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December 2014
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Murray re-elected CABE President At the Friday evening banquet, CABE Immediate Past President Lydia Tedone, Simsbury, announced the 2014-2015 CABE Board of Directors members. Re-elected were President Richard Murray, Killingly; First Vice President Ann Gruenberg, Hampton; Vice President for Government Relations Robert Mitchell, Montville; Vice President for Professional Development Elaine Whitney, Westport; Secretary/Treasurer John Prins, Branford; and Immediate Past President Lydia Tedone. Elected as Area Directors to the CABE Board of Directors were: Area 1 Director Daniel Gentile, Plymouth; Area 2 Co-Directors Donald Harris, Bloomfield, Jeffrey Currey, East Hartford; and Susan Karp, Glastonbury; Area 3 Director Laura Bush, Vernon; Area 4 Director Douglas Smith Plainfield; Area 6 Director Andrea Veilleux, Stratford; Area 7 Co-Directors John Prins, Branford and Roxane McKay, Wallingford; Area 8 Director Lon Seidman, Essex.
Delegates support board training Patrice A. McCarthy Deputy Director/General Counsel, CABE
CABE recently held its annual Delegate Assembly to vote on resolutions that are our guiding principles. In preparation for the Delegate Assembly, CABE’s Resolutions Committee chaired by Becky Tyrell (Plainville) met twice over the summer to discuss modifications to existing resolutions as well as proposed resolutions submitted by member school boards. The Committee developed a resolution See DELEGATE page 5
Common Core implementation going well
East Hartford
Chris Seymour Reporter, CABE
Connecticut is Standing Up for Public Schools Robert Rader Executive Director
As President Richard Murray announced in his Banquet Speech on Friday night of the CABE/CAPSS Convention, NSBA and state associations, including CABE with the support of CAPSS, have launched an initiative to help dispel continuous negative public discourse about our schools. NSBA has enlisted the help of Magic Johnson, Montel Williams and Sal Khan in this effort. NSBA has shared videos and other information with the media and other groups on this effort, which can be seen at http:// www.nsba.org/advocacy/publicengagement/stand-4-public-schools .
CABE President Richard Murray stated that “Astronaut Rick Mastracchio has agreed to be our first Connecticut ‘star’ �, an appropriate designation for this space explorer. Astronaut Mastracchio taped a video for the campaign while he was at Convention, which will soon be on the CABE website and Ann Baldwin of Baldwin Media has an article about this on page 14 of this Journal. We are hopeful that your districts will also find individuals who will STAND UP FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS! in your communities. See CONNECTICUT page 18
The CABE Journal recently had the opportunity to touch base with Connecticut Chief Academic Officer Dianna Roberge-Wentzell and teacher Cay Freeman of Sage Park Middle School in Windsor to get two different but equally important perspectives from the frontlines of Common Core implementation. According to Freeman, who teaches 6th, 7th and 8th grade math intervention classes using the SRBI model, the conversion has been going well. “Now, more than a year into the new standards, I can say that it’s definitely been a change for the better,� she said. “To be sure, these new standards are more cognitively demanding,� Freeman furthered. “They require a lot more frontloading of learning about number concepts and the value of numbers as a foundation for later higher level math. But I see the potential for greater and truer math learning. It’s not so much about memorizing rules and learning tricks anymore – it’s all about understanding what’s happening with the numbers as you do the math problems. And for my students, who’ve always struggled to memorize rules and learn mathematical algorithms that made no sense to them, this is finally a way to be successful.� At the state level, things are also going well. A Governor’s taskforce – made up of 25 people, including teachers, parents, administrators and, board members – met about a dozen times from March to June in order to examine the Common Core implementation and make recommendations for improvement, according to Roberge-Wentzell, who was also on the taskforce. “It was a great experience,� she recalled. “And we learned so much from studying districts where it was going well; it was such a great way to really think of what we could do differently.� See COMMON page 19
See You in Court
2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention highlights
CABE: Working for YOU
Term Limits: Legal?
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014 PRESIDENT COMMENTARY
Looking forward to 2015 Thank you. It has been an honor serving as your president this year. I have met so many wonderful and committed board members and I am humbled by your passion for public education and the children we serve. CABE is only as strong as its members and their willingness to step-up and focus on issues that may extend beyond their own districts borders. The CABE Executive Committee both collectively and individually has a laser-like focus on the issues facing public education as well as continuing to promote CABE as a leading voice for local governance. Our Board of Directors and Area Directors have an important role to play in advocating for public education and being an important conduit between the Executive Committee and local school boards. With the elections finally over, CABE has vital business to attend to in the coming year, namely educating the many new Legislators on our priorities for local education and local governance. It is so important for boards of education to know who their Area Director is and vice-a-versa. We need to have as much communication as possible with local boards. I recently attended the New York State School Boards Annual Conference. The keynote Speaker was a man named Wes Moore. Mr. Moore wrote a book titled, The Other Wes Moore; the title was not of his choosing. The book is about two kids named Wes Moore, who happened to reside a few blocks apart in Baltimore. They both had difficult childhoods without fathers and troubles in school and on the streets. One grew up to be a Rhodes Scholar and a decorated member of the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan, and the other Wes Moore ended up serving a life sentence after being convicted of murder. The subtitle of the book is, “One name, two fates”. Mr. Moore is a riveting speaker and promised me that he would come to Connecticut. The question that arises for me is how as school board members we can change the dichotomy of these two fates? What can we do through policy or other measures
CABE Search Services Call CABE for your recruiting needs For an update or more information on vacancies go to our website:
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For more information contact, CABE Search Services, 860-539-7594 Jacqueline V. Jacoby, Senior Search Consultant Paul Gagliarducci • Associate Consultant Mary Broderick - Associate Consultant Bob King • Associate Consultant P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 www.cabe.org/support Equal Opportunity Employers
to lessen the likelihood of the negative consequences faced by many like the other Wes? One area where we need to examine is our school discipline policies. Why are children of color four to six times more likely to be suspended from school? I went to a session sponsored by the New York Caucus Richard Murray of Black School Board Members to hopefully find some answers for this and other questions. Joaquin Tamayo Jr., is the Special Assistant, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, at the U.S. Department of Education, did a session titled “School Discipline, Ways to Reduce Suspensions while Maintaining Positive Learning Environments”. We got an overview of the “Supportive School Discipline Initiative”, a discipline guidance package jointly presented as a “Dear Colleague” letter by the Departments of Justice and Education. Mr. Tamayo also provided links to webinars and lots of discipline data and resources at the “Ed.gov/school-discipline” website. This site is packed with information pertaining to the Supportive School Discipline initiative, including much needed guidance for our schools. Mr. Tamayo presented several Department of Education guiding principles that would reinforce a positive school climate that would ensure consequences with equity. The guiding principles each come with several actions, which include promoting social and emotional learning, professional development for all staff including school resource officers, on clear, appropriate, proportional discipline and reducing inappropriate referrals to the justice system which often leads to what is known as the school to prison pipeline. Boards of Education need to create policies that include appropriate procedures and due process for all students and that removes kids from class and or school as a last resort. I specifically asked Mr. Tamayo about zero tolerance policies, his response was unequivocal, all the data he has seen is clear, zero tolerance absolutely does not work. I will have more to offer on this subject in future CABE Journals. So, we need to keep educating ourselves as board members so that we can be effective advocates for public education and see increased opportunities for all students to learn and succeed to their highest potential and I do mean ALL students. CABE has had a strong year. We have maintained and strengthened our many partnerships and coalitions in support of local governance of public schools. The Immediate Past President and I have worked to increase communication and ties to school board members in many of the states surrounding Connecticut. Because of so many dedicated volunteer school board members our voice is becoming stronger. The CABE Staff under the admirable and capable leadership of Bob Rader and Patrice McCarthy continues to support the mission of supporting local boards of education. We cannot do what we do without the wonderfully dedicated hard working CABE Staff. And a special shout-out to Lisa Steimer, who works so hard to ensure that all of us have a meaningful experience each and every year at the CABE/CAPSS Convention. I hope you all take some time to get to know these fine people who really work for us, Connecticut’s school board members, if you haven’t already done so. Thanks, once again I am honored to serve as your President for another year. Thank you so much.
Mission: To assist local and regional boards of education in providing high quality education for all Connecticut children through effective leadership. Vision: CABE is passionate about strengthening public education through high-performing, transformative local school board/superintendent leadership teams that inspire success for each child.
CABE Board of Directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Richard Murray .................................................. President, Killingly Ann Gruenberg ................................. First Vice President, Hampton Robert Mitchell ................ VP for Government Relations, Montville Elaine Whitney ........... VP for Professional Development, Westport John Prins ......................................... Secretary/Treasurer, Branford Lydia Tedone ............................................ Immediate Past President Donald Harris ........................................................ Member at Large
AREA DIRECTORS Daniel Gentile ......................................... Area 1 Director, Plymouth Jeffrey Currey ............................. Area 2 Co-Director, East Hartford Susan Karp ................................... Area 2 Co-Director, Glastonbury Donald Harris ................................. Area 2 Co-Director, Bloomfield Laura Bush ................................................. Area 3 Director, Vernon Douglas Smith ........................................ Area 4 Director, Plainfield Andrea Veilleux ................................ Area 6 Co-Director, Stratford Jennifer Dayton ............................. Area 6 Co-Director, Greenwich Roxane McKay ............................. Area 7 Co-Director, Wallingford John Prins ......................................... Area 7 Co-Director, Branford Lon Seidman ................................................. Area 8 Director, Essex Andrea Ackerman ..................................... Area 9 Director, Groton
ASSOCIATES Eileen Baker .............................................. Associate, Old Saybrook Sharon Beloin-Saavedra .............................. Associate, New Britain Gary Brochu .......................................................... Associate, Berlin Robert Guthrie .............................................. Associate, West Haven Robert Trefry ........... Associate, CT Technical High School System COMMITTEE CHAIRS Elizabeth Brown ......................... Chair, State Relations, Waterbury Donald Harris ......................... Chair, Federal Relations, Bloomfield 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 Gail Heath ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Government Relations Wilmarie Newton ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Labor Relations Denise Roberts .................................... Admin. Asst. for Membership Services 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
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY
CABE Affiliate Members BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER Finalsite GOLD MEMBERS
Advanced Corporate Networking dba. Digital BackOffice Berchem, Moses & Devlin Centris Group Guidance Counselors for Senior Teachers Pullman & Comley Shipman & Goodwin SILVER MEMBERS Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Arthur J. Gallagher & Company Corporate Cost Control Milliman, Inc. Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Perkins & Eastman Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck The Segal Company BRONZE PLUS MEMBERS BL Companies Friar Associates Goldstein & Peck, P.C. Milone & MacBroom Morganti Group O & G Industries The S/L/A/M Collaborative Trane BRONZE MEMBERS Brown & Brown Insurance Chinni & Meuser LLC Dattco Inc. Fuller & D’Angelo Architects and Planners JCJ Architecture Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. The Lexington Group Muschell & Simoncelli Ovations Benefits Group Suisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law
EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES American School for the Deaf Area Cooperative Educational Services Capitol Region Education Council The College Board Connecticut Association of School Business Officials Connecticut Center for School Change Connecticut School Buildings and Grounds Association Cooperative Educational Services EASTCONN EDUCATION CONNECTION LEARN Unified School District #1
Learn from three failed PR campaigns! The October 8th edition of Education Week contained a particularly interesting op-ed, entitled “What a Vaccination Study Taught Us About Transforming Schools and Districts”. It was written by an educational consultant, a professor emerita of educational administration at California State University and the superintendent of the Mountain View School District in Los Angeles County. The authors heard about a study that had examined parents’ concerns about immunizing newborns and how ineffective pro-vaccination campaigns had been. The study surprised them in that parents who had been anti-vaccination “became even more determined not to vaccinate their children after the campaign.” According to the report, the campaigns “had no effect on public opinion. None.” The article struck me as a metaphor for what the last two years have meant in education reform, especially concerning Common Core State Standards. There are lessons for all of us, Board members, superintendents and others in the authors’ discussion.
