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View from the Capitol

Focus on the Principal

Patrice A. McCarthy,

Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE

Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

With the Appropriations Committee action to recommend a budget to the full General Assembly, the budget process moves on to the next level. While the Appropriations Committee continued support for the Education Cost Sharing grant, it failed to restore the $25 million transportation grant as recommended by the Education Committee.

There are also reductions from the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal to support the new Educator Evaluation and Support ProSee VIEW page 8

WILTON HIGH SCHOOL

Common Core State Standards Conference

Connecticut Association

On April 2, CABE, in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education, GE and Connecticut Council for Education Reform hosted a very well attended program on what board of education members need to know about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

We were fortunate to have Bob Corcorn, kick off the day. The President and Chairman of the GE Foundation talked about the need for our students to be competitive in the global marketplace and the importance of CCSS getting us there.

Sandra Alberti, Director of State and District Partnerships and Professional Development at Student Achievement Partners, the non-profit organization that played a leading role in development of CCSS, esamined the standards and provided an explanation on what the changes mean. Dr. Alberti explained that the previous standards did not improve student achievement. There are currently gaps in achievement and expectations. Our NAEP results have been poor and students are not ready for college, often taking remedial courses.

CCSS has fewer, clearer and higher evidence based standards. They are aligned to requirements for college and career readiness.

of Boards of Education Inc.

Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development, CABE

81 Wolcott Hill Road Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242

Lisa Steimer,

May 2013

CCSS for Language Arts: â&#x20AC;˘ Students will move from reading fiction to building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction. â&#x20AC;˘ Rather than writing about personal experience they are reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational. â&#x20AC;˘ Rather than reading text without consideration of complexity students will have regular practice with complex text.

CCSS for Mathematics: â&#x20AC;˘ Students will move from a mile-wide and inch deep focus to focus strongly on what the standards are.

This provides a deeper and richer experience. â&#x20AC;˘ Students will move from scattered, isolated topics to coherence across grades and link to major topics. â&#x20AC;˘ Students will move from fluency or understanding to rigor, ability to pursue conceptual understanding, and procedural skill.

Dr. Dianna Roberge-Wentzell, Chief Academic Officer at the Connecticut State Department of Education discussed Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan for implementation.

There are going to be instructional shifts in the classroom and currently there is much less agreement on what teaching we need to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dropâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, rather than what we need See COMMON CORE page 7

A recent article in Education Daily led me to a Briefing Paper identifying the skills needed by â&#x20AC;&#x153;turnaroundâ&#x20AC;? principals, who run schools that, having underperformed, are required to transform themselves.

We have known for many years that the principal, as the educational leader in each school, is critical to the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. One of the issues that the Principals Work Group of the Evaluation and Support Advisory Committee (PEAC) stressed was the importance of the principal in carrying out the goals of the district in the school. Westport Board Chair and CABE Area 6 Director Elaine Whitney and I served on that subgroup.

Tying the success (or failure) of the school to the evaluation of the principal was intended to strengthen the focus of our principals on the work of teachers and ensuring the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success.

We had many discussions about the need for principals to have time to carry out the increased focus on evaluations. I think I made myself into something of a nuisance, pushing to address this concern. The State Department of Education (SDE) is still examining best practices on this issue.

As of this writing, there are approximately 10 schools in Connecticut that are part of the Commissionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Network, all working to transform schools that have underperformed. According to SDE, while the turnaround committee for any school may identify a leadership weakness, such as with a principal, it remains the responSee FOCUS ON page 9

INSIDE THIS EDITION

SBE Adopts Guiding Principles for Strengthening Teacher Prep ................ 2 OCR guidance ...................................... 4 See You in Court .................................. 5 East Haddam reading success ............. 6 Student Leadership Awards ................. 7 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just what you do in public! ...... 7 Policy, School Culture and Climate ...... 8 CABE Working for You ....................... 10 The Value of Video Marketing ............11

Periodical Postage PAID Hartford, CT

2

The Journal

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

PRESIDENT COMMENTARY

Take the “LEAP” As I boarded my flight en route to the NSBA Annual Conference in San Diego, I noticed a child jumping with enthusiasm into the window seat behind me. While browsing at the conference planner materials, the silhouette poses of four children on the cover, caught my attention. With hands outstretched, they too, showed movement. “TAKE THE LEAP . . . Leadership, Education, Achievement, Progress,” the highlighted theme of this year. I was prepared to “plunge” into sessions, workshops, speakers, presentations and special events offered to me, as well as to 4,000 school leaders, administrators and attorneys from around the country.

This year, the “New NSBA” format was unveiled, by redefining its purpose and focus as a national organization, through legislative issues, legal advocacy, improved and increased member services with state associations. With expanded influence, the impact of addressing the shared issues and challenges facing our states has never been more crucial, while keeping continued emphasis on strengthening public education nationally.

Another exciting change within NSBA, is Tom Genztel, the new Executive Director who focused on NSBA’s plans to better meet the needs of local school board members, while augmenting the ever increasing professional development opportunities offered by our state’s school board associations, such as ours.

NSBA serves its’ members proudly by providing motivational speakers such as Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, a nationally acclaimed astrophysicist, who passionately spoke about the increased need of STEM curriculum in our classrooms and the importance of school systems to

value a student’s understanding of subject content instead of just test scores or grades.

CABE’s presence was visible on several occasions. During the Delegate Assembly, our three proposed resolutions were adopted including “School Safety and Crime Prevention.”

Lydia Tedone Several sessions and workshops presented by CABE staff and other Connecticut attendees were received with positive comments from colleagues from other states.

NSBA’s other leaders commented on energizing ourselves as board members through adapted, innovated changes. Their charge to us: our effectiveness as reform leaders will impact our presence and decision making at the local level.

During the long flight home, I reflected on the various sessions; the invaluable networking; the critical conversations; the explored strategies and solutions; the practical advice from peers and more importantly – the active involvement, sharing and willingness to learn more. More support for local governance and strengthening public education. More opportunities to help our schools and students achieve.

Take the “LEAP” and join us next year in New Orleans, where together we can “celebrate our successes” . . . and much more.

State Board adopts guiding principles for strengthening teacher preparation One of the concerns long voiced by board members and superintendents is that teachers are graduating from teacher preparation programs without the necessary skills, knowledge or experience to teach in our schools.

As a result, the State Board of Education (SDE) created the Educator Preparation Advisory Council’s (EPAC).

In mid-April, the State Board adopted recommendations outlining six principles for guiding the development of a framework for reforming educator preparation programs. The principles were accompanied by specific examples for further review. The six principles, as provided

by SDE, are as follows: • Program Entry Standards Connecticut teacher preparation programs must actively recruit, admit, develop and retain only those teacher candidates with strong knowledge, skills, dispositions that are indicative of those expected of teachers for the 21st Century and required to meet the needs of Connecticut students.

• Staffing and Support of Clinical Experiences The staffing, structures and program support policies of preparation programs, school districts and CSDE must be coordinated to provide effective clinical experiences that represent the current and future needs of Connecticut’s schools and children. Clinical faculty (supervisors) and school based educators have a significant impact on candidate clinical experiences and must be effective educators who understand and apply national and state teaching and student standards.

