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Important Announcements May 14, 2008 Revisions to the 2008-09 School Calendar NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING - Monday, May 19 – 6:00 p.m. Lamar Cafeteria On Monday, May 16 the Governing Council will hold a special called meeting to discuss a two-week delay in the opening of our 2008-09 school year due to the construction schedule of the Flower’s Bread Company and existing high school building. A public forum will be available for parents to express concerns and hardships that a late start will cause for their family. In addition, we will seek feedback from parents on ideal times, i.e. fall break, spring break, to make up these missed days. We will also develop a quick online survey for the feedback of parents that are unable to attend the Monday meeting. The link for the survey is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ZYPSAmvUo94y83OxTL3l3w_3d_3d Here are some steps we are working on to assist our families: Revise 2008-09 calendar before school ends, tentative new start date: August 4; Excuse absences for children who’s families have already made vacation plans on the original school schedule; and Partner with KinderCare for childcare during the two-week delay (including special rates for low-income families). FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is the construction delay? The delay is in redrawing the gym plans. The structural engineer discovered a steel beam would take five months to custom manufacture if we removed it so that it was not in the middle of the gym floor. The plans were redrawn to move the entire gym 20 ft. for a savings of $25,000 and five months delay. Who is the construction contractor? The contractor is NYOS’ old friend, John King. John is the builder of the main building at the Lamar campus. Our past experience with John has resulted in buildings built on time and under budget. What if more time is needed? We are confident that the high school building will be completed by August 4 with plenty of time for our teachers to move in and set up their classrooms. We can begin school safely with ample room with just access to the main building and existing high school. When will the bread company be completed? The bread company is not scheduled to be open until after fall break per the original plans. We are still waiting for the tenant to move out in mid-June. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ April 28, 2008 CMR Proposal Form \| CMR Questionnaire \| FCN Form \| S & D Certificate _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ April 23, 2008 2008-2009 Approved School Calendar _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ April 3, 2008 Final Report by Special Investigator, Sara Leon Administrative Response to Final Report _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ March 4, 2008 Governing Council Nominations and Election The terms for Susana Hildebrand (Magnolia Parent Representative) and Robert Brenner (Lamar Parent Representative) expire on June 17, 2008. Both Susana and Robert are eligible for another term. Two Teacher Representatives positions are also open. Dewayne Jones (Lamar Teacher Representative) will vacate his seat as of June 17 to accept a teaching assignment in China and Valerie Sterne (Magnolia Teacher Representative) will vacate her position to focus on other leadership roles within the organization. We are formally opening nominations for these four positions on the council. The purpose of the Governing Council is to ensure that the school accomplishes all the things it was created to accomplish and that it avoids everything that should be avoided on behalf of the owners of the school. The owners of a public school are the taxpayers of Texas. Council members have the duty of loyalty to the school, maintaining sufficient oversight to make informed decisions, and obedience to the hierarchy of legal documents (charter, bylaws, contract with state, etc.). Other duties of the Council include: •supervision, evaluation, and hiring or removal of the Executive Director •development of strategic goals and objectives •establishment of School policy •review and approve the budget •negotiations with and accountability to the Texas Education Agency Anyone interested in serving on the Governing Council can nominate themselves for these positions. Parent Representatives must have at least one student enrolled at the respective campus. The Teacher Representative must be assigned to the Lamar campus. You may also choose to nominate a parent or teacher. We will verify with your nominee to ensure that they are willing and able to serve prior to the election. If you have a nomination or any questions, contact Craig Shempert, Nomination Committee Chairman at cshempert@nyos.org or 512-244-2016. We are opening nominations prior to the 45-day window stated in accordance with the bylaws. A sample ballot will be available on the website and sent home with students by April 11. The election will be held on April 22. The new Council members will be seated at the regular meeting in June and their terms will expire in June of 2010. Important dates: Nominations open: March 8, 2008 Nominations close: April 8, 2008 Candidate Biography Due: April 9, 2008 (½ page bio can be transmitted upon nomination) Sample ballot: April 11, 2008 Election date: April 22, 2008 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 24, 2008 Placement of 4th & 5th Grade Classrooms Our initial goal when we leased the Kramer facility for our Pre-K – 3rd grade campus was to unify the entire elementary program on that site in the 2008-09 school year. After months of studying this issue, we have concluded that the best use of public funds at this time is to keep the 4th and 5th grades at Yager. Our goal has always been, and continues to be, to grow our high school students out of our elementary program. Towards that goal, the elementary enrollment numbers were increased in 2007-08. By having 64 student per grade level at Kindergarten through 8th grade, we can elect to not fill vacancies in grades 9 – 12 without compromising the quality and integrity of our educational program at the high school level. Renovation Plans Meeting Our plans are to renovate the Flower’s Bread Company into a 4th – 5th grade educational wing. This building will also house our central office staff, and a 3,100 square foot mini-gym. Additional renovations include creating a Fine Arts Center in the old K-1 area and a Science Zone by expanding the current main laboratory and relocating the middle and junior high science classes nearby. A meeting to review the proposed plans will be held Monday, February 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the Yager cafeteria. If you cannot attend the meeting, please email your comments to Bill Pfaff at bpfaff@nyos.org. Click here to view the NYOS Renovation Plans (Requires free Adobe Reader 7.0 or greater.) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 22, 2008 We are seeking feedback on the 2008-09 School Calendar from our community prior to the adoption by the Governing Council on March 25, 2008. Please email your calendar comments to telliott@nyos.org. Click here to view the 2008-09 Tentative School Calendar (Requires free Adobe Reader 7.0 or greater.) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 21, 2008 Dear NYOS Families, Since our last community update the Austin Police Department has concluded that Tevin Park-Flowers’ death was a very tragic accident. Last Thursday, APD made the following critical announcements: NYOS staff members were accounted for during the time of the incident and have been cleared of wrongdoing in this case; No outsider or intruder harmed Tevin; Sexual Assault was not a factor in this case; and, Suicide was ruled out as a possibility. All the above statements lead the police to rule the incident accidental despite the lack of eyewitnesses. Several folks have asked if NYOS is going to be okay after all of this. My reply is, “Yes, but we have our challenges.” As a public school, our funding is based on student enrollment. The State of Texas sends funding for the number of students enrolled; we lose funding every time students are absent. Because of student absences in the first two days of the incident, NYOS lost $12,400 in state funding. We understand that families needed to take time with their children. This experience has been very awakening in terms of new perspectives. Since the accident 25 students have withdrawn, which equates to about $1,000 in lost revenue per day. Until these student positions are filled, the financial losses continue. Five new students enrolled last week and a few more will be begin next week. Can NYOS survive this incident? Absolutely! We will have to work together and rediscover how much this school means to all of us? Absolutely! As we walk through this awful accident at our school, we must seize the opportunity to grow from its lessons and use them to build our community into an even stronger one. Here are our next steps: A Safety Committee will be developed for the purposes of reviewing the results of the Austin Police Department’s Security Audit and the final report of the investigator (Sara Leon) hired by the Governing Council. Initial data from both of these sources indicate that NYOS already has many, if not all, of the characteristics of a safe school in accordance with general policing standards and with U.S. Department of Education recommendations. That’s great news. Parents, however, have identified several areas that they would commit to supporting in creating an even safer environment. We will pursue those ideas in this committee. I am really excited about some of the innovative ways that I know this school will adopt to ensure it remains a wonderful institution of knowledge and one of the safest campuses in Austin. If you are interested in serving on this committee, email me at telliott@nyos.org. If you do not have internet capability or need translating services, please contact Dora Wong or Vicki Gutierrez for assistance in getting involved. There is lots of parental energy at NYOS these days to get involved. Let’s tap into that and turn