Rocky Mountain Ski Instructors

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because:Please read attached document [redacted] 2nd Reply.docx Regards, [redacted] ***

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because:Communicationwith ***Ms [redacted] says I made no attempt to respond to theemail that was sent out, but I called the office multiple times after receivingit(I might be able to obtain a record of my phone logs if necessary.) One ofthe times I called, the office workers were out on a training trip, and I only gotthe automated machine messageAnother time, I spoke with someone that took myinformation for Mr [redacted] , because he had stepped out for lunch or an errandand was expected to be back in the afternoon Mr [redacted] failed to return my call Thus, to say that I never responded is astatement I simply got tired ofhaving my time wasted, and unfortunately having the Revdex.com involved is the routeof communication that seems to be workingFurther, my phone has never beendisconnected--I have had the same phone number and service since I havethe statements to show that this is the case Disagreementon the "Standards"Ms [redacted] says that it is the educational responsibilityof the student to prepare for an examThis is something I am very familiarwith, having obtained a Master's degreeMy expectation of the Cert prepclinic was to reveal weaknesses and strengths in my teaching style whencompared with the [redacted] standard, and to figure out where my ability to be asuccessful candidate for the Cert exam wasI would be curious to hear Ms[redacted] ' definition of what the purpose of the Cert Prep isAt my pre-exam, Iwas led to believe that I was prepared to take the actual examHowever, thefacilitator of the actual exam said that I was "completelyunprepared." Thus, my issue is withthe inconsistency between [redacted] staff, as I feel that they themselves do noteven agree on the "Standard."I have attached the email response that I receivedthe first time I brought up this issue to ***This response clearly displays the conflict between my examiner andpre-examiner regarding their opinions of my presentation of the "Standard." During the pre-exam, which was led byJohn ***, I was led to believe that I had completed the materials or standardsthat were being looked for, with the exception that I may not pass the MovementAnalysis part of the exam With regardto my Movement Analysis, Mr***states that I "hadan understanding of the movements in the body and the resulting boardperformances." Mr [redacted] was very confident in my riding ability, and hewrites, "to hear [redacted] had trouble on this day surprised me the mostbecause he did better than most in the group at Most Flexed at Edge Change." Finally, Mr [redacted] says of my teachingability, "For the most part the teach was successful." This shows that Mr [redacted] was indeedconfident in my riding and teaching abilities, but that I might not be preparedfor the Movement Analysis part of the examOverall, though, Mr [redacted] led meto believe that I would be prepared for the real exam with some studying He writes that, "I told [redacted] at the endof the Preview that I would feel comfortable with him taking the next a***ableexam if he were able to work on the issues I addressed with him in the feedbacksession and throughout the Preview." I took this statement at face value, and decided to take the nexta***able examI studied to make sure I would beprepared for the exam to the best of my knowledge Due to allthe positive feedback from pre-examiner John ***, you can imagine my surprisewhen examiner [redacted] said to me upon completion of the exam, "youlook completely unprepared." Thefollowing statements can be found in the email response that I haveattached Regarding my movementanalysis, Mr [redacted] says that "***'s written and on-snow MA was unclear and imprecise." Well, let us recall what Mr [redacted] thought aboutmy movement analysis: "[***] had an understanding of the movements in thebody and the resulting board performances." Next, I will discuss my teaching, which Mr[redacted] said was successful for the most partUnfortunately, however, Mr [redacted] felt quite differently; he states, " [redacted] was unclear in hiscommunication, and the other candidates and I were confused about the tasks hewas asking us to do." Finally, Mr[redacted] and Mr [redacted] also were in disagreement about my riding ability Recall that Mr [redacted] said that I "didbetter than most in the group at Most Flexed at Edge Change." However, Mr[redacted] felt that "***'s Most Flexed at Edge Change movements neededsignificant work." Finally, Mr[redacted] felt that my bump riding was satisfactory, as he "didn't seeanything that set off alarms." On the contrary, Mr [redacted] felt that I"was not at the level for bumps." All of these examples clearly demonstrate the huge inconsistenciesbetween examiner and pre-examiner regarding the "Standards" on whichcandidates are judgedStudy MethodsBecause ofthese large discrepancies, I feel that I was set up for failure by *** They gained my money from the pre-exam andleft me with a impression, causing me to spend even more money to takethe real exam Afterthis terrible experience, I spent even more money when I bought their educationalDVD of the Cert Standards and Movement Analysis Handbook In addition to purchasing and studying thesematerials, I sought out Rocky Mountain Trainers and former examiners, and I attendedclinics at my home mountain that were purposely developed for Cert preps for Teachand MA I can provide evidence of thetraining