Raccoon Grade School

Hello RGS families - I wanted to remind everyone why we are not accepting RAPID negative COVID tests to return to school. The false negative rate of RAPID tests can be up to 40% (depending on onset of symptoms) . Due to this, we feel it is in the best interest of students and staff that a symptomatic student should have a Diagnostic COVID Test. This test normally takes 2-5 days to get the results. Please call me at the school if you have any questions. Thanks, Nurse Inlow

Boys basketball game tonight VS Kell https://fb.me/e/1w9wSB7a4

Volleyball link for tonight's game vs Kell https://fb.me/e/3nmEYv7yc

Monday is the last day to send your Raccoon Valentine a CRUSH soda!

Good morning RGS families! I wanted to clarify some guidelines regarding "household contacts" of SUSPECTED COVID (+) individuals. If there is a member of the household (living in the same house) that is experiencing COVID-like symptoms and/or awaiting COVID test results, then your student MUST quarantine at home until the household member's symptoms have resolved and/or the pending COVID test is negative. Your student does NOT have to exhibit symptoms themselves to be excused from school. Please contact the school and let us know that your student will be absent. Upon hearing the circumstances, I will be able to give you more guidance on how long your student may be out. When in doubt, always call. The guidelines vary (depending on the situation) and I understand that it can be confusing. Please let me know if you have any questions. As always, thank you for continuing to keep our school safe! Nurse Inlow :)

Good Morning Raccoon families! Remember to please let Mrs. Johannes or I know if your student or household has been in contact with a COVID case or is symptomatic. We can't wait to see everyone tomorrow, but want to make sure that everyone is returning healthy! Thanks again for all of your continued efforts in keeping our community safe! Nurse Inlow

We would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Christmas break! While you are enjoying time away from school, please monitor COVID symptoms and contacts. If you become symptomatic, are a close contact or household member to a known positive case or test positive, please keep us updated. Contact Mrs. Inlow at kinlow@raccoonschool.org or 618-367-1219 or Mrs. Johannes at mjohannes@raccoonschool.org or 618-231-4050. If you are traveling, please be mindful of symptoms upon return. If you are traveling outside of the country, please contact Mrs. Johannes for verification of return to school. We want to do our best to provide the most healthy environment that we can when the students return on January 4th. It will take us all working together! Thank you and have a blessed holiday!

Reminder to parents/guardians: If your student has been absent due to COVID, COVID symptoms, or sent home from school for symptoms please call to verify that your student may return to school PRIOR to sending them. If you have any questions call me at school or email me at kinlow@raccoonschool.org. Thanks for your cooperation in keeping our school healthy, Nurse Inlow

This is a message for those who ride Mary and Rick's bus routes. Mary will be picking up kids on her route ten minutes earlier on Monday morning. Mary will then start Rick's route around 7:35, so please watch for the bus as times will not be as usual. We are sorry for this inconvenience, but we are short a bus driver. Thank you, Mrs. Johannes

Raccoon Families - During our Thanksgiving break and when we return to school, we want to make sure everyone stays healthy. If your student(s) begins having COVID-like symptoms or is a close contact to a known or probable COVID positive individual, please communicate with me. My email address is kinlow@raccoonschool.org. I will be checking it periodically and will get back with you as soon as I can. Let's keep our school a safe and healthy place! Thanks, Nurse Inlow

Jr. High Students - Please check your Math Google Classroom stream for an important message from Mrs. Alli regarding remote learning. 6th Grade - Please check your GC page for Homeroom, as Mrs. Alli has attached a Google Doc that includes a very detailed explanation of your schedule.

10/3/20 Raccoon Families and Staff: A second positive case in one classroom has been confirmed. Since we have two confirmed cases in one classroom, the school has been directed by the Marion County Health Department that we will have to go remote, starting Monday October 5th. The students will be able to return to school on October 19th. Students should have taken everything home that they needed on Friday, in case this was to happen. Meals will be delivered to all homes on Monday by noon. If you would like to continue receiving meals during this remote learning time, please call the office on Monday at 532-7329 to be placed on the list. Staff will be at school during this remote learning time and will be conducting classes remotely from their classrooms. We now have Wi-Fi access in our parking lot. QNS will be here Monday morning to make sure everything is working properly. Students will be able to access it using their student accounts. We will continue to follow the advice of and cooperate with the Marion County Health Department as information comes to us. Please call the office if you have any additional questions. Sincerely, M. Johannes

Dear Parents & Guardians, I wanted to let you know that at this time, we are continuing in-person learning. As you are aware, we only have to close school for two weeks if there are two positive cases in one classroom. At this time, we do not meet that criteria. We are waiting on test results from an individual and as a precaution, teachers sent home school items today. I will update you if there are any changes. Again, at this time, we will be in school on Monday. Thank you! Mrs. Johannes Superintendent

With the weather getting colder, please send a jacket/hoodie with your child daily. Thanks, Nurse Inlow

So proud of all the RGS runners today at the New Horizon meet. Top 3 runners in each race received a medal! Way to go Raccoon Devils!

Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade midterms will be sent home today. Please sign and return to their teacher. Kindergarten does not need to return). Tomorrow on 9/24 3rd-8th grade midterms will be posted online on Teacherease. Parents need to view their child's midterm and then respond to their teacher that you have seen it by way of email by Monday, September 28th. If you don't have email, please send a note to confirm that you saw the midterm. Thank You

Tomorrow (Wednesday 9/16 ) is picture day. Everyone will be photographed for the yearbook even if a student is not personally purchasing pictures. PLEASE SEND PICTURE ORDER FORMS TODAY! All students that have already turned their order in or bring it today and give it to their teacher will receive a special treat. It is a very busy day & can be very hectic if students have to call their parents because they forgot their order form. Also you can order online as well. Have a great day! Checks are made to Inter-State Studio. Thanks for helping us avoid the chaos tomorrow! Have a great day!

Good morning Raccoon parents/guardians. I wanted to let all of you know of a change in our guidelines regarding symptomatic students and their siblings. From here on out, if a student is sent home with COVID-19 symptoms, their siblings/household contacts will be sent home as well. All students from that household may return with one of the following: a Drs note (with an alternative diagnosis), a negative COVID test, or after 10 days from the date they are sent home. If you have any questions, please call the school and speak to me. Thanks - Nurse Kristin

Hi Raccoon families - I wanted to let you all know that we have 2 confirmed cases of strep throat. These students are being treated. Please talk to your students about the importance of hand washing. We will continue our efforts with extra cleaning and social distancing. As always we are doing our best to keep all of our Raccoon Families safe and healthy. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks - Nurse Inlow

Parents/guardians: Please have conversations with your students regarding symptoms and the importance of being honest. While we do not want to send students home, if they complain of symptoms, we must follow the guidelines. Please review the COVID guidelines attached. If you have any questions feel free to call me at school. Thanks - Nurse Inlow