 May 18, 2026
Dear Friends,
I wanted to take a moment to share that I will be leaving my position with the Kentucky Department of Education to accept a new role as the districtwide services director of Scott County Schools.
Working alongside the P3 Team has been a highlight of my career, both professionally and personally. I am so grateful for the friendships and partnerships we’ve built – from the educational cooperatives, K-groups and university partners to the school leaders we serve every day. Supporting Kentucky’s school administrators with you has been a privilege and I am proud of the impact we’ve made together.
I move forward with a heart full of gratitude and many lessons that I will take with me into this next chapter.
With sincere appreciation,
Keith
My new contact information is:
Email: keith.griesser@scott.kyschools.us
Cell: (502) 542-0111
For P3 Information, please contact Stacy Noah or Emily Satterly.
Now Open on N.A.V.I.G.A.T.E.: Administrative and Operational Systems
There’s a part of school leadership that sits underneath everything else.
Staffing. Scheduling. Supervision. Budget. Safety. Technology. The systems that determine whether your school runs smoothly or constantly feels reactive.
We’ve built something specifically for that work.
The new Administrative & Operational strand in NAVIGATE is designed to be the place principals can go to get started, get organized, and move forward – no matter what challenge is in front of them.
This is the system behind the systems.
Inside, you’ll find support for:
- Building next year’s master schedule;
- Aligning staffing and budget decisions;
- Organizing room and supervision maps;
- Preparing for SBDM work and consultation;
- Managing technology, safety and building systems; and
- Setting up leadership team structures and walkthroughs.
And you can enter based on what you need:
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Solve a Problem when something needs attention right now.
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Lead the Season Well when you want to stay ahead of what’s coming next.
Whether you’re trying to fix something today or prepare for next year, this strand is designed to help you move from reacting to leading with clear systems.
Take a few minutes to explore – it may quickly become the place you come back to most often.
Explore the Administrative & Operational System.
With you in leadership,
KDE's Principal Partnership Project (P3)
Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative
Kentucky Association of School Councils
 2025 Certified Evaluation Training at Green River Regional Educational Cooperative
Registration is Now Open for 2026-2027 Certified Evaluation Training Opportunities
The Principal Partnership Project (P3) Team is offering multiple in-person and virtual opportunities to complete the 12-hour Initial Certified Evaluation training and the 6-hour Certified Evaluation Update training. Choose the date and location that works best for you.
All Certified Evaluation trainings offered by the P3 Team are free of charge, and EILA will be awarded for completing all training requirements.
Certified Evaluation UPDATE Training
The 6-hour P3 Certified Evaluation UPDATE training meets the requirements outlined in 704 KAR 3:370 and KRS 156.557 that all EXPERIENCED EVALUATORS must attend a 6-hour EILA-approved training, annually.
This training is for evaluators of certified personnel who have already completed the 12-hour Initial Certified Evaluation training. The P3 Certified Evaluation Update training may be obtained virtually or in person. Both training options are newly designed for 2026-2027.
Training sessions often fill up quickly. Register now to secure your spot!
 In-Person Update Training Dates and Locations:
- July 14: Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative, Shelbyville
- July 22: Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative, Hazard
- July 27: Logan County Career and Technical Center, Russellville*
- Sept. 1: West Kentucky Educational Cooperative, Eddyville
- Sept. 15: Southeast/South-Central Educational Cooperative, London
- Sept. 29: Green River Regional Educational Cooperative, Bowling Green
- Oct. 15: Kentucky Educational Development Corporation, Lexington
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In-person training times are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. local time with 1 hour of required asynchronous pre-work, unless otherwise noted below.
* Logan County CTC includes all 6 hours in-person 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. CT (no pre-work requirement).
All in-person participants will receive a copy of "The IC Toolkit," a book packed with tools that school leaders and instructional coaches can use in a variety of ways to become highly proficient in the Seven Success Factors from Jim Knight's research.
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Virtual Update Training Dates:
- June 15
- June 22
- July 17
- July 20
- Aug. 25
- Nov. 3
Virtual training times are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. ET with 1 hour of required asynchronous pre-work.
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.
This training is for NEW evaluators of certified personnel only. Initial Certified Evaluation may be obtained virtually OR in person. Please share training information with new school leaders so they can secure a spot as soon as possible.
 In-Person Initial Certified Evaluation Training Dates and Locations:
- July 9-10: West Kentucky Educational Cooperative, Eddyville
- July 15-16: Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative, Hazard
- Aug. 4-5: Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative, Shelbyville
- Aug. 18-19: Kentucky Educational Development Corporation, Lexington
- Sept. 9-10: Green River Regional Educational Cooperative, Bowling Green
- Sept. 22-23: Southeast/South-Central Educational Cooperative, London
- Oct. 20-21: Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative, Shelbyville
- Oct. 27-28: Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative, Lexington
In-person training times are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. local time.
Virtual Initial Certified Evaluation Training Dates:
- Nov. 18-19
- Jan. 6-7, 2027
- Feb. 10-11, 2027
Virtual training times are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ET.
 Revised Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Reading and Writing Adopted into Law
The revised Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for Reading and Writing have been adopted into law and shall be implemented in Kentucky public schools beginning in the fall 2026.
KYstandards.org houses the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS), along with key guidance and professional learning (PL) resources to support implementation. Educators can explore content‑specific tools and PL that support meaningful implementation of the KAS. District and school leaders also can access targeted resources to support adoption and implementation of high‑quality instructional resources (HQIRs).
