CABE Journal - January 2018

B C

www.cabe.org

Vol. 22, No. 1

January, 2018

CABE Holds Delegate Assembly, Establishes Association Positions

CABE/CAPSS Convention:

Why Are We Still Failing African American and Latino Male Students?

Patrice McCarthy

Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

CABE recently held its annual Delegate Assembly to vote on resolutions that are the Association’s guiding principles. In preparation for the Delegate Assembly, CABE’s Resolutions Committee met over the summer to discuss modifications to existing resolutions as well as proposed resolutions submitted by member school boards.

Among the resolutions discussed were education finance, educator evaluation and support, special education burden of proof, secondary school start time, online learning, educator shortages and certification, mandates and interdistrict collaboration. Delegates adopted a new resolution addressing civility, which “urges public officials at all levels of government to model civil discourse in their deliberations, allowing for the thoughtful, beneficial productive exchange of ideas and perspectives,” and “urges school boards to provide opportunities for students to develop their skills in conflict resolution and consensus building, and for school board See DELEGATE ASSEMBLY page 6

Chris Seymour

Students from Bethany collect hats for hurricane relief.

State Board of Education Hears About Expulsions Sheila McKay

Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations, CABE

At its December meeting, the State Board of Education had a discussion on expulsions, reviewed data and heard from Plainfield Superintendent Ken DiPietro and Kermit Carolina, Supervisor of Youth, Family and Community Engagement for New Haven Public Schools.

Data shows that the rate of expulsions has declined over the last five years.

The discussion began with a legal definition: Exclusion is being excluded “from school privileges for more than 10 consecutive school days and shall be deemed to include, but not limited to, exclusion from the school to which such pupil was assigned at the time such disci-

plinary action was taken, provided such exclusion shall not extend beyond a period of one calendar year.”

The data provided race, gender, socioeconomic and grade level and the discussion with both New Haven and Plainfield further revealed how these factors are a part of these communities’ systems.

Members of the Board questioned the incidence offence specified as “school policy violation”. At 11% in 2016-17, one-third of that percentage is attributed to arrests that occur at schools and 2/3 are for fire alarm pulls, profanity and grade tampering among other violations.

CABE questioned the categories used to define the expulsion offences. The homework-only distinction was not a known category, and we also questioned if any of the students who were expelled had gone through a progressive discipline system prior to expulsion. The State

Reporter, CABE

A clinic at the 2017 CABE/CAPSS Convention sought to address a complex question: “Where Have We Gone Wrong? Why Are We Still Failing African American and Latino Male Students?”

The session was led by a team from New Haven Public Schools, including Fair Haven Middle School Principal Heriberto Cordero, Supervisor of Youth Development and Engagement Kermit Carolina, and Director of Students Services Typhanie Jackson, as well as Attorney Michelle Laubin of law firm Berchem Moses PC. “Why are we discussing African American and Latino males?” asked Carolina. “We know the reason — African American and Latino males are at the bottom of every negative statistical category you can think of… so we really need to unpack this and that’s why we are here today.”

Laubin explained that Connecticut’s system of town/city boundaries being the boundaries of the local school district — established via a state statute written in 1919 — often isolates racial groups and

See EXPULSIONS page 4

Can Boards Do More to Heal a Divided Nation?

Opioid Epidemic

PAGE 4

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See STILL FAILING page 2

New Board Member Orientation & Leadership Conference

Board’s Relationship to Administrative Regulations

PAGE 8-9

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Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Inc.

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

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Robert Mitchell President, CABE

As I sit down to write this column, I am frustrated, and I know that it is never a good idea to write a column or editorial while in this type of mood, but here goes nothing!

I am frustrated because, year after year, boards and municipal agencies in my town, and towns across the State of Connecticut work out their differences and present a budget to their communities in a timely fashion, making hard decisions in the best interest of all. We struggle to maintain appropriate taxation while providing necessary services. In our community, we have worked hard to establish a solid fund balance, knowing that this is the cornerstone of good fiscal management. For years, cities, towns and regional school districts have done the hard work because that is what good governance is all about. This year, all that hard work was made more difficult by the delay in adopting a State budget.

The budget adoption, well into the school year has hurt local boards of education, and the children they work for in ways that are going to be felt for years to come. Districts were hesitant to hire teachers, knowing they might have to lay them off. Maintenance has been deferred; textbooks, technology and supplies are now only a wish-list. We had to make decisions in the first weeks of the budget year that we usually struggle with in the following Spring – how do we make ends meet with so much uncertainty?

As hard as it was, boards rose to the challenge (did we have a choice?) and

STILL FAILING

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perpetuates stereotypes.

“If you live in the suburbs in Connecticut, chances are you are living in a majority white town,” she said. “And, if you live in an urban area, chances are we are looking at a predominately African American/Latino community.”

Living in these pockets means “we don’t get to know each other, we don’t share schools, we don’t share communities, we don’t share churches,” observed Laubin, and racial stereotypes “never get exploded, never get overruled by our experience, so it leads to the perpetuation of implicit bias.”

She noted that efforts to diversify schools—including busing students, magnet and charter schools—haven’t

then, just when we thought things were set for the year, the problem was further compounded by the recognition that there was still a deficit in the state budget and an additional $90 million in cuts was made to education funding. My own town of Montville lost $1.6 million in the collective cuts to school aid. Some districts, including some very small districts, have seen major cuts. This does not account for what could happen this winter, either. We have seen some fairly significant storms over the past few years and those storms can bring major unexpected costs.

What concerns me the most is that I do not see the current state fiscal crisis going away any time soon. I do not believe that the current funding structure has been fixed, and that the problems we have struggled with this year will continue into the future.

In these uncertain times I feel it is more important than ever for boards to not only be a member of CABE, but to work hard with their Association at the local, state and federal levels to ensure reasonable resources get to the all our school districts. CABE dues represent an average of about .02% of school board’s budgets. In my mind that is a great investment in the support of our districts, not just because of the major advocacy role CABE plays in our state, and in Washington, DC, but for the other services that support us all year round. Get to know your CABE area directors and staff and ask for help when you need it. I’m honored to be President of such an amazing organization but sometimes I feel like others don’t know just how amazing it is. worked and “radical” solutions were needed to tackle this problem, including potentially making each county its own school system.

