Rice Lake High School
Student Services Newsletter Term Two 2021-2022
From the Desk of the Principal, Mr. Pacholke
Families of Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors you will be receiving course request information over winter break. Planning for your son or daughter's future classes is important and I want to be sure you all have ample time to review the documents. Students who attend Rice Lake High School have the opportunity to request classes from a comprehensive list of course offerings, including many Advanced Placement courses. This process requires a great deal of time by students, family, and the RLHS faculty. Students will make their course requests for the upcoming school year in the coming months. Once these requests are processed, administrators work to develop a final schedule that best meets the needs of our students and available staff.
Scheduling resources will be posted on our website and shared with families. It is our hope that students and parents take time to review the materials and be well-informed about what great opportunities we have to offer. When accessing the online version of the Rice Lake High School Course Planning and Description Booklet, the Table of Contents page was created with links to all pages.
For our Seniors, the year is flying by! However, we want you to know that there are resources and staff available to assist as seniors finalize post-high school plans. College visits are always encouraged as students make these important decisions. Opportunities that we offer at the high school include teaching students how to apply for college and sharing what financial and scholarship possibilities are available.
As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Important Contact Information
Attendance (Mrs. Leamy): 5641
Food Service (Mrs. Hackel): 5184
Financial/Student Services (Mrs. Young): 5510
Athletic Secretary (Mrs. Lenhart): 5242
Principal's Secretary (Mrs. Groth): 5653
Counselor Last Names A-G (Mr. Kowalski): 5836
Counselor Last Names H-N (Ms. Spear):5726
Counselor Last Names O-Z (Mr. Shomion): 5335
School Nurse (Mrs. Neuser): 5110
School Social Worker (Mr. Morey): 5262
Please Join Us for Term Two Parent-Teacher Conferences
Welcome New Staff Member
Senior Parents: Important Cap and Gown Ordering Information
Attention seniors! Cap and gown order information is now live and ready to go! Please click on the links below for more information regarding this process. Total cost for cap, gown and tassel is $26+tax = $27.43. All orders MUST be processed online. These orders will be sent to the high school for distribution.
Deadline for orders is Sunday, December 19, 2021
Senior Grad Informational Video
Digital Graduation Packet
Rice Lake Essential Order
Transcript Requests
Current high school students must use a personal email address as their username with Parchment. Do not use your school email.
Scholarships
Scholarship Writing Guidelines
Print neatly or type. Assure correct spelling and grammar. If you can't type, use pen - not pencil.
Make a copy of the application. Use one copy to prepare a rough draft. Keep a copy of the completed application to use a reference when filling out future applications.
Allow yourself plenty of time - 3 to 4 weeks - to complete the scholarship. Always proofread.
Pay attention to deadlines and where the application needs to be submitted. Make sure to leave yourself enough time to get to the post office if needed.
Be sure to include:
- Involvement in clubs and sports (list any officer or leadership positions)
- Honor roll, NHS, Badger Boys/Girls, Rotary, Fortnightly, Student of the Month or any other recognition
- ALL community involvement (church activities, 4-H, scouts, etc). Be sure to list the amount of time spent.
- Your career goals, college you are planning to attend, major or profession you are interested in.
FAFSA Checklist: Have These Documents On-Hand
Having the following information and forms on-hand will help you fill out the 2022-23 FAFSA:
- Your Social Security Number
- Your driver's license
- W-2 Forms from two years prior (2020) and other records of any money earned
- Your (and/or your parents') Federal Income Tax Return from two years prior - IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ
- Any untaxed income records for two years prior (2020) - e.g., payments to tax deferred pension and savings plans, tax exempt interest and child support received in 2020
- Records of taxable earnings from Federal Work-Study or other need-based work programs in 2020
- Records of any grants, scholarships, and fellowship aid that was included in you or your parents' 2020 adjusted gross income (AGI)
- Any current bank statements
- Any current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bonds, and other investment records
- Documentation that you are a U.S. permanent resident or other eligible noncitizen, if applicable
If you have questions about the FAFSA application, contact the financial aid office at the college you wish to attend. They can assist you in finding free help to complete the FAFSA - don't hesitate to call them!
Senior Website
Yearbook Sales and Senior Pictures
Senior picture deadline is February 1st. Pictures can be emailed to Mr. Panasuk at panasukt@ricelake.k12.wi.us.
Playing a Sport in College?
Spring Testing Timeline
ACT Plus Writing - 11th Grade
On Tuesday, March 22nd, all 11th grade students will be taking the ACT Plus Writing at RLHS. All juniors in the state of Wisconsin take the ACT test during school each year. Because this is a state test, there is no cost to the students to take the test.
Forward Exam - 10th Grade (Testing Window March 21st-April 29th)
All 10th grade students will be taking the Wisconsin Forward Exam. This exam will be in the area of Social Studies and will consist of two computer-based tests. The sections are not timed, but each section takes about 50 minutes to complete. Any 10th grade student scheduled in a term four US History 10 course will complete this exam during history class (over the course of two days). Students who are not in a section of US History 10 during the testing window will complete the test at an alternate time during the school day.
ACT Aspire - 9th and 10th Grades (Testing Window April 4th-May 4th)
All 9th and 10th grade students will take the full ACT Aspire assessment. The ACT Aspire is a state assessment where students test in the areas of Reading, Math, Science, English, and Writing.
Sophomore Conferences
Winter Break
School Success Goes Hand in Hand with Good Attendance
- Starting in Kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school - and themselves. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.
What You Can Do?
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
- Don't let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
Information from Reach Out and Read, Inc. and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
A reminder that state law requires absences to be arranged in advance and in writing by a note from a parent or guardian to be excused. Absences due to illness may be excused by a phone call on the day of the absence or a note the following day from a parent or guardian.