Back to School 2023

school start schedules

BELTON ISD: Wednesday, Aug. 16

COVE ISD: Wednesday, Aug. 16

FLORENCE ISD: Wednesday, Aug. 16

KILLEEN ISD: Monday, Aug. 14

LAMPASAS ISD: Thursday, Aug. 10

SALADO ISD: Thursday, Aug. 10

Shoppers can save money on clothes and school supplies during

holiday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 11-13.

Texas sales tax holiday is Aug. 11-13

AUSTIN — Texas Comptroller

Glenn Hegar is reminding shoppers they can save money on clothes and school supplies during the state’s sales tax holiday on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 11-13.

State law exempts sales tax on qualified items — such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks — priced below $100, saving shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend.

The dates of the sales tax holiday and list of tax-exempt items are set by the Texas Legislature.

“As Texans prepare for the backto-school bell, this is the perfect time to take advantage of the opportunity to save money on everything from blue jeans to ballpoint pens,” Hegar said. “As the father of three, I know how these expenses can add up.”

The Comptroller’s office estimates that shoppers will save $136 million in state and local sales tax during this sales tax holiday.

Apparel and school supplies that may be purchased tax free are listed on the Comptroller’s website at TexasTaxHoliday.org.

During the annual sales tax holiday, qualifying items can be purchased tax free online or by telephone, mail, custom order or any other means (including in-store purchases) when either:

•

the item is both delivered to, and paid for by, the customer during the exemption period; or,

•

the customer orders and pays for the item, and the seller accepts the order during the exemption period for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the exemption period ends.

Texas’ sales tax holiday weekend has been an annual event since 1999.

Herald staff report

dave Miller | Herald

the state’s sales tax

Back to school events scheduled in the Killeen-Fort Cavazos area

By Madeline Oden Killeen daily Herald

The summer is almost over, but there are plenty of back to school events in the Killeen-Fort Cavazos area for everyone to enjoy. Here are a few in that are open to the public:

Killeen

The City of Killeen’s annual Back-to-School Splash Bash is Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children of all ages are invited to the Family Aquatic Center, 1800 East Stan Schlueter Loop, to have more fun in the sun before we head back to the classroom. Admission is free and the first 100 kids will leave with school supplies for Kindergarten through 8th grade. For more information, go to www.killeentexas. gov/swim or call (254) 501-6390.

OG’s School of Hair Design is hosting its 25-cent haircuts Tuesday, Aug. 8 through Saturday, Aug. 12 with no appointments necessary. Haircuts apply to children aged 1 up to college. College students must have a valid ID. Haircuts are given at 2501 S. WS Young Drive.

Blu Print Lounge is hosting a Back

to School Kickback on Aug. 12 from noon to 6 p.m. There will be free backpacks, haircuts and hairstyles for grades K-12. Blu Print lounge is located at 4505 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd.

Jesus Hope & Love Mission Center is hosting a Back to School GiveAway on Wednesday, Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be a free meal as well as school items and clothing items. The event will be behind old H.E.B Downtown, 818 N. 4th St. Killeen. Contact Pastor Chae at 254-291-2314 for information

Har K er Heig H ts

Express ER in Harker Heights is throwing a Back to School Bash on Saturday, Aug. 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Express ER Facility, 980 Knights Way Suite 1. There will be family friendly activities such as a bounce house, food trucks, games, vendors and more. The Shoulders to Healing Women group is hosting a Back to School Giveaway on Sunday, Aug. 6 from 1-3:30 p.m. in the We Play Drop Zone parking lot, 544 West Veterans Memorial Blvd. The group is giving away free backpacks and supplies to fami-

lies in need. Children must be present to receive a bag. For more information or donations, call 254-892-5445 or 254278-0512.

CO pperas COve

Cookie Mess Bakery is hosting a Back to School Cookie Pop Up on Tuesday, Aug. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the bakery, 2304 Indian Camp Trail.

tHaddeus iMerMan | Herald

More than two dozen volunteers pose for a photo underneath a pavilion at Long Branch Park in Killeen in 2021. A local ministry hosted a back-to-school supply giveaway.

tHaddeus iMerMan | Herald Children from Central Texas enjoy their time on a spinning ride July 29 at the Armed Services YMCA’s Back to School Healthy Kids Day. The event began in 2019.

New Killeen ISD superintendent prepares for first year in district

Iam excited to begin the 2023-2024 school year as the Superintendent of Schools for Killeen ISD. We will be opening the doors to our 52 campuses to 44,500 students on Monday, August 14, 2023. As the new Superintendent there, I am grateful for the opportunity to call Central Texas home.

I call the great state of Texas home, growing up in south Bexar County. My parents were hard workers; my mother worked in one of the school cafeterias, eventually retiring from that position and my dad worked for Lucent Technologies and AT&T. Although we did not have much money, we were rich in other ways. Our parents were hard workers and taught us to work hard, too. We ate dinner as a family almost every day and had everything we needed.

I attended public schools in Southwest ISD, near San Antonio, and my experience there was very positive. Early on, I loved reading and worked hard to be a good student and earn a spot in the top of my class.