“If you think about how that would work, every urban area would have the resources of the entire county—so Bridgeport would have the resources of Fairfield County; Hartford would have the resources of Hartford County,” she said.

Jackson touched on the importance of “creating a cultural competence system,” and the need for cultural competence training, in order to ensure black and Latino students aren’t left behind.

“And look at that talent management strategy because in order to engage in restorative practices … you often have to have a restorative lens,” she stated.

Carolina and Cordero talked about the success of Hillhouse High School’s

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

The fewer the resources the louder the voices that need those resources get, and without a loud voice advocating for public schools, we will take a back seat to other competing interests. CABE staff, working with board of education members from around the state, will be lobbying every day for those resources but we need your help, too. Your local legislators respond best when they hear from their constituents. and you represent those constituents.

They need to hear about the impact of their decisions on your schools. Be a part of our Legislative or other CABE committees. Draft a resolution to be adopted by your board asking for the resources you need (CABE staff can help you draft that resolution). Attend our legislative breakfast in your area, and invite your Legislators to a board meeting. Plan on attending CABE’s annual Day on the Hill, March 7.

There are lots of ways for you to be involved, but no matter how you do so, PLEASE get involved. I don’t anticipate anything will be easier next year, and your voice, raised with other school board members from around the state can and will make a difference.

Freshman Academy.

“I’m a big proponent of a freshman academy,” said Carolina. “You lose most of your male students—particularly black and Latinos—in 9th grade … you see suspensions, absenteeism…”

He continued, “We felt that to change the culture of the building, you start with the 9th grade and work your way up.”

Changing that culture involved hiring new teachers “because we wanted energetic new people with ideas,” added Carolina.

Cordero noted the academy’s success could be attributed to strong bonds built between teachers and students.

“The teachers really build strong relationships” and “that was the key to success in this model,” he said.

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 Carlos Torre | City Representative, New Haven 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 | January 2018

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

CABE Affiliate Members

School Boards and Superintendents Lead the Way! 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 Advanced Corporate Networking Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Arthur J. Gallagher & Company Corporate Cost Control 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

The fall’s elections are over and there are new board members in many districts, as well as experienced members who kept their seats.

Congratulations to every one of you!

Even as board members prepare to take their positions, the world continues to turn. Orientation is critical for all new board members as they prepare to take up their positions. My hope is that many of you attended the CABE December 7 New and Experienced Board Member Workshop and also received a comprehensive orientation in your own districts Our Policy Department has developed Policy 9230, which provides information on New Board Orientation that many districts have adopted. If not, please contact us and we’ll get a copy of the policy out to you.

As I said, the world keeps spinning, even as we go about our business. Board Members and Superintendents are not always prepared for new developments, but if they start with a good grounding in roles and responsibilities, they can generally handle new situations.

Let me give you a couple of examples of how boards and superintendents can address difficult situations and provide opportunities for your districts and your communities to grow.

Influx of New Students

This fall saw hurricanes ravage Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, as well as other parts of the Caribbean. As a result of the devastation, many of the inhabitants of these islands have decided that the best hope for the future of their children, is to send them to the continental United States and, as of the beginning of November, nearly 2000 youngsters have come to our school districts.

Until the State budget was finalized, board members, superintendents, teachers, parents and others were anxious about how much money they would receive from the State. Even though that bad dream is over, we recognize how difficult it is for districts to accept many more students who may have no documentation, insufficient inoculations and need help just to communicate, as they speak little or no English.

And, we have the highest percentage of English Learners, 7%, ever, according to SDE.

But, they are all Americans.

They are searching for a better life for themselves and their children, like many of our own ancestors. They come to us with trauma, physical ailments and educational shortcomings.

Our responsibility is to treat them like our own, because they are our own. Let’s celebrate them and what they bring to our schools: diversity, new culture and the opportunity for other students to understand how fragile life is in some places.

Both CABE and CAPSS are dedicated to ensuring a healthy, safe, thoughtful

“ Orientation is critical for all new board members as they prepare to take up their positions.” transition for these children and for all the others who come to our schools. Let’s remember, and remind our fellow citizens, who might feel that they owe nothing to these children that they may very well end up going through our school systems for their education.

Treat them like they’re part of our family… because they are.

They are key to the future of Connecticut. All of us have a stake in the success of every one of our children.

Let’s ensure that all boards give them the assistance and caring support they need to succeed!

Civility

One of the most disappointing aspects of how our society has “progressed” is how many public figures have, whether through social media or words and actions have gone “beyond the pale”. Nastiness and snark seem to have become the essence of our dialogue.

At the Delegate Assembly, our members unanimously voted approved a resolution, written by our Deputy Director and General Counsel Patrice McCarthy that would address this issue. It urges “public officials…to model civil discourse in their

deliberations, allowing for the thoughtful, beneficial productive exchange of ideas and perspectives.” It also urges boards to “provide opportunities for students to develop their skills in conflict resolution and consensus building, and for school board members to model these skills in their own conflict.”

We have long discussed the need for civility, both in classrooms and on boards, whose members are role models for their staff, students and their communities.

Most boards have developed ground rules, codes of conduct and other expectations for their meetings. Now, we are calling for boards to ensure that school climate mirrors this behavior.

We are under no illusion that just by adopting this resolution, CABE can change our current discourse, tweets and FaceBook posts will become more polite and understanding or that letters to the editor will become less shrill.

Still, it is the responsibility of boards to model the behavior that we desire. The Delegate Assembly’s unanimous vote, which took place without any discussion or dissent, shows that boards understand the need for civil discourse. Just by focusing on civility, we send a message to those who have gone too far and indicates our commitment to something better.

The New Year

We start 2018 aware of the difficulty our State officials had in adopting a budget that was not adopted until the fall. Even then, the Governor announced further cuts the first day of our Convention While our hope is that our economy will come back and that funding will be more available in the second year of the budget, we are under no illusions that this will occur.

