The CABE Journal - December 2022

At the Friday evening banquet at the CABE/CAPSS Conven tion, CABE Immediate Past President Donald Harris (Bloomfield) announced the 20222023 CABE Board of Directors members.

Elected as President was Elizabeth “Liz” Brown (Waterbury); First Vice President, Leonard Lockhart (Wind sor); Vice President for Government Relations, Meg Scata (Portland); Vice President for Professional Develop ment, John Prins (Branford); and, Secretary/Treasurer; Lon Seidman, (Essex). Continuing to serve are Im mediate Past President Donald Harris (Bloomfield); and Lydia Tedone (Simsbury) NSBA Director.

The following Area Directors will serve the second year of their term: Area 1 Director Marion Man zo (Region 15); Area 2 Co-Direc tors Doug Foyle (Glastonbury) and Tyron Harris (East Hartford); Area 4 Director Jay Livernois (Woodstock Academy); Area 5 Director Dan Cru son (Newtown); Area 6 Co-Directors Janice Cupee (Stratford) and Lee Goldstein (Westport); Area 7 Co-Di rectors George Kurtyka (Derby) and Robert Guthrie (West Haven); Area 8 Director Lon Seidman (Essex); and Area 9 Co-Directors Carol Burgess (Montville) and Bryan Doughty (New London).

Congratulations to all!

State Board of Education Happenings

McKay Staff Associate for Government Relations, CABE

The State Department of Ed ucation’s Chief Academic Officer Irene Parisi, Social Studies Consul tant Stephen Armstrong, and Ingrid Canady, Executive Director, State Education Resource Center, began a discussion on the new Black and Latino coursework at the October meeting. They were followed by teach ers Maryam Wardak (CREC), Daisha Brabham (Windsor), Denise Moller (Bridge Academy) and former Bridge Academy student Hiromi Lozano Mentioned was the great impact the courses have had on students, the efforts of professional development,

and the more inclusive look at history. Lozano was “forever grateful” for the opportunity to take the course.

Chief Performance Officer Ajit Gopalakrishnan presented on enroll ment trends data. There was a drop in enrollment in 2020-21 and the biggest declines were in PK and K. Commis sioner Russell-Tucker presented on the COVID-19 Education Research Collaborative Projects that are state level investments coordinated through UCONN:

• Summer Enrichment

• Remote Learning Audit

• Learner Engagement and Atten dance Program (LEAP)

• Behavioral Health Pilot in seven districts.

Kathy Demsey, Chief Financial Officer, presented the biennial budget options as the Office of Policy and Management requested a 3 percent

Harris Receives Philip S. Fenster Distinguished Service Award

Patrice McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

President Liz Brown (Waterbury) and Leonard Lockhart (Windsor), First Vice President and Chair of the Distinguished Service Award Committee, presented the Philip S. Fenster Distinguished Service Award to CABE Immediate Past President Donald Harris (Bloomfield) during the CABE/CAPSS Convention banquet.

Dr. Fenster was a member of the Danbury Board of Education and also served as CABE’s President. Phil was a quiet, thoughtful and committed model of effective leadership.

Don Harris exemplifies the spirit of service so characteristic of Phil. Don has served on the Bloomfield Board of Education for 12 years, and has been Chairman since 2011. At CABE he has chaired the Federal Relations Committee and Diversity Committee. Don was CABE President in and currently chairs the Nominating Committee.

Don has served as a member of the State of Connecticut Board of Education since 2016, where he chairs the Finance/Audit Committee, and serves on the Legislative/Policy

Sheila

Donald Harris

Liz Brown Happy Holidays!

Our Students Deserve Happiness and Hope

Elizabeth Brown President, CABE

Eastern Standard Time has arrived! November ushers in cooler days and darker nights. Winter storm clouds gather!

School districts churn with closing marking periods and hum in the synchronized rhythm of schedules and activities. I’m writing this column before the November 8 elections, so I’ll congratulate all the newly elected officials and thank each one for their commitment to public service. May your term in office be fruitful and fulfilling.

The changing of the season stirs reflection on how things are going. Districts take stock of student prog ress, teacher professional development, parent and community engagement, curriculum and implementation of new policies. It is all part of an annual cycle - your board of education needs to help keep the rhythm going!

School districts don’t operate in a vacuum. Many factors influence, not only our school districts, but our local, state, national, and global world. A

recent commentary by David Brooks of the New York Times laid bare alarm ing data on sadness. The article, “The Rising Tide of Sadness Felt Around the Globe,” cited the results of numerous national and global surveys - people are not happy and negativity in the culture reflects the negativity in real life.

I thought about the broad impli cations of this phenomenon. If people in general are not happy then how about our own students, faculty and the communities we live in? Negativity is contagious. How do we measure the success of our Districts? Is the well-being and mental health of our school community a priority? Do we model respect, inclusion and place value on social connection? Does our district take into account student trau ma and stress as we develop curricu lum and instruction? If we do, how do we measure the outcomes for success?

Food for thought!

Our students are bombarded with negativity. Social media bulges with words and comments that display negative emotions, hate, anger, anxiety, and overall pessimism. Pop music lyr

ics reinforce this same melody. Think of the recent episodes of “swatting” that terrorized students and faculty in many school districts. Students report significant increases of suicidal thoughts and depression. Truly a lot to process!

Is sadness the new normal? I hope not!

The ”happiness index” of com munities’ matters. Schools reflect the pulse of the communities we live in. Strong, connected communities foster strong, connected citizens.

As we close out 2022, “taking stock” must include a deep under standing and promotion of the wellbeing of students, faculty and com munity. Sadness must not be the new norm; our students deserve happiness and hope. My sincere wishes for won derful, joyous, holidays with friends and family.

People in the News

CABE Past President and current NSBA Northeast Represen tative Lydia Tedone (Simsbury) was awarded the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) Distinguished Friend of Public Education at their annual conference in November.

Lydia was recognized for her collaboration and the support given to MASC and for her work advo cating for public schools in New England.

Congratulations, Lydia!

NSBA President Frank Hen derson, Jr., announced Donald Harris (Bloomfield) as a Presiden tial Appointee to the 2023 NSBA National Nominating Committee.

Congratulations, Don!

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.

Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Elizabeth Brown | President, Waterbury

Leonard Lockhart | First Vice President, Windsor

Meg Scata | Vice President for Government Relations, Portland

John Prins | Vice President for Professional Development, Branford

Lon Seidman | Secretary/Treasurer, Essex

Donald Harris | Immediate Past President, Bloomfield

Christopher Wilson | Member at Large, Bristol

Lydia Tedone | NSBA Director, Simsbury

AREA DIRECTORS

Marion Manzo | Area 1 Director, Region 15

Douglas Foyle | Area 2 Co-Director, Glastonbury

Tyron Harris | Area 2 Co-Director, East Hartford

Jay Livernois | Area 4 Director, Woodstock Academy

Dan Cruson | Area 5 Director, Newtown

Janice Cupee | Area 6 Co-Director, Stratford

Lee Goldstein | Area 6 Co-Director, Westport

George Kurtyka | Area 7 Co-Director, Derby

Robert Guthrie | Area 7 Co-Director, West Haven

Lon Seidman | Area 8 Director, Essex

Carol Burgess | Area 9 Co-Director, Montville

Bryan Doughty | Area 9 Co-Director, New London

ASSOCIATES

Eileen Baker | Associate, Old Saybrook Ann Gruenberg | Associate, Hampton

Perugini | Associate, Cheshire Robert Mitchell | Associate, Montville Joseph Wilkerson | Associate, Bloomfield

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

CABE Journal (ISSN 1092-1818) is published bi-monthly by Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, 81Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109. Periodicals postage Paid at Hartford, CT.”

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The CABE Journal, CABE, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242. CABE membership dues include $30 per person for each individual who receives The CABE Journal. The subscription rate for nonmembers is $75.