I was encouraged to join youth sports while in school, and I fell in love with athletics. I loved competition and especially loved the notions of team and being a teammate. I played every sport imaginable, but track and field were my favorite. My high school career culminated with me accepting a full athletic scholarship to SMU, in Dallas, the first in my family to do so.

Arriving on campus for my freshman year, I immediately realized most of the other Southern Methodist University (SMU) students were different. It seemed everybody there, except me, had a car. I didn’t even own a bike. However, I loved my coaches, my teammates, and found success and my identity at SMU. It was a wonderful experience. I got married in 1994, and moved to Fort Stewart, Georgia, which at the time was home of the 24th ID rapid deployment division, also known “First to Fight.”

With my husband being in the military, we knew we would be leaving Fort Stewart in 18 months and, like all military families, would serve where we were needed.

Although I was not certified to teach, my first job as an educator was in Liberty County, Georgia, public schools as an instructional aide for grades 4 and 5. That is where I began to fall in love with education.

I began teaching and coaching in my home district, and the very next year I was promoted to be the head girls’ basketball coach and career technology teacher. To be teaching and coaching in the very high school that I graduated from and where I learned to love coach-

K I llee N ISD Super INT e ND e NT Jo Ann Fey

ing and teaching was a dream come true. I spent about seven years coaching and teaching and when my family began to grow, I needed balance so I moved into high school administration, then eventually central administration.

Killeen reminds me so much of where I grew up and of my first job in Liberty County, Georgia. Military families come with a unique set of challenges. The core families are rarely together. Moms and dads are deployed all the time, often in dangerous, far-away places. The spouse at home, or grandparents and friends if both parents are deployed, is trying to keep it all together. After being one of those families, the opportunity to serve them now is very rewarding.

When contacted about applying for the Killeen ISD’s superintendent’s position, I was excited about the opportunity. Having worked in Killeen ISD when my husband was stationed at Fort Cavazos, I recognize the special culture of the greater KISD community. They work together to support one another and their children and grandchildren. There is a team atmosphere that I just love.

I share all of this with you because I want you to know where my passion for student success comes from. I am truly blessed to serve this dynamic and diverse community. We will achieve student success when we work in a collaborative environment and have dedicated teachers that are supported by their district.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 2023-2024 school year.

Jo Ann Fey Killeen ISD Superintendent

Killeen ISD welcoming 44,500 students, new superintendent in 2023-2024

By tOdd Martin Killeen isd coMMunications

For the first time in five years, Killeen ISD will begin a new school year without opening a new school. Instead, KISD is welcoming a new superintendent — Dr. Jo Ann Fey, who officially stepped into the district’s top administrative position in July.

The former superintendent of Midlothian ISD has spent most of her education career, 26 years, in South-

west ISD near San Antonio.

She has expressed her belief in the value of a well-rounded education, including academic, co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities for all students.

Fey was an All-American athlete at Southern Methodist University. She and her husband, a civil engineer and retired soldier, are parents of three children. Their youngest, a daughter, is a two-time track and field state champion beginning her senior year at Chaparral High School.

With this year’s start of school Aug. 14, more than 6,300 district employees will converge on 52 campuses and administrative buildings serving an expected 44,500 students ranging from 3- and 4-year-old pre-kindergarten students to seniors completing their high school education.

Killeen ISD is the 24th largest school district in Texas, stretching across Fort Cavazos, Killeen, Harker Heights, Nolanville and parts of rural Bell County.

It is also the fourth most diverse

district in the state.

School district structures occupy 7.6 million square feet of building space on 1,471 acres of property.

More than 350 school buses transport more than 12,000 eligible riders from 4,481 bus stops, traveling a combined 26,000 miles a day.

The district is expanding its transportation capacity with an addition at the Sheridan Transportation Center on Trimmier Road.

PLEASE SEE STuDENTS, 

STuDENTS

This year, the KISD budget includes about $478 million in operations costs with 81 cents of every dollar going into instructional support.

During the school year, residents in south Killeen will notice the completion of Dr. Jimmie Don Aycock Middle School adjacent to Chaparral High School that will include the district’s third middle school STEM program.

The new middle school named for the former Texas state representative, who championed CTE education in Texas, is slated to open in the fall of 2024.

Killeen ISD is always hiring qualified employees and accepting applications to volunteer in the schools. A starting teacher in KISD earns $57,000.

To browse KISD vacancies, go to the following: https://www.applitrack.com/killeenisd/onlineapp/

To volunteer in KISD, go to the following: https://killeen.teams.hosting/volunteer/EntryPointHomeAction.do

For information about registering a student for school, go to the following: https://www.killeenisd.org/enroll

tHadddeus iMerMan | Herald Local school district residents attend the Harker Heights YMCA Aug. 29 to receive school supplies for the coming 20232024 school year.

dress code for 2023-2024 school year

By Madeline Oden Killeen daily Herald

According to the Killeen Independent School District Student Code of Conduct, the following dress code is applied to all schools and the KISD Career Center.

