The CABE Journal - July/August 2023

State Investment to Increase School Staffing

Governor Ned Lamont, Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, and Labor

Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo recently announced the launch of several new multi-agency state initiatives designed to address educator shortages in Connecticut.

The initiatives will support the creation of a new teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program, and expand existing high school “grow-your-own” programs, which recruit and train teachers from within communities where they live and work.

As of March 2023, school districts reported about 1,300 teaching vacancies and another 1,300 paraeducator vacancies. More than 60 percent of the vacancies are located in the state’s Alliance Districts Special education, math, and science continue to be significant shortage areas while nearly three-quarters of all paraeducator vacancies are in special education.

The funding will expand programs such as Educators Rising and NexGen Educators

Resources will also be provided for registered apprenticeships that include classroom training, on the job learning, and mentors.

This $3 million initiative will double the number of high schools offering programs for aspiring educators and help expand educator diversity. The agencies will also launch a statewide campaign to attract more

School Attorneys Council Holds Mid-Year Meeting, Discusses Pending Title IX Rules

The Connecticut School Attorneys Council held its mid-year meeting virtually on June 22. The group discussed a number of timely legal issues relevant to Connecticut school districts. Patrice McCarthy (CABE) presented an overview of new education laws since the recent close of the legislative session. Kelsey Scarlett (Shipman & Goodwin) provided a summary of new, pending Title IX rules.

The group also discussed plans to conduct occasional meetings with the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Legal and Governmental Affairs Director, Mike McKeon. The meetings hope to be another avenue for attorneys who represent boards of education to be apprised of, and discuss, the implementation of education laws.

The group’s next meeting will be in-person at the CABE/CAPSS Convention in November at the Mystic Marriott Hotel.

On May 26, the U.S. Department of Education issued a message on its official blog, Homeroom, stating that it

anticipates that the new Title IX rules will be released in October. Regardless of this tentative schedule for the release of the rules, it is not yet clear when implementation of the rules will be required. The new proposed rules include a variety of changes to how districts deal with Title IX compliance, including investigations and athletic eligibility, among other aspects.

Until the rules are released, and implementation is required, districts will still be operating under the current Title IX framework. Board attorneys should be contacted with any questions both in the interim and once the new rules are released.

While Title IX is a federal law, our state legislature recently enacted two laws touching on Title IX. Special Act 23-18 established a working group tasked with examining the feasibility

We are pleased to announce those school board members who earned the Master Board of Education Member and the Certificated Board of Education Member levels in the 2022-2023 school year.

The Master Board of Education Member (MBEM) program builds on the basics of the Certificated Board of Education Member program. To earn the MBEM, members must have earned the Certificated Board of Education Member level and 20 additional credits in core areas that include leadership, effective meetings, school/ community relations, strategic planning, group dynamics, board member ethics, school finance, labor relations, and school law.

Those earning the Master level are: Mary Kortmann – Coventry

Laura Harris – Derby

Edward Strumello - Seymour

To achieve the Certificated Board of Education (CBEM) level of CABE’s Board Member Academy, a board member must accumulate at least 20 credits, earned by participating in CABE programs. Core areas addressed in earning the CBEM are board relations with the superintendent, with the community and with each other; policy; curriculum; school finance;

Patrice McCarthy

Lisa Steimer Sr. Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications, CABE Congratulations to New Certificated and Master Board Members 3 Seventh Annual Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy

Attorney, 8 CREC Council Honors Christopher Wilson

11 Community Problems –Community Solutions inside

Happy Summer!

PRESIDENT COMMENTARY Portrait of a Graduate

Elizabeth Brown President, CABE

Portrait-depiction, image, model, characterization, figure, account. When we think of portrait it is usually associated with an artist’s rendition of a person or in James Joyce’s novel A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man depicting the religious and intellectual awakening of Stephen Dedalus, the main character. The Portrait of a Graduate has similar characteristics. My favorite is awakening. With the end of the school year and graduation ceremonies celebrated, the Portrait of a Graduate capsulizes what boards of education hope for students - awak-

13TH ANNUAL CABE Summer Leadership Conference

August 10, 2023 Water’s Edge Westbrook

ening to self, others and the global community.

Waterbury Public Schools is guided by a vision of the Portrait of a Graduate. “Every school system is unique, but connected by a shared aspiration that all students have an educational experience preparing them to be effective lifelong learners and contributors to society. Now more than ever, that experience not only provides for the acquisition of rigorous academic content, but it must also be more intentional about fostering critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity and skills our young people need to thrive in this complex, rapidly changing world.” (Portrait of a Graduation Prologue, WPS)

School districts across the state and country embrace developing a Portrait of a Graduate to guide strategic direction for the redesign and overall educational experience of students, a collective vision that reinvigorates and re-engages students, teachers and key community members. The colors of the artist’s palette form the foundation for the actual painting of a portrait, so too, is the palette of skills, knowledge, and values that create a portrait of a graduate.

