7 68 33 25
('8&$7,21
$'92&$&<
7+(
www.cabe.org
www.facebook.com/ConnecticutAssociationBoardsEducation
-2851$/
&RQQHFWLFXW $VVRFLDWLRQ RI %RDUGV RI (GXFDWLRQ 7KH /HDGLQJ 9RLFH IRU &RQQHFWLFXW 3XEOLF (GXFDWLRQ Vol. 19, No. 10
State Board of Education Holds October Meeting
Spotlighting Best Practices that Lead and Inspire:
Patrice A. McCarthy
Editor’s Note: CABE is very excited to continue its series on “Best Practices that Lead and Inspire�. Please send us your Best Practices and they might be published in the CABE Journal. This month we are highlighting –
Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE
Woodstock Academy Boards are set to welcome new members Chris Seymour Staff Reporter, CABE
How do you welcome a new member to your Board of Education (BOE)? With new members elected to school boards across the state this month, The CABE Journal posed this question to some Connecticut board chairs and here’s what we heard: “We are always happy to welcome new board members and provide a thorough new board member orientation as soon as possible,� said Glastonbury BOE Chairwoman (and Area 2 CoDirector) Susan Karp. Glastonbury Superintendent Dr. Alan Bookman and Karp meet with the new board member to discuss meeting schedules, the budget process, policies, communication, committees, and “of course, anything else,� according to Karp.
81 Wolcott Hill Road Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Inc.
The State Board of Education, at its October meeting, took action on several items of interest to boards of education. The Board approved the SAT as the mastery examination to be administered in grade 11 in lieu of Smarter Balanced beginning in spring 2016. This action was taken based on recommendations from the 11 grade assessment working group, on which Patrice McCarthy represents CABE. High school students also had the opportunity to provide input to the working group. During the 2015 Legislative Session, the Legislature required that students enrolled in grade 11 be administered a nationally recognized college readiness assessment, approved by the State Board of Education. Connecticut has received a waiver from the federal government to allow for the SAT to be used to meet the federally mandated testing requirements. The use of the SAT provides a reduction in the testing burden for the 11th grade students, as this is an assessment that over 80% of high school juniors in Connecticut already take, while also providing access to this college readiness assessment for those students whose financial circumstances might preclude their participation. The State Department of Education will now enter into a contract with the College Board which will address issues including accommodations for students See STATE BOARD page 2
NOVEMBER 2015
³2XW RI WKH SXEOLF VFKRROV JURZV WKH JUHDWQHVV RI D QDWLRQ ´ 0DUN 7ZDLQ 1RY
“It has proven to be an excellent way to give an overview of what we do and how we work together,� she added. As the leader of her board, Karp also makes an effort to reach out to new school board members and get them acclimated to their new role as an elected official. “As Chairman, I try to reach out to new board members to make sure they have all the information they need and to answer any questions,� explained Karp. “We all try to provide history on topics and explain how decisions were made in the past,� she continued. “Most importantly all questions, comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.� In Wallingford BOE Chairwoman Roxane McKay explained that the Wallingford BOE Policy and Procedure Manual is delivered to the newly-elected candidates. A meeting is also held for all newly elected BOE members, hosted by Superintendent Dr. Salvatore Menzo and BOE leadership. See BOARDS page 12
Waterbury Program Title: Bridge to Success Community Partnership Category that best describe your program: Community Engagement/ Communication Grade Levels: All Grade Levels Description of the program: Bridge to Success (BTS) is a community-wide network of over 85 organizations that work together to ensure each child succeeds. The network identifies key indicators of child and youth well being and all partners agree to engage and focus on strategies to improve outcomes. BTS focused on chronic absenteeism and reading this year. Each partner voices the message about the importance of school attendance and reading to its own constituency and leverages its resources to disseminate the message city wide through newsletters, billboards, community conversations and other mediums. Parents play a major leadership role and plan many community events bringing the message to families throughout the diverse neighborhoods of Waterbury. BTS is funded by public and private donations and believes every child can succeed. Waterbury School System benefits from this vital partnership with community partners, and municipal elected officials. For more information on this program please visit: www.waterburyBTS.org Contact Information: Lori Hart, BTS Director, director@bridgetosuccess.org | 203-754-0040
Nutmeg Board of Education
Connecticut Turnaround Districts
CT’s Changing Population
NSBA Center for Public Education
PAGE 5
PAGE 9
PAGE 10
PAGE 15
Periodical Postage PAID Hartford, CT
2
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015 PRESIDENT COMMENTARY
A zip code should not determine the quality of one’s education Well, my time has come to an end as the author of the President’s Commentary. It has been an honor and a privilege. I would like to thank the board members, superintendents, and others who have taken the time to read the CABE Journal and a special thanks to those of you who took the time to send me a response. I have tried to focus on issues of equity in our public schools and society at-large. It is my belief that if we do not find ways to provide the opportunity for ALL children to receive a quality education the negative forces against public education will only get more boisterous with false hopes and promises. More importantly, the continued viability of school boards and state associations could be determined by how successful we are in educating each and every child in our districts. I began and will end my presidency by saying that one’s zip code should not determine the quality of one’s education. So, let us continue to focus on the big picture and work together through CABE and NSBA to provide every child in our public schools with a personalized, meaningful, and quality education. I am going to jump the gun, a bit, by assuming that CABE’s First Vice President Ann Gruenberg, will be the next author of the President’s Commentary for the CABE Journal. For those of you who do not know her, Ann is a dedicated and sincere leader who believes in the value(s) of collaboration in order to provide students with meaningful opportunities. Ms. Gruenberg has served on the Hampton Board of Education since 2001. She has been a member of the CABE Board of Directors since 2003, serving in a variety of capacities. Ann has worked in the field of education for over 40 years. She recently retired as a faculty member at a
Connecticut’s State University, where she was a Professor of Early Childhood Education. Please take the time during the Richard Murray CABE/CAPSS Convention to say hello to Ann and wish her well. In closing I would like to thank Bonnie Carney and the CABE Staff for the yeoman job of putting the CABE Journal together each and every month. Thank you all!
State Board (continued from page 1) with special needs. The cost of administration of the SAT will be borne by the Department of Education, not by local districts. The State Board of Education also adopted new Connecticut English Language Proficiency Standards. The new standards are designed to provide the support students need to access both content and language development. Additional support and professional development for teachers will provide them with resources that help them identify activities that are appropriate, rigorous and useful for ELL students at different linguistic proficiency levels and various content levels.
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 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 Matthew Poland ................................ City Representative, Hartford Carlos Torre .................................. City Representative, New Haven Polly Rauh ........................................ City Representative, Stamford Charles Stango ............................... City Representative, Waterbury
STAFF
New! CABE/CAPSS Convention App The CABE/CAPSS Convention app - available for Apple, Google Play and BlackBerry World – gives you instant access to the Convention schedule, presenter bios, sponsors, and exhibitors, as well as the ability to register for the Convention and book your hotel room. During the Convention you will have the ability to complete workshop evaluations through the app. Download the app by scanning the QR code included in this article. You will immediately have access to Convention information. If you have any questions about accessing the app, please contact Lisa Steimer at lsteimer@cabe.org or 860-571-7446.
