By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
KRTN met with Raton School Superintendent, Kristi Medina and her Admin Staff to talk about going back to school and what will be expected of students and parents on August 16, 2021.
Ben Munden Raton School Maintenance Supervisor noted we have three very old buildings with the high school being built in 1959, Longfellow in 1941 and Raton Intermediate being built in 1939. Ben explains its very hard to move air into the buildings in the winter as there is no way to heat the cold air to create air circulation with in the building. The school district is using air purifying devices to clean the air inside each classroom instead of bringing in fresh air from the outside.
Interim Superintendent Kristi Medina spoke about masks noting that students and teachers at Longfellow and RIS will have to wear masks at school until a vaccine is available for those students. Raton High School students will need to prove vaccination status otherwise they will be required to wear a mask in the building. Medina noted that students can voluntarily show their vaccination card but will not be required to if they so choose in that event the student will be required to wear a mask. Vaccination clinics have been held at the high school for students and the second dose will be given on Monday August 9. Masks will be required on all school buses with two students to a seat.
Kim Sanchez, Longfellow Elementary Principal, noted that teachers will be calling students and parents next week to let them know about the jump start program that Longfellow school will have on Monday August 16.
Michelle Hopper, Principal at Raton Intermediate, noted that RIS will also have a virtual jump start and that teachers will be calling parents and students about that program. She noted that RIS will hit the halls on August 16 for the first day of school with all students present. Hopper also spoke about the importance of parents logging into their power school accounts to update information about students as well as updating phone numbers and other pertinent information.
Raton High School Principal Olga Nuerauter wants seventh and eighth grade students on August 16 to get class schedules and possibly spend time in the school to get a feel for the building and where class rooms are located so they will be ready on Tuesday August 17 when all students return to the building.
Both RHS and RIS still have positions to fill. A couple of positions at the high school will have substitute teachers until late September or early October as the teachers filling those classes have to wait to return based on when the left last year.
For sporting events, indoors fans who are not vaccinated will be required to wear a mask and should practice social distancing. Students traveling to other schools for sporting events will be required to follow that schools mask policies.
Medina once again said we are looking forward to getting students back in school and that will be the focus. She noted that online will be allowed on a limited basis as she expects all students back in school on Tuesday August 17. Teachers report to work on August 12 for in-service training.
