Highlands at Gann Ranch

HIGHLANDS at Gann Ranch

JANUARY 2016 | VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

WELCOME TO HIGHLANDS AT GANN RANCH Official Newsletter of the Highlands at Gann Ranch HOA The Highlands at Gann Ranch is a monthly newsletter mailed to all Highlands at Gann Ranch residents. Each newsletter will be filled with valuable information about the community, local area activities, school information, and more. If you are involved with a school group, play group, scouts, sports team, social group, etc., and would like to submit an article for the newsletter, you can do so online at www. PEELinc.com. Personal news (announcements, accolades/ honors/ celebrations, etc.) are also welcome as long as they are from area residents. GO GREEN! Subscribe via Peelinc.com to have an email sent to you with a link to a PDF of the newsletter, or have an email sent to you instead of having a newsletter mailed to you!

Highlands of Gann Ranch Board Members Whether they came from Louisiana, Illinois or from right here in Texas your board members all found a way to make Highlands at Gann Ranch Cedar Park, Texas their homes. Take a moment, read below, and get to know them a little better. Stephanie Biggs is a native Texan who is proud to call Austin her home for the last 24 years and has lived in Gann Ranch since 2001. She has been a Realtor in the greater Austin area for many years and enjoys meeting new people and helping them reach their goals. She serves on the Board of Directors for Lake Travis Music Theatre in Lago Vista as the House Manager and director of Social Media. Stephanie and her husband Clint are both native Texans. In their free time they enjoy camping, kayaking and attending concerts with their three sons Joshua, Devin and Sam. Stephanie’s other hobbies include reading, genealogy, gardening and scouting. David Thibodeaux is a father of 4 boys and beautiful loving wife with 2 dogs. He enjoy sports and anything outdoors. He is a combat vet with 8 years in the U.S. Marine Corp. These days he works as a Senior Operations/Facilities/ Security Director. David was born in New Orleans, LA and later moved to Midland, TX. As a preteen he participated in multiple sports and graduated in the top 10 percent of my class

from Robert E. LEE High. David enjoys exercise and going to the shooting range. Diane Ivanova is a newer to the neighborhood, moving to Cedar Park in 2011. She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and later moved to the Fort Lauderdale Florida area. She had the fun opportunity to spend a few years living in London where she met her husband Petar, who was living there as well. Petar is originally from Bulgaria. Maksim is our little Texan – he is 3 ½. Diane works for Cisco as a sales specialist for Network Security. We enjoy walking the neighborhood, enjoying the pool and getting Maksim exposed to as many new, fun experiences as possible. Rounding off this group is Virgil Garcia, another native Texan that has lived in the Austin area since 1998. His family is made up his wife Michelle and four children Natalie, Virgil IV, Augie, and Samantha. Parishioners at St. Margaret Mary’s, the family is also active at Twin Lakes YMCA, where Virgil IV, Augie, and Samantha play various youth sports and Virgil often coaches. The Garcia family has lived in Cedar Park for 5 years and has called Highlands at Gann Ranch home for two. Virgil currently works as a Lead Engineer for AT&T.

Highlands at Gann Ranch - January 2016

Highlands at Gann Ranch IMPORTANT NUMBERS EMERGENCY NUMBERS

EMERGENCY ...................................................911 Ambulance / Fire..................................................911 SCHOOLS

Knowles Elementary............................ 512-570-6200 Running Brushy Middle School.......... 512-570-3300 Leander High...................................... 512-570-1000 OTHER

City...................................... www.cedarparktexas.gov Cedar Park Post Office ....................... 512-260-7585

Highlands of Gann Ranch Annual HOA meeting When: February 4th doors open at 6:30 Where: Knowles Elementary cafeteria We’ll be having pizza and drinks – so please try and RSVP so we can get a decent count of attendance for ordering the food. http://whoozin.com/36Q-AXP-AD7M Please – pass the word along!

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Peel, Inc.............................................. 512-263-9181 Article Submissions........... depivanova@bellsouth.net Advertising.......................... advertising@peelinc.com

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Baby Pet House Yard Age Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

Doe, John....................... 15..........•.......... •.........•................... 111-1111

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The Teenage Job Seekers listing service is offered free of charge to all The Bridgeland Times teenagers seeking work. Submit your name and information to depivanova@bellsouth.net by the 9th of the month!

