SMS PTA chose Ms. Anousheh Blatz and Mrs. Kristen Kinnard as the recipients of the PTA Lifetime Membership Awards.
L-R: Elisa Klein, School Board Trustee, Mrs. Kinnard, Anna Hulse, VP Membership, Ms. Blatz
Anousheh Blatz, English Teacher
My name is Anousheh Blatz, and I have spent 33 years in public education.
I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of North Texas and my Master’s degree in Education from Concordia University Austin.
Throughout my career, I have taught in Oklahoma City ISD, Dallas ISD, Richardson ISD, and Plano ISD, where I have proudly served for the past 20 years.
Teaching has always been my passion, and I am grateful for the students, families, and colleagues who have made this journey so meaningful.
Kristen Kinnard, Principal
Kristen Kinnard is currently serving in her fifth year as the principal of Schimelpfenig Middle School. This is her 29th year in education, and she still gets up each morning excited and looking forward to the day ahead!
Ms. Kinnard began her career in education in 1995, working as a Spanish teacher at both the middle and high school levels for thirteen years. Her last sixteen years have been in campus administration. Ms. Kinnard first served as an assistant principal in Lovejoy ISD before joining the admin team at Williams High School here in Plano ISD. There, she served as an assistant principal for seven years before becoming principal at Schimelpfenig Middle School in the Fall of 2021. When Ms. Kinnard is not at school, she loves spending time with her family, traveling, reading, and watching movies.
Schimelpfenig PTA is offering a $500 scholarship in support of the higher education goals of graduating Plano ISD seniors who are alumni of Schimelpfenig Middle School.
In order to be eligible for a scholarship, an applicant must meet all of the following qualifications:
● Is a senior who will graduate in 2026 from a Plano ISD school.
● Attended Schimelpfenig Middle School from grades 6-8
● Must be a current student member of their high school PTSA
● Will be enrolled and attend full-time in an accredited college or a technical institute in the summer or fall immediately following high school graduation.
● Submit a completed application by April 17, 2026
To apply for the Schimelpfenig PTA Scholarship, eligible applicants must submit the following:
● The completed, signed application - including applicant statement page, application page, and qualifications/essay page
● Official school transcript with GPA
Applications must be received by April 17, 2026. Email applications to membership@smspta.org or mail to Anna Hulse, Schimelpfenig Middle School PTA VP of Membership, 2400 Maumelle Dr., Plano, TX.
Congratulations, SCHIMELPFENIG MIDDLE families… your 1st Day School Supplies store is now open. Yes, it feels early. And that’s actually the point. Ordering now means you can check school supplies off your list before summer even begins. No scrambling in July. No store runs in August. Just the exact supplies teachers requested, handled in a few simple clicks. It only takes a few minutes to select our school and choose your child’s grade. Everything will arrive packaged and ready for the first day. There’s something nice about heading into summer knowing one big thing is already done.
👉 Order HERE
See School Supply List HERE
Are you interested in playing high school hockey? Do you live in the Plano Senior High School attendance zone? Contact us for more details about Summer League Hockey 2026 at VP@planowildcatshockey.com. @planowildcats #planowildcatshockey #planowildcats
Here is a LINK to the March 4th edition of the Panther Parent 411 newsletter.
Click HERE to purchase tickets.
The yearbook staff is hard at work on the 2025-2026 SMS yearbook!
The current cost for a yearbook is $40 before any customization. Take advantage of this Black Friday price now through November 30th, as prices will increase after this date.
Order Online: Click Here to Buy or Donate a Yearbook
School ID Code: 15526226
If you have any questions, please contact our yearbook advisor, Alisha Williams, at alisha.williams@pisd.edu.
We still have spirit wear to purchase. We have t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, and hoodies. Order now and items will be delivered to students at school.
Wonderful Panther Families: our goal for membership this year is the Platinum Voice for Every Child award, or 826 members. Membership connects you and your child to our community, supports the $500 scholarship we offer for former Schimelpfenig students, and helps TX PTA advocate for ALL public school children. Additionally, this year we are offering the opportunity for parents to sponsor a membership for a staff member. Please help us reach this goal!
PTA Membership costs are:
- $13.00 for a one-parent membership $7.00 for a student membership
- $22.00 for a dual membership $8.50 for staff member
For any questions, please email Anna Hulse, VP of Membership
Thank you!
There are still 2024-2025 yearbooks available in the front office. $45 each, first come, first serve!
JOIN OUR PTA TEAM!
The Schimelpfenig Middle School PTA is looking for amazing parents and guardians to join our 2025–2026 board!
We have several open positions—big and small—so whether you have a little time or a lot, there’s a place for you! Volunteering with the PTA is a great way to support our school, meet other parents, and make a real impact in our school community.
If you have any questions, please contact PTA President Terri Childress at president@smspta.org.
We welcome volunteers at the school and at our PTA events. Per district policy, you must be VOLY approved to be around students. VOLY approvals expire every year in June and must be redone each year in July, regardless of any previous year approval. Please go to plano.voly.org to get your approval started now!
URGENT NEED: We’re especially looking to fill these key roles ASAP:
Hospitality 
Spring Social
Fall Social 
School Supplies
Check out the full list of current board roster & open positions here: 
