Walker Elementary School

Dearest Walker Families,

We hope to see you TONIGHT in the cafe for our Star LORDs Movie Night featuring Paddington in Peru! Doors open at 5:30pm and the movie starts at 5:45pm.

We needed to reschedule our Lock Down Drill due to the winter weather closures - as a reminder, here is the information about lock down drills:

Safety continues to be an important focus at Walker Elementary. In accordance with McKinney ISD policies and in collaboration with the McKinney Police Department, all McKinney campuses will be conducting "Lock Down Drills." These drills will assure our students' safety if we should ever need to secure or lock down our building. Our goal will be to make sure that our students and staff know the procedures to keep them safe under unusual circumstances. Please note that if you are volunteering during one of these Lock Down Drills, you should go immediately to the nearest lockable room or hallway. On Monday, February 9, 2026, at 8:30AM, we will be conducting a Lock Down Drill in coordination with our McKinney Police Department and the MISD Safety and Security Department. Please do not be concerned if you see police officers on our campus. Each teacher will be going over Lock Down Drill procedures with our students. We have written words for teachers to use during a classroom community circle. The words teachers will use to discuss the Lock Down Drill are below this note. Please talk with your children at home about safety and not to be alarmed as it is necessary to practice for situations that may occur at school. Thank you for your support in this matter.

Classroom Discussion on Lock Down Drill:

Today, we are going to talk about a practice drill we are going to have on Monday morning at 8:30AM.

Each month, we practice a fire drill to practice what to do in case there is a fire in our building. On Thursday, we are going to practice a lockdown drill so we know what to do if a stranger enters our building.

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

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

Please let us know if you have any questions. We appreciate how you all have prepared your students for all of our drills this year!

We are so thankful for everyone supporting Counselor's Week by celebrating Mrs. Tate and showering Ms. Tansie with love for Crossing Guard Appreciation Day. Next week, we honor Officer John!

Enjoy your weekend,

Sincerely,

Michelle Baumann, Principal

Misty Young, Asst. Principal

6 Feb, Fri: Crossing Guard Day - We LOVE Ms. Tansie!; Wear RED - Go Red Day!

5:45 – 7:45pm Star LORDS - Movie Night

9 Feb, Mon: Safety Drill - Lock Down Drill

10 Feb, Tue:3:20 – 4:15pm Choir Rehearsal - 4th/5th Graders

13 Feb, Fri: No GT-Alpha for 4th & 5th

SRO Day - We LOVE Officer John!

Valentine's Parties during Specials

8:30 – 9:15am Walker Live: Read-a-Thon Kick-off and 1st grade micro-performance

12 – 12:30pm PTA General Meeting

16 Feb, Mon: MISD Student Holiday

17 Feb, Tue: Read-a-Thon (2/13-2/27)

3:20 – 4:15pm Choir Rehearsal - 4th/5th Graders

19 Feb, Thu: 3:15 – 4:45pm Talent Show Rehearsals

20 Feb, Fri: 3rd grade Field Trip - Symphony

23 Feb, Mon: 3:20 – 4pm Green Team

24 Feb, Tue: 3:20 – 4:15pm Choir Rehearsal - 4th/5th Graders

25 Feb, Wed: 8:30 – 10am Variety Show - for Student Audience

26 Feb, Thu: Safety Drill

Walker Elementary Read-A-Thon Announcement

Get ready to Read + Raise with Read-A-Thon

Help Needed With Read-A-Thon, we'll Read + Raise BIG for our school!

SRO Appreciation Day Feb. 13th - We LOVE Officer John!

February at Walker Elementary

Important Dates & School Closures

• Monday, Feb. 16th: MISD School Holiday (No School).

Valentine’s Events

Friendship Grams ($1)

• Sale Dates: Feb. 2nd – 12th

• Time/Location: 7:40 AM – 8:00 AM in the Cafe.

• Delivery: Feb. 13th.

• Hosted by: Walker Elementary Student Council.

Valentine Parties (Friday, Feb. 13th)

• 8:30 AM: Walker Live School Assembly with 1st Grade micro-performance (Cafe).

• Party Times (during regular Specials):

  • Kinder: 10:05 – 10:55 AM

  • 1st Grade: 9:10 – 10:00 AM

  • 2nd Grade: 11:05 – 11:55 AM

  • 3rd Grade: 1:25 – 2:15 PM

  • 4th Grade: 12:30 – 1:20 PM

  • 5th Grade: 2:25 – 3:15 PM

• PTA General Meeting: Feb. 13th at 12:00 PM in the Walker Library.

Read-A-Thon (Feb. 13th – 27th)

• Goal: Raising money by focusing on reading and earning rewards.

• How to Join:

  1. Visit https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/cuTHLr?utm=email

• Bonus: Send 10 texts during signup to be entered to win a trip for 4 to Disney.

Walker’s Got Talent Variety Show

• Date: Thursday, Feb. 26th

• Time: 6:00 PM

Event Details: Stop the Bleed Course

Please register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvFg75u_p-qjU8qNF_pjiuX8fA8Kafe7kvgyLH5mrWTaDS_Q/viewform

Presented by: MISD Health Services

Overview

• Goal: Save a Life

• Target Audience: Open to all staff, parents, and students.

