Updating Contact Information

The District utilizes a feature  in SISK12 called Update Household Data to update email/phone/and emergency contact information. The Update Household Data feature can be accessed through a parent's/guardian's SISK12 portal. For instructions on how to access the form, please view our instructional video at https://youtu.be/T6cbRYZHss8. If you have questions, please contact studentsupport@raytownschools.org or residency@raytownschools.org.

Immunizations

The District has identified more than 250 students who have not completed the required immunizations for the 2020-2021 school year. In-person students must be up-to-date before they start attending school on Monday,October 26. Virtual students who have not completed the required immunizations by Thursday, October 29 will be dropped from class rosters. For more information, please visit https://jacohd.org/clinical-services/immunizations/.

This message is for our parents and guardians of a child who will be attending in-person school, beginning October 26. If you are a family who selected virtual learning, please ignore this message. We are working to separate out families based on their learning selection; however, this will take time, and we may have to send mass communications for the next few weeks. 

We thank you for trusting us during this stressful time. We will continue to follow guidelines from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and local health authorities regarding COVID-19. Communication between school and home is always important, but now more than ever. We will be transparent and keep you informed of any information that would impact your child.

We have a school bus safety video for families utilizing District transportation. Additionally, the District has a dedicated site for information pertaining to reopening and COVID-19. We encourage families to review and become familiar with this site and our reopening plan. 

There will be times when it is necessary for a parent/guardian or visitor to come to school for a variety of reasons. For our return, protocols will limit the number of non-staff individuals from entering the school during the school day. We very much look forward to getting back to normal school visit protocols. 

• Building volunteers and visitors will not be allowed to visit classrooms or come for school lunch until further notice. 
• Any parent/guardian needing to drop off medication for a child will follow the same protocol to obtain the medical documentation from a physician, then will need to call the school office prior to delivering the medication to the school. The school will arrange for curbside pick-up of the medication. A parent/guardian will not need to come inside the school. Conversations with the building nurse can occur over the phone until further notice.
• If a parent/guardian needs to pick-up their child during the school day, the parent needs to call the school front office and wait in their vehicle in a parking stall. A staff member will escort the child to the parent vehicle. 
• If a parent/guardian brings a child to school after the school day has already begun, it is okay for the parent/guardian to bring the child into the school front office. We ask that the parent/guardian wear a mask while in the school office and follow physical distancing protocols. However, if a parent does not feel comfortable coming into the school, please call the school office and a staff member will come outside to pick-up your child from your vehicle. 
• Parent/guardian meetings for Individualized Education Program (IEPs), 504s, or meetings with building administrators will be conducted virtually when possible. If face-to-face meetings are necessary, face coverings will be required and physical distancing protocols will be followed.
• Building level Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings will be allowed for in-person meetings as long attendees wear face coverings and physical distancing is maintained. These meetings will need to occur when no students are in the building. Virtual meetings are preferred when feasible. 
• All student mentoring programs with school visits to other buildings such as A+ peer helpers and teaching profession students will be postponed for in-person visits until further notice. Virtual opportunities are recommended until the condition of the virus spread allows for in-person experiences to return to normal routines. 

You should receive information regarding school start and end times and car rider procedures from your child’s school.  If you have any questions about school-related procedures, please contact your student’s school.

COVID-19 is thought to be spread via person-to-person contact through contaminated air droplets from coughing and sneezing by an infected person. As with controlling the spread of other viruses, we urge everyone to take the following preventive measures:

• Wash your hands regularly, especially after using the restroom and before preparing or consuming food. Using soap and hot water, wash for about 20 seconds. Be sure to also wash your fingertips.
• Use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
• As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
• Wear masks in public settings around people who don’t live in your household and when you can’t stay 6 feet away from others. 
• All students and staff will be required to wear a mask inside at all times including PE regardless of physically exerting activities
• Students and staff are allowed to remove their masks when eating and drinking
• Students are not required to wear masks outside during recess or PE when socially distanced
• Wear masks with two or more layers 
• Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin - try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol before putting on your mask
• Don’t put the mask around your neck or up on your forehead
• Don’t touch the mask, and, if you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to disinfect​

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the regular seasonal influenza and include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Some people with COVID-19 have reported additional symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some situations, the virus can develop into pneumonia. 

