P3 Newsletter: January 2026

January 2026

A monthly newsletter from the P3 Team

George Couros to Provide Mid-Day Keynote at 10th Annual Principal EdCamp

The Principal Partnership Project (P3) and the educational cooperatives are excited to announce that George Couros will provide the mid-day keynote address at the 10th annual P3 EdCamp on Jan. 14.

Couros is a worldwide leader in innovative teaching, learning and leading, and has a focus on innovation as a human endeavor. Most importantly, he is a proud father and husband.

His belief that meaningful change happens when you first connect to people’s hearts, is modeled in his writing and speaking. In his 20-plus years in the field of education, he has worked at all levels of schools, from K-12 as a teacher, technology facilitator, and school and district administrator, and is currently an adjunct instructor with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.

Couros is also the author of the books, The Innovator’s Mindset; Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity, Innovate Inside the Box, and his latest release, “Because of a Teacher” and “Because of a Teacher 2.”  He is preparing for the release of a new book this month entitled “Forward, Together: Moving Schools from Conflict to Community in Contentious Times.”  His keynote for EdCamp 2026 will be his first time utilizing this book as the basis of his presentation.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to attend the 10th annual Principal EdCamp on Jan. 14, presented by the P3 Team and the eight regional cooperatives as part of the Kentucky Principal Network. The morning welcome will begin at 8:25 a.m. ET, with greetings from Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher. Join three keynote sessions and five breakout sessions on the topics of your choice, including technology, literacy, vibrant learning and much more.

EdCamp is 100% free and EILA credit is available for 3-hour or 6-hour participation. Additional EILA is available to presenters.

Open to principals, assistant principals, aspiring principals and other school leaders, P3 EdCamp is a professional learning experience "for principals and by principals." We appreciate your willingness to not only attend the event, but also to be a leader among leaders and present/facilitate a session. Please submit a separate proposal for each session you have interest in presenting/sharing.  

Visit the P3 EdCamp webpage to learn more about Principal EdCamp and view previous EdCamp grids and archived presentation videos.

If you have any questions about EdCamp, please contact Keith Griesser.  

The Principal Calendar: January

Explore N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E 

Visit the N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E website. Try one tool. Start where you are.

Explore:

• Needs-Based Wellness
• Agreements and Accountability
• PSEL Alignment

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

Mark Your Calendar for 2025-2026 Kentucky Principal Network Meetings

• 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!

Partnering for Growth, Leading for Impact

Updated Teacher Retention Tracking Tool Available for Principals

Based on feedback from principals, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has updated the new Teacher Retention Tracking Tool to include Impact Kentucky Survey results. The electronic tool, developed by KDE, is designed to help principals easily calculate and track teacher retention data. This tool allows you to monitor how many teachers leave your school each year and the reasons behind their departure.

Research continues to show that the school principal plays one of the most significant roles in teacher retention. Strong, supportive leadership can make the difference between keeping great teachers and facing the constant challenge of replacing them.

With the growing need to retain skilled educators, this tool offers principals a practical way to understand local trends and take informed steps toward building a more stable, thriving school team.

Included are articles of interest that highlight the connection between effective school leadership and teacher retention:

• Learning Policy Institute: The Role of Principals in Addressing Teacher Shortages
• St. John Fisher University: Will They Stay or Will They Go? Leadership Behaviors that Increase Teacher Retention in Rural Schools

We encourage all principals to try out the retention tool and share your feedback with any member of the P3 team. Your input will help KDE refine the tool and ensure it meets the real-world needs of school leaders.

Impact Kentucky Working Conditions Survey  The Impact Kentucky Working Conditions survey window is now closed with participation surpassing that of 2023-2024. Results will be available in early February. Please contact Elly Gilbert with questions.

Kentucky Assistant Principal Cohort

February Focus: Maximizing Impact as an Assistant Principal

Attend the session on Feb. 18 to engage in data analysis and breakout discussions centered around how to use Impact KY Survey results to refocus your work for maximum impact. Don't miss out on this opportunity to network with other assistant principals across the Commonwealth, build your professional capacity with respect to Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, and share ideas that have been proved to work.

Mark Your Calendar for all Kentucky Assistant Principal Cohort Meetings

• Feb. 18: Maximizing Impact as an Assistant Principal
• March 10: Establishing Good Habits for Balancing Priorities

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.  

Kentucky Evaluation Calibration Cadre

Join other school leaders on Jan. 27 to engage in professional development through the observation and analysis of classroom lesson videos. Together, we will observe a lesson, align evidence 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.

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:

• Tuesday, Jan. 27: 8th-Grade Math
• Wednesday, Feb. 25: 3rd-Grade English Language Arts

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

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 to complete this training for the 2025-2026 school year.  No additional training opportunities will be added, so claim your spot before it is too late.

Virtual Initial Certified Evaluation Training Dates:

• Jan. 21-22
• Feb. 10-11

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.  We only have a few spots available for this last opportunity to attend a P3 Certified Evaluation Update training.  Register now to fulfill your annual obligation to complete a 6-hour EILA-approved evaluation training.

Virtual Update Training Dates (Calibration Focus):

• Feb. 16

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

Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Division of Early Literacy (DEL) invites you to the third annual Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference on the afternoon of June 8 and all day June 9 at The Galt House in Louisville.

Timothy Shanahan is distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chi­cago. Previously, he was director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools. He is author/editor of more than 300 publications with his research emphasizing the connections between learning to read and learning to write, literacy in the disciplines and improvement of reading achievement. He was recently recognized as one of the top 2% of scientists in the world.

Shanahan took a leadership role on the National Reading Panel, convened by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, at the request of Congress to evaluate research on methods for teaching reading and served on the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Literacy. Shanahan has received awards for outstanding research on reading disability and scholarly impact, as well as helped develop an award-winning family literacy program. He was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007 and is a former 1st-grade teacher.

The conference, which will require registration but will be free to Kentucky's K-12 public school educators, will offer focused learning paths to meet the needs of teachers and administrators. Attendees will learn from KDE Office of Teaching and Learning consultants and partners about:

• Evidence-based instructional shifts for literacy;
• The benefits of structured literacy;
• Why high-quality instructional resources matter; and
• Available resources for implementing the Read to Succeed Act.

Mark your calendar for this June 8-9 event, and stay tuned for registration information.

Check out the Principal Calendar for more professional development opportunities.