Ray-Pec Parent Community,
I need to make two confessions to you.
First, I am not a fan of winter.
Second, there are not many decisions that I like to make less than that of determining whether a school day will be closed to in-person learning because of inclement weather. It is definitely not my favorite part of the job. That may be one of the reasons for my first confession to you.
On the bright side, here we are in this Covid year actually discussing the topic. If you had told me in August that we would be discussing inclement weather days, I would have been very excited, knowing that we would have to be in school for that to occur. So, with that in mind, I look forward to this winter season with great anticipation and thankfulness.
Inclement Weather Days Will Be Different This Year
This year, inclement weather days in Ray-Pec will look different than in the past. In the past, inclement weather days meant that students did not attend school, and the learning day would be made up later in the school year. This year, inclement weather days will become virtual learning days for all students. Students in our ViPR program will not notice a difference in the day. Students in our in-person classes will attend classes on-line or have learning activities pre-assigned to them so that the learning will continue.
We Will Communicate in A Variety of Ways
In the event of a virtual instruction day due to inclement weather, the district will use all available media to communicate effectively:
- Our SchoolMessenger service will be used to send a recorded telephone message to all employees and the family of each student.
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A text message will be sent via Textcaster. You can sign up here.
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All subscribers of RP Update, the district's electronic newsletter, will receive an email. Subscribe by sending a message to rp.update@raypec.org.
- Information will be shared on local television stations (4, 5, 9, and 41) and some radio stations.
- An update will be available via the district information line at 816-892-3988.
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The announcement will be posted on the district website, Facebook page, and via Twitter.
I Will Try To Make The Call Early
I understand that calling an inclement weather day can cause disruptions for our families. To mitigate that to the greatest extent possible, I will try to make an inclement weather announcement by 10 p.m. the evening prior to the expected weather event. Please know that this is a goal and not a promise, as conditions can and do change overnight at times. In the event that the weather data and forecast is not clear for the next day, our communications team will send you information letting you know that a weather announcement will be made by 5:30 a.m. However, my experience tells me that the vast majority of time, those weather announcements can be made by 10 p.m. the night before.
Many of You Will Think I Made the Wrong Call
Did I mention I am not a fan of winter?
One of the truisms of being a superintendent is that not everyone will agree with a weather day decision, whether that decision is to close or remain open for that day. I will own that upfront, and ask for your patience and grace. Please know that our team will strive to make the safest, most prudent weather-related decisions relying on weather experts, their forecasts, and information from our public works partners in Raymore, Peculiar and Cass County. With over 95 square miles of varied terrain and road conditions, I have to take the entirety of the school district into consideration when making the inclement weather decision. I appreciate your understanding.
I am still not a fan of winter, but I am glad we get to talk about it.
Thanks in advance for your continued patience and grace. And thank you for entrusting your children to the Ray-Pec School District.
Mike Slagle
I am passionately driven by the belief that Everyone Is Created To Flourish
