The Panther Pride

McMillen High School takes pride in preparing our diverse community of students in a safe and supportive environment to inspire them to be successful lifelong learners.

Relationships. Relevance. Rigor.

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October 3, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In Plano ISD, we believe that kindness and courage should guide how we treat one another. That is why we are launching our Kindness & Upstander Campaign this October during National Bullying Prevention Month.

What Is an Upstander? An upstander is someone who recognizes when something is wrong and chooses to act, especially when they see someone being bullied or excluded. Unlike a bystander who sees bullying but stays silent, an upstander speaks up with kindness and confidence, stands by the person being hurt and tells a trusted adult when needed.

Why It Matters: Children who are taught to be upstanders build empathy and courage, help create a safer and more welcoming school, and are more likely to seek help when they need to. Our goal is to empower students to model respect, show compassion, and stand up for what is right, whether that is addressing bullying, shutting down unkind behavior, or supporting a classmate in need.

Here is how you can partner with us at home:

• Talk with your child about what it means to be an upstander, not a bystander.

• Celebrate acts of kindness your child shows to others.

• Encourage your child to use their voice when they see something that is not right.

• Visit the Plano ISD website for district guidance on addressing bullying, harassment and all forms of hate

Together, we can create a culture of respect and courage that will carry our students through school and into life. Thank you for partnering with us to model the values we want for all our children.

Sincerely,

John Tedford
McMillen High School

October 3, 2025

Estimados padres y tutores:

En Plano ISD, creemos que la amabilidad y el coraje deben guiar la forma en que nos tratamos unos a otros. Por eso lanzamos nuestra Campaña de Amabilidad y Defensa de los Derechos este mes de octubre, durante el Mes Nacional de Prevención del Acoso Escolar.

¿Qué es un defensor? Un defensor es alguien que reconoce cuando algo está mal y decide actuar, especialmente cuando ve que alguien está siendo acosado o excluido. A diferencia de un espectador que ve el acoso pero permanece en silencio, un defensor habla con amabilidad y confianza, apoya a la persona que está siendo agredida y se lo cuenta a un adulto de confianza cuando es necesario.

Por qué es importante: Los niños a los que se les enseña a defender a los demás desarrollan empatía y valentía, contribuyen a crear un entorno escolar más seguro y acogedor, y son más propensos a pedir ayuda cuando la necesitan. Nuestro objetivo es capacitar a los alumnos para que den ejemplo de respeto, muestren compasión y defiendan lo que es correcto, ya sea abordando el acoso escolar, poniendo fin a comportamientos desagradables o apoyando a un compañero que lo necesite.

Aquí te explicamos cómo puedes colaborar con nosotros desde casa:

• Hable con su hijo sobre lo que significa ser un defensor, no un espectador.

• Celebra los actos de bondad que tu hijo muestra hacia los demás.

• Anime a su hijo a que alce la voz cuando vea algo que no está bien.

• Visite el sitio web del Distrito Escolar Independiente de Plano para obtener orientación sobre cómo abordar el acoso escolar, el hostigamiento y todas las formas de odio.

Juntos, podemos crear una cultura de respeto y valentía que acompañará a nuestros alumnos durante su etapa escolar y en la vida. Gracias por colaborar con nosotros para transmitir los valores que queremos para todos nuestros hijos.

Atentamente,

John Tedford
McMillen High School

Parents, please remember after school pick up is in the back parking lot only, NOT the bus lane. We appreciate your attention to our students' safety.

Who is your counselor?

Sarah Davidson Last names A – F sarah.davidson@pisd.edu

Brandon Rogers Last names G – K brandon.rogers@pisd.edu

Allison Youderian Lat names L – Q Allison.youderian@pisd.edu

Lissa Testa Last names R – Z lissa.testa@pisd.edu

Are you interested in learning more about the IB World School at Plano East Senior High?

Applications are open October 1-10. There will be an informational meeting at PESH on October 6th at 6:30pm. PESH is located at 3000 Los Rios Blvd., Plano. There will also be a virtual information ZOOM on October 23 at 6:30pm. Please register by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/ibinfo2025

Learn more about Academy High School! Visit Academy HS on either October 7th or 27th at 6:30-8:00pm for information about attending this award-winning Robotics and STEM-forward school. AHS is located at 1701 Alma Drive in Plano. For more information, contact Sarah Killion at sarah.killion@pisd.edu

Parents have the ability to review instructional plans for their child’s classes. Visit https://www.pisd.edu/students-families-a6/instructionalplans to view the instructional plans and learn more about your child’s learning experience.

