Benefits
A Supportive and Growing Community
Raytown Quality Schools reflect an exceptional standard for personal achievement and conduct that is expected by the residents of the community. It’s no less than they expect of themselves.
Our district serves a community located just south and east of Royals Stadium and includes the entire City of Raytown with parts of Kansas City and Independence.
The district boundaries cover more than 32 square miles with excellent access to major highways and thoroughfares. Other organizations such as the Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce, Raytown Emergency Assistance Program, and the Shepherd’s Center of Raytown use the Raytown School District boundaries to define their service area. Although the school district serves more than one city, there is a true sense of a unified community within the school district.
Residents of the district care about each other’s welfare and share a sense of pride in each other’s accomplishments. This sense of community creates a welcoming and safe environment, a small-town feel in a predominantly suburban area. Those who have attended Raytown Quality Schools or have sent their children to our schools appreciate it and often stay, becoming lifelong residents. Community leaders work cooperatively to maintain the level of pride that has defined the community. School buildings are opened for community activities so that parents have more opportunities to visit. A 24-hour message line and a district web-site help keep parents informed at their own convenience.
Our area draws much of its history from the trails used by the pioneers who first visited the area in the early 1800’s. The historic Santa Fe Trail runs right through the heart of the school district. Both Raytown High School and Blue Ridge Elementary are located on the trail.
It is not an understatement to say that the district is blessed with an active community. There is a strong faith-based community, active arts organizations, passionate historical societies and several not-for-profit agencies working toward the betterment of the area. Voters have continually supported capital improvements to the district to ensure the students and staff have a safe and clean educational environment.
Exceptional Benefits and Competitive Compensation
- Health Insurance - Employees have three options. A portion of the cost is paid by the district for employees.
- Life Insurance - $15,000 coverage for all employees working 10 hours or more per week.
- Professional Liability Insurance - Provided for all teachers, nurses, and administrators with a maximum coverage of 2.5 million per occurrence.
- Unemployment Insurance - All employees are covered by unemployment insurance.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance - Provides certain medical, surgical and hospital treatment and, under some conditions, compensation for loss of earnings due to injuries arising out of and in the course of employment.
- Sick Leave - Five days per year to be used for personal illness, personal injury, or illness or death in the family of the employee. Unused days are added to the following year for a total of up to 100 days.
- Personal Business Leave – Up to five sick days per year may be used for personal business (no more than 2 days consecutively)
- Family Medical Leave - 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family and medical reasons. (Available after first 12-months and worked at least 1,250 hours during that 12-month period)
- Bereavement Leave - Three days per year may be used as bereavement for immediate family members.
- Raytown Schools Wellness Center - houses both a free on-site health clinic available to employees on district insurance and a state-of-the-art fitness facility. Every employee and their spouse receive a free membership to the fitness facility.
Award Winning Staff Development and New Teacher Supports
New Teacher Orientation
Before the students arrive, and even before our current teachers return, you will take part in a four-day new teacher orientation. This four-day experience is more rewarding than just the contract extension. The program gives you the opportunity to meet other new teachers, instructional coaches, administrators and school leaders. You will learn about the instructional programs that our district embraces. To make sure that you have time to acclimate to your new workplace, you will have two separate half-days to meet with your new principal and work in your school.
In addition to the introduction of instructional strategies, you will also learn about classroom management. Ice-breaking ideas for your first few days in the classroom will be shared.
Instructional Programs and Strategies
As mentioned above, we will take time to introduce you to the programs and strategies that we utilize in our district. Here are a few for your reference:
- Standardized Curriculum District Wide
- SISK12
- PBS/BIST
- Differentiated Reading
- Math Academies
- Math Flex Groupings
- Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion Techniques
Follow-Ups and Mentors
Each month you will reconvene with fellow teachers for reinforcement of strategies that are introduced at the beginning of the year. Large sums of new information are avoided at these meetings to prevent overwhelming you.
Elementary Teaching and Learning Coaches and Secondary Department Chairs will serve as ready resources throughout the year. Mentor teachers are trained and compensated to be mentors to you. Your building principal will be a constant means of support in your building.
Our students need your support to succeed, and you need support to make student achievement possible.
In addition, you will receive four half-day releases to observe and plan with your mentor or another resource. Early release days have been scheduled every Wednesday throughout the year for professional development.