Early Admission to Kindergarten and First Grade

The Board of Education shall establish student entrance age requirements which are consistent with Wisconsin Law, sound educational practice, and which ensure equitable treatment with the philosophy that our schools will be ready for children rather than children being ready for our schools. Promotion, placement, and retention issues will be decided by the building Principal after considering a recommendation from a Student Success Team (SST) as outlined in Board Policy 5410, upon request by the parent(s).

A. 4 Year Old Kindergarten (4K)
A child must be four (4) years of age on or before September 1st of the year in which s/he applies for entrance and meets residence requirements. The district will determine the child’s 4K program location. The child may not be placed in an alternative program without permission of the parent.

B. 5 Year Old Kindergarten (5K)
A child must be five (5) years of age on or before September 1st of the year in which s/he applies for entrance and meets residence requirements. The child may not be placed in an alternative program without permission of the parent.

C. First Grade
A child must be six (6) years of age on or before September 1st in the year in which s/he enrolls.

D. Older Students
A person who is a resident in the District and over twenty (20) years of age may enroll, providing the enrollment does not interfere with the education of the other students.

E. Special Education Services
A free appropriate public education must be made available to a child with a disability who has not yet graduated and continues until the twenty-first (21st) birthday, unless the child turns twenty-one (21) during a school term.

The School District of Rhinelander shall not discriminate in admission procedures based solely on the sex, race, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, or marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability of the student.

Board Policy 5112 

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If a student is unable to attend school for thirty days or more due to a health problem diagnosed by a licensed physician, home instruction may be provided. Parents are requested to inform their child's teacher or the school district pupil services office if a lengthy absence from school for medical reasons is anticipated. The parents are requested to sign a (release of information) form, which allows the appropriate school district staff person to communicate with the child’s physician. A physician’s prescription is then required on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Homebound Instruction form. For further information on homebound instruction contact the building Principal.

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 The school nurse promotes health and safety; intervenes with and acts on potential health problems; provides case management services; and actively collaborates with others to build student and family capacity for adaptation, self management, self advocacy and learning. School nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well-being, academic success, and life-long achievement of students.   Ms. Schmidt may be contacted at  schmidker@rhinelander.k12.wi.us 

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School Age Parents

The School District of Rhinelander staff works closely with the medical community to assure that pregnant teens and school age parents continue with their education while considering the physical and emotional health of the student. Services such as homebound instruction, counseling and teen parenting sessions are provided as needed. For specific information contact the building Principal.

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The district provides special education services for students ages three to twenty one who are identified as having an impairment. Parents, teachers or other adults may initiate a referral for special education testing. Referral forms can be obtained from the school office. Children may be diagnosed by an evaluation team as having an impairment in one or more of the following areas: cognitive disability, emotional disturbance, learning disability, speech/language, vision, hearing, orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairment. The specific services the child who has a disability is to receive are determined by an individualized education program team, which includes the child’s parent(s), regular education teacher(s), special education teacher(s), an administrator and other individuals who have knowledge of the child. The parent is required to give their consent to have their child evaluated and to have their child receive special education services. To obtain additional information about special education services e-mail the Pupil Services Department. 

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