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See below for important updates and upcoming opportunities you won’t want to miss!

No Tricks, Just Treats! Join Us for a FREE Virtual Event!

Learning Forward Texas is thrilled to invite educators from across the state to a special virtual gathering designed to foster connection and collaboration.

Date: Thursday, October 31
Time: 12:00–2:00 PM
Location: Virtual (Zoom link will be sent the day before)
RSVP Here

What to Expect:
• Connect with colleagues from your regional affiliate.
• Explore opportunities to get involved at both local and statewide levels.
• Collaborate and problem-solve with peers in similar roles while networking with professionals throughout Texas.

Grab your lunch (and maybe a little Halloween candy) and join us for an engaging afternoon of learning and connection. This event is open and FREE to anyone interested in professional learning – no costume required!

Save the Date! In-Person LFNTX Meeting – November 14

Be sure to mark your calendars for our next in-person LFNTX meeting on Friday, November 14, in Frisco ISD. If you’re interested in facilitating a learning session during the afternoon, please reach out to Mindy at blackmanm@friscoisd.org – We’d love to feature your ideas and expertise!

Important Deadlines

Don’t forget these upcoming opportunities:

• Conference Proposals Due: November 7
• Professional Learning Award Applications Due: November 7

We can’t wait to collaborate with you at both gatherings. Don’t forget to invite a friend!

Please note an important schedule update:

• The October 17 meeting has been rescheduled and will now take place on Friday, November 14.
• The October 31 virtual meeting will serve as our October meeting. Register HERE

We are currently seeking hosts for the November 14 meeting. If you are interested in hosting, please email Mindy Blackman at blackmanm@friscoisd.org

Also, if hosting isn’t possible this year but you would like to facilitate learning for the afternoon, we’d love your involvement as well! Please reach out to Mindy to express your interest.

Thank you for your flexibility and continued commitment to professional learning and collaboration. We look forward to connecting with you virtually on October 31 and in person on November 14.

We hope to see everyone at our first LFNTX meeting of the year this Friday, September 19. Doors open at 8:30 AM and the address for the meeting is: Arzell Ball Center (410 S. Greenville Ave., Richardson, TX 75081) 

If you have not already sent in your RSVP, please do so HERE. And don’t forget to invite a new friend!

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)

Good afternoon, North Texas colleagues! I look forward to seeing many of you in Plano ISD on Friday, but wanted to share that Celina ISD is hosting an open enrollment opportunity for our Tips and Tools for Professional Learning on May 29. I know many of you have recently brought Tips and Tools to your districts, but if you have individuals who have not yet been trained, this can be an opportunity for them! Cost is $239 per seat and space is limited. Please share with those who may be interested. Registration details can be found at this link: http://Home | Tips and Tools for Professional Learning 1 $239