it into some thing to help us move forward. Over $25,000 was spent in just the first three weeks for our general counsel and the special investigator. Several fundraisers are coming your way to help us defray the legal costs of this incident. The first is the Coca-Cola sale. We will be selling case of soda, water, and sports drinks (as we have in the past). The second fundraiser will be a school-wide garage sale on April 4 & 5. Please use spring break to clean out your closets and plan for this big event. If neither of these fundraisers fits your busy schedule, we would be most happy to accept a donation! Taking that energy farther, we need to focus on our playground at Magnolia. In the days immediately following the incident, students shared that recess was one of Tevin’s favorite times of the day! This is not surprising given the kinesthetic nature of this little athlete. A Memorial Committee for Tevin has identified the playground as an area they would like to dedicate to his memory. If we combine the energy we already have to develop a better play area along with the desire of the committee, I think we can make great progress in the next few months. If you would like to be a part of the playground improvements at Magnolia, please contact me at telliott@nyos.org. I would like to have an initial meeting on Tuesday, February 26 at 12:00 noon for anyone that is interested. Bring your lunch bag! We continue to ask all of our families to practice safety and follow the school’s recommended traffic patterns for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Families are encouraged to drop off students behind the gymnasium before 7:45 a.m. so that students can attend morning assembly. If students arrive after 7:45, please park your vehicle and escort your child safely to their classroom. If you pick your child up early from school, please stop by the office, sign-in, and get a visitor’s badge. These policies are in place for the safety of your children. In sum, I ask that you continue to hold the Flower’s family in your prayers. The days in which close friends and families must return to their homes and lives are the hardest. Say hello to the next person you see on campus that you don’t already know – make having “no strangers” on campus a priority! Watch for ways in which you can engage yourself in your child’s school community and answer the call. Take a moment to thank your campus Principal and child’s teacher; they are committed to your child more than you can imagine. Sincerely, Teresa A. Elliott Executive Director _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 13, 2008 Dear NYOS Family, As we shared last Friday at the parent meeting, the community updates will continue on a weekly basis unless we have new information to release. All new information will be shared immediately. Thank you all for your continued patience and commitment to your child's school through this difficult time. Here is the latest information: • The funeral services for Tevin Flowers held last Saturday morning were fitting tributes to Tevin and his family. The music of Mt. Zion's children choir was harmonic. A reading and interpretation of Psalms 23:4 by the church's youth pastor was the perfect message for the Flower's family and all those who loved Tevin. His message was that while we must walk through the valley in the shadow of death, the emphasis of God's word should be on walking through until we get to the other side of tragedy. We ask that our NYOS community continue prayers for the Flower's family. • Mental health services are always available through MHMR and their 24-hour hotline. The phone number is 472-HELP. If you or your child is in need of assistance during this time, please take advantage of this free, specialized help. • NYOS parent and former chair of the Governing Council, Cindy Walter, has offered to start a grief group to support our community during and beyond this tragedy. At this time we are gathering the names of organizations in the Austin/Travis county area that can assist us in providing high quality materials for this group. • We are welcoming new families to our community daily. Most of the siblings that have been awaiting admittance to NYOS have been placed in classrooms. Please take the time to offer a warm welcome to our newest NYOSians. Not only have these parents chosen NYOS at a time of public scrutiny, they have offered their skills and talents in helping NYOS to walk through this time. • A safety audit of the Magnolia campus was conducted today. Senior Patrol Officer Lawrence Davis found no areas of safety that warranted addressing and spoke to the safety of the immediate neighborhood from his personal experience of patrolling the area. He advised that statistical data for the 78758 zip code does not reflect a true picture for the geographic area immediately surrounding the Magnolia McCullough campus. His report will be finalized after inspecting the lighting of the facilities at night. • We have no new information regarding the police investigation. As soon as the police complete this investigation we will pass that information on to you. Please realize that the police will prioritize reports regarding new information concerning the investigation in this manner: investigative team, followed by the family, the school, and then the public. The time span between notifying these groups is very short. We will try to get this information out in a in a timely manner; however, the press is likely to be your first source of the information given their vast resources. • New Committee Opportunities – o Tevin Flowers Memorial – Lynn Perkins will be chairing a committee to propose a tribute to Tevin. I am happy to share that the former McCullough Academy of Excellence administrators, Wilretta Collins and Joan Satterwhite will be joining members of the NYOS community in this work. What a wonderful way to come together an honor the child that both schools loved and miss. Email Lynn at lperkins@nyos.org to participate. o NYOS Safety Committee – On February 19, at the next regular Governing Council Meeting, I will ask for permission to begin a committee for the purpose of addressing safety at NYOS. Parents are invited to participate. More information will be available after the council meeting. Email me at telliott@nyos.org to participate. o Meals for the Flowers Family – Due to the large family support that the Flower's family had in place immediately after Tevin's death there was little need for our community to provide meals for the family. The liaison for the family feels there may be an opportunity in the near future to show our sympathy and continued support for the family. Email Terry Berkenhoff at tberkenhoff@nyos.org to participate. I can't begin to thank all of you that have given of your time and prayers during these last fifteen days. The out pour of support and love speaks volumes about our community. I am so proud to be affiliated with such amazing teachers, students, parents. The Governing Council has also done a wonderful job of projecting NYOS to the world. Their immediate public acknowledgment and support of both me and Terry Berkenhoff gave us the courage to lead through our darkest moments. Sincerely, Teresa Elliott Executive Director _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 4, 2008 Dear NYOS Family, We have been given something to provide for our family. They are in need of paper goods. We are suggesting gift cards to HEB or WalMart that can be used for acquiring these necessary items quickly, especially with out of town guests in the house. Monetary donations would work as well. If anyone would like to make a donation, please make your checks payable to NYOS. The school will accept the donation as a restricted (to be used for designated purpose only) donation. We will make a full accounting of the money and gift cards and get them to the family immediately. Thank you for any consideration of this request. Sincerely, Teresa _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 4, 2008 I am so proud of the NYOS community and their desire to help the student’s family. The family is still asking that we respect their privacy at this time. As soon as the school has information it will be shared with the community. Please know that the family has a wonderful support system with an extended family at this time. Be patient and continue your prayers for the family. Today went very well. Our students were informed that a NYOS student passed away. MHMR was available all day to meet with students in each classroom. In community circles, students were permitted to share how they feel. Safety measures at the Magnolia campus that have been taken so far include: removal of all restroom hooks; removal of restroom doors in the gymnasium; and utilization of the buddy system for the gym restrooms. APD will continue directed surveillance of the campus. Elementary students at our Lamar campus will use the buddy system as well. Additional measures being considered include: Complete security audits on both NYOS campuses and evaluating design of restrooms. On Friday, the Governing Council asked Ms. Sara Leon to investigate the incident and make recommendations about safety on our campus. As part of that investigation, Ms. Leon invites input from members of the NYOS community. You are invited to reach her with comments or information at (512) 494-1177. In closing, please continue your prayers for the student's family at this time. