KISD Teachers Back to School for 2024

The start of August means less than two weeks left in the summer break for Killeen ISD students and time for teachers to get back to it.

The bulk of KISD’s teachers and other campus staff returned to school Thursday, joining first-year staff members who began new teacher induction Monday.

At Jimmie Don Aycock Middle School, the first-year staff began getting to know one another over breakfast and ice-breaker games.

Later in the day, the inaugural JDA staff put paint to canvas in a creative team-building activity that also happened to serve a practical need for the new school.

Spread across the cafeteria, teachers labored to paint personalized portraits of a roadrunner, the school’s mascot, which they plan to hang on their classroom doors.

There are eight more days of professional development leading to the first day of school Aug. 14.

JDA Middle School Principal Savannah Jimenez said the first day of school for her full teaching staff centered on “culture and vision.”

“I’m excited,” she said. “It’s great to see everything we’ve talked about and worked for begin to come together. We are meshing together. It’s a great first day.”

Art teacher Aaron Adams took the stage to lead the painting exercise.

With a huge image of the school’s mascot projected above him, the teacher directed his peers to draw a version of the bird, paint the background and finally to paint the segmented roadrunner.

“This is a community building activity,” said Adams. “Teachers are going to personalize the mascot to hang outside their door.”

Part of the plan was to help students find their classes by way of the colorful door paintings. The activity was also meant to continue bonding school staff members as they near the start of school.

“We’re hoping this will give the staff some agency on the campus, build a family on the campus and show kids that we care about the campus,” he said.

The seven-year art teacher praised the KISD fine arts department and the JDA campus administration for welcoming him on board.

“It’s always exciting to start a new year, especially in a new district,” he said.

Theater teacher Allison Winfield agreed that it is exciting to build a new school culture.

“This feels authentic,” she said. “It feels like it’s really going to work.”

Spending time painting together was a relaxing conclusion to the first day, Winfield said. “We’re learning even though we are not artists. He walked us through very nicely.

Now that staff members are back to school, students are not far behind.

Across KISD, elementary schools host the annual Meet the Teacher family visitation from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8.

Middle schools conduct readiness days Wednesday, Aug. 7 and high school readiness days are spread across Wednesday and Thursday (Aug. 7-8).

Open house is 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at the high schools and 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at the middle schools.