July and August offer boards of education opportunity to reflect and strategically plan for the next school year. Is your district’s “Portrait of a Graduate” updated? More importantly, are students graduating with the skills and knowledge to thrive in this complex world?

One way to gauge education success is to learn from former graduates. At a recent meeting, a panel of former Waterbury Public Schools graduates expressed what it takes to succeed in college and adulthood. Kelsey Goldback, Journalism student at the University of CA and a graduate Kennedy High School shared, “The best way to forge a path toward college success is to live your fullest life in high school. You have to be active. In today’s world, getting into college is so competitive. It’s not enough just to have all As. Get involved! Don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick one or two things that align

with what you like to do, what you think you might want to do and stick to it for all four years.

Additionally, the Early College High Director at Post College said students in high school tend to walk day by day. She urged students to seek guidance from school personnel to learn about college and career options. Our challenge as boards of education is to meet students where they are and provide the personnel, resources and support for all students to succeed. The Portrait must come to life.

After a hectic school year, I wish you a restful, reflective summer to enjoy favorite vacation and time with family!

Thank you all for your dedication to public schools!

Happy summer!

PENDING TITLE IX RULES

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of implementing an assessment of, among other things, “sports facilities maintained by each public school” to determine whether they comply with Title IX. The working group must submit its report by January 1, 2024.

Public Act 23-66 established a working group that must identity or develop a “Title IX compliance toolkit for use by local and regional boards of education, students and parents and guardians of students.” The toolkit is required to contain a variety of content related to Title IX, including trainings, model policies and procedures, and explanations of requirements, among other components.

There are several aspects to the timeline for the toolkit: it will be distributed to school districts by October 1, 2024 and implementation will be required by the school year commencing July 1, 2025. And starting with the school year commencing July 1, 2026, and each school year thereafter, districts will need to submit a Title IX compliance report.

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

Anthony Perugini | Member at Large, Cheshire

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

Anthony Perugini | Associate, Cheshire

Robert Mitchell | Associate, Montville

Joseph Wilkerson | Associate, Bloomfield

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Becky Tyrrell | Chair, Federal Relations, Plainville

Laurel Steinhauser | Chair, Resolutions, Portland

Jaime Barr Shelburn | Chair, State Relations, East Lyme

CITY REPRESENTATIVES

Joseph Sokolovic | City Representative, Bridgeport

A. J. Johnson | City Representative, Hartford

Yesenia Rivera | City Representative, New Haven

Versha Munshi-South | City Representative, Stamford

STAFF

Patrice McCarthy | Executive Director and General Counsel

Nicholas Caruso | Senior Staff Associate for Field Services and Coordinator of Technology

Jody Goeler | Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service

Sheila McKay | Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations

Lisa Steimer | Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications

Conrad Vahlsing | Senior Staff Attorney

Wendy DeBarge | Coordinator of Finance and Administration

Pamela Brooks | Senior Administrative Associate for Policy Service and Search Services

Terry DeMars | Administrative Associate for Policy Service

Gail Heath | Administrative Associate for Government Relations

Wilmarie Newton | Administrative Associate for Digital Communications

Nancy Propfe | Administrative Assistant for Membership Services

Corliss Ucci | Receptionist and Assistant to Executive Director 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 Superintendent and Business Manager. The companies and advertisements found in The CABE Journal are not necessarily endorsed by CABE.

CABE Affiliate Members

BUSINESS AFFILIATES

VALEDICTORIAN

Connecticut Business Systems –

A Xerox Company

Finalsite

SALUTATORIAN

Berchem Moses PC

Shipman & Goodwin

HIGH HONORS

Pullman & Comley

HONOR ROLL

JCJ Architecture

Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C.

Newman/DLR Group

Solect Energy

SCHOLAR

Brown & Brown

Chinni & Associates, LLC

Coordinated Transportation Solutions

Dattco, Inc.

ESS

Franklin Covey

The Lexington Group

Perkins Eastman

Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS)

The S/L/A/M Collaborative

Zangari Cohn Cuthbertson

Duhl & Grello, P.C.

EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES

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

Booker T. Washington Academy

Cambridge International

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)

Connecticut School Counselor Association

Connecticut Technical High Schools

Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.)

