the exhibits included a Giant Jenga game, Google Cardboard 3D Glasses, and Golf Swing Analysis. This year, the carnival also included presentations by representatives from Liberty Science Center and Arithmetickles.
  • [ALERT]
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Spring 2017 Grant Cycle Announced
     
    SEF is pleased to award 44 grants to the Summit Schools this spring, totaling over $186,000.  Thank you to all of our donors and congratulations to all the grant writers. To view a list of grants click here.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Comments (-1)
In Their Words
"My 7th Grade Health Class loved the Breakout Edu experience of using their combined knowledge to solve cross-curricular problems in a non-traditional manner.  The students frantically looked around the room for hidden puzzles, clues and backlight messages that directed them to the codes they needed to break open the box.  Students worked together to solve the puzzles before the timer expired. This interactive mission reinforced the health material in a fun manner that involved all students.  We will definitely be using the Breakout Edu kit again! -- Danielle DeGraw
 
 Coding is an activity for students to have fun with, to fail and not have a grade attached.  From an A+ student to a non-A+ student, all can find success in it." - Megan Hartley, Librarian at LCJSMS, about the CS First Coding Club funded by SEF
 
“The Chromebooks help make the learning more student-centered, in that the teacher is putting up work for students to do, and then they’re responsible for working through it, often several tasks at their own pace. What is being created is an effective digital learning environment.” -- Jim Woods, Social Studies Supervisor, Summit High School, remarking on the SEF-funded Chromebooks at SHS 
 
"It is a lot easier to turn in assignments." A. G.  
"You can do homework on the go." S. D.
"Can’t lose information or paper. I am much more organized." W. L.
“I love my Chromebook.”      N. S.
-- Summit High School students expressing their enthusiasm about the Chromebooks

"Students can now utilize this tool in my classroom and at home to fully incorporate it into their learning.  They can annotate the lesson in a program like Notability or Topnotes,  taking the teacher notes and media and making it more personal and relevant to them."  -- Matthew Ramstedt, 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher, LCJSMS, commenting on iPads

 
"We enjoy implementing the program every day, mostly to begin our mornings. My class "DJs" enjoy having the special job of facilitating the music daily. I find it helps calm our moods and stress levels. Thank you very much to SEF for providing us with the gift of music."  --Lori Alfone, 3rd Grade Teacher, Franklin Elementary Teacher
 
"The Science Research Program gives me the unique opportunity to explore my interests in depth, which I would be unable to do otherwise.  I have been able to research a topic that I'm interested in and create an authentic project around it.  Going to the science fairs was an excellent experience."
Kristin Miller, 11th grade
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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