BLAZE! 2025
While MISD students were enjoying an extended weekend, it was still a day of learning for MISD on Tuesday, February 18, as elementary teachers and staff filled the halls of McKinney North and their secondary counterparts gathered at MHS for the annual BLAZE professional development day.
"BLAZE was a fantastic day of professional learning for our MISD teachers!" said MISD Director of Professional Development Judy Mercer. "I truly appreciate the hard work and dedication of all the presenters and staff members who made it possible. With more than 275 sessions available, educators were actively engaged in meaningful and impactful learning experiences throughout the day. It was a huge success!"
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is senior Rebekah Lessner from McKinney Boyd High School.
See video: https://youtu.be/sKbxa5011Eg
Rebekah is a member of the Fusion Choir, and she is a 2025 Texas All-State Choir member.
She was selected for the Region 24 Choir the past 3 years, and she was a State Finalist for TMTA Vocal Competition. Rebekah received Superior score and Honors Recital performance for Vocal Solo & Ensemble contest, and she earned a Top Score on the PMTA Theory Test.
Rebekah currently has a 4.93 GPA with 9 AP classes. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the McKinney Boyd Track team.
In her free time, Rebekah participates in service work and mission trips through First United Methodist Church of McKinney. She is also a lifeguard and swim instructor for the City of McKinney.
After graduation, Rebekah plans to major in Political Science on the Pre-Law track.
That’s Rebekah Lessner, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
It’s common for elementary student to exchange cards and treats for Valentine’s Day, but last week 3rd and 4th graders from Finch Elementary gave away something even more sentimental: their hearts. The art students from Mr. Nguyen’s class created pastel chocolate boxes in the shape of a heart and had them delivered to patients in the ICU at Medical City of McKinney.
This collaboration between the hospital and the campus culminated during Valentine’s Day and Love Week as the ICU nurses visited Finch Elementary to pick up the art pieces. They returned to Medical City over the weekend and handed out the precious artwork to their patients.
McKinney North High School recently took on a special Kindness Challenge, inspiring students and staff to spread positivity throughout the school and community.
See video: https://youtu.be/38sZuTTN9CE?si=SWNsvz5HLWg970g5
Organized by counselor Nikki Summers, this initiative honors the memory of Blake, the son of a longtime friend, whose family encouraged acts of kindness in his honor as he became ill before his 3rd birthday.
Through this challenge, students are making a difference, one kind act at a time. Let's keep the kindness going!
You're invited to our Quarter 3 Personal Financial Literacy course!
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Aniyah Johnson from McKinney Boyd High School.
See video: https://youtu.be/InLnGgLYn5M?si=q3q0HcBE3iTZcvd0
Aniyah is a senior on the Lady Broncos Basketball team, and she is 3-time 1st team All-District selection and a 2-time varsity team captain.
Aniyah is an AP student, and she has taken 3 AP courses.
Aniyah is a member of the McKinney Boyd Black Student Union, and she is very involved with the Flow church community.
Next year, Aniyah plans to attend the University of Texas at Arlington to study Criminal Justice.
That’s Aniyah Johnson from McKinney Boyd High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
MISD will Host a ZAPS SAT Test Prep Seminar on Saturday, March 1
McKinney ISD continues to offer our students from Boyd, MHS and North opportunities to prepare for college entrance exams with a ZAPS® SAT one-day test preparation seminar on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at McKinney North High School.
ZAPS SAT Test Prep Seminar
McKinney North High School
March 1, 2025
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Seminar fee: $85
Register at https://www.doorwaytocollege.org or call 877-927-8378.
Sign up today to reserve your spot!
As Black History Month continues, we turn our attention to the life of Jesse McGowen, namesake of McGowen Elementary, a man who epitomizes joy, kindness and gentle strength. During the integration of McKinney ISD schools in the 1960's, McGowen was called upon to help make it work. He stood in the gap and worked for understanding at a time when tensions could easily flare. He is a true hero of McKinney ISD.
Today, you can often find him at the school that bears his name, a living testimony to the enduring power of love.
Before the passing of Leonard Evans in 2018, Jesse McGowen visited McGowen Elementary with Evans to share with students their experiences in McKinney ISD.
We invite you to read the account of that visit, the story of one of the most important figures in the history of McKinney ISD: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/article/2031246
The MISD Leadership Academy met yesterday at the CEC for its third session of the 2024-2025 school year. For this gathering, they took part in activities and discussion exploring strengths based leadership and heard from Evans Middle School Principal Melissa Hernandez; MISD Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning and Accountability Dr. Amber Epperson; and English Learner Support Coordinator Erica Ranel who each talked about her journey in education and experiences in different leadership roles.
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."
MISD schools will be closed on Monday, February 17, and Tuesday, February 18. Those days have been designated as a student holiday on the MISD calendar. Classes will resume on Wednesday, February 19.
We hope you have a wonderful, extended weekend!
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Rylan McCollough.
