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February 27, 2019

LEGAL MAILBAG

The Legal Mailbag column is written by Attorney Thomas Mooney of the University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education. Readers are invited to submit short, law-related questions of practical concern to school administrators. One question and its answer will be published in this column each week. Questions may be edited; authors will not be identified; and answers cannot be considered formal legal advice. Please submit questions to: legalmailbag@casciac.org

lm_2.jpgDEAR LEGAL MAILBAG:
I am an assistant principal at a middle school. The other day I was in the teachers’ lounge shooting the breeze with a teacher who is active with our local teachers union. I told him that we really need to change the teacher evaluation program because its inflexible rating system permits mediocre teachers to skate through. I was not surprised by his vehement response (and maybe I was baiting him a little bit). But I was surprised by his claim that...
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challenge_award.pngANNOUNCING ANNUAL CITIZENSHIP AWARDS

The Connecticut State Student Advisory Council on Education (SSACE) is now accepting submissions from middle and high schools for the statewide Challenge to Educational Citizenship Awards. The recipients of these awards embody the spirit of citizenship, commitment to serving others and altruism. Any student-organized activity that demonstrates intrinsic kindness is eligible for consideration. If you have a program or activity in your school that exemplifies civic awareness, cooperation, and boundless potential for community impact, please consider submitting a nomination.
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soy.pngTHREE AWARD OPPORTUNITIES CLOSE THIS FRIDAY!

A friendly reminder that the deadline for nominations for three of our most high-profile awards is this Friday, March 1st. We hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to celebrate your schools and the individuals who make them great. Click on the links below for more information.

admin_assistants_award.pngCELEBRATE YOUR SECRETARY DURING ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS WEEK

In conjunction with National Administrative Professionals Week, CAS will host the 2019 Conference for School Secretaries and Administrative Assistants on Friday, April 26th, at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. This day-long program is designed to support the daily work of school secretaries and administrative assistants and spotlight their important role in the success of our schools. Click here for conference details.

secretaries_conference.pngAdditionally, the CAS Administrative Assistant of the Year Award will be presented at the conference. This annual award recognizes a high-performing school office assistant who demonstrates excellent leadership, ongoing commitment to staff and students, and meaningful contributions to the overall school experience. We are now accepting nominations!

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csde.pngSTATE RELEASES POSITION STATEMENT ON REDUCING DISPROPORTIONALITY IN SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS

The Connecticut State Department of Education has published a position statement on reducing disproportionality in suspensions and expulsions in the state. The position statement, which was adopted by the state board of education on February 6, contains evidenced-based approaches and guidelines that will help districts maintain a safe learning environment without relying on the use of long-established exclusionary disciplinary practices.

scholar-leader.pngREGISTER FOR ANNUAL SCHOLAR-LEADER BANQUET

The CAS Middle Level Scholar Leader Banquet is scheduled for Monday, June 3, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. Now in its 35th year, this event is designed to give recognition to two students from each Connecticut middle school who have demonstrated outstanding scholarship and leadership in their school and community. An important change in the criteria for the award was put in place last year. While, historically, schools were required to select one girl and one boy for recognition, they can now choose two students of the same gender. Register now! 
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nelms.pngREGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR MIDDLE LEVEL LEADERS

There is still time to register for the New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) 38th Annual Conference at the R.I. Convention Center in beautiful Providence. This year’s event, coming up on March 21 and 22, is jam packed with more than 90 concurrent sessions, two outstanding keynoters - Monica Genta and Carla Tantillo-Philibert - and the opportunity to share and learn from your middle level colleagues from across New England.
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irsy.pngYALE HOSTS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SYMPOSIUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

The Yale International Relations Association is hosting a free, one-day conference on Saturday, April 13th, at Yale University. The International Relations Symposium at Yale (IRSY) is designed to provide high school students of all experience levels with the opportunity to participate in engaging discussions and hands-on activities led by experts in the field of international relations. To learn more about the conference, go to the IRSY website, or email delegations.irsy@yira.org.

afl-cio_contest.pngESSAY CONTEST OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

The Connecticut AFL-CIO Health and Safety Committee is offering a scholarship essay contest to inspire high school seniors to think about the importance of workplace health and safety. Grade twelve students are invited to write on one of three topics/questions, each of which is designed to promote awareness of the true cost of workplace hazards on the lives of workers. Scholarships will be awarded to the top three essayists and the deadline for entries is April 1st.
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