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 3, 2008 Dear NYOS Family, I would like to personally thank each of you for the many emails that we are receiving offering your support, confidence, and prayers. It is simply not possible to respond to all of them at this time. Please know that they are sustaining us. There have been some that are so gracious that I reread them prior to going to sleep at night so that I am reminded of how wonderful this community really is and will remain. We realize that some of you are very frustrated with the press coverage of this matter. I need you to know that NYOS can only reveal information that the authorities have cleared us to release during an ongoing investigation. If information is leaked to the press from someone other than school officials, we are still bound to confidentiality. Therefore, it may feel as it you are getting the latest news from the press versus the school. Our desire is to be forthright with our families; however, the pursuit of the truth to what happened to our student must remain our highest goal. He and his family deserve nothing less than the facts. Ascertaining the truth will provide the guidance to ensure that this never happens again. Please continue your prayers for the student's family at this time. Teresa Elliott _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ February 1, 2008 Dear NYOS Community, I am so sorry to share that our student, injured earlier this week at school, has passed away today at approximately 2:30 p.m. today. The police will release this information to the public momentarily. We ask that your continue to lift this family up in your thoughts and prayers. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ NYOS Press Statement January 31, 2008 6:30 p.m. Contact: Susana Hildebrand, Board Chairperson, (512) 275-1593 I am Susana Hildebrand, the chair of the NYOS Charter School Governing Council and I have two boys attending school at this campus. First, let me affirm that our priorities are the welfare of the child involved and his family. To that extent, the family has asked us and the media to respect their desire for privacy. We intend to do that. NYOS is a public school, a charter school. We have two campuses, the Magnolia McCullough campus, here and a campus on Lamar Blvd. We educate children from Pre-K to 3rd grade at this campus. There are 288 students and 17 classroom teachers here. Children in grades 4 through 12 are taught at the Lamar campus. Our teachers are the most caring, involved educators and our administrators are dedicated and skilled. NYOS is devoted to the safety and welfare of our children. We are absolutely committed to providing the best possible education to our children bar none. NYOS has been recognized as an exemplary school – it may be the only exemplary charter school in Central Texas. NYOS has been acknowledged as a premiere charter school in the state of Texas. Yesterday, there was an incident at this campus that resulted in a serious injury to a student. We are devastated that this has happened. We continue to work with law enforcement officials to determine what happened. We do not have additional facts to provide to you regarding the incident. We will be conducting our own investigation. We understand that Department of Family and Regulatory Services (the agency formerly known as CPS) has opened an investigation as well. We will be cooperating with them as well. At the time of the incident, two teachers provided immediate medical attention to the student. We are so thankful to them for their immediate care and concern and outstanding first response to this medical emergency. We are also grateful for our outstanding principal and teachers that remain committed to our children's welfare and education during this difficult time. As we were able to release information, we have communicated with our community. Last night, our teachers contacted each parent by phone and invited parents to attend a community assembly this morning. This morning, we provided the information as we had been given it by the investigators. We will continue to provide information to our parents daily as we are able to do so. As we move forward, we have accepted the assistance of multiple counselors (as many as 20 or more) from the Austin Independent School District, Travis County Mental Health and Retardation and the Austin Medical Emergency Crisis Response Team. We would like to express our gratitude for their help during this difficult time. The Austin Police Dept has offered and we accepted their offer to have a presence on our campus. We will be open for school tomorrow, though we understand during this time that some parents may choose to be with their children. Our regular school hours on Fridays dismiss at 12: 15 pm. The NYOS Board and staff will continue to keep our injured student in our thoughts and prayers. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ January 31, 2008 Dear NYOS Parents, Our young student is still in critical condition. I cannot begin to express the depth and faith of his family. Each time Terry and I visit, we receive more counseling and ministering than what we leave. Please continue to lift them up in your prayers as they continue to endure this tragedy. To address safety concerns that parents shared today, we have accepted an offer from Austin Police Department to maintain a police presence until the investigation is complete. The APD is hopeful the investigation will be finalized very soon. We have also scheduled security audits for both campuses for next week. This process will include an inspection of our facilities, review of our policies and procedures, and recommendations for increased campus safety. Child Protective Services began an investigation into the accident today. This process is important, as it is an external assessment of the overall safety of our campus for all children. Counselors from MHMR met with and trained our teachers at both campuses in how to address children's needs and identify students who are having trouble dealing with this crisis. We will continue to send daily messages of our student's medical status and of what steps are being taken in this matter. Sincerely, Teresa Elliott _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ January 31, 2008 Dear Parents, We are anticipating another email this evening. This is a parental message the MHMR assisted us with to better serve our parents. Many of you may be aware that there was a serious incident at NYOS yesterday in which a student was seriously injured. The circumstances of this incident are currently under investigation by the Austin Police Department. It is important to protect our children when they are exposed to any type of traumatic event, particularly when a child has personal exposure to others who were injured or involved. It is helpful to tell your child that a serious incident has occurred in which a schoolmate was seriously injured. Assure your child that he or she is safe and that you and other adults are there to take care of him or her. Below are a few basic guidelines for ensuring your child will feel safe and protected. -Maintain your child¡'s routines as much as possible. -If your child asks questions about what happened, answer his or her questions directly and briefly. Provide very limited information. For example, "We aren't really sure what happened. The police are working to figure that out." -Acknowledge any feelings associated with this event that your child expresses. These feelings may include feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger or fear. All of these feelings are normal. -Do not expose your child to any media or Internet coverage of the event. -Be aware of changes in your child¡'s behavior. If you are concerned about your child¡'s behavior for any reason, notify your child¡'s counselor. -If you feel it is an emergency or that you need to talk to someone immediately, call the HOTLINE at Austin Travis County MHMR at 472-HELP. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ January 30, 2008 - Injured Student Dear NYOS Family Members, Today, a 7-year old student at the Magnolia campus was found unconscious and was subsequently transported to Children's Hospital where he is currently in the Critical Care Unit and his condition has stabilized. Police and doctors are crediting our teacher's quick response and first aide with saving this child's life. We are cooperating with the police as they complete their investigation. Because the investigation is still open, we cannot share additional information at this time. The safety of our students is our first priority. As information regarding this incident comes to light, we will determine what, if any, campus safety issues need to be addressed. Tomorrow morning we will have an assembly for the entire NYOS community at 8 a.m. in the Grant AME sanctuary, which is located on the same property as the school. The purpose of the assembly is to provide whatever information we can at that point and to offer the services of professional counselors for our parents and students. After the assembly, elementary parents can choose to keep their child with them for the day or have their child attend school. Regular school will resume Friday and conferences scheduled for Friday and Monday will be postponed for one week. This assembly is optional for our secondary students. Staff will be present at the Lamar campus during the assembly. I would like to express my gratitude to Commissioner Robert Scott of the Texas Education Agency for his support and immediate action in coordinating county and AISD counselors that will be available tomorrow morning at the Magnolia campus. A special thank you to AISD Superintendent, Dr. Pat Forgione for his support and cooperation as well. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ June 27, 2007 - Relocation of Lamar K-3rd Grade Classes Approved by Governing Council The Governing Council formally voted to relocate the current NYOS students in grades K-3 at our Lamar Campus to the new Magnolia McCullough Campus at 1605 Kramer Lane. In addition, the vote included relocating the current 4th and 5th graders from McCullough Academy of Excellence to the Lamar Campus of NYOS. The council also voted to enter into a 10-year lease agreement with Grant AME Worship Center for rental of the school administration building, gymnasium, commercial kitchen, and land where the 18 portable classrooms reside. In summary, effective July 23rd NYOS will consolidate its elementary program grades Pre-K (4 year olds only) through 3rd at the new Magnolia McCullough Campus and the 4th and 5th grade program at our Lamar Campus. The council was presented several reasons for restructuring the elementary program. The following points support the rationale best: Increased administrative focus in supporting the development of high-performing teacher teams Stronger curriculum development within grade level teaching teams and vertical teams (i.e. math pre-k through 5) Increased efficiency and effectiveness of resources in support of teaching and learning opportunities Address traffic safety issues at Lamar Campus We look forward to serving your children in this wonderful new environment. Please keep watching the website for more details on this transition and how you can support your child's teacher in this process. The teachers will appreciate your participation. In order to facilitate a smooth transition to the new location the council has established several committees and is seeking parent and teacher participation. Information on the committees, meeting times, and other details will be available shortly. You will find this information under About NYOS → Governing Council → Committees. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ June 20, 2007 - Relocation of Lamar K-3rd Grade Classes An opportunity to tour the Kramer campus and address parent questions and concerns has been scheduled for June 26 at 6:00 p.m. We will conduct three tours starting at 6:00, 6:20 and 6:40 and follow with a parent meeting at 7:00 p.m. Terry Berkenhoff, the new Elementary Principal, will present the concept and benefits of consolidating the elementary program. The administrative team and council will address parent questions and concerns. We will also offer an open house of the Lamar campus for the 2007-08 4th and 5th graders from McCullough to visit their new campus on June 28 with the same schedule as above. The recommendation to consolidate our elementary programs has come at the advisement of professional development experts over the years, and most recently from the newly hired Elementary Principal who offered compelling reasons for the committee to consider the concept. The Transition (Gessner to Kramer) Committee worked through a wide variety of issues and concerns to formalize their recommendation to the Council. The Governing Council is considering a recommendation to relocate all K-3 classes to the new NYOS-Magnolia McCullough campus located at 1605 Kramer Lane. The 4th and 5th grade students currently enrolled at McCullough Academy of Excellence will move to our Lamar campus effective July 23, 2007. Long-range plans are to form a single NYOS Elementary campus (K-5) at the NYOS Magnolia-McCullough campus for the 2008-2009 school year. The consolidation of grade levels will serve to accomplish the following benefits towards improved opportunities for student learning: · Aligned curriculum and instruction · Increased efficiency and effectiveness of resources in support of teaching and learning opportunities · Increased opportunities for peer mentoring and coaching between grade level teachers at both campuses · Stronger curriculum development within horizontal and vertical grade levels · Increased administrative focus in supporting the development of high-performing teacher teams · Maintain goal of looping · Ease of space tension until bread company space is accessible and renovated · Reduction of traffic at Lamar campus (transportation between campuses) · Access to acres of outdoor playscape for young students An explanation of these benefits is provided below: Aligned curriculum and instruction – Consistency in curriculum and instructional practices is best achieved when teams of teachers are supported through opportunities to work side by side in a collaborative fashion. Aligned curriculum and instructional practices ensures that standards are consistently met and learning experiences reach the depth and complexity specified in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Increased efficiency and effectiveness of resources in support of teaching and learning opportunities – The combined resources of three K-3rd grade programs will be available to all teachers on the campus in real time. This includes math manipulatives, classroom libraries, guided reading library books, technology resources, and instructional support staff. Increased opportunities for peer mentoring and coaching between grade level teacher teams from both campuses – By combining the K-3rd grade classes immediately we allow teachers (as well as our students) the opportunity to start building relationships with one another immediately. While our Gessner and Lamar teachers work effectively together, the truly strong relationships are established between those side-by-side peers. To build the NYOS community starting day one, we need our teachers lighting the path with one another. Stronger curriculum development within horizontal and vertical grade levels – Scheduling could provide an opportunity for all grade level teachers to work together for 70 minutes each day in building a stronger, cohesive and rich curriculum. This is especially important as we begin to build on our multi-cultural learner goals. Increased administrative focus in supporting the development of high-performing teacher teams – The Governing Council has taken strong and strategic action to improve the elementary program this next school year. In addition to hiring a new Principal, we have added an Assistant Principal and an Instructional Coach. Administrative presence will be highly visible at both campuses, every hour of the school day! This is far more than a quantity issue; this is very much a quality issue as well. By consolidating the grade level teams, the administration will be able to capitalize on staff development minutes and spend more time in classrooms. Maintain goal of looping – Maintaining class assignments for two years rather than re-assigning children one year later. Ease of space tension until bread company space is accessible and renovated – Currently we are exploring the need to convert our music program to a cart-to-classroom program similar to our elementary Spanish and Art programs due to a lack of classroom space until the bread company moves out in July 2008 and the space is renovated. The library area is also being planned for full-time use as a classroom. Relocating 96 elementary students to the Kramer location, while adding only 40 more 4th and 5th graders is a net loss of 56 students at the Lamar campus. This frees up enough classroom space to preserve our specials programs and library space. Reduction of traffic at Lamar campus – A part of the plan proposed to the Governing Council includes having the Kramer campus serve as a drop-off site for all NYOS students (with at least one sibling enrolled in grades K-3rd). Staggered start times between the K-3rd program and the 4th-5th grade program would provide time to deliver the older students Lamar campus. A return trip would be provided in the afternoons. The bus would only run from Kramer to Lamar in the mornings and Lamar to Kramer in the afternoon to minimize traffic congestion. Access to acres of outdoor playscape for young students – The Kramer location holds the promise of what we envisioned for NYOS in the charter. There is space to develop gardens, build greenhouses and aviaries, and play! Play is so important to the development of children. Change is difficult at best, even when carefully planned and executed with thorough and timely communication. This notice comes to you with short notice, but not without careful deliberation and a strategic plan of action for the change. We understand the loss that our families will experience ranging from having all their children at one site for ease of transportation to the ability to have lunch with all your children in one visit to school. Your concerns are of great interest to us. Please plan to attend the meeting on June 26 to receive more information and explore the Magnolia McCullough campus! _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ June 18, 2007 - New Elementary Principal Last Tuesday, the Principal Interview Committee recommended to the Governing Council that Terry Berkenhoff be offered the position of Elementary Principal. We are fortunate that Terry has now accepted this position and will begin immediately. Terry was an elementary teacher for 12 years prior to becoming a lead instructional support teacher for 2 years. Her most recent position was as an elementary assistant principal at RRISD since 2005. Terry's true strength is her philosophical alignment to NYOS, including her strong belief in the teaching-learning-cycle (LN), integrated thematic instruction (ITI), and cognitively guided instruction (CGI). She could not be more aligned to what NYOS is about if she had written the charter herself! In addition, Terry has completed several years of training in backward design and curriculum mapping. To support Terry in this role with an expanded second campus, we will be adding an Assistant Principal and Curriculum Specialist. Announcements on those positions will follow shortly. A school social is being planned for July 10th – please put that date on your calendar, more information will follow. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ June 11, 2007 - Gessner Campus Relocation Last February, the Governing Council of NYOS instructed administration to pursue finding a new home for the Gessner campus. For nine years we have renovated, added cabinets and designed offsite storage, trying to find a way to make the environment more conducive to learning. The Gessner building is simply not designed for the operation of a school for 96 students. Prior to the decision to relocate, we had begun talking to another charter school about opportunities to collaborate in our educational programs. McCullough Academy of Excellence is located at 1605 Kramer Lane, near north Lamar. They have approximately 133 students with the capacity to serve approximately 170 more. In addition to the classrooms, there is a real library, playscape, administrative offices, a commercial kitchen, lots of outdoors space, and a full-size gymnasium. It is our intent to open the new NYOS campus this July 23 and permanently close the Gessner campus. Click on the link below to read frequently asked questions regarding this matter. (Requires free Adobe Reader 7.0 or greater.) Gessner Campus Relocation - Frequently Asked Questions
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Important Announcements

