Roadrunner Revue

JDA Families,

We are gearing up for an exciting week filled with celebration, creativity, and school spirit! From themed dress-up days to championship games, there’s something for everyone to enjoy as we continue to promote making positive choices and living drug-free.

Throughout the week, students can participate in our Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest and Pumpkin Decorating Contest—details are in this week’s newsletter. The Book Fair will also be open all week, though it may close early on Friday, so plan to visit before then!

Each dress-up day is designed to celebrate healthy choices and school pride—but please remember, students must remain in dress code at all times, even when participating in spirit attire.

We also want to celebrate our athletes!

🏈 Tuesday Night Lights: Come cheer on our 7th grade team as they face Rancier MS for the District Championship at Leo Buckley Stadium at 5:30 PM. After that, head over to Harker Heights High School to see our 8th grade team take on Union Grove.

🏐 A huge shoutout to our volleyball teams for wrapping up their season strong—we are incredibly proud of their dedication and teamwork!

🎓 Title I / Dyslexia / GT Parent Night – Wednesday, October 29th @ 5:30 PM in the Cafeteria
Join us for an evening of information and connection! We’ll share updates and resources to support your student’s learning journey. This event is open to all families!

🎃 Fall Fest at CHS – Thursday Afternoon
Our feeder high school is hosting their annual Fall Fest! It’s a great chance to connect with the larger community and enjoy some family fun. Many Roadrunners are helping out, so come out and join us!

Encourage your student to participate this week—whether it’s through contests, dress-up days, or cheering on their peers. Every act of engagement helps build a stronger, more connected Roadrunner community.

Let’s make this week one that celebrates good choices, positive energy, and Roadrunner pride. Together, we’re building a community where students are empowered to excel through meaningful work and quality instruction, preparing them for success in life.

Respectfully,

Savannah Jimenez

Principal, JDA Middle School

Saturday, October 25

• JDA Volleyball Tournament

7th Grade: JDA vs Smith 9:00 am @ Harker Heights HS

8th Grade: JDA vs Union Grove 12:45pm @ Harker Heights HS

• Choir All Region Camp

Monday, October 27 - Red Out Challenge

• Book Fair Start
• Cheer Practice

Tuesday, October 28 - Team Up Against Drugs

• JDA Football Playoffs

7th Grade - Leo Buckley Stadium 5:30 pm

8th Grade - Harker Heights HS 6:30 pm ; plays after 7th Grade game

• Closed Tutorials 4-5pm (Invite Only)

Wednesday, October 29 - Real Heroes Don't Do Drugs

• Pumpkins Due for Contest
• Open Tutorials 4-5pm
• Title 1/Dyslexia/GT Night, 5:30 pm in the Cafeteria

Thursday, October 30 - Throwback Thursday - Drugs Can't Set Me

• Open Tutorials 4-5pm
• 1st Nine Weeks Block Party

Friday, October 31 - Don't Be Tricked! Drugs Are No Treat

• Regular Schedule
• Last Day of Book Fair
• Happy Halloween

🎃 Halloween Safety Reminder 👻
Halloween is a fun time for our students to celebrate, but safety always comes first! Please remind your child to travel in groups, stay in well-lit areas, use crosswalks, and check all candy before eating it. Whether they’re trick-or-treating or hanging out with friends, we want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable night!

Monday, November 3

• Cheer Practice
• SBDM Meeting 4pm
• Girls Basketball Tryouts 6:45 am
• Boys Basketball Tryouts

4:00 -5:15pm - 7th Grade

5:30- 6:45pm - 8th Grade

Tuesday, November 4

• Closed Tutorials 4-5pm (Invite Only)
• Girls Basketball Tryouts 6:45 am
• Boys Basketball Tryouts

4:00 -5:15pm - 7th Grade

5:30- 6:45pm - 8th Grade

Wednesday, November 5

• MP1 Awards Ceremony - Invite Only
• Open Tutorials 4-5pm
• Cheer Practice
• Girls Basketball Tryouts 6:45 am
• Boys Basketball Tryouts

4:00 -5:15pm - 7th Grade

5:30- 6:45pm - 8th Grade

Thursday, November 6

• Open Tutorials 4-5pm
• 8 Grade Band Night at Searles Stadium, 7:00

Friday, November 7

• Regular Schedule
• JDA Theatre Murder Mystery, 5-7pm

Saturday, November 8

• All Region Band Auditions @ RJSMS

We’d love to have you on our team!

Are you looking for a way to get more involved in your child’s school experience? We’re currently looking for parent and guardian volunteers for the 2025–2026 school year!

There are so many ways to help — from assisting in the classroom or chaperoning field trips, to helping with school events and behind-the-scenes support. Whether you have a little time or a lot, your involvement makes a BIG difference.

💬 Interested in Volunteering?

Please contact Ms. Jennyfer Arriaza for more information:

📞 254-336-3300
📧 jennyfer.arriaza@killeenisd.org

The spirit shirts have arrived! If you pre-ordered please see Ms. Morales to pick up your shirt.

At JDA, we believe that every student can grow when provided with structure, support, and purpose. Our Homework Centers and Open Tutorials are designed to give students a consistent space for learning, connection, and progress — before and after school.

Please take a few moments to review the expectations and reasoning behind them so we can work together to ensure every student makes the most of these opportunities.

