Parent Newsletter Series
Keeping Kids Safe and Parents Informed
September 2025
In this Issue:
A Message from Superintendent Shawn Pratt
If you need access to a digital copy, please go here: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/page/parent-newsletter-series
From our Superintendent - Shawn Pratt
McKinney ISD Families,
As we move into September, we are grateful for the strong start to the 2025–2026 school year and appreciate your partnership in making it a success.
This month’s series of “Keeping Students Safe & Parents Informed” provides an overview of school discipline and highlights the importance of a strong partnership between home and school. At McKinney ISD, we believe that maintaining a safe, supportive, and respectful learning environment requires collaboration among students, families, and staff. Student safety and well-being remain at the heart of everything we do, and this series is designed to provide families with helpful information.
Our Strategic Plan – Pillar #1: Safety, Security & Well-Being reinforces this commitment and guides our work to create thriving learning environments. We want every student to understand expectations, feel valued, and be empowered to contribute to the positive culture we’re building together.
We are grateful for your continued support and commitment to McKinney ISD.
Sincerely,
Shawn Pratt
Superintendent
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
Supporting Positive Student Behavior
Texas public schools are required to develop and enforce various student discipline policies that follow the Texas Education Code and federal law. These policies include a student code of conduct outlining disciplinary actions taken based on student behavior. The Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Student Discipline Program guides school systems and regional education service centers (ESCs) on these disciplinary policies, procedures, and discipline data reporting requirements.
McKinney ISD Student Code of Conduct
The Student Code of Conduct(SCOC) serves as a guide to help create a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment for every student. It ensures that:
Clear expectations are set for student behavior and responsibilities
Consistent and fair practices are used across all campuses
Positive relationships between students, staff, and families are supported
Safe and productive classrooms are maintained so learning can thrive
Legal and policy requirements from the state and district are met
The SCOC reflects McKinney ISD’s belief that discipline is not just about consequences — it’s about teaching, guiding, and supporting students so they can grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
McKinney ISD Student Code of Conduct
McKinney ISD Student Handbook
The Student Handbook is designed to help students and families understand district policies, state laws, and school expectations. In Texas, the handbook serves as a comprehensive guide that:
Communicates the rights and responsibilities of students and parents under the Texas Education Code
Explains important district policies, including attendance, safety, discipline, and academic expectations
Provides information about programs and services available to support student success
Outlines legal requirements and helps families stay informed about updates from the Texas Legislature and TEA
Connects families and schools, fostering a positive partnership to ensure every child can learn and thrive
Did You Know?
TEA created a Parent Overview for School Discipline. We have included a copy in this newsletter for your review:
How Students Are Expected to Behave
Removal from Class by the Teacher
Campus Behavior Coordinator (CBC) and Managing Discipline
Discipline Conferences, Appeals, and Parent Rights
Discipline and Students with Disabilities
Types of Disciplinary Removals
A Focus on Threats
The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our highest priority. We want to remind families that McKinney ISD takes all threats seriously, regardless of how they are made, whether in person, online, on social media, or through other forms of communication.
Reporting Threats
If a student or parent becomes aware of a possible threat, report it immediately to campus administration or through MISD’s anonymous reporting system. Tip 411
All reports are taken seriously and are investigated thoroughly by campus administrators, district safety personnel, and, when necessary, law enforcement partners.
McKinney ISD’s Process When a Threat Is Reported
Immediate Assessment – The school works with the district’s safety team and law enforcement to quickly determine the credibility of the threat.
Parent/Guardian Notification – If your child is directly involved or potentially impacted, you will be notified as soon as possible.
Threat Assessment Team Review – MISD’s School Behavior Threat Assessment Team evaluates the situation, determines risk level, and outlines next steps.
Appropriate Consequences – Any student making a threat may face disciplinary action in accordance with the MISD Student Code of Conduct and Texas Education Code, up to and including removal from school or expulsion.
Our Partnership With Families
We ask parents to speak with their children about the seriousness of making threats. Even statements intended as jokes can lead to significant disciplinary and legal consequences. Together, we can maintain safe, supportive learning environments for every student.
Practical Tips for Families
Supporting Positive Student Behavior
Creating consistent expectations between home and school builds a stronger foundation for student success. Our goal in MISD is to support positive student behavior as a partner with families. Here are some simple ways families can stay engaged:
Start the Conversation at Home
Talk with your child about your family’s expectations around respect, responsibility, and safety.
Discuss what positive behavior looks like at home, school, and online.
Stay Informed
Review the McKinney ISD Student Code of Conduct together to understand student rights, responsibilities, and discipline policies.
Access the TEA Parent Overview for School Discipline (linked above) to learn how state policies guide school-based decisions.
Partner with Your Campus
Ask about support systems available on campus for students struggling with behavior expectations.
Model Positive Digital Citizenship
Talk with your child about responsible online behavior, including kindness, privacy, and safety.
Use the Deledao Parent Portal to monitor your child’s online activity and reinforce healthy technology habits.
MISD Student Support Systems
In MISD, discipline isn’t just about punishment — it’s about supporting student growth:
Counseling Services: Access to campus counselors for emotional and behavioral support.
Restorative Practices: Approaches that focus on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships.
Positive Behavior Interventions: Strategies teachers and administrators use to reinforce positive conduct.
Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs): Personalized plans for students who need ongoing support.
Family Tools Spotlight
As part of its commitment to student safety, McKinney ISD has enhanced its digital learning environment with two powerful tools from Deledao, a leader in student online protection and mental wellness monitoring.
Deledao’s innovative artificial intelligence technologies analyze text, images, and videos in real time and keep your children safe in their Internet journeys. Our technologies work especially well on social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook, where the contents are diversified and legacy solutions fail to provide adequate protection.
In the meantime, we’d also like to provide tools to parents to properly guide the children’s Internet activities. Our parent portal lets parents:
• View children’s web activity summary
• Investigate detailed activity log
• Configure additional at-home policy settings. Please note that the at-home policy only applies outside of school hours.
We invite you to sign up for the Deledao Parent Portal. For more information, please click here.
Learn how to use the Deledao Parent Portal by watching this video. Click here.
Looking Ahead
In the next issue, we will publish information about drug awareness:
In October, our Keeping Kids Safe series will explore vaping, THC, fentanyl, and what every parent, educator, and student needs to know to make informed choices.