HIGHLIGHTS P R O S P E R
SP RI N G 2 02 2
I N D E P E N D E N T
S C H O O L
D I S T R I C T
MAGAZ I N E
Celebration of ervice S Celebrating excellence within Prosper ISD
HOPE WALK Bringing the message of Hope to others
District Elementary Teacher of the Year
Elizabeth Mejia, Rucker Elementary
RIGHT:
Prosper High School Orchestra students perform at the Celebration of Service
RIGHT:
Career and Technical Education Department Educator of the Year Enrique Elias
Celebration of Service 2022 2
Welcome
We are Prosper
The success of a school year is not measured by a single event but by the culmination of a year’s worth of celebrations and accomplishments. As we look back on this school year, there is so much to be proud of in Prosper ISD. • • •
Prosper ISD was named as the Best School District in the Dallas Morning News Top 100 Places to Work. Prosper ISD was named as a Best Communities in the nation for music education for the 5th consecutive year. Prosper ISD was one of the top 20 districts in the state for visual arts. Prosper ISD is truly an exceptional district with amazing students, a superior staff, and a community committed to supporting the school as we continue to develop multiple avenues to support students and staff as they pursue their hopes, dreams and aspirations. Please take a few moments to read through some of the highlights of the spring semester in Prosper ISD. We are Prosper! We are One!
Dr. Holly Ferguson Superintendent of Schools
SPRING 2022 | HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE | 3
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HIGHLIGHTS SPRING 2022 ADDRESS
Prosper ISD 605 E. 7th Street Prosper, TX 75078 (469) 219-2000 communications@prosper-isd.net
PUBLISHER Prosper ISD Communications Department
STAFF Chief Communications Officer Rachel Trotter Director of Communications Christal Hankey Communications Coordinator Racy Kane Communications Specialist Tieler Seirer
ON THE FRONT COVER: Elizabeth Mejia from Rucker Elementary was named the District Elementary Teacher of the Year. 4
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CONTENTS in this issue
LEFT: District Secondary Teacher of the Year Leilani Bonds, Rogers Middle School
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RIGHT: District Elementary Teacher of the Year
Elizabeth Mejia, Rucker Elementary
Highlights
12 Top 10 PHS
Top 10 students announced and celebrated at PHS
14 Top 10 RHHS
Top 10 students announced and celebrated at RHHS
16 Hall of Honor
Class of 2022 Hall of Honor recipients honored
INTRODUCTION 3 Welcome 6 Get to Know
FACILITIES 34 Current Enrollment 35 Construction Update
PROSPER PROMISE 8 Campus Tours 10 Parenting Seminars
SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL HEALTH 39 Hope Walk & Hope Week
INNOVATIVE LEARNING 18 Fashion Show 20 INCubator 22 Collin College HUMAN RESOURCES 24 Celebration of Service 25 Teachers of the Year 33 Top 100 Places to Work
CONNECTIONS 41 Cultural Nights COMMUNICATIONS & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS 42 PEF Golf Tournament
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Board of Trustees Prosper Independent School District
Jim Bridges President
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Bill Beavers Vice President
Debra Smith Secretary
Jana Thomson
Board Member
Dena Dixon
Kelly Cavender
Drew Wilborn
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Get to Know Executive Cabinet Dr. Holly Ferguson Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Greg Bradley Deputy Superintendent
Todd Shirley Chief Academic Officer
Rachel Trotter Chief Communications Officer
Blair Hickey Chief of Specialized Programming
Jeff Crownover Chief of Administrative Services & General Counsel
Kyle Penn Chief Financial Officer
Fernando De Velasco Chief Technology Officer
Theresa Biggs Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction SPRING 2022 | HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE | 7
PROSPER
T
Promise
Campus Tours
he inception of the Prosper Promise provided many avenues for parents and the community to engage with the school district. One key opportunity for engagement was the addition of campus tours throughout the district. Parents and community members were able to sign up to tour one or multiple campuses.
contact person for new families to share experiences and speak factually about issues going on in the district,” Caufield said.
