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Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Vol. 20, No. 8
The Leading Voice for Connecticut Public Education
September 2017
“Out of the public schools grows the greatness of a nation.” - Mark Twain, Nov. 23,1900
CABE Receives Grant for Diversity, Personalized Learning
Friday Morning Convention Speaker!
Robert Rader
The CABE/ CAPSS Convention Committee is pleased to announce that Dan-el Padilla Peralta, a Princeton University professor and Columbia University Fellow, Dan-el Padilla Peralta will be our Friday morning speaker. He came to the United States from the Dominican Republic with his family in 1989. In his memoir, Undocumented, and in his lectures, Peralta chronicles his journey from the rough streets of New York City to the top of his class at Princeton, offering an honest and inspiring glimpse of the American immigrant experience. Dan-el Padilla Peralta was the 2006 Latin salutatorian of Princeton University and has been called “one of the best classicists to emerge in his generation.” He received his Ph.D. in Classics from Stanford University and is currently a Fellow in the Society of Fellows in the Humanities at Columbia University as well as a Professor of Classics at Princeton. His memoir, Undocumented: A Dominican Boy’s Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to the Ivy League, was published in July 2015. Undocumented is a classic story of the triumph of the human spirit. In his keynote talks and presentations, Peralta shares his remarkable journey and highlights the many challenges facing immi-
Lisa Steimer
Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development, CABE
Executive Director, CABE
Andrea Iger-Duarte
Suicide Prevention Program Director, Department of mental Health and Addiction Services
Scott Newgrass
Education Consultant, Connecticut State Department of Education
As the new school year begins, school boards and their schools need to consider and plan how they are going to identify and provide necessary support to their students in need. Especially at risk are young people who may be considering suicide as an escape from the emotional challenges and pain of their adolescence. It is nearly impossible to ignore the barrage of messages and stories in the media concerning suicide, the victims of these acts and the suppositions about what should be done about the loss of lives. “The Blue Whale Challenge,” “13 Reasons Why” and “What Made Maddy Run” are
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Inc.
See CABE GRANT page 4
Promoting Student Mental Health and Preventing Suicide
81 Wolcott Hill Road Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242
CABE has received a one-year grant (renewable for two more years) from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. The grant, which is for approximately $30,000, is a natural extension of work done by the Diversity Committee, chaired by Donald Harris and staffed by Mary Broderick. The Committee is charged with encouraging “boards of education, school and district leaders, as well as State Government to continue to consider the importance of diversity and multiculturalism in public education.” The grant, the first one of this type as far as we know, may become a model for other states. Ultimately, communities would then be prepared to analyze, reflect, and act to address issues of excellence and equity affecting each child. Under the terms of the grant, CABE will: • create a toolkit for school boards that describes demographic shifts and their effect on school districts; • offer strategic guidance in generating a shared vision;
only a few examples of the prompting and conflicting information that young people today are being exposed to through social media, while those struggling with their sense of purpose are given less than optimal direction, connection and support. In fact, the very participation in sharing information through social media further endangers our youth as they often confront powerful feelings without the comforting physical presence of others. Compounding these hazards is the developmental reality that during adolescence, young people begin to experiment in determining their own personal experience and understanding of things. Peer pressure, experimentation with drugs and alcohol, interpersonal conflicts in social and romantic relationships and many other developmentally expected challenges contribute to the pressure to succeed and See MENTAL HEALTH page 14
See FRIDAY MORNING page 2
Engaging Parents and Community
Nutmeg Board of Education
Board’s Policy Role
PAGE 4
PAGE 5
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CABE Annual Report PAGE 17
Periodical Postage PAID Hartford, CT
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
PRESIDENT COMMENTARY
Past the Impasse Ann Gruenberg President, CABE
This commentary is being written on an especially glorious day, with a peaceful breeze, and birds singing their back-andforth greetings to one another. A family of cardinals clusters in a tree outside the back door. The air hums and buzzes with the late-summer jubilation celebrated by the natural world. In this sweet moment, the contention of the political and legislative processes that have persisted way to long seem far away, not just in terms of distance, but also in terms of world view. Forsaking the joy of these moments would in no way improve the difficulties that have consumed us this year. As board members and administrators, we are all leaders. Whatever our various position descriptions may state, we also have in common the need to balance the reality of being able to help in some ways, but also to acknowledge our limits. The solutions, at this time, remain to be identified and implemented. By the time you read this article, hopefully there will have been some constructive positive
Friday Morning
(continued from page 1) grants living in America. Peralta and his family came to the United States legally from Santo Domingo when he was four years old on a sixmonth temporary visa. When the family’s visas lapsed, Peralta’s father returned to the Dominican Republic. But Peralta’s courageous mother was determined to make a better life for him and his brother. Despite tremendous obstacles and years spent living in New York City’s homeless shelters, Peralta quickly showed a voracious appetite for learning and excelled in school. While living in a shelter in downtown Manhattan, Peralta attracted the attention of Jeff, a young volunteer from a wealthy family who was struck by his passion for books and learning. With Jeff ’s help, Peralta was accepted on scholarship to Collegiate, the oldest private school in the country. At Collegiate, Peralta thrived and adeptly navigated the rough streets of Harlem, where he lived with his mother and brother, and the elite halls of his private school, where he soon rose to the top of the class. From there, Peralta went on to Princeton where he continued to thrive and, in 2006, made the momentous decision to come out as an undocumented student in the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Peralta will sign copies of Undocumented, which will be available in the Convention bookstore, immediately following his session.
