CAS has been asked to provide administrator feedback to the state’s Mastery Examination Committee to help in its efforts to prepare and present findings and recommendations concerning the impact, administration, and appropriateness of the statewide mastery exam in Connecticut. Please share your experiences with last year’s assessment process by completing a short survey. The window for providing feedback closes next week.

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On November 17th, CAS will host a webinar on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Presented by CSDE Science Consultant Elizabeth Buttner, this webinar will be the second session of the 2015-16 Connecticut Core State Standards Leadership Community of Practice workshop series. Ms. Buttner will review the new standards and discuss the state’s plan for instructional changes, curriculum adaptations, professional development, and transitions to NGSS assessments. Participants may attend in person or via computer but must register in advance.

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On December 1st, the CT Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CALAS) will hold its first full membership meeting at the CAS office in Cheshire. The newly formed CALAS is dedicated to developing and advancing Hispanic/Latino school leaders and improving the educational opportunities of Latino students in Connecticut. All educators are encouraged to attend and should register in advance.

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Elementary and middle school teachers are invited to CAS on December 4th for a morning workshop with Anne Kubitsky, CEO and founder of the Look For The Good Project. Anne’s research-backed program centers around the core belief that gratitude is the cornerstone to building positive relationships. Anne will reveal how gratitude practices can support character education initiatives and instructional pedagogy and positively impact student behavior and classroom climate.

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The CT Student Activities Conference announces “Converge 2016: A Leadership Conference for Young Women of Color.” This unique event, designed to awaken leadership skills and inspire high school students to reach their highest level of achievement, will be held on January 11, 2016, at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. The keynote presentation will be delivered by Janice Castle, a highly acclaimed human resources professional raised and educated in Hartford whose story will encourage students to pursue their goals and dreams.

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The CAS-CIAC Battle of the Fans is back! The contest, now in its second year, is designed to encourage positive fan behavior from students and to highlight the great things schools are doing to promote sportsmanship and supportive fan conduct. Students are invited to create and submit a 3-minute video which captures fans in action and spotlights their school’s commitment to sportsmanship and school spirit.

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The Connecticut State Board of Education has launched a survey to gather perspectives and feedback on the vital issues of equity and excellence in Connecticut education. The survey is part of a larger constituent outreach campaign which will culminate in the creation of a five-year plan dedicated to ensuring that every Connecticut public school student has equitable opportunities for excellent educational experiences and results. All stakeholders are encouraged to participate in this survey.

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Mark your calendars! The Connecticut Commission on Children is hosting a two-day workshop that will examine how implicit bias impacts children and youth in the state. The series will be held at the Legislative Office Building on December 9 and 10th. The second day of the series will focus on the impact of implicit bias in our schools and will include a discussion with school leaders.  

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The Connecticut School Finance Project just released a policy briefing examining the mismatch between public school funding and the learning needs of Connecticut students. The briefing finds that the state’s lack of a funding method that fully accounts for student needs has created an inequitable system which hinders districts with larger, higher-need populations from providing their students with the same opportunities to succeed as districts serving students with fewer learning needs.

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The University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education has been selected as the Connecticut sponsor for the Letters About Literature (LAL) writing contest for students in grades 4-12. LAL is a national contest in which elementary, middle, and high school students are asked to read a book, poem, or speech and write a personal letter to that author (living or dead) about how the text affected them personally.

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