EASTCONN

EdAdvance

Explorations Charter School

Great Oaks Charter School

Integrated Day Charter School

ISAAC

LEARN

Live Girl

New England Science & Sailing Foundation

Odyssey Community School, Inc.

Relay CT

The Bridge Academy

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY Summer — A Time to Reflect

Patrice McCarthy

Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

I hope you have been able to take time to recharge and reflect – or have plans to do so in the coming weeks. Board members, superintendents, teachers, support personal, parents, students and CABE staff all benefit from a change of scenery or change of pace to reenergize before the new school year begins. We all have different ways to recharge – reading under a tree, hiking, spending time with family and friends, traveling, or taking a Polar plunge (yes, there are photos). Our minds and bodies benefit, and we can approach the challenges ahead with renewed momentum.

It is also important to reflect on the past academic year as well as plans for the year ahead. Many boards of education hold retreats during the summer to provide the opportunity to celebrate the successes of the past year, assess the performance of the board, and develop strategies for new initiatives to support students and staff. CABE staff is frequently called upon to facilitate those retreats, which are always a learning experience for the staff and the board.

Many of the Eight Characteristics of Effective School Boards identified by the NSBA Center for Public Education require the opportunity

CONGRATULATIONS

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school law; labor relations, and board operations.

Those earning the Certificated level are:

Jennifer Dube – Bristol

Gladys Cooper – Danbury

Dan Foley – Derby

Candice Carlson – East Lyme

Christine Vitale – Fairfield

Kim Shepardson-Watson – Groton

Crystal St. Lawrence – Plainville

Kristen Bedell – Stratford

Thomas Van Stone – Waterbury

David Furie – Windsor

Congratulations to all!

To learn more about the CABE Board Member Academy, please go to https://www.cabe.org/professional-development/board-member-academy or contact Lisa Steimer at lsteimer@cabe. org.

for the board to engage in reflection. Working together to commit to a vision of high expectations for student achievement, leading as a united team with the superintendent with strong collaboration and mutual trust, and engaging in professional development to build shared knowledge and commitments are supported by reflecting on what has been successful and what can be enhanced.

Recharging and reflecting will

enhance your growth and effectiveness as a volunteer local leader – and can be rewarding as well. You and your district will benefit from the investment!

Seventh Annual Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy

Patrice McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

The theme of the 7th Annual Teacher Leader Fellowship Academy Institute this spring was Reimagining Our Schools: Recentering Joy, Empathy and Belonging as Foundations for Teaching and Learning. The day began with a panel discussion featuring Maureen Ruby, Katie Cunningham and Joseph Polizzi, all professors at Sacred Heart University, discussing the importance of weaving joy, empathy and belonging into the fabric of our schools.

Seven elements of joy were discussed, including:

• Connections between students and staff;

• Choice;

• Challenge;

• Play;

• Discovery;

• Movement; and

• Story.

Creating an atmosphere of belonging for students occurs when

students feel heard and adults in the building know their story.

A breakout session on Cultivating School Culture and Climate featured staff from the Read Elementary School in Bridgeport. They acknowledged that the stress for teachers and students after the pandemic can cause us to lose sight of what it means to feel joy. Strategies used by the Read School team include using morning announcements to set the tone for social and emotional learning and a sense of engagement. The announcements end with a daily call to “reach for your best self”. Similar strategies to create a sense of belonging are also used in staff meetings, helping staff transition from their other responsibilities to being engaged at a meeting. There is some down time to share one celebration and one challenge going on in their life.

The day long program offered multiple opportunities for teacher leaders to share best practices and increase their effectiveness in bringing joy to education.

See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

The Nutmeg Board Revises its Bullying Policy

Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin

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

The Nutmeg Board of Education has been busy for years with challenges arising from outdated facilities, a contentious teachers’ union, and inadequate funding from Town and its irascible Board of Finance Chair, Seymour Dollars. As a result, the Board has been derelict in keeping its policies up to date. Indeed, the Board had not revised or even paid much attention to its policies since before the pandemic. That is now changing.

Goody Two-Shoes was recently appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board, and she is full of energy. She attended the CABE Legislative Update in June, and spent much of July reading through the various statutory changes the General Assembly enacted this year. Goody was especially concerned that the Board’s policy on bullying was last revised in 2012 and that as a result the definition of “bullying” in the policy did not reflect the changes made by the General Assembly in 2019 that became effective in 2021.

Veteran Board member Bob Bombast has long served as Chair of the Policy Committee. When Goody called him to ask why the Board policy on bullying was two years out of date, he shrugged and told her that he had more important things to do than keep track of legislative changes made by the General Assembly, adding, “It never ends with those people.” Bob then told Goody that she could chair the Policy Committee for all he cared, as long as it was OK with Ms. Chairperson.

