CABE Journal - February 2018

B C

www.cabe.org

Vol. 22, No. 2

February, 2018

State Board Approves Expelled Students Standards

East Hampton Paints a Portrait of a Graduate Robert Rader

Executive Director, CABE

Sheila McKay

Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations, CABE

Last fall, the State Department of Education (SDE) brought a draft of The Standards for Alternative Educational Opportunities for Students Who Have Been Expelled before a subcommittee of the State Board. CABE and CAPSS believed that the draft was too prescriptive and after meeting with Commissioner Dr. Dianna R. Wentzell, Chief Operating Officer Charlene Russell-Tucker, SDE

Students from Parker Farms Elementary School in Wallingford. reworked the document.

The State Board approved the document at its January meeting.

According to the Standards’ Guiding Principles for districts, RESCs and other groups providing alternative education should be based to include a whole student approach, be a full time and comprehensive experience. Instruction should be based on a curriculum aligned to the Connecticut Core Standards, placing high expectations on the experience, consistent with district goals and have research/evidence-based practices. More information can be found on the SDE website at https:// goo.gl/tCmBYC. The State Board also approved a Position Statement on the Social, Emotional and Intellectual Habits for All Students K-3.

The Executive Summary notes reasons for supporting the Statement:

The components of social, emotional and intellectual habits: Kindergarten through Grade 3.

• they are informed by current research, • the potential for schools to support students’ development of strong habits, and,

The East Hampton Board of Education has shown what is expected of its graduates in, as Tony Wagner, who keynoted the 2016 CABE/CAPSS Convention calls them, “survival skills”.

As a CAPSS initiative, school districts across the State are focusing on what they want to see in their graduates. This project aims at establishing “a vision or portrait of the graduate that puts college and career readiness needs at the center of learning and drives all decisions and practices from each classroom to the district office.”

Districts taking part in the initiative will tailor their profile for the students in their communities.

At a Board meeting on December 18th, Superintendent Paul Smith, introduced the “Profile of the East Hampton Graduate” by quoting Tony Wagner: ‘In today’s world, it is no longer how much you know that matters, it’s what you do with what you know.”

In East Hampton’s vision, all students will be expected to learn a progression of skills as they move from pre-k to graduation. At the presentation, every one of the E.H. school’s principals explained what it meant by the skills set out in the Profile.

For example, the skills include the following [see sidebar on page 9]: • For preK through third grade, students would show “caring” by smiling, and by raising money for UNICEF. To show imagination, they would be expected to take more control of their learning and playing. I especially liked “wonder”

See EXPELLED STUDENTS page 2

See EAST HAMPTON page 9

Lessons from a Reformer

Board Chair & Superintendent Working Together

2017 Convention Given an “A”

The Clock Chimes Again

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018 PRESIDENT COMMENTARY

Get Involved!

Robert Mitchell President, CABE

The recurring theme for my first two columns focused on dealing with the challenges of funding our schools as we continue to live at a critical time – struggling harder with diminished resources and greater needs than ever before. This year has been brutal for Boards of Education, with a continued struggle to make ends meet when revenue numbers from the State changed on a regular basis.

This would be bad enough if it were a one-time event, but things appear to be shaping up for a similar situation in the upcoming Legislative session. The Connecticut General Assembly will be starting their “short” session soon and I am not optimistic that things will improve for the next fiscal year. For this reason, I want to share a sense of urgency – things are going to be rough and Board Members and Superintendents must work hard to lobby their Legislators to ensure that we receive the resources critical to maintaining our school districts.

Throughout the Legislative Session, CABE staff will be working hard on your behalf, particularly Deputy Director and General Counsel Patrice McCarthy and Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations Sheila McKay. They will closely monitor the Legislature’s actions and will work with CABE members to support public education. While CABE’s work is indispensable to supporting our boards, your help is needed to make

EXPELLED STUDENTS

(continued from page 1)

• the benefits of articulating the continuation of development over time and overwhelming desire to show progress beyond Grade 3.

More information can be found on the SDE website at https://goo.gl/ZWppL6.

Finally, SDE (along with every other department) was instructed by the Office of Policy and Management to submit realistic and achievable reduction options.

OPM notified the agencies that holdbacks

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.

our case to state leaders. CABE’s Board of Directors, made up of board members from around the state, will be active participants in the Association’s lobbying efforts.

Board of Directors

Your Advocacy Role One of a board member’s many roles is to be an advocate for the schoolchildren – your own school district and public schools in general.

This involves working with your local community members, as well as state and federal leaders to ensure that we provide the very best education to Connecticut’s children. Our children deserve it! We need your voice, and the voices of the approximately 1,300 local board members in Connecticut.

Every other group that requires support from the State will be looking to preserve their programs – local school districts cannot afford to be different.

As elected representatives of communities around the state, you can have a profound impact on our Legislators, but only if you are vocal. When there are many competing voices, you can be assured that the quieter voices will be less effective.

You can have your voice heard by: • Testifying at a public hearing • Sending your Legislator an email sharing your concerns. They do read the emails they receive!

• Sending a formal letter.

By the time this issue of the CABE Journal reaches you, most of our Legislative Breakfasts will be completed.

There is still plenty for you to do. Join CABE’s Government Relations Committee or one of the other subcommittees. You should be getting Advocacy Highlights weekly during the session which will give you information on what is happening in Hartford.

Please consider participating in CABE’s annual Day on the Hill on March 7. You will become better informed about what the Connecticut General Assembly is doing and will have the opportunity to let Legislators know how their decisions will impact schools in your district. Each year, we encourage board members to bring students with them – it’s a great learning opportunity. This year I would further encourage you to bring another board member with you. Numbers matter!

Your opinion matters! Together, we can make a difference in what happens, so that we can focus on making our public schools the best that they can be.

If you are not sure how to effectively reach out, CABE staff will assist you. were anticipated to continue. SDE currently has $94.3 million in holdbacks.

In response, SDE stated that any further reductions “would necessitate agency layoffs that would impact the Department’s ability to meet the federal requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, putting significant federal funding in jeopardy.”

In addition, SDE’s “largest budget lines provide direct aid to our local education agencies (LEAs)… We are just beginning to understand what the impact of this

year’s reductions in local education aid are going to have on our school districts this year and moving forward.”

Understanding the difficult financial issues facing the State, the Department is requesting stability in local education aid for next year.” SDE stated that it would continue to “partner with LEAs to seek opportunities for cost containment through regionalizing services and consolidating schools in light of declining enrollment.”

