Breakfast is served from 7:45am to 8:20am

We encourage everyone to have a healthy well-balancedd breakfast in order to be prepared for the day. Free breakfast is available for all students. 

The instructional day at the McKay is from 8:30am to 3:10pm. Students should arrive at school between 7:45am and 8:20am. All students are to enter through the recess yard. If traveling by car, students should be dropped off in the front of the building and walk around to the recess yard. Students arriving at or after 8:31am are considered tardy and must sign in at the tardy desk outside the main office. See tardiness policy for more information. 

The instructional day at the McKay is from 8:30am to 3:10pm. Guardians are to wait for the students in their grade specific pick-up area. Students can be dismissed early from the main office only by an authorized guardian/adult for appointments or family emergencies. 

School buses are provided by the Boston Public School district. You can check the location of your child's bus by using the link below and providing your child's student identification number. 

https://schoolbus.bostonpublicschools.org/

Prior to any field trip, a note will be sent home describing the trip and explaining any fees involved. This notice includes a permission slip that must be signed by the parent/guardian and returned to the child’s teacher.

The McKay is a cell phone-free school for all students. Students in grades 5-8 will be using Yondr pouches to secure their cell phones during the school day. If there is an emergency and you would like to get in contact with your child during the school day, please call the McKay Main Office at 617-635-8510.

In order to have full access to technology during instruction at the McKay, students and guardians will sign a “Student Chromebook Use Agreement” which discusses proper academic usage and care.

There are many opportunities to connect and engage with the McKay. Please check your child’s backpack and TalkingPoints for a monthly newsletter and calendar of events, and reach out to your child’s teacher(s).

The School Parent Council (SPC) will meet on a regular basis. All parents/guardians of children at the McKay are automatically enrolled in the SPC and are encouraged to attend meetings. There is also a monthly Principal Coffee Hour to learn about the McKay and to have your voice heard. (Please see our calendar for more opportunities to get involved.)

In accordance with Massachusetts state law, only the school nurse, another registered nurse employed by the district, or the student’s parent/legal guardian may administer medication to students within the school setting.

Massachusetts students must provide documentation of immunization according to school requirements or show a medical or religious exemption. 

We encourage parents/guardians to visit their child’s classroom and become acquainted with their child’s teachers. Contact the teacher in advance. Upon arrival, you must sign in at the main office. All visitors must wear a visitor’s pass at all times while on school grounds.

All students in grades K-8 are required to wear the McKay School Uniform.

The uniform will consist of:

- McKay t-shirt (navy), McKay polo shirt (navy), or a plain navy polo shirt

- McKay Sweatpants, Black or Khaki pants, shorts, or skirt

- McKay sweatshirt

Students will be provided with 2 shirts, 1 polo shirt, and 1 sweatshirt free of charge. Additional items will be available for purchase at the following prices:

- T-shirts: $5.00

- Polo Shirts $5.00

- Long Sleeve T $10.00

- Sweatshirts $10.00

- Sweatpants $10.00

In case of severe weather conduction, classes will be held unless an announcement has been made via phone and/or public media stating that all Boston Public Schools are closed. Please see our calendar for all other “no-school” days. 

Excellent attendance and school success go hand-in-hand. The more often a student is absent, the harder it is for the student to keep up with the class. Middle school students will receive a detention, if tardy.

Five student absences can be excused by family notes, emails, or TalkingPoints messages. To ensure the safety of our students, the main office or teacher should be notified of a child’s absence by 8:15am each day the student will be absent.

It is our expectation that families adhere to the district school calendar. Every day at school is meaningful to our students. After 8 unexcused absences in a marking term, an administrator will file an attendance card to a BPS Supervisor of Attendance, who may file a petition with the juvenile court.