Central Kentucky EDUCON

We are on the cutting edge of technology, but also on the edge of discovering the ramifications of how we live with it. Four significant brain changes are occurring in many young people, and these findings are consistent across more than a hundred studies. Researchers warn parents and educators that if your child's screen time is excessive, you should assume these four issues exist and prepare for the following behavioral changes. Come learn about four brain adaptations that consistently occur and the steps you can take to restore and protect the brains of our students.

The world has heard a great deal about “the science of reading,” but the science is often lacking. For instance, the brain shifts hemispheres when students master specific skills, and this transition is necessary for becoming proficient readers. Furthermore, reading and writing are so deeply interconnected in the brain that enhancing one skill can benefit the other. In addition, students’ empathy levels are crucial for reading comprehension and for predicting whether they will enjoy reading. Join me in exploring the neuroscience of reading to learn how the brain processes text and discover strategies to enhance reading and comprehension.

AI tools aren't just for teachers anymore. A new wave of student-facing AI tools is here, and they're designed to be safe, engaging, and actually useful in the classroom. In this hands-on session, we'll explore tools like MagicSchool Student, Snorkl, and Brisk Boost that put AI directly in students' hands. You'll learn what to look for when evaluating student AI tools, get hands-on time with each one, and walk away with practical ideas you can bring back to your classroom. Whether you're AI-curious or already experimenting, this session will help you move forward with confidence.

There was lots of new legislation passed during the 2026 session of the General Assembly. What's new with education? Join us for an update on the changes that teachers and administrators need to be aware of as we plan for the 2026-27 school year.

At the heart of every thriving school lies a network of powerful, interconnected systems that support not only academic success, but the whole child. The N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. School Leadership approach empowers school leaders to harness these systems for lasting, transformative impact.

This session will help school leaders intentionally design, coordinate, and sustain the core elements that drive student success, staff well-being, and school-wide excellence.

When you're leading a school, N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. gives you a clear map to align efforts and ensure no system operates in isolation. Every Student. Every System. In Sync. 

In January 2021, during the high point of COVID, the Kentucky Department of Education allowed Educator Preparation Programs to develop policies that would allow student teachers to serve as substitute teachers during their student teaching semester. This new practice was intended to support K-12 schools suffering staffing shortages, but it also presented a unique opportunity for early induction into classrooms for undergraduate student teachers. In addition to gaining independent experience as substitute teachers in K-12 schools, these days also count toward the 70-day state requirement for student teachers. Each university created policies that addressed the process and duration of these substitute teacher placements with K-12 districts, which in some instances could run for the entire semester. This presentation will offer survey feedback from Campbellsville University student teachers who participated in substitute teaching during the three most recent academic years (2003 – 2006). Included in this review will be responses addressing the level of mentoring and curriculum support provided by K-12 schools, concerns and opportunities related to substitute teaching while completing student teaching, and recommendations for future use of student teachers in substitute teaching roles.

Would you like to learn how to maximize your retirement benefits?

Join Superintendent Jason Booher of Mercer County Schools for an enlightening session on crucial aspects of your certified retirement planning.

Thanks to our incredible sponsor, Paxton/Patterson Labs, you’ll experience a powerful, dual-speaker Lunch & Learn designed to grow both your practice and your perspective - all while enjoying a complimentary Chick-fil-A boxed lunch. Yes-lunch is on them!

Two powerful experiences. One unforgettable session.

Paxton/Patterson Labs kicks things off with cutting-edge, real-world learning that brings College & Career readiness to life. Then, without missing a beat, Jenny Lynn Hatter takes you on a meaningful (and FUN!) journey of self-reflection—helping you explore your faults, embrace forgiveness, and rediscover your strength as a leader.

Be sure to register now to lock in your seat (and your lunch!)

As administrators we met over the summer to iron out various details that would directly impact our 25/26 academic school year. One particular topic that we wanted to address was our current walkthrough tool. It is common knowledge that a walkthrough tool is beneficial and necessary to help in the monitoring process in any growth minded approach to student learning, teacher learning, and all around measurable results. The conversation did not hinge on whether to do or not do walkthroughs but rather how we can take the common practice of a walkthrough and make it more meaningful for the teacher, administrator and ultimately student success. 