The State Board approved not proposing any decreases for next year.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Robert Mitchell | President, Montville Donald Harris | First Vice President, Bloomfield Elizabeth Brown | Vice President for Government Relations, Waterbury Christopher Wilson | Vice President for Professional Development, Bristol Michael Purcaro | Secretary/Treasurer, Ellington Ann Gruenberg | Immediate Past President, Hampton Lydia Tedone | NSBA Director, Simsbury AREA DIRECTORS Jonathan Moore | Area 1 Co-Director, Region 1 Michelle Lucian | Area 1 Co-Director, Plymouth Byran Hall | Area 2 Co-Director, East Hartford Michael Purcaro | Area 3 Co-Director, Ellington Michele Arn | Area 3 Co-Director, Vernon Joan Trivella | Area 4 Director, Brooklyn Mic helle Embree Ku | Area 5 Co-Director, Newtown Frances Walton | Area 5 Co-Director, Ridgefield Jennifer Dayton | Area 6 Co-Director, Greenwich Karen Kleine | Area 6 Co-Director, Westport George Kurtyka | Area 7 Director, Derby Sean Nugent | Area 9 Director, Preston ASSOCIATES Eileen Baker | Associate, Old Saybrook Sharon Beloin-Saavedra | Associate, New Britain Robert Guthrie | Associate, West Haven Robert Trefry | Associate, CT Technical High School System COMMITTEE CHAIRS Becky Tyrrell | Chair, Federal Relations, Plainville Bryan Hall | Chair, Resolutions, East Hartford Christopher Wilson | Chair, State Relations, Bristol CITY REPRESENTATIVES Jacqueline Heftman | City Representative, Stamford Charles Stango | City Representative, Waterbury STAFF

Robert Rader | Executive Director Patrice McCarthy | Deputy Director and General Counsel Rebecca Adams | Senior Staff Attorney Nicholas Caruso | Senior Staff Associate for Field Service and Coordinator of Technology Sheila McKay | Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations Vincent Mustaro | Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service Lisa Steimer | Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications Teresa Costa | 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 Labor Relations Nancy Propfe | Administrative Assistant for Membership Services Corliss Ucci | Receptionist and Assistant to Executive Director

The CABE Journal (ISSN 1092-1818) is published monthly except a combined issue for July/August as a member service of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 571-7446. CABE membership dues include $30 per person for each individual who receives The CABE Journal. The subscription rate for nonmembers is $75. Association membership dues include a subscription for each board member, superintendent, assistant superintendent and business manager. The companies and advertisements found in The CABE Journal are not necessarily endorsed by CABE. “Periodicals Postage Paid at Hartford, CT.” POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The CABE Journal, CABE, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242. Email: bcarney@cabe.org. Members can find the CABE Journal online at: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1024

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

CABE Affiliate Members

THE FUTURE: California and Connecticut Robert Rader

Executive Director, CABE

BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER Finalsite GOLD MEMBERS

Berchem Moses PC Pullman & Comley Shipman & Goodwin Support for the Budgetary Process SILVER MEMBERS Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Arthur J. Gallagher & Company Corporate Cost Control Digital Back Office Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Zangari Cohn Cuthbertson Duhl & Grello PC BRONZE PLUS MEMBERS Cohen & Wolf, P.C. Coordinated Transportation Solutions Friar Associates Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. Milliman, Inc. O & G Industries OneDigital Health and Benefits The S/L/A/M Collaborative BRONZE MEMBERS Albert Risk Management Consultants Brown & Brown Insurance Chinni & Meuser LLC Dattco Inc. ECG Engineering, PC Fusfoo Media LLC Goldstein & Peck, P.C. JCJ Architecture The Lexington Group Perkins & Eastman Solutions Employee Assistance Program Sources4Teachers Suisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law

EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES

American School for the Deaf Area Cooperative Educational Services Capitol Region Education Council The College Board Connecticut Association for the Gifted Connecticut Association of School Business Officials Connecticut Center for School Change Connecticut School Buildings and Grounds Association Connecticut Technical High Schools Cooperative Educational Services EASTCONN EdAdvance LEARN Unified School District #1

In the Winter, 2017 issue of California Schools, CSBA Executive Director Vernon Billy wrote about bilingual education in his state. Now, I understand that California, that huge Golden State, whose economy has now bypassed that of France, is far different from Connecticut.

However, California is often seen as the forerunner of what will happen across the country. It has gone through severe budget concerns (though it now has a surplus… yes, a surplus!), a public school population of over six million and over a thousand school districts. Compare that to our ongoing budget crisis (surplus? Not anywhere in view), public school population of less than 550,000 (and dropping) and 166 school districts.

Billy writes about how California is dealing with its 1.3 million English learners who “represent more than one-fifth of the state’s entire student population… roughly 40 percent of California students come from families where the primary language spoken in their household is not English.”

Last year, California passed Proposition 58 (by a 73% tally) which expanded the state’s “ability to fully and freely provide expanded opportunities to teach bilingual education to all students… passage of Proposition 58 signals a recognition that English learners are an integral part of our state’s identity and an important part of our state’s future.”

Billy cites a 2017 report from New American Economy, which examined data from 40,000 online job posting boards. It “found that domestic demands for bilingual workers more than doubled between 2010 and 2015—from 240,000 postings aimed at bilingual workers to 630,000.”

He ends his editorial by stating that the demand for bilingual education is “enormous, and that demand will continue to grow. Equally enormous is the importance of meeting that demand and preparing all of our students for success in college, in life and the modern economy.” This clearly indicates that bilingualism is a highly desirable and sought-after trait for our national workforce.

Our State

Connecticut’s schools now have students who speak nearly 140 different languages. SDE’s most recent data indicates that the top-six non-English dominant

languages among our students are Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Creole-Haitian, Mandarin and Polish, in that order.

To effectively educate English learners in our State, it is vital to address the needs of students of Latino background, especially with the arrival of displaced students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (1,772 by the middle of December) entering our schools. According to SDE, approximately 7.1% of all of our students are ELs, which is “an all-time high.”

Additionally, while we know that while there are ELs throughout Connecticut, in 2015-16, there were 39 districts in which students spoke 20 or more different non-English languages. Connecticut law requires bilingual education programs be provided in schools that have 20 or more speakers of the same native language who are identified as English Learners. Local districts must ensure they have a system to identify, service, and annually assess the English Language Proficiency growth of English Learners. The number of districts mandated to provide a bilingual program has been growing.

City School Districts Have Most English Learners The vast majority of ELs are concentrated in our city school districts,

which are often our poorest districts. ELs not only must face the task of acquiring English language proficiency and academic content as they face the burdens of our poor neighborhoods: poverty, crime, violence and other hurdles. While learning English enables them to access far more higher education and professional options, maintaining their home language not only affirms their culture, but helps nurture an economically valuable asset.

In 2014-15, English Learners were most heavily concentrated in the lower grades, so middle and high schools must prepare for these students. Comparing English Learners with their counterparts, 24.5 percent were in K–1 (13.8 percent of all others) and 19.8 percent in grades 2–3 (14.6 percent of all others) but only 21.4 percent were in high school compared See FUTURE page 7

Number of Displaced Students Due to Hurricanes Count as of 1/12/18

Grade Level Estimates: PK = 4%; Elementary = 51%; Middle = 22%; High 23% COUNTS AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS REPORTING 10+PLUS STUDENTS:

DISTRICT NAME Hartford Waterbury New Britain New Haven Bridgeport Meriden Windham New London East Hartford Bristol Norwich & NFA Stamford Manchester West Hartford Middletown Danbury

Source: CT State Department of Education

NUMBER OF DISPLACED STUDENTS AS OF 1/12/2018

406 288 230 188 185 153 94 51 57 47 33 19 19 13 12 10

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

Lessons from a Reformer Robert Rader

Executive Director, CABE

What is left of the education reform movement that really began around 2008 with the first election of Barack Obama?

What did a reformer learn about changing education?

Dr. Frederick M. Hess, a well-known education expert and reformer is a resident scholar and director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. He recently wrote an article in the AFT’s American Educator, an article entitled: Lessons Learned in School Reform: Of Policy, Parents and Practice.

The reform movement, for those who were not involved with education, would generally be considered to be the efforts, some ongoing, to improve public education by the addition of charter schools, an evaluation system for educators and other initiatives that were launched by the competition for federal Race to the Top (RTT) funding. Like other states, Connecticut changed its education law in several areas to attempt to get the funding, but it did not receive any RTT until late in the Obama Administration.

