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In This Issue - September 7, 2017

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PLEASE UPDATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY INFORMATION

Attention member school principals! Has your email address or phone number changed? Do you have a new assistant principal or guidance counselor? Please be sure to update your membership directory information for the new school year. It is vital that we keep our membership database as current as possible so that the information sent from this office makes its way to the appropriate staff members in your building. This allows member schools to take full advantage of the benefits of CAS membership. Click here for instructions on updating your school’s data.

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JOHN ALMARODE COMING TO CT

CAS is proud to present the only Connecticut engagement of Dr. John Almarode: Moving Rigor from Surface Level to Deep Dive. Getting students engaged in learning and keeping them engaged is 99% of the challenge in today’s schools and classrooms. So how do we do it? Dr. Almarode’s action-packed, interactive seminar looks at the key “must have” ingredients for maximum engagement in your school.
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ESPORTS INFORMATION SESSION W/EGF

With over 250 million enthusiasts around the globe, esports is one of the fastest-growing activities in the world – and it is making its way into high schools across the country, starting here in Connecticut! Esports are competitive, team-based video games that bring players together in high-skill environments to play against opposing teams while cheered on by their supporters, much like traditional sports. Attend our information session facilitated by EGF on September 27th to learn more about bringing esports to your school or district.
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PSAT AND SAT WORKSHOPS FOR FALL 2017

As a follow-up to CAS’ popular PSAT and SAT presentations, members of the College Board will return to CAS for a series of workshops being offered October through December. Each workshop is designed for a specific target audience, and registration fees are based on the workshop content, length of session and CAS membership status.
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IMPACTFUL DOCUMENTARY "RESILIENCE” IS MUST-SEE FOR EDUCATORS

This fall, CAS and the Clifford Beers Foundation will be screening the documentary “Resilience” at five locations around the state. "Resilience" deals with the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on student performance and long-term wellness. The first screening will be held at the EASTCONN Conference Center in Hampton from 4-6:00 p.m. on September 27th. Following this powerful documentary, leading experts will engage in a panel discussion on how to help build resilience in our youth and bring hope to their future. There is still time to register. Additional screening times and locations are available on the CAS event registration page. There is no charge for attendance.

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2017 CT STUDENT ACTIVITY EXPO & NHS CONFERENCE

Student leaders, club members and advisors are invited to the Aqua Turf on October 13th for a half-day mega-event! This combined student activities expo and leadership conference offers boundless opportunities for camaraderie, learning and inspiration!
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RICK WORMELI TACKLES THE CHALLENGES OF YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

On October 17th, Rick Wormeli, national educational consultant, author and acclaimed presenter, is coming to Connecticut to talk about the challenges of working with rapidly morphing humans ages 10 to 15. Middle level educators are invited to join us for a provocative and practical day of exploration into what really works with this age group. NELMS, the workshop sponsor, is offering a $10 per registration rebate for all CAS members. 
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CAS NEW LEADERS ACADEMY BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR

The ever popular New Leaders Academy will be back this fall and all school leaders in years 1-3 of their leadership careers are encouraged to join! The six half-day workshops, offered at no charge to CAS-member schools, run from 8:30-12:00 at the CAS office. This year’s topics include:

  • Legal Update for New Leaders;
  • Providing High Quality Feedback;
  • Holding Difficult Conversations;
  • Building a Trauma-Informed School Culture;
  • Leadership and the Special Needs Student; and,
  • Leading for Students’ Emotional Health

Registration is by individual session so participants can customize their professional learning and attend as many or as few as they wish.
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CAS LAUNCHES NEW ADMINISTRATOR INDUCTION PROGRAM

In the coming academic year, CAS, in conjunction with the CSDE, is offering an Administrator Induction Program (AIP) for all new building leaders. Modeled after the state's Teacher Education and Mentoring Program, the CAS AIP will offer new principals and assistant principals a series of six workshops specifically targeted to address issues critical to every new administrator. In addition to the six workshops, program participants will receive five days of embedded, onsite executive coaching and be afforded professional learning opportunities through the CAS New Leaders Academy as well as the BloomBoard administrator induction portal. Districts need only commit to a fee of $3,000 to support their new hires in the coming year. For additional information or to register for this unique experience, contact Ev Lyons at CAS - 203.250.1111 or elyons@casciac.org.

