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.

Welcome to the January edition of the McKinney ISD Community Connection Newsletter
The January edition covers:
🚀 Planning for the Future: McKinney ISD Strategic Plan Update
🎉 Celebrating Success: McKinney ISD Athletics Hall of Honor Class of 2026
✅ Program Updates: PALS, Dance, Elementary Music and The Collegiate Academy of McKinney (The CAM)
Click the subscribe button at the bottom of the newsletter to have the Community Connection delivered directly to your inbox.

McKinney ISD will return to its normal school schedule tomorrow, Friday, January 30, 2026, and all campuses and offices will follow their normal hours.
After school and evening activities will also resume as scheduled tomorrow.
McKinney ISD has been monitoring road, parking lot and sidewalk conditions near our schools and throughout the district and feel confident that our students and staff can safely travel to and from school tomorrow. We look forward to seeing everyone back in class after this week of winter weather!

January 26-30 has been designated as Holocaust Remembrance Week in Texas, with January 27 recognized as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This week provides an important opportunity to remember the six million Jews and millions of others who perished in the Holocaust, to honor survivors, and to reflect on the dangers of hatred and antisemitism.
Through education and remembrance, Texas commits to educating future generations, promoting dignity and compassion, and ensuring these atrocities are never repeated. May we never forget.

McKinney ISD schools and facilities will be closed on Thursday, January 29. The decision to cancel school was made for the safety of all of our students, parents and staff after assessing road conditions throughout the district today in coordination with Durham Transportation, the McKinney ISD facilities department and local emergency officials.
McKinney ISD spans more than 109 square miles across portions of Collin, Grayson and Denton counties, serving most of McKinney along with small areas of Allen, Fairview, Princeton, Lowry Crossing, New Hope, unincorporated rural communities and areas near Lake Lavon extending toward Tioga. While some roadways have improved, several routes traveled by our students remain hazardous and could pose risks for school buses and for families driving to campuses. In addition, despite the diligent efforts of our maintenance teams, some school parking lots have not fully thawed. Because the safety of our students, staff and families is our highest priority, we have made the decision to cancel school tomorrow.
All school-related activities, including after-school programs and extracurricular events for Thursday will be cancelled as well.
At this time, we anticipate a return to normal school activities and schedules on Friday, January 30. Please stay tuned to our website, social media channels and/or local news outlets for updates.
We understand families may have questions about how this closure will affect the school calendar. McKinney ISD will first use our built-in bad weather days, April 6 and April 27, to make up missed instructional time. The district will also apply to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for a waiver, as allowed. We will wait to hear back from TEA on our next steps to make up time for the additional bad weather days. We will keep you updated as we know more.
As always, we will also send out any further communication through email, phone call and text message.

McKinney ISD Parents and Guardians,
McKinney ISD is actively monitoring conditions in campus parking lots and on roads and sidewalks near our schools as we prepare to make a decision about school operations for Thursday, January 29, 2026. The primary concerns are the ability of school buses to travel on neighborhood streets and parking lot conditions for students and staff.
McKinney ISD will continue to assess these conditions this afternoon as we work with Durham Transportation, our facilities department and local emergency officials to make a decision about Thursday. We will communicate the status of school for Thursday by 6 p.m. today. As always, the safety of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. We hope you and your family are safe and warm.
Please monitor our website, social media channels, and local news outlets. We will also continue to communicate through email, phone calls, and text messages.
Thank you for your patience as we work to make the best decision for our McKinney ISD community.

All McKinney ISD schools and facilities will be closed on Wednesday, January 28. The decision to cancel school was made for the safety of all our students, parents and staff after assessing road conditions throughout the district today in coordination with local emergency officials.
While major roads have improved, many neighborhood streets and farm to market roads have not. In addition, our facilities team has been working hard throughout the day to clear sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots on all of our campuses. Some campuses are accessible while others require additional attention.
All school-related activities, including after-school programs and extracurricular events for Wednesday will be cancelled as well.
At this time, we anticipate a return to normal school activities and schedules on Thursday, January 29. Please stay tuned to our website, social media channels, and/or local news outlets for updates.
As always, we will also send out any further communication through email, phone call, and text message.

McKinney ISD is actively monitoring road conditions as we prepare to make a decision about school operations for Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Our awesome facilities team has been working hard all day to try and clear up sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots on all of our campuses. Some campuses are accessible while others require more attention. Additionally we have been driving the side roads to assess conditions. While major roads are improving, the neighborhood streets and farm to market roads are not. McKinney ISD will continue to monitor weather reports and assess developing road conditions throughout the afternoon as we work with local emergency officials to make a decision about Wednesday. We will communicate the status of school for Wednesday no later than 6 p.m. today.
As always, the safety of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. We hope you and your family are safe and warm.
Please monitor our website, social media channels, and local news outlets. We will also continue to communicate through email, phone calls, and text messages.
Thank you for your patience as we work to make the best decision for our McKinney ISD community.