It is critical for students/staff to stay home when they have symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are someone who suffers from regular seasonal allergies. Individuals who are sick should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from local healthcare providers. Individuals who need medical care should call their medical provider to report their illness prior to seeking care at a clinic, physician’s office, or hospital. Staff and students exhibiting flu-like symptoms are asked to stay home and contact the Jackson County Health Department or Kansas City Health Department (the department you call is determined by your home address) for further instructions.

If you have any questions regarding your child's schedule or anything else, please contact your child's school.

Below are a list of several reminders and updates for RQS families:

Food Services

Thursday, October 22 will be the last day for bus stop meal delivery for all students and for curbside meal pick up at preschool and elementary buildings. Curbside meal pick up will still be available for all students from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the following buildings: Raytown Middle School, Raytown Central Middle School, Raytown South Middle School, Raytown High School, and Raytown South High School. Meal service will not be available October 23, 29, and 30. 

Teacher Professional Workday

Friday, October 23 will be a professional development day for staff and this will be a non-attendance day for students.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences will take place October 26-29. There will be no school on Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school.

Reopening (PK-5, RSA & HCC)

Students in grades PK-5 who opted for in-person learning, RSA elementary students, and  Herndon Career Center students will be returning to in-person learning next week. The District has a dedicated site for information pertaining to reopening and COVID-19. We encourage families to review and become familiar with this site and our reopening plan. In-person families can also review important information pertaining to Food Services, Great Expectations, Transportation and school supplies on the District’s back to school webpage.   

Transportation

Our Transportation Department would like for elementary parents whose students will participate in-person learning to know that bus routes are currently being built. Transportation’s current plan is for emails to go out around noon Friday, October 23 with stop information (bus number, stop time, stop location). Families will also be able to access the Here Comes the Bus app starting Saturday morning to find bus stop information for their student(s).

On Monday, October 19 the Board of Education voted for middle and high school students to remain virtual for the rest of the semester. As a result of this vote:

• Preschool and Elementary will return to in person instruction (for those who select in person instruction) every day on a normal schedule starting October 26th.
• Herndon will return at their normal times: 7:40-10:10 and 11:30-2:10 on a 50% schedule on October 26th with students coming twice a week.
• Secondary (middle and high school) will remain virtual for the rest of first semester.  First semester ends January 15, 2021.
• RSA elementary will return to in person instruction (for those who select in person instruction) every day starting October 26th on their normal schedule: 7:10-2:10. RSA secondary students will remain virtual for the rest of the semester. First semester ends January 15, 2021.

During enrollment, families had the opportunity to choose between In-Person School and Virtual Learning, both offered by the Raytown School District using Raytown teachers. Secondary families who have already enrolled now have until November 1, 2020 to modify their enrollment. 

• Modification options include the choice between Raytown’s In-Person School and Virtual Learning as well as changes in transportation needs. This form can be accessed through your SISK12 parent portal. For instructions on how to access the form, please view our instructional video at https://youtu.be/W7olmEYCE6g. If you have questions, please contact studentsupport@raytownschools.org.

Details for Secondary Parents

• Families who select Virtual Learning will remain virtual for the entire second semester (the remainder of the school year). This will allow us to properly schedule all teachers and students. We are currently creating schedules for the second semester that will accommodate both virtual and in person class options for secondary students. 
• The majority of our Virtual Learning classes will be taught by Raytown School District Teachers from Raytown School District curriculum. The use of FuelEd classes to supplement Raytown Schools classes and curriculum will be determined on a case by case basis. This means that for some secondary students, class selection may be limited to those taught by our virtual teachers. Individual schools will reach out to virtual learners to enroll them in virtual classes. This process will look different from our In-Person School scheduling. If you have any questions about virtual classes, please contact your student’s school counselor. 
• You can find more information about Virtual Learning and coursework options at https://bit.ly/3i4O6S7.

You can find more information about learning opportunities for Fall 2020, including an updated draft of the RQS Reopening Reference guide at https://bit.ly/32GnvWI.

As you further consider your options for the rest of the year, we encourage you to read through the District’s reopening 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.

During Flu Season, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reminds people to observe routine public health recommendations for the prevention of any strain of influenza:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. This is how germs spread.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people. The Flu is thought to spread person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected persons.
• If you get sick, stay home from work or school to limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

As the #1 preventive measure, the American Medical Association encourages everyone, six months and older, especially pregnant women, to be vaccinated against the flu. For more information about the vaccine, please click here.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the regular seasonal influenza and include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Some people with COVID-19 have reported additional symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some situations, the virus can develop into pneumonia. COVID-19 is thought to be spread via person-to-person contact through contaminated air droplets from coughing and sneezing by an infected person.

