CAS CELEBRATES OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL LEADERS

Five Distinguished Administrators Honored

Janet Garagliano, CAS Secretary-Treasurer, playfully endeavors to get the audience's attention.WTIC Sportscaster Scott Gray was a witty, eloquent and gracious host.
The CAS Executive Board members congratulate Mike Savage on his 25 years of service to CAS-CIAC. Lou Pear presents the 2005 National Distinguished Principal Award to Ed Handi.
Mike Rafferty, CAS President-Elect, presents the M.S. Assistant Principal of the Year Award to Donn Friedman.Mike Rafferty presents the M.S. Principal of the Year Award to Sue Dumas.
Ev Lyons, CAS Vice President, presents the H.S. Assistant Principal of the Year Award to Laura Ferrante Fernandes.Ev Lyons presents the H.S. Principal of the Year Award to Bob Pitocco.

On Thursday, October 27th, CAS hosted its fourth annual "celebration of educational leadership" at Saint Clements Castle in Portland. The event was conceived following a resolution by the CAS Board of Directors to find ways to recognize and pay tribute to individual school leaders as well as to "celebrate" the profession of school administration.

Five individuals from the ranks of Connecticut's school administrators were honored at this year's event. Meet CAS' 2005 Distinguished Administrators:



More than two hundred thirty-five educators, friends, and family members traveled to Saint Clements Castle in Portland to join in honoring CAS' 2005 Distinguished Administrators. Guests were greeted at the door with the mellifluous sounds of the Glastonbury High School Resident String Quartet featuring Sean Tierney (violin); Will Rhoden (violin); Evelyn Zuk (viola); and, Stephanie Merwin (cello).

Janet Garagliano, principal of Jonathan Law High School and chair of the committee which organized the event, warmly welcomed guests and introduced the evening's master of ceremonies, Mr. Scott Gray. In his opening remarks, Mr. Gray congratulated the honorees and praised all the educators in the room. "What you do lives for generations," he said. "No one has a greater impact on mankind than those who teach future generations," Mr. Gray continued.

Donald Gates, principal of Portland High School and president of CAS, and Barb Westwater, chief of the Bureau of Curriculum and Instruction at the State Department of Education, extended congratulatory remarks to the honorees prior to dinner.

In a turn-of-events that surprised everyone except the “celebration” organizers, CAS Executive Director Mike Savage was honored for his twenty-five years of service to CAS-CIAC. In the presence of his wife of 44 years, Mike was presented with a distinguished service plaque on behalf of CAS and the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents. Said CAS Secretary-Treasurer Janet Garagliano, “It is fitting that we recognize Mike here tonight, because this evening is about celebrating educational leadership; and he is the exemplar of the modern educational leader.”

The evening concluded with an awards ceremony during which each of the five distinguished administrators was recognized individually. The honorees were called to the podium one by one to receive a plaque, an engraved clock, and a copy of "The World is Flat, A Brief History of the 21st Century" by Thomas Friedmann. They were also entertained with a short slideshow containing pictures of them as "administrators in action" and quotes from friends and colleagues.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Gray once again commended the evening's honorees for their outstanding accomplishments. "In the midst of declining resources, accountability pressures and the myriad demands of your work, you continue to bring innovation, inspiration and dignity to the work of educating our children," praised Mr. Gray.

By all accounts, the fourth annual "celebration" was a rousing success! Many thanks to the members of the organizing committee, Janet Garagliano, Mike Rafferty, and Ev Lyons.