Connecticut Associationof Boards of Education Inc.81 Wolcott Hill RoadWethersfield, CT 06109-1242

PeriodicalPostage

PAIDHartford, CT

Vol. 17, No.6 June 2012

w w w . c a b e . o r g

INSIDE THIS EDITION

Presidents commentary ....................... 2Executive Director commentary ......... 3Book Review ...................................... 4Collegiality ......................................... 4See you in court .................................. 5Policy direction “BYOD” ................... 6Early childhood issues/trends ............. 8Union elementary school .................... 9CABE: working for you .................... 10Legal briefs ....................................... 11Education foundations conference .... 12Media Message ................................. 13Education Hall of Fame .................... 13NSBA Delegate Assembly/

conference/school law seminar ..... 15

Secretary of State

Need to domore on civicengagement

Patrice A. McCarthyDeputy Director and General Counsel

2012Legislative

SessionAdjourns

It’s about Time!

See CIVIC ENGAGEMENT page 14

Denise MerrillSecretary of State, Connecticut

Robert RaderExecutive Director, CABE

See ADJOURNS page 10

See TIME page 2

School is almost out for summer!

My current role as Secretary of theState and previous role as MajorityLeader of the Connecticut House of Re-presentatives has given me the opportu-nity to interact with boards of educationand their members across the state. I amalways struck by the dedication of boardmembers both to the children, parents andteachers involved in our state’s publicschools as well as to their communities asa whole.

One major concern that has been ex-pressed to me again and again is the needto bring more young people into the elec-toral and governmental process. Forthose of us who are already very active incivic life, it is often easy to articulatewhat it is that makes us care and makes usget involved. It is hard for us to compre-hend why others do not understand howimportant it is to participate in our demo-cracy.

In my first year as Secretary of theState, I convened a Civic Health Advisoryboard, a diverse panel of stakeholders re-presenting community, volunteer andcivic organizations as well as institutionsof higher learning, religious and businessgroups. Its first mission was to assessConnecticut’s current civic health. Wereleased the Civic Health Index in Octo-

At midnight on May 9, the GeneralAssembly concluded its 2012 regularsession. In addition to adopting educationreform legislation, there was also actionon a number of additional bills thatimpact public education.

Fortunately, some of the proposedmandates that had been discussed – and insome cases acted upon by either theHouse or Senate – were not ultimatelyadopted. Those mandates include policiesand reporting on school-based arrests,excusing students from dissections, andnotice of concussions.

Passage of the education reformlegislation creates momentum for changein Connecticut, and a platform to buildupon. Significant elements of the billinclude:• Funding for 1,000 additional school

readiness slots.• Extensive provisions related to the

Commissioner’s Network Schools,including criteria for the selection ofnetwork schools. The bill provides thatthe Commissioner must select up to 25schools on or before July 1, 2014. Thebill includes creation of a “TurnaroundCommittee” for those districts, with

Writing in Outliers, Malcom Gladwelldiscussed the necessity of requiringstudents (especially in our underperform-ing schools) to spend more time at school,including time over the summer. He argu-ed that students who underperform dowell and even learn more than the stu-dents in “better” schools during theschool year, but slide behind in summers.

Other students continue to learn overthe summer, whether from their parents,their summer camps or their other summerexperiences.

Implementing more time for learning isnot as simple as adding more time to theschool schedule or calendar. We learnedhow difficult it is in figuring out how tomake up for lost days after the Octobersnowstorm. Besides just getting agree-ment on more time, there are also finan-cial and other issues, such as the cost ofproviding teachers for extended learning,additional buses for children and workingout athletic schedules.

And, many school buildings are not airconditioned. Little learning will go on in95 degree heat.

Interestingly, according to EducationDaily, “most of the 11 states that appliedfor and received NCLB waivers in thefirst round did not detail how they woulduse expanded learning time to improvestudent achievement, according to a newreport from the Center for AmericanProgress.”

An education policy analyst and authorof the report stated that “expanded learn-ing time, done well, is a proven strategyto increase student achievement in ourlowest-performing schools. States shouldkeep thinking about meaningful scheduleredesign as they work to implement inter-vention strategies.”

But, there is dissension among analystsconcerning how helpful the extra time is.According to the Education Daily article,“a recent Education Sector report… said

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEELydia Tedone ..................................................... President, SimsburyRichard Murray ................................. First Vice President, KillinglyAnn Gruenberg ................. VP for Government Relations, HamptonStephen Wright ........... VP for Professional Development, TrumbullJames Marpe ..................................... Secretary/Treasurer, WestportDon Blevins .............................................. Immediate Past PresidentJohn Prins ............................................................. Member at LargeMary Broderick ........................... NSBA Past President, East Lyme

AREA DIRECTORSSusan Hoffnagle ............................. Area 1 Co-Director, WinchesterMari-Ellen (Mimi) Valyo ............... Area 1 Co-Director, WinchesterDaniel Santorso ................................ Area 1 Co-Director, PlymouthBecky Tyrrell .......................................... Area 2 Director, PlainvilleLaura Bush ................................................. Area 3 Director, VernonGavin Forrester ................................. Area 6 Co-Director, StratfordElaine Whitney .................................. Area 6 Co-Director, WestportMichael D’Agostino ........................... Area 7 Co-Director, HamdenSheila McCreven .......................... Area 7 Co-Director, WoodbridgeJohn Prins ......................................... Area 7 Co-Director, BranfordRobert Ruggiero ................................ Area 8 Co-Director, MadisonPamela Meier ..................................... Area 8 Co-Director, MadisonGail MacDonald ................................... Area 9 Director, Stonington

ASSOCIATESEileen Baker .............................................. Associate, Old SaybrookSharon Beloin-Saavedra .............................. Associate, New BritainGary Brochu .......................................................... Associate, BerlinRobert Guthrie .............................................. Associate, West HavenCal Heminway ..................................................... Associate, Granby

COMMITTEE CHAIRSRobert Mitchell ............................. Chair, State Relations, MontvilleBeverly Washington ...................... Chair Federal Relations, Groton

CITY REPRESENTATIVESBob Trefry ....................................... City Representative, BridgeportMatthew Poland ................................ City Representative, HartfordMichael R. Nast ............................ City Representative, New HavenPolly Rauh ........................................ City Representative, StamfordCharles Stango ............................... City Representative, Waterbury

STAFFRobert Rader ....................................................................... Executive DirectorPatrice McCarthy .................................. Deputy Director and General CounselBonnie Carney ............................................ Sr. Staff Associate for PublicationsNicholas Caruso ............................................ Sr. Staff Assoc. for Field Service and Coord. of TechnologySheila McKay ............................. Sr. Staff Associate for Government RelationsKelly Moyher ......................................................................... Sr. Staff AttorneyVincent Mustaro ..................................... Sr. Staff Associate for Policy ServiceLisa Steimer .............................. Sr. Staff Assoc. for Professional DevelopmentTeresa Costa .................................. Coordinator of Finance and AdministrationPamela Brooks ......................... Sr. Admin. Assoc. for Policy Ser. /Search Ser.Terry DeMars ............................................... Admin. Assoc. for Policy ServiceMelissa Dickinson ............................. Admin. Assist. for Membership ServicesGail Heath ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Government RelationsWilmarie Newton ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Labor RelationsCorliss Ucci .................................. Receptionist/Asst. to the Executive Director

Lydia Tedone

2 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

PRESIDENT COMMENTARY

CABE Board of Directors

Where the Wild Things Are -Legislative Version

The CABE Journal (ISSN 1092-1818) is published monthly excepta combined issue for July/August as a member service of theConnecticut Association of Boards of Education, 81 Wolcott HillRoad, Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 571-7446. CABE member-ship dues include $30 per person for each individual who receivesThe CABE Journal. The subscription rate for nonmembers is $75.Association membership dues include a subscription for each boardmember, superintendent, assistant superintendent and businessmanager. The companies and advertisements found in The CABEJournal are not necessarily endorsed by CABE. “Periodicals Post-age Paid at Hartford, CT.” POSTMASTER: Send address changesto 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/userlogin.cfm?pp=84&userrequest=true&keyrequest=false&userpage=84

(continued from page 1)that available research… indicates that extra time hashad only a small impact on student performance and that[school districts] should not just provide more time forits own sake, but instead think strategically about usingtime to improve instruction and learning.”

The Federal Government has adopted the Massachu-setts 2020 guidelines that call for an extra 300 hours ofadditional time each year. The Massachusetts waiverapplication was rated as having a “standout” strategy onextra learning time. Massachusetts will provide guidanceto schools on how to use the extra time for instruction tobe improved, add enrichment time and use teachercollaboration time more effectively.

I asked SDE about how Connecticut’s waiver applica-tion addressed the time issue. According to StateEducation Commissioner Stefan Pryor, “We believe thatextending learning time can be an effective strategy forincreasing student performance and narrowing gaps inachievement.

‘SB 458 and Connecticut’s No Child Left Behind(NCLB) waiver request propose providing financialresources and flexibility to schools and districts that willenable them to increase learning time for students bychanging the length of the school day or year and

creating after-school programs or Saturday academies.’ ”In its report on transforming education CAPSS’

NextEd, it’s report on transforming education called forredefining “the use of time (Carnegie unit/calendar) inorder to support a personalized learning system” and justas importantly “make achievement the constant and timethe variable” as opposed to the system that we have nowthat does just the opposite.

CABE believes that this was probably the mostimportant recommendation of NextEd. Only by person-alizing education to adapt to their learning needs ratherthan focusing on a rigid calendar or daily schedule willwe be able to make significant progress for our students.

We know that this, like progress on many other issuesaffecting time, will not be easy to implement. It will takecreative thinking, changes of mindset (and perhaps dailyschedule) of school staff, students and their parents andincreased resources.

But, if done right, even those who dissent from thebelief that just more time is required, would agree thatthis is one way to help all our students increase achieve-ment and help close the achievement gap.

The full Center study is available at www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/04/pdf/owen_elt.pdf. TheCAPSS report is available at nexted.com.

