Standards Newsletter: Aug. 13, 2025

Aug. 13, 2025

The Office of Teaching and Learning Spotlight: Will Spalding

The Office of Teaching and Learning is pleased to welcome Will Spalding as the new Multilingual Learner Specialist. Will brings a deep commitment to supporting multilingual learners, their families, and the educators who serve them. “When our schools and classrooms are welcoming, recognize the assets our multilingual learners bring, and provide high expectations with the right support, we create the conditions for all students to thrive and pursue a successful future,” Will shares.

As part of his new role, Will plans to collaborate with department leaders and educators across Kentucky to provide responsive, strengths-based support. His focus is to equip schools with the tools, strategies, and encouragement they need to foster classrooms where multilingual students feel supported and successful, ultimately working to close the persistent achievement gaps and promote meaningful outcomes.

His personal mission reflects this commitment: “I strive to serve with integrity and purpose—to support educators and uplift our multilingual learners and their families so they feel seen, valued, and empowered to learn and grow.”

Will brings a wealth of experience to this role. He has served as a high school social studies teacher, EL teacher, building assessment coordinator, and elementary school assistant principal in various school settings. Most recently, he held the roles of assistant director of English Learners and principal of GEO International High School within Warren County Public Schools in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He is also an active member of the Kentucky Coalition for English Learners.

A native of Lebanon in Marion County, Will now resides in Bowling Green with his wife, Hilarie, and their two daughters, Anderson and Campbell.

Will’s enthusiasm for this work is evident, as his dedication to collaboration, support for all learners, and continuous learning will be a tremendous asset to the team. He is excited to support districts and schools and welcomes the opportunity to connect and partner. Will may be reached via email at william.spalding@education.ky.gov

Calling all Mathematics Educators: Apply now for the Series 2 - Cultivating Vibrant Learning Experiences in Mathematics Workshop for Teams!

The Cultivating Vibrant Learning Experiences in Mathematics Workshop for Teams- Series 2 seeks to deepen content knowledge and pedagogy, clarifying what to teach and how best to teach it through the use of high-quality instructional resources being used in Kentucky classrooms. The workshop will specifically elevate connections across:

• The Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Mathematics; 
• Evidence-based Instructional Practices, specifically the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices outlined by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM); and 
• High-Quality Instructional Resources (HQIRs) in Mathematics.

Series 1 took place last year and focused on Effective Mathematics Teaching Practice 1: Establish mathematics goals to focus learning. Those materials and recordings have been published along with a Facilitator’s Guide for instructional leaders to provide local opportunities to deepen educators’ content knowledge in mathematics. Learn more and access materials on the Cultivating Vibrant Learning Experiences in Mathematics page on KYStandards.org.

This NEW workshop series, Series 2, centers on Effective Mathematics Teaching Practice 2: Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving. 

Who Should Apply?

This virtual workshop series provides K-12 educator teams with the opportunity to learn and grow together as both learners and practitioners through a series of 2-hour synchronous sessions. Participants will experience an adult learning environment designed to mirror the classroom experience, utilizing high-quality instructional resources and videos featuring Kentucky classrooms. The workshop series will include small group discussions in breakout rooms, whole-group discussions and meaningful connections with mathematics educators from across the state. Special emphasis will be placed on exploring teaching and learning within specific grade bands (primary, intermediate, middle and high).

Teams can be structured differently depending on the local context. Teams may include, but are not limited to, mathematics educators from the same or different grade levels, instructional leaders, such as instructional coaches, ideally from within the same school or district. Individual applicants are also encouraged to apply. If selected, they will be placed on a team with other individual applicants. Complete the application by September 3. 

Session Schedule

There will be four sessions in this workshop series, selected teams will have two options each month to register to attend before each meeting. 

A more in-depth description along with meeting materials will be provided in advance of each session. 

• Session 1: How can we implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving? Let's share ideas.

Option 1: Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 from 5 to 7 p.m. ET

Option 2: Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025 from 5 to 7 p.m. ET

• Session 2: Why is lesson internalization important? Let's move beyond planning.

Option 1: Monday, Oct. 20, 2025 from 5 to 7 p.m. ET

Option 2: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 from 5 to 7 p.m. ET

• Session 3: How do we analyze and respond to student thinking? Let's move learning forward.

Option 1: Monday, Nov. TBD

Option 2: Thursday, Nov. TBD

• Session 4: What have we learned together? Let's reflect.

Option 1: Monday, Dec. TBD

Option 2: Thursday, Dec. TBD

Application Details

There are a limited number of spots available for this workshop. Teams interested in this opportunity should complete the Series 2: Cultivating Vibrant Student Learning Experiences in Mathematics Workshop for Teams application,  no later than September 3, 2025.

Selected teams will be notified no later than Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

Questions? contact us at kdemath@education.ky.gov

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Standards Quick Links

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Family Resources for Back to School  

Start off back to school relationship-building with students and families with these three helpful resources: Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) Family Guides, A Family’s Guide to Understanding Student Assessment and the Read at Home Plan Family Guide. 

• The KAS Family Guides were developed to help families familiarize themselves with the concepts of each grade level’s standards and include suggestions for how families can reinforce standards content at home. Each guide contains a standards overview for reading and writing, mathematics, science and social studies. Guides are available for grades K-8 and high school and even come in Spanish for Spanish-speaking families.
• A Family’s Guide to Understanding Student Assessment was made to help families understand how assessment can support student learning. The guide includes information about formative, diagnostic, interim and summative assessment and gives teachers and families common language to use when discussing student assessment.
• The Read At Home Plan Family Guide includes learning experiences families can have with children at home to support their reading skills development. Additionally, the guide includes information about Senate Bill 9 (2022), the Read to Succeed Act, Reading Improvement Plans and the key role families play in student success. A glossary of literacy terms and general tips for reading at home also are included. The at-home learning experiences contained in this document are organized into the five essential components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension). 

CONTACT INFORMATION

standards@education.ky.gov