Winter clubs seem far away, but Gunstock needs your answer by November 3rd.

Once again it is time to think about the details of our Friday ski club visits to the Gunstock Ski Area.

This year’s Outreach Coordinator is Anne Dancewicz Helmers Phone: 744-3049.

There will be other clubs available for students during the same period including skating in Laconia (with a cost of about $40) and some other on-campus choices. Those choice will be made available in December, but if you want to ski, you need to commit to Gunstock now by turning in your participant waiver forms by November 4th, 2011.

Payment must accompany the forms. Checks should be made payable to Sant Bani School.

Lift Ticket/Lesson:…$110

Ski Rental:………………$90

Snowboard Rental:….$90

Helmet Rental:……….$25

To make the 2011-12 ski season a success please read these reminders about the expectations that Gunstock has for us as a school group, and the expectations that the school has for parents accompanying our group.

We have 5 weeks scheduled this year: January 6, 13, 20, 27; and February 3.

Our make up day, should we need it, will be February 10th.

We are scheduled to arrive at Gunstock about 1:00, with lessons happening between 1:30 and 4:00. We finish the day at 4:30. All students being picked up by their parents should leave by 4:30 – it is NOT okay to stay and ski for the evening unless a parent is in attendance. High school students may stay if they have a note from their parent giving them permission. Students taking school transportation should be picked up by 5:30 pm at SBS. Please note that transportation should remain as consistent as possible and any changes should be made in advance by calling the office.

Students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 are to be transported to and from the mountain with their parent(s). Students in Grade 2 are transported in teachers’ cars and students in Grade 3-12ride on the bus unless other arrangements have been made. Talk with Anne Dancewicz Helmers ASAP if different arrangements are needed.

Parent participation is required for students in Grades K and 1 because they need help dressing and getting to their lessons. They may also need help in their lessons and they are not big enough to ride the lifts safely by themselves. We assume that their parent(s) is responsible for them at all times. Please do not ask teachers to ski with your kindergartner or first grader as they are needed to ski with groups of second and third graders, monitor different sections of the mountain, and supervise in the lodges.

Parents are encouraged to participate in the program! Parents must complete the Participant Waiver form for themselves in order to purchase a reduced cost ticket. If parents wish to free-ski with their child(ren) and they have their own season pass, they may do so but are asked to let Anne Dancewicz Helmers know they will be at the mountain to ski with their child(ren).

People renting ski and snowboard equipment must meet with the school chaperone and go to the rental area in a specific order. Do not try to get rentals without the group, even if you arrive early!

There are often concerns about ski lesson levels. Sant Bani offers this ski opportunity to our students so they can learn to ski and/or enhance skills. All students (with the exception of seniors) are expected to take lessons.

The only people qualified to change ski levels are the instructors. Gunstock puts a great deal of effort into getting our students into the appropriate lesson level. Students will be expected to participate in the level assigned.

This is primarily a safety consideration for all the skiers on the mountain. This is not a social time for students to ski in lessons with their friends. The focus of the lessons is on the process of learning how to ski with a group of skiers of similar abilities. As in any learning experience, each individual progresses at his/her own rate. It would be very rare for a student to progress more than a level at a time and
they may need more than one year at a particular level. It may be tempting for a parent to appease their child by requesting a change in level of instruction. In most cases this is not in their best interest as it is not about passing or failing but about what skills and techniques they need to work on.

If there is a question about a student’s level, their parent(s) must talk with Anne Dancewicz Helmers and not the instructors. Anne will talk with her Gunstock contact person or the instructor to explore an “on hill” evaluation; generally, the final decision is entrusted to Gunstock. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Students should come to school prepared to spend an afternoon in the cold. Items that are needed are water-resistant snow pants, jackets and gloves; hats that cover the ears and fleece neck-ups. Students appreciate an extra snack in the afternoon; something can be packed
from home or purchased in the lodge. We ask that your child remember to respect the need to maintain vegetarian food choices while at Gunstock. If by some chance a student misses a lesson, strays from their partner or needs help, Anne or another teacher is always available in the lodge.

If more information is needed, please call Anne Dancewicz Helmers at 744-3049. We are looking forward to a fun-filled learning experience. See you on the slopes!