See video: https://youtu.be/_0p4vCJs_ds
Rylan is a senior at McKinney Boyd High School where he plays viola & violin in the orchestra. He is a two-time Directors Award recipient, two-time All-Region Orchestra participant, and a UIL State Chamber Music Competition Finalist with the Cadenza Quartet.
Rylan has taken 8 AP courses, and he currently maintains a 3.977 GPA.
In his free time, Rylan is a member of the McKinney Boyd Chess Club, and he is an employee of Dallas Strings. Rylan performs as Principal Violist of the Greater North Texas Youth Orchestra and as a member of the Cadenza Quintet.
After graduation, Rylan plans to study Linguistics or Music Education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst or the University of Edinburgh.
That’s Rylan McCollough, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
In honor of Black History Month, we remember the lives of Albert and Iola Malvern, namesakes of Malvern Elementary.
Iola Lee Davis Malvern
Iola Davis was born in McKinney, Texas on January 28, 1927, during an era when the city—like so many others across the south—was marked by segregation. That fact would remain unchanged for more than 30 years of her life.
Growing up, she attended McKinney’s E.S. Doty School, a square, brick building on the east side of town that housed grades 1-12 for the district’s Black students. She graduated as valedictorian in 1944.
Davis continued her education at Bishop College in Marshall, Texas where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 1948. She would later go on to earn a master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University in early childhood development and counseling, and in 1950, she married Albert A. Malvern.
When she began her career as a sixth grade teacher at Doty in 1948, MISD was still separated along racial lines. But, when McKinney ISD fully integrated in 1965, Iola Malvern was one of the first Black teachers to transfer to what had previously been an all-white school, West Ward—now known as Nell Burks Elementary—and taught fourth grade until her retirement in 1983.
Malvern lived in McKinney and remained an active member in many church and community organizations until her passing on December 5, 2019.
Albert A. Malvern
Albert A. Malvern was born on May 26, 1923 in Checotah, Oklahoma. He graduated from Terrell High School in Denison, Texas and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in industrial education from Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. He also received his master’s degree in 1953 from Prairie View. In 1969, he earned a second master's degree in administration and supervision from East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas.
In the fall of 1949, Malvern began his educational career at E.S. Doty High School in McKinney. A year later, he married Iola Davis.
He went on to work for McKinney ISD for 36 years as a math teacher and in 1972 became an assistant principal at McKinney High School. He was active in the community and was a deacon in the Drexel Street First Baptist Church.
Albert A. Malvern passed away on October 14, 1985. A beloved figure in McKinney ISD, Malvern's commitment and dedication helped forge a legacy that impacted countless MISD students during his more than three decades of service to the district.
In 2001, McKinney ISD opened the doors of Malvern Elementary, which stands as an ongoing tribute to the legacy of these two remarkable educators.
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Jack Shaw from McKinney High School.
See video: https://youtu.be/no-loVQ_zy0?si=kImCYs4yKhSZ1Z69
Jack is a senior on the Lions varsity basketball team, and he has received Academic All-District 3 years in a row.
He has taken 5 AP classes and is a member of the National Honor Society. Jack is in the top 18% of his class and has a 3.88 GPA.
Next year, Jack plans to attend a 4-year university to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering.
That’s Jack Shaw from McKinney High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.
In honor of Black History Month, we remember Reuben Johnson, namesake of Johnson Elementary...
Born in 1926, Reuben Johnson was the product of a McKinney upbringing and education, and he gave back to his community by dedicating 37 years to education, including 28 years in McKinney, where he became the first Black principal in McKinney ISD and was an important figure during the integration of McKinney schools.
Johnson earned his diploma in 1944 from segregated Doty High School, a large, two-story, brick building in east McKinney. After graduating, Johnson served in the Navy during World War II and returned from the war to earn a bachelor’s degree from Texas College in Tyler. He would go on to earn a master's degree from Texas Southern University in Houston as well as principal and superintendent certifications.
It was during his time at Texas College that Johnson met and fell in love with Evelyn Williams, and in 1950, they married.
They moved to McKinney, and Johnson would become supervisor for County Schools of Collin County and served as principal of Community School in Josephine while Evelyn served as a classroom teacher.
In the late 1950's, they came to work for McKinney ISD where Johnson would dedicate 28 years of his life to the students of McKinney. When he and Evelyn retired in 1986, Johnson was the principal of Burks Elementary, and Evelyn had spent 25 years as a first-grade teacher.
“He was an all-around man who touched the lives of his students,” said Evelyn, who passed away in 2019. “He was interested in the welfare of the children and wanted the best for all students so they could be positive achievers throughout life.”
In an interview with Arthur McNeil, the namesake of McNeil Elementary, he recalled Johnson and his tenure with the district. “I remember Reuben Johnson came to McKinney serving as principal at E.S. Doty High School and also principal of the elementary school held at Doty after the first phase of integration in McKinney," he said.
