Hutto ISD administrators are employing new methods of retaining qualified staff through additional stipends. 

In a nutshell: The board of trustees approved a measure May 28 to provide additional stipends for some special education positions, as well as members of the district's police department. 

Administrators said the additional funds would go a long way to rewarding educators who stay with the district, as compensation is often a factor in losing talent. 

The details: Special education positions presented for stipends include in-classroom positions, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists, among others. Several positions had not previously received stipends, administrators said. The total budget impact of these stipends is $334,500.

Police department stipends will be slightly different, interim Chief Robert Gauvin said. Hutto ISD Police Department officers can earn up to $7,000 in stipends, depending on how they perform across a variety of areas. 

Pflugerville ISD and Aramark Food Services are currently offering free breakfast and lunch through the United States Department of Agriculture's summer meals program.

What you need to know: Any child under the age of 18 can participate in the program. Students past the age of 18 but under the age of 21 who continue to be enrolled at a school and are identified as mentally or physically disabled through special education can also participate. Participants do not need to register or be registered in a summer school program, and will not be required to show proof of age, income or residency. 

The following campuses are participating in the program: 

• Brookhollow Elementary: May 26-Aug. 7
• Caldwell Elementary: May 26-Aug. 7
• Carpenter Elementary: May 26-Aug. 7
• Dessau Elementary: June 1-25, June 29-July 9, Aug. 4-11
• Hidden Lake Elementary: May 26-Aug. 7
• Spring Hill Elementary: June 1-12, June 15-25
• Timmerman Elementary: June 1-25, Aug. 4-11
• Pflugerville High School: June 1-26, June 19

As a shortage of primary care physicians continues in Central Texas, patients are more frequently choosing to use urgent care facilities to meet their health care needs, industry professionals said in May.

In a nutshell: April Gillam, chief operating officer at Next Level Urgent Care and secretary of the Urgent Care Association, said patients are waiting, on average, around 31 days to see a traditional primary care physician. Seeking more immediate access to health care professionals, she said many are turning to urgent care facilities for primary care needs.

What they’re saying: “We are seeing more of the 'Hey, I have high blood pressure and I haven't been to the doctor in this many years. Can you manage my blood pressure?’” Gillam said. “That's one of the most common things that we see—people who have unmanaged high blood pressure.”