Payton Bachmeyer — Eddins Elementary
Rishaan Gupta – Wolford Elementary
Heshnavi Prasanna Karthick – Wilmeth Elementary
Veer Sharma – McGowen Elementary
Anna Shauliuk – Minshew Elementary
Vikram Vakkantham – McClure Elementary
The National Math Stars Pathfinder program nurtures long-term growth through advanced math, mentorship and collaboration with like-minded peers, helping students strengthen problem-solving skills and build confidence in STEM.
Congratulations!
“Teachers on the Rise” honors educators across the state of Texas for the great things they do in the classroom, and this program, sponsored by Mrs. Baird’s Bread, recognized Miranda Matte from Cockrill Middle School earlier this fall.
Watch video: https://youtu.be/M5KJO2-Ng-A
Coach Matte was nominated by 8th grader Savannah McNally, who is one of several members of the Cockrill Middle School cheer squad. Savannah submitted a well-written and glowing nomination to the “Teachers on the Rise” program, describing Coach Matte as “someone who made a huge difference in my life”.
Here’s a sneak peek at Coach Matte and the cheer squad in action, and Savannah’s nomination letter in its entirety.
See video: https://youtu.be/2cz9mqzIuqU
Ryan is a member of the choir, and he has been selected for the All-Region and All-State Mixed Choirs. He has received “1 Classification” and “Superior Ranking” in Solo & Ensemble, and he performed in the Honors Recital.
Ryan currently has a 3.67 GPA, and he has taken AP Music Theory. He is a member of the National Honor Society, and he has earned green cords.
In his free time, Ryan is a member of the McKinney Ice Hockey Club and the Young Men’s Service League.
After graduation, Ryan plans to double major in Music Education and Music Composition, and ultimately he plans to achieve his DMA in Choral Conducting.
That’s Ryan Hoppe, from McKinney High School, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
Caldwell Dual Language Academy
New kinder and first grade registration for In-District and MISD residents opens December 8th. Apply on our website.
Academia de lenguaje dual Caldwell
A partir del 8 de dicembre, abriremos inscirpción para nuevos estudiantes en kinder y primer grado dentro del Distrito y residentes de McKinney. Haga su solicitud en sitio web.
https://www.mckinneyisd.net/page/choose-mckinneyisd
It’s that time of year again when the possibility of inclement winter weather looms large in local forecasts. So, it’s important to know where to look for accurate information in the event of a McKinney ISD closing or delayed start.
Visit https://www.mckinneyisd.net/page/severe-weather-preparedness-response for complete information—including FAQs—about how the decision to close or delay school is made and where and when McKinney ISD communicates in the event of inclement weather.
During bad weather, the district makes every attempt to make the decision by 5 a.m. or earlier, with the goal of notifying parents, staff and students by 5:30 a.m. If we believe that the forecast won’t change during the overnight hours, we may make the decision to alter the school day the night before. We know that waiting much later in the morning limits parents’ options when they are making childcare decisions.
Please keep in mind that MISD will not send out or post notification to confirm school is in session. Parents, students, and staff should assume a normal school day unless notified otherwise.
The district utilizes several communication methods to notify parents, students and staff of a closing or delay. One of those methods is the district's automated phone calling system. In addition to a callout and text, the district posts information on the McKinney ISD website homepage (www.mckinneyisd.net) as well as the McKinney ISD Facebook page and X/Twitter page. The district will also send out an email notification and notify local television and radio outlets.
See podcast: https://youtu.be/S6XdLNsi1Vo
Dr. Roberson outlines the research and rollout of the new partnership initiative with Collin College. She explains how the academy is designed to help our students achieve their academic aspirations by forging a unique pathway where both a high school diploma and an associate degree can be earned at the same time.
See video: https://youtu.be/MYqB0wFxbVc
EmilyKate is a 2-year varsity captain for the Bronco cheerleading squad. She has received the Boyd Cheer Leadership award twice, and she was awarded Academic All-District for the past three years.
EmilyKate is an AP Scholar with Distinction, and she is ranked 16th in her class with a 4.7658 GPA. She is a 2-time Green Cord recipient, and a member of the National Honor Society.
EmilyKate participates in the PALS Mentorship program and in YoungLife, where she serves as secretary, and she is a youth cheer coach.
EmilyKate plans to attend college, and she would like to study Social Work.
That’s EmilyKate Eckenrode from McKinney Boyd High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
We hope that you have a wonderful holiday!