We urge all boards to work with CABE and speak with one voice as we lobby for resources. Let us set the tone with civility and positive messages and remember all of our students, wherever they might have been born.

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

Can School Boards Do More to Heal Our Divided Nation?

John Prins

Board Member, Branford Board of Education

At a time when words and actions are disrupting, if not exacerbating, momentum or progress made by long-standing efforts to eliminate our country’s racial and socio-economic divisions, boards of education have a key role to play in ensuring that momentum is not lost.

What follows is a challenge to school board members to take the lead in supporting, reinforcing and energizing those efforts in our schools and ultimately our communities.

I have always strongly encouraged our children to travel abroad, i.e., outside their comfort zone, outside their town, state and country. They always find new ways to stretch themselves and do wonderful things with their classmates, teachers, teams, orchestras, bands or choruses throughout foreign lands. In addition to immersing themselves in extraordinary learning opportunities about themselves and their world, their experiences often become lifelong memories. Importantly, they come to understand what it means to be ambassadors of their homeland.

EXPULSIONS

(continued from page 1) Department of Education will be providing more detail.

The process of expelling a student was

What’s the point?

Due to the regional, racial, and societal divisions that have persisted in America for generations - and that have grown dangerously more disturbing in recent times - I have new strong feelings: our children need to travel to the ‘foreign lands’ that exist within our own borders.

This shift has me a bit perplexed because it hasn’t changed how strongly I feel about our children experiencing the extraordinary wonders of the world beyond our shores.

The point is, we must be intentional and relentless about building relationships with our fellow Americans if we hope to heal the rifts that are worsening at an alarming rate. Conversations and diversity initiatives are important, but they must extend beyond the comfort of our local communities. I don’t want to look back in three or five years and marvel at how well we talked among ourselves, only to lament about what more we could and should have done to bridge the gaps that exist across our divides. And I don’t think we can afford to wait for local initiatives here and there to be completed or for someone

outside of our purview to come to the rescue; we need to take this work upon ourselves with the urgency it demands.

So, what can we do?

School boards - and the institutions for which we are responsible - must start to formalize programs such as internships, exchange programs, ‘sister district’ arrangements, in those places that have been tagged with the unfortunate, divisive label, “flyover states,” e.g., Ohio, West Virginia, Missouri and Kentucky, among others.

Operational logistics for this initiative will require educators to plan - to design the curricula, rubrics, outcomes, indicators for success; it’s what educators do. We should partner with legislative and state education and other leaders and officials to promote connections with interested communities around the country. We should develop operating standards and build the necessary support systems to ensure successful experiences for our children and educators. We should consider an ambitious time table for start-up and implementation.

Should this be a semester “abroad” kind of program? A two-week intensive workshop-like experience? A summer

camp? Several long weekends? How will we fund such an initiative, and can we afford not to? Together with our existing support systems and parent leaders and community partners, we can make a difference in a simple, deliberate and straightforward way. Public education can and should be the locus for advancing the means to heal the societal wounds that will continue to worsen if we don’t do everything in our power to understand each other better. There are no shortcuts.

The opportunities for partnering, marketing, learning and effecting real change are limitless. If we accept the premise that our children are the future, and that we school board members are stewards of that future, then we owe it to ourselves to ramp up our efforts to repair and ensure the health of the American polity.

reviewed, including the steps in considering a special education student.

In the coming months, the Board will in the coming months be considering alternative learning standards and this discussion served to help frame that decision.

The board also was updated on the students who have been enrolled in Connecticut due to the hurricanes in the Caribbean. Eighteen districts have more than 10 students. Guidance on graduation for the 65 seniors will be issued by the

Department of Education.

John Prins is an 18-year member of the Branford Board of Education, for 15 of which he has served in various capacities on the CABE Board of Directors. He welcomes your reactions, comments, support at jrprins@gmail.com.

The full report can be found at http:// www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/board/ boardmaterials120617/understanding_ school_expulsions_in_connecticut.pdf.

*

*Number of incidents, not students.

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

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See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

The Board Agenda and the Freedom of Information Act Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin

Mr. Superintendent was hoping that the first meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education after the holidays would be uneventful, maybe even boring. It was not to be. During Public Comment, Peter Parent gave an impassioned speech about how the Nutmeg Public Schools are depriving his daughter of her privacy rights. At the beginning of the current school year, he reported, a transgender student who identifies as female started using the same girls bathrooms and girls locker room as his daughter. With increasing animation, Mr. Parent described how upset he is that his daughter may encounter this student in the bathroom and in the locker room. He ended his comments by slamming on the podium with each of three words, “This.

Must. Stop!”

Veteran Board member Bob Bombast picked up on Mr. Parent’s emotion, and he was very curious to learn more. “How long has this been going on?” Bob asked indignantly. Before Mr. Parent could respond, however, Bob whirled around to confront Mr. Superintendent. “Tell me this isn’t true,” he demanded.

Mr. Superintendent demurred, stating that it was not the right time to discuss this matter. But Bob wouldn’t let it go, and fellow Board member Mal Content chimed in, demanding an explanation from Mr. Superintendent.

“OK, OK,” Mr. Superintendent responded, “I’ll explain.” Mr. Superintendent went on to describe a request by a student identifying as female, even though her assigned sex at birth is male. After meetings with the family, Mr. Superintendent explained, the district made a number of accommodations as requested by the parents, including changing all school records to show her chosen new name, which is consistent with her female identity.

Bob Bombast expressed shock at Mr. Superintendent’s statements. He challenged Mr. Superintendent, telling him that he couldn’t imagine that parents can change assigned bathrooms and even official school records just by asking. Mal Content weighed in as well, stating that falsifying public records must be some sort of crime. But other Board members tried to inject some reason into the discussion.

Red Cent told both Bob and Mal to calm down and be more respectful in discussing this sensitive subject. Penny Pincher offered the observation that accommodating

parent and student wishes does not cost a penny, and she expressed support for the family’s actions. The Board members went on to discuss Mr. Parent’s concerns for another ten minutes, until Mr. Chairman banged on the gavel and declared that the Board has a full agenda for the meeting and needed to get back on track.