Dr. Hess begins the article by writing about how much time he has spent with “educational reformers” and whether the reforms that were begun in under RTT were beneficial. While reformers, according to Hess, “will deny that reform has disappointed”, he makes it clear that educational progress certainly has not improved as anticipated.

The Limits of Policymaking

Hess’ article speaks generally about “policy”, by which it can be assumed that he means that made at the state or federal level.

Reasonable people can differ on whether or not reforms succeeded — there certainly is not a clear-cut answer and where you sit probably determines your position on this issue. I certainly think everyone would agree with Hess that schools have not improved to the extent we would want. Hess discusses this failure and notes the feeling among some that “those reforms didn’t work! They were never supposed to! They’ve all been part of an ideological crusade to undermine democratic schooling and privatize public education.”

In Connecticut, I would argue that perhaps the most important aspect of reform was increased focus on the work

of teachers and the required discussions on goal setting and evaluations which have been difficult for some districts, but helpful for others. Much like No Child Left Behind’s increased focus on urban districts, whatever else its flaws, “Race to the Top” put a lens to evaluation and support systems in our schools.

Whether the system was successful or not depends on the fidelity by which the process in each district was followed.

Judging success depends on the school district, the evaluator and principal or teacher being evaluated. But, certainly the discussions on instruction and learning between teachers and their evaluators are viewed as a real plus.

Hess explains that setting policy, which I believe he’s speaking about doing so at the federal- or state-government level, “turns out to be a pretty lousy tool for improving education because policy can make people do things, but it can’t make them do them well…when it comes to improving schools, doing things well is the whole ball game.”

Parents Must Be Accountable

Second, he believes that “We’ve mucked up the relationship between parents and educators. We’ve lost the confidence to insist that parents have to do their part.” While, in the past, teachers “declared that certain students were unteachable and that it was their parents’ fault… this mindset is no longer acceptable. The upshot is that we just don’t talk anymore… about whether parents insist that their kids do their homework or respect the teachers. When students are truant, we hesitate to say anything that would imply parents are at fault. When only a handful of parents show up at parent-teacher meetings, reformers are conspicuously mum.

If they do take note, it’s only to lament that parents are overworked and overburdened.”

I have two teachers in my immediate family and they both tell me that parents are not involved to the extent they should be, especially when the child reaches high school. While, obviously, one cannot extrapolate solely from what one learns from one’s family, I have heard these concerns from teachers and others for many years.

Hess goes on to say that the point is not to scapegoat or judge parents, but, we should “clarify for parents what they should be doing and help them do those things well… let’s call teachers to account

— let’s just be sure to do it for parents as well.”

That sounds great — but what does it really mean? How do we do that? At least one district tried years ago in Connecticut to grade parents, but little has been heard about this in recent years.

The “Talkers” and the “Doers”

His third lesson concerns what Hess calls the “talkers” and the “doers”. The talkers are, according to him, the reformers who have a “burning desire to make the world a better place in a hurry… They must consider how reforms will affect the day-to-day lives of students, families and educators. It can seem like good ideas and good intentions should count for more than they do. They don’t.”

The “doers” are the educators who are “deeply versed in the fabric of schooling and experience the unintended consequences of reforms. This is why it’s easy for them to get so frustrated with self-styled reformers.” They see things from a very different point of view from educators.

Hess says that’s okay since educators look from the inside-out, while reformers see things from the outside in.

“Ultimately,” he writes, “serious and sustainable school reforms needs to be profoundly pro-doer. It’s “ultimately the doers… who have to do the work, which means talkers need to pay close attention to what educators have to say. There’s a crucial symbiosis here: teachers and talkers need each other.”

In sum, Hess says that he’s learned that “we all need to respect the limits of policy, ask more of parents, and appreciate the symbiosis of talkers and doers—while always remembering that in schooling, it’s the doing that counts.”

I asked Commissioner Wentzell what she thought of Hess’ article. She stated: “Dr. Hess makes useful points about the limits of policy, and about its power.

We see some Connecticut policy moves having a very positive effect on the education our students experience. Our multi-indicator accountability system has put more focus on what Rick Hess refers to as the ‘doing level. There has been a steady increase in the high school graduation rate and a narrowing of achievement gaps since 2012.

Our focus on the Alliance Districts and Commissioner’s Network has applied the energy of the department to efforts likely to affect the kids that

need us the most. I also think a success of the educator evaluation reforms in CT has been that the policy implementation was informed by practitioners, as well as policy makers, due to our collaborative culture and systems in Connecticut. Having local boards, superintendents, administrators, teachers, and others together on the Professional Educator Advisory Council (PEAC) helped us guide a system that makes sense for our State.

We consistently learn through our surveys about the increase in focus on teaching and learning and the resulting improvement in what Hess calls ‘professionalism.’ ”

Change in Education

For me, attempts at change, whether we call it “reform” or some other word, will always be an important aspect of our educational processes. The job of educating our students to be ready for college or career will need to adapt as our world constantly changes. At the same time, the children who come to our schools arrive with so many diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences, that no one size will ever fit all.

In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “when you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”

The Hess article can be found at https:// www.aft.org/our-news/periodicals/american-educator.

I asked current Connecticut Parent Teachers Association President Jennifer Falotico for comments on parent engagement, since this was an area Hess stated required more work.

Here were her comments: • Parent engagement is about meeting people where they are. The first step to strong parent engagement is to understand your parent community.

Just because a parent is not coming to the school building does not mean they are not engaged in their child’s education.

• Schools should host an event at a community center if parents gather there.

• Engagement can be via Skype.

• True engagement is doing whatever is necessary to create a partnership between school and caregiver.

• Parent engagement is not a “one size fits all” situation. Until we stop thinking about it that way we will not see significant progress.

–R.R.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

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See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

Lunch Money, Alternative Education and Due Process – Oh My! 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.

A student recently came to Mr. Principal in tears, accusing Joe Blow, a fifth-year senior at Nutmeg Memorial High School, of threatening to beat him up if he didn’t hand over his lunch money. When Mr. Principal investigated this claim, two other students told Mr. Principal that Joe had done the same to them. Mr. Principal then called Joe down to the office for a talk. Joe admitted that each of the three students had given him money when he asked them at lunch, but he adamantly denied that he had threatened anyone, claiming instead that the other students had willingly given him lunch money.

Unconvinced, Mr. Principal suspended Joe and recommended expulsion.

Mr. Superintendent agreed with Mr. Principal’s recommendation, and he notified Ms. Chairperson that the Board would have to convene an expulsion hearing. Ms. Chairperson asked Mr. Superintendent if the case would be complicated.

Mr. Superintendent told her that the case against Joe is airtight; the evidence will show that Joe was robbing fellow students.

Given the likelihood of a short hearing, Ms. Chairperson scheduled the hearing after the upcoming Board meeting four days later.

Joe and his family received the letter notifying them of the hearing only two days in advance, but they showed up at the appointed time with Joe’s uncle, a lawyer who does estate planning. Ms. Chairperson opened the hearing by inviting Mr. Superintendent to present the case for expulsion. Mr. Superintendent called Mr. Principal as his first and only witness. Mr. Principal described the initial complaint against Joe as well as the claims by the other students that Joe had robbed them as well.

