FIRST 90 DAYS

On July 31st, Prosper ISD announced the end of one era and the beginning of another with the retirement of Dr. Drew Watkins, Prosper Superintendent of Schools for 18 years and the naming of Dr. Holly Ferguson as the new Superintendent of Schools for Prosper ISD.

Beginning her educational career in Prosper ISD as a 3rd and 4th-grade teacher in 1998, Dr. Ferguson has served Prosper ISD in several capacities as well as gaining educational experience in Frisco ISD as a Teacher, ESL Cluster Teacher, Reading Interventionist, and Assistant Principal. While serving in Prosper for 13 years, Dr. Ferguson has been an Elementary Teacher, Campus Principal, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, and Associate Superintendent.

Dr. Ferguson received both her Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and her Master’s in Educational Administration from the University of North Texas. She completed her Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Texas A&M Commerce. She is happily married to her husband of 22 years, David, a Fire Captain in Frisco. Together they have two children, Cade, a Prosper ISD 2020 graduate and Ty, a 9th grader at PHS. Dr. Ferguson enjoys watching her children engage in their extra-curricular and co-curricular activities during her free time.

For the past three years, Dr. Ferguson has been serving Prosper ISD as the Associate Superintendent. We sat down with Dr. Ferguson to discuss her first 90 days as Prosper ISD Superintendent of Schools.

What do you feel that you have accomplished in your first 90 days as Prosper ISD Superintendent?

The greatest accomplishment in the first 90 days is that we successfully opened our school doors. It was a daring and bold move to be the first school district in the area to open our doors to students and it was worth the time and effort put in by numerous people to welcome our students. In addition, the transition and flexibility by our staff to teach in both settings or to be a fully virtual teacher is an area that has not gone unnoticed. Our teachers and staff have moved mountains for the benefit of our students and I will be forever grateful. I would also like to thank the PISD Board of Trustees for their unwavering support throughout the transition of me becoming the superintendent onboarding over 400 new staff members and welcoming 2,000 new students and families to Prosper ISD.

What has been the district’s reaction to the pandemic?

The District has been phenomenal in its response to the pandemic. We kept the students at the center of our focus and never lost sight of what is most important. The work has been more challenging than anything we have ever faced in education. The amount of details and work that was needed to open our doors safely on August 12 th was nothing short of a miracle. The belief in our students, our staff, and our parents is truly what has allowed us to proactively mitigate concerns surrounding the pandemic. We had a strong belief in our leaders in all departments and on all campuses to embrace the work and lead with courage.

What challenges has the pandemic caused for the district?

The greatest challenge has been trying to settle the fears and concerns that our students, staff members, parents, or community members had about the reopening of our doors. Trying to find answers in our new normal of not having all of the answers has created challenges but our team works diligently to find a solution. In addition, the fatigue and stress that our staff has taken on to lead and teach in a new normal both in person and virtually has been a challenge, but each day we become stronger and more effective in all that we do.

How has Prosper ISD overcome some of the challenges?

Prosper ISD is fortunate to have unbelievable support from our community which has always allowed us to overcome challenges. The ability for us to communicate effectively, answer phone calls and respond to emails quickly has allowed us to stay on top of the challenges.

What are some of the bright spots from these first 90 days?

Our students and our staff have been the brightest spots for the first 90 days! I see miracles and heroes all around me in Prosper ISD and I am in awe of the care and compassion that I see each and every day in Prosper ISD. The opening of our school doors was a true bright spot. In addition, seeing our students return to our extracurricular activities through fine arts, academics, clubs and organizations, and athletics has brought nothing but joy to our students and our community. It may look a little different but having our students excelling in what they love the most is at the heart of bright spots in Prosper ISD.

What is your vision for the district for the rest of the year?

My vision is to maintain our culture with a balance of care, compassion, and financial stability. I want our district to become more connected to the larger community and look for opportunities to give back and connect at a much deeper level. Our leaders in Prosper ISD just built bikes that were donated to Cornerstone. This is a shining example of how our district will go from good to great. We have heavy work ahead that will involve a full roll out of a community based accountability system. This work will bring a level of importance to what our hopes, dreams and aspirations for Prosper ISD truly are moving forward.

What is your vision for the district for the next five years?

My vision for the future is to continue to make Prosper ISD a destination district: the place where so many will call home with a sense of pride. I want to see our academic success continue to rise and be a beacon of greatness for Prosper ISD. We also have the unbelievable opportunity to continue to vision and create facilities for our students. We are currently in the process of designing the next five years in Prosper ISD with a level of details that will benefit our district. In the next five years my vision is that our district will be the envy of all school districts in the State of Texas.

How is being Superintendent different than being Associate Superintendent?

I was very fortunate to work for a leader who allowed me to be involved in the work of the District at all levels. Being afforded these opportunities has served me well as I have made my transition to superintendent. The work of the associate superintendent was more focused on programming and all things curriculum related and now my view is broader and emcompasses all aspects of the district.