In addition to the suite of implementation resources embedded in the implementation guide, regional educational cooperatives are hosting free professional learning opportunities throughout the summer for teachers, instructional coaches and administrators based on the upcoming Getting to Know the KAS for Reading and Writing module. This high-quality professional learning, facilitated by program consultants Leigh Turner and Tina Withorn from the Kentucky Department of Education's (KDE's) Division of Program Standards, will help educators synthesize the revised standards with research, evidence-based literacy practices and high-quality instructional resources. You will not want to miss the opportunity to dig into the revised standards in your region!
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Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative (CKEC)
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Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC)
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Kentucky Educational Development Cooperative (KEDC)
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Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC)
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Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC)
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Southeast South-Central Educational Cooperative (SESC)
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Western Kentucky Educational Cooperative (WKEC)
Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 158.6453 calls for KDE to implement a process for reviewing all academic standards and aligned assessments. For more information regarding the standards revision process, please visit the Kentucky Academic Standards Review Process webpage.
Please contact the KDE Standards Team with any questions.
New Resource Available for School Leaders
A new resource for education leaders is shedding light on the complex, human work of leading school systems through change. "Navigating Change: The Educational Journeys of School Superintendents" explores the realities of district leadership across Kentucky, offering a compelling collection of authentic superintendent voices.
Organized around seven essential leadership dimensions – Strategic, Instructional, Cultural, Human Resource, Managerial, Collaborative and Influential Leadership – the book brings each concept to life through real stories written by Kentucky superintendents who began their careers as school principals, as well as contributing members of the University Principal Preparation Initiative. Representing rural, urban, small and large districts, these authors offer firsthand perspectives that ground theory in lived experience.
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Kentucky Numeracy Counts – Cohort 2 Applications Now Open!
Kentucky educators and school leaders – this opportunity is for you!
Two statewide academies are now accepting applications to support strong K–5 mathematics teaching and leadership across Kentucky.
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KCM Numeracy Counts Teacher Academy (KCMNCA)
For elementary classroom teachers, special education teachers, interventionists, and instructional coaches
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PIMSER Numeracy Counts Administrator Academy (PNCA²)
For elementary principals, assistant principals and district leaders
Cohort 2 applications are open now! Join educators and leaders across Kentucky working together to strengthen K–5 mathematics instruction.
These academies provide a unique opportunity for teachers and leaders to grow their numeracy expertise while collaborating with educators from across Kentucky. We encourage you to share these opportunities with teachers and leaders in your district or school who are passionate about strengthening mathematics teaching and learning.
Questions about the KCM Numeracy County Teacher Academy: Kelly Stone
Questions about the PIMSER Numeracy Counts Administrator: Kim Zeidler-Watters and Amy Rhodes.
Safe Schools and Communities Conference
June 9-10, Great Crossing High School, Georgetown
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The two-day Safe Schools and Communities Conference is free of charge and is open to principals, law enforcement officers, school administrators, safe schools coordinators, directors of pupil personnel and school personnel. Join us for keynote speakers Scott Poland and Michelle Gay.
Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendance at this conference includes membership in the Kentucky Association of School Resource Officers and the Kentucky DARE Association for law enforcement participants. EILA credit is pending for educators.
Kentucky Reads to Succeed Summer Conference
Take a closer look at presenters and session offerings for the third annual 2026 KY Reads to Succeed Summer Conference at The Galt House in Louisville on June 8-9.
One featured opportunity to consider is the three-hour Learning Lab on June 8, "From Learning to Doing: HQIR Unit Internalization in Action." This extended immersive session provides teachers, coaches and instructional leaders dedicated time to collaborate and deeply engage in the process of unit internalization for Reading and Writing. Rather than simply learning about unit internalization, participants will actively internalize an upcoming Reading and Writing unit from their own high-quality instructional resource (HQIR) using the KDE Unit Internalization protocol.
Participants will:
- Collaborate in HQIR-specific groups
- Engage in guided unit internalization with expert support
- Build clarity and confidence for strong HQIR implementation
Please bring:
- Teacher’s Manual for Unit 1 of your Reading and Writing HQIR
- Any accompanying print materials and/or reliable digital access to HQIR resources
To view the full lineup of learning opportunities and register, visit the Read to Succeed Conference webpage. Select Sessions from the menu bar or scroll down to Register Now. Registration is free for Kentucky K–12 public school educators and will remain open until capacity is reached. Help us spread the word. Download, print and share the conference flyer.
Please note:
- Advance selection does not reserve a seat in the session. As some sessions may reach capacity, participants are encouraged to identify alternate options as well.
- Conference capacity has almost been reached. If you registered for this year’s conference, but can no longer attend, please cancel your registration to open space for others.
2026 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit
Sept. 21-22, Central Bank Center, Lexington
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia invite you to a two-day event designed to elevate your impact in education. Mark your calendars to attend the 2026 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit on Sept. 21-22 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your professional learning, strengthen existing relationships or tackle unique challenges with fresh strategies, this conference is for you. Don’t miss this opportunity to spark new ideas, gain insights from KDE leaders and join Kentucky’s continuous improvement movement!
Registration details will be shared in an upcoming message, so please stay tuned!
Visit the Kentucky Learning Hub and the Principal Calendar for more professional learning opportunities.
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