Snowy Mountains Grammar School offers students a number of flexible boarding options including weekly, full-time and winter only (term 3).
Weekly Boarding
Students can choose to board during the school week only, returning home each weekend. This is typical of students in the surrounding regions, such as Canberra, and allows these students to maintain their weekend activities, for example part-time jobs or sporting/music commitments.
The school runs a bus service to Canberra each Friday afternoon, departing at 4.00pm, with multiple drop-off points along the journey and around Canberra, including the bus interchange, train station, airport and the CBD. On Sunday afternoon, the return bus to Jindabyne departs Canberra at approximately 5.30pm. Alternatively, students can use private transport, reducing the cost of boarding.
Weekly boarding students have the option to stay in the boarding house on weekends (casual fee applies) when required.
- Travel home on weekends
- School bus shuttle to Canberra
- Option for casual weekend stays
- Switch between full-time and weekly
Full-Time Boarding
Students can join the boarding house on a full-time basis, returning home only during holidays and exeat weekends. However, students do still have the option to return home on any weekend (boarding fees still apply) if they wish.
During Term’s 1, 2 and 4, full-time boarders in residence on a weekend, travel with the boarding community to external activities. These can include beach trips to Merimbula, go-karting in Canberra, the leisure centre in Thredbo, shopping in Canberra, movies, local shows, bush walking in the local area and visiting local sites such as Blue Lake.
The remainder of the weekend is more relaxed, with local town leave available.
In Term 3, boarders are transported to and from the Perisher snow resort on Saturday and Sunday for optional ski and/or snowboard days.
- Travel home during holidays and exeat weekends
- Organised weekend trips and activites
- Engage with the local community
- Switch between full-time and weekly
Students in weekly or full-time boarding can apply to have a local part-time job if desired and are encouraged to join one of the many local activities available in Jindabyne and surrounding areas including sporting activities and clubs. Boarding staff assist weekly and full-time boarders with travel to and from a variety of commitments around the local community.
Students can also change their status between weekly and full-time on a term-by-term basis. This allows students to remain in the boarding house as full-time boarders in Term 3, taking full advantage of the local snowfields with travel to and from the snow each weekend with the boarding house community.
Winter Boarding (Term 3 Only)
Pending availability of places, SMGS accepts winter only boarders. With both the Thredbo and Perisher resorts only 25 minutes away, this enable students to have a unique winter school experience in the foothills of the mountains, with regular access to the snowfields while maintaining their academic learning.
Term 3 boarders have the option of appling for our elite snowsports program with over 50 days on snow, while still attending regular classes and tutorial sessions throughout the term.
Alternatively, boarders can participate in our regular snowsports program, with up to 3 days on snow each week. Students still have 4 full school days on campus each week, meaning they don’t miss any school work. Students of all snowsports levels are welcome in this program, from complete beginners, through to intermediate and advanced snowsports athletes.
Students are transported to and from the ski fields, each Wednesday, as part of the normal school winter program which includes a minimum 4 hour, instructor led lesson. Lesson groups comprise SMGS students only and the groups remain together all season. On weekends, the boarding house provides transport for students, to and from Perisher for free skiing. Students also have the option of remaining in the boarding house to catch up on school work, relax or spend time with visiting friends and family.