News & Announcements
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Here is your Summer Technology Check list
Hey Parents,
I know it's hard to think about school supply shopping. That is why I am so excited to announce a continued partnership with 1st Day School Supplies! This year, 1st Day School Supplies is going to help parents and teachers get the exact supplies needed for next school year without the headache of shopping at WalMart, Target or Staples. I have personally found 1st Day School Supplies to be convenient, easy and hassle free! Plus, they have guaranteed competitive prices on the highest quality brands, including the germ fighting brands like Purell and Lysol. Why not check school supply shopping off your list now! As for me and my family, I will have already purchased my school supplies from the comfort of my home! You can make your purchase right now, get started by clicking the link below: https://1stday.sale/1177837 March 26, 2021
MISD 2021 Election
Did you know? Fewer than 1/3 of MISD parents voted in the 2016 School Bond election. Let’s get 100% Cockrill Middle School parent turnout in the 2021 MISD Election! Be informed—visit www.mckinneyisd.net/election/ for complete election information! March 18, 2021
March 5, 2021
MESSAGE FROM MISD
Dear McKinney ISD Parents, Yesterday, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) held a statewide conference call to discuss the Governor’s Executive Order GA-34. Following TEA’s guidance, McKinney ISD will continue its current practice of requiring face coverings for all students ages 10 and older, as well as all staff members, for the remainder of this school year. McKinney ISD has reviewed guidance from the Texas Education Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as to how this order impacts school districts and what disease mitigation practices should be in place in MISD. The TEA guidance states, in part: “Schools must comply with the following requirements: Every student, teacher, or staff member shall wear a mask over the nose and mouth when inside a school building, school facility, facility used for school activities, or when in an outdoor space on school property…” This guidance also applies to any adult visitor on a campus or school facility for any event or activity. McKinney ISD will continue its social distancing and cleaning procedures as outlined in MISD’s “COVID-19 Prevention, Mitigation, and Response Procedures.” We all desire a return to normalcy, but the safety of our staff and students will remain the priority in our school district. McKinney ISD has experienced a relatively low number of positive COVID-19 cases this year, and we believe this correlates to the safety procedures that have been in place for the entirety of the school year. Additionally, the proper use of face coverings is a mitigating factor in determining the definition of “close contact” during contact tracing, per TEA guidelines. Therefore, it reduces the likelihood of having to quarantine large groups of students and teachers at one time. McKinney ISD is striving to provide a safe learning environment for all students and staff while also keeping our campuses open for the remainder of the year. McKinney ISD is fortunate to have been one of the first districts to begin vaccination of its educators. As vaccines continue to be widely distributed to educators and all citizens, district officials will assess and reevaluate the face-covering requirement this summer in preparation for next school year. We wish all of our students, families, and staff a safe and restful Spring Break, and we look forward to finishing the school year on a positive note. Sincerely, McKinney ISD March 1, 2021
The week after spring break is AVID week. Tuesday will be "We are dreaming of a bright future!" wear your slippers, Wednesday is "We are lucky to be Cockrill Cowboys!" wear green, Thursday is "we are getting college ready" wear your favorite college shirt, and Friday is "hats off to our success...wear a hat.
February 23, 2021
Over the next few days, current sixth and seventh grade students will be selecting courses for next school year. In years past, this process required completing a course request form. This year, the process will be completed online.
Today, sixth and seventh graders received a Course Registration assignment in their Canvas course for History. The assignment consists of an instructional video, three easy questions based on the video, and a link to the course request form. The video and quiz activities should have been completed during class today. The online form should be completed sometime over the next week. The submission deadline for the form is 8:00 am on Tuesday, March 2. We hope you will actively participant in your child’s course registration process. The following activities are suggested:
February 16, 2021
Due to widespread power outages and blackouts throughout McKinney ISD and the state, the district will cease all staff and student activities for the remainder of the week. All asynchronous learning planned for today will also be canceled due to loss of connectivity and inability to both deliver and receive instruction by many staff and students.
McKinney ISD will use its second Bad Weather Day tomorrow, Wednesday, February 17. The district, along with others throughout Texas, will be seeking waivers for Thursday and Friday due to the impact of the inclement weather and widespread power outages. McKinney ISD will resume classes on Monday, February 22. MISD will not be serving Grab and Go food service from Finch Elementary due to inclement weather. Any future cancellations will be determined by weather. January 21, 2021
Congratulations to our amazing Mrs. Scott on being named the CMS 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year!
• Dr. Epperson said, “I want to congratulate our CMS Teacher of the Year. The teachers have selected Mrs. Lauren Scott to represent our school. She is our Media Resource Specialist and has the unique opportunity to teach every student in our building. Our library is a beautiful, inviting place because she wants the best learning experiences for our students and staff. Mrs. Scott is a wonderful teacher who is dedicated to our students, staff, and community. I am so proud she will represent our school.” • Congratulations, Mrs. Scott! • #cmscowboys 
Its your last chance to guarantee your copy of this years yearbook. Its definitely a year to remember. Buy your copy today at www.jostensyearbooks.com Deadline is January 29th
January 14, 2021
Information for 8th grade parents on High School Registration. HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/APGCOURSE
All registration information for the 21-22 School year can be found here. January 8, 2021
1:THE WORLD LAPTOP FEES-DUE JANUARY 22ND
We want to remind you of the annual “Assurance Fees” that will be collected as part of the 1:The World Laptop initiative. Each student has a fee associated with their HAC account according to their lunch status (30.00 or 15.00 for free/reduced lunch). Parents can pay these fees through HAC using a credit/debit card or they can pay in person at CMS with check/cash/money order. This document includes detailed directions on how to pay the fee in HAC. You may need to turn off your pop-up blocker on your device to pay the fee. This annual fee will cover the first incident of damage to the laptop 100% with all other incidents of damage being covered at 125.00 each. All of this information is detailed in the 1:The World Handbook and includes a sample price list of the cost to replace frequently damaged parts should the fee not be paid. Fees or an established payment plan should be handled by January 22nd. After this date any student with an outstanding Assurance Fee will have their laptop restricted to a whitelist of academic resources only. These students will not have access to anything other than the applications necessary to participate in school. This restriction will be in place until the fee is paid. You can see your fee balance by logging into HAC. Credit card payments may take 24 hours to post. NURSE NEWS
Parents, In compliance with Health and Safety Code, Chapter 37, all children shall undergo screening for abnormal spinal curvature. If you have had this done at your child’s physician office, please provide documentation that it has been done to Nurse Jessica and they will not need to participate in the school screening. Students that require a spinal screening must be a certain age to be screened. Please see below for the age requirements for both boys and girls to see if they fall in the range that need a spinal screening this year:
**The procedure for screening is simple. Screenings will be conducted during the school day by Nurse Jessica and Ms. Carla the week of January 11th. Your child’s back will be observed while he/she stands and then leans forward from the front, back and side. For this examination, boys and girls will be screened separately. Boys will wear their pants or gym shorts and only remove their shirts. Girls will need to wear a halter-top, sports bra or a two-piece swimsuit with pants, shorts, or skirt. Parents will be notified of the results of the screening, only if professional follow-up is necessary. This screening procedure does not replace your child’s need for regular health care and check ups. According to Texas law, these screenings must be conducted. In order for your child to be exempt from screening, you must present documentation of an exam from a physician or notarized religious conflict affidavit prior to the screening date. Cockrill’s Spinal Screenings will take place the week of January 11th-January 15th. Please have your child plan accordingly with how they dress that week or have them have the appropriate clothes in their backpacks. Contact Nurse Jessica with any questions. Thanks so much. Jessica Green, BSN, RN Cockrill Middle School Nurse Clinic: 469.302.7906 Front Office: 469.302.7900 Fax: 469.302.7901 jegreen@mckinneyisd.net December 11, 2020
COVID PRECAUTIONS AFTER WINTER BREAK
MISD is asking schools to take extra COVID precautions after the break. We may not have parent visitors on school campuses between January 5 and January 19. You are still welcome to drop off lunch in our foyer and our front office will still conduct business as usual. We will not have volunteers or visitors beyond the front office. Thank you! 1:THE WORLD LAPTOP FEES We want to remind you of the annual “Assurance Fees” that will be collected as part of the 1:The World Laptop initiative. Each student has a fee associated with their HAC account according to their lunch status (30.00 or 15.00 for free/reduced lunch). Parents can pay these fees through HAC using a credit/debit card or they can pay in person at CMS with check/cash/money order. This document includes detailed directions on how to pay the fee in HAC. You may need to turn off your pop-up blocker on your device to pay the fee. This annual fee will cover the first incident of damage to the laptop 100% with all other incidents of damage being covered at 125.00 each. All of this information is detailed in the 1:The World Handbook and includes a sample price list of the cost to replace frequently damaged parts should the fee not be paid. Fees or an established payment plan should be handled by January 22nd. After this date any student with an outstanding Assurance Fee will have their laptop restricted to a whitelist of academic resources only. These students will not have access to anything other than the applications necessary to participate in school. This restriction will be in place until the fee is paid. 8TH GRADE PARENTS High school registration will be here before you know it. Counselors will be meeting with 8th graders in January to select courses for 9th grade. Please take a moment to watch the following video that gives information on what this process will look like. Video with voiceover: https://youtu.be/rDJq0gjUcXg Slides with no sound: HS Registration Slide Show 2021-2022 CHEER INFO Here is our CMS CHEER INFO with all links included, including information about upcoming tryouts. COMMUNITY RESOURCES One Heart McKinney is a great site to access community resources if you are in need of assistance and the site is updated regularly.https://www.oneheartmckinney.com/food CONGRATULATIONS MRS. BUCHMILLER! Mrs. Buchmiller was the recipient of a generous MEF grant! The prize patrol was a big surprise. 
