Executive Director's Corner Archive
Included in the new expanded section of our website are details related to facility updates that have been made at NYOS and a COVID-19 Dashboard for NYOS. The dashboard contains positive case information, campus splits between at-home and on-campus instruction, and Austin-area COVID case data. Dashboard information will be updated weekly.
Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
Estimada Comunidad de NYOS,
Espero que todos hayan disfrutado la primera semana de las vacaciones de otoño. El 28 de Septiembre, proporcionaremos a todas las familias de NYOS un Formulario de compromiso en el que se les pedirá que indiquen si desean aprendizaje en el campus o en el hogar para sus estudiantes.
Entre ahora y el 28 de Septiembre, queríamos compartir los siguientes recursos nuevos con nuestras familias:
Página web ampliada de reapertura del campus
Sabemos que puede haber mucho que considerar con respecto al aprendizaje en el campus versus al aprendizaje en el hogar antes de completar nuestro Formulario de compromiso. Mientras tanto, puede visitar esta nueva sección ampliada de nuestra página web, lo que hace que proporcionar información específica dentro de nuestro documento "Plan para reducir la propagación de COVID-19 en NYOS Charter School" sea mucho más fácil de localizar.
Instalaciones actualizadas y tablero COVID-19
En la nueva sección ampliada de nuestro sitio web se incluyen detalles relacionados con las actualizaciones de las instalaciones que se han realizado en NYOS y un Panel de control COVID-19 para NYOS. El tablero contiene información de caso positivos, divisiones del campus entre instrucción en el hogar y en el campus, y datos de casos de COVID del área de Austin. La información del tablero se actualizará semanalmente.
Al completar el formulario de compromiso del 28 de Septiembre, su preferencia de instrucción seleccionada permanecerá vigente para su (s) estudiante (s) hasta el final del segundo trimestre del año escolar 20-21, que es el Jueves 17 de Diciembre de 2020.
Sinceramente,
Kathleen Zimmermann
Directora Ejecutiva
Dear NYOS families,
Save the date for a Virtual Town Hall Meeting this Thursday, July 23 beginning at 5:00pm. NYOS administrators and PTA officers will share important information about the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The meeting agenda includes the following:
5:00-5:30 General Session (Executive Director Kathleen Zimmermann and PTA President Kelly Warren)
5:40-6:20 Elementary Session Grades PK-5 ( Elementary Principal Terry Berkenhoff)
6:20-7:00 Secondary Session Grades 6-12 (Secondary Principal Will Jaramillo)
Go here for the Zoom link for the Virtual Town Hall Meeting. Closed captioning will be provided for those who need it:
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +13462487799,,86258393956#,,,,,,0#,,612559#
or +12532158782,,86258393956#,,,,,,0#,,612559#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 862 5839 3956
Passcode: 612559
See you Thursday,
Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
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Estimadas familias de NYOS:
Reserve la fecha para una reunión virtual del Ayuntamiento este jueves 23 de julio a partir de las 5:00 p.m. Los administradores de NYOS y los oficiales de la PTA compartirán información importante sobre el inicio del año escolar 2020-2021. La agenda de la reunión incluye lo siguiente:
5:00-5:30 Sesión General (Directora Ejecutiva Kathleen Zimmermann y la Presidenta de la PTA Kelly Warren)
5:40-6:20 Sesión de Primaria Grados PK-5 (Director de Primaria Terry Berkenhoff)
6:20-7:00 Sesión secundaria Grados 6-12 (Director secundario Will Jaramillo)
Vaya aquí para el enlace de Zoom para la Reunión Virtual del Ayuntamiento. Se proporcionarán subtítulos para quienes lo necesiten:
O iPhone con un toque:
US: +13462487799,,86258393956#,,,,,,0#,,612559#
or +12532158782,,86258393956#,,,,,,0#,,612559#
O Telefono:
Marcar (para mayor calidad, marque un número basado en su ubicación actual):
US: +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Seminario web ID: 862 5839 3956
Codigo: 612559
Hasta el jueves,
Kathleen Zimmermann
Directora Ejecutiva
- An on-campus instruction option will be available for students in all grades PreK-12, five days per week. This is new. Boys and Girls Clubs will still offer an after-school program.