It’s about time!

On the same night the Education Reform Bill passedunanimously by the Legislature, one of my favoritechildren’s authors, Maurice Sendak quietly passed awayat his home. “Where the Wild Things Are”, published in1963, became a favorite book of my children when theywere young.

Upon finding the book, so long since packed away, Ibegan to re-familiarize myself with the story about ayoung boy named Max. The story begins as Max wearshis favorite wolf suit. Max had a mischievous nature ofsorts during playtime. Max’s mother called him “WildThing,” as he was sent to bed without supper.

That night Max’s room began to grow into a forestand the walls became his world of opportunities andpossibilities.

Max sailed away on a boat in the ocean, all day, night,weeks, years to where the wild things are. When Maxarrived at the place of the wild things, they roared,gnashed, rolled eyes and displayed claws.

As Max calmed them down with magic tricks, theywere frightened and called him wild, and then they madehim king.

Max got bored of being king, due to the wild rumpusthat existed, smelled good things to eat from around theworld and was ready to leave. The wild things beggedhim to remain, but he said good bye, sailed away and

returned to his room.His supper was stillhot.

Like Max, in“Where the WildThings Are”, we haveall spent this lastlegislative sessionlooking for a world ofopportunities andpossibilities for ourpublic schools. Thediscussion causedsome to roar, gnash,roll eyes and display claws.

We asked people to find a magical solution, but,instead, there was hard work and dedication. We endedup with a good step forward but the work is incomplete.

We learned many lessons and are still helping toensure good results as we move forward. Unlike Max, wecan’t just go home and have a hot meal. We are juststarting our difficult journey that will allow us to helpmany Maxs and Maxines . . . CABE will always focus onthe needs of the children in our schools as they begintheir lifelong journeys.

Our work is just beginning.

CAEOP holds election of officers

The Connecticut Association of Educational OfficeProfessionals (CAEOP) held their annual meeting on May22 and elected officers. Gail Heath, Administrative Associ-ate for Government Relations, CABE, President-Elect;Deborah Wright (Scotland) Membership/Affiliation; SandyFries (Wallingford) Recording Secretary; Carol Burke(Wallingford) Treasurer; and Ginette Anziano (Wallingford)Vice-President/Scholarships.

Congratulations to all!!!!

Gail Heath, President-Elect, CAEOP

Robert Rader

BUSINESS AFFILIATESDIAMOND MEMBER

Finalsite

GOLD MEMBERSBerchem, Moses & Devlin

Connecticut Business SystemsShipman & Goodwin

Siegel, O'Connor,O’Donnell & Beck, P.C

Sullivan, Schoen,Campane & Connon

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

CABE Affiliate Members

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012 3

Are you a leader?

BRONZE PLUS MEMBERSThe S/L/A/M Collaborative

Suisman, Shapiro, Wool, Brennan,Gray & Greenberg

Whitsons School Nutrition

BRONZE MEMBERS

Nathaniel G. Brown, LLCChinni & Meuser LLC

Dattco Inc.Fuller & D’Angelo

Architects and PlannersJCJ Architecture

Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C.The Lexington GroupMuschell & Simoncelli

SILVER MEMBERSAnthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Corporate Cost ControlLindberg & Ripple Inc.

Ovations Benefits GroupQuisenberry Arcari Architects

The Segal CompanyTrane

BRONZE PLUS MEMBERSBL Companies

Brown and BrownFletcher Thompson Architects

Friar AssociatesGoldstein & Peck, P.C.

Kaestle Boos Associates, Inc.O & G Industries

EDUCATIONALAFFILIATES

American School for the DeafArea Cooperative Educational Services

Capitol Region Education CouncilThe College Board

Connecticut Association ofSchool Business Officials

Cooperative Educational ServicesConnecticut Center for School Change

Connecticut EducatorsComputer Association

Connecticut School Buildingsand Grounds Association

EASTCONNEDUCATION CONNECTION

LEARN

As a school board member or superin-tendent, you are, by definition, a lead-er. You have been elected or selectedto lead in the shared work of providingeducation to the students in your care.I am sure that there are some days inwhich you’d prefer not to be a leaderbecause this role comes with many re-sponsibilities and difficult decisions tobe made. It is also one of the most re-warding positions… where you canleave a legacy for your town, your re-gion, your State and, for your country.

So, we came up with 10 questions toask yourself about whether you are aleader. We cannot not cover all of theareas in the many books and articles onleadership because of space limita-tions, but maybe these will get yougoing in the right direction:

• Do you always carry out your roleswith the highest levels of profession-alism, honesty and integrity? AsGeneral Norman Schwarzkop hasstated, “Leadership is a combination ofstrategy and character. If you must bewithout one, be without the strategy.”

Character is essential to being agood board member or a superinten-dent. It is connected, as is profession-alism, honesty and integrity to who youare. Without high standards ofconduct, you will be seen to have nomoral compass, a critical part of beingprofessional in your dealings withboard members, your superintendent,other staff, students and the public.

I assume that one part of acting withintegrity is second nature – honoring allnational, state and local laws andregulations pertaining to education. Asagents of the State, as well as goodcitizens, following the law and regula-tions is expected.

Many have said that they always tellthe truth because they don’t want to haveto remember lies that they would havetold. Not a bad, simple strategy for all ofus!

• Do you act with civility even whenfaced with difficult problems and,unfortunately, difficult people? This is

obviously connected to character andhow you portray yourself to others.

• Do you work within the expectationsthat your Board and Superintendenthave developed to guide not only yourBoard meetings, but your relation-ships with each other? CABE believesthat you can’t legislate relationships andthat is the basis for our opposition to lay-ing out the exact responsibilities ofboard members and superintendents instatute. CABE and CAPSS agree it iscritical that boards and superintendentsdiscuss and come to some agreementsabout how thatrela-tionshipshould work. Seeour Gov-ernanceStatement (http://www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=67) for bestpractice ondelineation ofwhat boards do,what superinten-dents do and whatthey should dotogether.

• Do you come toissues with an open mind? Ofcourse, everyone comes to meetingswith a unique frame of refer-ence, butalso preconceived notions and ideas.This is inescapable.

But, a good leader should always beopen to other ideas, opinions andthoughts. Good leaders take advan-tage of others’ abilities, knowledgeand skills to develop the path forward.

• Do you use data to make yourdecisions? We are no longer in a per-iod in which we can just “go by ourgut” to make the best decisions we canfor our children. We need to get thebest data possible and, the State willsoon roll out better data based on stu-dent outcomes. This has been a long-term effort and will allow us to knowmore about what our students needthan ever before. A good leader will

encourage his board to use this infor-mation to inform decision making.

• Do you use your emotional intelli-gence to help bring out the best inothers? Daniel Goleman explainedemotional intelligence as “the capacityfor recognizing our own feelings andthose of others, for motivating our-selves, and for managing emotions wellin ourselves and in our relationships.”

Awareness of how our emotionsaffect what we’re doing is the funda-mental emotional competence. Aleader in today’s schools is neither a

general nor adictator, handingdown orders. Itdoes not work thatway.

Instead, a leaderunderstands thosearound them andknows how tomotiv-ate them,which is not alwayseasy, since differentindividuals havedifferent needs.

• Do you get toknow those you

work with? Professor JeswaldSalacuse says that “interests driveactions”, that is, that what people careabout drives them to act as they will.How do you get to know what interestspeople have? He suggests getting toknow people outside of formal settings.

Sometimes a Board Chair can builda better relationship with a board mem-ber or the Superintendent by talking tothem about things other than boardbusiness. For example, getting toknow about others’ personal interests,or their families can help provide infor-mation that a good leader can use tohelp the board function more effec-tively.

• Do you have your own vision ofwhere your school district should beheaded? That is critical to the successof a leader. I mentioned a moralcompass; this is more of a “vision”

com-pass,keepingyoufocusedonwhateverissuesthedistrictneeds toaddress.

“When a leader admitsan error, it shows a

sense of humility thatwill strengthen others’

impressions of theleader – and, as a bonus,

it’s usually theright thing to do.”

A leaderhas to recognize obstacles, scarcities,and the effect on others as the leadersets out and continues to work towardsthe vision. Ability to understand whatroadblocks you must face and how toget around them often requires com-promise as a board rules by majorityvote. Don’t lose your core principlesand your vision – but under-stand thatthe ability to compromise is anotherstrength of a leader.

• Do you help others succeed? Leadershelp others – even when they disagreeon an issue. Good Board Chairs, forexample, ensure that everyone is in-cluded in discussions and that issuesare brought up at the Board table, whenappropriate, even if the Board Chairdisagrees with the motion.

• Do you share the credit… and theblame? A strong, confident leaderunderstands that successes are almostalways do, in part, to those around theleader. Share the credit and it will helpstrengthen the “team” as you moveforward.

Admit mistakes. It’s a lesson fromWatergate: the cover up is usuallyworse than the original error. When aleader admits an error, it shows a senseof humility that will strengthen others’impressions of the leader – and, as abonus, it’s usually the right thing to do.These are just 10 questions on leader-

ship. Can you identify others? Please letme know!

Resources: CABE/CAPSS Gover-nance Statement and Team Assessmentdocuments; Emotional Intelligence byDaniel Goleman; Leading Leaders byJeswald W. Salacuse; CABE Code ofEthics for School Board Members.

4 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

B O O K R E V I E W Lisa Steimer, Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great,paired with Morten T. Hansen toexamine the simple question: Why dosome companies thrive in uncertainty,even chaos, and others do not?

Collins and Hansen began their nine-year research for this book in 2002, on theheels of 9/11, the wars that have followedand the stock market crash. These eventsshook Americans to their core and quicklyerased our sense of security and safety.As with previous books Collins has co-authored, companies from the same sectorwere paired up for comparison purposes.

Those companies that built enterprisesthat beat their industry’s averages by atleast ten times were classified as 10X or10Xers by the researchers.

