Family Resource Center

The holiday season is here—a time filled with magic, joy, and special memories made with the ones we love. For many of our sweet friends, though, this time of year can also bring big changes that feel a little overwhelming. Bright lights, busy stores, extra company, traffic, changes in routine, and long school breaks can all add to sensory overload and stress.

As you prepare for the winter break, remember that a little planning can go a long way in creating a calm and successful holiday season for your child. Priming and prompting ahead of events can help ease anxiety and make transitions smoother. Visual schedules, calendars, and social stories are especially helpful tools this time of year.

If you’d like support, need resources, or want to brainstorm ideas before break begins, please stop by the Family Resource Center. Your Family Support Specialists are here for you, cheering you on every step of the way!

Wishing you a season filled with warmth, peace, and meaningful moments!

❤️-Colleen Kugler & Shannon Tibbits

We’re excited to launch our brand-new Birthday Brigade — a special way to celebrate our amazing students!

Each month, our team of student and parent volunteers will help make birthdays extra bright by delivering a small surprise to participating families. It’s our way of spreading smiles, kindness, and a sense of community — one birthday at a time.

If you’d like your child’s birthday to be celebrated by our Birthday Brigade, please fill out the quick sign-up form below.
https://forms.gle/JMPGhryj5yC1ivZd7

Our Parent Enrichment Workshops are every Tuesday from 5:00 - 5:45PM during Game On! Children must be registered to attend Game On! but parents attending workshops without children don't need to register.

❌Tuesday, December 2nd: NO PARENT ENRICHMENT WORKSHOPS DUE TO HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AT TOWN HALL

❌ NO PARENT ENRICHMENT WORKSHOPS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER!!!

📆 Parent Enrichment Workshops will resume Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Please register for the 2025-2026 Parent Cafe Meetings (monthly sped parent support group meeting) HERE. Once registered, you will receive a monthly sign up genius inviting you to RSVP to attend the Parent Cafes.

🎄Our next Parent Cafe will be held on Tuesday, December 16th at the Family Resource Center from 12-1:30PM. Bring a friend, bring a lunch and join us for coffee, tea and connections with other special education parents. This month and next month we will be continuing the discussion on teaching your child self-regulation skills. Since this is such a broad topic, it's split up into three different sub lessons. December's Parent Cafe will focus on "Helping Children Flexible Thinking & Memory Skills"

Join your PISD Family Support Specialists, Colleen Kugler & Shannon Tibbits, for fun parents only community outings to explore and experience local resources beneficial to families with special needs. This is a monthly opportunity for parents to encounter valuable resources and services available within your community and connect with other amazing PISD sped families in the process.

🎄Our next Field Trip Fri-YAY will be Friday, December 12th at 10AM. We will be meeting at Goal Driven Respite in Plano (520 Central Parkway E. Suite #510 Plano, TX)

Click HERE to register to attend or scan the QR Code on the flyer below.

Prosper ISD kids and teens are invited to visit the Family Resource Center every Tuesday from 5:00 – 5:45 PM to practice social skills while playing games and making new friends. Registration is required, sign up HERE to access information on how to attend. Parents are encouraged to stay for the parent workshop provided simultaneously.

❌ GAME ON! will NOT be in session the month of December!

✅Game On! will resume Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Due to the upcoming holiday breaks GAME ON! will NOT be in session for the following dates:

❌Tuesday, November 25th (Thanksgiving Break🦃)

❌Tuesday, December 2nd (Holiday Open House at Prosper Town Library 🎄)

❌Tuesday, December 9th

❌Tuesday, December 16th

❌Tuesday, December 23rd (Winter Break)

❌Tuesday, December 30th (Winter Break)

🎉GAME ON! will resume TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026🎉

🎄 Sibshops is a recreational support program for students (ages 8-13) with brothers and/or sisters with special needs (such as genetic, developmental, physical, emotional, or learning differences). Sibs are given opportunities to share about both the fun and not-so-fun times involved with having a family member with special needs and to get to know other kids who share this experience. Annual registration is required, if your child would like to attend Sibshops for the 2025-2026 school year and you haven't already registered them, click HERE.

🎄 Girls in the Middle

This is a group for middle school girls (6th grade - 8th grade) in Prosper ISD who are receiving special education services and struggle with social skills. Once you register your child, you will receive emails with notification and reminders of group meetings. Register HERE.

