Celebrating Excellence: 2025 Professional Learning Award Winners

Learning Forward Texas announced the 2025 Professional Learning Awards winners several months ago. Debi Tanton, Director of Business, attended the school board meetings at both districts to present these prestigious awards, honoring the impact and dedication of these outstanding professional learning teams. This year’s honorees are the Fort Sam Houston ISD Instructional Coaching Team and the Northside ISD Professional Learning Department for their outstanding commitment to fostering continuous growth among educators and improving student outcomes.

Fort Sam Houston ISD Instructional Coaching Team

Dr. Mina Schnitta, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning at Fort Sam Houston ISD, expressed her pride in the district’s instructional coaching team, stating, “It is truly an honor for our district instructional coaching team to have been awarded this prestigious award. This team firmly believes in and models continuous improvement daily in our schools. I am so very proud of this team—it is an honor to work alongside them!”

Northside ISD Professional Learning Team

Natalie Gray, Director of Professional Learning at Northside ISD, also shared her gratitude, saying, “This recognition from Learning Forward Texas is a true honor, and it reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team. We're incredibly proud of the growth we've seen in our novice teachers, and this recognition fuels our passion for supporting them even further. It's a privilege to work alongside such a talented and committed group of professional learning professionals – we win together, and we celebrate this success together!”

These awards celebrate the critical role that professional learning plays in strengthening educator effectiveness and ensuring student success. Learning Forward Texas congratulates both districts for their dedication to empowering educators and inspiring excellence in teaching and learning.