All McKinney ISD schools and facilities will be closed on Tuesday, January 27, due to forecasts indicating a continuation of the extreme weather conditions and hazardous road conditions throughout the area. The decision was made to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families.
All school-related activities, including after-school programs and extracurricular events will be cancelled as well.
Current weather models indicate temperatures will rise above freezing by Tuesday afternoon, which should help improve road conditions. At this time, we anticipate a normal school day on Wednesday, January 28. We will continue to monitor conditions closely in cooperation with local emergency officials and will provide an update to families and staff on Tuesday.
For updates, please stay tuned to our website, social media channels, and/or local news outlets. We will also send out any further communication through email, phone call, and text message.

All McKinney ISD schools and facilities will be closed on Monday, January 26, due to extreme weather conditions throughout the area and the forecast for Monday. The decision was made to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families.
All school-related activities, including after-school programs and extracurricular events will be cancelled as well.
At this time, we are only closing on Monday, January 26. For updates about any other schedule changes, please stay tuned to our website, social media channels, and/or local news outlets. We will also send out any further communication through email, phone call, and text message.

See video: https://youtu.be/TR7ZyvvnLPU
In appreciation of the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees, McKinney Boyd High School welcomed School Board President, Amy Dankel, to their campus.
Principal Dr. David Hodum took Ms. Dankel on a tour of the school that included a walk-through of the Evolv security system, checking out the refresh on the rotunda, several meet-and greets with faculty in the hallway and a lunch with the Principal's Advisory Group. Oh, and a very special serenade from the Fusion choir which provides the beautiful soundtrack for Amy Dankel’s visit.

Minshew Elementary welcomed McKinney ISD Board of Trustees Secretary Lynn Sperry to campus today in honor of School Board Appreciation Month! Principal Jennifer Larriviere and Assistant Principal Candice Harvick gave Sperry a tour of the building where she learned more about the school's programs, visited classrooms and talked with students and teachers. After the tour, they were joined by 5th grade members of the Minshew Student Council who treated Sperry to lunch and took part in some lively Q&A with the longtime board member.
"I had a wonderful, wonderful time here at Minshew," Sperry said. "I met students who were just wonderful, so bright and informative. I loved every minute of it. I had a wonderful lunch...what else could I ask for — beautiful building, beautiful people!"
Thank you, Lynn Sperry for your dedication to McKinney ISD students and families and years of service as a McKinney ISD board member!
And thank you to Principal Jennifer Larriviere, Assistant Principal Candice Harvick and the students and faculty of Minshew Elementary for your hospitality!









PALS or Peer Assistance and Leadership is implemented as a peer-helping program in which selected students are trained to work as peer facilitators with younger students on their own campuses and/or from feeder middle and elementary schools. Selected students are able to participate in PALS during their eighth grade year and as juniors or seniors in high school. Students are trained in a variety of helping skills that enables them to assist other students in having a more positive and productive school experience.
To apply for the PALS program for the 26-27 school year, visit the CTE Forms page located on the McKinney ISD website.

See video: https://youtu.be/gxcz0f8BgGg
Each January we take an opportunity to give recognition and appreciation for the dedication and commitment from the seven members of our community who serve as the board of trustees for McKinney ISD.
Thank you, Larry Jagours, Kenneth Ussery, Corey Homer, Amy Dankel, Lynn Sperry, Stephanie O'Dell and Harvey Oaxaca.