May 14, 2008

Revisions to the 2008-09 School Calendar

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING - Monday, May 19 – 6:00 p.m. Lamar Cafeteria

On Monday, May 16 the Governing Council will hold a special called meeting to discuss a two-week delay in the opening of our 2008-09 school year due to the construction schedule of the Flower’s Bread Company and existing high school building. A public forum will be available for parents to express concerns and hardships that a late start will cause for their family. In addition, we will seek feedback from parents on ideal times, i.e. fall break, spring break, to make up these missed days. We will also develop a quick online survey for the feedback of parents that are unable to attend the Monday meeting.

The link for the survey is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ZYPSAmvUo94y83OxTL3l3w_3d_3d

Here are some steps we are working on to assist our families:

Revise 2008-09 calendar before school ends, tentative new start date: August 4;
Excuse absences for children who’s families have already made vacation plans on the original school schedule; and
Partner with KinderCare for childcare during the two-week delay (including special rates for low-income families).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the construction delay?

The delay is in redrawing the gym plans. The structural engineer discovered a steel beam would take five months to custom manufacture if we removed it so that it was not in the middle of the gym floor. The plans were redrawn to move the entire gym 20 ft. for a savings of $25,000 and five months delay.

Who is the construction contractor?

The contractor is NYOS’ old friend, John King. John is the builder of the main building at the Lamar campus. Our past experience with John has resulted in buildings built on time and under budget.

What if more time is needed?

We are confident that the high school building will be completed by August 4 with plenty of time for our teachers to move in and set up their classrooms. We can begin school safely with ample room with just access to the main building and existing high school.

When will the bread company be completed?

The bread company is not scheduled to be open until after fall break per the original plans. We are still waiting for the tenant to move out in mid-June.

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April 28, 2008

CMR Proposal Form | CMR Questionnaire | FCN Form | S & D Certificate

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April 23, 2008

2008-2009 Approved School Calendar

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April 3, 2008

Final Report by Special Investigator, Sara Leon

Administrative Response to Final Report

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March 4, 2008

Governing Council Nominations and Election

The terms for Susana Hildebrand (Magnolia Parent Representative) and Robert Brenner (Lamar Parent Representative) expire on June 17, 2008. Both Susana and Robert are eligible for another term. Two Teacher Representatives positions are also open. Dewayne Jones (Lamar Teacher Representative) will vacate his seat as of June 17 to accept a teaching assignment in China and Valerie Sterne (Magnolia Teacher Representative) will vacate her position to focus on other leadership roles within the organization. We are formally opening nominations for these four positions on the council.

The purpose of the Governing Council is to ensure that the school accomplishes all the things it was created to accomplish and that it avoids everything that should be avoided on behalf of the owners of the school. The owners of a public school are the taxpayers of Texas. Council members have the duty of loyalty to the school, maintaining sufficient oversight to make informed decisions, and obedience to the hierarchy of legal documents (charter, bylaws, contract with state, etc.). Other duties of the Council include:

•supervision, evaluation, and hiring or removal of the Executive Director
•development of strategic goals and objectives
•establishment of School policy
•review and approve the budget
•negotiations with and accountability to the Texas Education Agency

Anyone interested in serving on the Governing Council can nominate themselves for these positions. Parent Representatives must have at least one student enrolled at the respective campus. The Teacher Representative must be assigned to the Lamar campus.

You may also choose to nominate a parent or teacher. We will verify with your nominee to ensure that they are willing and able to serve prior to the election. If you have a nomination or any questions, contact Craig Shempert, Nomination Committee Chairman at cshempert@nyos.org or 512-244-2016.

We are opening nominations prior to the 45-day window stated in accordance with the bylaws. A sample ballot will be available on the website and sent home with students by April 11. The election will be held on April 22. The new Council members will be seated at the regular meeting in June and their terms will expire in June of 2010.

Important dates:
Nominations open: March 8, 2008
Nominations close: April 8, 2008
Candidate Biography Due: April 9, 2008 (½ page bio can be transmitted upon nomination)
Sample ballot: April 11, 2008
Election date: April 22, 2008

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February 24, 2008

Placement of 4th & 5th Grade Classrooms
Our initial goal when we leased the Kramer facility for our Pre-K – 3rd grade campus was to unify the entire elementary program on that site in the 2008-09 school year. After months of studying this issue, we have concluded that the best use of public funds at this time is to keep the 4th and 5th grades at Yager. Our goal has always been, and continues to be, to grow our high school students out of our elementary program. Towards that goal, the elementary enrollment numbers were increased in 2007-08. By having 64 student per grade level at Kindergarten through 8th grade, we can elect to not fill vacancies in grades 9 – 12 without compromising the quality and integrity of our educational program at the high school level.

Renovation Plans Meeting
Our plans are to renovate the Flower’s Bread Company into a 4th – 5th grade educational wing. This building will also house our central office staff, and a 3,100 square foot mini-gym. Additional renovations include creating a Fine Arts Center in the old K-1 area and a Science Zone by expanding the current main laboratory and relocating the middle and junior high science classes nearby. A meeting to review the proposed plans will be held Monday, February 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the Yager cafeteria. If you cannot attend the meeting, please email your comments to Bill Pfaff at bpfaff@nyos.org.

Click here to view the NYOS Renovation Plans (Requires free Adobe Reader 7.0 or greater.)

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February 22, 2008

We are seeking feedback on the 2008-09 School Calendar from our community prior to the adoption by the Governing Council on March 25, 2008. Please email your calendar comments to telliott@nyos.org. Click here to view the 2008-09 Tentative School Calendar (Requires free Adobe Reader 7.0 or greater.)

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February 21, 2008

Dear NYOS Families,

Since our last community update the Austin Police Department has concluded that Tevin Park-Flowers’ death was a very tragic accident. Last Thursday, APD made the following critical announcements:

NYOS staff members were accounted for during the time of the incident and have been cleared of wrongdoing in this case;
No outsider or intruder harmed Tevin;
Sexual Assault was not a factor in this case; and,
Suicide was ruled out as a possibility.

All the above statements lead the police to rule the incident accidental despite the lack of eyewitnesses.

Several folks have asked if NYOS is going to be okay after all of this. My reply is, “Yes, but we have our challenges.” As a public school, our funding is based on student enrollment. The State of Texas sends funding for the number of students enrolled; we lose funding every time students are absent. Because of student absences in the first two days of the incident, NYOS lost $12,400 in state funding. We understand that families needed to take time with their children. This experience has been very awakening in terms of new perspectives. Since the accident 25 students have withdrawn, which equates to about $1,000 in lost revenue per day. Until these student positions are filled, the financial losses continue. Five new students enrolled last week and a few more will be begin next week.

Can NYOS survive this incident? Absolutely! We will have to work together and rediscover how much this school means to all of us? Absolutely! As we walk through this awful accident at our school, we must seize the opportunity to grow from its lessons and use them to build our community into an even stronger one. Here are our next steps:

A Safety Committee will be developed for the purposes of reviewing the results of the Austin Police Department’s Security Audit and the final report of the investigator (Sara Leon) hired by the Governing Council. Initial data from both of these sources indicate that NYOS already has many, if not all, of the characteristics of a safe school in accordance with general policing standards and with U.S. Department of Education recommendations. That’s great news. Parents, however, have identified several areas that they would commit to supporting in creating an even safer environment. We will pursue those ideas in this committee. I am really excited about some of the innovative ways that I know this school will adopt to ensure it remains a wonderful institution of knowledge and one of the safest campuses in Austin. If you are interested in serving on this committee, email me at telliott@nyos.org. If you do not have internet capability or need translating services, please contact Dora Wong or Vicki Gutierrez for assistance in getting involved.