sessions I have attended at my mountain in quantitative form Unfortunately, I am not able to provide individual informal sessions that were providedfrom RMT, former examiners, or current examiners; however, I may be able to provide letters of referencefrom them to show that I did take steps to better my understanding of the ***Standard and practical knowledge ForMs [redacted] to say that I did not take initiative to study the"Standard" is a slap in the faceCandidateImprovementOf course, all of these actions were taken to preparemyself for my next attempt at the exam However, neither the pre-exam--which said that I did have an understanding of theknowledge, was a good rider, and was at the standard of riding--nor the DVD ofthe cert standards has brought me closer to meeting this expectation they arelooking for and passing the exam I didnot ask for reimbursement for the materials I purchased from *** Further, I find ***'s exam evaluationtechniques to be very confusing Theyjudge your performance on a to scale, being passing and being failing.I seem to obtain for the days that are failed--so am I close or really faraway? I can't ever seem to get a better quantitative answer that will help meto be successful with the exam Ms[redacted] even states this fact herself: "From my experience (I am certifiedand failed several times before I was successful), until one is successful by performingat the appropriate level it is very difficult to grasp the difference in theirsub-standard performance to that level necessary to be successful." Mistakeby Mr***Ms [redacted] says in her response, "Mr***states that one of our examiners told him at the pre-course that he was ready.If there is something our examiners do not do, it is to make statements likethisUnless Mr [redacted] has this is writing, I will argue its validity." Indeed,I do have this in writing, in the e-mail from Mr***: I told [redacted] at the end of the Preview that Iwould feel comfortable with him taking the next a***able exam if he were ableto work on the issues I addressed with him in the feedback session andthroughout the PreviewI was not expecting [redacted] to take the exam the nextweekOtherwise, I would have told him to wait at least a couple of weeks towork through those issues.Mr [redacted] thus conveys that he made a mistake whenhe told me that he felt comfortable with me taking the next a***able examNecessary Timebetween ExamsThereis yet another conflict between statements made by [redacted] employees Ms [redacted] writes, "Mr [redacted] re-took theexam just days after a failed attemptThe technical understanding cannot begrasped in such a short timeMany people take years to study and prepare forthese exams." However, Mr [redacted] ' words indicate otherwise (italics aremine): AsI said to [redacted] at the exam, it's quite possible he might have been totally"on" during his previews and had a really "off" examWhenI sat my first cert I blew my teachRe-sat my exam a few weeks later andscored mostly 5s and 6sSame examiner, and Ihadn't changed much in those couple of weeks; I simply had a poor exam dayAgain there is a conflict between opinions ofexamsMs [redacted] says technical understanding cannot be grasped in days,and Chris Rodgers says he didn't change much in those couple of weeks, he justhad a poor exam dayThis is another reason why I attempted this exam againTravel ExpensesMs[redacted] seems to show no respect for my travel to take these exams; she writes, "[***]also fails to mention that three of his four exams were taken at resorts withindriving distance of his home resort, reducing his travel expenses greatly." My travel expenses were certainlysignificant, as is evidenced below(I have a wheel drive vehicle that getsabout mpg and gas was at $a gallon, if not more, in [redacted] and [redacted] )· [redacted] to [redacted] resort: round trip mitraveled three daysTotal mileage 90miles, $ · [redacted] to [redacted] resort: round trip mi., $ Hotel $213.62.· [redacted] to ***: round trip mi traveled one day, $25.33, Parking $25.· [redacted] to [redacted] : round trip mi $92, Hotel $88.26Thus,my total travel expenses were $Note that this does not include food expenses and money lost due to timetaken off from work.Pleasenote that on [redacted] exam day I ask the day I failed, the teach, to be reimbursed,there were no travel expenses CertificationRequirementMs[redacted] states that "The remaining fact is certification is optional, notrequired by resortsMr [redacted] had the option to continue or not with thisprocess."Although you do not have to have certification to work at theresort, the certification is REQUIRED to teach intermediate and advancedlevelsI have been allowed to work as a "non current" Cert (withoutthe pay benefit) when the resort is short on "certified" instructors.I have been pressured by superiors to obtain the Cert to clear this issue NationalRecognition of the CertificationMs[redacted] states of her organization's certification: "There is a nationalstandard that must be met since this certification is recognized nationally andinternationally." However, my Cert is does not follow this ruleIobtained my Cert through the Eastern Division of ***, but the Rocky MountainDivision will not honor it The onlysolution [redacted] gave me regarding this matter was to either get the Cert orstart all over again in the Rocky Mountain DivisionTo me, this does not seem to be characteristic of an organizationthat functions at the national level SolutionMs[redacted] , it appears that the issue of inconsistency between examiners and pre-examinerswould not be resolved under the circumstances of the [redacted] organizationIt isunfortunate I have had to spend both my time and yours to bring about change tothis problemI have been wronged by your organization and want reimbursementfor my troublesPlease refund the cost of the pre-exam, exams, membership feesand my travel expenses for both the exams and pre examThank you Revdex.com for your assistance in thismatter Regards, [redacted] ***

