RHS Newsletter

November 13, 2007

Dear Raymond High School Families,

            We have now started the second quarter of our school year.  Report cards were distributed to students on November 9, 2007.  Please call the guidance office if you have not received a copy of your son or daughter’s report card.    As we move forward with our technological capabilities I would like to use the email system to distribute information to families.  Please email s.diamond@sau33.com if you as a parent or guardian would like to receive this newsletter and other information via email.  We need student’s full name, parent/guardians full name, and email address to have information sent too if you respond to this request.

            The Raymond High School staff, parents, and students continue to work on self studies for the NEASC visit that is fast approaching.  The NEASC visit will take place April 13 -16, 2008.  As committees wrap up their reports and share them with the staff I will make them public for the Raymond community to review.  If there are any questions regarding NEASC  or the visitation please call me at 895-6616 extension 2306.

Reach High Scholars Program

The Program’s objective is to encourage RHS students with outstanding academic, athletic and leadership qualifications to pursue admittance to highly competitive colleges.  It is being organized by the RHS Alumni Association in conjunction with a group of parents and RHS faculty members.  An introductory meeting will take place at RHS in the Cafeteria at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, November 27, 2007, to which interested students and their parents are invited.

The intention is to inspire more RHS students to aim for one of the 60 to 65 top colleges and universities in the country. Attached is a list of colleges and universities that are the focus of the program.

The target schools are very academically challenging and highly selective in their admissions. Although the published price of attending these schools is high, they offer significant aid that, depending on a family’s financial resources, can cover as much as 100% of the cost. 

Several RHS alumni have gone to one of these schools, including the people on the enclosed list.  They are within reach, academically and financially, for highly-qualified students who will be encouraged to “reach high” and “go for it.”

At the meeting, there will be brief discussions of the following topics:

I.                   Introduction and General Description of the Program

II.                Why Attend a Highly Competitive College?

III.             Differences and Similarities Among These Colleges

IV.       How to Decide Which Colleges Might Be Appropriate for a Student 

V.        How to Prepare to be a Viable Candidate

VI.              The Admissions and Financial Aid Process

VII.         Q. & A. and General Discussion             

From the School Nurse

 The Cold and Flu Season is beginning. The common cold is a mild infection of the nose and throat and many different viruses cause it.  Symptoms of the common cold include: stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, cough, and fever.

Influenza (aka, the flu) is also caused by a virus and symptoms can be: fever, headache, congestion, cough, muscle ache and fatigue.

These viruses are transmitted from one person to another in respiratory secretions and are scattered into the air through sneezing or coughing and may land on surfaces touched by other persons, who then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.

Some ways to prevent getting a cold or flu include:

The BEST PREVENTION AND STOPPING THE SPREAD OF THESE VIRUSES IS HANDWASHING, especially after using the bathroom and before eating.

Coughing or sneezing into your arm instead of your hand.

Getting rest and drinking plenty of fluids.

Students should stay home from school if they have a temperature of 100 degrees or higher and return to school when fever free.

Over the counter medicines like pain relievers (Tylenol, Motrin) and decongestants can be used to help with the symptoms. At Raymond High School, Tylenol and Motrin are available for students to take with a signed permission form from parents. If you want your child to take a decongestant or other cold medicine while at school, the medicine should be brought to the nurse and a signed permission form must be completed. NO student should be bringing over the counter medicine to school.

Information on MSRA

A skin infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics are known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

Staph bacteria can be found in the nose and on the skin of people. A staph infection can be a pimple, rash, boil, or an open wound.  Sometimes MSRA can cause a serious infection if the bacteria enter the body through an injury to the skin. Symptoms of a MRSA skin infection include redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness of the skin, and boils or blisters.

Staph (MSRA) can rub off the skin of one person on to the skin of another during rigorous skin-to-skin contact. Staph bacteria can also come off the infected skin of a person onto a shared object. Examples of commonly shared personal objects include towels, soap, razors and athletic equipment.

To prevent you and your family from getting a skin infection, HANDWASHING with soap and warm water is KEY.  Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered and DO NOT share personal items with other people.

Raymond High School takes many steps to prevent the spread of skin infections. The locker rooms, benches in the locker rooms and cafeteria tables are disinfected nightly. These areas are also cleaned with a bleach solution every weekend. Classroom desks are also disinfected on a regular basis.

For more information on staph skin infections and MSRA, check the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services website, www.dhhs.nh.gov or call the nurse at the school 895-6616 x2304.

Student Council News

Student Council will be conducting its annual Food Drive beginning November 5^th and running until November 16^th.   Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to donate any non-perishable goods through their RAP advocate.  Student Council members will collect food from classrooms on the following dates: November 6, 9, 14, and 16.   In conjunction with Raymond Community Center and other groups, we hope to make a significant contribution to Raymond families who are in need this season.  We need all kinds of items from canned vegetables to boxed rice and pasta, to baby food and juice.  You may also donate personal care items and infant supplies such as canned formula and diapers; also, any monetary donations (in the form of a check made out to RHS Student Council) or gift cards to local supermarkets are also welcome.  Please do your part.  If every person at RHS brought in a single item, we could feed over 30 entire families!   As an added incentive, we will continue to award Spirit Points to classes who participate in donating.  When your family goes grocery shopping in the next week or two, toss in one or two items for donation.  Thanks for lending a hand to your neighbors!

On November 9 – 10, the RHS Student Council will travel to Waterville Valley for the annual New Hampshire Association of Student Councils State Leadership Conference.  Council members will meet with approximately 350 – 400 other student leaders from around the state to get the latest on schools in NH and student leadership opportunities and responsibilities. 

Class of 2008 News

The Class of 2008 is sponsoring a bus trip to New York City, Saturday December 8th.  The bus will leave LRES at 4:45am and return from New York at about midnight Saturday.  The cost of the trip is $55 per seat.  If you are 18 or under, you need to have a chaperone accompany you.  The seats are first come, first serve and the bus is filling up.  If you'd like to sign up, you can send your check for $55 to Kristin Ozana, Senior Class Co-Advisor: Raymond High School, 45 Harriman Hill Road, Raymond.  Or call 895-6616, ext. 2482 or you can email k.ozana@sau33.com for more details.  Thank you for supporting RHS Class of 2008.