McKinney ISD -

MISD is happy to announce that Audrey Colwell has been named the new Coordinator of Elementary Library Services and Instructional Technology. Having spent the past 20 years in MISD, Colwell brings a wealth of experience to her new role and a deep commitment to literacy and technology innovation in the classroom.

Colwell began her career at Slaughter Elementary, teaching first and third grades, before earning her master's degree in library science and transitioning to her current role as Library Media Specialist.

For the past decade, Colwell has built strong district-wide relationships by actively contributing to initiatives and library programs that enhance the educational experience for all students.

In her new role, Colwell will guide the district’s elementary library programs and play a key leadership role in supporting the innovative use of technology in the classroom. She is passionate about collaborating with all stakeholders to support the success of all schools in MISD.

"I am honored by the opportunity to contribute to McKinney ISD on a larger scale," said Colwell. "And, I am dedicated to inspiring all staff and students to cultivate creative, innovative thinking while pursuing their passions and new knowledge with curiosity and purpose."

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Grace Edwards from McKinney Boyd High School. Video link: https://youtu.be/w2zCNj92Ua8?si=FupIJeqGgwLPdq9- Grace is a senior on the Lady Broncos Volleyball team. Grace is ranked 49th in her class, and she has taken 4 AP classes. She is a member of the National Honors Society. Next year, Grace plans to attend college and pursue a degree in Physical Therapy. That’s Grace Edwards from McKinney Boyd High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

Collin College invites you to a virtual information session on Dual Credit! During this session, you'll learn how your child can earn college credits while still in high school, saving time and money on their future college degree.

Here's what you'll discover:

—What is Dual Credit and how does it work?
—Benefits of Dual Credit for Your Student
—Course options available at Collin College
—Eligibility requirements and application process
—Answers to all your Dual Credit questions!

Join us virtually on:
Date: Thursday, November 21, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. CST

Click here to join the Zoom meeting: https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/pO7xCERmG4FAxyNKUpivH7TA_w?domain=us02web.zoom.us

Meeting ID: 813 0989 8168
Passcode: 851348

This session is a great opportunity to gain valuable insights and explore how Dual Credit can benefit your child's academic journey.

This morning, Reuben Johnson Elementary wrapped up their weeklong focus on kindness by stuffing party favor bags to support The Birthday Party Project, an organization that makes birthdays special for kids in need. All told, RJE filled 924 bags with fun items donated by the RJE community! RJE students learned about kindness by putting it to work!

"We are so proud of our students and families for embracing World Kindness Week and putting their hearts into a campus wide service project to support The Birthday Party Project," said RJE Principal Kristen Patterson. " We had no idea what to expect when we started assembling our donations this morning, and after counting we were blown away with the realization that we are giving 924 filled birthday party favor bags to children in need. Our RJE families truly are the best at giving and supporting others."

The 2024-2025 McKinney CAN series continued today as MISD Superintendent Shawn Pratt welcomed the group to McKinney Boyd High School for the second of four scheduled sessions.

The morning's topics covered Teaching & Learning led by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Amber Epperson with Alpha Teacher Rico Sneller providing a presentation on STEAM 3D printing and design in the elementary grades. Sr. Director Zabdi Gonzalez talked about the vital work of the English Learner Support department, and Sr. Director of Spec. Populations Brynne Riley and Exec. Director of Special Populations Adrienne Broyles offered an overview of the expansive work and impact of the Special Populations department.

McKinney CAN meets four times a year at different schools to provide participants with in-depth knowledge about the vision, goals, and operations of McKinney ISD. The program aims to ‘pull the curtain back’ on public education and McKinney ISD and to show our stakeholders how each department works to support campuses and our students. Next stop for McKinney CAN is Webb Elementary in February!

Thanks to Principal David Hodum and the staff at Boyd for their hospitality!

The MISD Childcare Department is seeking part-time staff to work 2:30 – 6:30 p.m. in its preschool programs.

$17/hour
Must be 18 or older and have graduated high school.

