CABE Journal - November 2015

Vol. 19, No. 10 NOVEMBER 2015

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

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

PeriodicalPostage

PAIDHartford, CT

www.facebook.com/ConnecticutAssociationBoardsEducation

NSBACenter forPublicEducation

PAGE 15

CT’sChangingPopulation

PAGE 10

NutmegBoard ofEducation

Boards are setto welcome new members

Chris SeymourStaff Reporter, CABE

See BOARDS page 12

State Boardof Education

Holds OctoberMeeting

Patrice A. McCarthyDeputy Director and General Counsel, CABE

See STATE BOARD page 2

ConnecticutTurnaroundDistricts

PAGE 9

Program Title: Bridge to SuccessCommunity Partnership

Category that best describe yourprogram: Community Engagement/Communication

Grade Levels: All Grade LevelsDescription of the program: Bridge to

Success (BTS) is a community-wide net-work of over 85 organizations that worktogether to ensure each child succeeds.

The network identifies key indicators ofchild and youth well being and all partnersagree to engage and focus on strategies toimprove outcomes. BTS focused onchronic absenteeism and reading this year.Each partner voices the message about theimportance of school attendance and read-ing to its own constituency and leveragesits resources to disseminate the messagecity wide through newsletters, billboards,community conversations and other me-diums.

Parents play a major leadership role andplan many community events bringing themessage to families throughout the diverseneighborhoods of Waterbury. BTS isfunded by public and private donationsand believes every child can succeed.

Waterbury School System benefits fromthis vital partnership with communitypartners, and municipal elected officials.

For more information on this programplease visit: www.waterburyBTS.org

Contact Information: Lori Hart, BTSDirector, [email protected] |203-754-0040

Spotlighting Best

Practices

Editor’s Note: CABE is very excited tocontinue its series on “Best Practices thatLead and Inspire”. Please send us yourBest Practices and they might be pub-lished in the CABE Journal. This month

we are highlighting –

Waterbury

that Lead and Inspire:

The State Board of Education, at itsOctober meeting, took action on severalitems of interest to boards of education.The Board approved the SAT as themastery examination to be administered ingrade 11 in lieu of Smarter Balancedbeginning in spring 2016. This actionwas taken based on recommendationsfrom the 11 grade assessment workinggroup, on which Patrice McCarthyrepresents CABE. High school studentsalso had the opportunity to provide inputto the working group.

During the 2015 Legislative Session,the Legislature required that studentsenrolled in grade 11 be administered anationally recognized college readinessassessment, approved by the State Boardof Education.

Connecticut has received a waiverfrom the federal government to allow forthe SAT to be used to meet the federallymandated testing requirements. The useof the SAT provides a reduction in thetesting burden for the 11th grade students,as this is an assessment that over 80% ofhigh school juniors in Connecticut alreadytake, while also providing access to thiscollege readiness assessment for thosestudents whose financial circumstancesmight preclude their participation.

The State Department of Educationwill now enter into a contract with theCollege Board which will address issuesincluding accommodations for students

Woodstock Academy

How do you welcome a new memberto your Board of Education (BOE)?

With new members elected to schoolboards across the state this month, TheCABE Journal posed this question tosome Connecticut board chairs and here’swhat we heard:

“We are always happy to welcomenew board members and provide athorough new board member orientationas soon as possible,” said GlastonburyBOE Chairwoman (and Area 2 Co-Director) Susan Karp. GlastonburySuperintendent Dr. Alan Bookman andKarp meet with the new board member todiscuss meeting schedules, the budgetprocess, policies, communication,committees, and “of course, anythingelse,” according to Karp.

“It has proven to be an excellent wayto give an overview of what we do andhow we work together,” she added.

As the leader of her board, Karp alsomakes an effort to reach out to newschool board members and get themacclimated to their new role as an electedofficial.

“As Chairman, I try to reach out tonew board members to make sure theyhave all the information they need and toanswer any questions,” explained Karp.

“We all try to provide history ontopics and explain how decisions weremade in the past,” she continued. “Mostimportantly all questions, comments andsuggestions are welcomed and appreci-ated.”

In Wallingford BOE ChairwomanRoxane McKay explained that theWallingford BOE Policy and ProcedureManual is delivered to the newly-electedcandidates.

A meeting is also held for all newlyelected BOE members, hosted by Super-intendent Dr. Salvatore Menzo and BOEleadership.

PAGE 5

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEERichard Murray .................................................. President, KillinglyAnn Gruenberg ................................. First Vice President, HamptonRobert Mitchell ................ VP for Government Relations, MontvilleElaine Whitney ........... VP for Professional Development, WestportJohn Prins ......................................... Secretary/Treasurer, BranfordLydia Tedone ............................................ Immediate Past PresidentDonald Harris ........................................................ Member at Large

AREA DIRECTORSDaniel Gentile ......................................... Area 1 Director, PlymouthSusan Karp ................................... Area 2 Co-Director, GlastonburyDonald Harris ................................. Area 2 Co-Director, BloomfieldLaura Bush ................................................. Area 3 Director, VernonDouglas Smith ........................................ Area 4 Director, PlainfieldAndrea Veilleux ................................ Area 6 Co-Director, StratfordJennifer Dayton ............................. Area 6 Co-Director, GreenwichRoxane McKay ............................. Area 7 Co-Director, WallingfordJohn Prins ......................................... Area 7 Co-Director, BranfordLon Seidman .................................................Area 8 Director, EssexAndrea Ackerman ..................................... Area 9 Director, Groton

ASSOCIATESEileen Baker .............................................. Associate, Old SaybrookSharon Beloin-Saavedra .............................. Associate, New BritainGary Brochu .......................................................... Associate, BerlinRobert Guthrie .............................................. Associate, West HavenRobert Trefry ........... Associate, CT Technical High School System

COMMITTEE CHAIRSElizabeth Brown ......................... Chair, State Relations, WaterburyDonald Harris ......................... Chair, Federal Relations, BloomfieldBecky Tyrrell ...................................... Chair, Resolutions, Plainville

CITY REPRESENTATIVESMatthew Poland ................................ City Representative, HartfordCarlos Torre .................................. City Representative, New HavenPolly Rauh ........................................ City Representative, StamfordCharles Stango ............................... City Representative, Waterbury

STAFFRobert Rader ....................................................................... Executive DirectorPatrice McCarthy .................................. Deputy Director and General CounselRebecca Adams ............................................................... Senior Staff AttorneyBonnie Carney ............................................ Sr. Staff Associate for PublicationsNicholas Caruso ............................................ Sr. Staff Assoc. for Field Service and Coord. of TechnologySheila McKay ............................. Sr. Staff Associate for Government RelationsVincent 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 ServiceGail Heath ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Government RelationsWilmarie Newton ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Labor RelationsCorliss Ucci .................................. Receptionist/Asst. to the Executive Director

The CABE Journal (ISSN 1092-1818) is published monthly except acombined issue for July/August as a member service of the Connecti-cut Association of Boards of Education, 81 Wolcott Hill Road,Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 571-7446. CABE membership duesinclude $30 per person for each individual who receives The CABEJournal. The subscription rate for nonmembers is $75. Associationmembership dues include a subscription for each board member,superintendent, assistant superintendent and business manager. Thecompanies and advertisements found in The CABE Journal are notnecessarily endorsed by CABE. “Periodicals Postage Paid at Hartford,CT.” POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The CABE Journal,CABE, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242. Email:[email protected] can find the CABE Journal online at: https://www.cabe.org/userlogin.cfm?pp=1024&userrequest=false&keyrequest=YES

Richard Murray

2 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015

PRESIDENT COMMENTARY

CABE Board of Directors

A zip code should notdetermine the quality

of one’s educationVision: CABE is passionate about strengthening

public education through high-performing,transformative local school board/superintendent

leadership teams that inspire success for each child.

Mission: To assist local and regional boards of educationin providing high quality education for all

Connecticut children through effective leadership.

The CABE/CAPSS Convention app - available forApple, Google Play and BlackBerry World – givesyou instant access to the Convention schedule,presenter bios, sponsors, and exhibitors, as well asthe ability to register for the Convention and bookyour hotel room. During the Convention you willhave the ability to complete workshop evaluationsthrough the app.

Download the app by scanning theQR code included in this article. Youwill immediately have access toConvention information.

If you have any questions aboutaccessing the app, please contact Lisa

Steimer at [email protected] or 860-571-7446.

New! CABE/CAPSSConvention App

State Board(continued from page 1)with special needs. The cost of administration of theSAT will be borne by the Department of Education, notby local districts.

The State Board of Education also adopted newConnecticut English Language Proficiency Standards.The new standards are designed to provide the supportstudents need to access both content and languagedevelopment. Additional support and professionaldevelopment for teachers will provide them with re-sources that help them identify activities that are appro-priate, rigorous and useful for ELL students at differentlinguistic proficiency levels and various content levels.

