The board members unanimously approved a recommendation to name the new school McKinney Boyd High School. Superintendent Tom Crowe explained that naming the school McKinney Boyd High School would not only honor a generous McKinney family, but will also resurrect a significant piece of fabric from McKinney ISD’s rich past.

A native of Illinois, Captain W.L. Boyd enlisted in the Union army just after the outbreak of the Civil War. Just after the war, he became interested in the general merchandise business, operating a general mercantile business on the west side of the McKinney square until 1882. He was also one of the early stockholders in the Collin County Bank. He married Miss Mary Crane in 1878. Captain Boyd died at his residence on West Louisiana Street in 1906.

When she was a young woman, Mary Crane moved to McKinney from New York. She married Captain Boyd two years later. She outlived Captain Boyd by 30 years and promoted his legacy by making substantial gifts of land and money to various organizations, including the Scottish Rite hospital in Dallas.

In 1913, the board of commissioners submitted to the voters of McKinney a $50,000 school bond issue for a new high school, which would be located on the land currently occupied by Caldwell Elementary School.

The new high school was completed in December of 1914, but there was no money remaining to furnish it. So Mrs. W.L. Boyd donated the sum of $3,000 to furnish the new building. As an expression of appreciation, the board unanimously voted to have the new building called Boyd High School. The mascot was the Bison. It was changed to the Lions in 1924 when the McKinney Lions Club donated money for football equipment.

From 1914 to 1959, the high school in McKinney was named Boyd High School. Hundreds of McKinney students attended Boyd High School before the building was condemned in 1959, when the high school facility was moved to the current location of Faubion Middle School.

When Mrs. W.L. Boyd died in 1937, she left $20,000 in a fund to be used to help McKinney students attend college. Since that time, the fund has grown to more than $500,000 and has helped about five students per year attend college. The Communities Foundation of Texas currently maintains the fund.

"We have a rich heritage," said Geralyn Kever, president of the board. "This will honor the Boyd family as well as honor a group of graduates who still live in McKinney today."

Crowe said the school district is not yet ready to make a recommendation regarding the mascot. He explained that he will be working with some high school students to pick a mascot from a few different choices.

During the recognitions portion of the meeting, the board recognized several members of the Collin County Sheriff’s Department for their leadership of the SCORE program.

This past summer, thanks to the work of inmates through the SCORE program, MISD Stadium and Al Alford Field received much-needed improvements, including paint and installation of reserved seat tags. The inmates worked about five days per week for approximately four weeks, saving the school district time and money.

The board recognized Sheriff Terry Box, Captain Charles Adams, Lt. Ralph Ornales and Officer Ella Even.

The board also recognized two Webb Elementary School fourth grade students whose artwork was recognized in the Crayola Dreamakers Art Show this summer. Less than 200 students from across the country were accepted into the art show, which was held last summer in Pennsylvania at the Crayola factory. The board recognized Amaris Strong and Michael Timbrel. Their art teacher is Margaret O’Neal.

Furthermore, the board recognized five national merit semi-finalists. All of these students have the opportunity to become finalists to receive one of the 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships available through the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Three of the students are enrolled in McKinney High School while one of the students attends McKinney North High School. Semifinalists from McKinney High School include Meredith Beene, Robert Rund and John Turrentine. A fourth semifinalist from McKinney High School, Melora Coughran, is currently enrolled outside of MISD.

The semifinalist from McKinney North High School, Brittany Whitstone, is the first student to ever receive the honor at the school.

Founded in 1955 to conduct the annual Merit Scholarship competition, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. More than 1.3 million juniors in nearly 21,000 U.S. high schools across the country entered the 2005 National Merit Program by taking the 2003 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The selected semifinalists represent less than one-percent of high school seniors.

