Catching Fireflies: One Person Can Have An Impact

Elizabeth Brown President, CABE

Did you catch fireflies when you were a kid? Remember neighborhood kids gathering at night with kitchen jars and old cans, putting holes on top so the fireflies could breathe? The magical lights pitted against the black sky? Fireflies capture the beauty and wonder of nature, a childhood memory, a gift to all of us.

I was reminded of the “catching” of fireflies in a recent article titled, “ Where Wildflowers Grow, the Nights are Alight,” telling the inspiring story of a family in a wealthy Connecticut town who embrace the wonder of nature and instead of a manicured, green lawn in keeping with the accepted look of the neighborhood, allow wild flowers to grow. “Bunnies appeared, birds came back and soon they realized they were creating a sanctuary.”

For several decades the family invited the neighborhood to a spectacular viewing of the fireflies, a neighborhood happening, a timeout to be part of the wonder of nature and ponder how only one lawn welcomes nature, an anomaly in modern times, a kind of museum to visit. Will the wonders of nature, a thriving ecosystem, and a sustainable earth be in our future? What is the role of public education in fostering a love and respect for nature ? Will nature be a “ museum” to visit on occasion?

The story of the fireflies reminds me of how one person, one family, can impact their surroundings and through example hold out a vision of

“back to nature” and living in harmony with all creation. Collective responsibility, collective appreciation for nature, and how we live in this world. Summer offers us the opportunity to connect, grow flowers, swim in the ocean, visit family and just embrace the outdoors. Refresh, rewind, rethink what’s important.

September is here. School is open. Students and staff come back to school with their own memories and experiences. School districts prepared all summer to ensure facilities are clean and updated; curriculum is current; teachers and administrators are in place; operations full steam ahead. All of these are essential to the skeleton of education. But let’s go deeper and as the saying goes, “put meat on the bones!”

Do our schools provide a welcoming environment for all students, not just in words but in deliberate actions? Policies and practice promote not only student learning, but student engagement in community, building relationships, experiencing fun and developing each student’s gifts and talents. The intangibles that live in a student and shape their decisions and sense of wellbeing. The fireflies of life. Indeed, the world news can be bleak and filled with unimaginable, inhumane destructive events. The dark side of humanity seemingly thrives. But as a “rose colored” glasses type of a person, I think public education and its mission to teach, to inspire, to be truth bearers, stands against the dark side of humanity.

How does public education prepare students to understand, live in and impact the world in a positive manner? I believe it can start with “catching fireflies” figuratively and literally. I encourage all Boards of Education to plan for the skeleton of education but prioritize the “meat” of education which must include a commitment to live in harmony with nature and all living creation.

Wishing all school districts, a safe, exciting, meaningful school year.

Let’s all catch fireflies!

Convention Keynote

(continued from page 1) efficiency in the workplace and personal areas. He empowers listeners to build genuine relationships with their teams and colleagues because “You cannot demand a withdrawal from someone you have never invested in.”

Michael Bonner’s transformative approach leaves C-suite and nonprofit leaders, educators, and administrators confident and prepared to become world-changing citizens who garner significant impact.

Michael will be signing his book, Get Up or Give Up: How I Almost Gave Up on Teaching, immediately following his presentation. The book will be available in the Convention bookstore.

To learn more about Michael Bonner, visit michael-bonner.com and follow him on all social media platforms at @michaelbonner_.

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.