I*** * *** *** ** **
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*** ***December 3, 2014Revdex.comS County Rd 5, Ste 100Fort Collins, CO 80528ID# ***Dear Jay Pollock, as
sac,,\C' I appreciate you forwarding Mr***'s complaint to *** ***I was surprised, however, since we tried to resolve his issues on multiple occasions with no response from Mr***I have verification of emails to Mr*** to which he did not reply, one such example is belowAs stated in the email, we could not get ahold of Mr*** due to a disconnected phone. Forwarded message From: *** *** *** *** *** Date: Thu, Sep 25, at 4:PM Subject Exam Feedback To:0.*** ahoo.com Hi ***, My name is *** *** and I am the new Director of Education at PSIA-Rocky MountainPSIA National called us and said you had some feedback for us about an exam or event from last winterI tried to call the number you gave National (and it matches the number we have in our records) but it says the number is not a working numberIf you would like, you can email me the issue or you can call the office at your convenience - ***, I look forward to hearing from you. Best Regards, *** *** *** Director of Education *** *** PI *** www.nsia-rm.org P.OBox 775143, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477 Phone: (970)FAX: (970)879.6760; website: wwW.p$ie-rm,org December 4, 2014 Rocky Mountain has been an educating and certifying body for yearsWe have over 7,members who take roughly 4,clinics and exams annuallyLike any educating body, it is the responsibility of the student to learn the materialIn the case of our Snowboard Level 2, this requires much more than the three day prerequisite course Mr*** attended with usThere is a national standard that must be met since this certification is recognized nationally and internationallyIt requires training at a candidate's home area, reading, studying and practiceThis tends to be severely underestimated by candidates. Mr*** states that one of our examiners told him at the pre-course that he was readyIf there is something our examiners do not do, it is to make statements like thisUnless Mr. *** has this is writing, I will argue its validityBecause the conditions and weather varies greatly, a candidate's performance on the day of the exam can be greatly impactedThis, coupled with a candidate's ability, or lack thereof, to perform under pressure, is the very reason our staff is trained not to make this type of statemnet to prospective candidates. While I understand Mr***'s disappointment in failing, there is no way to measure what Mr. *** contributed to his progress other then attending the certification exam multiple times. Could it be that Mr*** thought that in re-attending the exam he would gain the necessary knowledge and experience to be successful? As mentioned above, it takes training on a candidate's own outside of the actual examIn fact, Mr*** re-took the exam just days after a failed attemptThe technical understanding cannot be grasped in such a short time. Many people take years to study and prepare for these examsFrom my experience (I am certified and failed several times before I was successful), until one is successful by performing at the appropriate level it is very difficult to grasp the difference in their sub-standard performance to that level necessary to be successfulAll of this would have been explained had Mr*** returned our communications. Mr*** fails to mention in his letter that we gave him a complementary day to re-take the exam following his initial complaint, as a gestureHe also fails to mention that three of his four exams were taken at resorts within driving distance of his home resort, reducing his travel expenses greatlyHe additionally misquoted the cost of the prerequisite by $The remaining fact is certification is optional, not required by resortsMr*** had the option to continue or not with this processI feel that the remainder of this issue is moot and if tasked will dispute this further. Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions. Sincerely, *** *** Executive Director PISA-Rocky Mountain-*** dana a Asia-rm.ora *** Page

• Vagueness of Ms***' Response Ms***' response is disappointing for a couple of reasons The first is the timeliness of the response, since it required over a month to complete Second, and more importantly, the response lacks substance It does not contain a definitive argument, and evidence to support the claim that *** is not at fault is absentWhat's more, Ms*** addresses none of the issues that I brought up in my previous letterInstead, all that is presented is a vague and unsatisfying "[We just] don't see eye to eye." Such a response from a company with legitimate claims against it is unacceptable, especially for a company that claims to be "dedicated to its members and their education to the highest level of excellence." Ms***' response is extremely vague She states that she "would look further into [my] complaints." Yet, as mentioned above, she doesn't even address my various complaints She simply says, "Based on additional findings the simple fact there is no way to determine what Mr*** did to contribute to his success." I have a problem with this statement for a few