outcomes. Hopefully, there will be a State budget. It would be a mistake to oversimplify the options, but it is safe to acknowledge some elements that form common threads. First, the general context regarding operating educational programs has become extremely stressful. To not have secure operating budgets in August makes it extraordinarily challenging to approach the new school year with excitement and anticipation. More likely, a sense of apprehension and concern could be pervasive. The “fight or flight” reaction to stress is well-documented, and has its roots in the natural world. This is a survival reaction. When danger presents itself, the adrenal glands ramp up, and the bodies of animals, including human beings, get ready to defend ourselves and/or to flee. We have seen these patterns manifest themselves in a range of situations, including people actually moving from one community to another, or leaving certain affiliations, even when that may not result in positive solutions. From a stress-management perspective, it is wise to consider one’s own patterns, and recognize the value of identifying additional options that may, in the long run, be preferable. Rather than acting on an assumption that a worst case scenario will play out, it is constructive to try to minimize the negative consequences. Secondly, as leaders the most effective strategies may include being supportive, building on trust, and sustaining that which is working well in a variety of communities. This may include empathy, guidance and flexibility, working with others to conceptualize and actualize reasonable solutions. As members of organizations that inherently include diverse perspectives, we must be willing to work toward common ground on issues that affect
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
students in our schools, and their families. When times are tough, it is not going to help if we are polarized and more focused on conflict than on resolution. Developing shared goals that may also involve shared services is important regardless of how other challenges are emerging. Finally, the aspects of leadership that include commitment, clear objectives, responsibility and effective teamwork are paramount during these challenging times. Using whatever resources we have effectively, reducing duplication of services as well as inefficiencies, and being guided by our shared goals are all essential, especially now. Many communities have elections in the fall, and we can work together to recruit and support others who are willing to devote themselves to a team for the sake of students, their well-being, and their positive outcomes. At our Summer Leadership Conference in Westbrook, we had lively discussions regarding a number of topics, including working within the political systems, and maintaining nonpartisan perspectives, even if we have political affiliations. As leaders, it is our responsibility to position ourselves to support the overarching purposes of public education. The swooping flocks of birds in formation, shifting direction with the wind remind us of what we can learn from nature. Wishing you all a constructive beginning of the new school year.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Ann Gruenberg | President, Hampton Robert Mitchell | First Vice President, Montville Donald Harris | Vice President for Government Relations, Bloomfield Elizabeth Brown | Vice President for Professional Development, Waterbury Bob Trefry | Secretary/Treasurer, CT Technical High School System Richard Murray | Immediate Past President, Killingly John Prins | Member at Large, Branford 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 Michelle Embree Ku | Area 5 Director, Newtown Jennifer Dayton | Area 6 Co-Director, Greenwich Karen Kleine | Area 6 Co-Director, Westport Roxane McKay | Area 7 Director, Wallingford Lon Seidman | Area 8 Director, Essex 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 Craig Stallings | City Representative, Hartford 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 Bonnie Carney | Senior Staff Associate for Publications 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 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 | September 2017
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY
CABE Affiliate Members
Tips for Surviving (With) Your Fellow Board Members Robert Rader
Executive Director, CABE
BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER Finalsite GOLD MEMBERS
Berchem, Moses & Devlin Pullman & Comley Shipman & Goodwin Support for the Budgetary Process SILVER MEMBERS 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 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
As the weeks drone on without a state budget and our members are dealing with very painful options for the opening of school, I thought the title for this editorial might result in some knowing smiles. While we are still working with our WhatWillOurChildrenLose Coalition partners (CAPSS, CASBO, CAS) and others as to how best to remind our legislative leaders and the Governor on the urgency of the situation, byproducts of a prolonged period of stress and uncertainty are often anxiety and frustration. This can play out in any number of situations, including with incivility at Board of Education meetings. I don’t have great answers as to how to escape the emotions that are close to the surface of board members and superintendents, to say nothing of principals, teachers, parents and students. It would be interesting to see if the blood pressure of our citizens has increased more due to Hartford inaction or Washington, D.C. action. However, I do have some suggestions that I’ve used to help orient new state school boards associations’ executive directors. I hope they will help you: 1. Continue to communicate with your legislators and the Governor’s Office. Let them know what is happening in your district because of the situation, what the damage is to your schools and your students and what you’re hearing from your community. 2. This rule is one that I learned a long time ago when I started working with school boards and I know it is also germane to most of us who work with others, including school board members and superintendents: generally, assume incompetence rather than malfeasance. I firmly believe that most errors are made by people not knowing how to do things correctly, rather than their trying to do it in a harmful way. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should give them a pass forever, but give them the benefit of the doubt at least the first time. 3. Let others shine. Do you always have to be the spokesperson on every issue? Are there others who you want to move into leadership positions? Give them a chance and see how they do. Be inclusive of
others, rather than exclusive when you are attempting to accomplish a goal. The more people who can play a part and feel a part of a victory, the more will be available for the next one. Remember, as JFK and others have said: victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat has but one orphan—and you don’t want to be in that spot! 4. Dale Carnegie, author of some of the earliest and best books on influencing others, said that the sweetest sound in the world to people is the sound of their own names. In other words, address people by their names and you’re more likely to get a positive response. Thank people individually, not just as members of a group when you can. 5. Pick your battles. This is one of the lessons that I’ll admit, is not so easy for me. Maybe it’s because of my New York upbringing or legal background. When you see something that you believe is wrong, think about whether changing it will be worth the battle. Sometime, it’s best to wait to battle another day. 6. Board members, superintendents and teachers are often faced with complaints. This or that is wrong, he or she doesn’t know what they’re talking about, and other negative comments are often directed your way. Our first instinct is to help the person and solve their problem if possible. The truth of the matter is, however, that some people just want to vent their feelings and frustration. They want you to actively listen to their “story” and validate their feelings. For board members in particular, it is critical to tell the person, especially when dealing with complaints about a staff member, that there is a chain of command in your policy manual to be followed. By trying to solve the issue, you might taint your ability to be an impartial adjudicator if and when the issue comes before the board. 7. Cherish relationships. In work needing the help of others to be successful, whether on a board or in a legislature, it is the relationships that will make a difference. Since much of our society is set up
so that the majority make the rules (or laws), having positive relationships with others will “grease the wheels” and lead to success.
Often, at their final board meetings, members will say that what they will miss most are the people and the relationships they have built. Can a person have a greater legacy than working well and accomplishing much with other members of the team?
8. Focus on the big picture. Board members in particular have a broad oversight role. They shouldn’t get caught up in the day-to-day workings of the district. While there may be times when an in-depth examination of a situation or an issue is necessary, keeping your role at the 30,000 foot level is usually best. 9. Hone and use your emotional intelligence. Step into others’ shoes, understand where they are coming from and working from there is a path to success. Empathy, understanding and caring win over the “my way or the highway” model. 10. Keep and use your sense of humor. There is rarely a better way to defuse a tense situation than using a little humor. It puts a little personality into the situation and lets people know you don’t take yourself too seriously. Many crisis situations have been defused with humor. I hope these suggestions can help you at your Board table. Look to defuse situations, work together with others and yes, use your sense of humor if things get too hot. Good board members and chairs know how to use all the tools at their disposal. I hope the list above contains some you might not have been using to your full ability. Have a great school year!
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
Practical Advice for Engaging Parents and Community Patrice A. McCarthy
Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE
Lisa Steimer
Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development, CABE
CABE’s Leadership Institute Alumni met in July and shared their strategies – and challenges – for engaging parents and community members, as well as recruiting candidates for the board of education. These practical tips maybe useful for your district to consider. Engaging parents and community: • Friday morning coffee with the superintendent • A parent advisory committee to the superintendent • Back to school cookout hosted by the PTO with board of education members serving • Late August backpack fair sponsored by the Youth Association
• Music on the green – board members take the opportunity to walk around and greet attendees • Utilize social media, with each school having a Facebook page • Board of education meetings available on YouTube • Principals using twitter accounts • Focusing on an education issue on local TV twice a month • Busing senior citizens to athletic and music events in the district • Designating a staff person to interact with families, particularly those new to the community Among the challenges encountered with recruiting candidates for the board of education were several familiar ones – community members unwilling to deal with the political process, or a lack of time.
Successful strategies included: • One-on-one recruitment • Making board meetings fun and exciting and creating a positive image for the board of education • Being enthusiastic about serving on the board • Recognizing the work of the board during Board Appreciation Month, and emphasizing the importance of volunteerism and engagement for the greater good • Recruiting candidates from active PTO members CABE will also be utilizing social media to disseminate these strategies. Watch our Twitter and Facebook feeds beginning Friday, September 1 for these strategies which will use the hashtag #CABEengage.
CABE/CAPSS Convention GET THE MOBILE EVENT GUIDE!
1. On your device, search “CABE Events” in the App Store. 2. Install the CABE Events app from the app store and open the app. (Press “OK” if you are prompted to Allow Notifications). 3. Click the “CABE/CAPSS” button. From the next screen, click the blue “Join” button at the bottom. 4. Enter your email and password, then click “Sign Up”. 5. Enter your profite information, and add a photo, then click the checkmark at the top right to continue. 6. You are now signed up! All the app features are always available from the menu botton at the top left corner.
Learn about sessions and speakers and bookmark your favorites Use the interactive map to guide you to workshops Download session handouts and slides after the event Get the latest updates And much more!
