Principal Newsletter
​Dear Panther Parents and Guardians, 
​
I am proud to introduce myself as the new Evans Middle School Principal. My name is Paula Kent and I spent the last 11 years at McKinney North High School as a teacher, Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal, and Associate Principal. Prior to working at MNHS, I spent 20 years in various districts as a science teacher. I am a certified Master Science Teacher and loved my years in the classroom. For most of those years I worked in the same districts with my husband, John, who is currently a retired Texas school superintendent currently working as an educator in Oklahoma. Together we have two adult children, Ben and Emily, and three grandchildren. In my spare time I’m an avid gardener and a great “Polly” (my “grandmother” name). 

Today was the first time I was able to meet with the entire staff since I started my new position.  I can assure you that your children will be in great hands. We have a talented faculty that truly cares about their students.

Now that I have met the staff, I look forward to meeting our Panther families. I hope you will join us for our Meet the Teacher events Monday, August 8. Details are listed below.

6th Grade “Panther Palooza” - 8:45 - 1 pm
  • 8:45 am - Pick up schedule at front entry
  • 9:00 am - Gather in cafetorium;  Bell rings to go to students’ first class; Bells will ring to  change classes according to students’ schedules; 10 min per class
  • 11:00 - Principal’s address for parents; Students with staff for fun and games
  • 11:30 - Join our PTO, pick up school supplies and spirit wear; pay laptop fees; turn in POR; Get help with bus routes and proof of residency 
  • Noon - 1 pm -  Community Picnic - Please stick around and visit! Lunch is on us. 
7th and 8th Grade Meet the Teacher: 3:45 - 5:30 pm
  • 3:45 - 4 pm - Pick up schedule at front entry
  • 4 pm - Bell rings to go to students’ first class; Bells ring to change classes according to students’ schedules; 5 min per class; meet teachers and collect hand-outs
  • 4:45 pm - Principal’s address
  • Stations available to join PTO, pick up school supplies and spirit wear, pay laptop fees;  get help with bus routes and proof of residency 
Laptop fees and deployment: 
  • Annual assurance fee: $75 per student
  • Assurance fees for new students and 6th grade students must be paid prior to receiving a laptop; If payment plans are needed, please let us know, we will work with you. 
  • 6th grade laptop deployment will be Monday, August 22
  • Some students may also have assurance fees and repair fees carried over from last year. Please pay these if possible. If payment plans are needed, we will work with you. 
  • Fees are available in HAC and may be paid online Laptop Fee Guide 
  • We will have a station at Meet the Teacher for those who prefer to pay with cash or check on Aug. 8
Bus Routes
  • In order for a student to receive bus transportation services, the following requirements must be met.
    • The student lives more than 2 miles from school, or must cross a major traffic hazard (i.e. Highway 75)
    • Parents must request bus service when they complete the annual registration process
  • MISD is in the process of providing registration information to Durham, our transportation provider. Parents should be able to see bus routes in HAC by Monday, August 8. 
Free and Reduced Lunch Information
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress authorized spending that allowed schools to serve free meals for all students. Those funds are not authorized to continue for the 2022-2023 school year. As a result, McKinney ISD must return to charging for school meals and offering free and reduced-price meals based on student eligibility. Starting on August 1st, we will begin processing applications for meal benefits.  Paper applications in English and Spanish will be available at all schools and the link for online application is: http://www.mckinneyisd.schoollunchapp.com/.  If filling out the paper version, families can return the form to the school office, school cafeteria (after the first day of school), or to the MISD Food Service Office.

The application will determine a child’s eligibility for free and reduced-price meals and may assist in the determination of eligibility for other state or federal benefits. Only one application needs to be completed per household. Schools will notify the household of the child’s eligibility. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) administers school nutrition programs in Texas and offers an eligibility calculator at www.SquareMeals.org/ProgramEligibility. 

Decisions regarding payment for school meals are made at the national-government level, not by the school nutrition team or TDA.  For full-price and reduced-price students, funds can be loaded into the student accounts at https://www.MySchoolBucks.com. 

The student meal prices for the 2022-2023 school year are as follows:

Secondary full price
Breakfast - $1.25
Lunch - $3.10
Secondary reduced price
Breakfast - $ .30
Lunch - $ .40

I hope to see you all on Monday, August 8th. We have lots of helpful information to share with you that will help your children get off to a great start to the school year. ​

Sincerely,

Paula Kent, PhD
Principal
Evans Middle School
McKinney ISD
pkent@mckinneyisd.net
Evans Middle School
6998 W. Eldorado Parkway
McKinney, TX 75070
Phone:  469-302-7100
Fax:  469-302-7101
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​​Provision Regarding Refusal of Entry to or Ejection from School Property
Any administrator, SRO, or school peace officer can refuse to allow, or may reject any person from property under the district’s control.  If the person refuses to leave peacefully and either: 1) Poses a substantial risk of harm to any person; or 2) Behaves in a manner that is inappropriate for a school setting.
Process:
  • A verbal warning is issued that the behavior is inappropriate and may result in refusal of entry, or ejection.
  • If the person persists after the warning, the person may be refused entry or ejected.
Appeal Process:
  • Appeals must be filed within 10 days of written response.​ In accordance with S.B. 1553 – MISD’s appeal process and complaint forms can be found here. ​