reasons First, this isn't even a complete sentence; Ms*** didn't even take the time to proofread this short and vague response Secondly, and more importantly, Ms*** fails to elaborate on what the "additional findings" were This leaves one to wonder whether she did make any "additional findings." • Contributions to My Success Thirdly, Ms***' statement that "the simple fact there is no way to determine what Mr*** did to contribute to his success" is completely false It is not at all difficult to determine what actions I took to contribute to my successIndeed, what follows next is documentation from Vail Resorts of all the trainings I have completed since being within the Rocky Mountain Division (Dec2011) I have copied this directly from my online profile from Vail Resorts Note that these trainings are in addition to the Cert prep clinic.Past Seasons Clinics MA II 1/27/10:00:AM Complete B: PeakAdult Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: LVL MA vIDEO 1/21/9:00:AM Complete B: Village Adult Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: MA Cert 3/RMT Video 1/14/4:30:PM Complete B: Village Childrens Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: BR SB Cert TEACH 1/13/9:30:AM Complete B: PeakAdult Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: Meet downstairs at MileBR SB TBT Terrain Based Teaching 12/19/9:30:AM Complete B: BR Adult Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: Meet at Mile Station Why are those features in my beginner hill? Tricks and tactics for Terrain Based Teaching. Ride Week: Spinning! 3/6/10:30:AM Complete B: BR Adult Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: New Meeting time: 10:30am @ Mile StationRide Improvement focused on spinning with a sprinkling on "How to give individual feedback."sb Bumps Workshop 2/27/9:30:AM Complete B: BR Adult Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: Meet @ Mile StationDial in your bumps ridingsb Halfpipe Fest 2/7/9:30:AM Complete B: BR Adult Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: Meet @ Mile StationImprove your skills in the halfpipeFor all ability levelsSB Cert MA Evening 1/24/4:30:PM Complete B: Village Childrens Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: Meet at Village 3-SB Cert Teach 1/24/9:30:AM Complete B: PeakChildrens Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: Meet at MileSB Cert MA Evening 1/17/4:30:PM Complete B: Village Childrens Ski School View Clinic Participants Comment: Meet at Village 3-From this, one can readily see all the effort that I have put in to preparing myself for the exam I have completed eleven different trainings in addition to the Cert prep clinic, corresponding to training hours (hours are given in the fourth column of the above table.) Of these, were specifically for Cert 2, and this is in addition to the hours put in to the Cert prep clinic (roughly 18) Clearly, Ms***' statement that "there is no way to determine what [I] did to contribute to [my] success," she is utterly mistaken It would have been more accurate for her to say, "The simple fact is, there is no well-defined way to prepare oneself for success with the Cert exam." Apparently, numerous hours of training clinics are inadequate, as is the Cert prep clinic, since, as detailed in my previous letter as well as below, the latter left me with an inaccurate view of my abilities in relation to the "standard".• Purpose of the Cert Prep Clinic Since Ms*** failed to address the issues I brought up in my previous letter, I will pose them yet again This time perhaps I should emphasize that I expect detailed responses to my specific questions, not just a complete avoidance of these issues and a "we don't see eye to eye." The first question I would like to re-ask is, What is the purpose of the Cert prep clinic? As I explained in my previous letter, "My expectation of the Cert prep clinic was to reveal weaknesses and strengths in my teaching style when compared with the *** standard, and to figure out where my ability to be a successful candidate for the Cert exam was." As detailed before, I was certainly mistaken in this expectation, since the Cert prep clinic set me up for total failure for the Cert exam So, Ms***, I will ask you directly this time: Just what is the purpose of the Cert prep clinic, if not to prepare attendees for the Cert exam? Indeed, one would think that, for a company claiming to be dedicated to "the highest level of excellence," the pre-exam would set the candidate up for the best exam experience, and that the pre-examiner would be able to give accurate feedback that would allow a student to be successful on their exam day However, this was not the case at all in my experienceI guess I should elaborate here that my main issue with the Cert prep clinic is that it is required in order to take the Cert exam If I had just taken the exam and failed it without having taken the clinic, there would be no issueBut I was required to take the prep clinic, required to pay $85/day for days = $prior to taking the actual exam According to ***, the prep clinic is required because it helps candidates to understand the *** "standard" and to assess where their skills are in comparison to this standard However, the Cert prep clinic that I attended completely and utterly failed in this regard As I thoroughly explained in my previous letter, I was set up for failure by *** at my prep clinic: pre-examiner *** *** said he would be comfortable with me taking the exam, and my examiner *** *** told me I was "completely unprepared" for the exam The *** Cert prep clinic is supposed to improve candidates' understanding of the standard and of where their skills fall in relation to this standardHowever, at the Cert I attended, I was given a impression of my understanding of this standard by the pre-examiner What I want to know is why, then, was I required to take something which set me up for failure? It would be one thing to have maybe passed even one day of the exam and failed the other two, but to be told I was unprepared for all three and was a complete failure seems to conflict with the purpose of the requirement of the pre-exam that *** insists everyone must take.