From Staff Reports
Prosper ISD is pleased to welcome Dr. Heather Brister as PISD's new Director of Special Education.
The Prosper ISD Board of Trustees voted at the December Board meeting to transition away from the shared services arrangement with the Collin County Special Education Cooperative (CCSEC) and to begin its own in-house special education department.
At one time, most of the school districts in the county were a part of the CCSEC. However, over the years other member districts such as McKinney ISD, Frisco ISD, and Wylie ISD, to name a few, have grown in enrollment and have transitioned away from the CCSEC.
"The CCSEC has served our students well for a long time," said Dr. Drew Watkins. "Now that Prosper ISD has grown to an enrollment of almost 4,000 students, we are able to provide high quality services to our students with special needs without relying on the CCSEC."
Brister's hiring as the new Director of Special Education is the first step in that process. The CCSEC will continue to manage PISD students' special education services until its dissolution on June 30.
Students and their parents can expect absolutely no interruption in services during the transition. The special education teachers in PISD are and have been employed by the school district. The CCSEC provides related services such as speech therapy, hearing impaired services, occupational and physical therapy, educational diagnosticians, and many others.
"I am committed to ensuring that students receive the services outlined in their IEPs," Brister said. "The students should never know there has been a change in the way their services are administered."
During her career as a special educator, Brister has been a special education teacher at all levels, from PPCD to high school age students. She has served as an educational diagnostician and college professor, and most recently, as special education coordinator in Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD.
Watkins said, "Dr. Brister was among several outstanding applicants for our newly created special education position. She is a good match for Prosper's culture of customer care, both for our internal and external customers. I'm looking forward to having our special education services in-house and under Dr. Brister's leadership."
Brister holds a Ph.D. in Special Education with minor in Educational Administration. She lives in McKinney with her husband, Dr. Tim Brister, and children, Paige (5 years) and Hayden (21 months). "Prosper ISD is a premier school district in a family friendly community. It will be my pleasure to serve the students, the parents, and the staff of this great school district," said Brister.
Brister will begin her new position in Prosper ISD on March 1. As always, parents should continue to contact their campus' special education teachers and administrators with questions and concerns.