Parent Newsletter Series

February 2026

In this issue:

A Message from Superintendent Shawn Pratt

Purpose

Featured Topic

Did You Know?

Practical Tips for Families

Family Tools Spotlight

Looking Ahead

From our Superintendent - Shawn Pratt

Dear McKinney ISD Families,

As part of our ongoing series, Keeping Students Safe and Parents Informed, I am proud to share this month’s featured topic: MISD Lives Kind – A Legacy of Kindness.

We all know that a kind word, act, or deed can change someone’s day — and sometimes, a life. As the committee reviewed existing district initiatives, it became clear that kindness could serve as a unifying thread that strengthens learning, relationships, and school culture across every campus.

MISD Lives Kind is intentionally embedded into daily campus life through our district’s Six Strategic Pillars, particularly:

• Pillar 1: Safety & Wellness, by supporting students’ emotional well-being, sense of belonging, and positive school climate

• Pillar 4: MISD Family & Culture, by strengthening relationships among students, staff, families, and our broader community

Over time, Lives Kind has grown into a shared language that supports positive school climate, anti-bullying efforts, student leadership, mental health and well-being, strong staff culture, and meaningful family and community partnerships. Kindness is not only something we teach; it is something we model, practice, and reinforce together.

This work extends beyond our campuses through strong outreach partnerships with churches, mentors, our PTA and PTO organizations, and nonprofit partners who support students and families in times of need. Through this coordinated effort, McKinney ISD continues to strengthen the network of care surrounding our students.

Kindness matters because it shapes who students become. When kindness is practiced daily, it becomes part of who we are internally and it can leave an impact that lasts a lifetime.

Thank you for partnering with us to reinforce kindness at home and in our community. When schools and families work together, we create environments where every student feels safe, valued, and connected.

With gratitude,

Shawn Pratt, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
McKinney Independent School District

Purpose

In August, our district launched a monthly communication and education series focused on student safety, transparent communication, family partnership, and legal awareness. This series will help ensure:

• Parents and guardians are informed of their access, roles, and tools

• Students receive age-appropriate learning on safety, digital citizenship, and well-being

• Schools stay connected with families through proactive outreach and education.

Featured Topic

McKinney ISD Lives Kind - A Legacy of Kindness

What Is MISD Lives Kind?

More than ten years ago, McKinney ISD brought together a small committee with a meaningful goal to create a legacy project that would become part of our district culture, one that uplifts students and staff while intentionally promoting kindness. From that vision, MISD Lives Kind was created.

As the committee reviewed existing district initiatives—such as High Reliability Schools (HRS) Level 1 certification and the MISD Graduate Profile—it became clear that kindness could serve as a unifying thread to align and strengthen this work.

From this vision, MISD Lives Kind was created.

A Purposeful and Intentional Framework

MISD Lives Kind was designed to be meaningful, sustainable, and embedded into daily campus life. To support this work, four core components were adopted:

1. Awareness

Awareness activities are designed to plant a seed and keep kindness visible. Examples include:

• Posters, bulletin boards, infographics, and quotes

• Morning announcements and campus newsletters

• Faculty meeting discussions

2. Service

Service represents kindness in action. Campuses, students, and staff actively engage in acts of kindness such as:

• Collecting food or blankets for animal shelters

• Singing carols at nursing homes

• Helping custodial staff clean shared spaces

Campuses also celebrate key times of the year, including:

• World Kindness Day (November)

• The Great Kindness Challenge (January)

3. Learning

Learning is our business—and teaching kindness is an essential part of that work.

Texas law (Chapter 120) requires Character Education, with kindness included in the caring strand. Because MISD Lives Kind is part of our district legacy, the committee carefully designed instructional lessons known as the CASES Lessons, focusing on the following skills:

• Collaboration

• Active Listening

• Self-Regulation and Coping Skills

• Empathy

• Speaking with Positive Intent

MISD counselors volunteered to write these lessons, which are taught alongside schoolwide competencies aligned with the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling, Character Education, Substance Use Prevention, and Suicide Prevention.

4. Recognition

To sustain kindness as a part of the MISD culture, recognition is powerful.

Campuses celebrate kindness in a variety of ways, including:

• Student of the Month

• Kind Student of the Year

• Staff and/or student nominations

Last school year, Superintendent Pratt elevated this work by introducing MISD Lives Kind as a Board Recognition Spotlight. Four times each year, campuses are recognized at board meetings for their commitment to kindness.

To support this initiative, the Department of Guidance and Counseling invites campuses to nominate themselves and share how they promote kindness on their campus. Each campus spreads kindness in unique ways, making these celebrations especially meaningful.