Communications Campaigns After examining the results of the study, the authors, La Salle, Johnson and French, began to look closer at how those in education typically try to make their arguments: First, they try to use the “scientific approach”, that is, using research and other tools to make their argument, obviously based on the issue. Second, if the first has not worked, they move to the “cuz-I-said-so default”, arguing that, for instance, federal regulations require or State education law mandates, that something happen consistent with their argument. But, not everyone “trusts the rules.” The third approach is an appeal to emotion. Sometimes it is taking an actual case and presenting that case in a manner in which probably everyone would empathize. My education example is: if Johnny is bullied, wouldn’t everyone empathize with him and want rules ensuring it doesn’t happen again? These types of appeals do not seem to work well anymore. That should be particularly concerning for school Board members and superintendents since rational discussion and using persuasion is critical for the important work you do. The authors believe that the “reasons the parents rejected the information about the vaccinations were based on cognitive bias. We believe in accordance with our believe systems: We are our beliefs.” Thus, changing a non-vaccinating parent’s opinion on the need to vaccinate their child would imply they were not good parents for not having immunized their child. This is a painful notion for any parent. Therefore, “they found rea-
Robert Rader
sons to reject the information, whether challenging its veracity, the related political agenda, or the credibility of the messengers.” How does one counter an argument, made in good faith, that is, not being used as a fig leaf for some other agenda? In this time of distrust in government and cynicism for virtually all institutions, how should you argue your case? The authors suggest that while they recognize “there is no ‘right’ way to approach communication”, it is more about how educators and, I would add, board members, view others and ourselves. Do we see ourselves as the experts, “convincing others that they must see the world our way? If so, are we more focused on being right than on doing right?”
Boards as Conveners of the Community If, instead, do we see ourselves as “members of a community given a most precious trust, that of educating our children?” If so, the authors state, the logical and moral imperative [is] that we continue our own thinking”. We must be open to new ideas, new information and new opinions. They suggest that instead of overwhelming people using the methods that did not work, we should turn issues into challenges in which both the messenger(s) and the recipient(s) see the need to understand and tackle the issue together. While they admit that it is difficult in many cases to be more collaborative, because of time and other constraints, “[g]enuine conversation — not information campaigns — will yield the personal and collective growth we need to move education forward.” In applying this to the work of Boards, collaboration is required in many cases, since the vote of any Board is contingent on building a majority. But, the larger engagement, with either the fictional, but all-too-real, taxpayer who cannot afford to pay more at budget time, or parents trying to understand the benefits and weaknesses of Connecticut Core collaboration, we
“. . . for Boards and Superintendents, compromise and attempting to mollify those who are unhappy with the decision, can pay big dividends. . . .some people just want to vent and be acknowledged. . . .that can be hugely helpful in building consensus.”
need better processes for decision making. For issues like these that can split a community, encouraging more people to be involved in the process, is frankly, a role that Boards should not only play, but strongly encourage. We often talk about Boards as “conveners of the community”. The underlying idea that real discussion, acknowledging differences in opinion and the value of those who have these opinions is critical in developing consensus. But, perhaps most important is the idea that all should be working towards an agreeable solution. Yes, that may result in persons unhappy that their opinions did not win the day. However, for Boards and Superintendents, compromise and attempting to mollify those who are unhappy with the decision, can pay big dividends. Remember that some people just want to vent and be acknowledged. Doing that can be hugely helpful in building consensus. Perhaps if those who developed Common Core had done this, there would have been less acrimony and more agreement. While PR campaigns, even if based in research, fact and law are sometimes helpful, nothing works as well as real conversations. It is the difference between talking with people and talking at people. The latter might have been necessary at young ages, but it does nothing to honor the validity of other people’s thoughts or views. Remember that your ability to use your emotional intelligence to empathize, to understand and to actively listen is one of your most important skills. It is what you must use if you want to persuade, convince or even just inform. In these days of cynicism, being a leader will require even more use of these skills than ever before.
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
“Expect Great Things”: From Slogan to Reality in Bridgeport, CT Allison Logan Director of Educational Initiatives, ABCD, Inc.
“There is something great happening here in Bridgeport!” says Frances Rabinowitz, Interim Superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools, as she leads the way in bringing a unique, joyful approach for public school reform to her school district. The Bridgeport Total Learning Initiative (BTLI) is a model birth to age nine approach that has been shown to be effective in increasing teacher quality; engaging parents, family, and community; improving classroom/school climate; and ultimately reducing the achievement gap. “I have seen first-hand the joy of parents and infants/toddlers, sharing in music and movement classes that develop essential pre-reading skills such as sequencing, attentive listening, and patterning. I am dedicated to expanding to more schools, to engage an increasing number of families and their children in Bridgeport. The parental participation in the program has been truly extraordinary.” – Superintendent Rabinowitz
The Issue – The Achievement Gap The plight of the Bridgeport Public Schools is common knowledge in the State and beyond. The Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition estimates that 25% (or 2,540 children) of all Bridgeport children under the age of five are living in poverty.1 Students in Bridgeport schools emerge significantly behind their peers from the surrounding more affluent communities on all achievement measures as a result of these economic and social conditions.
The Plan – Development of a Model Approach The BTLI is not a new “commodity” in the Bridgeport Public Schools. Started in 2006, the Initiative was developed by Action for Bridgeport Community Development (ABCD), in collaboration with the State of Connecticut, Bridgeport Board of Education, arts education IDEAS LLC, Child First, The Michael Cohen Group, and Music Together™. The goal of the Initiative was to develop and implement a
comprehensive and “whole child” approach to addressing the achievement gap. Expanding the Head Start model, the Total Learning approach is grounded in the belief that in order to effectively learn, children must be supported socially, academically, and through addressing the needs of the family as a whole, starting at birth and extending up through the fourth grade.
The Bridgeport Total Learning Initiative – What is it? Intentionally designed and meticulously studied, the BTLI’s multi-faceted approach is comprised of multiple components, both educational and social.
Danbury’s AIS magnet school named ‘Elementary School of the Year’ Robin Provey Danbury AIS Magnet School
The Western Connecticut Academy of International Studies (AIS) – a magnet elementary school in Danbury – has a mission of developing socially responsible global citizens who use technology to access the world. And it’s a mission statement that AIS clearly lives up to. The K-5 school was selected by the Connecticut Association of Schools as “Elementary School of the Year” for 2014-15. AIS was chosen from a number of Connecticut elementary schools and “clearly distinguished itself as a consummate elementary school,” according to the non-profit organization. The school’s international studies theme centers on the concept of peace and the role of peacekeepers in the world. Students start the day reciting AIS Peace Pledge in both English and Spanish. An emphasis on international studies and world language facilitates critical thinking and broadens mastery of the district curriculum. By focusing on being a part of the larger community, students learn about environmental awareness by food composting in their cafeteria, tending to a community garden, bonding with local organizations and recycling. A respectful relationship between parents, staff and community is a bridge that joins them in the common goal of challenging and nurturing the growth of each and every child.
When asked to find words to describe their school, a panel of AIS students responded with “peaceful, safe, kind, thankful and clean.” Their unrehearsed responses were part of the evaluation process. The criteria used to evaluate the school included whether the school was welcoming to students and visitors, and whether the school had an appropriately developed and research-based curriculum. Other items rated included whether technology at the school supported instruction. Most importantly, as indicated in the CAS award, the AIS magnet school is centered on the students, not the teachers, and provides a learning environment that supports instruction and encourages higher-order thinking skills. “We are all thrilled that our magnet school has received this award,” said Superintendent Dr. Sal Pascarella. “The school’s principal, Dr. Helena Nitowski, has been at the helm of this school since it opened in 2006. Her leadership skills and acumen have taken the school into this positive and progressive direction. Together with staff, the international and global studies theme has been incorporated into the core curriculum and has
been supported by parents and the community. This recognition is a representation of the hard work, of administration and faculty, the rigor of the Danbury Core Curriculum, and the focus on international studies.” Under the leadership of Nitowski, said CAS, the school has provided educational programs conducive to meeting the needs of all of its students. The school’s sense of community, its outstanding programs, its level of academic achievement, and the overwhelming positive feeling made it the choice of the CAS Outstanding Elementary School of The Year Award. The school will be presented with an award at the CAS Recognition of Excellence in Education Celebration at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington on Nov. 19. CAS is a non-profit educational organization. An informed leader in Connecticut’s education system, CAS provides services to the state’s K-12 schools in areas ranging from academics to athletics. The association represents more than 1,100 schools in the state. The AIS magnet school, located on Danbury’s Westside, is open to all Please see DANBURY page 18
• An Enhanced Learning Environment through multi-sensory teaching and learning, powerful professional development PK-4, smaller staff ratio, and extended school day and year. • Family Support through family advocates, workshops, parent events, and creation of family service plans. • Parent Infant/Toddler Engagement through Music Together classes that bring parents and their youngest children together, engaging in music/movement activities that foster brain development and early learning skills. • Independent Research through gold standard measures, looking at student/child achievement both social and academic, teacher efficacy and interactions, parent engagement, and overall effectiveness of the approach.
Impact of the Approach – Does it work? The Bridgeport Total Learning Initiative works The most recent evaluation demonstrated that teachers made statistically significant gains in classroom instruction and that students in TLI classrooms improved in their CMT scores at higher rates than at control schools. Evaluation results have also shown that when implemented with fidelity, children in TLI classrooms demonstrate significantly higher gains in early reading, literacy, and math skills than students in control classrooms. “The BTLI provides a best practice model for sustaining publicprivate partnerships to combat the overwhelming consequences of poverty.” In addition to the evaluative results, there has been overwhelming teacher, administration, parental, and student support of the initiative. Teachers have noted a renewed joy in teaching, with their students demonstrating a marked increase in engagement and achievement. Parents have joyfully engaged in the school community with extraordinary participation, feeling supported and a partner in their children’s learning. Please see BRIDGEPORT page 18
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014 See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education
A Nutmeg Board of Education attempts to streamline their board meetings 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 meetings of the Nutmeg Board of Education have been way too long. They always get off to a slow start because typically the first hour or more is devoted to Public Comment, which in reality is more like Target Practice, as resident after resident stands up and takes shots at the Board. One resident even pools minutes from others so that he can excoriate the Board for a full fifteen minutes each meeting. By the time the Board gets to its agenda, feelings are hurt and nerves are frayed. Often it is after midnight before the meeting concludes. At the urging of veteran Board member Bob Bombast, Ms. Board Chairperson put “Board Operation” on the agenda for the meeting yesterday. At the beginning of meeting, Bob then moved to amend the agenda to make “Board Operation” the first agenda item. The Board promptly agreed, and then Bob moved that the Board convene into executive session to discuss “Board evaluation” under the “Board Operation” agenda item. There was an indignant murmur from those who had come to the meeting to criticize the Board during Public Comment, but the Board was undeterred. Once the Board was in executive session, Bob unveiled his plan for more efficient Board operation. “First,” Bob urged, “we must stop letting the public kick us around. We start our meetings in such a negative way!” Board member Mal Content reluctantly disagreed. “I wish we could shut them up, but don’t we have to give the public a chance to speak? This is America . . . .” Ms. Chairperson concurred. “We can’t just cut them out. But we can further limit their time to, say, two minutes. That would help.” “What else would help,” interjected Penny Pincher, “is if we all kept our mouths shut and didn’t try to respond.