Goody then met with Ms. Chairperson over coffee, and she described her concern. Ms. Chairperson was delighted to hear of Goody’s interest, and after a quick call to Bob, she appointed Goody on the spot to serve as Chair of the Policy Committee.

Goody took the ball and ran with it. She emailed the other members of the Policy Committee and explained that the district’s definition of “bullying” in the related policy was out of

date. She provided the Committee members with the new definition of “bullying” that was effective July 1, 2021, and she asked Committee members to let her know if they had any objection to her proposing revisions to the Board’s bullying policy to confirm with the new definition. Red Cent and Mal Content, the other members of the Policy Committee, promptly responded to Goody’s email by expressing support for Goody’s proposed revisions, “better late than never,” as Mal commented in his reply email.

At the next meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education, Goody presented the proposed revisions to Nutmeg’s safe school climate plan on behalf of the Policy Committee, which included the new definition of “bullying” that was effective July 1, 2021. The other Board members and Mr. Superintendent were generally appreciative of Goody’s efforts. However, Bob Bombast had something to say.

“While I should have been a better Policy Committee Chair, I can’t support this proposed revision. Goody should have been more diligent in her research before bringing this revised policy forward. In the 2023 legislative session, the General Assembly was at it again, and there is a newer “new” definition of bullying that we should use. I suggest that Goody and the Policy Committee do their homework and come back with a revised amended policy for the Board to adopt that reflects the latest changes in the bullying law.”

Is Bob correct in his claim that the Policy Committee in Nutmeg should go back to the drawing board? ••••••••••••

No. The Nutmeg Board is well advised to update its policy now as Goody proposed. However, as described below, the General Assembly did make fundamental changes in the bullying law earlier this year that must be addressed no later than July 1, 2025.

Before reviewing those changes, a word on the importance of board policy is in order. It is imperative that boards of education keep their policies up to date. Board policies regulate the affairs of the school district, and the guidance they provide must be up to date. Moreover, policies that are out of date can expose the school district to liability. If school personnel are required by law to take specified action

but fail to do so because a policy was not updated to reflect that obligation, any harm that follows may result in a finding of liability. CABE regularly assists boards of education in keeping policies up to date, and the many resources that CABE Policy Services offers are described on the CABE website.

Getting back to Nutmeg, the Board should adopt the revisions proposed by Goody and the Policy Committee so that its bullying policy complies with the law. However, more work will be necessary because as required by Public Act 23-167, school districts in Connecticut (1) must adopt a to-be-written “Connecticut school climate policy” and (2) have in place in each of their schools a “school climate improvement plan” no later July 1, 2025, as described below.

A comprehensive description of the requirements of Public Act 23-167 is beyond the scope of this column, because the new law makes many changes in how school districts will be required to address bullying. However, a brief description of the two most significant changes may be helpful to board of education members looking ahead to 2025.

Public Act 23-167, §§ 47(13) and 49, gives both CABE and the Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate Advisory Collaborative significant new responsibilities. These provisions charge CABE with responsibility for developing, updating and approving a “Connecticut school climate policy,” which in turn must be adopted by the Collaborative. Section 49 elaborates on the policy to be developed, stating that it must provide “a framework for an effective and democratically informed school climate improvement process that serves to implement Connecticut school climate standards, and includes a continuous cycle of (A) planning and preparation, (B) evaluation, (C) action planning, and (D) implementation.” School districts may adopt and implement the Connecticut school climate policy (when it is completed and adopted) during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, and in any event they must adopt said policy no later than July 1, 2025.

In addition, the school climate specialist for each school, in collaboration with the district’s school climate

See SEE YOU IN COURT page 11

COMING THIS FALL

The 10th Edition of the Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law

Comprehensively revised and updated through the 2023 Legislative Session, the Tenth Edition of this treatise on Connecticut School Law is written by Thomas Mooney of Shipman & Goodwin LLP and published by CABE.

The Guide is the must-have resource for school board members and school administrators interested in the various state and federal laws, regulations, and judicial decisions governing school district operations in Connecticut.

The Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law book, first published in 1994, is organized in seven chapters dealing with all facets of school district operation:

• Board Organization, Authority and Responsibilities

• Religion and the Schools

• Teacher Employment, Evaluation and Dismissal

• Students

• Special Education

• Collective Bargaining

• Obligations of School Boards as Employer

The Tenth Edition is updated with descriptions of important new developments in the law, including student free speech, teacher evaluation, bullying, curriculum and graduation requirements, board member training, and affirmative action. It comes with an electronic version that includes links that permit readers to access electronic resources, including judicial decisions, statutes, regulations, and state and federal guidance on school board obligations

Shipman’s school law lawyers have over 50 years of experience, and represent over 100 public school districts, as well as public school member organizations and associations, on the broad range of legal issues that school districts confront. We call on lawyers experienced in school law, special education, employment law, labor relations, intellectual property, data privacy, construction and environmental issues, and business contracts to provide effective and efficient legal assistance for our clients.

It all adds up to a relationship that delivers added value for each of our school district clients.

CABE: Working for YOU

Individualized

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 60 requests for policy information from 46 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 plagiarism, public comment, controversial issues.

By helping school boards to increase student achievement:

z Facilitated Board Retreat for the Salem Board of Education.

z Sent two issues of “Policy Highlights” via e-mail listserv covering topics that affect student achievement. These issues discussed the topics of student representatives to the board of education and review of new legislation with policy implications.

By providing services to meet member needs:

z Participated in CABE DEI Committee meeting.

z Led Board Chair Check-Ins.

z Provided Legislative Wrap Up workshop.

z Staffed meetings of the State Relations, Government Relations and Resolutions Committees.

z Responded to a variety of legal, governance and policy inquiries from members.

z Revised policies, as part of the Custom Update Policy Service, for Gilbert School, Marlborough, New Fairfield, New Hartford, and Westbrook

z Prepared materials, as part of the Custom Policy Service, for Region #14 and Seymour

z Currently working on developing new customized policy manual projects for Stratford and Woodbridge.

z Currently assisting Groton Board of Education with their high school principal search.

z Staffed CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee meeting.

z Planned and implemented successful CABE Summer Leadership Conference.

By attending Professional Development to strengthen staff knowledge and skills:

z Attended webinar on the impact of AI on education.

z Attended New England Society of Association Executives (NESAE) conference.

z Attended COSA State Counsel virtual meetings.

z Presided over the mid-year meeting of the Connecticut School Attorneys Council.

z Attended a webinar by Franklin Covey for the Seven Habits of Leadership for Educators.

z Attended the annual conference for the National Federation of School Board Association Trainers and Meeting Planners

z Attended the American Association of State Policy Services Conference Workshops included federal case updates, implementing new Title IX regulations, running effective board meetings, and roundtable discussions.

z Attended in New England School Public Relations Association (NESPRA) annual conference.

z Participated in NESPRA book discussions on Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.

z Attended NSPRA Annual Seminar.

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

z Provided legislative updates at CREC Council meetings.

z Facilitated Vermont School Boards Association retreat.

z Participated in Social Emotional Learning Collaborative meetings.

z Participated in meeting with Commissioner and Education Partners

z Participated in Diversifying Educator Workforce meeting.

z Attended Teacher Leaders Fellowship Conference

z Attended CT School Attorneys Council meeting.

z Participated in NSBA State Association Counsel calls.

z Attended African American and Latino History presentation.

z Participated in Aspiring Special Education Leaders Committee

meeting.

z Responded to press calls on efforts to increase educator diversity.

z Attended School Discipline Collaborative meeting.

z Participated in CT ESSER Advisors meeting.

z Attended a meeting of the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology

z Attended Discovering Amistad Board of Directors, Ship Committee, and Education Committee meetings.

z Participated in New England School Public Relations Association (NESPRA) Executive Committee meeting.

z Served on a panel discussing the role of Chapter Treasurer at the Leadership Meeting at the NSPRA Annual Seminar

By helping districts operate efficiently and conserve resources:

z Posted policies online, as part of the C.O.P.S. Program for Avon, Barkhamsted, Bethel, Bolton, Brooklyn, Canton, Derby, Granby, Griswold, Monroe, Preston, Region #4, Region #16, Ridgefield, Westport, Wolcott, Woodbridge, and the CABE CORE Manual.

By promoting public education:

z Attended CAS Student Equity Board Final Presentations.

CIAC approved the use of a 35-second shot clock at the varsity level beginning in the 23-24 season.

Daktronics shot clocks are compatible with any system, and discounted through the CREC Coop.

On July 13, members of the CABE Board of Directors and staff participated in mock superintendent interviews as part of the UConn NEAG Executive Leadership Program that prepares potential superintendents.

INVESTMENT INCREASE

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paraeducators to the classroom, including expanding paraeducator test sites, test preparation programs, job fairs, and recruitment events held in collaboration with the American Job Centers.