Campuses Recognized to Date: 

• Faubion Middle School

• Frazier Elementary

• Valley Creek Elementary

• Cockrill Middle School

• Burks Elementary

• Glen Oaks Elementary

• Scott Johnson Middle School

• McGowen Elementary

Support and Alignment

MISD Lives Kind is:

• Supported by the State of Texas through Character Education

• Aligned with HRS Level 1, creating and maintaining a safe and collaborative culture

• Aligned with the McKinney ISD Strategic Plan

  • Pillar 1: Safety and Well-Being

  • Pillar 4: MISD Family and Culture

• Articulated in the MISD Graduate Profile

Did You Know?

Additional Ways MISD Has Used “Lives Kind”

1. Culture-Building & Climate Work

MISD Lives Kind has been used as a common language to support positive campus climate:

• Referenced in campus improvement plans (CIPs) as a culture and climate strategy

• Embedded in PBIS expectations and campus behavior matrices

• Used during restorative conversations and counseling interventions to reinforce empathy, intent, and accountability

• Incorporated into classroom norms and teacher–student agreements

Lives Kind serves as a preventive approach—not just a reactive one.

2. Student Leadership & Voice

Several campuses have intentionally connected Lives Kind to student leadership structures, including:

• Student councils and leadership teams are planning kindness campaigns

• Peer mentors modeling CASES skills for younger students

• Student-created kindness challenges, videos, and announcements

• Integration into Superintendent Student Advisory Council discussions around belonging, empathy, and school culture

This positions students not just as participants, but as culture leaders.

3. Counselor & Mental Health Integration

Lives Kind has been intentionally aligned with student mental health and wellness efforts:

• CASES lessons support self-regulation, coping skills, and empathy, reinforcing suicide prevention and mental health education

• Counselors use Lives Kind language during:

  • Individual counseling

  • Small groups

  • Crisis response and reentry plans

• Reinforces protective factors such as connection, belonging, and help-seeking
  

Kindness is treated as a protective factor, not just a value.

4. Staff Culture & Adult Learning

Lives Kind is not just student-facing—it supports adult culture as well:

• Used in staff meetings and professional learning to reinforce:

  • Speaking with positive intent

  • Collaboration and trust

  • Grace during high-stress periods (testing, staffing changes, budget reductions)
    
    

• Highlighted in staff shout-outs, appreciation weeks, and internal communications

• Reinforces expectations for how adults interact with one another, especially during challenging conversations
  

Lives Kind reinforces “how we work together” as much as “how we treat students.”

5. Districtwide Messaging & Storytelling

MISD Lives Kind has been leveraged in district communications:

• Featured in:

  • Board presentations and recognitions

  • Campus newsletters and websites

  • Social media spotlights

• Used as a storytelling lens to highlight positive campus practices amid accountability, safety, and budget discussions

• Helps balance data-driven conversations with human-centered impact

Lives Kind humanizes the work of the district.

6. Alignment with Accountability & School Improvement

While not an accountability metric itself, Lives Kind supports conditions for success:

• Reinforces HRS Level 1 indicators around culture, safety, and collaboration

• Supports improved attendance, engagement, and sense of belonging

• Creates conditions that support academic risk-taking, persistence, and student confidence
  

Kindness is treated as a strategy that supports academic outcomes.

7. Transition & Change Management

Lives Kind has been especially important during periods of change:

• Campus consolidations and program relocations

• Boundary adjustments

• Staffing reductions and reassignments

• New campus leadership transitions

The framework provides shared language for:

• Empathy

• Respectful communication

• Maintaining dignity during uncertainty
  

➡️ Lives Kind anchors the district during moments of disruption.

Family Tools Spotlight 

Books to Support MISD Lives Kind

Read Aloud Videos: 

The Friend I Need Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThHsyCDOtAM 

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOJy8-OC0iU

Kindness Grows Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/XrJAYoY9vh4 

Tyaja Uses the Think Test Read Aloud:https://youtu.be/HYhGNYzCxwY?si=Cq-ZQLYUuFKyAfAB 

Be Kind Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAo4-2UzgPo 

Meesha Makes Friends Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw73910uecU 

Will You be the I in Kind? Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/live/LGDtswaY6gM?si=TqV-CDTLzJR5JB1G

Horrible Bear Read Aloud: https://youtu.be/tbP1l7NO40c?si=gvhJ8AD7jW0zPdGW 

MISD Lives Kind + Outreach Partners

MCKINNEY ISD OUTREACH PARTNERSHIPS

McKinney ISD has launched a redesigned Outreach Partnership model to better align community support with student and campus needs. Rooted in the district’s mission to coordinate resources across the McKinney community, this new model aims to streamline donations, fundraising efforts, and access to services for families experiencing difficulties. Led by the Guidance and Counseling Department as the central point of contact, each campus will designate an administrator and counselor to oversee local outreach efforts. This structure strengthens collaboration with churches, sister schools, and nonprofit organizations by improving communication, enhancing resource coordination, and fostering sustainable support for students and families. With kindness and coordinated care, MISD is working to build stronger schools and a stronger community.

