What SUMMIT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT 161 does

Summit Hill School District 161 (SHSD161) is a public K-8 school district organized under Illinois state law, serving approximately 2,500 students across five schools in the communities of Tinley Park, Frankfort, and Mokena, Illinois. The district's schools are Mary Drew Early Learning Center, Dr. Julian Rogus School, Indian Trail School, Hilda Walker Intermediate School, and Summit Hill Junior High, operating with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio and a 100% 1:1 device access program for all K-8 students. Core offerings include general K-8 education aligned to Illinois Learning Standards, RTI/MTSS interventions, Gifted and Talented programming (Summit Program), English Language Learning support, standards-based grading in K-4, and competitive athletics and music programs.

The district operates on a tax-funded public education model with primary revenue from local property taxes and Illinois state education funding, supplemented by tuition-based preschool/early childhood programs ($125-$150 registration), K-8 registration fees, summer learning programs (Summer Bridge, Enrichment Camps), and community fundraising through the Summit Hill Educational Foundation (SHEF), which has awarded over $1 million since its 2006 inception. Its underlying technology platform is built on standard K-12 EdTech infrastructure: PowerSchool for student information, Schoology for learning management, ClassLink for SSO, Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 for staff productivity, EasyIEP for special education compliance, and Edlio for the public-facing website.

The district is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Education (with student members introduced in 2024) and led by Superintendent Dr. Paul McDermott. Its go-to-market is effectively community-based enrollment open to in-district residents, supported by marketing channels including the summithill.org website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Vimeo video content, the Engage161 newsletter, and community events. Notable quality signals include multiple 2025 Illinois Report Card 'Exemplary' and 'Commendable' school designations, recurring ISBE Those Who Excel staff awards (2025 and 2026), and the Southland's Best Public Elementary School recognition (2024).

Name

SUMMIT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT 161

Legal name

Summit Hill School District 161

Website

https://summithill.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Summit Hill School District 161 is a public K-8 Illinois school district serving approximately 2,500 students across five schools in Tinley Park, Frankfort, and Mokena, funded by local property taxes and delivering standards-aligned general, gifted, ELL, and early childhood education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education (K-8 Public School District)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Intensity Tutoring / Response to Intervention (RTI/MTSS Tier 2–3) (EDAKADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs (EDAJAGAE), After-School Academic Support Programs (Centers & Clubs) (EDAJALAM)

Keywords

• Public K-8 education
• Elementary school services
• Middle school education
• Early childhood programs
• Gifted and talented education

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Public school district funded primarily through local property taxes from residents in Tinley Park, Frankfort, and Mokena communities
2. Tuition-Based Programs: Preschool and Early Childhood programs charge tuition for enrollment - Full day program registration $150, Half-day program registration $125, plus yearly milk fees
3. Student Registration Fees: Registration fees collected from families for K-8 enrollment
4. Summer Programs: Summer Bridge and Summer Enrichment Camps charge registration fees for academic and enrichment activities during summer months

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Summit Hill School District 161 is a public K-8 school district delivering comprehensive core education across five schools with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio and a 100% 1:1 device technology initiative. The district supplements its core curriculum with specialized programs including the Summit Program for gifted and talented students, ELL services, RTI/MTSS interventions, standards-based grading, tuition-based early childhood/preschool programs, summer learning programs, and athletics/extramural activities.

Product overview

Summit Hill School District 161 offers a unified K-8 educational platform serving approximately 2,500 students across five schools in Frankfort, Tinley Park, and Mokena, Illinois. The core offering is comprehensive general education with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio and 100% 1:1 technology initiative. This is enhanced by specialized programs including the Summit Program for gifted and talented students, Early Childhood/Preschool at Mary Drew ELC, English Language Learning support, Summer Learning Programs, and RTI/MTSS interventions. The district uses standards-based grading in K-4 transitioning to traditional grading in grades 5-8, supported by technology integrations including PowerSchool, Schoology, and ClassLink.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Summit Hill Educational Foundation (SHEF): Not-for-profit organization established in 2006 to generate financial support for enriching and enhancing educational experiences for district students.

Products and services

• K-8 General Education Program Comprehensive elementary and middle school education program serving students from kindergarten through 8th grade across five schools with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio and 1:1 technology initiative.
• Summit Program (Gifted and Talented) Accelerated academic program for gifted and talented students in grades K-8, with specialized coordinators supporting both elementary (K-4) and intermediate (5-8) levels.
• Early Childhood/Preschool Programs Tuition-based preschool and early childhood education at Mary Drew Early Learning Center for pre-K students, including developmental screening and kindergarten readiness.
• English Language Learning (ELL) Program Sheltered English instruction with push-in and pull-out services for English Language Learners, including language proficiency assessment and transition monitoring.
• Summer Learning Programs Summer educational offerings including Freckle Challenge, Accelerated and Summit Math/ELA activities, Summer Reading Challenge, and Summer Enrichment Camps.
• RTI and MTSS Support Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) providing differentiated instruction, scientific research-based interventions, and progress monitoring for all learners.
• Standards-Based Grading (K-4) Standards-based grading system for grades K-4 that evaluates student progress against learning standards, with transition to traditional grading in 5th grade.
• Athletics and Extramural Programs Competitive sports programs including baseball, basketball, bowling, golf, track and field, and volleyball through IESA with separate handbooks for band and string orchestra.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Will County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025School Resource Officer (SRO) program where Deputy Justin Farkas serves as dedicated SRO for SHSD161. Deputy brings 17 years of law enforcement experience and focuses on safety, mentorship, and youth outreach programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frankfort Community Consolidated School District 157C: Neighboring K-8 public school district serving the same Frankfort/Tinley Park service area in Will/Will County. Direct competitor for in-boundary enrollment with overlapping feeder high school options and comparable K-8 program structure.
• Mokena School District 159: Adjacent K-8 public school district covering the Mokena area that overlaps with SHSD161's geographic catchment. Competes for the same families in southern Will County with similar grade-band structure and feeder relationships to Lincoln-Way.
• Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C: K-8 public school district in Lockport/Homer Glen area that competes with SHSD161 for Will County families and operates similar intervention, ELL, and gifted programs at a comparable scale.
• New Lenox School District 122: Suburban K-8 public school district in the south suburbs serving a comparable suburban demographic with similar RTI/MTSS, gifted, and ELL services — a direct enrollment competitor with parallel feeder high school options.
• Orland Park School District 135: K-8 public school district in the adjacent Orland Park market serving similar south-suburban families with comparable program offerings, technology integration, and feeder high school partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210: The feeder high school district for Summit Hill Junior High graduates. While it serves grades 9-12 rather than K-8, its performance and program alignment directly affect SHSD161's family decisions and reputation.
• Indian Prairie School District 204: Larger Illinois K-12 public school district in the western Chicago suburbs operating comparable 1:1 technology, RTI/MTSS, and gifted programs at greater scale. Useful proxy for benchmarking technology and intervention investments.
• Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202: Larger K-12 public school district in Will County/Kendall County running parallel RTI/MTSS, 1:1 device, and standards-based grading programs. Comparable in technology stack and curricular philosophy, though at a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/shsd161
• Facebookfacebook.com/summithill161
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/summit-hill-school-district-161
• Instagraminstagram.com/summithill161

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SUMMIT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT 161