The collaboration will:

• Create two pilot programs statewide to launch the teacher apprenticeship program, which is designed to reduce financial barriers to becoming an educator. The state will support the pilot districts to create a template to expand the program across Connecticut. The teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program will build off the state’s current teacher residency programs and NextGen Educator program.

• Provide seed funding to an additional 18 school districts across the state that are interested in starting an Educators Rising “grow-yourown” high school program, which exposes students to careers in education and feeds into teacher preparation programs at institutions of

higher education. Currently, 15 school districts offer the Educators Rising program.

• Fund a joint Connecticut Department of Labor and Connecticut State Department of Education recruitment campaign to attract more educators and paraeducators to the profession to fill approximately 1,300 job openings statewide. Job fairs will include information about current openings, job requirements, paraeducator test requirements, test preparation assistance, and resume writing and coaching. In addition, resources will be dedicated to expanding paraeducator test sites, subsidizing test preparation programs, and the cost of taking the exams.

Overall, staffing levels increased 4 percent between the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 school years. This represents an increase of more than 4,000 full-time equivalent staff in schools and districts across the state. The percentage of educators of color working in schools has increased to 11.2 percent in 2022-23, up from 8.3 percent in 2015-2016, adding 1,649 new diverse educators.

CREC Council Honors Christopher Wilson

Patrice McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

Christopher Wilson was recently honored by the Capital Region Education Council (CREC) with the John J. Allison Jr. Legacy Award. John was the founder of the Capitol Region Education Council more than 50 years ago and a champion of social and racial justice in education. This award is given to an individual or organization whose everyday work embodies CREC’s mission, vision, and core values.

Chris served on the CREC Council from 2004 to 2023, including multiple stints as the chairperson, and time also as vice chair, secretary

and treasurer. He was a member of the Bristol Board of Education for many years, and was chairperson for six years. Chris also served on the CABE Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

CABE is well represented on the CREC Council. Lydia Tedone (Simsbury) just completed two years as Council Chairman. Meg Scata (Portland), Donald Harris (Bloomfield), Leonard Lockhart (Windsor), Becky Tyrrell (Plainville), and Tyron Harris (East Hartford) are all members of both the CABE Board of Directors and CREC Council. Tyron will serve as CREC Council Chairman in 2023-24. Congratulations Chris!

THE POLICY CORNER

What Is the Tone of Your District’s Policy Manual?

Jody Goeler

Sr. Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

Beyond the inventive melodies, the diverse rhythmic elements, and imaginative instrumental accompaniments, what continues to draw me to record albums, such as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, the Beatles White Album, and Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde (I know, I’m old), is the coherence of tone each work possesses. In the case of Dylan’s opus, he described it as having “that thin, that wild mercury sound. It’s metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up.”

Marvin Gaye delivers a light, airy and contemplative tone to his work as he takes an unflinching look at racism, environmental destruction and urban decay. With the Beatles, we get a tone reflective of its unadorned and experimental white cover.

Perhaps I would be overstating it a bit, if I were to compare board of education policy manuals to great works of art, but highly effective policy

manuals do more than prescribe a set of rules to follow, provide a means for protecting a district from legal exposure, and meet legislative mandates.

Along with being clear and concise and informative and direct, the tone of a policy manual can both have an impact on district culture and climate and reflect the culture the board wishes to project to its community: What are the board’s aspirations for the district’s students, staff and parents, and how are they reflective through shared beliefs, values and attitudes and how are they conveyed in policy?

As boards of education review, evaluate and revise their policies, they should consider its manual’s internal coherence. Collectively, what impression would a community member gain from your district after reviewing

your policies? Does your district value and support student agency? Does your district value and support adult learning and professional development? Does your district recognize the connection between a strong arts program and a healthy school climate? Does your district boast a gender neutral dress code policy? Does your board value and provide opportunities for community input? Or do the policies appear to be in conflict with one another. For example, it wouldn’t be uncommon for a “Student” or “Instruction” policy last revised twenty or thirty years ago to be incongruent with other updated policies.

The answer to these questions and others like them will likely help determine the tone conveyed or the lack of coherence displayed through

the policy manual. Does the board only concern itself with mandates and compliance, or does it aspire for the students it serves to have a voice, assume academic risks and challenges, and tackle the challenging issues of the day?

In light of these questions, does the homework policy encourage and support substantive extensions of the lessons of the day, or is it consumed with the number of mandated minutes required each night? More generally, what does the board convey regarding the importance of and adherence to policy to its community?

While summer in CABE’s policy department is dedicated towards reviewing new laws generated from the recent legislative session and revising policies accordingly, the work of reviewing policies is an ongoing process. We look forward to continuing to support you in this important work.