Delegates (continued from page 1) supporting required professional development for school board members, which was overwhelmingly adopted by the delegates. Among the resolutions discussed were education finance, educator evaluation, Common Core Standards, special education burden of proof, minimum budget requirement, universal preschool, mandates, and interdistrict collaboration.
Bob, you drive me crazy when you do that.” “Why don’t you mind your knitting, Penny?” Bob responded. “Sometimes we need to set the record straight. And come on, Board members, we have to think creatively here. What else can we do to streamline our meetings?” Mr. Superintendent offered a suggestion. “You guys are always getting into the weeds. Why don’t we put most action items on a consent agenda that we can just pass at the beginning of the meeting? We can save our energy for new significant items.” Penny and Mal immediately agreed, but Bob was wary. “The devil is in the details, Mr. Superintendent,” Bob responded. “We Board members have an important oversight role that extends to almost everything.” “Well, if you don’t trust me. . . ,” a miffed Mr. Superintendent began to say. “Let’s not go there,” interrupted Ms. Chairperson. “Let’s limit Public Comment to positive comments and shorten the speaker’s time to two minutes. We can deal with the idea of a consent agenda later. Are we all set for now?” Without dissent, Ms. Chairperson terminated the executive session discussion and reconvened the Board meeting in public session. When Ms. Chairperson announced these changes, however, the Board’s most vocal critics vowed a challenge. Will the Board be able to make these changes and operate more efficiently? As with so many legal issues, the answers here are yes and no. First, the Board can do much of what it discussed. Boards of education have no legal obligation to provide opportunity for public comment. Board of education meeting are meetings in public, not public meetings. When a board of education decides to offer the public an opportunity for comment, it is free to decide when it will offer such opportunity. The board can also limit the overall time it will spend on hearing from the public. For example, it would be fine to devote thirty minutes to public comment at the beginning of the meeting and move further public comment to the end of the meeting or even to the next meeting. The board may also limit the time that
Updates were provided on the many state task forces including those addressing behavioral health services, concussions, and special education. CABE’s State Relations Committee will meet shortly to identify legislative priorities for the upcoming session. Watch your mail in January for a copy of the Whole Agenda describing the positions of the Association, and plan to attend Day-on-the-Hill – March 25,
2015.
people can speak (and no one has a right to “pool” minutes of others). The key is that such time restrictions must be imposed even-handedly. When a board of education opens a forum for the public to speak, it may not discriminate against speakers on the content of their speech. Time limitations are fine as long as they are applied in the same manner to all speakers, those with popular speech (e.g., speech praising the board) as well as those with critical speech. That said, in taking these actions the Board overstepped in various ways. First, boards of education cannot prohibit members of the public from making comments critical of the board or of district employees. Given that public comment is a forum protected by the First Amendment, boards of education cannot pick and choose what speech to allow. If members of the public can say nice things, they can say not-so-nice things. Of course, the board may enforce prohibitions against ad hominum attacks, screaming, yelling and other inappropriate behavior. But boards cannot limit the public to “happy talk.” Board members are also well-advised to refrain from engaging in a discussion with members of the public over their comments. A brief correction or redirection is not a problem. However, public comment is a time for the public to speak, not a time for the board to conduct substantive discussions. In an extreme case, such discussion could even be a violation of the FOIA, because board members would be discussing a topic during public comment that was not on the board’s agenda for the evening.
The Board also erred in discussing most of these issues in executive session. To be sure, the provision in the FOIA permitting executive session discussion of the “appointment, employment, performance, evaluation, health or dismissal of a public officer or employee” applies to board members. Accordingly, board members can discuss the performance of individual board members in executive session (subject to the right of any member to require open session discussion as to him or her). Penny’s comments about Bob, for example, were appropriate to executive session. More general discussion of board operation, however, should be held in open session. Finally, there are ways to streamline operation, whether or not a board changes its approach to public comment. Many board actions are technical in nature, with no need for discussion. Such items can include approval of the minutes of the previous meeting, approval of appointments, acceptance of resignations, and the like. Some boards place such items on a consent agenda, on which the board takes action early in the meeting. When a consent agenda is used, board members can request that the item be removed from the consent agenda so that it can be separately discussed. However, many items can be addressed through the consent agenda without debate or discussion. Attorney Thomas B. Mooney is a partner in the Hartford law firm of Shipman & Goodwin who works frequently with boards of education. Mooney is a regular contributor to the CABE Journal.
Annual meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education
Attorney Thomas B. Mooney (Shipman & Goodwin) calls the Annual Meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education to order. The meeting was held at the 2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention. Cast members were: Dave Erwin, (Berlin) Mr. Superintendent; Irene Burgess, (Ridgefield) Board Member; Eileen Baker, (Old Saybrook) Board Member; Elaine Whitney, (Westport) Board Member and CABE Vice President for Professional Development; Terry Schmitt, (West Hartford) Board Member; Charles Carey, (Wethersfield) Board Member; and Jessica Ritter, (Shipman & Goodwin) Bruna, NUTS Rep.
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
CABE Delegate Assembly - November 13, 2014
Delegate Mirna Martinez (New London) spoke on one of the issues before the Assembly. Presiding Officer Donald Blevins, Resolutions Chair Becky Tyrrell, Vice President for Government Relaitons Robert Mitchell, Patrice A. McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE, Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE, and not pictured CABE President Richard Murray.
Delegate Susan Hoffnagle (Winchester) spoke at the Delegate Assembly on one of the issues.
Save the Date
March 25, 2015 CABE’s Day on the Hill The Bushnell, Autorino Great Hall, Capitol Avenue, Hartford Come and learn hear about pending Legislation before the 2015 General Assembly, hear from Legislative leaders, and learn how potential legislation will impact your district.
Delegate Elaine Whitney (Westport) and CABE Vice President for Professional Development, spoke on one the the issues before the Assembly.
A State Legislative Networking Program for CABE Member School Board, Superintendents and staff, PTA/PTO members, students and guests.
Delegates voting on the issues before the Assembly.
The Eighth Edition is finally here!!
A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law by Thomas B. Mooney, Esq., Shipman & Goodwin
The Guide comes with a CD which provides hyperlinks to many cases and statutes and will permit word searches as a supplement to the Index. The Eighth Edition was substantially rewritten to reflect statutory changes, significant case law developments in state
and federal courts. Some of the numerous legal developments and update are as follows: • School Safety and Security • Bullying Law • Teacher Evaluation and Support • Teacher Tenure Act • New Requirements for Professional Development • Budget Issues • Prohibitions on Electronic Notifications of Referenda • Minimum Budget Requirements • FMLA for Paraprofessionals • Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements • Uniform Regional School Calendars • Excusal • Student Assessments • Pool Safety • Concussion Prevention and Education • Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention and Education • Administration and Storage of Epinephrine • Excused Absences • Student Free Speech • Employee Free Speech The 8th edition will be available in mid-November from CABE. Order your copy TODAY by going to the CABE website: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=749
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
Book Review: How Google Works Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE
I don’t believe schools should be run like businesses. The differences in their missions, either the education of children or the maximization of profit, plus many other factors, are too great to expect either to closely resemble the other. However, public education can learn things from how businesses operate, even if the business is unique and has great resources. When it comes to leadership of successful companies, there are often lessons for board members, superintendents and association staff. How Google Works is not a primer on understanding Google products or software. Instead, former CEO Eric Schmidt, who is now Goggle’s executive chairman and Jonathan Rosenberg, current advisor to CEO Larry Page, provide some good tips to consider when handling various issues that could easily come forward in a school district, as well as at this hugely successful software developer. Here are just some of the many lessons that I took from the book; I have also tried to tie some of them to educational leadership issues (in italics): • Culture is critical in any organization. If the culture is not in line with the mission, the organization is set up for failure. The slogans that any organization puts forward, must be believed by those who are in charge. This is consistent with what we learned from the original Lighthouse study: if you say you believe all kids can learn, you need to believe it and ensure your actions implement that belief. • In making quality decisions, “pay level is intrinsically irrelevant and experience is valuable only if it is used to frame a winning argument.”
Google Authors’ Recommendations Here are some of the authors’ recommendations on how to handle our overflowing email boxes: 1. Respond quickly 2. Every word matters and useless prose doesn’t 3. Clean out your inbox constantly 4. Use LIFO—Last In, First Out 5. Make careful decisions on who to send emails. [In Patrice McCarthy’s words, “Reply All is not your friend.”] 6. Ask yourself why when you decide to use the bcc feature 7. If you need to yell, do it in person 8. Make it easy to respond to requests 9. Use keywords so you can search for something later
There is an obligation to dissent if someone thinks there is something wrong with an idea. A multiplicity of viewpoints – a/k/a diversity – is your best defense against myopia. The “experts” are not always right and it’s important to keep an open mind and hear all opinions when making a decision. • The building blocks of organizations should be small teams. They are like families... In the end they usually pull together. This also is applicable in other systems, like the military, where small squads develop strong ties and become willing to die for each other and, it is the current “push” in professional development in school districts. • “The character of a company is the sum of the characters of its people, so if you want high character, you must set that standard” As Tom Peters stated, “there is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.” This is critical for Boards and Superintendents, since one lapse can lead to destruction of a reputation… or worse. • Strategic plans are not helpful. Learn as you go and figure it out. And, look five years out and imagine all the possibilities. Boards
should have strategic plans, because they help define the focus of the school system. As you develop yours, you should also be looking at least five years out, and consider disruptions (usually quick and unexpected situations that can change an industry, a business or a school district) and opportunities. • Hiring is the most important thing companies do. It should be peerbased, not hierarchical, with decisions made by committees and focused on bringing the best people into the company, even if their experience might not match one of the open roles. In a peer-based hiring process, the emphasis is on people, not organization. Hire the best and there’s a “herd mentality” – other great people will follow... This last point is a critical part of the Superintendent’s job and, obviously, the Board selects the Superintendent. • Passionate people don’t wear their passion, they live it. Its hallmarks: “persistence, grit, seriousness, allencompassing absorption cannot be gauged from a checklist”. Nor is it always synonymous with success. Extracurricular passions can yield direct benefits. Encourage your staff to do more than just do their
jobs. Encourage them to be risktakers and to try things they believe will make a difference. • Statistics are sexy and the democratization of data means that those who can analyze it well will win. “Asking the questions and interpreting the answers is as important a skill as coming up with the answers themselves.” No matter your business, learn how the right data, crunched the right way, will help you make better decisions. Working with your superintendent, this IS the job of school boards! • A “well-run meeting is a great thing. See GOOGLE page 18
Failure Is An Option! In our culture, especially in government, the idea of failing in a project, service or other activity is anathema. In the “Land of Steady Habits”, failing as seen as the ultimate, well, failure. In How Google Works and another book on a social media, Things A Little Bird Told Me (by Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter), failure is seen as an important and even positive part of attempting anything worthwhile. Believe it or not, both Google and Twitter have had much experience with failure – they have rolled out services that did not work or failed to keep their services from crashing when they were needed. But, their culture (and resources) enables them to bounce back. We’ve all heard of Thomas Edison speaking about inventing the light bulb: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Here’s what I learned about Google’s culture regarding failure: • In order to transform anything, “you must learn to fail well. Learn from your mistakes: Any failed project should yield valuable technical, user, and market insights that help inform the next effort.” [As Bill Gates has said, “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.”]