Presented courtesy of Bennett's 2nd graders, the festivities were not only a fun time, but also the culminating celebration of the their exploration of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
Prior to the parade, students were tasked with STEM opportunities and learning from ASO Officer Petti, who during his many years with the NYPD, helped plan the annual event in New York City. The 2nd graders also worked on coding lessons with LMS Johanna Brubaker, and using large maps of New York City, programmed Dash Robots to map out a parade route that ended at the famous Macy’s store.
Last year, the McKinney Education Foundation (MEF) funded a grant for Bennett Elementary to order ChompSaws—a safe cardboard cutting tool for kids—and some of the students used them to create their own parade floats. Thank you, MEF!
Substitute Appreciation Day is our opportunity to recognize the dedicated educators who step in with flexibility, professionalism and heart. Our substitutes make it possible to keep learning moving forward when a teacher has to be away from the classroom, and we are deeply grateful for their commitment and the vital role they play in supporting our students and staff.
Thank you for everything you do!
View podcast: https://youtu.be/zxLPP4_tkoQ
Mrs. Gonzalez provides us with a more information about the Caldwell Dual Language Academy, which began last year and is ramping up for enrollment for the next school year. She explains how the academy benefits students academically and culturally, and she instructs parents on the pathway forward in choosing the academy for their children.
It began in 1970 when a Massachusetts guidance counselor encouraged people to give up cigarettes for a day—an idea echoed by Minnesota’s first Don’t Smoke Day in 1974. The movement gained national momentum in 1976 when the California division of the American Cancer Society inspired 1 million people to quit for a day, leading to the first nationwide event in 1977. Since then, prevention efforts have driven significant declines in smoking. Yet, nearly 38 million Americans still smoke, and smoking remains responsible for about 480,000 deaths each year.
Podcast: https://youtu.be/lsJ2mAk79eA
“Historically I think people think about CTE courses as vocational for careers for students that were not interested in going to college, and I would say that our CTE courses & programs of today are nothing further from the truth," explains Mrs. Gaskill as she provides insight into the programs and pathways offered by McKinney ISD CTE.
McKinney ISD Students Prepare for the Future by Bringing Calculus and Finances Together
Today's world is expensive. Adults are keenly aware of this. To help students more fully appreciate that reality and prepare for what lies ahead, pre-calculus teachers from all three McKinney ISD high schools have employed an annual project rooted in their unit on exponentials to give students a realistic, in depth look at personal finances after high school.
"We created this finance project to simulate the first year after earning a bachelor's degree," said Kasie Taylor in her pre-calculus classroom at McKinney North. "Every type of finance equation and every way you calculate a loan payment or what your investment is going to be worth when you retire are all based in exponentials."
The two-week financial literacy project required students to choose a job and research their starting salary. They calculated their net monthly pay, monthly savings and general expenditures (including college loan payments, utilities, insurance and all of the real world expense of daily life). With the remainder, they "bought" a car and a house within their budget. Teachers updated the details to reflect current interest and taxes. Students who went over budget saw it reflected in their grade.
Along the way, Taylor encouraged her students to keep the big picture in mind and emphasized that saving a little each month will go a long way over time. "That $50 worth of Starbucks every week is going to make a huge impact if you decide to invest it instead," she told them.
All of this was designed to provide real world applications of pre-calculus curriculum requirements and give students exposure to authentic financial decisions that they will make after high school and college. It was part of a broader emphasis on financial literacy that has included the Ramsey Personal Finance curriculum in high school and financial literacy sessions at all five McKinney ISD middle schools.
For North junior pre-calculus student Lakshanya Prabhu, the project helped her understand what she needs to prepare for financially and helped equip her for it. "From my perspective, I felt like, 'Oh, I have time.' But, doing that project, I was like, 'No, I've got two years maybe,'" she said. "The next steps of life are coming up pretty soon. When you think about taking out a house mortgage, it feels really overwhelming. But, looking at the math behind it kind of makes it feel doable and sets you up with what you need to know."
And, that is exactly what Taylor and her colleagues were aiming for.
"They've done amazing," she said.
Introducing the Community Connection Newsletter!
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The Community Connection is your go-to source for:
Exciting Student Highlights: Celebrating achievements and success stories.
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Congratulations to our students and staff members who were honored at the November 17 meeting of the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees!
