A very controversial issue in figure skating is the issue of school. As figure skating training schedules increase, figure skaters find it very difficult to attend school and sometimes must decide to not attend a physical brick and mortar school at all. This article lists some of the alternative forms of education that are popular among figure skaters.
K12 offers virtual public and private schools. The public virtual schools are tuition-free. Students learn at home. Families are given a computer to use and are reimbursed for internet connection costs. All textbooks, course materials, and supplemental materials are provided. Students are assigned a teacher. A parent must be very involved with a K12 student. The quality of the K12 curriculum is very high. Enrollment in a virtual public school involves time and commitment from both students and their families; this means 4 to 6 hours a day of "doing school." Some figure skaters find the demands of the K12 curriculum to be too much to handle; others find that the time devoted to a K12 education is well worth it.
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School is a co-educational boarding and day school for students in grades 6-12 that offers a full-time figure skating program. Top coaches and training are provided for students and the school's program is college preparatory.
At the American School of Correspondence, high school students can earn a fully-accredited high school diploma. The complete high school program costs just $1399. Tuition can be paid in low monthly payments of $50 per month. The price includes all textbooks, study guides, supplemental study materials, and hand-written grading done by qualified teachers. Students are able to work at their own pace which takes pressure off of figure skaters, and students have the option of completing the program in four, five, or six years. The American School of Correspondence prides itself on providing a quality education for an affordable price. Both college preparatory and general education options are available. Students may enroll anytime.
Laurel Springs School's most famous figure skating graduate is 2006 Ice Dancing Olympic Silver Medalist,
Tanith Belbin. Figure skaters living all over the USA are part of the school's student body. The school is a private college preparatory distance learning school that offers personalized resources, customizable curricula, individualized teacher services, and college advising. Students pursuing acting or sports careers have found that the school does an outstanding job at meeting their needs. Tuition is paid on a yearly basis or per course. Payment plans are available. Students work at their own pace and can enroll anytime.
Keystone National High School provides high school education online or through correspondence. The school's curriculum is very flexible, and students can enroll anytime. Credits from our Keystone's courses are accepted by all colleges and universities. Family tuition discounts, and tuition payment plans are available. Many figure skaters find that Keystone's flexibility works for their needs.
Connections Academy combines homeschooling with traditional public education. Certified teachers work with students and their parents. Most students and their families discover that the curriculum from Connections Academy is outstanding, but the time commitment demanded from the school (6 to 8 hours a day) may be too much for those involved in competitive figure skating.