Well, my time has come to an end as the author of thePresident’s Commentary. It has been an honor and aprivilege. I would like to thank the board members,superintendents, and others who have taken the time toread the CABE Journal and a special thanks to those ofyou who took the time to send me a response.

I have tried to focus on issues of equity in our publicschools and society at-large. It is my belief that if we donot find ways to provide the opportunity for ALL child-ren to receive a quality education the negative forcesagainst public education will only get more boisterouswith false hopes and promises.

More importantly, the continued viability of schoolboards and state associations could be determined byhow successful we are in educating each and every childin our districts. I began and will end my presidency bysaying that one’s zip code should not determine thequality of one’s education. So, let us continue to focus onthe big picture and work together through CABE andNSBA to provide every child in our public schools with apersonalized, meaningful, and quality education.

I am going to jump the gun, a bit, by assuming thatCABE’s First Vice President Ann Gruenberg, will be thenext author of the President’s Commentary for the CABEJournal. For those of you who do not know her, Ann is adedicated and sincere leader who believes in the value(s)of collaboration in order to provide students withmeaningful opportunities.

Ms. Gruenberg has served on the Hampton Board ofEducation since 2001. She has been a member of theCABE Board of Directors since 2003, serving in avariety of capacities.

Ann has worked in the field of education for over 40years. She recently retired as a faculty member at a

Connecticut’sState Univer-sity, where shewas a Profes-sor of EarlyChildhoodEducation.Please take thetime during theCABE/CAPSSConvention tosay hello to Ann and wish her well.

In closing I would like to thank Bonnie Carney andthe CABE Staff for the yeoman job of putting the CABEJournal together each and every month.

Thank you all!

Robert Rader

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/November 2015 3

Aretha was right:It’s all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T

CABE AffiliateMembers

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Milliman, Inc.Morganti GroupO & G Industries

The S/L/A/M CollaborativeTrane

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Brown & Brown InsuranceChinni & Meuser LLC

Dattco Inc.ECG Engineering, PC

Fuller & D’AngeloArchitects and PlannersGoldstein & Peck, P.C.

Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C.The Lexington Group

Muschell & SimoncelliSuisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law

EDUCATIONALAFFILIATES

American School for the DeafArea Cooperative Educational Services

Capitol Region Education CouncilThe College Board

Connecticut Association for the GiftedConnecticut Association of School

Business OfficialsConnecticut Center for School Change

Connecticut School Buildingsand Grounds Association

Cooperative Educational ServicesEASTCONN

EDUCATION CONNECTIONLEARN

Unified School District #1

Aretha Franklin, the great singer andmusician, sang in 1967 about her desire forrespect. Now, we know that she was right –respect is key to happiness.

According to a recent Georgetown Univer-sity study, as reported on outsmartyourbrain.com, one factor that “will make or break aconnection in both personal and professionalrelationships” is respect. Whether or notpeople treat each other with respect willdetermine how well they “cooperate, resolveconflict, and trust each other.”

When it comes to happiness, “feelingrespected” is the strongest predictor of posi-tive feelings – even beating out money.

The Georgetown study was done with20,000 employees from around the world. Itfound that “being treated with respect by theboss was ranked as most important, evenabove recognition, appreciation and beingoffered opportunities for growth.” Givinggood feedback and listening with empathy are“common skills taught in leadership classes,they are rarely combined with the art of con-veying respect.”

However, respect is “the critical factor forin increasing engagement, focus, and priorit-ization, which have a direct effect on results…A disrespectful work environment affectshealth, well-being, and results.”

Respect, according to the article, doesn’tmean that you have to “admire or reveresomeone, but that you appreciate, value, andacknowledge the innate worth of the indivi-dual so he or she feels whole and worthwhilein your presence.” One trying to convey re-spect is helping the other person “feel confi-dent that his voice counts, that her ideas areimportant, and his opinions are significanteven if you don’t agree.”

Real respect means that both feel “eachother is an intelligent, creative, and importantindividual” to build this relationship. In orderfor this to happen, the article suggests youmust:

• Release the need to be right, admired,or to be in control. “When you feel theurge to explain yourself more thanonce, let it go. When you think youknow exactly what is wrong with theother person’s thinking and what he orshe should do next, be curious and askquestions instead of expressing yourjudgment”.

• Be sincere. “Don’t just show respect;feel it.”

• Give respect even if you don’t get it.“Unless the other person is intention-ally trying to psychologically or physi-cally harm you, resist reacting to defen-sive or rude behavior. Model the be-havior you want from them.”

• Periodically check in with yourself.“Monitor your tension level, your emo-tional state, and your focus. Even in themidst of a high-pressure situation, you

can stop and become aware of what youare doing and feeling. Then make aconscious choice to be present to thehuman you are with.”

Respect and Local BoardsHow does this relate to the work of board

members and superintendents?One of the most important roles of all

board members and superintendent, butespecially the chair, is to be understanding ofthe interests of the others on the leadershipteam. All come onto the board for differentreasons. The board chair has the responsibilityof understanding what those reasons are inorder to build an effective board. ProfessorSalacuse taught us in his book, LeadingLeaders, “interests drive actions.” If you don’t

civil way, especially, if you want to be takenseriously. Obviously, respect for employees ofthe school district, members of the communityand everyone you come into contact with, nomatter where they are in the “pecking order”is a trait of an effective member of the leader-ship team.

I am concerned that our civil discourse inthe country has become a series of personalattacks, with little opportunity for thoughtfuldialogue – and little respect for the opinionsof others. As we head into elections, the en-vironment seems to only get worse.

I know board members are better than that.Our democracy needs balanced, reflectivethought—and nowhere is that as important ason our school boards. Boards must be rolemodels to the staff, community and theirstudents.

Willingness, even eagerness to showrespect for others should be a hallmark ofevery board. I hope your board is a goodillustration of that important trait!

“The most effectiveboards don’t just tryto reach consensuson the issues beforethem, but take into

account the opinionsof those who dissent –

why they disagreeand to determine

if changes areappropriate to the

action based on theviews of the dissenters.”

know the interests of the others on the team, itwill be difficult to understand why, for in-stance, a board member will vote a certainway.

Respecting the interests of others, as ex-pressed in their discussion and votes, iscritical for effective, unified board decisionmaking. The most effective boards don’t justtry to reach consensus on the issues beforethem, but take into account the opinions ofthose who dissent – why they disagree and todetermine if changes are appropriate to theaction based on the views of the dissenters.

So, respect for those who dissent, even ifthey are seen as malcontents, is important tothe effectiveness of the board. As I have oftentold board members, if you are going to agreeon everything, then we only need one of you!

Those Who DissentThis idea of respecting others cuts the

other way, too. If you dissent, your argumentsshould be made in a respectful, thoughtful,

"Control is notleadership;

management is notleadership;

leadership is leadership.If you seek to lead, invest at least 50

percent of your time inleading yourself –your own purpose,ethics, principles,

motivation, conduct.Invest at least 20

percent leading thosewith authority over you and 15 percent leading your peers."

– Dee Hock


Board Member Development

Vincent A. Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

The Policy Corner

November is the month formost Connecticut school districtsto elect board of education mem-bers. It is crucial to alwaysremember that even the additionof only one new board memberresults in a new board with dif-ferent needs and operational dy-namics. Team building andleadership skills do not come easyto many individuals who serve onboards of education.

Training is necessary in theskills and knowledge needed tolead a district through the applica-tion of policy and by creating andsustaining meaningful workingrelationships with other boardmembers.

Schools face many new pres-sures today as the context inwhich education operates contin-ues to dramatically evolve due tothe fact that the world is chang-ing. We see the growing andchanging impact of technologyand the way globalization is sign-ificantly affecting our way of life.

Other important changes in-clude our nation’s aging and morediverse population, an economyincreasingly characterized byworldwide interdependence andchanging state demographics.

All of these changes and exter-ior forces place unprecedentedpressures on our local educationalsystems with the need for reformand improved student achieve-ment to meet global challenges.

Districts need to focus closelyon practices that get positive re-sults. Policy helps to focus theefforts of the districts. Boardsneed to devote time to their owndevelopment in order to be betterprepared to lead their districts.

Board members are often elect-ed without real knowledge of whatconstitutes the duties and respon-sibilities of the position. There-fore, training for all school boardmembers is in the best interest ofthe children and education as awhole.

To contribute positively to theboard, to public education and tothe children, a board membermust approach the position will-ing to devote far more energy andtime than the time spent at month-ly board meetings.

At the very least, board membersshould be trained in their funda-mental duties and responsibilities,boardsmanship and professionalethics. The training that boardmembers need is training specific to

functioning as an effective member of thecommunity’s board of education.