Great by ChoiceCore Behaviors

Collins and Hansen identified threecore behaviors exhibited consistently bythe 10Xers.

1. Fanatic Discipline10Xers did the “20 mile march” whichrequires hitting specific performancemarkers with great consistency over along period of time. It requires twodistinct types of discomfort, deliveringhigh performance in difficult times andholding back in good times. Sevencharacteristics of the 20 mile march:1. Clear performance markers.2. Self-imposed constraints.3. Appropriate to the specific enter-

prise.4. Largely within the company’s

control to achieve.5. A proper timeframe – long enough

to manage, yet short enough to haveteeth.

6. Imposed by the company upon itself7. Achieved with high consistency.

Applications to boards of education:Develop a strategic plan with measur-

able outcomes and use this to direct yourwork. Set and stick with SMART goals.

10X Case Comparison CaseAmgen ..................................... GenetechBiomet .................................... KirschnerIntel ................................................ AMDMicrosoft ....................................Apple *Progressive .................................. SafecoSouthwest Airlines ........................... PSAStryker .......................................... USSC

* Prior to Steve Jobs return to Apple.

Myths BustedMyth Truth

Successful leaders in a turbulent worldare bold, risk-seeking visionaries.

Successful leaders were more disci-plined, more empirical, and moreparanoid.

Innovation distinguished 10X companiesin a fast-moving, uncertain, and chaoticworld.

The ability to scale innovation to blendcreativity with discipline is moreimportant.

A threat-filled world favors the speedy;you’re either the quick or the dead.

10X leaders figure when to go fast, andwhen not to.

Radical change on the outside requiresradical change on the inside.

Just because your environment is rockedby dramatic change does not mean thatyou should inflict radical change uponyourself.

Great enterprises with 10X success havea lot more good luck.

The critical question is not whetheryou’ll have luck, but what you do withthe luck you get.

Two recent experiences have high-lighted for me the importance of true col-legiality - and made me realize that this isall too often lacking in our professionalrelationships.

At the recent NSBA Council of SchoolAttorneys meeting in Boston, 14 of theformer chairman of the NSBA Council ofSchool Attorneys gathered to honor a re-tiring director, who serves as the princi-ple staff support for the Council.

The chairmen from 1995 through the2012-13 chairmen share a common bond– even though many of us have not servedtogether on the Board of Directors. Thecommitment to the mission of the Councilof School Attorneys, and the experienceof chairing this group of 3,000 attorneysfrom around the country while serving ex-officio on the NSBA Board of Directors,bind us together.

The collegiality was genuine. The ap-preciation of the contributions that eachchairman made, as well as the contribu-tions of Susan Butler, our staff support,was repeatedly celebrated. Despite thisbeing a group of attorneys, personal egos

were not in the forefront.Similar collegiality and professional-

ism was demonstrated by the representa-tives of the “Big 6” partnership – CABE,CAPSS, CAS, CBIA, CCER andConnCAN – in our work in support ofeducation reform. All of the membersdemonstrated extraordinary dedication toeducation reform and the partnership.

While the final legislative result wasnot what the partnership or each of ourindividual organizations would havedrafted, working with each of the organi-zations (and the staffs) was remarkable.

In my 29 years of advocacy I havenever been part of such a diverse partner-ship in which ALL of the partnersconsistently stayed on message andsupported the common principles.

There was also a great willingness toshare resources for the common good.

These two experiences serve as a re-minder that whether you are working on adifficult issue on your local board, or ad-dressing issues at the state level, collegialrelationships will help produce a betterresult – and make the journey less

difficult!Patrice A.McCarthy

Deputy Directorand

General Counsel

.

The importance of collegiality

Council of SchoolAttorneys PastChairs met inBoston to honorSusan Butler.

2. Empirical CreativityFire bullets, then cannonballs• Bullets are low cost, low risk and

low distractions.• Calibrated cannonball – has confir-

mation based on actual experience(bullets) that a big bet will likelyprove successful.

• Uncalibrated cannonball – placing abig bet without empirical validation.Can lead to calamity. More likelyfor comparison cases than 10Xersto fire uncalibrated cannonballs.

Applications to boards of education:Hold a steady course. Often you will

not gain ground by following the ‘flavorof the month’ which can be shootinguncalibrated cannonballs. Do a trial runof a new program in one grade or oneschool before rolling out the programdistrictwide.

3. Productive ParanoiaThe authors describe leading above the

death line as the enterprise dies outrightor becomes so damaged that it can nolonger continue with the charge to be-come an enduring great company.• Productive paranoia 1: It’s what you

do before the storm that makes thedifference. Prepare for bad luck andunexpected events before they occur.

• Productive paranoia 2: Bounding riskand manage time-based risk.

• Productive paranoia 3: Zoom out,then zoom in while still able to sensechanging conditions and respondeffectively.Zoom out:- Sense a change in conditions.- Assess the time frame: How much

time before the risk profilechanges?

- Assess the rigor: Do the newconditions call for disrupting plans?If so, how?

Zoom in:- Focus on supreme execution of

plans and objectives.

Applications to boards of education:It is a lot of work to prepare for the

worst case scenario and the hope is tonever have to use that plan. If the worstdoes happen, chances are you areprepared by doing this planning. Engagethe community – they can be yourgreatest ally.

Interestingly, the most successfulcompanies are not always the mostinnovative.

As defined by Collins and Hansen,Level 5 AMBITION provides inspiredmotivation and is the central motivatingforce. Ambition is for the cause, for thecompany, for the work, not themselves.

Applications for boards of education:The motivating force for everythingboards of education do should be what isgood for the children, not about personalagendas.

SMaCThe authors define the recipe for

success as SMaC, which is an acronymfor Specific, Methodical, and Consistent.The more uncertain, fast-changing andunforgiving your environment, the moreSMaC you need to be.

Return on Luck (ROL)Luck happens, a lot, both good luck

and bad luck. Every company researchedexperienced significant luck events in theera of analysis. Yet the other 10X caseswere not generally luckier than thecomparison cases.

The leadership concepts in this bookall contribute directly to earning a greatROL.

As with Collins’ previous books, Greatby Choice is a relatively quick read filledwith charts, notes and a helpful FAQsession. Consider having your entireboard read this and having a discussionabout how it pertains to your district.

For those wishing to have a more indepth conversation about Great byChoice, we will have a book discussion aspart of the July 25 Leadership Confer-ence. Watch your mail for more details.

See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

The Nutmeg Board deals with termination of an “ineffective” teacherThomas B. Mooney, Esq.Shipman & Goodwin

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012 5

A Practical Guideto Connecticut

School Lawby Thomas B. Mooney, Esq.

Shipman & Goodwin

The Guide comes with a CD which provideshyperlinks to many cases and statutes

and will permit word searchesas a supplement to the Index.

New to the Seventh Edition:Bullying, background checks, child abuse reporting,

discrimination issues, educational reform,FERPA, freedom of information,

state aid for education andmuch, much more

You can call CABE at 860-571-7446 or 800-317-0033and purchase your copy

NOW!

Seventh EditionNow shipping

The Nutmeg Board of Educationmakes many mistakes. The latest imbro-glio created by the board will be reportedhere each issue, followed by an explana-tion of what the board should have done.Though not intended as legal advice,these situations may help board membersavoid common problems.

Bob Bombast, veteran member of theNutmeg Board of Education, was con-fused. The Governor’s education reforminitiative had been viciously attacked andhotly debated. But by the end of thesession, the General Assembly approved arevised bill unanimously, the Governorhad signed it, and now everyone wassinging kumbaya.

Bob asked Mr. Superintendent toreport on this new legislation at the nextmeeting. There, Mr. Superintendentexplained that the new law establishes anew expedited procedure for terminatingthe employment of “ineffective” teachers.“Thank God,” said Board member PennyPincher.

“Tom Teacher should be the first to go.He gives loads of homework, but neverreturns it to his students. He must be

ineffective for sure.” The other Boardmembers murmured assent.

“Don’t worry,” Mr. Superintendentassured the Board members. “We knowall about Tom, and we will take care ofhim.” But as Mr. Superintendent drovehome, he realized that he was now on thehot seat to move on Tom, and fast.

The next day, Mr. Superintendentcalled Ms. Principal, who supervises Tom.He described the Board’s discussion, andtold her that they better act quickly. Agood soldier, Ms. Principal promptlyscheduled a meeting with Tom and hisunion representative.

At the meeting with Tom, she reviewedhis evaluation history and broke the news.“Tom, we have given you extra help for acouple of months now, but it just isn’tworking. As you know, they changed theTenure Law, and ineffective teachers canbe fired. Of course, we would gladlyaccept your resignation as a professionalcourtesy, but one way or the other, you aregoing to have to go.”

Tom and Bruno, his union representa-tive, were shocked at this news; Tom’ssupport plan had just started and a finaljudgment was not due until next October.After a brief caucus, Bruno told Ms.

Principal that Tom certainly would not beresigning. But given the pressure fromthe Board members, Mr. Superintendentand Ms. Principal felt that they had noother choice but to move forward, and,after checking with Bob Bombast, Mr.Superintendent initiated terminationproceedings.

Mr. Superintendent was shocked byhow difficult those proceedings were. Hehad hoped to follow the new expeditedprocedures, but the hearing officer ruledagainst him on that. The hearing draggedon and on as Mr. Superintendent and Ms.Principal were forced to go through adozen or moreclassroom observa-tions to demon-strate Tom’s poorperformance.

At the end of thehearing, however,the hearing officerruled that, thoughTom’s performancewas “nothing towrite home about,”he could not beconsidered in-competent.Accordingly, sherecommended his retention.

Mr. Superintendent decided to bringthe case to the Board anyway. Mr. Super-intendent shared the hearing officer’sreport with the Board, and urged that theyvote to terminate Tom’s employment.

“Maybe the hearing officer is satisfiedwith mediocre teachers,” he concluded,“but Nutmeg should not be.” With that,Bob thanked Mr. Superintendent, and theBoard voted promptly to terminate Tom’semployment. What are Tom’s chances forsuccess on appeal?

