Dearest Walker Families,

Safety continues to be an important focus at Walker Elementary. In accordance with McKinney ISD policies and in collaboration with the McKinney Police Department, all McKinney campuses conduct "Lockdown Drills." These drills will assure our students' safety if we should ever need to secure or lockdown our building. Our goal will be to make sure that our students and staff know the procedures to keep them safe under unusual circumstances. Please note that if you are on campus during one of these Lockdown Drills, you should go immediately to the nearest lockable room.

On Monday, August 26, 2024, we will be conducting a Lockdown Drill in coordination with our McKinney Police Department and the MISD Safety and Security Department. During the drill, expect to see multiple police officers on our campus. Each teacher will be going over Lockdown Drill procedures with our students. Please talk with your children at home about safety so they understand that it is necessary to practice for situations that may occur at school. Thank you for your support in this matter.

Sample Classroom Discussion about Lockdown Drills:

Today, we are going to talk about a practice drill we are going to have on Wednesday, August 26th. Each month, we practice a fire drill to practice what to do in case there is a fire in our building. In a few days we are going to practice a lockdown drill so we know what to do if a stranger enters our building.

Do your parents ever talk to you about what to do if a stranger comes around you? What would you do if that happened? (Allow students to respond.) Just like you think about what you need to do if a stranger comes near you, we need to practice what we will do if a stranger comes into our building. We don't expect it to happen, but we have to be ready in case it does, just like we practice what we would do for a fire or when you talk about what to do when a stranger comes around with your parents. So we are going to practice what we will do if a stranger comes into our building. There won't really be a stranger in our building, but we are going to practice in case there ever is one, so we all know what to do.

When you hear an announcements that says, "This is a lockdown drill," we will move to the floor and sit away from the entrance to the room. Police officers will walk around our building to see if we are OK. Just like the fire drill, it is important for you to be quiet, listen to your teacher, and wait patiently until we can go back to our seats. After the drill, police officers will walk classroom to classroom to let you know the practice drill is over.

• Lockdown drills – 1x each semester

• Secure/Lockout drills – 1x each semester

• Shelter for Severe Weather drills – 1x each semester

• Shelter for Hazardous Materials drills – 1x each semester

• Hold for Medical Emergencies drills – 1x each semester

• Fire/Evacuation drills – 1 each month when there are 10 or more school days in that month, as required by state law

Additional MISD Safety Information

Take a LOOK at our refreshed website. Note that all our newsletters will be linked for easy access.

Our first events of the year are rapidly approaching. Stay & Play at Hilltop on Aug. 22nd and Breakfast with a Buddy on Aug. 29th. Valid photo ID is required for Breakfast with a Buddy.

Have a wonderful weekend!

With great respect,

Michelle Baumann, Principal

Misty Young, Assistant Principal

Possession and Use of Personal Telecommunications Devices, Including Cell Phones, and Other Electronic Devices (See Appendix I) The district permits students to possess personal cell phones for safety purposes; however, these devices must remain turned off during the instructional day, including during all testing, unless they are being used for approved instructional purposes. Devices should be kept in student backpacks during the school day.

https://www.mckinneyisd.net/page/rules-regulations

The McKinney ISD GT Department is currently accepting referrals for 1st & 2nd Grade Gifted and Talented services. We are looking for students who are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, and environment. Parents, teachers, community members, and students are welcome to submit the referral either online or paper-based. The deadline for these referrals is September 26, 2024.

Parent Online Referrals (For Parents to Complete Only):

English Referrals

Referencias en español

Paper-Based Referrals Parent Referrals:

Paper-based referrals can be found here for PDF Download, printing, and completion.

*This form is REQUIRED for our department to assess any student for GT Services. This must be completed prior to the deadline on September 26th.

I hope everyone is getting back into the swing of things and had a great first full week of school. Please review the important clinic information below and let me know if you have any questions.

• Sunscreen:

• Students may possess sunscreen, however, for safety reasons it cannot be the spray-on/aerosolized type.

• The student will need to apply their own sunscreen independently and cannot share with other students; nor can they help each other apply it.

• Sunscreen needing to be administered for treatment of any medical condition needs to be handled through communication with the school nurse.

• Medications:

• Must be delivered and picked up by an adult, preferably a parent or guardian. See MISD has a no tolerance policy.

• Over the counter medications now require a physician’s signature; this is new for this school year.

• See prior week's newsletter for more information as well.

• Medical/health related concerns or updates:

• Please notify the clinic of any new health-related information for your student throughout the school year as they may arise (e.g., broken bones, hospitalizations, new diagnoses, etc.).

• Always be sure to include your student's health information during registration each new school year, even if it was reported previously. Please let me know if anything was left off so that I can update your student's health file.

For more information on all of this, please visit the MISD website.

Thank you,

Nurse Joanne

McKinney ISD uses PowerSchool Registration to update information on students returning to our schools each year.

Parents and guardians receive a separate email for each individual student with online registration instructions and a unique snapcode that is needed to begin the online registration process for that student. If you are the parent or guardian of multiple students, you will not receive all of these snapcode emails at the same time.

Invitations to register for the 2024-25 school year went out the week of June 10th to parents and guardians of students who were enrolled in MISD on May 23, 2024.

At the end of the online process, parents are required to provide an electronic signature. Should parents desire the option to provide a handwritten signature instead, they may contact their student’s campus to do so. Parents must also provide updated immunization records (if necessary) before school begins. View immunization requirements.