The training should also include therecognition of the fine line that separatesthe superintendent and the board. It isnecessary to understand and respect theroles and responsibilities of each and howtogether, the board and superintendentcomprise the district’s leadership team.The integral Role of policy, crucial to theboard’s proper functioning, must beclearly understood and applied.

Training is necessary for the newboard member as well as the boardveteran. New board members, andveteran board members alike, often

struggle with the differences betweentheir interests, assumptions about boardwork and the actual roles and responsi-bilities of the board and superintendent.School board training can dramaticallyreduce the time necessary to bring anewcomer up to speed.

New members often do not understandthe state and federal laws regulatingeducation, the endless array of educa-tional acronyms and abbreviations, issuesconcerning the presence of the public atboard meetings and inquiries from thepress, to name a few problem areas.

Experienced board members needregular opportunities to be brought up-to-date on ever-changing laws and regula-tions and their impact on board policiesand district operation. Veteran boardmembers, with basic knowledge andexperience, can become more effectiveand efficient in leadership and gover-nance of their school districts.

There remains much discussion aboutraising standards, of pushing for betterresults and for higher levels of achieve-ment for each student. This needs to startat the top, at the board level. Boardmembers, like students, must becomeactive, life-long learners. Everyoneinvolved in the education of childrenneeds to be held accountable. This meansproviding training for board of educationmembers.

Board’s self-evaluation enables itsmembers to evaluate performance,decision-making skills, interpersonalrelationships and the ability to communi-cate with many publics. To benefit fromthis process and information, board

members need a plan of action on how toproceed toward developing those areasthat are weak and strengthening those thatneed improvement.

Board development can turn a boardinto an efficient and effective unit that isproactive rather than reactive in planningand into one that understands its roles andresponsibilities and knows how to com-municate effectively.

It is important to understand how touse data correctly in the decision-makingprocess. Board development can turnboards into dynamic decision-makersworking with outstanding superintendents.

Board development requires a commit-

ment that some boards may find difficult orunable to make. They feel that the pressuresof their roles and responsibilities leave themlittle time to do anything but ongoing boardbusiness. Perhaps this is more a problemrelated to terminology.

Board development can take place inmany forms. Attendance at local, state andnational conferences or other educationalforums contributes to the development ofthe board member.

In addition, regular reading of educa-tional journals and magazines and net-working with colleagues on other boardsalso constitutes board developmentactivities. However, while these activitiesare components of board development,they may not always add up to a worth-while board development program.

There needs to be a sincere commit-ment to board development. A plannedand systematic approach to board devel-opment contributes to a more successfulboard. Board members, like teachers,“touch the future.”

Board members also shape the educa-tional futures of all attending the localschools as students and staff. All childrendeserve a school board that is serious,dedicated and willing, as so many are, togo the “extra mile.”

Activities, which can be incorporatedinto school development plans, includeboard evaluation, superintendent evalua-tion, policy review and development,board retreats or workshops, regular dis-cussions of important issues, staff brief-ings on education programs and activities,use of consultants to advise the board,simulated exercises designed to in-crease

understanding of board process andeducational issues, and attendingCABE and NSBA conferences andworkshops.

Webinars now provide anothermeans to address key issues. Thewebsites of professional organizations,such as CABE, CAPSS and CASprovide on their respective websitesarchived previously presented web-inars on numerous topics.

Often boards are questioned orreceive complaints about the cost ofsuch training. Here are some tips forhandling these issues:

• Communicate to the staff and thecommunity how the boardtraining will ultimately benefitthe district’s students.

• Make sure board training is abudget item, just as staff de-velopment is.

• Always be up-front and honestabout board expenses.

• Point out ways the board hasconserved training funds, or savedmoney by applying lessons learn-ed at training events.

• Consider seeking corporatefunding for board training andlet people know about it.

• Capitalize on the training oppor-tunities available through CABE.

There is no one best way to provideorientation to new board members anddevelopment for veteran board mem-bers. However, it is strongly recom-mended as a first step, that boardshave a policy (bylaw) on board mem-ber orientation and board memberdevelopment. Next, boards shouldprovide funds for training activitiesand develop a program to implementthe policy.

Boards that devote time to theirown development are better preparedto lead their districts. Serving on aboard of education is a wonderfuleducation experience.

However, it comes with a steeplearning curve. Board members needto embrace the attitude of continuousimprovement that accompanies atten-tion given to their own learning.

Consider board training as a neededinvestment and make school boardtraining part of your school districtbudget.

Bylaw #9230, “New BoardMember Orientation,” and bylaw#9240, “Board Member Develop-ment,” pertain to this topic. They areavailable upon request from CABE’sPolicy Service.

“Board members need to embrace the attitude ofcontinuous improvement that accompanies attentiongiven to their own learning. Consider board training

as a needed investment and make school boardtraining part of your school district budget.”

See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

The Nutmeg Board negotiates with the Nutmeg Union of TeachersThomas B. Mooney, Esq.Shipman & Goodwin


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.

Negotiations with the Nutmeg Unionof Teachers (NUTS) went better thanusual this year. NUTS did not waste a lotof time trying to usurp managementrights, and it focused instead on thebread-and-butter issues of salary andinsurance.

For its part, the Negotiations Commit-tee of the Nutmeg Board of Educationwas simply looking for more time forteachers to collaborate and otherwisetrying to keep the settlement to a reason-able level. Though negotiations are nevereasy, NUTS and the Board Committeereached an agreement in mediation lateone night shortly before arbitration was tocommence.

The Committee dropped its demandfor additional time and settled the con-tract with NUTS for salary increases ofaround 3.25% each year (including step),increased employee premium costsharing, and a reopener to deal with theCadillac tax.

The Committee met privately with thefull Board before its next meeting todescribe the settlement, and it urged thefull Board to ratify. During that confiden-tial session, the Board members ex-pressed satisfaction with the proposedagreement and thanked the Committee forits good work.

When the Board reached the agendaitem “NUTS Contract ratification” at themeeting that followed, there was nodiscussion and the Board members simplyvoted unanimously to approve the newcontract.

The next day, Nancy Newshound, acereporter for the Nutmeg Bugle, wroteabout the Board meeting with the head-line, “The Fix Was In.” There, shereported that the Board approved theTown’s most costly contract without apeep before the vote, and she took theBoard to task for not having an opendiscussion.

The Board was used to being criti-cized, and it simply went on with itsbusiness. As required by the TeacherNegotiation Act, the Board filed theratified contract with the Town Clerk forthe Town Council to review. However,the Board’s problems with the contractcontinued.

At the next meeting of the NutmegTown Council, Mayor Megillah spoke outvehemently against the contract. “Whatare those people thinking?” he railed.“Under a new law, we are now subject toa budget cap of 2.5%, and this contract is

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over 3%!! How could we ever approvesuch a contract?”

The other members of the TownCouncil nodded in agreement duringMayor Megillah’s rant, and then theychimed in, one after the other, about howthey must reject the contract and send amessage about fiscal responsibility to theBoard of Education.

Sure enough, when the motion wasmade, the Town Council rejected thecontract by a unanimous vote. Then,Mayor Megillah asked for a second vote,this time directing the Board to limit anylast best offers made in arbitration onsalary to an overall cost of 2.5% for eachyear. That motion passed unanimously aswell.

The Nutmeg Board of Education didn’tknow what to do next. Mr. Board Attor-ney advised the Board that by statute itwas required now to go to arbitration.However, when asked how to determinethe issues in dispute, he told them theyhad to negotiate with NUTS over theissues that the parties will take to arbitra-tion.

“Negotiate about arbitration?” BobBombast asked at the strategy session Mr.Chairperson called to get ready for arbit-ration. “That doesn’t make any sense atall.”

Does it?

Actually, this process for determiningthe issues for arbitration does make senseunder these circumstances. When themunicipality rejects a complete contract,the only way to figure out what issues tosubmit to arbitration is for the board ofeducation and the teachers’ union to workthat out through discussion.

In such discussions, neither party canprevent the other from bringing an issueto arbitration. However, neither partywill want to arbitrate on every issue, andthe parties generally agree on a reason-able number of issues to bring to arbitra-tion.

It is clear, however, that the board ofeducation retains control over the issuesthat will be in dispute, as well as the lastbest offers. Under the Teacher Negotia-tion Act, the finance authority has thestatutory right to be heard at the arbitra-tion hearing, and the legislative body hasthe right to reject the arbitration award(by a two-thirds vote).

However, the board of education hasthe sole authority to determine the lastbest offers it will make on any and all ofthe issues in dispute. Accordingly, theTown’s second vote limiting the Board’slast best offers on salary was ineffective.

Apparently, Mayor Megillah urged hiscolleagues to reject the contract based onhis mistaken belief that there is or will bea 2.5% cap on municipal budget in-creases. Such is not the case. Changes toa state statute on municipal revenuesharing made in the last legislative sessionhave been widely misunderstood and

incorrectly described.The statutory changes amend Conn.

