Please refer to this page for all your ESSC-related news and information.

Registering for ESSC is necessary to participate. Parents, please go HERE to register. The code is: GOSKIING26

Volunteers (WE THANK YOU!): 

• If you are volunteering for the ESSC program for grades 1-6, you’ll also need to register HERE. You will also need to get your background/fingerprinting done (this does not apply to school employees). If you did a finger printing background check last year we need the assurance letter and confidentiality agreement signed for this year and emailed to businessoffice@northeastwoodland.org To schedule your fingerprinting, please go HERE.

• It is required that you attend an outdoor training clinic and watch a video. We HIGHLY encourage volunteers to attend an on snow day at Attitash this year as this is the 1st year our program will be at Attitash and we hope to have all volunteers familiar with the mountain.

  • On Snow training dates:

Parent Updates:

• We will be skiing at Attitash this year instead of Cranmore and our ESSC day is Friday! We’ll dismiss form school at noon with hopes of all kids being on snow by 1pm. We’ll ski until 3:30pm.

• There will be a bus available for sign up for students to take from school to Attitash - when we have details about signup and costs we’ll share those with everyone.

• This year students will be getting their ski tickets AT SCHOOL before dismissal on Friday. This means that ALL STUDENTS need to bring/wear their ski jackets to school so that we have the correct jacket to attach their tickets to.

• If students have a season pass for Attitash- they are allowed to ski with that pass and DO NOT need to get an ESSC ticket each week.

• Reminder: Please put a snack in your student’s pocket (the night before or the day of) so they have it ready to go when they get hungry on the slopes. Granola bars are great - something quick and easy.

Volunteer Updates:

• As a reminder, our goal is to have everyone on the snow ready to go by 1pm and back to the Adventure Center at 3:15pm for a 3:30pm pickup.

• Every group should have a walkie-talkie.

• ESSC has asked that each day out, we work on at least one tangible, skill-level appropriate skill. This can be as basic as snowplowing or as advanced as you want, but it should be appropriate for the students. Please articulate to them at the beginning of the day what you’ll be working on, and at the end of the day, do a wrap-up where you talk about what you worked on to reinforce it.

• Around halfway through the day, please encourage your students to eat their snacks and ask if they want to take a water break.

• Have FUN!!

Basic ESSC Info: 

• ESSC will begin on Friday, 1/9/2025, and take place every Friday (excluding vacation weeks) until March 13th. The following week (March 20th will be our “snow day” where we ski all day).

• Students are dismissed at noon, and the program runs until 3:15pm. 

• Students are to be picked up at the Attitash Adventure Center at by 3:30pm. The Adventure Center is the far right side of the building at the center base of the mountain. (see map below).

• Transportation is available from school to Attitash (alpine) and Whittaker Woods (nordic). We will have sign up info out soon.

• While skiing, the students will be grouped by ability and instructed by volunteer instructors.

• For additional general information on the Eastern Slope Ski Club, please visit their website HERE.

• Equipment Drop off info: On Friday Morning, if your student will be taking the school transportation for skiing:
       - X-Country equipment goes to Blue Bus #1
       - Alpine & Snowboard Gear goes to Jesse Badger - he will be at his pick-up truck in the middle lot - please loop through there once you’ve dropped your student off.

• If you are driving your student from school to Attitash or Whitaker Woods please arrive at school for pick-up at 12:00 pm - do not arrive early, and stagger your pickup time as we normally do at pickup between 12 and 12:15 pm as the bus needs to be able to leave through the driveway.

• If you are volunteering for ESSC and need to pick your child up early so you can be on snow to greet your group please come to school at 11:45/11:50am and PARK and walk to the door to come gather your student(s).

• Please label EVERYTHING - gloves, hats, boots, backpacks. If it has a name in it, we can reunite it; otherwise, it is likely lost for good. It is most helpful if all of the students' gear (boots, helmet, goggles) is connected - either in a ski/tote bag or buckled together; when they put it in the bins on Thursday morning so all their stuff stays together.

• We will emphasize safety and listening to directions, but please also discuss how ESSC is a privilege with your student - their safety is our number one priority - and that starts with them listening, being respectful, and careful. We want everyone to have a fun, safe time!
  

Nordic Program: There will be an ESSC cross-country skiing program this winter for students (grades 1-6) and hopefully an option for 7th-8th graders as well. It will be on the same day as alpine ESSC, at the same time, and will take place at Whittaker Woods. There will be transportation to Whittaker Woods available, as well as rental equipment. If you have Nordic Specific Questions please reach out to Jennifer Smith

7th & 8th Grade Alpine Skiing:
The 7th & 8th grade "SKI DAYS" will be from noon dismissal until 3:30pm when students would need to be picked up at Attitash.  If your student needs rentals we have also come to an agreement for rentals through Attitash to have rentals for each week at $5 per week.  If your family qualifies for the Voluntary Identification of Low Income program the school will assist in any rental costs.  All students may sign up to ride the bus to Attitash with the other students participating in ESSC or have parents drive them.  We will also be looking for parent volunteers- if you are interested we'd like to have you reach out to Rachel Freierman.

During these Ski Days at Attitash all 7th and 8th grade students will be skiing with Northeast Woodland staff members and/or volunteers. This will not be a totally free ski afternoon. There will be an agreement that both parents and students will be required to sign that outline the behavior expectations set forth by both the school and by Attitash for this program.

We are looking for students and families to make a commitment to this program and all the dates as we will be making plans for the full session for the amount of staffing that we need. The dates match up with our ESSC dates, starting with Friday Jan 9th and ending with March 13th.

If your student is interested in participating in this Middle School Ski Day program please complete the form on this ParentSquare post by Wednesday December 3rd and be sure to indicate if they will need rentals.  Any students who are not participating will need to be picked up at Northeast Woodland at noon on these days.