December 4, 2020
HOLIDAY FUN
Monday: Wear your favorite holiday hat or headband. Tuesday: Wear your holiday bling. The flashier the better! Friday: Join the NJHS Toy Drive and enjoy a holiday PJ Day! (details below) NOTHING BUNDT CAKES FUNDRAISER Please consider shopping Dec. 14-19 and supporting CMS! You MUST mention Cockrill Middle School when you order or check out. Thank you! 
MISD NOTICE: 2020-2021 CALENDAR AMENDMENT
Dear McKinney ISD Parents/Guardians, Historically, during finals week, we have only required high school students to attend a half-day on the day prior to the Winter Break. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be holding first semester final exams this December. This year, we will not observe a half-day or early release day for high school students on Friday, December 18. Instead, we have designated Tuesday, February 16, as a Student Holiday/Teacher Work Day for all McKinney ISD students. Monday, February 15, is already designated as a Student Holiday/Teacher Work Day for all McKinney ISD students. All McKinney ISD Students Friday, December 18 (Regular School Day/No Early Release) Monday, February 15 (Student Holiday/Teacher Work Day) Tuesday, February 16 (Student Holiday/Teacher Work Day) Please make note in your schedules and calendars that we will not observe early release on December 18, and Tuesday, February 16, has been designated as a Student Holiday/Teacher Work Day for all McKinney ISD students. 
November 20, 2020
1: THE WORLD LAPTOP FEES DUE SOON
We want to remind you of the annual “Assurance Fees” that will be collected as part of the 1:The World Laptop initiative. Each student has a fee associated with their HAC account according to their lunch status (30.00 or 15.00 for free/reduced lunch). Parents can pay these fees through HAC using a credit/debit card or they can pay in person at CMS with check/cash/money order. This document includes detailed directions on how to pay the fee in HAC. You may need to turn off your pop-up blocker on your device to pay the fee. This annual fee will cover the first incident of damage to the laptop 100% with all other incidents of damage being covered at 125.00 each. All of this information is detailed in the 1:The World Handbook and includes a sample price list of the cost to replace frequently damaged parts should the fee not be paid. Fees or an established payment plan should be handled by December 14th. After this date any student with an outstanding Assurance Fee will have their laptop restricted to a whitelist of academic resources only. These students will not have access to anything other than the 59 listed applications necessary to participate in school. This restriction will be in place until the fee is paid. MACTOWN MIRACLES COLLECTION We are participating in this wonderful drive that supports local families. We will have donation boxes in our front hallway. Students may drop donations until December 11th. 
ONE ACT PLAY AUDITIONS
If your kiddo is interested in theatre, now is the perfect time to get involved! We are having open auditions & tech crew interviews for our UIL one-act play: The Radio Play Disaster! This is open to EVERYONE – all grades! You do NOT have to be in a theatre class to participate. Go to https://cockrilltheatre.weebly.com/current-show.html for all the details and to see how to sign up for a time slot for your audition or tech crew interview. CMS SPIRIT WEAR 🎄Our holiday collection of shirts is NOW AVAILABLE on the school store!!! Check out these amazing designs that everyone is going to LOVE! 🛍Our BLACK FRIDAY sale is going to start next MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD and run THROUGH CYBER MONDAY!!! When parents spend $60 they'll receive 30% off with the code BLACKFRIDAY2020. https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/TX/McKinney/Cockrill+Middle+School QUARTER 3 COPY ROOM SUPPORT
If you are available to work in our copy room, sign up here. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b4baaac2da20-cmscopy3 November 13, 2020
LOST AND FOUND CLEAN OUT
The lost and found in the foyer of the building will be emptied next week. If your student is missing items, they should stop by and look before the end of next week. OFFICE PICK UP If you arranged for items (shirts, calculators, school work, etc) to be picked up in the front office, please take care of this next week. CARPOOL The front main carpool line is the best and safest way to pick up students after school. If you use the parking lot, please be mindful of those around you and do not block traffic. If your student is taking a bit longer to exit the building, you may find a parking space to wait. We recognize there is congestion, but carpool is pretty quick. Our first goal is to get everyone home safely. Thank you! QUARTER 3 COPY ROOM SUPPORT If you are available to work in our copy room, sign up here. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b4baaac2da20-cmscopy3 THEATRE NEWS Come check out CMS’ first virtual play, The Monologue Show Disaster! Play Synopsis: It took Mr. Banks's drama class three long months to prepare for their monologue show . . . but barely a minute to throw all their plans out the window. From the couple staging their real-life break-up to the garden-gnome thief confessing his crimes, everything that can go wrong will in this flexible collection of hilarious tall tales. Wednesday, December 2nd at 6pm or 7:30pm on Zoom Individual Ticket: $3 Family Ticket: $5 BUY TICKETS AT: 6pm Show (Advanced Theatre class) Ticket Link: https://tinyurl.com/dec2adv 7:30pm Show (7th Grade Theatre 2 class) Ticket Link: https://tinyurl.com/dec2th2 
November 6, 2020
PROGRESS REPORTS
Progress reports will be available to view in HAC Tuesday, November 10th. PTO SHOUTOUT In the month of October, PTO showered our staff and students with love. Sonic drinks were delivered for teacher birthdays in October and they provided a yummy lunch for our staff. They sold super discounted spirit wear during lunches, and even donated spirits wear for student and staff rewards. They make sure our student Cowboy Tickets winners always have a special prize. They opened the Snack Shack in October and that has been a huge hit with students. They are extending this to be open 3 days a week starting next week. Our copy room is always hopping! I could go on and on about how this team of volunteers serves our school. They already have great plans for November and December! All of this is being accomplished without a major fundraiser this year. If you would like to support their efforts with a monetary contribution, you can visit this LINK at any time and make a donation. Our school appreciates you!! CARPOOL The front main carpool line is the best and safest way to pick up students after school. If you use the parking lot, please be mindful of those around you and do not block traffic. If your student is taking a bit longer to exit the building, you may find a parking space to wait. We recognize there is congestion, but carpool is pretty quick. Our first goal is to get everyone home safely. Thank you! THEATRE ANNOUNCEMENT The Comedy Arena is bringing their flagship show, ComedySportz, from the field to the screen where you can watch and participate from the comfort of your own home (or wherever you are getting internet reception). This comedy show will feature actors from the CMS Theatre Department! This show is arguably, the most famous short-form comedy show in the world where performers will play various improv games and scenes, with audience members inspiring their action with their suggestions. In every match, a ComedySportz referee monitors the action and administers fouls as necessary. This International comedy show-down is a high-energy hilarious experience, and appropriate for all audiences – all ages, all welcome, all the time. The show is on Thursday, November 19th at 7pm on Zoom. Tickets are “pay what you can.” Tickets sold out for our last show, so reserve your ticket before they’re gone! Go here to reserve your ticket: www.tinyurl.com/cmsimprov2 
CMS SPIRIT WEAR
See the image below for the spirit wear deal beginning November 9th.https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/TX/McKinney/Cockrill+Middle+School Use the code FallBack-FS, NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 8TH 
SNACK SHACK OPEN TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY
Students will be able to shop in the "Snack Shack" after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Items are $1. Students have time to grab a snack before tutoring if they want. Thanks to our PTO for getting this started for our students!If you can give a few minutes to volunteer, sign up here. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054ca4ae2fab9-snack CODER Z COMPETITION The Engineering and Careers students are participating in a worldwide robotic competition called Coder Z. All students at CMS may be part of the challenging fun! Watch the video to see if your student is interested in be part of the CMS Virtual Robotic Team. Students can join Coder Z by following this link and sign in with their school Google Account .https://account.gocoderz.com/join-class/9guhghpgoz Coder Z Robotic Competition Video October 30, 2020
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CMS ART DEPARTMENT
Congratulations to Megan DeCastro, 8th grader here at CMS! She won the middle school holiday art contest. Her art will be featured on the cover of the MISD holiday card. She will be recognized at the November MISD board meeting! We are proud of our teachers for growing young artists! 
FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH BEGINNING NOVEMBER 2ND
While this is a most unique start to the year, we wanted to share some great news that will affect all students starting November 2, 2020. On October 9, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service announced program changes that will provide for free meals for all students, regardless of income. This has been made possible by nationwide waivers that will provide for free meals to all students for the remaining 2020-2021 school year. Your students may enjoy breakfast and lunch at no charge, whether they dine on campus, pick-up grab & go meals. Free meals will include the standard meal. Students dining on campus may elect to purchase additional a la carte items at normal pricing. 