• Clinical Experience Requirements for Teacher Candidates All candidates must have a sequence of varied, structured, intensive and purposefully supported clinical school experiences that are appropriately staffed by qualified educators to ensure support for success.

Experiences must be across the program, coordinated and support the continuum of content and skill development to become an effective educator. (Note: clini-

cal experiences include field experiences, practical, and student teaching.)

• District-Program Partnerships; Structures and Shared Responsibility Teacher preparation programs and schools/districts must have well-defined, high-quality, collaborative partnerships to ensure the quality of clinical experiences for teacher candidates while addressing the needs of and benefits to all involved. Teacher preparation programs and school districts will develop strategic partnerships to support clinical and schoolbased training for which they share responsibility, authority, and accountability including program development and implementation.

• Program Completion and Candidate Assessment Standards Candidates will demonstrate competencies aligned with national and state standards by successfully completing rigorous performance-based assessments as part of clinical experiences. All teacher candidates will demonstrate dispositions and skills necessary to support students’ academic and non-academic needs.

• Program Effectiveness and Accountability Preparing a teacher to be successful and effective in the field is the shared responsibility of preparation program and partner districts. Preparation programs must ultimately be responsible for ensuring completers enter the profession with the skills, knowledge and dispositions to be effective in the classroom. Preparation programs must have access to data about their completers’ performance in the classroom and should be held accountable for their programs’ effectiveness in preparing teachers to enter and remain in the profession.

Members of EPAC include CABE Executive Director Bob Rader, as well as representatives of CAPSS and CAS. Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE

CABE Board of Directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Lydia Tedone .................................................. President, Simsbury Richard Murray ............................. First Vice President, Killingly Ann Gruenberg ........... VP for Government Relations, Hampton Stephen Wright ............. VP for Professional Development, Trumbull Robert Mitchell ............................ Secretary/Treasurer, Montville Don Blevins ........................................... Immediate Past President John Prins ........................................................... Member at Large

AREA DIRECTORS Susan Hoffnagle ....................... Area 1 Co-Director, Winchester Mari-Ellen (Mimi) Valyo ........ Area 1 Co-Director, Winchester Daniel Santorso ........................... Area 1 Co-Director, Plymouth Becky Tyrrell ................................. Area 2 Co-Director, Plainville Susan Karp ..................................... Area 2 Co-Director, Glasbonbury Don Harris ........................................ Area 2 Co-Director, Bloomfield Laura Bush .................................................. Area 3 Director, Vernon Douglas Smith ...................................... Area 4 Co-Director, Plainfield Steve Rosendahl .............................. Area 4 Co-Director, Woodstock Gavin Forrester ................................... Area 6 Co-Director, Stratford Elaine Whitney ................................... Area 6 Co-Director, Westport Sheila McCreven ........................... Area 7 Co-Director, Woodbridge John Prins ............................................ Area 7 Co-Director, Branford Pamela Meier ............................................. Area 8 Director, Madison Gail MacDonald .................................... Area 9 Director, Stonington

ASSOCIATES Eileen Baker ........................................... Associate, Old Saybrook Sharon Beloin-Saavedra .......................... Associate, New Britain Gary Brochu ........................................................ Associate, Berlin Robert Guthrie .......................................... Associate, West Haven Cal Heminway ................................................... Associate, Granby COMMITTEE CHAIRS Elizabeth Brown ............................ Chair, State Relations, Montville Beverly Washington ....................... Chair, Federal Relations, Groton Becky Tyrrell ....................................... Chair, Resolutions, Plainville

CITY REPRESENTATIVES Jacqueline Kelleher ......................... City Representative, Bridgeport Matthew Poland ................................. City Representative, Hartford Carlos Torre ................................... City Representative, New Haven Polly Rauh ......................................... City Representative, Stamford Charles Stango ............................... City Representative, Waterbury

STAFF Robert Rader ...................................................................... Executive Director Patrice McCarthy ................................ Deputy Director and General Counsel Bonnie Carney ........................................... Sr. Staff Associate for Publications Nicholas Caruso ............................................ Sr. Staff Assoc. for Field Service and Coord. of Technology Sheila McKay ............................ Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations Kelly Moyher ......................................................................... Sr. Staff Attorney Vincent Mustaro ..................................... Sr. Staff Associate for Policy Service Lisa Steimer .............................. Sr. Staff Assoc. for Professional Development Teresa Costa ............................... Coordinator of Finance and Administration Pamela Brooks ......................... Sr. Admin. Assoc. for Policy Ser. /Search Ser. Terry DeMars .............................................. Admin. Assoc. for Policy Service Melissa Dickinson ........................... Admin. Assist. for Membership Services Gail Heath ...................................... Admin. Assoc. for Government Relations Wilmarie Newton ...................................... Admin. Assoc. for Labor Relations Corliss Ucci .............................. Receptionist/Asst. to the Executive Director

The CABE Journal (ISSN 1092-1818) is published monthly except a combined issue for July/August as a member service of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 571-7446. CABE membership dues include $30 per person for each individual who receives The CABE Journal. The subscription rate for nonmembers is $75.

Association membership dues include a subscription for each board member, superintendent, assistant superintendent and business manager. The companies and advertisements found in The CABE Journal are not necessarily endorsed by CABE. “Periodicals Postage Paid at Hartford, CT.” POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The CABE Journal, CABE, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242. Email: bcarney@cabe.org.

Members can find the CABE Journal online at: www.cabe.org/ userlogin.cfm?pp=84&userrequest=true&keyrequest=false& userpage=84

The Journal

3

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

CABE Affiliate Members BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER ACT, Inc. - Northeast Region Finalsite GOLD

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SILVER MEMBERS Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Corporate Cost Control Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Quisenberry Arcari Architects The Segal Company

BRONZE PLUS MEMBERS Brown & Brown Insurance Friar Associates Goldstein & Peck, P.C. Lindburg & Ripple O & G Industries The S/L/A/M Collaborative Trane Whitsons School Nutrition

BRONZE MEMBERS Chinni & Meuser LLC Dattco Inc. Fuller & D’Angelo Architects and Planners Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. The Lexington Group Muschell & Simoncelli Ovations Benefits Group

EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES American School for the Deaf Area Cooperative Educational Services Capitol Region Education Council The College Board Connecticut Association of School Business Officials Cooperative Educational Services Connecticut Center for School Change Connecticut School Buildings and Grounds Association EASTCONN EDUCATION CONNECTION LEARN Unified School District #1

CCSS will force curriculum changes: Are you ready?

As CABE has grown and added services, programs and other activities over the years, we often ask ourselves, “what can we eliminate or downsize?”

This is a much tougher issue than one might expect. For example, we are loathe to eliminate a service that even just a handful of our districts find helpful. The National School Boards Association, has had to face similar choices.

School boards face this issue every year in their budget discussions and it often means laying off personnel, since around 70 percent of their budgets are salaries and benefits. We know of at least one district that had worked hard to add full-day kindergarten, only to eliminate it in the last two years because of fiscal issues.