When Mr. Superintendent concluded his direct examination of Mr. Principal, Ms. Chairperson invited Joe’s uncle to cross-examine. The uncle gamely stood up and asked Mr. Principal how much Joe had taken from each of the students. Mr. Principal admitted that the amounts were small, given that Joe had taken their lunch money, but he explained that he didn’t know because the students had not told him the amounts.

At the end of the hearing, Mr.

Superintendent and Joe’s uncle presented closing arguments. Mr. Superintendent said that the case was clear and that Joe should be expelled. The uncle, however, argued that the Administration had not proven its case – indeed they did not even know how much Joe was supposed to have taken.

As soon as closing arguments were concluded, veteran Board member Bob Bombast moved that the Board accept the recommendation of Mr. Superintendent and expel Joe for the rest of the year. Fellow Board member Mal Content seconded Bob’s motion, offering a friendly amendment that Joe be given two hours of homebound tutoring each day during the expulsion period as his alternative educational opportunity. Bob agreed to Mal’s amendment, and Ms. Chairperson, hearing no further discussion, called for a vote. The Board unanimously voted in favor of the motion, and Ms. Chairperson then called for a motion to adjourn, which also promptly passed.

As he was packing up his papers, Joe’s uncle asked Ms. Chairperson how he can appeal the Board’s decision. Ms. Chairperson smiled modestly, and told the uncle that, while she is not a lawyer, she was pretty sure that the decision is final.

Can Joe appeal, and on what grounds?

•••••••••••••••••••••••• As a general premise, Ms. Chairperson is correct; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233d does not include any provision for appeal to court. However, given these facts, Joe’s family could bring a claim that the Board’s actions violated his due process rights.

A key element of due process is an impartial decision-maker. Mr. Superintendent should not have discussed the case against Joe with Ms. Chairperson outside of the hearing. Joe could have a valid due process claim that Ms. Chairperson was biased based on Mr. Superintendent’s discussion of the merits of the case with her.

Another potential due process issue here is the reliance on hearsay. Hearsay is testimony by one person about what another person said, which is offered for the truth of the matter asserted by that other person. Many years ago, the federal district court in Connecticut held that reliance on hearsay violates a student’s due process rights because he can not meaningfully cross-examine that testimony. More recently, however, the courts have eschewed a rigid prohibition against hearsay, given legitimate concerns over retaliation against students who testify in expulsion hearings. Rather, the courts will ask whether reliance on the hearsay testimony for any necessary facts in the case will be fundamentally fair. If so, the hearsay testimony will be allowed.

Here, all the testimony against Joe was hearsay, which is a problem. However, had Mr. Principal also explained that Joe had admitted to obtaining money from the students who complained (an “admission against interest”), he would have established a factual context making the hearsay testimony reliable and thus fair.

A third due process issue here was the notice of the hearing. The General Assembly amended the expulsion statute effective August 15, 2017 to require that written notification of expulsion be “given” to the parent or guardian at least five business days before the hearing, which the Board failed to do. The amended statute also now requires that the notification letter “include information concerning the parent’s or guardian’s and the pupil’s legal rights,” as well as information concerning free or reduced rate legal services that may be available.

The Board also failed to comply with its new obligations regarding the alternative educational opportunity to which students younger than eighteen are entitled (unless they have been expelled before).

Now, the alternative educational opportunity must be provided either through

(1) “alternative education, as defined by section 10-74j, with an individualized learning plan” or (2) in accordance with standards adopted by the State Board of Education. On January 3, 2018, the State Board of Education adopted such standards (see article page 1). As a result, two significant changes are now clear.

First, the alternative education opportunity must either comply with the required 900 hours/180 days of instruction that applies to alternative education programs under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-74j, or, under the new standards, the alternative educational opportunity must be a “full-time, comprehensive experience, where the learning is comparable to what the student would experience in a regular school environment.” Clearly, the traditional ten hours of tutoring per week will no longer be sufficient.

Finally, the determination of the alternative educational opportunity is no longer the board’s responsibility (or business).

The new standards require that school staff meet with parents after an expulsion to review options and establish the student’s alternative educational opportunity as required by the amended statute.

The Ninth Edition – Coming in March!

A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law

by Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin

CABE is delighted to announce that the Ninth Edition of Tom Mooney’s Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law will be available this March.

There have been many changes in school law in the last few years, and the Ninth Edition has been extensively revised to provide updated guidance on the legal issues that govern our schools. Changes include descriptions and commentary on: • Changes in teacher evaluation and teacher tenure.

• New rules regarding employee background checks.

• New requirements concerning student data privacy.

• New rules for suspension, expulsion and alternative educational opportunities.

• Revised requirements governing seclusion and restraint.

• The new “Every Student Succeeds Act” and how it has changed “No Child Left Behind Act” requirements.

• The CCJEF case and ongoing litigation over equal educational opportunities.

• The Minimum Budget Requirement and new duties to collaborate with town officials.

• A host of other changes in the rules that boards of education and school administrators must follow.

MORE INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED SOON!

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

Aim Higher

Creative legal solutions for Connecticut’s public schools – because sometimes it is rocket science.

Shipman & Goodwin’s school law attorneys have more than 40 years of experience, and represent over 125 public school districts, as well as public school member organizations and associations, on a full range of legal issues that they confront, from general education law to special education matters.

Our school law site, www.ctschoollaw.com is devoted entirely to emerging school law issues.

Attorneys counsel clients, monitor legislation and provide periodic alerts and updates. We regularly present seminars, quarterly workshops, webinars and professional development workshops for schools on current topics of interest. Our Practice Group Co-Chair, Tom Mooney, has written A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law, a comprehensive treatise on Connecticut school law, published by CABE and used by teachers, administrators and board of education members throughout the state.

Education is a core focus of our law firm.

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www.ctschoollaw.com Contact: Thomas B. Mooney or Linda L. Yoder | 860.251.5000 | www.shipmangoodwin.com GREENWICH

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

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The Board Chair and the Superintendent – Working Together Nick Caruso

Sr. Staff Associate for Field Service and Coordinator of Technology, CABE

Because of the nature of the work that the superintendent and board chair do together, they must develop a different relationship than the other board members and the superintendent. For example, they need to work together to ensure the agenda meets the needs of the board, with the superintendent often relying on the chair for guidance in preparing information for the board. This relationship can sometimes be a source of contention, either between the chair and superintendent or between the board and the chair and superintendent.

Sometimes there is disagreement between the board chair and the superintendent about how they should communicate.

The chair may expect the superintendent to respond immediately any time he or she gets a call from the chair. I’ve seen chairs drop in unannounced and expect the superintendent to drop everything they are doing to discuss whatever is on the chair’s mind. I’ve also heard from superintendents that some chairs are too disengaged and leave too much to the superintendent.

There needs to be a happy medium. There are times when other board members feel the chair and superintendent are too close and are leaving them out of too many discussions.

There are numerous models of chair/ superintendent relationships – many that work effectively. However, that dynamic is subject to change whenever the board

FUTURE

(continued from page 3) with 32.9 percent for all other students.

However, the largest numeric increase in ELs over the last four years occurred in high school (1,109). Spanish (79.6 percent) and Arabic (8.6 percent) speakers accounted for most of the increase in high school English Learners.

The State Board of Education has stated that programs for these students enable them “to become proficient in English and academic content areas through the instructional use of both English and the student’s native language. The Board believes that bilingual instruction can provide a foundation to enhance students’ native languages and academic achieve-

elects a new chair. In some cases, the board chooses a new chair because they are uncomfortable with the way the chair and superintendent have interacted in the past. Those boards will be looking for a new direction. Board members will sometimes question how agendas are set or how items are added to the agenda.

