 |
Edition #14, Friday, April 17th, 2026
| |
|
- A message from Donna
- Relfections from Bart
- End of season information for seasonal employees
- Training
- Planning for next winter
- Reminders
| |
WB Snow School Team
As we wrap up our core Snow School season this Sunday (where did the season go!), I want to take a moment to sincerely thank each and every one of you for an incredible winter. Your passion for what you do through all conditions, in every kind of weather, and across every discipline continues to inspire. Whether it was bluebird days or challenging ones, you showed up with energy, professionalism, and heart, creating moments that truly matter and connecting our guests, our community, and one another to the outdoors in meaningful ways.
This season was especially significant as we celebrated Whistler’s 60th anniversary—a massive milestone in our history. Thank you to everyone who supported, participated in, and brought life to the events and celebrations throughout the year. Your engagement and pride in this place helped make the anniversary as special as it was.
A huge congratulations to all those who were successful on course this season. Your commitment to learning, development, and excellence is something to be proud of. Thank you as well to our incredible Training Team, your expertise, dedication, and support are foundational to our success and the growth of our people.
I also want to recognize the teams who work tirelessly behind the scenes and truly make it all happen: our Children’s Support Staff, ETC team, Admins, and Scheduling team. Your work may not always be visible, but it is absolutely essential, and we are deeply grateful for everything you do to keep Snow School running smoothly.
To our leadership team, thank you for your guidance, care, and unwavering support of our people throughout the season. I’d like to personally thank Donna Kerr, who is retiring today after 38 years at Whistler Blackcomb. She’ll likely make some comment in her note that she’s been at WB for longer then I’ve been alive, it’s true! Donna’s vision and leadership over the years has truly made Whistler Kids into what it is today. A Snow School for children that highlights the fun and passion that drew us all to Whistler Blackcomb and the snowsports industry. Through her mentorship she has had an incredible impact on some many leaders here at WB, impacts that extend well beyond the Snow School. We will be forever grateful for her time here and she will be incredibly missed! Thank you for everything Donna!
Thank you all for an unforgettable winter. I wish everyone a fun, restful, and safe spring and summer ahead, we look forward to seeing you back on snow before you know it.
With Gratitude,
Kyle
| |
Goodbye
This winter marks my 38th season, which still feels a little surreal to say out loud. I’ve worked here longer than Kyle has been alive — yikes! I’m one of the few who started with Whistler Mountain and the Young family: Ski Scamps, an industrial-sized tent as our kids’ facility, Sun Ice uniforms (super absorbent!), and spring tanning sessions on lawn chairs by the handle tow at Mid Station while the kids did… well, something. I’ll admit, I wasn’t always paying close attention in those days. What I can say for sure is that my time here has been full of immense change.
The one constant throughout it all has been my love for Snow School and Whistler Kids. This is where I found lifelong friends — one of them being Bren. It’s where I learned how to lead people, how to look out for others, and how to take pride in being part of one of the most respected snow schools anywhere. It’s where I learned how to be a good Mom and really understand where our families are coming from in their “wants” for their children. And it’s where I’ve had the privilege of working alongside an incredible group of leaders — including my favourite, Bart 😉
As much as things don’t always go as planned in Whistler Kids, I’ve learned some valuable truths along the way: you can’t make every parent happy, instructors will always need reminders to look after their feet, and having any control over the weather or the lifts is simply not going to happen. Still, it was always worth trying — and figuring things out as they came. I mean, who doesn’t love getting Minis off the Fitzsimmons Chair of download because the Village Gondola decided not to work at 2:20 p.m.?
It takes an enormous amount of effort to get our operations up and running each day, and it truly is a team effort across many departments. But it’s the people — all of you — who make the biggest impact. I have endless admiration for the Whistler Kids Leadership Team, so much respect! The Whistler Kids Supervisors are forever on the go — from morning meetings in onesies, to comforting Minis through tears, reminding kids that their parents will come back, navigating conversations with parents of “gifted children,” and so much more. It’s certainly a different world than when I was a supervisor.
And to the hundreds of instructors who have worked in Whistler Kids — thank you. You are the ones who bring joy, confidence, and excitement to our guests’ days. I so deeply admire your patience, resilience, and genuine care for the kids. WB, these mountains, and this community have shaped me in ways I’ll always carry with me. I am deeply grateful for the people I’ve worked with, the moments we’ve shared, and the memories we’ve created. I feel nothing but gratitude for this incredible journey.
Love Y’all!
Donna
| |
Snow School Season Wrap‑Up: Another One for the Books
As we wrap up another winter season, I want to take a moment to reflect on what an incredible year it’s been across our Snow School divisions... Privates, Ultimate Groups, and Specialty Programs.
Let’s start with Privates, which had an absolute record year. The demand, the execution, and the feedback were all outstanding. Clearly, our ability to deliver personalized, high‑quality experiences continues to resonate, and that’s a testament to the talent and commitment of everyone involved.
