Summit Public Schools is inviting the entire community to join them in celebrating the official opening of Summit Atlas, their new public charter school in West Seattle.

In addition to a tour of the building, students and families will be on-hand to discuss why they chose Summit Atlas, and the new school's founding principal will be there to answer questions as well.

The event is set for this Wednesday, Aug. 16, from 5-6:30 p.m. at 9601 35th Ave SW in Seattle.

Lots of folks with lots of different opinions about charters have never actually been inside of one. I think it's a great opportunity for folks to get a firsthand look at what a charter school really looks like and to hear from the real people involved in making it what it is.

Summit Atlas will eventually serve grades 6-12, but in its first year will be home to a class of 9th graders and a class of 6th graders. The new school will officially open its doors to its new students for the first time when it welcomes the freshmen for their first day on Aug. 21. The 6th-graders will start the following day.

Summit Atlas will be the second Seattle location for Summit Public Schools and third in the Puget Sound region. Summit Sierra in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District and Summit Olympus in Tacoma will serve grades 9-11 in the 2017-18 school year, eventually rolling up to a full 9-12 grade school. All Summit schools are are tuition-free and open to all students.