The Winter Sports School in Park City

Vision StatementThe Winter Sports School’s vision is to become the leading college preparatory school for dedicated

winter sports athletes

Mission StatementThe Winter Sports School’s mission is to provide its

students with the tools, support and balance necessary for them to achieve the highest possible levels of

success in education and life

Vision StatementThe Winter Sports School’s vision is to become the leading college preparatory school for dedicated

winter sports athletes

Mission StatementThe Winter Sports School’s mission is to provide its

students with the tools, support and balance necessary for them to achieve the highest possible levels of

success in education and life

Uncompromised academics for dedicated winter sports athletes

How Far We’ve Come

2002… 2006… 2008 2009

WSS opens its doors to 17 students

Elli Ochowicz ‘02 competes on U.S.

Speed Skating Team, Salt Lake City

Olympics

2001

WSS accredited by PNAIS and

NAAS

• Julia Mancuso ’00 wins gold in Giant Slalom, Torino Olympics

• Ted Ligety ’02 wins gold in Combined,Torino Olympics

• Elli Ochowicz ’02 competes on U.S.Speed Skating Team, Torino Olympics

• Anders Johnson ’06competes on U.S. Ski Jumping Team, Torino Olympics

• T.J. Lanning ’02 wins U.S. National Downhill Championship

• Ted Ligety ’02 wins overall World Cup Giant Slalom Title

• Anders Johnson ‘06 wins U.S. National Ski Jumping Championship

Accredited since 2001, The Winter Sports School has built an unparalleled history in enabling young winter sports athletes – in all

disciplines – to pursue their highest ambitions

Steven Holcomb ’97wins 2009 Four-Man

Bobsled World Championship

1994... 2010 2011

• Julia Mancuso ’00 wins silver in Downhill and Combined, Vancouver Olympics

• Andrew Weibrecht wins bronze in Super G, Vancouver Olympics

• Steven Holcomb wins gold in 4-man Bobsled, Vancouver Olympics, and wins 2010 4-man bobsled World Championship

• Elli Ochowicz ‘02competes on U.S. Speed Skating Team, Vancouver Olympics

• Ted Ligety ’02 wins 2nd overall World Cup Giant Slalom Title

• Alex Schlopy ’09 wins gold in Skiing Big Air, 2011 Winter X Games; and wins gold in slopestyle, 2011 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships

• Ted Ligety ’02 wins 3rd

overall World Cup Giant Slalom Title

2012 MORE TO COME…

• Sarah Hendrickson ‘12 wins first ever overallWorld Cup title in Women’sSki Jumping

• Steven Holcomb ‘97 wins2-man and 4-man WorldChampionships

• Bryan Fletcher ‘04 winsWorld Cup “King’s Cup”Nordic Combined title

• WSS students and alumswin 15 World Cup titles –more than most nations

2013

• Ted Ligety ‘02 wins FIS World Championships in Super G, Combined, and Giant Slalom, and wins 4th overall World Cup Giant Slalom Title

• Julia Mancuso ‘00 wins FIS World Championship Super G bronze

• Bryan Fletcher ‘04 wins FIS World Championship Nordic Relay bronze

• Sarah Hendrickson ‘12 wins FIS women’s ski jumping World Championship

What WSS Is Really All About

• We are a college preparatory school – we match our students to their ideal colleges and universities based on their choice and performance… and we get them in

• Our SAT and ACT scores are significantly above state and national averages• One third of 2012 graduating class scored 30 or higher (95th percentile)

on the ACTs• >90% of our graduates go on to a 4-year college or university program…•…and most of the remainder go on to a national athletic team

Athletic Enablement:2013 Academic Calendar

BLOCK 1 April 15 – May 21BLOCK 2 May 22 – June 28Day off May 27 (Memorial Day)Vacation June 17 – June 21BLOCK 3 July 1 – August 2Days off July 4 - 5BLOCK 4 August 5 – September 18Vacation August 12 – 23BLOCK 5 September 19 – October 22BLOCK 6 October 23 – November 22Graduation November 22

• Students are free for the entire winter to train and compete with coaches and teams of their choice, anywhere in the world during our winter recess

• Vacations are planned during optimal offsite training opportunities (i.e. spring training in Oregon, fall training in South America, etc.)

Integration Options

Option 1: Leave existing school after fall term (grade x), compete during the winter, matriculate at WSS in April (grade x+1)

Option 2: Leave existing school after or during spring term (grade x), matriculate at WSS in April (grade x+1)

Option 3: Complete full year at existing school (grade x), matriculate at WSS in late June (grade x+1)

1 2

3

BLOCK 1 April 15 – May 21BLOCK 2 May 22 – June 28Day off May 27 (Memorial Day)Vacation June 17 – June 21BLOCK 3 July 1 – August 2Days off July 4 - 5BLOCK 4 August 5 – September 18Vacation August 12 – 23BLOCK 5 September 19 – October 22BLOCK 6 October 23 – November 22Graduation November 22

The Only Downside: Student Expense

• Local athletic program directors indicate 150+ qualified students of high school age in Park City alone

• There are hundreds more along the Wasatch Front, in Kamas, Heber, Midway, etc.

