Raymond Central Public Schools
October 2020
We need Substitute bus drivers!!
From the Desk of the Superintendent...
We are quickly approaching the end of the first quarter which is October 9th. I believe the protocols we have implemented to keep our students and staff safe while at school have been successful. As the district continues to monitor the spread and positivity rate of COVID-19, we will continue to mandate masks for students and teachers. We will always keep the health and safety of students our number one priority. We do not want to rush into a decision to lessen our protocols such as wearing masks, sanitizing hands, social distancing, etc. To date, we do not have a student or staff member that has tested positive and traced back to attending school. We appreciate everyone’s willingness to follow the district’s established procedures when attending school and events. Please continue to communicate with your building site any medical changes for your family, out of state travel plans, and any questions you have.
The district has started the process to reopen gyms and other common places to the Raymond Central community. Right now both elementary school sites can be reserved for use during non-school or extra-curricular times. Please contact Brain Gralheer with any questions. Specific protocols and procedures will be expected to follow when using school space for non-school sponsored practices and events.
Students and families who selected remote learning for the first quarter will have the ability to return to a school site for learning. If you are interested in transitioning learning back into the classroom, please contact your school administrator. Our hope is that all students are back in classrooms for the start of second semester in January 2021. Our teachers have been working diligently to support all students whether they are learning via Zoom or in the classroom. We have been approaching each situation this year with an “action-solution” minded approach to ensure we remove any barrier that stands in the way of student learning.
As communicated on Tuesday, September 15, Raymond Central is serving breakfast/lunch to all students grades PK-12 at no cost. This is an extension of the summer lunch program which served over 6,825 meals between June and August. We are excited for this opportunity and will continue to seek funding to support our students and families during a time where there are a lot of unknowns.
As we continue to have a successful school year, please make sure to read through the district’s Wellness Policy (click here to read the full policy). A few highlights from the policy that provide guidance for classroom celebrations, recognizing students, etc. can be read below.
Celebrations and Rewards - All foods offered on the school campus will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards or, if the state policy is stronger, will meet or exceed state nutrition standards, including through: 1. Celebrations and parties. The District will provide a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers, including non-food celebration ideas. 2. Classroom snacks brought by parents. The District will provide or make available to parents a list of foods and beverages that meet Smart Snacks nutrition standards. 3. Rewards and incentives. The District will provide teachers and other relevant school staff a list of alternative ways to reward children or other comparable resources. Foods and beverages will not be used as a reward, or withheld as punishment for any reason, such as for performance or behavior.
The district has started discussions around parent/teacher conferences the week of October 12-16. PT conferences were not held last spring and may not look the same as last fall. More communication will be sent by the building administration when a decision is made.
The Raymond Central Public School District publishes an annual report each year. This report provides a current and historical view of the district in the following areas:
Student enrollment
District budget and levy
Staid aid
Student achievement
And much more
Click here to view the 2020 Annual Report.
We will continue to provide updates to staff, students and parents/guardians as the data and information becomes available as it pertains to COVID-19. Have a great month!
Policy and Procedure for COVID-19 Mitigation at Raymond Central
It is crucial that parents and guardians communicate with schools to prevent a school outbreak of any communicable disease; this is especially true with COVID-19. Communication is key for social responsibility so the schools can act quickly to make appropriate changes to keep students and staff safe. All information from students and families regarding COVID-19 is strictly confidential. These are truly unprecedented times and we appreciate your cooperation to help keep schools and communities safe.
If a student has tested positive for COVID-19:
You must call and alert the building Principal as soon as you are aware.
You must remain at home and not attend school or activities.
A 14 day quarantine will be required.
If siblings/household members attend Raymond Central Schools (PK-12), they must quarantine for 14 days.
All members of the household/family will not be allowed at school or activities.
If any other member of the household/family becomes symptomatic, they may need to be tested also or begin a 14 day quarantine (call School Nurse/Principal for guidance).
If anyone in the household/family has tested positive for COVID-19:
You must call and alert the building Principal as soon as you are aware.
A 14 day quarantine period will be required.
All members of the household/family will not be allowed at school or activities.
If a member of the household/family becomes symptomatic, he/she may need to be tested also or begin a 14 day quarantine from the onset of symptoms (call School Nurse/Principal for guidance).
If a student or student’s household/family member is being tested for COVID-19 and is waiting for test results:
You must call and alert the building Principal.
You must remain at home and not attend school or activities until a negative test result is received.
If a student or student’s family members have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19:
Contact the Health Department for guidance on contacts.
Do not attend school until given instructions by the Health Department AND after you have informed the building Principal or School Nurse.
Lancaster Co. Health Department: 402- 441-8006
Three Rivers Health Department: 402-727-5396
If you have or plan on traveling out of State, you are required to inform the Principal. Be advised that there may be some restrictions/requirements upon returning.
You Can Still Register!