Please note: The CABE/CAPSS Convention app previously used is no longer supported. Please delete the old app and download the new CABE Events app for the 2017 CABE/CAPSS Convention guide and more.
CABE GRANT
(continued from page 1) • build cultural competencies; • enhance understanding of the value of student centered, mastery-based learning as a means to cultivate empowered, engaged learners; and, • model community engagement through conversation. The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is “working to advance student-centered approaches to learning across New England to ensure that all students are prepared for life after high school.” Its goal is to ensure that 80% of New England students are college and career ready by 2030. Our member districts will be hearing more on this work in the next few months. We hope to make this initiative of great benefit to our members. Mary Broderick, Lisa Steimer, Patrice McCarthy and I developed the proposal, supported by the Diversity Committee.
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
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See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education
Should Nutmeg allow the muncipality to assume responsibility for medical costs? Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin
The Nutmeg Board of Education makes many mistakes. The latest imbroglio created by the board will be reported here each issue, followed by an explanation of what the board should have done. Though not intended as legal advice, these situations may help board members avoid common problems. The ongoing State budget stalemate has many public officials in Nutmeg on edge. “How can we give the Board of Education money when we don’t even know whether and when the State will give us our ECS funds?” asked Seymour Dollars, the irascible Chairperson of the Nutmeg Board of Education. Fortunately, the question was rhetorical, because the Town has approved the budget for 2017-2018, including the annual appropriation for the Nutmeg Board of Education. But Town officials found an outlet for their anxiety – bird-dogging the Board of Education over its expenditures. Last week, the Nutmeg Board of Education received an “invitation” from the Board of Finance to attend its next meeting for a “Discussion of combining Town and Board non-educational services for greater efficiency.” Mr. Chairperson promptly called Ms. Superintendent. “Call Mr. Board Attorney,” Mr. Chairperson requested urgently, “and find out if we can ignore this summons. You know that Seymour and the Board of Finance will be trying to take over the Board of Education with a bunch of intrusive proposals for ‘oversight’ and ‘coordination.’” Ms. Superintendent did call Mr. Board Attorney, who sagely told her that the Board “could” ignore the invitation, but “shouldn’t,” reminding her unnecessarily that the Town holds the purse strings. Ms. Superintendent responded that she hoped that Mr. Board Attorney wouldn’t be billing the district for that unhelpful advice, and then she got back to Mr. Chairperson, telling him that he is on his own. Ultimately, Mr. Chairperson conveyed the invitation to the entire Board, telling them in a confidential email that “we’d better play nice and listen politely to Seymour’s stupid ideas.” Surprisingly, however, at the meeting, Seymour and the Board of Finance was well-prepared, and they made a number of suggestions worthy of consideration. The most significant proposal was that the Town would take responsibility in its budget for the medical costs for Board employees. Seymour explained his reasoning to the members of the Board of Education as follows. “Medical costs are volatile, and there is no way to budget accurately for such costs. With medical costs in the Board budget, the Board has to struggle to find the
money when medical costs are higher than estimated; conversely, when medical costs come in lower than estimated, the Board of Education gets a windfall. But if we agree to put these costs in the Town budget, the Town can deal with cost variations through a special revenue fund that the Town will maintain year to year.” The Board members were surprised at the simplicity and logic of Seymour’s proposal, and they were pretty sure that windfalls from lower-than-estimated health insurance costs were a thing of the past. As the meeting was ending, they thanked Seymour, and they agreed to give careful consideration to Seymour’s suggestion. That night, veteran Board member Bob Bombast had second thoughts, and he sent an email to his fellow Board members, cautioning them against trusting Seymour and warning them that this “incursion” into Board operations would be a bad precedent. Other Board members weighed in, expressing similar sentiments. Reading the tea leaves, Mr. Chairperson then wrote to Seymour to say that the Board would keep medical costs in its own budget, thank you very much. In so responding, did the Nutmeg Board of Education act legally?
While the Board’s decision was legal, the way it made the decision was not. Bob’s email and the ensuing “discussion” among Board members constituted a private, unposted and thus illegal meeting of the Board of Education in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. However, Seymour’s idea raises issues worthy of elaboration. By way of background, in recent years the General Assembly has amended Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 10-222 several times, which amendments have given municipalities a greater role in board of education financial decisions. In 1998, the statute was amended to permit boards of education to authorize other persons (such as the superintendent) “to make limited transfers under emergency circumstances if the urgent need for the transfer prevents the board from meeting in a timely fashion to consider such transfer.” Moreover, as amended, the statute further requires that the transfer must be announced at the next regular board meeting. This “authorization” clarified and underscored the ongoing board of education duty to monitor the budget and make line-item transfers as the year progresses to avoid deficits in any line items in the budget. In 2013, the General Assembly amended the statute again, further involving municipalities in board of education financial affairs.
First, now when a delegate makes a transfer (rather than the board of education itself), the board of education must provide the municipality with a written explanation for the transfer More significant, the amended statute now provides that, as part of the annual budget process, the municipality (acting through its fiscal authority) shall “make spending recommendations and suggestions to such board of education as to how such board of education may consolidate noneducational services and realize financial efficiencies.” The board of education is not required to adopt such recommendations, but it is required to provide the fiscal authority “with a written explanation of the reason for any rejection.” Notably, in amending the statute, the General Assembly did not define what is an “noneducational” service, leaving unclear the scope of the fiscal body’s authority to make such recommendations. In the 2017 legislative session, the General Assembly again addressed the issue of noneducational services, but again it did not define the term. Public Act 17-68, § 12, provides that local boards of education may now enter into written agreements with the local fiscal authority “to take responsibility for the
provision of any noneducational services being provided by such board of education.” The need and/or purpose of this new provision is not clear. But even if one considers this new statutory provision a clarification of existing authority, caution is warranted. There may be good reasons for a board of education and the fiscal authority to enter into such an agreement. For example, having municipalities assume responsibility for medical costs may be a good idea, for the reasons described by Seymour. However, in making such an agreement, boards of education should strive to keep the related expenses in the board of education budget and to arrange to pay the municipality from its appropriation for assuming such responsibility. If the board of education simply permits the town to move the expenses to the town budget, later it will be between difficult and impossible ever to move those funds back to the board of education budget if the board of education later wishes again to exercise control over such expenses. Attorney Thomas B. Mooney is a partner in the Hartford law firm of Shipman & Goodwin who works frequently with boards of education. Mooney is a regular contributor to the CABE Journal.
The Eighth Edition is here!!
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 | September 2017
Registration Is Open!
CABE/CAPSS Convention | November 17 - 18, 2017 | Mystic Marriott Hotel, Groton, CT
� Be
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inspired by Friday morning Keynote Speaker | Friday, November 17 | 8:30 – 10:45 am
Dan-el Padilla Peralta Student Panel Discussion | Saturday, November 18 | 12:05 - 1:35 pm What do students think about transforming K-12 education? How can schools improve
teaching and learning to insure that all students are college and career ready when they graduate from high school? This keynote panel features the leaders of tomorrow – students from diverse backgrounds, immersed in next generation learning models, who will share their perspectives on shifting toward student-centered approaches to learning. In a provocative, unfiltered and honest conversation, students provide first-hand accounts of what it’s like to reimagine their own education and illuminate their own paths forward.