Robert Rader ....................................................................... Executive Director Patrice McCarthy .................................. Deputy Director and General Counsel Rebecca Adams ............................................................... Senior Staff Attorney 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 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 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: https://www.cabe. org/userlogin.cfm?pp=1024&userrequest=false&keyrequest=YES
3
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY
CABE Affiliate Members BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER Finalsite GOLD MEMBERS
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 Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Perkins & Eastman Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck The Segal Company Sprint Svigals & Partners
BRONZE PLUS MEMBERS BL Companies Coordinated Transportation Solutions Friar Associates JCJ Architecture Milliman, Inc. Morganti Group O & G Industries The S/L/A/M Collaborative Trane
BRONZE MEMBERS Brown & Brown Insurance Chinni & Meuser LLC Dattco Inc. ECG Engineering, PC Fuller & D’Angelo Architects and Planners Goldstein & Peck, P.C. Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. The Lexington Group Muschell & Simoncelli 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 for the Gifted 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
Aretha was right: It’s all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T Aretha Franklin, the great singer and musician, sang in 1967 about her desire for respect. Now, we know that she was right – respect is key to happiness. According to a recent Georgetown University study, as reported on outsmartyourbrain. com, one factor that “will make or break a connection in both personal and professional relationships” is respect. Whether or not people treat each other with respect will determine how well they “cooperate, resolve conflict, and trust each other.” When it comes to happiness, “feeling respected” is the strongest predictor of positive feelings – even beating out money. The Georgetown study was done with 20,000 employees from around the world. It found that “being treated with respect by the boss was ranked as most important, even above recognition, appreciation and being offered opportunities for growth.” Giving good feedback and listening with empathy are “common skills taught in leadership classes, they are rarely combined with the art of conveying respect.” However, respect is “the critical factor for in increasing engagement, focus, and prioritization, which have a direct effect on results… A disrespectful work environment affects health, well-being, and results.” Respect, according to the article, doesn’t mean that you have to “admire or revere someone, but that you appreciate, value, and acknowledge the innate worth of the individual so he or she feels whole and worthwhile in your presence.” One trying to convey respect is helping the other person “feel confident that his voice counts, that her ideas are important, and his opinions are significant even if you don’t agree.” Real respect means that both feel “each other is an intelligent, creative, and important individual” to build this relationship. In order for this to happen, the article suggests you must: • Release the need to be right, admired, or to be in control. “When you feel the urge to explain yourself more than once, let it go. When you think you know exactly what is wrong with the other person’s thinking and what he or she should do next, be curious and ask questions instead of expressing your judgment”. • Be sincere. “Don’t just show respect; feel it.” • Give respect even if you don’t get it. “Unless the other person is intentionally trying to psychologically or physically harm you, resist reacting to defensive or rude behavior. Model the behavior you want from them.” • Periodically check in with yourself. “Monitor your tension level, your emotional state, and your focus. Even in the midst of a high-pressure situation, you
can stop and become aware of what you are doing and feeling. Then make a conscious choice to be present to the human you are with.”
Respect and Local Boards How does this relate to the work of board members and superintendents? One of the most important roles of all board members and superintendent, but especially the chair, is to be understanding of the interests of the others on the leadership team. All come onto the board for different reasons. The board chair has the responsibility of understanding what those reasons are in order to build an effective board. Professor Salacuse taught us in his book, Leading Leaders, “interests drive actions.” If you don’t
“The most effective boards don’t just try to reach consensus on the issues before them, but take into account the opinions of those who dissent – why they disagree and to determine if changes are appropriate to the action based on the views of the dissenters.” know the interests of the others on the team, it will be difficult to understand why, for instance, a board member will vote a certain way. Respecting the interests of others, as expressed in their discussion and votes, is critical for effective, unified board decision making. The most effective boards don’t just try to reach consensus on the issues before them, but take into account the opinions of those who dissent – why they disagree and to determine if changes are appropriate to the action based on the views of the dissenters. So, respect for those who dissent, even if they are seen as malcontents, is important to the effectiveness of the board. As I have often told board members, if you are going to agree on everything, then we only need one of you!
Those Who Dissent This idea of respecting others cuts the other way, too. If you dissent, your arguments should be made in a respectful, thoughtful,
Robert Rader
civil way, especially, if you want to be taken seriously. Obviously, respect for employees of the school district, members of the community and everyone you come into contact with, no matter where they are in the “pecking order” is a trait of an effective member of the leadership team. I am concerned that our civil discourse in the country has become a series of personal attacks, with little opportunity for thoughtful dialogue – and little respect for the opinions of others. As we head into elections, the environment seems to only get worse. I know board members are better than that. Our democracy needs balanced, reflective thought—and nowhere is that as important as on our school boards. Boards must be role models to the staff, community and their students. Willingness, even eagerness to show respect for others should be a hallmark of every board. I hope your board is a good illustration of that important trait!
"Control is not leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is leadership. If you seek to lead, invest at least 50 percent of your time in leading yourself – your own purpose, ethics, principles, motivation, conduct. Invest at least 20 percent leading those with authority over you and 15 percent leading your peers." – Dee Hock
4
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE
Board Member Development November is the month for most Connecticut school districts to elect board of education members. It is crucial to always remember that even the addition of only one new board member results in a new board with different needs and operational dynamics. Team building and leadership skills do not come easy to many individuals who serve on boards of education. Training is necessary in the skills and knowledge needed to lead a district through the application of policy and by creating and sustaining meaningful working relationships with other board members. Schools face many new pressures today as the context in which education operates continues to dramatically evolve due to the fact that the world is changing. We see the growing and changing impact of technology and the way globalization is significantly affecting our way of life. Other important changes include our nation’s aging and more diverse population, an economy increasingly characterized by worldwide interdependence and changing state demographics. All of these changes and exterior forces place unprecedented pressures on our local educational systems with the need for reform and improved student achievement to meet global challenges. Districts need to focus closely on practices that get positive results. Policy helps to focus the efforts of the districts. Boards need to devote time to their own development in order to be better prepared to lead their districts. Board members are often elected without real knowledge of what constitutes the duties and responsibilities of the position. Therefore, training for all school board members is in the best interest of the children and education as a whole. To contribute positively to the board, to public education and to the children, a board member must approach the position willing to devote far more energy and time than the time spent at monthly board meetings. At the very least, board members should be trained in their fundamental duties and responsibilities, boardsmanship and professional ethics. The training that board members need is training specific to
functioning as an effective member of the community’s board of education. The training should also include the recognition of the fine line that separates the superintendent and the board. It is necessary to understand and respect the roles and responsibilities of each and how together, the board and superintendent comprise the district’s leadership team. The integral Role of policy, crucial to the board’s proper functioning, must be clearly understood and applied. Training is necessary for the new board member as well as the board veteran. New board members, and veteran board members alike, often
members need a plan of action on how to proceed toward developing those areas that are weak and strengthening those that need improvement. Board development can turn a board into an efficient and effective unit that is proactive rather than reactive in planning and into one that understands its roles and responsibilities and knows how to communicate effectively. It is important to understand how to use data correctly in the decision-making process. Board development can turn boards into dynamic decision-makers working with outstanding superintendents. Board development requires a commit-
