LEGAL QUESTION
OF THE WEEK
 Dear Legal Mailbag:
Over the last month, I have been arguing with a mother who has it out for a teacher in my school. Unfortunately, she has a point. This teacher is rather awful. When she keeps it together, she can teach effectively. But, she has a short fuse; and, when she gets frustrated, she lashes out at her students. Unfortunately, her students are only third graders, and, given their tender years, they are ill-equipped to handle her mood swings.
 Continued
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Last Call for Endowment Grant Applications
 The CAS-CIAC Endowment and Flanagan Grant Program, made possible by the generosity of sponsors whose dollars have helped build a stable endowment fund, provides grant money to member schools to fund new or existing initiatives that lead to enriched educational experiences and/or improved learning environments. The deadline for proposals is April 11th.
 MORE
Spaces are Limited for Popular Summer Leadership Institute
 One year into SEED…One year removed from CCSS/SBAC…Isn’t it time to take stock? And what better time and place to do this than at the 10th Annual Summer Leadership Institute. The 2014 S.L.I., which will be held on June 26-27 at The Heritage in Southbury, will focus on creating coherence around the Connecticut Core Standards. Keynote speakers include:
• Jonathan Costa, EDUCATION CONNECTION
• Dr. Richard Lemons, Connecticut Center for School Change
• Ellen Cohen, CT Department of Education
Don’t miss what the S.L.I. provides with each year: great PD and two days with colleagues in a setting conducive to relaxation, reflection and rejuvenation.
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Cast Your Vote for the Winners of the Student Voices Video Contest
 Earlier in the year, CAPSS and CAS launched the second annual Student Voices video contest, challenging students in grades 6-12 to develop creative, thoughtful and practical recommendations for improving education. Over the past month, our panel of judges has narrowed the field down to 3 finalists in both the middle and high school divisions. Now, it’s time for the public to vote for their favorites! To view this year’s finalists, visit www.ctstudentvoices.com and click on the ‘middle school video’ and ‘high school video’ buttons. We ask that you encourage your colleagues and their students to make their voices heard. Voting will only be open until April 18th, so don’t delay.
National Honor Societies - Call to Action
 The NHS Student Advisory Board issues a challenge to all CT NHS chapters to raise a minimum of $50 by May 15th to be combined and donated to the Connecticut Department of Veterans' Affairs. The donation will be presented to representatives of the CT VA at the NHS Conference on May 23, 2014. MORE
Still Time to Register for Annual Administrative Assistants Conference
 In conjunction with National Administrative Professionals Week, CAS will host its annual conference for school secretaries and administrative assistants on April 25th. The conference will feature three unique presentations designed to highlight the important work that secretaries do in our schools. A new award - the CAS Administrative Assistant of the Year - will be presented at the conference. Please consider making a nomination!
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"Dear Colleague Letter" Urges Districts to
Abandon Zero Tolerance Discipline Policies
 The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education (OCR) and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice recently released a joint “Dear Colleague Letter” (DCL) providing guidance on administering student discipline without discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. The DCL and accompanying resource guide do not create any new legal mandates, but strongly urge schools to redesign their discipline policies and practices in light of recent data. MORE
Basketball Dedication Ceremony Available for Online Viewing
 On March 22nd, seven legendary figures in CT high school sports - including our own Matt Fischer - were honored at the 2014 Boys and Girls State Basketball Championships Dedication at the Mohegan Sun. The ceremony was a moving tribute to a group of individuals who have helped shape the history of high school basketball in our state. Other honorees include Dean DeAngelis, Tony Falzarano, Art Hamm, Paulla Kolnaski Solar, Chris Manfredonia and Mike Pitruzzello. Watch the video online at the NFHS Network.
Creating Coherence - Common Core, Teacher Eval, and Professional Learning
 The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders has published a brief to guide practitioners through a coherence-building process to better understand and strengthen the connections between the Common Core, teacher evaluation, and professional learning. This table, excerpted from the brief, provides a perfect snapshot of what Common Core instructional practices are (and are not).
Have You Joined the Principals' Discussion Forum Yet?
 The "Principals Talk Discussion Forum" is taking off! The online forum is a place where administrators can pose questions to their colleagues and hold rich online discussions on a variety of subjects directly related to their positions. A number of helpful questions and answers have already been posted on topics such as online payment processing for school fees, standards-based report cards, and K-8 instrumental programs. To participate, click here and request membership in the group. After doing so, you will be able to post new topics and reply to those posted by others. Be sure to let your fellow administrators know about the forum. The more people who participate, the better the conversations will be!
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