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Explore the Exhibit Hall Floor Visit more than 50 exhibitors who are excited to share ways they can help your district’s work. �
Follow along with
#CABECAPSS2017
for the latest Convention updates. @ConnecticutAssociation ofBoardsofEducation @CTAssocBdsofEd
Discover what will help you be an effective board member with 35 workshops sessions, like
• • • •
Shared Services Why Are We Still Failing African American and Latino Male Students? Funding Innovation through a LEAN Mindset The Rx for the Pain Killer Crisis
Register NOW and SAVE! Register today at goo.gl/omEBhg
2017 CABE Events Mobile App
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Book Review:
Twenty-One Trends for the 21st Century by Gary Marx
Gary Marx, a writer, educator and futurist thinker, examines the implications for students, education, communities and society as a whole in 21 Trends for the 21st Century. He begins by noting “Change is inevitable. Progress is optional.” He reminds us that the question is not “when will things get back to normal?” but “what will the new normal look like?” Among the trends Marx examines are diversity; technology; personalization of education; the depth, breadth and purposes of education; ethics and poverty. With respect to diversity, he emphasizes the importance of celebrating and honoring differences in order to develop a shared identity. Many of us agree with Marx that if we fail to do so, we will devolve into a collection of enclaves, rather than using our differences as a source of our strength. He notes the projection that by 2043, non-Hispanic whites in the United States will represent less than fifty percent of the population, which is already true in many school districts. All of our students will have to strive
in a country of multiple cultures. Marx notes that personalizing education is not a new concept, but is gaining increasing attention as we align education with a student’s individual learning style and multiple intelligences. The U.S. Department of Education defines personalization as “instruction that is paced to learning needs, tailored to learning preferences, and tailored to the specific interests of different learners.” Academic coaching, tutoring, mentoring, afterschool programs, addressing school climate, and outcome based education all support personalized learning. Marx applauds Connecticut’s movement to better utilize technology and assessment through computerized mastery
assessments that adapt to a student’s learning level. Marx observes that the major goal of education is to prepare students to become engaged, contributing members of a civil society. To do so, they need to develop the ability to engage in reasoned discussion; gather, consider and present evidence; and a willingness to understand a variety of points of view. Marx sees education as key to developing a willingness to compromise for the sake of the greater good. He identifies many of the skills, attitudes and behaviors needed to be a civil society, including: • empathy; • ethical behavior; • respect for others;
• the ability to think, reason and solve problems; • the ability to resolve conflicts peacefully and democratically; • a commitment to engage people in discussions and listen to their ideas; • a willingness to collaborate on behalf of the common good; • conflict management; and • negotiating skills and consensus building. Noting that the world is changing faster and more dramatically now than at any time in the human history, the importance of developing adaptability and resilience in our students is critical. 21 Trends for the 21st Century, while reviewing many trends, finds that a critical element is how education prepares tomorrow’s leaders. Patrice McCarthy
Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017 Thank you CBIA Education & Workforce Partnership for your support!
7th Annual CABE Summer Leadership Conference
Robert Rader, Executive Director, welcomed participants to the conference.
Sarah Barzee, Chief Talent Officer, State Department of Education spoke about public education in Connecticut.
Kimberley Eves, Director of Communication, Greenwich Public Schools talked about board members role in communications.
l. to r., Diversity and Education panel discussion was facilitated by Donald Harris, Chair Bloomfield Board of Education and CABE Vice President for Government Relations. Panel members included Sarah Barzee, Chief Talent Officer, SDE; Andrea Comer, Vice President for Education and Workforce Development, CBIA; and Madeline Negron, Director of Instruction, New Haven Public Schools and President Elect, CALAS.
Participants from around the state gathered at Water’s Edge in Westbrook for the 7th Annual CABE Summer Leadership Conference. Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel and Sheila McKay, Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations, gave participants an update on the State Budget.
CABE’s Unemployment Cost Management Service
Networking after a busy day of learning at the Summer Leadership Institute. Pictured are: Sean Nugent (Preston), Jennifer Dayton (Greenwich), Karen Kleine (Westport) and John Prins (Branford).
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.
Leadership Institute Annual Reunion Luncheon
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.
Graduates of the CABE Leadership Insitute met before the Summer Leadership Conference to talk about the challenges and success of how districts engage parents and community members, and how a district can recruit board of education candidates (see page 4).
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
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:
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By providing services
to meet members needs:
Drafted a memo for the New Haven Board of Education providing guidance for complying with requirements for selecting new board officers pursuant to state law, city charter, and board bylaws. Met with Jackie Coleman, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Education Investments Officer. Met with new Griswold Superintendent Sean McKenna and new Bozrah Superintendent Roy Seitsinger on CABE programs, services and activities. Met with municipal and district human resources personnel to review most recent non-certified staff
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contract settlements and arbitration decisions. Responded to 28 requests for legal and district operations informationfrom 20 districts. The “Hot” Legal topics this month were: electing new board officers mid-year; state and local minority representation and party affiliation requirements for filling board vacancies; confidentiality of teacher personnel files; seniority and bumping rights in collective bargaining agreements; documentation requirements for enrolling students in school; including administrative staff to participate in contract negotiations sessions; procedure for public teacher termination proceedings; and special meeting agenda limitations. Materials were prepared for Putnam and Sterling Boards of Education as part of the Customized Policy Update Service. The policy manual of North Stoning-
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ton Board of Education was placed online using CABE’s Connecticut Online Policy Service. Completed the audit of the Ledyard Board of Education policy manual. Upadated the CORE Reference Manual to include the changes necessitated by recent legislative action. Completed revising policies base dupon the legislative session and the federal ESSA.
By helping school boards to •
Facilitated a two-day board retreat with the New Milford Board of Education.
By promoting public
education: •
By ensuring members
receive the most up-to-date communications:
• Emailed bulletin describing the expansion of CABE’s labor relations services to Boards commencing certified negotiations this year. • Surveyed districts regarding how many are negotiating with non-certified staff unions and which contracts they are bargaining.
increase student achievement:
One issue of “Policy Highlights” was sent via email listserve convering topics that affect student achievement. This included class ranking, suicide preventionm, and an ESSA update.
By providing opportunities
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for members to learn how to better govern their districts:
Facilitated Roles and Responsibilities workshops with the Branford and Stafford Boards of Education. Trained the Somers Board of EducaSee CABE page 11
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017 CABE
(continued from page 10) tion staff and the Weston Board of Education on the use of CABE-Meeting. • Planned and implemented successful 7th Annual CABE Summer Leadership Conference. • Responded to 26 requests for policy information to 21 districts, two out-of-state school board associations on 25 topics. The topics of greatest interest included: attendance issues, graduation requirements, and the use of physical restraint and seclusion. Further, districts continue to access CABE’s online Core Policy Reference Manual and/or online manuals posted by CABE for policy samples.
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By representing Connecticut
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school boards on the state or national level:
Chaired the meeting of the Digital Learning Advisory Council of the Connecticut commission for Educational Technology. Met with municipal and district human resources personnel to review most recent non-certified staff
contract settlements and arbitration decisions. Attended CHRO Workshop on safety in the schools and protecting transgender youth. Attended and presented at NSBA Summer Institute for State Association Executive Directors. Participated in WhatWillOurChildrenLose teleconference. Attended meeting of the Northeast Regional Lab. Participated at the CAPSS/Commissioner’s Back to School Meeting with superintendents. Discussed the impact of Connecticut’s fiscal challenge on public education on WFSB Channel 3 and Fox 61. Discussed educator certification and shortage areas on WTIC 1080. Met with Connecticut Voices to discuss readiness for careers and the workforce.
