By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

A local preschool teacher and River Place resident has published her first book, entitled “Marshmallows Ain’t Got No Feet,” a collection of funny and heartwarming stories from the young kids she has taught over the years.

Author Allison Gaskins, 45, has taught preschool for the last 12 years at First Foundations Preschool in Austin. Prior to that, she taught kindergarten in Georgia and North Carolina.

“I enjoy working with very little children,” Gaskins said. “Every day is an adventure at that age.”

Gaskins comes from a long line of educators, including both her mother and father. Her mother helped motivate her to write the book.

“She always said she wished she had taken the time to write down the funny things her students said,” Gaskins said. “When I became a teacher, she suggested I do it.”

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The River North area of Austin ​—​ including Steiner Ranch, River Place and Grandview Hills ​—​ continues to show strong growth and momentum for the first half of 2014.

“The median sales price for River North over the first six months of 2014 was $495,000, which is up approximately 8.6 percent from the same time last year,” said Julie Stephens, broker and owner of Nest Properties Austin, and a Steiner resident.

River North comprises of zip codes 78732, 78730, part of 78726, and Long Canyon as well as Lake Travis areas north of Mansfield Dam to Bullock Hollow. Steiner, River Place and Grandview Hills are in these zip codes respectively.

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The plans to bring CVS Pharmacy to Four Points are closer than ever with the clearing of nearly 8 acres at RM 620 and Bullick Hollow Road, across from RM 2222. The most recent change has been the demolition of the former 7-Eleven convenience store.

As reported by Four Points News last fall, CVS Pharmacy purchased a contract to buy one of two lots on the property at 7300 N. RM 620, according to Jim George of GDF Realty Investment, Ltd. in Austin.

The sale to CVS closed the week of July 21, George said.

Plans call for the 24-hour, 11,000-square-foot pharmacy to be built first on 2.3 acres of the site.

“CVS is start building very shortly. I believe CVS will be in operation before the end of the year,” George said.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

School in the Hills Steiner Ranch is building a second campus at River Place and is expanding its Montessori curriculum to teach up to third grade.

Head of School Alicia Marker said they hope to break ground later this year on School in the Hill River Place and be open by June 2015. The new campus will be located on a three-and-a-half acre property at 10911 RM 2222.

“From the conception of School in the Hills in Steiner Ranch, we have always dreamed of more than one campus,” Marker said.

Daniel and Alicia Marker on the three-acre site in River Place where they will build their second School in the Hills Montessori school, which will have capacity for 250 students and offer up to 3rd grade.
Photo by Lynette Haaland

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By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

First story

Christine always knew there was something different about her son, Jack.

“From the beginning, since birth, he’s been… he started out kind of colicy… there were sleep issues… (he was) easily overstimulated, crying excessively. It was just sort of a stressful parenting situation from the beginning.”

As a first-time parent, Christine, whose name has been changed to protect privacy, assumed she was doing something wrong. Her beautiful boy looked normal otherwise. Still, there were nagging questions. “Did I not put him in time out enough, or too much? Did I spank him too many times?”

Aggression

Though clearly intelligent, Jack couldn’t manage his own emotions. Frustration or simple lack of understanding manifested as aggression.

It caused stress in the family, even more so when Christine and her husband welcomed their second child. Christine felt isolated. What were they doing wrong? And what was wrong with their son?

With kindergarten came new issues. Jack was soon labeled by his classmates as “the mean boy.” He went to the principal a few extra times. Christine heard through the grapevine that parents didn’t want their kids coming over to the house to play.

“As he started to progress with friendships, I realized, you know, like his level of aggression, compared to the other peers — it was higher. There was something that was just a little different.”

Still, asking for help was hard. Jack looked normal, and rather than considering that he had a medical issue, school officials seemed to assume he was just a bad kid, or came from a problematic home environment. Continue reading →