The Raytown School District remains steadfast in our commitment to providing education with distinction while maintaining the safest possible environment. The Board of Education and district leaders have been working tirelessly on plans for the 2020-2021 school year. We want to thank the parents, staff, and community volunteers who served on various reopening task forces for their invaluable insight and guidance. At this time, thanks to the recommendations and work of the task forces, we have two options for the new school year, In-Person School and Virtual Learning. We will be asking parents and guardians to make a commitment to one of the two choices for each of your students during the enrollment process starting July 27, 2020.

This pandemic has challenged all of us in different ways, but as we continue to prove, we are always stronger together. No matter the educational option you choose for the coming year, please remember that you and your student(s) are now, and will continue to be, an important part of our Raytown School District family. We will get through this together.

While we are offering a choice of methods for your child to receive educational services, we believe the In-Person educational experience cannot be substituted by online learning. Although, the regular classroom setting will offer the most preferred educational option for most students, we will do all we can to provide quality Virtual Learning opportunities equitable to the In-Person classroom experience as much as possible. We will be taking every precaution to make the regular school setting a safe environment for students. We will be able to provide individualized services to all students In-Person or online to support their academic and social/emotional needs.

In-Person School will take place at school in a traditional classroom environment. The requirements and restrictions of In-Person School will be fluid based on city, county, and state regulations. If our district does not have mandated restrictions, the following precautions will be put in place: Hand washing and hygiene will be enforced, and hand sanitizer will be readily available and encouraged. Daily wellness checks (teacher observations and verbal check-ins with students about signs and symptoms of COVID-19) will occur. Face masks and coverings will be optional in the classroom when social distancing can be observed, but required when moving through the school (arrival, dismissal, passing time, bathroom breaks, transitioning to a special class such as P.E., etc.). Social distancing will be practiced when possible, but we know it is not always feasible with various student populations and age groups. We will not have large gatherings such as assemblies. No visitors or lunch guests will be allowed. Recess will take place, but the use of equipment may be modified. School buses will be available for those who need it. Masks will be mandatory on buses. This is not a complete list of measures that we will take. The response to COVID is fluid and we will follow local health guidelines as they are made available.

Please keep in mind that mandated social distancing restrictions may not allow for our district to host school Monday-Friday for every student. Our buildings were not designed to hold 20-30 students in a classroom seated six feet apart. If social distancing is mandated and over 70% of our student population opts to return to In-Person School, we will be forced to look at alternate plans that allow for fewer students in the building each day.

If In-Person School is not the right choice for your family, the Raytown School District is offering Virtual Learning to allow students to learn from home. Students in grades 7-12, who elect Virtual Learning will be eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities pending any mandates and/or restrictions from the Missouri State High School Activities Association.

Virtual Learning is a blend of independent student work and direct instruction with an assigned Raytown School District certified teacher or through platforms such as FuelEd or Launch or other platforms that are available. Virtual Learning is not a platform that allows for teacher-led instruction all day. We will make every attempt to provide instruction through Raytown Teachers. However, there may be some advanced classes like Calculus and Physics that will be offered through another platform. There is also the possibility that we will not have enough students in a certain grade level to use one of our teachers and will use a Launch teacher instead.

• FuelEd – FuelEd is a platform that does not have the teacher interaction like Launch and Raytown Virtual Instruction has, but is still a good solution for some students You can see more details about FuelEd by going to their website at www.fueleducation.com.
• Launch – Launch is provided through the Springfield School District and is taught by a live teacher. Each class has a limited number of students for each teacher so the students keep that personal connection to a teacher. You can see more about Launch by going to their website at fueledbylaunch.com.

• Teacher – Students opting to participate in Virtual Learning will be paired with a certified teacher who may not be from the student’s home school. (i.e., A student from Robinson Elementary may be paired with a teacher from Spring Valley Elementary.) A student at Raytown South High School may be paired with a teacher through Launch if Launch has the classes the student needs to continue to work toward graduation. Instruction could include one-on-one virtual meetings, group or class meetings, live lessons, and pre-recorded videos.
• Peers – Students will be placed in a distance learning class. The class may include students from schools across the district or students from other districts if it is a Launch class.
• Technology – This district will issue a device to all students in grades K-12. The district is committed to providing a device for all additional students who need one.
• Daily Instructional Time
  The amount of instruction delivered directly from the teacher will vary by grade level. Elementary students will spend about 4 hours a day in teacher led instruction. This time will likely be lower in higher grades as the lessons become more independent. Students in all grades can anticipate a full day of school when teacher led instruction, group discussions and activities and independent learning are all combined.