Every Vote Counts! Mark Your Calendar to Save this Date!
November 16, 2017
Registration 2:30 pm | Program 3:00 - 6:00 pm Reception 6:00 - 6:30 pm | Dinner 6:30 - 7:30 pm
CABE Delegate Assembly Mystic Marriott Hotel, Groton
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro
Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE
Policy: a board of education leadership tool without equal
Time to Get Reacquainted with the Board’s Policy Role Policy - Visionary Planning
Leadership is often thought of as visionary planning, effective communication and the creation and fostering of positive interpersonal relationships. However the effective leadership of boards of education, in addition to these traits, is based on policy. Policy is a board of education leadership tool that is without equal. Connecticut’s General Assembly has delegated many of its lawmaking powers for public education to local boards of education to exercise through locally developed and adopted board policies. The board is a policy-making body and the policies that it enacts are the local law of the school district. Board policy on a topic governs what the district will do and how it will require others to act. The National School Board Association (NSBA) has stated that policy is a board’s purpose. It reaffirms that policy is one of the most important means by which a board exerts its leadership. All aspects of school operations are permeated and dominated by board policy. NSBA has stated, in its “Key Work of School Boards” that policy provides the most powerful lever for the exercise of leadership. The board’s vision must guide the many decisions made by the board. Vision provides a target to advance student achievement. NSBA reminds us that policy is the intersection of vision and accountability. Through policy boards strive to meet the district’s vision and mission, codified in policy language, and align resources and personnel to achieve the intent of the policies.
How to Develop Good Policy
Good policy is best developed when it is researched and discussed before it is required and before it is needed as a reaction to a current issue within the district. It is best not to develop policy on an issue when the district is immersed in a crisis. This type of policy development often results in a policy that is not well thought out and purposeful. Similar to curriculum development, policy development, including monitoring, review, and revision, is a never-ending process. Boards, in addition to adopting new policy, must take the opportunity to review its existing policies. It’s a good
practice to review selected policies or sections of the policy manual throughout the school year. Key questions NSBA suggests in this process include: “Are we getting what we wanted? Is the policy consistently enforced with board action?” Further, boards must make the necessary effort to keep the contents of its policy manual up-to-date. Remember, policy is always at the center of the work of effective school boards. It is critical to keep in mind the importance of the words used in school district policy. Through its policies, the board establishes written expectations that articulate priorities, provide direction, assign responsibilities, establish commitments, offer public accountability, give notice of legal responsibilities to ensure compliance and provide stability and continuity from year-to-year.
CABE as a Resource
CABE partners with its member school districts assisting them to successfully fulfill the board’s important policy function. Sample policies are available from CABE which serve as a starting point for the local district. It is recognized that writing policy can be a difficult task. In addition, CABE’s Policy Service offers a numbers of different services to assist boards of education review their manuals, develop new manuals, address new timely policy topics, and to keep abreast of current events impacting policy.
Policy Development
The district, when developing new policies or revising existing ones must keep some key factors in mind. Good policy is: • supportive of the district’s goals and objectives • consistent with the law • understandable in purpose and direction by all • limited to a single topic • practical and workable Make your policy specific enough to convey the board’s message clearly, but not so specific that it strays into administrative territory or unnecessarily constrains board prerogatives. The policy should state the board’s philosophy on a given topic and
indicate what it wants to see happen, or conversely what the board wants not to happen. The policy’s implementation should be left to the professional judgment of the superintendent and his/her staff. Too much
“Remember that policy is considered a living document that should be evaluated and updated on a continual basis to correspond to changes in the legal and school environment and school board and community beliefs.” detail placed in the policy can restrict the superintendent from exercising his/ her professional judgment, training and experience. Unfortunately, a trend is now evident that is leading to the placement of considerable detail and verbiage into policies. This trend is the result of the legislative process at the federal and state levels which, in addition to requiring policy on an increasing number of topics, is now also stating what must be contained in the policy statement. Recent examples of this practice include policies pertaining bullying, the use of restraint and seclusion, and student wellness.
Weak Words
When looking at your district policies, look for words such as “will” and “shall”. Such words give strength to policies and the board’s expectations. Words such as “should,” “may” and “can” are weak and provide an option as to whether action is to be taken on the issue in question. Policies should also be sufficiently general enough to offer the administration guidance but be applicable to more than one specific instance. However, it is not possible to anticipate
every circumstance that will arise between board meetings nor be able to adopt in advance all of the policies needed to take care of every imaginable contingency. Provision must be made to allow for administrative action in such cases and the superintendent is the person to entrust with that authority. Every board should adopt a policy that empowers the superintendent to act when no written policy exists to guide that action. Some policies may simple restate the law. Strive to avoid such policies, when possible. However, there exists some specific language that is required by statute on various topics that needs to be placed in policy language. As previously indicated, this is an increasing trend.
Evaluating Existing Policies
There are a number of questions that can be used to evaluate existing or proposed policies to determine if they are good ones, assuming they fulfill legal mandates and do not hamper the administration in the implementation process. Some include, but not limited to, the following: • Is the policy within the board’s legal and moral areas of interest, authority and responsibility? • Does the policy express the district’s values or intentions? • Does the policy comply with existing policy, law or judicial decision? • Does the policy avoid making the board appear arbitrary or capricious? • Exactly what is authorized or required by the policy? Remember that policy is considered a living document that should be evaluated and updated on a continual basis to correspond to changes in the legal and school environment and school board and community beliefs. As we embark on a new school year, be sure your board has a process in place to ensure that its policies are up-to-date with recent legislation, court rulings, Commissioner’s decisions and state regulations. In some situations, policies on certain topics, while not legally required, may be locally desired. Utilize CABE’s many resources available to its member districts to assist in the fulfillment of this most important of all board responsibilities – the policy function!
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
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The Media Message
from Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC
5 Tips for Effectively Marketing Your School District Those of us who work in school communication, we know how much our efforts contribute to the district’s bottom line. We are beginning to understand how consistent communication year-round and meaningful parental and community involvement build support for our schools and the children they serve. Especially in these challenging financial times, having the support of your community is essential. Therefore, it is also essential to market your district effectively to gain the support. During this new school year, be sure to implement these five tips to better communicate with your school community.
1. Regularly Update Messages from the Superintendent, or School Board
In the technology based world in which we live, a website is a
key factor in promoting your school and creating a sense of community within it. Therefore, it’s important that Superintendents and School Boards have a strong presence on their district’s website. 2. Share your Strengths What does your district do best? What programs do your schools focus on? Don’t be afraid to express and promote those unique characteristics that set your schools apart and what they excels at. By being forward about all that your district has to offer, it will create excitement among parents, students, and teachers that they are part of a district community that has so much to offer.
3. Have a Recognizable Key Message
What does your district stand for? What as an educational community, do you want to instill in your students? Having a recognizable key message that truly captures the values of your district is important to create consistency in the learning environment and something educators and students are passionate about upholding both inside and outside of the district. 4. Make Concerns a Priority Take any concerns about what is going on in your school community seriously and make sure that you have a plan in place to communicate both good news and bad news. Remember, if you don’t have a voice on a particular issue, someone else will and those people may not represent the voice of reason.