The ambassadors’ tours were open to parents, grandparents, and community members who were interested in connecting with their school communities and learning more about the positive These tours were conducted by volunteer things occurring in Prosper ISD schools. Prosper members of the Prosper Parent Ambassadors and Ambassadors. The Prosper district administrators gave Parent Ambassadors are more than 500 scheduled Our administrators and parent a group of individuals tours this year. ambassadors have done an from across Prosper ISD exceptional job this year providing that serve by working The district had to opportunities for our community to connect with the increase the number of to see the amazing work communities in which their tours planned due to its happening on our campuses.” child(ren) attends school. overwhelming success. “Our administrators - Dr. Holly Ferguson, Prosper Parent and parent ambassadors Superintendent of Schools Ambassador Laura have done an exceptional Caufield, a Prosper parent job this year providing with children at Reynolds Middle School, was excited opportunities for our community to see the amazing at the opportunity to learn more through the Parent work happening on our campuses,” said Prosper Ambassadors program. Superintendent Dr. Holly Ferguson.
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“These tours provided positive connections and interactions with prospective parents in the district. The committee is helping to provide a “face-to-face” 8
The district plans to offer more tours and opportunities for engagement through its Prosper Promise in the upcoming school year.
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CAMPUS TOURS
546 Attendees
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CAMPUSES
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Promise
PARENTING SEMINARS
PROSPER
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October Stress & Time Management for Successful Students November Dangers of Prescription Drug Misuse December Healthy Relationships for Successful Students March Red Flags of Online Safety In addition to providing a wealth of opportunities to support students and staff, Prosper ISD continues to provide avenues to support district parents through the PISD parenting seminars.
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ATTENDEES
These seminars are designed through collaboration with the parent education committee based upon identified topics that are important to parents in the school district as well as responses to the counselor needs survey. This year the meetings focused on providing parents with resources to help student’s social and emotional health. “The collaboration between the school and our parents is essential to the continued well-being of our students. I am so thankful for the diligence of our parent education committee, which has done an amazing job coordinating the parenting seminars this year,” said Prosper ISD Superintendent Dr. Holly Ferguson, who created the committee.
Recap
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AUGUST 2021-APRIL 2022
TOTAL NUMBER OF MEETINGS
231
6,000
Prosper Promise
TOTAL NUMBER OF EVENT HOURS
TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
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CELEBRATIONS
Top10 Prosper High School
Valedictorian
Salutatorian
Thomas Trautmann Texas A&M University Biomedical Sciences
AnnMarie Michelle Graham Texas A&M University Biomedical Sciences
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Reid Smith
University of Texas at Dallas Computer Science
Samantha Wlodawsky
University of Texas at Austin Corporate Communications
Abigail Griffith
Baylor University Mechanical Engineering
Stephen Alejandro Phillips
Riley Megan Smith
Rice University Bioengineering
Lawson Nash Parr
Texas Christian University Data Science
University of Texas at Austin Science and Technology Management
Grace Hale
Texas Christian University Strategic Communication and Political Science
Raquelle Audrey Smith
Brigham Young University - Idaho Apparel Entrepreneurship and Pre-Law SPRING 2022 | HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE | 13
CELEBRATIONS
Top10 Rock Hill High School
Valedictorian
Salutatorian
Kate Carline
Emily Warren
College of William and Mary Science and Policy
Gautham Janyavula
The University of Virginia Business and Economics
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University of North Texas Biochemistry
Grant M. Wallis
Texas A&M University Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science
Samarth Sejwal
The University of Texas at Dallas Biology
Hari Chidambaram
University of Notre Dame Computer Science
Sara Compton
United States Air Force Academy Undecided
Syed Abbad Hoda
University of Texas at Dallas Public Health and Pre-Medicine