*These times are approximate and subject to change. Please note students will also need access to a device throughout the day to complete work independently. Students will have time beyond the times listed here to complete assignments.

Student-led work-Students will be responsible for completing daily assigned coursework independently. Some or all of this coursework will need to be completed on a device. The time this work will take is dependent upon the student and grade level.

Accountability-Students will be assessed by their teacher. Grades will be given and reflected in the student’s overall grade point average (GPA applies to students in grades 6-12.) Virtual Learning will also include virtual parent communication and conferences.

We learned a tremendous amount about distance learning during the spring shutdown. Since that time, our Curriculum and Instruction Department has been taking parent and student feedback to heart and modifying the coursework and expectations of Virtual Learning. Over the summer, district teachers have been rewriting education as we know it and developing top-notch and achievable distance learning curriculum for our students Pre-K-12 moving forward.

In order for our district to adequately plan for the upcoming school year, families must commit to a full semester (August-December) of In-Person School or Virtual Learning through the online enrollment process starting July 27. After online enrollment is completed, students may not switch from Virtual Learning to In-Person School. Students will be able to move from In-Person School to Virtual Learning at any time.   

Questions regarding either of the programs can be emailed virtuallearning@raytownschools.org.

Thank you for your continued partnership in education.

Together we will get through this. For our students. For our community. For our future.

Parents As Teachers Offers Developmental Screenings

The Raytown School District's Parents As Teachers (PAT) program will offer free developmental screenings to children ages three to five years old. These scrreenings are a quick and easy way to give parents/guardians valuable information about how their child is developing in motor, language, social & cognitive areas. Hearing & vision screenings are also included in this free service. 

Screenings for children 36 months through kindergarten age take place at New Trails Early Learning Center. PAT currently has openings for screenings July 29th - 30th and August 3rd - 6th (as well as throughout the school year).

Parents/guardians receive a personal conference and written summary of the screening results. During the conference, suggestions will be given for activities to enhance the child's learning.

Please call 816.268.7202 to schedule your appointment.

July 21, 2020

Dear Raytown Schools Families:

This morning, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Dr. Rex Archer from the Kansas City Health Department held a press conference regarding the reopening of schools. During the press conference the City released a number of recommendations; however, they noted that at this time, there is no plan to force school closure. 

The Raytown School District will continue to evaluate all aspects of our reopening plan including the school calendar, school start date, and health and safety recommendations pertaining to In-Person School. We will continue to modify our reopening plan based on guidelines provided by local health and municipalities as well as feedback from our staff and families.

 At this time, the District has released answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) based on the initial plan released last week. Please keep in mind that this FAQ is a living document, as is the reopening plan, and will likely change in the coming weeks. Changes to the FAQ, reopening plan, and school calendars will be shared as the decisions are made - all decisions will be made under the advisement of local health, municipalities, and district stakeholders. 

Enrollment for the 2020-2021 School Year will begin as planned on Monday, July 27, and at this time, families will still be asked to choose between In-Person School and Virtual Learning.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate through these uncharted waters. We will continue to move forward together.

Online enrollment for the 2020-21 school year opens on July 27, 2020

Signs have gone up around the District to remind families that enrollment is coming soon. We understand the signs are confusing as they say the portal is now open; however, the portal will officially open on Monday, July 27. We apologize for the confusion.

In order to prevent potential exposure to infectious diseases, promote social distancing and decrease congestion at the Enrollment Center all student enrollments will be processed online. For more information about Residency and Enrollment, please visit http://bit.ly/2YZr5G3.

