A School of Choice

The Ray-Pec School District provides a wide variety of choices for students for life after graduation, whether students choose to attend college, join the military, or enter the workforce. #ASchoolOfChoiceRP

Peculiar Chamber presentation

Chamber of Commerce brochure

A team of Ray-Pec High School students has been working with the Peculiar Chamber of Commerce to develop a brochure for the organization. On April 5, the students presented their ideas during the Chamber of Commerce meeting. #realworldlearning #ASchoolOfChoiceRP


Student internships at the Ray-Pec Administrative Services Center

In the Raymore-Peculiar School District, at the Administrative Services Center, there are three departments that have student interns working with full-time employees. 
Two opportunities are offered through the Finance and Communications departments. For those internships, the student employees go to school for most of the day, then go to the Administrative Services Center to work. These internships are paid, and the students can earn class credit. The internships are listed in the Course Planning Guide as “Finance Internship” and “Media Internship.” 
This is the fourth year for the Finance Department to have a student intern. Trinity Hunter, who is a student in the MoOptions program, is filling the internship this year.
This is the first year for an intern in the Communications Department, where Sophomore Ella Gawf is earning a journalism credit at Ray-Pec High School. (Ella is pictured at right.)

Ella Gawf 3
Although the internship structure is similar, the interns in these positions do vastly different things. They both have lots of digital work, but it varies with the position. The Finance intern does charting and digital filing, while the Communications intern does website updates and writing. Both positions provide real-world experience in an office setting, which is important for the students’ future. 
Students interested in these internships for the 2022-2023 school year should watch for job openings posted in the spring. These job opportunities will also be included in the RP Update email newsletter.
There are also summer internships available through the Technology Department. These are paid part-time positions that do not include course credit. These internships have responsibilities that include reinstalling computers that have been moved by custodians, re-cabling and cleaning chromebook carts, and supporting summer schools for elementary students. 
The interns benefit from these opportunities, and so do the employees in those departments. The routine tasks that the interns do give the other employees time to do more complex or difficult tasks. It also gives District employees who do not directly interact with students on a regular basis a chance to have a positive impact on the community by working and educating students. (Story by Ella Gawf)

#aschoolofchoiceRP

Trinity Hunter, pictured below, is an intern in the Finance Department.

A Trinity 2

Several ways to earn college credit

Ray-Pec provides several ways for students to earn college credit while in high school:

  1. Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment - Students receive, simultaneously, both high school and college-level course credit.
  2. Online/Virtual - Students earn credit through online courses.
  3. Advanced Placement* - Students can receive college credit based on AP exam scores.
  4. International Baccalaureate* - Students can receive college credit based on IB exam scores.
  5. Articulation - Students receive high school credit only. College credit is awarded after additional coursework at the college in accordance with an agreement between the high school and the college. 

Read more in the Ray-Pec High School Career & Educational Planning Guide. A new guide, for the 2022-2023 school year, will be available soon, as students prepare to select courses for next school year. #aschoolofchoiceRP

Did you know College credit

Computer Science and Networking

Ray-Pec High School Junior Derek Nissen spends part of his school day at Summit Technology Academy in Lee’s Summit where he learns more about computer science in a program that allows him to apply what he learns to real-world problems and projects. 


He is studying Network Operations Concepts (this semester) and Advanced Operations Concepts and Cloud (second semester).

 

In these pictures, Derek is working with Cisco, industry-standard equipment for cloud computing. Recently he was involved in a class activity where students were racing against each other to complete the parts of an Ethernet Frame. These students can correct octet sizes and describe the purposes for each part of the frame.


The Networks Operations Concepts course helps prepare a student for the Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician certification exam.

 


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The Advanced Operations Concepts course helps prepare students for the Cisco Certified Network Associate certification exam.

Recently, STA's industry partners have defined the future workforce need for students to have a cross-categorical understanding of software development, cyber security, and network operations. Students at STA acquire the knowledge, apply those concepts with industry-standard equipment, and amplify those experiences with internships with more than 50 business partners in the Kansas City Metro area. 

Following his path at STA, Derek will be well on his way to having a high-wage job in a high-demand area.

Computer Science is just one of the career programs available to Ray-Pec High School students through STA. Other areas of study include Engineering, Health Sciences, Human Services and Finance, and Arts and Communication. Learn more about STA.