Lucas Antonio Cancherini Silveira University of Texas at Dallas Biochemistry and Healthcare Administration
Tapaswini Kodavanti
The University of Texas at Austin Computer Science
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CELEBRATIONS
Hall of Honor 2022
PROSPER ISD RECOGNIZES THE 3RD ATHLETIC HALL OF HONOR CLASS
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rosper Independent School District announced its 3rd class inducted to the Prosper ISD Athletics Hall of Honor. The Hall of Honor is designed to recognize and celebrate those athletes, coaches, supporters and teams who have laid the foundation for what Prosper ISD Athletics is today. •
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Laura Henry Gulick is a 2012 graduate of PHS who was a two-time State Champion in the 800 meters at Prosper High School and went on to run track at Texas A&M. Kelly Jo Ninemire Gatwood is a 2004 graduate of Prosper High School who was a three-sport athlete excelling as a pitcher for the PHS softball team. She threw three perfect games her senior year and was named TGCA Athlete of the Year for the state of Texas. She was also named the Dallas Morning News AllArea pitcher as well as the Collin County Player of the Year. Kelly went on to pitch collegiately at the University of Arkansas and completed her 4-year college career at the University of New Mexico.
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Dan Christie graduated from Prosper High School in 1962. He played halfback for the football team and was selected for the Texas AllStar team. Dan was also on the varsity baseball team as a sophomore at PHS. He went on to play football at the University of North Texas. Since 1999, Dan Christie and his family have been the proud sponsors of the Dan Christie Relays at PHS.
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1923 Prosper High School Girls Basketball Team - This team went undefeated in 1923. They won the Silver Loving Cup by beating Melissa in the Collin County Championships. The coach was Miss Margarite Gains, who often had to suit up and play in addition to coaching. Members of the team were Mary Anna (Settle) Johnson, Leola (Brown) Martin, Beatrice Duckworth, Nola Southerland, Oberia (Johnson) Hughes and Jimmie (Bell) Stanton.
FROM LEFT: Kelly Jo Ninemire Gatwood, Effie Christie, Laura Henry Gulick
Family representatives of the 1923 Prosper High School Girls Basketball Team
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INNOVATIVE LEARNING
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For the 19 practicum students, the culmination of the year was the Prosper ISD Fashion Shows in which the students unveiled and modeled their designs from the year.
FASHION SHOW FASHION SHOW
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ne of the many Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs offered in Prosper ISD includes the Fashion Design program. Students at both Prosper High and Rock Hill are able to pursue their dreams of a career in fashion by taking courses in high school. Students interested in this career pathway would take (in this order): Principles of Arts, AV, Technology or Commercial Photography, Fashion Design I, Fashion Design II, and finally Career Preparation I (Practicum in Fashion).
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INCubator INC INNOVATIVE LEARNING
NEW DISTRICT PROGRAM SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDENTS student contribution by Shreya Srivathsan & Jacob Turner
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rosper ISD now offers the INCubatoredu program for high school students, a projectbased learning experience which provides opportunities that are not normally available in traditional courses. The Incubator program offers students the opportunity to plan, simulate and execute start up business ideas from scratch. Oriented for juniors and seniors and any student who has at least one business credit, this program is offered through the entrepreneurship class. At the beginning of the year, students are placed into groups based on similar interests and then work together throughout the year to create a business plan. At the end of the year, they pitch the idea to a group of community business leaders in a Shark-Tank type of pitch meeting. “The INCubator program provides students with the opportunity to create real companies, real businesses. In a classroom setting, it’s less risky for new entrepreneurs and is an opportunity to learn without fear,” explained Rock Hill Business CTE teacher Kaley Brejcha. This program exposes students to the idea of what entrepreneurship means and what it takes to start something meaningful from scratch. It covers everything from ideation, business plans, business case creation, target market analysis, path to profitability, and creating shark-tank style elevator pitches.
