Coaches &  Events

Coach:
Cassandra Pena
cpena@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Thursdays 8:20-8:45 am
Thursdays 4:00-4:45 pm
Location:
G117

This contest involves the study of paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and paintings or pictures from selected Texas museums. The Art Smart Bulletin, published every other year, is the source for study of history and art elements relative to the 40 art selections and is the final authority in the spelling of artists' names and titles of art works. As part of their study, students will demonstrate an understanding of art history and interpret ideas and moods in original artworks while making informed judgments about the artwork.
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Coach:
Phil Maher
pmaher@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Mondays 4:00-4:45
Location:
F108

The calculator applications contest is designed to stimulate the development of mathematical and calculator skills for students in grades 6,7 and 8. Goals are both intellectual and practical: developing mathematical reasoning and knowledge and requiring the application of problem-solving skills toward realistic problems. Students will take a test containing 80 problems in 30 minutes. The contest consists of problems which may include calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, roots, and powers. It also includes straight-forward calculation problems, and simple geometric and stated problems similar to those found in recently adopted textbooks.

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Coach:
Jerry Flemons
jflemons@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Wednesdays 4:00-4:30 pm
Location:
F213

Chess puzzle competition is very different from tournament chess play. Contestants in a chess puzzle contest receive a paper-and-pencil test that includes a series of chess boards with pieces in particular positions. Questions are based on analysis of material or possible moves in each given diagram. Learn more

Coach:
Karen Ferrito
kferrito@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Mondays at 8:20 am or
Mondays at 4:00-4:30 pm
Location:
G210

Thorough knowledge of the dictionary is a way to increase a student's ability to find the information that is needed for classwork as well as everyday living. Each Dictionary Skills test consists of 40 objective and short answer questions to be completed in 20 minutes. Contestants use dictionaries during the competition, which may be tabbed. Contest questions cover word origins and histories, parts of speech, pronunciation, variant spellings, plurals, alphabetizing and other such elements. Test questions are also taken from charts, tables and lists contained in the dictionary. 
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Coach:
Christina Branch
cbranch@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Thursdays 4:00-4:45
Location:
G122

The Editorial Writing Contest is designed to develop the persuasive writing skills of the participants. Students must advocate a specific point-of-view in response to a prompt. Sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students have 45 minutes in which to complete their editorials.
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Coach:
TBD

Practice Time:

Location:

This contest provides opportunities for students in grades 6, 7 and 8 to evaluate speeches given by others; to explore the use of the voice and body in speaking situations; to examine the different purposes for speaking; to organize ideas; to prepare and deliver various speeches; and to develop self-confidence. 
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Coach:
Tyler Boysen
tboysen@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Wednesdays 8:15-8:40
Location:
F209

The listening contest is designed to help students in grades 5,6,7 and 8 recognize the importance of effective listening skills and to identify problems they may have in listening effectively. It also provides a challenging format to test the improvement of their listening abilities. Through preparation for the contest, participants will listen actively to a variety of material and learn to analyze and evaluate a speaker's message critically. Tests will include, but not necessarily be limited to, language arts, fine arts, natural sciences and social studies. The objective tests will measure skills such as identifying the main idea and supporting ideas, drawing conclusions, distinguishing fact from opinion, and mastering other listening and thinking skills. 
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Coach:
Richard Branch
rbranch@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Thursdays 4:00-4:45
Location:
G226

The maps, graphs & charts contest is designed to help students learn to get information from a variety of maps, graphs and charts including world maps, pie charts, bar charts and local area maps. The objective test will measure skills such as using a reference book to locate information, making comparisons, estimating and approximating, using scale and interpreting grid systems, legends and keys. 
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Coach:
Phil Maher
pmaher@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Mondays 4:00-4:45
Location:
F108

Students begin taking math in elementary school and continue taking it in high school. Learning to complete math problems quickly is a valuable skill in all facets of life including engineering, accounting, completing a tax return and even grocery shopping. This contest includes problems covering, but not limited to: numeration systems, arithmetic operations involving whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, exponents, order of operations, probability, statistics, number theory, simple interest, measurements and conversions. Geometry and algebra problems may be included as appropriate for the grade level. Learn more.

Coach:
Jerry Flemons
jflemons@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Wednesdays 4:00-4:30 pm
Location:
F213

In Modern Oratory, the sixth, seventh and eighth grade contestants will select one of the topics, determine the critical issues in the topic, and acknowledge both pro and con points citing support discovered in their research. Students will choose a side they will defend and support that side with additional evidence. Along with the skills of analysis, research, note-taking, documentation, evaluation and decision-making come those of delivery and the skill of memorization.
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Coach:
Michael Graber
mgraber@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Tuesdays & Thursdays 3:55-4:30
Location:
C111

The focus of the Music Memory contest is an in-depth study of fine pieces of music literature taken from a wide spectrum of music genres to expose students to great composers, their lives and their music. In the course of preparing for the contest, students should be given the opportunity to describe and analyze the music, relate the music to history, to society and to culture, and to evaluate musical performance.
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Coach:
Holly Bodmer
hbodmer@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Tuesdays 8:20-8:50
Location:
G103

Individuals are called upon every day to use their ability to make quick mental calculations to make decisions. The development of such abilities should be an integral part of the math curriculum. Concepts covered include, but are not limited to: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, proportions, and use of mathematic notation.
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Coach:
Christina Branch
cbranch@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Thursdays 4:00-4:45
Location:
G122

Reading literature out loud provides opportunities for students to analyze the text, to grow and to develop as a performer, to communicate a message to an audience and to perform an artistic creation. The oral reading competition should be an extension of the classroom literary and language arts activities in poetry, short stories and children's fiction. See the link below for frequently asked questions about oral reading.
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Coach:
Larry Taylor
ltaylor@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Mondays 3:55-4:30 & Fridays 8:15-8:40
Location:
E209

​​Texas has put a great emphasis on writing skills at all levels of school and all levels of state-wide testing. Ready Writing, a contest for students in grades 3,4,5,6,7 and 8, builds upon those skills and helps students refine their writing abilities. In particular, this contest helps them to learn to write clearly and correctly a paper that is interesting and original. 
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Coach:
Alison Bevans
abevans@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Mondays  4:00-4:30
Location:
G202

Emphasis for the Science contest, for students in seventh and eighth grades, will be placed on knowledge of scientific fact, understanding of scientific principles and the ability to think through scientific problems. The contest was designed to test not only memory but the ability to critically think about science and scientific processes and concepts. Such concepts include, but are not limited to: matter and energy, equilibrium, force and motion, physical and chemical properties, the relationship between organisms and the environment, the components of our solar system, the composition of matter and genetics. The contest will build upon the vast body of changing and increasing knowledge described by physical, mathematical, and conceptual models.
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Coach:
Charlene Simril
csimril@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Mondays 3:55-4:4:45
Location:
F201

• Two divisions: grades 5/6, grades 7/8

• 40 questions

• 30 minutes

• Test topics defined by a study outline, to be updated yearly (see links below)

• Based on the TEKS for social studies

• Test content taken from state adopted text books and identified primary sources

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Coach:
Charlene Simril
csimril@mckinneyisd.net
Practice Time:
Mondays 3:55-4:4:45
Location:
F201

​The spelling contest is designed to give students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For the most educational value, preparation for this contest should include instruction in the rules of the English language, meanings and definitions, and root words. In addition to learning to spell proficiently, contestants will learn to write clearly and to capitalize words properly. 
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