According to the dress code listed on the KISD website, “Students shall be dressed and groomed in a manner that is clean and neat and that will not present a health or safety hazard to themselves or others. Clothing will be worn as it is designed to be worn. All dress code issues will be subject to the campus administrator’s judgment.”

The dress code requires the school issued photo ID must be visible at all times during the school day.

Anything that advertises or depicts any other prohibited substance or contains derogatory remarks concerning any identifiable race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, gender, or disability are strictly prohibited. Anything that is lewd, vulgar or offensive is also prohibited.

The following standards of dress and grooming apply to KISD students:

•

Pants, slacks, and jeans are acceptable attire. Spandex pants or shorts, boxer shorts, ‘cut offs’, and short or pants with wholes higher than 6 inches above the

PLEASE SEE DRESS, 11

knee are not permitted.

Sagging pants are not allowed.

Shirts and blouses shall be appropriately sized and may not be worn in any way that reflects gang affiliation or may conceal contraband.

As a general guideline, dress/skirt length and shorts should be no shorter than 6 inches above the top of the knee, and must allow students to walk, stoop, kneel, and sit with modesty.

Apparel designed for recreation, such as tank tops, fishnet (mesh) shirts, etc., as well as apparel that is designed as underwear or nightwear may not be visible or worn as outer garments.

Tight and revealing clothing or accessories that may draw undue attention to the student are prohibited. Clothing that is transparent and/or see through material should not be worn.

Students must wear tops that cover the upper body (no haltertops, tube tops, spaghetti straps, etc.) and shoulders, and extend beyond the midriff leaving no skin exposed in the normal activities associated with school.

Head coverings, bandanas (in any manner), hoods, and sweatbands may not worn inside the building. The campus administration must approve any exceptions to this policy for religious or medical reasons.

Students must wear footwear that is appropriate for school. Examples of inappropriate footwear, are: house slippers, shoe skates, water shoes, sock shoes, and shoes with metal spikes.

All dress code issues will be subject to the campus admin-

New KISD principals, coaches, administrators ready to start the new year

Herald staff report

As with any new school year, changes in the administration and teaching staff is inevitable.

Killeen ISD welcomes two top administrators to the district this year.

Jennifer Ellison is the new Deputy Superintendent for Learning Services and Dr. Cynthia Swain is the Executive Director for Specialized Learning. Both women were hired in July and have an extensive background in education.

new ad M inistratO rs

Ellison was hired in July and comes to KISD from Midlothian ISD. As the deputy superintendent for learning services, she will oversee and supervise the assistant superintendents for learning services, special education, college, career and military readiness and state and federal programs.

During her educational career, Ellison served as a classroom teacher for several years before transitioning into leadership as an assistant principal in Arlington ISD.

In 2011, she was appointed dean of instruction in Grand Prairie ISD and Chancellor of Grand Prairie Collegiate Institute before moving to San Antonio. Ellison was the executive director of secondary curriculum and the Gear Up coordinator for Southwest ISD there.

She then became the director of high school programs at Palo Alto College in San Antonio. Ellison earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of North Texas, and she is pursuing her doctorate in learning technologies from the University of Texas at Austin.

Swain, who was a special education consultant for TEA Region 10 Education Service Center, will oversee KISD special education as well

as at-risk, dyslexia, 504 and homebound services within the district to ensure the needs of students are being met.

From 2005 to 2015, Swain was manager of special education dispute resolution and regulatory investigations for the TEA before relocating to Central Texas to be closer to family.

Swain has experience in Bell County schools as a master teacher and action coach for new teachers since 2018 with Temple ISD. This was after serving in teaching and administrative roles and in special education dispute resolution at the state level.

She has been a teacher at the high school and college level, an assistant principal and a principal in Austin, Del Valle and Temple school districts as well as Concordia University.

Swain holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University, and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Texas.

new prin C ipals

One high school, two middle schools and an elementary school campus will start the new school year with a new principal at the helm.

Dr. Nino Etienne, formerly the principal from Eastern Hills Middle School, will welcome students at Chaparral High School. A former assistant principal at Chaparral High School, Jacqulyn Bridge will be the new principal at Eastern Hills Middle School. Dr. Janelle Muhammad, formerly the assistant principal at Shoemaker High School will be the new principal at Rancier Middle School. Former assistant principal at Timber Ridge Elementary School Abigail Church will welcome students as the new principal at Reeces Creek Elementary School.

COaCH ing staff

Harker Heights High School will welcome a new athletic director and head football coach as well as a new head basketball coach to its athletic department this year.

Killeen High School alum, Mark Humble will take over as athletic director and head football coach. Humble a was a member of the 1991 state championship Killeen Kangaroos football team — the district’s only football state championship — and graduated from Killeen High in 1994.

A quarterback for the Roos, Humble graduated as the most prolific passer in school history, and was named All-District, All-Centex, All-State and All-Academic.

