EDUCON is a premier educational showcase and learning opportunity for teachers, principals, and district leaders. Participants will have the opportunity to choose breakout sessions led by school districts from across the Central Kentucky region and beyond. You will not just come away with a good idea or two; you will gain an abundance of great ideas and best practices that you can immediately apply in your classroom, school, or district.
Breakout Session Strands: Your chance to focus on a particular area of interest throughout the conference or explore a broader span! 1. Academics & Instructional Best Practices 2. Communications & Outreach 3. Developing & Empowering Staff 4. Innovation & Technology 5. Safety & School Culture 6. Student Supports & Opportunities
Participants will hear from two distinguished keynote speakers. The Day 1 starting line-up will be led by two-time national champion for the University of Kentucky basketball team, Jeff Sheppard, who will take the "court" and share his insight. On Day 2, Artificial Intelligence and EdTech expert, Brian Buffington will rock the stage with mega hits to inspire you.
Daily Schedule 7:45 am Registration and Vendor Hall opens 8:30 am Welcome & Keynote Speaker 10:30 am -11:30 am Breakout Sessions - see Schedule tab to pickup your sessions! 11:30 am -12:00 pm Vendor Hall & Networking 12:00 pm -1:00 pm Lunch break (lunch on own) 1:15 pm -2:15 pm Breakout Sessions - see Schedule tab to pickup your sessions! 2:30 pm -3:30 pm Breakout Sessions - see Schedule tab to pickup your sessions!
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As a two-time national champion for the University of Kentucky Basketball team, Jeff acknowledges the importance that teamwork played during those memorable times in his life, and it's the same spirit of teamwork that he now applies to his work at Family Wealth Group. Jeff's role... Read More →
Wednesday June 11, 2025 8:30am - 10:15am EDT Main Room (Quad A-D)4440 Kit Carson Dr. Richmond, KY 40475
A "Puzzle to Success" includes the pieces of People, Planning, and Practice. With the strategic use of the individual strengths of our people within our school, planning the implementation of the core system for school improvement and station teaching, and the consistent practice of work within the core system, Anderson County Middle School is creating a positive culture for learning focused on achievement and growth for all students and staff.
As the fastest-growing school district in the state, effective branding and communication are essential for maintaining community engagement, attracting top talent, and supporting student success. This session will explore strategies for crafting a strong district identity, leveraging outreach tools, and ensuring clear, consistent messaging to stakeholders. Attendees will gain insights into best practices for managing growth while strengthening trust and visibility.
This session aims to explore the process of establishing a sustainable professional learning framework focused on family engagement within their educational environment. Based on Dr. Karen Mapp's Dual Capacity Framework, participants will focus on building and enhancing the capacity of educators in the four “C" areas: Capabilities, Connection, Cognition, and Confidence.
Are you ready to revolutionize the way students view their future? Join us for an exciting session on Campbell County School District’s Elementary Career Clubs initiative, where we show you how to spark career curiosity in students as early as kindergarten! In this interactive presentation, we’ll dive into how students can begin investigating Kentucky’s 16 career clusters through fun, hands-on career clubs. Each year, students participate in a different club, exploring a new career pathway that aligns with one of the 16 clusters. By the time they reach 5th grade, students will have experienced a wide range of careers, equipping them to make informed decisions about which career exploration courses they’d like to pursue when they transition to middle school.
We’ll walk you through: • An overview of Kentucky’s 16 career clusters and how they provide a framework for career exploration. • Tracking systems to monitor student participation and progress across clubs. • Scheduling tips for making clubs accessible and impactful within your school day. • Engaging activities that bring real-world careers to life, from guest speakers to hands-on projects. • Essential resources to help you start your own career clubs and integrate them into your school’s curriculum.
Hear firsthand from elementary principals who have successfully integrated career clubs into their programming and learn how it has shaped their students’ long-term academic and career aspirations.
Do you feel like you are grasping at straws to implement and/or align initiatives related to academics, behavior, engagement, and improvement in attendance? Join us for this session in order to learn how the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) program aided in RDC Jr. High’s success in implementing all-inclusive structures to do just that. In this session participants will have the opportunity to learn about how we reduced behavior referrals and failure rate, while improving attendance, intentional support services, and school culture at RDC Jr. High school. This session will be helpful for schools interested in adopting structures to improve their MTSS structures and supports for academics and/or behavior, schools who want to improve their classroom learning environments and their school culture as a whole, as well as schools who are interested in improving their truancy diversion processes.
Free Professional Headshots at EDUCON 2025! 📸 Upgrade your professional presence with a complimentary professional headshot at EDUCON! 📅 Date: June 11, 2025 🕥 Time: 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM Whether you're refreshing your LinkedIn or prepping for your next career move, don't miss this opportunity. Spots are limited – signup is required!
District and school leaders will share proven strategies for achieving measurable academic and instructional success using CKEC's Core Systems Framework, "Trunk of the Tree."
The session will delve into how these foundational systems drive consistency, clarity, and collaboration across schools. The presenters will share the district's and school's journey of implementing and aligning these core systems to achieve meaningful results. Key highlights will include the step by step process followed to ensure systematic implementation, the challenges, and the adjustments made along the way.
Participants will explore specific data points and success stories that illustrate the impact of this work on student outcomes and instructional practices. This session will provide actionable insights and practical tools to support efforts in building effective systems that lead to measurable results.
In this session, educators and school leaders will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the transformative practices implemented at Scott County Middle School that helped take the school from good to great. Participants will explore the systems, strategies, and initiatives that not only elevated academic achievement but also fostered a positive school culture and improved student behaviors.
