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Welcome to the 2026

Kentucky Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference

President's Message

Welcome to the 2026 Kentucky Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference! We are grateful that you have joined us today and are very privileged to serve as your state council for the Social Studies.

This year’s gathering is particularly special as we continue to honor and celebrate our nation’s Semiquincentennial, commemorating 250 years of the American story. Every single day that you stand before your students, you pay homage to our founders. Through your dedication, you honor their courage and unyielding commitment as they forged this great republic. You ensure that the foundational principles of democracy remain vibrant and alive in every classroom across our commonwealth. Thank you for everything you do, every day,

I would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to an important partner in this work, the Kentucky Historical Society. Their generous support and shared vision have been vital in making this conference possible. We strongly encourage everyone to experience their featured exhibit, From Revolution to Statehood: Kentucky’s Founding in History and Memory. It is a deeply moving tribute to the complex, proud, and diverse history of Kentucky’s contribution to our nation’s founding and eventually our own statehood.

Our theme for this year, Inquire. Ignite. Inspire., has driven every decision in planning this day. Our greatest hope is that you leave ready to inquire deeply alongside your students, ignite their natural curiosity about the world around them, and remain grounded in the knowledge that you are actively inspiring the next generation of informed, engaged citizens.

Welcome to KCSS 2026!

Kim Sergent

Kim Sergent, President

Kentucky Council for the Social Studies

2026 Conference Co-Chair

2026 KCSS Conference Committee

On behalf of the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies, the Conference Committee is excited to welcome you to the 2026 Kentucky Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference: "Inquire. Ignite. Inspire." We are a team of K-12 educators serving our districts and communities at varying levels from Appalachia to the Bluegrass to the Western Kentucky Coalfields united in our passion for social studies education across the Commonwealth.

Planning for the annual conference began in the Fall of 2025, shortly after the closing of the "Sharing Our Common Wealth" conference. Our focus and our goal continues to be set on providing authentic, meaningful, and actionable professional learning opportunities for Kentucky Social Studies educators, as well as amplifying teacher voice and success. Furthermore, we continue to build and network with invaluable national partners that promote core instructional practices of inquiry, civics, economics, geographic, and historical education.