- A remote instruction option will still be offered in all grades PreK-12, five days per week. If you want your student to learn from home, you can.
- NYOS will NOT offer a hybrid option with students on campus two days per week.
- The first three weeks of school (July 27th through August 14th) will be a transition period, with limited numbers of students on campus. First consideration will be given to families with parents working outside the home and students who need specialized instruction best done in person.
- Una opción de instrucción en el campus estará disponible para estudiantes en todos los grados PreK-12, cinco días por semana. Esto es nuevo. El club de niños y niñas seguirá disponible después de escuela.
- Todavía se ofrecerá una opción de instrucción remota en todos los grados PreK-12, cinco días por semana. Si quiere que su estudiante aprenda desde casa, puede hacerlo.
- NYOS NO ofrecerá una opción híbrida con los estudiantes en el campus dos días por semana.
- Las primeras tres semanas de clases (del 27 de julio al 14 de agosto) serán un período de transición, con un número limitado de estudiantes en el campus. La primera consideración se dará a las familias con padres que trabajan fuera del hogar y a los estudiantes que necesitan una instrucción especializada mejor realizada en persona.
- Changes to the schedule to limit interaction among classes/student groups and movement around campus
- Staff and students (grades 4 and up) wearing face masks daily in the classroom
- Daily temperature screenings for students and staff
- Frequent disinfecting of surfaces in classrooms, common areas, and play equipment
- Wearing of clear face shields for teachers and staff
- Reducing class sizes and increasing distance within classrooms
June 2020
Estimada comunidad de NYOS,
A medida que empieza el verano, queremos informarles sobre los planes de NYOS para regresar a la escuela para el semestre de otoño.
La fecha de inicio para el personal de NYOS sigue siendo el 14 de julio de 2020. La fecha de inicio para los estudiantes de NYOS sigue siendo el 27 de julio de 2020. Vea el calendario de NYOS aquí. Esperamos que algunos estudiantes necesiten instrucción adicional para compensar cualquier necesidad de aprendizaje que se desarrolló en la primavera. Cuando planifique el semestre de otoño, tenga en cuenta que su estudiante puede ser invitado a la escuela de los sábados y/o lecciones entre sesiones durante las vacaciones de otoño.
La reapertura será un ejercicio de flexibilidad para nuestro personal, estudiantes y familias. Esperamos que todos los estudiantes puedan regresar al campus para el semestre de otoño. Sin embargo, esperamos que necesitemos un método híbrido (virtual y en persona) al menos para comenzar. Por supuesto, también es posible que regresemos a la instrucción totalmente virtual si los casos de COVID-19 aumentan nuevamente en el centro de Texas.
Leander ISD creó un diagrama muy detallado del continuo de opciones que las escuelas probablemente enfrentarán en el año escolar 2020-2021. Al leer esta infografía, reemplace agosto con julio para NYOS ya que nuestro calendario comienza antes que LISD.
Origen: Leander ISD
Decidir dónde está NYOS en este continuo dependerá de las órdenes estatales y locales, la orientación de los funcionarios de salud y escolares, los aportes de la comunidad de NYOS y los recursos disponibles para una implementación segura. Recuerde que NYOS tomará sus propias decisiones con respecto a la reapertura de los campus. Consideramos los planes de los otros distritos escolares locales en el proceso, pero tomaremos nuestra propia determinación.
Queremos saber de usted acerca de nuestros planes de reapertura. Haga clic aquí para compartir sus pensamientos, ideas e incluso miedos con nosotros. Este es un esfuerzo comunitario. Más información mejora nuestra planificación, así que tómese un momento tan pronto como sea posible para llenar el formulario.