#aschoolofchoiceRP

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Applications for off-site programs for the 2022-2023 school year

Applications for Cass Career Center (CCC), Summit Technology Academy (STA), Southland CAPS (SCAPS), and the LEAD Center are now available for high school students for the 2022-2023 school year. 

For program information, please visit their website or plan for your student to attend an informational presentation or open house.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: All off-site applications must be submitted by Feb. 4, 2022. Any application turned in after this date will be automatically placed on a waiting list.

Helping MDC with Trout Stocking

Students from the Ray-Pec High School Enterprise & Design program are helping the Missouri Department Conservation improve the process for stocking Johnston Lake in Raymore with rainbow trout.

The students are developing a proposal for the MDC to use a quicker process that will reduce stress on the fish during the stocking process. The Ray-Pec E&D students are Brynn Elkins, Caleb Dula, Ryan Canon, Ethen Reddel, and Jesse Simpson. 

On Nov. 9, MDC stocked Johnston Lake with 900 rainbow trout. Read more about the trout stocking project: https://tinyurl.com/fxbkky3e

Ray-Pec E&D is a half-day program through which students earn credits in English, science, social studies, and/or business, while working on real-world projects. #aschoolofchoicerp

21 trout

Students repair car for donation to veteran

Four students in the Raymore-Peculiar High School Enterprise & Design program are fixing up a car for future donation to a veteran or first responder. The project is in partnership with the Cars 4 Heroes non-profit organization in Kansas City.

The students working on the car are: Malachi Carver, Kessler Richard Bunger, Aiden Churchwell, and Jake Walsh. The project is especially meaningful to them because their teacher, Darrick Gray, is a U.S. Army veteran.

Dr. Kristel Barr, Director of Secondary Education, said that the Ray-Pec E&D program allows students to earn credits in several courses while working on real world projects. Juniors and seniors are eligible to enroll in the half-day program, which is located at the Ray-Pec Academy building. Next school year, the program will be located at the new LEAD Center at M-58 and Foxridge Drive. #aschoolofchoiceRP

Learn more about Ray-Pec Enterprise & Design.

Cars for Heroes all

Computer Integrated Machining and Manufacturing

Did you know that Ray-Pec High School students can learn computer integrated machining and manufacturing skills? Students earn dual credit through Metropolitan Community College, and the courses prepare students for jobs in machining and manufacturing immediately after graduation or to pursue additional education toward an engineering degree.


Currently, 10 seniors participate in the half-day program housed in the Ray-Pec Academy building. Beginning with fall 2022, the program will be located in the LEAD Center at M-58 highway and Foxridge Dr. LEAD stands for Learning, Experiences, And Discovery.


(At right, Chance Bronson uses a Manual Mill to cut a hexagonal head on his project.) While most of the coursework takes place on the Ray-Pec campus, some Saturdays may be spent at the MCC Engineering Student Machine Shop at the Business and Technology Center. Seniors are eligible to apply for the program.  

Chase Bronson using Manual Mill

(At right, Evan Holman and Quinn Hime use a CNC Mill.)


Credentials Earned in the Program

  • Mill Certificate

  • Lathe Certificate

  • OSHAA 7100 Certificate

  • Potential NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) Certifications for the following: CNC Lathe Operations, CNC Mill Operations, Drill Press I, Milling I, Turning I, and Job Planning, Benchwork, and Layout.


Of the students enrolled in 2021-2022, four plan to study engineering in college, one plans to use the training for work placement in the military, and three plan to participate in a Computer Integrated Machining and Manufacturing (CIMM) internship during the summer. 


For more information about the program contact the instructor, Abe Lewis at abram.lewis@raypec.org. #aschoolofchoiceRP

Evan Holman and Quinn Hime CMC Mill

Carpentry and Construction Technology

Did you know that a student can graduate from Ray-Pec with an Industry Recognized Credential (IRC) in Carpentry? 
Brendon Meyerkorth is a senior studying Construction Technology at Cass Career Center. The 2021-2022 school year is his second year in the program.
At the end of the year, if he continues to pass all of the module tests and performance tasks, Brendon will earn his Industry Recognized Credential (IRC) in Carpentry from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). He has already earned his OSHA 10-hour certification and has been trained on the Bobcat Skid Steer.
Construction Technology is just one of the programs available to Ray-Pec High School students through Cass Career Center (CCC), which is located in Harrisonville. Other programs include Health Sciences, Criminal Justice, Firefighting, and Automotive Maintenance and Repair. The programs are designed to be one or two years in length. #aschoolofchoiceRP
Brendon
A School District of Choice