• WSS 2013 tuition is $17,400

• Result: many fine young student-athletes in Utah cannot benefit from our service – they simply can’t afford our tuition along with the cost of their athletic pursuits

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10

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30

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60

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Seniors

Juniors

Sophomores

Freshmen

Becoming a Utah State Charter School – making our service available without tuition – will dramatically increase the number of dedicated

young Utah citizens who can pursue their academics and their athletics at the highest level, with no compromises

So? Can It Happen??

• In a word: YES.• As of April 5th, 2013, The Winter Sports School

has been approved by the State Board of Education to open as a Utah State Charter School in April of 2014.

• Additional approvals:– We will remain solely a college preparatory program– We will still offer the winters free from academics (we

currently operate under a 134 school day calendar, and we’ve been approved to operate under 144 days as a Charter School)

– The following state-funded student growth plan has been approved:

• 2014: 100 students• 2015: 125 students• 2016: 150 students• 2017: 175 students• 2018 and beyond: 200 students

What Else Is Needed?

• We need your support, and the support of the entire community, to accomplish three critical steps:1. We need to build a new facility

• Our existing physical plant has a capacity of ~60 students, which is insufficient for our approved growth and expected program demand

2. We need to fund 3 months’ operation before state funding begins

• We begin our school year in April, but the state’s fiscal year starts in July, which means that per-student state funding won’t be available to us until July 31st, 2014

3. We need as strong a student base as possible• We want quality over quantity, but we want to offer our service

as an independent school in 2013 to as many high-quality students as possible this year; as they transition with us to the Charter set-up, they will be instrumental in establishing the tone and culture of the school for many years to come

So, if you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a student at the Winter Sports School this year, and (or) is able and willing to donate

land, money, services, or equipment, please reach out to us.

FAQs

• Q1: What is your current enrollment?– A1: We’re still in the midst of our recruiting season, so the

number isn’t frozen, but it’s trending towards 45. Our capacity for this year is 60.

• Q2: Where will The Winter Sports School be located as a Charter School?– A2: We’re evaluating a number of potential locations, including

vacant land for purchase and finished space for near or mid-term lease arrangements.

• Q3: Will The Winter Sports School retain its calendar and its curriculum?– A3: Yes. We have been approved to operate as a Charter

School with 144 school days, and we will continue to release our students from school during the winter months. We also will adopt certain state-required course structures – i.e. 1.5 CTE credits prior to graduation, Common Core in Math, etc. –but we will remain strictly a college preparatory program, and we will continue to service grades 9 through 12.

FAQs (cont.)

• Q4: How will the lottery process work?– A4: There will be three enrollment periods, one each in

November, December / January, and February. If demand exceeds available slots for any given grade level during a particular enrollment period, applicants to that grade level during that enrollment period will be allowed into the school by random draw. If a grade level is fully subscribed at the start of an enrollment period, applicants to that grade level will be placed on a waiting list in random order.

• Q5: How will non-graduating 2013 students be transitioned to the Charter School?– A5: Continuing 2013 students will automatically be processed

as applicants during the earliest enrollment period in November of 2013, unless they opt out. Parents also have the opportunity to become “founding members” of the WSS Charter School, and a limited number of founding parents will be allowed to have their children bypass the lottery process, should it become necessary.

FAQs (cont.)

• Q6: Do the approved student growth numbers represent hard cut-offs for the Charter School?– No. They represent the maximum number of per-student

funding units the State of Utah will provide each year. • Q7: Will out-of-state students remain eligible to attend the

Charter School?– Yes. They will need to pay tuition, but they will remain eligible

to attend, and they will not be subject to the lottery process.• Q8: You’ve been approved as a State Charter School; why

not a District Charter School with the Park City School District?– We are moving forward with the Utah State Office of Education

as our chartering authority at this time, but we retain the ability to switch to the Park City School District as our chartering entity at any future date.

FAQs (cont.)

• Q9: Your 2013 school year has already begun, so how can additional students join the school this year?– Students beginning with us on July 1st of this year will join at

the beginning of our instruction in Math, English, Science, and Foreign Language and be eligible for one full credit in each, plus one credit in Physical Education. The only credits missed during the current year will be in Art and History, which are already underway.

• Q10: How would a student join the school as a 9th grader?– It will vary by student, but many will opt out of the 8th grade at

or around the Holiday break, focus on their athletics during the rest of the winter, and then join us as a 9th grader in April.

• Q11: How would a student join the school as a 10th, 11th, or 12th grader?– It will vary by student, but many will opt to complete their “in-

flight” credits in late May / early June, and then take a few weeks off before joining us for their next year of school in late June / early July.