The Board in Nutmeg does notunderstand how the law works, what itsrole is, and when the modest but helpfulchanges in the new law will be imple-mented. Before considering the impact ofthe educational reform bill on evaluationand tenure, however, we must keep oneimportant aspect of the Tenure Act inmind.

The Tenure Act has and continues toset out very different roles for theSuperintendent and the Board. TheSuperintendent prosecutes terminationcases, and the Board sits as the judge.Due process includes the requirement foran impartial decision-maker.

Once the Superintendent has decidedto terminate a teacher’s employment, heor she should not discuss the case with theBoard. Moreover, the Board members inNutmeg should never have targeted TomTeacher for termination.

As to evaluation and tenure, the reformlegislation makes significant incrementalchanges. By July 1, 2012, the State Boardof Education, in consultation with thePerformance Evaluation AdvisoryCouncil, is required to publish newguidelines for teacher evaluation.

The revised statute prescribes theelements of those guidelines in muchgreater detail. Moreover, the guidelinesare to be piloted in the coming year, and

that pilot will be the subject of a study bythe Neag School of Education at theUniversity of Connecticut, which must becompleted by January 1, 2014. At thatpoint, the State Board of Education willbe able to validate the guidelines.

Once the new guidelines are validated,boards of education have an importantresponsibility to adopt revised teacherevaluation plans in accordance with thosenew guidelines for implementation duringthe 2014-2015 school year.

Boards must get input concerning thenew plan from their professional develop-ment committee, an entity required by law

with responsibilityto “provide for theongoing andsystematicassessment andimprovement ofboth teacherevaluation andprofessionaldevelopment of theprofessional staffmembers of eachsuch board . . . .”

That commit-tee must includerepresentatives of

the teachers’ and administrators’ unions,but the membership is otherwise up to theboards to determine. Significantly,however, the board of education continuesto have the ultimate authority to adoptrevised evaluation plans.

That responsibility relates directly tothe most significant change in the tenurestatute. Now, the superintendent mayinitiate termination proceedings if ateacher has been evaluated as “ineffec-tive” (as opposed to “incompetent”).

In such cases, those proceedings willbe subject to new, abbreviated procedureswherein the only questions for the hearingofficer are whether the evaluations weredone in good faith in accordance with thenewly-revised teacher evaluation plan,and whether the evaluations were reason-able in light of the evidence presented.This new provision should facilitate thedismissal of teachers who are not effec-tive.

However, given the timeline forvalidating the new guidelines, these newprocedures may not be available untilboards of education adopt new teacherevaluation guidelines for the 2014-2015school year.

These two provisions are just a smallpart of the comprehensive reform legisla-tion. These changes will eventually makeit easier for administrators and boards ofeducation to assure that only effectiveteachers remain in our classrooms.

But we must keep in mind that this isthe first step. There is still much work tobe done, both in revising teacher evalua-tion plans in accordance with the newguidelines and in pressing the GeneralAssembly to continue its reform efforts.

Attorney Thomas B. Mooney is a part-ner in the Hartford law firm of Shipman &Goodwin who works frequently withboards of education. Mooney is a regularcontributor to the CABE Journal.

“The Superintendentprosecutes terminationcases, and the Board

sits as the judge.Due process includes the

requirement for animpartial decision-maker.”

6 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

Vincent A. Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABEThe Policy Corner

Policy direction needed for “BYOD”Mobile devices are now found in the

hands of most children and some schoolleaders around the country are using thatto their advantage. A small but passionateminority of school districts are openingdoors to student-owned mobile devices,incorporating devices students own intoclassroom lessons and projects.

This practice can provide a low-costway to incorporate technology into theclassroom. The growing number ofstudents with cell phones or smart phonesmakes it possible for teachers to incorpo-rate mobile devices in their classes.Recent data from the Pew ResearchCenter indicated that 75 percent ofstudents ages 12-17 own a cell phone or asmart phone.

Some districts have launched the “BringYour Own Device/Technology (BYOD/BYOT)” initiative to allow students to taketheir smartphones, laptops, e-bookreaders and tablets to class. The BYOD/BYOT trend to enrich learning in K-12environments is gaining momentumnationwide with much support fromparents and students.

Project Tomorrow, a national educa-tion nonprofit group, reports that 60 to 70percent of parents of K-12 students wouldbe willing to buy a mobile device tosupport learning. Fifty-six percent ofhigh school students say that it wouldmake it easier to learn if they would beallowed to use their own mobile device.

Students can connect to a wirelessnetwork to do research and schoolworkunder the supervision of the teacher. Theinitiative permits students to use deviceswith which they are familiar.

Research indicates that thestudents want to use mobiletechnology in the school setting.Smartphones are rapidly becomingthe resource tool and the communi-cation tool of the future andnetworks such as Facebook havegrown because more students haveaccess to social learning, collabora-tion and immediate gratification.

It is important, however, to keepin mind that technology is just atool. It can help to amplify learn-ing, but it’s not the panacea. Somechallenges that surround incorporat-ing mobile devices into classroomsinclude the speed with whichtechnology changes and the ways inwhich educators might differentiatebetween what is good for teachingand learning and what is simplytechnology for technology’s sake.

Others worry about the distrac-tions that might be caused byallowing the devices into theclassrooms. There is now a body ofresearch about the benefits of 1:1mobile learning initiatives. Re-search has shown improvements in

in policy language must be achieved inorder to avoid stifling creative implemen-tation of the devices.

The biggest issue faced by BYOD/BYOT districts and schools is sorting outhow to address students who accessinappropriate content from school but vianon-school Internet networks.

In particular, studentsmay have smartphones ortablets equipped with dataplans that allow them toconnect to 3G or 4GInternet networks thatdon’t run through a schoolfilter.

District policy pertain-ing to BYOD/BYOTprohibiting students fromusing outside networkswill be in compliance withthe federal Children’sInternet Protection Actwhich mandates thatschools prevent studentsand staff members fromaccessing material that isobscene, pornographic, or

harmful to minors.The school’s network must be filtered.

Schools can remain CIPA compliant bymaking sure that students and staff knowthat while on school property, personally-owned devices may access the Internetonly through the school’s Internetgateway.

However, there is no legal precedent atthis time for whether a district or schoolwould be liable for material a studentaccesses through his or her own network.While the BYOD/BYOT movement is

gaining some momentum, concerns aboutInternet safety and security is a majorreason it hasn’t reached the mainstream.

Therefore, it is advised that, as part ofthe program, students and parents mustsign an agreement on how the service willbe used. Students are expected to adhereto the district’s computer acceptable usepolicy as well as the student code ofconduct.

It is also important that the teachermaintains control in the classroom. Theteacher must determine when the deviceswill be used and when they won’t. Policymust also deal with the issue of equity. Aswe allow BYOD/BYOT, districts will beobliged to make sure there are solutions inplace for students whose families can’t orwon’t provide a device for the student tobring to school.

The technology industry is also makingavailable programs designed to help adistrict implement BYOD/BYOT. Suchprograms should be investigated in orderto protect the districts network fromvulnerability.

Many of the issues that BYOD/BYOTraises can be addressed with policy,education and procedures, and don’trequire a technical solution. The policyshould indicate, for example, regardingthe loss, damage or a stolen personaldevice, that the responsibility for thedevice is up to the individual and that thedistrict has no liability.

In addition to the suggested policyabout security and CIPA compliance,districts will need to set guidelines aboutthe use of personal devices. It is sug-gested that a task force be convenedwithin the district to develop these. Thetask force should include teachers,

administrators, parents, technologystaff and students. This will help tobuild a policy based upon trust, respectand responsibility.

“It is important,however, to keep

in mind thattechnology is

just a tool.It can helpto amplifylearning,

but it’s notthe panacea.”

A new sample policy, #6141.328,“Bring Your Own Device andProtocol for the Use of Technol-ogy in the Schools,” has beendeveloped and is available fromthe CABE Policy Department. Anadministrative regulation also ac-companies the policy with formsto consider. This material is con-sidered a starting point for thedevelopment of a district policyand procedures pertaining to theimplementation of a BYOD/BYOT program. This is consid-ered an optional policy for inclu-sion in a district’s policy manual.However, policy language andguidelines are essential if a dis-trict decides to implement thisprogram.

attention, attendance, discipline, graduationrates, and achievement on high stakes tests.

Other benefits cited are that it broadenslearning beyond the classroom, takesadvantage of the teachable moment, andprepares students for tomorrow’s work-place.

BYOD/BYOT isn’t about the devicesthemselves. It’s aboutcreating constructivechange in teachingpractices. Students canbecome informationproducers, rather thansimple informationconsumers. Teacherswill need face-to-faceand web-based profes-sional development thatincludes modeledexamples of whatBYOD/BYOT activitiesmight look like in aclassroom in order forsuch an initiative to besuccessful.

Whether a district orschool is encouragingteachers to use the student-owned mobiledevices educationally, or just curbingdiscipline issues by removing conse-quences for use, making the new policyapproach work requires much more thansimply lifting a cellphone ban.

Currently, there are some unansweredlegal questions about Internet security andprivacy. Other issues to be confrontedinclude such problems as access toinappropriate online content, digitallyenhanced cheating, and potential class-room distractions. Moreover, a balance

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012 7

8 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

Cyd Oppenheimer, J.D.Senior Policy Fellow,Connecticut Voices for Children

Research is clear: high quality earlycare and education can be powerfulcounters to risk factors – such as poverty,abuse or neglect, and limited parentaleducation – that cause some children toenter kindergarten at a disadvantage fromwhich they never recover.

Data show that children who have ac-cess to language-rich, nurturing, and re-sponsive caregivers in the early years aremore likely to be academically and social-ly ready for kindergarten, less likely toneed special education services or be re-tained, and more likely to graduate fromhigh school.

Connecticut Voices for Children’s thirdannual Early Care and Education Report(December 2011) examines how Connec-ticut is doing at ensuring that all its child-ren have access to the high quality earlycare and education experiences that willmake them successful in school andbeyond.

