Leander ISD superintendent, Dr. Bret Champion, makes the 2015 State of the District presentation behind a display of awards earned last year by the district. The luncheon event was held Friday at Hill Country Bible Church.
Photo by Kim Estes

By KIM ESTES, Four Points News

Dr. Bret Champion, superintendent, laid out results of planning and programs in Leander ISD telling an audience of some 250 that, “Student learning is at the center of everything we do.”

Champion’s remarks were part of the annual LISD “State of the District” meeting sponsored Friday by Leander ISD Educational Excellence Foundation at Hill Country Bible Church, Lakeline.

“Running a school district is like running a small city,” Champion said. Continue reading →

By SCOTT W. COLEMAN, Four Points News

Big crowds are getting to be a regular occurrence at Vandegrift High School on National Signing Day.

A pair of nationally-ranked recruits brought the television cameras and even more attention to the school last week. With offers from Air Force and Rice on the table for months, senior wide receiver Paxton Segina’s visit to Palo Alto, California last month made all the difference.

Segina’s official visit took place fairly late in the recruiting process, but Stanford quarterbacks/wide receivers coach Tavita Pritchard said that when the standout receiver visited the campus and met with coaches and players, “that’s when things really solidified, both in his brain and ours, that he was just a perfect fit for Stanford.”

Courtesy photo of all eight Vandegrift signees: Boys’ Soccer: Sam Drablos, University of Chicago, Curran Kelly, University of Texas at Dallas, Austin Morrow, University of Tampa, Girls Soccer: Lauren Holtzclaw, University of Houston, Kylie Sharp, Ouachita Baptist University, Football: Garrison Spring, Lamar University, Travis Brannan, Navy, and Paxton Segina, Stanford.

Continue reading →

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

In spring of 2015, students in Leander ISD beat the state average for the number of students who passed the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.

According to a recent demographer report, 82.98 percent of Leander I.S.D. students passed the STAAR test, compared to 71.83 percent statewide. That ranks Leander I.S.D. 11th among all large districts in the state with 20,000 or more students, and among the highest scoring of districts of all sizes in the Austin area.

Leander ISD school board trustee Pam Waggoner said she credits the district’s teachers and principals for the high number of students who passed the test.

“I would give credit to the teachers and principals of each of the schools,” Waggoner said. “They provide the right atmosphere for their students to learn in and they constantly assess areas the students need to improve in. This customizes their delivery of education to fit their students.” Continue reading →