“Just one more thing,” said Bob Bombast. “I move that we direct Mr. Superintendent to put this entire accommodation thing on hold until we appoint a study committee to recommend appropriate procedures for the Board to follow.”

“I second,” interjected Mal. But Mr. Chairperson was not having it.

“If and when I decide to put this matter on the agenda,” he intoned, “we can discuss all that. For now, however, the discussion is over.

Given that Mr. Superintendent is the chief executive officer of the Board of Education, were these Board members off base in discussing Mr. Parent’s concerns?

••••••••••••••••• These Board members were indeed off base in discussing Mr. Parent’s concerns.

However, their error has nothing to do with the respective roles of the Board and the Superintendent. Rather, their discussion of this matter violated the FOIA because the matter was not on the agenda.

The Freedom of Information Act defines a “meeting” (in relevant part) as “any convening or assembly of a quorum of a multimember public agency . . . to discuss or act upon a matter over which the public agency has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power.” (Emphasis added). The FOIA further provides that the agenda of meetings of public agencies must be posted at least twenty-four hours in advance, describing the business to be transacted. Here, the subject of gender identity and expression was not on the agenda, and the Board thus violated the FOIA by discussing Mr. Parent’s concerns and the accommodations made for the student in question.

More generally, it is inadvisable for board members to respond to concerns raised during public comment. Public comment is a time for boards of education to hear from the public, but it is not a time to engage in discussion. In addition to the legal issue of compliance with the FOIA, there are practical concerns. An expectation that the board of education or the superintendent respond ad hoc to concerns expressed during public comment is an

invitation to confusion or even error, given that all the facts may not be known and the speaker may even simply be mistaken.

Rather, boards of education should clarify that speakers should not expect a response back at that time.

In recent years, there has been much discussion, debate and some confusion over what is or is not discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression. In 2016, the United States Department of Education issued guidance stating in part: “The Departments interpret Title IX to require that when a student or the student’s parent or guardian, as appropriate, notifies the school administration that the student will assert a gender identity that differs from previous representations or records, the school will begin treating the student consistent with the student’s gender identity.” However, that guidance was controversial, and one Texas court even issued an injunction against it. Early in 2017, the United States Department of Education withdrew the guidance.

Connecticut responded quickly.

Governor Malloy issued Executive Order 56 on February 23, 2017, directing that

bathrooms and locker rooms in public schools be considered places of public accommodation, subject to the prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression. Governor Malloy also directed the State Department of Education, in consultation with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, to develop guidance for school districts that allows students access to school facilities consistent with their gender identity and expression.

In June 2017, the State Department of Education issued Guidance on Civil Rights Protections and Supports for Transgender Students, as well as a helpful Frequently Asked Questions document, both of which are available on its website. Based on this guidance and the Governor’s Executive Order, school officials must accommodate the gender expression and identity of transgender students and their families in various ways, including using their chosen names and providing access to school facilities. Thus, the rights of transgender students in Connecticut are clear, even while the debate continues nationally.

The Eighth Edition

A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law

by Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin The Guide comes with a CD which provides hyperlinks to many cases and statutes and will permit word searches as a supplement to the Index.

The Eighth Edition was substantially rewritten to reflect statutory changes, significant case law developments in state and federal courts. Some of the numerous legal developments and update are as follows: School Safety and Security | Bullying Law Teacher Evaluation and Support | Teacher Tenure Act New Requirements for Professional Development Budget Issues | Prohibitions on Electronic Notifications of Referenda Minimum Budget Requirements |FMLA for Paraprofessionals Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements Uniform Regional School Calendars | Excusal | Student Assessments Pool Safety | Concussion Prevention and Education Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention and Education Administration and Storage of Epinephrine | Excused Absences Student Free Speech | Employee Free Speech

Order your copy TODAY by going to the CABE website: http://www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1239

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

CABE/CAPSS Convention: Opioid Epidemic Chris Seymour Reporter, CABE

With the opioid epidemic raging in Connecticut and across the nation, the importance of drug use prevention was a main focus of the 2017 CABE/CAPSS Convention workshop, “The RX for the Pain Killer Crisis: Prevention Strategy and Awareness of the Opioid Epidemic.”

Assistant US Attorney Robert Spector, who has traveled around the state as a member of the US Attorney’s Heroin Education Action Team (USA HEAT), was a workshop presenter.

According to its website, USA HEAT aims “to reduce the growing harm to Connecticut families and communities caused by heroin/opioid abuse by increasing com-

DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

(continued from page 1)

members to model these skills in their own conduct.”

Delegates agreed that civility is a key element of a positive school climate and culture, and that lack of civility interferes with the ability of public officials to fulfill their leadership roles, and with a student’s ability

munity understanding of this epidemic.”

As of November’s Convention, HEAT had visited about half the high schools in Connecticut.

The program is a powerful mix of sobering statistics about opioid abuse and stories from families who have lost a loved one to an overdose.

“You need us in your schools; we are a free presentation,” said Spector, adding the presentation typically takes about an hour and a half. “We go in front of 700 kids and do what we are doing… and it’s our way of trying to sort of wake people up to this.”

Spector said that many kids end up getting hooked on opiates following a sports injury. That’s what happened to Lori Jackman’s son Randy Osgood. He suffered

an injury in gym class as a high school freshman and was prescribed an opiate.

Randy ended up addicted and battled his addiction for years before succumbing to an overdose soon after he turned 22.

“He wanted to get married and be a father someday; he tried so hard to kick his addiction but by then it was too late,” she said. “I’m left without my son and his brothers are heartbroken at the loss of their youngest brother. Our lives will never be the same.”

Martha Galligan had an equally heartbreaking story to share—her daughter died of an overdose in 2012, and in doing so, ended up on top of her one-year-old son and he suffocated to death.

“My daughter and my grandson would be alive today if Katie had never started using to begin with,” said Galligan.

“To you as educators—this program, this presentation is about as good as it is going to get and about as real as it is going to get,” she added. “Our children in the schools need a really, really heavy dose of reality.”

