Last year at the urging of our library media specialist, I applied for and was accepted to a wonderful leadership program called CTEPS.  Classroom Teachers Enacting Positive Solutions.  (http://www.kycteps.org/)   Participating teachers think about problems in their school, district or in the profession at large and, through action research, design a solution to their focus problem.   I have both loved and hated the journey.  The work is HARD, time-consuming, stressful at times, and totally worth it! 

My project focused on early primary students.  Who is an early childhood learner?   I want others in education to truly understand what these young learners need and how to provide it in the classroom.  So I created a blog.  (http://playinkindergarten.blogspot.com/) and an Adobe Spark (https://spark.adobe.com/page/tDsWUdwYUfCAR/) to share with others.  But I was still left feeling like I didn't know how to make an impact.  How to really bring teachers together and understand this information that seemed so vital.

Our last CTEPS meeting (NextCTEPS) was this past Sunday in Lexington.  We followed that up with participation in the KEA TALK conference (http://www.kea.org/2017/04/05/let-s-talk-conference-registration-open.htm)  As I participated in the conferences, I kept coming back to my CTEPS project and saying "So what???"   

I had great discussions with colleagues; about PD, about co-teaching, about counseling students.  I attended thoughtful sessions; about student-led conferences, about connecting music and math, about connecting to others in the teaching profession.  It was at this last session that a light bulb came on for me.  CONNECTION.   That was the heart of my project that I'd been missing.  

As I reflected on my notes about jcpsFORWARD (Jefferson County's grassroots teacher movement to connect teachers in their school system), I saw more and more ways my year of research and reflection was applicable to connecting teachers in Franklin County.  

An idea started forming.  Not just an idea, but excitement!   I love my colleagues in my own building.  I get energized by idea sharing and reconnecting with other teachers during meetings and conferences.  What if there was a way to sustain the excitement of a new idea someone shared?  What if there was a way not to reconnect; but to stay connected to other teachers?

Then a million questions came to mind.  How would we connect?  Who might participate?  How would it get started?  What would we share?  Where to start!?!?!?!

And so this blog.  And the invitation at the top of this post.  YOU are invited.  (Yes, Tara, it does say primary because a girl has to start somewhere...haha) but you, teacher reading this blog, are important.  We need to connect with you.  To hear what works in your classroom.  To support you when you struggle.  To celebrate your successes.  We need you.  So reread that invitation graphic.  Mark you calendar.   Join us July 2 to CONNECT.