Local parent Kevin O’Brien asked the Leander Independent School District to make “meaningful inclusion” part of the special education program, prior to the board’s approval to hire 20 additional staff members for the program at a cost of nearly $800,000. This happened at the Sept. 5 board meeting.
“I understand that there is going to be about $800,000 going towards special education,” O’Brien said. “I hope that you guys focus not just on hiring more teachers but changing the mindset of what meaningful inclusion is and why it works.”
All Vandegrift staffers helped with the scheduling issues that happened at the beginning of the school year. Members of the counseling team include the Dean of Instruction, Testing Coordinator, Sped Lead, counseling admin and the Transition Coordinator, who all function like a team, said Charlie Little, VHS principal. (Back) Kristin Gunter, Charity Escott, Melissa Wells, Stephanie Stich, Jane Manchester, Sarah Spradling, Jennifer Fisher (Mid) Maureen Sanders, Jeana Badger, Sheri Georgoulis, Maureen Wheeler (Front) Christa Martin, Kandice Detlefsen, Peggy Morisset, Carla Kind PHOTO TEXAS PHOTOGRAPHY
Viper community pitches in to help
By LESLEE BASSMAN, Four Points News
When nearly 2,800 Vandegrift High School students started the 2019-2020 school year a month ago, the district-wide technology overhaul and ensuing problems left days of confusion for many Vipers. VHS counselors and other key staffers were in overdrive mode for nearly a week resolving the technology blip that caused errors in student schedules.
The Viper community responded and about a dozen volunteers supported VHS through the problem. Most of the volunteers would stay longer than their two to three hour shifts because they just saw the need to be there, said Carla George, the parent of a senior student, who coordinated the assistance.
nonPareil CEO Gary Moore (far left, holding ribbon) and Kim Tagge, director of operations at Austin’s nonPareil facility (far right, holding ribbon) celebrate the opening of a Four Points location with a ribbon cutting ceremony last week on Aug. 27. LESLEE BASSMAN
By LESLEE BASSMAN, Four Points News
Four Points resident Dale Thompson’s voice lifts with excitement as he talks about his son, Brent, who graduated from Vandegrift a few years ago. A four-year wrestler, Thompson said Brent attracted a lot of community interest during his high school years.
“He’s on the (autism) spectrum and yet Coach Cooper let him come on the team with zero experience,” Thompson said of Brent who was promoted to the varsity squad his junior and senior years. “Brent proved he was up to the challenge.”
Concordia University Texas students moved into the dorms at the Four Points campus to start the new school year. Unofficial enrollment numbers show 2,439 total students including undergrad, grad, and doctoral students. There are two residence halls on the campus at 11400 Concordia University Dr. and those are 95 percent filled, housing a total of 286 students this fall. Official numbers are reported at the point of census, which will happen next week.