Morning Homework Center

• Available Monday–Friday from 7:30–7:50 a.m. in the ISS Room

• Students can complete homework, study, or read quietly before school begins. Capped at 20 students.
  ✅ Why: Morning Homework Center gives students a calm, structured start to the day and helps them get caught up or stay ahead academically.

Afternoon Open Tutorials

• Start with supper: Students attending tutorials begin in the cafeteria to eat before reporting to their assigned tutorial room.
  ✅ Why: Ensuring students are fed allows them to focus better during their learning time.

• Bring something to work on: Tutorials are for active learning. Students must bring assignments, study materials, or specific questions.
  ✅ Why: We want to protect instructional time and make sure every minute benefits student growth.

• Homework Center available: Students who just need a quiet space to read or complete work can choose the Homework Center instead. Located in the ISS Room.
  ✅ Why: Not every student needs direct help from a teacher, but all students can benefit from a structured place to focus. This also open slots up for students that do need direct teacher help.

• Limited movement: Students may move between teachers only if they have an academic reason.
  ✅ Why: Reducing movement keeps sessions productive and ensures teacher time is spent helping students, not managing transitions.

• Behavior expectations: Tutorials are a privilege, not a right. If a student disrupts the learning environment or is off-task, parents will be called to pick them up. Continued concerns may result in the student losing this privilege.
  ✅ Why: Maintaining a focused, safe learning environment allows all students to succeed and teachers to provide meaningful support.

Tutorial Sign-Up Process (Ongoing)

To help with safety, organization, and accountability, all students will sign up for tutorials during supper until we find it no longer necessary.

• Each teacher will have 25 available slots per day.

• Teachers may reserve up to 10 slots for specific students who need targeted support (must communicate prior to the day of).

• At least 15 slots per teacher will remain open for same-day sign-ups.

• Students must write what they plan to work on when signing up. If they do not have a reason to attend, they do not need to sign up for that teacher.

• Teachers may redirect students if another teacher is handling a specific focus area (e.g., test makeups).
  ✅ Why: The sign-up process ensures each student gets the right help, prevents overcrowding, and protects some slots for students that MUST be in that tutorial.

Devices & Yondr Pouches

• Yondr pouches will be unlocked during supper.

• Phones must remain put away in the cafeteria and hallways.

• Students must ask their tutorial teacher for permission before using a device to contact a parent.

• Unauthorized phone use may result in the device being held until the following day.
  ✅ Why: We want to teach responsible device use while keeping tutorials a distraction-free learning time.

Dismissal

• Tutorials end promptly at 5:00 p.m.

• No movement between classrooms after 4:45 p.m.

• Students must be picked up promptly from the front of the school.

• Students not picked up on time and not enrolled in Boys & Girls Club may lose the privilege to attend tutorials.
  ✅ Why: Consistent routines and prompt pickups help ensure student safety and respect staff time. Our staff will stay with the students until they are picked up. Please be mindful and sign them up for Boys and Girls Club if you cannot pick them up by 5:05 pm.

Thank you for helping us keep JDA’s learning environment structured, supportive, and focused. By reinforcing these expectations at home, you’re helping us teach students that responsibility and readiness lead to success — both in and out of the classroom.

Are you passionate about creating a welcoming, supportive campus for all students?

Join JDA’s Youth Sponsorship Youth (YSP), a student-led initiative bridging military and civilian communities through mentorship, service, and belonging.

Requirement:

A kind heart and an open Mind

Stop by Student Services Today!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!

1. Log in using the email address you provided when purchasing the Family Pass.
2. Click on Tickets Icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select ‘My Passes’ tab at the top of the screen.
4. Select Pass you would like to use.
5. Select ‘Today’s Eligible Events’. (No events available will appear if there are not any games scheduled today)
6. Press and Hold Check-In Icon to admit each attendee.
7. Select Check-In again and repeat step 6 for up to three more attendees.

All students are expected to:

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

Do you know a Killeen ISD staff member who exemplifies our core leadership principles?

The Heart of Gold Award honors those who prioritize people, cultivate relationships, lead with honor, embrace diversity, and inspire innovation. This award also recognizes staff who lead change, live the vision, utilize data, engineer excellence, create effective teams, invest in themselves and others, and commit to excellence. Help us celebrate those who truly embody our values and beliefs through their actions. Nominate someone today!

Heart of Gold Award Nomination Form Link (Click Here)

After 4 pm, any student that is not actively engaged in an approved after school activity will be taken to Boys and Girls Club. Students must be signed up. We suggest that everyone sign up, just in case, as life happens!

Students can be picked up from Boys and Girls Club at Door 4 (after the buses depart) by calling 254-922-1139. Save this number!

Any students that are not able to get into dress code will be asked to call their parents to bring them clothing that will get them back into dress code. Students will wait in ISS until their parents are able to bring them a change of clothes.

*Please help us keep your student in instruction and review their clothing choices before they come to school.

We are accepting donations for our clothing closet! If we are able to find something in the closet that will get your student back into class, that is our first choice, before calling parents and asking them to bring additional clothing.

CLICK HERE for a video on how to translate Smore

JDA Middle School Roadrunners

Dr. Jimmie Don Aycock Middle School

Killeen Independent School District

https://www.killeenisd.org/jda

Receptionist (254) 336-3300

Attendance (254) 336-3314

Nurse (254) 336-3312

Student Support Center (254) 336-3304

JDA@killeenisd.org