According to McNeil, after the elementary school closed, Johnson served as assistant principal at Slaughter Middle School, Caldwell Intermediate School, McKinney High School and finally was named principal at Burks Elementary when Dean Bennett retired. His appointment as principal resulted in becoming the first Black principal within an integrated McKinney ISD.
“Reuben Johnson taught me more about human relations and leadership than any college or workshops that I have attended," McNeil said. "He was committed. He was a leader ... Reuben Johnson had a vision or direction for McKinney ISD, which included quality in all aspects, and he created a framework in the workplace for quality activities to take place.”
While Leonard Evans was head coach and Johnson was principal at Doty High School, one of Johnson’s first decisions was to ask Evans to haul all the worn out athletic equipment to the city dump because it was the equipment he and Evans had used during their time as students at the school. Johnson wouldn’t settle for more hand-me-downs and eventually purchased all new equipment for Doty players.
In addition to his service in McKinney schools, Johnson was an active member of St. James Christian Methodist Episcopal Church serving as Sunday School Superintendent, on the Steward Board and in the choir. He and Evelyn had two sons who graduated from McKinney High School. Scott is a retired pharmacist and Dreand is a college administrator.
Reuben Johnson passed away in 1988. McKinney ISD honored the legacy of one of its truly great educators when they opened the doors of Reuben Johnson Elementary in 1997. And, there Johnson's legacy lives on each day through the work of the school's teachers and staff.
Adapted from an article authored by Jean Ann Collins, former journalism teacher at McKinney High School.
Superintendent Shawn Pratt's 2024-2025 Student Advisory Committee met for its third of five sessions today at the CEC.
This time, these student leaders from Boyd, MHS and North heard from McKinney City Manager Paul Grimes as he discussed leadership and his role within the city government. Dr. Dennis Womack talked about the work of the district's long range planning committee and provided insight into the many factors involved in accommodating for growth in the district as the students collaborated during a zoning discussion.
The Superintendent Student Advisory Committee provides junior and senior student leaders from MISD's three high schools the opportunity to learn and grow in leadership and to give feedback about district and campus initiatives, events and procedures.
Thanks to Paul Grimes for taking time to share with our students today!
Celebrating 100 Years of Fanny Finch Elementary
See video: https://tinyurl.com/3umvrzvf
“Raise your hand if you were teaching back when chalkboards were considered high tech?”
That seems like a crazy question unless you are addressing the audience of a 100-year celebration, which was the case this past January for Finch Elementary. Current teachers and students along with former students and staff gathered to celebrate the school’s one hundredth anniversary of being named after the legendary educator, Fanny Finch.
This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Alyssa Mullen.
Video: https://youtu.be/YwEQPXggwA4
Alyssa is a senior at McKinney Boyd High School where she is in the Broadway Broncos Theatre program. She has performed with the All-Star Cast of the UIL One-Act Play, as well as several other productions including Big Fish, A Chorus Line and The Little Mermaid.
Alyssa is a National Qualifier for Soloist & Music Director for her work in The Ballad of Sara Berry, and she is a National Qualifier for Music Director for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Alyssa has taken 9 AP courses and 1 dual credit course, and she received the Outstanding Achievement award from NASSP in 2021. She is an AP Scholar with Honor and a National Indigenous Recognition Program Award Recipient. For the past 2 years Alyssa has been named the “Theatre Student of the Year” for McKinney Boyd.
In her free time, Alyssa volunteers with Creek Kids Drama Team, and she works with young children at Bible Scripture Memory Weekly Sundays.
She also participates in the Dallas Young Artists program and Moondance Theatre, and she is currently working on the Gold award in Girl Scouts.
After graduation, Alyssa plans to attend college and major in Fine Arts Acting with a goal of performing and directing plays on Broadway.
That’s Alyssa Mullen, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.
✨National School Counseling Week 2025✨
National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.
We are thankful for our McKinney ISD counselors!
Welcome to the McKinney ISD podcast hosted by Dr. Shelly Spaulding, Assistant Superintendent of Public Relations & Communications.
See video: https://youtu.be/wE486E3VHDI
One of our district goals is to ensure that our stakeholders are aware of things that are happening in McKinney ISD, and this podcast is another avenue to provide more updates.
Each week we will interview different guests who can provide insight and information on current topics that affect our district. Today, we're starting with our very own Superintendent Pratt! Tune into this episode to learn more about Shawn Pratt's educational career, his input on current educational issues such as school vouchers and open enrollment in McKinney ISD, as well as some answers to our rapid-fire personal questions.
Honoring Harvey Oaxaca During School Board Appreciation Month
Bennett Elementary wrapped up School Board Appreciation Month on Friday, Jan. 31, by celebrating school board Secretary Harvey Oaxaca for his dedication and service to our students and schools. Mr. Oaxaca toured classrooms and the library alongside campus principals, witnessing the incredible learning taking place. The celebration continued with a school-wide assembly where students and staff expressed their gratitude for his hard work and commitment to MISD.
Thank you, Mr. Oaxaca, for making a difference in our community!
