The second session of the 2017 CCSS Leadership Community of Practice series will be held on February 14th and there is still time to register! Presenters Brian Frazer, Fine Arts Coordinator for the Stratford Public Schools, and Dr. Dee Hansen of the Hartt School will offer an in-depth look at the Connecticut Core State Standards for the Fine Arts. The series is offered without charge to school and district leaders and includes continental breakfast.

Back to Contents

In conjunction with National Administrative Professionals Week, CAS will host its annual conference for school secretaries and administrative assistants on April 28th at the Aqua Turf. The conference will feature two unique presentations designed to enrich the important role that secretaries play in our schools.

Additionally, 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. Please consider making a nomination!

Back to Contents

Every school in Connecticut is blessed with parents and other volunteers who contribute to its success. Here's an opportunity to honor those individuals! Join us on March 15th at the Aqua Turf for the 17th Annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet. This event provides principals with a forum for giving public recognition to those volunteers who have made their schools better places to work and learn. Registration closes on February 17th. Act now!!

Back to Contents

CAS is pleased to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to enlist the help of the state’s school leaders in fighting the devastating opioid epidemic that is plaguing Connecticut. Projections for 2016 by the State Medical Examiner indicate that close to 900 people died of accidental drug overdoses in Connecticut. That is almost three times the number of people who died in car accidents last year. Even more devastating is the fact that a majority of these deaths are of young people ages 18 to 25, many of whom developed an addiction to opioids after misusing prescription pills while in their teens or early adolescence. Sports injuries and other illnesses are common reasons for the original prescription. Recognizing that law enforcement is only one facet of the solution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is fighting this epidemic on several fronts, including outreach to schools for prevention. Learn how you can help!

Back to Contents

Last week, CAS asked high school principals to answer some brief questions regarding the state’s current high school graduation requirements (twenty-five highly prescribed credits). Many thanks to all who responded! The information we collected was highly instructive and was shared with legislators earlier this week. The results (compiled as of 1/30/17) are available at http://casci.ac/1758. It’s not too late to add your voice to the conversation - click here to complete the quick survey.

Back to Contents

In 2016, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act 16-147, which ushered in a series of changes regarding public school student discipline and expulsions. Among its many notable provisions, the new law created changes to a board of education’s duty to offer an alternative educational opportunity to expelled students. A recent CT Education Law Blog piece, written by Attorney Eric Barba of Berchem, Moses & Devlin, P.C., will help districts better understand and meet their obligations to expelled students under the new law.

Back to Contents

Earlier this week, the Connecticut State Department of Education issued a memo to districts about fair and equitable enrollment practices and about supporting the needs of students and families who might be affected by the presidential executive order on immigration. The memo was accompanied by a joint letter from the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice outlining districts’ federal obligation to provide all children equal access to public education regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

Back to Contents

Now in its third year, Connecticut's middle school debate program is going strong! CTMSDL's most recent event was held at Middlebrook School in Wilton where three students from the CREC Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts repeated their December performance, winning the final round of the team event. One hundred sixty-six students from seventeen schools debated the motion: This House would eliminate life without the possibility of parole sentences for all adults.

Back to Contents

Nominations are now open for the CAS First-Year Principal Awards. These awards recognize individuals whose instructional leadership, innovative practices and managerial skills have had a positive impact on the school and district in their first year of building administration. One award is given at each level: elementary, middle and high school. Nominations must be submitted by March 3rd.

Back to Contents

A new study by researchers at Northwestern University found a link between the incidence of school shootings and the unemployment rate and other signs of economic uncertainty. The research team closely examined twenty-five years of data and found that there is an increase in school shootings at times when it is more difficult for people coming out of school to find jobs. The study was published by the journal Nature Human Behaviour earlier this week.

Back to Contents