Introducing KIPP Austin Academy of Arts & Letters

Enrolling: We will be enrolling 100 scholars in the fifth-grade

 

Location: 8509 FM 969, Austin, TX 78724

 

The Founder: Kevin Newman earned his bachelor’s degree in Drama from the University of Dallas and his master’s degree Educational Theatre with English Education from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education. He holds secondary certifications in English Language Arts and Theatre in New York and in English Language Arts, Theatre, and English as a Second Language (ESL) in Texas. While in New York City, Newman taught high school English and worked as a teaching assistant in two private elementary schools. In 2005, he moved to Texas and began working at KIPP Austin College Prep. At KIPP Austin, Newman taught sixth grade Science, Reading Workshop, Thinking Skills, KIPP class, and English Language Arts, and he served as Grade Level Chair during the 2007-2008 academic year. It was in 2008 that he realized his desire to take his knowledge and experience and start the next KIPP middle school in Austin; he applied and was accepted into the Fisher Fellowship and entered the KIPP School Leadership Program, an intensive training program involving coursework at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education and residencies at top-performing middle schools around the country. This yearlong program will culminate with the opening of KIPP Austin Academy of Arts & Letters with 100 eager fifth graders in July 2009.