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Kentucky Collaborative for Families and Schools

Collaborative Events and Training Calendar- 2025

*Please check back frequently and follow us on social media- We are always adding new learning and networking opportunities.

Who can attend?

Open to ALL Kentucky families, classroom teachers, principals, district administrators, FRYSC coordinators, middle and high school students, business leaders, and local community members—anyone interested in learning more about how effective partnerships can improve student well-being and success in Kentucky schools.

Why attend?

Learn Effective Partnership Strategies – Discover promising practices to improve strong partnerships efforts, school climate and culture.

Build Your Personal Network – Connect with other educators, families, and community leaders to foster long-term, supportive relationships.

Enhance Collaboration Skills – Develop techniques in leadership, communication and shared decision-making to drive meaningful change in local schools and personal networks.

Address Complex Challenges – Explore innovative solutions other Kentucky schools are using and hear about national best practices to tackle issues like mental health, absenteeism and teacher retention.

Inspire and Innovate – Exchange ideas, share experiences, and leave motivated to implement fresh, actionable insights.

Build a Deeper Understanding of how the Kentucky Education System works- Includes information on the most recent updates to school accountability, and individual rights, roles, and responsibilities.

Learning Fellowship-101

101 Learning Series-These sessions are required for all 2025 CIPL Candidates but open to everyone. EILA credit may be available upon request. (All Sessions are 6PM-8PM EST)

Jan. 27th- Welcome to the Prichard Committee: Orientation for New Leaders*
Feb. 3rd-Meaningful High School Diploma 101*
Feb. 17th- Groundswell Framework: Leadership 101*
March 3rd-Family Leadership Roles in Education 101*
March 17th-Partnering for Progress: A Guide to School Accountability 101 *
April 7th- Off to a Strong Start: Early Childhood Education 101*
April 21st -Supporting Emotional Health: A Whole-Child Approach Integrating Family, School, and Community 101*

Click here to register: Spring Learning Fellowship 101

Learning Exchange-201

This learning exchange provides an in-depth exploration of topics shaped by community feedback and building on the foundation of the 101 sessions. Open to everyone. EILA credit may be available upon request. (All Sessions are 9:30am-11:00am EST)

Feb. 12th-Are Our Kids Employable? Understanding Employer Needs for Student Success**
Feb 26th-Building School and Community Partnerships**
March 12th-Metrics that Matter: Strong Performance Measures**
March 26th-Collaborating with Families and Community Members to Create District/School Strategic Plans**
April 9th-Marketing and PR Strategies for Schools and Districts**
April 23rd-Collaborative Leadership and FRYSC Advisory Councils **

Click here to register: Spring Learning Exchange 201

Family Friendly Schools and Early Education Sessions

All times are listed in EST.

Intro Sessions - Understand the FFS process Occurs monthly- 2nd Wednesday of the month 11:00-12:00
Open Office Hours (required for new FFS applications) - Get support before you apply Occurs monthly- 4th Wednesday of the month 3:00-4:00
Best Practices in Family Friendly Schools- Learn from peers across the state Occurs monthly- 4th Tuesday of the month

*Denotes this is a required session for 2025 CIPL Candidates but open to everyone.

** This “Level 2” webinar provides an in-depth exploration, with topics shaped by community feedback, building on the foundation of the 101 session. Open to everyone.

A Monthly Networking Forum for Families is offered the last Monday of every month

10 A.M. https://bit.ly/3Bd7tXI 7 P.M. https://bit.ly/4gAhtKV EST

Live Virtual Sessions: Unless noted otherwise, all sessions are virtual. Please register for any session that matches your interests, featuring diverse audiences and schools from across the Commonwealth. Level 2 sessions focus on peer learning with less content, ideal for those familiar with the topic who want to discuss challenges. Click any session to register.

Registration is Now Open for the 2025 Groundswell Summit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/prichardcommitteeforacademicexcellence/event/2025groundswellsummit/

If you are a CIPL Fellow in the 2024-2025 class or a Family Friendly Certified School, please contact the following Prichard Committee Staff Members for your registration code: CIPL-Laura.beard@pricharcommittee.org and FFS-Grace@prichardcommittee.org

About the Kentucky Collaborative for Families, Communities, and Schools

Purpose: To support Kentucky families, educators, and community members to work in effective partnerships that lead to improved student outcomes.

Who is our audience?

All Kentucky families, classroom teachers, principals, district administrators, FRYSC coordinators, middle and high school students, business leaders, and local community members—anyone interested in learning more about how effective partnerships can improve student academic success and well-being.

Our Groundswell Theory of Change

If we equip families, educators, and community members with the skills, knowledge, connections, confidence, and motivation to actively partner,

Then, effective partnerships will grow, inspiring a local Groundswell of education champions working together to meet the unique needs of all students and families.

This, in turn, reduces barriers to learning, enhances high-quality teaching, and improves student outcomes.

As these local successes expand, they will inspire broader changes in mindsets, practices, and policies across Kentucky, ensuring a big, bold future for every Kentuckian with education at the core.

What We Offer:

Learning exchanges, advisory councils, and forums for all audiences

Training for families, educators, and partners on family-school-community partnership best practices

Opportunities to address barriers to effective engagement efforts through policy recommendations and critical conversations between individuals at the school, district, and state system levels

Concrete examples from Kentucky schools of engagement initiatives that are improving student outcomes

Coaching for individuals and groups to build a groundswell of community school engagement through implementation of the Groundswell Framework

Key Initiatives:

Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership

Family Friendly School and Family Friendly District Certification

Kentucky Community Schools Initiative

Annual Kentucky Family Engagement in Education Week- Nov. 17th- 22nd, 2025

Annual Groundswell Summit- June 9th and 10th, 2025 in Paducah Kentucky.

Recognitions:

Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership Fellow

Beverly Nickel Raimondo Parent Leadership Award

Family Friendly Schools Certificate

Family Friendly District Certificate (coming 2026)

Groundswell Action Award

Groundswell Community Award