Summit Denali Charter School

It's been such a positive experience for our family, with a structured curriculum that's engaging along with strong self-learning values instilled in their everyday life. Our elementary school wasn''t able to pivot to remote schooling in the spring and finding a better match was key with the pandemic. Denali provides a supportive environment for the kids with instruction but the teachers for the most part of the day, with mentoring time and self-directed periods during the day, giving our 6th grader a chance to flex during longer lunch and step away from the computer. We are grateful for all the care the teachers and staff provide the students.

I'm so impressed with the Summit school staff's dedication, hard work and organization, especially during turbulent times. Summit Denali is a well-run school with an excellent curriculum. The atmosphere is friendly and supportive. It''s also very casual, with a lot of self-directed work. If you want a silent classroom with strict military discipline, then this is not for you.

I am a parent of a current 7th grader and a graduated Summit Denali student from last year (2020 - Founding Class). My graduated student is now attending UCLA. The mentors at Summit Denali have such a positive impact on the students. They check in with students on a weekly basis to make sure they are on track academically and emotionally. The platform also allows your student to go at their own pace, which was great for both of my kids who are independent learners. But it also works for those students who need extra help. They can get extra help from teachers during the last hour of the day. The projects are also great because they relate to real-world situations. Another plus is the staff. They will be there to help you with any problem. They will not brush you off like so many other schools do. I highly recommend Summit Denali.

My daughter has been a student at Summit Denali for the last 3 years. I cannot express how grateful we have been to find a school that has had such a positive impact on my daughter. I have watched her grow and thrive in this environment. As a child who needs a little extra help, they have provided the support I was unable to get in her past school. They have worked to improve her self-confidence, show her it's ok to fail (a struggle she has as a perfectionist), and provide such support, caring, and cheering at her successes. The mentors are a whole other level of support for the kids, providing a close-knit community within an already tight community of kids. Not only is Denali meeting my daughter's needs, but works to adjust those needs as necessary. If your student has an IEP or 504, this school has been such a relief after our previous experience. This school does have a wide range of students enrolled. This helps them learn about acceptance, something I feel is needed to make them productive members of society. They limit the number enrolled per grade to around 100, so the staff really gets to know all the students in the schools. The program is something my daughter really enjoys. Yes, they are a college-focused school, but they also realize that all students do not learn the same way or at the same pace. Their platform allows students to work within a structure while at the same time room for self-directed learning so they can go at their own pace. They have projects and activities where they work with other students or with partners so they can learn teamwork and how to hear other points of view as well as be heard. Again, all lifelong skills needed. Lastly, amongst the COVID restrictions, we are all dealing with, the Summit platform was already adapted to be an online program. There was a seamless transition when distance learning went into effect. As a parent, I was so grateful that my daughter who was graduating 8th grade at the time didn't miss any school and finished the year on time. My daughter started Denali High School this year. I have seen so much personal growth in her from last year to this year. I would highly recommend looking into Summit Denali for middle school or high school if you are looking for a change for your child.

As a parent of a child with an IEP, this has been a good placement. He is doing grade level work (getting all A''s) because he can manage his time and has clear expectations of assignments and due dates. The staff has been mostly very good and the few issues have been addressed.

The school extends grace to students when they need it the most. Yes, there is a range of students enrolled, but that is the point. The administration and teachers work through the requirements of the curriculum by scaffolding it up and down to meet the needs of the student.

Wonderful aspirations...there is too wide a range of student capabilities to meet the needs. Seems to be a lot of turnover and absenteeism with the teachers as well as a higher than average ration of students to teacher. Kids say it's hard to get some time with the teacher to adequately discuss the schoolwork. If you need services - check to see if they can support your needs because they are ramping up and may not have what you need.