Because many kids get hooked following a sports injury, Spector stressed that all state athletic directors should require parents to attend mandatory meetings on opioid prevention.

“We should be telling our ADs, when you have your mandatory meetings—I’ll come— make the parents watch this stuff,” he said.

For more information, visit https:// www.justice.gov/usao-ct/heat.

to learn.

Updates were provided on the state task forces addressing the education cost sharing formula and special education funding, interscholastic athletics, digital citizenship and internet safety, and special education independent educational evaluations.

Liz Brown (Waterbury) offered a statement in support of the students arriving

in Connecticut from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which was supported by consensus of the delegates. The statement follows: “CABE is committed for the belief that every child is entitled to a high quality, equitable public education. On behalf of the CABE members, we wish to affirm our commitment to the children from Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

coming to Connecticut and enrolling in our public schools. We wholeheartedly welcome our new students and pledge to support them and their families, and in the rich tradition of our democracy, provide an excellent public education for them and ALL children.”

Watch your mail in January for a copy of CABE’s Legislative Priorities and plan to attend Day-on-the-Hill – March 7, 2018.

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

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Resources to Address School Data and Security Doug Casey

Executive Director, Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology

Recent news of cyber-attacks has heightened awareness within the K – 12 community of threats targeted at schools.

Last month in Montana, for example, hackers compromised data from the district of Columbia Falls, issuing violent threats against students if leaders did not respond to their demands. In other instances, criminals have used stolen parent cell phone numbers to demand ransom for their children’s safety. In the hands of the wrong people, contact information, photos, and other sensitive data can be used for extortion, identity theft, and other crimes.

On a broader scale, network incidents known as DDoS attacks can bring down entire school districts and towns.

If “distributed denial of service” seems cryptic, think of the network equivalent of having the Los Angeles Freeway during rush hour parked in front of your school, as State Chief Information Officer Mark Raymond (who also serves as Chair of the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology) has put it. Students often initiate these attacks through third parties at the cost of $5 or $10. In the age of online assessments, this is the modern-day equivalent of pulling the fire alarm on test day.

Such incidents affect districts far beyond the classroom. Without an operational school network, not only do instructional systems and devices become unusable but so do Internet-dependent systems that manage district transportation, food services, physical security (cameras), heating and air conditioning, finance, and human resources.

Despite the escalating number and type of cyber threats, there is good news.

At the State level, CEN has mitigated more than 100 DDoS attacks this year alone, at no additional cost to schools. One district that saw persistent attacks over the course of three weeks this fall would have had to have paid upwards of half a million dollars for similar services.

At the local level, many school leaders already have measures in place to prevent and deal with cyber threats. Despite these efforts, gaps still exist in any district in addressing the many different aspects of security and data protections. Again, there is good news here in the form of free and

employment. The Data Security practice also addresses data storage (locally and in the cloud) as well as business continuity and disaster recovery.

low-cost resources.

As one of the eight initiatives in its State Educational Technology Goals and Plan (see http://bit.ly/CET_Plan for details), the Commission encourages school districts to adopt a formal privacy and security program. While schools may already have practices for mitigating risk and addressing incidents, we encourage leaders to consider the resources in the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Framework (www.TrustedLearning.org).

Developed by the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) in partnership with leading school associations including NASBE, AASA, ASBO, and ASCD, the Framework provides schools a set of K – 12 data and privacy best practices.

Districts that demonstrate mastery receive a seal that they can use to indicate to their communities that they take privacy seriously.

The Commission works with CoSN and its Connecticut chapter, CT Educational Technology Leaders (see www.

CTETL.org), to encourage districts to use the Framework as a starting point for a data and privacy program or, at the very least, a rubric for assessing readiness against cyber attacks. The Framework includes five practice areas: • Leadership: Ensuring privacy and security starts at the top. The instructional, operational, legal, and public perception risks that accompany cyber threats demand cabinet-level leadership. The TLE Framework helps leaders define and monitor policy and process, establish and empower data privacy leads in the form of a district Privacy Officer and Security Officer, prepare incident communications, ensure proper resource supports (people and funding), and tap the broader community — including parents and local experts — for continued improvements.

• Data Security: How well districts govern their use of data can significantly reduce risk and exposure. Leadership teams should identify and control the types of data stored across systems, levels of access staff have to those records, and protocols for decommissioning access when professionals leave your

• Business: While “business practice” may seem relegated to the SBO, in today’s connected schools, all teachers and staff must understand the process of vetting and acquiring software that stores student or personnel data. Staff who “click through” the fine print before using apps may put the district at risk of non-compliance with state and federal statute, so schools should have clearly communicated software review and adoption practices.

• Classroom: Teachers should model sound digital and cyber literacy practices to their students.

Authentic application of technology in the classroom allows educators to build understanding of identity

management, privacy, cyber bullying, and media literacy among students, and raise awareness of these issues with parents.

•P rofessional Development: Ensuring the successful launch and ongoing improvements to any privacy program depends on training for all staff at least annually. Virtually every educator deals with sensitive student data, sometimes on a daily basis, so providing opportunities to refresh understanding and garner feedback to leadership is essential.

Remember that sound cyber hygiene (e.g., not storing passwords on sticky notes) greatly reduces the risk of breaches and other incidents. And some forward-thinking districts even offer training for parents and other members of the community to build awareness of how their schools use technology and protect sensitive data.

Other Free Security Resources • Federal Virtual Training Environment (fedvte.usalearning.gov): No-cost cybersecurity training for state and municipal employees • Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (www.cisecurity.org): Incident monitoring and peer-to-peer cybersecurity supports • SANS Institute (www.sans.org): Best practice frameworks and educational materials • These CABE policies provide information on how boards should handle these situations:

#3520 – Data Processing Services

#3520.1 – Information Security Breach and Notification

#3520.11 – Electronic Information Security

#3520.12 – Data-Based Information Management Systems

#3520.13 – Protection and Privacy/Cloud-Based Issue

#5131.913 – Cyberbullying

#6141.323 – Internet Safety Policy/Filtering

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

CABE New Board Member Orientation and Leadership Conference

Bryan Hall, Board Chair East Hartford, Area 2 Director, CABE and Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE, present a pre-conference session for Leadership participants on The Board Chair as Team Leader.

