Author: Mindy Blackman

RISD is positively glowing with excitement to host the very first 25-26 LFNTX meeting of the year on September 19!

Doors open at 8:30 AM at the Arzell Ball Center (410 S. Greenville Ave., Richardson, TX 75081) for a light breakfast before we kick off a day that shines bright with learning and collaboration. We’ll start with a spotlight on our new teacher training series, dig into problems of practice, and wrap up with some creative fun around visual design for presentations. PLUS – we’ve built in time to shine on our favorite listens, reads, and resources, so bring a book, podcast, website, or tool to share! Come ready to shine, share, and glow together. Also, don’t forget to invite and bring someone new to the group!

Morning session is 9:00-11:30am and afternoon is 1:00-3:00pm. Please RSVP HERE.

We are also still looking for hosts for October and January. If you are interested, please email Mindy Blackman: blackmanm@friscoisd.org

Looking forward to learning with everyone!

Happy New School Year! The meeting dates for the 2025-2026 meetings have tentatively been set. Please see below to pencil in dates on your calendar. (Please note: Some dates may shift as we finalize hosts for the monthly meetings.)

And speaking of hosts… we can’t make our networking and learning happen without you! If your district is willing to host a monthly meeting, please email Mindy Blackman at blackmanm@friscoisd.org to sign up or to inquire about hosting details. Thank you!

Here’s to a great year!

• September 19, 2025
• October 17, 2025
• October 31, 2025 – Virtual Meeting w/ Texas Affiliates
• January 30, 2026
• February 20, 2026
• April 10, 2026
• May 8, 2026

As we wrap up another year of learning and connecting through LFNTX, we’re looking ahead to how we can make our meetings even more meaningful and manageable for you.

Please take a few minutes to complete the brief feedback form. We’d love your thoughts on meeting structure, learning topics, any process refinements you’d suggest, and what days work best for our gatherings. bit.ly/LFNTXfeedback25

Your voice helps shape what comes next… thank you for being part of this incredible network!

It’s almost Fri-Yay and time for the last LFNTX meeting of the school year! We will be in Irving ISD from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at Magda A. Hernandez Institute of Wellness and Professional Learning: 4615 North MacArthur Blvd. Irving, TX 75038

It’s the perfect time to celebrate our wins, share our growth, and look ahead. See you in Irving!

Calling all Boomers, Xers, Millennials, and Zs! The spotlight is on you as Learning Forward North Texas takes the stage at the Magda A. Hernandez Institute of Wellness and Professional Learning on Friday, May 9, 2025. Get ready to mix it up across generations for a day of high-energy collaboration, fresh insights, and unforgettable learning! Doors open at 8:30 AM, with a light breakfast served to start your day. At 9:00 AM, the curtain rises for a morning packed with intergenerational teamwork and problem-solving, where we’ll tackle our shared problems of practice. Lunch is scheduled from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM.  In the afternoon, we’ll explore how different generations approach team dynamics.  

To prepare for the morning, please bring a current challenge you’re facing in your district, department, or individually.

To prepare for the afternoon, the guiding question is shared below.

• What’s one assumption you’ve heard or made about how different generations prefer to learn or communicate professionally?

What: Learning Forward North Texas at Irving ISD

When: May 9, 2025 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM  (Doors open at 8:30 AM)

Where: Magda A. Hernandez Institute of Wellness and Professional Learning: 4615 North MacArthur Blvd. Irving, TX 75038

RSVP HERE

We look forward to seeing as many of you as we can in Plano tomorrow for our April LFNTX meeting! Please see below if you need a reminder of time and location.

What:  Learning Forward North Texas at Plano ISD

When:  Friday, April 11 from 9:00-3:00 (doors open/light breakfast at 8:30)

Where:  Sockwell Center for Professional Learning (6301 Chapel HIll Blvd. Plano, TX 75093)

Lights! Camera! Action!  Get ready for a star-studded day of professional growth as Learning Forward North Texas meets in Plano ISD on Friday, April 11, at the Sockwell Center for Professional Learning. Doors will open at 8:30 with a light breakfast served. We’ll start rolling at 9:00 for a morning of crowd-pleasing collaboration as we dive into our problems of practice. We’ll also shine a spotlight on Plano ISD’s Student Management team and their development of systems for districtwide professional learning and implementation.

After an intermission for lunch from 11:30 to 1:00, we’ll return for the second half of our double feature. In this blockbuster afternoon session, we’ll roll out the red carpet for high-quality professional learning that sticks! Just like a great movie, timing is everything—drop the right content at the wrong time, and the audience checks out. Teachers can only implement what their mental bandwidth allows, so we’ll explore how to strategically sequence learning for maximum engagement and impact.

What:  Learning Forward North Texas at Plano ISD

When:  Friday, April 11 from 9:00-3:00 (doors open/light breakfast at 8:30)

Where:  Sockwell Center for Professional Learning (6301 Chapel HIll Blvd. Plano, TX 75093)

Please RSVP HERE

We are so excited to join back together again for networking, learning, and fellowship this Friday, February 7th in Keller ISD. Doors will open at 8:30am and we will have our dedicated Problem of Practice time from 9:00am-11:30am. The afternoon learning portion of our day will be from 1:00pm-3:00pm. We will meet in the Keller ISD Board Room and a light breakfast will be available. The address for the meeting is: 350 Keller Parkway Keller, TX 76248

Please RSVP HERE. See you all soon!!

We hope this message finds you well. Out of an abundance of caution and in light of the expected inclement weather, we have made the decision to cancel our January 10th meeting.

The safety and well-being of everyone is our top priority, and we appreciate your understanding. We will keep you informed of upcoming meetings and events.

Thank you for your flexibility and continued support. Stay safe and warm!

We are excited to be joining back together in 2025 on January 10th in Richardson ISD. We will send out more information about the learning before the meeting, but save the date and mark the location below in your calendar. Wishing you all a restful break and a Happy New Year!

January LFNTX Meeting Location: Arzell Ball Center 410 S. Greenville Ave. Richardson, TX 75081 (Room 201)