Hello Fellow Snow Pros!
Whenever I teach lessons I always ask, “What’s fun about skiing (or riding)?” I ask kids. I ask adults. It’s amazing what diversity of answers I get. Try it out some time – it’s very cool! Here’s one that is particularly cool: https://tylerbarnes.snowproportal.com/client-login/2014-15/peyton
I also ask instructors, “What’s fun about teaching?” What is your ideal lesson? And it’s so cool to hear what you are passionate about! My favorite lesson is a first timer 4 week program where on the 4th lesson we have graduated to Vista and I can take them up and point out … way down there … Buttercup! Remember when that was challenging? Now look where you are! They are so excited about the progress they have made. This is a huge part of why I teach people (for 30 years now – wow, has it been that long?). And I hope some of the same holds true for you – this season and in future seasons!
Awesome New Level 1 Certified instructors!
I am very excited to share with you our new Level 1 Certified instructors! Snowboard: Mark Ballaris, Abigail Barash, Steven Dowling and Chris Mathews. Alpine: Jo Moore, Ying Liu, Roy Albert, Stacy Stokes, Sean Hwang, Eric Frey and Jesse Eaton. These folks braved the weather on Saturday and earned their PSIA-AASI Level 1 Certification.
Mock Exams/Clinics
This past weekend we had instructors attending the Level 2 and Level 3 Mock Exams. We are offering some more mock exam / clinics for those who plan to take an exam in the near future. Please check the clinic schedule for upcoming mock exams. See these:
http://mhm.snowproportal.com/events/mock-exam-alpine-l3-3
http://mhm.snowproportal.com/events/mock-exam-alpine-l2-3
MHM Scholarships
The deadline has passed for applying for a scholarship for a Spring PSIA-AASI event, however if you get your application in this week, we will review your application and consider it. For scholarship information please see this URL: https://mhm.snowproportal.com/current-staff/scholarship-information
PSIA-NW Events
If you are thinking of attending a PSIA-NW Spring Event be sure to check the event calendar here: http://www.psia-nw.org/events/
As I have shared with you before we are offering a PSIA Member School Clinic here at Mt. Hood Meadows on April 22 and 23. If you need an education credit for the season this is a great option for you to attend. It’s $40 for the clinic (payable on the day of the event) and will count toward your education credit. See these URLs:
http://mhm.snowproportal.com/events/psia-aasi-member-school-clinic
http://mhm.snowproportal.com/events/psia-aasi-member-school-clinic-2
PSIA-AASI NW “New Pro – Let’s Go” Clinics
If you received your Level 1 certification last season you may need an education credit this season to maintain your certification. You may attend a New Pro – Let’s Go! Clinic FREE as part of your Level 1 wexam fee you paid last season but you must sign up in advance. Please see these URLs for the event that is happening at Meadows on April 22:
Alpine: http://www.psia-nw.org/event/new-pro-lets-go-alpine-23-2/?instance_id=2742
Snowboard: http://www.psia-nw.org/event/new-pro-lets-go-snowboard-21/?instance_id=2741
PREVIOUSLY SHARED INFO …
Paid Training vs. Mandatory Trainings
The difference is mind set. The whole purpose of the paid training opportunities this season was not to “make you go” but to give you an opportunity to come to an evening clinic that looked interesting to you and we’d pay you to attend. This way you could pace your learning rather than being bombarded with the “rehire clinic” content for 6 hours all at once as we’ve done in the past. There was one clinic this season that was “mandatory” and I have added one to the event calendar in March.
With this change in “mindset” there have been a lot of questions – so let me help clear things up:
· We’ll pay for you to attend 6 hours of “Paid Trainings” – those clinics that are designated as (Paid) in the clinic title on the instructor portal
o You can view all upcoming Paid Trainings here: https://mhm.snowproportal.com/training/upcoming-paid-clinics
o You should sign up in advance for these clinics so they can be counted towards your clinic hours
· You are required to attend at least 6 hours of training hours during the season
o Those hours may include “voluntary” clinics you have attended this season
o If you have attended a voluntary clinic and wish to have those hours counted towards your required 6 hours, please complete a Clinic Evaluation Form for each of the voluntary clinics you attended here: https://mhm.snowproportal.com/training/clinic-evaluation-form
· PSIA-AASI Members who are attending a PSIA-NW Event, Exam or Accreditation this season may count this participation as 4 of the 6 required training hours and should complete a Clinic Evaluation Form for the PSIA-NW clinic you attended here: https://mhm.snowproportal.com/training/clinic-evaluation-form
Schedule Commitment vs. Days Worked
When you submit your schedule at the beginning of the season, these are the days you have committed to being here to teach. We schedule you for the season based on these days and this amounts to your commitment. Picking up additional shifts is great – we love it that you love to teach people to enjoy skiing and riding and we reward those who pick up additional shifts with not only paying your wages but also additional perks like “buddy passes” and rental vouchers or “Core Value” cards. Please keep in mind that the additional days you “pick up” are in addition to your schedule commitment.
This time of year we tend to see many people “dropping off” because they believe they have met their commitment because they have worked 18 or 24 shifts. If you are at all unsure if you have or have not met your commitment, please email Mark Fischer (mark.fischer@skihood.com) or Josey Rice (. He will review your schedule and work to help you meet your schedule commitment. We still have the rest of March and all of April to get through with plenty of great skiing and riding and teaching to be had!
Finally, this evening was the last “night” lessons of the season! Thank you to Jesse Eaton, Aaron Ruddick, Zdenek Zumr, Cayce Pitts and Nicole Murphy for sharing the passion with your students this evening. Arron and Jesse had some “littles” in orange vests and it was an epic night for the last night lessons of the season. Sunny skies, warm weather and the attached photo!
See you soon!
Tyler
