2025 JGS Jan-Feb Fridays: ESSC Downhill Skiing at Black Mountain & Ks Rule the School

~New for 2025: ski cards for each student and vol instead of stickers and wickets! (more info to come)

Hello JGS Skiing Families and Support Crew!

First, if you are a volunteer  - THANK YOU! If you are Support Crew, ie., not skiing but sending your JGS skier ready to ski, THANK YOU, TOO!

Here is an overview of Winter Fridays and the expectations of vols and support crew:

Weather permitting, Friday, January 10 , 2025, will be our first ESSC Friday downhill ski day at Black Mountain Ski Area and our first Ks Rule the School Friday. The following routine holds for all ESSC/Krules Fridays. 

In the morning we have regular classes. We eat an early lunch and ski/rule in the afternoon.

Kinders - will dismiss to Mrs. Tower and Miss Susan to help rule the school - skip to the last page!

1st - 6th graders - skiing in skill-level groups with vols and staff - keep reading!

Dismissal is at about 2:45 PM from Black Mountain Ski Area. The bus is available to bring students to their bus stops. Please complete the attached ESSC Friday Routine Dismissal Plan and return it to JGS by Monday, Jan. 6 , 2025.

Before Jan. 10th: Label each ski, pole, and boot with your child’s name and grade!

Each Thursday:  if there is a change of routine dismissal plans, inform Susan.

Fridays     Before school:

Pack 2 bags: 

#1 with school gear, snack, and lunch (if your child isn’t getting school lunch.) Students will have school in the AM and an early lunch. They may have recess and they may get their outdoors clothes wet. This bag will go with your child to Black and will be on the tarps near the pick up zone.

Pack bag #2 with ski gear: 

• Helmet

• Goggles

• neck gaiter (buff, neckie, neckie up) 

• dry mitts/gloves

• dry ski socks 

• dry snow pants 

• ski boots 

• ski jacket 

• ski card in ski jacket pocket

• snack for pocket.

• Your child should already be wearing a warm shirt and pants appropriate for downhill skiing underlayers.

• SKI CARD

Students will be getting on ALL their ski gear before going to Black. Ski bags and school bags will be left near the ski cans on the tarps at Black. Students will have limited access to them during the afternoon.

Prepare to leave skis and poles either at Black after 9 AM or drop at the WCC with Bernie at drop off time. Of course, you have labeled each ski and each pole with your child’s name and grade!

8:15-8:25 - regular arrival at JGS:  

Drop kids and/or skis and poles at the WCC. Parents can also drop off skis at Black Mountain Ski Area - Bernie should be there by 9:15 AM. There will be trash cans (better known as ski cans) labeled with each grade/classroom. Place skis in the appropriate can. School bag and ski bag go into school with students!

11:00 am: 

At JGS: Early lunch and then students dress fully at school in order to arrive at Black ready to ski. 

At Black: Bernie sets up JGS ski area with skis

11:30-12:00: Skiers will board the bus and leave ASAP.

Volunteers: On-Snow Ski clinic (if you still need it) on Day 1 - 9-10:30 at Black Mountain Ski Area 

Bernie will be expecting volunteers each Friday at 11:30 and will give them tickets for their groups and any updates. Vols wait in their group area for kiddos outside of the lodge. 

At Black: Students will get on their skis immediately as they come off the bus. 

Skis for each grade will be stored in trash cans (ski cans) with a volunteer assigned to hand out skis. Students will leave any packs on the tarp near their class ski can. They will have limited access to the bags during the afternoon.

Students will be in their ski groups with their volunteers for the afternoon. 

Snacks:

Vols are not expected to provide or buy snacks for skiers, so please provide for a snack for your child. The snack bar may be open and time for a snack will be at the group leaders’ discretion. Please don’t send lots of money - we’re there to ski, so a quick snack is all they need.

School ski day is over at 2:45 - return to the ski can area.

Dismissal - Parents have informed the school on Thursday if their child’s dismissal is different from the routine.

One bus will be available at 3pm to take children home. Parents are responsible for picking up ski gear at Black Mountain or making arrangements with the school office for the gear to be stored at school until the next ESSC Friday. Skis are not permitted on the bus.

Vols return to the ski can area and stay with their group until parents come to pick up students.

Skis that are not going home should go in class ski can. 

Vols: do not leave the group until the parents have come and your group is gone. 

Parents - please pick up your skier by 2:45. 

Please check out your student with the JGS staffer with the clipboard! 

Friendly reminder: If your child plans to do a few runs after dismissal, you or a designated adult are expected to ski with your child.