5. Stay Consistent! Consistency in communication with your community is the crux of marketing your school district. Keeping the conversation going throughout the school year is just as important as your enthusiasm on the first day of school. Keeping students, faculty and parents in “the know” about major accomplishments and events will keep them excited about being a part of your school community and all that it has to offer. Effective two-way communication is a necessary trait for success at all levels of education, from school board to superintendent to principal, administration, teachers, parents and students.
14 MENTAL HEALTH
(continued from page 1) the implication that failure on any level will have life-long effects. As a result, some students will begin to experience significant and persistent mental health issues, depression, and anxiety. In developing plans to support these students, districts and their schools require three things: 1) the ability to quickly and accurately assess students’ mental health needs when they exhibit disruptive or chaotic behavior, withdrawal from meaningful activities or other atrisk behaviors; 2) internal capacity to effectively use the personnel and other resources within the system to meet student needs; and 3) ongoing relationships with community providers to facilitate shared care for the student, if their mental health needs exceed the capacity of the school. Connecticut is fortunate in having received many years of funding through the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act to develop youth suicide prevention infrastructure within our state. As a result, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services provides, through its Prevention and Health Promotion Division, training and technical assistance in a number of evidence-based programs (EBPs) and interventions directed toward empowering school personnel, youth and their parents/guardians to intervene quickly and effectively when they have concerns about a student’s well-being. Among these EBPs, training is available in Screening for Mental Health, Inc.’s Signs of Suicide (SOS) Middle and High School Programs and the QPR Institute’s Question, Persuade, Refer Gatekeeper Program. These two programs alone have helped schools be better prepared to address suicidality among their students. Further information about these programs and
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017 other supports available through the Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board can be found at http://www.preventsuicidect.org/. According to generalizable results from the 2015 Connecticut School Health Survey, more than one in eight, or approximately 22,700 Connecticut high school students, seriously considered attempting suicide in the 12 months preceding the survey. In addition to this, nearly 8%, approximately 13,500 Connecticut high school students attempted suicide one or more times during the same time period. Female and Hispanic students are at higher risk. Additionally, 26.6%, or approximately 45,000 students, felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more consecutive weeks that they stop doing some usual activities, while only approximately one-quarter of high school students feel that they always or mostly get the help they need when they feel sad, empty, hopeless, angry or anxious. In addition to females and students of Hispanic origin, there are other subpopulations of students that research indicates are at particular risk for suicide, due to their needs, capacities or the treatment they receive from others. These students include substance involved youth and gay, non-binary or transgender students. Schools are best situated to identify early these students at risk and, with proper planning and staffing resources, many of these needs can be addressed before they become disabling for the student. SOS encourages help-seeking behavior of middle and high school youth, provides a brief and direct means of assessing the level of need for the student and a structure for staff to follow to ensure the student’s safety. Question, Persuade, Refer helps adolescents and adults become “gatekeepers” to assist students in accessing services. Additionally, Connecticut benefits from one of the best rapid-response capabilities for addressing youth mental health through the Emergency Mobile Psychiatric
Services (EMPS), which is readily accessed by calling 211, and pressing 1 again at each of the following two prompts. This free, statewide service for youth up through high school provides in-person urgent mental health assessment, referral to community services and, in some cases, brief treatment for crisis intervention within 45 minutes of request. All districts are required to have a Memorandum of Understanding with their local Mobile Crisis Provider, which can be adapted to meet the individual needs of a district and its students. Ultimately, schools can be best prepared to meet the challenges of a student with suicidal ideation if a comprehensive system of the following is already in place: • assessing risk using EBPs such as the Columbia Suicide Severity-Rating Scale, as well as other needs; • providing appropriate interventions and assistance, supporting continuity of care in partnership with community-based providers, and using data to continuously improve the services available to address student needs; • social-emotional training programs, such as the Good Behavior Game, Second Step, Responsive Classrooms or RULER, which help students develop language to express their own needs and concern for others more appropriately and effectively and supports a positive school climate; • Restorative Practices such as Circles or Restorative Conferencing to assist students in reversing the stigmas that may be attached to their behavior(s) while returning them to their appropriate role as a participating student in their classroom and school community; • expanding the services available to student to address the needs emerging from trauma exposure; and • building liaison with community agencies providing counseling, reha-
bilitative and diagnostic services for youth. The Connecticut State Department of Education will continue to serve as a resource to schools districts on these issues.
What Can You Do? Connecticut Boards of Education should implement practices addressing: • Dissemination of the district’s policy and implementing procedures (#5141.5) to staff and parents/guardians. • Training staff in understanding and recognizing suicide risks factors which include family, environment, behavioral, personal and psychiatric issues. • Increasing awareness of warning signs. • Discussion, through district’s health education program, of contributing factors to suicide, including, but not limited to, prescription drugs and access to alcohol. • Cooperative awareness and preventative efforts with school parent groups, health advisory councils, student peer groups, community and municipal agencies and law enforcement. Vincent Mustaro Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service,CABE
View from the Capitol With Connecticut’s 2017-18 State budget still unresolved as the Journal goes to print, the View from the Capital remains cloudy. Discussions among legislative leaders continue, while staff works to calculate the impact of various budget proposals. As the school year begins, advocates for our public schools gathered to make clear the need for an adequate state budget, and to illustrate the significant impact that the ongoing uncertainty will impose upon students and their programs. As part of the annual CABE staff retreat, staff toured the Legislative Office Building and State Capital. For staff, many of whom work behind the scenes in support of CABE’s advocacy efforts, it was a unique opportunity to learn about the history and majesty of our state buildings, and develop an appreciation for our state’s rich history. State support for our public schools has been a part of that history, and must continue in order to sustain Connecticut’s future. Patrice McCarthy
Deputy Director and General Counsel, CABE
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
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Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities So You Want To Be A Board Member? A briefing on preparing for public office All sessions will be from 5:30 - 7:30 pm September 19 CREC, Hartford
September 28
LEARN, Old Lyme
October 5
C.E.S., Trumbull
October 10
EASTCONN, Hampton
October 17, 2017 Legal Issues
Registration 8:30 am Program 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Inn at Middletown, Middletwon
is recruiting for
October 24 A Workshop Designed for Superintendents’ Secretaries, Administrative Assistants and Executive Assistants
Registration 12:30 pm Program 1:00 - 3:40 pm Pitkin Community Center, Wethersfield
November 16, 2017 CABE Delegate Assembly Mystic Marriott Hotel, Groton
Consultants: MARY BRODERICK, ED.D SENIOR CONSULTANT
East Haven (CT) Public Schools Superintendent of Schools
November 17-18, 2017 2017 CABE/CAPSS Convention Out of the Public Schools Grows the Greatness of a Nation – Mark Twain Mystic Marriott Hotel, Groton
December 7, 2017 2017 New Board Member Orientation/Leadership Conference Sheraton Hartford South Hotel, Rocky Hill
For an update or more information on vacancies go to our webiste: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1176
For more information contact, CABE Search Services, P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 860-539-7594 Equal Opportunity Employer
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Did You Know?
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
For the price of CABE dues, your board and superintendent are eligible for: •
Unlimited telephone consultation on policy issues
•
Sample school board policies and regulations whenever you need them
•
Unlimited telephone legal consultation from our experienced in-house attorneys
•
Unlimited tailored workshops on issues such as FOIA, roles and responsibilities, board self-evaluation and goal-setting
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Unlimited advice on key educational issues from knowledgeable, expert professionals who have great experience in helping boards better serve their communities
• Advocacy Highlights, Policy Highlights and other emailed updates, as well as the CABE Journal with information on current issues and best practices
Accessing these services is easy, just call us at 860-571-7446 or find us on the web at www.cabe.org!
