Winterim Guidelines and Procedures

March 2026

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Winterim is a required weeklong experiential learning program that provides grade 6-12 Dawson students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of educational options outside of the classroom. The Dawson faculty has put together a selection of programs that offer our students unique and challenging opportunities. Winterim week is March 9-13 for Grades 6-8. Winterim programs for Grade 9-12 will run from March 6-13. Departure and return dates for Winterim will vary and often use the weekend before and/or after Winterim week. 

SIGN-UP PROCESS

The Winterim catalogs and selection forms are posted on the portal resources page. It is important to read each description carefully so that you can make informed choices for your student(s). We encourage families to complete the Winterim selection form prior to registration, as it will be a helpful reference when entering selections and priorities during the online registration process. 

Winterim registration is an online process that will begin on Friday, October 10 at 8:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15. The registration link will be posted on the portal resources page. A parent or legal guardian must complete the online registration process for each student.

Once your selections for Winterim have been entered and prioritized, you must enter a valid credit card to complete your registration. Once you complete the “checkout” process, your card will be charged a $1.00 pre-authorization fee. When the card has been validated, your selection process is complete, and you will receive an email confirmation. Please retain this email as a record of your Winterim selections and double-check it to make sure you entered your choices in your desired priority order. Our online program will automatically assign each student to a Winterim based on their lottery number, their prioritized Winterim selections, and available space for each Winterim. 

In early November, you will receive an email notification informing you of Winterim assignments. At that time, your credit card will be charged the full price of the assigned Winterim for each student you registered.

Note: 

• We will pull lottery numbers for students not able to attend the lunchtime lottery (i.e., students studying abroad or who are sick).

• Students who miss the online Winterim registration deadlines will be placed in Winterims with remaining space, according to grade and priority numbers.  

• Dawson reserves the right to deny access to certain Winterims for students with a history of disciplinary issues. 

PAYMENT INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

As you review the Winterim offerings, please keep the following in mind:  

1. You must use a valid credit card to complete the registration process. 

2. Once you “checkout” of the registration process, you will not be able to revise your selections or priorities, so please carefully review your selections.  

3. At the close of Winterim selection at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15, all selections are final. Students cannot change Winterim selections after this time. All fees are non-refundable. Trip insurance is strongly encouraged and may be purchased from a third-party insurer. Parents may use whichever travel insurance company they choose, but please read the details and exceptions carefully. Two of our previous travel partners have recommended Travel Guard. Two additional sites are: 1) Squaremouth, which can be used to compare travel insurance plans, and 2) Forbes.

4. If a student becomes sick during their Winterim trip and needs to return home, a parent or designated guardian must travel to the Winterim location to pick up the student at the parent’s expense. 

5. Winterim is a required part of the Dawson curriculum. In the Upper School, students should expect mandatory culminating activities on the last day. Please make a note of Winterim dates as you schedule your family's plans for the school year and refrain from scheduling appointments during this time. Students will need to make up any missed Winterim time. Note that traveling programs often use weekends for travel.

   • 9-12 Winterim dates: March 6-13

   • 6-8 Winterim dates: March 9-13

6. Juniors who wish to petition for an independent college Winterim are required to spend Friday, March 6 with the Dawson College Winterim groups prior to heading off on their own tours, which must mirror the Dawson College Winterim. Upper school students (usually in grades 11 or 12) may also petition for a career-oriented Winterim with clear educational goals. Students can only be granted one petition in their Upper School career. Petitions may be obtained from the Director of Experiential Education, Maddy Scheer, and are due by October 15, 2025. 

7. Winterim is an immersive experience during which students step away from their normal routines and often out of their comfort zones to experience deeper learning. As such, we will ask students to take a break from their smartphones to allow them to be more present and free from the pressures and distractions of social media for the duration of the program. Most Winterim leaders will ask students not to bring cell phones at all. Some Winterims will allow phones for specific times and purposes, depending on the unique aspects of each program. Faculty chaperones will carry cell phones for logistical and emergency purposes and share periodic updates when possible. Students are welcome to bring their own (non-Wi-Fi-capable) cameras should they choose. 

8. Group ticketing is used for Winterim airline travel. Group tickets have strict regulations, and ticket changes are not allowed. Ticketing is planned so that all students start and end with the group in Denver. Families that request to have their student dismissed from the end of a Winterim trip to join a family on vacation will be required to meet and pick up their child. Students may only be released directly to a parent or legal guardian. This arrangement may be permitted only if it does not compromise the supervision of the other students and does not violate group airline regulations. We do not allow mid-route transfers in connecting cities. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of meeting your child at the end of Winterim, you must contact the Director of Experiential Education, Maddy Scheer. Any such arrangement must be coordinated with the Director of Experiential Education and approved in writing. If this option is available, the student’s return ticket will be forfeited, and the family will be responsible for the purchase of a separate return ticket. 

9. Students who go on international Winterim trips are required to have medical coverage and must have a passport valid for at least six months after the return date of the trip. Families are encouraged to check with their medical provider to ensure that their student is insured for trips to foreign countries. Some foreign destinations require a visa for entry. Non-U.S. citizens are responsible for securing their own visas. We strongly recommend using a visa expediting service.

If you have any questions regarding the Winterim program or registration process, please feel free to contact Maddy Scheer, Director of Experiential Education (mscheer@dawsonschool.org), or check out our FAQ page. 

During the registration process, each grade level must choose and rank the following number of Winterims:

• 12th grade must rank at least four choices

• 11th grade must rank at least seven choices. 11th grade may choose just five if only choosing local programs.

• 10th grade must rank at least 10 choices - at least two of the 10 must be local or drive-to. 10th grade can choose just five if only choosing local programs.

• 9th grade must rank at least 12 choices - at least five of the 12 must be local Winterims. 9th grade can choose only five if only choosing local programs. 

• 8th grade must rank at least four choices

• 7th grade must rank at least eight choices 

• 6th grade must rank all 13 choices - at least four of the 13 must be local (unless you are choosing only local programs; in this case, you should rank at least four programs). 

Please follow these guidelines unless the cost makes participation unfeasible. Only register for programs you are prepared to cover financially. Students receiving financial aid will receive aid on their Winterim tuition, as communicated by Scott Schneider.