Association members dues include a subscription for each Board Member, Superintendent, Assistant Su perintendent and Business Manager. The companies and advertisements found in The CABE Journal are not necessarily endorsed by CABE.

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EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES

American School for the Deaf Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES)

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Capitol Region Education Council (CREC)

Connecticut Alliance of YMCAs Connecticut Arts Administrators Association

Connecticut Association of School Business Officials (CASBO)

Connecticut School Buildings and Grounds Association (CSBGA)

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Out of Public Schools Grows the Greatness of a Nation

Patrice McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

Anticipation for the 2022 CABE/CAPSS Convention began building months ago. At workshops and meetings, board members talked excitedly about attending the Convention with multiple members of their board of education and superintendents. “See you at the Convention” was heard frequently from board members. The Convention exceeded these expectations. For the first time since 2019, board members and superintendents were able to gather without a limit on the number of attendees. The energy and support

STATE BOARD

(continued from page 1)

reduction from each agency. The board approved $26.7 million in FY 2024 and $28.8 million in FY 2025. The accounts affected are: CT Writing Project $20,250 each year, Commis sioner’s Network $300,000 each year, Health and Welfare Services-Nonpub lic schools $2,364,024 and $2,376,209 and Excess Cost $23,928,105 and $26,124,689.

The board approved the following motion: Section 10-4b of the Con necticut General Statutes, as well as Section 10-4b-8 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the State Board of Education hereby finds that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Killingly Board of Educa tion has failed or is unable to make reasonable provisions to implement the educational interests of the state of Connecticut, and in accordance with such finding, and pursuant to Sections 10-4b-8 and 10-4b-9 of the Regula tions of Connecticut State Agencies, the SBE orders an inquiry before a duly designated hearing panel serving on behalf of the SBE.

A presentation on school security from Department of Emergency Ser vices and Public Protection’s Com missioner Brenda Bergeron and Eric

was palpable.

The Convention theme “Public Education: Moving Forward for ALL Children” was evident in the keynote sessions and workshops as well as the many informal conversations that took place. The opportunity to network and share best practices energized attendees as well as the CABE staff. The student leaders captivated the audience with their insights during the Friday luncheon session.

This state-wide opportunity to engage in professional development sets the stage for ongoing learning experiences. CABE’s area legislative breakfasts, Day on the Hill, a book club, webinars and the board chair check-in provide these opportunities

Scoville, Director of Communications for SDE delineated grants and services available to districts. The board was made aware of the new mandate estab lishing emergency sports plans. The annual due date of November 1 for school security plans was discussed.

The update on the Prek-3 reading program which was established on July 1, 2022 reviewed the work of SDE, in consultation with the Reading Leader ship Implementation Council. Eleven districts meet the criteria for the five approved reading programs, and two more programs are being reviewed. Boards of Education will have an op portunity to request a waiver for read ing curricula models and programs that are evidence-based/scientifically based and focused on competency in the following areas of reading:

• oral language;

• phonemic awareness;

• phonics;

• fluency;

• vocabulary;

• rapid automatic name or letter name fluency; and

• reading comprehension; will met the established criteria.

to take place. I hope that board members will use these opportunities to connect with peers to sustain the energy and support they felt at the Convention. For those board members who were unable to attend, this ongoing support is here for you as well.

As you gather with friends and family, celebrate not only the holidays but the contributions you make to the wellbeing of all our students and our public education system. As Mark Twain said, “Out of our public schools grows the greatness of a nation.”

CABE

Welcomes New Staff Member

CABE is pleased to an nounce that Jody Goeler has joined the CABE Staff as the Sr. Staff Associate for Policy Service.

Jody served as a public school educator in Connecticut for 39 years before retiring from Ham den Public Schools. During his career in public schools, he served in various roles – teacher, director, vice principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superinten dent. Over the past twelve years as superintendent in three different and unique communities, Jody worked closely with Boards of Ed ucation on developing, revising, and implementing policies that comply with legal mandates and support effective practice.

Join us in welcoming Jody!

Jody Goeler

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 members of the Nutmeg Board of Education were pleased ear lier this year to partner with St. Mary’s Church, a Catholic church in Nutmeg. St. Mary’s agreed to send employees to Acorn Elementary School to run “After the Bell,” an afterschool enrichment and daycare program. For its part, the Nutmeg Public Schools agreed to advertise the program and to provide space at the school rent-free. The parties agreed that families of students enrolled at Acorn Elementary School would have preference in admission, and that all activities would be secular in nature, i.e., no religious instruction or other proselytizing by staff mem bers.

When the Board approved the program at the beginning of this school year, only veteran Bob Bombast voted no. During Public Comment at the Board meeting last week, however, Board members were surprised when several speakers attacked the Board for what they claimed was an unconsti tutional collaboration with a religious organization.

“Haven’t you dopes ever heard about the separation of church and state?” asked Carl Crabby, a resident who regularly criticizes Board mem bers during Public Comment.

“Point of Order!” Board member Mal barked. “We are not ‘dopes,’ and I will not sit here and take such abuse!” Mr. Chairperson was startled, looked up from his phone, and told Carl not to make personal attacks.

Carl apologized for his comment, but then he continued to lecture the Board on why they were wrong to approve an afterschool program run by St. Mary’s. Several other residents agreed with Carl and warned the Board members that they will inviting costly litigation by not maintaining a strict separation of church and state.

When Public Comment was over, Bob Bombast spoke up. “This is why I voted against this arrangement. I move that we rescind our approval of this program immediately!”

Board

member Penny Pincher sec

onded Bob’s motion, expressing con cern that the Board should have been more thoughtful before it partnered with St. Mary’s. Bob Bombast thanked Penny for her comments, and he reiterated his opposition to any “entan glements” between the Nutmeg Public Schools and St. Mary’s. But Board members Mal Content and Red Cent said that they were not persuaded and that the program should continue.

With that, Mr. Chairperson called the question, and the Board voted 3-2 to rescind its agreement to partner with St. Mary’s on the After the Bell program.

Mr. Chairperson asked Ms. Super intendent to inform St. Mary’s of the Board’s action, but Ms. Superintendent expressed confusion. “Parents are relying on this afterschool program. What do I tell them, and can St. Mary’s run the program without our help?”

Mr. Chairperson shrugged his shoulders and said simply “The Con stitution is the Constitution. Figure it out.”

Did the Nutmeg Board of Educa tion make any mistakes here? ••••••••••••

The Nutmeg Board of Education made several mistakes here. Taking action on a motion that was not on the agenda without following proper procedure was a serious mistake. Sim ilarly, under Robert’s Rules, there are special rules for rescinding or amend ing action previously taken: a motion to rescind or amend action previously taken must either (1) be stated in full on the agenda for the meeting, (2) be approved by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, or (3) be approved by an absolute majority of the board of education. Moreover, a board of education cannot terminate a con tract simply by rescinding its previous approval.

The main problem here is whether the Board’s vote to rescind approval of this program was required or even appropriate. The First Amendment provides in part that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establish ment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . ,” and school officials have historically felt the ten sion between these two clauses, as did Nutmeg. Given recent rulings of the United States Supreme Court, how ever, it appears that such a program is constitutional. Indeed, terminat ing such a program simply because a religious organization is involved may violate the rights of that organization.

Starting in 2017, the Court has ruled three different times that exclu sion of religious organizations from government programs simply because of their religious nature is a violation of the Free Exercise Clause. In Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer, 582 U.S. __ (2017), the Court ruled that the rights of a preschool and daycare center affiliated with a church were violated when the State of Missouri rejected its application for a grant to upgrade its playground solely because the center was affiliated with a church

The Court extended this rule in 2018 to a program granting tax credits for donations to grant scholarships. Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, 591 U.S. __ (2018). There, the Montana Department of Revenue had prohibited the use of such scholar ship funds to attend religious schools. However, the Court applied the neutrality principle articulated in the Trinity Lutheran Church case to rule that the exclusion of religious schools from the program solely on the basis of religion violated the Free Exercise Clause.

