The following is the PROPOSED 2021-2022 Safe Return to School Plan. This is not the final plan, it is a proposal. We are asking for your feedback or suggestions regarding this preliminary plan. You can provide feedback on our website: The finalized 2021-22 Safe Return to School Plan will be posted on our website by Wednesday, August 4, 2021, and go into effect on our first day with students which is Wednesday, August 11, 2021.
In our most recent discussions with public health agencies, they emphasized how ‘fluid’ the plans are at this time. Raymond Central Public Schools continues to work collaboratively with Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department and Three Rivers Public Health Department to develop plans that will be safe and effective for our operations.
We will continue to review and update the plan on our webpage and communicate changes to our families through the website, email, and social media. Please be prepared for the protocols to change for a specific building, classroom, or setting based upon the community conditions and risk of spread.
General Protocols
Everyone must self-screen for symptoms prior to entering buildings.
Continue with frequent hand washing or using hand sanitizer.
Maintain 3- 6 feet whenever feasible.
Continue using enhanced disinfecting practices and daily cleaning of all classrooms
Regular changing of air filters as per manufacturer recommendations.
Students and staff should stay home when they have signs of any infectious illness and continue to monitor their health conditions.
Face Coverings
The Raymond Central Schools plan for face coverings is influenced by the current community conditions and recommendations from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department and Three Rivers Public Health. Please note: The requirement for face coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom.
Staff and Students
For staff and students who are fully vaccinated, face coverings are OPTIONAL. For staff and students who are not fully vaccinated, face coverings are RECOMMENDED, but not required. This status will be based on a self-identified system.
Volunteers and Visitors During the School Day
For volunteers and visitors who are fully vaccinated, face coverings are OPTIONAL. We encourage adults who are not fully vaccinated to consider wearing a face covering.
Transportation - Buses
We will follow the guidelines used in the school building unless there are federal or state requirements that would necessitate the use of face coverings. <This is still being evaluated on the basis of the federal guidelines for public transportation which indicates that drivers and passengers MUST wear face coverings.>
COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 vaccines will not be required by Raymond Public Schools.
Exclusion From School
Quarantine and Exclusion requirements are established in consultation and at the direction of the Lincoln Lancaster Health Department and/or Three Rivers Health Department. The following are the protocols if you are identified as a close contact with a positive case.
Vaccinated individuals WITHOUT symptoms need to self-monitor for symptoms, but no longer need to quarantine or miss school as long as they remain symptom-free.
Unvaccinated individuals WITHOUT symptoms will still need to stay home for 10 days without testing, or 7 days if they receive a negative test after the 5th day.
ALL close contacts WITH symptoms still need to quarantine for the full 14 days, even with a negative test result.
Remote Learning
The District plans to operate in a traditional learning environment during the 2021-2022 school year. The only possibility of another education setting would be if there is a state or federal mandate that requires another course of action. The Remote Learning Program will not be an option for any student in the 2021-22 school year. Students who are in MS/HS should contact their guidance counselor to set up a class schedule. Extended excused absences from in-person school (including those in quarantine) will be handled as they were prior to the pandemic. It is the responsibility of the student to contact their teachers and make up work which has been missed because of any absence. The school staff will work with the students on an individual basis and use a variety of tools to assist the student in their efforts to continue their learning in these situations.
Continuity of Services
If the district is closed due to a mandatory closure by state or federal officials, ALL K-12 students have a digital learning tool provided to ensure continuity of instruction. In addition, students will continue to be provided accommodations as stated in their IEP or 504 plans during remote learning. Parent input will be sought to develop a plan for the provision of remote IEP services and student progress will be reviewed by the student’s team when in-person learning resumes.
If the school district is closed due to mandatory closure by state or federal officials, breakfast and lunch may be provided to students through a USDA-approved system. School counselors and mental health support staff will be available online by appointment for any students or staff in need of assistance.
Communication of a Positive Case
We will continue to communicate with individuals who are identified as high-risk close contacts with a positive case. We will no longer be sending building-wide messages or district messages. The school community can monitor the positive case numbers through the public access resources from the public health department and/or state health department.
Public Comment Requirements
July 14, 2021
Draft shared with Board of Education for review and input.
July 15, 2021 - July 23, 2021
The draft will be posted on the school district webpage. The district will collect feedback from all stakeholders using a digital feedback form.
July 26, 2021
The final draft will be shared with board members for review and input.
The public will be able to share comments through a public comment agenda item.
The Raymond Central School Board would like to announce the hiring of an Interim Superintendent for the 2021-22 school year. Lynn Johnson has officially accepted the offer to serve in this capacity. The board offered her the job after interviewing three finalists on Monday, June 14th in the district.
Board President Dr. Harriet Gould said, “We had a strong pool of candidates and we felt really good about all three finalists that were interviewed. However, it was clear that Lynn had the experience and knowledge to move our district forward next year. She is a proven leader that will keep us moving forward. We really look forward to working with her.”
Lynn has served the Harlan Community School District in Harlan, IA for the past two years. Her previous tenure was all in Nebraska where she served as the Arlington, NE District Superintendent for 10 years. Some of her notable accomplishments include oversight of an $8 million dollar addition/renovation project and a $3 million dollar HVAC project. She also successfully helped pass a bond issue. Instructionally, she implemented Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) and expanded course offerings for students.
