May, 2024
By Liliana Castillo and Joseph Nino, Editors
KAC has seen a multitude of teachers come and go, each leaving their impact on both the school and their students. It’s never easy saying goodbye to a teacher who truly cares about your well-being, much past their typical job requirements. Especially teachers who have been known to care a lot about their students.
We have reached out to teachers who have parted ways with KAC, and have left a lasting impact on their students. Oxner, the ninth-grade assistant principal who left in the 2021-2022 school year, Klenzendorf, a music teacher who also left the 2021-2022 school year, and Thomasmeyer, a digital art and computer science teacher who left during the 2023-2024 school year. By asking them a variety of questions about their life during and after KIPP, we are able to gather more information about their opinions surrounding the school itself as well as its students.
What do you do for work post KAC?
Oxner: “I got a job with a tech company that was remote and worked there up until this past February before I moved to Germany with my wife where she is pursuing her medical speciality in Anesthesiology. I’m currently doing some remote contract work until I get my German residency and can apply for jobs within Europe.”
Thomasmeyer: “I am a software engineer.”
Klenzendorf: “I’m currently teaching band at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin.”
What is your favorite memory while working at KAC?
Oxner: “So my favorite memory with teachers was definitely the holiday party back in 2015, iykyk. My favorite memory with students had to be both the EOYFL trips as well as Homeroom on the extended days. I loved getting to know about my students beyond the typical classroom teaching structure and EOYFL and homeroom allowed for that to happen to talk more about the students’ interests and passions and just be able to laugh together.”
Thomasmeyer: “There are so many. I always enjoyed getting to know my students and building relationships with them. Many of them were funny and interesting and kind. But, I think my fondest memories were all the times I had opportunities to encourage them not to give up just because something was difficult or because something wasn’t going their way. Seeing my students overcome challenges, and knowing (or at least hoping) that I helped them along the way was the most rewarding part of my work at KAC.”
Klenzendorf: “Definitely the students and staff! But I always really enjoyed the music trips that we took. One of my favorites was when we rented condos on the beach and we had a cooking contest.”
How did you feel about working at KAC while employed there? Any outstanding opinions?
Oxner: “I really enjoyed it for the most part, but that isn’t to say that it wasn’t hard. I realized that there were so many opportunities at KAC. If we wanted to create a more equitable school we just needed to talk to Lopez and create a plan. That is definitely not the case at any other place I have worked. It was so different from what I had experienced before and the staff worked crazy hours to show up as their best selves. It was definitely tough at times, but there is such an amazing support system from admin to fellow teachers to even the students. I wish the school day was shorter and that dogs could still be on campus, but overall KAC was a great community that I was grateful to be a part of and learn from.”
Thomasmeyer: “There were ups and downs, as there are with most things in life, but two things really stood out to me while I worked at KAC. First, I really felt like what I put into my work — building relationships, improving lessons, etc. — was what I got out of it. All of the students at KAC were really intuitive and responsive. They could tell if you cared, and they responded to that. Second, I was grateful to work for Principal Lopez because she was so, so good at building relationships with students, their families, and staff. That contributed (and, undoubtedly, still contributes) massively to the culture, and it was comforting to know that the school was run by someone who genuinely put the students first.”
Klenzendorf: “ Being a KIPP teacher is very challenging work, but I loved it. I was there for 14 years. It was always so amazing to see my students graduating and heading off to college!”
What are your plans for the future in general?
Oxner: “So, I am waiting on my residency permit in Germany that will allow me to work. Once I get that permit, I would love to work for another remote tech company just because the work life balance was really nice and I know it will be even better in Europe. I have also thought about teaching again, but just not sure if the German kids would understand my sarcasm and that would take half the fun of teaching away. The goal is to be in Europe for a few years. In the meantime, we just plan to travel around Europe as much as possible. Each weekend, we take the train and explore a new town close to us and we have a few trips planned where we will bring our dog along with us as well.”
Thomasmeyer: “I worked hard to get into software engineering, so in the short-to-medium term I will continue to work hard and improve my skills.”
Klenzendorf: “I’m building up the music program at St. Andrew’s and loving that work. I also have more time for my family, so it’s a good job for me at the moment.”
What surprised you most about life after KAC?
Oxner: “The work I have done after KAC has been so incredibly easy for me it’s lowkey crazy. Teaching is hands down one of the most difficult and rewarding careers even though in America it is taken for granted. I realized how much I had learned as a teacher and as an Assistant Principal while at KAC and when I started working for the tech company. I just constantly noticed so many gaps within the company and how poorly it was run and the lack of training for both employees and directors. Since moving to Germany, the work/life balance is drastically different than that of the US. Most people/businesses in our town seem to work 4-6 hours a day and there is no sense of urgency. It really has made me grateful for all that I learned from working at KAC.”
Thomasmeyer: “Honestly, not much. I miss teaching sometimes, I miss the students and many of my former colleagues, but I expected that.”
Klenzendorf: “ I’ve taught in public schools, charter schools, and now private schools. Something surprising is that kids are kids everywhere you go. They all need love, discipline, and support.”
Do you have any advice for students or teachers?
Oxner: “For students: Highschool is a short chapter of your life, even though it might seem like forever right now. Think about the person you want to be, what your aspirations are, and what you care about. Make those things part of your reality. If you don’t like Chemistry that is completely fine, but think about the person you are in that Chemistry class and how you can show up for yourself each day. Also put your phone away, you can go through class without it.
For teachers: I know teaching can be rough and we can get so wrapped up in the negative. Try to write down 3 things each week that happen at school that make you happy. It could be that a student finally mastered their thesis statement or that a student invited you to their quinceañera. There are so many small things that happen each week that make teaching rewarding even if the same kid is constantly leaving class and spending 20 minutes in the bathroom.”
Thomasmeyer: “Learning is difficult, and it becomes far more difficult if you are not kind to yourself in the process. Think about the way you talk to yourself, and resolve to talk to yourself as if you were your best friend. You wouldn’t call your best friend a stupid idiot just because they failed a test, so don’t call yourself one either.”
Klenzendorf: “I’m working with a highly competitive private school, but I’ve had students at KIPP that rival and surpass my current students in terms of musical or academic quality. When I think about the outstanding KIPP students I’ve had the pleasure to teach, a common trait is that they all worked incredibly hard and had a passion for learning. Believe in yourself and never give up!”
With the year coming to an end, it is sad to depart from those who made our learning enjoyable. Whether they left a few years ago, last year, or even within the past few months, it is safe to say that teachers can leave a lasting impression on their students. While they may not teach here anymore, we will always remember those who brightened our classrooms with wit, sarcasm, humor, and personality, making our learning experience all the more memorable. To the teachers and administration who continue to make KAC an experience, one will have a hard time forgetting, we thank you for your resilience, patience, and empathy.
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