Academics

Academics at The Winter Sports School are rigorous. Our primary academic goal is to prepare students for college, and we make every attempt to instill in each student a driving curiosity and life-long love of learning.

The Winter Sports School is fully accredited by Cognia/AdvancED.

Our students are held to high academic standards and supported appropriately throughout their academic journies, such that they not only acquire foundational knowledge and skills to prepare for college but also the critical competencies and habits of mind that ensure personal growth and their highest level of achievement in school and in life.

current course catalog

Academic Calendar

Winter Sports School students start their academic year in April in order to complete the academic year in November. This innovative schedule provides an uncompromised academic experience while allowing the winter sports athlete to pursue the rigorous travel and training required to compete at the national and international level.

2021 Academic Calendar

SPRING SEMESTER - Q1

APRIL 14 - MAY 14

SPRING CONFERENCES

MAY 20

HOLIDAY - NO SCHOOL

MAY 31 (MEMORIAL DAY)

SPRING SEMESTER - Q2

MAY 17 - JUNE 25

VACATION

JUNE 28 - JULY 5

SUMMER SEMESTER - Q3

JULY 6 - AUGUST 6

SUMMER SEMESTER - Q4

AUGUST 9 - SEPTEMBER 3

SUMMER CONFERENCES

AUGUST 12

VACATION

SEPTEMBER 6-10

FALL SEMESTER - Q5

SEPTEMBER 13 - OCTOBER 13

FALL SEMESTER - Q6

OCTOBER 18 - NOVEMBER 19

DISTANCE LEARNING DAY

OCTOBER 14

VACATION

OCTOBER 15

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL/GRADUATION

NOVEMBER 19

Curriculum

The Winter Sports School curriculum is rigorous and falls within a compressed academic calendar. Areas of instruction are held to the core requirements for Utah high school graduation and for college admissions: English, Math, Science, Foreign Language, Social Studies, Health, Art, and CTE(Career and Technical Education). Physical Education credits and progress towards the Winter Sports School’s graduation requirements are earned by virtue of the hours our athletes spend training and competing with the teams and coaches of their choice; an eligible coach or athletic director must sign off on those hours.

Honors coursework is available in English, Foreign Language, Social Studies, Math, and Science. In order to receive the honors designation, a student must be invited to participate in honors level work by the teacher, and must complete a research-based project in addition to the college preparatory curriculum of that particular course.

Students who earn ten or more credits in honors coursework and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above are eligible to receive a WSS Honors Diploma and will be recognized at graduation.

Utah Statewide Online Education Program: For information regarding Utah’s Statewide Online Education Program,
please visit: The Utah State Board of Education Online Program

Faculty and Staff

The Winter Sports School in Park City provides an educational opportunity that is unparalleled anywhere in the world. Our schedule allows student athletes to focus all of their attention on academics when they are in school and on their chosen sport when the season is underway.

BFA Art, Brigham Young University MFA Art, University of Utah

Eric Christiansen
ART

BA English Lit. & Cultural Anthropology, CSU Fullerton M.Ed Secondary Education, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Alison Moore
ENGLISH | SOCIAL STUDIES

BS Education, Northern Illinois University MA Mathematics Education, DePaul University

Maureen Bickner
MATH

BS Mathematics - Michigan State University

Alex Burlacu
MATH | SCIENCE

BS - Biomedical Engineering Duke University M.Ed - Secondary Education Texas Christian University

Mary Carlson
MATH

Rosie Hanek-Cahoon BA - International Studies - Latin America University of Oregon BA - Spanish University of Utah

Rosie Hanek-Cahoon
SOCIAL STUDIES | SPANISH

AB History, Middlebury College MA History, U. of Mass. M.Ed, Plymouth State U. Psych.Ed, Rivier College

Scott Hendrickson
COLLEGE COUNSELOR|CTE|SOCIAL STUDIES

BA - English Wells College, Aurora NY MA - British & American Literature University of Utah

Tess Miner Farra
HEAD OF SCHOOL

BA - Psychology San Diego State University MS - School Counseling National University

Rebecca Turco
DIR of GUIDANCE

BA - Theology & Ethics Boston College

Molly Sugrue
Social Studies | Service Learning Coordinator

BA - Art History and Business Florida State University

Megan Altman
DIR of OPERATIONS

Stephanie Carter BA - English Western Washington University BA - Secondary Education Western Washington University MA - Education/Curriculum & Instruction Grand Canyon University

Stephanie Carter
DIR of COLLEGE COUNSELING

Allison Jaycox Coffman BA - Biology Iowa State University, MA - Science Education Iowa State University.

Allison Jaycox Coffman
Science

Joy Walden
US GOVERNMENT | SPANISH AIDE

Jessie Levesque
ENGLISH | DIR OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

Jack Mercer
DIR OF STUDENT SUPPORT

Our school dogs

Sheriff

Pig

Oso

Brutus

College Counseling

The Winter Sports School takes great care in guiding each student and his/her parents through the college preparation and application process. Our counseling process encompasses grades 9 through 12, but intensifies during Junior and Senior years, during which each student and his/her parents have the opportunity to meet with our staff counselor regularly to ensure a smooth process and fully informed choices. We take great pride in finding the ideal higher education match for each of our graduates.

Please read through our College Counseling Four-Year Plan for more details.

download
college counseling
four-year plan

ACT & SAT Dates

park city, Utah

The Winter Sports School is situated in what is arguably the most conveniently accessible mountain locale in the United States. We’re 3 miles off of I-80; about 20 miles from the eastern edge of Salt Lake City and about 35 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport. Our location is:

4251 Shadow Mountain Dr.

Park City, UT 84098

435.649.8760

Get Directions