As a Nebraska Superintendent, Lynn served in multiple leadership roles through the Nebraska State Association of Superintendents (NASA). These included serving as the Region II President and earning the Region II Distinguished Service Award. She also was active in the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals (NSASSP) organization where she was President of the Executive Board and served as a mentor to new principals.
Lynn earned her Specialist Degree in Educational Administration from Wayne State College in 2007. Her Masters in Secondary Administration was earned from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Her Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Math Education was from Fort Hayes State University.
Lynn was excited to accept the position saying, “I am excited to have the opportunity to work in a District that demonstrates a growth mindset and has such a strong commitment to serving students. My husband Steve and I have three grown children and two grandchildren. In our free time, we enjoy spending time with family, golfing, and following local athletic teams.”
Mrs. Johnson will be in the district starting the week of June 21 and officially begin her duties on July 1, 2021. Grundmeyer Leader Services assisted with the Interim Superintendent recruiting and hiring process and will continue to work with the board to hire a long-term superintendent starting in October.
We are trying to expand our live streaming capabilities. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel “rc activities” so you can cheer on your Mustangs from anywhere.
Raymond Central FBLA is hosting a Craft Fair on October 21, 2021 and are looking for Crafters, Vendors, and Food Vendors to participate. Find out more information here:
The Raymond Central Before and After School Program is hosting a number of clubs this semester for not only students enrolled in the program but also those that are not in the program. Below are registration links with additional information for LEGO Club, K’nex Club, and a Valentine card making day. Keep an eye out throughout the semester for information concerning upcoming clubs.
Summer Program Survey: The Raymond Central Before and After School Program through Civic Nebraska is developing a summer program and needs your input to decide what the program will look like! We cannot operate without the support of community members like you.
Details such as program site, schedule and cost are being evaluated and will depend upon interest and participation. Please send additional feedback or questions to Kara Nelson at kara.nelson@civicnebraska.org.
New Payment Structure: Civic Nebraska has created a new payment structure for Before and After School, programs to better fit family needs.
Billing will be based on the number of days within the calendar month that your child attends a Civic Nebraska CLC program. It will still be billed as weeks, with a 2-week minimum each month. We encourage you to bring your child every day so that they get the most from our programs.
At the beginning of each month, you will receive an invoice for the prior month. You will get billed for 2, 3, or 4 weeks depending on how many days your child attends during that month. Payment is due upon receipt. The base pay is $75 per week per child (see scholarship information below).
Less than 10 days = 2 weeks
11-16 days = 3 weeks
17-22 days = 4 weeks
Scholarships: Civic Nebraska also has scholarships available for the Before and After School program. Please contact Kara Nelson for additional information concerning the payment structure and scholarships.
The UNL Department of Educational Psychology has received a grant from the Swanson Foundation which allows them to offer mental health services to rural schools.
From Dr. Michael Scheel, Chair of the UNL Department of Educational Psychology:
The UNL Department of Educational Psychology would like to offer counseling and psychological services, as well as consultation services to the schools and communities of Southeast Nebraska. We run a mental health counseling and therapy clinic and we are offering counseling and consultation services to teachers, administrators, students, and community members of Southeast Nebraska. Services will be provided through remote and confidential means (i.e., Zoom conferencing). We are hoping that schools, families, and individuals contact us to schedule an appointment for a telehealth counseling or consultation session.
We have recently learned that a donor will support our work with individuals living in rural Southeast NE by paying all fees for services. Thus, whoever seeks out our services will simply have to indicate they live in Southeast Nebraska, and any services we provide will be paid for through the UNL Foundation. Individual, couple, and family counseling will be provided without financial expense. Additionally, we can provide teachers, school administrators, school counselors, and school social workers consultation services for students of their schools without charge.
We are very excited to enter a partnership with schools and communities of SE Nebraska to promote mental health and well-being. We are aware of the mental health counseling disparities that exist in Nebraska rural areas, and our department, our College of Education and Human Sciences, and UNL are highly interested in offering our expertise and resources with the goal of enhancing the well-being of SE Nebraska individuals, schools, and communities. We are a group comprised of licensed psychologists and psychology graduate students who regularly provide services through our clinic to the Lincoln community. We are seeking to reach beyond Lincoln to connect more with surrounding rural areas. We also are acutely aware of the importance of addressing mental health concerns right now as we all are experiencing the stress of going through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Counseling and School Psychology Clinic is a training clinic in which graduate students in counseling and school psychology work with clients under the supervision of licensed psychologists. Services are available to all on a sliding scale. For clients from SE Nebraska communities, services will be paid for through UNL Foundation funds supplied by a donor who cares deeply about the welfare of schools and communities in SE Nebraska. Counseling services are offered to improve well-being, improve academic and behavioral issues, stabilize mood, manage stress, and improve life-adjustment issues.
For more information, please visit our clinic website:
The Raymond Central community is committed to providing a positive, challenging learning environment which prepares each individual student to be a responsible citizen in an ever-changing society.
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