Now, however, there’s another issue facing school boards, superintendents and the district staff which will require similar tough decisionmaking: Common Core State Standards (CCSR).

CABE, the Connecticut Council for Educational Reform (CCER) and the State Department of Education (SDE) sponsored an April 2nd program on the Standards and what they mean for boards, superintendents and the business community [see page 1]. The new Standards call for more in-depth, focused instruction and assessment on math and literacy (more subjects will be introduced later).

What Can Be Eliminated?

One of the questions that a board member posed was what could be dropped from what is currently being taught (and tested) to make the necessary time to do the deeper, richer dive into other topics which are the hallmarks of the new Standards. This is a particularly difficult issue as some teachers have taught subjects in which they understand at a very deep level and enjoy teaching.

I asked Dianna Roberge-Wentzell, SDE’s Chief Academic Officer, how boards can help their staff with these changes. Here are some of her thoughts on this matter, along with others I have heard: Dianna told me that the best way to approach the issue is by strategic planning. Districts should carefully consider the new standards and determine what they must concentrate on, before determining what to scale back or eliminate. It is a question, to a good extent, of prioritization.

Teachers must know exactly what they have to teach in the new curriculum.

Through professional development, they, working together with principals and superintendents, should begin to understand the changes that must be made in their teaching styles and content.

She mentioned studies that show that teachers are often trying very hard to have their subjects be relevant and engage students. For example some may overuse movies to help teach a subject, but that can make it harder to really get to

the learning aspects of the material.

It is important to watch out for distractions. While taking some time to do work on other subjects, it’s critical that the priority be the material in which students need to be competent.

We need to build up both the competencies and confidence of our educators.

Some of this will take some time, since many may have to give up areas they have long taught, for other areas about which they know less. They may find teaching the subject for the first time to be daunting.

Time also needs to be better managed.

For example, testing under the new standards will be computerized. Cutting three

“Board members should understand that the new generation of state assessment will focus on growth, rather than just a fixed number.” days from the current six, will open up some new days. Are there subjects to be taught that could likewise be done by computer teaching? Such a system, even for one or two subjects, would also permit the personalized learning that CAPSS has encouraged with its NextEd project.

Professional development is key to making CCSR a successful initiative. As with the new evaluation standards, professional development and help for teachers, such as collaboration time, will help move the system.

So, What’s A Board to Do? Boards have an important role in this new initiative. While their role is not to get too involved in curriculum development, they need a true understanding of what CCSS means for their professional staff and students. Without this basic

Robert Rader

understanding, boards will be at a loss as to how to help staff and explain to the public what is occurring.

As we have heard countless times, change is difficult. Your staff will need the resources and the time to carry out this process. At a time of great stress on our districts, providing this help will not be easy.

School boards and superintendents also need to be discussing the new Standards and what they will mean as they’re implemented with not only the school community, but with their town or city councils. This will not be an easy discussion. If topics are eliminated or get less attention, there may very well be members of the community who react negatively. Your job is to explain why this is necessary if our students are to be work- or college-ready when they graduate.

The Connecticut business community, through CBIA and CCER, has supported the new standards, but once we start testing students on them, it is expected that test scores will decrease. With so much riding on testing in our schools, this could lead to concerns in many districts. SDE is aware of the issue and is working on helping districts with this issue.

Board members should understand that the new generation of state assessment will focus on growth, rather than just a fixed number.

One can argue about whether all kids are “proficient” or at “goal”, etc… but it should be the board’s expectation that every child will advance in their learning.

Much more information on the CCSS can be found on the SDE website.

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4

The Journal

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) guidance Kelly Moyher, Senior Staff Attprmey, CABE

Recently, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued new guidance that clarifies a district’s obligations to provide equal access to student with disabilities who wish to participate in extracurricular activities.

Students already have the right under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to an equal opportunity to participate in their schools’ extracurricular activities.

The OCR guidance clarifies this obligation and encourages districts to work with community organizations to increase athletic opportunities for disabled students.

“Sports can provide invaluable lessons in in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and the guidance (from OCR) will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court,” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

The guidance notes that the law does not require that a student with a disability be allowed to participate in any selective or competitive program offered by a school district, as long as the selection or competition criteria are not discriminatory.

“Participation in extracurricular athletics can be a critical part of a student’s overall educational experience, said Seth Galanter, acting assistant secretary for OCR. “Schools must ensure equal access to that rewarding experience for students with disabilities.

The complete guidance issued by OCR can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/ about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague201301-504.pdf.

However, here are several scenarios reviewing the guidance:

1. A student has a learning disability and is a person with a disability as defined by Section 504. While in middle school, this student enjoyed participating in her school’s lacrosse club. As she enters the ninth grade in high school, she tries out and is selected as a member of the high school’s team.

zations or assumptions about disability or how a particular disability limits any particular student.

The coach should have permitted this student an equal opportunity to participate in this athletic activity, which includes the opportunity to participate in the games as well as the practices. The student, of The coach is aware of this student’s course, does not have a right to parlearning ticipate in the disability and games, but the believes that all “Schools districts must coach’s decision on students with whether the be flexible as they the student’s students gets to particular participate in games develop programs learning must be based on disability would the same criteria the that consider the be unable to coach uses for all play successother players (such unmet interests fully under the as performance of students with time conreflected during straints and practice sessions). disabilities.” pressures of an actual game.

To comply with its obligations under Based on this assumption, the Section 504, a school district must coach decides never to play this also provide a qualified student with student dur-ing games. In his a disability with needed aids and opinion, participating fully in all the services. team practice sessions is good enough.

2. A high school student has a disability as defined by Section 504 Analysis: OCR would find that the due to a hearing impairment. The coach’s decision violates Section student is interested in running 504. The coach denied this student track for the school team. He is an equal opportunity to participate especially inter-ested in the sprinton the team by relying solely on ing events such as the 100 and 200 characteristics he believed to be meter dashes. associated with her disability. A school district, including its athletic At the tryouts for the track team, the staff, must not operate on generalistart of each race was signaled by the coach’s assistant using a visual cue, and the student’s speed was fast enough to qualify him for the team in those events. After the student makes the team, the coach also signals the start of races during practice with the same visual cue.

Legislative Update Webinar

Before the first scheduled meet, the student asks the district that a visual cue be used at the meet simultaneously when the starter pistol sounds to alert him to the start of the race.

Two neighboring districts use a visual cue as an alternative start in their track and field meets. Those districts report that their runners easily adjusted to the visual cue and did not complain about being distracted by the use of the visual cue.

On April 9, Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel and Sheila McKay, Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations, CABE, updated participants on legislation that has been reported out of the Education Committee, a review of the educational components in SB 1160, as well as the latest information on the 2013-15 state budget. Coordinating the webinar was Marie Newton, Administrative Associate for Labor Relations.

After conducting an individualized inquiry and determining that the modification is necessary for the student to compete at meets, the district nevertheless refuses the student’s request because the district is concerned that the use of a visual cue may distract other run-

ners and trigger complaints once the track season begins. The coach tells the student that although he may practice with the team, he will not be allowed to participate in meets.