Rebecca Adams, Sr. Staff Attorney, CABE, presents a pre-conference session for New Board Member participants on Legal Issues.

Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE and Sheila McKay, Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations, CABE, present a pre-conference session for Leadership participants on The Advocacy Role of Boards of Education.

Rich Carmelich, Chief Operating Officer, EdAdvance and Bernice Rizk, Business Manager, Naugatuck Public Schools, present a pre-conference session for New Board Member participants on School Finance 101.

Hugh Murphy, Director of Finance, Stamford Public Schools; Bill Hoff, Business Manager, Suffield Public Schools; and Mike Belden, Chief Operating Officer, Hamden Public Schools, present a pre-conference session for Leadership participants on How to Lead Through a Budget Crisis.

Nick Caruso, Sr. Staff Associate for Field Services, presented both a pre-conference session for New Board Members on How to Examine Data to Help Your District and a joint session on 5 Common Mistakes Board Members Make.

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

More than 150 board members and superintendents participated in the New Board Member Orientation/Leadership Conference on December 7.

Bob Rader, Executive Director, CABE, welcomed participants and facilitated a Leadership Roundtable session for those participating in the Leadership track.

Sarah Barzee, Chief Talent Office, Connecticut State Department of Education presented a joint session on The State of Public Education in Connecticut.

Donald Harris, Board Chair, Bloomfield Board of Education and First Vice President, CABE; and James Thompson, Superintendent, Bloomfield Public Schools, presented a joint session on Board Members and Superintendents as Leaders.

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Bob Mitchell, CABE President and Montville Board of Education, welcomes the New Board Member Orientation/ Leadership Conference participants.

Sal Menzo, Superintendent, Wallingford Public Schools and Roxane McKay, Board Chair, Wallingford Board of Education, presented a joint session on How to Make Decisions in a Time of Great Flux.

Vincent Mustaro, Sr. Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE, presented a session to New Board Member participants on The School Board’s Policy Role.

Rebecca Adams, Sr. Staff Attorney, CABE; and Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE, present a session on Statutory Requirements, Legal Issues and Advocacy for New Board Member participants.

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

Connecticut School Attorneys Council Meeting Patrice McCarthy

Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

Members of the Connecticut School Attorneys Council met in November in conjunction with the annual CABE/ CAPSS Conference. During the meeting Rebecca Adams of CABE was elected President, Kyle McClain of Zangari Cohn Cuthbertson Duhl & Grello was elected Secretary and Patrice McCarthy of CABE

was reelected as Treasurer. Members

created significant concern from districts.

on the Implementation of Independent

thanked Melika Forbes of Shipman and

Attendees discussed the upcoming

Educational Evaluations, on which they

Goodwin for her service as president.

legislative session, as well as the numerous

serve.

The attorneys discussed the recent teacher

task forces created by the Legislature,

and administrator contract negotiations,

including task forces to address the

the NSBA Council of School Attorneys

and the impact that the state budget

education cost sharing formula and

fall seminar and the upcoming program

uncertainty has created. Guidance on

special education funding, interscholastic

in San Antonio in conjunction with the

alternative education opportunities for

athletics, as well as digital citizenship and

NSBA Annual Conference.

expelled students proposed by the State

internet safety. Patrice and Peter Maher

Department of Education in September

reported on the Advisory Work Group

Patrice reported on the success of

In Memoriam Longtime educator, Janet Garagliano, most recently the Staff Associate for Leadership Development at CAPSS, passed away on December 10 after a brief illness. Janet was a true pleasure to work with and had worked with CABE staff at the 2017 CABE/CAPSS Convention. We share our condolences with Janet’s family and the CAPSS family. She will be missed!

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 | January 2018

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

The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro

Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

The Board’s Relationship to Administrative Regulations Policy versus Administrative Regulations

Policies are broad guidelines, philosophical statements that outline the direction that the board wants to take. Boards need to understand the distinction between policy and administration in their actions. Policy by itself does nothing. The board of education deals with its broad issues of responsibility through the policy statements it adopts. The administrative regulations are the specific procedures that will implement the policy and they are the responsibility of the superintendent. The superintendent is a partner with the board in the policy development process. However, it is surely his/her responsibility to see that policy is implemented with administrative regulations, sometimes also referred to as procedures or guidelines. The purpose of administrative regulations is to fill in broad policy statements with the details that ensure that what the board wants done, actually happens.

This approach provides the district with needed flexibility. Regulations can be easily changed whenever required by changes in the law, when a problem is discovered, or when a new approach to the implementation of a policy is desired. In contrast, board policies and bylaws usually require a minimum of two readings before a policy or bylaw can be adopted or revised and this usually involves weeks or months.

Regulations are practical, specific to each district and at times specific to school levels in a district. They are formulated by personnel within the district to suit the district’s particular needs. Whereas policy answers the broader questions of what is wanted and may, also, indicate why and how much, regulations should state precisely how often, exactly how many, where, etc. In addition to the superintendent writing regulations, at times knowledgeable staff is recruited to assist in the preparation of regulations.

All regulations developed pursuant to the board’s policies should conform to the intent of the policies.

Board Adoption of Administrative Regulations

In theory, boards adopt policy and administrators implement policy through regulations. Depending on the type of policy and the situation to which they are responding, or the audience to which they are addressed,

administrative regulations can be brief and flexible or long and prescriptive, or combinations of either. In any event, regulations provide the details needed for consistent application of board policy.

Regardless of who participates in their

“ In any event, regulations provide the details needed for consistent application of board policy.”

development, all policies are adopted by the board. Most regulations, on the other hand, will emanate from and be approved by the office of the superintendent. The board does not normally approve or adopt administrative regulations except in certain instances as described below. Regulations are not usually adopted by anyone. They are devised, approved and issued normally by the superintendent. It is the superintendent’s responsibility to revise regulations as necessary. The board may make a policy more explicit if it feels that the administrative regulations are not sufficiently clear or comprehensive enough to meet the board’s intent, but it should not unilaterally revise the superintendent’s regulations.