Earlier this week, the District released information about Fall 2020 Learning Options. Both families considering In-Person School and Virtual Learning will need to enroll online and indicate their choice beginning July 27. For families considering In-Person School, we’ve learned that one of the main topics of concern is what it would look like, should we have a positive case of COVID-19. To address this concern, we are following up on our previous communication, to help those who are still weighing the options between In-Person School and Virtual Learning. 

Should we have a positive case of COVID-19, the District will cooperate and work under the guidelines of local health authorities including Kansas City and Jackson County Health Departments. Public health directives may vary and could include the addition of specific safety measures in a school environment, the temporary closure of a classroom or school building and other risk mitigation measures. These directives may or may not include mass notification to a school community as we have an obligation to protect student and staff privacy. It will be the health department, not the school district, that will determine whether other students or staff are a close contact of that individual and whether a classroom, other kids, staff etc. are at risk of exposure.

If student or staff member tests positive:

Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to stay home until all of the following apply:

• Two (2) negative test spaced 24 hours apart 
• Proof of negative test results will be required prior to returning
• Results can be sent to the building administrator, school nurse, and/or our District Nurses at districtnurses@raytownschools.org
• Fever free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours
• All symptoms have improved

If a student or staff member has been exposed at home or is suspected to have been exposed at home:

Students and staff in close contact with an infected person will be immediately asked to self-quarantine, and will not be allowed to return to school or work for a period of 14-days, beginning at the last date of exposure. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “close contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.”

• Students and staff who do not have symptoms during the 14-day self-quarantine can return to school after the 14-day period without any further actions.
• If during the 14 day self-quarantine, a student or staff member develops symptoms of COVID-19, they are asked to adhere to one (1) of the two (2) procedures below:
• If they choose not to test, all must apply
• 10 days have passed since the first symptom appeared 
• If 10 days from the first symptoms ends before the 14-day self-quarantine, you must remain at home for the 14-day period
• If 10 days from the first symptom end after the 14-day self-quarantine, you may return after the 10-day period
• No fever for 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication
• All symptoms have improved
• If they choose to test, all must apply
• Two (2) negative test spaced 24 hours apart 
• Proof of negative test results will be required prior to returning
• Results can be sent to the building administrator, school nurse, and/or our District Nurses at districtnurses@raytownschools.org
• Fever free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours
• All symptoms have improved

If a student or staff member was exposed at school:

Students and staff in close contact (as identified above) an infected person will be immediately asked to self-quarantine, and will not be allowed to return to school or work for a period of 14-days, beginning at the last date of exposure.

• Students and staff who do not have symptoms during the 14-day self-quarantine can return to school after the 14-day period without any further actions.
• If during the 14 day self-quarantine, a student or staff member develops symptoms of COVID-19, they are asked to adhere to one (1) of the two (2) procedures below:
• If they choose not to test, all must apply
• 10 days have passed since the first symptom appeared 
• If 10 days from the first symptoms ends before the 14-day self-quarantine, you must remain at home for the 14-day period
• If 10 days from the first symptom ends after the 14-day self-quarantine, you may return after the 10-day period
• No fever for 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication
• All symptoms have improved
• If they choose to test, all must apply
• Two (2) negative test spaced 24 hours apart 
• Proof of negative test results will be required prior to returning
• Results can be sent to the building administrator, school nurse, and/or our District Nurses at districtnurses@raytownschools.org
• Fever free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours
• All symptoms have improved

If someone at school has tested positive but the student or staff member was not exposed:

For Students and staff who are in the same room/building as someone who tested positive for COVID-19, but not in close contact (as identified above), the risk of catching the virus from that person is low. Students and staff will be expected to follow the general precautions, including social distancing, washing their hands and monitoring for illness. 

If a student or staff member was around someone else who was exposed:

Students and Staff who are in the same room/building with someone who was exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 are not considered exposed to COVID-19, as long as the person they were around is not currently sick. Students and staff will be expected to follow the general precautions, including social distancing, washing their hands and monitoring for illness. 