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“Kids walk away with a lot of perseverance and resilience because they have to iterate and learn to be adaptable and change. You learn how to pivot, make changes, and grow as a student and entrepreneur,” Jerry LaMirand, Texas Regional Director for Uncharted Learning said about the program. Uncharted Learning, the parent company of this high school entrepreneurship program, provides on demand professional development and personalized learning through workshops, materials, and lesson-plans that students, parents, and staff can preview. What makes the incubator program authentic is the involvement and participation from the community. Coaches and mentors volunteer their time to advise INCubator students with their start-ups. They provide insight from their own experiences leading to additional support during the entire lifecycle of the start-up business. “The skills that the students learn from a program like this are what they need in the real world. Whether you create a business [from the course] or not, you still learn how to think critically, learn to work with others, presentation skills, communication skills, and it is generally something that colleges value in prospective students.” Brejcha said.
RIGHT: INCubator students work together on creating a prototype.
“Get ready to take on the world with what the Incubator Program has to offer.” - Jerri LaMirand, Texas Regional Director for Uncharted Learning
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PHOTO BY: Cate Emma Warren
INNOVATIVE LEARNING
DUAL CREDIT
GROWTH student contribution by Cate Emma Warren
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s students began selecting the courses for next school year, they noticed a wider variety of dual credit class options. Through Prosper ISD, students can take Dual Credit classes through Collin College. Students are choosing classes based on their interests, hobbies and credit requirements. Now they are also able to use their high school schedule to prepare for collegiate level learning and employment opportunities for the future. Dual Credit courses enable students to have the chance to earn credit for both their high school transcript and their college GPA. During the 2022-2023 school year, PISD students will be able to earn more than 50 hours
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of college credit, with help from the new Collin College campus in Celina. Superintendent Dr. Holly Ferguson said her goal is to provide more opportunities for academic advancement. “The importance of dual credit while in high school provides our students the ability to earn college credit at a very affordable rate,” Dr. Ferguson said. “Our students can learn how to begin to navigate college expectations while still living at home with their families and having the support of our school staff. In addition, students who take dual credit courses have more likelihood of earning an additional degree beyond a bachelor’s degree.”
LEFT: The Collin College Celina campus building sits midday under a cloudy sky. Collin College has its own application process that is required for students looking to be enrolled in Dual Credit courses. The expansion of PISD with Collin College has not only enabled students to work towards their future, it has also aided in the process of academically advancing students.
“The new campus will allow for greater access to Collin “I am taking Dual Credit classes next year because College’s offerings than ever before and significant cost I want a more professional and advanced learning savings. The lab facilities at Collin College - Celina will experience,” PHS sophomore Anna Stringer said. “It allow Prosper ISD students to enroll in dual credit science will simulate what it will be like when I go off and live on courses for the very first time. By utilizing the Celina my own and attend a university. I also want to challenge campus and expanding the courses we offer especially in myself without feeling overwhelmed and I think that math and science, students will be able to more efficiently doing Dual Credit will be the perfect balance between accrue college credits that will count towards their more challenging but not too difficult and overly degree requirements,” Advanced stressful.” Academics Director Seth Rutledge “I am taking a Dual Credit said. The expansion of the PISD course next semester because Dual Credit courses is moving I want to further my academic These new Dual Credit courses from 30 available credit hours successes and add another are just one step in Dr. Ferguson’s to over 50 available credit accolade to my resume.” vision for the future of the district. hours. This means students can potentially enter into - PHS Junior Tate Lauby These dual credit classes prove undergraduate studies with to be beneficial for students in as many as three or more multiple ways. One of the biggest being the savings. semesters worth of courses completed. These benefits Where four-year university students can pay upwards of can allow Dual Credit students to maximize their $750 for a course, dual credit courses are approximately time and credits not only in high school, but as an $150. Students are able to gain more control over their undergraduate as well. future path through the variety of new courses offered providing a smoother transition from high school learning to the collegiate level. SPRING 2022 | HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE | 23