Location & Time

• Location: Lawson Early Childhood Center

• Address: 500 Dowell Street

• Date: Thursday, February 19th

• Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Friendship Grams ($1)

• Sale Dates: Feb. 2nd – 12th

• Time/Location: 7:40 AM – 8:00 AM in the Cafe.

• Delivery: Feb. 13th.

• Hosted by: Walker Elementary Student Council.

Something exciting is coming—our Read-A-Thon launches February 13th! 📚🎉 Here's how it works: Kids read. You support. We raise BIG!💰 Your child’s registration link was sent home in student folders. Thank you for supporting Walker Elementary!

The Student & Family Information Guide is designed to provide students and families with clear, accurate, and up-to-date information aligned with the district website. The guide will be continuously updated as new information becomes available, while prior information will remain accessible so families can track updates and changes over time.

McKinney ISD is committed to ensuring continuity of services and support. We will continue to partner closely with families, staff, and campus leaders to provide consistent communication, guidance, and care. Together, we will ensure every student experiences a smooth and supportive transition into the 2026–2027 school year.

Studies show that excessive absences can negatively impact a child's education, including the loss of teacher-led lessons, peer interactions, and academic achievement. While we do not want our students to attend school if they are sick, please help us make punctuality and daily attendance a priority for your Star/s regarding all other circumstances. Should you need to keep your child home for any reason, please click the button below to report an absence.

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

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

February Emergency Drills Schedule - Walker Elementary

Dear Walker Families,

The PTA is so excited for the spring semester at Walker! In the coming weeks we will be hosting our rescheduled movie night, the Valentine's parties, our always amazing Walker’s Got Talent Show, and a Walker favorite - Spring Fling Carnival!

As we plan for next year, several PTA Board positions will be available, making now a great time to consider getting involved.. More information will be coming home in February and we would love to see new faces join the board for the 2026-2027 school year!

We hope you can join us for our next PTA meeting on February 13th from 12:00-12:30. Light snacks will be provided. During the meeting, we will select our nominating committee for the 26-27 PTA Board and will hear from Mrs. Baumann about the school’s upcoming Read-a-Thon fundraiser. We hope to see you there!

Important Upcoming Dates:

Movie Night: Paddington in Peru - Friday, February 6th at 5:45

Valentine’s Parties - Friday, February 13th during Specials

PTA Meeting - Friday, February 13th 12:00-12:30

Walker’s Got Talent Show - February 26th at 6:00 pm

Spring Fling Carnival - March 6th 6-8 pm

Megan Patterson

President, Walker Elementary PTA

president@walkerstarspta.net

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

Membership Link

What does it mean to be a member of Walker PTA? It simply means you can vote at PTA meetings & the money you spend to join goes towards our campus. It does not put you on a volunteer list or require you to volunteer (although we do appreciate our volunteers!).

NOTE: A free Membership Toolkit account is required, & if you already have one, it will need to be updated for this school year before you proceed.

• Event Activities: Students will enjoy games, a craft, and a snack.

• Volunteer Opportunities: * Adults can help decorate the gym on Feb. 12th.

  • Help with the party on Feb. 13th.

  • Scan the QR code for the "Walker Volunteer Sign Up Genius".

• Donations: Scan the QR code for the "Walker Parties Amazon Wishlist".

• Reminders: * Alert your child's teacher if you are sending an alternative snack.

  • Teachers will provide specific info about sharing valentines with friends.

We hope you can join us for our next PTA meeting on February 13th from 12:00-12:30. Light snacks will be provided. During the meeting, we will select our nominating committee for the 26-27 PTA Board and will hear from Mrs. Baumann about the school’s upcoming Read-a-Thon fundraiser. We hope to see you there!

SCAN TO EASILY EARN MONEY FOR WALKER JUST BY PURCHASING GROCERIES!

Search "Box Tops for Education" in your App Store.

QR Code will automatically upload Walker referral code

Referral Code: W07H2ETH

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

Link to view the latest information posted in the Community Folder

Parenting the Digital Generation and Understanding Online Extremists

March 25 | 6:00 -7:30 PM

Community Event Center

4201 S. Hardin Blvd. McKinney, TX 75070

Who should attend? Parents with students of any age with technology in the home.

This is a parent only event. The content is not appropriate for students. Childcare IS NOT provided.

We'll talk about:

• 4 big risks for children online
• Conversations parents need to have with children about being online
• Utilizing technology to better protect your children
• Online extremist activities and how they target your children

Brought to you by: McKinney Police Department, Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County

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

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

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

mbaumann@mckinneyisd.net

myoung@mckinneyisd.net

469-302-4600

Share your ideas and feedback about Walker

Report Absence

My School Bucks (online cafeteria payment system)

Breakfast & Lunch Menus

Free/Reduced Lunch (participants complete each year)

Lost or broken headphones? School-approved headphones are available to purchase through myschoolbucks.com for $10. We offer a variety of vibrant colors to choose from - just order online and pick up in the library! Link to order headphones

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