Roadrunner Revue

Roadrunner Families,

I’m keeping my message short because this week’s newsletter is full of important updates! Please take a few minutes to review the information and upcoming events.

Thank you for helping us equip our students with the necessary skills to thrive and build a caring, inclusive school where every student can excel. This week, ask your student, “What’s going well, and where do you need help?” We’re here to partner with you!

Reminder: All after-school practices and tutoring are canceled Monday, September 21 due to a staff meeting (Volleyball and Boys and Girls Club will still take place).

Let’s make it a great week, Roadrunners!

— Mrs. Jimenez

Monday September 21

• All After School Practices and Tutoring have been canceled for Monday due to Staff Meeting
• Tutorial offerings for this week will reflect in Minga
• JDA Volleyball Game vs Union Grove MS 5:30pm: 7th Gr @Union Grove MS, 8th Gr @JDA
• JDA Football Practice 6am

• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm
• Cross Country Practice 4-5pm
• JDA Football Game vs Union Grove MS 5:30pm : 7th Gr @Union Grove 8th Gr @ JDA
• JDA Volleyball Practice: 7th Gr @6:25am and 8th Gr @ 3:45pm
• Varsity French Horn Practice 4-5pm
• JDA Dance Practice 3:45 - 5:15pm
• EF Tours Parent Meeting 5-6pm
• Theatre Lip Sync Practice 4-5pm
• Coffee Chats @ JDA 9:50-11:30am

• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm
• Cross Country Practice 4-5pm
• JDA Volleyball Practice: 7th Gr @6:25am and 8th Gr @ 3:45pm
• Varsity Trumpet Practice 4-5pm
• Theatre Lip Sync Practice 4-5pm

• JDA Volleyball B-Team Tournament Mid Season Tournament - TBA
• Theatre Lip Sync Performance @ Killeen HS 6pm
• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm
• JDA Football Practice 6am
• Varsity Flute/Clarinet Practice 4-5pm
• JDA Dance Practice 3:45 - 5:15 pm
• Pep Squad Practice 3:45 - 5:00pm
• Coffee Chats @ JDA 9:50-11:30am

• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm
• JDA Football Practice @6am
• JDA Volleyball Practice: 7th Gr @6:25am , 8th Gr @3:45pm
• Cross Country Practice 4-5pm

• Saturday Detention/Attendance Recovery 8-12pm
• JDA Volleyball B-Team Mid Season Tournament - TBA
• 8th Gr Football Practice 8-10am

• JDA Volleyball Game vs Rancier MS 7th gr @ JDA and 8th gr @ Rancier
• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm
• Football Practice @ 6am
• Varsity Saxophone Practice 4-5pm
• Cross Country Practice 4-5pm
• Cheer Practice 3:34-5pm
• Yearbook Meeting 3:50-4:30

• JDA Football Game vs Rancier MS - 7th gr @ JDA and 8th Gr @ Rancier
• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm

• Volleyball Practice 7th gr @ 6:25am and 8th gr @ 3:45pm
• Dance Practice 3:45-5:15pm
• Cross Country Practice 4-5pm
• Varsity French Horn Practice 4-5pm
• Jason Foundation Presentation with 6th graders during PE

• Cross Country Meet - The Knight's Charge @ HHHS @ 5:30pm
• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm
• Volleyball Practice 7th gr @ 6:25am and 8th gr @ 3:45pm
• Varsity Trumpet Practice 4-5pm

• JDA Volleyball A-Team Mid Season Tournament - TBA
• JDA Multicultural Night @5:30 - 7:00pm
• Football Practice @ 6am
• Dance Practice 3:45 - 5:15pm

• School Custodian Appreciation Day
• After School Tutoring 4:00-4:30pm
• Cross Country Practice 4-5pm
• Football Practice 6am
• Volleyball Practice 7th gr @ 6:25am and 8th gr @ 3:45pm

• Saturday Detention/Attendance Recovery 8-12pm
• JDA Volleyball A-Team Mid Season Tournament - TBA
• 8th Grade Football Practice 8-10am

Open tutoring is another way we are working to fulfill our mission to equip our students with the necessary skills to thrive by providing purposeful academic support when students need a little extra time or help.

Open tutoring is designed for students who have a specific academic reason to attend, such as:

• Homework or assignment completion
• Redos, corrections, or mastery opportunities
• Help understanding a skill or concept
• Other specific academic support

Students should come prepared with a clear plan for what they need to accomplish.

How Dismissal and Tutoring Passes Work

At 3:37 p.m., students leaving campus—including bus riders, parent pickups, and walkers—are dismissed from the classroom. Teachers will assume students remaining in class are staying for a valid after-school purpose and will open Minga to verify each student’s pass. At 3:45 p.m., the students staying on campus are released to the cafeteria for supper and to get their Yondr pouches unlocked.

If a student does not have a pass, the 9th period teacher will help identify an appropriate location and assign one before the student leaves the classroom. Students must have a valid Minga pass to enter their after-school location. *Students may register early to ensure they get into the tutorial sessions they want to attend. It is not required that students register early.