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

With more than 20 years of experience working with public schools, don’t do it alone

Over the years, Ann has partnered with countless Boards of Education and Superintendents navigate through a variety of issues, from getting out in front of budget referendums, personnel issues, social media challenges, school safety, etc

Assisting with district messaging for internal and external stakeholders and serving as the conduit between your “issue” and the media, she is here to help you manage the message

If she can help you with a simple phone call, there is no cost to you If the issue is more complex, then you can decide to access her expertise and additional services by contracting through CABE

…the tone of a policy manual can both have an impact on district culture and climate…

Community Problem – Community Solution

Nicholas Caruso Sr. Staff Associate for Field Services and Coordinator of Technology, CABE

Several times over the last few weeks I’ve been asked to work with boards facing potentially difficult scenarios. In most cases, the issues had to do with outdated or under-used facilities.

Declining student enrollment has caused some districts to operate schools that are not at full capacity. Boards of education are spending a greater percentage of their budget to pay for under-utilized facilities that take away resources from student-focused programs. In some communities, this is a recurring problem that never gets solved. The board studies the situation, brings forth a plan (often either changes to the governance structure or recommending the closing of one or more schools) and sees the plan fail in referendum. The political fallout may cost the superintendent his or her reputation or job, and the board is forced to continue to spend more of the limited budget on buildings at the expense of academic programming. People may become reluctant, remembering past failures, to resurface the issue even as it is exacerbated over time.

There are some practices that may ensure success.

Community Problem, Community Solution

Approach this as a community problem, not strictly one for the board of education. The board needs to develop partners who have an interest in the schools and see the success of the changes as benefitting the town and possibly their own agendas. You cannot discount the emotional capital of alumni or a town identity wrapped up in the schools, particularly when the changes might mean the closing of a popular school or perhaps the only town-wide facility in that area of town. It’s safe to say that many referendums involving school closings fail more for

SEE YOU IN COURT

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coordinator, must develop, and update each year as necessary, a “school climate improvement plan” for that school. The school climate improvement plan must be based on the results of a required school climate survey, as well as any recommendations from

emotional reasons than financial ones. Often such plans involve renovations or new schools which will require major capital projects. People will argue about the money, but if the value of the changes is demonstrated, they may be more likely to be accepted. In fact, capital projects often reduce operating expenses equal to or greater than the investment to rebuild the schools.

Follow a Process

Follow a process even when the solution seems obvious to those in the know. Start with building consensus about what the problem actually is. If people disagree about the problem, they will surely disagree on the solution. The board might consider convening meetings with other key players such as selectmen, town council, finance board, parent groups, and other community members. The board should make certain all the key constituencies are represented.

A community that struggled with an outdated high school had several referenda fail over the years. When the boards of education, selectmen, and finance met in a series of problem-solving meetings, they developed a mutually supported project that passed.

Who Should Be at the Table?

Potential questions to ask to help identify the right participants:

• Who has a vested interest?

• Who benefits by a change?

• Who is potentially harmed by a change?

You can use focus groups as an alternative if large meetings with multiple participants won’t work in your community.

Working with the superintendent, the board should share relevant data that helps define the problem. The story you tell must be compelling and sensitive to the emotional bond some will have with the existing facilities and then listen!

More important than just listen-

ing, get community members to help articulate the root cause of the problem. Then use these same people to discuss potential solutions, but only once there is agreement on what the actual issue is. Communities that have used this strategy may have an easier time getting a plan passed through the deliberative process, whether it is through other municipal boards or a town/region-wide referendum.

Most Importantly - Focus on Academic Needs First

If your district has a strategic plan (or other academic goals), take the time to share it with your community and elaborate on how the plan is already helping improve achievement in your district. Make sure the community understands how the issues of governance or facilities are compounding the problems instead of helping them. Make sure you clear-

ly align the recommendations with your long-term goals and/or strategic plan. Sharing data, both academic and financial, is important; but equally important is how you share the narrative with the community in a way that people can identify with on an emotional level.

A Final Thought

Don’t make the superintendent the facilitator of this process. Let him or her be a resource to help the community understand the issues the being faced. Making the superintendent become the face of the proposal and the primary voice for change may not be a benefit down the road for the superintendent.

CABE staff have facilitated such processes numerous times over the years and can be a resource. Contact Nicholas Caruso, ncaruso@cabe.org, if you have any questions.

the school climate committee, and any other data the school climate specialist and school climate coordinator deems relevant. The school climate improvement plan must include the required protocols and supports prescribed in great detail in section 71 of Public Act 23-167. Once the plan is approved, it must be provided to the “school community,” now a defined term, and

it must be used in “the prevention of, identification of and response to challenging behavior,” as defined by Section 47(16) of Public Act 23-167.

