Summit Christian School picks new president, reaches enrollment high for new school year

The Summit Christian School Board of Education voted last week to make Green attorney Donald Plum its next board president.

The change comes as the Cuyahoga Falls school reached the highest enrollment in its history for the upcoming school year.

Plum, a member of the board and its legal counsel since 2016, will begin in the new role Aug. 1, said Brian Stock, the school's director of advancement.

Stock said in a phone interview that a nominating committee of board members and school leadership made the recommendation for Plum, who handled negotiations for the school to buy its current building on Northampton Road.

Summit purchased the building, a former Woodridge Local School District school, in 2018. It moved from a location on Portage Trail, also in Cuyahoga Falls.

'Exciting times at Summit Christian,' says current board president

Plum succeeds Ted Shure, who had been the board's president since 2013.

"It’s an honor and a privilege to be asked to serve as President of the Board," Plum said in a prepared statement. "These are exciting times at Summit Christian School."

He ranked hiring current head of school Stephanie Fleser as one of the highlights of his time on the board.

Steady growth at Summit Christian School

Stock said enrollment at the school has grown from about 150 students when it purchased the old Woodridge Primary School to 280 students for the upcoming school year. The school has capacity for about 320 to 330 students, he said.

More: Summit Christian School to purchase Woodridge primary building from district

Stock attributed growth, in part, to the state's EdChoice voucher program, which is now available to most students. He said awareness of the school and its reputation has also helped boost enrollment.

"The quality of education and the environment (is key)," he said. "(And) the ability to bring in the spiritual development component."

At the meeting last week, Shure said it had been a privilege to serve as the board's president. He is a professional musician and artistic director of the Cuyahoga Valley Community Chorus.

"As my experience grew … so did my love for this institution," Shure said in prepared comments. "I have served alongside the most amazing, humble, and Godly men and women."

Summit Christian was founded in 1982 and is a non-denominational Christian school.

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at www.facebook.com/alan.newsman.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit Christian School picks new president, reaches enrollment high for new school year