Summit Christian Academy - Upper School

4209 Big Bethel Rd

Yorktown, VA 23693

22 Reviews

School District
Grade

7-12
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 25, 2023

Summit Christian Academy has been a fantastic experience for our family. Our children have grown so much in both knowledge and character. These teachers want our children to excel academically but truly care about the hearts of the students. We love the classical Christian education and discipleship model.
Submitted by parent on December 15, 2022

Great education but they lack the ability to protect children. We loved this school but they didn't protect our daughter or other girls from the inappropriate touch of a young man. The long term damaged by ignoring the issue caused us to have to remove her from the school and deal with counseling and long term side effects. It's really harmful when the church fails to protect the innocent.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2022

I can confirm that Summit Christian Academy's motto of Discern-Articulate-Serve is lived out and passed on to its students. I have three children who have either graduated or are still attending school there. They have flourished in all areas of life with Summit's influence being seen and felt all along the way by my wife and me.
Submitted by other on July 15, 2022

I recently graduated from SCA with the class of 2022. I will be as honest as I can with this review. I had gone to summit my entire life besides one year spent at a public school. I will start off with the downsides as they were few and far between but every establishment has its flaws. The 1st downside I believe would be how a minority of teachers would pile stuff on top of you without seeming to care if other teachers had stuff do that week. This led to the majority of weeks being calm/average amount of school work with the occasional 1 week where you are struggling but one could make the argument this is preparing you for college. The second downside was the past leadership. As I said I had gone for all but 1 year of my entire education and the leadership, quite honestly, needed a lot of improvement. However, the leadership in my last year at summit which is the current leadership, was absolutely phenomenal. I had never felt more heard and issues students had were listened to and addressed. The positives of this school were many and most of these things I did not see during my year at a public school. The 1st being that the majority of teachers genuinely care about you and your learning experience. Now that I am graduated I talk to some teachers on a regular basis and we pray for each other often and I can still come to them as a mentor. Most of the teachers were personal and did not view teaching as “just a job”. I could tell they actually wanted to make a difference. My second main positive is relationships I made with fellow students. The student body at this school is almost as good as the teachers. I have made some lifelong friends that have been and will be with me every step of the way. My final main positive is the way this school sets you up for success. I would say I was very well equipped and the skills I had were encouraged and honed to be the best I could be. At some points it can be a difficult school but ultimately it sets you up for future education. Many students I have talked to have said that summit actually OVER prepared them for college. I have been accepted and will be attending a rather well respected college and my classmates as well as past students have attended and will be attending far more prestigious schools which is somewhat rare for a small private school. Overall, I would highly recommend Summit for any parent looking for a supportive environment for their child with an exceptional classical education.
Submitted by other on June 03, 2021

I'm gonna be honest. My worst experience with any school. If you memorize your bible verses, talk, walk, and act perfectly in front of others, you should have no problem. The second you question your faith, call out the immense sexism in the school, or question authority, you'll get hit back for it. This type of school would prefer to tell girls to wear long skirts and never show skin rather than deal with their boys. I speak from experience as a girl who got sexually assaulted on multiple occasions by the same boy, only to have my concerns brushed off. Many other girls had issues with this same thing (often by the same boy) and again it was pushed under the rug as "boys will be boys". I after crying in front of my Principal with 5-6 other girls, begging her for the 3rd time to do something about the boys, she told me it was my job to protect my fellow female classmates. The next week we had a meeting after chaple about skirt length and "tempting boys with our bodies"... highly disappointing. I had many other issues with this school. I will hand it to them, the English and art classes were good. Along with our Bible class debate sessions. The teachers were not the issue, at least not often and the academics (other than the math and science programs) are good (given that you pay 10 thousand for the education) but the problem lays with the leadership and constant neglect of human decency out of fear of a "tainted image".
Submitted by student on June 16, 2020

The school encouraged and equipped me with the mindset and tools I would need to attend college. While I did not appreciate the homework, papers, and reading at the time, it prepared me to be ready for the workload of college and the adjustments to come.
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2018

Our experience at Summit Christian has been excellent. Our son has grown into a wonderful, Christian young man. I would recommend Summit to anyone that wants their child to have a grade A education in a Christian environment.
Submitted by parent on August 07, 2017

We have lived Summit and their approach to learning.
Submitted by parent on June 07, 2016

Our son received an excellent education and was challenged in every way, spiritually, educationally, and physically. He had a great soccer experience, tried tennis, learned Spanish, adapted well to school from a homeschool environment, and was taught to write, think, articulate, and enjoy his education.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2015

Our girls loved their time at Summit Christian Academy. The classical curriculum is a great education. Unlike many Christian schools, SCA's Christian commitment influences the entire curriculum. The students learn logic and Latin and many other great things. I'll never forget when my first grader was given an advent calendar by our neighbor. The neighbor asked, "Do you know what advent is?" My daughter responded, "Oh, yes. It comes from the Latin word adventis. It means 'coming' or 'to come'." I think my neighbor almost feinted from shock!
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2015