Ultimate Groups and Specialty Programs also did not disappoint. From strong participation to memorable programming, these offerings once again proved their value and uniqueness. The creativity, adaptability, and energy brought to these programs made a real impact on our guests’ experiences this season.
Now… let’s talk about the snow.
The conditions this winter have been... well... interesting. Variable, unpredictable, character‑building… pick your favorite descriptor. But thanks to the professionalism, adaptability, and positive attitudes of our teams, we didn’t just survive it... we made it work. And in many cases, we turned “interesting” days into amazing learning experiences.
I want to extend a huge thank you to all managers and supervisors for your leadership throughout the season. Your guidance, problem‑solving, and steady presence made a real difference, especially on those days when the mountain kept us guessing.
And of course, thank you to all of our pros. You taught thousands of lessons this season (I can only imagine how many 'moments that mattered' that would total) ... each one meaningful, impactful, and often unforgettable for our guests. What you do matters, and the results show.
I’d also like to share my personal gratitude to Donna Kerr, who is now entering a well‑deserved retirement. Simply put, Donna has been my guardian angel in the corporate world... always having my back, offering support, insight, and calm when it was most needed. Donna, I wish you nothing but the best in this next chapter. Don’t worry... I’ll be sending you regular texts letting you know how things are progressing in your absence.
As we all transition into summer mode, I wish everyone a safe, restful, and well‑earned break. And who knows, maybe I’ll see some of you out there on the mountain bike trails.
Thank you again for an incredible season. Enjoy the summer, and we’ll see you back on snow before you know it.
Bartosz
| |
END OF SEASON INFORMATION FOR SEASONAL EMPLOYEES
| |
In preparation for the end of your seasonal employment, please look on Epic Employee for the list of steps and articles to help you navigate through some of the questions you may have.
Click the link below for more details:
How Do I Log in to EpicEmployee as an Inactive Employee?
Once you have finished your last day of work, you will become an alumni with a new way to access information.
There are two alumni portals with different login credentials: The Action Center is where you will obtain your tax documents while the Service Center is where you can request help.
The Alumni Service Center is a website for past or inactive team members to search for knowledge base articles or open a case with the PeopleConnect Team for HR Support. If you do not remember your Employee ID to log into the Action Center, you can find that information here as well:
How do I Access my Tax Documents in the Action Center?
If you are looking for your pay statements, tax documents, or need to update your info, you can access the Alumni Action Center. Your login info for the Alumni Action Center has been reset to:
User ID: <Employee ID Number>
Default Password: P$wdXXXXXX (where XXXXXX is your birthdate in MMDDYY). You will be prompted to create your own unique password the first time you log in.
Once in the Alumni Action Center, you can view and download your W2, T4, other tax documents, and paystubs under the My Pay tab. You can update your personal information under the My Personal Info tab.
Click the link below for more details:
| |
Training Update
A huge kudos to everyone who's gone on a course this season and congratulations to those who have been successful.
We're very proud of Scott Beacom who passed his Level 4 CASI this season.
A huge accomplishment 👏!
Congratulations as well to all those that completed half or the full Level 4 Skiing this season:
Teach Portion
Alfredo Ricci
Colin Wilson
Kieran Smart
Skiing Portion
Austin Engle
Will Butterfield
Pavel Sprencl
George Hallewell
Felipe Barberis (Big Mountain)
Full Certification
Pia Fitz
Viktorie Kostelecka
Melanie Magerstaed
Sam Reiner
Javier Tascon Gomez
Taka Ozama
Jacob Ball (Big Mountain)
Simon Tooth (Big Mountain)
Rory Hackett (Big Mountain)
Amazing job everyone!!
If you are looking for a reimbursement for a course, please go to our WB snowandbikeschool.ca website and search for the certification reimbursement document.
Password SS2526.
The deadline for any submissions is May 7th.
Thanks again to our amazing training team and all of you who participated this season.
Tracey
| |
Let us know your plans for next winter!
As we head into the end of the season, we’re starting to plan for next winter. Thank you to everyone who has already completed the Returner Interest Form and the Scheduling Preferences Form.
What we need from you:
Please let us know whether you’re returning next winter (and if not, please tell us that too!).
Reminder: If you are looking to change into another pod next season, you must have approval from the new pod supervisor.
If you run into any issues or have questions, reach out to your supervisor - they’re happy to help.
| |
To check your Schedule:
Privates & Corporate
Whistler Kids
Schools on Snow, Recreational Club & Roundhouse Club
Adult, Ex-Can, Gap & Adaptive
Gondola Loading
- Blackcomb Gondola - 10
- Village Gondola - 9 - The Lift Experience Team targets for 8, but it can be 9 with 8 sitting and 1 standing.
- Excaliber Gondola - 8
- Creekside Gondola - 10
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