Following high school, Humble went to SMU on an athletic scholarship, where he was a three-year letterman for the Mustangs as a quarterback and won the Lester Jordan Award as the most outstanding player on the field and in the classroom.

Humble comes to the Knights from Denton Ryan High School, where he was assistant coach one season following a stint as head football coach and athletic coordinator at Rock Hill High School in suburban Dallas.

Prior to becoming the inaugural coach at Rock Hill, Humble spent two seasons at Lone Star High School in Frisco,

Humble has also held coaching positions at Carroll High School in Southlake and Keller High School. Humble also coached at Texas High, Plano East and Grand Prairie. Prior to coaching at the high school level, Humble coached running backs at SMU

Jerrel Chumley will welcome athletes to the court as the new head basketball coach for the Harker Heights High School boys basketball team. During his tenure at South Grand Prairie, Chumley helped engineer multiple 20-win seasons. Chumley coached the junior varsity team at South Grand Prairie ISD. As a college basketball player, Chumley helped lead Dallas Christian College to a national championship in 2013.

Jana lynn Kilcrease | Herald About 200 teachers and staff were treated to a buffet breakfast Monday morning by local sponsors at Harker Heights High School.

Killeen ISD to provide free breakfast for all students

Secondary Schools

Gateway MS

Killeen ISD will provide free breakfast to all district students during the 2023-2024 school year.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to submit an application for free/reduced meals.

Certain campuses will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) campus program. Following is a list of CEP campuses:

Elementary Schools

Brookhaven

Cedar Valley

Clifton Park

Harker Heights

Hay Branch

Iduma

Ira Cross

Killeen

Maude Moore Wood

Maxdale

Peebles

Pershing Park

Reeces Creek

Richard E. Cavazos

Saegert

Trimmier

Willow Springs

Venable Village

Alternative Learning Center

DRESS

frOM page 11

istrator’s judgment. Students considered to be in violation of the dress code shall be advised by a campus administrator and given an opportunity to comply.

Opportunity to comply may take

Rancier MS

Manor MS

Eastern Hills MS

Palo Alto MS

Liberty Hill MS

Live Oak Ridge MS

Gateway HS

Killeen HS

Pathways academic campus

Meal priCes

Student Breakfast - FREE for all KISD students

Elementary Lunch: $2.75

Secondary Lunch: $3.00

Adding Money To My Child’s Account

A la carte items will be available for purchase in the cafeteria. Parents may make payments, add funds, or view student accounts at www. schoolcafe.com/killeenisd.

Viewing the menus and account information is free. There is a flat fee of $2.25 to add money to your student’s account.

Menus

School menus are also available online at www.schoolcafe. com/killeenisd or via the app which can be downloaded from your preferred app store.

a variety of forms. In most cases, the students will be allowed to call parents for a change of clothes.

While waiting for the change of clothes, the student may be required to: wait in the office, attend ISS or any other option deemed necessary by the administrator.

Those who fail to comply or who repeatedly violate the code shall be subject to disciplinary action.

courtesy pHoto

A worker at Pershing Park Elementary School in Killeen packs lunches for distribution in the summer.

Killeen ISD prepares to open new football season Aug. 24

By tOdd Martin Killeen isd coMMunications

Killeen ISD opens its second football season this August with two regional stadiums and five high school teams playing in three different districts and two classifications.

Following the scrimmage week Aug. 17, the KISD stadiums will host a pair of all-Killeen team matchups.

On Thursday, Aug. 24, the defending quarterfinalist Harker Heights Knights will open the season against the Ellison Eagles at Leo Buckley Stadium in a 7 p.m. start.

The following day, Friday, Aug. 25, the Killeen High School Kangaroos and Chaparral High School Bobcats will square off at Searles Stadium in a replay of last year’s inaugural stadium-opening game. Game time is 7 p.m.

The second week of the season features another intra-district matchup with the Chaparral Bobcats facing the Shoemaker Grey Wolves on Friday, Sept. 1 at Searles Stadium.

The third week, the final non-district week for most local teams, Shoemaker gets started with the District 4-5A slate, taking on the Lake Belton Broncos at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 at Leo Buckley Stadium.

A year ago, Shoemaker handed the Broncos their first loss in 20 games and Lake Belton’s only district loss of the year in a 34-33 nailbiter at Tiger Field.

On Friday Sept. 22, all KISD teams will face district foes, including a meeting between Shoemaker and Ellison in a 7 p.m. game at Leo Buckley Stadium.

On Friday, Oct. 13, Ellison and Killeen tangle at 7 p.m. at Leo Buckley Stadium with the Roos’ fans taking the home side.

On Friday, Oct. 27, Killeen High School is the home team at Buckley

PLEASE SEE FOOTBALL, 15

2023 KILLEEN ISD VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

FOOTBALL

Stadium against Shoemaker in a 7 p.m. start.

Football schedule includes intradistrict games

This year, for the second season, only the Harker Heights Knights compete in District 12-6A. The Knights will be defending their district title and following the team’s most successful season ever.

They have a new head coach in Mark Humble, leading the Knights following last year’s 9-1 team that was 6-0 in the district and went four rounds into the playoffs making it to the state quarterfinals.