Finally, last June the Court applied the neutrality principle to require

that parents be allowed to use vouch ers provided by a program in Maine for their children to attend sectarian schools. Carson v. Makin, 596 U.S. ___ (2022). In communities in Maine that do not operate a secondary school (or contract with one to provide educa tion to their students), parents receive vouchers to offset tuition charges at schools they choose. Such par ent choice was limited to accredited schools that are not sectarian. The Court ruled, however that the State of Maine violated the free exercise rights of parents by excluding religious schools from this program.

Given these precedents, Nutmeg was not obligated to terminate its ar rangement with St. Mary’s. A similar arrangement with a private school or other organization would certainly be permissible. Moreover, the agreement here expressly prohibited proselytizing activities. Given those facts and these cases, St. Mary’s could now argue that the action of the Nutmeg Board of Education in terminating the program solely because it is a religious organi zation violated the free exercise rights of its members.

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for

Below are the highlights of activities that the CABE staff has undertaken on your behalf over the last month. We did this:

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

z Responded to 69 requests for policy information from 33 districts, providing sample materials on policy 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 were those pertaining to Conduct at Board Meetings, Curriculum Committees, and Physical Exercise and Discipline.

z Provided workshops on Board Members Roles and Responsibilities for the Columbia, East Windsor, North Stonington, Region 5, and Region 13 Boards of Education.

By providing services to meet member needs:

z Facilitated monthly Board Chair Check-In.

z Revised policies, as part of the Custom Update Policy Service, for New Fairfield, North Stonington, Sterling, and West Haven.

z Began new policy project for the Seymour Board of Education.

z Currently assisting Colchester, New Milford, and Somers Boards of Education with their superintendent searches.

z Discussed strategic planning with the

East Haddam Board of Education.

z Facilitated two meetings discuss ing District Goals with the Tolland Board of Education.

z Facilitated discussion with the Vol untown Board of Education.

z Facilitated board self-evaluations for the Windsor and Woodstock Boards of Education.

z Provided Legal Issues workshop.

z Provided Fall Meeting of Superinten dents’ Administrative Professionals.

z Responded to a variety of legal inqui ries from members.

z Presented at CABE Legal Issues Workshop.

By helping school boards to increase student achievement:

z Sent two issues of “Policy Highlights” via e-mail list serve covering topics that affect student achievement.

Topics pertained to New Protected Class in State law and New Data on Learning Loss, the National “Report Card.”

By ensuring members receive the most up-to-date communications:

z Met virtually with the Danbury Su perintendent and his staff to go over procedures and process regarding the ongoing Policy Manual project.

By attending Professional Development to strengthen staff knowledge and skills:

z Attended NSBA Council of School

Attorneys Fall virtual seminar.

z Attended New England School Pub lic Relations (NESPRA) Member Check-In.

z Attended Non-Profit Budget Basics webinar.

By helping districts operate efficiently and conserve resources:

z Posted policies online, as part of the C.O.P.S. Program for Bethel, Brook lyn, Canterbury, Derby, Griswold, Monroe, New Fairfield, Norfolk, Portland, Preston, Region 16, Ridgefield, and Somers.

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

z Attended State Board of Education meeting.

z Attended CAS Board of Directors meeting.

z Participated in focus group on the State Department of Education’s Five-Year Strategic Plan

z Participated in Commissioner’s Family and Community Engage ment Council.

z Attended Vermont School Boards Association’s annual conference.

z Developed joint letter with CCM and CAPSS regarding use of federal funds for HVAC improvements.

z Discussed board/superintendent roles with UConn aspiring superin tendent class.

z Participated in CCM podcast dis cussing CABE priorities.

z Attended Redesigning Education

Conference

z Represented CABE at Regional Education Laboratory (REL) virtual meeting.

z Participated in School Discipline Collaborative Advisory Council.

z Attended Board of Directors meeting for Discovering Amistad

z Chaired a meeting of the Digital Learning Advisory Council for the CT Commission for Educational Technology

DONALD HARRIS (continued from page 1)

Committee and Accountability/ Support Committee. He has served on the CREC Board of Directors as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President and President (2015-2017).

Don taught at Bloomfield High School for many years, and also served as a coach, Athletic Director and Principal. He was Deputy Mayor in the Town of Bloomfield from 20072011. Don’s professional and volunteer roles have supported the needs of Connecticut students.

Additionally, Don has been very active at the national level, representing Connecticut at the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Advocacy, Annual Convention, Equity and Leadership Conferences.

It was an honor for CABE to recognize Don Harris for his lifetime commitment to public education with the 2022 Philip S. Fenster Distinguished Service Award!

CABE First White Affinity Group Wraps

John Prins VP for Professional Development, CABE; Board Member, Branford

During the Summer of 2022, CABE rolled out a “single-race” affinity group as part of its Diversity, Equi ty, Inclusion (DEI) initiative to help boards of education navigate the exi gencies of racism and discrimination in Connecticut’s schools. I was skepti cal about participating. But, knowing that CABE’s workshops are excellent and that this one was sure to meet an especially timely and important need, I signed up.

Why skeptical? I always thought that the best way to identify, under stand and iron out differences between people would be meeting face to face, in the same room, with people from different backgrounds, with the guidance of a skilled facilitator. We’d undo misconceptions and biases and work toward a better understanding of what so much of the world is going through directly from the mouths of people who may be experiencing it

most acutely.

Our inaugural group of eight BOE members from across the state came to understand how meeting as a mixed group would place an undue burden on participants of color. Why should any individual or individuals – wheth er black or Jewish, Puerto Rican or south Asian – have to find themselves in a position of speaking for or rep resenting an entire ethnic group or people? It would be exhausting! My face-to-face version was flawed.

Masterfully facilitating our four Zoom meetings between June and October, Marji Lipshez Shapiro, CT ADL Deputy Director, created a safe space for our shared experience. She helped each of us to not only see the benefits of being in an all-white group, but also to find our voices and better understand privilege, anti-racism, ‘ally-ship’ and bias. We learned how to have authentic, courageous conver sations about the many myths most of us grew up with. Importantly, we not only learned about, but we also practiced those brave conversations.

In fact, a member from a small rural district was able to apply her learned experience from class to a real-life issue in her District. The tools from our sessions were already making a difference.

Our last session was intended to be joining a similarly tasked black affinity group to share our respective learnings and start to identify com mon issues and potential action steps for improvement. Since there was no other group this time, CABE’s DEI consultant Martha Brackeen-Harris and immediate past president Don Harris agreed to join us to further explore what we had learned through the eyes of people of color.

This experience reinforced for me a simple, crisp way to explain DEI:

• Bio-diversity is the key to a healthy, livable world; life depends on it. Diversity is the key to growth, learning, understanding and relationships. The opposite of either is, quite simply sameness or stasis. Unhealthy, unpleasant,

destructive, decaying.

• Equity is ensuring that each student gets what they need, when they need it and how they need it.

• Inclusion is ensuring that no one gets left out.

I’m a big proponent of modeling what you want to see in your district. This experience was a huge step in acting on that commitment.

CABE has been committed to ad dressing DEI for many years. We know that what happens “at the Board table” tends to make its way throughout the district and into the classroom. Please reach out to CABE to encourage the next session of a White – and may be this time also a BIPOC - Affinity Group.

I’m no longer a skeptic. Our group is already talking about reconvening to debrief on what we’ve done, how the tools have worked and to continue the learning and the modeling of desired values and behaviors.

2022 CABE/CAPSS Convention Keynote Address

Patrice McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

Dr. Nii Addy, Neuroscientist, Professor and Mental Health Advocate at B, provided an insightful keynote address to open the 2022 CABE/ CAPSS Convention. At Yale, Dr. Addy directs a federally funded research program investigating the neurobiological bases of depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Dr. Addy’s team also studies the ability of tobacco product flavor additives to alter nicotine use behavior and addiction.

