By Sarah Doolittle, Four Points News

Several Vandegrift High School counselors presented new high school graduation requirements to parents of incoming freshmen recently. Their presentation was in response to Texas House Bill 5, passed in June of 2013.

At the April 9 meeting, parents seemed to express more confusion than concern, something shared by the counselors present.

“We have been fielding a lot of phone calls and emails about the change. And I have to assure you that when the counselors heard about this, our anxiety levels rose too,” said VHS counselor Carolyn Brooks. “We’re figuring it out. We’re taking it one step at a time.”

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Four Points residents in need of physical or occupational therapy have a new option since Endeavor Rehab Center opened a few weeks ago.

Grandview Hills resident Emily Fontana opened Endeavor Rehab Center with her business partner Enrique Hazel. The pair opened their initial location in Austin near I-35 and U.S. 290 seven years ago and chose Four Points for their second location at 6911 RM 620, Ste. B-201 in Four Points Parke behind Walgreens.

“I just felt this is such an underserved area for therapy and people are having to drive everywhere,” Fontana said. “Particularly after surgery, you really need somewhere close to home to go to therapy or you’re not going to go.”

​L-R: Devanshi Patel, licensed physical therapist ​, Emily Fontana, registered occupational therapist​, and Amy Sanders, registered occupational therapist and licensed massage therapist, are ​all Four Points residents and are ​now accepting patients at Endeavor Rehab Center, located in Four Points Park​e ​behind Walgreens.​

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

A local mom says she can no longer remain silent about the struggle she and her husband have faced to bring their adoptive son home from Africa.

Steiner Ranch residents Andy and Sherri Smetana are taking their frustrations to the United States government, calling congressmen and senators one by one and urging them to put pressure on the Republic of Congo government, which is refusing to issue an exit letter for their son Henry, who they legally adopted. They have joined forces with hundreds of families across the United States urging Congress to take action.

“We are done being quiet,” said Sherri Smetana. “We are ready to get our kids home.”

Recently, Steiner Ranch residents Andy and Sherri Smetana visited their adopted son Henry in Africa. Henry was born a year ago April 2 and found abandoned by a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country is not issuing an exit letter for Henry to come to the U.S.

Andy Smetana holds adoptive son Henry, then 11 months, during a visit to Africa.

Becoming a family

In November 2012, Andy and Sherri, who are also parents to 4-year-old twin girls, knew they wanted to adopt and began looking into the adoption process.

“I knew Africa was on my heart,” Sherri said. “I knew I wanted to adopt from Africa.”

A friend of hers had just adopted a child from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a war-torn country in central Africa. The Smetanas started the process and completed their paperwork in December 2012. On April 5, 2013, they received a photo of the little 5-day-old boy with whom they had been matched. The newborn baby had been found abandoned by a river. They named him Henry. Continue reading →

By KRISTI LEE NORDIN, Four Points Contributor

In the face of a compelling need to prepare our students for a global workforce, I believe we need classrooms where teachers are energized and empowered to teach. The Leander ISD February Conference enables this to occur.

In a recent Site Base Committee meeting at Steiner Ranch Elementary, I gained a new appreciation for LISD’s February Conference. The faculty and staff conveyed an excitement and enthusiasm that was simultaneously captivating and contagious.

For those unfamiliar, this annual event is three days at the beginning of February that the district has set aside for training. In practice, the first two days are comprised of seminars and sessions with speakers and subject matter experts while the third day is spent back on the home campus.

Many families traditionally use this time to travel or do things locally taking advantage of favorable pricing and reduced crowds as this time off is unique to LISD.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Nearly 100 young sailors were part of the 2014 Roadrunner Regatta at Lake Travis hosted by the Austin Yacht Club.

The two-day sailing competition is one of the largest youth regattas in the state. This year’s event on April 5 and 6 had a record-number of local racers, with 23 Austin Yacht Club sailors, many of which are from the Four Points area.

Wendi Froelich from Four Points.
Bill Records photos

“This is probably the most competitors we’ve had from Austin Yacht Club,” said AYC sailing coach Kate Noble.

The event is part of the Texas Sailing Youth Association’s youth regatta series that take place throughout the state all year.  

“This is our home event,” Noble said. “It’s usually one of the most attended ones. We get people in from Louisiana and the surrounding states. It’s a really big event and it’s really fun to see all the kids out there.”

By the event’s end, each sailor, ranging in age from 7 to 18, had raced between eight and 13 races in their designated fleet.

For Fleet Captain and Regatta Chair Stefan Froelich and his wife, Stephanie, sailing is a family sport. Five of their seven children competed in the weekend competition.

“The coolest thing we like about it is just the camaraderie between the families,” Stephanie said.

Vandegrift High School sophomore Jules Bettler competed in the Laser 4.7 fleet. He’s in the middle of this Laser start.
Bill Records photos

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