• “Don’t stigmatize the team that failed”, others will watch “to see if the failed team is punished. Their failure shouldn’t be celebrated, but it is a badge of honor of sorts.” • The role of management “is not to mitigate risks or prevent failures, but to create an environment resilient enough to take on those risks and tolerate the inevitable missteps.” Biz Stone’s book plows some of the same ground. While discussing building a startup company, “in order to succeed spectacularly, you must be ready to fail spectacularly”. Failure, in terms of the many outages Twitter had, was “part of the path. It was worth the risk. In fact, it was a critical component of growth.”
Boards and Superintendents For school boards and superintendents, it is hard to risk failure. Whether it’s a new curriculum pursuant to the Common Core, a new evaluation system or even changing the grade configurations across the district, missteps, whether in communicating with others, getting the support that you need or in how the new idea will work, is close to a probability. Obviously, this must be considered before you launch the new idea. In order to succeed, you must risk unforeseen and even unforeseeable events.
This is not only applicable to the actions of the Board Leadership Team, it should be the perspective of the Team when considering the work of other members of the district staff. In order to succeed, especially in these times of rising expectations for all school systems, it is often necessary for teachers and principals to take some risks. Not only will attempting new teaching methods or other innovative opportunities possibly lead to greater success for your students, it may very well energize your staff and help build morale. Understand that failure will be a part of what occurs. Do not punish those who try, but fail, because other staff members will be watching. Yes, districts are very different from startups. But how you handle failure will say a lot to your staff and your community about what you value. Take measured risks, always explaining why you are doing so and you open up the possibility of great success. And, unless you have to, don’t pull the plug too quickly on what appears to be failing. As Edison said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention Highlights General Session Speakers • Honorees General Session Speakers
Honorees CAPSS announces 2015 Superintendent of the Year Dr. Betty Feser, Superintendent, Milford Public Schools, was announced as the 2015 CAPSS Superintendent of the Year.
Elaine Whitney (Westport), Vice President for Professional Development, CABE, introduced CABE and CAPSS Presidents.
CABE President Richard Murray (Killingly) welcomed everyone to the 2014 CABE/ CAPSS Convention.
CAPSS President Frank Baran (Woodstock) thanked the Convention Committee for all their hard work.
NSBA President Anne Byrne.
2015 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Joseph Cirasuolo, CAPSS Executive Director.
CAPSS 2014 Superintendent of the Year Janet Robinson (Stratford) introduced the 2015 CAPSS Superintendent of the Year.
Friday Morning General Session speaker Pasi Sahlberg.
Connecticut Commissioner of Education Stefan Pryor.
Cara Quinn (East Hartford) 2015 Connecticut Teacher of the Year, received a Special Commendation certificate from CABE.
2015 Teacher of the Year Finalists Robert Rader, CABE Executive Director. Cal Heminway introduced the 2015 Teacher of the Year finalists and the Teacher of the Year.
Saturday Morning Keynote Speaker Bill Daggett.
Ginny Snowden from Renaissance Learning, a Platinum Sponsor for the 2014 CABE/ CAPSS Convention.
CABE Past President Lydia Tedone (Simsbury) announced the election results.
Astronaut Rich Mastracchio was the Friday Night Banquet speaker.
Saturday Luncheon Student Panel: Marcus Lane, Senior, Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy, East Hartford; Emily Williams, Senior, Farmington High School; Kevin He, Senior, East Lyme High School; and Taylor Schwab, Senior, Suffield High School.
Two of the 2015 Teacher of the Year Finalists: Edward White (New Fairfield); and Juliane Givoni (Redding); received Special Commendation certificate from CABE.
The third 2015 finalist Justin Scott Taylor (Hartford) and 2014 Teacher of the Year John Mastroianni received Special Commendation certificates from CABE.
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention GENERAL SESSION Pasi Sahlberg: The right things to do The Convention Friday morning Keynote Speaker was Dr. Pasi Sahlberg, a noted Finnish educator and scholar. Dr. Sahlberg has a long career as an education advisor for the Finnish government and other nations, including the United States. Finland has garnered interest in recent years, as they have been ranked #1 in education by many international standards. Dr. Sahlberg spoke of the similarities and differences of educating young people in Finland and to the rest of the world; most notably the United States. He said that Finland has no “magic bullet” – that makes them so successful. He admitted that most innovations in Finnish education originated in the United States. The difference is that Finland was courageous enough to do what needed to be done, where the United States often lacks the political will to take the bold steps needed to improve education. He encouraged us to look at what we do well and do more of it. Some of the differences were attributes to a different culture – women in Finland have a higher status and children are expected to be successful. Children are required to learn at least two languages and most Finns speak four. Additionally, he advised us not to let testing drive instruction. In Finland, every teacher MUST be good. Every child receives early childhood and preschool education.
Four things you won’t find in Finland 1. Unhealthy competition In Finland the public schools have almost no competition, there are no charter or magnet schools and private schools are virtually non-existent. 2. Standardized teaching and learning Too many teachers teaching from a script. Creativity and teacher responsiveness to student learning mean lessons are adjusted on the fly. Individualized learning is important in Finland. 3. Test-based accountability There are no grades and the only test that matters is given when students are 18 years old. 4. Market-like school choices The goal is that every child must be successful; every teacher must be excellent and every school must deliver an excellent education. There are no competing interests. Several closing comments from Dr. Sahlberg:
• The whole child is the focus of the Finnish schools. Art, music and physical education are all important. One-third of a child’s school day relates to art, music and physical education. In elementary schools, children get 15 minutes of play each hour. • The well-being and health of children are critical. Thirty-three percent of all students are identified with special needs, but the emphasis is on prevention rather than “repair”. • “Teaching is not rocket science – it’s harder than that”. We must empower teachers by redesigning the teaching profession to focus on the needs of the children rather than the needs of the adults. Dr. Sahlberg ended his presentation with a quote from Winston Churchill, “You can always count on America to do the right thing; after they’ve tried everything else”. His belief is that we already know the right things to do to be successful and encouraged us to go forth and do them. Nicholas Caruso Sr. Staff Associate for Field Services, CABE
Rick Mastracchio: A Connecticut Astronaut at the CABE/CAPSS Convention The headliner of the Friday evening general session of the 2014 CABE/ CAPSS Convention – Astronaut Rick Mastracchio – was out of this world! Mastracchio – who has totaled 228 days in space across four missions, according to a Convention program profiling general session speakers – is a product of the Constitution State, having grown up in Waterbury, and he detailed how his experience in Connecticut’s public schools provided a solid foundation for his future successes. “I attended Chase Grammar School up to 8th grade and then went to Crosby High School [and graduated in 1978] and I had great teachers the whole time,” he said. “We are here to talk about education, so I think I need to mention my teachers because I had a lot of great teachers growing up.” Mastracchio noted that he was fascinated by the science he was taught in elementary school. “A lot of people ask me: how did you become an astronaut? How did you get to where you are today? And I always tell them, and this is true, [that] back in fifth and sixth grade, when my teachers would talk about science and the planets and NASA and airplanes and
things like that, it would just capture my attention,” he recalled. “And it just amazed me that these things were going on out there,” he added. “But I never knew I could be an astronaut; no one ever told me I couldn’t do something, so I decided I would go ahead and do it, what the heck?” Before that, though, he got his degree in engineering from the flagship public university in his home state, the University of Connecticut, which received a rowdy cheer from the crowd when mentioned by Mastracchio (he also has two masters degrees from other institutions). From 1982-87, Mastracchio was employed by Hamilton Standard in Connecticut as an engineer in the system design group, according to the convention program; while there, he participated in the development of high performance, strapped-down inertial measurement units and flight control computers. In 1987, Mastracchio moved down to Houston to work for the Rockwell Shuttle Operations Company at the Johnson Space Center, added the program; in 1990, he joined NASA as an engineer in the Flight Crew Operations Directorate. Six years later, in 1996, Mastracchio was on the cusp of realizing his dream when he was selected as an astronaut candidate; he started training in August 1996. But his path out of this world – literally – started in Waterbury with the great educators he had as a youth. One of them was a high school guidance counselor who reasoned that Mastracchio should be an engineer since he was “really good” at math and liked science. “I had some great teachers who pointed me in the right direction,” he recalled. – Chris Seymour Reporter, CABE
Bill Daggett: 70% of Youngsters Not Eligible for Military Founder and Chair of the International Center for Leadership in Education Dr. Bill Daggett was our keynote speaker Saturday morning of the CABE/ CAPSS Convention. In his keynote and a workshop he presented after the General Session, Dr. Daggett spoke about the struggles of our students. Among his points were that school boards associations, both in our state and nationally, have become the “voice of reason” at this time of reform. In regard to the need of our schools to adjust to newer thinking, different demographics and other concerns, he said
that it is so hard to change because the “newest solution becomes the enemy”. This is due to “entrenched interests”. As proof of the issues that face our students, he noted that nationally 70% of our youngsters out of high school are not even eligible for the armed services. Among the major reasons was that they lack diplomas, cannot pass literacy tests, are incarcerated or are obese. “If they are not even ready for the military, what makes anyone think that they are ready for 21st Century jobs?” he asked the audience. And, he added, the military now requires the same job skills as 21st Century occupations. What kind of trends will we see in the future in education? Dr. Daggett said that one of the ones we, as board members, parents and citizens, must better understand is that the Internet will soon be “anticipatory” in that, because of artificial intelligence, will be even quicker and more responsive to the needs of users. He asked, “Are your children on FaceBook?” When many answered “no”, he half-jokingly stated that was because “you’re on it.” But, what many people, especially youngsters, don’t realize is that wherever you go on the Internet, you leave “footprints”, which is how large companies can target you for ads. He spoke in favor of the Common Core State Standards and continued to discuss the issues facing the country and the State in his workshop. If anyone would like a copy of his PowerPoint for either the General Session or the workshop, email Karen Wilkins at KWilkins@leadered.com. Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE
WORKSHOPS New Professional Learning System Coming Along The collaborative process behind the development of a new professional learning system for Connecticut’s educators was the focus of one Saturday morning workshop at the 2014 CABE/ CAPSS Convention. “Supporting Educator Effectiveness and Student Learning Through a New Vision for Professional Learning in Connecticut” was presented by Director of Leadership Development for the State Department of Education Sarah Barzee; Division Director for Education Effectiveness and Professional Learning from the State Department of Education (SDE) Talent Office Shannon Marimon; and SDE Talent Office Consultant Kimberly Audet. Audet touched on the Connecticut Academy for Professional Learning, which she said will “build a vision of professional learning.” She explained, “We have convened a large group of stakeholders: there are reps see PROFESSIONAL page 13
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention Congratulations to the CABE Board of Distinction Award winners - Level II What makes your board’s leadership especially effective in improving student achievement? The Berlin Board of Education belives focus and alignment are key. The board is completely focused on student achievement. From the start of its meeting when the board chair states its mission statement, to the board agenda which practically eliminates non-student achievement items, to the use of student presentations to illustrate key student achievement initiatives to the board’s preparation work with administrators and teachers on presentations concerning student achievement. The focus on student achievement is communicated to the staff, not just in words, but through the continuous behavior of the board. The connections between board goals, initiatives and results are readily evident and everpresent. The Bethel Board of Education adopted a set of goals that enables the school district to focus on what’s most important – improving student achievement. The board’s goals keep student growth as the foremost priority and connects the work of the schools with the vision we hold for our students. The goals are: every child will be part of an active learning environment and every teacher will be learner focused; we will develop the strongest professional teaching force possible; technology will be a catalyst for the improvement of teaching and learning, communications, and data management; the appearance, maintenance, and safety of our school buildings will mirror our educational values and the aspirations we hold for our children. The Bloomfield Board of Education policymaking and oversight is rooted in data-driven decisionmaking. The Board routinely views data on student performance and other aspects of district functions. This is evident at regular, committee and special meetings where data is routinely analyzed to determine course corrections and/or next steps. The