The report finds that Connecticut stillhas a long way to go in closing the oppor-tunity gap between its most and least-advantaged children. By way of example,in school year 2010-2011 94.9% of kin-dergarteners in Connecticut’s wealthiestschool districts had attended preschool,compared to only 69.5% of kindergarten-ers in Connecticut’s poorest schooldistricts.

Connecticut has made progress – inschool year 2002-2003 only 57.2% ofkindergarteners in Connecticut’s poorestschool districts had any preschoolexperience – but has much work still todo.

So where are the obstacles in closingthe gap? The report finds that the firstobstacle, perhaps unsurprisingly, is fund-ing. In 2011, the total amount Connecti-cut spent on early care and education was$224.63 million, more than 10% less thanit spent in 2002 (adjusted for inflation).Funding for early care and educationcrashed after 2002, and although levelsbegan to recover in 2005, they have neverbeen restored to where they were in 2002.

As a result, although Connecticut was

providing early care and education sub-sidies to over 40,000 children under theage of 5 in October 2010 (a not inconsid-erable number), over 86% of infants andtoddlers, and at least 25% of preschoolersliving in families earning under 75% ofthe state median income remained unserv-ed by any form of state or federal subsidyfor early care and education.

The second obstacle is the lack of co-ordination amongstConnecticut’spublicly-funded earlycare and educationprograms andservices, which arecurrently a patch-work of multiplefunding streams,controlled bymultiple agencies,with varied reportingand eligibilityrequirements.

None of thesefunding streams aresufficient to indepen-dently finance ahigh-quality earlycare and educationspace for a child in aprogram, so provid-ers are constantlyunder-resourced andstruggling to cobbletogether variousfunding sources.

Meanwhile, parents have difficultyunderstanding and accessing their options.In 2011, the state legislature passedPublic Act 11-181, which created aplanning process for an early care andeducation system. Though the act,supported by the Governor, represented amuch-needed new commitment to thedevelopment of a comprehensive,coordinated system of care, as of thiswriting (nearly a year after the act wassigned) the process has not yet begun.

The third obstacle to closing the gap isConnecticut’s failure to mandate, main-tain, and monitor a uniform – and uni-formly high – level of quality for all earlycare and education programs receivingany form of state funding. Connecticut

Voices’ report finds that only 54% ofpreschoolers and 32% of infants and tod-dlers receiving early care and educationsubsidies were served in accreditedfacilities.

The quality of the settings in which theremaining children are served is unknown.Aside from licensing (a very baselinemeasure from which some subsidy reci-pients – including kith and kin providers –

are exempt)Connecticutcurrently has nomeans of assessingor comparing thesesettings.

Connecticut’sinability to attract,train and retain ahighly-qualifiedearly care and edu-cation workforcecreates yet anotherobstacle to closingthe gap. Becausereimbursement ratesfor slots are so low(the Care4Kidsrates, for example,have not beenraised since 2002,and are currentlywell below thefiftieth percentile ofcurrent marketrates), it is im-possible for

providers to offer wages to their staff thatwill make the positions truly competitive.

There are limited early childhooddegree programs offered at Connecticut’sinstitutions of higher education, largelybecause demand is low, and demand islow because compensation is low; there islittle or no premium offered for higherdegrees. Public Act 11-54, which re-quires that 50% of early childhood teach-ers have a B.A. by 2015 (and that theremainder have an A.D.), recognizes theimportance of having a highly qualifiedworkforce.

But until wages and benefits for the

Early childhood issues and trendsearly childhood workforce are commensu-rate with those paid to our public schoolteachers there is simply no way thismandate can be met.

Finally, largely because of the lack ofcoordination amongst programs, datacollection is inconsistent and insufficient.As a result, it is not possible to determinethe extent of the impact that receiving anearly care and education subsidy has on achild’s later school success. Similarly, itis not possible to determine which pro-grams and services are having the greatestimpact or why.

Looking forward, the report concludesthat Connecticut must create a compre-hensive, coordinated system of early careand education that addresses each of theobstacles outlined above.

It is only by providing sufficient fund-ing to proven high-quality programs withhighly qualified staff, easily accessible toall vulnerable children and families, thatConnecticut will be able to forestall theachievement gap before it begins.

[Editor’s Note: Fairfield Superinten-dent David Title is the Chair of theGovernor’s Early Childhood Cabinet. Inresponse to this article, he stated:“The Governor’s Early Childhood Cabi-net is charged with developing plans toensure there is a unified system of earlycare and education in Connecticut. Funded by the American Recovery andReinvestment Act, the Cabinet has fouractive work groups: developing newstandards for early care and education;workforce development; family and homevisitation; and data systems.

Drafts of our work in these areas willbe coming out in the fall of 2012 withfinal work done by June of 2013. Inaddition, we will be developing theQuality Rating System for early child-hood settings. Our work is closelyfollowing the path laid out in the State’srecent Race to the Top Application. Webelieve that the work of the Cabinet willgreatly enhance our ability to develop theearly care and education system inConnecticut that our children andfamilies deserve.”]

“. . . lack of coordi-nation amongst pro-grams, data collec-tion is inconsistentand insufficient.

As a result, it is notpossible to determine

the extent of theimpact that receiving

an early care andeducation subsidy

has on a child’s laterschool success.”

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012 9

Union Elementary School:Doing more with less despite the challenges

Despite slow growing budgets due totough economic times, many small schoolsystems have been able to maintainexcellence in education, thanks to theirown prudent planning and assistance fromRegional Educational Service Centers(RESCs).

One such example is Union, whichSuperintendent Joe Reardon noted is thesmallest school system in the state withjust 106 students!

Reardon said the continued success ofhis district’s lone school, Union School,has a lot to do with “a strong and flexiblestaff.”

“We have four teachers coveringgrades 1-8 so it’s obviously 1st and 2nd,3rd and 4th, that sort of thing,” saidReardon of the school. “We have akindergarten teacher, a special educationteacher and then part time art, music andPE; the flexibility comes in teaching spiltgrades and they’ve been doing this foryears so they’re used to having a broadrange of student needs in the classroom.”

Of course, shared services are also abig component of the tiny school system,which pays tuition for its 33 high schoolaged students to attend classes outside ofits municipal borders.

“This year we only have one kindergar-ten student, not enough to run a classwith, so we sent that child out to Eastfordon a tuition basis; it enabled us to providea group setting for that youngster and wedidn’t need to run a class,” observedReardon. “It happened to coincide with aretirement at the same time so it workedout well.”

Union also has worked with Eastfordon professional development. “WithEastford, we had a professional develop-ment grant for the past couple of yearswhere people from each district workedtogether so those are the kinds of thingswe share,” said Reardon.Reardon said his district – which has a$1.6 million budget in 2011-12 – is“constantly looking for partnerships.”

“Transportation is another area that weare working on in terms of trying tocooperate with other districts so we aren’trunning a vehicle with three kids in it,”said Reardon. “In addition to looking outfor the educational needs, we also have tolook for the ways and the means to reduceoperational costs so we can devote themoney to education.”

Union is such a small district that itcan’t afford to go out and buy “one of thebig bookkeeping programs,” according toReardon, so that is one area whereEASTCONN, Union’s RESC, comes intoplay.

“Working with EASTCONN, they aregoing to, for a very reasonable fee, do the

mechanics of our bookkeeping; in otherwords, they have MUNIS as a system andwe get to rent it and we also get theexpertise of their staff,” explainedReardon. “We still keep our part timeperson, who also serves as the schoolsecretary, and she will feed the informa-tion over to EASTCONN and we will

maximize available resources and reduceduplication of effort by facilitatingregional approaches in a variety of areas,”said Colen.

For example, EASTCONN has justhelped facilitate the establishment of aregional health insurance cooperative,which offers member districts and towns

Students from Union Elementary School invited CABE to come to their school when they at-tended CABE’s Day on the Hill in March. On Monday, April 31, Robert Rader, Executive Direc-tor and Lisa Steimer, Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development, met with BoardChair Andrea Estell, Superintendent Joe Reardon, and Principal Steve Jackopisic, to talk aboutwhat it’s like for a small district to continually increase student achievement. After the discus-sion they toured the school and Rader updated the students on legislation since Day on theHill. There also was time for questions from students about the legislative process.

Chris Seymour, Reporter, CABE unavailable to them) in areas such as thePerkins Vocational Fund and Title IIIservices for English Language Learners,”said Colen.

Additionally, EASTCONN coordinatesa regional Adult Education consortium toassist districts in meeting the AdultEducation mandate.

EASTCONN also offers cooperativepurchasing savings on items ranging fromfuel oil to cafeteria supplies, in additionto providing “back office” support infinance and human resources, said Colen.

EASTCONN also provides technologyassistance. “We also provide technologyinfrastructure/integration support includ-ing assistive technology for students withspecial needs, and whenever possible,assist both individual districts and/orgroups of districts with grant developmentand submission,” she observed.

Many of these initiatives are alreadybeing provided to larger districts acrossthe state by one of the other five RESCs,pointed out Colen.

“No matter the size of a district,however, especially under currenteconomic conditions, every district islooking for strategies and opportunities tomaximize its resources, particularly inareas that support education process butare not areas directly involved in theclassroom instruction of students,” saidColen. “RESCs, by the nature of theirmissions, have historically helped schooldistricts come together to implement jointventures that are specific to a particulardistrict or region.”

Online learning is a “timely andaffordable option” RESCs are offering tosmall districts, said Colen. “Whereas inthe past, a small school might have haddifficulty identifying a particular contentteacher (like a physics teacher, forexample), today with the availability ofonline courses for high school students,this is a less pressing issue,” she stated.

The RESC Alliance coordinates theprovision of online resources as a resultof a negotiated agreement on behalf ofmember districts with Virtual High School(VHS), so now all students have access toa full array of online courses, said Colen.

