Raymond School District Closure Extended Through End of Academic Year

All New Hampshire Schools Closed for Remainder of Current Academic Year

RAYMOND, N.H. — Superintendent Tina McCoy announces that, in accordance with a new order from Gov. Chris Sununu, all Raymond School District schools will remain closed through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year as a precaution against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statewide closure of schools, originally set to end on April 3 and later extended to May 4, has been further extended through the end of the school year.

The last day of school for preschool and kindergarten students will now be Friday, May 29, and the last day for all other students in the district will be Friday, June 5.

The extended closure of schools is an unprecedented step in limiting the potential spread of COVID-19 and continuing the practice of social distancing as more positive cases and deaths are announced in the state each day.

While schools remain closed, the district’s food pick-up service for students and families will continue. Families will still be able to pick up bagged lunches on Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Iber Holmes Gove Middle School, 1 Stephen Batchelder Parkway.

Meals can also be delivered to those who are unable to pick up the bagged lunches or do not feel comfortable doing so. The meals are free of charge to all Raymond students, but orders for delivery must be placed online. More information from School Nutrition Services Director, Judy DiNatale, such as instructions and deadlines for placing orders, can be found here.

All athletic programs, events and after school activities will remain suspended and fields, playgrounds and play areas will remain closed until further notice.

State testing has been cancelled. Discussions are underway to reschedule or create alternative ways to host any events that may have been cancelled or postponed — such as the Raymond High School graduation — due to the school closures. Those dates will be announced at a later time. 

“Though we are saddened that the school year will end this way, we understand the importance of keeping the schools closed during this pandemic in order keep community members safe,” Superintendent McCoy said. “I’m proud of the incredible job teachers, students and their families have done adjusting to this change. We will continue to work hard and keep students engaged with their learning for the remaining weeks until the last day of school.”

Remote Learning

Remote learning will continue through the end of the school year and new content will be introduced to students by their teachers.

Teachers and administrators have worked since the initial school closure to ensure that students have remained connected to their school community and classwork. If you have any questions regarding remote learning lessons or assignments, please contact your child’s teacher directly. If you are experiencing any technical problems, please call the District’s technology support hotline during regular school hours at 603-690-9005.

During the school closure, teachers have remained vigilant and mindful of their individual students’ needs and have made adjustments according to those needs. Teachers will continue to reach out to students and families on a regular basis throughout the remainder of the school year.

Students who have valid reasons to need deadline extensions or have a desire to retake a summative assessment will have the opportunity to do so during the week after the school year has ended. Parents or students should contact classroom teachers directly to make arrangements for extensions or retakes.

Students who have not yet met course competencies by June 5 will be provided with additional academic support and opportunities to achieve those competencies during the second week of June. Teachers will contact parents directly if these additional supports are needed for their student. 

The district wishes to provide the following tips for parents and guardians to promote social-emotional well being:

• Limit the amount of TV news that children see/hear.
• Talk to children about what is going on in age appropriate ways. For tips from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on talking to children about this pandemic, click here.
• Seek out enriching activities for students to engage in when they are not engaged in remote learning. Examples of such activities include arts and crafts projects, drawing or painting, reading, taking a walk or yoga.
• If you have questions or concerns contact your child’s teacher or counselor.
• Know that children may be upset about the situation surrounding this pandemic and acknowledge their feelings. 
• For more information on managing stress and anxiety during this pandemic, visit the CDC’s website here. 

Parents are also encouraged to use this resource to learn more about how to talk to their children about the novel coronavirus situation.

COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic this week by the World Health Organization and has moved Governor Chris Sununu to declare a State of Emergency in New Hampshire and President Donald Trump to declare a national emergency.

For more information, visit the NH DHHS website here and the CDC’s website here.

###