If someone at the school suspects they may have COVID-19 but has yet to test for COVID-19:

Students and staff who believe they may have COVID-19 will be immediately asked to self-quarantine, and will not be allowed to return to school or work for a period of 14-days, beginning at the last date of exposure. They are asked to adhere to one (1) of the two (2) procedures below:

• If they choose not to test, all must apply
• 10 days have passed since the first symptom appeared 
• If 10 days from the first symptoms ends before the 14-day self-quarantine, you must remain at home for the 14-day period
• If 10 days from the first symptom ends after the 14-day self-quarantine, you may return after the 10-day period
• No fever for 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication
• All symptoms have improved
• If they choose to test, all must apply
• Two (2) negative test spaced 24 hours apart 
• Proof of negative test results will be required prior to returning
• Results can be sent to the building administrator, school nurse, and/or our District Nurses at districtnurses@raytownschools.org
• Fever free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours
• All symptoms have improved

As you further consider your options for the fall, we encourage you to read through the District’s draft plan for the 2020-2021 school year and provide constructive feedback, questions, and concerns. Stakeholder feedback is a vital part of this process and the District greatly encourages and appreciates your participation. We will be collecting your feedback through July 23, and will be releasing a more finalized plan that integrates your feedback in the coming weeks.

Kindergarten Immunization Clinics

Jackson County Health Department will be conducting back-to-school vaccination clinics for Kindergartners who will be entering school in an Eastern Jackson County School District. 

Where: Jackson County Health Department; 313 S. Liberty St., Independence, MO 64051

When: Tuesday July 7th – Friday August 21st 

Who: This is open to ANY Kindergarten student who will attend a school in Eastern Jackson County.

To prepare for your visit to one of our immunization clinics here’s what you need to know:

• For both kindergarten and traveling clinics, registration must be completed at least one week before the scheduled visit.
• We will not be taking any walk-ins at the kindergarten or traveling clinics.
• We can’t guarantee a second appointment if the first one is missed.
• Early arrivals will not be allowed to wait in the clinic. We recommend showing up no more than five minutes before your scheduled appointment.
• Masks and cloth coverings are required to be worn at all times within the clinic.
• Students may only be accompanied by one parent or guardian.

Register Here

8th - 12th Grade Immunization Clinics

Jackson County Health Department will be conducting back-to-school vaccination clinics for students in school districts located in Eastern Jackson County who are entering 8th or 12th grade.

This is open to ANY 8th or 12th grade student in Eastern Jackson County, not just students who live in Raytown or attend Raytown schools.

The Raytown Clinics have ended, If you did not attend one of the Raytown clinics, additional clinic dates in neighboring locations are listed here. 

To prepare for your visit to one of our immunization clinics here’s what you need to know:

• For both kindergarten and traveling clinics, registration must be completed at least one week before the scheduled visit.
• We will not be taking any walk-ins at the kindergarten or traveling clinics.
• We can’t guarantee a second appointment if the first one is missed.
• Early arrivals will not be allowed to wait in the clinic. We recommend showing up no more than five minutes before your scheduled appointment.
• Masks and cloth coverings are required to be worn at all times within the clinic.
• Students may only be accompanied by one parent or guardian.

Register Here

The Raytown School District follows a centralized enrollment process, which starts at the Enrollment Center and is an individualized process for each family. All students must live within the school district boundaries, submit the required documents to the Residency Office and submit an online registration to complete the enrollment process.

In order to prevent potential exposure to infectious diseases, promote social distancing and decrease congestion at the Enrollment Center all student enrollments will be processed online.

Online enrollment for the 2020-21 school year opens on July 27, 2020.

All documentation for proof of residency will be accepted electronically by:

• Uploading into SISK12 Parent Portal
• Emailing Documents to residency@raytownschools.org
• Faxing Documents to 816-268-7079
• Drop Box provided at the Enrollment Center can also be utilized.

Appointments must be pre-arranged through the Enrollment Department. The department will not be able to accommodate walk-in appointments. Guidelines are:

• Six-foot social distancing rule will apply.
• Parents will be greeted without physical contact.
• Masks will be required for entrance into the Enrollment Center
• Enrollment appointment must be pre-approved through the department enrolling.
• As in the past, an interpreter may be provided
• Goggle Docs will be used to set appointments 1.5 hours apart in order to service one family at a time
• Area will be cleaned after each scheduled appointment