This is our 8th year to send our children to Summit. It's not just a school, it's like a family. Summit has been a ministry to myself and my husband, not just our children. The education at Summit is PHENOMENAL, but I now realize that what college or career my child lands in is not the most important aspiration. Mostly, I want my child to find JOY in serving God and serving others, in every aspect of her life. I also want her to think critically, work hard (as if working for the Lord), and to search out truth. The staff and teachers at Summit are an amazing example of these qualities. My children not only feel loved by their teachers and principal, but they also learn to love like that. Now that is invaluable!
Submitted by parent on March 07, 2015

We will always be grateful for the time our children had at Summit Christian Academy. They received an exceptionally thorough, Christ-centered, Biblical Worldview education that strengthened their faith, taught them how to think critically and to have servant's hearts. The staff are totally devoted to growing their student's knowledge AND faith. They are wonderful examples of Christian leadership who love teaching, and they've loved my girls. My oldest has graduated college and she believes that the foundation she got at Summit played a huge role in her ability to succeed. My youngest is currently a dual enrolled senior and an honor student. She is a strong, independent learner because of the time she spent in Summit's NILD Educational Therapy program. She credits Summit for teaching her how to turn her learning differences into strengths. We couldn't be happier that we chose Summit to educate our children. If critical thinking, responsibility, strong character and faith are important to you, then you should visit Summit. You won't be disappointed!
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2015

All three of my children attended Summit. They all received a loving, caring , Godly education as well as a solid challenging academic curriculum . The support our family received from teachers, parents, and students of SCA changed our family. My youngest graduates from Yale next year due in part to the wonderful environment for learning and loving God at Summit.
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2015

We were looking for a school for our son to start Kindergarten and found Summit through a friend. When we visited the school for the first time, the principal met with us, gave us a tour and showed us that our kids would be diagramming sentences in the first grade! Wow, we didn't get that until HS! The teachers and staff are marvelous, caring and are wonderful biblical examples! They love on the kids, pray for them daily, extend grace and teach with passion. Both of our children have thrived in that environment. That son is now a Senior and we have been wonderfully blessed to have found Summit!
Submitted by parent on January 07, 2015

Before I had children I was impressed with the education my niece and nephew were receiving at Summit. I knew had school aged children considering SCA was a MUST. Kids came and off to SCA they went. I love that my daughter is not being told what to think or just getting little nuggets that have to be taught to pass a test. She is getting the whole subject. She's being taught HOW to learn and think,support her beliefs and ideas, and articulate them. SCA is Christ centered and it shows in their curriculum. A service mentality is fostered with the children and it starts from the beginning. Older students help younger students with various activities, etc. Good manners are a must. Boys open doors for girls, kids stand and greet a guest when they enter the room, etc. Overall, this is a great school. I recommend you come and take a look, meet the staff and learn more about the classical Christian education model.
Submitted by teacher on September 10, 2014

Summit Christian Academy is a classical Christian school that trains students on how to learn rather than solely what to learn. Beginning in the grammar school years (K-6) students are given numerous opportunities to build their written and oral communication skills, serve others, and develop leadership qualities. At the Upper School (7-12th) they establish and develop their analytical thinking skills, ability to defend a position, and hone persuasive articulation and active listening aptitudes. Graduates of Summit are confident students prepared for challenges and opportunities wherever God leads them.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2014

We just started our 1st grader at Summit and love it. The school truly strives to teach for comprehension, not just simple memorization. They teach the 'classical' way without cutting corners as so many schools do these days. We've already been impressed with the small class sizes and teachers whose caring attitudes clearly show through. You can't pay enough money for a quality teacher, and we are very happy with ours. Summit is also a Christian school and this shines through. From teachers praying daily for the students to our 1st grader memorizing scripture, we know we're at the right school!
Submitted by other on August 20, 2013

This was my first year at SCA. I came from a public school, so everything was different, but a good different. There is so much less pressure, and everyone is friends with everyone. There's no reason to worry if you're sending your child there from a public school. It's great. It might be small but the things that I've learned are just amazing. The teachers are great, and so are the kids. I highly recommend Summit to you.
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2012

Summit is a wonderful school. All 3 of my sons graduated from Summit, each one trained to think critically and express themselves well. The senior year culminates in a 2 week trip to Europe and a senior thesis presentation before faculty, parents, and peers. I am thankful for the education they received from this classical environment.
Submitted by other on September 17, 2012

Summit has had quite the impact on my communication skills. In fact, I believe it has had the greatest impact on shaping my communication style. I attended Summit from Kindergarden through high school. They place an emphasis on three critical areas that have an impact on one's communication ability: Grammar, Dialect, and Rhetoric. From essentially first through sixth grade an emphasis was placed on learning the facts. From seventh through ninth grade we were taught logic and debate. This was crucial in teaching me how to determine the validity of one's arguments. From tenth through twelfth grade an emphasis was placed on application of the dialectic stage. Here we were taught speech and research. My career at Summit ended senior year after the presentation of my thesis. This thesis is the pinacle of the classical education that Summit offers. I had to pick a topic, research it, create multiple logical arguments both for and against my topic and present it to a panel of judges. Summit has given me confidence to communicate clearly and has played a large role in shaping me into who I am today.