“Board members need to embrace the attitude of continuous improvement that accompanies attention given to their own learning. Consider board training as a needed investment and make school board training part of your school district budget.” struggle with the differences between their interests, assumptions about board work and the actual roles and responsibilities of the board and superintendent. School board training can dramatically reduce the time necessary to bring a newcomer up to speed. New members often do not understand the state and federal laws regulating education, the endless array of educational acronyms and abbreviations, issues concerning the presence of the public at board meetings and inquiries from the press, to name a few problem areas. Experienced board members need regular opportunities to be brought up-todate on ever-changing laws and regulations and their impact on board policies and district operation. Veteran board members, with basic knowledge and experience, can become more effective and efficient in leadership and governance of their school districts. There remains much discussion about raising standards, of pushing for better results and for higher levels of achievement for each student. This needs to start at the top, at the board level. Board members, like students, must become active, life-long learners. Everyone involved in the education of children needs to be held accountable. This means providing training for board of education members. Board’s self-evaluation enables its members to evaluate performance, decision-making skills, interpersonal relationships and the ability to communicate with many publics. To benefit from this process and information, board
ment that some boards may find difficult or unable to make. They feel that the pressures of their roles and responsibilities leave them little time to do anything but ongoing board business. Perhaps this is more a problem related to terminology. Board development can take place in many forms. Attendance at local, state and national conferences or other educational forums contributes to the development of the board member. In addition, regular reading of educational journals and magazines and networking with colleagues on other boards also constitutes board development activities. However, while these activities are components of board development, they may not always add up to a worthwhile board development program. There needs to be a sincere commitment to board development. A planned and systematic approach to board development contributes to a more successful board. Board members, like teachers, “touch the future.” Board members also shape the educational futures of all attending the local schools as students and staff. All children deserve a school board that is serious, dedicated and willing, as so many are, to go the “extra mile.” Activities, which can be incorporated into school development plans, include board evaluation, superintendent evaluation, policy review and development, board retreats or workshops, regular discussions of important issues, staff briefings on education programs and activities, use of consultants to advise the board, simulated exercises designed to in-crease
understanding of board process and educational issues, and attending CABE and NSBA conferences and workshops. Webinars now provide another means to address key issues. The websites of professional organizations, such as CABE, CAPSS and CAS provide on their respective websites archived previously presented webinars on numerous topics. Often boards are questioned or receive complaints about the cost of such training. Here are some tips for handling these issues: • Communicate to the staff and the community how the board training will ultimately benefit the district’s students. • Make sure board training is a budget item, just as staff development is. • Always be up-front and honest about board expenses. • Point out ways the board has conserved training funds, or saved money by applying lessons learned at training events. • Consider seeking corporate funding for board training and let people know about it. • Capitalize on the training opportunities available through CABE. There is no one best way to provide orientation to new board members and development for veteran board members. However, it is strongly recommended as a first step, that boards have a policy (bylaw) on board member orientation and board member development. Next, boards should provide funds for training activities and develop a program to implement the policy. Boards that devote time to their own development are better prepared to lead their districts. Serving on a board of education is a wonderful education experience. However, it comes with a steep learning curve. Board members need to embrace the attitude of continuous improvement that accompanies attention given to their own learning. Consider board training as a needed investment and make school board training part of your school district budget. Bylaw #9230, “New Board Member Orientation,” and bylaw #9240, “Board Member Development,” pertain to this topic. They are available upon request from CABE’s Policy Service.
5
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015 See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education
The Nutmeg Board negotiates with the Nutmeg Union of Teachers 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. Negotiations with the Nutmeg Union of Teachers (NUTS) went better than usual this year. NUTS did not waste a lot of time trying to usurp management rights, and it focused instead on the bread-and-butter issues of salary and insurance. For its part, the Negotiations Committee of the Nutmeg Board of Education was simply looking for more time for teachers to collaborate and otherwise trying to keep the settlement to a reasonable level. Though negotiations are never easy, NUTS and the Board Committee reached an agreement in mediation late one night shortly before arbitration was to commence. The Committee dropped its demand for additional time and settled the contract with NUTS for salary increases of around 3.25% each year (including step), increased employee premium cost sharing, and a reopener to deal with the Cadillac tax. The Committee met privately with the full Board before its next meeting to describe the settlement, and it urged the full Board to ratify. During that confidential session, the Board members expressed satisfaction with the proposed agreement and thanked the Committee for its good work. When the Board reached the agenda item “NUTS Contract ratification” at the meeting that followed, there was no discussion and the Board members simply voted unanimously to approve the new contract. The next day, Nancy Newshound, ace reporter for the Nutmeg Bugle, wrote about the Board meeting with the headline, “The Fix Was In.” There, she reported that the Board approved the Town’s most costly contract without a peep before the vote, and she took the Board to task for not having an open discussion. The Board was used to being criticized, and it simply went on with its business. As required by the Teacher Negotiation Act, the Board filed the ratified contract with the Town Clerk for the Town Council to review. However, the Board’s problems with the contract continued. At the next meeting of the Nutmeg Town Council, Mayor Megillah spoke out vehemently against the contract. “What are those people thinking?” he railed. “Under a new law, we are now subject to a budget cap of 2.5%, and this contract is
over 3%!! How could we ever approve such a contract?” The other members of the Town Council nodded in agreement during Mayor Megillah’s rant, and then they chimed in, one after the other, about how they must reject the contract and send a message about fiscal responsibility to the Board of Education. Sure enough, when the motion was made, the Town Council rejected the contract by a unanimous vote. Then, Mayor Megillah asked for a second vote, this time directing the Board to limit any last best offers made in arbitration on salary to an overall cost of 2.5% for each year. That motion passed unanimously as well. The Nutmeg Board of Education didn’t know what to do next. Mr. Board Attorney advised the Board that by statute it was required now to go to arbitration. However, when asked how to determine the issues in dispute, he told them they had to negotiate with NUTS over the issues that the parties will take to arbitration. “Negotiate about arbitration?” Bob Bombast asked at the strategy session Mr. Chairperson called to get ready for arbitration. “That doesn’t make any sense at all.” Does it? Actually, this process for determining the issues for arbitration does make sense under these circumstances. When the municipality rejects a complete contract, the only way to figure out what issues to submit to arbitration is for the board of education and the teachers’ union to work that out through discussion. In such discussions, neither party can prevent the other from bringing an issue to arbitration. However, neither party will want to arbitrate on every issue, and the parties generally agree on a reasonable number of issues to bring to arbitration. It is clear, however, that the board of education retains control over the issues that will be in dispute, as well as the last best offers. Under the Teacher Negotiation Act, the finance authority has the statutory right to be heard at the arbitration hearing, and the legislative body has the right to reject the arbitration award (by a two-thirds vote). However, the board of education has the sole authority to determine the last best offers it will make on any and all of the issues in dispute. Accordingly, the Town’s second vote limiting the Board’s last best offers on salary was ineffective. Apparently, Mayor Megillah urged his colleagues to reject the contract based on his mistaken belief that there is or will be a 2.5% cap on municipal budget increases. Such is not the case. Changes to a state statute on municipal revenue sharing made in the last legislative session have been widely misunderstood and
incorrectly described. The statutory changes amend Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 4-66l, which provides for a municipal revenue sharing fund for specified purposes. In the last legislative session, the General Assembly changed the way that the fund will be distributed, starting with the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The misconception over a “2.5% cap” is based on what is supposed to happen in 2018-2019. The amended statute provides that a municipality will suffer a consequence if its budget increase year-to-year is larger than 2.5% or the rate of inflation, whatever is greater. The statute further provides that the municipality’s share of the revenue sharing fund will be reduced by $0.50 for every dollar by which the municipality exceeds the cap, starting with the 2018-2019 fiscal year. However, there are many questions and uncertainties. Right now, it is not clear how much money will be in this fund and be at risk in 2018-2019. Moreover, as written the statute raises serious questions as to implementation. Excluded from the calculation are “expenditures for debt service, special education, implementa-
tion of court orders or arbitration awards, [or] expenditures associated with a major disaster or emergency declaration . . . .” To use this very example, appropriations to cover the spending increases associated with the NUTS contract would count against the cap if the Town approved the contract, but would be excluded from the cap if the Town rejected the contract, forcing the parties into arbitration, and then making an appropriation to cover the same increases, which after a contract rejection would be awarded through arbitration. Clearly, the General Assembly should give further thought to this whole statutory construct. Finally, Nancy Newshound made a story where there was none. It was perfectly appropriate for the Committee to meet with the full Board in a private strategy session, because “strategy or negotiations with regard to collective bargaining” is excluded from the definition of “meeting” under the Freedom of Information Act. 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.
