Summit Public Schools

Our young people are truly the vision!!!! Every moment I’ve spent with the students of Summit Public Schools this year has reminded me exactly why I stay committed to this work. As we wrap up the 2025–2026 school year, I’m reflecting on one of the ways I stay connected- my monthly sessions with the student CEO Advisory Board. The picture attached are just some of the incredible faces (it is AP exam week so some of them were showcasing what they know in testing 📖 ) From our seniors preparing for their next chapters to our rising 10th–12th graders stepping into new leadership roles, their impact has been felt across the entire organization. They didn’t just have a seat at the table... they shaped the conversation. They helped refine curriculum innovations, piloted shadowing initiatives, and inspired audiences as featured public speakers. Their insight, courage, and authenticity continue to push us to become a stronger community for every student we serve. To our graduates: the world is better because you are entering it with purpose and passion. To our returning members: I’m so proud of what we’ve built together, and I cannot wait to see your leadership continue to grow. Thank you for a year filled with collaboration, wisdom, honesty, and heart. The future is bright because of you. ✨

What does it take to prepare a young person for a fulfilled life? That's the question a small team of us has been sitting with for the last two days at Summit's Home Office. Educators, designers, students, and partners gathered around whiteboards, sketching what a more powerful 11th grade experience could look like. The honest answer is that it takes more than what most high schools currently offer. It takes student agency that's real and not performed, mentoring that's consistent and powerful, and learning experiences connected to who a student is becoming. What's stayed with me from these two days is how much of the best thinking came from the students and educators in the room. They named things our planning team hadn't seen. They pushed us on the parts of the design that sounded good on paper but wouldn't actually hold up in a real school day. Building this way isn't an extra step or a nice gesture, it's how the work gets stronger, and it's how Summit has always done things. You can't design for student agency from the outside. You can only design it alongside the people who will live it and bring it to life in schools every day. The whiteboards are full, the questions are real, and the work is only just beginning. I'm proud of this team and grateful for the students and educators who showed up to build with us. More to come.

One of the greatest privileges of this work is getting to witness educators reimagine what school can be... not from theory, but from deep commitment to students and each other. I’m incredibly proud of the Summit Public Schools' educators featured in this piece from Getting Smart about challenging the “rules” of how teachers work together. The article highlights something we’ve long believed: many of the structures we take for granted in education were designed for a different era, and our educators are courageous enough to ask better questions. This article, written by the incredible Courtney Ochi (who is also from Hawaii 🌺!!) captures the spirit of innovation beautifully. I’m grateful to ALL of the educators featured, who continue to lead with humility, creativity, and relentless belief in young people. https://lnkd.in/gqPBnCdc

I had so much fun with Kimberly Smith, Mario Andrade, Michelle Miller, and Sara Schapiro last week on my first LinkedIn Live- hosted by Digital Promise and the Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI). I had the opportunity to share my perspective about continuously innovating and improving schools, and I always learn so much from the incredible community of schools who do this work!

Come work with me! We're excited to expand our work at Summit Public Schools to support early career teachers through induction. We're hiring for up to two full time Induction Mentors - check out our posting and please share! https://lnkd.in/gSvdwxu5

Today (and every day!) we celebrate our Executive Directors in honor of principal appreciation day. At Summit Public Schools, our EDs don’t just keep schools running. They shape the conditions that allow great teaching to happen and big dreams to take root. In a world that’s constantly pulling schools in a hundred different directions, they create clarity. They make it possible for students not just to succeed, but to believe in what’s possible for their lives. Grateful today (and every day) for the leaders who carry this work with such commitment and care.

We’re proud to see Kaiden recognized by the Santa Clara County Office of Education as Volunteer of the Year at Walden West. This kind of recognition reflects something we see every day: students stepping up for their communities, taking responsibility, and supporting others in real ways. At Summit, that’s part of how students prepare for what comes next. They’re challenged in school, and they also learn how to contribute beyond it. Grateful to Santa Clara County Office of Education for recognizing students across the county, and proud of Kaiden for representing what it looks like to lead and give back.

We got to host some of the AI for Education team yesterday at Summit Tahoma in San Jose ❤️🔥 Tahoma teachers are leaning into the hard questions: how do we ensure students understand where AI adds value, and just as importantly, where it doesn’t? How do they learn to prompt effectively, think critically, and use tools ethically across disciplines? One student shared her thoughts on AI and cheating. She shared that she believes it is actually riskier not to teach students how to use AI well. She talked about the importance of “failing safely” now at Summit, so they’re prepared to navigate these tools responsibly in college and the workplace. Another student shared the importance of having adults create space for their own perspectives to form on Ai. There were so many other thoughtful perspectives shared! 💭 Grounded in a strong culture of learning, students were clear: this isn’t about shortcuts...it’s about deepening their understandings while maintaining the collaborative and human centered school system we have. Excited to learn more from them about their work this year! Corey Layne Crouch Jonathan Stewart Caitlyn Herman Summit Public Schools