Gen. Stat. Section 4-66l, which providesfor a municipal revenue sharing fund forspecified purposes. In the last legislativesession, the General Assembly changedthe way that the fund will be distributed,starting with the 2017-2018 fiscal year.The misconception over a “2.5% cap” isbased on what is supposed to happen in2018-2019.

The amended statute provides that amunicipality will suffer a consequence ifits budget increase year-to-year is largerthan 2.5% or the rate of inflation, what-ever is greater. The statute further pro-vides that the municipality’s share of therevenue sharing fund will be reduced by$0.50 for every dollar by which themunicipality exceeds the cap, startingwith the 2018-2019 fiscal year. However,there are many questions and uncertain-ties.

Right now, it is not clear how muchmoney will be in this fund and be at riskin 2018-2019. Moreover, as written thestatute raises serious questions as toimplementation. Excluded from thecalculation are “expenditures for debtservice, special education, implementa-

tion of court orders or arbitration awards,[or] expenditures associated with a majordisaster or emergency declaration . . . .”

To use this very example, appropria-tions to cover the spending increasesassociated with the NUTS contract wouldcount against the cap if the Town ap-proved the contract, but would be exclud-ed from the cap if the Town rejected thecontract, forcing the parties into arbitra-tion, and then making an appropriation tocover the same increases, which after acontract rejection would be awardedthrough arbitration. Clearly, the GeneralAssembly should give further thought tothis whole statutory construct.

Finally, Nancy Newshound made astory where there was none. It wasperfectly appropriate for the Committeeto meet with the full Board in a privatestrategy session, because “strategy ornegotiations with regard to collectivebargaining” is excluded from the defini-tion of “meeting” under the Freedom ofInformation Act.

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.



On leadership of another type:The army generals

One of my favorite hobbies is reading,primarily history, and often militaryhistories. Not only does a good historyauthor make situations and people fromthe past come alive, there are oftenlessons that can be applied to the present– often as we consider current educationalissues before us.

Thomas E. Ricks’ The Generals,written several years ago, is that kind of abook. It discusses how top AmericanArmy generals since World War II, havemorphed into much different leaders thanwhen we were fighting that war. Most, inRicks’ opinion, do not match up well withthe father of the modern American Army,General George C. Marshall.

General Marshall, known as the“Architect of Victory”, became the U.S.Army Chief of Staff, on September 1,1939— the day Germany invaded Poland.He oversaw the rebuilding of the Armyfrom 197,000 men to, by 1945, 8.3million. But, as Rick’s suggests, it was notall about the numbers, important as thenumbers of men and other resources were– it was getting the right leadership inplace to win the war.

Marshall had strict standards for whohe wanted to lead American forcesfighting the Nazis and Japanese. Helooked for those who had good strength ofcharacter, were good team players and didnot falter, even after demoralizing battles.He was quick to relieve generals andother officers who did not get the jobdone as he expected. There were manysuch “reliefs” during the war – and theextremely rare number of reliefs duringthe Vietnam and Iraqi Wars is one ofRicks’ real peeves.

Other factors in what he expected ofhis generals included how they workedwith civilian leaders. He had a veryprofessional relationship with wartimePresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

While Roosevelt had been AssistantSecretary of the Navy during the FirstWorld War, Marshall made it plain thathe expected to be treated as the “expert”on military affairs. He stood up toRoosevelt when the President wasdismissive of him. But, he was careful tokeep out of politics and other areas, evenwhile maintaining good communicationswith his civilian bosses.

Army leadership changed after WorldWar II, according to Ricks. The Army inKorea was unprepared, underequippedand poorly led for much of that war, andin Vietnam, generals had trouble under-standing the war they were fighting,leading to tactics and strategies that wereovercome by the Viet Cong and NorthVietnamese.

Even when the Americans switchedtactics, such as putting more of a focus oncounterinsurgency and pacification, which

was successful in some cases, generalsdid not embrace the changes.

The Army did not adapt to the condi-tions that were being faced. And, Ricksputs blame for that squarely on theleadership.

But, the Army was so focused onwinning the types of battles they hadprepared for, that they, and civilianleadership, failed to think through whatwould happen “the morning after”. Forexample, two Iraqi wars later, we know

that the U.S. had great success at thebeginning of the wars, but, most of thegenerals (and civilian overseers) againfailed to understand how to successfullyend the wars.

For example, Ricks sees major errorsin how General Norman Schwarzkopfhandled the Iraqi surrender after war(such as letting military helicopters flyover Kurd regions of the country, wherethey slaughtered members of the Kurdpopulation). And, as we know too well,American commanders were painfullyunprepared for the aftermath of the 2003War.

Ricks blames American Army leader-ship in these situations for, first, concen-trating so much on tactics, that is, thewinning of individual battles, that they did

little planning to develop strategies thatwould result in the actual long-termwinning of the wars and securing the typeof peace that were America’s goals.

While solid tactics are critical, we needleaders who will look beyond the ob-stacles and challenges immediately beforethem and think about what happens next.

There are many lessons for those whowill lead our armed forces in the future:first, be willing to cashier generals andother leaders who are not up to the tasks

“need to be educated less on what to thinkand more on how to think – and also onhow to adapt”. Our schools are entering avery difficult period with new exams,revised accountability and certainlystudents who have grown up in the digitalage.

Adaptability and finding how to giveour students the best education possibleand explain expenditures to a populationthat has even fewer children in ourschools is critical.

But, we need leadership that looksbeyond the next school year, the nextelection or the next budget vote. Forexample, the demographics informationwe have been discussing (at the SummerLeadership Conference, my July/Augusteditorial and see page 10) will affect alldistricts – and all must begin to haveconversations as to how they will react.What can we do to make sure our studentsget the best education possible in light ofthese shifts?

We need to be thinking long-term andcoming up with creative solutions todifficult issues. And, we must not turnaway from the challenges we face.

No, we’re not the Army. But, theimportance of what board members andsuperintendents do every day is critical tothe wellbeing of our State and our nation– and the future of us all.

If you’re a military history buff, I urgeyou to read Ricks’ book. Even if you’renot, I urge you to ensure that your boardis thinking strategically, not one or twoyears down the road, but 10 or more, sothat your community is prepared for thechanges you will face.

Robert RaderExecutive Director, CABE

“Never tell people how to do things.Tell them what to do and

they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”– George Patton

assigned, prepare for what will happenafter the war and provide better communi-cations between the military and civilianleadership – including empowering themilitary to stand up when it needs moreclarity in goals, more resources anddifferent strategies.

Lessons for board membersand superintendents

I understand that how the militaryoperates is a far cry from how a schooldistrict operates. It operates under verydifferent rules and has very differentgoals.

Similarly, we need to have leaders,both board members and superintendents,who, as Ricks discusses about generals,


Workshop on supporting LGBT: Support All StudentsWith the new Supreme Court

ruling on gay marriages andmuch discussion across thecountry on providing equality togay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-gender individuals, CABE, CAS(representing principals) andCAPSS held a workshop onOctober 5th on helping supportLGBT students.

The approximately 70 peoplein attendance, including boardmembers, principals, assistantprincipals, coaches, athleticdirectors, teachers and others,first heard from Pat Griffin,Founding Director of Changingthe Game. She defined languagecritical to understanding LGBTyouth (and adults).

For example, “sexual orienta-tion” refers to an individual’ssexual attraction for others;“gender”, which is how peopleidentify themselves; “trans-gender”, when the gender of theperson doesn’t match how they

were born; “cisgender”, whenthe person’s gender identity isconsistent with the gender atbirth.

Dr. Griffin spoke about sportsculture, where the tradition ofbullying or hazing is consideredpart of game. Often, genderstereotyping is associated withsports participation, such as thatwomen athletes are seen asmasculine and gay men may beconsidered too soft and nottough enough for the activity.She noted that locker rooms andteams are “gendered”, that is, wehave male and female teams, andin some cases, this can lead tobullying. Coaches have specialrelationships with students andhave opportunity to have aninfluence on them to teachstudents that bullying and hazingare not appropriate.

She also noted that k-12athletics and physical educationare a core part of elementary and

secondary school experiencesand all students have the right tobe treated fairly. When a studentis bullied or hazed, they do notcompete at their best and it reallyis the responsibility of athletesand coaches to ensure students“bring all of themselves tocompetition.”

Unfortunately, she said, manyLGBT students perceive playingfields and locker rooms, asunsafe places. So, they are halfas likely as their peers to be insports.

Over a quarter of LGBTstudents who go out for sportshave been harassed or assaultedbecause of their sexual orienta-tion. And, according to the Gay,Lesbian and Straight EducationNetwork (GLSEN), of all adultsin school, LGBT students feltphys ed teachers and coaches arethe hardest adults to talk to abouttheir concerns. However, LGBTstudents who take part in sports

have higher self-esteem, higherGPAs and a greater sense ofbelonging.