Flow Chart of MISD District Outreach

MCKINNEY ISD ADOPT A SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

McKinney ISD Adopt-a-School strengthens partnerships between local churches and individual campuses. These partnerships have historically provided critical support through consistent mentorship, campus-wide volunteerism, and generous donations. Churches have sponsored supply drives, mentored students, hosted appreciation events for staff, and supported school-wide initiatives. These long-term relationships have built a strong foundation of community engagement tailored to each school’s unique needs.

MCKINNEY ISD REACH MENTORSHIP
“REACH One Child at a Time”

REACH is McKinney ISD’s mentorship-based attendance intervention and support program, built on the belief that positive, consistent relationships with caring adults help students thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. The program’s mission is to build self-esteem, motivation, and a strong connection to school, ultimately reinforcing the importance of education. Students in the REACH program often show improved attendance, behavior, and academic performance.

The success of REACH is powered by a strong, cross-departmental collaboration. District Guidance & Counseling drives the strategic vision, leading program design, communication, and data systems. Campus teams bring the program to life each day by connecting students with mentors, managing logistics, and monitoring student growth. School Leadership and Administrative Services ensures alignment and impact across all campuses by streamlining volunteer onboarding and using real-time attendance data to inform and improve outcomes. Together, these teams form a network committed to helping students succeed.

MCKINNEY ISD NONPROFIT OUTREACH PARTNERS

McKinney ISD partners with a network of nonprofit organizations to provide wraparound support for students and families in need. These trusted partnerships extend beyond the classroom, offering access to food, clothing, shelter, and emergency resources—helping to meet families where they are.

Partner organizations include:

• Trusted World: Clothing, hygiene items, and daily essentials

• Samaritan Inn: Emergency shelter and services for homeless families

• Children’s Hunger Fund: Food boxes and hunger relief support

• Community Garden Kitchen: Free hot meals in a welcoming setting

• Community Food Pantry of McKinney: Crisis food support and basic necessities

• Minnie’s Food Pantry: Groceries and fresh produce for low-income families

• Community Lifeline Center: Emergency rent, utility, and food assistance

• Love Life Foundation: Middle school backpack drive & Angel Tree

• One Heart McKinney: A centralized hub connecting families to a broad range of services

Through kindness and care, these nonprofit partnerships help MISD create a full-circle system of support by meeting immediate needs, building long-term stability, and creating a greater impact across the entire McKinney community

FEBRUARY KINDNESS CHALLENGE

Partnership with First United Bank

McKinney ISD is proud to partner with First United Bank for their United Acts of Kindness initiative! The goal is to reach 1 million acts of kindness. This pairs perfectly with our McKinney ISD Lives Kind initiative.

Join us on Friday, February 13, 2026, as we celebrate United Acts of Kindness Day and intentionally spread kindness throughout our community. Each year, on February 17, our nation recognizes Random Acts of Kindness Day—a reminder that through the generosity of citizens, community leaders, churches, nonprofits, and businesses, we can be a light of hope in a world that may often feel like darkness.

Acts of kindness can be big or small. What matters most is the intention—the simple choice to think of others and share kindness with those around you. United Acts of Kindness is a day for our community to come together to spread joy, hope, and love to friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors.

Together, we can make a difference—one kind act at a time. 💫

McKinney ISD has committed to 385,000 acts of kindness- the highest pledge ever received companywide! McKinney ISD can easily hit our goal if all of our students and staff commit to ten acts of kindness in the month of February. The acts do not have to cost money- they’re simple, easy ways to spread kindness in McKinney.

Looking Ahead

Why Kindness Matters

Kindness supports:

• students’ emotional well-being,

• positive school climate,

• stronger relationships between students and staff,

• meaningful community engagement,

• and a culture where every person feels seen, safe, and respected.

Being kind isn’t just something we teach - it’s something we live every day.

At Home with Kindness

Families can support kindness, too! Try these ideas:

• Ask your child to share one kind thing they did or saw today.

• Celebrate acts of kindness at home - big or small.

• Look for opportunities to serve others together.

Kindness is contagious — and when we live it together, our community is stronger for everyone.

In Our Next Issue

In our next issue, we will focus on “ONLINE SAFETY”.