Edna Forté named Superintendent at North Forest ISD

Edna Forté

NORTH FOREST, October 18, 2011–The Board of Trustees of the North Forest Independent School District Monday named Edna Forté as Superintendent of Schools.

The Board’s vote was unanimous. Forté has been Acting Superintendent since March 2011.

“The Board of Trustees has absolute trust that Ms. Forté will keep our school district moving forward this year and beyond,” said Chair Albert Coleman. “She has the skills and judgment to have a big impact on our district and its students, community, staff and Board.”

A visionary and progressive leader, Edna Forté has worked aggressively to implement academic reforms that increase student achievement in urban public schools. Her leadership philosophy recognizes the need to establish meaningful relationships, maintain open collaborative lines of communication, and focus the collective efforts of the entire organization on outcomes that serve the best interest of all children.

“This year, there are three critical priorities the North Forest Independent School District will address,” said Forté. “First, improve achievement; second, systemize financial policy; and third, gain the public’s trust.”

During her tenure in the North Forest Independent School District, Forté has facilitated a number of innovative initiatives aimed largely at advancing pathways to graduation. Specifically, she worked to obtain a multi-million dollar transformation grant intended to unite high school stakeholders around a common vision and common goals. In addition, she collaborated with external partners to acquire a grant to assist the district in lifting the YES Prep North Forest Charter School purposed to create innovative new secondary school choices within the district.

Forté possesses over 20 years of experience and has an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and expertise. Her educational career began in the Alief Independent School District. She later transitioned to the Houston Independent School District where she held several impactful positions including Literacy Specialist, Principal, and Regional External Funding Supervisor. In 2006, she joined the North Forest Independent School District as the Director of Federal Programs. She was subsequently promoted to Executive Director of Federal & State Programs in 2008 and became Acting Superintendent in March.

Edna Forté is affiliated with several professional organizations including the Texas Association of School Business Administrators, The American Leadership Forum, Houston A+ Challenge Executive Leadership Council, and The National Leadership Institute. In 2011, she was recognized by the Texas Black Caucus as an Outstanding Community Leader Honoree in recognition of her contributions to building equitable and diverse communities.