What Families Need to Know

• Tutoring is held 4:00–4:30 p.m.
• Students may attend one teacher’s tutoring session per day.
• Every student attending tutoring must have a Minga tutoring pass identifying where they are going.
• Students will check in through Minga when they arrive, which also creates our tutoring attendance record.
• Students must remain in their assigned tutoring location and may not move between tutoring rooms.
• At 4:30 p.m., students will be escorted to the front of the school for parent/guardian pickup or to the Boys & Girls Club if they are enrolled and attending there.
• Students who are disruptive or misuse the tutoring opportunity may be required to be picked up by a parent/guardian.

Tutoring is a purposeful academic work session. Through quality instruction, meaningful support, and partnership with families, we can help every Roadrunner continue moving toward success

**Students are not permitted to be unsupervised on campus. Staff have been instructed to stay with students until their rides arrive. Failure to pick students up on time may result in after school privileges being revoked. **

Did you know that students can sign themselves up for after-school tutorials in Minga? Students already have access to Minga using their school account (through Microsoft, NOT Clever).

How Students Sign Up

1. Open Minga

• Go to app.minga.io on any computer, Chromebook, tablet, or phone, OR
• Open the Minga app.

2. Sign in

Use the student's school-issued account to sign in. If prompted, select Sign in with Microsoft.

3. Find FlexTime

From the Minga menu:

My Tools → FlexTime

4. Choose the Tutorial Session

Find the tutorial date you need and click Register.

**All of next week is already loaded and ready for registering. This includes Boys and Girls Club

5. Pick Your Teacher or Subject

Browse the available tutorial sessions. Students can search for a specific teacher or activity and see available seats.

6. Click Register

That's it! The tutorial will now appear as the student's registered FlexTime activity.

⭐ Remember: Space may be limited, so students should register ahead of time. Students may attend one tutorial session per day and should come with a clear plan for what they need help with.

📱 Parents: Put Minga on Your Phone Too!

We encourage parents and guardians to download the Minga app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign in using their student's school account.

Having Minga on your phone makes it easy to help your student:

• Check available tutorial sessions
• Register for tutoring together
• Confirm which teacher/session they selected
• Keep Minga easily accessible from home

No phone? No problem! Students can also access Minga from any web browser at app.minga.io.

💡 Family Tip: Take a few minutes each week to ask, “Do you need to sign up for tutorials this week?”

Thank you to the families who joined our virtual Title I meeting or our in-person meeting during Open House! We discussed how Title I supports student learning at JDA and answered questions about tutoring, grades, and staying connected. Here are the highlights:

• Title I supports student success. Funding helps provide additional staff, instructional resources, targeted academic support, and family engagement opportunities.
• Your voice matters. Family feedback helps shape our Campus Improvement Plan, Parent and Family Engagement Policy, and School–Parent Compact. These documents are available on our campus website. Families may also request information about teacher and paraprofessional qualifications.
• Tutoring provides time for extra help. Open tutoring runs 4:00–4:30 p.m. Students can register through Flex Time in Minga or ask their teacher for help signing up. Please plan for pickup at 4:30 p.m.
• LIFT helps address missing assignments. As the program expands, staff are using missing-assignment reports to identify students who need support within the five-day late-work window. No separate family sign-up is required.
• Keep an eye on grades and learning. Home Access Center is the official source for grades. Grade alerts can help families catch concerns early. Schoology provides assignments and learning resources; ask your child’s teacher for a parent access code.
• Ask about mastery opportunities. Students scoring below 75 may request a redo or another opportunity to demonstrate learning. Contact the teacher about reteaching, expectations, and timelines; applicable late penalties still apply.
• Stay connected. Contact teachers directly through Rooms or email for classroom questions and conferences. For campus assistance, use the JDA Family Feedback and Support Request Form or email JDA@killeenisd.org.

Families also expressed interest in regular virtual check-ins with Leadership. We welcome your input on topics and meeting frequency that would help you stay involved in your child’s education!

Dear families,

We’re going to Historic Boston, Cambridge, Concord and Lexington, Plymouth, and Salem next Fall -Break 2027, and we’d love for your student to join us!

We’re excited to tell you more about the trip we’re planning with EF Explore America, our educational travel partner. Please be sure to register for this info session to be considered for this opportunity: https://rsvp.efexploreamerica.com/zak5g77

When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical for creating the global citizens of tomorrow, and we would love to have your student join us on this adventure.

In this info session, we’ll talk about:

• How this experience will benefit your student
• What we’ll see and do on our trip
• Everything that’s included in this tour
• How your child can earn academic credit
• How we’re keeping this safe and affordable, including fundraising
• How to enroll on this trip (before it fills up!) and get a limited time discount

There are limited spots on this trip, and those at the meeting will have first access to enroll with a discount.

I hope to see you there and look forward to sharing how this trip can be a powerful and unforgettable chapter in your child’s life!

Thanks,
Meagan Ezernack

Meagan.Ezernack@killeenisd.org

Please note this is a non-school, non-KISD Sponsored Trip.

