ROO WAAG - Edition #18 !

Dear Roo Nation,

As we look ahead to February, please remember to take care of yourselves. Thank you for all that you do and for the positive impact you continue to have on our students and on each other.

Your work in the classroom and beyond is making a meaningful difference, whether it’s helping students stay focused during the winter stretch, supporting one another as colleagues, or maintaining the high standards that define our school community.

Our KHS F.A.M.I.L.Y. values—Integrity, Collaboration, Relationships, Success, and School Pride—are not just words; they are lived out daily through our actions, appreciate you all.

GO ROO’s,

Miguel Timarky

Principal

Hey ROOS! February is a powerful and meaningful month as we honor Black History Month, celebrating the legacy, achievements, resilience, and contributions of Black leaders past and present. It is also a time to recognize Valentine’s Day, reminding us to lead with love, unity, and care as we continue to build strong relationships within our school community.

So, as educators, let us show pride, model excellence, and inspire our students by uplifting history, culture, and possibilities in our students every day.🦘 “Roo Pride Runs Deep — KHS Strong, Always Justified!"🤟

February's CKH Trait is KINDNESS ! For ROO Faculty and Staff, this CKH trait means to show students that kindness is not just a feeling—it is a choice made through understanding others, treating everyone with respect, and acting with intention every day.

Hey ROOS,

Take time out and read this article by Marcus Luther from the January 15, 2026 edition of Edutopia.

Incorporating peer review and individual reflections makes frequent, intentional formative assessment manageable, with big benefits for student learning.

Early in my teaching career, I remember shuddering a bit on the inside when someone brought up the importance of “formative assessments.”

In my mind, I was already drowning with the actual assessments in the classroom in terms of designing them and giving effective feedback—and on top of these summative assessments I now was expected to bring in formative assessments, too?

As an early-career teacher, I was already overwhelmed. So formative assessments were few and far between in the classroom.

Which was a mistake.

Looking back now, I realize two things I was entirely wrong about: First, there were ways for formative assessments to be much more efficient and effective than I initially realized, and second, a classroom built around formative assessments was much, much better for student learning.

3 WAYS TO LEAN ON FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT MORE EFFECTIVELY

1.) Target a specific skill for feedback in a longer task. Perhaps one of the downsides of rubric culture has been to try to provide expectations and grading guidelines for every aspect of an assignment. This is understandable and well-intended, as students often ask for and appreciate clarity while teachers need a tool to rely upon to justify their grade.

However, the result? Teachers spend too much time trying to give feedback on every aspect of the task, and as a result, the quality of the feedback is stretched thin by its quantity, and students also are often overwhelmed by all the different notes they receive in return. (Not to mention the research around too many grades being a potential negative.)

The shift I’ve made in recent years is to remind myself that you can ask students to practice without attaching a grade to everything—and, I’ll admit, having a strong spiral notebook system is incredibly helpful with this—but also remember that you do not need to leave feedback on everything you ask students to do.

Instead, I much more frequently have students write a constructed response and then highlight a targeted focus of the day’s lesson. For example, I may have students write a response to one of our readings and then highlight their use of a skill we have just covered, such as a participle phrase or colon-introduced textual evidence.

On my end, this makes the feedback stage much more effective. I zoom in on the specific skill I wanted them to focus on and give detailed, high-quality feedback, and with the “zooming in” that feedback tends to be much more effective as well as efficient—better for me, and better for students.

2.) Empower students to score themselves with peer samples. As many teachers have experienced, one of the downsides of exit tickets is the time it takes to read and provide feedback on each of them individually. Given the time constraints in our work, though, many teachers choose to assess student learning less frequently.

A strategy I lean on to still provide these formative assessment opportunities despite not having nearly enough time? Building a “feedback lesson” for the following day off of exit tickets.

The first step here is to read a handful of the exit tickets and curate a range of responses in quality. For example, if the task had a rubric scale of 1.0–4.0 points, I would be looking for one that cleanly fit into each level of the rubric. From there, I make copies either physically or digitally, removing student names and frequently creating my own version of the lower student samples to avoid a student seeing their own work receiving too many critiques.

