Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc. Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter January - 2008 �
Travis Country West
TCW Neighborhood NeWsOfficial Publication of Travis Country West Community
Volume 3, Number 1 www.traviscountrywest.orgJanuary 2008
Don't want to wait for the mail?View the current issue of theTCW Neighborhood News
on the 1st day of each month at www.PEELinc.com
TCW Neighborhood NeWs
Over60peopleshowedupforthefirsteverTCWDiwaliPartyonNov. 10! A variety of Indian delicacies—including palakpaneer,samosas,chole,andmoreweredevouredbyguests.Manyneighbors dressed to the nines in gorgeous saris, salwar kameez,andkurtapajamas, andall the ladies enjoyedwearingbindis andbangles.HemaRajaperformedaspectacularBharatnatyamclassicaldance,whichwowedtheaudience.LakshmiRamachandrandazzledfolkswithmehndi(hennaart)skills.Thehighlightforthekidswaslightingsparklerstolightupthenightair.Andofcourse,thearrayoftraditionalDiwalisweetsandthegroupdancingaddedtothefestivityofthisevent.ManyneighborscommentedthatthispartywasagreatwaytogettoknoweachotherandcelebratetheculturesinTCW.
First TCW Diwali Party Sparkles!
2 Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter - January 2008 Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc.
Travis Country West
Newsletter InformationPublisher Peel,Inc..........................www.PEELinc.com,512-989-8905 Articles.............................newsletter@traviscountrywest.org [email protected],512-989-8905
Your Homeowners’ Association Committee Members
Board of DirectorsJohnCampbell............................................................PresidentRinaHartline.......................................................VicePresidentRobHerb.................................................... Treasurer/SecretaryFredClement................................................................ DirectorBretDoyal.................................................................... Director
Forinformationemail:[email protected]
TCW Committees The neighborhood has started the following committeesandwearealwayslookingfornewvolunteers.Pleaseusethecontactemailforquestionsandvolunteeropportunities.
Social [email protected]
Pool [email protected]
Landscape [email protected]
Newsletter [email protected]
Architectural [email protected]
Useful City of Austin Contact NumbersDeadAnimalPickup............................................947-9400AbandonedVehicle...............................................280-0075PotholeRepair.......................................................974-8750StreetLightOutage...............................................505-7617
Advertising Information PleasesupportthebusinessesthatadvertiseintheTravisCountryWestCommunityNewsletter.TheiradvertisingdollarsmakeitpossibleforallTravisCountryWest residents to receive themonthlynewsletteratnocharge.Nohomeownersassociationfundsareusedtoproduceormail thenewsletters. If youwould like to support thenewsletterby advertising, please contact our sales office at [email protected] advertising deadline is the 10th ofeachmonthforthefollowingmonth'snewsletter.
Hosts Needed For TCW Ladies Night Out TCWLadiesNightOut:Meetsevery3rdThursdayofthemonth,from7pm–9pm.Thisisalotoffunandagreatwaytosocializewiththeneighbors!HostsneededforJanuaryandFebruary.Tosignuptohostorco-hostanight,[email protected].
Travis Country West Home Owners’ Association Website
HOA members can access the website at http://www.traviscountrywest-hoa.com.Thiswebsiteprovidesinformationonhowtocontactthefollowing:• TCW’smanagementcompany(GoodwinManagement)• Submitaservicerequest• Reportadeedrestrictionviolation• Askanaccountingquestion• Requestarchitecturalapproval• Requestapoolkey• OrderaResaleCertificate.• AccessCommunityBylaws• AccessCovenant,ConditionsandRestrictions(CCR)
If youwould like to contact the PropertyManager forTravisCountryWestdirectly,callCarlGamblewithGoodwinManagementat512-502-7517oremailatcarl.gamble@goodwintx.com.
FOR SALE:1998 Black Mustang GT
In excellent condition with the following features:
4.6L 8 cylinder5 speed manual transmission
103k milesYokohama tires (good condition)
Kenwood Z828 single-disc CD/MP3 player
with remote & new speakers.
Asking $6500 o.b.o.Call 512-284-8674.
DID YOU KNOW……………… AdditionalrecyclingbinsareavailablefreeofchargefromanyCityofAustinFireStation.TheclosestFireStationtoourneighborhoodisStationnumber37,locatedat8660Highway71West. TofindmoreourpleasevisittheCityofAustinWebsiteat:http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/bins.htm
Travis Country West Yahoo! Group Stay in touchwithTCWnews and activities andmake newconnectionswithyourneighbors.Toregister,logontohttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/traviscountrywest Membership limited to Travis CountryWest neighborhoodresidents.
Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc. Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter January - 2008 �
Travis Country West
Manyneighborsaredebatingwheretosendtheirkidstoelementaryschool.Manywanttosendtheirchildrentooneofthemanyexcellentprivate schools in the area. Others opt to transfer their children toEanes ISD. Theminority appear to send their children to our own“neighborhood”schoolinAustinISD:OakHillElementary.Evenasaformerclassroomteacherandstudentteachersupervisorandcurrentlyasanevaluatorforteacherpreparationinitiatives,Iwasstilloverwhelmedbythedecisionofwheretosendourdaughtertoschool.IthoughtI’dshareourexperiencewithourfirstgradedaughter,Avni.Pleasenote,thisarticleisentirelymyopinion,basedonmyexperience. Forkindergarten,wechosetotransferAvniintoForestTrailElementaryinEanesISD.Someofherneighborhoodbuddiesweredoingthesame,anditseemedlikeagoodidea.ForestTrailisabright,cheerfulcampusthatlookedatadbitmoresecurethantheseparatekindergartenbuildingatOakHillElementary.(ThoughIhavetosaymanyparentslovetheseparate,intimatekindergartenbuildingatOakHill.)ShehadagoodyearatForestTrail,butwewonderedifOakHillElementarymightbeabettermatchforherfromasocialperspective. SoweenrolledherinOakHillforfirstgrade,whereshehasblossomedacademicallyandsocially. BelowisanunofficialcomparisonofForestTrailandOakHillonsomekeyfactors,basedsolelyonmyopinion.IwanttostressthatIamnotrecommendingoneschooloveranother,aseveryfamilyvaluesdifferentaspectsofeducation.Ibelievethemainthingtorememberistolookforaschoolthatmatchesyourfamily’svalues,schedules,andacademicneeds.Alsopleasekeepinmindthesmallsamplesizeofmyexperience—onechildwithoneteacherateachschool.Soevenwithinaschool,experiencecanvarygreatly!
Afternoon pickup: Forest Trail Elem-Crazylongcarline,butplentyofteacherstogetkidssafelyintocars.NobusserviceinTCW.Oak.Hill Elem-CarlineabouthalfthesizeofForestTrail,andnotasmanyteacherstosupervisekids.However,kidsseemtobesafe.ThereisbusserviceinTCW.Morning dropoff: Forest Trail Elem. - Long,butswiftlymovingcarline.NobusserviceinTCW.Oak.Hill Elem-Long,butswiftlymovingcarline.ThereisbusserviceinTCW.Start time:.Forest Trail Elem -Aleisurely8:20.Oak Hill Elem -7:45,whichisgreatforparentswhohavetogettoworkearly,notsogreatforparents(orkids)thatliketosleepinalittleLunch:.Forest Trail Elem-Parentscanjoinkidsanytime.Lotsoflunchtimemonitorstohelp.Canpayforlunchesonline.Oak.Hill Elem-Parentscanjoinkidsforlunchanytime.Notenoughlunchroommonitors.Canpayforlunchesonline.Inmyopinion,thereismorevarietyoflunchchoices.TheyseemtobeashealthyasthoseservedinEanes.Electronic communications:.Forest Trail Elem - Everythingisdoneviae-mail,viaanupdatedwebsite,etc.Allteachershavewebsites,theprincipalsendsoutaweeklye-mailnewsletter.Teachersrespondquicklytoparente-mails.Also,parentscancommunicatewitheachotherviae-mail.Oak.Hill Elem-Verylittledoneviatheschoolwebsite.However,themostimportantfactorforusise-mailcommunicationwiththeteacherandotherparents,whichhasbeensuccessful.Allmajorcommunicationssenthomeviaflyers—Ishudderattheenvironmentalimpactofthis!Curriculum: Forest Trail Elem - Allpublicschoolsfollowthesame
Opinion Article: Where should I send my child for elementary school?
Arati Singh, Cobblestone
Attention:8,9 and 10 year olds checkout our Academy Program ...learn soccer from ourprofessional staff and takeyour game to a new level!
(Continued on Page 4)
� Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter - January 2008 Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc.