The Eighth Edition is 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 ord 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
Order your copy TODAY by going to the CABE website: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1241
6
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
7
On leadership of another type: The army generals One of my favorite hobbies is reading, primarily history, and often military histories. Not only does a good history author make situations and people from the past come alive, there are often lessons that can be applied to the present – often as we consider current educational issues before us. Thomas E. Ricks’ The Generals, written several years ago, is that kind of a book. It discusses how top American Army generals since World War II, have morphed into much different leaders than when we were fighting that war. Most, in Ricks’ opinion, do not match up well with the father of the modern American Army, General George C. Marshall. General Marshall, known as the “Architect of Victory”, became the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, on September 1, 1939— the day Germany invaded Poland. He oversaw the rebuilding of the Army from 197,000 men to, by 1945, 8.3 million. But, as Rick’s suggests, it was not all about the numbers, important as the numbers of men and other resources were – it was getting the right leadership in place to win the war. Marshall had strict standards for who he wanted to lead American forces fighting the Nazis and Japanese. He looked for those who had good strength of character, were good team players and did not falter, even after demoralizing battles. He was quick to relieve generals and other officers who did not get the job done as he expected. There were many such “reliefs” during the war – and the extremely rare number of reliefs during the Vietnam and Iraqi Wars is one of Ricks’ real peeves. Other factors in what he expected of his generals included how they worked with civilian leaders. He had a very professional relationship with wartime President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. While Roosevelt had been Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the First World War, Marshall made it plain that he expected to be treated as the “expert” on military affairs. He stood up to Roosevelt when the President was dismissive of him. But, he was careful to keep out of politics and other areas, even while maintaining good communications with his civilian bosses. Army leadership changed after World War II, according to Ricks. The Army in Korea was unprepared, underequipped and poorly led for much of that war, and in Vietnam, generals had trouble understanding the war they were fighting, leading to tactics and strategies that were overcome by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese. Even when the Americans switched tactics, such as putting more of a focus on counterinsurgency and pacification, which
was successful in some cases, generals did not embrace the changes. The Army did not adapt to the conditions that were being faced. And, Ricks puts blame for that squarely on the leadership. But, the Army was so focused on winning the types of battles they had prepared for, that they, and civilian leadership, failed to think through what would happen “the morning after”. For example, two Iraqi wars later, we know
little planning to develop strategies that would result in the actual long-term winning of the wars and securing the type of peace that were America’s goals. While solid tactics are critical, we need leaders who will look beyond the obstacles and challenges immediately before them and think about what happens next. There are many lessons for those who will lead our armed forces in the future: first, be willing to cashier generals and other leaders who are not up to the tasks
“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” – George Patton that the U.S. had great success at the beginning of the wars, but, most of the generals (and civilian overseers) again failed to understand how to successfully end the wars. For example, Ricks sees major errors in how General Norman Schwarzkopf handled the Iraqi surrender after war (such as letting military helicopters fly over Kurd regions of the country, where they slaughtered members of the Kurd population). And, as we know too well, American commanders were painfully unprepared for the aftermath of the 2003 War. Ricks blames American Army leadership in these situations for, first, concentrating so much on tactics, that is, the winning of individual battles, that they did
assigned, prepare for what will happen after the war and provide better communications between the military and civilian leadership – including empowering the military to stand up when it needs more clarity in goals, more resources and different strategies.
Lessons for board members and superintendents I understand that how the military operates is a far cry from how a school district operates. It operates under very different rules and has very different goals. Similarly, we need to have leaders, both board members and superintendents, who, as Ricks discusses about generals,
“need to be educated less on what to think and more on how to think – and also on how to adapt”. Our schools are entering a very difficult period with new exams, revised accountability and certainly students who have grown up in the digital age. Adaptability and finding how to give our students the best education possible and explain expenditures to a population that has even fewer children in our schools is critical. But, we need leadership that looks beyond the next school year, the next election or the next budget vote. For example, the demographics information we have been discussing (at the Summer Leadership Conference, my July/August editorial and see page 10) will affect all districts – and all must begin to have conversations as to how they will react. What can we do to make sure our students get the best education possible in light of these shifts? We need to be thinking long-term and coming up with creative solutions to difficult issues. And, we must not turn away from the challenges we face. No, we’re not the Army. But, the importance of what board members and superintendents do every day is critical to the wellbeing of our State and our nation – and the future of us all. If you’re a military history buff, I urge you to read Ricks’ book. Even if you’re not, I urge you to ensure that your board is thinking strategically, not one or two years down the road, but 10 or more, so that your community is prepared for the changes you will face. Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE
8
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
Workshop on supporting LGBT: Support All Students With the new Supreme Court ruling on gay marriages and much discussion across the country on providing equality to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender individuals, CABE, CAS (representing principals) and CAPSS held a workshop on October 5th on helping support LGBT students. The approximately 70 people in attendance, including board members, principals, assistant principals, coaches, athletic directors, teachers and others, first heard from Pat Griffin, Founding Director of Changing the Game. She defined language critical to understanding LGBT youth (and adults). For example, “sexual orientation” refers to an individual’s sexual attraction for others; “gender”, which is how people identify themselves; “transgender”, when the gender of the person doesn’t match how they
secondary school experiences and all students have the right to be treated fairly. When a student is bullied or hazed, they do not compete at their best and it really is the responsibility of athletes and coaches to ensure students “bring all of themselves to competition.” Unfortunately, she said, many LGBT students perceive playing fields and locker rooms, as unsafe places. So, they are half as likely as their peers to be in sports. Over a quarter of LGBT students who go out for sports have been harassed or assaulted because of their sexual orientation. And, according to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), of all adults in school, LGBT students felt phys ed teachers and coaches are the hardest adults to talk to about their concerns. However, LGBT students who take part in sports
were born; “cisgender”, when the person’s gender identity is consistent with the gender at birth. Dr. Griffin spoke about sports culture, where the tradition of bullying or hazing is considered part of game. Often, gender stereotyping is associated with sports participation, such as that women athletes are seen as masculine and gay men may be considered too soft and not tough enough for the activity. She noted that locker rooms and teams are “gendered”, that is, we have male and female teams, and in some cases, this can lead to bullying. Coaches have special relationships with students and have opportunity to have an influence on them to teach students that bullying and hazing are not appropriate. She also noted that k-12 athletics and physical education are a core part of elementary and
have higher self-esteem, higher GPAs and a greater sense of belonging. The next speaker, Michelle Pincince, Connecticut Project Director of the Anti-Defamation League’s AWORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute, noted that prejudice against LGBT students often takes two forms: silence and abuse. She challenged educators to break the silence and respond to the abuse. Upon seeing harassment, even students saying things like “that’s so gay”, adults should not ignore it, excuse it, or be immobilized by fear, since silence sends a strong message. Educators should stop the behavior and educate. Building an inclusive climate is critical for every student because these issues affect ALL of our students. A panel, including the two earlier speakers, Branford Superintendent Hamlet Hernan-
dez, Lewis Mills High School (Region 10) Principal Pam Lazaroski and two Lewis Mills High School students, as well as CABE’s Deputy Director and General Counsel Patrice McCarthy, then discussed issues they have faced concerning these issues. The two students were particularly articulate, giving the audience a taste of what it was like to be LGBT students in public school. Here is a link to a recording of the workshop: https://youtu.be/zlpG0kCF2PA or go to the CABE homepage www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p= 1319&newsid=28. Other resources mentioned in the workshop include: • Changing the Game website (http://changingthegame project.com/)
• The GLSEN website (https:// www.glsen.org/) • TRANSATHLETE.COM and YOUCANPLAYPROJECT.ORG, which are websites for high school sports • www.ADL.org – Check out ADL’s Current Events
Classroom for free lesson plans. • A CABE Policy, #5145.53 Transgender Youth and Nonconforming Youth, is available upon request. Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE
The GLSEN Safe Space Kit is available for download for free at glsen.org/safespace.
Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE
9
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
Connecticut’s Turnaround Districts and the Commissioner’s Network of Schools Ellen Cohen
seriously-needed facility upgrades which were necessary to successfully implement multiple operational and instructional reforms aimed at school improvement. With turnaround school and district funding, Stanton Elementary School has built capacity among teachers and leaders
and Board of Education, Stanton School has achieved and sustained a level of success because they have embraced the Since 2010, Connecticut has provided Commissioner’s Network as a true intensive support for turnaround efforts in partnership with the Connecticut State Connecticut’s thirty lowest performing Department of Education (CSDE). districts, known as Alliance Districts. AlIndicators of success include a three liance district grants year student daily provide millions of attendance rate of “ This is the 4th year that we have partnered dollars of funding 95%; a 97% teacher annually to the state’s daily attendance rate with SDE for Stanton Network and the 2nd for thirty lowest performlast year; and a fifty ing school districts. percent drop in Uncas Network School. The work we have done Alliance districts are student suspensions both large and small, together has had a positive impact on our staff, (both out-of-school urban and rural. and in-school students, families, and community. We are very Collectively, the suspensions) districts serve over attributable to the appreciative of their continued support. “ two hundred thousand use of proactive Abby I. Dolliver students in 400 approaches improvschools. In addition, Superintendent, Norwich ing students’ social, Priority School Disemotional, and trict grants provide and has established best practices. behavioral functioning. additional funding to support the educaThe district simultaneously expands Lastly, academic indicators in reading tional efforts of thirteen alliance school upon the success of Stanton by sharing a and mathematics showed gains last year districts with the highest academic need. model of improvement systems across all with a six percent rise in the number of Priority district need is based on a variety schools, maintaining consistency and students at benchmark in reading at end of of academic and socio-economic factors. maximizing on lessons learned. year. Focus is also given to school level turnThrough exceptional school based In mathematics, the rise was even more around efforts through the Education leadership, with the guidance and direcimpressive with a gain of 16% more Commissioner’s Network of Schools. tion of the Norwich Public School students at benchmark by the end of the Using a turnaround framework focusDistrict’s Central Office administration, 2014-15 school year. ing on Talent; Academics; Culture/ Climate; and Organizational Effectiveness, the Connecticut State Department of Education requires turnaround plans from districts receiving supplemental funding. Available from The CABE Bookstore! The Department provides technical assistExcellent book for New Board Members ance, monitoring, and professional development resources at convenings held throughout the year. For the eighteen Network schools, the focus and support is even more intensive, as illustrated by the story of John B. Stanton Elementary School in Norwich, a small city of forty thousand located in Eastern Connecticut. The Norwich School District identified as both a Connecticut Alliance District and a Connecticut Priority School District. Stanton is one of eight elementary schools in the city. Deputy Commissioner, SDE
John B. Stanton Elementary School, Norwich, Connecticut In August of 2012, Stanton Elementary School was selected as one of the original four Commissioner of Education’s Network Schools. Like all network schools, the Stanton leaders established a Turnaround Committee of local stakeholders (teachers, parents, leaders, and community members) to develop, support, and monitor an ambitious but attainable School Turnaround Plan. All network schools receive substantial funding to support their turnaround plan for the first three to five years. For Stanton School, the Commissioner’s network support provided additional human resources, technology tools and
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=1256
Stanton School’s Turnaround Plan for Success • Commitment to systematic shared leadership practices, resulting in a strong and committed team of edu-cators striving toward the same vision; • Targeted, high-quality professional development aimed at general edu-cation instructional practices as well as specialized instruction for high percentages of English learn-ers and special education populations; • Implementation of full-day kinder-garten across the district, focusing on early literacy and numeracy; • Implementation of the “workshop model” of instruction in reading, writing, and mathematics increasing differentiation and elevating the level of instructional rigor; • Addition of academic intervention-ists to ensure fidelity of tiered in-struction targeted to individual needs occurring in small groups or with individuals as part of the Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI) process; • Addition of full-time school social workers and psychologists at each building to meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students through prevention and proactive approaches as well as implementing the individualized education plans (IEPs) of special education students; • Addition of family liaisons to effectively facilitate wrap around services, assisting families in crisis due to stressful socioeconomic conditions including homelessness; • Purposeful investment in technology infrastructure for wireless networks capable of supporting a 1:1 student/ technology ratio; • Investment in a thoughtful combination of student technology tools that integrate seamlessly into daily instruction
10
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
Tips for First Time CABE/CAPSS Convention Attendees Lisa Steimer Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development, CABE
If you will be attending your first CABE/CAPSS Convention later this month, WELCOME! CABE is your Association, and we are confident you will leave the Convention with a wealth of information to help you face the challenges of being a school board member. Here are a few hints for getting the most from the Convention. • Read Convention materials. Read the Convention registration book that you either received in the mail or if you are newly elected, from your superintendent. When you arrive at the Convention be sure to read the Convention program and other handouts in your Convention bag, as well Late Breaking News which will be available at Convention registration. • Download the Convention app to your mobile device. The app is full of information you need before, during and after the Convention. You may scan the below QR code to download the app: • Be on time. We value your time.
Unless something unavoidable happens, Convention General Sessions, workshops and meal functions start and end on time. We do not assign seating at any of these sessions, so be sure to arrive a little early to reserve a spot that is comfortable for you.
• Check out the exhibit hall. More than 50 exhibitors will be in the Convention exhibit hall. Their support of the Convention and of public education is greatly appreciated. Take some time to visit the exhibitors to see what they have to offer.
• Don’t be shy! Introduce yourself to others in attendance. You will find them to be valuable resources for you both at the Convention and in the future. Chances are, whatever challenges you are facing on your school board, one or more of your fellow CABE members have been there before. To meet as many people as possible, be sure to attend the New Board Member reception before dinner and the after dinner reception, both on Friday.
• Ask questions. Don’t worry about asking “rookie” questions. Many of the most important issues facing public education today are raised by new members who are taking a fresh look at situations confronting our schools.
• Introduce yourself to CABE staff and the board of directors. If the staff or members of CABE’s board of directors don’t find you first, please introduce yourself to them. You will see them throughout the Convention space and they will be identified by ribbons reading “Board of Directors” or “Staff”. Please don’t hesitate to ask for assistance.
• Complete your Convention workshop evaluations and the overall Convention evaluation. The CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee values your comments and reviews all the feedback received. Please complete the Convention workshop evaluations via the Convention app. (See above to download app.) The overall Convention evaluation will be sent to you on the Monday following the Convention. Please take several moments to complete this. · • Take home what you learn. CABE encourages school board members attending the Convention to report at
your next board meeting what you have learned at the Convention, to any of your fellow board members and key staff who couldn’t attend. Sharing what you learned will help your team grow. Enclosed in your Convention materials are sample press releases for your district to use. • CABE is YOUR Association. Above all, know that CABE is your Association. CABE is passionate about strengthening public education to inspire success for each child through high-performing, transformative local leadership teams comprised of school boards and superintendents. Enjoy the CABE/CAPSS Convention!
