Months of planning and anticipation culminated Wednesday when Killeen ISD welcomed thousands of students back to school. About 6,800 KISD employees leaned into the task of bringing 44,000 students from pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade to 53 schools spread from Nolanville to Harker Heights to Killeen and across Fort Cavazos in the state’s 24th-largest school district. Dr.
Jimmie Don Aycock Middle School in southeast Killeen made history, opening for its first first day of school. Just before opening the doors, Principal Savannah Jimenez told her huddled-up staff members the day was all about keeping everyone safe and beginning to get to know their students. With printed schedules, locks for lockers and new IDs, the middle school students made their way, with guidance, through the hallways to their first-period classes.
Once inside, they began learning “the JDA Way,” school leaders’ expectations for students to respectfully follow policies and seek out the help they need to thrive academically and socially. After two weeks of professional development and other planning and preparation, teachers agreed it was a blessing to see students in the freshly constructed school building. “Starting a new school year at such an amazing campus with an even more amazing administration team, it’s so uplifting,” said teacher Lance Dugger.
“We have one common goal to make this the absolute best school we can build together.” In his seventh year of teaching, Dugger said there is .