"The Letter"
Dear RHS Students and Parents:
The Course Offering Guide is an important tool for students and parents to use to help determine the courses that students should take during their high school career. Selecting the right courses in the school has a major effect on the opportunities that will be available for students after high school. There are ten steps in the course selection and scheduling process. Each step will be explained below.
Step 1
A principle conducts a class meeting to provide an overview of the course selection and scheduling process. The meetings are typically held before the end of December. Students are given a copy of the Course Description Guide at this meeting or shortly after the meeting.
Sept 2
Students and parents discuss course selection possibilities and develop their preferences for courses for the next year. This is extremely important for your son/daughter as well as the school. For your son/daughter, the choices affect their opportunities after high school. For the school, the choices will be important factors used to determine which courses are dropped and which teachers lose their jobs.
Step 3
Students fill out a course selection form indicating the courses they want for the next school year. This will happen in January.
Step 4
A guidance counselor, principal or academic advisor will review the student's course request selections and ensure that the requests include courses needed for graduation requirements and the student's post high school plans. A copy of the student course request form will be given to each student to bring home and revue with their parents. Parents can indicate changes they want on the form and return it to the guidance office or call to discuss changes.
Step 5
Course requests are entered in the computerized student system. The student course requests are an important factor driving the principal's recommendation regarding which courses are dropped and which teachers are employed. The principal makes his recommendation regarding courses to drop and which teacher positions to eliminate by February 22. Based on the principal's recommendation, students who have selected courses that will be dropped must select courses that will not be dropped.
Step 6
The Board of Education acts on the principal's recommendation in March.
Step 7
A master schedule is developed and student schedules are created. Students who have scheduling conflicts meet with a guidance counselor and principal to resolve the conflicts and develop a full schedule.
Step 8
Students are given a list of the courses on their schedule for the net year by the middle of May. Students who have a legitimate educational reason to make changes will have an opportunity to meet with a counselor or principal to discuss the changes. It will be very difficult to make changes because the original student course requests have been an important factor in determining which courses will run and which teachers will lose their jobs.
Step 9
There will be a few days in August set aside for students who have a legitimate educational reason to make changes will have an opportunity to meet with a counselor or principal to discuss the changes. It will be very difficult to make shcnages because the original students course requests have been an important factor in determining which courses will run and which teachers will lose their jobs.
Step 10
Students attend the classes on their schedule starting the first day of school. No schedules will be changed for the fist semester. There will be a few days in December set aside for students who have a legitimate educational reason to make changes because the original student course requests have been an important factor in determining which courses will run and which teachers will lose their jobs.
If you have questions or comments, please call a principal or guidance counselor.
Sincerely,
Terry Fondow
Principal, RHS
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"The letter" above, prompted numerous calls and emails to our offices from very upset parents. After reading it, we said . . Rightfully so, and penned a quick email letter below:
(Scanned Doc1, Scanned Doc2 with T.Fondow's Signature)
We sent it off to known State, County, and Local Government offices. Additionally, most local press contacts received email copies along with State DPI, and legal offices.
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County Board Supervisors:
*(Board of Health)*
Romelle Vandervest
Joanna Gudel
Matt Matteson
Carol Pederson
Marge Saari
Jim Sharon
*(Circuit Court 1)*
Judge Patrick O'mela
*(Family Court Commissioner)*
Deborah Hatfield
*(Circuit Court 2)*
Judge Mark Mangerson
*(District Attorney)*
***Unknown Contact through County Web Page (DA in hiding, and rightfully so)* http://www.co.oneida.wi.gov/county/app/public?COMMAND=gov.wi.county.view.command.ShowDepartmentDetail&selectedDepartment=2001092708505013121350201097711&countyName=Oneida
*(Corporation Counsel)*
Atty. Brian Desmond
*(Social Services)*
Paul Spencer
*(Family Living Agent- UW Extension office)*
Patricia McGee
*PRESS*
Rhinelander Daily News
News Of The North
Hodag Press
Star Journal
WJFW Tv 12
Dose of Reality Tv
*City of Rhinelander*
Mayor Johns
City Administrator: Bill Bell
City Atty: Phil Parkinson
Police Chief Michael Steffes
RDL Kris Wendt
Rhinelander School District
Roger Erdahl
*(Wis. Dept. of Eduction)*
Elizabeth A. Burmaster
*(Teacher Education Professional Development and Licensing)*
Tammy Huth
Dave Peterson
(WI DPI: WI Educators Rules Standards - Teachers)
*http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/stand10.html*
**Teachers communicate well.*
The teacher uses effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques as well as instructional media and technology to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.
*Teachers are able to evaluate themselves.*
The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on pupils, parents, professionals in the learning community and others and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.
*Teachers are connected with other teachers and the community.*
The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support pupil learning and well-being and acts with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner.
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Dear Sirs / Madams:
I have had numerous emails and phone calls come into our offices regarding a letter sent home to students and parents along with the end results of this letter by the RHS principal, Mr. Terry Fondow *(WI.DPI.File # 084139). This is one of the most outrageous and egregious communications I have ever seen sent to a child from the office of a public figurehead, let alone a licensed educator administrator in the State of Wisconsin. If this letter were distributed to a child within a family environment, there would be no hesitation by any normal thinking parent, social worker, or other concerned citizen to bring about immediate charges of psychological child abuse, and remove that child from the environment.
The end result of this letter has been hard for parents to take. Their children are crying and becoming extremely distraught over the reminder that their choices will be the undoing of the teachers that they are being taught by within their schools. While there may be a distant thread of truth in the ramblings and repetitive use of burdening language to the students in "The Letter," no accredited competent teacher or administrator should or would EVER send this type of letter home using the words contained therein to be seen by the eyes of a child trying to make an informed choice in their educational career. How dare Mr. Fondow transcend the sacred line of parent/teacher, parent/administrator, and child/teacher relationship.
Without a doubt to those who have contacted our offices, unequivocally state that the author of this letter is engaging in the practice of psychological child abuse, and needs to be immediately restrained from having _any_ further contact with the children of this district. Or anywhere for that matter. I can not impress upon you the importance of your help in bringing about the immediate removal of the offending personnel, and an immediate inquiry into the action(s) of the superintendent, and all school board members as to their knowledge, involvement, and/or encouragement in this intrusive and abusive line of communication. Through Wisconsin DPI, and court ordered restraining orders to all School Board Members, District Superintendent, and RHS district administrators, will the children of this community return to being children. Anything short of this action leads to the additional exposure of children being abused by the continued unprofessional behavior and tactical moves meant to punish voters who saw fit to not give the RHS District the monies it demanded through three swings at the plate in the voting booth batters box.
Below is a copy of "The Letter" which is noted above. After reading this, I would expect those of you in like power positions within the wider community, to stand up and demand that our children be kept safe from the likes of this type of abuse. Totally uncalled for, and absolutely unnecessary in ANY community. However distant and Northwoods it may be.
Please contact us at your convenience and let us know how you're going to help our children.
WPEG.net Tv Network
715-490-2300
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