Dr. Addy began his remarks

observing how impressed he was with the sense of community between board members and superintendents. He also commended CABE for the mission statement – “To assist local and regional boards of education in providing high quality public education for all Connecticut children through effective leadership”. He observed that the pandemic has caused us all to operate at “full tilt”, and it is important to now pause and reflect on the lessons learned from this challenge. Dr. Addy also discussed the importance of selfcare and recognizing the reality of

emotional challenges students and adults are facing. By acknowledging these challenges, we can identify ways to support each other in a holistic manner. His advice to support emotional regulation included setting routines to help navigate in times of uncertainty, building a community, and remembering to pause.

Dr. Addy concluded by observing that we are all influencers, even if we do not have thousands of followers on social media, as board members and superintendents set the tone in their district and community.

How Much Information is Too Much?

Consultant

When it comes to school budgets, the question of how much is too much is a good question. The spectrum ranges from publishing every financial document online to releasing only the bare minimum that is legally required. The related question is when to release information.

In general, the answer is the more — and the more often — the better; however, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. School districts should work with the public to determine what best fits the public’s interests. Here is an outline for making those decisions.

Determine the purpose Is the purpose of the public budget disclosures to satisfy legal requirements, to improve the district’s image, to inform the public, to give patrons the data by which they can evaluate district decisions, to encourage public involvement in budget decisions, or is it all of those reasons? I hope it would be the latter. But each of those elements affects the type of information that is released and when.

Setting the table

If the district’s budget year starts July 1, now is the time to be informing the public (and reminding the staff) about the process.

Explain how the budget is put together. Is it built from the ground up or from the top down? Is it based on the previous year’s budget with additions — or subtractions — for enrollment changes, increased/ decreased costs of services, and salary adjustments? Or does it start from scratch each year, looking anew at programs and costs?

Show how the public is involved.

At which points in the process is public testimony encouraged? Are there public members on mini-budget committees at individual schools or only on the district budget advisory committee?

Include the deadlines in the budget process, and explain how and why the deadlines are set.

Strive to inform, not to justify or sugarcoat. Lengthy explanations are not needed. Clarity is essential.

Report to the investors

Keep the information flowing about district budgeting and spending, whether monthly or — at the most — quarterly. Think of these updates like corporate investor newsletters, except shorter and more readable. Taxpayers are investors in the school district, and the community has a vested interest in the outcomes.

Thus, that strategy includes being forthcoming about challenging problems — real or potential — as well as successes. If there are substantial unexpected costs, say so. If income is significantly below projections, explain why. Help the public understand why income and expenses vary throughout the budget year instead of following a linear line.

Each time, include an update on significant projects, such as construction bids being accepted on the new heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system at the high school; the 5,000 new laptops being delivered for district teachers, counselors and other line staff; or the delay in ordering a new math curriculum.

Consider doing part or all of the update as a list of bulleted items:

• Number of students and increase/decrease since last month.

• Number of district staff and increase/decrease since last

month.

• Total budget for the year.

• Percentage of the year that has elapsed.

• Percentage of the budget spent so far.

• Key budget adjustments.

• Any major expense(s) during this period.

• Consider including an unusual item, such as the number of pencils or rolls of paper towels purchased during the period.

• Next public budget meeting.

• How to get involved and whom to contact with questions.

Remember the purpose

A good reputation arises from providing accurate, credible information instead of deliberately creating a rosy picture. No institution is perfect. That doesn’t mean a district has to parade its shortcomings, but it shouldn’t ignore them either. Beat critics to the punch by disclosing negative information — as investor reports do — before conspiratorial critics stumble on it and accuse the district of a coverup.

Do you track spending by school or program? Can you accurately and believably track how much goes to the classroom and how much is spent on central administration — areas that frequently get criticized? If so, make that information available to the public, including trends over time.

Naysayers may seize on that information, but they would find reasons to complain anyway. Most parents, staff, and other taxpayers will value the honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Use the public

Let the public help you. Social media can serve as impromptu focus groups and editors. Don’t be afraid to

post drafts of monthly or quarterly budget information and ask for critiques of content and clarity. In your final version, explain how you responded to the public input and made changes.

Solicit budget ideas. Treat them like a brainstorming session ( i.e., collect ideas across the board instead of immediately rejecting some as irrelevant, unworkable, or “we already tried that”).

Explain how to participate in budget meetings and provide tips for testifying, such as practicing beforehand to comply with time limits on individual testimony.

Write for real life

Avoid bureaucratic terms such as “roll-forward budget” or “zero-based budgeting.” Use common language as if people were conversing around the supper table. That includes “expenses” or “costs” instead of the fancier “expenditures” and even “income” instead of “revenue.”

Be clear on this year versus last year. Too often, school districts refer to “last year” when they actually are talking about the current year’s budget.

Use the word “cuts” accurately. If the district or a program has more money to spend, that is not a cut in spending, even though services might be reduced.

No news is not good news

Rarely is it a good sign when no one is talking about the school district. Public involvement complicates decision-making but improves decision-making. The goal of yearround budget information is to answer questions, not eliminate them.

This article first appeared in the November/December 2018 CABE CONNection.

DR. NII ADDY

Dick Hughes Communications

BETHANY

Congratulations to the CABE Board Recognition Award Winners: LEVEL I!

concerted effort to respect those opinions and engage in meaningful dialogue. There is demonstrated respect for and between individual members of the Board and the district administration. Frequent com munication bolster this relationship and therefore efficacy.

PLAINVILLE

The Bethany BOE commits to high expectations for student achievement outcomes (academic, social, and emotion al) and quality instruction as evidenced by their Strategic Plan, Mission, Value and Beliefs, and Goals.

The BOE shares a collaborative relationship with staff and the community and establishes strong communication to inform and involve all stakeholders in achieving their goals.

The Bethany Board of Education is an effective team that works alongside its Superintendent in strong collaboration and trust. Together they share a common vision and work harmoniously to achieve the district’s goals.

BLOOMFIELD

Bloomfield’s Board of Education adheres to three primary criteria for Board effectiveness:

1. Understanding our role as Board mem bers to govern by setting policy and monitoring the management systems of the district.

2. Decisions are based on relevant research and data gathered from our schools.

3. Guided by common purpose and align ing our governance with the District Plan of Excellence. The Plan outlines the vision and goals for the successful education of Bloomfield’s children. This plan is the blueprint for district growth and progress, keeping all members of the team focused on strategic resources allocation and policy considerations that promote student achievement.

CHESHIRE

Our school district’s 2022-2023 theme, introduced at the annual Convo cation event is “team work,” the value of great, cohesive teams, and the critical role that each member of our school district community plays as a team member. What better team role models, than our own Board of Education “team” in Plainville who;

1. They are dependent on each other.

2. They work in an atmosphere of trust and are encouraged to express themselves openly.

3. They feel a sense of ownership for their jobs and team because they have made a personal investment in the team.

4. They encourage individual mem bers to apply their individual mem bers to apply their individual talent and knowledge to team objective.

5. They practice open communication with each other.

6. They encourage team members to learn on the job and develop new skills.

7. Decision – making involves he entire team.

8. They resolve conflicts quickly and constructively.

PRESTON

The current Cheshire Board of Education is unique in that the individual members may possess differing views, but there is a

ROCKY HILL

The Rocky Hill Board of Education works diligently to serve the students and families of our community. Under the leadership of our Board, the school district has consistently performed at the top of our district reference group (DRG D) with respect to student achievement as measured by SBAC, NGSS, SAT, and high school AP results. In fact, our Pandem ic Recovery report showed a minimal learning loss (less than 1% from 2018-19 to 2021-22). In addition, the Board has placed a strong and concerted effort on the importance of maintaining outstanding facilities – with the renovation of the high

school in 2017 and the construction of a new intermediate school. Moser, which received recognition in 2020 from Amer ican School and University Magazine for the category of “Outstanding Design.” Bu consistently placing the needs of our stu dents as its highest priority, the Board has earned the respect of the greater Rocky Hill Community as well as staff members throughout the school district.

