BLOOMINGTON – Solution Tree, an educational publisher and professional development provider, announced all three winners of the second annual (re)defining Excellence Awards. The company’s contest is a search for “special districts, schools, and teacher teams who have positively impacted learning in their classroom, school, and district.” Videos and written essays were sent by nearly 70 applicants from across North America. The (re)defining Excellence in the District Award goes to Warsaw Community Schools; the (re)defining Excellence in the School Award goes to Eastridge Elementary School in Amarillo, Texas; and the (re)defining Excellence in the Classroom Award goes to the Future Forums Class of Waterloo Region District in Kitchener, Ontario. “Working at Eastridge, every day you have to roll up your sleeves,” Principal Genie Baca said in her winning school’s video submission. “You have to dig in, and you have to give it 100 percent, but when you leave it is the best feeling to know that you’re at a place that you love to work.” Solution Tree will make a $10,000 contribution to each winner, and special recognition will be given at the Professional Learning Communities at Work™ Summit Feb. 22 in Phoenix, Ariz.