This year’s schedule includes a rematch against Odessa Permian, the only team to beat Harker Heights in the regular season. The Knights host the Panthers this year in a 7 p.m. game Friday, Sept. 15 at Searles

Stadium.

The rest of the Knights’ season includes a home game against Pflugerville Weiss, an away game against Midway, a home game against Hutto, an open date, an away game against Temple, a home matchup against Copperas Cove and a final regular season game at Bryan.

Killeen, Ellison, and Shoemaker play again in District 4-5A with those three teams facing one another in key district matchups.

Last season, Midlothian won the newly formed district with an 8-0 mark during a 12-1 season.

Three teams, Shoemaker, Lake Belton and Red Oak finished with identical 6-2 district records to move to the playoffs.

Shoemaker finished in second place based on wins against Lake Belton and Red Oak. They faced eventual state champion Aledo in the first round of the playoffs and made an early exit.

Ellison was fifth in the district with a 4-4 record and Killeen was sixth at 3-5.

The Chaparral Bobcats played their first season competing in District 115A, Division II.

The Bobcats begin their season against crosstown Killeen Aug. 25 and Shoemaker Sept. 1. They finish their season Friday, Oct. 27 at Searles Sta-

Killeen High’s Chris Vargas (28) gets a first down after a catch as he looks to run between Waco’s Oshawn Neal (20) and Tyrone Sumpter Jr. (8) at Leo Buckley Stadium on Nov. 4, 2022.

andy Zavoina | Herald

dium against the district champion Belton Tigers.

Chaparral finished sixth in its first season with a 1-5 record, winning against Pflugerville Connally 50-18 at home.

The Belton Tigers won the district with a 6-0 finish, with Elgin, University and Rouse, all recording 4-2 finishes to continue to the playoffs.

ccisd superintendent welcomes district to start of new school year

Iwant to be the first to welcome students and staff back to school. While summer has provided many opportunities for kids and parents to enjoy swimming, vacations, family reunions and sleeping late, the staff of Copperas Cove ISD have been working diligently to make sure the upcoming school year is the very best.

Over the summer, CCISD teaching staff have participated in professional development sessions focused on improving learning opportunities for students.

The maintenance and custodial staff have worked diligently to make sure district facilities are in excellent condition and spotless for the first day of school.

The child nutrition and transportation departments have been actively planning and preparing to feed and transport more than 7,800 students who are expected to attend Copperas Cove schools this year.

It has been an awesome summer. We are ready and waiting for our students!

Be on the lookout for campus news coming to you through the Skyward Parent Portal or Schoology, Facebook and Twitter. Campus leadership teams will be reaching out to students and their parents to share upcoming events and important dates to remember through these media platforms. If you do not have access to the Skyward Parent Portal or Schoology, please reach out to your campus for information on how to connect to these resources.

The Pride of Cove Marching Band and Color Guard have started summer rehearsals. For the first time in a long time, we have a new Director

of Instrumental Music, Mr. Lawrence Varela-Halbert. Mr. Varela-Halbert replaces Mr. Tony Chapa and comes to CCHS from the S. C. Lee Junior High band director’s position.

Under Mr. Varela-Halbert’s direction, the music department staff has is once again putting together an exceptional marching show that will be spotlighted not only during Friday night football games, but in UIL marching competitions slated for later this fall.

CCISD coaching staff have worked throughout the summer to make sure student athletes have had opportunities to participate in strength and conditioning activities so they will be better prepared for their upcoming sports’ seasons.

The Bulldawg Football and Lady Dawg Volleyball season will kick off soon. We are eagerly looking forward to what Volleyball Head Coach Christy Thompson and Football Head Coach Tony Johnson have planned for this season.

Let me remind parents of some important upcoming dates.

If you still need to register your student, please know that every campus is open beginning at 7:30 a.m.

On August 11, CCISD will host convocation for staff; therefore, campuses will be closed until 1 p.m. on that day.

Be sure to check the CCISD web

page and Facebook page for dates and times for Meet the Teacher and Bulldawg Welcome.

Then on August 16, we kick off the 2023-2024 school year with the first day of school. I hope you are as excited as I am about the opportunity we have to educate our young people.

I want to close by thanking Copperas Cove for its unwavering support of

our students, staff and school district. Our success is the result of great relationships, wonderful families, supportive community members and exceptional students. It truly is a great time to be part of the CCISD family!

Sincerely,

Dr. Joe Burns Superintendent of Schools

Copper AS Cove ISD Super INT e ND e NT

Joe Burns

tHaddeus iMerMan | Herald

Copperas Cove ISD Superintendent Joe Burns provides an update on accomplishments within the district at his annual State of the District address in March at the Copperas Cove Civic Center.

Copperas Cove administrators learning new curriculum

By tHaddeus iMerMan Killeen daily Herald

Copperas Cove ISD is getting ready to welcome students back to campus with the district’s nearly 8,200 pupils scheduled to return on Aug. 16.