There is lots of parental energy at NYOS these days to get involved. Let’s tap into that and turn it into some thing to help us move forward. Over $25,000 was spent in just the first three weeks for our general counsel and the special investigator. Several fundraisers are coming your way to help us defray the legal costs of this incident. The first is the Coca-Cola sale. We will be selling case of soda, water, and sports drinks (as we have in the past). The second fundraiser will be a school-wide garage sale on April 4 & 5. Please use spring break to clean out your closets and plan for this big event. If neither of these fundraisers fits your busy schedule, we would be most happy to accept a donation!

Taking that energy farther, we need to focus on our playground at Magnolia. In the days immediately following the incident, students shared that recess was one of Tevin’s favorite times of the day! This is not surprising given the kinesthetic nature of this little athlete. A Memorial Committee for Tevin has identified the playground as an area they would like to dedicate to his memory. If we combine the energy we already have to develop a better play area along with the desire of the committee, I think we can make great progress in the next few months. If you would like to be a part of the playground improvements at Magnolia, please contact me at telliott@nyos.org. I would like to have an initial meeting on Tuesday, February 26 at 12:00 noon for anyone that is interested. Bring your lunch bag!

We continue to ask all of our families to practice safety and follow the school’s recommended traffic patterns for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Families are encouraged to drop off students behind the gymnasium before 7:45 a.m. so that students can attend morning assembly. If students arrive after 7:45, please park your vehicle and escort your child safely to their classroom. If you pick your child up early from school, please stop by the office, sign-in, and get a visitor’s badge. These policies are in place for the safety of your children.

In sum, I ask that you continue to hold the Flower’s family in your prayers. The days in which close friends and families must return to their homes and lives are the hardest. Say hello to the next person you see on campus that you don’t already know – make having “no strangers” on campus a priority! Watch for ways in which you can engage yourself in your child’s school community and answer the call. Take a moment to thank your campus Principal and child’s teacher; they are committed to your child more than you can imagine.

Sincerely,

Teresa A. Elliott
Executive Director

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February 13, 2008

Dear NYOS Family,

As we shared last Friday at the parent meeting, the community updates will continue on a weekly basis unless we have new information to release. All new information will be shared immediately. Thank you all for your continued patience and commitment to your child's school through this difficult time. Here is the latest information:

• The funeral services for Tevin Flowers held last Saturday morning were fitting tributes to Tevin and his family. The music of Mt. Zion's children choir was harmonic. A reading and interpretation of Psalms 23:4 by the church's youth pastor was the perfect message for the Flower's family and all those who loved Tevin. His message was that while we must walk through the valley in the shadow of death, the emphasis of God's word should be on walking through until we get to the other side of tragedy. We ask that our NYOS community continue prayers for the Flower's family.

• Mental health services are always available through MHMR and their 24-hour hotline. The phone number is 472-HELP. If you or your child is in need of assistance during this time, please take advantage of this free, specialized help.

• NYOS parent and former chair of the Governing Council, Cindy Walter, has offered to start a grief group to support our community during and beyond this tragedy. At this time we are gathering the names of organizations in the Austin/Travis county area that can assist us in providing high quality materials for this group.

• We are welcoming new families to our community daily. Most of the siblings that have been awaiting admittance to NYOS have been placed in classrooms. Please take the time to offer a warm welcome to our newest NYOSians. Not only have these parents chosen NYOS at a time of public scrutiny, they have offered their skills and talents in helping NYOS to walk through this time.

• A safety audit of the Magnolia campus was conducted today. Senior Patrol Officer Lawrence Davis found no areas of safety that warranted addressing and spoke to the safety of the immediate neighborhood from his personal experience of patrolling the area. He advised that statistical data for the 78758 zip code does not reflect a true picture for the geographic area immediately surrounding the Magnolia McCullough campus. His report will be finalized after inspecting the lighting of the facilities at night.

• We have no new information regarding the police investigation. As soon as the police complete this investigation we will pass that information on to you. Please realize that the police will prioritize reports regarding new information concerning the investigation in this manner: investigative team, followed by the family, the school, and then the public. The time span between notifying these groups is very short. We will try to get this information out in a in a timely manner; however, the press is likely to be your first source of the information given their vast resources.

• New Committee Opportunities –

o Tevin Flowers Memorial – Lynn Perkins will be chairing a committee to propose a tribute to Tevin. I am happy to share that the former McCullough Academy of Excellence administrators, Wilretta Collins and Joan Satterwhite will be joining members of the NYOS community in this work. What a wonderful way to come together an honor the child that both schools loved and miss. Email Lynn at lperkins@nyos.org to participate.

o NYOS Safety Committee – On February 19, at the next regular Governing Council Meeting, I will ask for permission to begin a committee for the purpose of addressing safety at NYOS. Parents are invited to participate. More information will be available after the council meeting. Email me at telliott@nyos.org to participate.

o Meals for the Flowers Family – Due to the large family support that the Flower's family had in place immediately after Tevin's death there was little need for our community to provide meals for the family. The liaison for the family feels there may be an opportunity in the near future to show our sympathy and continued support for the family. Email Terry Berkenhoff at tberkenhoff@nyos.org to participate.

I can't begin to thank all of you that have given of your time and prayers during these last fifteen days. The out pour of support and love speaks volumes about our community. I am so proud to be affiliated with such amazing teachers, students, parents. The Governing Council has also done a wonderful job of projecting NYOS to the world. Their immediate public acknowledgment and support of both me and Terry Berkenhoff gave us the courage to lead through our darkest moments.

Sincerely,

Teresa Elliott
Executive Director

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February 4, 2008

Dear NYOS Family,

We have been given something to provide for our family. They are in need of paper goods. We are suggesting gift cards to HEB or WalMart that can be used for acquiring these necessary items quickly, especially with out of town guests in the house. Monetary donations would work as well.

If anyone would like to make a donation, please make your checks payable to NYOS. The school will accept the donation as a restricted (to be used for designated purpose only) donation. We will make a full accounting of the money and gift cards and get them to the family immediately.

Thank you for any consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Teresa

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February 4, 2008

I am so proud of the NYOS community and their desire to help the student’s family. The family is still asking that we respect their privacy at this time. As soon as the school has information it will be shared with the community. Please know that the family has a wonderful support system with an extended family at this time. Be patient and continue your prayers for the family.

Today went very well. Our students were informed that a NYOS student passed away. MHMR was available all day to meet with students in each classroom. In community circles, students were permitted to share how they feel.

Safety measures at the Magnolia campus that have been taken so far include: removal of all restroom hooks; removal of restroom doors in the gymnasium; and utilization of the buddy system for the gym restrooms. APD will continue directed surveillance of the campus. Elementary students at our Lamar campus will use the buddy system as well. Additional measures being considered include: Complete security audits on both NYOS campuses and evaluating design of restrooms.

On Friday, the Governing Council asked Ms. Sara Leon to investigate the incident and make recommendations about safety on our campus. As part of that investigation, Ms. Leon invites input from members of the NYOS community. You are invited to reach her with comments or information at (512) 494-1177.

In closing, please continue your prayers for the student's family at this time.

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February 3, 2008

Dear NYOS Family,

I would like to personally thank each of you for the many emails that we are receiving offering your support, confidence, and prayers. It is simply not possible to respond to all of them at this time. Please know that they are sustaining us. There have been some that are so gracious that I reread them prior to going to sleep at night so that I am reminded of how wonderful this community really is and will remain.

We realize that some of you are very frustrated with the press coverage of this matter. I need you to know that NYOS can only reveal information that the authorities have cleared us to release during an ongoing investigation. If information is leaked to the press from someone other than school officials, we are still bound to confidentiality. Therefore, it may feel as it you are getting the latest news from the press versus the school.

