Raymond Central Public Schools
April 2024
From the Desk of the Superintendent...
With the Easter break behind us we need to focus our attention on the last eight weeks of school. The flowers and trees around my home are starting to show buds and signs that spring is truly here. These are subtle reminders that this is the perfect time to be inspired by the beauty that surrounds us and to renew and recharge ourselves in anticipation of all that lies ahead.
Last Student Day. Wednesday, May 22nd is scheduled to be our last student day and is also a noon dismissal with no lunch served. I am feeling fairly confident that we can make this pronouncement with a high degree of certainty.
Thank You Bus Drivers. As we move into the spring season I am reminded of how fortunate we are to have experienced and safe bus drivers. Sometimes the spring roads can be as problematic as the winter roads. The melt and moisture cause some slippery road surfaces, particularly on the apron areas of the gravel roads. When/if we have delayed buses, we try to contact all parents/guardians that will be affected by the delay (assuming the delay is more than a few minutes). The drivers are accustomed to planning accordingly for the various road conditions but there are times when delays do happen. We appreciate the tolerance, understanding and helpfulness that our parents/families extend in these circumstances. Last week we had a bus get stuck when the back tires slid into the ditch as the bus moved over to allow for oncoming traffic on a county road. We are fortunate to have friendly neighbors who assisted in pulling the bus out and a parent that willingly picked up the children from the remaining pickup points and got them to school, and a maintenance director who quickly got a substitute bus out to the site to get the students transferred and on route to school. The students were safe at all times but they did get a bit muddy during the transfer. This is another example of how it takes a village to make it all work and we are fortunate to have villages of people willing to help out.
Thank you Raymond Central Educational Foundation (RCEF). Our students and staff are fortunate to have this hard working group of board members and all of our generous donors who organized another successful IGNITE - Dinner and Auction. This annual fundraising event realized over $10,000 worth of donations to support our ‘Raise the Paddle’ special project of replacing elementary art tables and chairs. The other funds that were raised are used to support other initiatives sponsored by the foundation to include scholarships and teacher requests. The hard work of the board of directors and the generous donations from parents, patrons, businesses, and friends is very much appreciated! While the district does have a schedule to replace furniture and sets aside specified funds annually to replace equipment and furniture, this endeavor allows us to move that replacement schedule along more quickly.
Go Mustangs!
DISTRICT INFORMATION
District Health Information
The State of Nebraska requires certain vaccines and physicals for students to attend school.
Any student who does not comply with the State requirements shall not be permitted to continue
in school until he or she so complies. For additional questions please contact the District Nurse
at your child’s school building. Waivers are available upon request from the School Nurse.
The links below give the details about what your child needs at entry level for school in
Kindergarten and 7th Grade. There is also a link for community resources and available clinics
for these visits.
All students in Grades 9-12 who are going out for an athletic activity will needs a sports physical
on or after May 1st fo the next school year.
ELEMENTARY NEWS/UPDATES
Bus Route Kids Help Out Fellow Student
On March 3, 2024, a Raymond Central family lost everything to an electrical fire. After hearing of this tragedy, a bus load of Raymond Central kids decided to help out one of their own. Within two days of having a loose coin drive they raised over $200 to help one of their friends that rides on the same bus as them. It's amazing what a small group of kids can do when they get together.
Well done, RC students! You should be commended for your compassionate support of your friend!
JH/HS NEWS/UPDATES
Principal's Corner
I once had a job interview where I was only asked two questions. One of the questions was, “If we entrusted a group of students to you at the start of the year, could you guarantee that they would learn something?” At first, going to an interview and only being asked two questions seemed strange. I have thought about that interview on many occasions since. Now, I think I get it. A key question for any educator, or educational institution, is will they help students learn.
As we near the end of this school year, I can wholeheartedly say that our students have experienced learning and growth. I know this is true because of all the usual indicators– credits earned, the number of passing grades in gradebooks, the successful completion of student assignments, etc. I also know this is true because I have seen it firsthand. This year I have had the privilege of being in classrooms with your students. I have observed what happens each and every day with our capable teachers and staff. Learning is something that happens consistently at Raymond Central.
Learning and growth is not always starkly evident when you compare what you see today with what you saw yesterday. When you step back and compare what students are able to do now in contrast to August and September it is much easier to see. Students that struggled writing cohesive paragraphs at the start of the year are now able to write multi-paragraph essays. Students that had never heard of linear equations can now solve them. Students that might have stared blankly at the term Bill of Rights can now identify the 1st Amendment and how it impacts their way of life.
This is one of the exciting parts of what happens at Raymond Central everyday. We get to see students learn, grow, and mature over time. As we begin to wrap up this school year over the next 7 weeks, I hope we can all take time to celebrate the achievements of our students, and the hard work of those that helped cultivate that growth.
Counselor's Corner
April 1st No School
April 3rd Advisory Registration for SCC courses
April 13th National ACT
April 26th No School
May 3rd Deadline to register for National ACT June
May 8th Seniors last day
May 11th Graduation 2pm
May 20th-22nd Finals
May 22nd Last day of school
March 26th ACT Day
While the juniors took the ACT, 6th-10th grade experienced alternate learning activities.
6th and 7th graders heard from twelve speakers during the Holistic Health Fair. We greatly appreciate these speakers generously giving up their valuable time to share their knowledge with our students. The areas that were covered included physical health, hygiene, relationships, nutrition, sleeping habits, yoga/mindfulness, driving habits, conflict resolution, grief, digital citizenship, drugs/alcohol education, and having a growth mindset. Our trained speakers came from our community, school staff, and other organizations from Lincoln and Fremont. Check out the images below from the Holistic Health Fair.
8th grade Field Trip
8th grade enjoyed the day exploring UNL East Campus. They were able to tour the campus and learn about animal science, veterinary science, and natural resources. The leaders at UNL played challenge games with them in different sessions. They ended the day with a trip to the UNL Dairy Store for ice cream!
Freshmen Field Trip
Our 9th graders took a trip to Fremont. They explored the Metro Community College Campus in Fremont, the Lincoln Premium Poultry Factory, and Midland University. Thanks to Midland University for treating the kids to lunch on campus!
Sophomore Field Trip
10th graders toured Kawasaki Motor Corp in Lincoln before traveling to Seward. They enjoyed lunch at the Janzow Cafeteria at Concordia University before taking a tour.
BAND UPDATES!
We had a very busy past month for RC Band Program! We had 6 HS students attend Nebraska Capital Conference Honor Band, 2 HS students attend Class B All State, and wonderful performances from the 6th grade and JH band at Malcolm music contest in addition to soloists and a duet. Congrats to everyone!
We are not done yet! Check out our upcoming performances and wish them good luck! All performances are free and open to the public. We'd love to see you there!
- April 18-19: HS District Music Contest @ Milford
- Thursday, April 25th: 6-8 Band/Choir Concert @ 6:30pm in the Main Gym
- Tuesday, April 30th: HS Band/Choir Concert @ 6:30pm in the Main Gym
- Tuesday, May 7th: 3-5 Band/Choir Concert @ 6:30pm in the Main Gym
- Saturday, May 11th: HS Graduation @ 2:00pm
Thank you for your support of the music program!
ACTIVITIES/SPORTS/CLUBS INFO
YEARBOOK! Get your Yearbook!
Raymond Central District!!
The yearbook showcases EVERY student from Preschool to graduating seniors. This is our third year adding the whole district into our book and we are perfecting it every year.
Ordering is still available! Forms are available below!
Prices have now increased to the second semester prices. Yearbooks are $70 each. No discounts are available during second semester.
Order yours today!!