Analysis: OCR would find that the school district’s decision violates Section 504. While a school district is entitled to set its requirements as to skill, ability, and other benchmarks, it must provide a reasonable modification if necessary, unless doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the activity.

Here, the student met the benchmark requirements as to speed and skill in the 100 and 200 meter dashes to make the team. Once the school district determined that the requested modification was necessary, the school district was then obligated to provide the visual cue unless it determined that providing it would constitute a fundamental alteration of the activity.

In this example, OCR would find that the evidence demonstrated that the use of a visual cue does not alter an essential aspect of the activity or give this student an unfair advantage over others. The school district should have permitted the use of a visual cue and allowed the student to compete.

As stated above, in providing or arranging for the provision of extracurricular athletics, a school district must ensure that a student with a disability participates with students without disability. The provision of unnecessarily separate or different services is discriminatory.

A school district should offer students with disabilities opportunities for athletic activities that are separate or different from those offered to students without disabilities. These athletic opportunities provided by school districts should be supported equally, as with a school district’s other athletic activities.

School districts must be flexible as they develop programs that consider the unmet interests of students with disabilities.

For example, an ever-increasing number of school districts across the country are creating disability-specific teams for sports such as wheelchair tennis or wheelchair basketball. When the number of students with disabilities at an individual school is insufficient to field a team, school districts can also: 1. develop district-wide or regional teams for students with disabilities as opposed to a school-based team in order to pro-vide competitive experience; 2. mix male and female students with disabilities on teams together; or 3. offer “allied” or “unified” sports teams on which students with disabilities participate with students without disabilities.

The Journal

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

5

See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

The Nutmeg Board deals with international trips and how to avoid liability Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin

The Nutmeg Board of Education makes many mistakes. The latest imbroglio created by the board will be reported here each issue, followed by an explanation of what the board should have done. Though not intended as legal advice, these situations may help board members avoid common problems.

The Nutmeg Board of Education has long recognized the educational benefits of international travel, and it encourages teachers to plan trips to far-flung destinations. Some trips, such as the annual summer trip to Seville, have been to enhance language acquisition, while others, such as the annual trip to Cancun, have been focused on physical education.

This spring, the Board of Education has received a number of requests, and the Board members have to make some hard decisions. The list included the usual trips to Europe and Cancun. But one enterprising teacher has proposed an out-of-the-box trip to North Korea “to get to the truth” of the current crisis.

“We need to discuss this in executive session,” intoned Bob Bombast, veteran Board member. “We can’t approve all of

these trips, and we need to have a candid discussion of the legal issues related to these trips.”

The Board members were a little uneasy, because they had never discussed such trips in executive session, but they were also interested to hear what Bob meant by “legal issues.” So they voted unanimously to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing “legal issues.”

Once in executive session, Bob lowered his voice and shared his concern. “I just read in the paper that the Hotchiss School got hammered with a $40,000,000+ jury verdict. The School organized a trip to China, and tragically one of the students contracted viral encephalitis and was permanently disabled. We can’t risk that here.”

The Board members were shocked at Bob’s story, and a heated discussion ensued over whether and how the Nutmeg Public Schools can continue to sponsor international travel without the risk of such tragic events and the related liability. As usual, Bob Bombast had the answer. “As a condition of approving any future field trips, we must require students to sign a complete release of liability. Bad things happen all the time.

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setting. Indeed, in the recent case We should not be responsible if they involving the Hotchiss School Bob cited, happen during one of our field trips.”

The Board members agreed enthusiasti- the federal court ruled that a release similar to that Bob cally with Bob’s proposed was void idea. “In fact,” said as against public Board member Question: policy, opening the Penny Pincher, “if door to the massive the parents and “Is Nutmeg now safe verdict against the students are going from liability claims school. to be waiving When considliability claims, we arising from schoolering liability claims, can even approve understanding of the trip to North sponsored trips?” three separate Korea. That does concepts is essential. sound interesting.

Answer: In some activities, Our students should there is immunity enjoy what a weird “Not at all.” Read on. from liability, i.e., an place it is.” injured party may not Bob had figured that the other Board members would share recover damages. Such situations are rare and are provided by statute, such as his concern over liability, and so he was immunity for requiring immunizations even ready with a draft release for the (Section 10-204c) or immunity from claims Board members to consider. Bob exin certain bullying situations (Section 10plained that he had combed the Internet 222l). There is no provision for immunity for a succinct broad waiver, and he asked from claims arising out of school activities for a motion to adopt it. such as field trips.

Without leaving executive session, the The second concept is indemnity. The Board passed the following motion: “As a fact that some risk of liability for school condition for participating in any trip activities is unavoidable can be frightensponsored by the Nutmeg Public Schools, ing, and it is important to know that any all participants shall execute the following such liability is not personal. Under release of claims: Section 10-235, school board members I, the undersigned, release the Nutand school employees are protected and meg Board of Education, its memindemnified from personal liability for acbers, employees and agents, from tions they take on behalf of the school any and all claims that may arise district as long their actions are not wanfrom any cause whatsoever, ton, willful or malicious. whether resulting from acts or omisThis statutory protection reflects sions of any persons, or any other another important public policy – that risks of any way, shape or form. liability concerns should not drive decisIs Nutmeg now safe from liability ions made on behalf of the public. If it claims arising from school-sponsored weren’t for this protection, school life trips? could be barren indeed, as school officials would perforce terminate all activities that Not at all. Trips, whether during the could present liability concerns. With school year or during breaks, provide this protection, school officials can make important enrichment activities for stusuch decisions by balancing the benefits dents. However, they carry with them of the activity with the risks. certain risks against which school districts The third concept is insurance. Since can insure, but which they cannot avoid. liability, albeit not personal, is unavoidIt could be tempting to ask participants able, it is important for school districts to in any extracurricular activities to waive have insurance to provide appropriate liability claims. These activities, such as protection against such claims. Such but not limited to international trips, field protection should include coverage for trips, or interscholastic athletics, are not attorney’s fees, which is also covered by required by law, but rather are intended to Section 10-235, and ideally should enrich the school experience. provide some say over the selection of Why shouldn’t school districts be able the attorney who will handle the claim for to offer these activities on the condition the district. that participants waive any liability claims Finally, as usual, the Nutmeg Board of Education needs to be more careful about that may arise? The answer is simple: Freedom of Information issues. There is because in the school setting, it is likely no general executive session privilege for against public policy to permit people to “legal matters.” A discussion of legal waive future claims. In Hanks v. Powder matters is only permissible if it relates to Ridge Restaurant Corp., 276 Conn. 314 written advice provided by a lawyer for (2005), the Connecticut Supreme Court the school district. has ruled that even express and explicit Accordingly, the confidential discuswaivers of negligence can be unenforcesion that followed Bob’s suggestion that able, based on consideration of six nonthe Board convene into executive session exclusive factors, including involving an violated the FOIA. Moreover, the Board’s activity subject to public regulation (as vote in executive session violated the certainly are our schools), involving a FOIA because the executive session decisive bargaining advantage for the privilege is limited to discussion. entity seeking exculpation, and presenting Attorney Thomas B. Mooney is a para standard adhesion contract that does tner in the Hartford law firm of Shipman not provide for individual negotiation. & Goodwin who works frequently with The factors identified by the court in the boards of education. Mooney is a regular Hanks case are present in the school contributor to the CABE Journal.

