Prosper - Celina Edition | September 2024

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Prosper Celina Edition VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 SEPT. 27OCT. 28, 2024

2024 Education Edition

Celina ISD faces soaring student enrollment

Adding new schools

BY HANNAH JOHNSON

Tommie Dobie Bothwell Elemen- tary School welcomed its rst group of students in August. It’s the rst in a wave of upcoming schools for the district. Located in the Cambridge Crossing neighborhood, Bothwell Elementary is Celina ISD’s fourth elementary school. The new cam- pus will soon be followed by CISD’s fth elementary school expected in fall 2025 and its second middle school in fall 2026. Even more campuses, including future high schools, are on the horizon with bond conversations starting as the district sees fast growth that mirrors the city. Bothwell Elementary Principal Kristen Aune said opening a new school is lled with high energy as sta work together for the rst time with students and parents. “We’re doing everything to make sure that students are safe and learning, but there’s so much excitement to that,” Aune said.

Teacher Ryan Cunningham leads her second-grade class through a lesson at Bothwell Elementary School. The school opened for the 202425 school year to accommodate growth in the district.

CONTINUED ON 24

HANNAH JOHNSONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Also in this issue Election: Check out a sample ballot of upcoming November election (Page 12)

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INSIDE

Events: Oktoberfest returns to Celina—see event details (Page 30)

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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Impacts

2 Dutch Bros The shop serves a number of caffeinated drinks including coffee, iced tea, lemonade and more. Dutch Bros opened in 1992 and now serves 17 states. • Opened Aug. 29 • 520 S. Preston Road, Prosper • www.dutchbros.com 3 Flea Style and Heirloom Haul The store sells and shapes women’s cowboy hats and also sells apparel and accessories such as jewelry. This is the store’s eighth location, according to the company’s website. In addition, the location is also home to Heirloom Haul, a restaurant that serves sandwiches, salads, charcuterie and more. • Opened Aug. 30 • 1150 S. Preston Road, Ste. 20, Prosper • www.fleastyle.com; www.heirloomhaul.com 4 La La’s Taqueria The restaurant serves birria and street tacos. Customers choose from a number of protein options such as chicken, asado, and chorizo. Patrons can also order tacos La La’s style, which include cheese-crusted tortilla with guacamole, cilantro, onions and queso. • Opened Sept. 12 • 1921 N. Preston Road, Ste. 20, Prosper • www.lalastaqueria.com

PRESTON RD.

1385

FRONTIER PKWY.

PARVIN RD.

E. PROSPER TRL.

Prosper

COUNTY RD.

FISHTRAP RD.

FIRST ST.

LOVERS LN.

UNIVERSITY DR.

380

289

423

MAP NOT TO SCALE

PGA PKWY.

VIRGINIA PKWY.

Prosper

and extensions for men, women and children. 209 Salon has two other locations in McKinney and Melissa, Whitaker said. It has been in business for 15 years. • Opened Aug. 6 • 4325 E. University Drive, Ste. 20, Prosper • www.209salon.com

Now open

1 209 Salon The business offers services for “all things hair,” owner Rich Whitaker said, including cuts, coloring, treatments

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• 590 Frontier Parkway, Prosper • www.neighborhoodvc.com

Coming soon

Now open

5 Clean Freak Car Wash The business will offer car wash services and memberships that offer various benefits. This will be the third Texas location. • Opening in November • 1520 W. Frontier Parkway, Prosper • www.cleanfreakcarwash.com 6 Glo Tanning The business—which will be located at The Gates of Prosper—will be equipped with sunbeds, spray tan booths, dry sauna, wet sauna and red light therapy. The company has 21 Texas locations including Addison,

In the news

8 HTea0 The business offers a number of hot and cold drinks, including various flavors of chai tea, lemonade and more. Construction on the location is expected to begin at the end of September and wrap up in January 2025, per the documents filed with Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. An opening date is unknown at this time. • 200 S. Preston Road, Prosper • www.hteao.com

Denton, Little Elm and McKinney. • Expected opening January 2025 • 900 S. Preston Road, Ste. 20, Prosper • www.glotanning.com/location/prosper