The next speaker, MichellePincince, Connecticut ProjectDirector of the Anti-DefamationLeague’s AWORLD OF DIF-FERENCE® Institute, noted thatprejudice against LGBT studentsoften takes two forms: silenceand abuse. She challengededucators to break the silenceand respond to the abuse.

Upon seeing harassment, evenstudents saying things like“that’s so gay”, adults should notignore it, excuse it, or be immob-ilized by fear, since silence sendsa strong message. Educatorsshould stop the behavior andeducate. Building an inclusiveclimate is critical for every stu-dent because these issues affectALL of our students.

A panel, including the twoearlier speakers, BranfordSuperintendent Hamlet Hernan-

dez, Lewis Mills High School(Region 10) Principal PamLazaroski and two Lewis MillsHigh School students, as well asCABE’s Deputy Director andGeneral Counsel PatriceMcCarthy, then discussed issuesthey have faced concerning theseissues. The two students wereparticularly articulate, giving theaudience a taste of what it waslike to be LGBT students inpublic school.

Here is a link to a recordingof the workshop:https://youtu.be/zlpG0kCF2PAor go to the CABE homepagewww.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1319&newsid=28.

Other resources mentioned inthe workshop include:• Changing the Game website

(http://changingthegameproject.com/)

• The GLSEN website (https://www.glsen.org/)

• TRANSATHLETE.COM andYOUCANPLAYPROJECT.ORG,which are websites for highschool sports

• www.ADL.org – Check outADL’s Current Events

Classroom for free lessonplans.

• A CABE Policy, #5145.53Transgender Youth and Non-conforming Youth, is avail-able upon request.


The GLSEN Safe Space Kit is available for download for free at glsen.org/safespace.



to order the FOIA book go to theCABE Online Bookstore at: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1256

Available from The CABE Bookstore!Excellent book for New Board Members

Understanding the ConnecticutFreedom of Information Act

andAccess to Public Meetings

and Records- Fourth Edition

Written by:Mark J. Sommaruga, Esq.Pullman & Comley, LLC

Since 2010, Connecticut has providedintensive support for turnaround efforts inConnecticut’s thirty lowest performingdistricts, known as Alliance Districts. Al-liance district grantsprovide millions ofdollars of fundingannually to the state’sthirty lowest perform-ing school districts.Alliance districts areboth large and small,urban and rural.

Collectively, thedistricts serve overtwo hundred thousandstudents in 400schools. In addition,Priority School Dis-trict grants provideadditional funding to support the educa-tional efforts of thirteen alliance schooldistricts with the highest academic need.Priority district need is based on a varietyof academic and socio-economic factors.Focus is also given to school level turn-around efforts through the EducationCommissioner’s Network of Schools.

Using a turnaround framework focus-ing on Talent; Academics; Culture/Climate; and Organizational Effective-ness, the Connecticut State Department ofEducation requires turnaround plans fromdistricts receiving supplemental funding.The Department provides technical assist-ance, monitoring, and professional devel-opment resources at convenings heldthroughout the year.

For the eighteen Network schools, thefocus and support is even more intensive,as illustrated by the story of John B. Stan-ton Elementary School in Norwich, asmall city of forty thousand located inEastern Connecticut. The Norwich SchoolDistrict identified as both a ConnecticutAlliance District and a Connecticut Pri-ority School District. Stanton is one ofeight elementary schools in the city.

John B. Stanton ElementarySchool, Norwich, Connecticut

In August of 2012, Stanton ElementarySchool was selected as one of the originalfour Commissioner of Education’s Net-work Schools. Like all network schools,the Stanton leaders established a Turn-around Committee of local stakeholders(teachers, parents, leaders, and commu-nity members) to develop, support, andmonitor an ambitious but attainableSchool Turnaround Plan. All networkschools receive substantial funding tosupport their turnaround plan for the firstthree to five years.

For Stanton School, the Commission-er’s network support provided additionalhuman resources, technology tools and

• Commitment to systematic sharedleadership practices, resulting ina strong and committed team ofedu-cators striving toward thesame vision;

• Targeted, high-qualityprofessional development aimedat general edu-cationinstructional practices as well asspecialized instruction for highpercentages of English learn-ersand special educationpopulations;

• Implementation of full-daykinder-garten across the district,focusing on early literacy andnumeracy;

• Implementation of the “workshopmodel” of instruction in reading,writing, and mathematics increas-ing differentiation and elevatingthe level of instructional rigor;

• Addition of academicintervention-ists to ensure fidelityof tiered in-struction targeted toindividual needs occurring insmall groups or with individualsas part of the Scientific ResearchBased Intervention (SRBI)process;

• Addition of full-time schoolsocial workers and psychologistsat each building to meet thesocial, emotional, and behavioralneeds of students through pre-vention and proactive approachesas well as implementing the indi-vidualized education plans (IEPs)of special education students;

• Addition of family liaisons toeffectively facilitate wrap aroundservices, assisting families incrisis due to stressful socio-economic conditions includinghomelessness;

• Purposeful investment in tech-nology infrastructure for wirelessnetworks capable of supporting a1:1 student/ technology ratio;

• Investment in a thoughtful com-bination of student technologytools that integrate seamlesslyinto daily instruction

Connecticut’s Turnaround Districts and theCommissioner’s Network of Schools

seriously-needed facility upgrades whichwere necessary to successfully implementmultiple operational and instructionalreforms aimed at school improvement.With turnaround school and districtfunding, Stanton Elementary School hasbuilt capacity among teachers and leaders

and has established best practices.The district simultaneously expands

upon the success of Stanton by sharing amodel of improvement systems across allschools, maintaining consistency andmaximizing on lessons learned.

Through exceptional school basedleadership, with the guidance and direc-tion of the Norwich Public SchoolDistrict’s Central Office administration,

Stanton School’sTurnaround

Plan for Successand Board of Education, Stanton Schoolhas achieved and sustained a level ofsuccess because they have embraced theCommissioner’s Network as a truepartnership with the Connecticut StateDepartment of Education (CSDE).

Indicators of success include a threeyear student dailyattendance rate of95%; a 97% teacherdaily attendance ratelast year; and a fiftypercent drop instudent suspensions(both out-of-schooland in-schoolsuspensions)attributable to theuse of proactiveapproaches improv-ing students’ social,emotional, and

behavioral functioning.Lastly, academic indicators in reading

and mathematics showed gains last yearwith a six percent rise in the number ofstudents at benchmark in reading at end ofyear.

In mathematics, the rise was even moreimpressive with a gain of 16% morestudents at benchmark by the end of the2014-15 school year.

Ellen CohenDeputy Commissioner, SDE

“ This is the 4th year that we have partneredwith SDE for Stanton Network and the 2nd for

Uncas Network School. The work we have donetogether has had a positive impact on our staff,students, families, and community. We are very

appreciative of their continued support. “Abby I. Dolliver

Superintendent, Norwich


If you will be attending your firstCABE/CAPSS Convention later thismonth, WELCOME! CABE is yourAssociation, and we are confident youwill leave the Convention with a wealth ofinformation to help you face thechallenges of being a school boardmember. Here are a few hints for gettingthe most from the Convention.

• Read Convention materials. Readthe Convention registration bookthat you either received in the mailor if you are newly elected, fromyour superintendent. When youarrive at the Convention be sure toread the Convention program andother handouts in your Conventionbag, as well Late Breaking Newswhich will be available atConvention registration.

• Download the Convention app toyour mobile device. The app is fullof information you need before,during and after theConvention. Youmay scan the belowQR code todownload the app:

• Be on time. We value your time.

Unless something unavoidablehappens, Convention GeneralSessions, workshops and mealfunctions start and end on time. Wedo not assign seating at any of thesesessions, so be sure to arrive a littleearly to reserve a spot that iscomfortable for you.

• Don’t be shy! Introduce yourself toothers in attendance. You will findthem to be valuable resources foryou both at the Convention and inthe future. Chances are, whateverchallenges you are facing on yourschool board, one or more of yourfellow CABE members have beenthere before. To meet as manypeople as possible, be sure to attendthe New Board Member receptionbefore dinner and the after dinnerreception, both on Friday.

• Introduce yourself to CABE staffand the board of directors. If thestaff or members of CABE’s boardof directors don’t find you first,please introduce yourself to them.You will see them throughout theConvention space and they will beidentified by ribbons reading“Board of Directors” or “Staff”.Please don’t hesitate to ask forassistance.

• Check out the exhibit hall. Morethan 50 exhibitors will be in theConvention exhibit hall. Theirsupport of the Convention and ofpublic education is greatlyappreciated. Take some time to visitthe exhibitors to see what they haveto offer.

• Ask questions. Don’t worry aboutasking “rookie” questions. Many ofthe most important issues facingpublic education today are raised bynew members who are taking a freshlook at situations confronting ourschools.