Connecticut’s Changing 5-19 Years of Age Population Michael Howser Connecticut State Data Center Director
The demographic landscape in Connecticut is approaching a transformational period, one with an increasingly older resident population while several areas experiencing a decrease in the number of children born each year. As the demographics shift within the state, the need for longitudinal data to examine trends and to plan for the future is imperative. To assist state agencies, organizations, schools, and the public with accessing data for planning, analysis, and informed decision making, the Connecticut State Data Center (CTSDC) is available to assist users with locating and utilizing data from state and federal datasets. The CTSDC also develops population projections for Connecticut at the State, Regional Planning Organization, County, and Town levels to provide users across the state with projected populations to 2025. With a focus on providing access to data without interpretation, the CTSDC collaborates with organizations across the state to provide increased public access to data and provides a series of tools and datasets to users to enable discovery of data. During the summer of 2015, the
CTSDC developed the Demographic Change in Connecticut School Districts dashboard (http://s.uconn.edu/2pc) to provide schools with the ability to quickly view a historic, current, and projected data by town and/or school district easily. This dashboard includes data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Decennial Census and American Community Survey (ACS), the Connecticut Department of Education, and the Connecticut State Data Center and provides a quick yet in-depth view of a number of data of the school age population. By examining the Demographic Change in Connecticut School Districts data it is projected that 16 school districts in Connecticut are projected to have an increase in school-aged residents while 150 districts are projected to remain stable or experience a decline in school age population. A decline in the 5-19 years of age population has been experienced previously in Connecticut in 1990 when the population was 614,957 and in 2025 the CTSDC’s population projections indicate the 5-19 population will be around 614,060. The decline in the school age population has been years in the making with Connecticut having a consistently low fertility rate, with the 4th lowest fertility
rate in the nation in 20131. This low birth rate, the state ranking 32nd among states for mobility in 20132, a statistic which highlights migration from one state to another, and Connecticut’s foreign born population under 18 years of age population ranking 12th in the nation at 3.8%3, each of these datasets indicates a stable to declining school age population for Connecticut. The projected growth in 5-19 years of age population in Connecticut based on the CTSDC’s 2025 projections are Bridgeport, Danbury, Derby, East Windsor, Hamden, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, New Haven, Norwalk, Norwich, Plainville, Rocky Hill, Stamford, Vernon, and Willington4. One of the limitations in utilizing the CTSDC’s population projections for school districts is that the projections are based on town projections and do not take into account school choice and other dynamics which could further alter this picture. The CTSDC will be updating the population projections in 2016 and will be exploring options to further refine the projections for the 5-19 years of age population. With a state becoming increasingly diverse, an aging population, and with low birth rates, each town in Connecticut
is projected to experience change in the next 10 years. This change did not occur overnight but is part of a 40 plus year demographic shift and by using historical, current, and projections data, towns and schools can plan, analyze and make data informed decisions. As school and towns explore data, the Connecticut State Data Center is available to assist with identifying data needs, potential sources, and providing access to the data needed. (Footnotes) 1 National Vital Statistics Reports v.64:no.1 January 15, 2015, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics 2 Table B07003: Geographical Mobility in the Past Year by Sex for Current Residence in the United States, 20092013 American Community Survey 5Year Estimates U.S. Census Bureau 3 Table B05003: Sex by Age by Nativity and Citizenship Status, 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates U.S. Census Bureau 4 2015-2025 Population Projections for Connecticut, November 1, 2012, Connecticut State Data Center.
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
The
11
Media Message
from Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC
Good News Stories are Possible I am often asked, “What will it take for the news media to cover some good news in our district?” The answer is a good story, relationships and persistence. I was absolutely thrilled to have been a part of two great news stories recently that involved Regional School District No. 6 and Cromwell Public Schools. In late September, students from Wamogo Regional High School’s Culinary Arts Program were featured on a weekend cooking segment at NBC Connecticut. During a visit to the school, I was extremely impressed with the program, in which these culinary
Cullinary Arts Teacher, Jamie Fischer and his students from Wamogo Reigonal High School at NBC Connecticut.
students actually prepare recipes and meals based on the products that they are growing on the Wamogo Campus as part of their curriculum and thought that it would be a perfect fit for an NBC Connecticut cooking segment. I pitched the story to the station as a “Farm to Table” piece and they loved it! Three weeks later, Jamie Fischer and four of his culinary students (after a lot of preparation and practice) were live in the NBC Connecticut kitchen whipping up their butternut squash and pumpkin ravioli recipes. To watch the segment, you can go to: https://youtu.be/GgRoGPsehQE The adventure for Wamogo’s students didn’t stop there. Following their fantastic appearance, the students, some of their parents and their principal were also invited to go into the news studio and experience what goes on behind the scenes of a live news broadcast. One student on his way out called the experience, “priceless”. The other good news story comes from Cromwell, where a soldier, who had been deployed for 10 months, came to Edna C. Stevens Elementary School to surprise his 1st grade son, who had no idea that his dad was coming home for a surprise three week visit, until he popped out of the Channel 3 Weather Tracker and into his sons arms for a tearful embrace. From there it was off to Woodside Intermediate School, where his son who was in the middle of a reading assignment, looked up to see his father and television cameras coming through the
What will the Connecticut Online Policy Service (C.O.P.S.) provide YOUR district? • A policy manual updated within days of a board meeting. • Access to your policy manual 24/7 anywhere with Internet capability. • Timesaving links to legal and cross references. • A search engine specifically designed for board policy manuals. • The ability to search other online districts for similar policies or language. • A happier staff that will have less paper to deal with. If you would like additional information on CABE’s Connecticut Online Policy Service (C.O.P.S.), call Vincent Mustaro at 860-571-7446 or email vmustaro@cabe.org for full details.
Let the CABE staff make your policy life easier.
Chief Petty Officer Ned Deshong surprises son Lucas at Edna C. Stevens School in Cromwell, CT after being deployed for 10 months.
door unexpectedly. His reaction was one of jubilation and tears of joy. To see this story that aired on WFSB Channel 3, go to: http://www.wfsb.com/story/30268134/emotions-runhigh-as-cameras-capture-reunion-between-sailor-sonin-cromwell
CABE-Meeting 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 CABEMeeting, the Meeting Manager can create an electronic meeting from developing the agenda to creating the minutes and everything in between. CABE-Meeting Offers: • Secure login access for board and district staff • 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 Your Subscription Provides: • Access to CABE-Meeting • Initial and ongoing training • Support and maintenance • Upgrades to the service CABE Member Subscription Info: 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.