10 First Watch This is the second First Watch restaurant in Prosper and the 25th location in North Texas. The eatery serves a number of breakfast and lunch options such as avocado toast, benedicts and turkey or veggie burgers. First Watch also offers a rotating seasonal menu. A company representative said the restaurant will begin offering the seasonal menu

Closings

9 Concetta’s Italian Kitchen The restaurant offered take home dishes such as baked ziti, chicken piccata, garlic shrimp and more. According to a social media post, the restaurant will shift to an in- home cooking and catering business. • Closed Aug. 29 • 203 N. Coleman St., Prosper • www.concettasitaliankitchen.com

7 Neighborhood Vet Care The business currently offers a mobile service for small animals only. It offers a variety of services for pets including puppy and kitten care, wellness care, senior pet care and parasite care. Additional services will be added once their on-site building is open. • Opening in October

during the holidays. • Opened Sept. 16 • 4890 W. University Drive, Prosper • www.firstwatch.com

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Impacts

BY DUSTIN BUTLER & SAMANTHA DOUTY

Now open

Coming soon

455

134

1385

455

1 Whataburger The chain serves burgers, fries, chicken strips and more. “This community is going to grow every bit as quickly as our neighbors to the south, and we’re excited to plant that Whataburger ag here ... No need to go any farther,” Operating Partner Jay Winter said in a news release. • Opened Sept. 17 • 4405 S. Preston Road, Celina • www.whataburger.com

4 Boundaries Coee The shop will serve lattes, cappuccinos and other specialty drinks. It will also serve nitro cold brew, tea and frozen drinks. Boundaries Coee will have two drive-thru lanes and an outdoor patio area, a company representative said. • Opening in January 2025 • 1450 N. Frontier Parkway, Celina • www.boundariescoffee.com

Celina

428

289

E. OUTER LOOP

2478

4 2

FRONTIER PKWY.

Celina

including birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, sympathy, corporate events and more. Once opened, the Celina location will oer a number of specials to promote the new location.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

Coming soon

• Opening mid-September • 601 S. Ohio Drive, Celina • www.fullbloom.shop

2 Abbott’s Frozen Custard The chain will sell frozen custard, milkshakes, urries and oats as well as pints and novelty items, such as frozen bananas. • Expected opening the week of Sept. 24 • 1500 W. Frontier Parkway, Prosper • www.abbottscustard.com 3 Full Bloom The business, which has its rst location in Frisco, will oer ower arrangements for various occasions

Closings

6 Jimbo’s Pizza The restaurant, which has operated in Celina since 1989, served a number of traditional and specialty pizzas created by sta. The most popular menu item was the Dago’s pizza, which featured ranch dressing, mozzarella, hamburger, onions, green peppers and jalapenos. • Closed Aug. 31 • 501 W. Walnut St., Celina • www.jimbospizzacelina.com

5 Stella’s Ice Cream The business is owned by Brent and Ashlee Chism, and Russ and Mica Moett. Once open, the ice cream shop will oer push pops, scoops, cones, ice cream sandwiches and more, according to its website. A rm opening date has not yet been announced. • Opening TBD • 206 N. Louisiana Drive, Celina • www.stellasicecream.com

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Government

BY ALEX REECE

Prosper police utilize camera network

The cameras scanned 7.9 million plates from Aug. 10-Sept. 9. the Flock Safety Camera system since spring 2023. 9,354 vehicles have been alerted to the police through 45 Flock Safety Cameras have documented the license plates of cars driving in Prosper.

Just over a year into the program, Prosper is looking to expand its network of nearly 50 license plate-scanning cameras. The cameras, known as Flock Safety Cameras, have been a “force multiplier” for the Prosper Police Department by monitoring the town’s road- ways 24/7, Police Chief Doug Kowalski said. Since it started, police reported the cameras assisted in 10 stolen vehicles recoveries, eight rearm appre- hensions and 26 arrests in Prosper, as of Sept. 9. “It never gets tired, it doesn’t need a break, doesn’t go to lunch,” he said. “It’s always running.” How it works The cameras are placed at strategic locations including major shopping centers, intersections and the town’s main entrances and exits. The cameras are not used in trac enforcement, Kowalski said. They do not track a vehicle’s speed or who is driving it, just the license plate and the car’s make, model and identifying features.

