MISD Welcomes New Director of Childcare Mike Medlin
McKinney ISD announced at its January Board of Trustees meeting that it has hired Mike Medlin as its new director of childcare programs. Medlin brings 29 years in education to the position.
The hiring of Medlin follows the recent retirement of previous childcare director Amy Dawson. Medlin comes to MISD from Royse City ISD where he has served for the past 10 years as director of childcare services. During his tenure, Medlin led RISD’s extended day program and launched an employee childcare program in the form of the Bulldog Learning Center.
Now, Medlin will direct an MISD department that offers a broad array of programs and services that includes five preschool sites, Club 360 after school care, MISD summer enrichment camps and a summer childcare program, holiday care and MISD employee childcare. In addition, the MISD Childcare Department is responsible each year for the always well-attended Father Daughter and Mother Son Dances.
“McKinney ISD’s childcare programs have been a leader and model for school districts in the metroplex and the state,” said Medlin. “I look forward to maintaining the high standards of McKinney ISD programs, ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for every child.”
Prior to his time in RISD, Medlin served in Irving ISD and Frisco ISD, first as a P.E. teacher and as a site manager of an after school program. He has been married to his wife Amber for 23 years, and they have two children, Alex (21) and Lily (16).
“Vincent Van Gogh said, ‘Great things are done by a series of small things brought together,’” said Medlin. “Learning communities are successful when they are comprised of people willing to do ‘the small things’ by promoting the safety, development and growth of children.”
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Jaelyn Hill.
See video: https://youtu.be/pDyFByuOYyM?si=RSHlJ5UKYv6w3a0G
Jaelyn is a senior at McKinney North High School where she is in the AP Art: 2D Design course in the Visual Arts Program.
She scored a 4 the past 2 years at the Visual Arts Scholastic Event, and she scored a 4 on her AP 2D Art and Design Portfolio.
She participated in the 3rd Congressional District Art Competition.
Jaelyn currently has a 3.6 GPA, and she is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars.
Jaelyn participates in the HOSA Program and the Practicum in Health Science.
She volunteers at ManeGait Therapeutic Horse Therapy, and she enjoys riding at Caspian Equest.
After graduation, Jaelyn plans to attend college locally for the first year or two and then transfer to Texas A&M University to earn a degree in Large Animal Veterinarian Medicine.
That’s Jaelyn Hill, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
In honor of School Board Appreciation Month, we shine the spotlight on Board Vice President Amy Dankel!
With nearly 14 years on the board, Dankel holds the second longest tenure among her fellow trustees and currently serves as board vice president. She came to McKinney in 1997 and served the last 10 years of her 22 year career in education at Finch Elementary and Eddins Elementary. She and her husband Roger have two children, Nick and Stephanie, who graduated from McKinney North High School and McKinney Boyd High School respectively and have gone on to great success in college and career.
Dankel cites a deep sense of responsibility to give back to a school system and community that has given so much to her and to her family as her primary motivation for serving on the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees.
Thank you, Amy Dankel, for your service and leadership in our district!
Be sure to check out Amy Dankel's full bio and video feature on her MISD profile page! https://www.mckinneyisd.net/o/misd/page/amy-dankel
MISD is pleased to welcome Evelyn Guerra to the district's business department where she will serve as director of accounting!
Evelyn has 20 years of experience in school and governmental finance. She began her career in Arlington ISD where she was a part of the internal audit department. She went on to work at Highland Park ISD and later joined Garland ISD where she served as the assistant director of finance.
She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington. She earned her Texas CPA license in 2010 and was recently awarded the Registered Texas School Business Administrator (RTSBA) certification from the Texas Association of School Business Officials.
“It is an honor to be selected for this position," Guerra said. "I look forward to serving the District’s accounting needs and building on the partnerships with the McKinney ISD community.”
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Millicent Logsdon from McKinney High School.
See video: https://youtu.be/j_tYQ8xjARc?si=tsB-qtWkB_WjC-Z6
Millicent is a junior on the Lionettes basketball team, and she is also a member of the Lions tennis team.
Millicent has taken 4 AP classes and is a member of the National Honors Society.
Millicent performs with the varsity choir and the varsity jazz ensemble, and she also serves as the Choir Historian. Millicent is a member of YoungLife and her church's youth group. She is also the Worship Leader at FBC McKinney.
That’s Millicent Logsdon from McKinney High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
Philip Hassler Visits McClure Elementary
“He has the best personality, and he engages with our kids,” raves McClure Elementary principal, Jennifer Harrison, about school board president, Philip Hassler.
See video: https://tinyurl.com/5as2uksx
During January all members of the McKinney ISD school board are being welcomed to various campuses across the district as we celebrate school board appreciation month.
Mr. Hassler enjoyed a lovely visit with the students and staff at McClure as he weaved in and out of classrooms, experiencing life as a McClure Marshall for the morning.
School Board Appreciation Month - Chad Green at Lawson Early Childhood School!