October 23, 2020
QUARTER 1 REPORT CARDS
Quarter 1 report cards are available to view in HAC. Please contact your child's teacher if you have questions. WANT TO JOIN AN ACADEMIC UIL TEAM? If one of the teams listed below interests you, students may email the teacher for additional information. Follow the UIL Facebook page for news and info. https://www.facebook.com/CockrillUIL/ 
Click HERE: Picture Retake Request From
Click HERE: School Picture Digital Access Code Request Click HERE: Virtual Student Picture Retake Appointment
October 16, 2020
NURSE NEWS
1) MASKS: Please make sure your child wears a mask to school every day. It is a good idea to have an extra mask in your back pack in the event your mask breaks, you forget to wear one, or it gets dirty. Thanks! Nurse Jessica 2) Return to school instructions for students during COVID-19 Season: Student/Staff tests POSITIVE for COVID-19 o This individual may return to school once he/she is fever free for 24 hours, all symptoms have resolved, AND it has been 10 days since symptoms began. Student/Staff tests NEGATIVE for COVID-19 o This individual may return to school once he/she is fever free for 24 hours, all symptoms have resolved, AND a medical professional’s note stating the student is COVID-19 negative WITH an alternative diagnosis. Student/Staff NOT TESTED for COVID-19 but has symptoms - PRESUMED POSITIVE o This individual may return to school to school once he/she is fever free for 24 hours, all symptoms have resolved, and have quarantined for 10 days OR a medical professional has been seen AND an alternative diagnosis has been received. RED RIBBON WEEK - OCT. 27-30 
PTO VOLUNTEER SIGN UP
We would love to see our parent volunteers at school. Please complete the google form to get connected to several opportunities.https://forms.gle/GTuSkfdJ5sxb6uGw5 WE NEED COPY ROOM VOLUNTEERS Hello wonderful Cockrill volunteers! Welcome back! The Cockrill PTO needs your help with the workroom! Please sign up whenever you are able to help out. Here are the signups for copy room duty: Copy room duty 2nd quarter (through December 18): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b4baaac2da20-cmscopy2 Please remember MISD requires volunteers complete a background check each school year. If you have not completed yours for 2020-2021, please click on the blue Volunteer Application box on this page and complete the form for volunteers: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/human-resources/employment/volunteer/ This may take quite a bit of time, so please apply well in advance of your scheduled volunteer date. If you have any questions about how to work the copy room, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you in advance for your support! MISD JOB FAIR 
October 9, 2020
SNACK SHACK
Students will be able to shop in the "Snack Shack" after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Oct. 13th. Most items are $1. Students have time to grab a snack before tutoring if they want. Thanks to our PTO for getting this started for our students!If you can give a few minutes to volunteer, sign up here. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054ca4ae2fab9-snack 
OCTOBER 20TH IS PINK OUT DAY AT CMS
Wear all the pink as we support efforts to create breast cancer awareness. Cheerleaders will greet students and pass out pink out stickers to students, and our AVID students will pink out the school. STAFF LUNCHEON AND PTO DONATIONS PTO Offering Staff Luncheon Oct. 16. If you would like to donate to PTO to help with events for CMS throughout the year, we would appreciate your support. You may donate electronically at this link. https://cockrillpto.square.site/ At this time, we do not have large school-wide fundraisers planned. Your donations make the difference! 20-21 PTO SPIRIT WEAR New Spirit Wear Website launched Oct. 5 and free shipping is being offered through Oct. 11th, https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/TX/McKinney/Cockrill+Middle+School Use code SPOOKY2020-FS and receive FREE shipping for any order over $30 MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR CHICK-FIL-A SPIRIT DAY November 10th will be Cockrill Middle School Spirit Day at Chick-Fil-A on 380. *Families MUST mention that they are driving thru for CMS *15% of all proceeds will be sent to CMS by check (late November/early December) *Spirit Day will take place ALL day, 6am-10pm *Families can make purchases via Drive-Thru OR Mobile Order *When making a purchase via Mobile Order be sure to put Cockrill Middle School in your “Special Instructions” 
October 2, 2020
STUDENTS ATTENDING AFTER SCHOOL EVENTS Any student attending an extracurricular event after school hours as an audience member or team fan, must be accompanied by an adult this year. The parent and student must have a ticket if the event is a ticketed.If a student has been sent home to monitor health symptoms or is quarantining, they should not attend extracurricular events. CHARGE THOSE LAPTOPS DAILY If a computer runs completely out of battery at home, it kicks the student off the network and their laptop has to come in for repairs to have everything reset. Avoid the hassle and charge daily. PTO GENERAL MEETING We will conduct a PTO general meeting on October 8th at 9:00am. We will approve the 2020-2021 budget. Amber Epperson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.Topic: PTO General Meeting Time: Oct 8, 2020 09:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85297877770 PTO VOLUNTEER SIGN UP We would love to see our parent volunteers at school. Please complete the google form to get connected to several opportunities.https://forms.gle/GTuSkfdJ5sxb6uGw5 WE NEED COPY ROOM VOLUNTEERS Hello wonderful Cockrill volunteers! Welcome back! The Cockrill PTO needs your help with the workroom! Please sign up whenever you are able to help out. Here are the signups for copy room duty: Copy room duty 1st quarter (through October 16): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b4baaac2da20-cmscopy1 Copy room duty 2nd quarter (through December 18): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b4baaac2da20-cmscopy2 Please remember MISD requires volunteers complete a background check each school year. If you have not completed yours for 2020-2021, please click on the blue Volunteer Application box on this page and complete the form for volunteers: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/human-resources/employment/volunteer/ This may take quite a bit of time, so please apply well in advance of your scheduled volunteer date. If you have any questions about how to work the copy room, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you in advance for your support! PTO SPIRIT WEAR PTO will be selling discounted spirit wear every Wednesday during lunch. Everything is $5 or less. OCTOBER IMPACT COUNSELOR NEWSLETTER https://www.smore.com/dqbw7 A SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE PALS PROGRAM Our virtual PALS in Coach Wandersee's class created this QR code for our students. It is a website, along with a way for students to get connected through Remind 101. The PALs will be sending out a new message daily through Remind! It might be a motivational quote, fun trivia, links to videos, etc.We love seeing our students leaders take this kind of initiative. 
FOOTBALL LIVE STREAMING INFORMATION
MISD now has the platforms in place to livestream all football games that are played at the MISD stadium; therefore, any middle school games played at the stadium on Monday or Tuesday nights can be purchased for viewing as well. All games will have a purchase price. The link can be found on our McKinney ISD Athletic Website. https://departments.mckinneyisd.net/athletics/ See purchase options below. 
CMS ATHLETICS SPIRIT WEAR
Support your Cockrill Cowboy Athletes! All spirit wear is available for purchase online or feel free to order directly from Home Team Prints. https://hometeamprints.net/store#!/Cockrill-Middle-School/c/35347251/offset=0&sort=normal September 25, 2020
PROGRESS REPORTS
Progress reports will be posted to HAC for students and parents on 9/29 by 3pm. USE HAC FOR GRADE CHECKS All official grades are reported in HAC. You may receive Canvas notifications for grades, but that is not where we report official grades. You will access the "Grades" tab to look at Progress Reports (IPR) and Report Cards. You will access the "Classes" tab to look at grades for individual assignments in each course. Students access HAC at least weekly through their Club CREED course so they should be familiar with this information. If you need help with HAC, please email our registrar at rlafferty@mckinneyisd.net. 1:THE WORLD LAPTOP INITIATIVE We want to remind you of the annual “Assurance Fees” that will be collected as part of the 1:The World Laptop initiative. Each student has a fee associated with their HAC account according to their lunch status (30.00 or 15.00 for free/reduced lunch). Parents can pay these fees through HAC using a credit/debit card or they can pay in person at CMS with check/cash/money order. This document includes detailed directions on how to pay the fee in HAC. You may need to turn off your pop-up blocker on your device to pay the fee. This annual fee will cover the first incident of damage to the laptop 100% with all other incidents of damage being covered at 125.00 each. All of this information is detailed in the 1:The World Handbook and includes a sample price list of the cost to replace frequently damaged parts should the fee not be paid. Fees or an established payment plan should be handled by December 17th. After this date any student with an outstanding Assurance Fee will have their laptop restricted to a whitelist of academic resources only. These students will not have access to anything other than the 59 listed applications necessary to participate in school. This restriction will be in place until the fee is paid. If you plan to use a personal device rather than the MISD laptop, email lscott@mckinneyisd.net for the 1: The World opt-out form to have the fee removed from HAC if you have not already done so. Free/Reduced Lunch Program While a student's Free and Reduced status carries over from the previous school year for the first 30 days of school, they must fill out a new application each year to continue in the program. Students learning virtually still need to apply to retain their benefits for the 20-21 school year. Hard copies can be picked up in the front office, or students can go online and complete the application at www.mckinneyisd.schoollunchapp.com. 