SIMSBURY

The Simsbury Board of Education develops five year goals that represent the next level of work that administrators and staff will engage in as we continue work through our Continuous improvement model.

SUFFIELD

The Suffield Board of Education understands its power in community leadership and works as an effective team, focused on our students.

While we work as one team, our Board members bring individual strengths that get leveraged for the good of the dis trict. We have Board members with med ical backgrounds that ask questions and provide insight to our administration. We have financially savvy members that tend to focus on making sure the town’s invest ment in the district is spent wisely. We’ve had Board members with experiences in special education and social/emotional issues, and their insight an often influence the Board’s focus. A teacher, a firefight er, a small business owner, all pushing and pulling as we shape the vision of the district. The Board members bring their background, not to assert their knowledge or single-mindedly drive action, but to add perspective to Board discussions in service to the district.

STRATFORD

leadership has been very effective and supportive in persevering past the emer gence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant and finding incredible opportunities that allow our district to celebrate students (PK-12) and staff across a wide range of accomplishments. The Board leadership played an instrumental part in supporting the implementation of mask optional and fully opening doors to our buildings on February 28, 2022 welcoming our fami lies and community back to “in person” interaction.

Board leadership were also devoted to participating in a series of meetings that resolved in the development of the dis trict’s new 2022-2025 Strategic Operating Plan and the creation of Stratford Public Schools Mission Statement:

“It is our Mission to support the growth of the whole student through a challenging and inspiring education. Within a safe and inclusive environment”.

WESTBROOK

The BOE has become more effective because of our response to public input, collaboration on shared and district goals, increasing participation in BOE member professional development, and reorganiz ing the Board subcommittee structure (in cluding adding new subcommittees-BOE Teaching and Learning and BOE Budget and Fiscal Committee and restarting the BOE Communications and Marketing Committee).

Trust has also been restored through a greatly improved and transparent budget process that is coordinated closely with district leadership and community lead ership (the Superintendent, Westbrook Board of Finance, and Westbrook Board of Selectman).

Meeting of Interest

The Stratford Board of Education’s

BETHEL

Congratulations to the CABE Board of Distinction Award Winners:

EAST HARTFORD

SAYBROOK

Aligned to the Strategic Plan, the Bethel Board of Education adopted a set of goals that enables the school district to fo cus on what’s most important – improving student outcomes. The Board’s goals keep student growth as the foremost priority and connect the work of the schools with the vision we hold for our students.

2022-2023 Board of Education Goals

Education Equity & Acceleration of Learning

COVENTRY

Coventry’s current group of Board members have never wavered in their commitment to doing what is best for stu dents. This commitment, and their strong leadership, have resulted in the acquisition of resources which has allowed the district to prepare students for challenges of the 21st century.

DERBY

The Board’s relentless pursuit for knowledge, feedback and improvement makes the Board’s leadership effective in improving student achievement. Our board leader ship consumes all their available time with learning more about the state’s new initia tives and participates actively to ensure all board members are provided with profes sional development on these initiatives. In addition, we have scheduled meetings throughout the year that are dedicated to reporting on and learning more about student achievement and improvement.

The East Hartford Board of Educa tion (EHBOE) has developed a model for cooperative and effective governance that stands as a model for Connecticut School Boards and has begun to show significant results in Student achievement. When asked to identify the components that con tribute to the success, the following three areas stand as major points of focus:

• Strong, accountable and mutually supportive relationships centered on our Vision: Schools that are the Pride of our Community and our Mission: To deliver a high –quality learning experience for EVERY CHILD EVERY DAY.

• Commitment to developing and fol lowing through on a comprehensive strategic plan.

• Relentless Focus on Student Achievement Data.

EAST LYME

GLASTONBURY

We are proud of the administrative structure, public presentations, and care ful budgeting that leads to the highest stu dent achievement. Each fall, we listen to the successes, challenges, and future needs of our students in every discipline as we work toward developing a budget that will support our goals and be approved. The shared vision for career and college readiness guide all of our decisions in the context of our Strategic Plan. We are proud of our outstanding educators who embrace innovation and provide the best learning opportunities for our students while utilizing effective curriculum, inter disciplinary projects and focused profes sional development. Most importantly, we concentrate on educating the whole child, providing academic challenge, social and emotional support, extracurricular opportunities, and community involve ment. Especially since beginning of the pandemic, we have worked to continue to meet each student’s academic and social, and emotional needs.

The Boards ability to function at an ex tremely high level in the support of ALL students is exemplified by addition of an enrichment program at the middle school, its participation in a College Board Pilot for Pre-AP courses in English, Algebra and Art, the creation of a very active Granby Equity Team, a high return on educational investment, annually adopted budgets, policy advocacy, active participa tion in CREC and CABE, and collabora tion with the community are only some of the attributes that make the Board worthy of such recognition.

MONTVILLE

The Old Saybrook Board of Educa tion is lucky to have people who share a passion for education and student success. The strength of this board lies in the unique perspective each brings to the table and the ability to collaborate in such a way as to forge the best possible outcome for each student. Our clear, concise, and well-stated strategic plan, along with our commitment to student voice, highlights how the Old Saybrook Board of Educa tion’s leadership is especially effective in improving student achievement.

Did you know that as a CABE member, your District has 24/7 access to the strategic communications services of Baldwin Media?

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BERLIN

Photo

GRANBY

OLD

THOMASTON

Congratulations to the CABE Board of Distinction Award Winners: LEVEL II!

The leaders of the Thomaston Board of Education is especially effective in improving student achievement through their focused efforts, i.e., the Ad Hoc Student Achievement Committee. The Student Achievement Committee meets periodically to set student performance goals and to review progress towards these goals. What makes the Boards leadership especially effective in this area is that it actively collaborates with and takes advise from the Director of Curriculum, Instruc tion and Student Achievement and other committee members like the Mathematics Intervention Teacher and the Superinten dent of Schools. Without collaborating with the staff ‘on the ground’, the Board’s efforts to improve student achievement would be ‘in name only.’ The Thomaston Board of Education’s leadership is active, focused and proven to improve student achievement.

VERNON

The Vernon Board of Education,

along with the Superintendent, have creat ed a District Leadership Theory of Action that drives strategies toward improved student learning. In addition, every Board meeting has a “Teaching and Learning” presentation to highlight the growth of student achievement in the District.

WATERBURY

The Waterbury Board of Education Commissioners recognize they are not educators. We value the expertise of our Superintendent, administrators, and teachers. We value questioning what we don’t know so we can understand issues and solutions and make good decisions. We also put strong emphasis on parent and community input. We support our Su perintendent Student and Parent Advisory Teams. They are a wonderful source of public feedback from stakeholders.

WILTON

The Wilton Board is singularly committed to improving student achieve

ment. Coming through the pandemic this commitment has never been more clear. The board established a robust set of goals for the 2021-2022 school year which in cluded focusing very strongly on learning recovery.

The board led and supported the dis trict’s efforts to implement an accelerated learning framework, provided resources to increase access to intervention, and continued its support of instructional coaching. The board emphasized the need to protect instructional time.

As a result of its leadership and focus, the Wilton Public Schools demonstrated the greatest overall growth in reading and mathematics compared to all other dis tricts across the state. Reading and math ematics achievement were very strong at very grade level and were among the very top in the state in each of our middle school grades.

WINDSOR

plays a key role in improving student achievement. As an elected body, the Board helps to set the vision for the school district with high expectations for student learning and quality instruction. The Board, despite political differences, works collaboratively to ensure the accomplish ment of its goal.

