ROO WAAG #26
April 27, 2026 - May 01, 2026
Dear Roo FAM,
As we move through the month of April, we know this time of year brings a full schedule of testing alongside all the responsibilities that come with closing out the school year. It’s a demanding stretch, and your dedication does not go unnoticed.
I encourage each of you to remain steadfast and supportive of one another. Your commitment to our students and to excellence continues to make a meaningful difference every single day. Even during the busiest moments, remember that the light at the end of the tunnel is near.
Thank you for your hard work, resilience, and the care you bring to our school community.
With appreciation,
Miguel Timarky
Interim Principal-Killeen HS
Principal-Pathways Academic Campus
Hey ROOS ! Check out this brain-based strategy that can really impact these last weeks of learning in the classroom. When teachers intentionally pause every 8–10 minutes, it gives students time to process, reflect, and actually own the learning instead of just hearing it. These short “pause and jot” moments increase retention, boost engagement, and give you quick insight into who’s understanding and who needs support—making your instruction more targeted and effective.
EUTOPIA........ April 3, 2026
😂 1.
Student: What do you call a teacher who forgot to take attendance?
Teacher: Absent-minded.
😂 2.
Ain't that the truth...
Teacher: What is the most common phrase used in school?
Student: I don't know!
Teacher: Correct!
😂 3.
Yes, you…
Teacher: What are two pronouns?
Student: Who? Me?
😂 4.
Teacher: Why are you doing multiplication on the floor?
Student: Because, the teacher told us not to use tables!
😂5. Question: How did the dog get all A’s on its report card?
Answer: Because, it was the teacher's pet.
Conversation Starter with Students:
"What is something that feels hard right now, but you are not giving up on?”🤟
Conversation Starter with Students:
"What does perseverance look like in a classroom?”🤟
"What is one goal you are working toward before the end of the school year?"🤟
Conversation Starter with Students:
"Who motivates you to keep going when things get tough?”🤟
REHEARSAL AND PRACTICE
Purpose
Students read a text passage (any subject area), select specific facts to promote comprehension, then share/compare facts before making an inference.
Materials
- Text passage
- Just the Facts template (English/Spanish)
- Just the Facts – Assessment Question template (English/Spanish)
- Note cards or notebook paper (if not using templates)
Instructions
- Students read a selected passage or text associated with the content.
- Individually, students record a cool fact, an interesting fact, a wow fact, a useful fact, a new fact, and a most important fact/detail from the text.
- Using Musical Mix-Freeze-Group, students get a thinking partner.
- Students justify why they chose their selected facts/details.
- Students select one or more facts from their partner’s ideas and write an inference.
- Observe students’ thinking and clarify/verify as appropriate.
Classroom Management
- Model the strategy with a previously read text.
- Role-play the movement and discourse strategy Musical Mix-Freeze-Group, and make sure everyone has a partner.
Differentiation
- Promote access to text by providing auditory, summarized, or electronic text in manageable chunks.
- Promote access by providing visually supported text, partnering with a supportive peer for read-alouds, and/or allowing text-to-speech supports.
- Promote response access by partnering with a supportive peer, allowing students to dictate responses to a scribe, providing thinking stems for each response box, and/or using speech-to-text or word prediction support with a digital version of the Just the Facts template.
Think It Up!
- Have students think more deeply about the concept by responding to a Think It Up prompt as an exit ticket or journal entry:
- Connect all six facts, and draw a conclusion about the text’s main message.
- Cut apart your partner’s facts and sequence the fact cards in the appropriate order.
- Encourage students to use lead4ward’s Thinking Stems (English/Spanish) to frame their responses, if needed.
USE these phrases CONSISTENTLY so students RECOGNIZE the ROUTINE—that’s what drives it—POWER !
1. Say it with me…
Purpose: Build confidence and reinforce academic language
Example:
*** “Say it with me… photosynthesis is the process plants use to make food.”
2. Turn and Talk…
Purpose: Get every student thinking and speaking
Example:
*** “Turn and talk—what evidence supports your answer?”
3. What do you notice? What do you wonder?
Purpose: Encourage observation and curiosity
Example:
*** “Look at this graph—what do you notice? What do you wonder?”
4. Prove it.
Purpose: Push for evidence-based answers
Example:
*** “That’s a good answer—now prove it using the text.”
5. Which one doesn’t belong?
Purpose: Promote reasoning and justification
Example:
*** “Which one doesn’t belong—and why?”
6. Convince me.
Purpose: Deepen critical thinking
Example:
*** “Convince me your answer is correct.”
7. Add on or disagree…
Purpose: Build academic conversations
Example:
*** “Do you want to add on or disagree with what was said?”
8. What’s your strategy?
Purpose: Focus on process, not just answer
Example:
*** “What strategy did you use to solve that?”
9. You have 30 seconds…
Purpose: Create urgency and focus
Example:
*** “You have 30 seconds—write your best thinking.”
10. Make a prediction.
Purpose: Activate thinking before learning
Example:
*** “Based on the title, make a prediction about the text.”
- Actively monitor your students throughout the lesson.
- Post the focused skill(s) for the week in a visible location.
- Provide support and guidance when students are struggling with skills.
Continue encouraging students as we work toward mastering two skills each week. Let’s keep pushing forward with 15 correct questions per week — we believe in OUR Students, and we are KHS STRONG!
Hey ROOS! Pass the Word On to Your Students....
Hungry Students Afterschool? Killeen High’s Got Dinner Covered!!! 🦘
Spread the Word! 🦘
The CKH staff the End of Year survey is now open! Please follow the directions below to complete it:
- Go to https://app.ckh.org/mysurveys
- Click the arrow next to your initials in the top right corner
- Select “ My Survey”
- Click on the 2025–2026 End of Year Survey
🐾 Hey ROOS! Don’t Miss This! 🐾
Did you miss last Friday’s PLC in the Auditorium? No worries—BUT, it is required that you make it up.
👉 All staff who did not attend MUST REPORT to the PLC Room #405 during their conference period to complete a PLC session.
Let’s stay aligned, informed, and ROO Ready—see you in Room 405!🤟