It's Time to Order School Pictures!
School Pictures will be taken at Cockrill Middle School on: Wednesday, September 30th for all Face to Face Students Friday, October 2nd for all Virtual/Remote Students PLEASE NOTE: Virtual/Remote Students must sign up for a time slot to have their student's picture taken. To sign-up, please go to: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/CockrillVirtualSchoolPictureSignup ONLINE ORDERING for All Students.. SchoolPix has implemented a "contactless" picture day in response to Covid-19! All school picture orders must be placed online. To order online: 1. Please go to https://order.schoolpixinc.com/prepay/login 2. Enter Cockrill's School Access Code: CockrillFSD20 3. Deadline to place your school picture order is October 2nd! **A email will be sent to confirm your order has been received. A copy of the confirmation email does not need to be sent with your child on picture day.** Questions? Call SchoolPix Inc. customer service at 972-334-9140 or email us at info@schoolpixinc.com. Please note: All school portraits are 100% satisfaction guaranteed. SchoolPix, Inc. www.schoolpixinc.com info@schoolpixinc.com Customer Service 972.334.9140 
THEATRE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Check out what the CMS Theatre students have been up to! The Comedy Arena is bringing their flagship show, ComedySportz, from the field to the screen where you can watch and participate from the comfort of your own home (or wherever you are getting internet reception). Starring the actors of Cockrill Middle School, this show is arguably, the most famous short-form comedy show in the world where performers will play various improv games and scenes, with audience members inspiring their action with their suggestions. In every match, a ComedySportz referee monitors the action and administers fouls as necessary. This International comedy show-down is a high-energy hilarious experience, and appropriate for all audiences – all ages, all welcome, all the time. The show will be on Friday, October 9th at 7pm. Tickets are “pay what you can.” Go to this link to reserve your ticket: www.tinyurl.com/cmsimprov A NOTE FROM THE COUNSELORS Join our IMPACT Counselor, Christyna Skidmore, Sept 29th at 11:30-1200 via zoom for a talk on Anxiety – Returning to School During a Pandemic. You are invited to a Zoom meeting for “Anxiety Tips For Parents”. When: Sep 29, 2020 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting:https://mckinneyisd-net.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpdeivpz8oGt3I9tuPYOV7cl9gQAyS0adS After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. September 18, 2020
FALL ACCELERATION COURSES (8TH GRADERS)
Below is a link to the 2020 Fall semester online course brochure for acceleration courses. Please feel free to communicate these offerings to your students as you see fit. We will take enrollments until Friday, November 20th. In an effort to support families during this time we are reducing the fee for the fall semester from 220.00 to 50.00 (25.00 for free/reduced lunch students). Please email your child's counselor if you wish to enroll your student in a course. Fall 2020 Acceleration Brochure BACKPACKS
Teachers met in grade levels this week to discuss supplies being carried each day. They developed a plan to minimize the supplies being carried in backpacks. The plan is being communicated with students. We may still need to collect a few things next week, but we will take care of it. 6th Grade Backpacks
7th Grade Backpacks
8th Grade Backpacks
*Students will need to carry items, as applicable, for elective courses such as PE bag, cheer bag, instruments, etc. PTO MEETING SOON
Join us for a PTO general meeting on October 1st at 10:00am. You can join via Zoom. Topic: PTO General Meeting Time: Oct 1, 2020 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://mckinneyisd-net.zoom.us/j/97033771259?pwd=NFc4RHNjaGdaZ0UvaXR2d1FsdE8xdz09 Meeting ID: 970 3377 1259 Passcode: 842194 September 17, 2020
It's a whole new world out there this school year. Do you want to save the memories of this year? Well, then you need to buy your yearbook now! Current price is $35. If you purchase personalization you get FOUR FREE icons, that's a sixteen dollar value for FREE! Act Now, this special promotion ends Friday night at midnight! Order at www.jostensyearbooks.com.
September 16, 2020
A NOTE FROM THE COUNSELORS
Join our IMPACT Counselor, Christyna Skidmore, Sept 29th at 11:30-1200 via zoom for a talk on Anxiety – Returning to School During a Pandemic. You are invited to a Zoom meeting for “Anxiety Tips For Parents”. When: Sep 29, 2020 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting: https://mckinneyisd-net.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpdeivpz8oGt3I9tuPYOV7cl9gQAyS0adS After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. September 15, 2020
FALL ACCELERATION COURSES (8TH GRADERS)
Below is a link to the 2020 Fall semester online course brochure for acceleration courses. Please feel free to communicate these offerings to your students as you see fit. We will take enrollments until Friday, November 20th. In an effort to support families during this time we are reducing the fee for the fall semester from 220.00 to 50.00 (25.00 for free/reduced lunch students). Please email your child's counselor if you wish to enroll your student in a course. Fall 2020 Acceleration Brochure September 11, 2020
It's Time to Order School Pictures!
School Pictures will be taken at Cockrill Middle School on: Wednesday, September 30th for all Face to Face Students Friday, October 2nd for all Virtual/Remote Students PLEASE NOTE: Virtual/Remote Students must sign up for a time slot to have their student's picture taken. To sign-up, please go to: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/CockrillVirtualSchoolPictureSignup ONLINE ORDERING for All Students..SchoolPix has implemented a "contactless" picture day in response to Covid-19! All school picture orders must be placed online. To order online: 1. Please go to https://order.schoolpixinc.com/prepay/login 2. Enter Cockrill's School Access Code: CockrillFSD20 3. Deadline to place your school picture order is October 2nd! **A email will be sent to confirm your order has been received. A copy of the confirmation email does not need to be sent with your child on picture day.** Questions? Call SchoolPix Inc. customer service at 972-334-9140 or email us at info@schoolpixinc.com. Please note: All school portraits are 100% satisfaction guaranteed. SchoolPix, Inc. www.schoolpixinc.com info@schoolpixinc.com Customer Service 972.334.9140 
September 8, 2020
*New* MISD Laptop Help Desk Site Available Online...
August 11, 2020
DIGITAL LEARNING Q&A (AUGUST 13-SEPTEMBER 2)
What will the instructional day look like? Students will receive their course schedules on August 10th in HAC. Students will follow the regular CMS Bell schedule and log into courses at the correct time via Canvas. Teachers will provide live instruction via zoom and course materials will be provided in Canvas. There are a number of platforms teachers have access to that will promote a great learning experience for the students. Teachers will acclimate students as necessary to each tool used in learning, just as we would in a traditional classroom. Students will need to have video on during the duration of the class or until the teacher asks them to turn it off. I can't find the laptop instructions provided at pick-up. If you lose the laptop set-up instructions you were given, you can find them HERE. Where will students access lessons? All instructional materials will be in Canvas, which is our digital learning platform for middle school. Students log in through Single Sign On (SSO) using the unique password they created when they set up their new student MacBook. Will teachers take attendance? Yes.Teachers will take attendance each class period. An absence in any period constitutes a school absence just like a regular school year. What if my student needs to be absent from a class or miss a full day of school? Please document the absence with the school just as you would during a regular school year. Doctor’s notes and parent notes may be sent to cockrilloffice@mckinneyisd.net What if my child has forgotten his/her password? If a student needs help during this time, we ask that they email StudentHelp@mckinneyisd.net. Students should email their name, student id, campus, telephone number and a detailed description of the problem. Technology Staff will strive to support the students over the phone or by remote control. What if we need help accessing some of the resources available? Mrs. Scott, our Media Resource Specialist, has developed this Google Slides presentation to help you. It is divided into sections by topic to help you navigate more easily. Access that help HERE. What if my family needs WiFi? The information for securing WiFI access is below. Families must contact the provider and secure service if needed. Provider/Plan Price per month Eligibility AT&T "Access" $10 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Charter Spectrum "Internet Assist" $14.99 National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Social Security (SSI) Frontier "Lifeline discount" $21 Enrolled in Lifeline program Grande "Internet First" $9.95 Low-income (e.g. SNAP, Housing Assistance, etc.) Sparklight COVID19 Relief $10 for 3 months No documentation required for sign up Suddenlink Altice Advantage Internet $14.99 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Xfinity "Comcast Essentials" $9.95 Low-income (e.g. SNAP, Housing Assistance, etc.) How will my student’s class assignments be graded? Students will receive traditional percentage grades on assignments. These grades will be recorded and parents can view them in HAC. My child has an IEP or 504 Plan. Will committees continue to meet as scheduled? We will conduct any regular annual 504 or IEP meetings. Case managers will be in touch if it is time to schedule a meeting. The teachers are prepared to implement the IEP and 504 plans currently in place. If the case manager needs to discuss a plan regarding an individual students, they will make contact. We are prepared with digital tools as well as our full special education staff to support each student. How do parents contact the teacher? Parents are encouraged to contact the teacher via email if you have questions. The teacher will email back or give you a call if that is more appropriate. How do we access support from a school counselor? Our CMS counselors are available via email or phone and they are ready to support you as needed. Student Last Name A-G Ms. Hoover thoover@mckinneyisd.net 469-302-7963 Student Last Name H-O Ms. Helm chelm@mckinneyisd.net 469-302-7961 Student Last Name P-Z Ms. Starnes cstarnes@mckinneyisd.net 469-302-7962 August 5, 2020