6

The Journal

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

Common Core State Standards reading success in East Haddam Amanda J. Argazzi, Reading Consultant, East Haddam Public Schools

“Think Cold” reads the title of Marilyn Singer’s first poem about Humboldt Penguins, creatures who inhabit the hot, dry coastal deserts of Peru and Chile in her 2012 collection: A Strange Place To Call Home: The World’s Most Dangerous Habitats& The Animals That Call Them Home.

Although, “newly published poetry collection” and “State Standards” seem to be phrases at odds, bright teachers and children show how creativity lives among the standards. Public schools are moving from state to national standards, referred to as “Common Core State Standards”, and most educators are applying these ideas to their current curriculum.

The standards from the Common Core (which have been adopted by public schools in nearly all of the fifty states) such as “speak audibly, and express thoughts, feelings and ideas clearly” can be traced from K to 12th grade. No one could possibly argue against these being important life skills for students of all ability levels.

In order to practice proper speaking and listening skills, some students need to be presented with an alternative text.

Picture books are often many times the price of trade paperbacks, but a grant for

$750.00 covered the cost of new picture books for my small reading classes. For more information on CRA’s Teaching Grants, please visit www.ctreading.org.

Educators and parents are asking: will the CCSS completely remove fun from learning? Veteran literacy coach and current classroom teacher, Kim Eiler of Killingly Public Schools would answer this concern with, “Yes, of course there is fun in standards!”

I have been truly inspired by Kim since meeting her back in November, 2012.

Kim’s language arts curriculum has been developed over the past fifteen years for grades K-6, and my co-teachers and I at Hale-Ray High School use Kim’s teaching strategies as part of our high school reading classes.

Working as a high school reading specialist presents me with the challenge of teaching students who are reading at the primary level, alongside others who may be reading on their current grade level, but who have simply failed to excel on reading or writing sections of state standardized tests, and/or reading and writing assignments in their other content area classes.

Teens who serve as role models for younger students feel empowered and have more confidence than those who are not presented with leadership roles. From Hale-Ray, we are able to take a one mile

walk to and from (Photo Credit: Debbie Ryczek) our destination of EastHaddam Elementary School, and share beautiful, newly published picture books with Mrs. Laurie Hall’s full day Kindergarten class.

Some of my students are reluctant readers and public speakers, yet I am impressed at their ability to share poems and stories with the kindergarKylie and Emily (students) and Amanda Argazzi, Reading ten students in our Consultant, East Haddam Public Schools. The students are each town. holding a copy of one of the newly published non-fiction books that is recommended by the International Reading Association for Recently, we support of teaching the Common Core State Standards. shared a book of poetry called Take Two! A Celebration of lonely,” said one of my students.

The student also discussed the word Twins by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane “marathon”, and that in the poem that she Yolen. The physical exercise required of read, this word means a “really long the students also enhances learning. running race” instead of a “movie maraOn the recent walk back after our third thon” or a “study marathon”. All of the visit to the elementary school, I discovered that my students had internalized the students were able to make connections to the poems and help the five and six words “bereft” and “marathon”, from the year old students to also interpret the poem “Fair Is Fair!” “Bereft means that poems. you’re sad, but sad because you are so

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The Journal

2013 Student Leadership Award winners SOMERS

NORTH CANAAN

SUFFIELD

HARTLAND

COLEBROOK NORFOLK

SALISBURY

GRANBY

CANAAN

EAST GRANBY

WINDSOR LOCKS

BARKHAMSTED

STAFFORD

WOODSTOCK

PUTNAM

ELLINGTON EAST WINDSOR

ASHFORD

TOLLAND

GOSHEN

CANTON

NEW HARTFORD

TORRINGTON

SIMSBURY

FORD

WETHERSNEWING- FIELD TON

BETHLEHEM

SEYMOUR DE ANSONIA RB Y

MONROE

NORWICH PRESTON

SALEM

DURHAM

EAST HADDAM

HADDAM

NORTH HAVEN

NEW HAVEN

MADISON KILLINGWORTH

LYME

GUILFORD

WATERFORD EAST LYME

DEEP ESSEX

BRAN-

NORTH STONINGTON

MONTVILLE LEDYARD

CHESTER NORTH

VOLUNTOWN

OLD WEST CLINTON BROOK SAYBROOK

STONINGTON GROTON

OLD LYME

BRIDGEPORT

WILTON FAIRFIELD

STRATFORD

W HA ES VE T N

TRUMBULL

WESTON

MILFORD

WESTPORT NORWALK

STAMFORD GREENWICH

BOZRAH

GRISWOLD

BRANFORD

ORANGE EASTON

NEW CANAAN

WOODBRIDGE

SHELTON

REDDING

RIDGEFIELD

COLCHESTER

W ON NE OND L

NEWTOWN BETHEL

FRANKLIN

HAMDEN BETHANY

DANBURY

PORTLAND

MIDDLEFIELD

WALLINGFORD

BEACON FALLS

OXFORD

SPRAGUE

LEBANON

MERIDEN

CHESHIRE

NAUGATUCK

SOUTHBURY

CANTERBURY

MIDDLETOWN

PROSPECT

BROOKFIELD

HEBRON MARLBOROUGH

EAST HAMPTON

WATERBURY

MIDDLEBURY

BRIDGEWATER

SOUTHINGTON

EA ST HA VE N

SH ER MA N

WOODBURY

CROMWELL

PLAINFIELD

SCOTLAND

GLASTONBURY

ROCKY HILL

BERLIN

WATERTOWN ROXBURY

NEW FAIRFIELD

PLYMOUTH WOLCOTT

NEW MILFORD

NEW BRITAIN

PLAINVILLE

COLUMBIA

LISBON

THOMASTON

ANDOVER WINDHAM

BRISTOL

BROOKLYN

COVENTRY G RLIN STE

WEST EAST HARTFORD HART- HARTFORD

KENT

WASHINGTON

CHAPLIN HAMPTON

MANSFIELD

MANCHESTER

FARMINGTON

MORRIS

KILLINGLY

ON LT BO

WARREN

SOUTH WINDSOR

BURLINGTON

HARWINTON LITCHFIELD

POMFRET

VERNON

BLOOMFIELD AVON

EASTFORD

WILLINGTON

WINDSOR CORNWALL

THOMPSON

UNION

ENFIELD

WINCHESTER

SHARON

7

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

DARIEN

Gilbert School, Winsted Region #1 (Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, Salisbury, Sharon, North Canaan) Region #7 (Barkhamsted Colebrook, New Hartford, Norfolk) Region #8 (Andover, Hebron, Marlborough) Region #9 (Easton, Redding) Region #12 (Bridgewater, Roxbury, Washington) Region #18 (Lyme, Old Lyme)

It’s not just what you do in public!

On the day I am writing this, the Rutgers’ men’s basketball coach was fired.