As the district prepares for the students, they have been learning a new curriculum over the summer.

In April, the CCISD Board of Trustees approved an expenditure of $265,550 at its monthly board meeting to provide additional support to students through the implementation of Capturing Kids’ Hearts.

Copperas Cove High School Principal Jimmy Shuck said he is excited to have this framework for his staff to continue to cultivate relationships, improve school culture, and strengthen trust between students and staff.

“Having a solid foundation for staff will assist with consistency throughout CCHS from custodial staff to administration,” Shuck said in June. “CCHS remains committed to the development of a campus culture of dignity and respect which leads to high-quality, rigorous instruction, producing future-ready citizens.”

The program touts results that increase student achievement, increase school attendance rates, increase graduation rates, decrease discipline referrals, and increase teacher satisfaction. Secondary administrators and district leadership trained in the Capturing Kids’ Hearts curriculum earlier this month.

Crossroads High School Counselor

Audrey Trahan said the curriculum will benefit students by improving relationships with teachers, peers, and family members as well as improve the students’ academics.

“I learned how to become a better campus leader and learned about my own constraints, how those constraints can be a positive thing as well as a negative, and how I can work

PLEASE SEE COVE, 18

on those to better myself and my leadership skills to better support our students,” Trahan said.

CCISD board members, Deputy Superintendent of Instructional Services Amanda Crawley, and secondary campus leadership attended flagship training in April. Administrators learned to make meaningful connections with students, the importance of body language, greeting students by name, empowering students to make positive choices, and appropriate responses when students do not make positive behavior choices.

Copperas Cove ISD also begins the

year with a new assistant superintendent of operations and support.

The district hired Damon Adams to the position earlier this year, and he officially started in June.

Most recently, Adams served as the Marble Falls High School campus principal for the last six years. He has served also as an assistant principal at the high school level, a special education teacher for all grade levels, and an elementary teacher, working both in a large fast-growing district and a smaller rural district.

He also served as a member of adjunct faculty with Texas State University, educating students with mild disabilities.

Adams succeeds Rick Kirkpatrick, who served in the same role for the district prior to his acceptance of the top job at Florence ISD.

copperas cove isd taking applications for free and reduced lunch

By tHaddeus iMerMan Killeen daily Herald

Copperas Cove ISD is now taking applications for students to receive free or reduced lunch for the 2023-2024 school year.

Starting Aug. 1, the CCISD Child Nutrition Department can take applications for the Free and Reduced Meal.

Applications should be completed and submitted online at www.ccisd. com or at https://www.myschoolapps. com/Application.

Anyone without internet access or a computer, or those who need additional help to complete the online application, call the Child Nutrition Department at 254-547-1227, ext. 11509 for help.

The district also has a computer available located at the Child Nutrition building, 703 W. Avenue D, Copperas Cove, for those needing access to a computer or for additional help in applying for benefits. A paper copy of the Free and Reduced Meal

application in English and Spanish is available upon request only and may be picked up at the Child Nutrition building.

Applications may take up to 10 days to process.

Criteria for free and reducedprice Meal Benefits

The following criteria will be used to determine a child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits:

inCOMe

Household income that is at or below the income eligibility levels

Categorical (Automatic) Eligibility

Household receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Program Participant

Child’s status as a foster child, homeless, runaway, migrant, or dis-

placed by a declared disaster

Child’s enrollment in Head Start or Even Start

inCOMe eligiBility

For those households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on income, an adult in the household must complete an application online at www.ccisd.com for free and reduced-price meals. Those individuals filling out the application will need to provide the following information:

Names of all household members

Amount, frequency, and source of current income for each household member

Last 4 digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application or, if the adult does not have a Social Security number, check the box for “No Social Security number”

Signature of an adult household member attesting that the information provided is correct

Applications may be submitted

anytime during the school year. Copperas Cove ISD offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast is free for all students. Lunch costs are as follows:

Elementary (pre-K through 5th grade): $2.60

Junior High (6th grade through 8th grade): $2.80

High School (9th grade through 12th grade): $3.00

Reduced-price is free for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch.

assistant superintendent

tHaddeus iMerMan | Herald

A cafeteria worker at Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy in Copperas Cove assists a student with getting her first breakfast at the school on the first day of class in 2022.

dress code for 2023-2024 school year

By Madeline Oden Killeen daily Herald

The Copperas Cove Independent School District’s Student code of Conduct Handbook outlines the district’s dress code for all levels in great detail.

The handbook states the CCISD teaches grooming and hygiene, prevents disruption, minimize safety hazards and maintains a positive learning climate

The district encourages students, with the supervision of their parents, to maintain high standards of dress, grooming, and personal appearance as would be appropriate in a publicschool educational environment.

distriCt pOliCy

The handbook warns that certain elective courses or extracurricular activities may require more stringent dress or appearance standards than for the general student body.

CCISD leaves the choice of hair length with the students and their parents and whether or not beards and mustaches are to be worn.

However, spiked hair longer than 2 inches is prohibited for all levels.