Our desire is to be forthright with our families; however, the pursuit of the truth to what happened to our student must remain our highest goal. He and his family deserve nothing less than the facts. Ascertaining the truth will provide the guidance to ensure that this never happens again.

Please continue your prayers for the student's family at this time.

Teresa Elliott

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February 1, 2008

Dear NYOS Community,

I am so sorry to share that our student, injured earlier this week at school, has passed away today at approximately 2:30 p.m. today. The police will release this information to the public momentarily.

We ask that your continue to lift this family up in your thoughts and prayers.

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NYOS Press Statement
January 31, 2008
6:30 p.m.

Contact: Susana Hildebrand, Board Chairperson, (512) 275-1593

I am Susana Hildebrand, the chair of the NYOS Charter School Governing Council and I have two boys attending school at this campus.

First, let me affirm that our priorities are the welfare of the child involved and his family. To that extent, the family has asked us and the media to respect their desire for privacy. We intend to do that.

NYOS is a public school, a charter school. We have two campuses, the Magnolia McCullough campus, here and a campus on Lamar Blvd. We educate children from Pre-K to 3rd grade at this campus. There are 288 students and 17 classroom teachers here. Children in grades 4 through 12 are taught at the Lamar campus. Our teachers are the most caring, involved educators and our administrators are dedicated and skilled.

NYOS is devoted to the safety and welfare of our children. We are absolutely committed to providing the best possible education to our children bar none. NYOS has been recognized as an exemplary school – it may be the only exemplary charter school in Central Texas. NYOS has been acknowledged as a premiere charter school in the state of Texas.

Yesterday, there was an incident at this campus that resulted in a serious injury to a student. We are devastated that this has happened. We continue to work with law enforcement officials to determine what happened. We do not have additional facts to provide to you regarding the incident. We will be conducting our own investigation. We understand that Department of Family and Regulatory Services (the agency formerly known as CPS) has opened an investigation as well. We will be cooperating with them as well.

At the time of the incident, two teachers provided immediate medical attention to the student. We are so thankful to them for their immediate care and concern and outstanding first response to this medical emergency. We are also grateful for our outstanding principal and teachers that remain committed to our children's welfare and education during this difficult time.

As we were able to release information, we have communicated with our community. Last night, our teachers contacted each parent by phone and invited parents to attend a community assembly this morning. This morning, we provided the information as we had been given it by the investigators. We will continue to provide information to our parents daily as we are able to do so.

As we move forward, we have accepted the assistance of multiple counselors (as many as 20 or more) from the Austin Independent School District, Travis County Mental Health and Retardation and the Austin Medical Emergency Crisis Response Team. We would like to express our gratitude for their help during this difficult time. The Austin Police Dept has offered and we accepted their offer to have a presence on our campus.

We will be open for school tomorrow, though we understand during this time that some parents may choose to be with their children. Our regular school hours on Fridays dismiss at 12: 15 pm.

The NYOS Board and staff will continue to keep our injured student in our thoughts and prayers.

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January 31, 2008

Dear NYOS Parents,

Our young student is still in critical condition. I cannot begin to express the depth and faith of his family. Each time Terry and I visit, we receive more counseling and ministering than what we leave. Please continue to lift them up in your prayers as they continue to endure this tragedy.

To address safety concerns that parents shared today, we have accepted an offer from Austin Police Department to maintain a police presence until the investigation is complete. The APD is hopeful the investigation will be finalized very soon.

We have also scheduled security audits for both campuses for next week. This process will include an inspection of our facilities, review of our policies and procedures, and recommendations for increased campus safety.

Child Protective Services began an investigation into the accident today. This process is important, as it is an external assessment of the overall safety of our campus for all children.

Counselors from MHMR met with and trained our teachers at both campuses in how to address children's needs and identify students who are having trouble dealing with this crisis.

We will continue to send daily messages of our student's medical status and of what steps are being taken in this matter.

Sincerely,

Teresa Elliott

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January 31, 2008

Dear Parents,

We are anticipating another email this evening. This is a parental message the MHMR assisted us with to better serve our parents.

Many of you may be aware that there was a serious incident at NYOS yesterday in which a student was seriously injured. The circumstances of this incident are currently under investigation by the Austin Police Department.

It is important to protect our children when they are exposed to any type of traumatic event, particularly when a child has personal exposure to others who were injured or involved.

It is helpful to tell your child that a serious incident has occurred in which a schoolmate was seriously injured. Assure your child that he or she is safe and that you and other adults are there to take care of him or her.

Below are a few basic guidelines for ensuring your child will feel safe and protected.

-Maintain your child¡'s routines as much as possible.

-If your child asks questions about what happened, answer his or her questions directly and briefly. Provide very limited information. For example, "We aren't really sure what happened. The police are working to figure that out."

-Acknowledge any feelings associated with this event that your child expresses. These feelings may include feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger or fear. All of these feelings are normal.

-Do not expose your child to any media or Internet coverage of the event.

-Be aware of changes in your child¡'s behavior. If you are concerned about your child¡'s behavior for any reason, notify your child¡'s counselor.

-If you feel it is an emergency or that you need to talk to someone immediately, call the HOTLINE at Austin Travis County MHMR at 472-HELP.

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January 30, 2008 - Injured Student

Dear NYOS Family Members,

Today, a 7-year old student at the Magnolia campus was found unconscious and was subsequently transported to Children's Hospital where he is currently in the Critical Care Unit and his condition has stabilized. Police and doctors are crediting our teacher's quick response and first aide with saving this child's life. We are cooperating with the police as they complete their investigation. Because the investigation is still open, we cannot share additional information at this time.

The safety of our students is our first priority. As information regarding this incident comes to light, we will determine what, if any, campus safety issues need to be addressed.

Tomorrow morning we will have an assembly for the entire NYOS community at 8 a.m. in the Grant AME sanctuary, which is located on the same property as the school.

The purpose of the assembly is to provide whatever information we can at that point and to offer the services of professional counselors for our parents and students. After the assembly, elementary parents can choose to keep their child with them for the day or have their child attend school. Regular school will resume Friday and conferences scheduled for Friday and Monday will be postponed for one week. This assembly is optional for our secondary students. Staff will be present at the Lamar campus during the assembly.

I would like to express my gratitude to Commissioner Robert Scott of the Texas Education Agency for his support and immediate action in coordinating county and AISD counselors that will be available tomorrow morning at the Magnolia campus. A special thank you to AISD Superintendent, Dr. Pat Forgione for his support and cooperation as well.

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June 27, 2007 - Relocation of Lamar K-3rd Grade Classes Approved by Governing Council

The Governing Council formally voted to relocate the current NYOS students in grades K-3 at our Lamar Campus to the new Magnolia McCullough Campus at 1605 Kramer Lane. In addition, the vote included relocating the current 4th and 5th graders from McCullough Academy of Excellence to the Lamar Campus of NYOS. The council also voted to enter into a 10-year lease agreement with Grant AME Worship Center for rental of the school administration building, gymnasium, commercial kitchen, and land where the 18 portable classrooms reside.

In summary, effective July 23rd NYOS will consolidate its elementary program grades Pre-K (4 year olds only) through 3rd at the new Magnolia McCullough Campus and the 4th and 5th grade program at our Lamar Campus. The council was presented several reasons for restructuring the elementary program. The following points support the rationale best:

Increased administrative focus in supporting the development of high-performing teacher teams
Stronger curriculum development within grade level teaching teams and vertical teams (i.e. math pre-k through 5)
Increased efficiency and effectiveness of resources in support of teaching and learning opportunities
Address traffic safety issues at Lamar Campus

We look forward to serving your children in this wonderful new environment. Please keep watching the website for more details on this transition and how you can support your child's teacher in this process. The teachers will appreciate your participation.