He bullied, used obscene and homophobic language and even physically abused his players. All was caught on film and provided to the university about four months before the firing. And, the assistant coach who brought it to the attention of the school was non-renewed not long after.

There is no excuse for the coach’s actions. I would hope that all coaches, all teachers and all administrators would agree that such actions do not belong at a college, state supported or not, nor at any level of our elementary or secondary schools. Nor is it appropriate at any event, activity or even a closed practice for any sport.

But, what really made me stop and think, is that when the university’s athletic director and president learned of the coach’s behavior, they gave him a three-game suspension, fined him $75,000 and ordered him to undergo sensitivity training. While this seemed to some to be a rather light penalty even for what was categorized as a first offense, when the media got hold of this, the penalty the coach quickly received was the boot.

Now, the question will be the consequences for Rutgers’ president and athletic director. Will the college community, including sports boosters, demand their heads, too?

I will admit that I am judging this situation from media coverage, including the video I watched on several television programs. However, if true, it is just one more example of what we learned so many years ago in the Watergate scandal: “it’s not the crime, it’s the cover up”.

And, therein lies the point for school board members and superintendents.

Ethics is not only about what you do when everyone, including the media and the public is watching, it is also about what you do when no one else is watching. Good ethical standards are those which stand up as credible whether something is done in private or publicly.

We talk about ethics at workshops, in the Journal and at our Convention. We try to impress upon board members and superintendents that they are role models for the staff, the students and the community. As the ‘trustees’ of public education, it is critical that they be seen as acting in line with high standards, both in how board meetings are conducted, but also in the decisions that they make.

And, I add, in executive sessions and when board members and superintendents are in private situations.

For more information on policies concerned with setting high ethical standards, call the CABE Policy Department at 860-571-7446.

Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE

Congratulations!

Ninety-one districts and one academy participated in this year’s Student Leadership Awards. There were 404 Junior/Middle and High School students who received the Award this year.

The following districts participated: Ashford, Berlin, Bethel, Bloomfield, Bolton, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Canton, Cheshire, Clinton, Colchester, Coventry, Cromwell, Danbury, Derby, East Granby, East Haddam, East Haven, East Lyme, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Fairfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Griswold, Groton, Guilford, Hamden, Killingly, Ledyard, Madison, Mansfield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Montville, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Fairfield, Newington, New Milford, Newtown, Old Saybrook, Plainfield, Plymouth, Portland, Putnam, Redding, Region #1, Region #7, Region #8, Region #9, Region #11, Region #12, Region #18, Ridgefield, Rocky Hill, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Simsbury, Somers, Southington, South Windsor, Sprague, Stafford, Stratford, Suffield, Thomaston, Trumbull, Vernon, Wallingford, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, Westbrook, West Hartford, Weston, Wethersfield, Wilton, Windham, Windsor, Windsor Locks, Wolcott, Woodstock, and Gilbert School in Winsted.

SAVE THE DATE 3rd Annual Summer Leadership Conference July 24, 2013 Saybrook Point Inn Common Core State Standards (continued from page 1) to include. Admittedly, these are some of the more difficult conversations to have.

Smarter Balanced assessments will be computer based. This will take less time for our students to complete. Because this assessment is computer based, the level of questions adapts to the student.

These assessments will be summative, formative and have performance aspects.

Assessments will be done in some subjects in 11th grade (rather than 10th) to give a more accurate picture of a student’s career and work readiness.

Board of education members need to know that these assessments are Internet-based. Each school district needs the bandwidth capacity to handle this. Prior to the official Smarter Balance

rollout, district capacity to handle this will be tested. The Smarter Balanced assessment will be administered statewide beginning with the 2014-2015 school year.

The program concluded with a panel that included Dr. Roberge-Wentzell, Dr. Alberti, Dr. Elizabeth Feser (superintendent in Milford), Andy Powell (board chair in Tolland), and John Rathgeber (President of CBIA). All had the opportunity to respond to questions posed by Moderator Robert Rader and audience members.

Many of the audience questions had to do with implementation, educating parents and the community and financial obligations of school districts and the state.

For more information on CCSS, go to the State Department of Education’s website. (See photos page 9).

8

The Journal

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

Policy, school culture and climate Vincent A. Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

Parents, teachers, administrators and students often sense some special, yet undefined, aspect of the school district and its individual schools with which they are involved. This pervasive, yet elusive element is often referred to as either the district’s or school’s culture or climate.

While hard to define and difficult to physically identify, a school’s culture or climate is one of the most significant features of any educational enterprise. It influences everything that goes on in schools.

University professors Kent Peterson and Terrence Deal, in an Educational Leadership article, defined school culture as the underground stream of norms, values, beliefs, traditions and rituals that have built up over time as people work together, solve problems, and confront challenges.

These authors stated that, “This set of informal expectations and values shapes how people think, feel and act in schools.

This highly enduring web of influence binds the school together and makes it special. The school leaders, principals, teachers and often parents, must help to identify, shape, and maintain strong, positive, student-focused cultures to help reforms to succeed and student learning to improve.”

While written over a decade ago, this statement is still applicable in our current educational environment. Today, the federal government values school climate endeavors and the administration is recommending that funding be made available related to the implementation of evidence-based strategies to improve school climate.

Organizations that have a caring, positive climate feature the following characteristics: • Frankness and openness in com-

munications among members of the organization; • Supportiveness in interpersonal relationships in which a general feeling of candor and honesty prevail; • Development and maintenance of relationships in which trust, confidence, and credibility are demonstrated in comments and action; • Participatory decision-making in which members of the organization are communicated to and involved in decisions that are made;

should be periodically examined to be sure they exist for those reasons. Boards should continually ask whether their policies encourage the best practices.

Policies that assist in the development of positive school climate, according to authors J. Merrell Hansen and John Childs are “policies that encourage and permit rather than restrict or direct.”

Policies need to be clear, understandable and easily accessible affording the entire school community the knowledge of the board’s position on important issues. This has been greatly facilitated by placing the board’s policy manual online in the websites of the district and schools.

“Through attention to the culture, identifying aspects which are destructive and which are constructive, leaders can help develop the foundation for change and success.”

• High performance goals with a commitment to quality and concern for others; • Staff with a shared sense of purpose, where they pour their hearts into teaching; • The underlying norms in the organization are of collegiality, improvement and hard work; • Rituals and traditions celebrate student accomplishments, teacher innovation and parental commitment; and • Success, joy and humor abound.

The board has an important role to create and enhance the climate in its schools in order to bring out the very best in its students, staff and community. It is important for the board to concentrate on its role as visionary policymaker. Policies and administrative regulations (procedures) are necessary to ensure smooth, efficient, and consistent operations in the district and its schools. The policies

A board intent on improvement should examine all policies affected by the positive characteristics identified by Peterson and Deal and determine whether its policies contribute and enhance or whether they detract from making each school a flourishing environment that welcomes and encourages all who work and learn there.

Here are some specific things the board of education can do to create a positive climate: • Utilize surveys to get information on how the staff perceives the district as a place to work, how students feel about the programs offered and what the community believes about its schools.

• Let the staff know of the board’s interest in their programs by scheduling reports at board meetings and through visits to the schools.

