Every day, Kentucky schools accomplish remarkable things, but if those stories aren't told visually, they can get lost in today's fast-scrolling digital world. This session equips participants with practical strategies for capturing compelling photos and videos, editing them efficiently, and writing engaging captions using tools they already have. Attendees will learn how to involve students in authentic content creation and build a simple, sustainable content plan to keep their school visible year-round. Real examples from Kentucky classrooms and CTE programs will provide plug-and-play ideas and ready-to-use prompts participants can implement immediately.
New teachers don't struggle because they lack effort or care. They struggle because no one teaches them how to survive the emotional and structural realities of the job. This session is designed for early-career educators and those who support them. Drawing from classroom experience and the forthcoming book Surviving Your First Years of Teaching, this presentation explores the often-unspoken emotional challenges of year one and beyond, alongside the classroom foundations that actually make teaching sustainable. Participants will examine common myths about natural teachers, the hidden causes of burnout, and the emotional load that comes with managing students, systems, and expectations. From there, the session shifts into high-yield strategies: practical classroom structures, routines, and decision-making frameworks that reduce stress, improve student engagement, and protect teacher longevity. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of why the first years feel so destabilizing, along with concrete tools they can apply immediately to create calmer, more effective classrooms that last.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) provides engaging, real-world learning experiences that support persistence to graduation and enhance the quality of students' school experience. Data helps ensure those experiences translate into success, and this session will explore how CTE programs, combined with data from Infinite Campus tools such as the Early Warning Tool and Insights Data Visualization Dashboards, can build school connectedness, promote student-owned engagement, and support intervention. Attendees will learn strategies to use data to identify trends, guide interventions, strengthen student supports, and connect learning to meaningful outcomes that help every student succeed academically and prepare for life beyond high school.
502-564-4772 ext. 4069, The Kentucky Department of Education
Christina Watford is a Persistence to Graduation program consultant at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) with 23 years of experience in public education. Before joining KDE, she spent 15 years as a certified school counselor, primarily serving students in Scott County Schools... Read More →
Persistence to Graduation Consultant, Kentucky Department of Education
Dr. Ashley Gates brings a decade of experience in alternative and special education to her role as a Persistence to Graduation program consultant at the Kentucky Department of Education. Her background includes work as a special education teacher, behavior coach, and digital learning... Read More →
Got students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) in your classroom? Ready to step up your game as a key player on their IEP team? This session is for you. We'll dive into practical strategies to boost your skills and confidence, making you an informed and effective member of the IEP team.
Employers consistently rank communication, collaboration, adaptability, and professionalism as top workforce needs, yet many schools assume students will pick them up naturally. This session explores how to intentionally teach, model, and assess employability (power) skills within advisory, CTE, and core classes. Participants will explore frameworks for defining skills clearly, embedding them into existing structures, and helping students articulate them in resumes, interviews, and college applications.