That information is then recorded and instantly agged if it matches a description of a car used in a recent crime, Kowalski said. The camera network also keeps a constant eye out for cars in Amber Alerts or cars belonging to someone with a warrant out for their arrest. Police ocers have a limited window to use the scans. Any unused recordings and photos are removed after 30 days, Kowalski said. The system can shave days o of a typical police investigation, but its uses go beyond that, Kow- alski said. Being able to compare license plates during a trac stop can help an ocer know if the person they pulled over for speeding is considered armed and dangerous, he said. Going forward Kowalski said he expects additional cameras to be placed around town. “We will continue making sure that all of the roads are covered,” he said.

Flock Safety cameras are battery and solar-powered.

SOURCE: TOWN OF PROSPERCOMMUNITY IMPACT

COURTESY FLOCK SAFETY

Check out a map of the ock cameras at communityimpact.com .

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Government

BY ALEX REECE

Prosper sees lowest tax rare since 2007 Prosper officials are investing in public safety programs and town staff in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, which will go into effect Oct. 1. Prosper Town Council members approved a $102.62 million total budget and a $0.505 per $100 valuation property tax rate for fiscal year 2024-25 during a Sept. 10 meeting.

Celina’s new budget plans for growth Celina City Council approved additional funding for several city departments in its fiscal year 2024-25 budget. Council members approved a $54.32 million general fund budget and a roughly $0.60 per $100 valuation tax rate for fiscal year 2024-25 during a Sept. 10 meeting. The gist Included in the budget is a new $0.598168 per $100 valuation property tax rate, a roughly $0.01 drop from last year’s $0.612154 per $100 valuation. Despite the lower rate, city officials expect to raise more in revenue thanks to projected population growth. Over 11,000 new resi- dents are expected to bring in $8.3 million in property tax revenue.

The details The new property tax rate is the town’s lowest since FY 2006-07, according to budget documents. Town officials still expect to receive more revenue from property tax payments as property values rise and the town’s population climbs. Some qualifying Prosper residents could also benefit from the town’s homestead exemption rate, which was raised from 15% to 17.5% in June for property taxes due in 2025. Property taxes are the main revenue source for the town’s general fund, which pays for day-to-day government operations.

Prosper's property tax rate*

$0.55

$0.5

$0.52

Prosper's proposed property tax rate for fiscal year 2024-25 is the first decrease since 2021.

$0.505

$0.499

$0 $0.45

2006-07

2010-11

2015-16

2020-21

2024-25

*PER $100 VALUATION

SOURCE: TOWN OF PROSPER/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Government

BY HANNAH JOHNSON & ALEX REECE

1 Celina Police Department looks to city’s future with new HQ The new Celina Police Department offers a space for both officers and community members inside its new campus.

It is one piece of Celina’s Public Safety Campus, a nearly 30-acre space that will one day include the city’s fourth fire station and an emergency dispatch center. Creating a space where the city’s fire and police departments’ buildings can coexist will play a part in the future growth of Celina, Celina Police Chief John Cullison said. “Our goal is to be the premier law enforcement agency in [Dallas-Fort Worth] and the state of Texas,” he said. Current situation Located at 3025 S. Coit Road, Celina, the 32,660-square foot facility features: • A media room • Designated community center

• A gym • Lobby • Outdoor courtyard

1 The new headquarters will eventually feature a shooting range, training academy and other special- ized resources as the Public Safety Campus grows alongside Celina. 2 One of the ways the new Celina Police Department headquarters invests in the mental health of its officers is Darth, a two-year-old, in-house support dog. 3 Included in the new space is the department’s own workout center. 4 The police headquarters includes a large break room and kitchen area.

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Election

BY SAMANTHA DOUTY

Voter Guide

2024

Dates to know

Where to vote

Oct. 21: First day of early voting Oct. 25: Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) Nov. 1: Last day of early voting Nov. 5: Election Day and the last day to receive ballot by mail (or Nov. 6 if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at location of election on Election Day)

Denton County residents can cast their ballots at any polling location during early voting; however, election day locations are by precinct. Visit www.votedenton.gov for polling locations. Collin County residents can vote at any polling location during early voting or on election day. Visit www.collincountytx.gov/elections for polling locations.

