Congratulations to the Ray-Pec East Middle School Students of the Month for November! These students were recognized for their effort.
8th Grade (front row): Gentry Howard, Nathan Larsen, Kade Skinner, Emma Dudley, Justice Jackson, and Aaron Woo.
7th Grade (middle row): Dondrell Cheeks, Jude Harrison, Bryn Johnson, Hunter Fann, Gage Hatfield, and Caden Williams.
6th Grade (back row): Owen Dallas, Brylee Predmore, Amarion Spencer, Olivia Ly, Nolan Milligan, and America Cristal Vega Espinoza.
More than 100 juniors and seniors from Ray-Pec High School serve as A+ tutors throughout our district. Here are pictures of some of them working with other students in our district! #Herewego
2018 Ray-Pec graduate Song Waltz and a colleague were rehearsing today for a special performance on Saturday.
Song will be a featured soloist as part of the halftime entertainment for the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. The halftime entertainment includes a concert by the West Point band.
The annual Army-Navy football game features a lot of history and pageantry. This year, the rivalry game is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. You can watch the game on CBS.
Here's hoping that they show the halftime show!
School Board member Janet Jones (with red ball) played a game of WhoVille during a physical education class today at Stonegate Elementary. She was visiting schools with Superintendent Dr. Mike Slagle.
Today the Innovation Academy hosted their Winter Wonderland Dinner! A grant from the Raymore-Peculiar Education Foundation helped sponsor the event, along with a generous donation of meat from Midwest BBQ Equipment. As part of the Real World Learning initiative, students are responsible for planning, decorating, and preparing food for students, staff, and families to enjoy to help kick off the holiday season. ❄️🎄
It's soccer awards season and this one is extra special. Coach Shawver has been recognized and honored by the Missouri State High School Soccer Coaches Association as SELECT Assistant Coach of the Year! 🖤💛
Patrick Hemmingsen led a 𝓬𝓸𝓸𝓵 lesson this morning as part of the wrap-up of a QFT (Question Formulation Technique a.k.a. Right Question Method) that his AP Chemistry students have been investigating this month. Students investigated intermolecular forces, phase changes, and freezing point depression to help answer the question, "Why does adding salt to icy steps and roads prevent them from freezing?"
In the lab portion of the lesson, students were able to use these properties to turn coffee creamer cups into bite sized ice cream treats. Students were VERY engaged and the experience helped students solidify their understanding of the concepts. This method of teaching was a focus at the Innovation Summit earlier this year!
On Friday BOE Vice President Deanna Olson took some time to visit the Ninth Grade Center and East Middle School. At EMS she met Lead Custodian Dawn Brumble and got to see the wall FILLED with notes of appreciation that students and staff wrote to Dawn for everything she does to make learning possible! 🖤🩵
This past Saturday the advanced coding teachers, Mr. Lersch and Mr. Conley took eight RPHS students to compete in the Missouri Hacks Computer Science Competition at MU. The students of Ray-Pec got the opportunity to sit in on a lecture from Professor Jim Ries, witness a VR demonstration, and then compete in teams in one of the Engineering Computer Labs on campus. They were prompted with a problem and had three hours to write and code an original program. They were then judged by a panel of MU Computer Science majors. Ray-Pec represented almost a third of the competitors present in this second annual event!
Ground has been broken on the Integrated Learning House! We can't wait to see some incredible learning opportunities come to life in this new space! 🤩
The Belton and Ray-Pec faculty competed in women’s and men’s volleyball matches to raise money for St. Jude’s and Heart N Hand and for annual bragging rights. The games were held at Ray-Pec High School Nov 13th. Ray-Pec DECA members coordinated the event this year with help from local sponsors: Pizza Hut, Sonic, and Dominoes. The Ray-Pec women won in 3 sets and the Belton men won in 2 sets.
Congratulations to Jayden Peek, who was selected as Cass Career Center's Senior Young Professional of the Month for November! Jayden is a student in the Cass Career EMT Academy.
The award is sponsored by the Cass County Elks Lodge #2791 and celebrates the outstanding work of Cass County youth.
