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Summit School
NEWS
January 2011
On the Monday before Thanksgiving, over 350 Summit enthusiasts gathered at Bridgewaters for the Annual Benefit. Amy and Larry Birnbaum
(top left) were honored for their leadership in our Capital Campaign For Kids, for the part they have played in raising funds over the past 4 years
to renovate both Lower and Upper Schools, and for Amy’s work and involvement in our Parents Association. The Benefit raised $325,000, a
good portion from very lively bidding at both the silent and live auctions. Auctioneers Hugh Jackman and Deborah Koenigsberger (top right)
charismatically inspired passionate bidding for the live auction items. Upper School students Max Baumbach, Henry Dobell, Julia Friedman, Leo
Gilbert, Will Schwarz, and Kaitlin Twomey entertained the crowd with professional caliber performances. The photo (bottom right) shows Julia’s
heartfelt performance of her own original song.
BOOK FAIR FARES WELL In November, the
Barnes & Noble Book Fair team once again coupled
with our Parents Association to coordinate a highly
successful event. Summit students were introduced
to many new writers and a wide variety of books that
encouraged them to discover new genres. The collection
included art appreciation books; animal and nature lover
books;old and new series; cookbooks; a huge selection of
games that develop skills; and of course, joke books and
bookmarks. The reading buzz spread over two days as
books were available to students and also to parents on
their Conference Day.
Lower School student Tara Marley making her
purchase.
Summit Students Explore Their Futures by Daniel Lewitz with Philip Dubow & Adam Ninyo
On Monday, October 25th, Summit High School held a College Fair, featuring representatives from higher learning institutions located
across the country. Each representative came with materials containing information about his or her respective school and took a variety of
questions from both students and parents.
The fair had a very large turnout. About half of the juniors and seniors came, as well as a good number of their parents. There were also a
large number of sophomores in attendance. Although the sophomores will not have to “worry” about college for at least another year, many
thought that going to the fair would be a valuable experience nonetheless. Even for students who will likely not attend any of the schools
represented, this event offered them a chance to get acquainted with the college fair environment, as well as learn more about a few of the
options available to them.
The fair featured a wide range of schools. While most of the colleges in attendance were located within the tristate area, there were individuals
who came from as far away as the Gulf Coast to represent their schools at this event. There were colleges with as many as 30,000 students and
colleges with as few as 2,000. Although most were typical four-year colleges, trade schools and colleges offering specialized programs were
also in attendance. The list of colleges included schools ranging from Rutgers, a state school in New Jersey with thousands of students, to Lynn
University, a private school in south Florida with fewer than 3,000 students from all over the world.
Although some colleges may have lower acceptance rates than others, or are better known, each school has something to offer that will either
appeal or not appeal to the individual student. One student spoke highly of the fair, saying, “While I ultimately may not choose to attend
one of the colleges here, I still found this to be an interesting and informative experience nevertheless. I was able to engage in a meaningful
dialogue with representatives from the various schools, as well as learn more about the admissions process as a whole.” One parent agreed,
stating that “It was good. The representatives were taking a lot of different questions, and they seemed quite interested in our students.”
Many individuals at our school helped to make this fair possible. Yvonne Bowman, Summit’s Guidance Counselor, was responsible for
organizing it and personally inviting all of the college representatives who attended. “The purpose of this fair was to inform students and
parents of the wide range of options available, and to encourage them to keep an open mind as they begin exploring post-high school
possibilities. I look forward to helping each student at Summit as they decide upon their future—whether it is attending college, a career
school, or a pre-college program,” Ms. Bowman told The Sun. (Originally published in the October 29th edition of The Summit Sun)
There’s Pie In Your Eye
Immediately following the annual Thanksgiving luncheon, the much anticipated, sacred
Summit Pie Eating Contest began! Students
from each classroom participated. Contestants
were given one blueberry pie covered in
whipped cream, and they were not allowed
to use any utensils or their hands. Last year’s
winner, and widely considered favorite, Philip
Dubow, was edged out at the very last bite by
Adam Ninyo of Class 306. The classroom of the
reigning champion received a pizza party to
help celebrate Adam’s victory.
Holiday Bazaar The Holiday Bazaar was a huge hit at the Lower School. Held
in early December, Lower School students had an opportunity to shop on their own for
those special people in their lives. Many students shared stories about the people they cared
for and were excited to buy gifts for all their loved ones. The enthusiasm was contagious
and sales were robust. The Parents Association coordinated the event, and the school
appreciates the time they donated to create a lovely store. The joy of caring and giving
energized the shopping experience.
