In anticipation of esports Season One, kicking off in February, PlayVS is hosting an online webinar for those interested in learning about how to get an esports program started and what games will be offered. The 45-minute webinar will include a Q+A session with a current Season Zero esports coach! If you have any questions, are curious to learn more, or are just excited to get started, sign up for a spot today!

CAS is hosting the 24th Annual High School Arts Awards Banquet on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. This prestigious recognition dinner, sponsored by Jostens and Horace Mann, honors high school seniors who excel in the performing and/or visual arts. Each CAS member high school is invited to select two grade 12 students for recognition. Don’t miss this year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Regina Barreca, bestselling author and professor of English and feminist theory at the University of Connecticut. Register now!

Nominations are now being accepted for the CAS First-Year Principal Awards for 2019-2020. These awards recognize individuals whose instructional leadership, innovative practices and managerial skills have had a positive impact on the school district in their first year of school administration. One award is given at each level: elementary, middle and high school. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 1, 2019.

CAS is now accepting nominations for the 2019-20 School of the Year Awards. These awards recognize a member elementary and middle school that demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement; maintain a safe and healthy school environment; cultivate positive relationships with parents and the community; and, provide students with rich learning experiences both in and out of the classroom. If you feel that your school may be worthy of this honor, please consider submitting a nomination.

If you have an outstanding teacher in your building, please consider nominating him or her for the Exemplary Educator of the Year Award. The purpose of this award is to give recognition to an elementary, middle level, and high school CAS educator who exemplify excellence in instructional practice, leadership in the profession, and authentic engagement with students, staff, and parents. The deadline for nominations is March 1, 2019.

The Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CALAS) invites you to its December 14th “Martini Night.” The event will be held at the Augusta Curtis Cultural Center in Meriden and all proceeds will go to the CALAS Student Scholarship Fund. Tickets may be purchased via Eventbrite or at the door.

Are you concerned or confused about the role technology should play in our children’s daily lives and how technology is influencing the civility in our culture? Join us for a morning workshop on February 12th as cognitive psychologist Dr. Alicia Farrell answers two important questions: How does technology affect the early-childhood brain and inter-/intrapersonal development? How much technology is too much? There is no cost to attend.

The monthly Legal Mailbag column, written by the almost-all-knowing and ever-entertaining Tom Mooney, burst onto the scene in the March 2001 issue of the CAS BULLETIN. Since then, it has transitioned to a single Q&A that appears each week in this e-newsletter and it continues to receive universal acclaim. Any member who submits a question that is selected for publication will receive a coffee mug bearing the eye-catching Legal Mailbag logo! Get yours now! Law-related questions of practical concern to school administrators can be sent to legalmailbag@casciac.org.

A reminder that the deadline for e-signing the CIAC’s new student data privacy agreement is December 1, 2018. The electronic signature must be applied by the district superintendent – or his/her designee – via the CIAC Eligibility Center. Once logged in, the agreement can be reviewed and signed by clicking on the "E-SIGN CAS-CIAC DATA PRIVACY AGREEMENT" button under the "General" tab. As the agreement covers all member schools in a district, a superintendent in a district with multiple high schools would only need to log in and complete the contract on one school's eligibility center.