Travis Country WestOpinion Article - (Continued from Page 3)
(Continued on page 5)
state-mandatedcurriculum.SpecialeducationandGiftedandTalentedprogramsareoffered.Oak.Hill Elem-Allpublicschoolsfollowthesamestate-mandatedcurriculum.SpecialeducationandGiftedandTalentedprogramsareoffered.Teacher quality: (hard to saywith a sample size of 1 from eachschool)Forest Trail Elem -Avni’s teacherwasyoung,professional,andcompetent.Thekindergartenteamworkedcloselyandallteachersseemedtoteachprettymuchthesamecontentinthesameway.TherewereafewmorecutandpastetypeactivitiesandalittlelessreadingthanIexpected.Thereweremany“art”infusedprojectsintheclassroomthatresultedinstudentsallmakingthesamething—withlittlecreativity.Butmaybethatwasintentional,Idon’tknow.Butscienceandorallanguageskillsweregreat.Oak.Hill Elem-Avni’steacherisveryexperiencedandabletodosomethingthatisnearlyimpossibleinaclassof20kids:differentiateinstructionforeverylevelofstudent.Thestrugglingreadersgetplentyofscaffolding,andthemoreadvancedreadersstaychallenged.Alotmorefreedominprojectsandcreativity,thoughthatmaybemorereflectiveofahighergradelevelthantheschool.Reading:.Forest Trail Elem-State-mandatedassessmentsgiveyouanideaofyourchild’sreadinglevel.“Leveled”libraryandsmallreadinggroupstailorinstructionforstudents.Oak.Hill Elem-State-mandatedassessmentsgiveyouanideaofyourchild’sreadinglevel.“Leveled”libraryandsmallreadinggroupstailorinstructionforstudents.Discipline:.Forest Trail Elem -Studentsdidnot reallydisruptclassmuch, but the playgroundwas a different story…kidswere a littlerowdierthanIwouldhaveexpected.Oak.Hill Elem-Studentsseem
tobealittlemoredisruptiveinclass,buttheyseemtobehavebetterontheplayground.Recess:. Forest Trail Elem -One relatively small playground arearesultsinasomewhatchaoticrecess—veryintimidatingforashychild,as thereare lotsof students fromotherclassesvying forplay space.Sufficientnumberofrecessmonitors.Shadecoversoverequipment.Oak.Hill Elem-Wonderful!TheplaygroundatOakHillisreallymorelikeapark.Studentsrotatetodifferentareasoftheplaygroundeachrecess,andtheystaywiththeirownclass.Thisisreallynice,andthekidsgettoknoweachotherbetter.However,theequipmentisnotassparklingnewasthatfoundatForestTrail.However,therearenotenoughrecessmonitors—aproblemthePTAishelpingtosolvebyrecruitingparentvolunteers..Principal: Forest Trail Elem-Seemslikeagoodleader,ontopofthelatestresearch,buthonestly,Ineverreallyinteractedwithhimpersonallyorsawhimmuch.Ofcourse,Iwasnotasinvolvedintheschoolthatyear.Oak.Hill Elem-IhavegottentoknowMs.Whistleralittlebetterdue tomy involvementon theCampusAdvisoryCommittee. She iscaring, approachable, and very visible (outwaving to parents everymorningatdropoff).Diversity: (Please see http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2007/campus.srch.html for more info)Forest Trail Elem - Nottonsofeconomicorculturaldiversity—mostdiversityappearstocomefromthosethattransferinfromsurroundingareas.Thestudentbodyis1.3%AfricanAmerican;5.1%Hispanic;81.7%
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Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc. Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter January - 2008 �
Travis Country WestWhite; .2%NativeAmerican;11.6%Asian/Pac.;1.5%EconomicallyDisadvantaged;2.5%LimitedEnglishProficient(LEP)Oak. Hill Elem -A littlemore economically and culturally diverse,whichwe love.The student body is 3.2%AfricanAmerican; 32.1%Hispanic;60.3%White;.2%NativeAmerican;4.2%Asian/Pac.;32.4%EconomicallyDisadvantaged;17%LimitedEnglishProficient(LEP)Transfer:.Forest Trail Elem - About25%ofAvni’skindergartenclasswascomprisedoftransferstudents.Thissurprisedus!Oak.Hill Elem.-WehaveheardofahandfulofkidsthathavetransferredtoOakHill,butthisdoesnotappeartobeaverycommonpractice.Report cards:.Forest Trail Elem - Very,verydetailedreportcardandregular and informative parent teacher conferences.Oak. Hill Elem.-Notverydetailedreportcardatall(e.g.,scienceandsocialstudiesandhealtharelumpedtogetheras1subject),butthefirstparentconferencewasinformative.However,IfeelthatIcommunicateenoughwiththeteacherviae-mailtoknowwhat’sgoingonwithmychild.Safety: Forest Trail Elem - Allvisitorsmustreporttotheofficefirst.Theentranceleadsstraighttotheoffice,thoughonecouldgetaroundit.Receptionistsareverywelcoming.Visitorsmustshowdriverslicensesandsignin.Oak.Hill Elem-Visitorsaresupposedtoreporttotheofficefirst,butthisdoesnotreallyseemtobeenforced.Frontofficestaffdonotwelcomeeachvisitorpersonally.Thereisasignindeskonthesidewhereparentssigninandpickupabadge.NoneedtoshowIDbeforeenteringschool.Texas Education Agency Rating:.(exemplary, recognized, acceptable, not acceptable) (Please see http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2007/campus.srch.html for more info) Exemplary (the highest level)Forest Trail Elem - GoldPerformanceAcknowledgments:Attendance(2005-06);Commended onReading/ELA;Commended onWriting;Commended onMathematics; Commended on Science.Oak. Hill Elem - Recognized (the second highest level);Gold PerformanceAcknowledgments:CommendedonWriting;CommendedonScience;ComparableImprovement:Reading/ELA&MathematicsSpecials: Forest Trail Elem - Students rotate among art, PE, andmusic—specialsteachersaregreat. Oak.Hill Elem-Studentsrotateamongart,PE,andmusic—specialsteachersaregreat.Middle School:. (Please see http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2007/campus.srch.html for more info) Forest Trail Elem -Studentsfeedintomiddleschoolsthatareranked“exemplary”byTEA.Oak.Hill Elem-TCWstudentsfeedintoSmallMiddleschool,whichisrankedas“recognized”byTEA.However,anewSouthwestMiddleSchoolwillbebuilton1826overthenextfewyears;itisnotyetknownifTCWwillfeedintothatnewschool.(FYI:Oursisterneighborhood,TravisCountry,feedsintoOHenryMS,whichisranked“academicallyacceptable,”alowerratingthanSmall.). I hope this article gives a little insight into our experience. We are quite happy with Oak Hill Elementary so far, and hope to stay there for a while!