Cookie Monsters? Class 22 held a “healthy bake sale” in mid-December.
Anne Jennis’s students made signs for their homemade items detailing what the healthy
ingredients were and the benefit of those ingredients. Above, Pablo Vazquez asks Andrew
Garland what makes his cookies special. In fact, as the signage reports: they contain
antioxidants, vitamins A, C, potassium, and fibers –and were only 25 cents each!
Toys For Tots Joined by US Marines, who usually come to the school to pick up the toys, Class 303 decided to deliver the toys
to the Marine’s Queens Headquarters. Class 303 would like to express its sincere appreciation to the staff and students who donated their
time and gifts to make the 2010 Holiday Toy Drive a success.
associating with the Parents’
Association Thanks to the hard work of the
PA board, there are many social activities organized for
both Upper and Lower school students. PA dues buffer
the costs of most events, keeping them affordable so
that all students may participate. PA membership dues
are collected during the summer prior to the start of the
school year so that the Parents Association can support
many student activities right at the very beginning of
the school year. Current membership, however, is at
approximately 50%, so please check with our treasurer
Beverly Michel at [email protected] to be sure you
have joined the PA.
New Wing Wins Award Out of 100 entries, the Queens Chamber of
Commerce chose the new wing of Summit’s Upper School as this year’s winner
for “promoting excellence in design for the benefit of the community.” John
Renner and Richard Sitman will represent the school at a ceremony on January
20 when they will accept a plaque from the Chamber of Commerce that will hang
in the Upper School.
This year the Upper School hosted a College Fair for
parents and students, and the Lower School organized
a holiday boutique, and both were huge successes. If
you would like to become more involved with the PA
or are considering joining the board, please contact
me, Jill Cohen, at [email protected]. We
always welcome new parents.
Please check the weekly Summit eblast and class parent
emails to stay informed about PA announcements. On
behalf of the PA board, I wish you and your families a
happy and healthy 2011.
Jill Cohen, President
PETER SELLINGER, Class of 1988 - yes, 1988! Rikers Island was an unplanned
stop for Summit alumnus Peter Sellinger, yet everyday he rises early and heads there to stand in front of his
high school English class to teach several groups of students who hadn’t planned to land there either. Peter
turned 40 this past December. Back in 1983, he entered Summit after struggling in his local public school in
Long Beach, and he graduated five years later from the Upper School as valedictorian. Summit’s Vocational
Program (now called the Work-Based Learning Program) helped him to realize that there were many job
opportunities ahead for him. His job sites while at Summit included McGraw-Hill, Elmhurst Hospital, and
the Marriott Hotels. “Each internship paired some aspect of my known abilities with the acquisition of others
as I tapped into new skills and interests,” Peter recalled.
Upon graduating from Summit, Peter earned an Associate in Science degree from SUNY’s Sullivan County
Community College, and a BA degree from SUNY Purchase. He worked in the television industry for seven
years, beginning in the shipping department of a post-production facility in Manhattan and was promoted
to the position of Production Assistant for The Ricki Lake Show, the A&E/History Channel, The USA Cafe,
The Tempestt Bledsoe Show, and he freelanced for MTV Networks. While mastering television production
skills, Peter became an engineer and worked with others to create television studio facilities by installing
and integrating electronic component systems for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, The People’s Court, The Sally Jesse Raphael Show, and The
Maury Povich Show. As his curiosity led him to learn and succeed at each next step, he eventually became a Master Control Operator who was
responsible for broadcasting programming line-ups and maintaining electronic systems for Brooklyn Community Access Television.
In 2002, Peter decided that he wanted to put his energies into a career that had more meaning and that allowed him to “make a difference.” He
enrolled in Brooklyn College and earned a Master’s Degree in English/Education and graduated with a 3.9 grade point average. While attending
classes for his Master’s Degree, Peter had been given placement options within the New York City public school system and decided that he
could really make a difference by choosing to teach on Rikers Island. His students, each with a heart-wrenching story, have been arrested, are
incarcerated, and are awaiting sentencing. While his students remain in jail, Peter works with them so that they can earn high school credits, GED
diplomas, and Regents diplomas.