• FREE Breakfast, $2.85 for Lunch

  All sites: Free & Reduced price – $0.00 for Breakfast and Lunch

  Adult (including school staff): $2.25 for Breakfast, $4.25 for Lunch

• Online by credit/debit or electronic check at My School Bucks. You will need your student’s 6 digit ID number to make an account. If you do not know your student’s ID, please contact their campus. My School Bucks now has an option available to pay an annual, one-time flat fee of $12.95 for a single student or $26.95 for a family. The “OnePay” option gives you unlimited transactions for 12 months, instead of the per-transaction fee of $2.75 for individual transactions. Please note that if you don’t specify the OnePay option when signing up, the system will charge $2.75 per transaction no matter the amount of funds you are loading, so the OnePay option is a better deal if you will consistently add money or are on a recurring transaction plan.

Free and reduced price meal applications are available to all students throughout the year, and families can apply at any time using the online application OR paper application, although online applications are the preferred method, as they are usually much quicker and reduce dependence on paper. The online application can be accessed at: mckinneyisd.nlappscloud.com.

Additional Information: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/school-nutrition/

MISD's After School Program - Now Enrolling!

McKinney ISD's After School Program is open for enrollment. Now featuring new programming, more registration options and new lower rates! Space is limited. Register early to reserve your child's spot.

2024-25 Registration Fee & Rates

Registration Fee: $40 Per Child

Full Time M-F: $300 Per Child, Per Month
Full Time Sibling: $290 Per Child, Per Month
MISD Employee Full Time M-F: $165 Per Child, Per Month
Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Full Time M-F: $125 Per Child, Per Month

Part Time (3 days): $206 Per Child, Per Month

Daily Drop – In Rate: $ 22.50 Per Child, Per Day

All MISD After-school Program Policies and Procedures can be found in the MISD After-School Parent Handbook. The MISD After School Program Parent Handbook is unique to the after school program but does not include all of MISD Policy/Procedures. The parent handbook is a supplement to the MISD Policy/Procedures.

Information About MISD After School Program

Dear Walker Families,

My name is Christine Aldridge and I would like to welcome YOU to the Walker Elementary PTA. What a privilege it is to serve alongside such amazing families, teachers and administrators for the 2024-2025 school year!

Please visit our PTA website, https://walkerstarspta.net for all the information on PTA activities. On our website you will find volunteer opportunities, calendars of PTA events and so much more. (Please keep in mind that the information contained in our website is specific to PTA-related events and programs and may not encompass ALL of your student’s school activities).

The PTA’s goal is to enrich the Walker environment for our children, families and community. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions regarding Walker PTA- we welcome your feedback and the opportunity to connect with each parent/guardian of our Walker Stars. I look forward to an amazing year as we work together to enrich the lives and education of our Walker community.

Sincerely,

Christine Aldridge

President, Walker Elementary PTA

president@walkerstarspta.net

Follow us on Instagram: @royleewalkerpta

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WalkerStarsPTA

STEP ONE: The first step in volunteering is to complete a confidential volunteer application required by MISD. Volunteers will not be permitted without first completing this step. Be advised, this could take between two days to two weeks to complete. You will receive an email once you're approved, and you are welcome to volunteer any time throughout the school year following that. Please note, this must be completed annually.

Click HERE to fill out your volunteer application now!

STEP TWO: Please fill out the form below to tell us what areas you are interested in helping with. This form allows us to pair you with opportunities that interest you most. This is simply an interest inventory and not a commitment to any service. Based on your selections, you will receive email invitations to volunteer throughout the year. Please check all applicable volunteer opportunities.

Click HERE to fill out the volunteer interest inventory form.

As a service to McKinney ISD students and families, the district provides the Community Folder for school related, non-school related, and non-profit organizations. Electronic communication has become standard and is preferred by many parents; the schools are sharing more and more information via email as a convenience to parents. This also cuts back on paper coming home in folders. Information posted and accepted must be youth-oriented and will be reviewed and approved by the Communications Department. Updates will be posted often, so we ask that you check back for the latest opportunities and information from our community.

To view the latest information posted in the Community Folder- CLICK HERE

A critical ingredient in the safe school recipe is the uniform classroom response to any incident. Weather events, fires, accidents, intruders and other threats to student safety are scenarios that are planned and trained for by all McKinney ISD schools and District Administration and staff. Historically, schools have taken this scenario-based approach to respond to hazards and threats. Each McKinney ISD classroom is furnished with the Standard Response Protocol poster that provides teachers with readily accessible response procedures and provides information during a crisis event. The attached handout explains Standard Response Protocol that is taught to students, faculty and staff.

Please this link to view the Standard Response Protocol parent information.

A valid state or government issued photo ID must be presented each time you visit, volunteer, or pick up a student. Please be prepared with your ID upon arrival. Photos of ID will not be accepted.

A background check is required each school year for people wanting to volunteer in McKinney ISD. This includes making copies, lunch duty coverage, classroom parties, field trips, and any other volunteering that takes place in our building or on our campus. We encourage you to complete your volunteer application as soon as possible to avoid any delay in the processing.
Volunteer Application

We always welcome your feedback. Connect with us via email, phone or schedule a meeting with Mrs. Baumann and/or Mrs. Young. Below is also a link to provide feedback, appreciations, compliments, concerns, or suggestions as we continue to ensure we are doing our very best at Walker.

mbaumann@mckinneyisd.net

myoung@mckinneyisd.net

469-302-4600

Share your ideas and feedback about Walker

My School Bucks (online cafeteria payment system)

Breakfast & Lunch Menus

Free/Reduced Lunch (participants complete each year)

Student Accident Insurance (optional insurance)

Mrs. Baird's Teachers on the Rise

KLAK Teacher of the Month

H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards

Email: mbaumann@mckinneyisd.net
Website: https://schools.mckinneyisd.net/walker/
Location: 4000 Cockrill Drive, McKinney, TX, USA
Phone: 469-302-4600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkerelem
Twitter: @WalkerElem