Communicating with the board/superintendent

One question that comes up regularly is “who talks to the superintendent when an issue arises?” Is your board’s protocol to call the board chair or the superintendent directly? In some districts the chair acts as a filter and brings items to the superintendent when he or she feels it is appropriate in order not to overburden the superintendent. In other districts, the superintendent wants the contact with individual board members. Neither is better than the other, but there should be a consistent expectation on how things are done in your district.

Establish Protocols

When a new chair is elected I recommend the chair and superintendent sit down and agree to a set of protocols. These questions can serve as a framework for that meeting.

1. D o the chair and superintendent need to meet regularly? If so, when and where? In some districts those meetings might include the Executive Committee (vice-chair and other officers). ment while developing proficiency in English. These programs allow students to receive culturally responsive instructional curriculum and pedagogy and to develop English language skills while using their native languages to succeed academically.”

Working with teachers of English, speakers of other languages and bilingual educators, SDE adopted the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards that correspond to the Connecticut Core Standards and other content area practice standards. “The 10 CELP standards and proficiency descriptors indicate what an ELL student at any given English Language Proficiency and grade level should be able to do.”

California and Connecticut

As demographics in our country and

2. What are the items that need to be discussed in those meetings (agenda topics, calendar dates, issues the superintendent wants to run by the chair before bringing them to the full board?

3. How should the chair and superintendent communicate in emergencies?

4. What information should be forwarded to the chair versus the whole board?

Likewise, the board should meet with the superintendent to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to communication with the board. A good way to do this would be to hold a board retreat, which could include a discussion of roles as well as board goals or district goals. In terms of communications between the board and superintendent, these discussions should include: • The “protocol” discussed above concerning calling the superintendent directly.

• When the superintendent should contact board members or rely on the chair to let the board what is happening.

• The superintendent’s expectations when it comes to board members contacting other district staff, visiting schools and how to respond when a member of the public or staff

member contacts them looking for assistance.

I would recommend that an outcome of this retreat would be to codify these expectations and, where appropriate, modify board policy/bylaws to correspond to the new ground rules.

CABE, CAPSS and LEAD CT developed a “best practice” white paper entitled the “School Governance Position Statement”. This document clarifies the roles of the board and superintendent and can often help guide boards on the proper way to interact with each other. There is a companion piece: “Success Strategies for Leadership Team Evaluation” which can help the board/superintendent team establish effective processes. This document includes the CABE Board Self-Evaluation tool, which CABE uses to assist boards in the self-evaluation process. These documents are available on the CABE website.

These are areas that have the potential to cause disruption and bad feelings if clearly-understood procedures are not in place or ignored. The board should examine its policies and bylaws around communications to ensure the board and superintendent are comfortable with them.

Having a conversation before an issue arises is much easier than trying to fix a problem while in the middle of it.

As with other policies, make sure you’ve dealt with these issues before they arise. If you would like assistance from CABE in facilitating such a discussion, please contact Nick Caruso at CABE at ncaruso@cabe.org or 860-571-7446.

across our State change, board members’ understanding of the “basics” of English Learners’ education will become more important. Boards should focus on their policies and programs and ensure that they are comprehensive and up-to-date.

We may be a lot smaller than California, but, as in California, our English Learner population will be a tremendous asset to the State when these students are educated well. The demand for bilingual workers will only grow in the future. The benefits of providing high-quality academic and bilingual programming have far-reaching effects.

Let’s use this opportunity to ensure all of our English Learners get the education and the support they need!

CABE’s Policy Service also has sample

policies on the education of Limited English Proficiency Students in accordance with current statutes. CABE can also provide sample forms for ensuring that ELL students are identified as they enter school and for parental notification if they are considered Limited English Proficient.

The State Board of Education’s Position Statement on the Education of Students Who are English Language Learners, adopted in 2010, can be found at http://goo. gl/VBBnwj.

SDE’s EL page is at www.ct.gov/sde/ EnglishLearners.

Thanks to SDE Deputy Commissioner Ellen Cohn, Second Language Consultant Megan Alubicki-Flick and Literacy Director Melissa Hickey for their help with this article.

Plan a board self-evaluation to discuss board/superintendent interaction

8

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

2017 Convention Attendees Give It an “A” Lisa Steimer

Sr. Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications, CABE

The 2017 CABE/CAPSS Convention is now behind us and the planning has already begun for the 2018 Convention.

The evaluations of the 2017 Convention indicate it was a huge success – 90% of respondents to the post-Convention survey said the Convention was “good” or “excellent”. Thanks to all of you who participated in the Convention! It is your interaction and energy that make this event successful year after year.

The Convention Committee did a great job selecting the General Session speakers. The feedback on their presentations was positive, particularly for Dane-el Padilla Peralta our Friday morning speaker who 95% of respondents said was “good” or “excellent” and for David Pogue our Friday evening speaker who 93% of respondents said was “good” or “excellent”.

Equally positive was the feedback on the breakout sessions – 86% of survey respondents found them to be “helpful” or “very helpful”. This is an increase in the percentage of respondents responding favorably.

The Committee does its best to select the most timely, beneficial and well-constructed workshops from the proposals submitted. If you have an interest in presenting a workshop at the 2018 Convention, watch your mail in late January-early February

for the Call for Proposal information.

Why not another location?

Ninety percent of survey respondents find the Convention location to be “good” or “excellent”. However, a number of people have asked why the Convention is not held in a more central location or at one of the casinos. Over the past several years, the Convention Committee has devoted much time to discussing these

Rocky Hill Marriott) and the Hyatt Regency Greenwich.

This left us with a very short list to further investigate. The properties on this list, simply based on having space large enough to accommodate our group, include the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, the Conference Center at Foxwoods, the Conference Center at Mohegan Sun and the Mystic Marriott Hotel.

“ If you have an interest in presenting a workshop at the 2018 Convention, watch your mail in late January – early February for the Call for Proposal information.”

very questions.

As reported in previous issues of the CABE Journal, CABE staff has investigated various options, some of which were easily ruled out in that they provide inadequate space to meet our needs. Some of the sites that fell into this category include the Heritage Southbury, the Trumbull Marriott, the New Haven Omni, the Stamford Marriott, the Stamford Sheraton, the Sheraton Hartford South (formerly

Upon inquiring about availability for the Convention dates in 2017 and 2018, staff learned the following: • The Connecticut Convention Center is booked in 2017 and 2018.

• The Conference Center at Foxwoods is booked in 2017 and 2018.

• Given the revenue generated and space used, the Conference Center at Mohegan Sun is not able to bid our Convention until approximately

The 2018 CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee held its first meeting of the year on January 18. Watch future issues of the CABE Journal for additional information.

six months prior to the event.

• Th e Mystic Marriott Hotel has our dates available.

The Committee would like the Convention to be more centrally located, but currently appropriate space is not available. However, in order to ensure we have space for the Convention, the Convention Committee approved going to contract with the Mystic Marriott for 2018.

While location may be an issue for some, both CABE staff and the Mystic Marriott Hotel staff continue to find more creative ways to use the space available to us at the Marriott. Previous conversations have allowed us to better use the main ballroom and three of the breakout rooms associated with the main ballroom. Additionally, the CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee will continue to discuss this issue.