• The "Standard" is Anything But The next major issue I discussed in my previous letter is that the *** "standard" is not standard at all I wrote nearly an entire page detailing the discrepancies, which I have in writing, between the opinions of pre-examiner *** *** and examiner *** *** regarding the "standard." Ms*** completely avoids these discrepancies in her weak response Because I don't want to write this argument all over again, I am summarizing the discrepancies between Mr*** and Mr*** in the table belowLet me re-iterate once again that I have these quotes in writing.Competency Mr*** Mr***Most Flexed at Edge Change "[***] did better than most in the group at Most Flexed at Edge Change." "***'s Most Flexed at Edge Change movements needed significant work." Bump Riding "[Mr***] didn't see anything that set off alarms." "[***] was not at the level for bumps." Teaching "For the most part the teach was successful." "*** was unclear in his communication, and the other candidates and I were confused about the tasks he was asking us to do."MA "[***] had an understanding of the movements in the body and the resulting board performances." "***'s written and on-snow MA was unclear and imprecise." Clearly, this demonstrates that the pre-examiner and examiner have conflicting views regarding the *** "standard." Now, one would think that a company claiming to be "dedicated to its members and their education to the highest level of excellence" would be able to ensure a standard among its employees that can be effectively delivered to its clients However, because of ***'s failure to do just that, I am out nearly two thousand dollars • Disagreement on Time Required for Cert Exam Recall that in my previous letter I discussed yet another discrepancy within the company (the following is copied word for word from my previous letter):There is yet another conflict between statements made by *** employees Ms*** writes, "Mr*** re-took the exam just days after a failed attemptThe technical understanding cannot be grasped in such a short timeMany people take years to study and prepare for these exams." However, Mr***' words indicate otherwise (italics are mine): As I said to *** at the exam, it's quite possible he might have been totally "on" during his previews and had a really "off" examWhen I sat my first cert I blew my teachRe-sat my exam a few weeks later and scored mostly 5s and 6sSame examiner, and I hadn't changed much in those couple of weeks; I simply had a poor exam day. Again there is a conflict between opinions of examsMs*** says technical understanding cannot be grasped in days, and Chris Rodgers says he didn't change much in those couple of weeks, he just had a poor exam dayThis is another reason why I attempted this exam again[end quote from previous letter]• Pre-Examiners Telling Candidates Whether They are Ready for the Exam There is a final issue from my previous letter which I would like to reiterate due to Ms***' failure to address it in her response In her first response, Ms*** stated that pre-examiners never tell a candidate that he or she is ready for the exam, and she requested to see evidence to the contrary in writing In my previous letter, I provided such evidence--Mr*** ***' email--yet Ms*** completely ignores this in her most recent response This, along with her failure to address any of the issues I brought up, leads me to wonder whether she even read my letter and the emails I attached with it.• Conclusion In conclusion, I have made several points where there are major conflicts between pre-examiner *** *** and examiner *** *** regarding the "standards", as well as between *** *** and Ms*** regarding the time needed between exams The main issue here is that *** required me to take their Cert prep clinic before I could take the Cert examIn this pre exam, I was given a impression about my understanding of the standard and how my skills compared with this standard I was set up to spend my money on the exam because of a falsehood *** *** even admitted was a mistakeFor some reason, Ms*** does not want to admit that *** is at fault, but even one of her staff admitted, in writing, to making a mistake. • Solution I am not going to be satisfied with poor undocumented rhetoric from Ms***I have provided my documentation and a legitimate and well thought-out argument in my previous email and this oneBecause Ms*** avoids answering my direct questions, I will ask them of her again here Again I emphasize that these are specific questions to which I expect specific answers. What is the purpose of the Cert pre-exam?Why was I required to take the Cert pre-exam when it only set me up for failure?How do you explain the documented contrast between my pre-exam assessment (Mr*** ***) and exam assessment (Mr*** ***)? How do you respond to the fact that I provided written documentation of a pre-examiner (*** ***) telling a candidate (me) that he is ready to take the exam?Why are you unwilling to admit fault on the part of *** when one of your employees already has?How does one prepare for success with the Cert exam, if neither through several hours of training clinics nor the Cert prep clinic? I believe that a company claiming to be "dedicated to its members and their education to the highest level of excellence" will be able to provide me with direct answers to these questions If it cannot, I will be led to believe that Ms*** does not take my complaints seriouslyI have been deceived by this organization for the betterment of ***, and I want a real resolution I will not settle for less than a full refund on my pre-exam days, all exam days (excluding the one that was complementary), hotel costs, gas costs, and all membership fees beginning December The total amount for all of this comes to $1,

