By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

It’s a busy time of year as students and parents get ready for the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 24.

While the district is not making any big policy changes for the upcoming school year, there will be a few technology enhancements throughout the district to help both students and parents.

GPS technology on buses

One enhancement that will help students who ride the bus is the implementation of GPS technology on school buses. If a child’s bus is running late due to traffic or other reasons, a parent can call the bus dispatch line and find out in real time where the bus is and its expected arrival time. Continue reading →

By KIM ESTES, Four Points News

Scholarships awarded to Vandegrift High School 2015 graduating seniors increased by 54.6 percent compared to 2014, reported Amy Rodriguez, VHS lead counselor.

“Last year, VHS seniors were offered $13.5 million in scholarships. This year, they were offered a little over $20.89 million. Our students are the ones who deserve the utmost credit. Their persistence and dedication to their academics and the programs to which they are committed is inspiring,” Rodriguez said. Continue reading →

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The Texas Department of Transportation is trying to wrap up construction at RM 2222 and McNeil Drive before the start of Leander ISD classes on Monday. The project is being done to help facilitate the flow of traffic through this area, the primary access route for both Four Points Middle School and Vandegrift High School.

Once finished, there will be new, dual left-turn lanes from eastbound RM 2222 to McNeil Drive, and the right-turn lane from westbound RM 2222 will be lengthened.

Additionally, McNeil Drive to RM 2222 will be striped with a left-turn, a right-turn, and a center optional left- or right-turn, said Kelli Reyna, TxDOT spokesperson for the Austin District.

Sidewalk ramps and concrete curb and gutter work is being done at night at the RM 2222 and McNeil Drive intersection. This work started on Sunday night and is expected to go through Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night in hopes of getting the project done before Monday.

Continue reading →

By SARAH DOOLITTLE, Four Points News

In 2011, Michele and Michael O’Rourke were in need of psychiatric services for Michael’s bipolar type II disorder and a profound depressive cycle that had started in January.

Michele was pleased with the psychiatrist she herself was seeing, but that doctor was not taking new patients. Michael was left instead with a clinical psychiatric nurse who proved to be a poor match, recommending a course of treatment that presumed he did not take his medication regularly, although he did. Continue reading →