While we did investigate availability at both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, the majority of both organizations are understandably against moving the Convention to either of the casinos in the state. This is based on the belief that the public and the media would criticize using public funds to hold a Convention in a casino area and the negative perception of public officials at a gaming facility, albeit the meeting space. In a time when every dollar spent is scrutinized more than ever, we especially want to protect our elected members from unnecessary criticism.

In the past, the Committee has discussed moving the Convention out-ofstate, but felt this would be inappropriate for two statewide Connecticut associations.

While at times crowded, we are the only group in the Mystic Marriott and “take over” all the meeting space during our Convention. This allows us the opportunity to meet and greet one another during the course of the Convention. If we were in a larger facility or shared space with another group, this opportunity would be greatly diminished.

We all recognize that the current space is not perfect, but it provides the best possible solution to a good problem – so many attendees at our Convention.

Keep your feedback coming - it enables us to continually tweak the Convention in order to best meet the needs of the CABE and CAPSS memberships.

Be sure to mark your calendar for the 2018 Convention – November 16-17. We hope to see you then!

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

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CABE Area Breakfasts Held Around the State

Senators Henri Martin and Craig Miner, Representatives Brian Ohler, Eric Bertel, Jay Case, Rosa Rebimbas, David Wilson and Michelle Cook, board members and superintendents participate in the Area 1 Legislative Breakfast on January 10.

Representative Nicole Kalrides-Ditra talks with CABE Area 7 Director George Kurtyka (Derby), Board Chair Cathy Hellreich (Cheshire) and Board member Anne Harrigan (Cheshire) at the CABE Area 7 Legislative Breakfast on January 9.

Left to right: Board Chair Christine Wagner (North Stonington), Interim Superintendent Steve Tracy (New London), Senator Paul Formica, Senator Heather Somers, Representative Mike France and Superintendent Michael Graner (Groton) participate in the Area 9 Legislative Breakfast on January 11.

EAST HAMPTON

(continued from page 1)

as one of the skills.

• For 4-5 graders, “empathy”, arising out of the “caring” taught earlier, would be taught by students learning to reflect and identify their feelings. Their “adaptability” would show ability to adjust to new circumstances… and setbacks are to be seen as learning opportunities.

• In middle school (6-8), students would take on even more of their own growth, and “initiative” would encourage them to jump into the areas in which they are interested.

“Perspectives” would help them see things through the “lenses” of others.

• High schoolers (9-12) learn “Compassion” by giving back to others, including community service. They will also be active learners, becoming lifetime learners.

The idea of teaching the skills progressively shows that they are dependent on each other. They all grow out of the district’s long-range plan, East Hampton 2025, and its core beliefs. It also ties right into the district’s goals.

After the presentation, Board members and the public had the opportunity to ask questions. “How,” one person asked, “would these skills be evaluated by the staff?” Superintendent Smith stated that assessments will be “memorable, inspirational and powerful”, though the district is right at the beginning of this work.

He also stated that the logos (see the Profile) will be exhibited on the walls of the schools and will become part of each school’s day-to-day presence because “language becomes culture”. Board Chair Chris Goff (who was kind enough to invite me to the presentation) described how excited the Board and the staff are about this initiative.

I was very impressed by the work that has already been done in E.H. While I have heard many times that our schools

CABE Area 5 Co-Director Michelle Embree Ku (Newtown) welcomes Board members, Superintendents and Legislators to the CABE Area 5 Breakfast on january 16. no longer teach values, this is an excellent example of how they are taught and embedded in the lives of our students. They form the foundation for the success of our

students as thoughtful, caring citizens who will have excellent “survival skills.”

That, just like the work of EH is what our public schools are all about.

East Hampton Public Schools — East Hampton, Connecticut

Profile of the East Hampton Graduate

East Hampton 2025, the district’s vision of Education, drives our schools toward a broader vision of success supporting the development of knowledgeable, ethical, self-directed problem solvers and innovators.

Caring

Empathy

Responsibility

Compassion

Imagination

Creativity

Initiative

Innovation

Confidence

Adaptability

Resilience

Perseverance

Teamwork

Community

Perspectives

Collaboration

Wonder

Curiosity

Inquiry

Active Learning

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE, celebrated her 35th work anniversary at CABE on January 10, 2018. CABE staff and Patrice’s family gathered to celebrate her 35 years of work on behalf of public education. Join us in congratulating Patrice!

CABE’s Unemployment Cost Management Service CABE has partnered with

Corporate Cost Control to offer support through a number of services to reduce costs and save staff time.

Services include training and education, claims processing, charge auditing, hearings representation and budgeting/reporting.

2017 CABE New Board Member Orientation Welcome to School Board Service Roles and Responsibilities Legal Advocacy Policy Common Mistakes

For more information you may visit our website at http://www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1198.

If you have questions or would like to receive a quote, contact Teresa Costa at CABE at 860-571-7446 or email tcosta@cabe.org.

CABE has developed a 128-page booklet on issues of importance to board members. It was originally developed and disseminated at the CABE New Board Member Orientation and Leadership Conference. It provides advice and helpful hints on school board service, appplicable to both new and experienced board members. Go to www.cabe.org to order online. Need more information? Contact Nancy Propfe at the CABE Office at npropfe@cabe.org or 860.571.7446.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro

Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

Board Member Use of Social Media Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share and exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. Social media depends on mobile and web-based technologies to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share, co-create, discuss and modify user-generated content. The benefits of using social media include the fact that it is free, quicker than traditional methods of communication, and reaches more people with less effort. Some commonly used social media platforms include, but are not limited to, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Flickr, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and YouTube.

Many school board members are active users of social media, using the platforms listed previously, as well as other media such as blogs and personal websites.

Social media can be a positive tool for fostering community engagement with the school district. Board members, however, need to operate within appropriate guidelines when they are communicating online about school district business.

Guidelines

In using social media to communicate about school district business, board members should be aware of and consider the guidelines listed below.

In using social media to communicate about school district activities, a Board member shall: 1. Clarify that the communication is as an individual member of the Board and not in the role of an official District spokesperson.

2. Avoid deliberating school district business with a quorum of the Board.

3. Direct complaints or concerns presented online from other individuals to the appropriate administrator.

4. Avoid posting content that indicates the reaching of an opinion on pending matters.

5. Ask for community input through appropriate channels, but do not allow the social network site to direct decisions as a Board member.

6. Post only content that the District has already released to the public.

7. Clarify, when attempting to restate what happened at a previous Board meeting, that the posing on the social media site is not an official record of such meeting.

Share information only from the open portions of the meeting.

8. Conduct himself/herself online in a manner that reflects well on the District; avoid posting information that has not been verified and made public by the District; and never post anonymously about school business.

9. Report immediately harassing or defamatory communications to the Superintendent if they involve school officials, staff, students or District business.

10. Retain electronic records, including the Board member’s own posts and content others post to the Board members account, when required to do so by the District’s retention policy.

11. R eport immediately to the District any potential security breaches if the Board member loses control or possession of a District-issued or personal electronic device on which confidential District records could be accessed.

12. C omply with the District’s acceptable use policy when using District-issued devices or technology resources, including District Internet access on a personal device.

Obligations and Requirements to Consider

While social networking sites and use of them can be an effective and efficient means of communication, in addition to the above guidelines, school board members need to be aware of the obligations and requirements that arise when using this form of communication.

