October 2025

A monthly newsletter from the P3 Team

Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre Kicks Off in October

The Kentucky Department of Education's P3 Team is excited to invite school principals across Kentucky to join the 2025-2026 Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre. Last year was the inaugural year of the cadre and it was a huge success.

As a principal, your leadership plays a critical role in shaping the quality of education in your school, and now you have a unique opportunity to further enhance your impact by becoming part of this authentic cadre.

What is the cadre?

The Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre brings together school leaders like you to engage in professional development through the observation and analysis of classroom lesson videos. Together, we will align evidence from these lessons to the performance levels of the Kentucky Framework for Teaching and gauge accuracy with a review of master scores. This structured, collaborative process allows you to deepen your understanding of effective teaching practices, enhance your evaluation skills and directly support your school’s growth.

Why should you join?

• Enhance Your Observation and Evaluation Skills: As a principal, being able to effectively evaluate teaching practices is critical. The Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre offers a unique opportunity to refine your ability to identify key teaching behaviors and align them with performance standards. You’ll strengthen your evaluation toolkit, ensuring that you provide consistent, fair and actionable feedback to your teachers.
• Collaborative Professional Growth: You won’t be doing this alone! By joining the cadre, you will collaborate with other school leaders from across Kentucky, fostering a powerful network of like-minded professionals who share a commitment to elevating education. Learn from each other’s insights, share best practices and build relationships that support your ongoing development as a leader.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Through the analysis of classroom videos, you’ll gain valuable evidence-based insights that you can apply directly to your school’s improvement efforts. These insights can inform your decisions around professional development, instructional strategies, and schoolwide priorities. Being part of the Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre empowers you to lead with data that is both actionable and meaningful.
• Impact Student Learning: Your participation in the Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre will not only benefit you professionally, but will also have a ripple effect on your school community. By honing your ability to recognize high-quality instruction, you’ll be better equipped to guide teachers toward practices that positively impact student learning outcomes.

What commitment is required?

There will be multiple sessions. You can attend them all or any individual session that works for your schedule. EILA credit will be provided for each individual session attended. All sessions will be virtual, so no travel or leaving your building is necessary.

Mark your Calendar for Calibration Cadre Meeting Dates:

• Thursday, Oct. 16: 5th Grade ELA
• Thursday, November 20: 11th Grade Science
• Tuesday, Jan. 27: 8th Grade Math
• Wednesday, Feb. 25: 3rd Grade ELA

All meeting times will be 9-10:30 a.m. ET. EILA credit will be available for each session you attend. All sessions are completely FREE of charge. Meeting links and information will be emailed prior to each session.

Don’t miss this free opportunity to enhance your leadership and contribute to the professional growth of the teachers at your school. Take your leadership to the next level by joining the Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre.

The Principal Calendar: October

Mark Your Calendar for all Kentucky Assistant Principal Cohort Meetings

• Oct. 30
• Nov. 12
• Dec. 9
• Jan. 8
• Feb. 18
• March 10

*Monthly virtual meetings will be from 9:30-10:30 a.m. ET and 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET on the Zoom platform. Choose the time that works best for your schedule.  

All assistant principals who attend at least one meeting will receive a FREE copy of "Motivating and Inspiring Teachers: The Educational Leader's Guide for Building Staff Morale."

Mark Your Calendar for 2025-2026 Kentucky Principal Network Meetings

• Nov. 7
• Jan. 14 (EdCamp)
• March 13

*All meetings will be held virtually from 9 a.m.-noon. ET, except EdCamp, which is a 6-hour event. More information will be coming soon!

We're Excited to Share the next system in the N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. Journey!

Together, the Kentucky Association of School Councils, KDE's P3 and the Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative are continuing to build out this resource for school leaders. Today, we’re opening up the Agreements and Accountability System.

This system is about creating the structures that keep your vision alive. You’ll find tools and examples to help you: Build agreements based on the practices of your superstar teachers so great teaching becomes the norm across classrooms. Establish accountability processes that balance support with results. Strengthen trust, communication and follow-through across your teams. Because what gets monitored gets done, this section also emphasizes the power of walkthroughs. Frequent, focused walkthroughs are not only accountability checks, they are the best investment of your time as a leader. Explore Agreements and Accountability on the N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. website!

And here’s something new! We’ve also added a resource that connects Agreements and Accountability to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). If you’re doing the work in this system, this document shows the PSEL evidence you’re building, making it easier to align your leadership practice with how you are evaluated.

You can find links to the PSEL alignment documents right on the top toolbar of the webpage.

• Explore PSEL Alignment on the N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. website!
• Visit the N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E website. Try one tool. Start where you are.

To learn more and how to access the resources, watch this short N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E. video!

We can’t wait to see how you’ll use these ideas to build momentum for your school.

With you in leadership,

KDE's Principal Partnership Project (P3)
Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative (CKEC)
Kentucky Association of School Councils (KASC)

KDE Seeking New Members for 2025-2026 Commissioner's Principals Advisory Council

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is accepting applications for new members for the 2025-2026 Commissioner's Principals Advisory Council.

The Principals Advisory Council provides direct input to Kentucky’s commissioner of education about important issues in the Commonwealth's schools. The council allows for discussion and feedback from the field about topics that will lead to the improvement of Kentucky's public schools and the opportunities they afford students. 

The council consists of approximately 20 current principals who contribute crucial, diverse perspectives on education from across the Commonwealth. 

Four quarterly meetings take place each year. Remaining meeting dates for the 2025-2026 school year are:  

• Dec. 10
• March 5, 2026
• June 9, 2026

The three-year term will begin in December.  

For more information, email Stacy Noah in KDE's Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 1.

Certified Evaluation Training Opportunities

2025 Certified Evaluation Update Training at the Green River Region Educational Cooperative

Initial Certified Evaluation Training

All NEW EVALUATORS must attend this 2-day, 12-hour EILA credit training, per 704 KAR 3:370 and KRS 156.557 and pass the corresponding assessment. Time is running out to register for an in-person training. Now is your chance to claim a spot at the location of your choice.

In-Person Initial Certified Evaluation Training Dates and Locations:

• Oct. 14-15: Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative - Shelbyville (max. 60)
• Oct. 21-22: Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative - Lexington (max. 40)

In-person training times are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. local time.  

Virtual Initial Certified Evaluation Training Dates:

• Nov. 18-19
• Dec. 2-3
• Jan. 21-22, 2026
• Feb. 10-11, 2026

*P3 is the ONLY approved provider of the Initial Certified Evaluation Training.

Certified Evaluation UPDATE Training

Per 704 KAR 3:370 and KRS 156.557, all evaluators of certified personnel must earn six hours of evaluation training annually. P3 Update training sessions are filling up. Register now before it's too late!

In-Person Update Training Dates and Locations (Feedback Focus):

• Oct. 28: Kentucky Educational Development Corporation - Lexington (Session closed at max. capacity of 48)

In-person training times are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. local time.  

Virtual Update Training Dates (Calibration Focus):

• Nov. 4 (Session closed at max. capacity of 60)
• Feb. 16, 2026

Virtual training times are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. ET.  

*Email Emily Satterly if you'd like to be added to the waiting list for any closed session.

Check out the Principal Calendar for more professional development opportunities.