School Learning Focus for the 2025/26 school year 

Last school year, we noticed that there was a need to grow our students’ capacity in their Personal & Social Core Competencies which connects to their Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). We connected SEL to literacy by anchoring our efforts in literacy activities in the library and in class.  

Similarly, this year, we are focusing on two interconnected goals: 

• Strengthening inferencing skills in reading 

• Building empathy, responsibility, self-awareness and a feeling of connection through SEL 

Evidence-Informed Rationale (WHY) 

The data that supports this need:  

• Student voice --> School survey that went out last year. 75% of students felt like they belong at McKinney, which means we have to work hard to ensure that the remaining 25% begin to feel connected this year.  

• Teacher voice --> Feedback from teachers align with this goal. Teachers often share that their students know what to do in situations that challenge students, but have a difficult time implementing it in the moment.  

• What the data shows --> We are in the process of completing our Fall Reading Assessments and this will inform what areas of reading comprehension/building perspectives we want to explicitly connect to our SEL goal in order to improve both SEL and literacy in our students.  

Priority Learners 

• Our school learning story focuses on all students in grades 1 through 7.  

Baseline Data  

• 75% of students feel a sense of belonging at McKinney 

• The Fall Reading Assessment (RFRA), data highlighted that inferencing—the ability to read between the lines and interpret clues—is an area for growth across Grades 1–7.  

• 9% of students demonstrated an emerging understanding of inferencing 

• 40% of students are still developing this area of their reading comprehension skill set.  

• 47% of students demonstrated proficiency in this area 

• 4% of students in grades 1-7 demonstrated an extending understanding.  

Action Statement (HOW) 

• School wide assemblies that focus on our new CARES language (McKinney cares for self, others, place).   

• Explicitly teach SEL skills during our buddy classes & anchor it in a picture book lesson  

• Continue the use of ACT and EASE lessons in the classroom  

• Give students the opportunity to have voice by meeting in smaller focus groups again this year  

• Monthly spirit days and leadership opportunities to help the feeling of belonging.  

• We will engage in self-reflection: asking students about their self-regulation habits and SEL strategies that they utilize.  

• Collect Data: Reading assessments, School-wide surveys, as well as 1-to-1 walk-and-talks with staff and a focus group of students.  

• Professional Development Days for the staff with district social responsibility team.   

Intended Impact (SO WHAT) 

We are hoping to see the following in regards to SEL:  

• Build their personal awareness and personal responsibility  

• Appreciate their personal and cultural identity and have a sense of belonging at McKinney  

• Build their social awareness and social responsibility  

We will connect to literacy by:  

• Building CARE Through Anchor Books  
  Using anchor books with our buddy classes will help students learn to name and manage their feelings/emotions/improve personal and social awareness.   

• Using the pillars of literacy, Intermediate students will use SEL texts to explore multiple perspectives and transform their understanding of texts though —revising, rephrasing, and synthesizing ideas.  This should help them improve their literacy skills, while also hopefully connecting to SEL and how they consider their peers’ perspectives and build their social awareness. 

Evidence of Impact (HOW WE WILL KNOW) 

• Reading Assessment Data from the Spring  

• Conversation with Students  

• Observations from staff about how students are improving their ability to care for self, others, and place; as well as information about how students are developing in the core competencies 

Alignment Statement 

Our school story aligns with the District Strategic Plan Priority #1: Success for all learners, specifically in regards to literacy and the well-being of all students.