Election

KEY: D Democrat G Green L Libertarian R Republican *Incumbent

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, presiding judge R David J. Schenck D Holly Taylor Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7 R Gina Parker D Nancy Mulder Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8 R Lee Finley D Chika Anyiam State Senator, District 8 R Angela Paxton* D Rachel Mello L Ed Kless State Senator, District 30 R Brent Hagenbuch D Dale Frey State Board of Education, District 12

Denton County Constable, Precinct 6 R Richard Bachus* D Ransom Funches Collin County Collin County Tax Assessor Collector R Scott Grigg D Stephanie Cooksey Collin County Commissioner, Precinct 3 R Darrel Hale* D Yvette Johnson Collin County Constable, precinct 3 R Sammy Knapp* D Cesar Avila

Sample ballot

Federal elections President

R Donald Trump D Kamala Harris L Chase Oliver G Jill Stein U.S. Senate R Ted Cruz* D Colin Allred L Ted Brown U.S. Representative, District 3 R Keith Self* D Sandeep Srivastava L Christopher Claytor U.S. Representative, District 4 R Pat Fallon* D Simon Cardell State elections Texas Railroad Commissioner

Celina ISD Celina ISD tax rate election

R Pam Little* D George King State Representative, District 61 R Keresa Richardson D Tony Adams State Representative, District 66 R Matt Shaheen* D David W. Carstens State Representative, District 106 R Jared Patterson* D Hava Johnston

Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of 1.2358 in Celina Independent School District for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 37.64 percent in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $10,539,090.

R Christi Craddick* D Katherine Culbert L Hawk Dunlap G Eddie Espinoza Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 2 R Jimmy Blacklock* D DaSean Jones Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 4 R John Devine* D Christine Vinh Weems Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 6 R Jane Bland* D Bonnie Lee Goldstein L J. David Roberson

Denton County Denton County Sheriff

R Tracy Murphree* D Frederick Bishop Denton County Commissioner, Precinct 1

R Ryan Williams* D Tommy Bedford

SOURCES: COLLIN COUNTY ELECTIONS, DENTON COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Election

BY HANNAH JOHNSON

Celina ISD trustees approve tax rate election for November ballot

Breaking it down

Funding for a district is based on average daily attendance, rather than its enrollment number. The basic allotment for students is $6,160, which has not changed since 2019. CISD’s board of trustees approved a $87.82 million budget with a potential shortfall of $1.94 million in June. Recapture payments redistribute revenue from property-wealthy to poor districts in Texas. CISD’s budget accounts for a payment of $1.63 million. CISD began making recapture payments to the state in FY 2021-22.

The VATRE would provide an additional estimated $1.85 million to assist maintenance and operation funds for the district, Maglisceau said. The election is to increase the operational fund portion of the district’s tax rate. This year’s tax rate will generate an additional $10 million compared to last year due to rising property values. Maintenance and operations, also known as M&O, funds the daily operation of schools. This includes teacher and sta salaries, safety and security as well as academic programming. The district’s total tax rate would be $1.2358 per $100 valuation, if approved by voters. This is broken down between $0.7869 for M&O and $0.4489 for debt payments.

Celina ISD voters will be asked to OK the district’s tax rate for scal year 2024-25 in order to raise the district’s revenue. A voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, is used when a district needs to increase its tax rate above a certain threshold, which voters must then consider in an election. This is the sixth year in a row district ocials have lowered the tax rate, Celina ISD Superintendent Thomas Maglisceau said. “This election would enable our district to access additional funding that’s available to school districts in the state through the state’s funding formula,” Maglisceau said during a presentation in a Sept. 10 Celina City Council meeting.

Celina ISD recapture payments

$41,685

2021-22

$263,793

2022-23 2023-24 2024-25

$460,793

$1.63 million

CISD tax rate history

SOURCE: CELINA ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Maintenance and operations rate

Interest and sinking rate

With VATRE approval

Without VATRE approval

$0.5 $1.64

$1.5489

$1.4832 $1.4409 $1.4235

Why it matters

$1.5

$0.5

$1.2381

$1.2358 $1.2358

$0.5

$0.4489

If the tax rate is not approved by voters, then the district’s tax rate will still be $1.2358 per $100 valuation, but split dierently between the funds. The M&O tax rate will be $0.7358 per $100 valuation. The tax rate for debt payments will be $0.50 per $100 valuation.

