Skiing at JGS
Living in the heart of NH ski country has real advantages for our students. Fueled by parent and community volunteers, local ski resorts and ski clubs support and promote several opportunities for our children to learn to ski.
“Ski” is a general term and means at least two different types of sports for our students.
Alpine skiing = down hill skiing
Nordic skiing = cross country skiing (Classic and Freestyle/Skate styles)
NORDIC:
Jackson School teaches Nordic Skiing in Physical Education class in early winter and offers an after school Nordic program on Thursdays. Jackson Ski Touring Foundation offers low-cost and free rentals to JGS students and JSTF ski instructors assist with the PE and after school program. When students participate in the after school program on Thursdays we call it "Nordic."
These programs are available for all JGS grades.
More info on Jackson Ski Touring programs for young skiers, especially "Speed Camp" on Tuesdays
ALPINE:
ALPINE=DOWNHILL SKIING
(photo from 2021 season)
ESSC, the Eastern Slope (of Mount Washington) Ski Club is the valley-wide ski organization that organizes weekly skiing, all winter, for each elementary school in SAU 9. When we go skiing on Fridays, we call it “ESSC.”
This program is available for grades 1-6 at JGS.
A note about discipline:
Participation in the ESSC program and the Nordic program in PE and in the Thursday After School Program is a privilege and we are guests at the ski areas. School rules, as stated in the Student Handbook, apply while participating in each program. The bottom line is this: student skiers are expected to obey their adult volunteers, JGS staff, and ski area personnel at all times. Any misbehavior or disregard of an adult direction is considered unsafe behavior. Misbehavior will be reported to the school principal and parents will be called. Together, with the ESSC or JSTF coordinator, it will be determined whether the student will continue to participate in the ski program for the season. Gearing up at school, riding the bus to and from the ski area, getting into groups outside the lodge or across the street, skiing on the slopes and JSTF trails, taking a break in the lodge, and preparing for departure from the ski area/trails are examples of the situations when students are expected to obey the adult volunteers and staff.