From: *** ***

IASIA - IWGfl Mountain -A ASRocky Mountain Ski InstructorsEducational FoundationDecember 3, 2014Revdex.comS County Rd 5, Ste 100Fort Collins, CO 80528ID# ***Dear Jay Pollock, as sac,,\C' I appreciate you forwarding Mr***'s complaint to *** ***I was surprised, however, since we tried to resolve his issues on multiple occasions with no response from Mr***I have verification of emails to Mr*** to which he did not reply, one such example is belowAs stated in the email, we could not get ahold of Mr*** due to a disconnected phone. Forwarded message From: *** *** Date: Thu, Sep 25, at 4:PM Subject Exam Feedback To:0.*** ahoo.com Hi ***, My name is *** *** and I am the new Director of Education at PSIA-Rocky MountainPSIA National called us and said you had some feedback for us about an exam or event from last winterI tried to call the number you gave National (and it matches the number we have in our records) but it says the number is not a working numberIf you would like, you can email me the issue or you can call the office at your convenience - ***, I look forward to hearing from you. Best Regards, *** *** *** Director of Education *** *** PI 970.879.8335 www.nsia-rm.org *** *** *** *** *** ** ***
*** *** *** *** *** *** December 4, 2014 Rocky Mountain has been an educating and certifying body for yearsWe have over 7,members who take roughly 4,clinics and exams annuallyLike any educating body, it is the responsibility of the student to learn the materialIn the case of our Snowboard Level 2, this requires much more than the three day prerequisite course Mr*** attended with usThere is a national standard that must be met since this certification is recognized nationally and internationallyIt requires training at a candidate's home area, reading, studying and practiceThis tends to be severely underestimated by candidates. Mr*** states that one of our examiners told him at the pre-course that he was readyIf there is something our examiners do not do, it is to make statements like thisUnless Mr. *** has this is writing, I will argue its validityBecause the conditions and weather varies greatly, a candidate's performance on the day of the exam can be greatly impactedThis, coupled with a candidate's ability, or lack thereof, to perform under pressure, is the very reason our staff is trained not to make this type of statemnet to prospective candidates. While I understand Mr***'s disappointment in failing, there is no way to measure what Mr. *** contributed to his progress other then attending the certification exam multiple times. Could it be that Mr*** thought that in re-attending the exam he would gain the necessary knowledge and experience to be successful? As mentioned above, it takes training on a candidate's own outside of the actual examIn fact, Mr*** re-took the exam just days after a failed attemptThe technical understanding cannot be grasped in such a short time. Many people take years to study and prepare for these examsFrom my experience (I am certified and failed several times before I was successful), until one is successful by performing at the appropriate level it is very difficult to grasp the difference in their sub-standard performance to that level necessary to be successfulAll of this would have been explained had Mr*** returned our communications. Mr*** fails to mention in his letter that we gave him a complementary day to re-take the exam following his initial complaint, as a gestureHe also fails to mention that three of his four exams were taken at resorts within driving distance of his home resort, reducing his travel expenses greatlyHe additionally misquoted the cost of the prerequisite by $The remaining fact is certification is optional, not required by resortsMr*** had the option to continue or not with this processI feel that the remainder of this issue is moot and if tasked will dispute this further. Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions. Sincerely, *** *** Executive Director PISA-Rocky Mountain-*** *** * *** *** Page

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:Please read attached document [redacted] 2nd Reply.docx 
