12-02-2025
ATMOS Energy partners with Jones Elementary through Partners in Education
Feb. 11—MIDLAND — The Midland Education Foundation announces its first partnership with the new Partners in Education program, as ATMOS Energy became the official partner for Jones Elementary School.
Partners in Education was an initiative created by the Midland Chamber of Commerce and is now operated by the Midland Education Foundation. The Midland Education Foundation aims to expand its reach and impact, ensuring that MISD students and staff across 39 campuses are supported and connected to the greater Midland community, including this partnership with ATMOS.
ATMOS Energy's willingness to connect and support Jones Elementary School allows the campus to fulfill needs outside campus budgets and support its literacy initiative through a book vending machine donation.
"Our partnership with ATMOS Energy has tremendously impacted our campus' use of innovative tools to encourage student literacy. Many of the students that Jones serves have limited access to books," Tanya Duewall, Principal of Jones Elementary, said in a news release. "The book vending machine will help bridge the gap by providing books directly to students to ensure they have individual reading materials at home. This interactive and engaging book vending machine makes book selection exciting, increases student motivation to read, improves literacy skills, and ultimately fosters a life-long love of reading."
Jones Elementary, home of the Tornadoes, serves nearly 500 students from Pre-K through 6th grade. The partnership with ATMOS Energy will assist the school in showcasing its achievements while working together to provide enrichment opportunities for all of their students and support the staff.
"Community service is a fundamental element of our culture," said Andrea Goodson, Public Affairs Manager for ATMOS Energy. "Because our employees live, work, and play in the communities we serve, they take great pride in being good neighbors."
In total, six campuses currently have a designated Partner in Education. Through PIE, businesses are invited to adopt a campus by supporting campus needs, teacher appreciation, and student initiatives that fall outside of campus budgets. Campuses without a community partner or PTA to help fill these gaps often have high teacher turnover and low campus culture. PIE also allows organizations to connect to special projects across the district through the gift of volunteering, gifts in kind, or designated monetary gifts which in turn provide campuses with the essential programs and activities that are vital to a well-rounded education.
Businesses and individuals interested in becoming a Partner in Education are encouraged to contact Lauren Hopkins, Community Connections Coordinator at Midland ISD. ([email protected])