Anything that advertises or depicts any other prohibited substance or contains derogatory remarks concerning any identifiable race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, gender, or disability are strictly prohibited. Anything that is lewd, vulgar

PLEASE SEE DRESS, 20

Copperas Cove ISD prepares for 9th annual Stuff the Bus

By tHaddeus iMerMan Killeen daily Herald

Copperas Cove Independent School District is gearing up for another year of the annual Stuff the Bus event Aug. 11-13.

This year’s Stuff the Bus is the ninth time the district will host the event for members of the community to donate school supplies that are given to homeless and atpromise students, according to Wendy Sledd, the district’s outgoing director of communications.

“CCISD always welcomes this event because it provides much needed school supplies to our at-promise students,” Sledd said in an email to

the Herald. “Students who qualify for free and reduced meals may receive needed school supplies through their campus Communities in Schools liaison.”

The district helps thousands of students every year who meet the qualifications.

“We’re almost 70% free and reduced lunch, so when you have a high percentage of

or mesh shirts, and spaghetti straps are prohibited unless worn over a Tshirt or under a jacket.

free and reduced lunch kids, you’d expect that you would have a significant number of students who need assistance,” Superintendent Joe Burns said during last year’s Stuff the Bus.

The school supply drive takes place at Walmart, 2720 E. Business Highway 190. It is also hosted by Star Group — Veterans Helping Veterans. Walmart begins the event with a generous donation every year and will do so again.

“Walmart will donate the first $1,000 in school supplies and load those on the bus at the start of the event,” Sledd said.

Last year, Copperas Cove ISD received the equivalent of around $35,000 worth of

school supplies.

“This sounds like a lot, but come January and the start of the second semester, those supplies are depleted and we are once again in need of supplies for students to ensure their academic success,” Sledd said.

Supplies that are most needed this year, according to Sledd, are inexpensive earbuds and backpacks. Stuff the Bus also always happens in conjunction with the state’s sales tax holiday when qualifying items do not incur a sales tax.

The hours for this year’s Stuff the Bus are: Aug. 11: 1-6 p.m. Aug. 12: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 13: 1-5 p.m.

or offensive is also prohibited.

Hats and Head COverings

Any type of hat or head covering is prohibited for all levels and Hats may not be worn from belts or belt loops.

pierCings

Facial piercings are not allowed at the elementary school level.

One facial piercing is allowed for Junior high levels and there is not a limit on facial piercing for high school levels as long as the piercings are not deemed a distraction by faculty.

student id’s

From the junior high level and up, student ID’s must always be visible and worn around the neck or clipped above the waist, at all times.

eleMentary dress COde

•

Tube-tops, halter tops, see through

Sleeveless shirts must fit snugly under the arms and jerseys may only be worn with a T-shirt underneath. No low-cut tops or blouses.

All shirts must completely cover the midriff when standing, arms are fully extended above the head and when seated.

All dresses, jumpers, skirts, Skorts and shorts must be at or below an ID card length above the knee unless worn with leggings.

No spandex or lycra.Shorts, Pants, Jeans: Sagging is NOT permitted.

Shorts, pants or jeans must fit at the waist.

Leggings may only be worn with a garment that meets the mid-thigh rule.

Students are not to wear jeans that are torn or have holes in them.

Shoes with wheels are prohibited.

JuniOr and HigH sCHOOl dress COde

• Tank tops, strapless tops, spaghetti

strap tops, backless tops, tops with large armholes or off the shoulder tops are prohibited unless worn over a T-shirt with sleeves.

• Garments worn under jackets, coats, shrugs and sweaters must be in dress code.

• No low necklines (cleavage should not be visible)

• No see-through lace or mesh shirts

the knee unless worn with leggings. Leggings may only be worn with a garment that meets the mid-thigh rule.

For High Schools students are not to wear jeans that are torn, frayed or have holes from the waistband to 3 inches above the knee. No holes larger than the width of a student ID card, measured at 3¼ inches.

Holes, tears, or frays 3 inches above the knee shall have no visible skin showing

• •

• Tops must meet the beltline when seated. Undergarments and front or back midriff should never be exposed. No spandex or lycra.Shorts, Pants, Jeans: Sagging is NOT permitted. Shorts, pants or jeans must fit at the waist.

• No full-length jackets and coats such as those commonly referred to as “trench coats” or “dusters”.

• Oversized hoodies are prohibited. Hoodies, sweatshirts, jackets, etc. can be no longer than the break of the wrist.

For junior high, all dresses, jumpers, skirts, Skorts and shorts must be at or below an ID card length above

OtHer prOHiBited iteMs

Metal-studded collars, choker chains, armbands, wristbands, and/or other metal-studded clothing are not permitted.

• No clothing intended to be worn as undergarments may be worn as outer garments. Undergarments may not be visible at any time.

• Costumes are not permitted except on designated days. Animal ears are considered costumes

• •

Sunglasses are also not allowed to be worn inside school buildings.

Herald | file

Copperas Cove ISD Superintendent Joe Burns, center (with scissors), hollers triumphantly following his cutting of the ribbon on Friday morning at Copperas Cove Walmart for the eighth annual Stuff the Bus.

