The C-2 View Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2024

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RQS Day 2024

RQS Day 2024 was a fun-filled celebration of our schools and all the great things that happen here. RQS Day is our community-wide spirit day where students, staff and community members wear school colors, spirit wear or red and blue to show their support. Thank you to all of the community members and businesses that partnered with us to share about this day and joined in on the fun via social media. We appreciate the support of our schools! #RQSforward

November Ray of Hope Awardees

Congratulations to Brielle S. and Elliott B. on their selection to the Missouri Music Educators Association All-State Children’s Choir. You exemplify the spirit of hope and positivity and your efforts inspire and uplift both your school and our entire district. Thank you for your dedication to excellence within the Raytown Schools Learning Community. Find out more about these students by watching this video that highlights their achievements. *Pictured above is Brielle but both Elliott and Brielle are featured in the video.

Our Schools | Spotlight on Attendance

Attendance Recognition at Robinson Elementary

Good attendance is key to student success. In an effort to encourage regular attendance many buildings are offering incentives and rewards for specific achievements. Robinson Elementary recently celebrated with students that had 95% attendance or better. Students were able to enjoy an ice cream party with their friends to celebrate their success.

For more info about "good attendance" and what that means, visit our website attendance page here.

Cold and Flu Season is Here. How do I know when my student should stay home?

RQS Illness Guidelines:

Students should not come to school if they have any of these symptoms in the last 24 hours:

Fever at or above 100.4° F
Vomiting
Diarrhea

Students must be free of all of these symptoms for 24 hours before returning to school.

Those with doctor's orders to stay home also should not come to school.

Not sure? Please review the infographic on our website. Click here. Contact your student's school nurse if you still need guidance.

Attendance Recognition at Blue Ridge Elementary

Students at Blue Ridge with *perfect* attendance for the first quarter were rewarded with a fun outing at Graceway Church. Graceway is the community partner with Blue Ridge. Congrats to these students on missing zero minutes of school!

Arts & Activities

RHS Boy's Swimming Wins Conference Meet

Congrats are in order for the Raytown High School Boys Swim and Dive Team. They finished at the top of the Greater Kansas City White Conference. They also had nine athletes that qualified to compete at the state competition. 🏊‍♂️ Way to go Bluejays!

RQS DAY | Why I Love My School Winners

In honor of our amazing schools, RQS hosted the first "Why I Love my School" creative contest in partnership with the Raytown Educational Foundation. The winners will receive a $100 gift card and a certificate. Their work and stories will also be featured in our December Ray of Hope celebration at the December 9 board meeting. Thank you to all that entered!

Elementary Winners

Jade S., Vada L., & Samantha B.

Secondary Winners

Harper M., Elsa D., & Anniese G.

Rockin' with REF

The first ever "Rockin' with REF" event helped pre-k and elementary families enjoy some family fun while learning more about what the Raytown Educational Foundation is all about. This event included a DJ, snacks and a rockin' good time. Thank you to the Raytown Educational Foundation for hosting this new event and helping our community come together for our schools. You can watch a recap video that REF put together here.

Our Staff

Wellness Champions

Did You Know? Each RQS building has a building Wellness Champion that helps provide staff with resources and mindfulness about overall wellness. For the first quarter the focus was on nutrition. "This person models healthy eating habits by consuming a balanced diet and encourages others to do the same."

Congrats to our first quarter building wellness champion winners:

Maram Mfaddi, Teacher | Raytown Middle School

Laura Homan, Teacher | Blue Ridge Elementary

Deborah Sands, Head Start Coordinator | Three Trails Preschool

To nominate someone from your building, visit the wellness board at your building or ask your building Wellness Champion. If you are a staff member and you are unsure of who your building wellness champion is, you can reach out to HR to inquire. hr@raytownschools.org

Parents as Teachers | Meet the Team

Parents as Teachers is an evidence-based parent education and family engagement model serving families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten. The RQS Parents as Teachers team made nearly 1500 visits during the 2023-24 school year and boasts a 91% retention rate for families enrolled in the program. For more info about Parents as Teachers and to apply for the program visit our website.

Happening Throughout the District

Backpack donation from United Way of Greater Kansas City and Garmin

Thank you to the United Way of Greater Kansas City & Garmin for providing additional school supplies and backpacks to our district. These items will be shared with our student support services team to distribute as needed. We welcome many new students during the school year and these supplies will help give them a great start in our district. Thank you to all the employees of Garmin for making this possible.

RQS Referral Program

Our very own employees are the best recruiters for our school community. The RQS Employee Referral Program is available for most current RQS employees. To refer an employee, the existing employee should fill out a form via Talent Ed once the employee is hired.

Other important details about the referral program:

Refer a teacher and get up to a $500 referral stipend
Refer a substitute and get up to a $250 referral stipend. (Sub needs to work at least 5 times before receiving a stipend.)
Candidate must remain employed with RQS for at least 60 days before receiving referral stipend.

View open positions here.

For questions about the employee referral program you can email HR at HRinfo@raytownwschools.org

*most employees are eligible for the referral program. Some exceptions do apply. If you need clarity, email HR at the email above.

Cookies with Santa at the RQS Wellness Center

Raytown Quality Schools Wellness Center is hosting their annual "Cookies with Santa" event on Saturday, December 7, 2024. Registration is required to book your time. Click here to pick your time. Don't wait, this event is popular and will fill up fast! Happy Holidays! For questions about this event, email michael.deen@raytownschools.org

Important Dates & Observances

Check out all the things we celebrated this month!

Parents as Teachers Day: Monday, November 8, 2024
STEM Day: Monday, November 8, 2024
National School Psychologists Week: November 11-15, 2024
Veterans Day: November 11, 2024
RQS Day - community wide spirit day: November 14, 2024
Substitute Educators Day: November 22, 2024
No School - Fall Break: November 25-29, 2024
Thanksgiving Day: November 28, 2024
Native American Heritage Day: November 29, 2024
To view the complete calendar, visit our website here.

Have something you want to see us share in our newsletter or social media? Email us at communications@raytownschools.org for consideration.