“Whatever the challenges may be, Ibelieve that small schools collaboratingwith their local RESC and other smallschool districts will, on behalf of students,successfully meet those challenges inways that support all students’ learningand success,” said Colen.[Editor’s Note: Union brought 31students to participate in Day on the Hill.They, as well as other students, werevocal about the original SB24’s languagethat would cut aid to small districts thatdid not consolidate. The final bill did notinclude the language and the studentslearned great lessons about democracyand standing up for what they believe.]

have better bookkeeping capacity than theState of Connecticut has.”

Paula Colen, Executive Director ofEASTCONN, pointed out that her RESCprovides many collaborative opportuni-ties, programs and services to its smallerdistricts, “always bearing in mind theirquality and affordability.”

“In collaboration with its smallerdistricts, EASTCONN tries to help them

in its region the opportunity to jointlypurchase employee health insurance,according to Colen.

“We also provide opportunities forshared staffing and we work together inresponse to federal and state initiativesthrough such things as our Common CoreState Standards Curriculum Consortium,formation of other consortiums enablingthem to access federal funds (otherwise

CABE: working for YOUIndividualized Workshops • Professional Development Opportunities

Legal Services • Policy Services • Representing You Statewide and Nationally

10 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

Below are the highlights of activities thatthe CABE staff has undertaken on yourbehalf over the last month. We did this:

✦ By ensuring membersreceive the most up-to-datecommunications:• Took part in teleconference with

our “Big 6” Partnership, andothers

• Held meeting of new CABECommunications Committee,chaired by Shelia McCreven(CABE Area 7 Co-Director;Woodbridge) on how best tocommunicate with our members.

• Prepared Custom Policy materialfor ACES, Derby, East Windsor,Pomfret, Region #17, Union, andWoodbridge.

✦ By representing Connecti-cut school boards on thestate or national level:• Attended meeting of Governor’s

Prevention Partnership Board ofDirectors.

• Spoke before the NSBA ExecutiveDirectors’ Institute and a meeting ofRhode Island’s Board Chairs on theCAPSS Transformation Projectwith Lawrence Shaeffer fromCAPSS.

• Attended Achievement Gap TaskForce meetings.

• Attended CREC Council meeting.• Attended NSBA Board of Directors

meeting.• Chaired NSBA Council of School

Attorneys meeting.• Provided a workshop on “Avoiding

Legal Liability” at NSBA Confer-ence.

• Served as a panelist for a workshopon 21st Century meetings at NSBAConference.

• Attended PEAC Teacher, Adminis-trator, Pupil Services EvaluationSubcommittee meetings.

• Attended Education Cost SharingTask Force meeting.

• Attended Connecticut Special

Education Professional Develop-ment meeting.

• Attended State Department ofEducation After School Networkmeeting

• Attended Performance EvaluationAdvisory Committee (PEAC)meeting.

• Attended Governor’s bill signingfor education reform legislation.

• Served as judge for AttorneyGeneral’s Law Day Essay contest.

• Attended Connecticut Society ofAssociation Executives Board ofDirectors meeting.

• Attended CABE Board of Directorsmeeting.

✦ By providing services tomeet members needs:

• Provided webinar on educationreform legislation.

• Planned, implemented and pre-sented end of session LegislativeWrap-up workshop.

• Placed the policy manual ofVoluntown and Westport PublicSchools online.

• Prepared Customized policymaterial in order to help membersmeet their policy needs; customupdate policy service and materialswere distributed to New Hartford,and Marlborough.

• Held two meeting reviews with theNew London Board of Education.

• Met with representative from ProTraxx about CEU processingsoftware.

✦ By providing opportunitiesfor members to learn howbetter govern their districts:• Facilitated workshop on Board

Roles and Responsibilities for theFairfield Board of Education.

• Provided policy information to 42districts, two out-of-state schoolboard associations and one attorneythrough 42 answered requests forinformation or sample policies, on43 topics. The topics of greatestinterest included bring your own

devices to school (BYOD), schoolrecords, bullying, computeracceptable use policies, child abusereporting, special education andimmunizations.

• Discussed the committee structurewith the Sprague Board ofEducation.

• Trained the Southington Board ofEducation on the use of CABE-Meeting.

✦ By promoting public edu-cation:• Attended Hartford Public Schools

“launch” of their new budgetingsystem and their State of theSchools Workshop.

• Attended induction of John Prins(CABE Area 7 Co-Director;Branford) and Faith McCarthy(Patrice’s mother) into BranfordEducation Hall of Fame.

• Hosted CABE networking receptionhonoring Mary Broderick atNSBA annual conference.

• Answered questions about thecurrent legal issues facing boards ofeducation. “HOT topics this month

were: referenda, exclusion fromgraduation activities, drug sniffingdogs, executive session require-ments and meeting agendas.

✦ By helping school boards toincrease student achieve-ment:• Visited Union Public Schools,

Board Chair Andrea Estell,Superintendent Joseph Reardonand Principal Steve Jackopisic andstudents (see page 9).

• Sent two issues of Policy High-lights via email covering topics thataffect student achievement. Theseincluded online issues pertaining tograduation, board of educationmeetings, student searches, studentrecords, school gardens, physicaleducation and courses of study.

• Attended the CAPSS Board ofDirectors meeting.

• Provided Lighthouse training for theAnsonia, Killingly, Norwalk,Norwich and Shelton Boards ofEducation.

Let us help you maximize your energy savings.CREC and DBS Energy have teamed up to help schools implement energy conservation measures.

HVAC system upgrades

Solar thermal and geothermal systems

(continued from page 1)two committee members approved by the

Board (out of six voting members).The bill requires implementation of aturnaround plan for one schoolbeginning July 1, 2012.

• Creation of “Alliance Districts” whichwill receive conditional ECS fundingupon approval of an improvementplan.

• Creation of an early reading interven-tion pilot program.

• Provides for teacher dismissal basedon ineffectiveness, in addition to thecurrent standard of incompetence.

• Provides for a teacher evaluation pilotprogram for the 2012-13 school year.The Commissioner must select 8-10districts to participate. The pilotprogram will be evaluated by the NeagSchool of Education.

• Eliminates the use of the impartial

Increase• Education Equalization Grants (ECS) ................................................. $50 million• Early Childhood ..................................................................................... $1 million• Sheff ...................................................................................................... $4 million• Talent Development ............................................................................ $7.5 million• Technology Improvements for Education Reform Districts .................. $500,000• Science Programs for Education Reform Districts ................................. $455,000• Family Resource Centers .................................................................... $1.9 million• Parent Universities .................................................................................. $250,000• Commissioner’s Network ................................................................... $7.5 million• Technical Assistance for Regional Cooperation ..................................... $100,000• K-3 Reading Assessment Pilot .............................................................. $2. million• Vocational Agriculture ........................................................................ $1.4 million• Priority School Districts ..................................................................... $5.7 million• Interdistrict Cooperation ........................................................................ $1 million• Magnet Schools ..................................................................................... $7 million• School Readiness Quality Enhancement ............................................... $3 million

hearing panel for teacher termination,and provides for decisions made by theboard, board sub-committees or singlehearing officer.

• Requires SDE to develop and imple-ment a uniform system of accountingfor school revenues and expendituresthat includes a chart of accounts foruse at the school and school districtlevel.

• Requires a study of issues related todistricts with fewer than 1,000 stu-dents. The bill does not containpenalties for small districts.The bill does not link evaluation to

tenure, except in the case of initial tenure,in which it requires superintendents toincorporate evaluations into decisionsabout granting tenure.

The budget revisions increase educa-tion funding above the existing 2012-13budget in numerous areas, including:

2012 Legislative session adjourns

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012 11

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Legal BriefsKelly B. Moyher, Senior Staff Attorney, CABE

IDEA rules in favor of parentThe Individuals with Disabilities Edu-

cation Act requires that boards of educa-tion provide a free, appropriate, publiceducation (FAPE) to children. In thiscase the minor child, R.N., was diag-nosed with childhood onset bipolar dis-order.

Although a planning and placementteam (PPT) established an individualizededucation program (IEP), the minor childexperienced difficulty during the 2004-2005 school year that resulted in asuspension and time spent in a psy-chiatric facility. In 2005, R.N.’s condi-tion deteriorated.

In 2006, R.N. attended NorthwestVillage School. A PPT concluded thatR.N. exhibited variable attention andeffort, was easily overwhelmed, andexhibited poor work completion andengagement. In 2007, R.N. went to theemergency room. The PPT decided thatR.N. should attend the Intensive Educa-tion Academy.

In June 2008, the school expelled R.N.because he struck people. R.N.’s motherplaced him at the F.L. ChamberlainSchool which provides year-roundspecial education. At Chamberlain, R.N.made academic progress and did not missany school days.

A hearing officer found that the boardof education failed to provide FAPEduring the 2007-2008 and 2009-2009school years. The board of educationasked the District Court to reverse thehearing officer’s finding. The DistrictCourt found that the board’s IEPs for thetwo years in question were not reasonablycalculated to provide benefits.

The minor child experienced sufficientdifficulty to alert the board that the place-ment at Northwest Village School wasnot appropriate. A two-hour school daywas insufficient to permit R.N. to achieveany academic progress. Consideration ofthe evidence indicated R.N. regressedduring the 2007-2008 school year.

Although R.N.’s mother participatedin the planning process, that did notimmunize the board. The board’s failureto develop an IEP for the 2008-2009school year was not excused on thegrounds that R.N.’s mother refused toconsent to re-evaluation, absent informa-tion about the evaluator’s credentials andthe test process.

Also, the board did not identifypertinent information that would bediscovered in the re-evaluation. R.N.’smother was entitled to reimbursement forR.N.’s placement at Chamberlain.Connecticut Law Tribune, April 16, 2012

Court rules in favor ofNaugatuck Board of Ed.

In establishing a case of discrimina-tion, a plaintiff must prove: 1.) hebelongs to a protected group; 2.) heapplied for a position for which he isqualified; 3.) he suffered an adverseemployment action; and 4.) the adverseemployment action took place in circum-stances that led to an inference ofdiscrimination.