Los equipos de NYOS están trabajando durante el verano en la planificación, la adquisición de recursos, la capacitación y la recopilación de información para determinar dónde nos encontraremos en este continuo. Esperamos tomar una decisión antes del 6 de julio.
Gracias a todos por su resiliencia desde marzo. Sabemos que ha sido un momento difícil mental, físico y emocional. Los apreciamos y esperamos verlos de vuelta en el campus.
Si necesita sonreir, mire el video de la ceremonia de graduación de NYOS. Los Seniors de NYOS junto con sus familias y el personal se reunieron para ver este video al estilo autocinema el 29 de mayo. Fue una noche alegre y especial.
Directora ejecutiva
NYOS Charter School
Dear NYOS Community,
The recent tragic loss of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Mike Ramos has left many shaken, despairing, scared, angry, and frustrated by the fact that our black and brown families continue to suffer such grave injustice. Why, since these issues came to light so long ago, does this still happen? Why has the US made so little progress?
In this moment of merging crises, NYOS stands in solidarity with every one of our community members. We stand alongside the individuals who work for justice and equity. We stand with our students, families, and staff who are personally impacted by these threats against their well-being.
As we could not ignore the COVID-19 crisis, neither can we ignore the crisis of systemic racial injustice. The impact of it all lives among us now and pervades our future. How we respond and act now will determine the extent and type of the impact our school can have. Our school values provide the important "why" to all that we do at NYOS. One in particular stands out for me - Respect and dignity for all. Recognizing human dignity means that we accept people for who they are while, as educators, challenging them to be even better.
More than ever, we want to encourage open dialogue, emotional wellness, and civic engagement. To that end, we are opening up an opportunity to voice your feelings about everything that is going on right now. Send your thoughts through this form. Your input will help to inform changes to our educational program and actions in the coming weeks and school years.
See here for an article that may help with age appropriate conversations with students.
See here for more information about tolerance with resources for educators and others.
With gratitude for all of you,
J. Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
NYOS Charter School
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Estimada comunidad de NYOS,
La reciente y trágica pérdida de Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd y Mike Ramos, ha dejado a muchos conmocionados, desesperados, asustados, enojados y frustrados por el hecho de que nuestras familias negras y de color continúan sufriendo injusticias tan graves. ¿Por qué, dado que estos problemas salieron a la luz hace tanto tiempo, esto todavía sucede? ¿Por qué en los Estados Unidos se ha hecho tan poco progreso?
En este momento de fusión de crisis, NYOS se solidariza con cada uno de los miembros de nuestra comunidad. Estamos junto a las personas que trabajan por la justicia y la equidad. Apoyamos a nuestros estudiantes, familias y personal que se ven personalmente afectados por estas amenazas contra su bienestar.
Como no podemos ignorar la crisis de COVID-19, tampoco podemos ignorar la crisis de la injusticia racial sistémica. El impacto de todo esto vive entre nosotros ahora e impregna nuestro futuro. La forma en que respondamos y actuemos ahora determinará el alcance y el tipo de impacto que nuestra escuela puede tener. Nuestros valores escolares brindan el importante "por qué" a todo lo que hacemos en NYOS. Uno en particular se destaca para mí: Respeto y dignidad para todos. Reconocer la dignidad humana significa que aceptamos a las personas por lo que son mientras, como educadores, los desafiamos a ser aún mejores.
Más que nunca, queremos fomentar el diálogo abierto, el bienestar emocional y el compromiso cívico. Con ese fin, estamos brindandole la oportunidad para expresar sus sentimientos sobre todo lo que está sucediendo en este momento. Envíe sus pensamientos a través de este formulario. Su contribución ayudará a informar cambios en nuestro programa educativo y acciones en las próximas semanas y años escolares.
Vea aquí un artículo que puede ayudarle con conversaciones apropiadas para su edad con los estudiantes.
Consulte aquí para obtener más información sobre la tolerancia con recursos para educadores y otras personas.