• Complete your Conventionworkshop evaluations and theoverall Convention evaluation. TheCABE/CAPSS ConventionCommittee values your commentsand reviews all the feedbackreceived. Please complete theConvention workshop evaluationsvia the Convention app. (See aboveto download app.) The overallConvention evaluation will be sentto you on the Monday following theConvention. Please take severalmoments to complete this.

· • Take home what you learn. CABEencourages school board membersattending the Convention to report at

your next boardmeeting what youhave learned at theConvention, to anyof your fellowboard membersand key staff whocouldn’t attend.Sharing what youlearned will helpyour team grow.Enclosed in yourConventionmaterials aresample pressreleases for yourdistrict to use.

• CABE is YOURAssociation.Above all, knowthat CABE is yourAssociation. CABEis passionate aboutstrengtheningpublic education toinspire success foreach child throughhigh-performing,transformativelocal leadershipteams comprised of schoolboards and superintendents.

Enjoy the CABE/CAPSS Convention!

Tips for First Time CABE/CAPSS Convention AttendeesLisa SteimerSenior Staff Associatefor Professional Development, CABE

The demographic landscape inConnecticut is approaching a transforma-tional period, one with an increasinglyolder resident population while severalareas experiencing a decrease in thenumber of children born each year. As thedemographics shift within the state, theneed for longitudinal data to examinetrends and to plan for the future isimperative.

To assist state agencies, organizations,schools, and the public with accessingdata for planning, analysis, and informeddecision making, the Connecticut StateData Center (CTSDC) is available toassist users with locating and utilizingdata from state and federal datasets.

The CTSDC also develops populationprojections for Connecticut at the State,Regional Planning Organization, County,and Town levels to provide users acrossthe state with projected populations to2025. With a focus on providing access todata without interpretation, the CTSDCcollaborates with organizations across thestate to provide increased public access todata and provides a series of tools anddatasets to users to enable discovery ofdata.

During the summer of 2015, the

CTSDC developed the DemographicChange in Connecticut School Districtsdashboard (http://s.uconn.edu/2pc) toprovide schools with the ability to quicklyview a historic, current, and projecteddata by town and/or school district easily.

This dashboard includes data from theU.S. Census Bureau’s Decennial Censusand American Community Survey (ACS),the Connecticut Department of Education,and the Connecticut State Data Centerand provides a quick yet in-depth view ofa number of data of the school agepopulation.

By examining the DemographicChange in Connecticut School Districtsdata it is projected that 16 school districtsin Connecticut are projected to have anincrease in school-aged residents while150 districts are projected to remainstable or experience a decline in schoolage population.

A decline in the 5-19 years of agepopulation has been experienced previ-ously in Connecticut in 1990 when thepopulation was 614,957 and in 2025 theCTSDC’s population projections indicatethe 5-19 population will be around614,060.

The decline in the school age popula-tion has been years in the making withConnecticut having a consistently lowfertility rate, with the 4th lowest fertility

rate in the nation in 20131.This low birth rate, the state ranking

32nd among states for mobility in 20132, astatistic which highlights migration fromone state to another, and Connecticut’sforeign born population under 18 years ofage population ranking 12th in the nationat 3.8%3, each of these datasets indicatesa stable to declining school age popula-tion for Connecticut.

The projected growth in 5-19 years ofage population in Connecticut based onthe CTSDC’s 2025 projections areBridgeport, Danbury, Derby, EastWindsor, Hamden, Manchester,Middletown, New Britain, New Haven,Norwalk, Norwich, Plainville, RockyHill, Stamford, Vernon, and Willing-ton4. One of the limitations in utilizing theCTSDC’s population projections forschool districts is that the projections arebased on town projections and do not takeinto account school choice and otherdynamics which could further alter thispicture.

The CTSDC will be updating thepopulation projections in 2016 and willbe exploring options to further refine theprojections for the 5-19 years of agepopulation.

With a state becoming increasinglydiverse, an aging population, and withlow birth rates, each town in Connecticut

is projected to experience change in thenext 10 years.

This change did not occur overnightbut is part of a 40 plus year demographicshift and by using historical, current, andprojections data, towns and schools canplan, analyze and make data informeddecisions. As school and towns exploredata, the Connecticut State Data Centeris available to assist with identifying dataneeds, potential sources, and providingaccess to the data needed.

(Footnotes)1 National Vital Statistics Reportsv.64:no.1 January 15, 2015, U.S.Department of Health and HumanServices, Centers for Disease Controland Prevention/National Center forHealth Statistics2 Table B07003: Geographical Mobilityin the Past Year by Sex for CurrentResidence in the United States, 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates U.S. Census Bureau3 Table B05003: Sex by Age by Nativityand Citizenship Status, 2009-2013American Community Survey 5-YearEstimates U.S. Census Bureau4 2015-2025 Population Projections forConnecticut, November 1, 2012,Connecticut State Data Center.

Connecticut’s Changing 5-19 Years of Age PopulationMichael HowserConnecticut State Data Center Director


CABE-Meeting is a user-friendly online service offered by CABEspecifically for school boards. Users can eliminate unnecessary pa-perwork, increase efficiency and reduce costs while enabling boardmembers to utilize the latest in cutting edge technology. Using CABE-Meeting, the Meeting Manager can create an electronic meeting fromdeveloping the agenda to creating the minutes and everything in be-tween.

CABE-Meeting

The Media Messagefrom Ann Baldwin, Baldwin Media Marketing, LLC

Good News Stories are PossibleI am often asked, “What will it take for the news

media to cover some good news in our district?” Theanswer is a good story, relationships and persistence.

I was absolutely thrilled to have been a part of twogreat news stories recently that involved RegionalSchool District No. 6 and Cromwell Public Schools.

In late September, students from Wamogo RegionalHigh School’s Culinary Arts Program were featured ona weekend cooking segment at NBC Connecticut.

During a visit to the school, I was extremelyimpressed with the program, in which these culinary

students actually prepare recipes and meals based on theproducts that they are growing on the Wamogo Campusas part of their curriculum and thought that it would be aperfect fit for an NBC Connecticut cooking segment.

I pitched the story to the station as a “Farm to Table”piece and they loved it! Three weeks later, JamieFischer and four of his culinary students (after a lot ofpreparation and practice) were live in the NBC Connecti-cut kitchen whipping up their butternut squash andpumpkin ravioli recipes. To watch the segment, you cango to: https://youtu.be/GgRoGPsehQE

The adventure for Wamogo’s students didn’t stopthere. Following their fantastic appearance, the students,some of their parents and their principal were also in-vited to go into the news studio and experience whatgoes on behind the scenes of a live news broadcast. Onestudent on his way out called the experience, “priceless”.

The other good news story comes from Cromwell,where a soldier, who had been deployed for 10 months,came to Edna C. Stevens Elementary School to surprisehis 1st grade son, who had no idea that his dad was com-ing home for a surprise three week visit, until he poppedout of the Channel 3 Weather Tracker and into his sonsarms for a tearful embrace. From there it was off toWoodside Intermediate School, where his son who wasin the middle of a reading assignment, looked up to seehis father and television cameras coming through the

Cullinary Arts Teacher, Jamie Fischer and his studentsfrom Wamogo Reigonal High School at NBC Connecticut.

door unexpectedly. His reaction was one of jubilationand tears of joy.

To see this story that aired on WFSB Channel 3, goto: http://www.wfsb.com/story/30268134/emotions-run-high-as-cameras-capture-reunion-between-sailor-son-in-cromwell

Chief Petty Officer Ned Deshong surprises son Lucas atEdna C. Stevens School in Cromwell, CT after beingdeployed for 10 months.

What will the ConnecticutOnline Policy Service

(C.O.P.S.)provide YOUR district?

• A policy manual updated within days of aboard meeting.

• Access to your policy manual 24/7 any-where with Internet capability.

• Timesaving links to legal and cross refer-ences.

• A search engine specifically designed forboard policy manuals.

• The ability to search other online districtsfor similar policies or language.

• A happier staff that will have less paper to deal with.

If you would like additional information on CABE’s Connecticut OnlinePolicy Service (C.O.P.S.), call Vincent Mustaro at 860-571-7446 or [email protected] for full details.

Let the CABE staffmake your policy life easier.

Your Subscription Provides:• Access to CABE-Meeting• Initial and ongoing training• Support and maintenance• Upgrades to the service

CABE Member Subscription Info:Initial Subscription Fee – $3,000Annual Maintenance Fee – $1,500

If you have an interest in this service, contactLisa Steimer at 860-571-7446 or [email protected].