In 2006, the defendant Naugatuckboard of education combined the jobs of

athletic director and director of adulteducation. The 59-year-old plaintiff,Joaquim Tavares, had worked as athleticdirector for several years and did not haveany experience with adult education. Theboard hired Thomas Pompei, who wasabout 31 years old, and the plaintiff’ssalary was reduced approximately $6,800per year.

Tavares sued the board of education,alleging that the board retaliated becausehe had been involved in a PortugueseAction Committee. Tavares failed toestablish he engaged in a “protectedactivity,” about which the board ofeducation was aware, and the courtgranted summary judgment to the boardon his First Amendment retaliation count.

Although the plaintiff maintained that amember of the board of educationexpressed concern about his age, Tavaresfailed to establish an inference of dis-crimination on the basis of his nationalorigin or his age.

Even if Tavares had established a caseof national origin or age discrimination,he failed to prove that the board’slegitimate, nondiscriminatory reason tohire Pompei, because he was the morequalified candidate, constituted a pretextfor discrimination. The court granted theboard of education’s motion for summaryjudgment on the plaintiff’s discriminationcounts.

A municipality is not legally respon-sible for intentional torts of employeesand, even if it were, the plaintiff failed toestablish that the board of educationengaged in extreme and outrageousconduct, because it selected anothercandidate. The court granted the board’smotion for summary judgment on theplaintiff’s intentional-infliction-of-emotional-distress count.

Tavares, who was not discharged,failed to establish emotional distress as aresult of conduct that took place duringthe termination process, and the courtgranted the board of education’s motionfor summary judgment on his negligent-infliction-of-emotional-distress count.

Connecticut Law Tribune, May 7, 2012

Election Commissionrules in favor of board

Connecticut General Statutes §9-369b(b) provides, “The vote on suchamendment, question or proposal shall betaken by a ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ vote on thevoting machine, and the designation ofsuch amendment, question or proposal onthe voting machine ballot label shall be‘Shall (here insert the question or pro-posal, followed by a question mark).’”

Nancy Sharp filed a complaint,alleging that the language on the ballot ofa Board of Education referendum thattook place on Feb. 17, 2011 was confus-ing and ambiguous and differed from thelanguage used in newspapers and otherpublications.

The State Elections EnforcementCommission found that the language usedin the text of the referendum was consis-tent with that published in other material.“The form of the referendum question,”wrote the State Elections Enforcement

(see LEGAL page 12)

12 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

Save the Date - October 2nd

CTCEF’s 13th annual conference for education foundations

CABE’s Model Student andParent/Guardian Handbook

2011-2012Available on CD with accompanying hard copy!

Check out the advantages of the Handbook on a CD:44444 FREES up staff’s time — no need for staff to do the research.

44444 All essential legal areas are covered. Provides listing of mandatory, recommended and optional topics for a

handbook.

44444 Contains information that meets requirements for student and parent notification.

44444 References are made to appropriate existing policies, as well as to Connecticut General Statutes.

44444 Modify the material on the diskette to fit your school district’s needs.

Major additions added this year are: advanced placement courses, student support services,online course credit, computer resources and telecommunication devices.

Plus many other changes that will bring your handbook up-to-date.

The handbook is available to member districts for $200, plus $20 for additional copies of the CD.The cost to nonmember boards is $500, plus $40 per extra CD. To order, please go to the CABEwebsite www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=773.

Liz StokesPresident, Connecticut Consortiumof Education Foundations (CTCEF)

(continued from page 11)Commission, “comported with therequirements of §9-369 by beginning with‘shall’ and ending with a question mark.”

The commission added that “theallegations concerning the Complainant’sconfusion regarding the referendumquestion itself do not allege a violation ofthe law.”

Sharp also complained that there wereno posters with explanatory text at thepolling places. C.G.S. §9-369b(b) pro-vides, “For any referendum called for by aregional school district, the regionalboard of education shall authorize thepreparation and printing of concise ex-planatory texts of proposals or questions

approved for submission to the electors ofa municipality at a referendum.”

Apparently, the municipal clerk or theboard of education’s secretary aredesignated to prepare the explanatorytext, and the board of selectmen ormunicipal legislative body are allowed toauthorize explanatory text.

The State Elections EnforcementCommission observed that in the futurethe board of education’s secretary canprepare the explanatory text, subject toapproval by the board of education’s legalcounsel, and provide explanatory postersto the municipal clerk to post prior to thereferendum.

Connecticut Law Tribune, May 7, 2012

Legal Issues

The Connecticut Consortium ofEducation Foundations (CTCEF) willpresent its thirteenth annual conferencefor education foundations, “The Powerof Education Foundations: A StrongFoundation for Vibrant Schools andCommunities,” on Tuesday, October 2,from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the CrownePlaza Cromwell Hotel.

David Coleman will be the keynotespeaker. He is a founding partner ofStudent Achievement Partners, a non-profit that assembles educators andresearchers to design actions based onevidence to improve student outcomes.

David played a leading role in devel-oping the Common Core State Standardsin math and literacy, a process that drewon the input of teachers, states, highereducation, business leaders, and research-ers from across the country.

He now helps lead Student Achieve-ment Partners’ work with teachers andpolicymakers to achieve the promise ofthe Common Core State Standards. Davidhas earned degrees in philosophy andEnglish literature from Yale, Oxford, andCambridge. He is a Rhodes Scholar.

Joe Erardi, Liz Stokes, JohnCapone, and Gary Attmore will present

their very popular special workshop,Education Foundation Fundamentals.Note that it will provide guidance notonly to foundations that are starting up,but also to foundations that are struggling.Lori Brantner, chair of the FarmingtonPublic School Foundation, will shareFarmington’s experience in reviving itsfoundation.

Communication is an important topicfor all education foundations. BarbaraDiggs-Brown, a communication strategistwith more than 25 years of communica-tion experience, will present a workshopon Strategic Communications. Barbaraspecializes in strategic planning, socialmarketing strategies, integrated communi-cation, and media relations.

Marti Fischer will present a workshoptitled, Beyond the Grant Application: IsYour Organization Structured for Sustain-able Grant Funding? Other workshopsinclude Unraveling the Mystery of WhyPeople Give…and What You Can Doabout It; Major and Planned GivingStrategies for Education Foundations withLittle or No Staff Support; and FinancialManagement for Your Education Founda-tion. David Coleman will present aworkshop to follow his talk.

Ninety-two local education founda-tions are active in Connecticut and quite afew towns are in the process of starting a

foundation. Many school superintendentsand board of education members havebeen instrumental in introducing theconcept of education foundations to theirtowns and continue to work closely withthe foundations after they are formed.CTCEF encourages superintendents andboard of education members from alltowns to attend the conference withmembers of their communities.

CTCEF is a statewide non-profitorganization whose mission is to facilitatethe creation, growth, and effectiveness of

local education foundations in the stateand was founded on the principle thatcommunity involvement is a key factor inimproving schools. Local educationfoundations contribute resources tosupport public education.

Save October 2 for the conference.Watch your mail for the conferencebrochure in late August or visit our Website at www.ctcef.org and click onConference Page. For more information,contact CTCEF president, Liz Stokes, at203-227-9323.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012 13

CABE and Baldwin Media: Partners in Managing Communications

The Media Messagefrom Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC

Running adistrict ishardLighten yourload with anupdatedpolicymanual

You need an up-to-date policy manual to run your dis-trict effectively. CABE can help. Our policy specialistswill assist in updating your manual, ensuring yourdistrict’s policies are current and up-to-date with theConnecticut statutes.

Call Vincent Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for PolicyService (860) 571-7446 or (800) 317-0033 to beginupdating your manual today.

Many people get nervous about doingpresentations for their jobs; others getequally nervous about having to talk withthe reporters and granting interviews, butwith proper preparation, interviews do nothave to be so nerve-wracking.

Before participating in any interviewwith the media, there are some basic stepsyou should follow to help ensure thateverything goes smoothly and you areable to get the appropriate message out.

Find out as much as you can about thereporter/interviewer and the publication /program you’ll be appearing on, includ-ing: Whether the reporter/program has

done anything on this topic in the past; What kind of stories does the reporter

usually cover? Check the publication/program’s website for previous storiesby the reporter. Remember to look uppast editorials too;

Listen/watch the program a couple ofdays beforehand so you are familiarwith the interviewer’s style; and

Find out who else is being interviewedfor this story.Send background materials to the

reporter conducting the interview or theproducer setting it up, including: Facts and background information

about the issue you are going todiscuss;

Information on yourself and yourorganization

Relevant news clips on the issue.

Preparing for the often-feared media interviewLastly, remember to:

Prepare talking points on the issue youwill be discussing. Speaking fromtalking points will make you feel morecomfortable and allows you to haveconcise answers on difficult orcomplicated issues.

Anticipate difficult questions that maycome up and prepare possible answers.

Confirm the time, date and location ofthe interview in advance. Be on time!

Find out when the interview will bepublished or broadcast and get copy ofthe final piece. This way you can findout what the public saw or heard,particularly if your interview wasedited, and you can also evaluate yourperformance in the interview.

Special Considerationsfor Televisionand Radio Interviews

Television and radio appearances arevery effective ways to generate publicawareness and to get your perspective outto your target audience. Since TV andradio interviews are often “live” and sincethe broadcast medium requires stories tobe much shorter than those in print, thereare some special considerations for

broadcast interviews. Watch or listen to a couple of recent

programs so you can become familiarwith the interviewer’s style.

Anticipate what questions may beasked and prepare your answer in“sound bites”, which is a 10-30 secondresponse. Time is limited, so you mustgive succinct answers – practicemaking the point you want to makefirst and then elaborate.

Review relevant facts, statistics, andspecific anecdotes and examples soyou will be prepared to stronglysupport your message.

Get to the studio early to meet theinterviewer before the program begins.Decide how you will address eachother – formerly of by first names (firstnames usually make you feel morecomfortable and result in a morerelaxed environment.)