Mr. Renner was Peter’s mentor when he was an Upper School student and was, by Peter’s reckoning, one of the most positive influences he had
the good fortune of knowing. Mr. Renner urged Peter to become involved with the Summit Student Council, and in his junior year he was elected
secretary and then president in his senior year. “They seemed to be just high school activities at the time,” but Peter has often looked back and feels
that those experiences were instrumental in helping him to gain confidence and public-speaking and management skills. Now he uses those skills in
his newly- elected position as the United Federation of Teachers Chapter Leader for East River Academy, serving over 150 faculty and employees,
and 1,100 students.
“I hardly imagined when I was a high school student at Summit that I would be enjoying my life as much as I do today. It took a lot of very, very
patient and dedicated people – my parents and teachers, and my willingness to believe in myself. I know for a fact that I would not be where I am
today if I had not been a student at Summit. I would not have the stick-to-it-ness that has been such a major factor in getting me from there to here.”
Dinosaurs seen on utopia
Parkway! The American Museum of
Natural History’s Moveable Museum roared
down Utopia Parkway and arrived at our
Lower School on December 21st.
The Moveable Museum, housed inside a
converted bus, is an interactive exhibit that
travels to schools, libraries, and community
organizations within New York City's five
boroughs. Summit students explored an
array of interactive displays to understand the
evolution of dinosaurs and possible causes of
the mass extinction 65 million years ago.
Moveable Museum (above) and Michael McKenna (below)
Traveling with the bus was museum guide American Museum of Natural History worker
Russell Tarangan who helped students learn Russell Tarangan with Jake Levine and Philip Berg.
what information can be gleaned from fossil evidence and also the limitations
of what fossils can tell us about extinct animals. Students examined dinosaur nests and
trackways to interpret social behavior, and they investigated feathered dinosaur fossils
from Liaoning, China, that reveal the connection between dinosaurs and modern birds.
They also learned how to examine fossil evidence to explore the long history of changing
life forms, the remains of which are found in the earth's rocks.
LOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
The 2010/2011 school year is well under way. Our students are learning and growing each day.
The Summit School is a great place to learn and grow because we understand that children
need to feel safe and understood. Children succeed when they believe in themselves and when
they know that others believe in them as well. We are so proud of your children and all of their
accomplishments.
The year has already been filled with much enrichment. Our annual Barnes & Noble Book
Fair in November was a great success. The Moveable Museum, sponsored by the Museum of
Natural History, visited our school this past December and treated our students to a dinosaur
exhibition and presentation. Jeff Stanley, a renowned playwright, screenwriter, and director
visited this fall. He came to share his expertise and provide guidance to our students who will
be entering a middle school playwriting contest this spring. In mid-December, all students
participated in a school-wide trip day and ventured out to many exciting places, including MOMA, The Museum of the Moving
Image, and Louis Armstrong’s home in Queens.
The year ahead will be filled with many more great opportunities, including an overnight trip to The Liberty Science Center and
an overnight trip to Philadelphia. We are all very much looking forward to the weather getting warmer so we can begin using our
brand new, beautiful outdoor space. Our parent volunteers are hard at work organizing the finishing touches of paint, plantings,
and furniture. We are so grateful to everyone who came together to make this backyard a reality. The children will benefit for years
to come because of your generosity. I’m looking forward to a great year ahead.
Karen Frigenti
Hallway hallelujas Walking down the halls of the Lower School, anyone can see there is no lack of talent or interests.
Our bulletin boards once again are lush with content, color, and creativity. There seems to be a self-imposed competition that keeps classes
wanting to be even more creative with each posting to excite students, faculty, and visitors. Best of all is that each student is proud of his
or her work and enjoys sharing it with others, especially during Parent Teacher Conferences. Come visit to see these shining examples of
what defines the spirit of Summit’s Lower School.
THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY’S OF WORK-BASED LEARNING
WORK-BASED LEARNING DEFINED Formerly called
vocational or distributive education, Work-Based Learning was often
used as a tool for students at risk of failing out of school or for those in
need of financial assistance while still in high school. Today, WBL has
expanded to include a wide variety of experiences for students as they
prepare for the next phase of their lives. WBL includes “shadowing” on a
job for a few hours, having an unpaid internship, doing work for pay, and
volunteering at a worksite or in a community service environment.