The Windsor Board of Education prides itself that the district offers a challenging and diverse curriculum and extensive technology, fine arts, and sports programs for all of its students. Through our budget, we support the technology needs of the district as well as other programing such as MTSS and SEL. Through staff presen tations at Board of Education meetings, they receive data from State Accountability Reports, SATs, APs and the School De velopment Plans and are able to monitor student performance through such plat forms. The Board also engages in spirited discussions on academic achievement, discipline, diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the district.

– Joanne Rooney

CABE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

Delegates voting on the resolutions before the Delegate Assembly.

The Windsor Board of Education

“The fundamental pillars of school leadership are relationships; nothing substitutes for building and nurturing them.”

CABE President Liz Brown presiding.

Cheshire Board Chairman Tony Perugini received a citation honoring his advocacy on behalf of all students from Representative Liz Linehan.

CABE/CAPSS CONVENTION

CABE Immediate Past President Donald Harris (Bloomfield) was presented with the Philip S. Fenster Distinguished Ser vice Award in recognition of his many roles in supporting public education over the years.

CABE President Liz Brown (Waterbury) offered remarks on Friday night.

Former CABE Executive Director Robert Rader was presented with the CABE Friend of Public Education Award in recognition of his many years of service to school boards.

NSBA President Frank Henderson brought greetings from NSBA.

Friday Keynote Speaker Dr. Nii Addy.

Friday morning Student Performers from the Waterbury Arts Magnet School, directed by Tyler Caisse.

Patrice McCarthy, Executive Director and General Counsel, CABE.

Veterans led participants in the Pledge of Allegiance both Friday and Saturday morn ings.

CAPSS President Matt Conway (Derby).

Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director, CAPSS.

CABE/CAPSS CONVENTION

Board Chairs met on Saturday morning to compare notes about what they learned at the Convention.

Saturday Keynote Speaker Craig Hlavac.

John Prins (Branford) Vice President for Professional Development, CABE.

Student panelists Kruti Dharsandiya (Windsor) and Melinda Lu (Region 5) present ed a valuable session at Friday’s lunch which was moderated by CABE First Vice President Leonard Lockhart (Windsor).

Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker addressed participants at lunch on Friday.

Convention participants ready to learn!

Jan Perruccio (Old Saybrook) was named 2023 CAPSS Superintendent of the Year.

Bonnie B. Carney Awards of Excellence in Educational Commu nications winners and honorable mentions on display for all to see.

A special thank you to EASTCONN and LEARN for their technology support!

Saturday morning Student Performers from the Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School in Hartford, direct ed by Abbey Sutcliffe.

CABE/CAPSS Convention | General Session Speakers | Honorees Friday General Session photos courtesy of Lifetouch National School Studios.

CABE First Vice President Leonard Lock hart (Windsor) moderated the student panel session at lunch on Friday.

2023 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Carolyn Kielma (Bristol).

McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

District mission statements usually include language about preparing students to be global citizens. To achieve this goal, teachers routinely ask students to discuss important but controversial topics. Such topics may include issues such as immigration policy, health care, the Second Amendment, taxation, religion, racism, climate change, evolution, drugs, and sexuality.

Since the beginning of 2022, 139 bills have been introduced in 37 states to limit what schools can teach with regard to race, American history, politics, sexual orientation and gender identity, according to researcher Jeffrey Sachs. In South Carolina, legislation was introduced to prohibit teachers from discussing any topic that creates “discomfort, guilt or anguish” on the basis of political belief.

Educators need to maintain a respectful environment in which all student voices can be heard. This may require teaching civil discourse and establishing discussion protocols. Controversial issues cover a vast array of topics and are characterized by having a political, social, emotional, or personal dimension, layers of complexity, divergence of opinion and potential to be triggered by local or global events.

Research indicates high-quality discussion of controversial issues develops growth in toleration for the viewpoints of others, interest in politics and knowledge about important issues. The open exchange of ideas is a hallmark of democratic classrooms and a civil society. Moreover, students and their parents hold strong views on a range of subjects. These factors can result in a difficult situation for teachers.

Young people often seek opportunities to discuss current issues. This needs to be done within a supportive structure where questions can be asked and views expressed. Such discussion can be used to enhance communication skills, build understanding and learn that life is complex, with no easy answers to some issues.

The courts tend to uphold teacher and student rights to discuss controversial topics. The 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.

Policy Implications

School districts should implement policies which provide direction to staff about dealing with controversial issues. Students are motivated to learn and apply decision-making and problem-solving skills when discussing topics of importance to them.

Research indicates that discussing controversial issues at all grade levels will counteract the apathy that has characterized persons of voting age. Approached correctly, the introduction of controversial issues can help students develop into citizens who will be more likely to deal intelligently and decisively with such issues.

Judicial decisions pertaining to controversial issues in the curriculum provide guidance as to what schools may and may not do.

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.

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.

Districts should consider a policy which includes an “opt-out” procedure for students to be excused from certain classes or assignments. 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.

Policy Implications:

The following policies pertain to this discussion of controversial issues.

1. Policy #1312 - “Public Complaints”

2. Policy #4118.21 - “Academic Freedom”

3. Policy #6144 - “Controversial Issues”

1. Policy #6144.1 - “Exemption from Instruction”

2. Policy #6144.3 - “Controversial Speakers”

3. Policy #6160 - “Educational Resources and Material”

4. Policy #6161 - “Equipment, Books and Materials”

5. Policy #6161.1 - “Evaluation/ Selection of Instructional Materials” These policies are available upon request from the CABE Policy Service.

Patrice

Congratulations to the CABE 2022 Bonnie B. Carney Award of Excellence for Educational Communications Award Winners

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The Music of Boards of Education

Conrad Vahlsing Sr. Staff Attorney, CABE

At the CABE/ CAPSS Con vention, Saturday’s featured speaker offered an interest ing and insightful discussion on the parallels between boards of education and music. Asso ciate Dean of Liberal Arts at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) Craig Hlavac presented on how the leadership of a board of education has many similarities to the leadership of the conductor of an orchestra.

Dr. Hlavac began the session with an exercise where he “conducted” the audience’s clapping. He had them clap faster and slower, and louder and soft er, in a surprisingly coordinated per formance. He then asked the audience to repeat the performance, but this time without the conductor leading them. While the audience performed commendably, there was a drop in coordination. Not only was this a fun

introduction for the session, it implied that strong leadership and guidance improves a group’s performance. And a board of education has a similar leadership role to that of a conductor.

He also offered that boards of edu cation are similarly made-up of dispa rate people as the faculty and students that make up his college. At SCSU, there are music majors and non-music majors, faculty with different exper tise, and community professionals in the orchestra. Similarly, a board of education is comprised of people with many different backgrounds, from working professionals, to retirees, to full-time caretakers, and this group must work together as harmoniously as the community of a college.

Dr. Hlavac suggested several tools that boards of education and conduc tors would be wise to cultivate, includ ing building trusting relationships, en couraging a culture of mutual account ability, and modeling leadership with actions and consistency. He added that it is important as a leader to listen constantly, demonstrate clear direc tion, and speak seldomly. Importantly, he noted that while communication is a two-way street, leaders should know that “ultimately the players make the music.”

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Engage and Inspire Students Through Odyssey of the Mind

Julia Kempton Stamford Odyssey of the Mind Town Coordinator Lucia Kempton Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind Student Representative

According to the Spring 2021 Horace Mann Voice of the Educa tor Study, “More than half of public school K-12 teachers said the pandem ic resulted in a “significant” learning loss for students, both academically and in their social-emotional prog ress.” A 2021 survey of more than 1,100 public school teachers by the education nonprofit DonorsChoose found that “students in low-income communities and minority students have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.”

