Highlander Happenings

McKean Community,

It is the end of February already and time certainly is going by quickly! Just a reminder that the Red Clay Referendum vote is next week Wednesday, February 28th. This is a great opportunity to go out and support our schools. Additionally, the second semester is long and intense and our teachers are working very hard to have our students ready for the next level. We will be doing our PSAT and SAT testing in the next few weeks and want our Highlanders prepared to do their best, so this is just a reminder that we need all students to be in attendance unless they are ill.

Finally, we would like to continue to recognize Black History Month, which is a time of remembrance and recognition. Names such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Ella Baker, and Fannie Lou Hamer resonate with familiarity as their names have become synonymous with the Civil Rights movement. It is worth remembering that for these men and women to accomplish their goals, it was a culmination of the efforts of those individuals who paved the way for them and laid the groundwork to be built upon. So their works serve as an example and a lesson for us all that much can be accomplished through strength in conviction, resolve in character, and commitment to respecting the dignity and value of all people. We A.R.E McKean!

We A.R.E. McKean!

We are excited to invite you to be a part of something extraordinary – our Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)! The PTO plays a crucial role in enhancing the educational experience for our children and fostering a strong sense of community within our school.

Join a community of dedicated parents, teachers, and staff who share a common goal – creating a positive and enriching environment for our students.

How Can You Get Involved? 👉 Attend PTO Meetings: Join us for informative and engaging meetings where we discuss upcoming events, fundraising opportunities, and collaborative projects.

Together, we can create a vibrant and supportive community that empowers our students to thrive.

Estimados padres y tutores de McKean:

Espero que este mensaje te encuentre bien. Nos complace invitarlo a nuestra próxima reunión de la Organización de Padres y Maestros (PTO), donde discutiremos asuntos importantes relacionados con la comunidad escolar.

On Wednesday, February 28th, the Red Clay Consolidated School District community will have the opportunity to vote on two important proposals aimed at preserving, revitalizing, and enhancing our District's programs, services, facilities, and staff positions. Red Clay remains dedicated to identifying the most effective solutions to benefit our students and community.

The school district has not sought a referendum for nearly a decade. The operating and capital referenda are designed to support substantial building renovations, the creation of modern learning environments, and the ongoing needs of our students, including funding for educational resources and teacher and support staff positions.

The Operating Referendum will secure the necessary funding for daily operations, covering various aspects such as student support and wellness, instructional materials, salaries and benefits for teachers and staff, and more.

The Capital Referendum will allocate funds to support vital updates and replacements of key building systems and resolve ongoing serious maintenance problems.

• Friday, March 1st and Saturday March 2nd - Shrek the Musical, Jr.
  
• Tuesday, March 5th - PSAT and SAT Testing Day for Grades 9th thru 11th - Virtual Day for 12th Graders
• Thursday, March 7th - FAFSA Night at McKean - Room A24 - 3pm-6pm
• Friday, March 8th - No School for Students - Teacher Professional Learning Day
• Monday, March 18th & Tuesday, March 19th - Technology Student Association Competition - University of Delaware
• Thursday, March 21st - Highlander Chorale present Jazz Night on Broadway - 6pm - Highfield Audion
• Tuesday March 26th- Wellness Fair 4-6pm @ McKean

• Saturday April 27th through Saturday May 4th - McKean Spring Plant Sale
• Friday, May 10th - Thomas McKean High School Prom - The Waterfall in Claymont, DE - 7pm-11pm Tickets go on sale 2/20
• Thursday, May 23rd - Spring Instrumental Band Concert - Gus Highfield Audion - 6pm

Attention senior parents-If your child will be continuing their education after graduation they will have to complete the FAFSA. Please consider joining us for our next hands-on FAFSA workshop from 3-6 pm on Thursday March 7th in Room A24 here at McKean. Click this link to register it is also on your student’s Class of 2024 page.

The upcoming health fair at McKean in March promises to be exciting and informative. The fair will feature many activities and exhibits that promote health and wellness among stakeholders (students, guardians, staff, and community members). From interactive displays on nutrition and fitness to workshops on mental health and stress management, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Local businesses will be on hand to provide valuable information and resources, and there will be opportunities for attendees to participate in hands-on activities and demonstrations. With its engaging and educational offerings, the health fair will surely be a highlight of the school year for all who attend.

Red Clay Consolidated School District is growing the Early College Academy partnership with our neighbor Goldey-Beacom College! More information will come for this opportunity to attend college classes at GBC and earn college credit while enrolled at Thomas McKean High School. Click the photo to the right for more information! Please contact Mr. Downes with questions.

AVID’s mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society. This is done by a schoolwide approach to teaching and learning styles, as well as, supported by identified students who are in the AVID elective to raise their rigor and access to higher education opportunities. We will be sharing out more AVID information monthly – see where are some of our AVID Alumni now in the linked slide show. Please contact Ms. Brandi Mycoff with any questions regarding AVID at McKean!

Members of the Thomas McKean AVID site team has now offered two after school professional developments that focus on different AVID teaching strategies. These strategies are being shared to staff members to maintain student engagement and success in the classroom. Professional developments have been in the areas of Socratic seminars, interactive notebooks, reading strategies, World Café’s, and Focused Note taking.

Do you enjoy working with young children? Are you looking for steady employment after high school? Any senior interested in learning more about becoming a classroom paraprofessional after high school is invited to attend an informational session on April 17th. The sign-up link can be found on the Class of 2024 Schoology Page. If more information is needed regarding this matter, please see Dr. Galloway.

Greetings Class of 2026!!!

Are you interested in learning more about the Patient Care Assistant Pathway at Delaware Technical Community College?

I invite you to sign up to learn more about this wonderful and exciting opportunity.

Sign up by using the Delaware Tech Patient Care Assistant Informational Session Link on the Class of 2026 Schoology Page or see Dr. Galloway in Room C3C.

Please visit HighlandersSports.com for information about Highlander Athletics as we wrap up the Winter Season.

Spring Sports Start on February 28, 2024. Please contact head coaches with any questions about joining a team!

Baseball - Jaxon Brown

Softball - Jourdan Zickgraf

Lacrosse - Nick Dorda & Stephon Johnson

Girls Soccer - Lamora Kaylor & Anthony Smith

Track & Field - Gavin Coates & Shakir Ali

Unified Track & Field - Grace Guillebeau

Boys Volleyball - Brian Starrett

Tennis - Ray Smith

Golf - Mike Freccia

Swim Team Banquet at Cafe Napoli

1) McKean Sportsmanship Policy

• Students must attend a presentation on Sportsmanship with Ms. Dukuray
• All students must sign McKean Sportsmanship Contract prior to competing in games/practices. Form can be found on the bottom left of the Highlanderssports.com page under Forms.

2) DIAA Physical

• Students must have a DIAA physical on file with the school to be eligible for practices, scrimmages, and games.
• Physicals must be completed on the approved DIAA Physical Forms.
• Physicals must be completed after April 1st of the year that the school year begins.
• Physicals may be uploaded to Family ID or submitted to the school nurse.

3) Academic Eligibility

• Academic eligibility is determined each marking period.
• Students must be passing 5 classes to be eligible to participate in athletic activities.
• 2 of the 5 classes must be in the core subject areas: Math, Science, English, or Social Studies.
• Seniors must also be passing all classes needed for graduation.

Athletic Director Dorda would like to share the following information regarding Fall Sports:

• Tickets to home basketball games must be purchased in advance from Ticket Spicket.
• Students will not be permitted to re-enter the stadium or gymnasium once they have left.
• After school buses are reserved for active roster student athletes only. NO STUDENT FANS PERMITTED
• Highlander Sportsmanship is expected from all athletes, student fans, and family fans at all sporting events. All Highlanders are expected to adhere to the codes of conduct set forth by Thomas McKean High School, Red Clay Consolidated School District, and the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Fall 2024 Boys Soccer Coach Opening! Please contact Nicholas Dorda with any questions or interest

Questions - Contact Mr. Dorda - Athletic Director

Highlander Families,

We would like to wish everyone a Happy Holidays and New year. We hope you have a joyful and restful break enjoying time with your families! We do ask that upon our return from Winter break, we want to gently remind everyone of our dress code policies.

Dress Code

• Students must wear clothing including both a shirt with pants or skirt, or the equivalent.
• The torso must be covered and undergarments must not be visible.
• Students must wear shoes with a sole.
• Hats and other head coverings are not to be worn in schools except in cases of medical, and religious reasons.

Clothing May Not

• Depict, advertise or advocate the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other controlled substances.
• Depict pornography, nudity or sexual acts.
• Share or depict hate speech.
• Depict violence or threaten the health or safety of any other student or staff member.
• See page 15 of the Student Handbook for more information.

Drop-Off/Pick-Up

Any families dropping or picking up Students need to be aware about the designated drop-off and pick-up procedures to ensure the safety and efficiency of our school community.

Upper Lot Usage

All parent drop-off and pickup activities are to take place exclusively in the upper parking lot. This area has been designated for these purposes to streamline traffic flow and enhance the safety of our students.

No Entry to Bus Lane

Please refrain from entering the bus lane for any drop-off or pickup activities. The bus lane is reserved for school buses and needs to remain clear to facilitate the smooth and safe flow of school transportation.

Safety First

By adhering to these guidelines, we collectively contribute to the safety and well-being of all students, parents, and staff. Your cooperation in following these procedures is greatly appreciated.

For any and all students attending any After-School activities are to abide by the Red Clay Student and Family handbook, whether at McKean campus or any other school campus.

• The Student and Family handbook is enforced at all school-sponsored events and other activities where school administrators have jurisdiction over students.
• Any student who actively hinders an investigation or any student who aids, is involved with the planning, or helps another student in any way in an act which violates the Student Code of Conduct may be subject to disciplinary action.
• Students can be subject to be revocation or loss of privileges at any time being unable to attend any After-School activities violating the Code of Conduct.

We would like to stress the importance of on time arrival to both school and every class this year. As a team, we are ramping up interventions and supports, as well as consequences and celebrations, for students around on time arrival to class. Attendance interventions have been designed to help all students maximize their learning time by incentivizing being on time, and we have a team dedicated to addressing any challenges students face with tardiness to school and class. Students that arrive to class late will not be eligible for hall/bathroom passes during the period.

Congratulations to our Early Childhood Teacher Academy competitors who medaled in the state Educators Rising competition!

Natalia Medina Luna received gold for her Creative Lecture on teacher salaries!

Lizbeth Tovar Lemus earned gold for her EdRising Moment Speech in Spanish!

Abby Davis grabbed bronze for her EdRising speech!

Fantastic job, ladies! You represented the Highlanders well!

Next stop - Nationals in DC this summer

Congratulations to sophomore Kayleah John for winning the lead role of Ariel in the Delaware Children's Theater production of The Little Mermaid. The show runs from February 24- March 17th.

Led by the student government, Advisory classes researched and paid tribute to influential black leaders by decorating their doors.