Bennett Bear Business Newsletter
Week of April 12, 2021
Class Placement Forms for 2021-2022 School Year - Due by May 1st
Dear Amazing Bennett Parents,
In order to best meet your child’s needs, we invite parents to complete a class placement information form. We know that parents have great insight into the needs of their child and appreciate you taking the time to respond so that we can make the best placement for your child in the upcoming year.
While we value and appreciate your input, specific requests for teachers will not be accepted. Class placement forms will go home on Tuesday, April 13th, with in-person learners, as well as emailed home to the parents of our virtual learners. This will be your only opportunity to provide input so we encourage you to please return this completed form to the front office by May 1, 2021.
Proud to be a BEAR,
Amy
Bennett Enrollment Survey - What's Your Plan for the 2021-2022 School Year?
Learn More About MISD School Board Candidates
We’ve sent out quite a bit of information about the upcoming election, but don’t forget there is an important school board election as well. Decisions that our school board members make have a direct impact on you, our students, and our community. Please take time to learn about each candidate and their position on education and McKinney ISD.
(Voters must reside in specific board places to vote in places 1, 2, and 3. All McKinney ISD residents can vote in the Place 7 At-Large election.)
Below, you will find a link to each candidate’s facebook page and to recent candidate Q&A’s published in Community Impact Newspaper.
PLACE 1 - Community IMPACT Candidate Q&A
1. Larry Jagours:
* Click to visit Larry Jagours' Facebook page.
2. Maria McKinzie (Current MISD School Board Member):
*Click to visit Marie McKinzie's Facebook page.
*Click to visit Maria McKinzie's MISD Board Member profile.
PLACE 2 - Community IMPACT Candidate Q&A
1. Anthony Congine:
*Click to visit Anthony Congine's Facebook page.
2. Philip Hassler (Current MISD School Board Member):
*Click to visit Philip Hassler's Facebook page.
*Click to visit Philip Hassler's MISD Board Member profile.
Asynchronous (At-Home) Learning Day for our BEARS & Teacher Work Day for Staff - Monday, April 12th
McKinney ISD Offering Curbside Grab-and-Go Meals - Monday, April 12th
Free curbside Grab & Go meals for McKinney ISD students will be available at Finch Elementary this spring on specific dates designated as student holidays or as asynchronous (at-home) learning days on the McKinney ISD school calendar.
April 12 - Asynchronous (At-Home) Learning Day
Pick up Times:
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Pick up that day’s lunch and next day’s breakfast.)
Finch Elementary is located at 1205 S. Tennessee St. in McKinney. Pick up will take place in the driveway off of Graham St.
These meals are free, but parents are required to present either a valid student ID number, student name or other confirmation that they are picking up for an MISD student 18 years of age or younger.
Our BEARS Return to School & Bring Their Technology Device & Charger Back to School Fully Charged - Tuesday, April 13th
PTO Sponsored Virtual Variety Show - Friday, April 16th
PTO General Meeting & Board Elections via Zoom - Thursday, April 22nd - 6:00PM
Save the Date - April Friday Live - Virtual Style - April 30th
Taking Care of Your McKinney ISD Issued Student Device & Responsibilities
PTO Sponsored Yearbooks - Order Yours Today
McKinney ISD Early Voting OPENS at Bennett - April 19th-27th
Four Ballots + One Priority = MISD Students
Election #1 - Attendance Credit Election
Election #2 - Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election
Election #3 - School Building Bond Ballot
Election #4 - Technology Bond Ballot
2021 MISD Election - FACT or FICTION
2021 Election "FACT or FICTION"
In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed legislation requiring the ballots for all school bond elections to include a sentence that states, “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE,” even if no actual tax rate increase will occur.
FACT
McKinney ISD will be lowering the total tax rate by 3 cents, approximately $112 per year for homeowners. But, new legislation requires the ballot language to state, “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.” It’s dumb, we know.
If the Attendance Credit Election fails, McKinney ISD will lose nearly $3 billion of its property value.
FACT
The state will detach approximately $2.9 billion of MISD’s total property value in what is called detachment of territory. This property value will then be dispersed to other districts in the state.
The McKinney ISD school bond will only impact a few campuses in the district.
FICTION
The bond will renovate 10 campuses but will also fund safety and security, technology, fine arts, athletics, playgrounds and transportation throughout McKinney ISD. Every campus in the district will be impacted by the bond.
McKinney ISD has received national and state recognition for financial management and financial transparency.
FACT
McKinney ISD earned the state’s highest financial rating for the 18th consecutive year by the Texas Education Agency. MISD has also earned recognition from the Texas Comptroller for financial transparency. The district has a tradition of being fiscally conservative, resulting in a AA+ bond rating by Standard and Poor’s and an Aa1 bond rating by Moody’s The district consistently spends more in the classroom and less on administrative costs than both the region and state.
The majority of the bond is going to HVAC updates at every campus, which could be paid for out of the maintenance and operations fund.
FICTION
The majority of the bond will go towards complete campus renovations at 10 campuses, which are slated for renovation as part of the district’s long-range facilities plan to ensure that campuses are well maintained for students and teachers. Schools are on a 15-year renovation cycle to ensure that they do not fall into disrepair. The renovations include energy efficient lighting, paint, flooring, heating and air conditioning updates, safety and security, lock-down buttons and cameras, technology, student desks and furniture, and more. Each campus renovation is slightly different depending upon the age of the facility and condition.
In the same way that homeowner’s borrow funds for a mortgage, school districts borrow funds to pay for major capital expenditures like renovations and new construction. Approximately 80% of school district budgets go toward salaries and benefits for teachers and support staff, so it’s not possible for districts to fund all of these projects from the maintenance and operations budget. That would be like someone saying, “Just pay all of your mortgage off at once out of your checking account.” It is important to note that McKinney ISD saves millions of dollars in interest by using 20-year bonds as opposed to 30-year bonds that most school districts use.