Also during the meeting, Darrell Slabaugh, executive director of the McKinney Education Foundation, presented checks to MISD principals based on their schools’ participation in the Major Savor fundraiser, which raises money for the schools and for the McKinney Education Foundation. The following amounts were presented: Bennett Elementary, $1195; Burks Elementary, $550; Caldwell Elementary, $747; Eddins Elementary, $1,182; Finch Elementary, $422; Glen Oaks, $1,070; Reuben Johnson Elementary, $767; Malvern Elementary, $787; Minshew Elementary, $485; McNeil Elementary, $617; Earl Slaughter Elementary, $757; Valley Creek Elementary, $1,277; Vega Elementary, $1,245; Walker Elementary, $537; Webb Elementary, $482; Wolford, $1515; Dowell Middle School, $735; Evans Middle School, $1,332; Faubion Middle School, $435; and Scott Johnson Middle School, $740.

The Major Saver fundraising program raised $16,882 for the McKinney Education Foundation. The MEF provides student scholarships and teacher grants.

The board also approved the 2004 Annual Financial Audit, a trip for MHS students to a journalism convention in Atlanta, updates to the Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual, bids, budget amendments, personnel recommendations and minutes of past meetings. They also heard a retail electric service report and an assessment system report.

Jenna Tarver, a student from the LINC Center, led the board in the Pledge of Allegiance and shared information about the LINC Center.

During the hearing of delegations to and from the board, Gerald Lewis, a resident of the Virginia Woods subdivision, expressed concerns about the site plan for McKinney Boyd High School.

The next work/study meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on Nov. 9 with the regular meeting following on Nov. 15. 

McKinney CAN

During the board work/study meeting held on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2004, Superintendent Tom Crowe announced the development of a new program in McKinney ISD called McKinney CAN (Community Action Network). This program will be patterned after an award-winning program in Katy ISD named Leadership Katy ISD. The program will include a class of 40 to 50 adults who will meet monthly, beginning in January, to learn more about the inner workings of McKinney ISD.

Crowe said he expects the session topics will include School Finance 101, Curriculum and Instruction, Human Resources, Technology, Communication, Demographics and Long-Range Planning, Special Programs, District Governance and Support Services.

"Knowledge is power," Crowe said. "I have found that in the absence of facts, people respond to rumors or make up information. This will give us an opportunity to educate taxpayers about different issues facing McKinney ISD. We will learn from the class participants what the concerns are. We hope it is successful and becomes a permanent class here in the district."

Those interested in the class may e-mail Diana Gulotta, special assistant to the superintendent for communication, at dgulotta@mckinneyisd.net. 

ELECTION DAY

As you know, election day will be held on Nov. 2, 2004. State law requires MISD to open facilities for the purpose of elections. We have several election sites in McKinney ISD. Those schools include Walker Elementary, Webb Elementary, Reuben Johnson Elementary, Valley Creek Elementary, Minshew Elementary, McNeil Elementary, Glen Oaks Elementary, Eddins Elementary School, Slaughter Elementary, Dowell Middle School and Faubion Middle School. This building use will obviously create more traffic through our buildings.

Understandably, this has caused concern for parents. As we have done in the past, we will ensure extra security precautions are taken, including the addition of a peace officer at every MISD location. We appreciate your understanding in the district’s participation in election day procedures.

CCCCD COLLEGE 101 INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS

The Collin County Community College District will host College 101 Informational Sessions, which are sessions designed to give students insight into the overall college process. Highlights include a campus tour, how to choose a major, overcoming potential barriers, application tips and financial aid timelines. This free program is open to high school sophomores, juniors, seniors and their parents. All sessions are held from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., with a campus tour beginning promptly at 5:45 p.m.

Sessions will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at the, Preston Ridge Campus in Frisco;

Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the Central Park Campus in McKinney and Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Spring Creek Campus in Plano.

To Register:

Email: orientation@ccccd.edu or Phone: 972-377-1750

ALPS MEETING

Parents of MISD Gifted and Talented students -- please plan to attend this very important meeting: ALPS - The Value of Gifted Education. The guest speaker will be Tom Crowe, MISD superintendent. The meeting will also include student presentations - "What MISD gifted programs mean to me". The meeting will be held from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 11, 2004 in the Scott Johnson Middle School Cafeteria. For further information, please email: misdgt@mckinneyisd.net