$1.14

$1.0489 $0.9832

$0.9409 $0.9235

$0.7869 $0.7358

$0.7381

$0.5

2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24

2024-25

SOURCE: CELINA ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Education

BY HANNAH JOHNSON

Education Edition

2024

Welcome to Community Impact ’s annual Education Edition. This guide features the latest updates and resources about local K-12 public school options in your community. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—please show them your gratitude by supporting them. In this edition, you will nd information on development updates, class oerings and more for your local school districts.

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What's inside

5 campuses opening soon—check out the progress (Page 16)

Learn about Education Service Center Region 10 (Page 20)

Sylvan Learning goes beyond tutoring—see how (Page 23)

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Demand for ESL programs grows alongside student population increase

Diving in deeper

Prosper ISD has expanded its language programs over the last few years to accommodate the growing diversity and meet the needs of students, King said. This includes increasing bilingual courses, world language programs and English as a Second Language or ESL classes. PISD has also doubled the number of ESL specialists and paraprofessionals to keep up with the growing emergent bilingual population, King said. The district has focused its eorts on hiring ESL-certied candidates when employing teachers. The district also oers training and resources for current sta to obtain their ESL certication while at PISD, she said.

The number of students acquiring English in Prosper ISD has tripled since the 2019-20 school year. Over 70 languages are represented among the approximately 3,700 students who are classied as emergent bilingual in the 2024-25 school year, said Alexis King, PISD’s director of language programs. Emergent bilingual refers to students who are acquiring the English language. “As the district has continued to be one of the fastest-growing districts in the state, Prosper ISD has also seen a signicant increase in language diversity over the past ve years, as many of our new residents are from diverse linguistic backgrounds,” King said in an email.

Emergent bilingual student growth

Emergent bilingual enrollment Prosper ISD enrollment

2019-20 798

16,789

1,309 1,443

2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25

19,063

21,781

2,341

24,931

3,639 3,700*

28,341

31,241*

Number of students 0 5K 10K 15K 20K 25K 30K 35K

SOURCE: PROSPER ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

*APPROXIMATION

PROSPER CELINA EDITION

Education

5 campuses set to open for 2025-26 school year in Celina ISD, Prosper ISD

Prosper ISD

Celina ISD

on the project, according to an August district construction update. The Prosper ISD board of trustees voted to name the campus for former district educator and school board member Jana Thomson in June. • Location: 1760 Bancroft Drive, Prosper • Timeline: opening for the 2025-26 school year • Capacity: 850 students 3 Virgie Witt Smothermon Elementary School Project: This will be Prosper ISD’s 20th elementary school. Update: The school construction is underway. Grade beams have been completed in three areas, according to an August district construction update. • Location: 4600 Lamplights Drive, Prosper • Timeline: opening for the 2025-26 school year • Capacity: 850 students

1 Elementary School No. 5 Project: This will be Celina ISD’s fifth elementary school. Update: Earlier this year, the district’s board of trustees approved a $42.45 million maximum price for the campus, which is currently under construction. • Location: 1105 Big Bend Lane, Celina • Timeline: Opening for the 2025-26 school year • Capacity: 750 students Prosper ISD 2 Jana Thomson Elementary School Project: This is a new elementary school, which will be Prosper ISD’s 19th on the district west side. Update: Driveways have been poured along with parking lots and all grade beams have been completed

4 Pete Moseley Middle School Project: This will be Prosper ISD’s sixth middle school that will open on the west side of the district. Update: Exterior metal wall panel installation is ongoing and the placing of all rooftop HVAC units is complete, according to an August district construction update. • Location: 1451 N. Teel Parkway, Prosper • Timeline: opening for the 2025-25 school year • Capacity: 1,500 students

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BY SAMANTHA DOUTY

SUNSET BLVD.

Prosper ISD

LAMPLIGHTS DR.

2478

1385

FRONTIER PKWY.

SUNRISE LN.

PARVIN RD.

E. PROSPER TRL.

ELDER RD.