Finally, we end by noting that Goody’s email and the Committee member responses violated the FOIA. Those emails constituted a discussion of Board business that should have occurred at a posted meeting.

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.

CABE Sr. Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications Lisa Steimer who serves as the New England School Public Relations (NESPRA) Treasurer participated in a panel discussion on Best Practices of Chapter Treasurers at the Chapter Leaders meeting at the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) Annual Seminar.

SUPERINTENDENTS

Grouping school districts together by county, CTS reduces costs while maintaining the highest level of care and safety CTS leverages its vast network of CT transportation providers to introduce a Zoned Pricing model for Specialized Student Transportation.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

Partnering with school districts enables the creation of tailor-made transportation solutions for students facing special circumstances such as Special Needs, McKinney-Vento, Foster Care, and Homelessness.

PARTNERSHIPS COST

By decreasing fuel consumption, travel time, insurance rates, vehicle maintenance, and the need for student monitors and nursing aids, Zoned Pricing effectively lowers expenses.

EFFICIENCY

Multi-district route planning, ride-share opportunities, and CTS single point of contact streamlines the process of securing Specialized Student Transportation

CABE Executive Director and General Counsel Patrice McCarthy and CABE Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations, Sheila McKay, provided an update on what happened in the 2023 legislative session and the impact these actions have on local school districts.

CABE Sr. Staff Attorney Conrad Vahlsing provided an update on legal issues, including Title IX. Board members, superintendents and school buisness officials from across Connecticut participated.

CABE Past President Robert Hale died recently. Bob contributed his leadership skills to the CABE Board of Directors for many years, and served as President in 20052007. Bob also served as president of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) from 1985 to 1987, and was among the first US educators to visit China to assist in their development of education communications. Bob was

People in the News

Patrice McCarthy Executive Director & General Counsel, CABE

a long-time member and chair of the Madison Board of Education and served on the Madison Board of Selectman. He was a member of Branford’s Education Hall of Fame and received the CABE Philip S. Fenster Distinguished Service Award in 2006. Bob served in many leadership roles in his community.

The CABE Board of Directors and staff appreciate Bob’s contributions to public education.

Onboarding Newly Elected Board Members

Lisa Steimer

Sr. Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications, CABE

Over the next several months you will be hearing a lot about school board elections, whether your own candidacy or that of others. You will also be reading about onboarding new board members in the CABE Journal, and as we approach winter, the attention will shift to roles and responsibilities of new board members.

Throughout the fall and winter, CABE will also provide webinars, check-ins for board chairs and superintendents’ administrative professionals, and in-person training focusing on the onboarding process and roles and responsibilities.

Upcoming programs:

August Virtual Check-In for Superintendents’ Administrative Professionals – August 14 – Log in information has been sent.

September Virtual Board Chair Check-In – Log in information will be sent to all Board Chairs.

November 17-18 – CABE/CAPSS Convention – Early registration is open to CABE member board members and CAPSS member superintendents.

December 6 – New Board Member/Leadership Conference – Registration information will be available this fall.

We will share additional programming with you as dates, times, delivery methods are confirmed.

A column written by CABE’s Senior Staff Associate for Field Service and Coordinator of Technology, Nicholas Caruso, from the April 2022 Edition of School Administrator Magazine was chosen to be included in AASA’s annual “best of” edition. The column, part of a monthly series, “The Board Savvy Superintendent” is entitled, “Pushing Policy as Board Committee Driver”. It focuses on how to best utilize board committees to help govern the school district. The edition will be available online from the AASA site (http://www.aasa.org) later this year. n n n n n n n n n n

The National School Public Relations Association’s (NSPRA)

recognized the New England School Public Relations Association (NESPRA) with a Mark of Distinction award which recognizes exemplary chapters for their efforts to support chapter members and the national association’s mission. NESPRA was recognized for the professional development public relations skill-building it provides. A total of 11 chapters across the country earned this distinction. The chapter was recognized at NSPRA’s Annual Seminar in July. CABE Sr. Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications Lisa Steimer serves as Treasurer of NESPRA.

Robert Hale

“In the summer, the days were long, stretching into each other. Out of school, everything was on pause and yet happening at the same time, this collection of weeks when anything was possible.”

– Sarah Dessen, Author

CABE Immediate Past President Donald Harris (Bloomfield) and CABE DEI Consultant Martha Brackeen-Harris both spoke at a session on Intersectionality of Black-Latino Experience in America which was hosted by Rep. Bobby Gibson on June 1.