This fall schools and community groups from across the state are look ing to the extracurricular program, Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind (CTOM), to offer students enrich ment, a sense of community, and an introduction to crucial STEAM skills. For over 40 years, CTOM has helped K-12 teachers and students from across Connecticut (and around the world) develop their creativity through problem-solving, while fostering social emotional health and student voice.

Team members tackle problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own inter pretations of historic events or literary classics. Every March, hundreds of stu dents from across Connecticut bring their solutions to the CTOM state tournament at Southern Connecticut State University.

“Odyssey teaches creative prob lem solving and challenges students to think outside of the box. Every year, our students inspire us with their creativity, collaboration and self-confi dence,” says Stamford Public Schools Associate Superintendent Amy Bel dotti

A 2013 study by Hart Research Associates, cited in Susan Wasik and Jennifer Barrow’s academic paper on the impact of Odyssey of the Mind programs on career readiness, found that “more than three in four employ ers say they want colleges to place more emphasis on helping students develop five key learning outcomes, including critical thinking, complex problem solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowl edge in real-world settings.” Wasik and Barrow go on to illustrate how Odys sey can be used to teach, develop, and demonstrate social emotional intelli

gence and other related soft skills that are necessary to master for current and future career success. Following pandemic-related interruptions to ed ucation and the development of social skills, a focus on these key learning outcomes both inside and outside of schools is more crucial than ever.

Associate Superintendent Bel dotti was the Vice Principal when we were first introduced to Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind while students at Stamford’s Davenport Ridge Ele mentary School. In the early 2010s Stamford’s Odyssey of the Mind pro gram was rapidly growing. More than ten years later, Julia is a senior at New York University studying Computer Science and volunteers as the Stamford CTOM Town Coordinator; Lucia, a senior at Stamford High School, leads a high school team and acts as a stu dent ambassador for the state board. The engineering side of the program has influenced both of our decisions to study in the wider STEM field, but it was the creative elements– the focus on sustainability, on design, and on presentation skills– that really shaped our academic trajectories.

Soft skills are in demand across all sectors, but are particularly advan tageous when paired with STEAM topics. Odyssey’s lessons in civil engi neering and chemistry– building balsa structures to hold weights for competi tion, or creating chemical reactions to change the color of a set piece– follow the Next Generation Science Stan dards approach to learning for K-12.

A focus on presentation skills, not only in the theatrical component but also in “spontaneous” mini-problems, many of which involve word puzzles and storytelling exercises, encourage public speaking in line with College and Career Readiness Anchor Stan dards for K-12 in speaking and learn ing. STEAM education is a priority for school districts across the state of Connecticut; Odyssey of the Mind adds to it, cultivating the interests of students passionate about engineering and introducing a broad cross-sec tion of students to creative problem solving.

Research by Deborah Vandell and colleagues (Auger, Pierce, & Vandell, 2013) finds that not only do students in afterschool programs see academic gains, but those programs are also helping to close the achievement gap. The disparity in academic per formance that has been documented between high and low income students diminishes when low income elemen

tary school students have high levels of participation in quality afterschool programs.

In 2020, afterschool programs pro vided a significant return on invest ment, with every $1 invested saving at least $3 through increasing youth’s earning potential, improving their performance at school, and reduc ing crime and juvenile delinquency, according to the Afterschool Alliance. Nowhere is this more true than in STEM: a 2014 paper commissioned by the Noyce Foundation found that “After school programs that offer high quality STEM learning experiences have a significant impact on partici pating youth — they cultivate students’ interest in STEM and build skills and proficiencies among diverse groups of young people.”

According to the American Insti tutes for Research, “Engaging students, particularly minority students, in STEM education early in the elemen tary school years makes a difference in students’ achievement — potentially by strengthening their belief that they can succeed in math.” Indeed, 75 per cent of Nobel Prize winners in the sci ences say that their passion for science was sparked outside of school.

The rewards of such a focus on applied STEM education are clear. The US Department of Labor reports that employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow 10.5 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. The 2020 Median Annual Wage for STEM occupations is more than double that of non-STEM occupations. Several scholarships –from the National Science Founda tion to those provided locally at the University of Connecticut – offer resources specifically to students in terested in STEM, offering a clear path to higher education for students of all backgrounds.

Our Odyssey experience has certainly influenced our academic paths. At eight years old, Julia knew she was passionate about mathemat ics, an interest which developed into studies in data analytics and computer science. “When I was younger, I was rarely confident enough to partake in public speaking exercises or to share my research. With Odyssey of the Mind, I found friends and a communi ty who pushed me out of my comfort zone– who drew on my strengths in engineering, and then encouraged me to write scripts and even to perform.” Julia’s involvement with Odyssey also inculcated an appreciation for com

munity service, and influenced her decision to dedicate her technical education to a future career in public service and policy.

For Lucia, an early fascination with theater and mathematics grew into a unique goal of a dual-major in physics and writing. “Odyssey helped me to maintain and improve my creative writing skills, and embrace the technical side of creative sets, set pieces, and even costumes.” Sur rounded with like-minded individuals, Odyssey cultivates unique skills and brings creativity and teamwork into the real world. Growing up watching older teams advance to the World Finals year after year, inspires younger students to dig deeper - in both the Odyssey world, and the academic world.

Odyssey of the Mind is integral to the women we have become. Odyssey built our confidence and turned public speaking and community outreach into a passion. It inspired us to push ourselves and others, and embrace our passions.

Bringing Odyssey of the Mind to your district starts by identifying a Town Coordinator who can work with staff and families to organize teams. Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind offers an 8-unit curriculum as a guide. Odyssey of the Mind can be run as a first-quarter enrichment program, with teams beginning to meet in January in preparation for participation in the 43rd Annual Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind State Tournament! This year’s tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Southern Connecti cut State University. More details can be found at www.ctom.org

Supporting Meaningful Parent Engagement

Patrice McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

While participation in PTAs and PTOs has declined, parents are engaging through social media. Around the country they’re pushing policymakers and local education leaders for better schools, greater transparency, resource equity, teacher diversity and more school options. A new report from FutureEd at Georgetown University examines the rise of the new generation of parent organizations in public education, the people behind the movement, and its consequences for education policy and policymakers. “The pandemic has intensified this new parent activism by turning kitchen tables into classrooms, stoking parents’ frustrations with school closings and online learning. And it has spawned new conservative parent organizations opposed to mask mandates, vaccines, and district attempts to confront issues of race, gender and sexuality in schoolsagendas that at times put them in direct opposition to parents pursuing educational equity, and agendas that have turned more than a few school board meetings into civic punch-ups.”

The report notes that the National PTA has shrunk considerably over the past few decades. The organization still has 3 million members and 20,000 local chapters across the country, making it larger than any of the new parent groups like Moms for Liberty and Parents Defending Education. But its membership has dropped about 75 percent since the 1970s and early 1980s, from a high of 12 million in 1966.

In 2019, the Parent and Community Learning and Action Network, a partnership of five

philanthropies spearheaded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, published a Funders’ Playbook: Tools for Thinking About Family and Community Engagement. Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Heising-Simons Foundation, Overdeck Family Foundation, and the Walton Family Foundation joined Carnegie in the initiative. “Educational inequities are maintained and exacerbated when certain families have the resources and know-how to navigate, support, supplement, and shape their children’s educational experiences while other families do not,” the report stated. It cited a large body of research on the benefits of family and community engagement in education, including improved student learning outcomes.

“In communities where parents are connected to each other and deeply engaged, public schools tend to be more effective,” Carnegie wrote in making a grant to the National Parents Union.

A 2016 survey of 74 foundations, commissioned by Carnegie, found that 60 percent said they made grants in family and community engagement, with a combined total investment estimated at $230 million. Of those that reported investing in this area, 45 percent said they had been doing so for less than five years. The Walton Family Foundation has been among the major individual foundation donors to the new generation of parent organizations. Since 2016, its grants to the organizations have included $1.1 million to The Memphis Lift, $800,000 to The Oakland REACH, $1.9 million to PAVE, and $1.8 million to the Massachusetts Parents Union, the predecessor of the National Parents Union. MacKenzie Scott has made donations to Organizer Zero, The

Oakland REACH, and The Memphis Lift in the past year as part of a multibillion-dollar philanthropic effort to support “underrepresented people.”

