Founded in the fall of 2007 as a partnership with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) and the Eagle County School District (ECSD), the Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy (VSSA) provides student athletes with a world-class winter sports program in a fully accredited and certified public school setting. VSSA is a coeducational academy comprised of 90 students in grades 5-8 and 76 students in grades 9-12. The
majority of our students are Eagle County residents though the academy also facilitates housing for some non-Eagle County students. The campus is located 8 miles from the slopes and training facilities of Vail Mountain. The goal of VSSA is to challenge our student-athletes with a rigorous academic curriculum while supporting a world- class training and competition schedule. The majority of the student-athletes compete on a national or international level which entails extensive travel during the school year. VSSA is specifically tailored to provide for the education of our oftentimes far flung student body. Every student travels with a laptop computer or iPad. The use of innovative internet technologies allows teachers and students to remain in close communication. Students collect assignments, participate in discussion boards, take quizzes, download videos of lectures, and receive real-time instruction from teachers over the internet. VSSA’s student to teacher ratio of 10:1 allows for individualized attention. Flexible scheduling is the rule. Careful planning and monitoring of each student’s course work maintains a uniform opportunity for learning. Our students develop a level of independent learning that is unusual among high school students. VSSA students are required to graduate with the Eagle County School District’s mandated 25 credits. VSSA provides 5 core classes and 1 elective course each semester. VSSA offers Advanced Placement Calculus, English & US History, Dual Enrollment College Algebra & Chemistry, ACT/SAT test preparation, Independent Studies, and online courses (supported on-site) through Aventa and Advanced Academics. In addition, VSSA requires 4 years of Advisory and 4 years of Physical Education. Many students participate in additional athletic and extracurricular activities offered by the school district. Spring and fall, VSSA students attend classes from 8:30 AM -3:50 PM. In the winter, the student’s day begins with athletic training from 8 AM – 12:30PM on Vail Mountain. The winter academic day runs from 12:45 PM – 5:00PM. VSSA student-athletes train with full-time, elite coaches at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail in a program that is recognized internationally as one of the leading snow sports programs in the world. Current and former VSSA students have gone on to compete in the Olympics and to pursue their careers with the US Ski Team, the US Snowboard Team, the US Freestyle Ski Team, the US Freeski Team and the US Trail Running Team. Thank you for your interest in Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy. We hope you will call or email if you have any questions or would like further information. Charlene Whitney - Director of College Counseling [email protected]
970.328.2833
Wade Hill - Head of School
[email protected]
970.328.2839