July 21, 2020
Laptop Deployment Information
You should have received an email from MISD this evening regarding the laptop deployment for our school. Please read that email for details, but our deployment day is July 29th at the MISD stadium. We have been asking for a 1:1 program at middle schools for years, so I am very excited to get this launched for our students! I understand some will be unable to participate on July 29th. We will have an additional pick-up at CMS prior to school starting. I will communicate that date soon. We also have pre-purchased school supply packs to deliver to you and some courses may want to distribute some specific supplies to students prior to the first day of school. We are working to accomplish all of this as a one stop shop so we don't have to ask you to make arrangements several times. Bottom line, we want every student to have their laptop on the first day of school so we will work with families to make this happen. The laptops that were checked out last Spring when we started online learning need to be returned when you pick up your new laptop. Bring the laptop and charger to the deployment. A new laptop will not be issued until the borrowed laptop is returned. This only pertains to students who currently have a laptop borrowed from MISD. I encourage each parent to read the handbook that is located on the district website. It is linked at the bottom of this email. I know everyone is busy, so I want to highlight a few items from the handbook. Assurance Fee Part of the plan includes an annual “Assurance Fee”. This fee is $30.00 and $15.00 for students participating in the free/reduced meals program. This fee is paid by each family and will ensure that any damage, theft or total loss will be covered by the district should something unexpected happen to the device. Each student will have one incident covered 100% by the fee during the lifespan of the device (5 years). All other incidents will incur a 125.00 deductible per loss after the first incident. Fees can be paid through the Home Access Center (HAC) using a credit/debit card.If you prefer to pay cash or money order, we will begin accepting those payments once school starts. We will also allow students to make payments over time if necessary. All students participating in the initiative will receive a laptop regardless of their payment status. Payments will be due on November 19th prior to Thanksgiving break. Parent/Student Agreement Part of the handbook includes a parent/student agreement form that should be signed and returned to the campus. Families who pay their assurance fee through HAC will be prompted to accept the terms of service which includes this agreement. Once parents accept the terms we consider the form electronically signed. Home to School and Back Students will use these laptops as they would a binder and should travel from school to home each night. Charging the device each night should give students at least 8 hours of battery life. Filter and Software Each laptop computer will be monitored for inappropriate content by the MISD internet filter. The filter follows the laptop wherever it goes, even outside of the MISD network. Students are blocked from adding their own software to these devices. Home printers can be added to these devices through a printer driver in the Self-Service portal. Tech Support We will provide an email address for students to request tech support. English Handbook- https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ZjhLFzV9nx2iwlDIaL_9xqo-xdGbK6o/view?usp=sharing Spanish Handbook- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sG5Pz5IYpoMYoMhTshRCdpSfXPX7z6qD/view?usp=sharing 1:The World Website July 3, 2020
Instructional Plan for Fall of 2020
Dear MISD Staff and Families, Thank you all for your continued patience and flexibility as we collectively work together to make available a first-class opportunity for MISD students to learn and grow. As we are aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape of education today, tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, McKinney ISD is in a position to deliver a rich educational experience this fall in spite of the many obstacles that lie before us. I am keenly aware that there are numerous opinions and theories as to how to resume school safely and responsibly, and as is usually the case, viewpoints are as varied as each person’s unique experiences and circumstances. I assure you that McKinney ISD desires and expects a safe emotional and physical environment in which to work and to learn. We are also committed to ensuring that MISD students receive continuity of instruction, even when they are not physically in school. To that aim, McKinney ISD has worked collaboratively to establish guidelines that provide a safe learning environment for staff and students as we enter the Fall of 2020. Due to the fact that we realize some parents may be hesitant to send their children back to school, we will be sending out an email form the week of July 13th so that parents can inform us if your child/ren will attend in-person or virtually. It is crucial that we have your choice by July 17, so that we can make appropriate plans for opening school. Please be aware that your option will be for the duration of the first nine weeks. Students who choose to learn virtually will be allowed to attend school during extra-curricular activities. However, we are currently evaluating the feasibility of which electives we can offer virtually and which will require students to attend in-person. I thank you all, in advance, for your continued partnership with MISD as we plan for what will undoubtedly be an exciting year. Sincerely, Dr. Rick McDaniel Click here to view full article from MISD's website. June 10, 2020
June 9, 2020
MISD Grab & Go Schedule:
Monday – Friday: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Monday – Wednesday: Receive that day’s lunch and next day’s breakfast. Thursday: Receive lunch for Thursday, breakfast and lunch for Friday, plus breakfast for Saturday. Friday: Receive lunch for Saturday, breakfast and lunch for Sunday, plus breakfast for Monday. MISD Grab & Go will continue to offer meals free to anyone 18 or younger throughout the summer. Please note that there will be no pick up on Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day. However, Grab & Go will serve Friday’s meals during Thursday’s pick up. Grab & Go Meals Update Starting this Friday June 12th, MISD's ready-to-go meal program will add Sunday's breakfast and lunch to Friday's delivery. The scheduled time and places will remain the same, but parents who pick up meals on Friday will now receive Saturday lunch, Sunday breakfast and lunch, plus Monday's breakfast. Delivery hours: Monday - Friday: 11 am-12:30 pm Monday - Wednesday: Get lunch from that day and breakfast from the next day. Thursday: Get lunch for Thursday, breakfast and lunch for Friday, more breakfast for Saturday. Friday: Get Saturday lunch, Sunday breakfast and lunch, more Monday breakfast. MISD Grab & Go will continue to offer free meals to anyone under the age of 18 during the summer. Note that there will be no delivery Friday July 3th in celebration of Independence Day. However, Friday's meals will be served during Thursday's delivery. June 8, 2020
You may still purchase school supply packs for the 2020-2021 school year this month. Last day is June 30th!
http://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=1177837 20/21 School Supply List 
Students in McKinney ISD have extensive opportunities for continuing their studies during the summer. The McKinney ISD Summer Enrichment@home website provides grade-appropriate opportunities to review, continue, and extend learning while we are away from the classroom. This site will serve students in all grade levels and will be in conjunction with a district wide online learning management system.
https://sites.google.com/mckinneyisd.n…/misdenrichmentathome 
Congratulations to Emma! We are so thankful to our PTO for sponsoring this scholarship each year.
May 27, 2020
Congratulations to all our Cowboys for their hard work and dedication these past three years! We are so proud of you and wish you all the luck in high school!
• We are excited to launch a project this month to recognize our amazing CMS 8th graders. Their school year ended abruptly, which has been disappointing, but they are on our minds and in our hearts every day. These kids are persevering and demonstrating strength of character as they work hard and finish the year strong. • We will be posting pictures that highlight a group of 8th graders throughout the month of May. We will work our way through the class by the end of the school year. Be on the lookout for your special recognition day! We love our CMS 8th graders! #cmscowboys #cmsliveskind #misdliveskind May 22, 2020
May 19, 2020
At the MISD May board meeting Tuesday night, the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees approved an expansion of the district’s instructional technology program to include a laptop for every student in grades 3-12.
https://www.mckinneyisd.net/news-events/article/misd-board-approves-expansion-of-student-technology-plan-includes-a-macbook-for-every-student-in-grades-3-12/?fbclid=IwAR3lQrNeIs1Y9bzD_Tabi445u2P7uBDmuxORgtF1n3lvjoX-cLLB5eeZquc May 2, 2020
2019/2020 MEDICATION RETURN SCHEDULE
This pertains to any student who has medication stored in the CMS clinic Tuesday May 12, 202009:00 AM-11:00 AM (Last name A - M) 11:00 AM-1:00 PM (Last name N - Z) Medications will be handed back to the parent in a drive through fashion. Please come through the parent drop off lane in front of the school to the first nurse. You will show your ID and the nurse will verify your student. You will then drive up to the second nurse who will have the medication sitting on a table where you will pick up from your car window. Please do not get out of your car at any time and maintain 6 feet of social distancing during pickup.