As a school official, board members must comply with state laws pertaining to public records and open meetings, especially Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act. Law pertaining to public records basically indicates that the public is entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official

acts of those officers and employees who represent them. This applies to communications that school board members and school district employees send or receive relating to the affairs of the school district and the official acts of school officials and employees. Electronically stored infor-

“ Social media can be a positive tool for fostering community engagement with the school district.”

mation generally constitutes a “record” so long as the recorded information is created or kept in connection with official business. It is the substance of the information, not the format, which controls whether it is a public record or not.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) applies to every meeting of a governmental body, with some limited exceptions. Importantly, members of a board need not gather in the same place to satisfy the definition of a “meeting.” Under the FOIA, the basic rule is that there is a “meeting” of the board of education any time a quorum of the board convenes to discuss or act upon a matter over which the board has responsibility. Therefore, a series of telephone communications, e-mails, or social media contacts to a quorum of the board may constitute a “meeting” in violation of the FOIA. Properly posted, however, a meeting can be conducted by electronic means. The law is still unfolding regarding when electronic communications may be a “meeting.”

Social networking sites have increased the ease with which discussions can take place between board members without the need to gather in a single physical location. Board members using social networking sites may inadvertently violate the open meetings law if they are not vigilant

about the content and subject matter posted on these sites and aware of the users of the site.

Online postings by board members can result in a meeting of the board if the postings discuss school district business and a sufficient number of school board members are involved on the site to determine the course of action that will be taken by the board. Due to the unique characteristics of social networking sites, with the ability to engage in real-time and near real-time communication, courts will likely find that a meeting has taken place if a sufficient number of board members use the site to communicate with one another on issues that are within the board’s authority.

In conclusion, the advent of new technology, such as social media, has propelled communication tactics to a new level.

However, for board members, there are both benefits and problems pertaining to the use of social networking sites by board members in their efforts to better fulfill their roles and responsibilities. Through these sites board members are connecting, influencing and being influenced. Board member use of social networking sites must always be legal, ethical and consistent with the district’s policies, bylaws and the general standards for community behavior and in keeping with its stated mission.

Policy Implications

A new bylaw, #9327.1, “Board Member Use of Social Networks,” has been developed and is available from the CABE Policy Service. This is currently considered an optional bylaw for inclusion in a district’s policy manual. However, with the increased use of such sites by board members, it may become a recommended bylaw for placement in the manual.

In addition, a previously developed bylaw, #9327, “Electronic Communications among Board Members,” should also be consulted in relation to this topic. It is available upon request. Also related to this topic is policy #1114, “District-Sponsored Social Media.” It should also be consulted in relation to this topic to gain a fuller perspective on this issue. It is also available upon request.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

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The Media Message

by Gabbie Charier, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC

The Media Ambush: How to Make It Out Alive

2018 is officially in full swing! A new year brings new opportunities for your district to put its best foot forward and focus on important issues. Dealing with the media, especially during a crisis, can take on a life of its own. If you can nip the crisis in the bud early on and, in turn, spend less time dealing with a crisis, you will have more time to focus on positive growth in the schools.

In the recent months, Baldwin Media has had the pleasure of presenting and sharing media tips at events like the CABE/CAPSS Convention and the CABE New Board Member and Leadership Conference. While presenting, we received many questions from audience members (and heard some horror stories) about what to do when approached by a journalist. An overwhelming number of board members and superintendents shared examples of an experience where a reporter bombarded them outside of the Board of Education building, in Town Hall, or another public

place in town. How should you react when something like this happens? Here are some tips for the next time you are blindsided:

Remain calm!

This is truly the “Golden Rule” when it comes to dealing with the media. If you remember to remain clam first, you can minimize any potential damage.

If you are walking to your car and a reporter shoves a camera in your face, it is very easy to become overwhelmed and flustered. Any sign of instability can easily come across on the camera as guilt, untrustworthiness, or ignorance regarding the topic the reporter is asking about. Remain calm, smile, and try not to falter.

Don’t answer their questions.

Just because a reporter starts getting in your face and asking you questions does not mean you have any obligation to answer them. Even if the question

seems simple or straightforward, anything you say can be misconstrued and come back to bite you. Reporters know the proper way to conduct interviews with Board Members, and they know this is not the appropriate way. If the reporter does not get an answer out of you at this moment, it is his or her fault for not properly setting up an interview.

Remember, the reporter is out of line for blindsiding you like this. You are not out of line for not answering.

Get the reporter’s name and contact information and tell them a spokesperson will be in contact with them shortly.

By now you’ve learned from us that your Board should have a clearly appointed spokesperson to deal with the media (typically the Board Chair).

Ask the reporter for his or her contact information and let them know that your media spokesperson will be more than happy to contact them to set up an interview to address their questions.

Once you get the reporter’s contact information, inform the spokesperson, the rest of the Board and Superintendent as soon as possible. Chances are, if the reporter couldn’t get information out of you, he or she will try to contact other Board Members until he or she gets the information. The spokesperson should contact the reporter immediately and the rest of the Board should be on their toes in case they also get contacted.

Enlist help if a crisis is developing.

Baldwin Media is here to help! As a CABE member, you have access to utilize Baldwin Media in these types of situations. We can help your district put its best foot forward. We also have contacts at the television stations and newspapers in the area, so if you need assistance, we can help. Give us a call at (860) 408-1580 or email ann@baldwinmedia.net and we will help you navigate through these uncharted territories.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

CABE: Working for YOU

Individualized Workshops | Professional Development Opportunities Legal Services | Policy Services | Representing You Statewide and Nationally Below are the highlights of activities that the CABE staff has undertaken on your behalf over the last month. We did this:

B y providing opportunities for members to learn how to better govern their districts: z Provided training session on Board responsibilities and roles in personnel investigations and disciplinary proceedings for the Ansonia Board of Education. z R esponded to 55 requests for policy information were provided to 35 districts, one out-of-state school boards association and the Office of Legislative Review on 41 topics. Further, districts continue to access CABE’s online Core Policy Reference Manual and/or online manuals posted

by CABE for policy samples. The topics of greatest interest included social media use, wellness policies, use of Narcan in school setting, website accessibility for the disabled and chemical hazard plans. z Provided Roles and Responsibilities workshop for the Stratford, Redding, Canterbury and Pomfret Boards of Education. z Hot Legal Topics Included: When is a school a place of “public accommodation”, i.e., completely open to the public for use and enjoyment, and when is it not? What are the legal requirements that must be met for a student to be withdrawn from the district? l How best to avoid conducting an illegal email meeting.

oes state law define curriculum? If D there is no definition in statute, what guidance or other authority covers what constitutes K-12 “curriculum”? l Can a school district control the use of its mascot and name? l Can districts require people to apply for and be granted permission to sell clothing displaying the school logo, color, mascot or name? l Which staff contracts are “administrator contracts” that districts must now post on their websites? l Options for Regional School District finance committees. l When are school personnel eligible for unemployment compensation? l Including non-board members on BoE Subcommittees. l B est practices and legal requirements when a child is withdrawn from school. l Fingerprinting requirements for volunteers and student teachers. l

B y helping school boards to increase student achievement: z S ent via email listserv two issues of “Policy Highlights” covering topics that affect student achievement. This included promoting website accessibility for the disabled and sexual harassment issues in the school setting. z Attended East Hampton “Portrait of a Graduate” presentation (see article page 1) z Provided workshop on Board goals for Region #1 Board of Education.

B y promoting public education: z Participated in the CAPSS meeting of retired superintendents regarding assistance to current superintendents. z Participated in the CAPSS Board of Directors meeting.