Contact Jennifer Harris at jharris@mckinneyisd.net for more information.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Jud Rector. https://youtu.be/C6Bzygtnw34?si=myGg_YkaSQNPIbEh Jud is a senior at McKinney North High School where he is a member of the True North Varsity Choir. For the past two years, he has earned a 1 in ranking on Solo & Ensemble contest, and he was a Honors Recital Winner in the 11th grade. Jud currently has a 4.3 GPA, and he has taken 10 AP courses. He ranks 32nd in his class and is in the top 6%. In his free time, Jud plays varsity baseball for the Buldawgs. He also plays select baseball and volunteers at the local library. Jud has spent 3 years working for Bearfoot Lifeguard Company, with 2 years of managing experience and 1 year of instructing experience. After graduation, Jud plans to dual major in Music Performance and Business and then potentially pursue an MBS in Business. He is interested in several schools, including UT Austin, Rice, SMU, TCU, U of Arkansas, Duke, UNC, Baylor, or Oklahoma University. That’s Jud Rector, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

Culture, Diversity, Tradition – with the Valley Creek Community Video link: https://youtu.be/dwD0F15Yssw?si=8ZXuCcsrfFTubsZY “You just never know. The person down the hall may have the same traditions as you.” Dr. Ebonee King serves as principal at Valley Creek Elementary, and over a year ago the PTA for her campus created a culture & diversity committee with a unified goal in mind: acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of their community. The Family Cultures & Traditions Night, held last month on the campus, marked the first of what Valley Creek hopes to be MANY events that showcases and shares the heritage of their neighborhood.

Walker Elementary students and staff members came together to celebrate Veterans Day today with a special ceremony and breakfast. Video link: https://youtu.be/dPdUFQSIk5I?si=xJGgJwbMRBkI0LSP The talented Harmony Choir from McKinney High School performed the National Anthem, setting a respectful tone for the event. In addition, the enthusiastic Walker student body honored the veterans present with an engaging “Military Medley,” which showcased a selection of songs that resonated deeply with the significance of the occasion.

McKinney High School Commemorates Veterans Day Video link: https://youtu.be/x4QgoqcaNOQ Five members of the McKinney ISD family were honored for their service to our country this morning at McKinney High School. In appreciation for their service as veterans in the armed forces, MHS Principal Dr. Kent paid tribute to Sergeant Major Don Hernandez (Marines), Retired Chief Warrant Officer-3 Ron McPhatter (Marines), Natalie Walker (Air Force), Staff Sergeant Curtis Logan (Air Force) and Keith Thompson (Navy).

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Brady Stangl from McKinney North High School. Video link: https://youtu.be/pkVmQtWUCNA?si=CQUrywwrhAO911i7 Brady is a Senior on the Bulldogs Swim team. Brady is a State Qualifier, 2-time District Champion, and Swim MVP. He has been featured on WFAA as Scholar Athlete of the Week and named to Academic All-District First team. Brady is an AP Academic Scholar and has taken 4 AP classes. He is a Red and Blue cord recipient with a 3.96 GPA and is ranked 54th in his class. Brady is a volunteer at his church, is a part of his church's youth group, and is a swimmer for his Club Team. Next year, Brady plans to attend college and further his education. That’s Brady Stangl from McKinney North High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

Superintendent Shawn Pratt's 2024–2025 Student Advisory Committee met for its second of four sessions on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 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. Dr. Gere Feltus, McKinney Mayor Pro Tem and CEO of Healthy Family Services of Texas spoke about leadership and her path to public service. Superintendent Pratt, Deputy Superintendent Melanie Raleeh and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shelly Spaulding led lively discussions about school start times, the Evolv safety system and Career and Technical Education.

November 8th is National STEAM Day - a perfect opportunity for McKinney ISD to highlight the importance of integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics into education. https://youtu.be/dTAO62eSwqo This day celebrates the critical role that STEAM achieves in fostering creativity, problem-solving, and innovation among our students. At McKinney ISD, we strive to cultivate curious, creative, and connected students every day, and this celebration aligns perfectly with that mission. By engaging our community in hands-on, collaborative, and critical thinking experiences, we not only inspire young minds to explore these fields, but we also emphasize teamwork, and real-world applications, preparing them for future careers. Ultimately, we aim to ignite a passion for learning and encourage students to pursue their interests in STEAM, shaping a more skilled and innovative workforce for tomorrow.