Con gratitud por todos ustedes,
Directora ejecutiva
NYOS Charter School
April 2020
- provide resources for you to keep your students learning at home
- continue work to transition lessons and services for at-home delivery
- distribute technological and other instructional resources to families who need them
- set up a process for students to pick up articles left in lockers or classrooms
- test technologies and protocols for connecting with you and your students
- reach out to families whose students receive services to discuss at-home learning
March 2020
Hello everyone,
Welcome to our new NYOS Charter School website! We hope you find it useful and easy to navigate to important information. We welcome your feedback.
Much has been happening at NYOS Charter School lately. I compiled a few important updates below.
Property
I am excited to share some details about important projects at NYOS. As you know, we purchased the property next door at Lamar to construct new facilities. The goal was to create a permanent home for our PreK-3rd graders and put everyone together on one campus. The NYOS School Board and I hired a project manager and architect in the 18-19 school year to get the project started. We have spent countless hours educating our partners on what is important to NYOS and our unique educational model. The preliminary drawings show facilities that will not only serve but uplift NYOS instruction and extracurriculars across all grades. Plus, there will be plenty of parking for all AND a much improved pickup and dropoff queue!
As you might guess, constructing facilities in Austin is expensive. In order to build and maintain a new campus, we must add approximately 800 more students over the next 6 years. If construction proceeds as expected, in the summer of 2021 we will add approximately 300 new students by adding sections to each of Kindergarten, 2nd, 4th, and 6th grades. Note that NYOS would add sections, not change the student/teacher ratio. Right now, most classes have 18 students per teacher. All of the plans keep that ratio intact. We recognize that small class sizes are the reason that many of you joined the NYOS family so we want to preserve those.
Recent Accolades
NYOS won a silver award from US News and World Report high school rankings with a score of 95.5 out of 100.
Children at Risk ranked NYOS in the Top 10 Secondary campuses in Central Texas for the 9th straight year.
NYOS also won Austin Family Magazine's Reader's Favorite Award for Best Austin Charter School (again)!
New Campus Administrators
NYOS welcomes Will Jaramillo as the new Secondary Principal for 6-12th grades. Will joins us from Round Rock High School. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from St. Edwards University and his Masters in Education from Harvard University. Will also speaks fluent Spanish. Will started working with NYOS in the spring and joined us full-time in June.
We also welcome Samantha Gladwell to her new role as Elementary Assistant Principal. Samantha joined NYOS as a teacher in 2012. She was promoted through various roles during her time with NYOS. Samantha earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of San Diego and her Masters degree from Lamar University.
Legislation
Governor Greg Abbott recently signed into law House Bill 3. HB3 provides additional funding for public schools across Texas, including charter schools. State estimates show NYOS receiving between $400-$600 more per student for the 2019-2020 school year. Much of the increase will go to raising teacher salaries. We are thankful to the state legislators for recognizing the need to improve teacher compensation and for giving public schools the funds to do so.
Advocacy work by charter leaders like me, charter parents, and the Texas Charter Schools Association helped us to defeat a number of anti-charter bills this session. Thank you very much to those of you who sent an email, visited in person or testified on behalf of charter schools. It takes every voice to keep NYOS and Texas charter schools thriving.
Thanks for reading, everyone!
Executive Director
NYOS Charter School
November 2017
After the long summer, we all welcome cooler temperatures at NYOS. The whitetop, field and playground don’t feel quite so stifling now that autumn has arrived.
We celebrated a true legislative win for charter schools this summer. In August, the Texas legislature passed House Bill 21. The school finance bill included up to $60 million for charter school facilities financing - for the FIRST TIME EVER!! We expect it will make up about $150 of the $1,400 difference that currently exists between funding for a NYOS student versus funding for an AISD student. The funding is available starting in the 2018-2019 school year. NYOS can use the funds to pay rent, utilities and loan payments for land and buildings. It’s a baby step but we are all thrilled about the win.