•
Unlimited help for your advocacy efforts with the Legislature, the State Board of Education and other state and federal officials
•
Unlimited telephone labor relations and negotiations advice
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CABE Labor Relations survey information
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Access to our networks of school board members across the State for their advice and recommendations on issues before you, including special email groups for board chairs and Alliance districts
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Crisis communications help
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Superintendent search process workshop and written guide
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Participation in CABE Leadership Institute
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Workshops to help your School Governance Councils
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Webinars on various topical issues
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Legislative breakfasts
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Education Law Summaries
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CABE Board Leadership Awards
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CABE Student Leadership Awards
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CABE’s for-fee services at greatly discounted rates
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Knowing that you are a part of a dedicated statewide education association whose mission is to ensure boards are effective and efficient
Rader appointed to Northeast REL CABE Executive Director Robert Rader has been appointed to the Northeast Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Governing Board. There are 10 RELs across the country, which “work in partnership with educators and policymakers to develop and use research that improves academic outcomes for students.” The nationwide system has identified four education priorities: • Early childhood education and school readiness • College and career readiness • Teacher preparation and professional development for effective instruction • Educational equity for access and attainment The Northeast REL is chaired by Commissioner of Education Dianna Wentzell and its REL’s “leadership topic area” is English Learner (EL) students. This is a critically important issue to Connecticut and other states in the Northeast catchment area. Other Connecticut representatives are: State Department of Education Chief Operating Officer Charlene Russell Tucker (designee); former Interim Commissioner
and C.E.S. Early Childhood Consultant George Coleman; CAS Assistant Executive Director Marie Glowski; and CREC Director of Student Services Deborah Richards. Bob thought it important that he join the REL to help ensure understanding of the needs of school boards in receiving evidentiary-based research on topics on which they have to make decisions. He also will help disseminate the findings of research to boards and superintendents in Connecticut. Further information about the LAB is available at http://www.relnei.org/.
In the News Patrice McCarthy has been selected to serve as Secretary of the Connecticut Bar Association Education Law Section Executive Committee. Ann Littlefield of Shipman and Goodwin will serve as Vice Chairman. Patrice is also serving on the Executive Committee of the Labor and Employment Law Section and the Civics Education Committee.
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
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Our Purpose CABE is the only statewide organization that advocates for school board leadership in Connecticut. We are dedicated to strengthening public education through advocacy, professional development and service to our member boards of education. High-quality education for all Connecticut children begins with effective school board leadership. CABE is committed to ensuring that the future of public education remains bright.
CABE 2016-2017 Annual Report
It’s your Association – Get Involved! Over the last year, CABE continued to focus on helping member Boards increase student achievement and operate more efficiently and effectively. Through the hard work of our CABE Board of Directors and Staff, we provided leadership, advocacy, professional development and other support for the boards of education of Connecticut.
Advocacy
Building solid relationships is a key part of effective advocacy. An important part of CABE’s advocacy efforts this year was uniting with other groups sharing common goals to build a broader base of suppport, credibility and increase visibility.
CABE has continued to strengthen relationships with other educational organizations, such as the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), the RESC Alliance, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and others, which translates into more success at the federal, state, regional and local levels. In addition, we partnered with the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) to accomplish common goals. We also worked closely in other coalitions and partnerships, which increases our access to legislators and the Governor’s staff and provides CABE with greater visibility, both at
the Capitol and in the media. Among the highlights of our advocacy efforts were: • Relentless efforts to maintain current levels of education funding, despite the State’s fiscal challenges; • Reduction in numerous professional development mandates; and, • Successful collaboration with legislators and other education educations to enact meaningful high school reform. These measures will help school districts make better use of their staff time and we expect, lead to higher student achievement. During the year, CABE was involved in many discussions with legislative leaders and the Governor’s Office, and numerous other organizations to promote public education. Many of the discussions concerned the State budget and the Governor’s proposal to have towns pay a portion of teachers’ pension costs. Our Federal Relations Committee lobbied the Connecticut congressional delegation on several key issues, including implementing ESSA, safe learning environments, nutrition, modifying federal special education requirements, career and technical education and the “Cadillac tax”. CABE’s attorneys responded to hundreds of requests from board members and superintendents asking for individual assistance on legal issues covering many subjects. CABE also provided individual board workshops, statewide workshops, and collected and distributed district budget information each season. CABE also participated as amicus curiae in cases of statewide impact and provided support in the CCJEF lawsuit on state funding for education.
Policy
Policy Services continued to provide services and to be a respected resource to a great number of districts by providing bi-weekly Policy Highlights, Customized Policy Manuals, Policy Update, Policy Audit, Custom Policy Updated, Connecticut Online Policy Service (C.O.P.S.), and the valuable reference tool, the CABE Policy Reference Core Manual. Additionally, as the go-to resource the Policy Service staff fields approximately 600 requests for policy information and/ or sample polices from CABE member districts. CABE has provided the C.O.P.S. online service since 2007. There are currently 40 subscriber districts to the C.O.P.S. service. CABE also provides another online service, CABE-Meeting, a paperless meeting product which has 19 subscriber districts. See ANNUAL REPORT page 19
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
Our Mission To assist local and regional boards of education in providing high quality education for all Connecticut children through effective leadership.
Annual Report
(continued from page 19)
Labor Relations and Negotiations
We also offer member districts help in reviewing contracts and analysis of collective bargaining trends. We have developed a new database this year from contracts of non-certified district employees. The service also offers an annual workshop which provides attendees with collective bargaining strategies, arbitration updates and insights, and guidance for handling personnel issues from discipline to reduction in force. The presentations address the ever changing fiscal conditions districts face. This year, the presentation focused on wage, health insurance and post-employment benefits and personnel decisions in the face of legislative proposals to significantly reduce education funding and other aid to towns and schools.
Our communications, especially our emails, are designed to enable board members and superintendents to quickly grab the information they need and use it to be more effective in their work.
Professional Development
During last year, we continued to work with the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) on the Lighthouse Project, CABE’s Leadership Institute, Summer Leadership Conference, our work with school governance councils and workshops
tion Awards (which has two levels) and to students through the Student Leadership Awards program which granted 424 students with awards in 2015-2016. CABE provides professional development for board members in a number of ways. CABE works with individual boards of education on a variety of topics of particular relevance to the individual board, such as FOI, roles and responsibilities and goal setting. We present statewide workshops on topics of broader interest such as, in collaboration with CAS, CAPSS, the
To assist boards of education carry out one of their most important responsibilities, CABE offers a Search Service. We currently have three talented search consultants who assist boards in recruiting and retaining superintendents, principals and other critical members of district staff. We provide additional services to member districts that include an unemployment cost control program and business travel insurance.
Communications
We continue to examine at our communications with our members and others to ensure we are providing timely information in a format that is desirable, whether email, publications, our website (www.cabe.org) or social media. We invite you to follow us on both Twitter (@CTAssocBdsofEd) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ConnecticutAssociationBoardsEducation). We are also on YouTube (goo.gl/ZRvt2v). The CABE Journal, in its 41st year of publication, was available in both paper and electronic forms to better meet the needs of our readership and at the same time reducing the cost of producing this valuable resource. CABE is pleased to offer, in conjunction with Baldwin Media, a variety of services for those who are in need of communications expertise. Your need can be internal communications, external communications, or crisis communications.
which highlight school boards’ critical role in increasing student achievement. The 2016 CABE/CAPSS Convention in November was a great success with nearly 700 people in attendance. The CABE/ CAPSS Convention Committee and staff look to grow the Convention each year – both in quality of programming and the number of people in attendance. We hope to see you at the 2017 CABE/CAPSS Convention on November 17-18 at the Mystic Marriott in Groton. CABE continues to grant awards to boards of education through the CABE Board Recogni-
Anti-Defamation League and other organizations. We also offer PD through webinars that are most often presented live and then archived on CABE’s website for additional viewing.
