This one-hour virtual session will provide an overview of CKEC’s Rank Change Program.  It will cover the program requirements, cost, application process, connection to LETRS and Numeracy Counts Academies, calendar, and answer any questions participants might have.

What does it take to design a lesson that’s clear, cohesive, and cognitively engaging? In this hands-on refresher session, we’ll dive back into the 7 Components of an Ideal Lesson and revisit how each component aligns with the brain-based 6-phase model for student learning.

Participants will explore high-impact strategies like using flashbacks to support retrieval practice and congruent learning targets that drive everything from hooks to exit slips. We’ll analyze how your HQIR aligns with the 7 Components and how you can identify and make intentional adjustments to ensure the most effective lessons. Finally, we’ll give you time to create, refine, and workshop your own lesson plans using the 7 components as a guide. You’ll walk away with practical tools, peer feedback, and a customized plan to bring your lesson design to the next level.

 

Participants will earn 6 hours of EILA/PD Credit. 

Email sherra.caudill@ckec.org with any questions.

Life is sensory. How the brain processes sensory information impacts engagement in all life areas and influences how safe one feels in their mind, body, environment, and interactions. Imagine life where faces look like animals, sounds cause excruciating pain, food textures change in different lighting, your body has no boundaries, and movements are unpredictable. Experiences like these are reality for some with sensory processing disorder (SPD). Without adequate support, a student with SPD will not thrive.

Yet sensory support alone is not enough. Regulation — the foundation that makes all learning and participation possible — depends on interoceptive awareness (IA): the ability to sense internal body signals.

This presentation addresses both topics by combining personal and clinical insights on SPD with practical interoceptive awareness training. Attendees learn from the inside about sensory processing challenges and practical tools that can transform a student’s ability to self-regulate, leading to improved learning outcomes, reduced behavioral challenges, increased independence, and the ability to truly access and participate in life.

Participants are required to attend this session in person at CKEC’s Lexington office; however, the training will be delivered virtually. Attendees will receive 4 hours of professional development (PD) credit and EILA hours. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will also be requested. Contact erica.price@ckec.org or trae.jones@ckec.org with any questions.

Kim Clairy/ Georgia Autism Out of the Box

​​Summer Reset Series: From Overwhelmed to Organized

August success starts in June.

The Summer Reset Series provides structured planning time for special educators to build sustainable systems before the school year begins. This hands-on experience blends short instructional bursts with guided work sessions so participants leave with completed materials—not just notes.

Focus Areas Include:

• Caseload and documentation systems 

• Instructional alignment to grade-level standards 

• Behavior systems and proactive supports 

• Collaboration and role clarity with co-teachers and related services 

• Compliance safeguards and implementation planning

This series supports strong IEP implementation from the first week of school and builds capacity for improved student outcomes throughout the year.

Inperson, Lexington Location, 8:30-11:30am

Contact: kim.hinton@ckec.org

​​Summer Reset Series: From Overwhelmed to Organized

August success starts in June.

The Summer Reset Series provides structured planning time for special educators to build sustainable systems before the school year begins. This hands-on experience blends short instructional bursts with guided work sessions so participants leave with completed materials—not just notes.

Focus Areas Include:

• Caseload and documentation systems

• Instructional alignment to grade-level standards

• Behavior systems and proactive supports

• Collaboration and role clarity with co-teachers and related services

• Compliance safeguards and implementation planning

This series supports strong IEP implementation from the first week of school and builds capacity for improved student outcomes throughout the year.

Inperson, Lexington Location, 8:30-11:30am

Contact: kim.hinton@ckec.org

 

 

The Special Education Paraprofessional Academy is a high-impact professional learning experience designed to equip paraprofessionals with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to support students with disabilities effectively. Through a blend of interactive training sessions, hands-on strategies, and real-world application, participants will deepen their understanding of instructional support, behavior management, communication strategies, and compliance basics.

Whether new to the role or looking to grow their skill set, paraprofessionals will walk away with practical techniques they can use immediately to promote inclusion, independence, and student success.

The Location of the Academy will be at Northeast Christian Church (990 Star Shoot Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40509)

 

6 PD Hours will be provided

Contact:  maryruth.hertweck@ckec.org

Discover how children’s literature can become a powerful entry point for meaningful math instruction in Elementary MSD classrooms.  In this interactive session, teachers will learn how to select and examine texts to uncover rich mathematical ideas within the stories and design engaging lessons that connect stories with problem solving. Participants will explore strategies that create accessible, meaningful math experiences for elementary students with significant disabilities and other complex learning needs, while promoting deeper thinking and participation for all learners.

Please contact maryruth.hertweck@ckec.org with any questions. 

This two hour virtual training is intended for educators who work with students in a general education setting, co-teaching setting, or resource setting. Participants will learn strategies for differentiating instruction for students on a variety of achievement levels. There will be an emphasis on differentiation within math stations.

Please contact maryruth.hertweck@ckec.org with any questions.

Bring math to life with engagement strategies that build conceptual understanding in mathematics class for all learners! In this two hour virtual professional development, you’ll learn practical routines and strategies that spark curiosity, deepen reasoning, and keep students actively engaged. Rooted in the principles of vibrant learning, this session will equip you with tools and routines to create meaningful math experiences where every learner can connect, explore, and truly understand mathematical concepts. 

Contact maryruth.hertweck@ckec.org with any questions.