• Adopt a communications policy that specifies two-way communication.

Continually demonstrate that you mean it.

• Involve staff and community mem-

CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee meets Members of the CABE/ CAPSS Convention Committee met to discuss the workshop to be presented at the 2013 CABE/CAPSS Convention “Keeping Focus on Student Growth in a Time of Rapid Change”.

bers in the process leading to major decisions. The process, at times, is more valuable than the outcome.

• Be open, honest, timely and factual in all communications with the staff.

• Explain the board’s decisions clearly, especially if they are controversial.

• Reexamine your role as an educational leader. Is the board doing what it’s always done because it’s always been done that way, or does the board look for ways to improve and change the district’s environment?

• Define and communicate the district’s vision and mission; then involve staff and the community in the development of long-range and short-range goals. Constantly evaluate the progress toward those goals.

• In order for the staff to continue to grow and learn, the board should set an example through its own demonstrated program of professional growth.

Boards of education must be seen as models of local educational leadership by teachers, administrators and students. To succeed as this type of role model, boards have to lead by example. Boards must provide the proper examples for students.

School board members are not just policy makers for their districts. As local educational leaders, they help set the tone for how the district’s schools, administrators, teachers and students approach challenges and opportunities.

The board has an obligation to remember its policies at budget time. Improving school climate may involve some changes in staff, facilities and programs that have an economic impact.

School leaders from every level are contributing factors to shaping school culture. Principals communicate core values in their everyday work.

Teachers reinforce values in their actions and words. Parents bolster spirit when they visit school, participate in governance, and celebrate success.

Students in their interactions with their peers contribute to the desired climate.

In addition, students who feel comfortable talking to adults at their schools are more likely to share information about planned events of violence, episodes of bullying and other issues that can affect school safety.

Leadership comes from many sources in the most successful districts and schools. Through attention to the culture, identifying aspects which are destructive and which are constructive, leaders can help develop the foundation for change and success.

View from the Capitol (continued from page 1) gram. In the remaining weeks of the legislative session there is the opportunity to restore funding for these required programs and services. Please use this opportunity to contact your legislators.

The Journal

9

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013 Highlights from

Common Core State Standards: What Board of Education Members, Superintendents and Members of the Business Community Must Know

CABE Executive Director Robert Rader opened the conference with welcoming remarks. He also moderated the panel discussion.

Dudley Williams, Director, Corporate Citizenship and Diversity, GE Asset Management introduced Robert Corcoran.

Robert Corcoran, President and Chairman, GE Foundation spoke about the importance of the Common Core State Standards.

Sandra Alberti, Director of State and District Partnerships and Professional Development, Student Achievement Partners gave participants a look at the Common Core Standards.

Dianna Roberge-Wentzel, Chief Academic Officer, Connecticut State Department of Education talked about Connecticut’s plan for the implementation of Common Core Standards.

Focus on the Principal (continued from page 1) sibility of the board of education/district to hire, evaluate, retain and/or terminate the principal, just as with any other school employee.

This Briefing Paper, from the Southeast Comprehensive Center (one of 15 such centers around the nation), Identifying Competencies and Actions of Effective Turnaround Principals, scours the educational research for information on the relatively new work of turnaround principals; however, it contains lessons for all principals working to be as effective and successful as possible. The authors used information they could find on this topic, including journal and other articles and two case studies.

Below are some of the competencies identified in the Briefing Paper. While these are aimed at principals and schools that need to transform, some have application in all districts. I added some comments in italics: 1. Collaboratively defined focus or mission. It is critical that, in identifying the necessary changes, that there be buy in. Working with others on this, including other staff, the turnaround committee and others should get the school headed in the right direction.

2. Collaboratively agreed-upon set of core beliefs, including the belief that all children can learn, an allegiance to teamwork and decisions based on data, and concentrated attention toward sharing responsibility and student learning 3. Shared leadership. While a charismatic principal may be very helpful in moving the school, building institutional capacity, including the ability of others to work together, can help.

4. Emphasis on literacy. Literacy is seen as a gateway to knowledge in all areas.

5. Initiatives that provide extra learning time for students. What we have learned is that it needs to be quality learning time, not just more time. That doesn’t mean there can’t be recreational activities built in, but they should have purpose.

6. Teams become the source for planning, analyzing student learning, aligning curricula, and implementing interventions. Many districts now use teams for much of this work.

7. Data used in all decision making.

Decision making must be based on the available evidence and facts, such as test scores, graduation rates, etc.

8. Focused staff development. This was addressed in last year’s reform legislation. And, Commissioner Pryor said that SDE was looking for more one-on-one and small group PD. 9. Frequent review of instructional content and assessment. This should happen for all principals with our new evaluation and support system.

10.Reformed efforts to engage parents and community members. Finding new ways to gain the support of the community and parents is key because it leads to increased focus on the importance of education in the community and, perhaps, more resources to help struggling students.

Focus on the work of principals and the support they may need is critical to the mission of our schools. While evaluated by the superintendent, boards need to ensure that the evaluation instruments are comprehensive and consistent with helping to reach the goals of the district.

Support for your principal(s) needs to be aligned as well.

A copy of the full brief can be found at http://secc.sedl.org.

A question and answer session was held with Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE as the moderator. Panel members were: (l. to r.) Dianna Roberge-Wentzell, Chief Academic Officer, Connecticut State Department of Education; Elizabeth Feser, Superintendent, Milford; Sandra Alberti, Director of State and District Partnerships and Professional Development, Student Achievement Partners; Andy Powell, Board Chair, Tolland; and John Rathgeber, President, CBIA.

Approximately 140 board members, superintendents, other administrators, and business leaders attended the conference.

This Month’s Leadership Quote: It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.

– Harry S Truman

10

The Journal

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

CABE: Working for YOU!

Individualized Workshops • Professional Development Opportunities • Legal Services Policy Services Representing You Statewide and Nationally Below are the highlights of activities that the CABE staff has undertaken on your behalf over the last month and a half. We did this:

➤ By providing opportunities for members to learn how to better govern their districts: •

•

•

•

•

•

Held Convention Committee meeting where workshops to be presented at Convention were selected.

Met with Board Chair, Superintendent and School Business Official in Derby to demonstrate CABE-Meeting.

Sponsored, participated in, planned and implemented a successful program on Common Core State Standards.

Met with Central Office Staff in Madison to provide a refresher on using CABE-Meeting.

Met with Superintendent James Thompson in Bloomfield on how CABE can help the district.

Provided policy information to 34 districts, one new agency and two out-of-state school board association through 46 answered requests for information or sample policies, on 40 topics. The topics of greatest interest included issues pertaining to glycogen storage disease, transgender youth, medical marijuana, teacher evaluation and issues pertaining to the use of technology.

topics that affect student achievement. This included grading of students, school safety issues, security, homework, class rank, and grouping of students.

•

➤ By promoting public education: •

•

•

• •

•

•

•

• •

• •

to meet members needs: •

• •

•

to increase student achievement Provided Lighthouse training for Ansonia, New London and Norwich Boards of Education.

Participated in meeting of the new P20 Council.

Participated in conference call of the Educator Preparation Advisory Council.