Most hosts will tell you not to lookdirectly at the camera, and instead tolook at the interviewer as if you wereconversing with him/her.

For television: Physical appearance iskey! Steer clear of loud prints andstick to solid colors, with the exceptionof white. Also assume that you will beseen on camera from head to toe.

Does your community have an Educa-tion Hall of Fame?

Several CABE officers and staffrecently had the honor of attending the15th Annual Branford Education Hall ofFame induction. Included in this year’sclass of inductees were John Prins, amember of the Branford Board ofEducation and the CABE Board ofDirectors, and Faith McCarthy, a retiredforeign language teacher (and mymother). The ten individuals honoredwere selected from more than onehundred nominees.

The evening was a true celebration ofeducation. Former students and col-leagues of the honorees, family andcommunity members were in attendance.The biographical background of eachinductee was read, and then the inducteehad the opportunity to address the 300attendees. While the Branford Hall ofFame does not have an actual building,the names of inductees are inscribed on abook plate in the library books donatedeach year to the Branford public schoollibraries. Approximately 890 books havebeen donated to school libraries, creatinga learning-based Hall of Fame in theschools.

Since its creation in 1998, the Educa-

tion Hall of Fame has broadly defined theterm “education” and has recognizedindividuals whose work has enhanced,expanded and facilitated learning. TheHall of Fame has honored teachers andpublic school administrators, and it hasalso inducted others from the community,such as Janice Gruendel, children’sadvocate and Timothy Blackstone, whogave Branford the Blackstone Library.

Local business and individual contri-butions defray the costs, and the event isrun by a hardworking group of volunteers.The volunteers handle everything fromthe initial solicitation of nominees, theselection meeting, publicity and thecelebratory induction and dinner.

This evening was a wonderful opportu-nity to celebrate education in the commu-nity and those who have contributed to it,both in the past and present. Manycommunities have an Athletic Hall ofFame, but the Education Hall of Fameseems to be less prevalent. If yourcommunity does not have an EducationHall of Fame, you might considerworking with your local educationfoundation or other groups to create one.

Patrice A. McCarthyDeputy Director and

General Counsel

Education Hall of Fame

Attending the induction ceremony were: Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE; MaryBroderick, NSBA Past President; Inductees John Prins and Faith McCarthy; Patrice McCarthy,Deputy Director/General Counsel, CABE; Lydia Tedone (Simsbury) President, CABE; andRichard Murray (Killingly) First Vice President, CABE.

14 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

CABE-Meeting

Learn more:

CABE-Meeting is a user-friendly, web-based service specifically designed to assist the board, superintendent and centraloffice staff in preparing for and running board of education meetings.

An exciting feature designed for use by committees, in addtion to boards of education, was recently added to CABE-Meeting. Now all your board work and committee information is conveniently located in one place!

• Do you want to save yourdistrict money?

• Do you want to utilizetechnology to enable staffto be more efficient?

• Do you want to focus moreof your human andfinancial resources onincreasing studentachievement in yourdistrict?

• Do you want to enhancecommunication with yourcommunity?

• Do you want to model themethods that should beused to infuse technologyin your schools?

If you answered “yes” to atleast one of the abovequestions, read on. CABE-Meeting can help you!

Take a few minutes and goto http://www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=158 tocomplete our CABE-Meeting cost analysisworksheet (located at thebottom of the page) and seehow much your district cansave in one year. Districtscan save thousands ofdollars each year by usingCABE-Meeting.

For more information or toschedule a demonstrationfor your board, call LisaSteimer at 800-317-0033 or860-571-7446 or emaillsteimer@cabe.org.

CABE-Meeting

Lisa SteimerConnecticut Association ofBoards of Education81 Wolcott Hill RoadWethersfield, CT 06109www.cabe.org

Is CABE-Meeting for you?

(continuedfrom page 1)ber of 2011. Itfound thatConnecticutoverall has aslightly higherthan averagelevel of civicengagement butimportant

This age group represents more than onefifth of the electorate. It is also more di-verse than the rest of the electorate, with17% identifying as Hispanic, 15% asAfrican American and 4% as Asian. In2008, there were 6.5 million more votersin this age group than in 2004.

More Needs to be DoneStill, there is work to be done, particu-

larly in Connecticut. While youths repre-sent 21% of the national population, theyonly represented 17% of voters in 2008.My office examined turnout in the 2011municipal elections, and found that inConnecticut, the disparity is far worse.While people aged 18-24 make up 9% ofConnecticut’s population, they repre-sented only 2.7% of voters in the townsthat reported their figures to our office.

One thing that is well documented isthat if you can engage young people early,they are more likely to stay civically en-gaged throughout their lives. When I wasin the Connecticut House of Representa-tives, I helped to make civics education arequired part of the high school learningexperience.

I know there is more we can do rightnow, such as maximizing the efficacy ofour teachers by putting the tools and re-sources they need right at their fingertipsand in one place.

The ConnecticutElection Project

I started the Connecticut ElectionProject to do just that. I asked educatorsand others interested in civic involvementto form a curriculum to bring the 2012elections into the classroom. Thisnonpartisan program is for teachers ofgrades 4 through 12. While contentincludes materials meant for history andpolitical science classes, we have devel-oped this curriculum with teachers ofvarious subjects in mind, includingEnglish, literature, geography and math.

There will be a series of webinarsthroughout the summer to introduceteachers to the materials, as well asstudent webinars in the fall. Materialswill be available on the Secretary of theState’s website, and an in-person studentconference will take place in Hartford asthe November election draws nearer.

Presidential elections boast the highestturnout numbers because the country as awhole is caught up in the same race.There is more widespread media coveragein presidential years than in others, andjust about everyone has an opinion onwhat is going on in these elections – eventhose who don’t participate.

When so many people across thenation are tuned into civic issues, we mustleverage this attention into a powerfulclassroom experience in our public

schools – one that is not so much a his-tory lesson but that is actually playingitself out in real time every day.

Board members: Take time tofocus on elections

As members of the board of education,you play a critical role in your community.Each one of you is a leader and a policymaker in our public schools. You knowwhat a critical role you play in the aca-demic success of today’s students.

By taking the time to focus on this his-toric election in your school district, youare showing your teachers and studentshow important it is to be a knowledgeable,involved member of our community nowand in the future. Please take the time toshare this resource with the administratorsand teachers in your district.

Please visit www.ct.gov/sots for moreinformation on the Connecticut ElectionProject. Finally, I would like to expressmy gratitude for the dedication of the indi-viduals who make up Connecticut’sBoards of Education. Public service inany fashion is a noble profession, and thisis especially true when it is in the name ofshaping the future of today’s youngpeople.

Need to do more on civic engagement

Denise Merrilldisparities doexist and they

need to be addressed. For example, only6.5% of people with annual incomesunder $35,000 are likely to visit orcontact a public official.

Also in 2011, I convened an ElectionPerformance Task Force. Members of thetask force included state and local elec-tions officials, representatives of munici-pal government, voting advocates, andacademics. One of the goals of the taskforce was to find ways to increase voterparticipation among young people.

Young people traditionally turn out tovote at a lower rate than older genera-tions, though information from recentelections shows an increase in thisdemographic’s turnout at the nationallevel. In 2004, 4.3 million more votersage 18-29 went to the polls than in 2000.

In 2006, turnout grew by almost 2 mil-lion when compared to the 2002 election.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012 15

Does you policy manual look like this?Then you are the perfect

candidate for theCABE Customized Policy Service!

CABE’s Customized Policy Service tailors a policy manual for a subscribing board of education that reflects the spe-cific needs and priorities of that community.

The service includes:• Review and analysis of existing policies for rel-

evancy and compliance with federal and statestatutes and regulations.

• Review of current contracts and student and per-sonnel handbooks for explicit and implied poli-cies.

• On-site consultation for school board membersand school administrators by CABE staff.

• Update of existing policies

• Legal referencing of policies:- Connecticut and U.S. statutes- Federal/state court decisions

• Development of needed policies and regulations.

• Use of CABE Codification System

• Printing of policies and arrangement in manual.

• Manual on CD

Fee is based on school district enrollment. For more infor-mation contact Vincent Mustaro at CABE

Connecticut attorneys and CABE staffplayed significant roles in presentingnumerous workshops during the 2012NSBA Annual Conference and Councilof School Attorneys School LawSeminar.

Anne Littlefield of Shipman &Goodwin joined with Sonja Trainor ofNSBA to present a workshop on “SchoolDistrict Liability for Peer Bullying andHarassment”. Fred Dorsey, Siegel,O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck and DanMurphy of Kainen, Escalera & McHalepresented a session on “First AmendmentIssues in the Use of School Facilities byReligious Groups”.

At the NSBA Council of SchoolAttorneys business meeting, AnneLittlefield was elected to the Board ofDirectors, and Patrice McCarthyassumed the position of Immediate PastChairman.

During the NSBA Conference, BobRader, Patrice McCarthy and KellyMoyher delivered a workshop “TenPractices to Avoid Liability” and Bobpresented at the workshop “Becoming aHigh Functioning School Board”.

Lisa Steimer, CABE Senior StaffAssociate presented on “21st CenturyBoard Meetings”, featuring CABE’s E-

Meeting.At the Delegate Assembly, CABE was

represented by Lydia Tedone, RichardMurray, Beverly Washington, AnnGruenberg and Don Blevins. Severalresolutions proposed by Connecticut wereadopted, including amendments to theIndividuals with Disabilities Act and thereauthorization of the Elementary andSecondary Education Act (ESEA) toprovide greater flexibility to states andschool districts.

A resolution calling for full funding ofTitle I and IDEA was also adopted.Delegates also supported efforts to developand implement educator evaluation systemsthat include student performance.

Patrice A. McCarthyDeputy Director and General Counsel

NSBA Delegate Assembly,conference and

school law seminar

SAVE THE DATE

April 13-15, 2013

NSBA ConferenceSan Diego, California

16 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/June 2012

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