NYOS also celebrated two promotions within the administrative team. Please help me to congratulate Joey Thompson on his promotion to Director of Operations. Joey oversees IT, Maintenance, Food Services and compliance. We also promoted Hweilu Chen to Director of Finance. Hweilu oversees Accounting, Human Resources, Student Data, Development and Community Outreach.
In addition to working through NYOS organizational changes and the start of the school year, I spent lots of time at the Capitol this summer advocating for facilities funding and charter schools. You can see a little bit of this work here. Thank you to those of you who wrote letters or emails, participated in a rally or visited an elected official. Your work paid off in a historic win for facilities financing!
This fall, work with the Texas Charter Schools Association keeps me busy. I serve as the Member Council Chair and a Board member of TCSA. I am also helping the TCSA find a replacement for outgoing Executive Director David Dunn.
Don’t forget that NYOS Football, Cheer, Cross Country, Basketball and Volleyball are all now practicing and playing hard. You can support our athletes by attending games and meets. Be sure to wear your navy blue and silver NYOS swag. Go Jags!
J. Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
NYOS Charter School
June 2017
As the school year concluded at the end of May, I was glad once again to be part of the amazing community that is NYOS Charter School. The students continue to inspire and encourage me and others at NYOS to do our best work.
The end of May also brought to a close the 2017 Texas state legislative session. NYOS worked closely with the Texas Charter Schools Association to advocate for charter school priorities. The legislature successfully passed two significant priorities, Senate Bill 1480 and House Bill 2442.
- SB 1480 directly advances the strategic objective of increasing the number of students enrolled in Texas charter schools. It will provide an estimated additional $3 billion in capacity to the Permanent School Fund (PSF) to guarantee the financing of public charter schools. This means more high quality public charter school seats for Texas students and millions of dollars in savings for public charter schools. Should NYOS qualify for the PSF guarantee, it would mean significant savings for financing the new property on Lamar Blvd.
- HB 2442 protects the funding of about 110 public charter school campuses, including NYOS, that enroll nearly 21,000 students. During the 84th Legislative Session in 2015, the legislature passed a law with the unintended consequence of reducing the funding for public charter schools with unique programs, often serving vulnerable student populations. With the passage of HB 2442, the funding of these schools is safeguarded.
We had hoped the legislature would make a difference to the $1,400 gap in facilities funding between charter schools and traditional public schools. While this top legislative priority was not achieved, it went further in the legislative process than any prior session.
The legislature may take up other bills that impact charters in the special session called for July 2017. Any bill that adds funds to public schools in Texas will benefit NYOS, too. We are watching carefully to see if we can expect additional funding next school year.
Best wishes to all for a relaxing and peaceful summer break. I look forward to welcoming everyone back in July.
Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
NYOS Charter School
March, 2017
Dear NYOS Community,
Did you know that NYOS is governed by a School Board whose members include four parents, four teachers and five Community members? School Board members meet once per month to discuss and vote on matters for the school. Agenda items can include school policies, budgets, legislation, goal-setting, student outcomes and other important topics. We hope you will join us at upcoming NYOS Board meetings on March 9, April 20, and May 11. All meetings are at 6:00pm in the Kramer campus library at 1605 Kramer Lane.
Elections for the NYOS School Board are coming up in May 2017. Parents and teachers serve two-year terms. Community members serve one-year terms. The School Board is specifically looking for people with skills in commercial property development, finance or accounting, real estate, connections within state and local governments, and legal skill. If you possess these skills or have a friend/colleague who does, encourage them to reach out and learn more. I am happy to talk more about the roles. Existing Board members can also share their experiences on the Board.
Topics for the 2017-2018 school year will focus on developing the new property next door at 12309 N Lamar Blvd. The School Board will also be working through any new laws affecting charter schools from the current legislative session.
NYOS holds Board elections in May, so be sure to let me know pretty soon if you are interested. I can be reached by phone at (512)583-6967 ext. 374 or [email protected].
