By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

Vandegrift High School will exceed capacity by about 10 percent this school year to house an expected student population of 2,630 in a facility designed for 2,400, said Cory Ryan, LISD communications director.

However, a recently proposed bond would expand the seven-year-old campus to accommodate 2,900 students. Prognosticators anticipate that VHS enrollment will reach 2,845 students in 2026 in the 2016 annual Demographic Update. But, the school is well beyond their 2010 forecast that said there would 2,175 Vipers by 2020.

Trustees are scheduled to discuss the bond proposition this week at their meeting on Aug. 3. They will vote whether or not to call for an election on the matter on Aug.17.

Meanwhile, as in the recent past and for the foreseeable future, VHS students will continue to walk one-tenth of a mile to Four Points Middle School where this coming year they will utilize 10 classrooms: six for Austin Community College dual credit courses, three for science labs and one for office space.

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Kevin and Lauren Foltermann in a recent family photo with Archer, 3, who had his last leukemia treatment in June, and their latest addition, Nate, who was born in May.

By SARAH DOOLITTLE
Four Points News

Archer Foltermann looks like a normal, lively three-year-old. According to his dad, Kevin, “He 03wants to go outside and play as soon as he wakes up and he enjoys his cartoons and toys… He is 100 percent boy, runs circles around us (and) is absolutely the happiest kid we know.”

Just over two years ago, however, on June 14, 2015, Archer was diagnosed with a childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), that due to his age was considered to be highly aggressive, with a survival rate of just 30-40 percent.

As his mom Lauren describes, there were few symptoms to alert her and Kevin to the seriousness of Archer’s disease. She’d been planning the 10-months-old’s birthday party when, “We thought Archer looked pale and then he started bruising on his legs. He was still playing and acting normally, but I decided to make an appointment for blood work.”

Before that appointment, Archer developed a fever and his parents took him to an urgent care clinic after hours. Doctors decided that, since they had a lab on-site, they would go ahead and perform the blood work. Tests revealed a highly elevated white count as well as depleted platelets (which allow blood to clot) and hemoglobin (which carry oxygen in the blood).

Doctors informed the family of Archer’s test results and had them transported immediately via ambulance to Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. His white count indicated leukemia, so the oncologist on-call was expecting them when they arrived.

Once there, “They immediately began to work on him. He was screaming and we had to hold him down so they could start IVs and get more blood to confirm his diagnosis,” said Kevin. Blood tests confirmed the ALL diagnosis and thus began the family’s two year saga.

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The chart uses U.S. Census Bureau data and shows median income and median age as well as percentage of households with children.

Census data shows 5-year estimates

By CASSIE MCKEE
Four Points News

The 78732 zip code, which includes Steiner Ranch, continues to have the highest median household income in Austin, according to updated U.S. Census Bureau data from the 2011 – 2015 American Community Survey five-year estimates.

From 2011-2015, the median income of households in 78732 was $132,980. An estimated 42 percent of households had income of $150,000 or more.

William Mellor, vice president of Angelou Economics, said while his firm has not done an analysis on individual zip codes in the city, there has been a trend of significant growth in west Austin.

“That area of the city has been growing significantly over the last couple of years,” Mellor said. “In terms of trends, we notice a lot of CEOs living in that area of town, so it’s not surprising to see the incomes growing so much.”

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Laura Welch Bush Elementary student Cameron Redwine is performing at Zilker Theater Production’s “Wizard of Oz”.

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Cameron Redwine, a Laura Welch Bush Elementary rising 5th grader, is performing in this year’s Zilker Theater Production of “Wizard of Oz” during the six-week run through Aug. 12.

“My favorite part of being in the production is meeting all the new people, learning all the songs and dances,” said Redwine, 11, who has performed in many local shows with his training at TexARTS. “I have always loved wizard of oz and was so excited to be cast in it.”

Redwine is a member of the Zilker youth ensemble as a Munchkin, flying monkey and an Ozzian this summer. The cast started practicing Memorial Day weekend and practiced five to seven nights a week for about six weeks before opening on July 7.

“(We) are confident that the rainbows, twisters, and yellow brick road will thrill and amaze 45,000 Hillside audience members of all ages,” said Kate Hix, executive director of Zilker Theater.

“Wizard of Oz” is the 59th  Zilker summer musical and one of the most ambitious shows ever mounted on the Zilker Hillside. The musical is based on the book by L. Frank Baum published in 1900.

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