Membership Programs and Search Service
CABE’s Affiliate Membership Programs serve 28 business and 13 education affiliates, which is great news in that the revenue from this program and others is “nondues” revenue, a category of revenue we always look to grow in an effort to offset dues.
Our Vision CABE is passionate about strengthening public education through high-performing, transformative local school board/superintendent leadership teams that inspire success for each child.
Working For All Board Members
The association ended the year in a positive financial situation. We have continued to ensure our resources are consistent with the needs of our members. We want to remind you, if you would like to use the Rovins Conference Room at the CABE Office, please let us know. We don’t charge for use of the room and it’s a great place for a meeting or a retreat. We want our building to be seen by board members as your building! CABE! The entire CABE Annual Report can be found on CABE’s website at http://www. cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1329. We again urge all board members to be involved with the work we do. Don’t wait for someone else to take the lead—we need every board member to be involved with school boards’ one statewide association.
The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
2016- 2017 CABE Staff
2016- 2017 CABE Board of Directors Executive Committee
Administration
Robert Rader Executive Director rrader@cabe.org
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Teresa Costa Coordinator of Finance and Administration tcosta@cabe.org
Cory Ucci Receptionist/ Assistant to the Executive Director cucci@cabe.org
Government Relations
Ann Gruenberg President Hampton (h) 860-455-1211 (c) 860-465-7486
Robert Mitchell First Vice President Montville (h) 860 447-8882 (b) 860-443-7441
Donald Harris VP for Government Relations Bloomfield (h) 860-243-3611 (b) 860-878-1403
Elizabeth Brown VP for Professional Development Waterbury (h) 203-754-7136 (c) 203-560-7028
Robert Trefry Associate Director CT Technical High School System (h) 203-521-8371 (b) 860-807-2182
Richard Murray Immediate Past President Killingly (c) 860-230-4328
John Prins Member at Large Branford (h) 203-481-6279 (c) 203-623-6191
Joan Trivella Area 4 Director Brooklyn (h) 860-774-3589 (b) 860-779-3770 (c) 860-608-2673
Michelle Embree Ku Area 5 Director Newtown (h) 203-364-9862 (c) 203-270-6199
Area Directors Michele Arn Area 3 Co-Director Vernon (h) 860-872-2551
Patrice A. McCarthy Deputy Director/ General Counsel pmccarthy@cabe.org
Sheila McKay Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations smckay@cabe.org
Gail Heath Administrative Associate for Government Relations gheath@cabe.org
Policy Service
Vincent A. Mustaro Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service vmustaro@cabe.org
Jonathan Moore Area 1 Co-Director Region 1 (h) 860-927-4580 (b) 860-824-0855
Michelle Lucian Area 1 Co-Director Plymouth (h) 860-283-0295
Terry DeMars Administrative Associate for Policy Service tdemars@cabe.org
Pamela Brooks Sr. Administrative Associate for Policy Serv./ Search Services pbrooks@cabe.org
Karen Kleine Area 6 Co-Director Westport (c) 203-858-4010
Bryan Hall Area 2 Director East Hartford (c) 860-310-8929
Jennifer Dayton Area 6 Co-Director Greenwich (h) 203-637-5823
Labor Relations
Michael Purcaro Area 3 Co-Director Ellington (h) 860-993-5878 (b) 860-595-2141
Roxane McKay Area 7 Director Wallingford (h) 203-269-5404 (c) 203-671-0622
Associate Directors
Rebecca Adams Senior Staff Attorney radams@cabe.org
Wilmarie Newton Administrative Associate for Labor Relations wnewton@cabe.org
Membership Services
Eileen Baker Associate Director Old Saybrook (h) 860-388-2761
Sharon Beloin-Saavedra Associate Director New Britain (h) 860-827-0136
Committee Chairs Bonnie B. Carney Senior Staff Associate for Publications bcarney@cabe.org
Lisa Steimer Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development lsteimer@cabe.org
Elaine Whitney Secretary/Treasurer Westport (h) 203-221-7335 (c) 203-673-6896
Sean Nugent Area 9 Director Preston (h) 860-204-0824 (c) 860-625-3162
“Don’t wait for someone else to take the lead — we need every board member to be involved. . .”
City Representatives
Nicholas Caruso Senior Staff Associate for Field Services and Coordinator of Technology ncaruso@cabe.org
Becky Tyrrell Federal Relations Chair Plainville (h) 860-793-0615
Nancy Propfe Administrative Assistant for Membership Services npropfe@cabe.org
Robert Guthrie Associate Director West Haven (h) 203-934-7565 (c) 203-996-2382
Lon Seidman Area 8 Director Essex (h) 860-577-0566
Christopher Wilson State Relations Chair Bristol (h) 860-582-5002 (c) 860-681-8274
Bryan Hall Resolutions Chair East Hartford (c) 860-310-8929
Craig Stallings City Representative Hartford (b) 860-922-8681
Carlos Torre City Representative New Haven (h) 203-387-1277 (c) 203-668-9940
Jacqueline Heftman City Representative Stamford (h) 203-329-8108 Charles Stango City Representative Waterbury (h) 203-575-0411
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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education | September 2017
Serving the Legal Needs of Connecticut’s Boards of Education Please visit Education Law Notes, our school law blog that covers legal matters of interest to Connecticut public school districts. Education Law Notes covers issues that are at the heart of board service, including academics, labor and employment, special education, gender equality and disability rights, social media, bullying and administrative policies and procedures. Inform yourself and your board. Visit Pullman & Comley’s Education Law Notes at http://schoollaw.pullcomblog.com/. Issues Covered include:
William R. Connon
Jonathan B. Orleans
860.424.4385 wconnon@pullcom.com
203.330.2129 jorleans@pullcom.com
Rachel L. Ginsburg
Stephen M. Sedor
860.424.4372 rginsburg@pullcom.com
203.330.2137 ssedor@pullcom.com
Donald F. Houston
John P. Shea, Jr.
203.330.2245 dhouston@pullcom.com
860.424.4387 jshea@pullcom.com
Melinda B. Kaufmann
Mark J. Sommaruga
860.424.4370 mkaufmann@pullcom.com
860.424.4388 msommaruga@pullcom.com
Michael P. McKeon
Zachary D. Schurin
860.424.4386 mmckeon@pullcom.com
860.424.4389 zschurin@pullcom.com
www.pullcom.com
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The Constitutionality of Teacher Tenure
O
Immigration Status Checks by School Districts
O
District and Individual Liability for Failing to Address Bullying and Harassment
O
District Responsibility for Vendor Speech
O
Board of Education Committee Requirements
O
Paying “Volunteers”
O
Changes to FMLA for Paraprofessionals
O
Freedom of Information Act Compliance
BRIDGEPORT
HARTFORD
STAMFORD
WATERBURY
WHITE PLAINS
203.330.2000
860.424.4300
203.324.5000
203.573.9700
914.705.5355