In order to facilitate a smooth transition to the new location the council has established several committees and is seeking parent and teacher participation. Information on the committees, meeting times, and other details will be available shortly. You will find this information under About NYOS → Governing Council → Committees.

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June 20, 2007 - Relocation of Lamar K-3rd Grade Classes

An opportunity to tour the Kramer campus and address parent questions and concerns has been scheduled for June 26 at 6:00 p.m. We will conduct three tours starting at 6:00, 6:20 and 6:40 and follow with a parent meeting at 7:00 p.m. Terry Berkenhoff, the new Elementary Principal, will present the concept and benefits of consolidating the elementary program. The administrative team and council will address parent questions and concerns. We will also offer an open house of the Lamar campus for the 2007-08 4th and 5th graders from McCullough to visit their new campus on June 28 with the same schedule as above.

The recommendation to consolidate our elementary programs has come at the advisement of professional development experts over the years,
and most recently from the newly hired Elementary Principal who offered compelling reasons for the committee to consider the concept. The Transition (Gessner to Kramer) Committee worked through a wide variety of issues and concerns to formalize their recommendation to the Council.

The Governing Council is considering a recommendation to relocate all K-3 classes to the new NYOS-Magnolia McCullough campus located at 1605 Kramer Lane. The 4th and 5th grade students currently enrolled at McCullough Academy of Excellence will move to our Lamar campus effective July 23, 2007. Long-range plans are to form a single NYOS Elementary campus (K-5) at the NYOS Magnolia-McCullough campus for the 2008-2009 school year.

The consolidation of grade levels will serve to accomplish the following benefits towards improved opportunities for student learning:
· Aligned curriculum and instruction
· Increased efficiency and effectiveness of resources in support of teaching and learning opportunities
· Increased opportunities for peer mentoring and coaching between grade level teachers at both campuses
· Stronger curriculum development within horizontal and vertical grade levels
· Increased administrative focus in supporting the development of high-performing teacher teams
· Maintain goal of looping
· Ease of space tension until bread company space is accessible and renovated
· Reduction of traffic at Lamar campus (transportation between campuses)
· Access to acres of outdoor playscape for young students

An explanation of these benefits is provided below:

Aligned curriculum and instruction – Consistency in curriculum and instructional practices is best achieved when teams of teachers are supported through opportunities to work side by side in a collaborative fashion. Aligned curriculum and instructional practices ensures that standards are consistently met and learning experiences reach the depth and complexity specified in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

Increased efficiency and effectiveness of resources in support of teaching and learning opportunities – The combined resources of three K-3rd grade programs will be available to all teachers on the campus in real time. This includes math manipulatives, classroom libraries, guided reading library books, technology resources, and instructional support staff.

Increased opportunities for peer mentoring and coaching between grade level teacher teams from both campuses – By combining the K-3rd grade classes immediately we allow teachers (as well as our students) the opportunity to start building relationships with one another immediately. While our Gessner and Lamar teachers work effectively together, the truly strong relationships are established between those side-by-side peers. To build the NYOS community starting day one, we need our teachers lighting the path with one another.

Stronger curriculum development within horizontal and vertical grade levels – Scheduling could provide an opportunity for all grade level teachers to work together for 70 minutes each day in building a stronger, cohesive and rich curriculum. This is especially important as we begin to build on our multi-cultural learner goals.

Increased administrative focus in supporting the development of high-performing teacher teams – The Governing Council has taken strong and strategic action to improve the elementary program this next school year. In addition to hiring a new Principal, we have added an Assistant Principal and an Instructional Coach. Administrative presence will be highly visible at both campuses, every hour of the school day! This is far more than a quantity issue; this is very much a quality issue as well. By consolidating the grade level teams, the administration will be able to capitalize on staff development minutes and spend more time in classrooms.

Maintain goal of looping – Maintaining class assignments for two years rather than re-assigning children one year later.

Ease of space tension until bread company space is accessible and renovated – Currently we are exploring the need to convert our music program to a cart-to-classroom program similar to our elementary Spanish and Art programs due to a lack of classroom space until the bread company moves out in July 2008 and the space is renovated. The library area is also being planned for full-time use as a classroom.

Relocating 96 elementary students to the Kramer location, while adding only 40 more 4th and 5th graders is a net loss of 56 students at the Lamar campus. This frees up enough classroom space to preserve our specials programs and library space.

Reduction of traffic at Lamar campus – A part of the plan proposed to the Governing Council includes having the Kramer campus serve as a drop-off site for all NYOS students (with at least one sibling enrolled in grades K-3rd). Staggered start times between the K-3rd program and the 4th-5th grade program would provide time to deliver the older students Lamar campus. A return trip would be provided in the afternoons. The bus would only run from Kramer to Lamar in the mornings and Lamar to Kramer in the afternoon to minimize traffic congestion.

Access to acres of outdoor playscape for young students – The Kramer location holds the promise of what we envisioned for NYOS in the charter. There is space to develop gardens, build greenhouses and aviaries, and play! Play is so important to the development of children.

Change is difficult at best, even when carefully planned and executed with thorough and timely communication. This notice comes to you with short notice, but not without careful deliberation and a strategic plan of action for the change. We understand the loss that our families will experience ranging from having all their children at one site for ease of transportation to the ability to have lunch with all your children in one visit to school. Your concerns are of great interest to us.

Please plan to attend the meeting on June 26 to receive more information and explore the Magnolia McCullough campus!

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June 18, 2007 - New Elementary Principal

Last Tuesday, the Principal Interview Committee recommended to the Governing Council that Terry Berkenhoff be offered the position of Elementary Principal. We are fortunate that Terry has now accepted this position and will begin immediately.

Terry was an elementary teacher for 12 years prior to becoming a lead instructional support teacher for 2 years. Her most recent position was as an elementary assistant principal at RRISD since 2005.

Terry's true strength is her philosophical alignment to NYOS, including her strong belief in the teaching-learning-cycle (LN), integrated thematic instruction (ITI), and cognitively guided instruction (CGI). She could not be more aligned to what NYOS is about if she had written the charter herself! In addition, Terry has completed several years of training in backward design and curriculum mapping.

To support Terry in this role with an expanded second campus, we will be adding an Assistant Principal and Curriculum Specialist. Announcements on those positions will follow shortly.

A school social is being planned for July 10th – please put that date on your calendar, more information will follow.

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June 11, 2007 - Gessner Campus Relocation

Last February, the Governing Council of NYOS instructed administration to pursue finding a new home for the Gessner campus. For nine years we have renovated, added cabinets and designed offsite storage, trying to find a way to make the environment more conducive to learning. The Gessner building is simply not designed for the operation of a school for 96 students. Prior to the decision to relocate, we had begun talking to another charter school about opportunities to collaborate in our educational programs.

McCullough Academy of Excellence is located at 1605 Kramer Lane, near north Lamar. They have approximately 133 students with the capacity to serve approximately 170 more. In addition to the classrooms, there is a real library, playscape, administrative offices, a commercial kitchen, lots of outdoors space, and a full-size gymnasium.

It is our intent to open the new NYOS campus this July 23 and permanently close the Gessner campus.

Click on the link below to read frequently asked questions regarding this matter. (Requires free Adobe Reader 7.0 or greater.)

Gessner Campus Relocation - Frequently Asked Questions