https://smr.to/p111358It's been a busy summer for the Pflugerville Education Foundation (PEF)! From cheering on a state-level spelling bee competitor to stocking school libraries with thousands of new books and outfitting classrooms for the year ahead, our community came together all season long to invest in Pflugerville ISD (PfISD) students, teachers, and schools. Here's a look back at what we've been up to since June and how you can stay involved.
What's in this newsletter:
Student Achievement Spotlight
Cheering On Our State Spanish Spelling Bee Competitors
On June 4, two outstanding River Oaks Elementary 5th graders, Juandiego González and Thiago Gómez, traveled to El Paso with Antonio Delbosque to compete in the Texas State Spanish Spelling Bee, representing their school and the Dual Language program among 47 of the top spellers from all 20 educational regions in Texas. PEF was proud to cover airfare and travel expenses so families could be there in person to cheer them on through the nearly 8-hour competition. Juandiego finished an impressive 18th in the state. Congratulations to both students on an unforgettable experience!
Scholarships & Supporting Our Educators
New Skilled Trades Scholarship Launched
Jennifer Painter, owner of Central Texas Beauty College and a proud PfISD alumna and parent, committed $10,000 to support Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs across the district — including a new $1,000 Skilled Trades Scholarship for a graduating PfISD student headed to trade school or community college.
Fine Arts Scholarships Funded by Infusion Dance
Infusion Dance and the Movement Dance Foundation, led by PfISD educator Dania Hunter, donated $3,000 to fund four $500 Fine Arts scholarships — one for a graduating senior at each PfISD high school — plus an additional $1,000 to support Ballet Folklórico and other fine arts programming.
Congratulations to Our 2026 Utley Scholarship Recipients
Brooke Bennett (Kelly Lane Middle School) and Nadine Bamigbade (Hidden Lake Elementary) were named this year's recipients of the Dan & Debby Utley Professional Development Scholarship, which supports PfISD educators pursuing additional certifications and university-level degrees. Congratulations to both!
American Legion Scholarship — Applications Open
This scholarship supports honorably discharged veterans and current Guard/Reserve members in any PfISD role — teachers, principals, custodial, tech, and administrative staff alike — who are working toward a degree, license, or certification. Applications close September 18, 2026, so eligible staff are encouraged to apply soon.
Getting Students Ready for the New School Year
Book Revitalization Initiative Brings Thousands of New Books to PfISD
Amazon's $20,000 investment powered our Book Revitalization Initiative, replacing outdated titles with 2,400 new, culturally relevant books across 12 PfISD elementary school libraries. Three of those campuses also received classroom supplies through teacher Amazon Wish Lists. Alongside this, our Early Childhood Development partnership with the PfISD Extended Day Program added another 1,800 books across 22 elementary campuses — reaching more than 1,500 students in total. Principals, teachers, and library staff across the district welcomed new stories that help students see themselves reflected on the shelves.
840 Backpacks Distributed to Students in Need
Partnering with PfISD Social Work Services and Todd Exley (For the Children), PEF provided and helped distribute 840 backpacks filled with school supplies so students could start the year with confidence and everything they need.
Community & Business Partnerships
H-E-B Celebrates 40 Years in Pflugerville with $10,000 Gift
As part of its Helping Here program and 40th anniversary celebration, the H-E-B P3 location presented PEF with a $10,000 donation, reaffirming H-E-B's decades-long commitment to Pflugerville students and educators.
Ascension Renews Healthcare Career Partnership
Ascension renewed its partnership with PEF for the 2026–2027 school year with a $10,000 investment, continuing to give Connally High School students hands-on career pathways and real-world experience in healthcare professions.
Mean Well Funds Hands-On STEM Kits
A generous donation from Mean Well allowed PfISD's Career & Technical Education program to purchase hydraulic STEM kits, giving students hands-on opportunities to explore engineering and problem-solving.
IKEA Round Rock Donates Six Refrigerators to Connally High School
Thanks to a donation from IKEA Round Rock, PEF was able to provide six refrigerators to Connally High School, now supporting both the Culinary Department and concession stands with much-needed cold storage for students, staff, and volunteers.
Volunteer With Us
Our work this summer — from stocking library shelves to filling backpacks — happens because volunteers show up. We need help with our ongoing library initiative (sorting, shelving, and distributing new books to PfISD elementary campuses) and with general volunteer opportunities throughout the school year, including events, donor outreach, and campus support.
Ready to get involved? Sign up to become a Pfriend of the Pfoundation and we'll match you to an opportunity: https://thepfoundation.org/pfriends/page.html
Meet our Board & Staff
None of this happens without the volunteer leadership of our Board and the dedication of our staff. Meet the people guiding PEF's work in PfISD:
Executive Committee
Garrett Martin | President |
Lauren Mireles | Vice President |
Eunice Duong | VP of Finance |
Monica Partida | Secretary |
Amy Settemeyer Miller | VP of Community Engagement |
Patricia Hayes | VP of Development |
Shayna Molinar | VP of Programs |
Karen Siles | VP of Governance |
Dr. Shepherd | Ex-Officio — PfISD Superintendent |
Claudia Yañez | Ex-Officio — PfISD Trustee |
Board Members
Dana Azurin | |
Jonathan Coffman | |
Margot Harmatuk | |
Bianca Lopez | |
Summer McAfee | |
Alexis Redondo | |
JaJuan Smart | |
Staci Young |
Staff
Karl Spencer | Executive Director |
Brandy Byers | Marketing and Development Specialist |
Ways to Stay Involved
Thank you to every donor, partner, volunteer, and PfISD staff member who made this summer possible. A few more ways to stay connected:
- Follow us on Facebook @PflugervilleEducationFoundation for the latest updates.
- Eligible PfISD staff: apply for the American Legion Scholarship before September 18, 2026.
- Interested in becoming a community partner or donor? Reach out — we'd love to talk about how your business or organization can invest in PfISD students.
