McKinney ISD students will return to school for the 2026-27 school year Aug. 13.

The gist: The district’s board of trustees approved the next academic calendar at its Jan. 20 meeting. In creating the calendar, the district obtained feedback from principals, staff, students, teachers and parents, per district documents.

“This calendar reflects a careful balance between instructional quality, staff planning needs, family considerations and state requirements,” Assistant Superintendent of Communications Shelly Spaulding said.

7 Brew Coffee recently opened in McKinney. This location was one of 51 stands the company opened nationwide in December, according to a social media post.

On the menu: The Arkansas-headquartered company, which was founded in 2017, offers a variety of drink options including coffee, energy drinks, tea, lemonade, smoothies and milkshakes.

• 1510 W. University Drive, McKinney

McKinney officials are preparing for an arctic cold front that’s expected to hit North Texas on Friday, according to a city news release.

What’s happening: A winter storm watch is currently in effect for the Dallas-Fort Worth area with sleet expected to begin Friday night, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures are forecast to drop as low as 11 or 12 degrees Fahrenheit by Saturday night.

All weather-related updates regarding city services and facilities will be available through the city's inclement weather website. Some services and facilities already have modified hours, according to McKinney’s website.

• The Downtown Trolley will stop running at 3 p.m. Jan. 23.
• The McKinney Performing Arts Center’s public restrooms will close at 3 p.m. Jan. 23.
• Park restrooms and water features will close Jan. 22-26.

A winter storm watch is in effect for the Dallas-Fort Worth area with sleet expected to begin Friday night.

What you need to know: Widespread wintry precipitation, with the majority being sleet, is expected throughout Saturday and potentially into Sunday morning.

"Dangerously cold temperatures" are forecasted to begin overnight Friday into Saturday, with temperatures anticipated to drop as low as 11 or 12 degrees Saturday night into Sunday, officials said. Along with the cold temperatures, wind chills overnight Saturday into Sunday could sit between 0 and -10 degrees.

A far-reaching winter storm is expected to bring below-freezing temperatures, wintry precipitation and “dangerous ice” to Texas beginning Jan. 23, according to the National Weather Service. As residents brace for days of potentially hazardous conditions, state leaders said Jan. 22 that the Texas power grid “has never been stronger” and will withstand the storm.

What's happening: Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 134 of Texas’ 254 counties, telling reporters that the northern two-thirds of the state—from San Antonio to the Panhandle—will be impacted by the storm.

Officials said they do not expect a repeat of the widespread power outages that occurred during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, emphasizing that changes have been made in recent years to harden the grid against extreme weather. The governor said some Texans could see “local, isolated” outages due to fallen tree branches or ice on power lines.

"The severity of it is not quite as great... as Winter Storm Uri," Abbott said. "That said, people would be making a mistake if they don't take it serious."