The morning kicked off with Vega student leaders welcoming and ushering their guests into the library where Asst. Superintendent Dr. Shelly Spaulding and Deputy Superintendent Melanie Raleeh offered updates on the current happenings in McKinney ISD. (Superintendent Shawn Pratt was unable to attend.) This session's featured topics covered Student Wellness, Safety and Security and District Operations, presented by Director of Counseling Errin French, Sr. Director of Safety and Security Rusty May and Chief Operations Officer Greg Suttle, respectively. As always, the presentations were enlightening and prompted productive Q&A and dialogue between district leadership and the McKinney CAN participants.
Vega Principal Mike Forsyth introduced Asst. Principal Wendy Cottam and provided an overview of Vega Elementary's programs and school culture before inviting the participants on a tour of the school where they visited classrooms, talked with staff and met some of the great students of Vega Elementary.
In short, it was another great morning for McKinney CAN!
Thank you to Principal Mike Forsyth and the staff and students of Vega Elementary for your hospitality!
See video: https://youtu.be/_Lu2SC6jYXc
Gage is a 4-year member of the orchestra, and he serves as Head of Logistics. He received 3 superior ratings on solos and 2 superior ratings on ensembles, and he qualified for All-Region in 2023 and 2024.
Gage currently ranks 26th in his class with a 4.54 GPA, and he has taken 8 AP classes where he scored 5 on four of those class exams. Gage is an AP Scholar and AP Scholar with Distinction, and he has achieved Academic All-District 3 times.
Gage serves as team captain for the McKinney North boys swim team, and he volunteers with Special Olympic events, the FAC classroom at McClure Elementary and the orchestra programs at Cockrill, Faubion and Scott Johnson Middle Schools.
After graduation, Gage plans to attend either Texas Tech, OU or UT Austin for an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Music Education.
He plans to earn a doctorate in Biochemistry and work in a lab setting while teaching violin in his free time.
That’s Gage Edwards, from McKinney North High School, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
The day kicked off with classroom visits from community members who shared insights about their careers and the opportunities in their respective fields! Students rotated through hands-on STEM stations around campus and completed “Future Me” interest surveys to explore possible career paths.
It was an inspiring day of learning and career exploration for Minshew students!
See video: https://youtu.be/7S-M3Ba9iig
Malia is a varsity basketball player for the Lady Bulldogs, and she also plays club basketball.
Malia is a member of the Alliance of Elite Youth Leadership, and she currently ranks 73rd in her class with a 4.0 GPA. Malia tackles a heavy load of AP and Dual Credit courses, and she is a multi-year Academic Award winner.
She serves as a CTE Ambassador for Fashion Marketing and Sports Entertainment, and she stays active in the One Community Church of McKinney.
That’s Malia Sanders from McKinney North High School our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
Cockrill hosted a reception for the team on Friday morning—complete with a hot air balloon—to present the team with their Championship jackets and to celebrate this remarkable accomplishment!
Well done!
See video: https://youtu.be/8IlRXtl9D88
Coffee talk, a garden tour plus a parade AND assembly attended by the entire school brought out all the feels for McKinney ISD School Board Member, Stephanie O’Dell.
In appreciation of the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees, Valley Creek Elementary was honored to celebrate Mrs. O’Dell this past week as school board appreciation month wrapped up. Principal Dr. Ebonee King led the campus-wide event with special help from the Valley Creek PTA.
This week, McKinney ISD is proud to spotlight the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources and Construction Career Clusters as part of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. Beginning in 9th grade, students can explore more than 10 hands-on courses in animal science, plant science, and welding. Animal and plant science courses are offered at both McKinney High School and McKinney Boyd High School, while the welding program is housed exclusively at McKinney High School. Students may also enhance their learning through participation in Future Farmers of America (FFA), where they develop leadership skills and gain real-world experience through livestock projects and public speaking opportunities.
Students interested in building and design can pursue the Construction Career Cluster, which introduces the mechanics of the building process through engaging coursework. Instruction progresses from foundational projects to the use of advanced woodworking tools and industrial machinery. Construction students also give back to the community through partnerships such as Habitat for Humanity. These courses are available starting in 9th grade and are offered exclusively at McKinney High School.
To learn more about these exciting CTE pathways and the opportunities they provide, visit the McKinney ISD CTE webpage.
The nation goes red in February. From landmarks to online communities, neighborhoods to news anchors, this annual groundswell unites millions of people for a common goal: saving more women’s lives. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women. Wear red to be seen, to be counted, to be heard and to make an impact. Together, we are stronger than heart disease and stroke.
February is National Career & Technical Education (CTE) Month! It's a perfect time to explore CTE in McKinney ISD! Learn more at https://www.mckinneyisd.net/page/career-technical-education.
Did you know that McKinney ISD CTE offers:
— 11 Career Clusters
— 18 Programs of Study
— 65 Courses
McKinney ISD CTE programs offer all students pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers. Through a blend of technical skills, critical thinking and career-focused experiences, CTE prepares students for success in post-secondary education and future careers, adaptability, personal development and financial independence!
Explore CTE today!
Participants first heard from Darla Jackson from Human Resources, who shared practical tools and strategies for effective interviewing and resume development.