We will dive into the core principles that guided Scott County Middle School’s journey, such as a strong emphasis on collaborative teaching, the use of data-driven instruction, and the intentional development of a growth mindset among both staff and students. The session will highlight how a focus on personalized learning, effective tiered interventions, and continuous professional development helped propel the school’s success.
Whether you are looking to implement small changes or initiate a larger-scale transformation, this session will provide you with actionable insights and tools that can be immediately applied in your school. You’ll leave equipped with a roadmap for replicating the success seen at Scott County Middle School, driving higher student achievement, improved behavior, and an overall excellent school culture.
Learn how our district has used Thinking Maps with educators to model best practice and improve meetings with brain-based strategies. This shift has increased reflection, efficiency, and clarity. This session will provide examples of how Thinking Maps can improve collaboration and build capacity with adult learners by focusing on how we want people to think and providing structures to support their thinking.
This interactive session will equip teachers and administrators with the knowledge and strategies to integrate AI tools into their classrooms effectively. Instead of resisting AI, educators will guide students in using these tools responsibly to enhance learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. We will explore practical ways to incorporate AI for personalized learning, lesson planning, and student engagement. Participants will leave with resources to empower students to use AI for growth rather than a shortcut.
In this dynamic and interactive session, participants will explore strategies for enhancing school culture and elevating student achievement through the lens of the 7 correlates of effective schools. This session provides a comprehensive overview of each correlate, including fostering a clear, shared school mission, setting high expectations for all students, and building supportive home-school partnerships.
Attendees will gain practical insights into creating a safe and welcoming environment where every student feels valued and supported. By the end of the session, participants will leave with actionable tools and strategies to transform their schools, cultivating a positive school culture that promotes emotional and academic success for all students.
This multi-age course was piloted during the 2024-25 school year and yielded successful results. The facilitator will share a first-hand account and ideas used while teaching this course. Participants will learn about instructional strategies to support acceleration for all students in the ELA classroom.
This session will include information on how this course originated, as well as ideas for creating and designing a similar course in your school. Strategies for “digging deeper” into texts that were used with students will be provided, and participants will walk away with lesson ideas. Activities and strategies discuss in this session can also be adapted for younger students.
"Conversational Coaching – A System of Support for All Teachers" is a professional development session designed to equip educators and instructional leaders with practical strategies for fostering meaningful coaching conversations. This session will explore how conversational coaching can create a culture of support, reflection, and continuous growth for teachers at all experience levels in elementary, middle and high school.
Participants will learn how to use structured dialogue techniques to build trust, encourage self-reflection, and guide teachers toward actionable improvements in their instructional practices. The session will cover key coaching strategies, including active listening, questioning techniques, and feedback models that empower teachers to take ownership of their professional growth.
Additionally, attendees will examine real-world scenarios in the elementary, middle and high school setting. The session will also highlight how conversational coaching contributes to teacher retention, improved student outcomes, and a more collaborative school environment.
In this session, participants will learn how to create and implement a highly effective school PLC schedule that identifies areas of growth and ensures that summer PD topics are implemented and monitored at high levels throughout the year to ensure growth for all Boyle County students.
New teachers enter the profession with passion and potential, but without the right support, many struggle or leave within the first five years. How can school administrators provide meaningful, structured support that fosters long-term success? This session equips leaders with a research-based framework for guiding new teachers through key professional milestones.
Participants will explore practical strategies for mentoring, goal-setting, and differentiated support based on a teacher’s evolving needs. Through interactive discussions, administrators will learn how to: -Establish clear, manageable short- and long-term professional growth goals. -Build a mentoring system that guides without overwhelming mentors or new teachers. -Identify and address early signs of burnout or disengagement. -Foster a school-wide culture of reflection, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
By the end of the session, participants will leave with a roadmap for implementing a structured support system that not only retains teachers but also helps them thrive in their roles. Whether leading a single school or an entire district, administrators will gain actionable strategies to strengthen their induction programs and develop confident, capable educators.
I am an Assistant Professor of Education in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Educational Leadership within the College of Education and Applied Human Sciences. I began his career at EKU in August 2022. I earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction-Literacy Studies from the... Read More →
Jessamine County Schools started a MSD cadre that is focusing on streamlining our instructional practices for students with Moderate/Severe Disabilities. This cadre has created a network of special education teachers, building administrators, and district personnel who are ready to move our MSD classroom to proficiency and above. The cadre is educating, coaching and supporting our MSD teachers and school leaders with monthly learning opportunities that highlight best practices for students with the most significant learnings needs.
Join us for an inspiring conference session focused on developing and empowering staff through the lens of the Woodford County Portrait of a Learner. Discover how our district has embraced this visionary framework as our north star, guiding all stakeholders and students alike toward becoming empathetic communicators, resilient learners, responsible contributors, reflective collaborators, and creative problem solvers. In this session, we will delve into concrete pathways aligned with the Portrait of a Learner, including Deeper Learning, Demonstrations of Learning, Technology and Innovation, Community Engagement, and Career Readiness. Learn firsthand how our district is successfully onboarding staff onto these transformative paths, equipping them with the tools and strategies needed to foster these essential skills in themselves and their students. Whether you're an educator, administrator, or stakeholder passionate about shaping the future of education, this session promises valuable insights and actionable strategies. Join us as we explore how to cultivate a culture of continuous growth and development that prepares every learner to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
How can we create vibrant learning experiences that engage students in meaningful, real-world learning while building essential skills?
In this session, Powell County’s Deeper Learning Team will share how we are integrating our Learner Profile—which emphasizes Collaborator, Communicator, Contributor, and Critical Thinker—into daily instruction to make learning more engaging and impactful.
We will highlight practical strategies, real classroom examples, and teacher insights on fostering these competencies in ways that align with academic standards. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to transform everyday lessons into dynamic learning experiences that cultivate both academic growth and essential life skills.