B y ensuring members receive the most up-to-date communications: z Prepared materials for Ansonia, Amity Regional School District No. 5, Enfield, Norwalk, Stamford, Winchester and Woodbridge, as part of the Custom Policy Service. z Prepared materials for East Hampton, North Stonington, Putnam and Union, as part of the Custom Update Service.

B y helping districts operate efficiently and conserve resources: z Provided Human Resources information to four districts regarding wage and hour law, family medical leave, and unemployment compensation issues. z Provided sample policy materials.

B y providing services to meet member needs: z Responded to 48 requests for information from 27 member districts. z Compiled responses to four inquiries on the Superintendents’ Secretaries listserv and distributed the results. z Completed the audit of Killingly’s policy manual. z Currently in the process of doing an audit

of the policy manual of the Region 1 Public Schools. z Met with the Old Saybrook Board of Education and Cooperative Educational Services Board to discuss legislative issues.

B y representing Connecticut school boards on the state or national level: z Presented an NSBA Council of School Attorneys professional development webinar: School District Liability for Student Harassment, Bullying and Cyberbullying: A Case Law and Litigation Update. z Participated in meeting of the “Big 6” Group (CABE, CAPSS, CAS, CCER, CBIA and ConnCAN) to discuss the upcoming Legislative Session. z Participated in meeting of Northeast state school boards association executive directors to discuss areas of mutual concern. z Participated in meeting of the Connecticut Coalition for Public Education. z Attended SDE workshop on “Examining Unconscious Bias in the Hiring Process”. z Attended the East Hartford Board of Education legislative breakfast. z Attended the State Board of Education meeting. z Participated in CABE legislative breakfasts in Areas 7 (Derby), 1 (Litchfield), and 9 (Preston). zM et with South Central Superintendents.

#ISUPPORTMYCTPUBLICSCHOOLS February 1-16, 2018

Join us and participate in a statewide initiative to send the message “I support my Connecticut public schools!”

Why Participate

While long-time Hartford resident and author Mark Twain said, “Out of the public schools grows the greatness of a nation” in 1900, the words still ring true in 2018. You and your community can show support for Connecticut’s public

schools - the heart of our communities.

Let your support of public education be heard!

How Can I Participate?

Social Media Platforms Share why you support YOUR Connecticut Public Schools! Use #ISUPPORTMYCTPUBLICSCHOOLS and tag your district. Be sure to use the hashtag so we can collect and share the positive

messages!

Media Messages Write a letter or op-ed for your local paper sharing why you support your public schools. Be sure to share your published pieces with us by emailing them to Lisa Steimer at lsteimer@cabe.org.

Who Can Participate?

Everyone who supports Connecti-

cut’s public schools can participate in this initiative - Board Members, Superintendents, administrators, teachers, parents, grandparents, students, and community members.

For more information go to http://www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1457 or contact Lisa Steimer at 860-571-7446 or lsteimer@cabe.org.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018

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Do You Know the Benefits of CABE Membership?

Robert Rader

Executive Director, CABE

In these very difficult fiscal time, people ask us, “what do we get for our membership in CABE?” While we have sent out our Do You Know? one pager, let me give you a more detailed look at what membership in our association gets you:

Advocacy Can there be anything more important for boards of education, in this time of financial stress at the State and local levels, than having 24/7 coverage at the Legislature by two of the top advocates in Connecticut? We also help individual boards with their advocacy efforts and provide legislative breakfasts in every CABE area.

We know that with the overturning of the CJEFF case that we must redouble our efforts to ensure that the Legislature maintains education as the State’s highest priority and provides appropriate funding.

Advocacy does not mean just work at the Legislature. We attend all State Board meetings, file amicus briefs, disseminate

our Advocacy Highlights and provide unlimited telephone legal consultation to our members.

We also provide unlimited telephone labor relations and negotiations advice as well as CABE Labor Relations survey information.

Professional Development How can board members keep up with the tremendous changes in education on issues that directly affect local and regional school districts? We require our administrators and teachers to keep up in their fields of expertise, how can we not expect those at the top of the education pyramids in their communities to do the same?

Our annual CABE/CAPSS Convention, statewide workshops, hot topic discussions and webinars are provided at a reduced cost to members. CABE webinars, as well as our workshops tailored to the needs of individual boards (on issues such as FOIA, roles and responsibilities, board self-evaluation and goal-setting and participation in CABE Leadership Institute are all provided at NO CHARGE to our members.

Policy Services Development, adoption and monitoring policy is one of the most important responsibilities of every school board.

Our members are entitled to unlimited telephone consultation on policy issues, sample school board policies and regulations whenever needed.

Policy Highlights, a discussion on an important policy issues is sent out by email every two weeks.

Publications Every Board Member and superintendent in all CABE member districts receive the CABE Journal, the premier educational publication in Connecticut. It contains best practices, stories of the Nutmeg Board, commentary and feature articles on subjects of importance to boards.

In addition, we provide other publications to our members at discounted prices, such as Who’s In Charge: A Guide for Board of Education Chairs, NSBA’s Key Work of School Boards and others. And, we’re also putting out information regularly on Twitter and FaceBook.

The Clock Chimes Once Again

Member boards and individual board members and superintendents can access unlimited advice on key educational issues from knowledgeable, expert professionals who have great experience in helping boards better serve their communities.

Working with the National School Boards Association, we can provide our members with national information, including best practices and entrée to NSBA’s Center for Public Education and its federal advocacy efforts.

CABE views its members as its sole reason for being. No other association in the State represents boards of education, working every day to help you be more effective and efficient. If you are not already involved with our services, programs or other activities, please connect with us. Not only will you strengthen the one association which represents the needs of boards, but will help us as we represent you and your concerns across Connecticut.

Accessing CABE is easy, just call us at 860-571-7446 or find us on the web at www.cabe.org!

Upcoming Advocacy Opportunities February 4-6, 2018 NSBA Advocacy Institute

Robert Rader

Executive Director, CABE

You may have noticed the antique clock in the Rovins Conference Room at the CABE Office. We do not know how long it has been with CABE, but, we’re certain it has been with us at least since the 1980s— and possibly the ‘70s.

As it is an old-fashioned windup clock, which had not worked in many years, it had not shown the correct time (except twice a day). It was a nice ornament, but that was it.

Until now. Right before the holidays, Patrice McCarthy took the clock to a repair shop and now, it not only has the right time, but it chimes on the hour and half-hour.

Now when we hear the clock chiming, it reminds us of Bonnie Carney and the care she took with many of the historical artifacts from CABE’s 111 years.

Thanks to Patrice for getting the antique fixed. We hope all visitors will enjoy the old-fashioned sound of the clock chiming!

Analysis of Important Educational Issues

Marriott Marquis, Washington, D.C.

February 15, 2018 Area 2 Legislative Breakfast 8 a.m. • State Capitol

March 7, 2018 CABE Day on the Hill

8:30 a.m. • The Bushnell, Hartford On January 19, CABE’s Patrice McCarthy and Rebecca Adams, with the assistance of Nick Caruso, presented a webinar on the CT Supreme Court Decision in the CCJEF v.

Rell Appeal.

Nelson Mandela spoke many times about education.

It was his belief that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

He urged his people to “make every home, every shack or rickety structure a centre of learning.”

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunity February 15, 2018 Hot Topic: School Start Times 9-11 a.m. CABE Office, Wethersfield

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | February 2018