One of the Kids

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! We hope everyone in the OOTKS community enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and is off to a great start in the New Year.

December was filled with meaningful celebrations, connection, and plenty of joy as we honored both our incredible staff and our amazing children. We kicked things off with our first cross-clinic Holiday Party, giving staff the opportunity to connect, relax, and celebrate the teamwork and culture that make OOTKS so special. We also had a coffee truck visit the clinic as a sweet thank-you to our hardworking team for all they do each day!

Our Holiday Spirit Week brought even more excitement, with both staff and children participating in festive themed days. Our kiddos joined in by decorating ornaments and cookies and dressing up alongside their therapists. These shared experiences encouraged social engagement, creativity, and flexibility, all while embracing the holiday spirit.

One of the highlights of the month was a special visit from Santa! Along with capturing sweet holiday photos, our children practiced essential ABA skills such as waiting in line, greeting others, and tolerating new and exciting experiences.

At OOTKS, we know the holidays can bring changes in routine that feel overwhelming. By intentionally including our children in holiday celebrations, we support positive associations, emotional regulation, confidence, and joy during this special season.

11/05/2025

Last week, our children and staff had an amazing time celebrating Halloween! Everyone showed up in creative costumes, and the day was filled with practice trick-or-treating, cookie decorating, and Halloween-themed crafts.

Our therapists and BCBAs turned every activity into a meaningful learning opportunity. During practice trick-or-treating, our learners worked on important social and adaptive skills, like greeting others, waiting their turn, following directions, and staying close to a trusted adult. Cookie decorating and craft time offered chances to strengthen fine motor skills, build task independence, and practice flexibility while having tons of fun!

These hands-on holiday experiences help our learners generalize skills in real-world contexts, preparing them for community events and family traditions with confidence and joy.

We’re so proud of the hard work, smiles, and excitement we saw throughout the day. Wishing everyone a belated Happy Halloween from all of us at One of the Kids!

10/24/2025

This week, students and staff of OOTKS Academy joined in a festive pumpkin decorating competition that combined art, learning, and plenty of laughter! Encouraging imagination while weaving in academic lessons, this fall celebration was the perfect way to welcome the season. Our staff put forth their best artistic efforts during a fun, hands-on team bonding activity of painting and carving pumpkins, in which many of their designs were inspired by our students’ favorite characters and themes. As a fun twist, Academy students had the honor of voting for their favorite pumpkin masterpiece!

Meanwhile, in Ms. Rachel’s math class, students were learning all about counting and tallying numbers. This friendly competition provided a real-world way to apply their new skills! After carefully examining each pumpkin, the students tallied votes, determined the winner, and then got creative decorating pumpkins of their own. They also played “pumpkin shop,” practicing important community and daily living skills like counting money, making choices, and engaging in turn-taking.

At One of the Kids, we believe that learning happens everywhere, and that fun, creativity, and connection go hand in hand with growth. By blending seasonal activities with academic and ABA-based skill development, our students practiced communication, social interaction, problem-solving, and fine motor skills, all while celebrating the joy of fall together.

09/15/2025

Our second school year at One of the Kids Academy is officially underway, and we are excited to see all that it brings! With our first year complete, we’re thrilled to continue building on that foundation and watching our students grow. To celebrate the start of the year, we’re highlighting reflections and goals from our amazing teacher, Ms. Rachel, who moved from Tennessee where she worked as a special education teacher before coming to Austin to pursue her passion for Applied Behavior Analysis. Now she gets to blend her love for ABA with her dedication to teaching!

Reflecting on her first year, Rachel shared how much she learned by shifting her perspective and meeting students where they are:
“I discovered just how powerful patience, flexibility, and communication can be. Progress looks different for every student, and small wins matter just as much as big milestones. I also saw the value of collaboration with BCBAs, ST/OT, and families, working as a team makes a huge difference. Most importantly, I realized every day is a learning opportunity, not only for my students but for me too.”

Looking ahead, Rachel is excited to add “specials” classes and pursue new goals:
“This year, I want to bring in more hands-on learning that supports different styles, and strengthen communication with families so we can better support each child. A big new plan is adding art and PE, giving students more ways to express themselves, build skills, and have fun while learning.”

Rachel also shared her pride in the growth she’s seen in the past year:
“I am so proud of my students’ progress in both academics and social skills. Seeing them gain confidence, independence, and joy in learning has been inspiring. Many students also grew in their ability to play, share, and build positive relationships with their peers, which was just as exciting to see as their academic growth. Celebrating their small steps forward and watching them grow over time has been one of the most rewarding parts of teaching.”

We are incredibly proud of Ms. Rachel and her students, and can’t wait to see One of the Kids Academy continue to flourish this year!

08/07/2025

This summer at our Cedar Park location was packed with sweet treats, new experiences, and tons of fun!

Our kiddos rolled up their sleeves in the OOTKS garden, getting their hands dirty while learning to follow directions, care for plants, and explore nature through sensory play.

We also brought haircut day to the clinic, giving our kids the chance to work on adaptive hygiene skills in a safe, familiar space. They did AMAZING!

And of course, what’s summer without ice cream? Between a snow cone truck visit and a field trip to a local shop, our kids got to practice real-world skills like waiting, ordering, transitioning, and making independent choices, all while having a blast with their peers.

Every one of these moments was filled with joy and growth. We’re so proud of everything our Cedar Park crew accomplished this summer and we’re already excited for what’s next!