5 Richland High School Project: This will be Prosper ISD’s fourth high school on the west side of the district. Update: Internal and external work is still underway including athletic facilities tied with the campus. • Location: 3450 Prairie Drive, Prosper • Timeline: opening for the 2025-26 school year • Capacity: 3,000 students

Prosper

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PROSPER - CELINA EDITION

Education

BY HANNAH JOHNSON

Prosper ISD tax rate lowers for FY 202425 Prosper ISD taxpayers will see the lowest tax rate from the district since 2005. The district’s board of trustees unani- mously approved the tax rate of $1.2552 per $100 valuation for FY 2024-25 on Aug. 26. This is a $0.0023 decrease from last scal year’s rate of $1.2575. Sorting out details The tax rate is split into two pieces. The rst piece, called maintenance and operations, covers daily operational costs such as payroll. The M&O rate is $.7552 per $100 valuation. The second piece is interest and sinking which covers principal and interest on the district’s debt payments. The I&S rate is $0.50 per $100 valuation.

PISD adjusts high schoolers’ last day The district’s board of trustees approved adjusting the academic calendar Sept. 16. The context The last day of school for high school students will be a half day on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The calendar change will allow the district to nish graduations earlier in the Memorial Day weekend. In the original academic calendar, graduations were May 23-24. “We want to make sure those celebrations are honoring the hard work that our stu- dents have done for 13 years in order to get that high school diploma,” Superintendent Holly Ferguson said. “We felt like this was a good compromise.”

Prosper ISD ocials OK $15M budget shortfall Prosper ISD ocials have dedicated 81% of its general fund budget to its teachers and other employees. “Ultimately, what [the school board is] making a decision on is in the best interest of the students that we’re serving,” Superintendent Holly Ferguson said. The gist The district’s board of trustees unanimously approved the FY 2024-25 budget Aug. 26. Here is a quick breakdown of what is included in the total $493.23 million budget: • $362.71 million in the general fund • $13.47 million in the child nutrition fund • $117.05 million in the debt services fund The budget has a $15.45 million shortfall in the general fund as revenue does not meet the district’s

Prosper ISD FY 202425 general fund budget

Debt service: .4% Capital outlay: .9% Other operating expenses: 2.1% Supplies: 5.5% Services/utilities: 10% Salaries: 81.1%

Collin College welding student Wyatt Jordan practices using the campus’s current automated welding machinery.

SOURCE: PROSPER ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

COURTESY SARA CARPENTERCOLLIN COLLEGE

Collin College grant funds new curriculum A grant from the National Science Foundation will allow Collin College to develop a robotic welding curriculum. A closer look The new curriculum will benet not only Collin

expected expenses. The shortfall will be covered by the district’s fund balance, which is similar to a savings account. The district’s fund balance ideally grows $10 million-$20 million annually. Zooming in Prosper ISD has added about 565 sta positions since adopting the 2023-24 budget. This has added approximately $46 million in new expenses. The increase also includes a 3% raise for teachers, which the board approved April 15.

College students, but area-wide industries that need automated welding technicians as well as welding students across the country if the curric- ulum is widely adopted, according to a Sept. 12 press release. The three-year, $446,852 Advanced Techno- logical Education grant will also fund specialized faculty training and equipment purchases. “I believe the training that develops out of this grant will serve as a crucial resource for students and the community,” Collin College District President Neil Matkin said.

PROSPER 950 S Preston Rd (469) 535-5539 LITTLE ELM 27100 Hwy 380 (972) 347-9630

Education

BY DUSTIN BUTLER

Q&A: Education Service Center Region 10 offers training for local schools With the 2024-25 school year beginning, Educa- tion Service Centers across Texas continue to work to provide services for school districts. ESC Region 10 serves more than 130 school districts, including Richardson, Frisco, McKinney, Celina and Prosper ISDs. Rachel Frost is the chief communications officer of ESC Region 10. Frost recently answered questions from Community Impact , explaining the history of and services provided by Education Service Centers in Texas. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What is an Education Service Center? The Texas State Legislature established 20 regional Education Service Centers in 1967 to support schools and create innovative solutions. Per state statute, ESCs are focused on improving student achievement, helping school districts operate more efficiently and economically, and implementing statewide initiatives. Where does the funding for an ESC come from? ESCs do not possess tax levying or bonding authority, and are funded through grants and contracts for services with school districts. How often does Region 10 offer professional development opportunities? Region 10 offers professional development opportunities nearly all day, every day. If you visit either of our buildings, you will find rooms filled

