The “welcome back to school” season in Killeen ISD continues this week with readiness days, orientation events and family visitation scheduled across every level across the district.
The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 17.
On Tuesday, middle schools rolled out the welcome mat and hosted varied forms of informational sessions and building tours and handed out class schedules to students.
Wednesday it’s the high schools’ turn with readiness events throughout the day varying by campus.
Elementary Meet the Teacher is Thursday with all elementary schools hosting family members from 4 to 6 p.m.
Avery Polchinski, dean of instruction at Smith Middle School said the start of every school is special and serves as an important reminder to educators about the importance of their mission and calling.
“Our teachers are really excited. Our administrators are excited. It’s funny because we still have those first-day jitters. We’re excited to welcome students, especially those coming from other buildings,” said Polchinski.
All the schools have completed two weeks of professional development. At Smith, this year’s theme is “Built for Greatness.”
“It’s so exciting. The kids are excited. I see them hugging each other. The cheerleaders are here giving tours. I think that replicates what we are trying to implicate – together we’re going to build greatness.”
Ultimately, he said, the opening of school is all about making every family feel welcome and safe.
Patterson Middle School Principal Latricia Brown began three sessions Tuesday talking about the school’s namesake, Charles Patterson, a former KISD superintendent who continues to stay up to date on the school, which hosted his 90th birthday last year.
Like Smith, Patterson is assimilating into their school a portion of the students that attended Palo Alto Middle School, which closed at the end of last school year.
“I’m super excited about this year,” said Brown. “We are getting a large group of students from Palo Alto. We’ve talked about bringing the campuses together and making it an awesome experience for them all,” Brown said.
With the blending of the two schools, the principal said the school theme is “One Team, One Goal – Success.” Students and staff are set to wear Cavaliers T-shirts the school provided on the first day to show their unity.
Now in her 36th year in KISD, Brown said it is still exciting to see students enter the school and to begin building relationships that grow through the year and beyond.
Photos from middle school readiness activities and all of KISD’s photo albums are available at www.killeenisd.org/photos
More back-to-school information is available at www.killeenisd.org/b2s