The CAS Recognition of Excellence in Education Reception will be held on November 9, 2015, at the Aqua Turf in Southington. This high-profile event allows members to spotlight an exemplary program and/or outstanding staff that have brought about significant school improvement, promoted school success or had a positive impact on the school. The reception will include appetizers, cocktails, musical entertainment and an awards ceremony. Please plan to attend with your staff. Registration closes October 19th.

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The Connecticut Association of Schools has selected Guilford Lakes Elementary School as the 2015-2016 CAS Elementary School of the Year. The exemplar of a collegial learning community, Guilford Lakes serves approximately 325 children from preschool through grade four. Learn more about this remarkable school!

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The North Haven High School Diversity Team welcomes students and advisors from across the state to participate in its 2nd Annual "Diversity in Action” Conference. Drop by NHHS on October 29th and see first-hand what students can do to embrace diversity and build a respectful school community.

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The 2015-2016 season of the CT Middle School Debate League is underway! Don’t miss its first event of the year – a scrimmage which will be held on Saturday, October 17th at the Luis Munoz Marin School in Bridgeport. Please consider attending as either a participant or a spectator!

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CAS is offering a four-part community of practice series for teacher teams which focuses on mastery-based learning. Presented by author Allison Zmuda, “Making Learning Personal: A Mastery-Based Learning Community Of Practice” is designed to help teachers understand and implement mastery-based learning in their classrooms. District and building administrators are encouraged to attend the first and last sessions with their teachers. Zmuda, a former teacher at Newtown High School, has consulted on this topic in many school districts in Connecticut and other states.

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Registration for the always popular elementary student leadership conferences is now open. These annual conferences feature unique, interactive lessons in communication, problem solving, decision-making and productive thinking. Choose from four college sites: Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield on January 7; Sacred Heart University in Fairfield on January 8; Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury on January 12; and, Three Rivers Community College in Norwich on January 13. Each conference offers an impressive line-up of breakout presentations and hands-on activities. These events fill up quickly, so register now!

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Calling all 5th grade teachers! Connecticut’s Old State House in Hartford has launched a statewide pilot program, Connecticut’s Kid Governor! This fall, 5th graders across the state will learn about our government, how it works and the importance of civic engagement through the election of Connecticut’s first Kid Governor. All 5th graders are eligible to vote in the November election and interested teachers must register their classes by October 30 to participate. For more information and to register your class, visit CT.KidGovernor.org or email Brian Cofrancesco, Head of Education at Connecticut’s Old State House, at Brian.Cofrancesco@kidgovernor.org. There is no cost to participate in Connecticut’s Kid Governor.

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Shipman & Goodwin LLP has issued a School Law Alert concerning the newly revised Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-76d. The revised statute further expands the scope of a school district’s obligation to provide notice to parents of children found eligible for special education of certain rights and other related information. Shipman & Goodwin has developed two model notices to help school districts comply with the provisions of the statute with respect to parental notification.

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