07/14/2025

In Part 2 of our “Understanding Assessments” series, BCBA Abby Sanchez breaks down the ABLLS-R, a widely used tool that goes beyond communication and targets essential life skills like dressing, reading, and classroom routines.

Learn how this assessment helps create individualized, practical goals, and when it might not be the best fit.

Curious about how we tailor your child’s therapy plan? This post is a great place to start! Read more: https://www.ootks.com/post/understanding-assessments-a-breakdown-for-caregivers-1

Part 2 – What is the ABLLS-R? In the last post, we discussed the VBMAPP and how individualized goals can be created when assessing a client’s skills with the VBMAPP. In this post, we will be taking a closer look at the ABLLS-R. We will discuss what the ABLLS-R is and its components. We will also...

07/07/2025

Happy Independence Day from One of the Kids! This year’s Fourth of July celebration was extra special as we also marked five incredible years of learning, growing, and playing together. Our clinics came alive with creative activities, sweet treats, and plenty of splashes as we combined 4th of July with meaningful skill-building.

From water tables and kiddie pools to a giant inflatable water slide, the day was bursting with excitement! But beneath all the fun, our children were busy practicing important skills like waiting patiently, taking turns, sharing joy, and cheering each other on, all core elements of our social skill-building approach.

Our kids got hands-on with tie-dye fun, designing their own vibrant OOTKS t-shirts. Every shirt was as unique and colorful as the amazing children we serve, because just like our clients, no two are exactly alike.

As we celebrate this milestone, we want to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported our journey over the past five years. Watching our children thrive and seeing our clinic grow into a place of compassion, inclusion, and integrity has been nothing short of inspiring.

Here’s to continued growth, meaningful moments, and plenty more reasons to celebrate together!

05/28/2025

Today was a very special day at South Austin as we hosted One of the Kid’s very first Field Day filled with laughter, games, water play, and iced treats! A HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to our incredible BCBA, Erin Ramirez, for planning this event, creating lasting memories for our learners, and bringing a new tradition to OOTKS!

At One of the Kids, we recognize meaningful social opportunities are essential to our children’s development. Events like Field Day are more than just fun; they are designed to intentionally pair peer interaction with highly reinforcing activities, which is a core principle of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Our goal is to make social engagement enjoyable and intrinsically valuable for every child.

Throughout the day, children participated in sack races, parachute games, and a three-legged race. While these activities brought smiles and laughter, they also served a therapeutic purpose by creating positive associations with peer interaction. By integrating collaboration into exciting and new experiences, we help children build motivation and skills for developing lasting friendships.

Whether it was racing across the playground with a partner or sharing a popsicle in the shade, our children experienced the joy and connection that come from shared moments. We are so proud of how each child participated and look forward to creating even more opportunities for learning through play and social connection!

05/09/2025

Ever wonder how your child’s ABA goals are chosen? In our newest post, BCBA Abby Sanchez breaks down one of the most commonly used assessments in ABA: the VB-MAPP. Learn how this tool helps us understand where your child is developmentally, what’s getting in the way of progress, and how we set meaningful goals that grow with them.

Check it out here: https://www.ootks.com/post/understanding-assessments-a-breakdown-for-caregivers

Part 1 – What is the VB-MAPP? As parents, one of the biggest questions you might have when your child begins ABA therapy is: How do we know what they should be working on? That’s where assessments come in. Assessments help Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) figure out where your child is ...

04/24/2025

South Austin has recently seen some of our amazing staff promoted! Let’s take a moment to celebrate these fantastic therapists.

Olivia is our newest Lead RBT! Olivia’s favorite part about working with our incredible children is helping them learn independence and gain autonomy over themselves. In addition to stepping into this leadership role, Olivia also plays a key part in creating and implementing our fun and engaging “specials” activities.

Kathy was recently promoted to Senior RBT! Kathy is a phenomenal therapist with an amazing sense of humor, she always brings laughter and joy to the clinic. Her favorite part about OOTKS is being one of the kids. She’s learned so much from them about patience, kindness, and how every small win leads to the greatest success.

Another new Senior RBT is Emily! Emily is an adaptable, patient, and dedicated therapist who is passionate about data collection and delivering consistent, high-quality therapy to her clients. With her growth mindset, she is always eager to learn, improve, and implement new strategies to best support her clients.

Our Academy Teacher Ms. Rachel was also promoted to Senior RBT! She is an invaluable member of OOTKS. Her favorite part about teaching our children is seeing the progress and growth they make when they receive the support and encouragement they need!

A huge congratulations and heartfelt thank you to Olivia, Kathy, and Emily for your dedication, hard work, and passion. We are so lucky to have you on our team!

04/22/2025

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to communication, especially for our learners! In our latest blog post, BCBA Abby Sanchez dives into common myths about AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and why these tools are essential, not optional, for so many children.

Whether it's no-tech, low-tech, or high-tech, AAC empowers our clients to express themselves in ways that work best for them.

Read more about it here:

Before we dive into the myths surrounding Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), let’s first understand what AAC is and why it’s important. AAC is typically categorized into three types: no tech, low tech, and high tech. 1. No-tech AAC includes body language, facial expressions, and s...

04/02/2025

Happy Autism Awareness Day from the OOTKS family!

Today, we celebrate the incredible and diverse community that we serve. This day is a powerful reminder of the importance of awareness, acceptance, and advocacy. By spreading knowledge about Autism, ABA, and the many supports available, we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals and families! Take a look below to see what advocacy means to our amazing staff!