Some moments remind us exactly what’s possible when a community comes together around students—and Summit Foundation Scholarship Night is one of those moments.
 

This year, 148 high school students were awarded scholarships totaling over $700,000. That number is impressive, but what it really represents is belief—belief in our students, their futures, and the paths they are about to take. It reflects the generosity and commitment of the Summit Foundation, local organizations, and individuals who continue to lift up our students and invest in this community in meaningful, lasting ways.
 

To our scholarship recipients: congratulations. This recognition is a testament to your hard work. As many of you finalize your decisions about where you’ll be heading this fall, we’re excited to follow your journeys. I encourage our community to celebrate these next steps by following along at: https://www.instagram.com/shs.decisions26
 

This night is an example of what makes Summit special—people showing up for one another, creating opportunities, and building a future together.

At the same time, we continue important work across the district. We are in the middle of a listening & engagement tour, and I want to share a brief update on what we are hearing. These themes will continue to evolve as we gather more input. I also want to acknowledge that the level of engagement we’re seeing has been incredible—it truly reflects a deep love of the students, strong support for public education, and a genuine commitment to our school communities. That is powerful, and it’s inspiring to see.
 

Keeping Students at the Center

Across every conversation, there is strong alignment: any changes or investment must clearly improve the student experience. This reinforces our shared commitment—we will only move forward with options that strengthen learning, access, and belonging.
 

A Thoughtful Approach to Change

There is clear recognition of the challenges we face—aging facilities, enrollment shifts, and financial pressures. At the same time, there is an expectation that any changes must be purposeful, well-explained, and beneficial for students. This feedback is helping us refine our recommendations.
 

Building Trust Through Clarity

We are hearing a need for clearer, more accessible communication about funding, trade-offs, and the real impact on classrooms. This is a key focus moving forward. A 30+ staff work group is actively exploring staffing models—not just to analyze options, but to clearly articulate the strengths, trade-offs, and how each approach supports students. Our goal is to make this work more transparent so our community can see how decisions connect directly to student learning and experience.
 

Expanding Opportunities for Students

There is continued interest in supporting future-ready opportunities, especially in Career & Technical Education and real-world learning pathways. 
 

Honoring School Communities While Planning for the Future

There is strong advocacy for school identity and community connection—especially from our smaller schools.  We also hear a shared understanding of the need to plan responsibly for the future. Our role is to navigate both—respecting and honoring community identity while ensuring we are creating the strongest possible opportunities for students moving forward.
 

Making the Process Visible and Inclusive

There is a strong desire to understand how decisions are made and how input is shaping outcomes. We are committed to making that connection more visible every step of the way.
 

What’s Next

We will continue gathering input through listening sessions across the district, along with a county-wide survey and additional statistical polling to ensure we hear from as many voices as possible. We will also continue sharing updates, insights, and themes as this work progresses.
 

Our next opportunity to connect is:

Monday, April 6 | 5:30–7:00 PM
Summit Middle School (in-person & virtual option available)
Translation services will be provided.
Join via Zoom:
Meeting ID: 736 663 5610
Passcode: summit
 

This work is complex, and it matters deeply. Your voice is essential. Thank you to everyone who has participated so far—and to those who will continue to engage in the weeks ahead.
 

And once again, congratulations to our scholarship recipients and deep gratitude to the Summit Foundation and the many organizations that make these opportunities possible. 

Dr. Tony Byrd
Superintendent, Summit School District