CABE-Meeting Offers:• Secure login access for board and district staff• Access from any location with Internet access• Search archived agenda and meeting related items in a flash.• Ability to download and print attachments• Option to provide a public link to board meeting information


The Professional Governance BoardGary Brochu, Chair, Berlin Board of Education

Practice makes perfect. Or so wewere told throughout our childhood byparents, teachers and coaches. Thelesson imparted was a simple, butvaluable one. That expertise is not agift or birthright, but is acquiredthrough effort and application. This isnot just true for math or basketball orplaying the piano, but also holds truefor any worthwhile endeavor, such asservice on a professional governanceboard.

Service on a board of education ischallenging, requiring familiarity withprocedural rules, knowledge ofeducational trends, awareness of localconditions and student performance,and an understanding of what isrequired for professional governance.

To simply expect that individualswill come to governance boards withthis skill set, or that they will naturallyand inevitability pick up the requiredknowledge and understanding duringtheir service is, at best, optimistic and,at worst, unrealistic. In order to ensurethat a legacy of professional gover-nance is created and maintained, moreis required, such as a thoughtful,

on a governance board, as opposed tomerely sitting on one.

There are a number measures thatboards of education can utilize to providevaluable learning opportunities to theirnew members. Boards can offer opportu-nities to attend training opportunities

provided by CABE and other organiza-tions; boards can provide formal orienta-tion to candidates for office and newmembers; candidates for office can beinvited to attend board meetings and tourdistrict schools; and training materials,such as a board member handbook, can beshared with and explained to new mem-bers. These are just some ways that

boards of education can ensure thatnew members are prepared to posi-tively contribute to the work of theboard upon being sworn in.

While there is flexibility as to themethods used by governance boardsto provide orientation and training toits members, there should be noflexibility as to whether training andprofessional development are essentialelements of a professional governanceboard.

A culture of professionalism is notcasually acquired, and a legacy ofgood governance is an investment thatmust be continually made and remade.One of the best ways for a board ofeducation to communicate its commit-ment to professional governance is toreach out to prospective members ofthe board and extend learning oppor-tunities to them, letting them knowthat service on the board of educationbrings with it a responsibility tocommit to continual learning.

Like any worthwhile endeavor,professional governance comes at thecost of focus and effort. An invest-ment well worth making, as practicedoes indeed make perfect.

Orienting Your Board for Successfocused program to acclimate new boardmembers and train existing members.

Every professional governance boardshould make the training of its boardmembers a priority. Such a commitmentto a comprehensive orientation plan fornew members provides numerous

benefits. With meaningful orientationnew members can quickly becomecomfortable with Board procedures andprotocols, learn about board values andgoals, understand the parameters andfocus of the work of the Board, and beprepared to make meaningful contribu-tions to the work of the school district. Insum, it’s the difference between serving

“One of the best ways for a board of education tocommunicate its commitment to professional

governance is to reach out to prospectivemembers of the board and extend learning

opportunities to them, letting them know thatservice on the board of education brings with it aresponsibility to commit to continual learning.”

(continued from page 1)“The goals of this meeting are focused

on addressing any initial questions orconcerns by the newly elected members,”said McKay.

“Additionally, it is an opportunity forus to introduce the general guidelines ofthe Wallingford BOE, confirm all meetingschedules, introduce our strategic plan,and budget process to name a few,” sheadded.

“All concerns and questions by thenewly elected BOE members are encour-aged to be discussed and answered by thesuperintendent and/or BOE leadership atthis meeting. If additional concerns orquestions arise, additional meeting(s) canbe held accordingly.”

All newly elected Wallingford BOEmembers are also added to the maildistribution list for all relevant informa-tion and correspondence for the BOE,which includes all public meetingschedules and general information from/tothe BOE, as disseminated by centraloffice staff, as well as from the boardchair and public at large, according toMcKay, who noted that board membersget the choice of receiving their corre-spondence by either email or the BOEcourier service.

All newly elected BOE members inWallingford are encouraged to attend allpublic BOE meetings until they areofficially sworn in (for 2015 electionsthat will be in January 2016).

The Wallingford BOE also reinforcesto all newly elected BOE members that

the school board is a collaborative groupof individuals, explained McKay. “AsBoard Chair, I encourage all questions,comments and concerns by BOE mem-bers to be expressed openly and respect-fully,” she noted. “The overarching goalis to integrate this freshman group intothe incumbent BOE membership asquickly as possible.”

In Bloomfield Board of Education

Chairman Donald Harris said that newboard members in his district receive anumber of invitations to get them accli-mated to their new position, including aninvite to attend the pre-electionCABEworkshop, “So you want to become aBoard Member?;” an invitation to attend

the annual CABE/CAPSS Convention inNovember; and an invitation to attend theCABE New Board Member Orientation inDecember. In addition, many e-mails,telephone calls and text messages areexchanged, said Harris.

According to Vincent A. Mustaro,CABE’s Senior Staff Associate for PolicyServices, the two most important docu-ments new board members need to be

aware of are their board’s policy manualand budget.

“That’s because the policy manual sayswhat the board wants to see happen andthe budget is where it puts the resourcesto those policies,” said Mustaro.

Mustaro also stressed the importanceof new board members getting familiarwith their BOE’s bylaws. “In the policymanual, the very first section they need tobecome very well aware of is the bylaws,because obviously very quickly they aregoing to be immersed in meetings of theboard and the bylaws determine themanner in which the board operates, sothat’s where they’ve got to start,” contin-ued Mustaro.

New board members should alsoclosely examine their district’s visionstatement. “What is stated there for themission? Look at the goals that have beenestablished because by statute there needsto be a policy pertaining to district goals,”added Mustaro.

And always remember that: “A boardis a policy making body – that’s itsprimary function,” said Mustaro. “Policyis the basis of the district’s operation; it isused for public relations, as a means formaking decisions, and probably mostimportantly, it is an accountability tool.”

Boards are set to welcome new members

“. . . always remember that: ‘A board is a policymaking body – that’s its primary function,’. . . .‘Policy is the basis of the district’s operation;

it is used for public relations, as a meansfor making decisions, and probably mostimportantly, it is an accountability tool.’ ”


Welcome To

School Board Service

Roles and Responsibilities

Legal Requirements

and Advocacy

Policy

Save the Date!

2015 CABE New Board Member

Orientation/Leadership Workshop

Common Mistakes

December 9, 2015 | 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM

Sheraton South Hotel, Rocky Hill


CABE: working for YOUIndividualized Workshops • Professional Development Opportunities

Legal Services • Policy Services • Representing You Statewide and Nationally

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

➤ By representing Connecti-cut school boards on thestate or national level:

• Represented boards of education atPerformance Evaluation AdvisoryCouncil (PEAC).

• Hosted and participated in Birth toThree Leaders meeting.

• Attended Anti-Defamation LeagueBoard of Directors meeting and event.

• Facilitated Connecticut Society ofAssociation Executives (CSAE) studygroup for Certified AssociationExecutive (CAE) exam.

• Hosted two Big 6 (CABE, CAPSS,CAS, CBIA, CCER, ConnCAN)meetings.

• Provided Legislative update at CRECCouncil meeting.

• Participated in Mastery ExaminationReview Committee

• Participated in panel discussion onConnecticut Core Standards andStatewide Testing sponsored by theSherman Board of Education

• Participated in High School Gradua-tion Requirements Task Forcemeetings.

• Participated in Connecticut Associa-tion of Schools Board of Directorsmeeting.

• Attended Connecticut Education

Foundations annual conference.• Presented at LGBT Workshop.• Attended Connecticut Financial

Literacy Summit.• Met with Executive Director and

others of the Graustein MemorialFund on working together.

• Participated in LEAD ConnecticutPartners meeting.

• Participated in CAPSS’ NEXTEd2meeting.

• Took part in meeting of the State’sChild Emergency PreparednessCommittee.

• Participated in meeting of theConnecticut Coalition for PublicEducation.

• Spoke at Connecticut Council forEducation Reform (CCER) confer-ence on boards working with town/city officials.

• Attended meeting pertaining tochanging state demographics.

• Staffed CABE information table atSDE’s Family Engagement Confer-ence.

• Attended meeting of the CAPSSTechnology Committee.

➤ By providing opportunitiesfor members to learn howto better govern theirdistricts:

• Facilitated a Roles and Responsibili-ties workshop with the PlymouthBoard of Education.

• Provided policy information to 26districts, one out-of-state schoolboard association and two stateagencies through 38 answeredrequests for information or samplepolicies, on 35 topics. Further,districts continue to access CABE’sonline Core Policy Reference Manualand/or online manuals posted byCABE for policy samples. The topicsof greatest interest included sexualabuse/assault, graduation require-ments, restraint and seclusion,physical exercise and discipline,transportation and student issuesrelated to health.

• Planned, implemented and hostedthree Board of Education candidatesworkshops in Hartford, Hamdenand Old Lyme.

• Met with Winchester Receiver RobTravaglini.

• Met with Michael Howser and SteveBatt of the Connecticut State DataCenter on demographics

• Sponsored and participated inconference on Supporting LGBTstudents with CAS and CAPSS.