All students are expected to:

• Be in dress code
• Wear their ID
• Represent JDA well (positive behavior, good sportsmanship, etc)
• Sit in the student section (if you are a JDA student)
• Abide by the Student Code of Conduct
• Leave by 15 minutes after the end of the event
• Keep your area tidy

Families can use our JDA School Store to conveniently pay student dues, purchase select shirts, replace lost or damaged Yondr phone pouches, and pay technology-related fines for lost or damaged devices.

Current school store items include (but are not limited to):

• Cell Phone Pouch – Lost/Damaged/Replacement Fine: $26.00
• Cheer Dues 2026–2027 SY: $40.00
• Pep Squad Dues: $40.00
• Band Dues 2026–2027 SY: $30.00
• Band T-Shirt 2026–2027 SY: $18.74
• Theatre Dues 26–27: $40.00
• Yearbook Club Dues 26–27: $30.00
• Choir Dues w/ T-Shirt Kit 26–27 SY: $19.37
• Choir T-Shirts 2026–2027 – Parents & Staff: $0.00
• Adventure Society Dues 26–27: $20.00
• NJAHS Dues 26–27: $5.00
• JDA Spirit Shirts: $14.05

Families should select the appropriate item in the school store and follow the prompts to complete payment.

Help us stock the Roadrunner Essentials with everyday essentials for our students! We are currently accepting donations of individually packaged snacks, bottled water, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, and basic school supplies.

Donations can be dropped off at the JDA Middle School Main Office.

**If you are able to donate, sponsor, or support a family—now or in the future—please reach out and let us know. Likewise, if your family is experiencing a need, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are grateful for a community that takes care of one another, and tax-deductible donation receipts can be provided for qualifying assistance.**

Quick reminders about school nutrition:

• ALL students will get FREE breakfast and supper this year.
• If students are eligible for Free/reduced Lunch, lunch will also be free. Lunch is either free or full-price. Students eligible for reduced lunch are also free.
• Free/Reduced applications must be renewed EACH year. Please fill it out ASAP to ensure your student maintains/receives their benefits.
• If students are not eligible for free/reduced lunch, lunch is $3.00.
• A la carte items are available for purchase.
• You can add money to your student's account by:
• Credit Card: Only available via School Cafe Account
• Cash:
• You can send money with your student once school starts

If you're a parent who would like to participate or volunteer, please feel free to reach out to the parent liaison at jennyfer.arriaza@killeenisd.org
So far we have reached out to local groups in the community to perform, but if you would also like to represent and/or share about your culture please do!

If you signed up for parent leadership during Runner Camp (Readiness Day) we have not forgotten about you! Previously known as Parents as Partners, JDA now has Coffee Chats! JDA is teaming up with Maude Moore Wood Elementary, one of our feeder schools, to collaborate with parents who possibly have kids at both schools. Email/Call Parent Liaison for more information!

Are you (or your student) passionate about creating a welcoming, supportive campus for all students? Join the JDA Youth Sponsorship Program (YSP), a student-led initiative bridging military and civilian communities through mentorship, service, and belonging. The only requirement to join is to have a kind heart and an open mind!

Youth Sponsorship Program Application

Capturing Kids Hearts:

We continue to focus on empathy and challenging students to make sure that everyone they interact with feels seen, heard, and valued. We are partnering with you to grow and develop empathy in your student at home. As a family, use these activities to reflect on and better understand the needs of others:

As a family, brainstorm a list of 3-5 individuals you typically encounter during the day who may not receive many notes or words of affirmation or appreciation. Consider people who make your day brighter or provide a needed service, like your mail carrier, the cashier at your local store, or a neighbor. Ask each person in your family to write a note thanking that person for “Being a Light.“

Conversation Starters:

❓Describe a time when someone really listened to you. How did it make you feel?

❓What is something you can do to better listen to others?

❓When is it most challenging to listen and be openminded?

Student Residency Questionnaires (SRQ):

SRQs continue to be sent home with students who do not have a current SRQ on file for this school year. If you have not yet completed an SRQ for your student(s), please check with your student to see if they have one to bring home.

If we already have an SRQ on file for your student for this school year, another questionnaire will not be sent home. SRQs will be distributed through 2nd period throughout next week. Please be on the lookout for one coming home with your student if needed! Completed SRQs can be turned in to Ms. Selena in the Counseling Offices. Students who return their completed SRQ will receive Minga Points for showing responsibility!

Thank you so much for your continued support and partnership as we work together to support our students and families!

Our counseling and SEL team will be providing Jason Foundation awareness programming for 6th-grade students on September 29. Additional information is available in the attached parent notice. The Jason Foundation focuses on youth awareness, help-seeking behaviors, and suicide prevention education.

CLICK HERE for a video on how to translate Smore

We value your feedback and want to hear from you. If you have a concern, you are always welcome to contact or visit the front office; however, an administrator or counselor may not be immediately available.

To help us honor your time and connect you with the right person, please call or email to request a meeting whenever possible. When calling, please share enough information with our secretaries so they can quickly direct your concern.

If the concern involves a teacher, please begin by contacting the teacher directly. If additional support is needed, we are happy to help.