For any questions please contact : Julie Blankenship, Director of Health Services JBlankenship@mckinneyisd.net You can contact Nurse O'Grady at CMS by emailing mogrady@mckinneyisd.net PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF DAYS AT CMS
Safety Precautions: All staff participants will follow 6ft social distancing guidelines. All staff participants will wear gloves and masks All families will remain in cars at all times. All items collected will be in isolation in a designated location in the building for at least 14 days. Schedule: Monday, May 18, 2020 8th Grade (and siblings) 8:30-9:30 A-G 9:30-10:30 H-O 10:30-11:30 P-Z Tuesday, May 19, 2020 7th Grade (and siblings) 8:30-9:30 A-G 9:30-10:30 H-O 10:30-11:30 P-Z Wednesday, May 20, 2020 6th Grade 8:30-9:30 A-G 9:30-10:30 H-O 10:30-11:30 P-Z *If we determine that an evening opportunity is needed, we will work that out. The drive through process will be set up with stations to distribute or collect specific items. Notice some tasks are completed in the front drive and some in the back drive. We ask that you follow the schedule and anticipate some wait time. Some students only need one or two stations, while others will need to stop at each station. If we see problems or ways we can speed up the process after the first day, we will make adjustments. It is probably a good idea to go ahead and locate these items in your homes so they don't get lost. Please prepare for the following: Stations located in the back drive. 1. Student Lockers: (Not athletics lockers) Please complete this form if you need a CMS staff member to clean out your locker. Students and parents are not permitted to enter the building to retrieve items. This form should only be completed if there are personal items you need to retrieve and want to keep (unused supplies, clothes, backpacks, locker decor, etc). These items will be bagged and labeled for drive through pick-up during your scheduled date and time. If the items in your locker would have been tossed in the trash during our normal end of year locker clean out, we will handle that for you and this form is not required. Please complete this form by May 13th to have your locker cleaned out. Locker Clean-Out Request Form 2. Fine Arts Collections: Band, Orchestra, and Choir teachers will email students to remind them of the items that need to be returned. They will collect items in the drive through and check items off their lists as they are collected. 3. Athletics Lockers: Coaches will clean out athletics lockers and bag items for distribution. 4. Athletics Practice Gear (track/tennis): Please bag and label with first and last name any uniforms/practice gear that needs to be returned to school. 5. Library Books: We will scan the items as they are returned. We will also collect classroom library books that students have borrowed from teachers. 6. Calculators: All school calculators should be returned. We will scan the item as you drive through. Station Assignments: These stations will be located in the front drive. 1. Athletics Pictures and T-shirt Orders: If you ordered a shirt or picture from the athletics department, you will receive an email from the coaches indicating that you need to visit the front drive to collect purchased items. Any items left over will be kept until school resumes. 2. Yearbooks (assuming they are delivered by this date) Our yearbook sponsor will email all students who purchased a yearbook to instruct them to visit the front drive to collect their book during their scheduled time. Any items not collected will be kept until school resumes. 3. Art Portfolios Art teachers will distribute art portfolios in the front drive. These can also be distributed next school year if you prefer to wait. 4. Engineering and Careers Teachers will distribute engineering boxes and careers portfolios in the front drive. *There are other items in the school that students may want, but most can be delivered next year. We will work through that process in August. May 1, 2020
Today is School Principal Appreciation Day! We are so lucky to have the best principal, Dr. Amber Epperson, at CMS. Especially during this unprecedented time, your leadership has been the key to our success as students and teachers. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, and for everything you do for our school each day. Happy Principal Appreciation Day!
April 22, 2020
April 20, 2020
Cockrill Cowboys its National Library Week! This year’s theme is “Find your place at the library.” We are in luck because we have two of the best librarians to help you find your place at the library, Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Chlebos. Even though we cannot be at Cockrill to celebrate this week with them and all the awesome things they do, we can still read books and connect with them. These two ladies go above and beyond to make sure EVERY student can find a place in our library. From decorating to encourage others to come in to learning commons, to building the library’s collection based on students’ interest and request. They encourage reading with students through book clubs, book talks, book tastings, mystery books and several creative book displays. Let’s all take a moment to thank these two for all they do to inspire a love for reading in all our students and staff.
April 17, 2020
Dear McKinney ISD Community,
I hope this message finds you all doing well. As most of you are aware, Governor Abbott issued an executive order today, Friday, April 17, determining that Texas schools will remain closed through the remainder of the 2019–2020 school year. In accordance with that order, McKinney ISD will continue our school closure through the end of school on May 28. We will begin the next school year in August in accordance with the previously adopted 2020-2021 school calendar. I deeply regret to inform you that, obviously, this extended closure means we will not be able to conduct our high school graduations, as previously planned. However, in anticipation that this would be a possibility, we have been working on an alternate plan for graduation and will be sharing that plan with the community in the very near future. I realize that this has been a difficult adjustment for all. I’d like to offer my sincere gratitude to our faculty, staff, students, and especially our parents, for the way you have answered the call during this stressful time and have worked tirelessly to adjust to online learning in a very short amount of time. I am continually impressed by the innovative ways in which our teachers have managed to maintain a personal connection, albeit a virtual one, with our students throughout this crisis. Additionally, I’d like to add that virtual online instruction will definitely continue throughout the remainder of the school year. I can’t stress enough the importance of our students remaining engaged in virtual learning in order that we minimize any learning deficit prior to the start of school next year. I assure you our teachers will continue to deliver a professional, first class online learning experience. In conclusion, I’d like to say that during times such as these, true leaders always emerge. That said, our campus principals have gone above and beyond in their communication with their respective staffs, students, and parents. Their leadership has undoubtedly served our students in maintaining as much of a sense of normalcy as possible, especially given the circumstances. I wish you all the very best and want you to know that I’ll be communicating with everyone in the weeks to come regarding our plans for wrapping up the school year. For now, take care and stay safe. Sincerely, Dr. Rick McDaniel McKinney ISD Superintendent April 16, 2020
“On behalf of Jostens, we would like to congratulate your HONORABLE MENTION placing in the 2020 Jostens Photo Contest! We had nearly 5,000 entries this year with 108 receiving special recognition, so your entry needed to be truly exceptional to have placed in the competition. We congratulate you on receiving HONORABLE MENTION.”
We are very excited to announce that Jenna Weintraub’s photograph titled “Captured in Action” of our one of our broadcast student recording our daily production has been selected. Mrs. Spinnato is very proud of her and all the yearbook students for their entries. You can see all the winners here at this link, Jenna’s is featured on page 32. https://issuu.com/jostens/docs/2020_jostens_us_photo_contest 
April 8, 2020
It’s time for a little reading fun!
📚 This spring, your @cowboylibrary is giving you the chance to win some amazing prizes just by reading! Each book you read counts for one spot on the BINGO board. There are lots of great categories to choose from and links to the award winners (and some explanations) can be found on the second image. For every BINGO you get, you get an entry into the prize drawing. BINGO boards are due on May 18th to @mrsscottisreading. See the images for all the details. 📚 Happy Reading! 📚 #cmsreads #mymisdreadsIt’s time for a little reading fun! 📚 This spring, your @cowboylibrary is giving you the chance to win some amazing prizes just by reading! Each book you read counts for one spot on the BINGO board. There are lots of great categories to choose from and links to the award winners (and some explanations) can be found on the second image. For every BINGO you get, you get an entry into the prize drawing. BINGO boards are due on May 18th to @mrsscottisreading. See the images for all the details. 📚 Happy Reading! 📚 #cmsreads #mymisdreads 
April 6, 2020
Here is a little message from you Electives & Fine Arts Team to start your 2nd week of E-Learning!
April 2, 2020
The Texas Education Agency is asking Texans to do their part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. By staying apart now, we can all be together faster!
March 31, 2020
School Closure to Extend Through May 1 - In light of Governor Abbott’s March 31 executive order extending closure of Texas schools, I want to inform you that MISD schools will remain closed through Friday, May 1. Learn more
McKinney ISD Digital Teaching and Learning Starts Monday, March 30! Please click the following link for important components of our digital teaching and learning plan. Learn more For digital learning, students will access the Seesaw and Canvas platforms through the McKinney ISD SSO link https://sso.mckinneyisd.net/ A parent support site, MISD Parent e-Learning Resources, has been created to assist families during digital learning with helpful information related to Seesaw, Canvas and other resources. https://sites.google.com/mckinneyisd.net/misde-learning/home Click here to view information from the Special Populations department about the school closure. March 27, 2020
Our yearbook last year, "What's Your Story" was selected to be featured in the Jostens 2020 Look Book!!! This is a national recognition in the 2020 Jostens Look Book and is an example of excellence, creativity and innovation.
“Congratulations on being featured in the 2020 Look Book! It is a significant achievement to be featured in our annual “best of the best” publication. A team of experts selected 225 yearbooks from over 2,000 submitted for consideration. Everyone at Jostens yearbook is proud to have played a part in producing your yearbook and we salute your outstanding achievement!” The 2020 Jostens Look Book is published on ISSUU, we're on page 118. March 22, 2020
Below is a link to the MISD Enrichment@Home website now available online. The site provides opportunities for student enrichment at home during the week of March 23-27 and will remain available throughout the school closure. As a reminder, beginning March 30, MISD will move into district-wide digital learning using the Seesaw platform for K-2nd grade and Canvas for 3rd-12th grade. The district will send additional details this week with instructions related to digital learning. https://sites.google.com/mckinneyisd.net/misdenrichmentathome Students in McKinney ISD have extensive opportunities for continuing their studies during school closure. The Enrichment@home website provides grade-appropriate opportunities to review, continue, and extend learning while we are away from the classroom. This site will serve students in all grade levels and will be in conjunction with a district-wide online learning management system. If you have any questions please contact your campus administration or your child’s teacher(s). March 16, 2020
Here are some digital learning resources for your students.
