CPE-Chelsea Alpine Ski Program Policies

In keeping with the Montessori principle of outdoor recreation, the CPE Montessori de Chelsea has developed a very successful alpine ski program for its 4 year old students.  The success of the program resides in the very fortunate proximity of the Camp Fortune ski hill, the dedication of the school staff and the very important involvement of parent volunteers for all outings.

For the Winter 2006-2007 season, activities will start at Camp Fortune during the week of 5th January 2006.  Parents are strongly encouraged to participate as 1 accompanying parent is required for every 2 children. Sign up sheets for every week are located outside the director's office at the CPE.

Structure

Ski staff man: The staff man for alpine skiing this year will be Martyne Lafontaine. Martyne will be responsible for coordinating the school bus, tickets and ensuring that sufficient school staff and parent volunteers are present for each outing.

School staff: Other staff members on a rotational basis will accompany the students to Camp Fortune but will remain in the chalet.  They will help students with getting on/off the bus, dressing/undressing, and looking after those that are not capable of spending the entire lesson on the hill.  The staff will also prepare the morning snack.  The school director will be responsible for establishing the schedule for staff participation.

Camp Fortune instructional staff: Instructors will be responsible for 3 groups of students.  They will teach all the skiing and only be responsible for the students between the hours of 9:45 and 10:45.  It is expected, as these are full time instructors, that students will have the same instructor for the duration of the season.

Parent volunteers: The parents will assist the ski director in getting the children to the hill, on and off the chairlift and ready for the Camp Fortune instructors.  Parents will help with falls and accompanying any children that need to go back to the chalet early.

In order to ensure that students are not distracted by the presence of their parents, every parent will be assigned to a group that does not include their child.  All groups will be in communication with one another through walkie-talkies in the event of any emergencies.

The ski staff man will have the final say on matters relating to group structure, cancellation due to weather and withdrawal of students from the programme.

Courses

On the first day of skiing, all students will be evaluated on their abilities and separated in three classes.  Professional ski instructors from Camp Fortune will be responsible for all classes.  The role of the parent volunteers is to help the students get on/off the chairlift and to help pick them up should they fall on the hill.

In rare cases, some students may not be interested in continuing with the ski programme.  If students who do not want to ski or who create a problem for the group continue with the activity, this places an additional burden on the instructional staff and the volunteer parents.  Where this situation arises, the ski director will discuss the issue with the student's parents and recommend the withdrawal of the student from the programme.  Provisions have been made with Camp Fortune to refund the pro-rated cost of instruction.

Schedule:

A typical ski day schedule is as follows:

• 8:30 a.m. participants meet at the Montessori and the children are dressed and prepared for skiing.

• 9:00 a.m. school bus leaves for Camp Fortune

• 9:15 a.m. school bus arrives at the main lodge and all participants meet in the assembly area inside the lodge.

• 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. the children are divided into two groups; those who require rental equipment and those who do not. The lift passes and rental equipment coupons are then distributed and those who require rental equipment are taken downstairs to the rental equipment location (directly in front of Shaver Sports location) while the other group remains in the assembly area to get dressed for skiing.

• 9:45 - 10:45 a.m. Both groups proceed to meet the Camp Fortune instructors in an assembly area outside the main lodge and near the ski lift. The children are then separated into 4 or 5 groups as determined on the first day, the parent volunteers for each group are also divided, and the groups ski together (Camp Fortune Instructors, volunteer parents and children for the next hour).

• 10:45 - 11:00 a.m. Participants meet back at the original assembly area in the main lodge where the children have their snack. The school bus then brings all participants back to the Montessori.  Ski students then join their classmates for the regular school programme.

Ski days will be:

• Day 1: Friday 5 January

• Day 2: Friday 12 January

• Day 3: Wednesday 17 January 

• Day 4: Friday 26 January

• Day 5: Wednesday 31 January

• Day 6: Wednesday 7 February

• Day 7: Wednesday 14 February

• Day 8: Wednesday 21 February

• Day 9: Friday 2 March

• Day 10: Friday 9 March - last day of skiing

Costs

The cost for 10 lessons including the bus ride:

• Option 1 : 1 cheque in the amount of 165$ (or 257$ to include equipement rental) post-dated to january 5, 2007

• Option 2 : 2 post-dated cheques (january 5 and february 12) in the amount of 82.50$ (or 128.50$ to include equipement rental)

• Kindly complete and return this registration form with payment no later than november 13th.

Parents accompanying the group will be provided with free lift tickets good for the entire day.

Equipment purchase

CPE staff will provide information on discounts through various sports retailers. 

Pre-requisites for participation

All children participating must meet the following pre-requisites:

• at least 4 years old at the start of lessons (16 January 2007); and

• be equipped with suitable winter clothing and an approved ski helmet.

Inclement weather policy

Where possible (if suitable weather predictions merit),  volunteer parents will be notified the night before if the ski day is to be cancelled.  Failing that, a decision will be made at 8:30 in the morning of the ski day if the activity is to be cancelled.  This will permit parents who need to, to still be able to return to work for the day

Based on Environment Canada guidelines, skiing will be cancelled if conditions are conducive to the onset of frostbite (yellow zone below).

 

Frostbite Guide Low risk of frostbite for most people Increasing risk of frostbite for most people within 30 minutes of exposure High risk for most people in 5 to 10 minutes of exposure

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