🎄 Boys in the Middle

This is a group for middle school boys (6th grade - 8th grade) in Prosper ISD who are receiving special education services and struggle with social skills. Once you register your child, you will receive emails with notification and reminders of group meetings. Register HERE

🎄 SQUAD

A Social Skills Group for high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who have difficulty navigating their social world and forming friendships. Once you register your child, you will receive emails with notification and reminders of group meetings. Register HERE

🎉We are thrilled to share something very special that’s been in the works for over a year…

Four Prosper Special Education professionals have officially launched a nonprofit organization called Special Education Exchange (S.E.E.) — and our mission is simple: Connecting educators across the globe to learn, grow, and shine brighter together.

And now… we’re ready to take our very first steps into the world!🛫🌍💚

This May: Tunisia, North Africa

Our team will be traveling to the city of Medenine to:

✨Collaborate with staff at two special education schools

✨Share ideas and strategies

✨Learn the culture and language

✨And help establish their very first Family Resource Center

This center will support families of children with special needs — just like we do here in Prosper — and we are honored to help bring this dream to life

February 2027: India

We will do the same in India next year — building community, sharing knowledge, and growing alongside educators and families around the world.

How YOU Can Support This Journey

#1 ✨Vote for S.E.E. on the Scheels of the Colony FB page

They are giving away funds to support local nonprofits — and YOUR vote increases our chance of winning a prize. A Scheels prize would fully cover our travel costs so we can focus 100% on training, collaboration, and building Family Resource Centers abroad.

✨Tag us on the Scheels of the Colony page to cast your vote!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14Qgazy5P3R/

#2 Join our “S.E.E. the Community” Scavenger Hunt!

We’ve created a fun, meaningful holiday activity for families:

The S.E.E. the Community Scavenger Hunt, happening over Christmas break.

Families will:

🌇Visit friendly local businesses

⭐Present their scavenger hunt game card

🎁Receive giveaways

💬Practice social skills

📍Explore new places together

🌟Shine in the community

Sign up using the interest form link below, and we’ll send details + game cards!

https://forms.gle/5fCj4yV1tJbL9k787

#3 Support our GoFundMe

Every dollar helps us expand this dream of global connection and build Family Resource Centers for children with special needs around the world.

https://gofund.me/aea1a2bac

#4 Follow Our Journey

We will be sharing our cultural training, preparations, travel updates, and behind-the-scenes moments on our Special Education Exchange Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581693397114

Liking and following our page is a powerful way to support our mission and help spread the word.

Together, we can create something truly beautiful — here and across the world.

If you have questions or want to be part of the excitement, contact Colleen Kugler at cmkugler@prosper-isd.net .

💗Thank you for supporting this dream and helping it grow!

Join us for an opportunity to meet Special Education leadership and to learn about who Prosper ISD Special Education is, what we do, and how we do it.

Capacity: 25 at each event

Location: PISD Mahard Family Resource Center
410 E. 1st Street | Prosper, TX 75078

Time: 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm

Dates and Sign Up:

• January 27, 2026

• April 7, 2026

*Check back to register for future dates.

If your child is utilizing a communication device at school, but you are struggling to use it at home, you are in luck! Prosper ISD’s outstanding Assisted Technology Team has a library of previously recorded group parent trainings for AAC users. Click here to access previously recorded trainings. In addition, the December AAC Newsletter provides tips, strategies, and practical ideas to help families incorporate AAC into daily life. Included in this month's newsletter is a video that you may want to use. It is a read-aloud of Sneezy the Snowman with AAC modeling. Check it out! For additional information, be sure to check out the Family AAC website.

• 1000's of parenting books
• 1000's of books for children related to social and emotional skills
• Educational books and activities for all levels
• Games for all levels to help with social, emotional, and motor skills
• Pre-made visuals on topics including behavior, social, communication and self-care
• Sensory items
• Community resources
• Parent workshops
• Parent support groups
• Social Skills groups for students with special needs
• Sibshops for siblings of children with special needs
• Parent Maker Station to create personalized visuals & schedules
• Lamination services
• Materials to create student profile binders
• Volunteer opportunities for Prosper high school students and parents
• Opportunities for parents to meet, engage and support one another
• Host New to Sped meetings as well as the Sped Network meetings with administration