Then, at the start of the next lesson, I create a “peer feedback gallery walk.” I walk students through the previous lesson’s exit ticket criteria and any rubric that was provided, and then students get “to be Mr. Luther”: They travel the room, usually in pairs or small groups, trying to accurately score and leave feedback on each sample.

Once everyone has completed this activity, I review the actual score and reasoning for each of the samples in front of the class, addressing any questions students might have. Then students receive their own exit ticket back and score themselves—reflecting on what they did well and also what they could have improved upon.

To be clear: This isn’t just about saving time—it is about shifting agency to students in understanding their own work and building the capacity for ownership in their learning journey as we move forward.

3.) Utilize a student confidence reflection. Of course, it is important to have reliable methods of understanding what students have learned and where they are with the skills we are working on in class. But what sometimes gets left out? How students see themselves as learners.

This is why I try to go one step further with my formative assessments as frequently as possible by adding in a simple, final question before students are done: How confident are you in what you just did?

Usually on a numerical scale (for example, 1–5), I ask students to identify their current level of confidence and add a brief reflection of why before they submit a formative assessment.

As a result, I walk away with two things I see as critical to being my best self as a teacher. First, I have a much clearer understanding of how individual students feel about themselves with whatever our current learning focus is. Stepping back, I also get a snapshot of how I am doing as a teacher—because if students don’t feel confident about what they’re learning, I have work to do. Plus, there is a ton of value, I believe, in helping students develop metacognitive strengths around self-reflection with activities like this.

In too many classrooms, assessments are where learning stops. Students do their best, they receive a grade or test score, and then we move on.

Moving toward a focus on formative assessment in the classroom opens the door, however, to an ongoing conversation around student learning. Instead of having students take a high-stakes assessment each month or so, I can build the classroom around more-frequent, more-targeted opportunities to understand where students are and communicate back to them what’s next. This is the space where I’m at my best as a teacher, and that’s why I want to continue leaning into a classroom that centers formative assessment—intentionally, frequently, and reflectively.

Courtesy of Marcus Luther

Question: What month is the best for coffee?

🦘Feb-BREW-ary!

Question: Where do most people eat on Leap Day?

🦘IHOP

Leap Day would be February 29th: What did baby kangaroo say to mama kangaroo?

🦘Don't leap me hanging.

• Active monitor your students throughout the lesson.
• Post the focused skill 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!

January 14, 2026

3 Min Read

I’m often asked: Why do so many English language arts curricula include excerpts? Shouldn’t students just read whole books?

It’s an important question—one that educators, parents, and policymakers have all wrestled with. Advocates of whole books say that excerpts can fragment comprehension or dilute the emotional journey of a story. Others argue that excerpts allow students to experience a greater range of voices, topics, and genres.

Lately, this question has taken on a new urgency. As conversations continue about what students are reading, how often they’re reading, and to what extent they’re reading full works, many schools are reexamining how to balance depth with variety.

So which is it? The truth, as it often is in education, is that it’s not an either/or.

Kids should absolutely be reading whole books. Full-length stories give students the chance to engage deeply with characters, plot, and theme—not to mention build stamina that sustains lifelong reading. That’s why nearly 80% of the texts in HMH’s Into Reading are full-length picture books and chapter books.

But just because whole books are wonderful and important, that doesn’t mean excerpts can’t spark discovery.

By weaving in excerpts alongside full-length books, students are exposed to a richer tapestry of stories, settings, and perspectives. —Jennifer Hitt

Some whole books can take up most, or even all, of an instructional unit, which can be challenging when a student isn’t connecting with the text or when the class needs to build a specific skill. If the only option is to stay with the one long book for weeks, those students may disengage, and teachers may lose opportunities to target foundational skills, vocabulary, or background knowledge.

Thoughtfully chosen excerpts can help fill those gaps, offering a meaningful, challenging reading experience that supports both comprehension and curiosity. When we include an excerpt in HMH Into Reading, it’s because it serves a specific instructional purpose. It might help students focus on a particular skill, build background knowledge, or encounter a new genre, topic or perspective.