Highlands at Gann Ranch - January 2016

Highlands at Gann Ranch Winter Project suggestions – Insulation and Radiant Barriers (This article is from content that can be found at http://www. energy.gov/energysaver/radiant-barriers) Don’t know about your house – but know in mine we have places/rooms that are colder/warmer that the rest of the house each session. Now is a good time of year to see what’s happening in your attic and assess if there is work to get done to help this. One idea that just came by my attention that I thought to share was adding a Radiant barrier. The HOA and board are not promoting this idea or product or service. Just sharing what information for you to assess how to improve the energy use for our heating/air conditioning. Radiant barriers are installed in homes -- usually in attics and if you are lucky this is done during the home build -- primarily to reduce summer heat gain and reduce cooling costs. The barriers consist of a highly reflective material that reflects radiant heat rather than absorbing it. They don't, however, reduce heat conduction like thermal insulation materials. How They Work Heat travels from a warm area to a cool area by a combination of conduction, convection, and radiation. Heat flows by conduction from a hotter location within a material or assembly to a colder location, like the way a spoon placed in a hot cup of coffee conducts heat through its handle to your hand. Heat transfer by convection occurs when a liquid or gas -- air, for example -- is heated, becomes less dense, and rises. As the liquid or gas cools, it becomes denser and falls. Radiant heat travels in a straight line away from any surface and heats anything solid that absorbs its energy. Most common insulation materials work by slowing conductive heat flow and -- to a lesser extent -- convective heat flow. Radiant barriers and reflective insulation systems work by reducing radiant heat gain. To be effective, the reflective surface must face an air space. Dust accumulation on the reflective surface will reduce its reflective capability. The radiant barrier should be installed in a manner to minimize dust accumulation on the reflective surface. When the sun heats a roof, it's primarily the sun's radiant energy that makes the roof hot. Much of this heat travels by conduction through the roofing materials to the attic side of the roof. The hot roof material then radiates its gained heat energy onto the cooler attic surfaces, including the air ducts and the attic floor. A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic. A radiant barrier works best when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy striking it. Also, the greater the temperature differences between the sides of the radiant barrier material, the greater the benefits a radiant barrier can offer. Radiant barriers are more effective in hot climates than in cool Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

climates, especially when cooling air ducts are located in the attic. Some studies show that radiant barriers can reduce cooling costs 5% to 10% when used in a warm, sunny climate. The reduced heat gain may even allow for a smaller air conditioning system. Types of Radiant Barriers Radiant barriers consist of a highly reflective material, usually aluminum foil, which is applied to one or both sides of a number of substrate materials such as kraft paper, plastic films, cardboard, oriented strand board, and air infiltration barrier material. Some products are fiber-reinforced to increase durability and ease of handling. Radiant barriers can be combined with many types of insulation materials in reflective insulation systems. In these combinations, radiant barriers can act as the thermal insulation's facing material. Installation A radiant barrier's effectiveness depends on proper installation, so it's best to use a certified installer. If you choose to do the installation yourself, carefully study and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety precautions and check your local building and fire codes. The reflective insulation trade association also offers installation tips. (There are you-tube video’s with great examples!) Obviously, it's easier to incorporate radiant barriers into a new home, but you can also install them in an existing home, especially if it has an open attic. In a new house, an installer typically drapes a rolled-foil radiant barrier foil-face down between the roof rafters to minimize dust accumulation on the reflective faces (double-faced radiant barriers are available). This is generally done just before the roof sheathing goes on, but can be done afterwards from inside the attic by stapling the material to the bottom of the rafters. When installing a foil-type barrier, it's important to allow the material to "droop" between the attachment points to make at least a 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) air space between it and the bottom of the roof. Foil-faced plywood or oriented strand board sheathing is also available. Note that reflective foil will conduct electricity, so workers and homeowners must avoid making contact with bare electrical wiring. If installed on top of attic floor insulation, the foil will be susceptible to dust accumulation and may trap moisture in fiber insulation, so it is strongly recommended that you NOT apply radiant barriers directly on top of the attic floor insulation. Interesting in learning more…please visit the energy.gov site for this and more ideas on saving energy in your home : http:// www.energy.gov/energysaver/radiant-barriers

Highlands at Gann Ranch - January 2016

Highlands at Gann Ranch

The Benefits of Hosting Span Borders

OPEN HOA Board position At our February annual HOA meeting we will be looking to nominate and vote to fill an open board member position on the HOA board. Interested in participating? Please think on it if you have interest in finding ways to support the neighborhood. What it takes? The HOA board usually meets around 4 times per year. That takes place during a weekday evening for around 90 minutes. These meeting are open to every homeowner in the community. The HOA board hears from community members on any issues they have, we introduce and consider new projects that should be undertaken for the betterment of the neighborhood, and we review the finances of the HOA. A board position term runs 3 years….which flies by fast! Outside of the meetings we share in the gathering of research on any projects we’re pursuing and we help to plan out any events we’re trying to pull together. We handle most of this via email communications. We have also begun sharing the content creation for these newsletters. Overall, the commitment is pretty low – and hopefully the outcomes for the neighborhood continue to grow! Every home owner will be receiving a mailed invitation to the annual meeting – and with that there will be a notice to submit your name for consideration of this open board position. Also, if anyone has interest in submitting their name – please contact Carmen with Goodwin Management: info@goodwintx.com