New York State requires all work-based learning programs to be carried
out under an educator licensed by the State Education Department as a
“Coordinator of Work-Based Programs.” This certifies that the person is
trained and is legally allowed to operate a WBL program.
ADVANTAGES OF WBL Aside from its value as a career aware-
ness and preparation tool, work-based learning is a meaningful link between
the academic world and the work world. Students gain an understanding
of the relevance of subjects such as math, science, and English when
they apply classroom learning to real-world settings. Also, WBL assists
with post-high school planning, since post-secondary institutions and
prospective employers consider the addition of WBL to the high school
curriculum quite an accomplishment. Work-based learning is a great way
to teach computer literacy, communication, teamwork, negotiation, time
management, prioritization, and other so-called soft skills that are required
by today’s employers but are not always taught in the classroom.
UNIQUENESS OF WBL AT THE SUMMIT SCHOOL
To the best of our knowledge, Summit is the only Regents-performing
high school to incorporate such a program as a requisite for every student.
All Summit students graduate with a transcript and a résumé that shows
experiences at four different jobs during grades 9 through 12, in addition
to meeting NY State’s Regents requirements.
As today’s high schools find themselves caught between the practical
realities of preparing students for life after high school and the State’s
directives for more testing and improved test scores, The Summit School
has proven that it doesn’t have to be an either-or decision and that in fact
schools can do both.
TWO PROGRAMS Summit’s WBL has two programs – one
supervised and one independent. Students in grades 9 through 11 travel
with and are supervised by a job coach for about two and a half hours,
one day per week at their assigned job sites. They receive the training that
a typical entry-level employee would receive from employees of the host
companies. Students get to experience firsthand how people act in the
workplace, gaining valuable insights into successful workplace behaviors.
Students learn basic job skills in grades 9 and 10, usually progressing to
more complex tasks by grade 11. Often students gain insights into their
personal work preferences and then jobs can become more tailored to
their interests. These might include working in a restaurant, a museum, or
a manufacturing facility where more job-specific and complex tasks are
acquired. As students progress through the program they continue to learn
and demonstrate important 21st Century skills. All of this is monitored and
documented as part of the student’s IEP.
The final stage of Summit’s Work-Based Learning continuum culminates
with the Senior Internship Program where students are encouraged to
A Message from
Marian corbett,
The New Director
of Summit’s
Work-Based
Learning
ProgramS
After three months on the job,
I am thrilled to be at The Summit
School in this role. This is a dream
job for any educator who believes
as I do in the importance of providing students with the best of
all possible worlds – a rigorous academic foundation coupled
with real-world career skills and experiences.
I can tell you that The Summit School’s Work-Based Learning
model is the best around. The diversity of jobs and the
practical career skills learned in grades 9-12 provide a
unique opportunity for students to steadily build necessary
21st Century employment competencies and learn about
careers in the process. Supervision of students by job and
travel coaches becomes less over time, allowing students to
grow to be independent “employees” by senior year.
To me, the Senior Internship Program is the ultimate learning
experience for a high school student. Students working one
entire day a week independently in an area of career interest,
and taking a full load of academic courses at the same time,
shows college admissions counselors and future employers
that Summit students have achieved “above and beyond” the
typical high school student, and they have the résumé and
transcript to prove it.
For the near future, I look forward to building working
relationships with new businesses in areas representing career
growth, as well as continuing to maintain solid relationships
with our existing business partners. I also look forward to
getting to know each and every student and understanding
his or her unique interests and abilities in order to make the
best possible matches to our job sites. For the long term, I
look forward to seeing these students, some of whom have
struggled academically, achieve success in their post-high
school years because they went the extra mile while here at
The Summit School. Marian Corbett received her B.A. in Business Education from
Montclair State University and taught high school in New Jersey
before working for a variety of businesses in areas related to
marketing, sales, and product development. She holds an M.B.A.
degree from Boston University and an M.S. in Education from St.
John’s University. She re-entered the education field over ten years
ago and in 2008 became certified as a Coordinator of Work-Based
Learning Programs by the New York State Education Department.
Most recently, she was Coordinator of the School-to-Career Program
at a Long Island district.
THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY’S OF WORK-BASED LEARNING
explore actual careers of interest, thus gaining a leg up with college
and career planning. Senior students intern at job sites for a minimum
of five hours, one day a week, often with a reduced level of staff
supervision.