• ACHS 3 phase approach 
  
  • Phase 1 Engagement (Basic 5)
  • Phase 2 Curriculum (Danielson Framework)
  • Phase 3 Components of Ideal Lesson plan (District) (Ideal Lesson)
• Duration: 2 week cycles 
• Teacher: Alternating schedule with administrator rotating to different teacher groups every 2 weeks
• Monitoring tools
  
  • Data entered into google form
  • Looker Studio
• Presentation of data
  
  • School level/department level data teams (Individual)
  • Faculty Meetings (Whole group)
  • District PLC (System)

This session will showcase how teachers across the three elementary schools in Garrard County collaborate within a shared system to design high-quality instruction aligned to grade-level standards while meeting the needs of all learners. The focus is on coherence—across content areas, roles, and schools—rather than isolated best practices. Teachers will share how district systems support consistent, high-quality instruction across classrooms while still honoring the unique needs of students.
Topics will include:

• Unit design aligned to grade-level standards
• Development and use of common unit assessments
• Ensuring access to grade-level learning for all students
• Coteaching structures and shared responsibility
• Systems for review, reteach, and intervention

Content will be divided among presenter pairs, allowing participants to hear multiple perspectives while seeing how the work fits together as a cohesive system.

AI tools aren't just for teachers anymore. A new wave of student-facing AI tools is here, and they're designed to be safe, engaging, and actually useful in the classroom. In this hands-on session, we'll explore tools like MagicSchool Student, Snorkl, and Brisk Boost that put AI directly in students' hands. You'll learn what to look for when evaluating student AI tools, get hands-on time with each one, and walk away with practical ideas you can bring back to your classroom. Whether you're AI-curious or already experimenting, this session will help you move forward with confidence.

Madison County Schools recently provided funding for two middle schools to pilot Paxton-Patterson Career Exploration Labs. B. Michael Caudill Middle School and Foley Middle School were the beneficiaries of these modules, in which students have the opportunity to explore multiple career pathways, which correlate directly with our high school CTE programs. We have witnessed overwhelmingly positive feedback from our students, parents, and staff. Our goal is to showcase some of the daily activities that introduce career pathways to our middle school students, setting them up for a productive future.

Improving staff and student attendance impacts teaching, learning, culture, and funding. Learn how our district has implemented solutions with our community that have led to improved attendance across all groups. Hear how conversations with the community at large led to innovative solutions piloted with the Full-Service Community Schools Grant and has spread across the district such as cardio drumming, Zero hour, an afterschool program for teens and quarterly attendance incentives sponsored by a local bank. What started as a brainstorming session amongst leadership around substitute coverage, grew into a systemwide reimagining of improving staff attendance and coverage for when staff have to miss. We will share our journey from making sure classrooms had coverage during staff absences to co-creating attendance solutions with the community for students.

Session topics will include incentives, celebrations, sponsorships, culture shifts, and communication. Our format will include time for questions, collaboration, and some individual planning and reflection.

Educational leaders serve numerous stakeholders, including students, families, staff, and the wider community, but the oft-forgotten stakeholder is the institution itself. It is in serving this stakeholder that the idea of stewardship is particularly weighty. Every school or district leader inherits a legacy from his or her predecessors that will be conveyed to the next generation. We strive for our schools to have unlimited ceilings, but the reality is that a school's quality is limited by its leadership. In Lead #theBardstownWay, BCS is embracing the responsibility of stewardship by leading well today with an eye toward setting up the district’s next leadership generation for success.

Data meetings are often scheduled, attended, and… endured. Too frequently, they become another obligation rather than a powerful driver of instructional improvement. This session reframes middle school data meetings as intentional, teacher-owned structures that are embedded in school culture—not added onto it.

Participants will explore how to design and sustain organized, purposeful data meetings that focus on standards, mastery, and next instructional moves, rather than surface-level data review or compliance tasks. The session emphasizes how schools can “get out of their own way” by simplifying processes, clarifying focus, and trusting teachers with meaningful instructional decision-making.

