Nancy Kotlarz, center, and her family, (left to right) Jacqueline, George, Alex and Jessica.

By KIM ESTES, Four Points News

Long-time Leander ISD volunteer Nancy Kotlarz closes the chapter of nearly two decades of local volunteering after her youngest child graduated from Vandegrift this month.

“Staying involved with your kids and their school is key to their success,” said Kotlarz, a resident of River Place. “You may think that sending in brownies for a luncheon means very little, but you are wrong. It means a lot.”

A stay-at-home mom for the lifetime of her three children, Kotlarz volunteered in local schools for the past 17 years accruing a record of dedicated service and participation in a little LISD history.

Kotlarz helped open most of the local Four Points campuses and others too. She also donated labor to just about each one including Steiner Ranch, Laura Welch Bush and River Place elementary schools, Cedar Park, Canyon Ridge and Four Points middle schools, and, finally, Cedar Park High School and VHS.

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Shelley Coleman

By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

Anxiety disorders are affecting millions of children in the United States, including a number of young people in Four Points, according to Shelley Coleman, a licensed professional counselor and supervisor with a practice in Lakeway.

Coleman’s been working with children and adolescents for ten years and since opening her Lakeway practice has seen an increase in patients dealing with anxiety.

“It keeps coming up,” said Coleman, who spoke to parents at Canyon Ridge Middle School about children and anxiety earlier this year.

“Anxiety disorder” is a general term, as defined by the DSM-5 (the newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and can be expressed as one or more specific forms of anxiety, such as separation anxiety, social anxiety, a panic disorder, agoraphobia or a generalized anxiety disorder.

A community of overscheduled kids
As a Four Points area parent herself, Coleman knows firsthand the temptations of living in a highly educated, affluent community that offers endless opportunities to its children, with the best of intentions.

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Steiner resident Kendall Shields, 15, celebrates beating the time needed to qualify to swim in the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.

Kendall Shields with a banner neighbors had made wishing her luck at the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials being held Jun. 26 – Jul. 3 in Omaha, Neb.

By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

Steiner Ranch resident Kendall Shields, a 15-year-old rising junior at Vandegrift High School, will compete in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swim Trials being held in Omaha, Neb. this week.

Shields is attending the event, which runs from Jun. 26 – Jul. 3, with her family and eight other swimmers from her team, the Austin Swim Club out of Westlake. Coach Brendan Hansen, an Olympic medalist and world record holder in swimming, leads the team.

Shields is eligible to attend as a result of exceeding national time standards and will compete against other teens and adults in two events, the 100 meter and 200 meter backstroke. The first and second place winners at the trials will join the Olympic team

“That’s not quite a realistic goal for me this year,” explains Shields. “To put it in perspective, I’d basically have to beat (four-time Olympic gold medalist) Missy Franklin in order to actually go to the Olympics. But just to qualify for the meet and get to race there is just really a big accomplishment.”

That’s not to say she won’t be fierce competition. Shields mom Lisa, not wanting to brag, admits that, “It always feels awkward to say it, but she’s top ten in the country in her event for her age.”

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Last week the Austin City Council endorsed Mayor Steve Adler’s proposal to ask voters for permission to sell $720 million in property-tax-based bonds over the next five years, and parts of the plan include $101 million for projects that would help alleviate traffic congestion in Four Points.
“This (existing) congestion is dire for the community,” said Brian Thompto, local traffic relief advocate. “This is now a critical time for the West Austin – Four Points community to make sure our needs are heard and that the council takes very seriously the funding of improvements along RM 620.”

The transportation plan includes $101 million for “regional mobility improvements” including work on RM 620 and RM 2222, Loop 360, Anderson Mill and Parmer Lane. Many of these “regional” projects are outside of the city core and are included in Council Member Don Zimmerman’s District 6 and Council Member Sheri Gallo’s District 10. Both Zimmerman and Gallo voted for the plan.

Thompto was at the June 23 meeting and gave comments supporting the transportation plan for three minutes around 10:30 p.m. He emphasized the importance of including funding for fixing roadway bottlenecks such as RM 620/RM 2222.

The council vote was taken just after 1:30 a.m. on Friday and resulted in an 8-3 vote.

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