Summit Prep to add staff for early childhood program

The Summit Preparatory School is preparing to add new staff members as it expands its early childhood program.

The board of the private pre-K-12 school in Springfield has approved an expansion of its Early Learners program, according to a news release.

"We’re excited to expand our programming to meet the growing demand for high-quality early childhood education, emphasizing academics within a whole-child approach," said Katie Heet, head of school, in the release. "This addition allows The Summit to continue to support our youngest learners by building curiosity, sparking innovation and investing in the future of our community.”

Summit Prep spokesperson Whitney Wiese said the school plans to hire a full-time lead faculty member and part-time assistant for the expansion of the Early Learners program. The program currently has two full-time lead faculty and two part-time assistant staff members, she said.

The expansion would mean adding 16 seats for Early Learners, which currently has the capacity for 32, said Wiese.

Summit Prep ranked No. 9 on Springfield Business Journal's list last year of the area's largest elementary and secondary private schools, published Oct. 9. The school reported fall enrollment of 170, a 2% increase from a year earlier, and 39 employees.