Regards,
Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
NYOS Charter School
January, 2017
Happy 2017 everyone,
We at NYOS Charter School start the spring semester gearing up for graduation and spring testing. We also welcome Texas state legislators back to Austin. Several bills in the 2017 session may impact Texas charter schools. SB457 filed by Senator Donna Campbell of New Braunfels proposes facilities funding for charter schools. The bill, if passed, would provide approximately $700 per student per year to help pay for charter school facilities. At NYOS, that would mean $672,000 added annually to our budget starting in the 2017-2018 school year. SB6, also known as the “Bathroom bill” may provide clarity to schools on facilities for transgendered students. Other bills seek to remedy language regarding the calculation of time from days to minutes and the new A-F school accountability ratings system. One prospective bill may also offer extra funding in exchange for meeting more stringent academic and discipline requirements. It is worth noting that any proposed state budget amendments that increase funding for public schools benefit NYOS too.
To help pass legislation beneficial to charter schools, I meet regularly with legislators to promote charter school initiatives. Most times, I work in conjunction with the Texas Charter Schools Association. In fact, on Tuesday January 24th, I am testifying to the TX Senate Education Committee regarding facilities funding for charter schools. You can be sure that I will thank Senator Campbell for filing SB457. Having that extra $762,000 each year means NYOS could build out our new property on Lamar more quickly and with more amenities – a direct positive effect on our school.
NYOS needs YOU as voters to help. Please remember that all participation is voluntary. If you are interested, here are a few ways to get involved.
- Attend the Charter School Town Hall at KIPP Austin Comunidad (8004 Cameron Road) on Feb 1 at 6:00pm. All Senators and Representatives from Central Texas are invited to learn about charter schools in this area. They are especially excited to meet you, VOTERS. We are hoping for a good turnout of parents and staff supporters from NYOS. Childcare and food will be provided.
- Sign up for Voter Voice. Voter Voice is an easy way to keep up-to-date with legislative activities and tell your legislator how you feel about issues. Voter Voice creates easy-to-use, pre-populated emails. With just a couple of clicks, you can send an email to your legislator. Emails can be customized too if you want to share a personal story. Sign up here: http://www.txcharterschools.org/speak-out/start-here/
- Attend the Charter School rally on the Capitol Steps on April 26, 2017. Charter school supporters from all across Texas converge at the Capitol on this day. In 2015, NYOS’ own Tiffany Bradley (parent) made a compelling speech to the crowd. Lieutenant Governor Patrick and Governor Abbott also made speeches in support of charter schools.
- Connect with other Charter School advocates on Facebook and Twitter. Click here for links and more ways to follow the movement. http://www.txcharterschools.org/speak-out/
YOU can make a difference for the 960 students at NYOS and the 230,000+ charter school students in Texas. Please take a minute and sign up now. Thank you in advance for supporting NYOS.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
NYOS Charter School
November 2016
Dear NYOS Community,
Welcome to the November 2016 edition of the NYOS Executive Director’s Corner! We remain very excited about the potential of the new property purchased this summer. See the diagram below to get a sense of location and scale. This fall, I am working diligently to find partners to help us build a campus that meets our current needs and looks ahead to opportunities. Most importantly, we want a campus project to preserve what makes NYOS stand out among public schools in Austin, namely small class sizes, a strong feeling of community, and hands-on learning experiences.
Congratulations to the Fall Festival committee and all volunteers. They put together a wonderful community event at the Kramer campus with fun activities like a dunk tank, haunted house, and inflatable slides. The Fall Festival raised more than $10,000 to help NYOS!
In my 8th year at NYOS, I have special appreciation for those who support NYOS’ mission, dedicating their time, talent and treasure to our special community. Wayne Alldredge, NYOS Athletic Director and Head Football coach, exemplifies this idea. He spends endless hours throughout the year supporting our teams, schedules, and coaches, mentoring student athletes, and even mowing the practice field in the Texas heat! Now, THAT is dedication.
THANK YOU, WAYNE!!
Sincerely,
J. Kathleen Zimmermann
Executive Director
NYOS Charter School