By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Trisha Greenway made a mistake and didn’t deposit River Ridge Elementary PTA fall book fair money in a timely manner. She has been removed from the RRE PTA board and is deeply sorry for what she calls negligence and irresponsibility on her part. Greenway, an active volunteer, hopes lessons can be learned from her mistake.

Trisha Greenway doesn’t have many pictures of just herself. She submitted this one from last year, when she went through chemotherapy from January to May.

“I am not blaming anyone but myself,” said Greenway, who is a breast cancer survivor, United States Navy retired military spouse and mother to five children. She volunteers at each of her children’s schools and other organizations including Steiner Stars Swim Team and ViperBots.

Greenway was the 4th VP of Fundraising with RRE PTA and was removed after it was discovered fall book fair money was not deposited until recently.

“I’ve never gotten opportunity to speak about it or to present myself to the PTA board,” Greenway said.

Continue reading →

By SCOTT W. COLEMAN, Four Points News
The Vandegrift boys golf team won the UIL Class 4A state golf tournament Tuesday, and three of the Vipers finished individually in the top five. William Martinez (144) took silver and Cooper Dossey (145) took bronze. Chase Phillips (146) finished fifth, and Tobin Niblett (149) finished in a three-way tie for sixth place. Daniel Martinez shot a two-day 156. The Lady Vipers golf team finished eighth at the state tournament.

L-R William Martinez, Tobin Niblett, Daniel Martinez, Chase Phillips, Cooper Dossey

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Following the fall River Ridge Elementary book fair, more than $5,600 of proceeds were not deposited into the PTA’s bank account until months later, after the discrepancy had been discovered by PTA board members.

PTA Board President Christina Morales said that on April 7, upon realizing the discrepancy, the PTA board closed the books, limiting access to the account, so that a Financial Reconciliation Committee could conduct an investigation.

“On April 7, the 4th VP of Fundraising was informed that the books were closed, and that the PTA did not have access to the account,” Morales said. “The VP went to the bank and deposited a personal check in the amount of $6,544.29. The following day, the VP was removed from the bank account. The board met on Friday, April 11. We then appointed the Reconciliation Committee, and voted unanimously to remove the 4th VP of Fundraising (from the board).”

Morales said while the board realized the discrepancy in early April, members did not know the exact number that had been missing until Friday, April 25, when the results of the  Financial Reconciliation Committee investigation were released. Continue reading →

By SCOTT W. COLEMAN, Four Points News

The Vandegrift girls soccer team last weekend won the Austin area’s first-ever UIL girls soccer championship in a 1-0 victory over Wylie East at Georgetown’s Birkelbach Field. It was the first team athletic title for Vandegrift and the second for a Leander ISD school. Cedar Park’s football team won the Class 4A football state title in 2012.

Lady Vipers hold the 4A state trophy in front of loyal fans after winning the championship game on Saturday. This is the first team athletic title for Vandegrift.
Photo by Scott W. Coleman

By Scott W. Coleman

Junior midfielder Kyndal Howard scored the lone goal in Saturday’s championship game on a header with 2:30 remaining in regulation. Howard also scored the game-winning penalty kick in Friday afternoon’s 2-1 shootout (5-3 penalty kicks) semifinal victory over Northwest Nelson.

Howard was named the championship game’s MVP. On Sunday, the UIL announced that Howard, along with senior goalkeeper Mariah Lechner, sophomore Cassidy Cavanaugh and freshman Kelly Flynn had been named to the Class 4A Girls UIL Soccer State All-Tournament Team.

By Scott W. Coleman

Both Friday afternoon’s semifinal win over Northwest Nelson and Saturday’s title game victory looked a lot like Vandegrift’s other postseason wins. The Lady Vipers won a shootout over Cedar Park in the regional quarterfinal, and went into overtime to defeat Rouse in the regional title game.

After Friday’s win.
Photo by Scott W. Coleman

“That’s the kind of thing that shows the strength of girls soccer in this area,” said LISD athletic director Chris Ross on Saturday. “And it’s only going to get better.” Continue reading →