12
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
The Professional Governance Board Gary Brochu, Chair, Berlin Board of Education
Orienting Your Board for Success Practice makes perfect. Or so we were told throughout our childhood by parents, teachers and coaches. The lesson imparted was a simple, but valuable one. That expertise is not a gift or birthright, but is acquired through effort and application. This is not just true for math or basketball or playing the piano, but also holds true for any worthwhile endeavor, such as service on a professional governance board. Service on a board of education is challenging, requiring familiarity with procedural rules, knowledge of educational trends, awareness of local conditions and student performance, and an understanding of what is required for professional governance. To simply expect that individuals will come to governance boards with this skill set, or that they will naturally and inevitability pick up the required knowledge and understanding during their service is, at best, optimistic and, at worst, unrealistic. In order to ensure that a legacy of professional governance is created and maintained, more is required, such as a thoughtful,
focused program to acclimate new board members and train existing members. Every professional governance board should make the training of its board members a priority. Such a commitment to a comprehensive orientation plan for new members provides numerous
on a governance board, as opposed to merely sitting on one. There are a number measures that boards of education can utilize to provide valuable learning opportunities to their new members. Boards can offer opportunities to attend training opportunities
“One of the best ways for a board of education to communicate its commitment to professional governance is to reach out to prospective members of the board and extend learning opportunities to them, letting them know that service on the board of education brings with it a responsibility to commit to continual learning.” benefits. With meaningful orientation new members can quickly become comfortable with Board procedures and protocols, learn about board values and goals, understand the parameters and focus of the work of the Board, and be prepared to make meaningful contributions to the work of the school district. In sum, it’s the difference between serving
provided by CABE and other organizations; boards can provide formal orientation to candidates for office and new members; candidates for office can be invited to attend board meetings and tour district schools; and training materials, such as a board member handbook, can be shared with and explained to new members. These are just some ways that
boards of education can ensure that new members are prepared to positively contribute to the work of the board upon being sworn in. While there is flexibility as to the methods used by governance boards to provide orientation and training to its members, there should be no flexibility as to whether training and professional development are essential elements of a professional governance board. A culture of professionalism is not casually acquired, and a legacy of good governance is an investment that must be continually made and remade. One of the best ways for a board of education to communicate its commitment to professional governance is to reach out to prospective members of the board and extend learning opportunities to them, letting them know that service on the board of education brings with it a responsibility to commit to continual learning. Like any worthwhile endeavor, professional governance comes at the cost of focus and effort. An investment well worth making, as practice does indeed make perfect.
Boards are set to welcome new members (continued from page 1) “The goals of this meeting are focused on addressing any initial questions or concerns by the newly elected members,” said McKay. “Additionally, it is an opportunity for us to introduce the general guidelines of the Wallingford BOE, confirm all meeting schedules, introduce our strategic plan, and budget process to name a few,” she added. “All concerns and questions by the newly elected BOE members are encouraged to be discussed and answered by the superintendent and/or BOE leadership at this meeting. If additional concerns or questions arise, additional meeting(s) can be held accordingly.” All newly elected Wallingford BOE members are also added to the mail distribution list for all relevant information and correspondence for the BOE, which includes all public meeting schedules and general information from/to the BOE, as disseminated by central office staff, as well as from the board chair and public at large, according to McKay, who noted that board members get the choice of receiving their correspondence by either email or the BOE courier service.
All newly elected BOE members in Wallingford are encouraged to attend all public BOE meetings until they are officially sworn in (for 2015 elections that will be in January 2016). The Wallingford BOE also reinforces to all newly elected BOE members that
Chairman Donald Harris said that new board members in his district receive a number of invitations to get them acclimated to their new position, including an invite to attend the pre-electionCABE workshop, “So you want to become a Board Member?;” an invitation to attend
“. . . always remember that: ‘A board is a policy making body – that’s its primary function,’. . . . ‘Policy is the basis of the district’s operation; it is used for public relations, as a means for making decisions, and probably most importantly, it is an accountability tool.’ ” the school board is a collaborative group of individuals, explained McKay. “As Board Chair, I encourage all questions, comments and concerns by BOE members to be expressed openly and respectfully,” she noted. “The overarching goal is to integrate this freshman group into the incumbent BOE membership as quickly as possible.” In Bloomfield Board of Education
the annual CABE/CAPSS Convention in November; and an invitation to attend the CABE New Board Member Orientation in December. In addition, many e-mails, telephone calls and text messages are exchanged, said Harris. According to Vincent A. Mustaro, CABE’s Senior Staff Associate for Policy Services, the two most important documents new board members need to be
aware of are their board’s policy manual and budget. “That’s because the policy manual says what the board wants to see happen and the budget is where it puts the resources to those policies,” said Mustaro. Mustaro also stressed the importance of new board members getting familiar with their BOE’s bylaws. “In the policy manual, the very first section they need to become very well aware of is the bylaws, because obviously very quickly they are going to be immersed in meetings of the board and the bylaws determine the manner in which the board operates, so that’s where they’ve got to start,” continued Mustaro. New board members should also closely examine their district’s vision statement. “What is stated there for the mission? Look at the goals that have been established because by statute there needs to be a policy pertaining to district goals,” added Mustaro. And always remember that: “A board is a policy making body – that’s its primary function,” said Mustaro. “Policy is the basis of the district’s operation; it is used for public relations, as a means for making decisions, and probably most importantly, it is an accountability tool.”
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
13
Save the Date!
2015 CABE New Board Member Orientation/Leadership Workshop Welcome To School Board Service
Roles and Responsibilities
Legal Requirements and Advocacy
Policy
Common Mistakes
December 9, 2015 | 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM Sheraton South Hotel, Rocky Hill
14
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
CABE: working for YOU Individualized Workshops • Professional Development Opportunities Legal Services • Policy Services • Representing You Statewide and Nationally Below are the highlights of activities that the CABE staff has undertaken on your behalf over the last month. We did this:
• •
➤ By representing Connecti-
•
•
•
cut school boards on the state or national level:
• • •
•
• • •
•
•
•
Represented boards of education at Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC). Hosted and participated in Birth to Three Leaders meeting. Attended Anti-Defamation League Board of Directors meeting and event. Facilitated Connecticut Society of Association Executives (CSAE) study group for Certified Association Executive (CAE) exam. Hosted two Big 6 (CABE, CAPSS, CAS, CBIA, CCER, ConnCAN) meetings. Provided Legislative update at CREC Council meeting. Participated in Mastery Examination Review Committee Participated in panel discussion on Connecticut Core Standards and Statewide Testing sponsored by the Sherman Board of Education Participated in High School Graduation Requirements Task Force meetings. Participated in Connecticut Association of Schools Board of Directors meeting. Attended Connecticut Education
• •
•
•
• •
•
Foundations annual conference. Presented at LGBT Workshop. Attended Connecticut Financial Literacy Summit. Met with Executive Director and others of the Graustein Memorial Fund on working together. Participated in LEAD Connecticut Partners meeting. Participated in CAPSS’ NEXTEd2 meeting. Took part in meeting of the State’s Child Emergency Preparedness Committee. Participated in meeting of the Connecticut Coalition for Public Education. Spoke at Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER) conference on boards working with town/ city officials. Attended meeting pertaining to changing state demographics. Staffed CABE information table at SDE’s Family Engagement Conference. Attended meeting of the CAPSS Technology Committee.
➤ By providing opportunities for members to learn how to better govern their districts:
•
Facilitated a Roles and Responsibilities workshop with the Plymouth Board of Education.
