Thomas began her career in education in 2005 as a kindergarten teacher in Richardson ISD. She spent 19 years total in RISD where she served in various roles including as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal and later in central office administration as the director of professional learning and community engagement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and master’s and doctorate in Educational Administration from Texas A&M–Commerce.
Thomas spoke to Community Impact to discuss the role of the education foundation in Prosper ISD and the foundation’s goals as the 2025-26 school year begins. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Why was the Prosper Education Foundation formed?
It was established in 1996 with a vision to support Prosper ISD in meaningful and lasting ways. It was formed by a group of community members who saw the value in creating a dedicated nonprofit that could invest directly in both the success of the students and educators. As Prosper has grown, the foundation has grown as well, and the impact it makes on Prosper ISD. The mission and the goal is to stay true to enhancing educational opportunities for all.
What made you want to join the Prosper Education Foundation?
As someone that's deeply passionate about public education and community engagement, joining Prosper Education Foundation just felt like the perfect fit. It was an opportunity for me to connect resources, people and ideas [and] to support students and educators in PISD. I love being part of this organization where every effort leads to real, tangible impact in the classrooms and campuses.
What is one of your goals for the Prosper Education Foundation during the next school year?
The biggest goal is to deepen our relationships across the district and across the community. We want to increase the awareness of who the foundation is and the impact it has on PISD. As the district grows, we have to grow as well to meet the needs. There are always plans to extend the programs. We want to strengthen donor engagement, launch new initiatives that support the teachers in the classroom and build equity for all student opportunities. There's so many people that know about the Prosper Education Foundation, but I would say there's so many more people that don't know exactly what we do and what programs we support. If you are part of PISD, we want you to also know how this organization impacts your district and your campus and your students and the teachers that support the students.
Why is the Prosper Education Foundation important for Prosper ISD schools?
The foundation plays a unique role because it bridges the gap between public school funding ... and what our students and teachers truly need to thrive. We all know that there are many school [districts] in deficits this year. We are truly that gap that serves to support innovation, celebrate teacher excellence and open the doors to opportunities that might not otherwise be able to happen. Whether it's a classroom grant, a teacher grant [or] a student scholarship, every dollar we invest makes a difference in PISD.
What scholarship opportunities does the foundation provide for PISD students?
Each year, we award thousands of dollars in scholarships to graduating seniors. These scholarships recognize the academic excellence, the leadership, community service and perseverance that these students have gone through in their time in school. Many of the scholarships are funded by our donors, local businesses and even families who believe in investing in the future of the students. We continue this tradition of supporting students as they move on to college or military or a career path or a trade school. We support it all. In addition, we also support AP and dual credit scholarships. We help students get credits before college credits before they even walk into a college campus and their next step.
Could you explain what teacher grants are and how they benefit teachers and students?
Teacher grants are absolutely one of the most exciting parts of what we do and how we give back. Each year, we have a window where teachers apply and we have community members that read the applications. We get [together] as a committee to look at them and fund as many as we can as long as it aligns to the goals for our organization as well as the mission of the district. They’re super competitive, but they allow educators to bring innovative ideas to life in their classrooms like hands-on experiments, new learning tools, flexible seating and different technology enhancements.The goal is to spark creativity and elevate learning that results in inspiring students.
What other programs does the foundation support?
In addition to student scholarships and teacher grants, we support programs that recognize and encourage excellence. Currently, we are the proud sponsors of the AVID program, which is a new program that PISD is rolling out across several campuses. We support JROTC [and] Hope Squad. We also support teacher appreciation programs. We have a program that is called Star polisher, [which] is a program where we get to celebrate educators. Monthly, a teacher and a paraprofessional from each campus is awarded the star polisher award and it celebrates those exceptional educators that go above and beyond for their students. It's another fun way to tell teachers we appreciate them.
How can Prosper ISD families support the foundation?
There are so many ways for families to support the foundation, whether they want to be a one-time donor or reoccurring donor, or they want to attend one of our events. We have two signature events each year, which is our golf tournament and our Step Up for PEF Gala. They can volunteer their time. We have community volunteers that read student scholarships and teacher grants, so we're always looking for people to give time to do that. Every gift, no matter the size, has an impact on Prosper ISD. We truly believe that when the community comes together, amazing things can happen for our schools. Spreading the word and advocating for public education and what we do is really the biggest support.