UPDATE: Malvern elementary has been added to the locations offering “grab and go” breakfast and lunch.
March 13, 2020
3/13/20 Update - At this time, McKinney ISD is canceling classes for the week of March 16-20, 2020. This includes all district after school and extracurricular programs. Due to this extended District closing, MISD will be using our two bad weather days which were scheduled for April 10th and April 27th. We will be attending school on these days.
MISD will be providing Grab & Go meals Monday-Friday, March 16-20, 2020, for any student at the following campuses: Webb, Finch, McNeil, and Slaughter. Meals will be handed out in the parking lots. Breakfast will be available from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be served 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Click here to learn more. March 4, 2020
This Friday is our annual Spring Read-In Day!
🌸 A good book can make your imagination bloom. Make sure you have a book (or two or three) checked out for Friday and for your spring break reading. If you need some recommendations, check out your @cowboylibrary! 🌸 #cmscowboys #cmsliveskind #cmsreads March 1, 2020
Here are results from our UIl academics team this past weekend. Congratulations to all our competitors! All students who participated in UIL Academics are invited to our end of year celebration wrap up event on Tuesday, March 24th after school in the library till 4:25 pm. During this time you will be able to get your medals and ribbons and hang with your friends for a little social.
February 25, 2020
UIL Schedule & Results
February 20, 2020
National Junior Honor Society invitations are open. If you received an invitation, please submit the candidate's information by March 3rd. Completed submissions can be turned in to Mr. Moore in room D203, the library, or the front office. All materials must be submitted together. If you have any questions please email David Moore at dmoore@mckinneyisd.net
Invitation and FAQs February 13, 2020
Good Luck to the Honors Band as they head off to San Antonio for TMEA. We know they will do great as they represent Cockrill. We are all so proud of your hard work!
February 12, 2020
The Cockrill Theatre Department took their production of “Anne Frank & Me” to the UIL one-act play competition on Tuesday and WON 1st place!! They competed against the 4 other McKinney middle schools and 3 Wylie middle schools. Peter Stuckmann and Hadyn Powell both won an Honorable Mention All Star Cast award and Madelyn Larcom won an All Star Cast award. There are only 12 each of these awards handed out for all 8 competing schools. It is a huge accomplishment. Katie Blackwood won the Tech award for CMS. Carly Geary won the Best Performer award for the entire competition! There are only 2 Best Performer awards for all 8 schools. Carly worked incredibly hard on this show and Mrs. Fox is so proud of her achievement! This also marks the second year in a row that CMS has taken home one of the Best Performer awards. We are blessed with some incredibly talented young actors. Mrs. Fox is so proud of the entire cast and crew for their hard work, grit, and commitment to excellence.
February 7, 2020
We just determined that we have over 250 students that appear MORE THAN THREE TIMES in our yearbook that have NOT purchased the book. Make sure your student has their yearbook in May.
We’ve been given a new opportunity to show the yearbook some love, but you do have to act now. The LAST DAY to purchase your student’s 2020 Cockrill yearbook is Friday, Valentine’s Day 2-14 at MIDNIGHT. We are not ordering extras for May Delivery. If you want one, you must purchase now. You can purchase in minutes by clicking on the below link: http://jostensyearbooks.com?ref=A01115764 Thank you for your support of the Cockrill Middle School yearbook! January 31, 2020
January 30, 2020
7th and 8th graders it is time for the winter dance. Bring your friends and dance, take pictures in the photo booth, eat pizza and concessions, get glitter tattoos, and have fun. The dance is Friday, February 28, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Tickets will go on sale Monday, February 24 during lunch.
January 26, 2020
Last Chance to order your students yearbook! Order by midnight Friday, January 31st! Order here!
January 25, 2020
Come see CMS Theatre’s production of “Anne Frank & Me” before it heads to UIL One-Act Play Competition! February 7th and 8th at 7pm at CMS, tickets $5 at the door. Alternate (understudy) show February 8th at 4pm – tickets by donation. The show is approx. 40 minutes long.
Show synopsis: This multiple national award-winning American classic, which was a hit in New York, is about the awakening of a modern teen Holocaust denier. Nicole Burns doubts the truth and cares even less, but ultimately comes face to face with the hell of the Holocaust, and—in an extraordinary sequence—meets Anne Frank on a cattle car to Auschwitz. We start out with Nicole in today's teen world. Unfinished homework assignments and young love are all transported with her to Nazi-occupied Paris, 1942 to 1944, and then are brought forward again to the light and hope of the present. January 14, 2020
Our MISD Board members have a tough job and many important responsibilities. They are responsible for providing the best education opportunities for students in McKinney ISD. This group of seven men and women are responsible for making all of the final decisions regarding school district priorities and policies, the hiring of teachers and staff members, textbooks adoptions and decisions, considering district and school expenses, and growth management of McKinney ISD. They work with the budget to make sure our schools are properly maintained and operated, so that each campus is fully functional for every student.
This month we are taking a moment to introduce you to one of our McKinney ISD board members, Amy Dankel. Mrs. Dankel was elected to Place 4 on the McKinney ISD board in 2011. She moved to McKinney in 1997 and was an educator for 22 years, the last 10 years here in McKinney at Finch and Eddins elementary schools. She and her husband Roger have been married for 29 years and are active members of Stonebridge United Methodist Church. Roger works for Simpson Strong-Tie. Their two children were educated in McKinney ISD. Their son, Nick, graduated from McKinney North High School in 2008 and graduated from the University of Colorado, majoring in Astrophysics. Their daughter, Stephanie, graduated from McKinney Boyd in 2010 and graduated from Clemson University, majoring in International Health and Spanish. Mrs. Dankel earned a Master of Education degree, majoring in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Millsaps College in Mississippi. Mrs. Dankel cites a deep feeling of responsibility to give back to a school system and community that has given so much to her and to her family. This is what motivates her to serve on the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees. Thank you, Mrs. Dankel and the Board of Trustees, for all that you do for our McKinney ISD community. January 13, 2020
Parents of 8th graders, Accelerate your students future with online classes. See attached for more information on this great opportunity for your student.
January 9, 2020
Today is National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. We want to take a moment to say how lucky we are here at Cockrill to have the best one of all. Officer Roddy, we are so thankful for everything you do for the students and staff every day!
January 6, 2020
OPEN HOUSE AND COURSE SELECTION MEETINGS-FEBRUARY 20TH
Mark your calendar for February 20th.CMS Open House will be from 5:30-6:45pm. If you wish to attend the course selection informational meeting for parents of current 6th and 7th graders, join us in the cafeteria at 6:00pm. We will meet with parents of incoming 6th graders that same evening at 7:15pm in the cafeteria. December 18, 2019
December 17, 2019
Attention 6th and 7th graders: Are you interested in being a Cockrill cheerleader next year? We will have an informational parent/cheerleader meeting on Tuesday, January 14 at 5:30 pm in the library! Bring your parents! We will go over all expectations, answer questions about the tryout process, and review all handbook information. We hope to see you there!!
December 9, 2019
Drop by and cross some holiday shopping off your list! The CMS Book Fair is a great place to stock up on gifts for everyone in the family. Email Mrs. Scott (lscott@mckinneyisd.net) if you have any questions.
December 8, 2019
December 7, 2019
We ran away with 2nd place overall and in both grade levels!!!!
December 4, 2019
Current 7th and 8th graders: if you are in AVID or are interested in being in AVID next year please attend the meeting in the library on December 11 from 6:00-6:45. This meeting will show how AVID works going in to high school. 8th graders: this will happen BEFORE your high school meeting at 7.
December 3, 2019
December 2, 2019
Help us help families in need. We are collecting items for special dinners for families in our community. Please help donate items by December 13.
November 14, 2019
Congratulations to Mrs. Scott, our CMS Media Resource Specialist!! She has been selected as a member of the Texas Library Association’s Spirit of Texas (SPOT) Award Committee. This committee chooses award winning titles for middle school and high school students written by or about Texas and Texans. Mrs. Scott is a leader in her field and we are so proud of her!
November 14, 2019
Cockrill Staff Appreciation
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Would you like an easy way to show your appreciation to the amazing staff at Cockrill Middle School? The PTO is collecting $10 gift cards to present to the staff members at their holiday luncheon.Sign Up here to pick a gift card. Participation is completely voluntary but your help would be greatly appreciated. Please send your donation in an envelope to the front office by Wednesday, 12/11. If you have any questions contact Lisa Davis at 843-323-0789 or lalhd03@yahoo.com November 13, 2019
Next week the Lost and Found will be emptied. Anything left in it will be donated. If your students are missing any clothing items, jackets, lunch boxes, or back packs please check the lost and found located in the foyer in the front of the building to claim your items.
November 12, 2019
Last night concluded a two-part audition for a spot in the coveted Region 25 All-Region Band. This year over 1100 of the best middle school musicians from Allen, Denison, Lovejoy, McKinney, Princeton, Sherman, and Wylie competed for a very limited number of spots in this elusive group.
