

In this uniquely challenging year, students need the gift of the mountains and the healthy environment of training outdoors. By working together, Knower Academics and Franconia Ski Club offer intensive training and quality academic programming that helps students push their potential – both on and off the ski slopes.
— Catherine Knower, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Knower Academics
Educational Programming
for Snow Sports Athletes
Stay up to speed on and off the slopes
Together with our partners at Franconia Ski Club, Knower Academics offers instruction that empowers our snow sport athletes to maintain academic excellence while they train and compete at Cannon Mountain. Our academic winterm programs for 2020-2021 have been designed with FSC families and board members to dovetail with training schedules, manage diverse curriculum models, and provide academic structure. Families will also have options to customize their program to fit each student’s learning needs.
Win•term (n): contraction /ˈwinˌtərm/
- winter term
- an academic period that runs congruent with the ski season
- alternative academic options used by snow sport athletes to accommodate rigorous training and competition
Every student in this program will have a custom learning plan, developed together with their families and schools and guided by the student’s own goals and input. Knower will spearhead communications with schools to align curriculum or coordinate work exchange and keep families updated with session logbooks and frequent reports. Knower educators, in addition to their expertise in teaching specific subject material, are experienced in supporting students with executive functioning, study and organizational skills, and standardized test preparation.
Winterm Timeline
Winterm Academic Programming Options
for Franconia Ski Club Athletes
WINTERM AT CANNON MOUNTAIN for Middle School For the winter months, replace your current school with class on the mountain | CUSTOM ONE-TO-ONE ACADEMICS for All Grade Levels Receive extra support or coaching for the classes in which you are currently enrolled, or for test prep | ONE-TO-ONE WINTERM for High School For the winter months, replace your current school with 1:1 Knower Academics classes |
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Winterm at Cannon Mountain
Attend school on the mountain, all winter long.
Our winter curriculum has been thoughtfully designed to integrate with sending schools, and the schedule of weekly classes dovetails perfectly with FSC training and competitions. Knower Academics will connect with each student’s current school to determine the best approach to curriculum, teach all material, and develop a transition plan to return to school back home in the spring.
Program Details The Middle School Winterm program will run from early December to the end of March. The specific dates will be finalized as the details of competition and training schedule solidify. There will be a total of fourteen weeks of class, with some time off for holidays, training camps and competitions. Knower Academics began using online interactive sessions to support snow sport athletes back in 2005. Due to competition and training schedules, we needed a way to continue to support students while they were traveling. With 10+ years of teaching one-to-one in our online classrooms, first by Skype, then Web-Ex, and now Zoom, our instructors have found ways to teach effectively through interactive online instruction. Knower instructors establish guidelines and expectations for students using Zoom. Yes, you need to get dressed and out of bed! We also use screen sharing, annotation tools, recording tools, as well as interactive documents and whiteboards such that students and instructors can both actively discuss and workshop problems and topics together. Knower Academics teachers are experienced in using interactive teaching tools and screen sharing to create an engaging and effective learning experience for students. If you would like to see a demo of how we use Zoom in a way that actively engages our students, please contact our office. Students will complete class together for science and humanities, with instruction differentiated by grade according to Knower’s own curricula. Math instruction will be fully individualized and taught in a one-to-one instructional format. Middle school coursework will engage students with project based learning and nurturing small-group classes. Students will complete assessments, both formative and summative, as well as additional independent assignments, exercises and activities to demonstrate their learning. Science & Humanities Curricula Mathematics Curricula Families may fully customize their winterm program with additional one-to-one classes. For example, students might add more rigor to their schedule, such as a foreign language or special tutorial to bring their coursework to an advanced level. Additional one-to-one sessions are also the perfect opportunity to add focus on developing study and organizational skills at a foundational or advanced level, or to receive extra support in a challenging subject. Knower Academics instructors also specialize in standardized test preparation, so families looking for a jump start of SSAT, PSAT, SAT or ACT preparation can find that here as well. IMPORTANT: This is a TENTATIVE schedule, still under construction. The specific hours when students are required to be on the mountain and in the classroom are still to be determined. Work from home options will likely be available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Though this schedule is still subject to change, on Mondays we will likely divide into groups where some students will have math in the mornings and other students will have math in the afternoons. On Wednesdays, both math groups will have sessions in the afternoon. Friday lesson plans will remain flexible so students can focus on completing all required work before becoming thoroughly distracted by their weekend races. Our winterm students join us from many different schools, and need to stay up to speed in their school’s own curriculum in order to align with their classmates when they return. Knower will connect with each student’s school to organize the best math curriculum, typically by way of a parallel work exchange. This curriculum will provide the substance for the one-to-one sessions, and often the problem sets and assessments as well. Knower’s approach to math is versatile; employing a variety teaching methods to engage our student’s unique learning styles. In their one-to-one sessions, students will cover new material and also go over corrections. Between sessions, teachers will integrate systematic review, as well as project based, flipped classroom, and Khan Academy activities to address math concepts through a range of teaching strategies and learning activities. Example integration of intensive thirty-minute math lessons, one-to-one, with practice and applications. Features & Tuition See additional details on program costs, communications, rates, payment and refund policies. Study smarter; train harder. Knower Academics offers a range of one-to-one offerings to support snow sport athletes. From test-prep to subject tutorials, our one-to-one sessions provide an added boost toward a successful, well-supported winter season. Program Details One-to-one sessions with Knower are designed to augment the learning already happening