Is there an extraordinary individual who has given his/her time, energy or expertise to your school? Has a local business provided services or resources which have resulted in positive learning experiences for your students? If so, please consider submitting a nomination for the CAS Distinguished Friend of Education Award. The deadline for nominations is this Friday!

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Join us on January 24th for a legal workshop on gender and social media issues. Attorney Michael McKeon from Pullman and Comley LLC will offer guidance on a school district’s legal obligations to students who identify with a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth. He will cover relevant areas such as school records, the use of bathrooms and locker rooms, participation in sports and other extracurricular activities, and disagreements between students and their parents regarding gender identification. Attorney McKeon will also delve into the perennially challenging topic of social media: What control do school officials have over social media as used by staff? Do traditional concepts of freedom of speech apply? Can school officials “search” student electronic devices? Register now to learn the answers to these and other questions surrounding these two hot topics.

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CAS is pleased to remind districts of the opportunity to apply for a Special Education Coach Grant. The grant program, a joint initiative of CAS and the Connecticut State Department of Education, was established last year in response to many reports from practitioners indicating that special education administrators would benefit greatly from the support of an executive coach with special education expertise. Now in its second year, the grant opportunity is open to all districts. Recipients will receive a coach at no cost for the services provided. The deadline for submission of applications has been extended to January 25, 2018.

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Registration for the 19th Annual Elementary Arts Banquet closes this Friday, January 12th. Don't miss out on this popular and festive event which honors elementary students who have demonstrated outstanding artistic ability as well as citizenship and leadership skills. Each elementary school is invited to select two students to be recognized.

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The CAS-CIAC Battle of the Fans is back! The contest, now in its fourth year, is designed to encourage positive behavior from student cheering sections 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. The deadline for submissions is January 31st!

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Do you know someone who is involved in the arts and has demonstrated exemplary ‘heart’; has exceeded normal expectations in assisting others within the school community; or, has overcome adversity or a challenging circumstance? If so, please consider submitting a nomination for the “CAS Heart of the Arts Award.” This award recognizes students, adults or groups involved in high school performing or visual arts programs who exemplify the core values of education-based activities – i.e., integrity, citizenship, courage, good character. Check out this moving video featuring past award recipients! The deadline for nominations is January 24th.

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Should Connecticut adopt new K–12 student technology standards, last updated in 2001? Take just a few minutes between now and February 9 to offer your feedback on the proposed adoption of the 2016 ISTE Student Standards at: http://casci.ac/2942.

And, if your district has already adopted the new ISTE Standards, what have been your successes and challenges? Help improve the design and implementation of this new framework by responding to a brief survey. Questions? E-mail Doug Casey at doug.casey@ct.gov.

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The Fairfield Warde High School Achievement Gap Task Force and the SCSU Graduate Department of Educational Leadership are looking for presenters for their second annual student equity conference coming up in March. Students and educators in CT are invited to share their stories and experiences in using student voice to promote equity in their schools. The conference, which will be held on March 29th at SCSU, focuses on elevating the voices of students to help adults learn about opportunity gaps and how their actions can help or hinder the performance of historically marginalized groups of students. Please consider submitting a presentation proposal for this important event!

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Congratulations to Shelton High School graduate Ethan Shuster whose essay on how high school sports impacted his life earned him a prestigious scholarship from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). Ethan received state recognition at the Connecticut Association of Athletic Directors (CAAD) conference last March and was honored nationally at the NIAAA annual conference in December. Read this powerful essay filled with wisdom and maturity that belie the youth of its author.

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The next session of the Alternative Education Leadership Community of Practice will be held January 18, 2018, at the CAS office. Mike Foran, New Britain Satellite Careers Academy, and Steve Strand, Waterbury Office of Teaching and Learning, will present "Breaking the Chain of Failure: Leadership that Integrates a Growth-Minded Culture Across the Curriculum." Mike and Steve will offer effective strategies for promoting student success in an alternative education setting. This two-hour session will run from 1:30-3:30 PM. Register online at http://casci.ac/2945.

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Resilience, the powerful documentary which has captured the interest of many Connecticut educators, will be screened at CAS on January 30, 2018, from 4-6:00 p.m. Resilience examines the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and examines their impact on student performance and long-term wellness. Now understood to be one of the leading causes of everything from life-threatening illness to addiction and major depressive disorders, extremely stressful experiences in childhood can affect brain development and have lifelong effects on health and behavior. Screenings of the documentary were held around the state this fall and CAS has received numerous requests for additional viewings. Please register in advance and join us on the 30th.

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If you want to learn how to work with less, produce more and still get everything done in a sensible school week, then it sounds like you’re ready for The Breakthrough Coach; and, he’s coming back to the New England area in August. TBC's 2-day program for school administrators and their secretaries will be held in Wellesley, MA, August 2-3.

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