McKinney, Texas — The McKinney ISD Public Relations and Communications Department has earned six national honors from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) as part of the 2026 NSPRA National School Communication Awards program, further cementing the department's reputation for excellence in educational communications.
The national recognition comes on the heels of another significant achievement. Earlier this month, the McKinney ISD Public Relations and Communications team earned top statewide recognition at the annual Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) conference, receiving 21 awards, including 13 Gold Star Awards, 8 Silver Star Awards, and 3 Best in Category honors—the highest distinction awarded in each division across the state of Texas.
NSPRA recognized McKinney ISD with the following national awards:
Award of Excellence — Podcast: McKinney ISD Podcast
Award of Excellence — Special Purpose Publication: McKinney ISD Accountability System Scorecard
Award of Excellence — Website: McKinney ISD Website
Honorable Mention — Marketing Materials: Choose McKinney ISD
Honorable Mention — Photo: We Are McKinney ISD!
Honorable Mention — Video: McKinney ISD Convocation
Each submission to the NSPRA Publications and Digital Media Awards program was judged within categories consisting of organizations of similar type and size. The highest honor in each category is the Award of Excellence, followed by Awards of Merit and Honorable Mentions.
The McKinney ISD Public Relations and Communications team includes:
Dr. Shelly Spaulding, Assistant Superintendent
Amanda Gavin, School Communications and Media Designer
Shane Mauldin, Communications Coordinator
Karla Schumacher, Digital Media Producer
Marisha Diaz, Office Manager for Public Relations and Communications, Health Services, and Health and PE
Together, the team develops and manages district communications, marketing initiatives, digital media production, community engagement efforts, and strategic storytelling that strengthen connections between McKinney ISD and its stakeholders.
The combined recognition from TSPRA and NSPRA highlights the department’s commitment to excellence in school communications and its success in sharing the stories, achievements, opportunities, and accountability efforts that define McKinney ISD.
For more information about McKinney ISD, visit www.mckinneyisd.net.