Attendees will hear from two different middle schools—both working toward the same goal of improving student achievement through data-informed instruction, yet using distinct approaches based on their unique school contexts, staff readiness, and leadership structures. These contrasting stories highlight that there is no single “right” model, but there are clear principles that make data meetings effective.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the key components of high-functioning middle school data meetings that are focused, efficient, and teacher-driven

• Distinguish between compliance-based data meetings and instructionally meaningful data conversations

• Understand how to align data meetings to standards, mastery, and instructional response, rather than isolated scores

• Analyze two contrasting middle school models and determine which structures best fit their own school context

• Apply strategies to simplify systems, reduce redundancy, and build data meetings into the existing culture of the school

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping classrooms—but meaningful integration requires more than new tools. This session focuses on building clear, human-centered course policies and assessment practices that help teachers and students navigate AI responsibly, ethically, and productively.
Participants will explore how to design AI-inclusive syllabus statements, student agreements, and a stoplight system that clarifies when and how AI tools can be used for learning, collaboration, and assessment. We’ll examine how transparent expectations reduce confusion, support academic integrity, and promote digital citizenship rather than punishment.
The session will also highlight process-based assessment models, emphasizing student documentation, reflection, and learning artifacts over product-only grading. Attendees will see examples of how these approaches not only support AI use but also strengthen formative assessment and feedback.
Finally, we’ll address differentiation for multilingual learners, discussing how AI tools—when paired with intentional policy and instructional design—can increase access, language development, and student agency without lowering rigor.
Designed for teachers, instructional leaders, and district teams, this session connects classroom practice to future-ready technology literacy and sustainable instructional design. Participants will leave with concrete strategies for setting clear expectations, designing meaningful assessments, and supporting diverse learners—so they can lead with confidence in an AI-integrated classroom.

On a scale of 1 to 5, what is your comfort level with calling parents? For many educators, the phone remains a source of anxiety, yet it is the single most powerful tool for building trust and turning passive parents into active partners. Join District Family and Community Engagement Liaison Carolyn Ford for a high-energy, interactive workshop designed to move you from "hesitant" to "confident."

This session moves beyond the general theory of engagement to the mechanics of the perfect phone call. We will unpack the "5 Pillars of Effective Communication"—Plan Ahead, Be Positive, Be Clear, Be Empathetic, and Follow Up—providing a concrete framework to structure every conversation. You will discover how to tap into families' unique "funds of knowledge" to better support student success in the classroom and learn strategies to avoid defensiveness during difficult topics. 

Whether you are a veteran teacher or new to the profession, you will leave with a personalized toolkit to build rapport, increase family response rates, and make the phone your favorite classroom tool.

When a school needs a new principal, you need as many great applicants as possible...and no one knows your district like the talented, hard-working teachers working there. They simply need to learn how to lead at a building level. In this session, participants will learn about a unique partnership that provides districts the opportunity to "grow their own" future principals.

Sustainable school improvement does not happen by chance; it happens by design. This session highlights how Camargo Elementary implemented intentional, systemwide structures to move from isolated practices to sustainable instructional change that strengthens adult practice and improves student outcomes.

Participants will explore how consistent instructional walk-throughs, timely and actionable feedback, and ongoing coaching cycles serve as foundational levers for improvement when paired with protected time to analyze walk-through data. Emphasis will be placed on the power of collaborative reflection, using data to engage in meaningful dialogue not only within leadership teams but across the full staff to drive alignment, clarity, and shared accountability.

The session will also examine Camargo’s approach to instructional planning through a collaborative leadership model that brings multiple voices to the table. Participants will learn how intentional planning structures support coherence across grade levels and content areas while building leadership capacity throughout the school. Special attention will be given to Camargo’s commitment to supporting new teachers beyond their first year, with structures in place to intentionally guide educators through years two, three, and four to strengthen practice, confidence, and retention.

Additionally, attendees will gain insight into Camargo’s student-centered systems, including student-led learning and conferences, implementation of a schoolwide Profile of a Learner, and daily social-emotional morning messages and supports that foster belonging, ownership, and leadership in every classroom.

This session is designed for leaders seeking practical, scalable systems that build collective efficacy, maintain momentum, and ensure instructional improvement is sustained over time.