The Community School and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) are entering into a new era of communication. Through a combined effort between the SVSEF Academic Director, coaching staff, athletes and parents, and The Community School staff, the new Skier Track Program will seek to meet the following goals:
1. Provide those athletes who are committed to achieving a level of excellence in competitive ski racing with more on-snow training time.
2. Provide an increased level of communication and academic monitoring to help the students maintain a high level of academic achievement.
3. Develop more off-campus academic opportunities (Summer School or alternative course work) that will help lighten the school work/study load during the competitive ski-racing season
Athletes who are interested in participating in the program must recognize that performing at a high level in both ski racing and academics requires commitment, sacrifice, and a high level of independence/self-monitoring. Athletes who want to participate in the program will need to apply through TCS, and both students and parents will need to meet with The Upper School Director to discuss the requirements of the program, and the challenges associated with it.
A committee of The Community School teachers and a representative from SVSEF will meet to determine the qualifications of each applicant, and will determine whether he or she should be allowed to take on the additional challenges the program entails.
Students who are accepted into the Skier Track will be allowed to:
1. Be pre-excused form the last two periods of the academic day on Tuesday-Friday.
2. Be eligible for an evolving summer schedule of courses.
3. Be permitted flexible scheduling to accommodate training and travel obligations.
After being accepted, the athletes will be required to:
1. Maintain a C letter grade in all of their courses (using running grade calculations).
2. Maintain a consistent average effort grade of 2.5, with no single effort grade lower than a 3 (based on a Community School scale of 1 to 5).
3. Communicate in advance with teachers when going on trips, and fill-out and turn in (to the academic director) a pre-excuse travel form 3 days prior to leaving for a race where school days will be missed.
4. Keep up with course work throughout the year.
5. Utilize the Academic Center at the base of the mountain 1 to 4 days a week (dependent on GPA during the season) to maintain their schoolwork and meet with SVSEF tutors/advisors.
The SVSEF Academic Director will communicate travel information about SVSEF athletes to staff at The Community School, and will provide increased communication and monitoring between the two organizations that includes:
1. Outlining the various racing programs and time commitments to the staff at The Community School to increase their understanding of the programs.
2. Communicating on a regular basis with teachers about athlete travel schedules.
3. Monitoring student academic progress (through major grade reports and the pre-excuse travel slips) and meeting with teachers/athletes/parents when problems arise.
4. Providing tutoring, planning, and counseling assistance at the Academic Center at the base of Bald Mountain.
5. Pulling athletes’ Skier Track privileges and their SVSEF travel and training privileges if their academic performance is falling below the standards.
6. Communicating with the coaching staff about the athletes’ attitude and commitment.