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LEADING FOR LITERACY: A CONFERENCE FOR SCHOOL/DISTRICT LEADERS AND LITERACY TEAMS

On October 10th, the Connecticut Council for Education Reform (CCER), in partnership with CAS and CBIA, will present “Leading for Literacy” at the Sheraton Hartford South in Rocky Hill, CT. Focused on the skills that district and school leaders need to promote literacy achievement, the conference will include:

  • a keynote by Dr. William Teale, Director of The Center for Literacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago and former President of the International Literacy Association;
  • an introduction to a no-cost, online tool for monitoring literacy programs, presented by Literacy How and HILL for Literacy;
  • a session on Connecticut's K-3 Literacy Initiative, presented by Dr. Michael Coyne, Professor of Educational Psychology at UConn;
  • a workshop on how administrators can support teachers and students to ensure academic success, presented by Margie Gillis, President of Literacy How; and,
  • exemplary practices from districts that have increased student achievement for all students.

Click below for details and registration information.
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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN

Nominations are now open for the 2018 CAS Assistant Principal of the Year Awards. These awards honor outstanding school administrators who have demonstrated excellent leadership skills, a commitment to their staff and students, service to their communities, and contributions to the overall profession of educational leadership. If you know or work with an exceptional assistant principal and would like to nominate him or her for the Assistant Principal of the Year Award, click below for further information.
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LOOKING FOR AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO SUPPORT YOUR TEACHER-LEADERS?

CAS will again offer its well-received CAS Leadership Academy: Leading for Change. Designed to support teacher leaders, the five-session series builds skills and competencies needed by teacher leaders in today’s schools. The Academy has a limit of twenty (20) cohort participants to ensure active engagement and personalized attention for each. In addition to the day-long sessions, participants are required to work with district/building leaders to develop and implement a leadership project which allows them to practice the concepts and skills learned in the Academy setting. Contact Ev Lyons at CAS for additional information - 203.250.1111 or elyons@casciac.org.

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DIGITAL CURRICULUM SUSTAINABILITY DISCUSSION

The Learning Counsel, a research institute focused on providing context for the shift in education to digital curriculum, will host its annual Connecticut Digital Curriculum Sustainability Discussion on October 19th. The forum will run from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the CAS office in Cheshire and is open at no cost to all administrators and teachers. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Attendees will hear from education leaders on the state of the national education market; best-practices for digital transformation; winning strategies from state to state; and, what superhero schools are making happen and how. Schools/districts are encouraged to bring teams as there will be group exercises and opportunities for collaboration and planning for next steps.
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SERC AND CAS TO CO-SPONSOR SPECIAL ED LEADERSHIP SERIES

SERC and CAS are co-sponsoring a three-part workshop series to help general education school leaders improve outcomes for the special education students in their schools. Workshop topics are: Strengthening Tier 1 Universal Practices for Students with Disabilities; Developing Standards-based IEP’s; and, Facilitation Strategies and Family Engagement Practices. All workshops will be held at CAS from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Click below for details and registration information.
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CCM SPONSORS CONTEST TO SPOTLIGHT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities has launched a new contest and awards program that invites public middle and high school students in Connecticut to champion their local government. The #LoCoolGov contest is open to public school students in grades 6-12, and they can work independently or in groups up to three. Creativity is encouraged. Entries can be essays, poems, photos, videos, paintings, multi-media projects, or other mediums. Each winner or winning group will receive a $500 scholarship.
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PRINCIPALS ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSONALIZED LEARNING SURVEY

Connecticut principals are encouraged to participate in a research study of schools in the seven Northeast states. The purpose of the study is to examine principals’ perceptions about K-12 curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices in their schools. Participating in this research project involves completing an online survey about personalized learning practices and mastery-based learning implementation. The survey should take no more than 10-15 minutes. Findings will provide practitioners and policymakers with a better understanding of how practices vary among schools in the Northeast so that they may provide capacity building support and other resources to interested schools. Please contact Carla Evans, clj89@wildcats.unh.edu, with any questions about this study.

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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

Dear Legal Mailbag:
Does HIPAA permit a medical professional or covered entity to release exam results to the school nurse, without prior authorization, for the purpose of permitting a student to participate in school sports? It has become extremely frustrating when providers do not understand what they are permitted to disclose.
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About CAS

Providing exemplary programs and services that promote excellence in the education of all children

Contact Information
30 Realty Drive
Cheshire, CT  06410
Phone: 203-250-1111
Fax: 203-250-1345
Website: www.casciac.org
Hours: 8am - 5pm, M-F

 

Connecticut Association of Schools | 30 Realty Drive, Cheshire, CT 06410 | P: 203-250-1111 F: 203-250-1345