analysis of data helps board members understand how best to support continued academic growth and keep aligned with the four district priorities: holistic accountability; strengthen curriculum, instruction and assessment; positive school climate; and parent and community engagement. The Granby Board of Education has been extremely supportive of public education both within the state and the local community. The Granby school system and community has benefited from strong and consistent leadership and decisionmaking over many years. The Board works collaboratively and supportively with the community and town officials in a non-partisan fashion as strong advocates for students and education. Our students continue to excel academically. Recognitions include Granby Memorial High School as a high-performing Connecticut Vanguard School, Granby Middle School as a CAS Middle School of the Year and Kelly Lane Intermediate School as a Federal Blue Ribbon School. The Madison Board of Education focuses on improving student learning as is evidenced during the budget development process. The board provides the necessary support to continually review and improve curriculum and the associated professional development to implement the curriculum in the classroom. Budget Assumptions include: implement curricular and instructional initiatives through Professional Development and Curriculum Renewal, maintain quality of technology in support of student learning and continue to follow the District’s Instructional Technology Plan, and review, refine, and/or improve current educational programs The Old Saybrook Board of Education believes that it is especially effective in improving student achievement due to their broad-based, teamwork approach to leadership. Given the importance of the
school-home connection, we are particularly focused on securing and incorporating input from parents and the community. Our strategic plan developed several years ago with a 34 member steering committee and over 90 individuals contributing to the final initiatives. As the strategic initiatives that were developed for this plan were developing, seven strategic initiatives subcommittees were formed and additional members of the community, parents and staff joined in this collaborative work. The initiatives focus on educating the whole child to reach his or her greatest potential. The Plainville Board of Education continues to maintain a commitment to optimizing achievement districtwide. With a collective focus on students, teaching, and learning, our board has provided the resources, support and leadership that serve as the foundation of our success – with an emphasis on continuous improvement of student achievement. Over the last four years, Plainville has significantly closed the gap from about 25% seven years ago, down to about 10% last year. This was accomplished not by bringing one student group down to meet the other, but by simultaneously raising performance in both groups, for all students. We continue to play a critical role in improving student achievement – their leadership continues to drive success and inspire continuous improvement! The Simsbury Board of Education cultivates the mind, body, and character of each student. We engage students with a meaningful and rigorous academic foundation so that they can contribute to a global society with integrity, compassion, and resilience. We developed five year goals that represent the next level of work that the staff and administration will engage in as we strive to improve PreK-12 education in Simsbury. Goals of the board of education are: student achievement, professionalism, school culture, communication and resources.
Stratford Board of Education developed district goals with the primary focus being on student academic achievement. These goals are reviewed annually to reevaluate and make whatever changes/ adjustments that are necessary. To that end, the board became invested in data analysis, and revision of existing and implementation of new curricula throughout the district. They require presentations from all principals on the status of strategies to improve student achievement. Analysis of data is also used for budgetary considerations like staffing levels and in salary negotiation decisions, course offering decisions, class size goals, and facilities usage. Other winners were:
Montville Board of Education
Newington Board of Education
Putnam Board of Education
Wolcott Board of Education
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention Congratulations to the CABE Board Recognition Award winners - Level I What makes your board’s leadership especially effective? The Canterbury Board of Education has a new superintendent hired in August 2013 and a new board of education chair as of November 2013. We have worked very closely together and were able to pass our budget on the first vote; the prior year was passed on the fifth referendum. The most important factor is clear communications with the community, presenting and disseminating information with transparency.
The Derby Board of Education members continuously seek to learn more about state and district initiatives and ensure there is alignment between the district and state. This involves scheduling many additional meetings to include retreats with the specific focus to develop more as a board and stay informed with the latest initiatives in education. Board members make sure they are represented at all school functions both during the day and in the evening. The board members take ownership of their role on the committees and work hard to ensure completion of the action steps, improving our schools and following the plan.
The Glastonbury Board of Education has a proud tradition of working collaboratively with administration and staff, communicating effectively with our community and providing thorough explanations for critical decisions and changes. Perhaps our greatest strength is the unique and informed perspective that is brought forward by each board member. We recognize that the community expects excellent results and we are very careful to balance the needs of our students with the impact on our taxpayers. Through careful planning, excellent analysis and exhaustive discussion we
continue to strive to provide the best for our students and educators while embracing the many significant changes in education.
The Greenwich Board of Education feels that effective board leadership is based on achieving consensus through thorough discussion and discourse against policies, district goals and by diligent preparation, and cohesive interaction with administrators, staff, parents, students, town officials and the greater community. The Greenwich Board of Education embraces and regularly employs each of these actions focusing on its number one priority, increasing achievement for all students.
The Killingly Board of Education and the superintendent engage in a collaberative goal setting retreat with a facilitator every two years at the beginning of a new board. Selfevaluation is done each year in June as well as the superintendent evaluation. Great working relationship and communications with all board members and administrators. Board and administration workshops are new and being utilized. Our board focus eseach meeting on the point of student achievement.
hearings, agenda setting, committee structure. Board members are encouraged to attend professional development opportunities. They have adopted multi-year goals that are assessed annually.
The Shelton Board of Education’s primary goal for the last year was to develop a plan and secure funding to implement Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) in September 2014. It was an aggressive goal because keeping taxes low is a core value in Shelton, and most of our elected officials felt we should just use the long term savings we expect from FDK to fund itself. When the budget and mill rate were set, FDK wasn’t funded. But because of the groundwork we’d done with public information forums, the parent community became very vocal, and a week later the Mayor and Aldermen agreed to provide the extra funding we needed to get FDK in place. We have a strong team what works collaboratively.
The Vernon Board of Education utilizes a system of committees to forward the work of the board. Committee meetings are held on nights separate from the regular board meetings.
Minutes of all the committee meetings are disseminated to the rest of the board and all committees make recommendations to the full board for decisions on policy, personnel, budget, technology, curriculum and facilities.
The Wethersfield Board of Education has demonstrated a strong commitment to bipartisan decision-making which has resulted in positive outcomes for the district. Other winners were:
Groton Board of Education
Salem Board of Education
Waterford Board of Education
Shipman & Goodwin Reception The New Britain Board of Education provides new board members with an inhouse orientation with support from the administration and the board of education leadership team on issues of protocol, procedure, budget development, policy development, grievance hearings, expulsion
Relaxing and networking at the Shipman & Goodwin sponsored reception on Friday evening.
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
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Student Performers Parish Hill High School Chamber Choir performed at the Friday morning General Session.
Students from Two Rivers Magnet School performing percussion on Friday morning.
PROFESSIONAL (continued from page 10) from CABE and CAPSS, teacher unions, administrator unions, higher education, RESCS. And the purpose of this is to build a vision of professional learning so that through all these education organizations, when they go out to support educators in districts in classrooms, we all understand what professional learning is and what meaningful, valuable professional learning is.” The Professional Learning Advisory Committee (PLAC) is a subcommittee of the Academy, and it features a representative of each stakeholder group that attended the Academy, said Audet. “The PLAC convened a few weeks ago to develop standards,” she said. Those eight standards for professional learning include learning communities, leadership, resources, data, learning designs, implementation, outcomes and equity. “We have also developed guidance— things to consider when developing your professional learning system,” said Audet. Proposed guidance for professional learning includes context, values and beliefs, and standards for professional learning. Also in the works is a proposed definition of professional learning. “One of the biggest things in the works we are doing now for professional learning is really emphasizing the district and school community and that all of these people play a big part in developing a system of professional learning—so designing it, implementing it, evaluating it and supporting it,” added Audet. Marimon listed several “key factors” of professional learning, including that “It must be a comprehensive, sustained and intensive approach” and it “provides opportunity for continuous improvement… there is no end, the sky is the limit in terms of what is possible for learning and opportunities for growth.” Audet described professional learning as “continuous professional growth,” adding, “I look at the term professional learning as reflective of that instead of professional development; professional
The Berlin High School Jazz Ensemble performed at the Saturday morning General Session.
CABE Secretary/ Treasurer John Prins (Branford) talks with the Bethany girls in Math and Science program.
development to me means a one stop shop where that professional learning is ongoing. It is something that is collaborative, job-embedded and reflects what the educator needs at that point in time.” One of the workshop attendees – a teacher – noted that there are teachers that “want to be islands … they’re very competitive and they want to be a standout teacher and it’s very difficult to make that shift into collaboration.” Barzee responded by noting “a culture of collaboration” needs to be cultivated within the new professional learning system. “We all have to support all of our kids,” she said of students. “Not just my kids and your kids.” CABE’s representative to this Committee is Patrice A. McCarthy. – Chris Seymour Reporter, CABE
Wallingford Successfully Building Capacity The impressive community-wide engagement efforts of Wallingford schools in the face of many recent changes to the educational landscape were the focus of Friday afternoon’s 2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention workshop, “Building Capacity to Successfully Navigate in a Perfect Storm.” The “storm” the workshop’s title refers to is the “perfect storm of educational change,” as described by the Convention program, which adds Wallingford is “navigating the seas of change through partnerships and leadership development of all community members.” Wallingford Superintendent Salvatore Menzo was among the Wallingford contingent that detailed just how their community was effectively building capacity. “Capacity is so essential,” said Menzo. “Capacity is not just that of our educators or our students but also our parents, community, our board members – everyone in the community has to be part of that. The fact is it is basically moving a district forward in a way that allows everyone to feel invested, to feel a part of the process, and owning the outcomes, owning the successes, and owning the challenges.”