• At all sporting events, we encourage students and parents to yell and cheer for our team as they compete. We do ask that you direct all that cheering and yelling in a positive manner towards our team. Please refrain from singling out or yelling negative comments towards the other team, players, coaches, or referees. In our gym, students are expected to keep both feet in the bleachers at all times and follow the dress code like a normal school day. We ask all participants to refrain from running towards the court during exciting action. Students and parents who do not comply with these expectations will be asked to leave by either the referee or the administrator on duty. It is our goal to create a fun, safe environment for our students, parents, and community to come enjoy the event.
• All students attending the varsity games are expected to be picked up within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the game. Most varsity games conclude around 10 pm. With this in mind, parents should plan on being at the stadium by 10:30. It is encouraged that all students call their parents at the beginning of the fourth quarter so parents can come earlier if the game is running faster than expected. This rule would also be in place for sub-varsity games. Students should call their parents at the end of the fourth quarter of the last game being played that night to ensure timely pickup. Students who are there past this time will run the risk of not being allowed to attend future varsity games.
• PISD has a stadium bag policy and stadium rules that each person attending must follow. Please click this link to view these.

Hello McMillen Families,

Fall has arrived and the weather is cooling off, perfect the outdoor sports! Wanted to share some upcoming events and reminders:

Membership Update: 232 members, don't forget to encourage friends and students to sign up! Our school is being recognized for the amazing signup we have had so far. https://mcmillenhsptsa.membershiptoolkit.com/join

Spirit Night October 7th 4-9PM: Show your school spirit and grab dinner and help McMillen earn money!

• Mention McMillen fundraiser or use code RCFUND96 and we get 15%

Spirit Wear: sales are still open, nice fall styles for gifts just in time for the Holidays https://mcmillenhsptsa.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/7198

We are applying for the School of Excellence Award; this recognition program opens the lines of communication and critical thinking within school communities to make data-driven decisions that yield positive, long-term results. Its designed to recognize partnerships between local PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being for all students. Stay tuned for more information and how you can participate.

Have a great week and do not hesitate to reach out with questions,

Jamie Heise

Your McMillen PTSA president

McMillen HS PTSA benefits as a result of the placement of a shoes and clothing donation bin at our school in the parking lot. We are paid by the pound for each pound of shoes, clothing, belts, purses, wallets, hats, caps, backpacks, hard toys and stuffed animals placed in our bin. Please help our PTSA raise funds for school projects, teacher training, new technology and to generally support the children who attend our school.

Learn more how you can make a difference and clean out your closets.

Every year in AVID one of our most impacting components of the program is having guest speakers share about their profession. McMillen AVID students are always thinking about college majors, and they love exposure to as many as possible. That's where guest speakers help the most. Whether you own a business, are in the medical profession, the world of transportation, hospitality, engineering, law, human relations, trade professions…we would love to schedule you to speak to our students. They are always interested and have an abundance of questions. If you would be willing to come share your profession with us, or if you know someone who would like to come be a guest speaker in our AVID classes, please contact Sherika Gaines, our AVID Coordinator, at sherika.gaines@pisd.edu with questions. You may click the Google Form or scan the QR code on the flyer. Please consider sharing what you do with our students! We look forward to hearing from you.

This past Saturday, your McMillen High School Band participated in the Plano East Marching Invitational Competition. We won the Sweepstakes Trophy! The band represented our school at the highest level of competition in our category. The band tied for 1st place and brought home the award certificate for Best Overall Marching. Additionally, our students represented McMillen High School with Class, Manners, Grace and Respect. They are everything we want our next generation to represent in our society. Please congratulate these student musicians when you have the opportunity.

This podcast from Harvard Thinking focuses on the decline of U.S. literacy rates and what we can do to make improvements.

Support the McMillen Choir by attending our Fall Concert on Monday, October 6th!

🎶 Our Schoolfundr fundraiser has officially launched! Your generosity and support would mean the world to us! We are raising money to help meet our goals for our masterworks concert, combined end of year spring show, travel expenses, and so much more! Your donations, however big or small, will greatly help to support our love and dedication for music! 🎶

🐾Supprt MHS Choir! 🐾

Please note the date change for the Talent-Palooza! It is now scheduled for the evening of October 8.

Come one, come all to the McMillen High School Talent-palooza! Please join us for an evening showcasing all the talent McMillen students have to offer. With a variety of acts, this is sure to be an event you won't want to miss! Talent-palooza will be held on Wednesday, October 1st at 7:00pm in the McMillen Cafetorium. Tickets are only $6 and can be purchased online at https://finearts.pisd.edu/fine-arts-tickets. We’ll see you at the show!

Get your yearbook now! Cost is $60