Summit

I grew up in Summit. I know it well.

I know the town inside and out. It's a wonderful place to live. Just ask me.

Summit is a sophisticated city, aptly named due to its 450-foot elevation. Located just 35 miles from New York City, Summit is a beautiful suburban community filled with excellent shopping and first-class schools. Its site is one of the highest points within a 25-mile radius, west of New York City. Over the years and decades, in surveys taken, Summit has consistently ranked in the top cities of New Jersey.

Shopping in downtown Summit is spectacular.

There are few communities of its size that can offer the charm and diversity of the downtown Summit center. Newly redone streets and sidewalks offer wide areas for outside eating and strolling. The variety of shopping includes gift shops, apparel stores for children and adults, art galleries, interior design studios, sporting goods stores, florists, family department store, antique shops and a variety of fine and informal restaurants.

New Jersey Transit runs through Summit.

For work, theatre or shopping, it is a quick commute to New York City on either the express or local trains. And besides the cute downtown shopping center of Summit, you also have the famous Short Hills Mall. If you are coming from out of town to look at homes, and want to stay overnight, you can stay at one of the local hotels. Stay at the local Grand Summit Hotel (908-273-3000) or there's even a five-star hotel with world-class spa only a minute or so away.

Schools are key.

Our area Public Schools are top in the state and the country. All of them are supported by very active parent and teacher organizations, which contributes to their continued strength over the years. High quality schools ensure higher property values for our homeowners.

Summit Public Schools — 908-273-3023

Summit High School, Summit Middle School, Brayton Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Lincoln-Hubbard Elementary, Washington Elementary.

Summit Public Schools are consistently rated superior, not only academically but also for their music, art, other cultural programs, and athletics. Excellence thrives, as reflected by the high standardized-test scores at every grade level, students honored by the National Merit Scholarship Program and other state or national competitions, and the number of seniors accepted annually at highly competitive colleges.

Elementary: Summit Elementary Schools have school spirit, teacher enthusiasm, parental and community involvement and business partnerships. They pride themselves on continuing to graduate students who are well prepared to enter the world as critical thinkers and contributing members of society. Implementation of the State core curriculum has become one of the district's priorities. The standards are in areas of the arts, comprehensive health and physical education, language arts literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and world languages. Additionally, workplace readiness standards are also stressed throughout the school years. These include career preparation, information technology, critical thinking, decision-making and problem solving and self-management.

Summit Middle School: Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students attend Summit Middle School in a beautiful 1920's building that has been totally renovated with up-to-date classrooms, labs, and equipment. The Middle School provides a supportive and stimulating environment during the fast growth years of early adolescence. Comprehensive instruction in math, reading, science, social studies, and English builds on the skills acquired in elementary school. Latin, French, German, and Spanish are offered beginning in seventh grade. Art, vocal and instrumental music, industrial and home arts, keyboarding, reading/study skills, and computer skills are taught in enrichment/exploratory cycles.

A vigorous and successful intramural and interscholastic sports program is provided, along with an extensive selection of school clubs appealing to a wide range of interests. The school has consistently produced winners in various county and state academic competitions.

Summit High School: SHS is a four-year comprehensive public high school with an enrollment of approximately 825 and an average class size is 21. A major project to update and expand the building is scheduled to be completed in the 2002-03 school year. The library contains 17,000 volumes plus 128 periodicals and all students are provided access to a wide array of computer services, the Internet and use of laptop computers.

The percentage of graduates continuing their education: Four-year colleges 84%, two-year colleges 9%, other postgraduate study 3%. Total 96%. The 170 students entering four-year and two-year colleges attended 98 different institutions.

The Summit High School curriculum includes both college preparatory and non-college preparatory subjects. Advanced Placement courses are offered in English, Latin, Spanish, French, German, Calculus (AB, BC and multivariable), Biology, Chemistry, Physics, European History, World History, American History and Music Theory. The language program in French, German, Spanish and Latin is a six-year sequence, commencing in the middle school. Offerings in Art, Music, Dramatics, and Industrial Technology are open to all students.

Most realtors offer a free school report. I do, too.

But more importantly, I can tell you things about the area schools that no report generated by a computer will ever know. Call me for first-hand experience of the local schools. Or, contact me by email and I'll get back to you immediately with a phone call, a free report, or a brochure from a local school.

Please see the official township website for more general information.