And this is why it can’t be an either/or conversation. Students need both whole books and well-chosen excerpts.

For example, in a third-grade module on animal behaviors, students might read an informational article, a piece of narrative nonfiction, and a work of fiction—all exploring the same topic from different angles. In another unit, they might read Rosie Revere, Engineer or an excerpt from Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table—each selected to build specific skills while inspiring curiosity. This variety helps students compare, analyze, and connect ideas across text types.

This intentional mix also supports skill development in ways that a steady stream of long novels alone may not. This intentional mix also supports skill development in ways that a steady stream of long novels alone may not. Because excerpts can be chosen to highlight a specific genre, structure, or language feature, teachers can zero in on targeted skills like analyzing informational text features, working with multisyllabic words, or exploring narrative point of view. And, as I explained in the EdWeek piece, thoughtfully curated excerpts help students to build background knowledge by encountering a wider range of topics and formats within a single unit. That range strengthens the stamina and comprehension strategies required for whole-book reading, while still giving students meaningful, engaging entry points.

By weaving in excerpts alongside full-length books, students encounter a richer tapestry of stories, settings, and perspectives. Ultimately, both whole books and excerpts have a place in helping students become confident, curious readers—and in reminding them that every text, long or short, opens a new way of seeing the world.

Hey ROOs,

As we enter Week 4 of the Third Nine Weeks, it’s a great time to review our gradebooks to ensure consistency and accuracy. By this point, each class should have at least 4–5 formative assessments recorded, giving students frequent opportunities to demonstrate understanding, and 1–2 summative assessments to reflect their mastery of key concepts. Maintaining these benchmarks helps us track student progress effectively and identify any learning gaps early so we can adjust instruction as needed.

• Persuasive — Many students volunteer their time to help others, either through nonprofit organizations, animal shelters, churches, or other charitable venues. Write an essay to persuade other teens to find a charity and become a volunteer.
• Creative — Have you ever seen an old pair of shoes hanging way up high on a telephone wire or electrical line? Write a story about how one such pair of shoes ended up there.
• Argumentative — Do you think smaller families are better than larger ones? Why or why not? Support your position with specific reasons and examples.
• Expository — You have invited your best friend to join your family on a camping trip. Are you going to the beach or the mountains? Will you camp in a tent or a motorhome? Write a paragraph or two explaining how to pack for this trip.
• Reflective — Are you usually an optimist or a pessimist? Explain your answer using several examples from your life.

Hey ROOS!

Teachers, please continue to intentionally follow the Ellevation Criteria by clearly posting language objectives, providing structured opportunities for student discourse, and using targeted supports for English learners, and thank you for your dedication and commitment to meeting the needs of all students. 🤟

Remeber that the Ellevation program empowers educators to make informed instructional decisions that improve outcomes for English learners (ELs). By combining real-time student data with tailored professional development, Ellevation provides EL educators with the tools needed to build exceptional systems of student support.

Last week, a Class of 1985 KHS Cheerleader was welcomed back as she came out to enjoy our Alumni Game and support our current Kangaroo Athletes and Cheer Team!

Last week, the Killeen Kangaroos took down the Temple Wildcats in an exciting match AND our student section showed up LOUD, PROUD, and UNMATCHED! What. A. Night. 💯🎉🎉⚽⚽⚽

When the KISD mascots come together… you know something BIG is happening!

Our favorite school spirit leaders teamed up to show just how excited we are for students to be back at school tomorrow!

👕👖 Dress Code Reminder – Let’s Start Strong! 👟🎒
Hey ROOS! We will be consistently enforcing the district dress code to help maintain a safe and focused learning environment. #KHSStrong #RooPride #DressForSuccess

Roo Strong, Student Strong! Our strength is in how we support one another — teaching with purpose, learning with pride, and growing together all month long. Together we rise, learn, and lead with heart this January. Let’s make every day count!