Franconia Ski Club: Winterm Academics

Duration
of Middle School Winterm

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.

Classes, Curricula & Coursework
for Middle School Winterm

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
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.

Mathematics Curricula
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 Winterm

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.

Weekly schedule
for Middle School Winterm

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.

Focus on Math

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.

Includes

• School on the mountain, with Knower Academics, from early December to late February or early March
• 14 weeks of total programming
• School outreach and curriculum
• Individualized math instruction: 3 intensive 30-minute sessions, paired with approximately 4 hours weekly coursework
• Student Google login and learning management system
• Graded summative assessment and portfolio creation
• 6 hours weekly small-classroom humanities and science instruction
• Coordinated transition plan into the program in December and back to school in the spring
• Integrated communications with family and schools
• Schedule dovetails with FSC training and competitions
• Support for additional subjects and other Knower 1:1 offerings available at added cost

Tuition

• $5,000 per student
• Non-refundable $500 deposit
• Commitment deadline of November 16th

See additional details on program costs, communications, rates, payment and refund policies.

Proceed to registration or set up a consultation ▸

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.

What students can do with a custom plan of 1:1 sessions:

Scheduling

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:

1. We create an instructional agreement for a specific number of sessions per week in a specific area of focus.
2. Instructor and student commit to this agreement, though it may be revised if the need arises.
3. The student and family establish the times when the student is available for sessions.
4. Your Knower instructor schedules sessions within those windows of available times.
5. Families have until 3pm the day before the session time to reschedule, if needed.

Your instructor will discuss this process, in greater detail, at your first session!

Features

• Customized area of focus
• 1:1 instructional sessions
• Typical session length of 1 hour; minimum session length of 40 minutes
• Integrated communications including session logbooks
• Instructional agreement for a specific number of weekly sessions
• Sessions scheduled during times listed as available by the student/family
• School outreach and curriculum
• 100% portable instruction

Costs

• Non-refundable $150 registration fee
• $110 per session* – all communications, meetings, documentation, work exchange and school correspondence included.
  *Students have until 3pm the day before their scheduled session to request an adjustment to the session time to avoid charges.

See additional details on program costs, communications, rates, payment and refund policies.

Proceed to registration or set up a consultation  ▸

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.

Courses we often teach at the 9th-12th grade level:

• pre-algebra, algebra I & II, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, calculus
• US & world history
• humanities
• French & Spanish I & II

What about Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Coursework?

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.

How many classes with Knower will a student need each week?

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.

What will my schedule look like?

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.

Includes

• Custom learning plan for winterm
• School outreach and curriculum
• Specialized consultation and custom class schedule
• All classes taught 1:1 by Knower Academics
• Typical class length of 1 hour; minimum class length of 40 minutes
• Integrated communications including session logbooks
• Graded assessment and portfolio creation
• Classes scheduled at times that align with training and competition
• 100% portable instruction

Costs

• Non-refundable $150 registration fee
• $110 per session* – all communications, meetings, documentation, work exchange and school correspondence included.
  *Students have until 3pm the day before their scheduled session to request an adjustment to the session time to avoid charges.

See additional details on program costs, communications, rates, payment and refund policies.

Proceed to registration or set up a consultation ▸

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:

1. Register for one of Knower’s winterm academic offerings.
2. Share school contact information or introduce Knower Academics to the School.
3. Call or meeting in which Knower explains our program and agrees upon curriculum with the school.
4. School sends relevant materials or login information to access curriculum maps, scope and sequence or syllabi.
5. Instruction with Knower begins; the school receives copies of our session logbooks and other progress updates.
6. Portfolio building and other documentation illustrate student learning as class continues.
7. Call, meeting or email communications in which Knower lays groundwork for return to the classroom.
8. Student returns to sending school, ideally at a point when teachers begin a new unit.