MISD Board member Chad Green received a grand reception at Lawson Early Childhood School on Thursday from the district's youngest learners! Principal Susie Towber invited Green to visit their campus in honor of School Board Appreciation Month to give him a first hand look at the remarkable staff, programs and students of the school that in 2020 earned the highly prestigious H-E-B Excellence in Education Award.
Towber whisked Green into the library where he was greeted by students who learned a little about Green's work on the board, recited their Lawson house creeds and shared what they love most about Lawson. Then, Library Media Specialist Summer Lindsay led another class through a remarkably engaging and absolutely timely reading of "Over and Under the Snow."
Next, Towber led the way to various classrooms and the school's STEAM lab and showed Green their sensory pathway and movement room. She took him to the school's simulated supermarket room where students were given specific jobs and tasks to complete. At every turn, students throughout Lawson were engaged in focused, purposeful learning aimed at preparing them to launch successfully into kindergarten and beyond.
To see Lawson in action is to be impressed with what they do and to grasp that H-E-B got it right when they presented them with the Excellence in Education Award.
Towber expressed her thanks to Green and the board for the investment they have made in Lawson over the years.
Green was highly complimentary of the work that he saw in action at Lawson.
"I was incredibly impressed with all the teachers and all the kids at Lawson," Green said. "The teachers are engaging the kids. There's nobody left behind here, and all the kids are engaged. They're finger painting. They're working on science projects. They're building things. They are learning English and Spanish. I love it. These guys are going to have a great year, and I love what I am seeing."
In honor of School Board Appreciation Month, we shine the spotlight on Philip Hassler!
Hassler has served on the board since 2021 in Place 2 and is in his second year as board president. His oldest daughter graduated from McKinney High School, and his youngest currently attends MHS. When she was a student at Walker, Hassler got involved as an active volunteer. That experience led him to other MISD volunteer opportunities, and now he serves on the Board of Trustees!
Thank you, Philip Hassler, for your leadership and the positive impact that you have on the students of McKinney ISD!
Be sure to check out Philip Hassler's full bio and video feature on his MISD profile page! https://www.mckinneyisd.net/o/misd/page/philip-hassler
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Maegan Kilman.
See video: https://youtu.be/v_-bquf9vYc?si=td9JHg3pIQUowwae
Maegan is a senior at McKinney North High School where she is Captain of the McKinney North Dance & Drill Team, the NorthStars.
She has earned awards for “Northstar of the Week” and “Spirit Star of the Week”.
Maegan currently maintains a 3.5 GPA, and she has taken AP Spanish and AP English courses.
After graduation, Maegan plans to attend college and major in Dance Science.
That’s Maegan Kilman, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
School Board Appreciation Month - Larry Jagours at Burks Elementary!
With patches of surprisingly durable snow still clinging to roofs and shaded plots of grass, the 5th grade student ambassadors of Burks Elementary offered a warm welcome to MISD Board member Larry Jagours on Monday, January 13, in honor of School Board Appreciation Month.
Seated around a horseshoe of classroom tables, the Burks student leaders treated Jagours to lunch as they engaged in a lively Q&A about the work of the board, Jagours' motivation to serve and the challenges of meeting the diverse needs of a large district.
The group discussed the history of Burks Elementary, which dates to the early 1950's, and Principal Al Conley pointed out that there are current Burks students who are part of multiple generations of families that have moved through the school's classrooms.
Jagours spoke fondly of his father's time working at Burks and shared some of his own history growing up and attending school in McKinney ISD during the eras of both segregation and integration, the challenges of those times and the rewarding satisfaction he feels when he considers the opportunities available to all MISD students today.
The visit was a rich time that ended too soon as the Burks ambassadors were called away by the obligations of the school day.
"My visit to Burks Elementary today brought back a lot of memories of the time that my dad was on this campus," said Jagours afterward. "It brought back to me how loving, how sincere the campus was then and how it still is today. I appreciated the students inviting me and asking me the questions that brought back a lot of memories, and how I might have influenced them in their learning up to this point and moving forward in the years to come."
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Josie Karry from McKinney Boyd High School.
See video: https://youtu.be/cVftdfadP38?si=mt1ZL21WQjuJbJXN
Josie is a Senior and Team Captain for the Broncos Cross Country team.
She was the 2023 Cross Country MVP and an Individual Regional qualifier.
Josie is an AP scholar with Honors and has taken 11 AP classes. She is ranked 16th for the class of 2025 and has a 4.73 GPA.
Josie is a member of the National Honor Society and has been named Academic All-District.
Josie is a volunteer for Baylor Scott & White and Meals on Wheels.
Next year, Josie plans to attend college to major in Nursing.
That’s Josie Karry from McKinney Boyd High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
Get your tickets today for the Mother Son Dance!
Click here: https://mckinneyisd.reg.eleyo.com/course/113/2024-2025-special-events/mother-son-dance#dance
Saturday, February 1, 2025
McKinney High School Cafeteria
1400 Wilson Creek Pkwy
McKinney, TX 75069
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Mother Son Dance Tickets — $24.00 per person
Pictures available by 5804 Photography. Pre-order on ticket webpage.