As with controlling the spread of other viruses, we urge everyone to take the following preventive measures:

• Wash your hands regularly, especially after using the restroom and before preparing or consuming food. Using soap and hot water, wash for about 20 seconds. Be sure to also wash your fingertips.
• Use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
• As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
• Wear masks in public settings around people who don’t live in your household and when you can’t stay 6 feet away from others. 
• Wear masks with two or more layers 
• Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin - try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol before putting on your mask
• Don’t put the mask around your neck or up on your forehead
• Don’t touch the mask, and, if you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to disinfect
• Individuals may be tested for COVID-19, but testing is not recommended unless you or your child begin to show signs and symptoms of COVID-19 infection. 

If you believe you have symptoms of COVID-19, even if you are someone who suffers from regular seasonal allergies, you should stay home, separate yourself from others, monitor your health, and follow directions from local healthcare providers. Individuals who need medical care should call their medical provider to report their illness prior to seeking care at a clinic, physician’s office, or hospital. Staff and students exhibiting flu-like symptoms are asked to stay home and contact the Jackson County Health Department or Kansas City Health Department (the department you call is determined by your home address) for further instructions. 

The City of Raytown begins accepting applications October 1, 2020 for the Raytown CARES Act Small Business Grant and Individual Assistance Programs. These programs aid Raytown businesses and residents who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and can benefit from CARES Act funds to help maintain their businesses and household-related bills. 

Raytown residents who have past due rent, mortgage and utility payments may apply beginning October 1, 2020 for CARES Act Individual Assistance. Community partners, Raytown REAP and HOPE Network, will assist the City of Raytown with the program and fund distributions which will be sent directly to eligible residents, landlords, mortgage lenders and utility companies. 

For information about the Raytown CARES Act Small Business Grant and Individual Assistance Programs, please visit the program website at www.RaytownCARES.com.

Drive up, walk up, and bus delivered meal services are now available.

Beginning Monday, Sept. 28, curbside meal pick up will be available from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at both New Trails Early Learning Center and Three Trails Preschool and all elementary buildings to better accommodate the recent change to the virtual learning schedule. The curbside meal times for all other locations will remain 11:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. daily (Northwood and Raytown Success Academy do not have curbside pick up). Students can pick up meals from any district building. 

The District’s Transportation Department will also be operating meal deliveries via school bus. A breakfast and lunch meal will be provided to each participating student at each given bus stop.

Things to note that apply to all meal services:

• A student can pick up meals for their sibling(s)  (must successfully identify which student)
• A family member can pick up meals for their student(s)  (must successfully identify which student)
• An individual may not pick up meals for others
• No funds will be taken for meals at this time regardless of meal status
• Bus delivered meals:
  • See the location of your child’s bus 
  • Confirm that your child’s meal has arrived at the bus stop
  • Receive a push notification* or email message when the bus is near your stop, has been substituted, or when we have important information to relay
  • Download the Here Comes the Bus app from the App Store or Google Play. You will be asked to provide the following information:
  • Your name
  • 5-digit School Code (85888)
  • Email address used for your Here Comes the Bus account
  • Your child’s first and last name, and student ID #
  • To sign up or to learn more about Here Comes the Bus, click here.
  • Should you have any questions, please contact the Transportation Department by phone at (816) 268-7170.
  • If you need to contact Here Comes the Bus customer support, please follow this link: here.
• Secondary Meal Deliveries will be scheduled between 8:15 and 9:15 a.m.
• Early Elementary Meal Deliveries will be scheduled between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.
• Late Elementary Meal Deliveries will be scheduled between 10:45 and 11:45 a.m.
• For real-time information about your student’s meal delivery, Here Comes the Bus is a free service, and enables you to:
• Families can find their stop time and location for meal pick-up on the Raytown Schools' website, http://www.infofinderi.com/ifi/?cid=RCS28N4I9G68
  • Once you enter your address and it will show the elementary and secondary stop times. All high school and middle school are considered "secondary."
  • Students can go at either the early or late time-whichever works better in their schedule.
• Menu

• We are starting to offer some already fully cooked heat at home items to expand bus and curbside meal offerings during this time. As items are added or changed, instructions will be updated on the District Food Services website link. Please follow the instructions found on the District's website at: https://mo02210312.schoolwires.net/Page/2183.

COVID-19 Flow Chart provided by healthcare officials 

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.

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