We are proud to announce that Cockrill Middle School had 31 students earn placement into the 2019 All-Region Band! Congratulations to these awesome students! 
November 8, 2019
PTO IS TAKING PRE-ORDERS FOR CMS HOODIESSweatshirts are now available for pre-order! Deadline is Nov 15th! Order HERE today.
November 7, 2019
Hey everyone, Cap for Kids day is coming up. Help kids with cancer and wear a hat for $1 - all proceeds go to kids with cancer. Bring a dollar, wear a hat, Wednesday, November 13, 2019
November 1, 2019
VETERAN'S DAY PARADE NOV. 8TH
Our Cockrill Middle School Veteran's Day Parade will be Friday, November 8. We are inviting all former and current U.S. military members to join us for this event. Our CMS staff and students wish to honor all of the brave men and women who have served our country. Parade line up will be in the CMS cafeteria at 9:15 am, so please be sure to check in by 9:00 am. This event will conclude by 10:00 am. October 30, 2019
Congratulations to Cockrill Band Students who earned placement into the MISD All-District Band. We had 37 STUDENTS from Cockrill this year including TEN students who placed first overall. Names in bold indicated FIRST CHAIR OVERALL in the DISTRICT!! These students will participate in a the MISD District Clinic/Concert on Friday, November 22nd (more details to come later).
October 24, 2019
Cockrill Orchestra is proud to have 4 of our musicians represent us in the All-Region Orchestra this year. Congratulations to Leo Yamauchi, Neil Banerjee, Annalise Montgomery, and Preston Quintero. They worked hard and beat out hundreds of other students to earn spots in this prestigious group. CONGRATULATIONS!
October 17, 2019
October 11, 2019
Are you looking for a creative way to tell your student, “I love you and I’m proud of you”? Place a recognition ad in the yearbook!
This is a one-time opportunity for 8th grade students only. In the future, seeing your message will bring a smile as they remember your love and support during these important years. And, it’s easy to create a recognition ad. Go to this website, create an account, and design your ad for your student. You get to pick the photos and text you would like in your ad, format will be adjusted to match the theme and colors of the yearbook. We can even keep the ad a secret until the yearbook is distributed (but only if your son or daughter isn’t on the yearbook staff). Reserve a space for your ad today to say how proud you are. Like the yearbook, your message will be a permanent memory. Deadline is November 1st! October 10, 2019
October 8, 2019
CMS students can join the Technology Club and learn how to program a robot and compete in different challenges. The Technology Club will begin with the Coder Z competition. It is open to every student and is for all levels of programmers, girls and boys, from beginners to advanced. Students will compete against other CMS students and possibly other McKinney middle schools and schools in Texas. Watch the Coder Z video to learn more. See the brochure for more information.
Parents can sign up students by completing this form. Engineering and Careers students will be competing during class. All other students can come to Room E122 beginning October 10 after school to begin CoderZ Bootcamp. Bootcamp ends on October 17. The Competition opens on October 28 and closes on November 7. Once students have been assigned a “class” in Coder Z, they can compete from home or any other computer at any time! Space will be limited to use computers at school and will be open to students who parents have completed the form first. Computers will be used in E122 on Thursday’s from 3:45 to 4:25. Please email Mrs. Buchmiller at lbuchmiller@mckinneyisd.net with any questions. October 4, 2019
Next week is College week!
Monday wear Orange or Blue to represent schools like Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma State, Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, and many others. Tuesday wear green or yellow and Wednesday wear purple or white to represent schools like Baylor, LSU, SMU, and many more! Thursday wear red or black for schools like Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Alabama, and many more. Friday be sure show your MISD pride and wear a CMS, elementary, or high school shirt! October 2, 2019
The McKinney North Drama Dawg theatre is hosting their annual haunted house on October 10th, 11th and 12th. Come out for some scary fall fun and support the Drama Dawgs.
September 24, 2019
MISD Bag Policy for Events
Attached you will find the updated bag policy for all stadium events. This is for the following locations MISD Stadium, Ron Poe Stadium, MNHS, MHS and MBHS auxiliary football fields. September 23, 2019
On Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, the McKinney ISD Substance Use Prevention Committee will once again host “Bedrooms, Backpacks and Beyond,” a workshop the committee introduced two years ago as a resource to parents.
https://www.mckinneyisd.net/…/third-annual-bedrooms-backpa…/ The interactive workshop offers the opportunity to connect with other parents as well as the chance to learn from experts in the field of substance use prevention. Topics discussed will include: social media, substance use trends, community resources and how to start conversations with your kids. Details: Saturday, October 12, 2019 McKinney High School Cafeteria 1400 Wilson Creek Pkwy 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. The event is free, but childcare is not provided. For more information, please contact the MISD Counseling office at 469-302-4036. September 16, 2019
School Portrait Day is Coming!!
*Order Form Attached SchoolPix Inc. will be taking individual school pictures at Cockrill Middle School on: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 Two ways to order portraits…. 1. Attached you will find an order form, please print and fill out the order form and return with payment to the photographer on picture day. 2. To order online by credit card, please go to https://schoolpix.ephotohost.biz/ . When prompted, enter Cockrill Middle School's Code 1920-0034. A confirmation email will be sent confirming your order has been received. No further action is required. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call SchoolPix Inc. customer service at 972-334-9140 or email us at info@schoolpixinc.com. Please note: All orders are to be submitted to the photographer on picture day. All school portraits are 100% satisfaction guaranteed. September 6, 2019
Yearbook Sales
Buy your yearbook today for the lowest price all year! Plus you can get FOUR FREE icons when you personalize your yearbook by putting your name on the cover. Pick up an order form from E123 or the front office, $35 cash or check made out to CMS. You can also order online at www.jostensyearbooks.com. Deadline to get this awesome deal is Friday, September 13th at midnight. Dedication Ads will be available for 8th grade students soon, keep a look out for them in the weekly courier. September 3, 2019
August 22, 2019
Accelerate Your Future... with Online Classes.
MISD students have the option of accelerating their course work by taking an additional course online during the Fall of 2019. Courses are provided byApex Learning and taught by MISD teachers. There are no course meeting times,and classes can be accessed 24/7 for the duration of the term in a self paced format. Online classes are available to students in grades 8-12. August 21, 2019
New way to submit absence notices. Please email your notes to cockrilloffice@mckinneyisd.net.
New STAAR Testing DatesApril 7, 2020 – 7th Writing, 8th Math
April 8, 2020 – 8th Reading May 5, 2020 – EOC Algebra May 7, 2020 – 8th Science May 8, 2020 – 8th Social Studies(this is a Friday) May 12, 2020 – 6th and 7th Math and 8th Retakes May 13, 2020 – 6th and 7th Reading and 8th Retakes August 16, 2019
Our CMS PALS would love to invite our new 7th and 8th grade students to our “New Student Breakfast” so we can get to know you and get you plugged in with some new friends. We’ll have an assortment of breakfast foods, snacks, and drinks!
See you Friday! :) August 14, 2019
Cockrill Theatre is excited to announce the first play of the year. It is a comedy called "Attack of the Pom-Pom Zombies." This is a really funny play and will be a ton of fun to perform! All students can participate in the cast or crew of the play. All grades are welcome, and you do not have to be in a Theatre Class to participate. This play will have lots of funny characters to audition for, including zombie cheerleaders, football dudes, helpful nerds, mad scientists, and pirates! We will also need lots of help with our backstage tech crew. We'll need help in lots of areas like stage managers, props and set, sound, costumes, lights, and LOTS of help with hair & makeup for those quick zombie transformations! Auditions and tech crew interviews are September 10-13, before or after school. Go look at the callboard by the theatre door in the Fine Arts hall for more information and to sign up for a time slot for an audition or tech crew interview! Ask Mrs. Fox in C116 if you have any questions.
July 25, 2019
Cockrill Middle School Honors Band
Placed FIRST in the entire STATE OF TEXAS!!! They will have the honor of performing in San Antonio in February for an incredible audience of music educators!! Wow!! Congratulations to these students and directors!! July 17, 2019
Library Summer Hours:
Mark your calendars! The CMS library will be open for returns, checkouts, and fun on June 25th from 10-12 in the morning and July 30th from 1-3 in the afternoon. The library doors will be open (to the right of the main doors under the patio), no need to ring the doorbell! #cmscowboys #cmsreads#cmssummerbookclub 
RETURNING Student Registration Information:
The 1st guardian listed on the student account will receive an e-mail from PowerSchool Registration (our registration system) the week of July 8th with the SNAP CODE needed to register returning MISD students. All students must be registered and a current proof of residency received before the start of school. If you have questions/issues with registering, please contact the campus beginning July 22nd. School Supply List for 19-20 As we prepare for a new school year, please note that you will not see final report cards in HAC after June 26th. HAC will become available again in August when we are ready for you to print schedules for Meet the Teacher Night. We will let you know when they are ready! May 24, 2019
April 4, 2019
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