# Padgett named principal of Kentucky School for the Deaf **Published:** 2026-08-27T17:51:17.000Z **Source:** [Kentucky Teacher](http://www.kentuckyteacher.org/news/2026/08/kentucky-school-for-the-deaf-names-new-principal/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/padgett-named-principal-of-kentucky-school-for-the-deaf DANVILLE, Ky. — The [Kentucky School for the Deaf](https://www.ksd.kyschools.us/) has selected Justin Padgett as its new principal, according to [Kentucky Teacher](https://www.kentuckyteacher.org/news/2026/08/kentucky-school-for-the-deaf-names-new-principal/). Padgett, who has served as director of student life at the school for three years, brings 18 years of education experience to the leadership position. A familiar face within the KSD community, Padgett has worked closely with students, families and staff while developing expertise in Deaf education and Deaf culture, the school said. As principal, he is expected to build on the school's strengths and ensure deaf and hard-of-hearing students develop the linguistic, academic, social and transition skills needed to reach their full potential. Prior to his work at KSD, Padgett served as an instructional coach at Lincoln County Middle School from 2021 to 2023. He holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Midway College, a master's in educational administration from Campbellsville University and a master's in education: Teacher as Leader from the University of the Cumberlands. Jeff Kassinger, chair of the KSD Advisory Board during the hiring process, congratulated Padgett on his selection. "Having seen his commitment to KSD and his dedication to students and staff, I'm excited to see what he will bring to the role," Kassinger said, according to the announcement. [Founded in 1823](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_School_for_the_Deaf), the Kentucky School for the Deaf is one of the nation's oldest institutions for deaf and hard-of-hearing education. Located in Danville, the school serves students from preschool through grade 12 across Kentucky. ## Sources - [Kentucky Teacher](http://www.kentuckyteacher.org/news/2026/08/kentucky-school-for-the-deaf-names-new-principal/) - [Kentucky Teacher article announcing Padgett's appointment](https://www.kentuckyteacher.org/news/2026/08/kentucky-school-for-the-deaf-names-new-principal/) - [Kentucky School for the Deaf official website](https://www.ksd.kyschools.us/) - [Wikipedia article on Kentucky School for the Deaf history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_School_for_the_Deaf) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Kentucky Teacher, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at http://www.kentuckyteacher.org/news/2026/08/kentucky-school-for-the-deaf-names-new-principal/.