Copperas Cove varsity football schedule

andy Zavoina | Herald Copperas Cove’s Blaine Butler, left, hands off to Markis Nash during a game last season against Harker Heights at Bulldawg Stadium.

Central Texas College conducting registration for fall semester

By BruCe vasBinder special to tHe Herald

Central Texas College is conducting registration for the fall semester. Classes start Aug. 21 at the central campus in Killeen; the Fort Cavazos site; the service area sites of Fredericksburg, Gatesville, Lampasas and Marble Falls; and online. Returning students can register through CTC’s online Eagle Self-Service system at ctcd.edu, while ew students must first complete the admissions process.

To assist new students, CTC will host a new student orientation on Aug. 17 in the Anderson Campus Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sign-up is available online at https:// ctc4.me/NSO.

CTC offers more than 100 associate degrees and certificates of completion in a variety of academic, professional and vocational/ technical fields designed to assist students transferring to a four-year university or prepare them for employment.

Programs are grouped into six areas of study or career pathways: Arts, Humanities

and Media; Science Technology Engineering, Math (STEM); Business and Business Technology; Construction, Manufacturing and Transportation; Health Care; and Public Service.

Within these areas are numerous fields of study, including aviation science, business administration, communications, computer science, computer-aided drafting and design, logistics, electronics technol-

ogy, industrial technology, protective services, nursing, paramedicine, culinary arts and agricultural science.

To accommodate the needs of students who may have job, family and other commitments that deter them from attending traditional lecture courses, CTC offers more than 500 online and blended (a combination of online and classroom) courses and more than 60 degree and certificate programs online.

Some of the school’s newer programs include Communications, which leads to an Associate of Arts degree; Robotics Technology, which leads to an Associate of Applied Science degree or 18-credit hour Certificate of Completion; the Medical Billing Certificate of Completion program; and Licensed Massage Therapy, which is now a for-credit program leading to a Certificate of Completion.

New courses have recently been added to the Business Administration department, including Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences, Business Statistics and Principles of Macroeconomics, which will better serve students transferring to a four-year university as they seek a degree in business.

Last fall, the department began offering its five real estate classes online. Upon successful completion, students are eligible to sit for the real estate licensing exam in Texas.

CTC has been providing higher educational opportunities to area residents for 56 years. Since opening its doors to more than 2,000 students in 1967, CTC has evolved into a unique institution focusing on affordable, accessible education. It is the top college choice for graduating high school seniors in the area as more than 20 percent of local high school students come to CTC. The school’s diverse student population includes nearly 4,000 students per semester in-person locally and more than 4,500 students taking classes online.

Herald | file

Students attend Central Texas College’s new student orientation Jan. 13, 2017, in the Anderson Campus Building.

A&M-Central Texas prepares to welcome new students

By Karen ClOs special to tHe Herald

Texas A&M UniversityCentral Texas is the only public “upper-level” university in Texas, intentionally designed to offer a high quality, cost-effective way to complete their undergraduate degree or pursue graduate studies.

Virtually all the university’s undergraduate students have begun their academic careers at a community college or another university and turn to A&M-Central Texas which has designed its programs and services so that incoming students maximize the credits they have earned and easily transfer into their choices of the 30 undergraduate degrees.

Even before students officially apply for admission, they can access all the services new students need via Transfer Central. There, they can make plans to choose future degree programs, work with the university’s financial aid and, if needed, its veterans’ benefits staff, and visit with a professional advisor who is dedicated

to making the most of a student’s educational history and experience.

The university offers 30 baccalaureate programs, 19 graduate degree programs, and one Superintendent Certification Program. Also, 17 undergraduate programs and nine of the graduate programs are offered completely online. And the university’s

programs have been recognized nationally by some of the most prestigious entities in higher education, including U.S. News & World Report and College for All Texans, which has described the university as one of the most affordable public universities in Texas.

In addition, the university’s Bachelor’s Bonus program

lets students take between 12 and 21 credit hours, but they only pay tuition for the first 12 hours (specific rules apply).

The university also offers a tuition guarantee that lets students “freeze” their tuition and fees, guaranteeing that what they pay will not change for up to three years. See all of this and more at

https://www.tamuct.edu/ affordable/.

Since 2009, A&M-Central Texas has produced almost 10,000 alumni who have received their undergraduate and graduate degrees. University alumni serve the region, state and nation as teachers and counselors, businessmen and women, nurses and licensed therapists, pilots and engineers, experts in computer systems and cybersecurity, historians, social workers, and biologists.

Texas A&M-Central Texas is also one of Texas’ most broadly diverse universities and has been officially recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Minority Serving Institution. Not only do these official designations demonstrate the university’s commitment to serving a diverse community of learners, but they also increase student access to federal financial aid while they continuously expand educational opportunity, including access to graduate study. Learn more at www. tamuct.edu. We look forward to seeing you on campus!

Texas A&M University-Central Texas has achieved designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution.