Highlander Happenings

As we end this month of March and reflect on our accomplishments, we can't help but feel grateful and blessed. OK, so we may also feel a little exhausted from the fast-paced schedule that we have lived on a daily basis this month, but it is all worth it in the end! Spring is here, we are continuing with our planning for graduation and the end of the school year. That being said this can be a trap for some students as it has a tendency to bring on the ever-dangerous “spring fever,” causing students to slip in their academics and behaviors. As we look forward to the warmer weather and increased daylight, it's important for students to remember that the remaining days of school can be fleeting, so avoid taking any day for granted.

On another note, Spring sports are in full swing and our student-athletes are working hard in the classroom and on the field. Additionally, the Prom is Friday, May 10th at the Waterfall in Claymont. Students must be in good standing to attend and any student requesting to have a non-McKean student attend with them needs to complete a required form in advance. The form is available in the main office for students.

Many thanks to our families who continue to support our school. In return, our students represent us with great pride and passion! The hard work, dedication, and commitment of the entire school community is what embodies We A.R.E McKean!

Wishing all of you a Happy and restful Easter and Spring break.

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.

We are asking you to complete a survey to help us learn what parents and guardians think about McKean High School. Your thoughts and opinions are very important. Through this survey, we will use your experiences and opinions to help us build on our strengths and work to make improvements.

The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete and can be accessed by computer or cellphone. If you have more than one child in this school, please complete the survey with one child’s experiences in mind.

Le estamos pidiendo a usted que complete una encuesta sobre McKean High School para que nos ayude a saber que piensan los padres, madres y guardianes sobre nuestra escuela. Sus pensamientos e ideas son muy importantes. A través de esta encuesta, utilizaremos sus experiencias y opiniones para ayudarnos a desarrollar las áreas en buen funcionamiento y trabajar para mejor las débiles.

Solo le tomará 15 minutos para completar la encuesta. Si usted tiene más de un niño/a en esta escuela, por favor complete la encuesta basándose solamente en las experiencias de uno de sus hijos/as.

Para acceder a la versión HOME de la Encuesta Clima Escolar de Delaware

We are thrilled to announce the recipient of this year's prestigious McKean "Teacher of the Year" award. After vigilant consideration and evaluation by our selection committee, we are pleased to honor Mrs. Brandi Mycoff as the Thomas McKean 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year.

Brandi has consistently exemplified dedication and passion during her time here at McKean. Her commitment to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment has had a profound impact on our school community. Through her efforts, Brandi has inspired students to reach their fullest potential which extends far beyond the classroom.

Please join us in congratulating Brandi for this well-deserved recognition. We A.R.E McKean!

Our very own school psychologist was nominated as the

Red Clay Behavioral Health Professional of the year!

• Tuesday March 26th- Wellness Fair 4-6pm @ McKean
• Thursday March 28th- Spain Trip Informational Meeting 7pm on Zoom
• Friday March 29 - Friday April 5- Spring Break- Schools Closed - School Resumes Mon. April 8

• Wednesday April 10- No School grading day
• 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

March 26 4-6pm

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.

Thomas McKean High School Hygiene Advisory is hosting a Hygiene product drive. We are collecting items that students may need for their homes that they may not have easy access to. These include soap, shampoo, lotion, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and most importantly Deodorant. We also collect cleaning products such as washing detergent. There are boxes set up in several classrooms but the main boxes are in Ms. Colliar’s room and Ms. Johnson's room. For more information, they can contact Ms. Johnson in C10 or Ms. Colliar in B42.

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 have started!

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

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

A Message from Assistant Principal Mr. Downes

Highlander Families,

Spring is finally upon us, which means the end of the year will be here before we know it. We are excited to kick-off our Spring Sports season and begin planning for end of the year events. That being said, we want to gently remind everyone of our dress code policies with the change in weather:

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.

• All Students being picked up or dismissed early from our building must provide consent from only listed Parent/Guardian in our system. We will not allow any students to leave without consent/permission from appropriate legal appointed guardians.

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.

After School Activities, Clubs, Sports, and Other Event Expectations

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.

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.

Thank you for your vote in the Red Clay Referendum! We are happy to announce the vote has passed which will provide a safer space and more opportunities for our students and staff!

Day 1:

Please congratulate our TSA aerospace champions for a clean sweep in the Flight Endurance event:

• Adrian Sanchez - 1st place
• JaiVone White - 2nd place
• Juan Juarez-Leon - 3rd place

Day 2:

We had a hard-fought set of contests with the best technology students in the state.

• Jacob Shindledecker captured 1st place in CO2 dragster
• Trenton Weaver held on to grab 3rd place in CO2 dragster
• Anthony Bendistis came in 4th, just under medal contention, but a great effort and a sweet looking car.

Our problem two solving teams (Bianca Hankins and Sam Miller) and (Justin Small and Dom Burgos) did their best with a tricky scenario, but learned a lot and were good sports.

Rowan Colby has been selected to represent McKean at the University of Delaware from 06/21/2024 through 06/23/2024 for the HOBY Delaware Seminar. Students across the country and around the world attend HOBY to further their leadership journeys. Students gain a concrete sense of their own leadership abilities and values, learn tangible skills to lead diverse groups, and make connections with peers across our state.

HOBY Youth Leadership programs encourage young people to focus their energy on making a positive impact on their communities. At HOBY, you become part of something bigger - congratulations Rowan!

McKean High School and Alexis I. du Pont High school students enrolled in the inaugural Early College Academy Dual Enrollment partnership between the Red Clay Consolidated School District and Goldey Beacom College visited Goldey Beacom on Monday 3/11/24. Students toured the campus discovering all the amenities that Goldey Beacom offers. Students attended an informative/interactive Sociology lecture and finished up the visit by thoroughly enjoying the on campus food court. This partnership will continue to expand and flourish in future school years. Mr. Adam Baer from McKean High School and Mr. Zeb Blum from Alexis I. du Pont High School are current faculty liaisons for their respective schools.

Estrella Martinez, Lilly Ortiz, and Thali Sanchez, from the Native Spanish Speaker course, along with Victoria Kasume-Prysco from Spanish 1, represented McKean at the Second Annual World Language Showcase organized by DECTFL (Delaware Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) at the University of Delaware. The event featured various competitions such as Storytelling, Escape Room, Cultural Presentations, Proficiency, and Photo Trivia, where students showcased their Spanish language skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Our school emerged victorious in the Cultural Presentation category for Spanish Level 1, thanks to Victoria's outstanding performance! Competing against students from other school districts, she delivered a three-minute cultural presentation in Spanish and eloquently answered two questions posed by the jurors in the same language.

Participating in the event proved to be a valuable experience for our students as they interacted with peers of similar Spanish proficiency levels from diverse school districts. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate increased student participation in such enriching events in the coming school.

McKean Raised $125 towards Phelan Lucky

PHELAN LUCKY originated in 2014 in Wilmington, DE in honor of Jack (a former McKean Student), with the goal of raising funds for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation (pmsf.org/phelan-lucky) and awareness for the 3,550+ people worldwide living with the challenges of Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Phelan-McDermid syndrome (pronounced FEY-luhn mick-DUR-mid) is a rare genetic disorder that can compromise many critical functions in a person's body — from learning and communicating to eating and sleeping.

Thursday, March 21st, McKean High School's Broadway Jazz Night dazzled audiences with stunning performances from our talented students and staff. The McKean High School Choir stole the show with captivating renditions of songs from Broadway's greatest shows, showcasing their passion and vocal prowess. With electrifying solos from both students and staff, the evening was a celebration of musical talent and community spirit. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unforgettable night of entertainment!