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is senior Natalie Merrell from McKinney High School.
See video: https://youtu.be/-3BKsSJmT7w
Natalie is an artist in AP Studio Art: Drawing and Art IV Design.
She earned top scores at the Regional Visual Arts Scholastic Event, and she qualified twice and medaled at the state level of VASE.
Natalie is a member of the Art Club of McKinney where she received 1st place and an honorable mention for her work, and she received a Regional Honorable Mention in Drawing and Illustration for Scholastic Art & Writing.
Natalie currently ranks 5th in her class with a 4.715 GPA, and she is an AP Scholar with Honor.
She has taken 11 AP courses, and she received the green cord award.
She serves as Vice President of the Engineering Club and as Co-President of the Girls in Stem club.
Natalie qualified for State in Video Game Design and in Animatronics, and she qualified for National in Fashion Design and Technology.
Natalie participates in the Partners Art Program, and she is a student leader in her youth group.
After graduation, Natalie plans to attend BYU to major in Graphic Design and serve a church mission.
That’s Natalie Merrell, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
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 additional information—including FAQs—about how the decision to close or delay school is made and where and when MISD 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 MISD website homepage (www.mckinneyisd.net) as well as the MISD Facebook page and X (formerly Twitter) page. The district will also send out an email notification, notify local television, and radio outlets.
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Ellie Bumpus from McKinney High School.
See video: https://youtu.be/iCAyfySr7js?si=1hKorO9MTPJmeJHy
Ellie is a sophomore on the Lions Cross Country and Track teams.
She has been awarded the Best Newcomer Award for Cross Country.
Ellie is an AP student, and she has a 3.9 GPA.
Ellie is a member of concert choir and musical theater. She is also a member of Christ Fellowship Youth Group.
That’s Ellie Bumpus from McKinney High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
MacTown Miracles 2024!
Once again, the student councils at McKinney North, MHS and McKinney Boyd joined forces to put together the annual MacTown Miracles holiday food drive that provides holiday meals to local families in need. This afternoon, with the help of athletes from all three high schools, they packed more than 800 complete holiday turkey dinners! MacTown Miracles is truly a district wide effort with a many groups and campuses contributing to the effort!
It was a hero's welcome for the Valdosta State Blazers and the Ferris State Bulldogs as they made stops on their MISD goodwill tour at Caldwell, Lawson, Malvern and Reuben Johnson Elementary. The two powerhouse teams will collide in the NCAA Div. II National Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 21, at MISD Stadium, but this morning it was all smiles and high fives as they visited classrooms, played games, read to students and generally won the hearts of some new fans!
Thanks to both teams for making the final day of the semester one that our students will never forget! We wish you all the best in the game and for a safe and happy holiday season!
With the holidays right around the corner, the combined forces of Faubion Middle School's Synergy and Rhapsody choirs brought a fun set of holiday songs to Central Office this afternoon for a quick concert. It was a great way to wrap up the semester and one of the benefits of working right next door to FMS! Thank you, Faubion Middle School!
Bringing Joy to the Community – Glen Oaks 4th & 5th Grade Choir
Video: https://tinyurl.com/3wm9rax5
Santa’s elves have got NOTHING on the 4th and 5th grade choir students at Glen Oaks Elementary! Weeks ago the multi-tasking singers combined choral practice with art class in an effort to spread good will and cheer to the community this holiday season. Art teacher, Tracie Holt, and music teacher, Aaron Flores, teamed up for this service project that delivers both music and a made-from-the heart ornament for residents in assisted living facilities in McKinney.
The NCAA Division II Football Championship has all the makings of a classic as the No. 1 Valdosta State Blazers meet the No. 2 Ferris State Bulldogs on Saturday, December 21, at McKinney ISD Stadium!
To purchase tickets: https://my.hometownticketing.com/agency/57e7d74a-c485-483d-ad1a-59ffa2a077e8/events/c8f07317-7006-480c-94d7-adf0e19f10d1
NCAA DII Football Championship
Valdosta State Blazers (Home Side)
vs
Ferris State Bulldogs (Visitor Side)
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 — 1 p.m.
McKinney ISD Stadium
This matchup has history as these two powerhouse programs meet in the national title game for the third time in six years. They first clashed in 2018 in a thriller that went to Valdosta State as they pulled out a 49-47 victory in the closing seconds to claim their fourth championship. The pairing returned to MISD Stadium for the title game in 2021 as Ferris State rolled through Valdosta State 58-17 to claim their first of two consecutive national championships.
Now, Valdosta State and Ferris State face each other for the third time. Will the stout Ferris State defense stop a stellar Valdosta State offense led by Harlon Hill Trophy finalist QB Sammy Edwards (3,101 yards passing; 222 rushing and 30 touchdowns)? Or will Ferris State QB and Harlon Hill finalist Trinidad Chambliss (2,772 yards passing; 941 rushing and 49 touchdowns) lead Ferris State past the Valdosta State defense?
Don't miss it!