Some, including Campbell F. Scribner, an assistant professor and educational historian at the University of Maryland, view philanthropic funding of parent advocacy as “stalking horses” for school choice and the privatization of public education. In addition to grounding family engagement in trusting relationships focused on student learning, Learning Heroes points to the importance of having senior school district leaders dedicated to working with families, to help ensure that systems ae in place to prioritize family engagement.

While external parent advocacy organizations will continue to put pressure on districts when they think it is necessary, smart district leaders are proactively reaching out to families to engage their views as they develop district policies and practices, a strategy that can help forge stronger parental backing for district policies at the front end, while ensuring policies are more responsive to students and their parents.

“In my experience, the strongest district leaders invite a broad cross section of families into a process of cocreation that results in better district policies, reduces resistance, and supports sustainability over time,” says Doannie Tran, who focuses on family and community empowerment as a lever for systems change at the Center for Innovation in Education.

The report concludes school districts would be wise to embrace such convictions. “Prioritizing more meaningful parental engagement stands to increase parents’ trust, reduce rancor, and provide local

education leaders with valuable new insight into student needs, especially from low-income parents and parents of color who have long been relegated to public education’s periphery.”

In Connecticut, the Family School Partnerships (CFSP) Advisory Committee, on which I serve, is designed to improve student social, emotional and academic outcomes through strong family, school and community partnerships. Information on the CFSP can be found at www.ctfsp.org

CABE has a longstanding positon supporting parent engagement and involvement:

CABE urges school boards to develop Parent/Family/School Involvement Policy statements recognizing that a child’s education is a responsibility shared by the school and the family. Such statements could include:

1. Establishing effective two-way communication with all parents, respecting the diversity and differing needs of families.

2. Developing strategies and programmatic structures at schools to enable parents to participate actively in their children’s education.

3. Providing support and coordination for school staff and parents to implement and sustain appropriate parent involvement from Prek-12.

4. Utilizing schools to connect students and families with community resources that provide educational enrichment and support.

4)

Finally, the Court’s fundamental shift on such issues is apparent in another case, also decided in June, 2022. In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, 597 U.S. __ (2022), the Court surprised many observers by holding that school officials violated the free exercise and free speech rights of a football coach who wanted to pray on the football field after games. The coach had asked for “the opportunity to wait until the game is over and the players have left the field and then walk to mid-field to say a short, private personal prayer.” Consistent with then-applicable precedent under the Establishment Clause, district officials

denied that request and ultimately fired the coach for engaging in such prayer in violation of their directive. The Court, however, ruled in favor of the coach, holding that his speech was “double-protected” by the Free Speech and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment. We do not yet fully un derstand the implications of this case, but it is a cautionary tale about the dangers of reflexive reaction against religious activity in our schools.

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. Shipman & Goodwin is a CABE Business Affiliate.

UNDERSTANDING CONNECTICUT’S FOIA

S o How Much Time Do We Have to Respond to Voluminous FOIA Requests?

Mark J. Sommaruga, Esq. Pullman & Comley, LLC

Often times, when facing volumi nous requests for records under Con necticut’s Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), clients will simply ask me: “How long do we have to comply?” There is no simple answer, but here are some practical pointers.

The Rule

Under the FOIA, persons have a right to inspect and receive copies of public records “promptly.” A denial of a request must be made in writing within four (or for personnel records, ten) busi ness days of the request This deadline does not actually require an agency to produce copies of all of the documents within this time period. Rather, within this time period, you should at least tell the requesting party the general plan for compliance with the request and wheth er you may be withholding certain (or all of the) requested documents. As for producing the records …

What is “Prompt”?

In determining whether a public agency has “promptly” responded to a FOIA request, the Freedom of Informa tion Commission (“FOIC”) is guided by the following factors:

• the volume of records requested; the time and personnel required to comply with a request;

• the time by which the person re questing records needs them;

• the time constraints under which the agency must complete its other work;

• the importance of the records to the requester, if ascertainable; and

• the importance to the public of completing the other agency business without the loss of the personnel time involved in com plying with the request.

How About Some Practical Examples?

The FOIC recently issued a couple of decisions that (sort of) exemplify how much leeway public agencies have in responding to voluminous requests.

In Booth v. Superintendent of Schools,

#FIC 2021-0423, a citizen requested in mid-February of 2021 that a school district provide to him with all e-mails to and from board of education members over a certain six-month period.

After immediately acknowledging the request, the district notified the cit izen in late April that it estimated that there were approximately 30,000 e-mails responsive to his request and that it would be charging $.50/page for copies. The citizen responded that he wanted the records to be produced electronically and free of charge.

At the end of June, the district in dicated that it would be disclosing the e-mails on a rolling basis, but after a further reminder, the district indicated that because the records required re daction, it would not be able to transfer the records to a thumb drive, and its summer help was no longer available to assist with responding to this request.

In September (212 days after the initial request), the district began to comply with the request (and engaged its attorneys to assist). Via five additional deliveries, with the last one being made more than a year after the date of the initial request, the district provided all of the responsive e-mails (which turned out to be “only” 11,500 e-mails). The FOIC acknowledged that the district did have technical issues with regard to the search, review and redaction of the e-mails, along with some staffing limitations.

However, the FOIC found that the request was “clear and straightforward,” “only” sought six months of e-mails, and once the parameters of the search were put into the e-mail system, the system captured the responsive e-mails and each of the nine searches “only” took between 30 minutes and one hour to complete. The FOIC found that the tim ing of the district’s response violated the FOIA’s promptness requirement.

In Haythorn v. Chairman, Board of Education, #FIC 2021-0470, a citizen made a sprawling request for records related to a school district’s participation in a certain health insurance plan. The FOIC noted that the request was very broad and lacked clarity, the district had previously hired staff members to assist in responding to this citizen’s many

prior FOIA requests, and the district had met with the citizen in order to get greater clarity of this latest request. The district uncovered approximately 15,000 responsive records and produced documents on a rolling basis, but was hindered by staffing turnover.

Even though the district had not provided all the requested records even after nine months following the request, the FOIC declined to find a violation of the FOIA in light of the fact that 1) the district had been diligent (spending approximately 64 hours) in searching for and re viewing records, and 2) the delays were caused by the lack of clarity and voluminous nature of the request.

What Does This Mean?

To be blunt, the FOIC’s decisions

are often very fact intensive, and some times do not appear to be consistent. However, the best step for an agency in complying with a voluminous request is to engage in an interactive process with the requester.

Simply put, keeping on top of the request by asking a requester to narrow or clarify a request (and keeping in con tact with the requester and producing documents on a rolling basis) will be viewed favorably by the FOIC. The mere fact that the request is voluminous does not excuse compliance, and the FOIC may have less patience in terms of an agency’s delayed compliance with even a voluminous request if the request is straightforward.

Attorney Sommaruga is the author of “Understanding Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act” (5th Edition 2018).

JUST RELEASED...

Understanding Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act Fifth

Edition

By Mark Sommaruga, Esq., Pullman & Comley, LLC

The Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), often called the “Sunshine Law, is a series of laws that guarantee the public access to meetings and records of governmental entities in Connecticut. The FOIA also sets forth numerous exceptions to its open meetings and records requirements. Over the years, however, both the FOIA and its exceptions have often been misconstrued.

The new Fifth Edition has been updated to now include:

The latest statutory changes and important decisions concerning the FOIA

The latest developments concerning:

law enforcement records

school videos

personnel records

Additional details regarding FOIA compliance

Ideal for school districts, municipalities, state agencies and other public agencies!