WORK-BASED LEARNING FOR SUMMIT
STUDENTS The program’s mechanics are the same for all
students, disability notwithstanding. Students are placed at job sites
where there is an opportunity for them to learn and succeed. For
students with IEP’s, however, there is an additional layer to the jobmatching process. The level of supervision and job coaching necessary
is taken into account, as well as any academic or emotional uniqueness
that could impact on a student’s success at a particular job site.
SCHOOL-AND-BUSINESS PARTNERING IS A
WIN-WIN Many of our host companies find that working with
students often benefits them, too. Companies have reported renewed
enthusiasm and improved morale among their staff. A number have hired
Summit student interns as employees upon graduation. Participation is
a great way for business leaders to give something back to the future
generation of workers.
In 2010-11, more than 60 businesses are part of the active network Emily
Seltzer created. These include Albert Einstein Hospital; Alvin Ailey
Dance Theater; American Museum of Natural History; Applebee’s;
Barnes & Noble (multiple sites); Bobbi and the Strays; The Calhoun
School; Church Street School of Music and Art; Con Edison (multiple
sites); Corporate Performance Artists; Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr.;
Crestwood Country Day School; Crown Trophy; The Crowne Plaza
Hotel; Davis and Gilbert, LLP; Design Strategies Corp.; Dewey and
LeBoeuf, LLP; Eastern American Data Voice, Inc.; Forest Hills Cat
Hospital; Gallop NYC; The Gap; Good Housekeeping Research
Institute; Gotham Vet; Hick’s Nursery; Hollis Hills Preschool; The
Jewish Theological Seminary Library; Kessel Wellness Center; Legal
Services NYC, Brooklyn Branch; Lewis/Johs/Avallone/Aviles, LLP;
Likeable.com; Little Meadows Preschool; Loehmann’s; Long Island
Children’s Museum; Lynne’s Riding School; Matthew Katz-Bohen;
Modell’s Sporting Goods; Monte’s Trattoria; The Museum of Jewish
Heritage; The New York Times; North Shore Hospital, Forest Hills; Old
Navy; Oyster Bay Manor; Pibbs Cosmetology; P.J. Mechanical; Queens
Library; The Red Caboose; Red Mango; Ridgewood Savings Bank;
Rockefeller University; Seniors League of Flatbush; SIS International
Research; Skyer, Castro, Foley, and Associates; Sports Authority; The
Stephen Gaynor School; St. John’s University Library; Suckadelic, Inc.;
Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment; Woodstock Fire Department;
and WVOX Radio Station.
Student TJ Petty educating youngsters about dinosaurs at the American Museum
of Natural History.
Dr. Louis Kessel shows Bracha Newcomb a chiropractic technique at the
Kessel Wellness Center.
PARENTS AS PARTNERS TOO Our Summit parents are
frequently the most common sources of referrals for worksites. We
have a campaign at the Upper School called “Parents as Partners.”
Any parent with information about a potential work site is
encouraged to contact Marian Corbett, Director of Work-Based
Learning Programs, at the Upper School (718-264-2931, ext. 213)
or by email at [email protected].
Senior intern Lindsay Ehrenpreis tends to a resident of the Oyster Bay Manor
nursing home.
The summit school NEWS
artwork
chosen
for Exhibit
The Sumi-e paintings
Bamboo, (left) by Sophie
Maynard, 10th grade
art student, and Marla
Kleinman, Summit art
teacher, Red Lotus, Early
Dawn (center) will be
on display together in
the exhibit “Queens:
Multiple Visions,”
organized by the Queens
Museum Education
Department and Queens College. The exhibit features artwork by Queens teachers and their students, exploring how students’ and teachers’ work
connect, diverge, relate, correspond, or differ in a variety of ways including subject matter, medium, aesthetics, and technique. The opening is on Thursday,
February 10, 4 - 6 p.m. These works of art will be on exhibit at The Queens Museum of Art from February 9 - 27.
Mary McGlade’s Iris (right) has been selected by Arts Connections to be hung in the offices of Eton Park Capital Management in mid-town Manhattan.
The opening for the exhibit is scheduled for Tuesday, February 8, and the exhibit will be on display for one year. Mary will receive a gift certificate for art
supplies from Arts Connections Student Art Program, a program that connects young artists from New York City schools with corporate sponsors who
provide the exhibit opportunity and cover the cost of the exhibit.
The Summit School
187-30 Grand Central Parkway
Jamaica Estates, New York 11432