John Hastings, a senior at Sheehan High School, said the Wallingford school system seeks to “build a collaborative environment – taking stakeholders such as teachers, principals, students, and even business owners and trying to collaborate with those people so we can make the best decision for everyone.” Menzo stressed that communicating why you are doing what you are doing is essential. “In order for any district to move forward, people have to have an understanding of why you are doing what you are doing and then you can talk about how you’re going to do it,” he said. In reaching out to the community at large, including businesses, Wallingford Board of Education Chairwoman Roxane McKay underscored the importance of asking them the right questions. “Ask ‘what can we do for you? What are your needs? How can we collaborate? What can we offer you guys?’ It is about making relationships and being invested and being part of a community,” she stressed. “Whoever it is you are trying to engage, learn what they need and how you can assist them and that breeds great partnerships.” On the topic of partnerships, Menzo touched on a belief system dubbed the “Wallingford 100,” which “strives to achieve 100% community involvement with 100% student engagement for 100% graduation/success,” according to the Wallingford school system website. “The Wallingford 100 flag flies at every school, at town hall….we have decals all over the place,” said Menzo. “The students know that people care.” Observed Lyman Hall High School teacher Ken Daly, “The success of our students is a community endeavor; it’s not just a classroom teacher endeavor.” – Chris Seymour Reporter, CABE
Workshop Focuses on Civic Synergy The often complicated – and sometimes contentious – relationship between school boards and municipal governments was the topic of 2014 CABE/CAPSS Convention workshop “Building Civic Synergy: Working with Municipal
Officials to Achieve a Common Goal.” The workshop was presented by Attorneys Kyle A. McClain and Nicholas J. Grello of Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck. McClain noted the idea behind “civic synergy” was for boards of education and school officials – along with Town Council members, Selectmen or other municipal officials – “to try to work together, which may or may not be an easy task” and that’s because conflict, which he said was “natural,” can often arise – primarily when it comes to finances. “They hold the purse strings,” said McClain of the municipalities. As all board members are well aware, .a municipal government “can reduce a board’s budget but can’t get into line items; they can say [of the whole budget], ‘we think that is unreasonable and we are going to reduce that.’” When it comes to employees, that can get a little complicated too since Board of Education employees, at the end of the day, are town employees. “Employment authority can be a source of conflict—the town is the employer because they hold the money but the Board of Education directs employees and their employment,” noted McClain. “The town is the ultimate employer because they fund the Board of Education budget.” McClain underscored the importance of Boards of Education and towns/cities working together, noting both have numerous shared goals, including meaningful public education; community success; and the fact they are both representatives and advocates for the same stakeholders; and both have limited resources so working together can lead to “greater efficiencies.” McClain said that towns and boards could work together by sharing information (being transparent and accountable), listening, and including rather than excluding. Other avenues include utilizing liaisons, joint open public meetings (annually or more), uniting to support afterschool programs, working together to support unpopular issues, and coordinating rather than directing. Chris Seymour Reporter, CABE
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014 The
Media Message
from Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC CABE and Baldwin Media: Partners in Managing Communications
Interview with Astronaut Mastracchio out of this world As many of you know the CABE/ CAPSS Convention was held in November at the Mystic Marriott. This year there seemed to be a record crowd of folks all with one common interest: support and passion for public education in Connecticut. Those who attended also got a special treat as many had the opportunity to hear Waterbury native, Rick Mastracchio, speak at Friday night’s banquet. Not only is Rick a NASA Astronaut, he is also a graduate of Crosby High School in Waterbury, Connecticut and a huge pro-ponent of public education. I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Mastracchio on camera, prior to his keynote address for a video project that CABE is working on called; “Stand Up for Public Education.” This is a campaign started by the National School Boards Association and it has taken off. The goal is to get real people with real, incredible stories as
they relate to how public education got them to where they are today. That was the story of Astronaut Rick Mastracchio. Before the interview started, I asked Rick if he ever had any media training and his answer was, “Another Astronaut and I reported live for hours and hours while in space to hundreds of millions of people all over the world. Does that count?” Mr. Mastracchio has logged nearly 40 days in space and is a veteran of three space flights. The most recent was in February of this year as part of Expedition 38, which included research projects focusing on technology demonstration, cellular and plant biology, human health management for long duration space
travel and maturing critical systems that currently support the International Space Station. I myself am now a bit intimidated. I am interviewing a REAL Astronaut! Mr. Mastracchio was a real gentleman. So gracious and unassuming and so proud of where he came from. In the interview he referred to his days at Crosby High School in Waterbury, CT, where he said it was his science and math teachers who inspired him to one day become an Astronaut. A graduate of Crosby High School’s class of 1978, he then went on to receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science from the University of Connecticut in 1982, as well as several other degrees after that.
This wasn’t a man who needed media training to speak in “soundbites” because the message that he had about the public education that helped him prepare for where he is today came from his heart. Also, close to his heart, he spoke of his wife of many years and how they met in 8th grade in Waterbury, Connecticut and how proud he is of their three grown children. What a humble and accomplished man. In most cases, reporters aren’t supposed to share their personal opinions, but in this case I had to, just in case you didn’t get the opportunity to meet this amazing man. I hope that you will all be on the look-out for the interview that I recorded, which CABE will be putting on their website and on YouTube in the very near future, so that you can see for yourself why we should all be proud of this man and of so many great “products” of Connecticut’s public school system.
Congratulations to the school districts which won CABE’s 2014 Award of Excellence for Educational Communications CABE recognized school districts for excellence in educational communications at the CABE/CAPSS Convention. Members of the CABE Board of Directors and Staff will present the Awards to the winning boards at a meeting in their district after the first of the year. Entries were judged by Susan Saks of Susan Saks Voiceovers. Award Winners Going Green Redding Public Schools Garden Club Wolcott Public Schools “It’s Elementary – Use Less “ Stamford Public Schools Scofield Magnet Middle School LED Retrofit & Behavioral Awareness Newsletter Salem Public Schools Salem School District News Letters Simsbury Public Schools Henry James Memorial School Newsletter West Hartford Public Schools Bugbee Buzz (2/4/2014) (4/8/2014) Annual Report EASTCONN Annual Board Update 2013-2014 ACES Innovations 2012-2013 Annual Report CREC 2012-2013 CREC Annual Report
District Budget Region 18 Public Schools 2014-2015 Budget Book Wolcott Public Schools Wolcott Public Schools 2014-2015 Budget Proposal Fairfield Public Schools Proposed Budget 7/1/14 – 6/30/15
Special Project Bethany Public Schools Welcome Back Packet 2013-2014 Cheshire Public Schools Digital Photo Frames for Display CREC CREC Magnet School Catalog
Parent/Student Handbook Woodbridge Public Schools Beecher Road School Parent & Student Handbook 2014-2015 Newington Public Schools Student Parent Handbook West Hartford Public Schools Weekly Principal Newsletter
Special Project (AV) Redding Public Schools Taking Care of Others at John Read Middle School - The Kindness Project ACES We Are the Champions CREC Commercial (Give Your Child A Head Start)
Course Selection Guide EASTCONN Programs & Services 2014-2015 Newington Public Schools Student Parent Handbook CREC 2013-2014 CREC Programs & Services Catalog
Computer Generated Projects Woodbridge Public Schools Woodbridge 2013 CMT Results Present to Board of Education New Fairfield Public Schools School Safety West Hartford Public Schools The Hoot
Calendar C.E.S 2014-2015 Member District Calendar Region 5 Public Schools 2014-2015 Amity District Calendar Wallingford Public Schools District Calendar
Web Sites Region 6 Public Schools Womogo Regional H.S. Website Berlin Public Schools Berlin Public High School Website Manchester Public Schools MHS Redline Student News
Honorable Mention Winners: Bethany Public Schools Bethel Public Schools CREC Cheshire Public Schools Colchester Public Schools EASTCONN East Hartford Public Schools Fairfield Public Schools Glastonbury Public Schools Griswold Public Schools LEARN Madison Public Schools Manchester Public Schools Meriden Public Schools New Fairfield Public Schools Newington Public Schools New Milford Public Schools New London Public Schools Plainville Public Schools Putnam Public Schools Redding Public Schools Region 5 Public Schools Region 6 Public Schools Region 12 Public Schools Region 18 Public Schools Ridgefield Public Schools Salem Public Schools Simsbury Public Schools Stamford Public Schools Wallingford Public Schools West Hartford Public Schools Wolcott Public Schools Woodbridge Public Schools
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
CABE: working for YOU Individualized Workshops • Professional Development Opportunities Legal Services • Policy Services • Representing You Statewide and Nationally to better govern their districts:
Below are the highlights of activities that the CABE staff has undertaken on your behalf over the last month. We did this:
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➤ By representing Connecti-
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cut school boards on the state or national level:
Attended Connecticut Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Executive Committee meeting. Attended Professional Learning Advisory Committee meeting. Attended State Board of Education meeting. Discussed the upcoming Legislative Session on WTIC. Attended Connecticut Association of Nonprofits Annual Conference. Attended CREC Legislative Committee meeting. Attended CAPSS Technology Committee meeting. Participated in the Connecticut Coalition for Public Education Meeting, held at the A.I. Prince Technical High School. The group spoke with Senator Don Williams on Smart Start, the early childhood education initiative and other issues. Hosted a meeting of the WhatWillOurChildrenLose Coalition meeting. We are preparing for the Legislative Session. Hosted a meeting of the Big 6 Partnership on items of concern as we prepare for the upcoming Legislative Session. Attended Governor Malloy’s press conference on increasing funding districts for safety and security. Participated in NSBA Ad Hoc Committee on The Future of School Boards teleconference.
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for members to learn how
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Had conference call with Friday morning General Session speaker, Pasi Sahlberg. Planned, implemented, and presented successfully NSBA Northeast Conference. Planned and implemented Charter School Board training. Planned and implemented highly successful CABE/CAPSS Convention. Provided effective meetings workshop with the Windsor Board of Education. Provided roles and responsibilities workshop for the Canterbury and Chaplin Boards of Education. Provided a board evaluation workshop for the Stafford Board of Education. Continued working with CAPSS on updating our Joint Governance Statement and Team Assessment document. Provided policy information to 33 districts, two nonprofit educational organizations, a graduate student and the State Department of Education through 55 answered requests for information or sample policies, on 48 topics. Further, districts continue to access CABE’s online Core Policy Reference Manual and/or online manuals posted by CABE for policy samples. The topics of greatest interest pertain to: student attendance, student health, and technology issues; graduation requirements and student discipline.
➤ By providing services
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Education on CABE services, activities and programs. Met with Hartford Superintendent Beth Narvaez and Winchester Superintendent Ann Watson on CABE services, activities and programs. Met with New Canaan Chair Hazel Hobbes and Superintendent Bryan Luizzi on CABE services, activities and programs. Completed the audit of the Bloomfield Policy Manual. In the process of auditing the Hamden Policy Manual. Entered into an agreement to do an audit of the Portland Policy Manual. Revised sample policies pertaining to smoke-free environment, food sales, nutrition program, vending machines reporting of child abuse, attendance, health assessments, and attendance. The online CORE Manual was again updated.
as part of the Custom Update Service.
➤ By helping school boards • • • •
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receive the most up-todate communications:
As part of the development of new policy manuals utilizing the Custom Policy Service, materials were prepared for Avon, Cromwell, Griswold, Ellington, Newtown, North Haven, and Wethersfield Boards of Education. Entered into an agreement to revise sections of the Branford Policy Manual as a follow-up of the audit. Processed materials for New Fairfield, New Hartford and Marlborough Boards of Education
Provided Lighthouse training for the Vernon Board of Education. Provided district goal setting workshop for the Wethersfield Board of Education. Facilitated a board retreat for the Region 13 Board of Education. Sent out two issues of Policy Highlights via email listserv covering topics that affect student achievement. This included the observation of religious holidays in the schools, the role of paraprofessionals, the use of tablets in instruction, dropouts, and homework.