Regards,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:Communicationwith [redacted]Ms. [redacted] says I made no attempt to respond to theemail that was sent out, but I called the office multiple times after receivingit. (I might be able to obtain a record of my phone logs if necessary.) One ofthe times I called, the office workers were out on a training trip, and I only gotthe automated machine message. Another time, I spoke with someone that took myinformation for Mr. [redacted], because he had stepped out for lunch or an errandand was expected to be back in the afternoon.  Mr. [redacted] failed to return my call.  Thus, to say that I never responded is afalse statement.  I simply got tired ofhaving my time wasted, and unfortunately having the Revdex.com involved is the routeof communication that seems to be working. Further, my phone has never beendisconnected--I have had the same phone number and service since 2009. I havethe statements to show that this is the case.  Disagreementon the "Standards"Ms. [redacted] says that it is the educational responsibilityof the student to prepare for an exam. This is something I am very familiarwith, having obtained a Master's degree. My expectation of the Cert 2 prepclinic was to reveal weaknesses and strengths in my teaching style whencompared with the [redacted] standard, and to figure out where my ability to be asuccessful candidate for the Cert 2 exam was. I would be curious to hear Ms.[redacted]' definition of what the purpose of the Cert 2 Prep is. At my pre-exam, Iwas led to believe that I was prepared to take the actual exam. However, thefacilitator of the actual exam said that I was "completelyunprepared."  Thus, my issue is withthe inconsistency between [redacted] staff, as I feel that they themselves do noteven agree on the "Standard."I have attached the email response that I receivedthe first time I brought up this issue to [redacted]. This response clearly displays the conflict between my examiner andpre-examiner regarding their opinions of my presentation of the "Standard." During the pre-exam, which was led byJohn [redacted], I was led to believe that I had completed the materials or standardsthat were being looked for, with the exception that I may not pass the MovementAnalysis part of the exam.  With regardto my Movement Analysis,  Mr. [redacted]states that I "hadan understanding of the movements in the body and the resulting boardperformances." Mr. [redacted] was very confident in my riding ability, and hewrites, "to hear [redacted] had trouble on this day surprised me the mostbecause he did better than most in the group at Most Flexed at Edge Change."  Finally, Mr. [redacted] says of my teachingability, "For the most part the teach was successful."  This shows that Mr. [redacted] was indeedconfident in my riding and teaching abilities, but that I might not be preparedfor the Movement Analysis part of the exam. Overall, though, Mr. [redacted] led meto believe that I would be prepared for the real exam with some studying.  He writes that, "I told [redacted] at the endof the Preview that I would feel comfortable with him taking the next a[redacted]ableexam if he were able to work on the issues I addressed with him in the feedbacksession and throughout the Preview." I took this statement at face value, and decided to take the nexta[redacted]able exam. I studied to make sure I would beprepared for the exam to the best of my knowledge.  Due to allthe positive feedback from pre-examiner John [redacted], you can imagine my surprisewhen examiner [redacted] said to me upon completion of the exam, "youlook completely unprepared."  Thefollowing statements can be found in the email response that I haveattached.  Regarding my movementanalysis, Mr. [redacted] says that "[redacted]'s written and on-snow MA was unclear and imprecise."  Well, let us recall what Mr. [redacted] thought aboutmy movement analysis: "[[redacted]] had an understanding of the movements in thebody and the resulting board performances."  Next, I will discuss my teaching, which Mr.[redacted] said was successful for the most part. Unfortunately, however, Mr. [redacted]felt quite differently; he states, "[redacted] was unclear in hiscommunication, and the other candidates and I were confused about the tasks hewas asking us to do."  Finally, Mr.[redacted] and Mr. [redacted] also were in disagreement about my riding ability.  Recall that Mr. [redacted] said that I "didbetter than most in the group at Most Flexed at Edge Change." However, Mr.[redacted] felt that "[redacted]'s Most Flexed at Edge Change movements neededsignificant work."  Finally, Mr.[redacted] felt that my bump riding was satisfactory, as he "didn't seeanything that set off alarms." On the contrary, Mr. [redacted] felt that I"was not at the level for bumps." All of these examples clearly demonstrate the huge inconsistenciesbetween examiner and pre-examiner regarding the "Standards" on whichcandidates are judged. Study MethodsBecause ofthese large discrepancies, I feel that I was set up for failure by [redacted].  They gained my money from the pre-exam andleft me with a false impression, causing me to spend even more money to takethe real exam.  Afterthis terrible experience, I spent even more money when I bought their educationalDVD of the Cert 2 Standards and Movement Analysis Handbook.  In addition to purchasing and studying thesematerials, I sought out Rocky Mountain Trainers and former examiners, and I attendedclinics at my home mountain that were purposely developed for Cert 2 preps for Teachand MA.  I can provide evidence of thetraining sessions I have attended at my mountain in quantitative form.  Unfortunately, I am not able to provide individual informal sessions that were providedfrom RMT, former examiners, or current examiners; however,  I may be able to provide letters of referencefrom them to show that I did take steps to better my understanding of the [redacted]Standard and practical knowledge.  ForMs. [redacted] to say that I did not take initiative to study the"Standard" is a slap in the face. CandidateImprovementOf course, all of these actions were taken to preparemyself for my next attempt at the exam.  