Katie Huff and three LEAD Center students appeared on SONIC Locker Room Radio yesterday to explain what the Enterprise & Design program is and showcase how Special Education is integrated as well. Give it a listen! ⤵️
https://slr.news/schools/raymore-peculiar/11-13-24
Ray-Pec 7th and 8th grade choir students participated in the West Central Missouri Music Educators’ Association 7th and 8th Grade Honor Choir event on Nov. 2 on the campus of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. Students were responsible for preparing music in advance, and spent many hours in rehearsal on Nov. 2 before performing the music in a concert that afternoon on the Hendricks' Hall stage. East Middle School 7th Grader C.J. Gooch was chosen to sing a solo out of 40 students auditioning. Shea Twenter is the vocal music teacher at East Middle School. Lezlie Waltz is the vocal music teacher at South Middle School.
Participants from East Middle School:
Back row, from left: Emma Dudley, Julia Mayberry, Emma Paxton, Laney Testerman, and Irelynn Miller. Front row: Emme Mundy, Lyndlee Vandiver, Harper Linn, C.J. Gooch, and Dexter Stone.
Participants from South Middle School:
Back row, from left: Makayla Prince, Lizzie Howe, Kennedy Smith, Allie Compton, and Bri Taylor. Front row: Ky Price, Cannon Bennion, Johanna Matlock, Elle Orstad, and McKenzie Dubert. Foreground: Teacher Lezlie Waltz
This morning RPHS student senate hosted their annual Veterans Day breakfast. Local Scouts presented a flag raising, our Chamber Singers sang the National Anthem, and veterans received cards made from elementary students in the A+ Tutoring program.
The Boys Cross Country team ran an incredible race and placed 3rd today as a team at the State meet! Gabe Voelker, Carter Younger, and Jackson Peek all earned 1st team All-State as well! Congratulations! 👏👏👏
Boys:
Gabe Voelker: 4th - 15:09.1
Carter Younger: 16th - 15:36.9
Jackson Peek: 24th - 15:47.9
Elijah Smith: 36th - 16:05.3
Chase Davis: 50th - 16:16.2
Cooper Blevins: 147th - 17:39.7
Ethan Hunziker: 148th - 17:42.9
Girls:
Brooke Stephenson: 103rd - 20:15.4
Maryn Clausing: 144th - 21:07.3
Parents as Teachers is celebrating their 40th Anniversary today!
Parents as Teachers is the district's earliest form of intervention as they serve families with children prenatal-age 5. In 2023-24 our 7 amazing Parent Educators conducted 1,335 personal visits, 331 screenings, and held 12 fun and engaging group connections.
Missouri is the only state where Parents As Teachers is a component of their department of education.
You can learn more about PAT on our website: raypec.org/o/selc/page/parents-as-teachers
Parent Educators: Vickie Adamson, Ellen Briggs, Mary Katie Hamby, Victoria Nevins-Howe PAT DESE Consultant, Sabrina Ethridge-Krawchuk, Cindy Westergaard, Jessica Wood. Program Supervisor: Dr. Mary Shatford
We extend sympathy to family and friends of Ray-Pec Academy Teacher and High School Soccer Coach Jon Shawver, who passed away Oct. 29.
Mr. Shawver had been a teacher in the district since 2005, teaching first at Ray-Pec High School and then at the Academy since the 2011-2012 school year. He was a longtime soccer coach for boys and girls at Ray-Pec High School. Mr. Shawver touched the lives of many students.
A memorial visitation is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 East 39th St., Independence. A memorial service is scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, at Speaks Suburban Chapel.
https://www.speakschapel.com/obituaries
The Ray-Pec High School Band and Orchestra are in Florida! They performed the soundtrack to "Despicable Me" on a Universal Soundstage and learned about sound design and the art of Foley.
Directors are: Jennifer Byrne, Briana Henzel, and Dillon Jarrett.
Earlier this month, 10 Ray-Pec DECA students attended the DECA Missouri State Fall Leadership Conference and Elections in St. Louis. Students attended workshops, a keynote speaker, and training sessions designed to help students develop leadership skills and understand DECA's competitive events.
Ray-Pec student Isabel Blakely was elected DECA District 3 Vice President for the 2024-2025 school year. As part of the State Officer Action Team, she will take part in officer training and planning DECA events for the school year for the state of Missouri.
Back row: Isabel Blakely, Elijah Parker, Jacob Powell, Logan Balentine, Noella Green
Front row: Gio Dominguez Delosantos, Dinah Hodgson, Clara Otta, Claire Driskill, Kiara Powell