HUMAN RESOURCES
Celebration of Service
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well known Chinese proverb reads, so deeply in our students, parents, and fellow “If you are planning for a year, sow staff members.” rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are Every year the district planning for a lifetime, celebrates the commitment “One of the greatest gifts in educate people.” Every and dedication of some of this world is the heart of an day educators choose to our elite educators through educator” grow and educate young the Teacher of the Year, minds both socially and Paraprofessional of the Year, - Dr. Holly Ferguson, intellectually. and Educator of the Year Superintendent of Schools presentations. The teacher “One of the greatest gifts of the year recipients go on in this world is the heart to compete at the regional of an educator,” said Superintendent of Schools level for regional recognition. Dr. Holly Ferguson. “We are so fortunate in Prosper ISD that we have teachers who believe
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District Teachers of the Year District Elementary Teacher of the Year
District Secondary Teacher of the Year
Rucker Elementary 2nd Grade Bilingual teacher, Elizabeth Mejia, has been in education for 29 years with the last four years being in Prosper ISD. “Liz genuinely cares for her students and finds ways to help them best achieve their potential in the classroom,” explains Rucker principal, Marisol Balderas. “She pushes her students and challenges them with their learning. She’s very dedicated and has time to help other teachers whenever she can. She always has the students in mind for everything that she does. She wants the best for all of Rucker. She is willing to help wherever help is needed and always has a contagiously positive attitude.”
Rogers Middle School Video Production teacher, Leilani Bonds, has been in education for 13 years with the last 10 being in Prosper ISD. Rogers principal, Jason Jetton explains that “Mrs. Bonds is everything you could ask for in a teacher. She is thinking about students and making their experience at Rogers the best one possible. She isn’t afraid of learning something new and is excited to share how it will improve the student experience. She LOVES PISD and wants to make sure as we grow we continue with We Are Prosper, We Are One!”
Elizabeth Mejia, Rucker Elementary
Leilani Bonds, Rogers Middle School
2022 1st year Elementary Teacher of the Year Kirby Jarzombek, Bryant Elementary
1st year Secondary Teacher of the Year Shelly Coulter, Rushing Middle School
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Campus Teachers of the Year
HUMAN RESOURCES
Michaela Geiter
Lauren Tucker
Baker Elementary
Boyer Elementary
Amy LaPlante
Nicole McCasland Bryant Elementary
Cockrell Elementary
Terri Harkey
Meg Stevens
Beky Moreland
Lindsey McGuire
Furr Elementary
Hughes Elementary
Johnson Elementary
Light Farms Elementary
2022 Ally Grimmett
Reeves Elementary
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Elizabeth Mejia
Rucker Elementary
Chris Hayden
Spradley Elementary
Courtney Voyles Stuber Elementary
Campus Teachers of the Year Stephanie Alexander
Kenisha Taylor
Courtney Glasgow
Windsong Elementary
Hays Middle School
Reynolds Middle School
Lorelei Wofford
Trisha Furr Weyenberg
Connor Galloway
Rushing Middle School
Prosper High School
Leilani Bonds
Rogers Middle School
Rock Hill High School
2022 SPRING 2022 | HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE | 27
District Paraprofessionals
HUMAN RESOURCES
of the Year
District Elementary Paraprofessional of the Year
District Secondary Paraprofessional of the Year
Cockrell Elementary Library Aide, Ashley Arrington, has been in the district and in education for nine years. Her campus principal, Natalie Gasmire described Ashley as, “A light at Cockrell! The students love going to see her. She is always very enthusiastic when guiding our kids through lessons and is extremely helpful when it comes to sharing resources needed in all content areas. Ashley is the gatekeeper and tour guide between us and a pool of knowledge. She makes going to the library a real joy!”