Sent three issues of Policy Highlights via email listserv covering

Answered questions about the current legal issues facing boards of education. “HOT” topics this month were: Proper reasons for executive session, release of student records, discipline for off campus activity, adding agenda items, and function of committees.

Helped teach a class on education law and policy at the University of Hartford.

Attended Connecticut Association of Municipal Attorneys meeting.

➤ By providing services

➤ By helping school boards •

•

•

Facilitated a discussion on sharing services with school districts in CABE Area 9.

Provided a webinar on recent Legislative Actions.

Entered into agreements to do audits of the policy manuals of Region #12 and Stratford.

Completed as part of the Custom Update Service packets of new and/or revised policies for: Ansonia, Columbia, East Hampton, East Windsor, Franklin, Gilbert School, Marlborough, New Fairfield, New Hartford, Newington, North Stonington, Old Saybrook, Oxford, Region No. 6, Stafford, Sterling, West Haven, Westbrook, and Windham Boards of Education.

Currently in the process of updating policies to conform to the new school safety legislation (P.A. 13-3).

➤ By representing Connecticut school boards on the state or national level:

•

• •

•

Attended Connecticut Society of Association Executives (CSAE) program on The Power of Proactive Communications to Attract, Educate and Influence Your Community.

Met with counterpart from Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) to discuss work alike group and our own annual Conventions.

Testified before Education Committee on professional educator evaluation and support.

Participated in meeting of the Governor’s Prevention Partnership’s Audit Committee.

Provided testimony before various Legislative Committees.

Attended Connecticut Council on Education Reform Best Practices Forum.

Participated in “Big 6” Partnership meeting on the Legislative Session.

Participated in meeting of the new District Leadership Partnership on Principal Support.

Participated in National School Boards Association (NSBA) Annual Conference, including speaking at workshops on school culture and legal liability and attending Executive Directors’ Conference Institute.

Participated in Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiency meetings.

Attended Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) Council and Legislative Committee meetings.

Discussed school security issues on

•

•

• •

•

• •

•

WTIC and WNPR radio interviews.

Attended Connecticut Council on Education Reform Best Practices Forum.

Participated in the meeting of the Child Emergency Preparedness Committee.

Attended Yale School of Management Education Policy Symposium.

Attended focus group on implementation of teacher evaluation and support program.

Participated in panel discussion on school security at NSBA Council of School Attorneys opening general session, at the NSBA Convention.

Attended NSBA Delegate Assembly.

Led discussion on state association support to members in addressing school safety and security at NSBA State Association Council meeting.

Attended CAPSS Board of Directors meeting.

➤ By ensuring members receive the most up-todate communications: •

•

Attended workshop from the Hartford Foundation Nonprofit Support Program on strategic communications.

Prepared Custom Policy Service, material were prepared for Avon, Columbia, Griswold, North Haven, Ridgefield, Wallingford, Watertown and Woodbridge.

CABE Search Services is recruiting for SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Canterbury Public Schools For an update or more information on vacancies go to our website: www.cabe.org For more information contact, CABE Search Services, Jacqueline V. Jacoby • 860-539-7594 Mary Broderick • 860-739-7866 Paul Gagliarducci • 413-218-5692 Bob King • 203-461-0388

CABE Board of Directors met and discussed the roles and responsibilities of the Area Directors. Patrice McCarthy and Sheila McKay updated the Board on pending legislation.

Area Directors spoke about what was happening in their Areas.

P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 www.cabe.org/support • Equal Opportunity Employers

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– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

Connecticut represented at NSBA Conference Mary Broderick, former President of CABE and NSBA and Jack Reynolds, former Superintendent of Schools presented a workshop on micro-managing your school district.

Don Harris, Board Chair (Bloomfield); Robert Rader, Executive Director; Lydia Tedone (Simsbury) President; Stephen Wright (Trumbull) Vice President for Professional Development; Patrice A. McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel; Mary Broderick, NSBA Past President and former CABE President; and Richard Murray (Killingly) First Vice President.

CABE Senior Staff Attorney Kelly Moyher; Robert Rader, Executive Director; and Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel presented a workshop on ten steps to avoid liability. Bob and Patrice also spoke in other sessions during this busy Conference.

CABE Deputy Director and General Counsel Patrice A. McCarthy; Attorney Floyd Dugas, Berchem, Moses & Devlin; New York School Boards Association General Counsel Jay Worona; and Attorney Shamus O’Meara took part in a panel discussion at the Council of School Attorneys (COSA) Law Seminar.

CABE and Baldwin Media: Partners in Managing Communications

The

Media Message

from Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC

The value of video marketing Our team at Baldwin Media is challenged each and every day with trying to find unique ways for clients (many of whom are educators) to access reporters and media outlets that are willing to cover “their story”. We think we have found an avenue for your school district to consider. It’s a fairly new approach to a fairly old concept, which is utilizing production of videos.

With many school districts and organizations running their own Facebook pages and video friendly websites, as well having access to their own “in house/ school” video production capabilities, this is something that should be seriously considered . This is why: • Adding video to your website or Facebook page increases popularity with search engines (SEO) and the number of visitors to your page or website.

• Fewer people are walking into our public schools today or attending programs. Why not bring the story to them? For example, perhaps a student’s family member wasn’t able to attend a recent event, how great would it be that they (or anyone else for that matter) could just click on a link and see it?

• Video marketing allows you to tell your story the way you want it to be

told. You don’t have to rely on someone else’s interpretation. It is coming directly from you!

• Video marketing helps visually showcase programs or accomplishments all year-round, so that when some people start to ask about where their tax dollars are going for education, you can now show and tell!

• The story is laid out right in front of the viewer. Even if you prepare a detailed script that you read from some kind of autocue, your audience can see and hear you.

• Your personality will come through in the way you speak and the facial expressions you use. People feel more ownership of “the message” if they can hear it and see it, rather than they would via written content.

So why not set a goal of making this a regular attraction on your Facebook page or website? These pieces should only be about 2-3 minutes in length and visually appealing. People like to see and hear what is happening.

The point is that done correctly and done well, video marketing can do so much more than an email or letter in a backpack would. It can educate, inspire and often times motivate your audience.

People in the News

CABE Executive Director Robert Rader was invited to serve as a member of the advisory committee to assist in the preparation of the State Board of Education’s (SBE) new five-year strategic plan for 2013-2018. The plan will set forth the State Board’s goals and objectives and will guide the State Department of Education’s work.

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) recently announced that Robert Rader, Executive Director and Patrice A. McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel, were renewed as a Certified Association Executives (CAE).

The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry. Less than five percent of all association professionals have earned the CAE. To be designated as a CAE, an applicant must have a minimum of three years experience in nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent exam in association management and pledge to uphold a code of ethics.

To maintain this certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management.

UCONN/CABE Capstone Project The team of UCONN graduates students who have been working with CABE staff on the recent survey of board members wish to thank all who participated.

The survey results will be shared at the team’s final presentation in May, which CABE Staff will attend. If you are interested in learning the results, we will be sharing them on our website www.cabe.org.

12 The Journal

– Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • May 2013

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