By RICH KEITH, Four Points News

In a public meeting held Monday night at Grandview Hills Elementary, Leander ISD Superintendent Bret Champion showed how the district’s continued growth is fueled by today’s demographics. He also explained some of the challenges in keeping high standards of education while dealing with current budget realities.

Champion said the district has had to learn to do more with less. Out of 4,219 staff, 2,270 are teachers, but this is an increase of only 64 since the previous high point in 2010 — before the budget cuts required a reduction in staff levels. Meanwhile, the district has added about 4,000 new students.

Leander ISD Superintendent Bret Champion showed how the district’s continued growth is fueled by today’s demographics.
Photo by Scott Coleman

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By VAL OLIVAS, Four Points News

Photo Texas Photography is officially moving headquarters to River Place this week as founder Cindy Gallien has her eye toward expanding into more Texas markets.

River Place resident Gallien will have a much shorter commute to work in the days ahead when Photo Texas offices move from Anderson Mill to 6500 River Place Blvd. on Dec. 11.

“We will have an (indoor) studio and have outdoor access to beautiful spots. Our building sits on the edge of the preserve so we have incredible views and scenery,” Gallien said.

Cindy Gallien, of River Place, has built Photo Texas Photography from the ground up since 1999. Today she has 35 employees, many shown in this photo.
Photo by Photo Texas Photography

With 35 employees—and additional contractors–Photo Texas covers the Austin, Houston, Beaumont, College Station and San Angelo areas. It offers photography services for school portraits, senior portraits, school sports and activities, and youth league action. Photo Texas also provides event photography and photo booth rental.

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By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

For the second year in a row, students from Vandegrift High School have produced average SAT scores that are higher than average scores in the United States, Texas or other Leander ISD schools.

Furthermore, a greater percentage of VHS students took the SAT, with 82 percent of the Class of 2013 participating versus 67 percent of LISD students. The average VHS student’s SAT score was a total of 1656 out of 2400. The national average is 1484 and LISD students post an average of 1579.

District-wide, scores on the SAT increased by 30 points from the class of 2012 to 2013 even though nationally, average scores dropped by three points.

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By RICH KEITH, Four Points News

Four Points now has representation on the Austin City Council in District 6 with last week’s approval of new redistricting maps.

Last November, Austinites voted for geographic representation. The successful campaign achieved what had eluded citizens and planners for over 30 years: a city charter amendment which changed the make-up of the City Council members from six at-large members and a mayor to 10 members, each representing one district, plus a mayor.

Made official on Nov. 25, Four Points will lie in District 6. The new district encompasses all of River Place and Four Points areas to the north of RM-2222 and only portions of Comanche Trail. The Steiner Ranch peninsula is not in the district except for the River Ridge neighborhood and those bordering areas close to Lake Austin which lie in Austin’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction or ETJ.

“It’s going to be a whole new ballgame at City Council,” said River Place resident Jay Wiley, the first candidate to announce to run for District 6 next November. “Our neighborhoods will finally have a seat at the table, and that will make a big difference in how the Council discusses everything from infrastructure to traffic to parks.”

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By SCOTT W. COLEMAN, Hill Country News

The University Interscholastic League, the governing body of Texas high school sports, on Monday released the new enrollment brackets that will be used to determine the all-important classifications for football and basketball for the 2014-16 seasons.

One of the most talked-about changes is the implementation of a Class 6A. However, the new classification isn’t exactly what many were expecting. Instead of separating the largest schools in the state, the changes primarily shift the majority of schools in the current Class 5A into the new 6A, while what has been a separate classification for the smallest schools playing six-man football will now become the new 1A.

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