Raymond Central is excited to announce a new partnership with Civic Nebraska and the RC Foundation. Over the course of two years, RC and the RC Educational Foundation researched how to create and implement a before and after school program for our district. At first the idea was to try and create a program on our own, until we met Civic Nebraska. Civic Nebraska has a large footprint in providing before and after school programs in Lincoln and Omaha. Raymond Central will be the first rural model for the organization with the hope to expand into more communities. The program will be an extension of the school day with a focus on academic support, student enrichment, physical activity, and more! To learn more about our awesome partnership, checkout the website - https://www.civicnebraska.org/raymond/.
Go Mustangs!
Dr. Joel
EducationQuest Grant
Free Breakfast/Lunch for ALL Students!
Raymond Central Public Schools is excited to announce our students (PK-12) will eat breakfast and lunch at no cost starting today through December 31, 2020. We submitted an extension application to our summer lunch program and were granted permission to serve breakfast and lunch for free to all students. Students and families do not need to complete any paperwork to participate in this program.
Students who typically purchase ala carte items or additional entrees during their lunch (these options are typically available at the Jr/Sr High School) will need to purchase them from their lunch accounts. Again, any additional food above the normal lunch serving must be purchased from a positive lunch account balance.
Please contact the District Office with any questions. We are fortunate to be selected for this program and are excited to provide a healthy and well balanced breakfast/lunch for our students at no cost.
Congratulations, Raymond Central School Board!
Run, Walk, and Roll with this year's virtual Hustle!
The fun festive spirit of The Hustle, a 1 mile run/walk, 5k, and 10k attracts man, woman and child. Serious and non-serious runners are encouraged to attend and participate in this virtual event to raise money for the Raymond Central FoodBank BackPack Program. All participants will receive a classic HUSTLE t-shirt IF REGISTERED BY OCTOBER 4! T-shirts will be sent home with Raymond Central students OR can be mailed if the participant lives outside of our district.
Event details and schedule 10K, 5K and 1 mile walk/runs will begin...anytime you want! You can run at any location, at your own pace, outside or on a treadmill, alone or with a group of friends. Train and stay active, walk or run for a good cause! Please take pictures and post to social media with your running crew and t-shirts. Please use #RCHustle #Feedkids
Thank you for supporting the Raymond Central Food Bank BackPack Program!
https://www.active.com/running/distance-running-races/virtual-hustle-2020
PSAT Information
We are hosting the PSAT on Wednesday Oct. 14th, 2020 starting at 8am.
The PSAT is a practice SAT and is used to determine the list for National Merit Scholarship finalists. If your score qualifies you National Merit will contact the school and the student for the next step in the process. This test is not sent to colleges and is not used by the school for any placement. The test is open to both Sophomores and Juniors, but the only score National Merit uses for evaluation is the Junior score. Sophomore year is truly practice time.
PSAT study guides are in a box outside Ms. Osten's office on the floor. Sign up on the door and grab a paper study guide.
EducationQuest College Planning Information
If you'd like more information about EducationQuest College Planning, please access the following links:
https://www.educationquest.org/pdfs/CPB/CPBulletinOct20.doc (Word document
https://www.educationquest.org/pdfs/CPB/CPBulletinOct20.pdf (PDF document)
The October bulletin covers the following topics:
· Virtual College Fair is September 27-30!
· It’s FAFSA time!
· Seniors, are you ready to Apply2College?
· October “To Do” List
COUNSELOR NOTES...what parents need to know about the following social media platforms...
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR--SAVE THE DATE!!
There are not a lot of the specifics as of yet, but more info will be coming soon! Stay Tuned!
Yearbooks!
Yearbook Order Forms are available in the office for the 2020-2021 yearbook or you may use the order form on this newsletter.
OR...you can click on "Online Pay" on the school website (where you would go to pay online for school lunches) and access the new link to YEARBOOK to purchase your yearbook ONLINE!!
Yearbook prices are:
$50 per yearbook until December 31, 2020
$60 per yearbook from January 1, 2021 to May 20, 2021
If you have multiple children in grades 6-12 and would like more than one yearbook:
$95 for two yearbooks until December 31, 2020--no discounts after January 1, 2021
$140 for three yearbooks until December 31, 2020--no discounts after January 1, 2021
NO EXTRA YEARBOOKS WILL BE ORDERED THIS YEAR!! IF YOU DO NOT ORDER A YEARBOOK, YOU WILL NOT GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ONE!! ORDER ONE NOW!!
If you are still in need of a yearbook (even from past years), you are in luck! Here is what we have in stock and the prices. They are first come, first served. You may email Mrs. E at cenevold@rcentral.org to reserve yours today:
$60 each for the 2019-2020 yearbooks. We have 4 copies available.
$20 each for the 2018-2019 yearbooks. There are 4 copies available.
$5 each for the rest of our stock:
1994--1 copy
1998--5 copies
2000--2 copies
2005--27 copies
2006--12 copies
2009--16 copies
2010--4 copies
2012--7 copies
2013--9 copies
2014--3 copies
2015--5 copies
2016--6 copies
2017--13 copies
Please help us find loving homes for these yearbooks!