However, neither the pre-exam--which  said that I did have an understanding of theknowledge, was a good rider, and was at the standard of riding--nor the DVD ofthe cert 2 standards has brought me closer to meeting this expectation they arelooking for and passing the exam.  I didnot ask for reimbursement for the materials I purchased from [redacted].  Further, I find [redacted]'s exam evaluationtechniques to be very confusing.  Theyjudge your performance on a 1 to 6 scale, 4 being passing and 3 being failing.I seem to obtain 3 for the days that are failed--so am I close or really faraway? I can't ever seem to get a better quantitative answer that will help meto be successful with the exam.  Ms.[redacted] even states this fact herself: "From my experience (I am certifiedand failed several times before I was successful), until one is successful by performingat the appropriate level it is very difficult to grasp the difference in theirsub-standard performance to that level necessary to be successful." Mistakeby Mr. [redacted]Ms. [redacted] says in her response, "Mr. [redacted]states that one of our examiners told him at the pre-course that he was ready.If there is something our examiners do not do, it is to make statements likethis. Unless Mr. [redacted] has this is writing, I will argue its validity." Indeed,I do have this in writing, in the e-mail from Mr. [redacted]:  I told [redacted] at the end of the Preview that Iwould feel comfortable with him taking the next a[redacted]able exam if he were ableto work on the issues I addressed with him in the feedback session andthroughout the Preview. I was not expecting [redacted] to take the exam the nextweek. Otherwise, I would have told him to wait at least a couple of weeks towork through those issues.Mr. [redacted] thus conveys that he made a mistake whenhe told me that he felt comfortable with me taking the next a[redacted]able exam. Necessary Timebetween ExamsThereis yet another conflict between statements made by [redacted] employees.  Ms. [redacted] writes, "Mr. [redacted] re-took theexam just 21 days after a failed attempt. The technical understanding cannot begrasped in such a short time. Many people take years to study and prepare forthese exams." However, Mr. [redacted]' words indicate otherwise (italics aremine): AsI said to [redacted] at the exam, it's quite possible he might have been totally"on" during his previews and had a really "off" exam. WhenI sat my first cert 3 I blew my teach. Re-sat my exam a few weeks later andscored mostly 5s and 6s. Same examiner, and Ihadn't changed much in those couple of weeks; I simply had a poor exam day. Again there is a conflict between opinions ofexams. Ms. [redacted] says technical understanding cannot be grasped in 21 days,and Chris Rodgers says he didn't change much in those couple of weeks, he justhad a poor exam day. This is another reason why I attempted this exam again. Travel ExpensesMs.[redacted] seems to show no respect for my travel to take these exams; she writes, "[[redacted]]also fails to mention that three of his four exams were taken at resorts withindriving distance of his home resort, reducing his travel expenses greatly."  My travel expenses were certainlysignificant, as is evidenced below. (I have a 4 wheel drive vehicle that getsabout 12 mpg and gas was at $4 a gallon, if not more, in [redacted] and [redacted]). ·        [redacted]to [redacted] resort: round trip 30 mi. traveled three days. Total mileage 90miles, $30.                                 ·        [redacted]to [redacted] resort: round trip 134 mi., $44.66.  Hotel $213.62.·        [redacted]to [redacted]: round trip 76 mi traveled one day, $25.33, Parking $25.·        [redacted]to [redacted]: round trip 276 mi $92, Hotel $88.26Thus,my total travel expenses were $518.87. Note that this does not include food expenses and money lost due to timetaken off from work.Pleasenote that on [redacted] exam day I ask the day I failed, the teach, to be reimbursed,there were no travel expenses.  CertificationRequirementMs.[redacted] states that "The remaining fact is certification is optional, notrequired by resorts. Mr. [redacted] had the option to continue or not with thisprocess."Although you do not have to have certification to work at theresort, the certification is REQUIRED to teach intermediate and advancedlevels. I have been allowed to work as a "non current" Cert 1 (withoutthe pay benefit) when the resort is short on "certified" instructors.I have been pressured by superiors to obtain the Cert 2 to clear this issue.  NationalRecognition of the CertificationMs.[redacted] states of her organization's certification: "There is a nationalstandard that must be met since this certification is recognized nationally andinternationally." However, my Cert 1 is does not follow this rule. Iobtained my Cert 1 through the Eastern Division of [redacted], but the Rocky MountainDivision will not honor it.  The onlysolution [redacted] gave me regarding this matter was to either get the Cert 2 orstart all over again in the Rocky Mountain Division. To me, this does not seem to be characteristic of an organizationthat functions at the national level.  SolutionMs.[redacted], it appears that the issue of inconsistency between examiners and pre-examinerswould not be resolved under the circumstances of the [redacted] organization. It isunfortunate I have had to spend both my time and yours to bring about change tothis problem. I have been wronged by your organization and want reimbursementfor my troubles. Please refund the cost of the pre-exam, exams, membership feesand my travel expenses for both the exams and pre exam. Thank you Revdex.com for your assistance in thismatter.
Regards,
[redacted]