Highlands at Gann Ranch - January 2016

Traveling the world and experiencing new cultures is something many dream of but few are able to do. Hosting an Ayusa exchange student provides the opportunity to experience the world while bringing other benefits to their family and local community. For schools, opening their doors to an exchange student provides their students the opportunity to experience new cultures and expand their understanding of the global society. Not only will students be able to expand their circle of friends, they will be able to reference different perspectives of world events. The new perspectives that both local and exchange students gain through the exchange experience are invaluable for the ever-expanding global community. Ayusa exchange students are eager to learn and participate in school and community programs. They take their role as ambassadors for their country seriously. Ayusa students are not simply bystanders to their program year; they are active participants looking to make a difference in their host school and community. Aysua exchange students are strong academic performers, well-rounded, and open-minded. Prospective students go through an extensive interview process in their home countries and are evaluated for maturity, strength of goals, leadership skills, and academic background. Ayusa honors all school enrollment standards, academic requirements and student placement criteria specified in school or district policies. Host families also reap the benefits of opening their home by sharing their America. When they share with their exchange student, they are also able to see America with fresh eyes through the student. Families often learn new things about the U.S. and have different perspectives after hosting. The experiences and memories that are shared during the program last a lifetime and span international borders. For more information about hosting a high school foreign exchange student, please contact Ayusa at 1.888.552.9872 or by visiting the website at www.ayusa.org. About Ayusa Ayusa is a non-profit educational organization that promotes global learning and leadership through foreign exchange and leadership program programs for high school students from around the world. Ayusa offers unique, richly personal cross-cultural experiences for students, volunteer host families, schools, and local communities.

Highlands at Gann Ranch

Support Your Neighborhood Schools While we all may have ideas of what makes a neighborhood great, most would agree that keeping the neighborhood kids active in the community is always a positive. Local PTAs do a wonderful job of organizing and contributing to kid activities. No kids - no worries! Membership is open to everyone in the community so please consider joining the Knowles PTA for the 2015-2016 school year. You can sign up on line http://www.joinpta.org choose School District "Leander ISD" School "Patricia Knowles Elementary" or http://knowles.my-pta.org/content.asp?PageID=19 Questions about membership? Contact ktibbs0121@gmail.com, Membership Chair

Christmas and Holidays House Decorations Contest

Highlands at Gann Ranch has never looked better! With all the beautifully decorated homes and blinking lights Santa and his reindeer had no problem delivering gifts and goodies to all! Congratulations to all the winners of the Christmas and Holidays Home Decorating Contest. Your hard work and efforts added to the community's joy and holiday spirit! Now only 11 months to go for the next one!

Springtails

Springtails are very small, jumping insects that can sometimes become a problem inside homes. Springtails are usually found in areas of moisture, so indoors they may located near potted plants, sinks, bath tubs or kitchen compost areas. These insects are typically found outside in gardens, near swimming pools or near where there is excessive moisture or standing water. Springtails are small (about 1/16 of an inch long), wingless and come in various colors. These insects have a “tail” that latches into a space on the underside of the body that they can use to “jump” several inches into the air. Springtails are considered a nuisance insect, but some may chew on roots and leaves of sapling plants. They usually do not cause enough damage to warrant control measures to be taken. If you have springtails in your home it points to a moisture problem that should be fixed. Options for helping reduce springtail problems: • Remove excessive mulch and/ or leaf litter near the home • Change watering schedule to reduce the amount of moisture near the home • Use fans or dehumidifiers to reduce moisture indoors • Seal cracks, crevices, pipe & wire penetrations on the outside of the home • Replace or repair any screening on doors and windows that is damaged • Replace weather stripping around doors and windows that does not provide a good seal • Suck up any indoor infestations with a vacuum For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas AgriLife Extension Service or the Texas AgriLife Research is implied. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

Highlands at Gann Ranch - January 2016

Highlands at Gann Ranch At no time will any source be allowed to use Highlands at Gann Ranch 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 Peel, Inc. The information in Highlands at Gann Ranch newsletter is exclusively for the private use of the residents Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

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Highlands at Gann Ranch - January 2016

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Highlands at Gann Ranch - January 2016