As the superintendent is a participant in the policy process, the board may be a participant at times in the approval of administrative regulations. Usually, administrative regulations do not require board adoption and/or approval. However, situations may exist where such adoption/approval by the board is required or desired. These are as follows: When mandated by law. At times, state statute requires the board to adopt policy and procedures on a topic. This does not mean that the board must actually write them. It does mean that the board should read and review them carefully prior to approval and

dissemination to be sure board intentions are carried out.

When law requires board approval of regulations, the board will review the proposed regulations, checking to be sure all appropriate topics have been addressed.

It will then formally vote to approve these regulations.

When the administration wants to make the force of the board’s authority explicit. This occurs most often when a subject is controversial and may cause consternation or disagreement among those affected. Approving the regulation along with the adoption of policy says very clearly that the board and administration have conferred and totally agree not only on the policy, but on the details of how it is to be implemented.

It is also recommended, when a board is involved in the process of totally reviewing and rewriting its policy manual, to consider at the time of policy adoption, a review of the proposed administrative recommendations. This practice is followed when CABE is involved in the development of a new manual for a district. This review does not include adoption but serves the purpose of indicating to the administration that its newly adopted policies will be implemented in a manner desired by the board in keeping with the philosophy of the policy statement.

When the board is not sure that its policy is being implemented in the way it was intended. Occasionally mistrust or lack of understanding between board and administration cause the board to ask to review (and possibly approve) administrative regulations on a subject.

It is a good idea to have a bylaw pertaining to the approval of regulations, describing the circumstances above that would cause their approval by the board and establishing the same number of readings as for adoption of policies. Not all policies in the policy manual require regulations. Some policies are so explicit or self-explanatory that there is nothing to be added. However, all regulations should be attributable to a policy or policies or contract language.

Location of Administrative Regulations

Where regulations are filed is a local decision. Some districts prefer to keep all regulations with accompanying policies in the district’s policy manual. Others prefer to maintain a totally separate manual of

regulations. CABE recommends that the administrative regulation be kept in the district’s policy manual, immediately following the adopted policy to which it refers.

Recommended Board Actions

Boards should adopt a bylaw, #9313, pertaining to the formulation, adoption, and amendment of administrative regulations.

In the CABE model, the following language is proposed: The Board of Education does not adopt administrative regulations unless specifically required to do so by law, or unless requested to do so by the Superintendent. Adoption and amendment of such Board of Education adopted regulations shall be by the same procedure as that specified for policies in bylaw #9311.

The Board of Education reserves the right to review and direct revisions of administrative regulations should they, in the Board of Education’s judgment, be inconsistent with the policies adopted by the Board of Education.

It is also recommended that boards adopt a policy, #2231, “Policy and Regulation Systems,” which describes the board’s expectations pertaining to the policy manual, policies, regulations and bylaws.

In conclusion, remember that an administrative regulation details how a policy will be implemented. If you find yourself, as a board or board member, discussing how a policy is to be implemented, you are beginning to get involved in administration. The board gives the superintendent authority to develop and implement all necessary regulations authorized by board policy or statute. It is recommended that the board be kept informed of the regulations developed to implement board policy. Regulations should be made a part of the policy manual. Staff, students and patrons of the district need to be kept informed of any rules affecting them as individuals or as a group.

As long as the administration operates within the policies adopted by the board, it may issue regulations without prior board approval unless board action is required by law or unless the board has specifically directed that certain types of regulations be given board approval. The board must, however, be kept informed of all administratively issued regulations, and all are subject to board review.

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

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The Media Message

by Gabbie Charier, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC

Social Media Nightmares… Who’s Had One?

A social media nightmare can easily be triggered by members of the public, other school board members or even students. You have probably either seen them unfold online or in the media, or worse, been the victim of one yourself.

Social media crises are difficult to contain due to the rapid rate at which posts can be shared. Additionally, and perhaps the most vicious component of a social media nightmare, is that the information often is not fact checked before being disseminated. There is no requirement of proof when it comes to spreading the information, and for that reason, your district can fall victim to social media posts that are exaggerated, taken out of context, or completely made up. When this happens, it can become very overwhelming very quickly.

It is important to follow these best practices in order to keep the social media nightmare from becoming worse.

Equally as important, is to remember

what the board’s role is versus what the superintendent’s and staff ’s roles are.

Have policies in place before there is a crisis

Your school board should have policies in place that address social media use. If you don’t already have policies in place, you may want to consider the following CABE policies: #9327 Electronic Communication Among Board Members #9327.1 Board Member Use of Social Media #1114 District-Sponsored Social Media

Remain calm

When a social media crisis hits, it’s very important for school board members to remain calm. Do not post, like, or comment on anything. Do not talk to any reporter that may try to contact you.

Have a crisis communications plan

in place. As a general rule, the superintendent should: • Release a well-crafted statement, quickly.

Time is of the essence in situations like these. Negative posts about your district can and will spread fast, so it is the job of the Superintendent or central office staff, not individual board members, to respond quickly and dispel rumors.

• Assess feedback, potentially release another statement.

After several hours or days pass, central office staff should take a look at the feedback they have received.

Are there any overarching themes?

Has anyone offered any constructive feedback? If so, staff might take that information and think about posting a follow up statement or holding a press conference. Sometimes the responses received will not lend themselves to a second statement,

and that’s okay.

Do not engage with other social media posts

Many will be anxiously awaiting your district’s statement. The nature of the reactions will vary - some will be positive, some negative, some outlandish, some constructive. Some of these posts will seem ridiculous and some will be just plain false. As tempting as it may be to respond, DON’T. Do not fuel the fire and do not engage in petty back-andforth bickering. It will diminish your credibility.

It will blow over

Although it may not seem like it at the time, “this too shall pass.” In time, many people will forget or move on.

Continue to regularly post the same content that you normally would.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | January 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: • Planned, hosted and presented at successful CABE/CAPSS Convention.