The Technology Bond will allow McKinney ISD to continue the 1:World laptop initiative for all students and will also help fund computers for CTE and STEM programs.
FACT
The Technology Bond will enable the district to continue the laptop initiative and provide technology to all students in McKinney ISD. McKinney ISD does not have the funds in the maintenance and operations budget to fund all technology needs and, therefore, the district would use short-term bonds (5 years) to purchase additional computers for students and campuses.
The Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) will provide additional funds to maintain smaller class sizes, help fund many district programs (GT, CTE, STEM, fine arts, athletics, etc.) and recruit and retain teachers and staff.
FACT
The Voter Approval Tax Rate Election will provide additional funding for the district’s maintenance and operations budget, which was recently limited for school districts by legislation in House Bill 3. The additional VATRE funding will be used to avoid increasing class sizes, fund district programs, and to help recruit and retain quality teachers and staff.
My tax bill has gone up because the McKinney ISD tax rate keeps going up.
FICTION
Property taxes have gone up in McKinney, Collin County, and across the state due to rising home values, not because the McKinney ISD tax rate has gone up. In fact, the McKinney ISD tax rate has continually decreased since 2013, and will continue to decrease with the four ballot items in this election.Click here to learn more.
The new elementary school is going to cost over $500 per square foot.
FICTION
This was a rumor that was completely fabricated. In fact, nobody even knows how this number was derived. The new elementary school in Trinity Falls will be approximately 105,000 square feet and will cost approximately $333 per square foot. This includes all construction costs, technology infrastructure, safety and security, architectural fees, engineering fees, geotechnical fees, utilities, furniture, fixtures, equipment and more. Schools are more expensive to build than a house because they serve hundreds of students for many decades, and include classrooms, a cafeteria, a gym, student health, safety and security, technology, playgrounds and classroom equipment for students. The new elementary in Trinity Falls will alleviate overcrowding at Press Elementary School and provide space for the significant enrollment growth in the northern sector of the district.
McKinney ISD
Communications Department
Notes from Christie Thompson, Bennett Counselor - Send in Your Perseverance Pics
April Parent Lunch Visitor Sign Up
April Breakfast Menu
April Lunch Menu
Pack Assorted Colors For Kids - PACK Week - April 19th-23rd
FREE Breakfast & Lunch for All MISD Students for 2020-2021 School Year
Information from Nurse Tiffany
PTO Sponsored - FREE End of Year Party Treat for Our BEARS - More Details to Come
Specials Team - April Newsletter
Upcoming Events for our BEARS
April Events for our BEARS
Monday, April 12th:
*Asynchronous Learning At-Home for Students & Teacher Work Day
*Spring MAP Testing Window Opens
Friday, April 16th:
PTO Sponsored Variety Show - Virtually - 6:00PM
Saturday, April 17th:
3rd-5th Grade Alpha Make-Up Testing
Monday, April 19th - Friday, April 23rd:
P.AC.K. Week - Pack Assorted Colors For Kids
MISD Bond Election - Early Voting - Monday, April 19th - Tuesday, April 27th:
Monday, April 19th:
*P.A.C.K. Yellow & Orange Foods Day
*Spring MAP Fluency Reading Window Opens for K-2
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Tuesday, April 20th:
*P.A.C.K. White, Tan, & Brown Foods Day
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Wednesday, April 21st:
*P.A.C.K. Red Foods Day
*Progress Reports Go Home
*Secretary & Administrative Assistants Day
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Thursday, April 22nd:
*P.A.C.K. Blue & Purple Foods Day
*PTO General Meeting & Board Elections via Zoom - 6:00PM
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Friday, April 23rd:
*P.A.C.K. Green Foods Day
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Saturday, April 24th:
*Boyd High School's Environmental Club Trash Off - Bonnie Wenk Park - 9:00AM-11:00AM
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Sunday, April 25th:
Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Monday, April 26th:
*Bad Weather Make-Up Day
*School Day for Students & Staff
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Tuesday, April 27th:
*School Board Driver Appreciation Day
*Early Voting Open for MISD Bond Elections - Please Come Vote at Bennett
Wednesday, April 28th:
PTO Sponsored Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at Bennett - 10:30AM-1:30PM - During Lunches
Friday, April 30th:
Friday Live - 2:15PM - Virtually
Saturday, May 1st:
*Class Placement Forms due
*MISD Bond Election Day - Please Come Vote at Bennett
April Birthdays
April Birthdays
1 - Vildan
4 - Drew
5 - Haley
6 - Cici, Kaylee
7 - Adam, Cameron, McKenna
8 - Hazel, Claire
9 - Alanna
10 - Ms. Bankson - STC Aide
11 - Tristan, Alaina
12 - Cristian
13 - Liam
14 - Evan
15 - JayAna, Lyla, Ella, Mr. Khreish - Resource Teacher
17 - Maili
18 - Kambria, Anna
19 - Kinley, Hailey
20 - Braden
21 - Yazmeen, Beckett
23 - Ithiel
24- Camden
25 - Georgia, Kaleb, Graeson
26 - Helene, Sarah
27 - Zayd, Jaxton, Carly, Benicio, Henry, Mrs. Scheidhauer - Speech Teacher
28 - Kareem, Mrs. Woods - Dyslexia, Mrs. Martin - 4th Grade Teacher, Mrs. Scales - Clerical Aide
29 - Jase, Kendrick, Rylee, Adalynn
30 - Georgia, Connor, Jack, Rhyan