Administration Team
Mr. Lee Dabagia, Principal
Mr. Jeffery P. Sykes, Vice-Principal
Administration Team
Mr. Lee Dabagia, Principal has over 25 years’ experience in teaching and leading in the United States and the UAE. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Indiana University, Indiana, a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Valparaiso University, Indiana, a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University, Indiana, a certificate of Urban School Leadership and a certificate in School Turnaround from Harvard University. Mr. Lee loves to cook, play golf, camp, read, and learn new things. Most recently he went skydiving and loved it!
Jeffery P. Sykes, Vice-Principal brings 25 years of culturally-connected education experiences to Summit. His educational background includes teaching for 13 years in tribal schools while working for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Cherokee, North Carolina and the Navajo, Hopi, Apache, and Pueblo tribes in northern New Mexico. Afterwards, he served as a Field Supervisor and college Lecturer at Domasi College of Education in Malawi, Africa while working for the International Foundation for Education and Self Help (IFESH).
He’s spent the last 10 years serving as a school improvement specialist as Head of Department for Abu Dhabi Education and Knowledge (ADEK), as a Vice Principal and Principal for ADNOC Schools, and currently as a Vice Principal at Summit. He loves collecting data, scuba diving, cycling, improving the social-emotional climate and instructional culture in schools, and reading.
Jeffrey has been at Summit for 3 years climbing #tothetop with a terrific leadership team and staff. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education from East Carolina University, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University.
Ms. Samar Barakeh has over 10 years of experience in teaching Elementary and Middle School cycles. She holds a Dual Masters degree in Education and in Education Management and Policy from Deakin University, Australia.
She joined the leadership team at Summit in 2018 as a Director of Assessment and Student Services. Ms. Samar believes in cultivating a curious mindset in students and celebrating their accomplishments to grow their confidence. She has a great passion for education and is continuously inspired by the teaching faculty at Summit. Our collective goal is to support students make progress in relation to their individual starting points.
She loves to read, travel, explore different cultures and walk in nature.
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”
~ William Arthur Ward