Congratulations to the McKinney North Volleyball Bulldogs on their big Bi-District win over the Lady Panthers of Lufkin! The Bulldogs swept the 10-5A champs in three sets 25-14, 25-14, 25-14 and now move on to the Area round where they will take on Highland Park on Friday, Nov. 8.

GO DAWGS!!!

More info: https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4789/AS/5003562/VOLLEYBALL_-_Area_Round_Playoffs_2024.pdf

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Brooks Bell. https://youtu.be/_RWH5CEvK1E Brooks is a senior at McKinney Boyd High School where he plays percussion in the Bronco Band. He has earned TMEA All-Region Band 3 years in a row, All-Area in 2024 and All-Region Orchestra in 2022 and 2024. Brooks was selected as a McKinney ISD Concerto Contest Winner and as a Semi-Finalist in the Great Plains International Marimba Competition. Brooks currently maintains a 4.42 GPA, and he has taken 10 AP courses. He is a member of the National Honor Society, and he participates in Youth and Government. In his free time, Brooks is a member of Vigilantes Indoor Percussion and Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps. After graduation, Brooks plans to major in Music Education. He is undecided on a college, and he is considering the University of Texas at Austin, Florida State University or Oklahoma City University. That’s Brooks Bell, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

Kelly Daescu's AP Biology students at MHS applied their graphing/statistics skills while investigating whether Double Stuf Oreos are truly double-stuffed compared to regular Oreos. The analysis process was more involved than one might think and included the usually messy activity of removing the stuff from the Oreo—in this case, with a fork. The results? According to their data, most found that their Double Stuf Oreos did indeed have about twice as much stuffing as regular Oreos.

Please join us for the 3rd Annual MISD Father Daughter Dance —A Night in Paris— for a night of dancing, pictures, and light refreshments.

The dance is for young ladies in K-5th grade. You do not have to be a McKinney ISD student to attend the dance.

Father Daughter Dance
Saturday, December 7, 2024
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
McKinney Boyd High School (600 Lake Forest Drive, McKinney)

Tickets: $24 per person

Photos
Pictures will be available through 5804 Photography. It's a great photo opportunity for the holidays. You may follow the link below and order packages online until Dec. 6, 2024.

Corsages and Boutonnieres will be available for $20 each.

Click below to register for the Father Daughter Dance (Photo pre-order link is available on the registration page.)

https://mckinneyisd.reg.eleyo.com/course/112/2024-2025-special-events/father-daughter-ball

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Lucas Hlavaty from McKinney High School. https://youtu.be/RqlAnJHwbn4?si=b36qaEXwzMevm1J3 Lucas is a Freshman on the Lions Tennis team. He earned first seed on Varsity his Freshman year. Lucas is taking AP courses and has received straight A’s for the first grade check for the school year. Lucas is a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chess club. He also plays in tennis tournaments outside of school. That’s Lucas Hlavaty from McKinney High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

Students in Charles Morton's science classes at North studied the exterior and interior anatomical structures of bony fish during their dissection lab on Oct. 31! It was a fascinating journey of academic discovery and olfactory stamina.

The MISD Leadership Academy met Tuesday, October 29, at the CEC for its second session of the year where they took part in a Q&A session with a panel of district and campus leaders and completed certification in Jon Gordon's Power of Positive Thinking! Thank you to panel participants Dr. Jessica Fair, Dowell Assistant Principal; Debra Fort, MISD Coordinator of Guidance and Counseling; Jennifer Frazier, MISD Director of Athletics; Dr. Ebonee King, Valley Creek Principal; Amanda Leader, McKinney North Associate Principal; Morgan Montaño, Webb Elementary Library Media Specialist; and Clete Wilson, McKinney North Instructional Coach.

The academy was launched five years ago to "identify, recruit and equip educators with a variety of levels of specializations and broad knowledge, skills and experiences that prepare them for potential leadership positions in both school and district leadership."

The group will meet two more times during the school year and will receive training in StrengthsFinder strength-based leadership, hear from more district and campus leaders, participate in a resume workshop, interview training and more.