The Board recognized McKinney ISD's November award recipients:
Every Student, Every Day Award
Harris Naeem (McGowen Elementary)
Ricardo Sifuentes (Malvern Elementary)
We Are McKinney ISD Award:
Stephanie Horswill and Jeannie Stokx (Finch)
Amanda Leader (McKinney North High School)
McKinney ISD Lives Kind Award:
Scott Johnson Middle School
State Cross Country Qualifiers:
McKinney North High School and McKinney Boyd High School
Special Recognition for 50 Years of Service to McKinney ISD:
Kathryn Swanner
Three years ago, McKinney ISD wrote a feature story on Kathryn Swanner in honor of her longevity with the District. She's kept going since then. You can read the article here: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/article/2267497
McKinney ISD's Library Media Specialists play a vital role in supporting our students and staff across the district! They help cultivate a campus-wide culture of literacy and inquiry by serving as teacher-leaders who collaborate on curriculum, manage print and digital library collections, and empower students with essential information literacy and digital citizenship skills.
Did you know that, collectively, McKinney ISD Library Media Specialists have:
—295 years of classroom teaching experience
—288 years of experience as a Library Media Specialist
—59 college degrees, including bachelor's and master's
—100 professional state certifications
See video: https://youtu.be/E_lg60zXN1s
Camilla is a 4-year member and current Captain of the NorthStar Drill Team. She was voted “Miss Congeniality”, “Most Dedicated” NorthStar Member, NorthStar of the Week, Spirit Star of the Week, Rookie of the Year and NorthStar of the Year.
Camilla currently has taken 7 AP classes, and she is a member of the National Honor Society. She has earned the green cord and an Academic Excellence Award.
In her free time, Camilla participates in the National Charity League and Maker Dawgs Engineering Club, and she works at Paciugo Gelato Caffe.
After graduation, Camilla plans to study Architecture at either Texas A&M or the University of Arkansas.
That’s Camilla Gonzalez, from McKinney North High School, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
See video: https://youtu.be/QwogGU3ylqY
The meeting was called to order with the announcement of a quorum, followed by an invocation and pledges led by board member Corey Homer.
The Board started the evening by recognizing students and staff for notable accomplishments.
We honored our “Every Student, Every Day” award winners. Congratulations to Harris Naeem, a 4th grader from McGowen Elementary, and Ricardo Sifuentes, a 5th grader from Malvern Elementary.
We recognized our “We Are McKinney Superintendent” award winners. Congratulations to Finch Elementary teachers Stephanie Horswill and Jeannie Stokx and to McKinney North High School Associate Principal Amanda Leader.
We also recognized our “McKinney ISD Lives Kind” award recipient: congratulations to Scott Johnson Middle School.
We honored the cross country fall state qualifiers from McKinney Boyd and McKinney North High School.
And we wrapped up recognitions by the celebrating Mrs. Kathryn Swanner for her amazing 50 years of service to McKinney ISD.
Following the recognitions, Superintendent Pratt made two administrative announcements. Congratulations to Brynne Riley who was named the new Executive Director of Special Populations and congratulations to Michelle Sutton who was named the new Senior Director of Special Populations.
Next, public comment was heard on agenda and non-agenda items, and the Board then entered closed session.
After reconvening, the Board heard a presentation from our human resources leadership team on the McKinney ISD strategic plan pillar three which is “High Quality Staff”.
Next the Board approved the consent agenda and moved into the discussion & action portion of the meeting. They considered and then took action to approve the election of the central appraisal district.
The trustees also reviewed monthly written reports, including donations under $5,000, and bond, energy, construction, transportation, and human resources reports.
Upcoming district events include a community input night on December 4th at the McKinney ISD Community Event Center with the Educational Facilities Alignment Committee, also known as EFAC. This is a come and go event from 6-8 PM. Additionally, our regularly-scheduled monthly board meeting is on December 15th at 6 PM at the Community Event Center.
The meeting was adjourned following these items of business.
Those are the highlights from this month’s meeting. Thank you for your interest in McKinney ISD and the great work that is happening within our district!
Infant Center:
$17/hour
Must be 18 or older and have graduated high school.
Contact Jennifer Harris at jharris@mckinneyisd.net for more information.
Club 360:
Site Assistants: $17/hour (Must be 18 or older and have graduated high school.)
High school students: $15/hour
Must be able to work Monday-Friday, 2:30-6:30 p.m.
Contact Maggie Darden at mdarden@mckinneyisd.net for more information.
