The boys and girls teams participated in the State Track & Field Championships in Cheney, Washington on 24 and 25 May. The boys won 4th place in the State. Complete results can be seen here.

Senior Andrew Hamilton was the first Seagull to win a first-place medal since 1998. Andrew's expertise was demonstrated with the shot put, at 49', 4.5".

Nice job, teams!

On Thursday, 16 May, the boys won the District meet for the first time since 1995.  Twenty-one students are going to Cheney to participate in next week's state meet.

The Raymond Wrestling Team placed 8th overall in the state and junior Hunter Borden won the 182-pound division title on Saturday, 16 February, in the Tacoma Dome. 

Additionally, Mathew Boyes won 3rd in state in his weight class.

Congratulations to the team for a great showing!

Raymond High School has a new principal with a familiar face. Dave Vetter, long-time teacher and previous vice-principal will sit in the principal’s chair beginning in the 2012/13 school year. Mr. Vetter graduated from RHS and bleeds red and black.  His goal is for all students to be successful in the classroom, on the athletic field and in any of the  many activities that are available for Raymond students.  “Our job is to help students understand that they are valued, that classroom work is preparing them for the next step in life and that they are expected to be contributing citizens.”

“My goal is simple,” continued Vetter. “Do what’s best for kids. When I was hired, the superintendent told me ‘every decision we make is based on what is best for kids,’ and that’s just the way that we do business. We have to make sure that we challenge our students and at the same time ensure that our processes are as smooth as possible. My job is to help teachers teach more and “hoop jump” less. They need to be able to focus on kids while I support both staff and students.”

Vetter began his education career in 2002 at the Wa He Lut Indian school in Olympia. He then came to Raymond elementary where he first served as a kindergarten teacher and later as a fourth-grade teacher. He also worked after school with high school students who needed to make up credit for various classes. In 2010 he transferred to Raymond Junior High to teach language arts.  In 2011, he served as vice principal for Raymond Junior/Senior High; he also received his Masters degree that same year.

Vetter believes that all kids deserve to be proud of the school they attend and to achieve success rather than falling into mediocrity. “We need to leverage our great teachers, a super support staff, outstanding facilities and a strong school board into helping all students to ‘cross the line’ that separates the commonplace from high achievement.” He believes that people rise to the level that is expected of them. “Everybody, kids and staff alike, appreciate direction and solid guidelines. Most of my kids think I’m kind of strict, but with the nurturing and caring side that understands all the outside influences that come into a young person’s life. That doesn’t mean I won’t call someone on the carpet for their mistakes, it just means I’ll still love them and care about them when they make a bad choice.”

Raymond Junior/Senior High will be available for new student registration on 20 August.