ESC Region 10 service area 80

Public school districts 35 Charter schools 112 Private schools Nearly 900,000 students

Grayson

Fannin

Collin

Hunt

Dallas

Rockwall

COURTESY EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER REGION 10

Kaufman Van Zandt

with educators actively engaged and learning. We also offer professional development at school districts, online through virtual learning as well as hybrid learning opportunities. Last year, we offered more than 7,000 professional development courses to more than 500,000 attendees for a total of nearly 850,000 total hours of professional development. In the past five years, have you noticed any trends of what school districts are needing? The COVID-19 pandemic, starting in March 2020, dramatically altered the needs of public schools to serve their students. Initially, Region 10 pivoted to support teachers and administrators in transitioning to virtual settings. As we’ve moved beyond the immediate crisis, we’ve seen a trend toward integrating the lessons learned from virtual instruction into traditional teaching models. This hybrid approach has become increasingly prevalent in professional development for educators. Beyond pandemic-related changes, we’ve noticed several other prominent trends in school district needs: • Budget management training for district leader- ship: We’ve seen a rising need for administrators to develop stronger financial skills to navigate

Ellis

Henderson

complex funding scenarios and optimize resource allocation.

• School safety and security: In light of ongoing concerns surrounding school safety, districts are prioritizing comprehensive safety measures and crisis response training. • Teacher recruitment and retention: This has become a critical focus area, with districts looking for innovative ways to attract and keep qualified educators in an increasingly competi- tive job market. These trends reflect the evolving challenges facing our school districts. Region 10 continues to adapt our support and resources to meet these changing needs.

To see the full story and learn more about ESC Region 10, visit communityimpact.com .

Children ages 3-12 Speech Therapy and Language Enrichment Programs Founded by two former Frisco ISD educators, a teacher and a Speech Language Pathologist www.thesparkcenter.net

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY DUSTIN BUTLER

Hardy’s Cafe also sells cookies and other desserts.

The smoked brisket burger ($10) from Hardy’s Cafe at Walnut Grove High School features a brisket and burger blend patty with bacon, apricot jam, havarti cheese and chipotle aioli.

PHOTOS BY DUSTIN BUTLERCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Rock Hill High School student Katie Terry prepares cookies in the school’s kitchen for Hilltop Cafe.

Prosper ISD oers culinary students work experience Prosper ISD students in the culinary program are getting real-world experience, said Matthew Denman, Walnut Grove High School’s culinary arts teacher. watermelon slices. What’s special about it?

In addition to Hilltop Cafe oerings, Gris- som said Rock Hill students cater most of the school’s functions. “I love to see how proud they are whenever their teachers or their parents come in and they get to serve them,” Grissom said. Prosper High School does not have a cafe like the other high schools, however, students in the culinary program still provide food to the commu- nity and their teachers. Culinary arts teacher Lindsay Swanson said students oer teacher lunch days every Tuesday and Friday. The students in the program also cater for community events as well. What they’re saying Walnut Grove senior Reid Fisher said he enjoys working at Hardy’s because he gains experience he can use if he chooses to pursue a culinary career. Reid said he appreciates the skills he has learned and would encourage students, especially incoming freshmen, to consider the culinary program. He said his time in the program has been a life-enhancing experience. “It’s cool that we have the opportunity to have this in high school,” Fisher said.

PISD has three culinary programs for students at each of its high schools. Students in the program earn ServSafe Managers certication, which is required to run restaurants. Along with experience cooking dishes, they also learn how to prep the kitchen and perform closing duties. “When they step into a kitchen, they are not [someone] who needs to be trained,” Denman said. “They’re not a liability, they’re an asset.” What’s on the menu? Walnut Grove’s Hardy’s Cafe has a set menu, Denman said, but it features rotating specials to ensure the students get experience with dierent types of food and dishes. A popular menu item is the smoked brisket burger, which features a brisket and chuck burger patty with bacon, apricot jam, havarti cheese and chipotle aioli. At Rock Hill High School’s Hilltop Cafe, culinary teacher Sherry Grissom said the menu changes every couple of weeks. The restaurant’s rst menu consists of baked potatoes that is served with a choice of a cookie or

Prosper High School students Cole LaCroix and Ethan Sereti prepare dough.

FRONTIER PKWY.

