McKinney North High School

Hello Bulldogs,

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is here? Even crazier, once we return from Thanksgiving we only have two weeks of instruction and then a week of finals. Our final exams will be on December 13th – 16th. December 14th, 15th, and 16th are all half days for our students. School will be dismissed at 11:30am on each of those days. Please remember that students are not allowed to take exams early. If there is a family emergency or illness that causes your child to miss their exam they may take the exam up in the afternoon during finals week OR when we return from the Winter Break. Buses will be running on the early release days so if you are unable to pick your child up from school at 11:30 please make sure they know which bus to ride home if they are eligible for bus transportation.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this letter I cannot believe how fast this semester has gone by this year. Our student success in the classroom and in extracurricular activities is what makes MNHS so special and not a week has gone by this year that we have not had a reason for celebration. With that said I would like to bring special recognition to a few of the outstanding performances of success at MNHS this semester.

• Senior, Trinity Vincent was selected as a semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Across our nation only 16,000 students each year are selected as semifinalist in the scholarship program.

• Junior, Bailey Brown, Orchestra Bassist, earned 8th chair in the Texas ALL STATE Symphony Orchestra and will be performing in San Antonio this upcoming February. She ranked higher than any other bassist in our region.

• Freshman, London Culbreath, took 1st Place in the UIL STATE Cross Country Meet. She set a course record and beat the second place finisher by 40 seconds. She will compete in the Nike Elite meet this Saturday.

While there is an extensive list of achievements and awards our students have earned that I could list, I felt it was important to showcase these three due to their performance at the State and National level. I am very proud of these ladies along with all of our other students that work to do their very best every day in the classroom and in extra-curricular programs. Our students truly make McKinney North an outstanding school.

As busy as our Fall has been, from experience, I know that the Spring will only be a busier time for all of us. We will have many more events, activities, and opportunities for celebration. One of our biggest events of the Spring Semester is our annual Showcase. This event is important for all of our 9th – 11th graders, as well as any 8th grade students that will be attending MNHS in the 2017-2018 school year. Showcase is an opportunity for you and your child to visit with teachers and students about all of the different courses offered at MNHS. The intent of Showcase is not only for you to see what your child has been doing in their current classes, but also to help guide them in course selection for future classes. This year our Showcase will be held on Monday, January 23rd in the MNHS gyms. Please mark your calendars now.

Another important event will be occurring on November 17th here in the MNHS auditorium. The organization, Win the Fight, will be presenting the documentary screening and panel discussion about drug abuse and the lasting effects the abuse causes for our children and our families. Kathy and Ben O’Keefe of Flower Mound created the Win the Fight organization after losing their son Ben to an accidental drug overdose. Their organization provides drug education, support groups and resources for youth and families. Their documentary is beneficial to anyone who is the parent of a teenager. Our daily news is full of tragedies that occur due to drugs and addiction, the documentary and panel discussion can provide us with information and tools to help keep our kids safe. I encourage all of you to make plans to attend.

Below is a list of other events that will be occurring the remainder of this semester.

Calendar Information:

November 17 – Win the Fight organization to present “Not Me” – 6:30 pm in the MNHS Auditorium

November 21–25 – Thanksgiving Break!

December 2 – 2nd IPR for 2nd Nine Weeks.

December 13 – Final Exams Begin (1st Period exam only – regular school day)

December 14 – 2nd and 3rd Period Exams (Early Release – 11:30am)

December 15 – 4th and 5th Period Exams (Early Release – 11:30am)

December 16 – Last day of the semester – 6th and 7th Period Exams (Early Release – 11:30am)

As I mentioned earlier – the remainder of this semester will be gone before you know it. As I reflect on what I am thankful for this season I am always thankful for the opportunity to serve as your child’s principal here at McKinney North. Please stay connected with us because together we can do GREAT things! And, as always – Our best is the least we will do, with integrity, passion and purpose.

Have a great Thanksgiving Break,

Jae Gaskill

Website: http://legacy.mckinneyisd.net/Campuses/school_websites/mnhs/
Location: 2550 Wilmeth Road, McKinney, TX, United States
Phone: 469-302-4300
Facebook: facebook.com/McKinneyNorthHighSchool
Twitter: @McKinneyNorthHS