in school. Whether students are attending school in person, enrolled in online curricula, or a hybrid of both, the addition of specialized instruction ensures that academics don’t get overlooked when the snow flies. Knower has a time-tested process that supports a firm commitment to instruction. Amid rigorous training and competition, athletes often find it challenging to schedule enough time for academics. The best approach establishes priorities and structure, while remaining nimble. Here is Knower’s scheduling process, in brief: Your instructor will discuss this process, in greater detail, at your first session! Features & Costs See additional details on program costs, communications, rates, payment and refund policies. Go all in. We’ll take care of school so you can focus on racing. High School Winterm is a flexible, customized, credit-bearing academic program, designed in partnership with the sending school and families. The fully 1:1 learning environment provides intensive, meaningful education for athletes in a way that complements their training and competition schedule on snow. Our long experience creating quality, interactive Zoom sessions means your teachers come with you (virtually) to glaciers, training camps, qualifiers, and late season competition. Our program travels with you through the season until we transition you smoothly back to sea level, and “normal school” in the spring. Program Details Knower Academics has the administrative structure of a school, and our instructors are teachers and specialists well qualified to teach the material. We keep thorough documentation, and have a process for working with schools such that they can accept the work our students complete for credit. Though Knower is not a school in the traditional sense, work with Knower can be credit-bearing. We are adept at integrating our direct instruction with other accredited tools to achieve the end goals of maintaining a competitive high school transcript and complete college application picture. Most schools accept our systems for documentation and parallel work exchange. For those schools who do not wish to partner with us, Knower will identify an accredited online curriculum and provide support and direct instruction to make sure the learning experience is truly working for the student. High School Winterm is designed to replace the student’s school for the duration of the competitive season. Our approach is 100% customized with a thorough onboarding process, during which each student’s learning plan is written and refined. Knower typically recommends two sessions per week per course, depending on the student’s ability to complete work independently. Families may enroll students with Knower for as many sessions or subjects as they wish, and your instructor will set up your class schedule based on your availability. In addition to providing the teaching, Knower instructional team coordinates curriculum and credit with your district or sending school. Some students may benefit from blended models that use their school’s virtual options in some capacity. Knower often supports students with AP coursework and their IB equivalents. We are most familiar wirth AP calculus, statistics, literature and composition, history, and the standard sciences. Depending on the subject we might supplement the curriculum from the school with a specific AP curriculum to make sure we have our bases covered. Please note that Knower Academics is not authorized to proctor AP or IB exams. In our experience, with a 1:1 teaching environment, most students require two sessions per subject, per week to stay up to speed with each class. This time frame requires students to complete homework diligently and with focused effort almost any time they are not out on the mountain. Students who are confident in subject material, or adept at soliciting support from other sources, can sometimes mananage one or more of their classes with just one instructional Knower session per week. Conversely, students who struggle with a certain course, or who are taking an especially advanced class, may require 3 sessions per week to gain adequate mastery of material. Fortunately, we have a nimble system wherein we can adjust the focus of our instructional agreement; we frequently refine each student’s planned approach to instruction as the season progresses. Here is a sample weekly class schedule for a student taking math, history, science and Spanish with Knower 1:1 during the winter season. Students report their availability and Knower instructors build the class schedule based on the student’s open times. Sessions often take place in the evenings, and at odd hours, and by Zoom. Features & Costs See additional details on program costs, communications, rates, payment and refund policies. Knower Academics offers a depth of experience in supporting students who want to stay up to speed in their coursework. For students who are away from school, our favorite method for credit bearing academic work is a parallel work exchange. We collect material from the school, focusing on major objectives and assessments, and then teach that material to students and grade the work. Alternatively, we can submit finished work to the sending school for grading. We can also support students with virtual school options. For students who learn best with a fully custom model, we draw upon our own curriculum. As part of our winterm services, Knower would be happy to reach out to your student’s school to orchestrate curriculum and work exchange. Our process for connecting with schools and establishing credit-bearing curriculum. Knower Academics works in close alignment with our partner schools, and we appreciate all communication from sending school teachers and administrators who wish to keep abreast of student progress. Through our individualized academic services, Knower’s administrative team has worked with schools worldwide to establish credit bearing options and help create a smooth transition back to class. We understand that teachers are busy, and we aim to communicate efficiently and minimize burden on schools. Knower teachers can operate with minimal guidance from the school and still create throughout documentation to show progress. The sequence for school outreach typically flows like this, though the order of the steps may vary: For snow sport athletes, winter flies by. Just as our students enter into the most rigorous part of their training and competition schedule, Knower Academics will already be thinking about how to best position students for a return to their sending school when the snow melts. Ideally, we like students to return to their school right at the beginning of a new unit. The process is nuanced and often involves close communication with family and teachers. Proceed to registration or set up a consultation ▸ See additional details on program costs, communications, rates, payment and refund policies.Duration
of Middle School WintermClasses, Curricula & Coursework
for Middle School WintermThe Zoom question…
With the understanding that students will join our program from diverse academic backgrounds, our humanities and science coursework will focus on standards, concepts and skills. Students will receive six hours of small-group classroom instruction each week in humanities and science, as well as additional applications, projects, assignments and assessments. Instruction for these classes is slated to occur in-person.