•
•
• •
•
•
Provided policy information to 26 districts, one out-of-state school board association and two state agencies through 38 answered requests for information or sample policies, on 35 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 included sexual abuse/assault, graduation requirements, restraint and seclusion, physical exercise and discipline, transportation and student issues related to health. Planned, implemented and hosted three Board of Education candidates workshops in Hartford, Hamden and Old Lyme. Met with Winchester Receiver Rob Travaglini. Met with Michael Howser and Steve Batt of the Connecticut State Data Center on demographics Sponsored and participated in conference on Supporting LGBT students with CAS and CAPSS. Planned, implemented and attended Legal Issues 2015 workshop.
plications for school districts? The article states that middle managers occupy what is called a “contradictoryclass position: while they receive “higher wages and more autonomy than the workers they manage… they earn less than their superiors and don’t get to make big decisions.” They often have to enforce policies sent down from the top, without necessarily having a say in what they are and enforce them on subordinates who might not agree with them. So, in a school district, who would be considered “middle management”? It might be principals or department heads, who, for example, may find that they are often “caught” between the central office and teachers. I asked CAS Executive Director Karissa Niehoff whether she believed that these results were consistent with her understanding of how principals felt. Her response was that principals “acknowl-
•
• •
receive the most up-todate communications:
•
to meet members needs:
•
Entered into an agreement with East Hampton to conduct an audit of the district’s current policy manual.
edge their role as middle management but they get frustrated knowing that they have the responsibility for improving school performance but demands from conflicting outside interests often limit their capacity to exercise discretionary authority and professional judgment… When they are consulted by those above them, they feel trusted and valued. But, this remains a difficult aspect of the job of any principal.” The article suggested that solidarity with others in the same situation and social support may be helpful in alleviating some of these negative aspects of being middle managers. In addition, it would seem that becoming members of communities of practice with others facing similar issues might be one way to maintain the morale of these important staff members. Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE
Trending legal topics were: accommodations for transgender students, personnel and medical records, academic pay-to-play, regulating social media speech, minimizing liability for concussions, and bargaining to avoid the “Cadillac Tax.” Currently in process of completing the audit of the Fairfield district policy manual. Staffed the CABE Nominating Committee. As part of the Customized Policy Update Service materials were sent to Ansonia, Columbia, East Hampton, East Windsor, Franklin, Gilbert School, Marlborough, New Fairfield, New Hartford, Newington, North Stonington, Putnam, Region 6, Sterling, West Haven, Westbrook, Windham and Union Boards of Education.
➤ By ensuring members
➤ By providing services
Study: Middle managers suffer more depression than others Atlantic Magazine printed an article on August 27th, describing results when researchers tried to “determine the types of workers who are most prone to depression.” Usually, researchers focus on those at the bottom of the hierarchical ladder at companies, due to their decreased control over their work environment, menial duties and less pay. Actually, “middle managers have it much worse,” according to research led by doctoral candidate Seth Prins (CABE Secretary Treasurer John Prins’s son). The Columbia University study of nearly 22,000 full-time workers found that “18 percent of supervisors and managers reported symptoms of depression”, while for blue collar workers, the figure was 12% and “for owners and executives it was only 11 percent.” So, why do middle managers have it so tough – and what could be the im-
•
•
•
•
As part of the development of new policy manuals utilizing the Custom Policy Service, materials were prepared for Ellington, New London, North Haven, Plymouth, Portland, Region 14, Ridgefield, Wallingford, Wethersfield and Windsor Locks Boards of Education. Met with the Superintendents of New London and Windsor Locks regarding the development of new district policy manuals. Completed draft of the Policy Update Service publication for the November mailing. Met with Baldwin Media to discuss developing videos on issues of interest to board members.
➤ By helping school boards to increase student achievement
•
•
•
Sent out two issues of Policy Highlights via email listserv covering topics that affect student achievement. This included bullying, homework, and nicotine delivery systems. Met with representatives of the State Department of Education on the Lighthouse initiative. Participated in Lighthouse training with the Shelton Board of Education.
➤ By promoting
public education:
•
Participated in Connecticut Mirror event on education-related issues, such as integration.
15
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015
NSBA Center for Public Education: A different view on the achievement gap For nearly a quarter of a century education policy has focused on closing the achievement gap between traditionally disadvantaged students and their more advantaged peers. During this time period there have been numerous studies focused on quantifying such gaps and identifying the causes in the hopes that such findings will enable policymakers to make informed decisions about policies to narrow such gaps. Yet, the impact of the racial composition of schools on the achievement gap has not garnered much attention from researchers. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) sheds new light on this important topic. Specifically, the report asks the question: Does the percent of black students enrolled in a school impact the achievement gap between black and white students? Sounds like a straightforward question but the answer is far from clear as you will see. Specifically the report found: • White students attend school with few black students. • White students attend schools whose enrollment is typically 9 percent black
Now is the time to book your next board retreat or training session! With school board elections coming for most school districts this year, it is important to remember to schedule your board workshops with CABE staff as soon as possible. We encourage you to sign up your new board members for our New Board Member training session on December 9. You may also be looking to schedule a workshop for the whole board. Whether it is goal setting, roles and responsibilities, or a board retreat, this fall and winter promise to be a very busy season. We encourage you to lock in your dates as soon as possible. To learn how CABE trainers can provide your board with professional development, or to schedule a meeting, contact Nick Caruso, Senior Staff Associate for Field Service and Coordinator of Technology (ncaruso@cabe.org)
• Black student attend schools whose enrollment is typically 48 percent black • Schools with the densest enrollment of black students – schools whose enrollment is between 60 and 100 percent black – were mostly likely to be found in the south and in large cities. • Both black and white 8th grade students who were enrolled in high black student density schools scored lower on the NAEP math assessment than those enrolled in low black density schools- 0 to 20 percent black enrollment. • The achievement gap between black and white students did not significantly differ depending on the black student density of the school. • Gaps narrowed between black and white students when researchers took into account the student’s socioeconomic status, and other student, teacher, and school characteristics but large gaps still remained. • Gaps were largest in the highest black student density schools than the lowest black student density schools even when taking other student and school characteristics into account. • The black/white achievement gap has more to do with differences within schools than differences between them. So what exactly do these finding tell us? For one, they tell us that even though Brown v. Board of Education was decided over 60 years ago black students still tend to go to school with mostly black students and white students tend to go to school with mostly white students.
Second, even though math scores for both white and black students tend to decrease as the proportion of black students in schools increase, the achievement gap remains basically the same. Third, when comparing similar students attending similar schools the achievement gap widens as the share of black students enrolled in a school increases. Finally, although differences between schools, such as funding, contribute to the achievement gap, differences within a school contribute more to perpetuating gaps. What does this mean for policymakers? There are no clear answers but focusing on desegregating schools would be a step in the right direction, although it isn’t nearly enough to close achievement gaps. The same can be said about ensuring there is an equitable distribution of funding and quality teachers among schools. While important, this report shows that such resources should be distributed more equitably within a school to improve the performance of its black students and close achievement gaps. The report doesn’t provide clear cut answers on how to close the achievement gap, but it does provide ample evidence that students, both black and white, who attend schools that predominately enroll black students are not receiving the same education as their peers that attend schools who enroll mostly white students. In addition, no matter the racial makeup of the school, black students are not achieving the same level as their white
Save the Date! An opportunity for CABE member boards of education to have a voice in the Legislative process.
peers. How resources are distributed within the school can go a long ways to narrow that gap. Reprinted with permission from Jim Hull, The EDifier, September 29, 2015. The Center for Public Education (Center) NSBA’s resource for accurate, timely, and credible information about public education and its importance to the well-being of our nation. The Center provides up-to-date research, data, and analysis on current education issues and explores ways to improve student achievement and engage public support for public schools. See more at: www.centerforpubliceducation.org/.
CABE Search Services
Call CABE for your searches! For an update or more information on vacancies go to our website:
www.cabe.org
CABE Delegate Assembly Thursday, November 19, 2015 2:30 pm Registration | 3:00 - 6:00 pm Delegate Assembly Mystic Marriott Hotel, Groton
For more information contact, CABE Search Services, 860-539-7594 Mary Broderick, Senior Search Consultant Paul Gagliarducci, Associate Consultant Jacqueline V. Jacoby, Senior Search Consultant Bob King, Associate Consultant P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 www.cabe.org/support Equal Opportunity Employers
16 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015