Rock Hill High School Secretary, Erin Jones. has been in the district and in education for four years. “Erin is absolutely amazing!!” said RHHS principal, Dustin Toth. “She is the MAIN reason we have been able to successfully open and maintain the high standards that have been set at Rock Hill. She is level-headed and NEVER gets flustered by anything. She knows and values everyone who comes into her office and will make sure they get what they need when they come to see her.”
Ashley Arrington, Cockrell Elementary
Erin Jones, Rock Hill High School
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Campus Paraprofessionals of the Year
Rachel Flores
Andrea Massingill
Sierra Collins
Nicole Sgotto
Baker Elementary
Boyer Elementary
Elise Bryant
Bryant Elementary
Kelly Utrup
Ashley Arrington Cockrell Elementary
Amanda Hughes
2022 Folsom Elementary
Angie Klovstad
Light Farms Elementary
Furr Elementary
Hughes Elementary
Johnson Elementary
Terri Wood
Andrea Escalante
Courtney Chamblee
Reeves Elementary
Rucker Elementary
Spradley Elementary
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Campus Paraprofessionals
HUMAN RESOURCES
of the Year
Teju Katti
Stuber Elementary
Sonto Mamba
Windsong Elementary
Didi Stump
Hays Middle School
Lisa Kuhlman
Reynolds Middle School
2022 Renee O’Brien
Rogers Middle School
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Yocasta Adimora
Rushing Middle School
Kathy Vance
Prosper High School
Erin Jones
Rock Hill High School
Department Educators of the Year Emily Kopeck
Rhana Ramos
Cindy Edmundson
Rogers Middle School
Rock Hill High School
Hays Middle School
ADVANCED ACADEMICS
ATHLETICS
COUNSELING
Enrique Elias
CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Rock Hill High School
2022 Beth Bish
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
Administration
Judy Seay
FINE ARTS Prosper High School
Rebecca Manaska
HEALTH SERVICES Reynolds Middle School
Heather Garavaglia LIBRARY SERVICES Windsong Ranch Elementary
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Department Educators of the Year
HUMAN RESOURCES
Jose Guapo
MAINTENANCE & OPERATIONS
Hughes Elementary
Haley Carter
PROSPER ISD POLICE
Rushing Middle School
Marcia Timm
Robbie Fitzsimons
Baker & Reeves Elementary
Administration
READING/DYSLEXIA
SPECIAL EDUCATION
2022 Danielle Barker
Kevin Fields
Blanca Dommer
Folsom Elementary & Rogers Middle School
Administration
Administration
SPECIAL PROGRAMS (ESL)
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TECHNOLOGY
TRANSPORTATION
TOP & RIGHT:
2022 Celebration of Service
T
“
he most important thing is to keep going. The second most important thing is to choose the right direction.” This quote by professional hockey player Maxime Lagace describes the trajectory of Prosper ISD. During a time in which employers around the nation are struggling to keep their employees on the job and morale high, Prosper ISD continues to be a destination district for both families and educators. For the 8th consecutive year, the district was named one of the Top 100 Places to Work in DFW. Prosper ISD Superintendent, Dr. Holly Ferguson made the announcement earlier this year emphasizing that,
Top 100 Places to Work years in a row
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“Prosper ISD has been named one of the Top 100 Places to Work for the 8th year in a row, earning the highest ranking among all school districts. This is a direct reflection of the greatness happening in every building of this district as our faculty, staff, and administrators work collaboratively to provide avenues of success for every student in Prosper ISD.” The district was named #20 for Top Large Companies. Prosper was the top ranked school district and one of only three school districts making it onto the list for large, mid-size, and small companies. Prosper’s first year on the list was in 2014 when there were only 745 employees. This year Prosper ISD, the fastest growing district in the state, has more than 2,650 employees.
