Elementary Extracurricular Activities & Clubs
Below is a sampling of clubs and activities and they may change from time to time. Please always confirm details before participation.
Arts & Crafts Club - Open to 2nd - 5th grade students. This club meets on Thursdays from 3:35 pm -5:00 pm in the upstairs art room of Building 1. For questions, please contact Ms. Stephanie Dulimba at [email protected]
Cheer (Elementary) - Cheer is open to 4th and 5th graders. Practice is on Wednesdays from 3:25 pm - 4:30 pm (starting at dismissal) in Building A Cafeteria. The contact person is Alexis Turner, at [email protected].
Chess Club - NYOS has had a Chess club for 26 years! Last year, we had between 75 and 100 kindergarten through 12th-grade players meeting in five rooms across the campus. We meet to learn chess and have fun, but also to prepare for tournament play for those who wish for the challenge.
The club meets on Fridays starting July 25th through May 22nd. If our numbers reach capacity, we will cap the enrollment and establish a waiting list. The club is open to all students and is taught by local chess expert Gary Gaiffe, NYOS alumnus Matthew Shempert, Mr. Larry Tipperreiter, Ms. Soni, and Torey Neuzil. Instruction includes basic through advanced skills, tournament play, notation, and chess variations. Students work on skills weekly and are given the opportunity to participate in local tournaments.
The club is divided into multiple classes based on playing strength to help tailor the lessons to the students. Elementary students are gathered after school on Fridays before being sorted and escorted to their respective classrooms.
Students of all abilities and ages are welcome! If you do not know how to play, we will have
you playing before your first meeting is over. NYOS Chess Club Sign Up 25-26
The club is divided into multiple classes based on playing strength to help tailor the lessons to the students. Elementary students are gathered after school on Fridays before being sorted and escorted to their respective classrooms.
Students of all abilities and ages are welcome! If you do not know how to play, we will have
you playing before your first meeting is over. NYOS Chess Club Sign Up 25-26
Club Fees - Chess Club fees are as follows: $240 Per year per student, $120 Per semester per student, or $75 Per quarter per student. Fees are subject to change on January 1st. Payment is due the second Friday of every quarter and will be accepted as cash, check, Zelle, or Venmo. Make checks out to Gary Gaiffe, PayPal [email protected] Zelle (512-426-7841), or Venmo (@Gary-Gaiffe). There are also moderate fees if you wish to participate in tournaments (not mandatory), including a membership to the United States Chess Federation (USCF). Gary will work with anyone who cannot afford the fees. He can also help arrange private lessons.
Contacts - Instructor Gary Gaiffe can be reached at 512-426-7841 or [email protected].
Matthew Shempert can be reached at 512-680-7643 or [email protected]
Matthew Shempert can be reached at 512-680-7643 or [email protected]
Coding Club Kinder-5th - Coding is creative and teaches children to think critically. They are limited only by their imagination! CodingPlace instructors introduce students to Scratch, developed by MIT, a fun, friendly platform that kids use to create animations and games while learning coding concepts! Also covering digital safety and literacy. For questions, call 512-593-2729. Register at www.mycodingplace.com.
Digital Art Club 3rd-5th - Students will have fun engaging their artistic side in the Digital Art Club. Create and edit images, shapes, and text, and learn how to make photo collages, using selection tools, filters, digital brushes, and more! Apply animations and transitions to designs! For questions, call 512-593-2729. Register at www.mycodingplace.com.
Girl Scouts - For Girls in Grades 1-5, the cost is $195 per semester and they will meet on Fridays from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm starting September 5, 2025. To register go to https://www.gsctx.org/nyos. For questions, contact Alisha Tysor at [email protected]
Guitar - Guitar is open to students on Mondays & Wednesdays between 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm. For information and appointment call Chris Stone at 512-773-4771.
Karate - Provided by Austin Okinawan Karate, NYOS 1st-6th graders are invited to participate in Karate on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM in the High School Building A Cafeteria. To learn more about the art of karate through physical, mental, and emotional athleticism and to sign up, please contact Ty Yocham at 512-751-7950 or email [email protected].
Kids Acting - Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:40 pm - 5:00 pm. This program is for Grades K-5.
August 5-September 11 - Quarter 1 - Wizard of Oz
October 14-December 4 - Quarter 2 - Elf
January 13-February 26 - Quarter 3 - Beauty and the Beast
March 31-May 14 - Quarter 4 - Alice in Wonderland
Contact kidsacting program at NYOS: http://www.kidsactingstudio.com/nyos
Contact info: 512-836-5437 or [email protected]
Kung Fu Cowgirl After School Programs - Drama & Yoga -Fun and creative after-school programs for Pre K–5, including Acting Theater. Kids build confidence, creativity, and teamwork with a performance or presentation at the end of each semester.
Drama -Tuesdays 3:40-4:30
Yoga - Thursdays 3:40-4:30
Sign up: https://kungfucowgirl.square.site/kids-program
Contact: Ms. Snow | 512-222-3498, Email: [email protected]
Little Bells
Twice a year (in the fall and the spring) we offer elementary students the opportunity to join our secondary musicals with a small role. Their rehearsals are after school, and we walk over to pick up the elementary students for practice. The contact person is Dory Zeitler and you can message her at [email protected]
Mad Science of Austin - Offered to K-5th graders, Mad Science is a leading science enrichment provider that delivers unique hands-on science experiences while sparking imaginative learning. The Mad Science team provides after-school programming on Thursdays from 3:25 to 4:50 PM. We use 2 classrooms - one for older students and one for younger students. The club contact is Adrianna Hagen at [email protected]AYF Running Club - Open to K-5th graders, this club is hosted by Austin Youth Fitness and focuses "on improving running endurance and overall fitness, developing 'functional' strength, flexibility, and improving core strength and body alignment." Participants will participate in drills, practice forms, and run-in relays, and the group always ends with a fun-filled game! AYF athletes will likely see improvements in self-image, confidence, attitude, and social-interpersonal-relationship skills, as well as an increased ability to focus on tasks and schoolwork. The NYOS Running Club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm. https://www.austinyouthfitness.com/nyos-running
The club contact is Laney Phillips, 512-537-9795, or at [email protected]
AYF Yoga Club - Hosted by Austin Youth Fitness, the Yoga Club is offered to K-5th graders. Participating students will learn proper stretching techniques and gain flexibility and muscular balance. Their goal is to “make fitness fun” and help kids build "holistic health” - healthy bodies, minds, and spirits! Yoga Club takes place on Fridays from 12:30 to 1:45 PM in Rm 350. https://www.austinyouthfitness.com/nyos-yoga
The club contact is Larry Chauvin, 512-537-9795, or at [email protected].