Each student in the winterm program will receive fully individualized math instruction. Knower Academics will establish a work exchange with the sending school and teach each week’s material in three intensive 30 minute 1:1 classes. In between instructional time, students will complete a mix of flipped classroom assignments, active retrieval practice, projects, applications, and homework assignments. The instructional format of math class may be in-person or interactive online.Additional Classes & Supports
for Middle School WintermWeekly schedule
for Middle School Winterm
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
9:00am
to
12pmMorning Math Group
Individualized Curriculum
Intensive 1:1 sessions & applicationsFSC Training FSC Training FSC Training FSC Training
12:00pm
to
12:30pmLunch
12:30pm
to
3:30pmAfternoon Math Group
Individualized Curriculum
Intensive 1:1 sessions and applicationsScience & Humanities
5th-8th Grade Skills & Project-based Learning
Small group modelMath groups combined
Individualized Curriculum
Intensive 1:1 sessions & applicationsScience & Humanities
5th-8th Grade Skills & Project-based Learning
Small group modelFlex Days
NO CLASS
1:1 add on sessions,
weekly wrap up,
reflection,
portfolio buildingFocus on Math
12:30-1:00pm One-to-one session
1:00-1:25pm Practice problem set
1:30-2:00pm Daily ARC review
2:00-2:25pm One-to-one session
2:30-3:00 Assessment/Application
3:00-3:25pm Flip classroom/ Khan Contest
Includes
Tuition
Custom One-to-One Academics
for ALL GRADE LEVELS
What students can do with a custom plan of 1:1 sessions:
Knower Academics can help you find the best curriculum for your transcript and timeline and provide the teaching and support you need to get it done.
Our specialists aim to review course material in a way that fits each student’s learning style; whenever possible, we work together with school teachers and faculty to establish cohesive support and teamwork.
The one-to-one environment provides the perfect opportunity for students to push their learning to more advanced levels.
From basic filing and time management to college-level productivity tools, our specialists help students organize their work and learn the art of efficient study.
Executive skills are a set of functions driven by the Executive Control Center of the brain. When these skills work in harmony, students accomplish meaningful goals with less stress.
Every mind is unique - that's why our team is dedicated to working with students one-to-one. Our job is to figure out how students learn, and give honest recommendations about the best path to meaningful, yes even inspiring, academics.
How important are test results to your favorite colleges and recruiters? Our approach to test prep is right-sized, meaning we will adjust the rigor, frequency of study, and the amount of homework, based on how important these exam results are to you.
Our Therademics™ team approach is critical to building sustainable wellness, joy, and prowess in a competitive world.
Scheduling
Features
Costs
*Students have until 3pm the day before their scheduled session to request an adjustment to the session time to avoid charges.HIGH SCHOOL
One-to-One WintermIs Knower a school? Sort of…
Courses we often teach at the 9th-12th grade level:
What about Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Coursework?
How many classes with Knower will a student need each week?
What will my schedule look like?
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
9:00am Math FSC Training Math Science FSC Training
10:00am Math History Advisory
11:00am Homework
12:00pm Lunch
1:00pm Science FSC Training FSC Training FSC Training Travel
4:00pm Homework Homework
5:00pm Spanish SAT/ACT Prep
6:00pm Dinner
7:00pm Homework
Includes
Costs
*Students have until 3pm the day before their scheduled session to request an adjustment to the session time to avoid charges.Additional Details
about SCHOOLS, CURRICULUM & CREDIT for all our programs
Connecting with Sending Schools
CURRICULUM OPTIONS
for credit-bearing work with Knower Academics
Academic Transition Planning