Construction of Summit started in 1997, as part of the NDP's cost-cutting initiative for new schools. Built to meet demand for school space created by a boom in the school-aged population, Summit was one of the first two schools to utilize new low-cost construction techniques — testing the processes, which were used on later schools in British Columbia. These cost 15% less per square meter of space than traditionally constructed schools. Summit Middle was completed by TASK construction management on August 14, 1998, ten and one half months from building excavation to occupancy, and was initially designed to hold 650 students. The total cost for the Summit Middle was $8,500,000. The school's building envelope began being remediated in April 2015, and work was completed in December 2015. This was done in order to resolve issues with high moisture content inside the walls and to bring the building up to current industry performance standards. Existing stucco walls were demolished and replaced with a Fibre Cement assembly. Additionally, the windows were replaced with double-glazed aluminium windows and the south and west sides of the building received solar heat resistant glass.
Academics
The school participates in the BC government's Foundation Skills Assessment exam in grade 7, as well as maintaining its own academic honour roll and offering a yearly award called the "Summit Award". In the 2006/2007 school year, Summit Middle had a participation rate of 100% in the FSA's. The school also offers math contests to willing students, akin to the national Euler Contest and Pythagoras Contest. In 2003, the school was selected to be part of NASA's "Odyssey of the Mind" educational program, and was visited by the program's founder Samuel Micklus. The school also had a student win one of the Junior Achievement of B.C.'s 2000 Awards for academic excellence. In 2017 the school added a course called Coding and Design. In this course students will learn how to code on programs such as Make Block.
Arts
Summit has two concert bands and a jazz band, in addition to music explorations classes. The music program presents events throughout the year, including school concerts, assemblies, district band days, choir days, and music festivals. The school's drama program has previously been involved in the production of the playFiddler on the Roof Junior, and the Summit drama club performed Guys and Dolls, Jr. as well as Aladdin Jr. In 2019 a modernized version of the famous play Romeo and Juliet is called "The Geek gets the Girl" will take place in the spring and is ran by the Music and Drama teachers.
Extracurricular activities
The school also offers several leadership programs for the students such as Community Service, Spirit Crew, Athletic Assistants, and Student Voice. Summit Middle School offers a variety of clubs to students such as Sewing club and Pokemon Club. The school also participates in a yearly Terry Fox Run every year and has participated for 20 years.
Athletics
Summit has a wide variety of sports teams and activities, including badminton, basketball, volleyball, track and field and swimming. The school's team is the Summit Suns, with their mascot the Sun. In September 2007, the school won national acclaim when one of its students, Jisoo Keel, won the Maple Leaf Junior Tour's Girls national championship title in Whistler during a tightly contested golf match.
