Raymond School District Shares Update on Reopening Model

Grades Six through 12 to Transition to Fully Remote Learning for Two Weeks after Thanksgiving Break

RAYMOND — Superintendent Tina McCoy would like to share information about changes to the Raymond School District’s reopening plan that will be put in place for the upcoming holiday season.

All students in grades six through 12 will transition to fully remote learning from Monday, Nov. 30 to Friday, Dec. 11 following the Thanksgiving break. High school students who attend the Seacoast School of Technology will be allowed to attend those classes in-person during this two week period and transportation to and from SST and Raymond High School will be provided daily. During this time, some students in grades six through 12 may be provided with targeted educational supports on-site, but only by appointment or prior arrangement. School sports will continue as planned during this time, and the Before School program and Learning Enrichment Afterschool Program (LEAP) will also remain open during this two week period as well.

All other grades (pre-K through grade five) will continue to follow their regularly scheduled learning routines during this time. This means that the Raymond Preschool Program and Lamprey River Elementary School will be open for all students, and students in grades four and five at Iber Holmes Gove Middle School will continue to follow their hybrid schedules.

All students who attend school on-site will resume their normal hybrid schedules on Monday, Dec. 14.

This decision was necessary due to staffing challenges and anticipated staffing challenges following the Thanksgiving break, and is not due to the spread of COVID-19 in the schools. The district is experiencing a severe shortage of substitute teachers at a time when many employees cannot work on-site due to a wide range of valid reasons including mandatory quarantining, child care challenges due to other school systems transitioning to fully remote education, and underlying health conditions. Under the district’s reopening plan, individuals who travel outside of the New England region must quarantine upon their return. 

This change also allows for substitute teachers who work with higher grades to be available to assist with lower grades if needed.

Free meals will remain available for all Raymond students during this time and families are encouraged to take part in the program. Meals must be pre-ordered online here. Those who wish to receive meals during the remote learning period must order meals for the weeks before and after Thanksgiving by 7 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 20. Menus for remote breakfasts and lunches for November and December can be found online:

• November remote breakfast menu 
• November remote lunch menu  
• December remote breakfast menu 
• December remote lunch menu

Those with questions may contact School Nutrition Services Director Judy DiNatale at 603-895-6616 ext. 2345 or at j.dinatale@sau33.com.

As a reminder, any student or staff member who is sick or showing any symptoms related to COVID-19 should stay home from school and participate in remote learning.

Students and staff will need to stay out of school for at least 14 days after the onset of symptoms, with signs that symptoms have improved, and at least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. Parents and guardians should stay in close contact with school nurses in relation to all student illnesses. While a negative COVID-19 test result could hasten a student’s return to school, please note that it is not possible to test out of a quarantine period.

To prevent further spread of the disease in the community, the Raymond School District asks that students, families and staff take the following precautions to prevent the spread of the disease:

• Stay home if you have a fever or are not feeling well. Students should stay home from school should any new or unexplained illness, no matter how mild, develop. This precaution is meant to keep all staff and students safe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid close contact with others. When outside your home, please adhere to social distancing guidelines and keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.
• Wear a cloth face covering that covers your mouth and nose to protect others when in public areas.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Keep your child home if there is a chance that he or she has recently come into contact with someone with COVID-19, and consult the NH DHHS as needed by calling 211. 

Children may worry about themselves, their family and friends getting sick with COVID-19. Tips for talking to children about COVID-19 can be found here.

To learn more about COVID-19, please check these trusted resources:

• New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
• United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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