➤ By promoting
public education:
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➤ By ensuring members
to increase student achievement
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Attended Connecticut Council on Education Reform workshop on Communicating the Common Core. Hosted and presented a workshop on what Charter School Boards need to know about their roles and responsibilities. This was done at the request of the State Department of Education. Hosted a meeting of PreK-3 Leaders, discussing how best to strengthen early childhood education in the State. Toured the Achievement First Hartford Academy. Met with the Hartford Policy Committee. Attended and presented at the CABE/ CAPSS Convention.
to meet members needs:
Met with Chairman Chris Pattacini and Superintendent Matthew Geary from the Manchester Board of
Available from the CABE Bookstore! Understanding the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act and Access to Public Meetings and Records - Fourth Edition Written by:
Mark J. Sommaruga, Esq. Pullman & Comley, LLC to order the FOIA book go to the CABE Online Bookstore at www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=749
Discussions and actions at the State Board of Education meeting Sheila McKay, Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations, CABE
The update by LEAD Connecticut to the State Board of Education (SBE) at its monthly meeting precipitated a lengthy discussion, as they are doing much to assist school leaders in Connecticut. LEAD CT is coordinated by the Connecticut Center for School Change, and provides leadership training and coaching for aspiring and advancing leaders. The Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) along with UCONN’s Neag School of Education have programs they are sponsoring for turnaround district leaders and for coaching new Superintendents. It is also underwriting the updating of the CABE/ CAPSS Governance Statement and Teacher Assessment document. The Leadership Competency Framework, intended to focus specifically on the competencies found to be essential to improve performance in Alliance school districts really gets at the attributes and actions of effective leadership. CABE’s Patrice McCarthy and Robert Rader have been active participants in assisting with this work. As part of the update on minority recruitment, Dr. Sarah Barzee, State Department of Education’s Chief Talent
Officer said 31 states, including Connecticut, have policies on recruitment. From the SDE’s executive summary, is a statement from the U.S. Department of Education predicting earlier this year that “this fall, a majority of public school students will be children of color.” However, the summary continues, “our country’s workforce remains remarkably stagnant, with little change in diversity rates over the past decade.” Discussion lead to strategies to increase the racial, cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity of the educator workforce. By encouraging students to become teachers, creating a pipeline to enroll students in teaching programs, and funding scholarships. Tamara Gloster of CREC, spoke about the Minority Teacher Recruitment Committee’s workshop to assist in passing the Praxis exam. About a third of those who attended the workshop and report their scores have passed all three Praxis exams. In the end, it was Charlene Russell Tucker, Chief Operating Officer at SDE who remarked, “You can recruit but can you retain?” This is a part of a discussion at the legislative subcommittee level of the State Board of Education. In reviewing the draft social studies
See STATE BOARD page 19
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
CABEMeeting
The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE
Few subjects are more likely to cause a heated debate than whether controversial issues should be taught in public schools. Curricular content that deviates from the norm, or is considered to be “too controversial” will often result in a firestorm of criticism for a teacher with the temerity to challenge majority opinion or question prevailing positions or values. Yet, there is general agreement that the teaching of critical thinking skills in students is one of the curriculum’s important goals. One of the best ways of achieving this goal is to allow students to address controversial issues, teaching them how to analyze the evidence of both sides. Young people have strong opinions about controversial issues. In an age of mass media and electronic communication, today’s students are regularly exposed to conflicts and controversies. They are alert to information and images they see in the media. However, information about teaching controversial topics in public schools is of growing importance because of increased public concern. Clearly, students require more than “the basics.” They need to be equipped to become discerning citizens. As a result, teachers and administrators need to have a guarantee that they may venture into areas of discourse which require critical thinking, and which by their nature, will evoke controversy. Such a guarantee can be achieved by teaching and adhering to a procedure that ensures objectivity and the balanced presentation of multiple perspectives and through appropriate policy direction which protects students from being “intellectually assaulted, emotionally accosted or spiritually molested.” Courts usually leave to the schools issues pertaining to the curriculum. However, the courts will intervene when necessary to protect the legal rights of parents and students. Curriculum-related lawsuits usually result from disputes over content. While courts usually defer to schools, a board’s curricular discretion, either to require content or to censor it, is limited.
Curriculum Decisions Following is a listing of what schools are and are not permitted to do, based upon judicial decisions over time pertaining to controversial issues in the curriculum. Schools may: 1. Require students to learn controversial content, even if such content may offend the ideological or religious sensibilities of some in the community. 2. Teach about religion. 3. Require values or character education. The fact that some secular values parallel religious tenets does not taint a program as establishing religion.
4. Hold or require activities based on cultural traditions or fantasy, as long as they do not border on religious ritual. 5. Teach about religious holidays. 6. Include religious music in a school music group’s repertoire. 7. Restrict content based on legitimate pedagogical grounds. These include age appropriateness, professional acceptance, consistency with general educational objectives, or currency. 8. Require a teacher to teach content he/she finds objectionable. 9. Discipline a teacher for violating curricular guidelines or common sense propriety. Academic freedom does not permit a teacher to show a R-rated movie to young students or be in violation of district policy. Schools may not: 1. Make arbitrary curriculum decisions without rational reasons. A decision must be rationally related to a legitimate governmental purpose. 2. Ban academic content solely because it’s controversial or offensive to the religious or family values of some community members. Courts have held that students have certain legal rights to receive information, even if controversial. 3. Engage in religious instruction. Promoting or denigrating religion is unconstitutional. 4. Fail to address abuses of discretion by teachers. 5. Teach religion in the guise of other subjects. 6. Hold activities, that border on religious practice. 7. Hold religious celebrations. A school district should consider a policy which includes an “opt-out” procedure for students to be excused from certain classes. Such a policy is not required, but it can help ease controversies. Legally, an opt-out makes it more likely that a court will reject a challenge to an assignment. The rules for making textbook decisions are similar to those for curricular decisions. Schools may: 1. Require assignment of materials even if some parents object to some of the ideas in them. 2. Forbid use of textbooks or materials in class because of vulgarity or graphic treatment of sexual matters, even where material has great literary value. 3. Rely on motion picture ratings to determine the appropriateness of films for students. 4. Use religious materials in class to teach about religion and culture. Schools may not: 1. Remove instructional materials from the curriculum based solely on
religious and ideological beliefs of parents/guardians and community members. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires districts receiving federal funds to adopt a local policy giving a parent the right to inspect any instructional material, regardless of format, used as part of the educational curriculum. Parents must be notified, at least annually at the beginning of the school year, of the existence of the policy. Policy #6162.51, Surveys of Students (Student Privacy) addresses this issue.
Library Materials Courts usually apply a stricter standard of review to decisions to restrict student access to library/media materials than to classroom materials. The rights of students to receive information cannot be infringed just because ideas are controversial or may be distasteful to some. A school board, however, can exclude materials from the library if they are not “educationally suitable” or are “pervasively vulgar.” It is recommended that boards establish a standard procedure to handle challenges to library materials. Source: In part based upon an article written by Thomas Hutton, NSBA Staff Attorney, appearing in Inside School Law, winter 2003 edition.
Policy Implications Controversial issues inevitably become part of the education program and may provide students with opportunities for free expression, exchange of ideas and viewpoints and foster critical thinking. Controversial issues, materials and topics, appropriate to the grade level, may be introduced in the classroom in accordance with the policies of the board and the procedures established by the superintendent of schools. The policies listed below relate to the information contained in this discussion of controversial issues and samples are available from the CABE Policy Service. 1. 2.
Policy #1312 / Public Complaints Policy #4118.21 / Academic Freedom 3. Policy #6162.51 / Surveys of Students (Student Privacy) 4. Policy #6144 / Controversial Issues 5. Policy #6144.1 / Exemption from Instruction 6. Policy #6144.3 / Controversial Speakers 7. Policy #6160 / Educational Resources and Material 8. Policy #6161 / Equipment, Books and Materials 9. Policy #6161.1 / Evaluation/ Selection of Instructional Materials 10. Policy #6177 / Use of Commercially Produced Video Recordings
CABE-Meeting is a user-friendly online service offered by CABE specifically for school boards. Users can eliminate unnecessary paperwork, increase efficiency and reduce costs while enabling board members to utilize the latest in cutting edge technology. Using CABE-Meeting, the Meeting Manager can create and electronic meeting from developing the agenda to creating the minutes and everything in between. When the meeting is ready, the Meeting Manager emails your board members and designated administrators to let them know they can log in. Users can login from the comfort of their homes or work place. With a mouse click, agenda and related documents are open and ready for viewing. Using the search features, administrators and board members can easily locate information from previous board meetings. No more time consuming, tedious searches through mounds of paper!
What Else Does CABE-Meeting Offer? • Secure login access for board and district staff • Password protected access for certain features and audiences • Access from any location with Internet access • Search archived agenda and meeting related items in a flash. • Ability to download and print attachments • Option to provide a public link to board meeting information • Calendar for tracking events of district interest
Your CABE-Meeting Subscription Provides: • • • •
Access to CABE-Meeting Initial and ongoing training Support and maintenance Upgrades to the service
CABE Member Subscription Information: Initial Subscription Fee – $3,000 Annual Maintenance Fee – $1,500 If you have an interest in this service, contact Lisa Steimer at 860-571-7446 or lsteimer@cabe.org.
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
Board Member Term Limits: Are They Legal? Susan L. Scott, Esq. Pullman & Comley, LLC
Some cities and towns in Connecticut limit the terms of office for board of education members and other elected officials. This may come in the form of limiting a board member to two consecutive terms. At least one town in Connecticut limits board of education membership to one four-year term. For boards of education, term limits can be particularly troublesome. It can take the majority of a board member’s first term to become fully fluent in the various content areas needed to participate effectively on a board of education. Ultimately, term limits can impair a board’s ability to cultivate strong leadership and develop expertise among the membership, two qualities that are vital for effective boards. Defenders of term limits claim that they ensure the presence of new candidates with fresh ideas and less stagnation, entrenchment or possible abuse of power. Meanwhile, opponents of term limits point out that that the electoral process can accomplish the same goals because voters are always free to elect a candidate who represents a new perpective or vote any incumbent board members out of office. People may assume that because the President of the United States is limited to two terms, such term limits could be applied to any elected position, including municipal officials. However, the presidential term limit was established by the Twenty-Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and only applies to the President. By contrast, any board of education term limits are created by municipal ordinance or charter provisions. The validity of such municipal laws rests upon the authority of the city or town to create them. The fact that such authority is limited provides a means through which board of education term limits can be legally challenged. Municipalities are creatures of the state and have no inherent legislative powers. Their powers are limited to those that are expressly granted by state statute or necessary to fulfill municipal duties. The state legislature has not explicitly given municipalities the authority to establish term limits. The relevant statutes pertaining to the election of board of education members only give municipalities the power to choose a different length of the term of office and the method of rotation of members as well as some options regarding the number of board members. There is also statutory language that
permits municipalities to determine the method of election and mode by which officers are voted for, but neither of these laws provides a basis for establishing term limits. Fundamentally, term limits establish qualifications for board of education candidates. While there have been no cases in Connecticut that directly analyze a town’s ability to set term limits for its municipal officers, there are a number of cases that reject a town’s attempt to establish qualifications for candidates for town office. For example, in Buonocore v. Town of Branford, the Connecticut Supreme Court invalidated a charter provision prohibiting unclassified state employees from holding elective office. In doing so, the Court concluded that although the Town was empowered by statute to establish the “method of election,” this related to procedural matters (date, place, voting districts) and did not extend to candidate qualifications. With regard to the general power to promote good government, the Court stated that although towns “obviously have a strong interest in the qualifications of candidates for local office, ‘good government’ cannot be read so broadly as to necessitate the grant of power to municipalities to determine candidate qualifications.” This case, and others like it, establishes a strong precedent for invalidating any municipality’s attempt to establish qualifications for candidates, including qualifications such as term limits. Term limits might also be challenged on the basis of the unique nature of school districts – that they are agents of the state as well as the municipality. Under the right circumstances, it may be possible to show that term limits have such a negative impact that they impair the efficient and proper operation of the educational system. The bottom line is this: if boards of education, candidates for municipal office or political parties have a strong desire to abolish term limits, they are not limited solely to the legislative process. Rather, such opponents can appeal to the Connecticut courts to challenge the validity of term limits. Susan L. Scott is an attorney in the law firm of Pullman & Comley, LLC. which represents numerous Connecticut boards of education. More articles about issues pertaining to school districts can be found on the firm’s blog, Education Law Notes, at: schoollaw.pullcomblog.com.
