Taumarunui High School

Founded: 1954

Sports: Ski (alpine race, freeski), snowboard (slopestyle, snowboard cross, big mountain)

Grades: Ages 14 to 19

Program Length: June to October

Application Period: Six weeks

Staff/Student Ratio: 1:12 to 1:6

Cost: One semester school fee: $8100; one semester outdoor education fee (includes lift pass and one set season hire): $800; home stay fee: $220 per week; insurance: $300 (approximately; students can arrange own); coaching Fees: weekday only (one school day per week), $250; weekdays only (two school days per week), $400; weekend/school holiday program (part time; approximately 25 days), $1500; weekend/school holiday program (full time; approximately 45 days), $2800

Head of School: John Rautenbach

Academics and Overview

We are a small rural school on the North Island of New Zealand offering students training in partnership with elite alpine race, freeski and snowboard coaches from Ruapehu Snow Sports. We offer to support young athletes with their training needs as well as ensuring their learning and achievement in their school studies is kept up to date.

Athletes will have the opportunity to compete in school based race events on Mount Ruapehu as well as Interfield and National Points competitions run through Snow Sports New Zealand. This includes speed camps and races in the South Island (extra costs involved).

We can offer accommodation in local family homes (home stays) or at our school hostel. Either option provides athletes with a warm and friendly environment to relax in after a hard day training or studying. Our school is a signatory of the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students, which means that athletes will be well looked after and cared for the duration of their stay.

The village of National Park offers athletes all they need to care for and tune their gear. Our coaches can advise athletes on tuning their own gear or they can choose one of the professional tuning services available in local ski shops. Our technicians know their gear and the conditions on the mountain and provide expert advice when you need it.

We offer a flexible and innovative curriculum that allows students of all ages the opportunity to keep up with their academic study and maintain a high level of snow sport training. Our students have graduated high school to take up places in a variety of New Zealand universities and colleges including Auckland and Otago Universities. Our core subjects are strong (English, mathematics and sciences) but our students also demonstrate a high level of performance-based art as musician and actors.

Our unique selling point is that we offer students an unrivalled amount of snow time without jeopardizing their academic success.

Coaching

Head Coaches: Coaching staff is provided by Ruapehu Snow Sports coordinated by Robin Dixon.

Coaching Staff: Ben Porter (U.K.), Will Marshall (Canada), Jenna Godbout (Canada), Lyall Crump (New Zealand), Herve Gagnon (France), Rhys Forsyth (New Zealand, freeski program) Andrew Manuel (Canada, snowboard), Tyler Kirk (New Zealand)

Training Facilities

Lane space booked at Mount Ruapehu, Whakapapa or Turoa ski fields.

Dryland training in National Park Gym

School gym and swimming pool facilities

Home stay or hostel Accommodation