• Planned, hosted and presented at successful New Board Member and Leadership Conferences.

• Trained the Somers Board of Education on the use of CABE-Meeting.

• Met with Winchester board chair and superintendent to plan Lighthouse training opportunities for the year.

• Provided Roles and Responsibilities workshops for Ansonia, New Hartford, Brookfield, Thomaston and Trumbull Boards of Education.

• Facilitated Board Retreats for Hamden and Colchester Boards of Education.

• Responded to fifty-six requests for policy information were provided to 25 districts, one college and one newspaper on 48 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 the use of restraint and seclusion, progress reports, budget transfers and

A recent survey on needs that Connecticut residents felt were most important on which to spend our money, administered by researchers from the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. and Smith & Company.

It found that student achievement is one of the three most important areas.

miscellaneous policies pertaining to discipline issues.

B y helping school boards to increase student achievement:

• Provided Lighthouse training for Brooklyn and Waterbury Boards of Education.

• Sent two issues of “Policy Highlights” via e-mail listserv covering topics that affect student achievement. This included the effects of social media, requirements for children in foster care and observance of religious holidays in the schools.

B y promoting public education:

• Participated in the annual CABE/ CAPSS annual Convention and the Board Leadership/New Board Member conference and made presentations pertaining to policies at both.

B y ensuring members receive the most up-to-date communications: • As part of the Custom Policy Service, materials were prepared for Ansonia, Amity Region 5, Newtown and Derby. The new policy manual for the Derby Public Schools was completed.

• A draft of the second issue of the Policy Update Service publication was completed and will be sent to subscribing districts in January.

B y providing services to meet member needs:

• As part of the Custom Update Service, materials were prepared for East Hampton, East Windsor, Ellington, Gilbert School, Marlborough, New Fairfield, Newington and Sterling.

• Completed the audit of the policy manual of New Haven.

• Currently in the process of doing an audit of the policy manual of the Killingly Public Schools.

• Met with Thomaston Board of Education to discuss legislative issues.

• Staffed annual CABE Delegate Assembly.

• Staffed State Relations Committee meeting to establish legislative priorities.

B y helping districts operate efficiently and conserve resources:

• Provision of sample policy materials.

• Met with Fran Rabinowitz and John Kowalski on Budgetary Process Plan for School Districts.

B y representing Connecticut school boards on the state or national level:

• Attended meeting of the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology.

• Provided legislative update to CREC Council.

• Discussed legislative issues with School Nurse Advisory Council.

• Attended Connecticut Bar Association Education Law Executive Committee meeting.

• Attended Connecticut Nonprofit Alliance Conference.

• Participated in Special Education Independent Educational Evaluation Work Group meeting.

• Discussed legislative issues with representative of special education administrators (ConnCASE).

• Attended Connecticut State Board of Education meeting.

• Attended Bloomfield Legislative Breakfast.

• Attended New England Association of Schools and Colleges Annual Conference.

• Participated in Connecticut Council of Municipalities’ B.E.S.T. program, regarding how the State can work more efficiently in some areas.

• Facilitated meeting of National School Boards Association’s Board of Directors on school boards and NSBA of the future.

• Hosted and participated in WhatWillOurChildrenLose Coalition (CABE, CAPSS, CAS and CASBO) meeting on fiscal issues.

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

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Cafeteria “Share Table” Program Benefits the Hungry Patrice McCarthy

Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

Wallingford Public Schools started a “Share Table” program last February which has yielded over 5,000 pounds of food donated to a local food pantry serving 400 to 500 families each week. The idea came from Nicholas Iannone, now a freshman at Sheehan High School, who developed the program as a middle school project.

Superintendent Sal Menzo said “I am very proud of Nicholas, who investigated and implemented the first share table as part of his middle school capstone experience. Stemming from his identified problem of food waste in the cafeteria, the share table was able to significantly reduce the amount of food served but not eaten each day. As a result of his project, parent volunteers have now expanded the program throughout the schools in our district. Collecting thousands of pounds of uneaten food weekly, the program has

provided necessary resources to students in school and being served at the local food pantry Master’s Manna.”

In the Wallingford program, students who purchase school lunches can share uneaten food that is packaged and sealed with other students. Food not used by the students is then donated to the local food pantry.

The Wallingford Public Schools is now developing a blueprint that can be used by other districts interested in creating the program. The blueprint will identify issues to be addressed for successful implementation, including working with the local health department, state restrictions, securing volunteers and piloting the program.

In a June 2016 memo, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the federal lunch program, endorsed share tables as an innovative strategy that food service directors should consider.

The CABE State Relations Committee met to establish legislative priorities.

People in the News Longtime CABE Sr. Staff member, Lisa Steimer, has assumed responsibilities for CABE communications. Her new title is Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development and Communications. We believe her skills and experience will strengthen CABE, especially at a time of increased reliance on technology as well as publications, in our continuous attempt to disseminate our brand and our influence.

This change was effective in early December. Congratulations, Lisa!

Upcoming Advocacy Activities

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities

January 9, 2018 Area 7 Legislative Breakfast 7:30 a.m. • Derby High School

January 9, 2018 Area 9 Legislative Breakfast

January 17, 2018 Alliance District Roundtable

7:30 a.m. • Preston Veterans Memorial School

9-11 a.m.

CABE Office, Wethersfield

January 24, 2018 Current Legal Issues 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

CAS, Cheshire

February 15, 2018 Hot Topic: School Start Times

9-11 a.m.

CABE Office, Wethersfield

Consultant: MARY BRODERICK, ED.D SENIOR CONSULTANT

January 22, 2018 Area 4 Legislative Breakfast 7:30 a.m. • Brooklyn Middle School

February 4-6, 2018 NSBA Advocacy Institute

For an update or more information on vacancies go to our website: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1176

Marriott Marquis, • Washington, D.C.

For more information contact, CABE Search Services, P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 860-539-7594 Equal Opportunity Employer

8 a.m. • State Capitol

February 15, 2018 Area 2 Legislative Breakfast March 7, 2018 CABE Day on the Hill

8:30 a.m. • The Bushnell, Hartford

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