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FACILITIES
ENROLLMENT in the numbers
TOTAL DISTRICT
May 2022
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22,692
CONSTRUCTION 2 02 OP
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UPDATE
www.prosper-isd.net/construction
JOYCE HALL ELEMENTARY
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FACILITIES
JOYCE HALL ELEMENTARY
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CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
WALNUT GROVE LIVE FEED
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High School #3
WALNUT GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
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FACILITIES
WALNUT GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
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Hope Walk
ince the inception of the Prosper ISD Hope Squads in 2018, the district’s focus has provided a community-wide commitment to “Be Kind.” The mission of Hope Squad is to spread mental health awareness and reduce youth suicide through education, training, and peer intervention.
Throughout the school year, Hope Squads at all Prosper ISD campuses engage in a variety of activities to spread hope and work to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health. Trained students provide a sounding board and a point person to help peers who are struggling to get help. The district participates in both Hope Week at all campuses and a community-wide Hope Walk. Hope Week consists of a variety of activities specific to the campus designed by the Hope Squad to foster a culture of kindness and acceptance. Meanwhile Hope Walk is a community event on a Saturday in March designed to bring the community together for the same general purpose, fostering a community culture of kindness and acceptance while educating about mental health and suicide prevention.
“The amazing success of this year’s Hope Week and Hope Walk is a testament to the great work happening on all of our campuses by our Hope Squads,” said Prosper ISD Superintendent Dr. Holly Ferguson who worked with national Hope Squad creators to bring
Be Kind the program to Prosper. “We are so proud of our Hope Squad students and sponsors who work throughout the year to spread hope, raise awareness, and promote kindness.”
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SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL HEALTH
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Cultural Nights
n one of the fastest growing communities in the state, getting to know your neighbor can also mean learning about a new culture. Many of our Prosper ISD elementary schools host Family Heritage or Cultural Nights to expose parents and students to the many cultures within their school. Families hosted tables to share food, dress, information, and artifacts about their culture. Students participate in activities such as storytelling, wax museums, and music and dance performances. The event provided new families with the opportunity to meet their neighbors and learn more about the various cultures within their community. “As a new family to PISD, new to Texas and even new to the country, we really enjoyed the welcoming vibes of the event,” shared Najia & Haroon Shuaib. “Our favorite part of the event was the kid’s excited faces while watching their names being written in colorful Arabic script. These kinds of events can bring the community closer and provide a platform to understand each other better.”
Folsom Elementary parent Abdullah Almamun participated in the event. “It was such a fun and educational event. It was an amazing opportunity for kids and parents to know about each other’s culture and history,” Almamun said. The event provided students with an opportunity to collaborate with their parents to “As a new family to PISD, new learn more about to Texas and even new to the their own family country, we really enjoyed heritage. Folsom the welcoming vibes of the Elementary event.” parent Silvana - Najia & Haroon Shuaib Smith shared that she and her daughter were both so excited with the idea, and her daughter embraced the role of being a child ambassador for Brazil right away. “It made me so proud to see her wanting to learn more about my home country and being enthusiastic about sharing all the information she learned. She also loved selecting online photos to go along with the fun facts that she posted in a tri-fold. She even created a list of common words in Portuguese in case people wanted to learn. The best part is that we had a blast putting it all together,” Smith said. SPRING 2022 | HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE | 41
COMMUNICATIONS & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
PEF Golf Tournament “The success of Prosper ISD is tied directly to the support of our community and most especially the support of the Prosper Education Foundation (PEF). This year’s golf tournament was another successful PEF event raising funds for Prosper ISD Senior scholarships and staff support programs.” - Dr. Holly Ferguson, Superintendent of Schools
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VOLUNTEERS
235
PARTICIPANTS
33
SPONSORS
$107,134 MONEY RAISED 42
BEYOND
this issue
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A FEW MINUTES
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FAQ
prosper-isd.net/faq
PROSPER ISD APP
available for both iOS and Android platforms
ON THE BACK COVER: Leilani Bonds from Rogers Middle School was named the District Secondary Teacher of the Year.
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District Secondary Teacher of the Year
Leilani Bonds, Rogers Middle School
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