EAGLE DR.

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FIRST ST.

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1 Prosper High School 301 Eagle Drive, Prosper 2 Rock Hill High School Hilltop Cafe 16061 N. Coit Road, Frisco 3 Walnut Grove High School Hardy’s Cafe 3500 E. First St., Prosper

PROSPER CELINA EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY DUSTIN BUTLER

Sylvan Learning of Celina owner Shanna Miller opened the tutoring center after teaching for 11 years.

DUSTIN BUTLERCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Sylvan Learning tutoring services help to build student condence and independence.

COURTESY SYLVAN LEARNING OF PROSPER

Sylvan Learning teaches more than study skills The most important thing a person can have is an education, Sylvan Learning of Celina owner Shanna Miller said. Sylvan Learning of Prosper owner Janet Roy said education builds expertise and condence.

Sylvan Learning of Prosper owner Janet Roy was a Database Administrator before opening the center.

a study skills program and SAT prep for students planning to attend college. “We also do homework support sessions,” Miller said. “It really depends on what the kid needs.” What’s special about it? Miller said every student at Sylvan has dierent needs and goals. Sylvan Learning oers support for all types of students, whether they are behind or need to ll in gaps in a subject. Roy said tutoring programs oered at Sylvan helps to build student condence. In addition, Miller said the programs also learn independence as they learn so they start to feel more comfortable with the coursework.

DUSTIN BUTLERCOMMUNITY IMPACT

E. SUNSET BLVD.

Miller taught science in middle school and high school at Frisco ISD. Roy has a master’s degree in computer science and worked as a Database Administrator, she said. The owners were both looking for a change when they decided to open their Sylvan locations. What they oer Both locations oer kindergarten through 12th grade personalized tutoring. Subjects include reading, writing and math. The center also oers

O U N T R Y R D .

F I R S T S T .

380

A 110 S. Preston Road, Ste. 30, Prosper B 1050 S. Preston Road, Ste. 116, Celina www.sylvanlearning.com

Full-day Pre-K Needs Full-Day Funding

DID YOU KNOW?

The state requires full-day pre-K but only funds half the day.

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PROSPER CELINA EDITION

Adding new schools From the cover

District growth

Martin Elementary School Opened 2023 Current enrollment: 752 Functional capacity: 750

The big picture

Future elementary sites Future secondary sites Current elementary sites Current secondary sites Lykins Elementary School Opened 2003 Current enrollment: 547 Functional capacity: 750

289

Celina ISD is projected to have over 22,450 students by the 2033-34 school year—triple its current enrollment numbers—according to high scenario estimations. The district is expecting to operate three to four high schools within the next 20 years, with its second opening in 2029 or 2030, Superintendent Thomas Maglisceau said. Celina High School is undergoing renovations to address campus growth as well as expand the programming for ne arts and career and technical education. Renovations, which should be completed by fall 2026, include a larger cafeteria space and media center, new ne arts classrooms and additional classroom space, he said. “While it may bring out changes that are uncomfortable, none of us can deny the opportunity that is coming for our kids,” Maglisceau said.

Martin school zone

Celina High School

Jerry and Linda Moore Middle School

455

2478

Lykins school zone

O'Dell school zone

Bothwell school zone

O’Dell Elementary School Opened 2017 Current enrollment: 763 Functional capacity: 750

Bothwell Elementary School Opened 2024 Current enrollment: 531 Functional capacity: 750

SOURCE: CELINA ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT

Celina ISD projected enrollment

25K

Celina ISD’s current functional capacity limit is 7,375 students.

20K

A closer look

15K

pathways for educators and teachers in the Celina area. The partnership is designed to provide the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree and obtain a teaching certicate. CISD employees are eligible for a 10% reduction on all ACU online programs and the $50 applica- tion fee will be waived. “We want to oer opportunities for the people that have been here to grow as the district grows,” Kelly said.

An elementary school needs around 55 employ- ees to operate, said Melissa Kelly, CISD’s director of human resources. It’s dicult to predict how much sta future schools will need as the district wants to oer what students need, she said. CISD is working to create innovative partner- ships and develop its own sta, Kelly said. Starting this year, the district has partnered with Abilene Christian University to oer a fully online degree program and professional development

10K

SOURCE: CELINA ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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