Raymond Central Public Schools
June 2020
From the Desk of the Superintendent...
None of us expected the school year to end this way and I am proud and thankful we have made the best of a challenging situation. This was the most disrupted school year in recent history and with all of the uncertainties, we still ended strong and are hopeful for the future. I am proud to announce that our first ever virtual graduation received close to 700 views for the two days it was live. Thank you again to the RC Foundation for purchasing a copy of the graduation for each senior.
As we enter the first few weeks of summer break, we are also looking toward the fall. We don’t anticipate full guidance from the Nebraska Department of Education and the Governor until the end of June or early July, but we are planning for all scenarios: in-person, online and a hybrid model. We will spend the majority of June working internally and with the Lancaster County Health Department, Three Rivers Health Department and other local school districts to develop safe and viable options for fall. The district goal in planning is simple: provide a schedule that maximizes student in-person learning, while maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for students and staff.
We appreciate all of the feedback from students, staff, and families in regard to the remote learning structure the district implemented for the last nine weeks of school. This feedback will be used to improve our remote learning platform to ensure all students have a successful experience. While we are working hard to bring our students back to their physical school site in August, there is always the possibility that remote learning will be used again in the event of a spike in COVID-19.
As the state of Nebraska slowly reopens businesses and other public places, the restrictions for schools have also lessened in regard to summer activities. On June 1, Raymond Central will open the weight room for student athletes. In order for this to happen, the following guidelines will be followed:
Maintain social distance by being 6 feet apart.
Groups of a maximum 25 persons (students) or less must be pre-determined; the fifty percent (50%) of rated occupancy does not apply to high school weight rooms per the express directive of the Governor’s office.
Once groups are determined, students may not switch from one group to another.
Interaction between groups shall be avoided.
Sessions can only include weightlifting, running, and exercises designed to promote physical fitness.
Sport-specific drills are not permitted, and sport-specific equipment may not be used as part of school sponsored summer conditioning.
Implement diligent and effective cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched objects and surfaces following the guidance of the CDC
Raymond Central is losing three long time dedicated educators and an excellent business manager due to retirement. We wish them nothing but the best in their future endeavors, however, their impact on Raymond Central can never be measured with how many lives they have positively impacted. Pam Rasmussen, Mary Kelly, Jean Rempfer, and Joyce Rezac have supported the Raymond Central Community for 123 years.
As we officially enter the summer months, I want to once again thank our staff, our teachers, our students, and our parents/families for your perseverance and dedication during the last three months. Enjoy summer break, you deserve it!
Do Not Forget!
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 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
YEARBOOKS!!!
Stay tuned!