Keynote Session Speakers
Opening Session:
Joel Katte
Investing in Your Greatest Investments (Your People and Yourself) to Ignite Passion and Purpose
Katte's keynotes, staff trainings, and student assemblies have been helping to positively transform school and district cultures since 2013. This keynote address will challenge and inspire district leaders to invest time and money differently when it comes to supporting, focusing, and renewing today's educators. Joel shares stories, mirror check reflections, simple but powerful strategies, and fresh paradigms that are sure to catapult participants back into their professional roles and personal lives with a passion and purpose they have never experienced before.
About the Presenter
Katte has been a staff developer and speaker since 2013. His IGNITE #loveinschools professional learning experiences and keynotes instantly catapult school and district cultures to greater levels! Joel inspires educators to maximize their relationships and moments with students, colleagues, families, and community members. He helps educators realize the most important relationship is the one they have with themselves and then equips them with tools and a renewed commitment for maintaining healthy work/life harmony. His strategies for helping the best of you land in the heads, hearts, and spirits of those you work with and serve are differentiated for all educators.
Joel is an experienced secondary English teacher, elementary school principal, and district administrator over alternative schools. Throughout his career he has served students of all ages in both urban and rural settings. He has served the most at-promise students as well as the most gifted.
His book Finding You at the Zoo is helping students (K-12) and school staff redefine their school environments and take ownership in creating the personalized teaching and learning experiences necessary during these challenging times. Watch for Joel’s next book Satch’s Destiny and his IGNITE #loveinschools book and workbook coming out soon!
Second Session:
Chief Lawrence Weathers
Call to Action: Responding to Youth Violence in Our Communities and Schools
You won't want to miss Lexington Police Chief Lawrence as he shares his insights with school leaders regarding the common issues faced by schools, law enforcement and community leaders in Kentucky in reducing the incidence and impact of violence on our children and youth. A straight talker with a wealth of personal knowledge and professional experience in serving youths and schools, Chief Weathers will describe meaningful and substantive measures that can be used in all setting where youth violence is a barrier to safe and thriving schools and communities.
About the Presenter
Lawrence Weathers was sworn in as Chief of Police for the Lexington Police Department on March 4, 2018. He and his nine brothers and sisters grew up in Lexington's Bluegrass Aspendale and Hollow Creek neighborhoods. He first joined the Lexington Police Department in 1989. During his first six years of his career Weathers worked as a Patrol officer and was assigned to the D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, teaching elementary and middle school students how to avoid and resist the temptations that lead to drug abuse. In 1994 he transferred to the Bureau of investigations and was assigned as a narcotics detective.
Weathers was appointed to Seargeant in 1997, assistant Chief in 2014, and led the Bureau of Special Operation until his retirement in 2016. After retirement he was selected as the Director of Law Enforcement for Fayette County Public Schools. He was responsible for the safety and security of more than 40,000 students, staff, and visitors, as well as dozens of school district properties. Under Weathers' leadership FCPS Law Enforcement increased its number of officers, improved its training requirements, and updates several policies and procedures.
Chief Weathers is a Kentucky Law Enforcement Council certified police instructor through the department of Criminal Justice Training in Kentucky. He is a member of the Nation Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and the international Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). He has participated in numerous initiatives aimed at addressing youth violence and homelessness in Lexington. Chief Weathers also volunteers his time as a mentor to elementary school students and has led efforts to educate parents and youth about the effects of illicit drugs and violence.
Closing Session:
Sine Die
Get the latest on Kentucky's 2023 Legislative Session from your Executive Director, Rhonda Caldwell and KASA lobbyists Bob Rowland and Abby Piper. Also, learn what you can do in your districts to aid in the advocacy work being done by your KASA team. In addition, hear an update on the work from the Coalition to Sustain the Education Profession.
Rhonda Caldwell, CAE, Ed.D., Executive Director, KASA
Abby Piper, Lobbyist, KASA
Bob Rowland, Director of Government Affairs, KASA