Girls Basketball Pledge-A-Thon
Tired of fundraisers that are selling stuff you don't really need, but you still want to be able to support your favorite team? Well, you're in luck! The Girls Basketball Team is hosting a Pledge-A-Thon. Look at the document below and decide which player you'd like to assign some extra workouts to and then send in your pledges and money to Mrs. Newman at the high school (1800 West Agnew Road, Raymond, NE 68428). Questions? Email Mrs. Newman at cnewman@rcentral.org or call the school at 402-785-2685.
Basketball Players:
Kelsey Hudson
Faith Welton
Abbie Hudson
Makenna Gehle
Emaree Harris
Maddie Peterson
Emily Welton
Rachel Potter
Zoie Stachura
Hannah Kile
Autumn Haislet
Aleyna Cuttlers
Davi Hoyt
Jaden Kohl
Rachel Bos
Mady Ayres
Leslie Bos
Braelyn Christensen
Mady Lubischer
Madison Parham
Lizzie Potter
Kamarin Simmons
Employee Assistance Program--Help for Parents
As a result of Covid-19, many families have had to make the decision about their children’s education that factor in student and family safety as well as student learning. Information from the Employee Assistance Program is attached that provides guidance to families navigating the new school year and the challenges that arise during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Returning to School Guide for Parents – The guide will discuss how to think about risks from COVID-19, how to think about the benefits and shortcomings of different forms of schooling, what children of different ages and learning styles need from school, and how to make the best of the choices you have.
- Childcare Flyer – Resources for Working Parents
- Work Life Services Flyer – Let us do the research for you!
The Employee Assistance Program is available to help employees who are experiencing difficulties. For 24/7 assistance you may contact EAP at 1-866-792-3616. If you are interested in learning about other services offered by EAP, visit http://www.deeroakseap.com/. From the homepage, select “Member Login” in the top right corner. User Name and Password are both SON.
The TeamMates mission is to impact the world by inspiring youth to reach their full potential. All youth can benefit from a mentoring relationship. Whether in a formal relationship such as TeamMates or an informal relationship such as a neighbor or relative, everyone needs a positive role model to provide guidance and wisdom. The role of a mentor is to identify the strengths and talents of a student.
TeamMates is a school-based program– meaning that matches meet at the school during school hours for approximately 30 minutes and during the school year. Meeting at the school provides a safe, neutral environment with games, activities and resources to help support the match.
TeamMates has tons of resources for mentors to feel successful throughout their mentoring journey. Kristine White serves as the Raymond Central coordinator. As coordinator, she serves as a guide for the match relationship. If a mentor has a question about anything, they can meet with the coordinator at any point. Teammates.org also has toolkits and resources for mentors when dealing with topics such as financial sustainability, scholarships, high school, activity ideas, grief, immigration, dealing with difficult issues, suicidal thoughts, and understanding poverty. These resources are constantly being updated on the Mentor Resource Library.
TeamMates is always looking for adult volunteers (mentors) who want to build a positive relationship with a student in order to help them reach their full potential. You can start mentoring at anytime during the school year. By volunteering just one time a week mentors build a friendship with the student, and provide support, encouragement and guidance. Mentors must be 18 or over and have a high school degree or GED equivalent.
How to sign up: 1. Apply by completing an application - visit www.teammates.org 2. Train 3. Meet your mentee. If you have any questions about how to become a mentor please contact TeamMates at 1-877-531-8326. If you have questions about Raymond Central’s local program contact Kristine White at krwhite@rcentral.org
Donating without spending any extra money may sound too good to be true but if you’re already an Amazon shopper, then welcome to AmazonSmile. Anyone with an Amazon account can shop through smile.amazon.com and donate 0.5% of their Amazon purchases to Raymond Central Teammates. The great thing about this is, you do not donate your own money, the donation comes from Amazon!
“AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service,” according to the AmazonSmile website. The AmazonSmile website looks identical to the regular Amazon website, the only difference is that you’re making a difference with your purchases.
The donations raised through AmazonSmile will go to support student scholarships and background checks for mentors. Through your Amazon account, it is possible to track not only how much money you have personally donated to the cause but you can also see how much the organization as a whole has acquired through the program.
If you already shop at Amazon, please consider going through AmazonSmile. Very few items on the website are not AmazonSmile eligible.
To set up your donation, visit https://smile.amazon.com and search Teammates Mentoring Program Valparaiso, NE. If you are already supporting a program and would like to switch to TeamMates Mentoring Program, look for the yellow writing under the search box that says “supporting;” selecting that will bring up an option to change.
Sign-up today at smile.amazon.com!
Check out what's going on in the Art Department!
Raymond Central
Valparaiso: (402) 784-3301
Ceresco: (402) 665-3651
High School: (402) 785-2685
District Office: (402) 785-2685
Email: rcentraljournalism@gmail.com
Website: http://www.rcentral.org
Location: 1800 West Agnew Road, Raymond, NE, USA
Phone: (206) 555-1234
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaymondCentralHS