As we move through another meaningful season at Baldwin-Woodville High School, I want to take a moment to highlight an extraordinary event that showcased the very best of our students, staff, and community.
Last week, our school held a Veterans Day program created and presented by Mrs. Angela Schmoker’s FCE students. Their hard work, thoughtful planning, and genuine care were evident in every part of the program. I could not be more proud of the leadership and respect they demonstrated in honoring our Veterans.
We were also honored to welcome a guest speaker from Patriot K9s of Wisconsin. This remarkable organization provides a life-changing service: “At no cost to qualified Veterans, we educate and train Psychiatric Service Dog Teams to have a fulfilling and meaningful life in the community of their choice.” To learn more about their mission, please visit: https://www.patriotk9s.org/
While our speaker gave us an insightful overview of Patriot K9s of Wisconsin, there are also important Service Dog Etiquette Tips we can all remember when we encounter a service animal in public. These tips are taken directly from the organization’s website:
Speak to the handler, not the dog
Don’t ask to pet, feed, or take pictures of the dog
Respect that the team is working; don’t distract the dog
Don’t be offended if the handler says “No”
Keep your dog away from all working dogs
Give service dog teams the right-of-way
You must have a disability to own a service dog
Don’t make assumptions about the handler’s disability—or ask about it
Service dogs must be socially appropriate and under control
Service dogs have the right to be wherever the public is allowed
We are grateful to Patriot K9s of Wisconsin for sharing their mission with our students and for the powerful reminder of how service dogs support the well-being of Veterans in our community.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this meaningful program. Events like these reflect our values, strengthen our community, and show what it means to be a Baldwin-Woodville Blackhawk.
Principal J.R. Dachel