Opinion Article - (Continued from Page 4)
!!! Travis Country West Newsletter !!! TheTravisCountryWest newsletter is a FREEmonthlypublicationmailedtoallTravisCountryWestresidents.IfyouareinterestedinsubmittinganARTICLE,FAVORITERECIPEor FAVORITE PHOTO, please submit it to: [email protected].
From Your Neighbor’s KitchenSquash Casserole
1packageofSlicedYellowSquash16oz 1cancreamofchickensoup10¾oz 1containerofsourcream8oz 2/3cupmeltedbutterormargarine 1boxinstantstuffingmix6oz.1.Boilfrozensquashinasaucepanfor3minutes.Drain.2.Inalargebowlcombinesquash,soupandsourcream.3.Inamediumbowlcombinestuffingwithbutterormargarine.4.Spraycookingsprayinacasseroledish.Add½ofthestuffingmix,thenallofthesquashmix,thentopwithremainingstuffingmix.Bakefor30minutesat350°.Letcoolfor5minutesbeforeserving.
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At no time will any source be allowed to use the Travis Country West Community Newsletter contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from the Travis Country West Homeowners Association and Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Travis Country West residents only.
Teenage Job Seekers. . Baby Pet House YardName Age Sit Sit Sit Work PhonePatel,Rebecca............... 16..........•.........................................567-4344
*-CPR Training +-First Aid Training
Attention Teenagers TheTeenage Job SeekerslistingserviceisofferedfreeofchargetoallTravisCountryWestteenagersseekingwork.Submityournameandinformationtonewsletter@traviscountrywest.org.bythe9thofthemonth!
Not Avaliable Online
� Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter - January 2008 Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc.
Travis Country West
Avery RanchBarker RanchBarton Hills
BelterraBrushy Creek Village
Canyon CreekCherry Creek on Brodie Ln.
Circle C RanchCourtyard
Davenport RanchForest CreekGranada Hills
Highland Park West BalconesHill Country/Westview Estates
Horizon ParkJester Estates
LakewoodPemberton Heights
RidgewoodRiver Place
Scenic BrookSendera
Shady HollowSonoma
South Lamar Neighbothood Assoc.Steiner RanchStone Canyon
Tanglewood OaksTravis Country WestThe Hills of Lakeway
Villages at Western Oaksand Legend Oaks
WestcreekWood Glen
Brook MeadowsEldorado HOA
Estates of Russell CreekHunter’s Glen
TimarronWaterford ParkWoodland Hills
BerkshireBlackhorse Ranch
BridgelandCanyon Gate at the Brazos
Coles CrossingCypress Mill
Enchanted ValleyFairfield
Hambeldon-BriarchaseHarvest Bend, The Village
Kings ManorLakes on Eldridge
Lakes on Eldridge NorthLakewood GroveLegends Ranch
LongwoodOakwood Glen
Riata RanchSteeplechaseSummerwoodVillage Creek
Waterford HarborWillowbridgeWillowlake
Willow PointeWinchester CountryWinchester TrailsWindermere LakesWortham Village
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Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc. Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter January - 2008 �
Travis Country West
Color the drawing below and mail the finished artwork to us at 203 W. Main Street, Ste. D, Pflugerville, TX 78660.We will select the top few and post their artwork online at www.PEELinc.com. DUE: December 31st
Attention KIDS: Send Us Your Masterpiece!
Travis Country West
Be sure to include the followingso we can let you know!
Name: __________________________________ (first name, last initial)
Email Address: ___________________________
Age:__________
[This information will only be used to notify youor your parents if your artwork was selected.]
8 Travis Country West Homeowner's Association Newsletter - January 2008 Copyright © 2008 Peel, Inc.
Travis Country West
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