McKinney ISD Parents and Guardians,
(Note: The district is working to send this information out to staff and guardians via email but is experiencing delays due to an issue with Microsoft.)
At this time, McKinney ISD does not plan to implement an early dismissal on Friday, January 23, as the latest weather forecasts indicate a later arrival of winter weather. However, if conditions change and an early release becomes necessary to ensure the safety of our students and staff, families will be notified promptly through all district communication channels.
After-school activities, including after-school programs and extracurricular events, are canceled or have been rescheduled beginning after school on Friday and continuing through the weekend.
McKinney ISD will continue to closely monitor weather conditions throughout Friday and the weekend to determine whether school operations may be impacted Friday afternoon or early next week. Depending on forecasted conditions, a decision regarding school on Monday will be communicated either Sunday evening or Monday morning in accordance with the district’s inclement weather communication timeline.
Please continue to monitor the McKinney ISD website, social media channels, and local news outlets for updates.
McKinney ISD Severe Weather Response
Social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Watch video: https://youtu.be/XHGgPgFc76c
Hello! My name is Corey Homer, and I serve as a McKinney ISD School Board Trustee. Each month, after our Board meeting, we provide our community with a brief summary of events and items covered during the meeting.
The meeting was called to order with the announcement of a quorum, followed by an invocation and pledges led by board member Larry Jagours.
We started things off by recognizing students and staff for their notable accomplishments.
We honored our “Every Student, Every Day” award-winners.
Congratulations to Addison Haynes from Frazier Elementary and
Omar Arroyo from Burks Elementary.
Then we presented the “McKinney ISD Lives Kind” award to McGowen Elementary and their principal, Kim Luyster.
We also recognized our “We Are McKinney” Superintendent’s award-winners. Congratulations to Wendy Kolb-Fagan from Minshew Elementary and Jake Mannis from McKinney North High School.
Next, the McKinney Education Foundation presented a check to Superintendent Pratt for $172,487.87 for teacher grants awarded this year. Thank you to MEF for their support of our students and teachers!
We also honored the Future Farmers of America State Qualifiers. These students competed in leadership development events on multiple levels and received a variety of awards. Congratulations to all of the FFA award-winners.
Next we recognized the McKinney High School Broadcast Journalism students for their recent accomplishments. The first group of students we honored received state level awards from the Association of Texas Photography Instructors. The second group of students we honored received state level awards from the Texas Association of Journalism Educators. And the final group we honored received national level awards from the Journalism Educators Association. Congratulations to these students and their teacher, Ms. Lira.
Our last celebration of the evening was from Superintendent Pratt as he honored the McKinney ISD School Board as part of January’s school board appreciation month.
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 on strategic plan pillar 4.1 and 4.2, McKinney ISD Family and Culture, from members of our School Leadership department. The presentation included information on student engagement, campus life and student opportunities, as well as student celebrations and more information on special populations. It showcased the many ways McKinney ISD focuses on family, community and staff culture.
The next presentation was a middle of the year MAP assessment update. The purpose of this presentation was to reflect on the first semester progress of our students and to plan instructional adjustments for the second semester.
The Board then reviewed the consent agenda and moved into the discussion & action portion of the meeting where we first approved the consent agenda.
Next, we heard, considered and approved the recommended list of library materials for procurement from the School Library Advisory Council.
We also heard, considered, and took action to approve the academic calendar for the 2026-2027 school year. The first day of school next year will be August 13th. You can find the approved 26-27 calendar on our district website.
Next, we heard and approved the TASB Policy Update 126 and several local policy updates. We approved each of these items as is.
Finally, we heard and took action on the delegation of authority to the Superintendent to negotiate, finalize and execute the sale of a piece of property to the city of McKinney, as well as an interlocal agreement with the city.
The Trustees then reviewed monthly written reports, including donations under $5,000, and bond, energy, construction, transportation, and human resources reports.
Upcoming district events include our regularly scheduled board meeting on February 16th at 6 PM at the McKinney ISD 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!

See video: https://youtu.be/nECAqsZv6FQ
Christopher was selected for the All-Region String Orchestra in 2024 and 2025. He is a TMEA Texas Music Scholar, and he received 1’s on all Solo Competitions.
Christopher currently maintains a 4.81 GPA with 9 AP credits, and he ranks 10th in his class. He is an AP Scholar with Distinction, and he has earned an Academic All-District Award in District 9-5a Wrestling.
Christopher serves as an orchestra officer, and in his free time, he is a member of the wrestling team and works part-time at Rosa’s Cafe.
After graduation, Christopher plans to study Mechanical Aerospace Engineering. His college choices include Texas A&M, UT Austin, Colorado Boulder, School of Mines, Embry-Riddle, MIT or the University of Michigan.
That’s Christopher Fleites Rodriguez from McKinney North High School this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

Thank you, Corey Homer, for your leadership and dedication to serving others.
A special thank you to:
* Mr. Parr and welding students Jack Callaway, Connor Means, and Cason White for fabricating a custom sign and burger press.
* Mr. Matkoff and construction students Sheefa Chowdhury, Bentley Suckow, and Tracy Sunde for creating a custom charcuterie board.










See video: https://youtu.be/KqXu9NM3DGk
They include:
Senior Class -
Donte Wilson - McKinney High School
Tommy Winburn - McKinney High School
Modern Era -
Johnny Holley Jr. - McKinney High School
Michael Dauterive - McKinney Boyd High School
Matt Lipka – McKinney High School
Britany Parker – McKinney High School
Legends Class -
Otis Fields - McKinney High School
Team Inductee -
1958 McKinney High School Lions Football
The McKinney ISD Athletic Hall of Honor was established to recognize former student athletes, coaches and teams who have made a significant impact on the history of our district’s athletic program.

Thank you, Larry Jagours, for your years of service and commitment to McKinney ISD!