• Planned, implemented and attendedLegal Issues 2015 workshop.

➤ By providing servicesto meet members needs:

• Entered into an agreement with EastHampton to conduct an audit of thedistrict’s current policy manual.

• Trending legal topics were: accom-modations for transgender students,personnel and medical records,academic pay-to-play, regulatingsocial media speech, minimizingliability for concussions, and bargain-ing to avoid the “Cadillac Tax.”

• Currently in process of completingthe audit of the Fairfield districtpolicy manual.

• Staffed the CABE NominatingCommittee.

• As part of the Customized PolicyUpdate Service materials were sent toAnsonia, Columbia, East Hampton,East Windsor, Franklin, GilbertSchool, Marlborough, NewFairfield, New Hartford,Newington, North Stonington,Putnam, Region 6, Sterling, WestHaven, Westbrook, Windham andUnion Boards of Education.

➤ By ensuring membersreceive the most up-to-date communications:

• As part of the development of newpolicy manuals utilizing the CustomPolicy Service, materials wereprepared for Ellington, New Lon-don, North Haven, Plymouth,Portland, Region 14, Ridgefield,Wallingford, Wethersfield andWindsor Locks Boards of Educa-tion.

• Met with the Superintendents of NewLondon and Windsor Locksregarding the development of newdistrict policy manuals.

• Completed draft of the Policy UpdateService publication for the Novem-ber mailing.

• Met with Baldwin Media to discussdeveloping videos on issues ofinterest to board members.

➤ By helping school boardsto increase studentachievement

• Sent out two issues of Policy High-lights via email listserv coveringtopics that affect student achieve-ment. This included bullying,homework, and nicotine deliverysystems.

• Met with representatives of the StateDepartment of Education on theLighthouse initiative.

• Participated in Lighthouse trainingwith the Shelton Board of Education.

➤ By promotingpublic education:

• Participated in Connecticut Mirrorevent on education-related issues,such as integration.

Atlantic Magazine printed an articleon August 27th, describing results whenresearchers tried to “determine thetypes of workers who are most prone todepression.” Usually, researchers focuson those at the bottom of the hierarchi-cal ladder at companies, due to theirdecreased control over their work en-vironment, menial duties and less pay.

Actually, “middle managers have itmuch worse,” according to research ledby doctoral candidate Seth Prins(CABE Secretary Treasurer JohnPrins’s son). The Columbia Universitystudy of nearly 22,000 full-time work-ers found that “18 percent of supervi-sors and managers reported symptomsof depression”, while for blue collarworkers, the figure was 12% and “forowners and executives it was only 11percent.”

So, why do middle managers have itso tough – and what could be the im-

plications for school districts?The article states that middle managers

occupy what is called a “contradictory-class position: while they receive “higherwages and more autonomy than the work-ers they manage… they earn less thantheir superiors and don’t get to make bigdecisions.” They often have to enforcepolicies sent down from the top, withoutnecessarily having a say in what they areand enforce them on subordinates whomight not agree with them.

So, in a school district, who would beconsidered “middle management”? Itmight be principals or department heads,who, for example, may find that they areoften “caught” between the central officeand teachers.

I asked CAS Executive DirectorKarissa Niehoff whether she believedthat these results were consistent with herunderstanding of how principals felt. Herresponse was that principals “acknowl-

edge their role as middle managementbut they get frustrated knowing that theyhave the responsibility for improvingschool performance but demands fromconflicting outside interests often limittheir capacity to exercise discretionaryauthority and professional judgment…When they are consulted by those abovethem, they feel trusted and valued.

But, this remains a difficult aspect ofthe job of any principal.”

The article suggested that solidaritywith others in the same situation andsocial support may be helpful in alle-viating some of these negative aspectsof being middle managers. In addition,it would seem that becoming membersof communities of practice with othersfacing similar issues might be one wayto maintain the morale of these impor-tant staff members.


Study: Middle managers suffermore depression than others


Now is thetime to book

your nextboard retreat

or trainingsession!

With school board electionscoming for most school districts thisyear, it is important to remember toschedule your board workshops withCABE staff as soon as possible.

We encourage you to sign up yournew board members for our NewBoard Member training session onDecember 9.

You may also be looking toschedule a workshop for the wholeboard. Whether it is goal setting, rolesand responsibilities, or a boardretreat, this fall and winter promise tobe a very busy season.

We encourage you to lock in yourdates as soon as possible. To learnhow CABE trainers can provide yourboard with professional development,or to schedule a meeting, contact NickCaruso, Senior Staff Associate forField Service and Coordinator ofTechnology ([email protected])

For an update or more infor-mation on vacanciesgo to our website:www.cabe.org

Call CABEfor your

searches!

For more information contact,CABE Search Services,

860-539-7594Mary Broderick,

Senior Search ConsultantPaul Gagliarducci,

Associate ConsultantJacqueline V. Jacoby,

Senior Search ConsultantBob King,

Associate ConsultantP.O. Box 290252,

Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252www.cabe.org/support

Equal Opportunity Employers

CABESearch

Services

For nearly a quarter of a centuryeducation policy has focused on closingthe achievement gap between traditionallydisadvantaged students and their moreadvantaged peers. During this time periodthere have been numerous studies focusedon quantifying such gaps and identifyingthe causes in the hopes that such findingswill enable policymakers to make in-formed decisions about policies to narrowsuch gaps. Yet, the impact of the racialcomposition of schools on the achieve-ment gap has not garnered much attentionfrom researchers.

A recent report from the U.S. Depart-ment of Education’s National Center forEducation Statistics (NCES) sheds newlight on this important topic.

Specifically, the report asks the ques-tion: Does the percent of black studentsenrolled in a school impact the achieve-ment gap between black and whitestudents? Sounds like a straightforwardquestion but the answer is far from clearas you will see. Specifically the reportfound:• White students attend school with few

black students.• White students attend schools whose

enrollment is typically 9 percent black

• Black student attend schools whoseenrollment is typically 48 percent black

• Schools with the densest enrollment ofblack students – schools whose enroll-ment is between 60 and 100 percentblack – were mostly likely to be foundin the south and in large cities.

• Both black and white 8th grade studentswho were enrolled in high black stu-dent density schools scored lower onthe NAEP math assessment than thoseenrolled in low black density schools- 0to 20 percent black enrollment.

• The achievement gap between blackand white students did not significantlydiffer depending on the black studentdensity of the school.

• Gaps narrowed between black andwhite students when researchers tookinto account the student’s socioeco-nomic status, and other student, teach-er, and school characteristics but largegaps still remained.

• Gaps were largest in the highest blackstudent density schools than the lowestblack student density schools evenwhen taking other student and schoolcharacteristics into account.

• The black/white achievement gap hasmore to do with differences withinschools than differences between them.

So what exactly do these finding tellus? For one, they tell us that even thoughBrown v. Board of Education was decidedover 60 years ago black students still tendto go to school with mostly black studentsand white students tend to go to schoolwith mostly white students.

NSBA Center for Public Education:A different view on the achievement gap

Save the Date!An opportunity for CABE member boards of education

to have a voice in the Legislative process.

CABE Delegate AssemblyThursday, November 19, 2015

2:30 pm Registration | 3:00 - 6:00 pm Delegate AssemblyMystic Marriott Hotel, Groton

Second, even though math scores forboth white and black students tend todecrease as the proportion of blackstudents in schools increase, the achieve-ment gap remains basically the same.

Third, when comparing similar stu-dents attending similar schools theachievement gap widens as the share ofblack students enrolled in a schoolincreases.

Finally, although differences betweenschools, such as funding, contribute to theachievement gap, differences within aschool contribute more to perpetuatinggaps.

What does this mean for policy-makers? There are no clear answers butfocusing on desegregating schools wouldbe a step in the right direction, although itisn’t nearly enough to close achievementgaps. The same can be said about ensur-ing there is an equitable distribution offunding and quality teachers amongschools. While important, this reportshows that such resources should be dis-tributed more equitably within a school toimprove the performance of its black stu-dents and close achievement gaps.

The report doesn’t provide clear cutanswers on how to close the achievementgap, but it does provide ample evidencethat students, both black and white, whoattend schools that predominately enrollblack students are not receiving the sameeducation as their peers that attend schoolswho enroll mostly white students.

In addition, no matter the racial make-up of the school, black students are notachieving the same level as their white

peers. How resources are distributedwithin the school can go a long ways tonarrow that gap.

Reprinted with permission from JimHull, The EDifier, September 29, 2015.The Center for Public Education(Center) NSBA’s resource for accurate,timely, and credible information aboutpublic education and its importance tothe well-being of our nation. The Centerprovides up-to-date research, data, andanalysis on current education issues andexplores ways to improve studentachievement and engage public supportfor public schools. See more at:www.centerforpubliceducation.org/.


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CABE Journal - November 2015

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