C.E.S. opens expansion of School Readiness Pre-School Program Evan Pitkoff Executive Director, C.E.S.
Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.), the Regional Education Service Center (RESC) of lower Fairfield County has been running a high quality School Readiness (Pre-School) Program exclusively for children who reside in the City of Bridgeport for the past eight years under the State Department of Education’s School Readiness Grant Program. The enrollment capacity has been limited to 54 students. This C.E.S. program has consistently had an annual “wait list” with more than 100 students. As an investment in the future of our youth, C.E.S. decided to expand its School Readiness facility to accommodate an additional 36 students to bring its enrollment capacity up to 90. Although there was no State grant for this construction nor any guarantee for State sponsored slots, C.E.S. decided to move ahead with the construction project with the notion that “if we build it, they will come.” The leadership of C.E.S. was thrilled to learn in the spring that additional slots were awarded to the City of Bridgeport who, in turn, has designated 36 of those slots for the expanded School Readiness program facility at C.E.S. at 40 Lindeman Drive in Trumbull, CT. The construction was completed in time for the opening of the 2014-15 school year. A ribbon cutting dedication of this School Readiness building and program expansion was held on Thursday, October 2 at 3:15 p.m. at 40 Lindeman Drive in Trumbull, CT. This expansion is part of a multifaceted Early Childhood initiative by C.E.S. to improve the quality of Early Childhood Education as a means to help close Connecticut’s achievement gap. In addition to the goal (1) “to expand pre-school programs and services at
C.E.S.”, the initiative also encompasses the goals to (2) “provide model preschool programs throughout the region” and to (3) “collaborate with area higher education institutions and training programs.” Former Commissioner of Education George Coleman has served as the lead consultant on this initiative working closely with C.E.S. Executive Director Dr. Evan Pitkoff, Associate Executive Director Christopher LaBelle, and Professional Development Services Director Esther Bobowick. The initiative aims to serve as a model program to be exported to other school districts in the region and throughout the State of Connecticut, strengthen the quality of University training provided to pre-school personnel, and provide high caliber professional development to practicing pre-school personnel. The new construction includes not only additional classrooms, but also mirrored one-way window booths for professionals and those being trained as pre-school personnel to observe high quality early childhood instructional practices. As part of this initiative, C.E.S. in partnership with Yale University, was recently awarded a U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) grant to develop an Early Childhood Education Research Alliance to study effective practices in Early Childhood Education. This research alliance will allow school districts in lower Fairfield County (Bridgeport, C.E.S., Norwalk and Stamford) to collaborate with the scientific community in establishing researched-based responses that informs our efforts to develop successful preschool learners and significantly contribute to closing achievement gaps among learners in the region.
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014
Connecticut
Bridgeport
(continued from page 1) We welcome individual school districts videotaping and getting usable positive quotes for some of the highprofile “stars” in their communities, who got their start in the public schools!
Danbury (continued from page 4) Danbury students as well as students from area towns through a lottery system. With a theme of International and Global Studies, the school’s 412 students in kindergarten through fifth grade are also taught a foreign language. The organization also recognized the overwhelming support of parents, staff and students who made numerous references to the school’s climate as “safe, supportive, exciting and innovative.” “We feel so fortunate to have been selected as the CAS Elementary School of the Year,” said Nitowski. “There are so many great schools here in Connecticut, and we share this recognition with all of them. The entire process has been a great experience from initially, working with the staff to complete the application and then preparing for the site visit. Later, the ability to truly work as a school community where students, parents, staff, and administration came together for a common goal was a ‘winning’ experience in itself. To be recognized by CAS was beyond what we had expected.”
(continued from page 4)
A True Collaborative Partner – Where We Are Now? In working partnership with district and state goals, this year, with complete support of Superintendent Rabinowitz, Bridgeport maintains a model Total Learning PK-4 School and has expanded the Music Together portion of the initiative to five family resource centers and three additional PK classrooms. The BTLI has received national attention through the introduction of H.R. 3983. The Total Learning Act, a congressional bill to support the Bridgeport model and make it available for replication throughout the city, as well as other school systems throughout Connecticut and the nation. For further information: www.abcd. org. To find out more or come see the BTLI in action, please contact Allison Logan at alogan@abcd.org or 203-3668241, Ext. 237. (Footnotes) 1 State of the Child in Bridgeport, 2012 Report – Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition
How Google Works (continued from page 8) It’s the most efficient way to present data and opinions and debate issues” and to make decisions. “A badly-run meeting... is a giant, demoralizing time waster.” This
should be self-evident to all Board Members and Superintendents! • Overcommunicate. If something is important, say it over and over and in different media. Questions to think about when over-communicating: 1. Does the communication reinforce core themes that you want everyone to get? Core themes should be only a few, related to your mission, values, strategy and industry. 2. Is the communication effective? It may have to be varied to regrab or grab attention. 3. Is the communication interesting, fun, or inspirational? 4. Is the communication authentic? 5. Is the communication going to the right people? (The ones who will find it useful.) 6. Are you using the right media? 7. Tell the truth, be humble and bank goodwill for a rainy day if you have to communicate bad news. • Interviews with the press “shouldn’t be an exercise in regurgitating bland marketing messages, it should be a conversation with insight.” A good interview consists of listening to the questions and answering intelligently, “with insights and stories, while reinforcing the message, but not parroting it”. We have seen both and the latter is and looks too scripted.
• Forces of disruption and technology are too powerful for a bury-yourhead-in-the-sand approach. It will end tragically. The traditionalist will eventually fail or become irrelevant. This is true in the business world and in education, too. We must address the issues, such as public school choice. We cannot bury our heads in the sand. How Google Works is an absorbing study of a fascinating, pervasive and very wealthy company. I recommend it to anyone interested in leadership, organizational management and in effectively serving our young “customers”.
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership. – Nelson Mandela
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014 Common Core implementation going well (continued from page 1) East Hartford Superintendent Nathan D. Quesnel was a co-facilitator of the taskforce and noted that he also found it to be a valuable experience. [Area 2 Director Donald Harris (Bloomfield) and State Relations Chair Elizabeth Brown (Waterbury) represented CABE on the Task Force.] “The Common Core Task Force was a great opportunity to work together with teachers, parents, administrators and board members to do what Connecticut educators do best – problem solve and find solutions,” he said. “We are all extremely proud of both the product we delivered and most importantly the process we went through to get to this results. We believe the CCTF Report is a clear 16-page document that provides a tight and extremely relevant road map for Connecticut as we move forward with implementations. I am extremely appreciative for the efforts of my fellow taskforce members, State Department and Governor’s office for the opportunity to participate in this learning experience.” Some of the takeaways for the taskforce centered on the importance of communication and exceptional leadership, said the Chief Academic Officer. “Community matters tremendously and helping the community understand big changes in
education is a critical role,” she said. Districts that had a “well-articulated communications plan” seemed to have an edge. “The few districts that seemed to know how to do that seemed to be dealing with a lot less pushback,” said RobergeWentzell. Another “big learning” of the taskforce was that “leadership matters tremendously,” said Roberge-Wentzell. With that in mind, the task force vetted districts where the superintendent’s leadership style was “very inclusive of the community,” and these included Wallingford and Norwich. “Both Wallingford and Norwich reported planned programs that brought the community in, and in Wallingford, they brought in the senior citizen community, and I really hadn’t heard of a superintendent intentionally cultivating a relationship with the seniors before,” said Roberge-Wentzell. “They definitely had all the stakeholders engaged.” Another taskforce takeaway was that planning is of utmost importance. “And that was one of the other big learnings of the taskforce: having a plan matters tremendously and some of the districts we studied, some were smaller and some were large, but we were able to really see that planning was a critical component of teachers feeling supported,” said Roberge-Wentzell. Back up in Windsor, Freeman said she has found an abundance of CCSS resources as well as support from other teachers online. “I found a lot of online
resources – webinars, blogs and articles – as well as books that helped me to ‘unpack’ the standards and realize what they should look like in my classroom,” she said. “One of the most significant advantages of the Common Core State Standards has been that teachers all across this country have been able to share resources, lesson plans and best practices – we have a national professional learning community.” Freeman compared the CCSS to a “roadmap,” explaining, “The standards are a roadmap from Kindergarten to Grade 8, laying out the essential skills and concepts with a clear coherence both within a grade and between grades.” Freeman added of students learning from the CCSS, “They’ll be better prepared to make a mid-trip adjustment, will appreciate the route more, will arrive with a greater understanding of what it took to get there, and be better able to take a different journey on their own the next time. This is 21st Century learning, and this is what the Common Core Standards are all about.”
State Board of Education
(continued from page 15) framework, Dr. Dianna Roberge-Wentzel, SDE’s Chief Academic Officer, mentioned the focus on college, career and civic life (C3). One of the guiding questions in preparing the document was: How we can best engage our students?
19 Stephen Armstrong, a SDE Social Studies Education Consultant, made a point of saying, “social studies should be more than history, its economics, its civics and geography.” Further explanation revealed there will not be as many teacher-directed lessons, and there will be compelling questions with possibly no right or wrong answer. SDE reached out to the Connecticut museum community, minority organizations, and outside of Connecticut for assistance and to also review the framework. Budget reduction and expansion submissions to the Office of Policy and Management were also discussed by the board. As in years past, public and nonpublic transportation, adult education, health and welfare services to private schools and excess cost grant caps will be capped. Magnet school enrollments would maintain their current enrollment with growth for such reasons as when a grade was being added to a school. The board seeks to restore the mentoring program staff and seven agency wide staff. Additionally, SBE is asking for $5 million for each year of the biennium for non Sheff area magnet schools. Many news accounts have reported, SBE is seeking 4 new state charters, two local charters and they previously approved two state charters. Finally, approval for an arts grant, FoodCorps grant and Developing Tomorrow’s Professionals program was given. SDE also operates the technical high school system and their budget was also discussed.
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2014