Then the session provided time for participants to reflect on and strengthen their individual leadership skills. Through discussion and collaboration, the group explored how working with others who share similar strengths and challenges supports leadership growth, reinforces the importance of teamwork, and emphasizes valuing all perspectives. The session ended with Holly Rogers leading the participants through a reflective painting activity that serves as a reminder to lead with your strengths and utilize your team and their strengths as well.
We appreciate the thoughtful engagement of our participants and look forward to continuing this leadership development journey across McKinney ISD.
The McKinney ISD Leadership Academy was established to identify, recruit, and equip educators with a variety of levels of specializations and broad knowledge, skills, and experiences that prepare participants for leadership positions in both school and district leadership. The academy was started in the 2019-2020 school year as a way to build a pipeline of leaders within McKinney ISD. The academy has now had six cohorts of leaders participate in the year long pathway with more than 75% of the participants growing into their next level of leadership. Additionally, seven leadership pathways have been added to help grow leaders within our district.
For more information about our leadership academy and leadership pathways, please reach out to Dr. Shelly Spaulding, Melanie Raleeh, or Holly Rogers.
Superintendent Shawn Pratt's 2025–2026 Student Advisory Committee met for the third of four sessions on Wed., February 4, at the CEC! The group provides junior and senior student leaders from Boyd, MHS and North the opportunity to learn and grow in leadership and to give feedback about district and campus initiatives, events and procedures.
For this session, Pratt led the students in a fast-moving game of trivia to test their knowledge of McKinney ISD (they know it pretty well), then moved into a discussion of the recent district rezoning process. Then, the committee split into table groups with district administrators to learn more about the McKinney Accountability System and the six pillars of the district's strategic plan (Safety and Security, Teaching and Learning, McKinney ISD Family, Culture, Communications, and Finance and Facilities). Meanwhile, committee members had the opportunity to take part in video interviews, sharing impactful experiences in McKinney ISD.
All told, it was another great session with some of McKinney ISD's standout student leaders!
See video: https://youtu.be/miDyHbiBebM
Braxten is a member of the Bronco art program, and his artwork has been shown in student art shows in McKinney.
Braxten has taken 3 AP courses, and he is a member of the National Arts Honor Society. He has earned graduation cords for AB Honor Roll and outstanding NAHS attendance and participation.
In his free time, Braxten enjoys artistic studying, as well as practicing art and writing fiction. He is also a physically disabled familial assistant.
After graduation, Braxten plans to attend the University of North Texas to earn a Fine Arts Degree. He will pursue his goal of becoming a graphic novelist and author.
That’s Braxten Williams from McKinney Boyd High School, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
Thank you to all of our service members, veterans and military families for your courage, sacrifice and dedication. We salute you and all who have served on behalf of the Lone Star State.
CTE Month, or Career and Technical Education Month, is celebrated every February to raise awareness about the value of CTE programs, to highlight student success and to showcase how hands-on learning prepares students for college and careers, connecting passion with purpose for in-demand jobs. It's a national campaign organized by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) with events like job shadowing, guest speakers and awareness campaigns. McKinney ISD CTE offers 11 Career Clusters with 18 programs of study and over 65 courses to support student interests and future careers.
Learn more about McKinney ISD CTE: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/page/career-technical-education
Principal Justin Penio and McKinney North High School welcomed McKinney ISD School Board of Trustees Vice President Harvey Oaxaca to their winter sports pep rally on Friday, January 30, to celebrate their athletes and to thank Oaxaca for his service on the board. Oaxaca was right at home as he made his way around the gym, talking with students and teachers, learning some new dance steps and helping to announce the McKinney North Campus Teacher of the Year, Jacob Mannis. Oaxaca took a moment on the microphone to thank all of the North teachers and staff for the great work they do and encouraged the students to maintain the strong school culture of McKinney North.
"It was a true honor," Oaxaca said afterward. "All the schools in McKinney ISD are pretty special, but for many reasons McKinney North is close to my heart. So, being here and seeing all the excitement, these great kids and all the great organizations, it's a beautiful afternoon. I'm honored to represent the McKinney ISD School Board and to be recognized in this way."
See video: https://youtu.be/-aqUPQJSUoI
Sydney plays varsity basketball for the Lady Broncos, and she has won Student Athlete of the Quarter.
Sydney currently ranks in the top 8% of her class with a 4.5 GPA, and she is a member of the National Honor Society. She has taken 11 AP classes, and she is an AP Scholar.
Beyond the classroom, Sydney serves as a Front-End Lead at Market Street, and she volunteers 35 hours of her time each year.
She plans to attend college and earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Finance.
That’s Sydney Martin from McKinney Boyd High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
See video: https://youtu.be/kGetSOX6ipQ
In appreciation of the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees, Frazier Elementary celebrated Mr. Ussery as a guest of honor during their monthly awards ceremony. He and his wife, Teri, received a tour of the school from Principal Amy Holderman, as well as a certificate recognizing him as an “awesome McKinney ISD School Board Trustee” and some Frazier Gator spirit wear. The most unique gift for Mr. Ussery was a custom-created song performed by the 3rd-5th grade choir under the direction of Holly Bianchetta.
