The deadline for nominations for the 2018 Principal of the Year Awards is just days away. If you work with or know an extraordinary principal, please consider nominating him or her for this prestigious award. The CAS Principal of the Year Awards Program was established in 1984 to bring recognition to high-achieving school principals and to increase public awareness of the critical role that principals play in the education of our youth.

Back to Contents

CAS is pleased to announce that the registration deadline for the elementary arts banquet has been extended until Friday, January 19th. 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.

Back to Contents

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. Moving forward, 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.

Back to Contents

The 23rd Annual High School Arts Awards Banquet, for seniors who excel in either the performing or visual arts, will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. Each CAS member high school is invited to honor two grade 12 students. Registration closes on February 23rd. Should you have an honoree who is interested in singing the National Anthem at the banquet, please contact Noreen Liberopoulos at nliberopoulos@casciac.org.

Back to Contents

The 2018 Administrative Assistants’ Conference will take place on Friday, April 27, 2018, at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. This one-day program is designed to support the daily work of school secretaries and administrative assistants and spotlight their important role in the success of every school. Keynote speaker Attorney Tom Mooney will provide updates on a number of critical legal issues including school safety, electronic communication devices, and student records retention. Put the date on your calendars now and look for registration to open soon!

Back to Contents

The Bohdan Kolinsky Memorial Sports Journalism Scholarship, presented by the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance, honors the memory of Bohdan Kolinsky, longtime school sports editor of the Hartford Courant, who died in 2003. The scholarship provides a one-time award of $2,500 to a high school senior from Connecticut who is admitted to an accredited four-year college for study leading to a career in sports journalism. The deadline for applications is February 23rd.

Back to Contents

Mark your calendars! The 17th Annual Arts in the Middle Conference will be held on May 23rd at the University of Hartford. Middle level students and teachers can develop their artistic abilities within the context of challenging, hands-on workshops involving both traditional and non-traditional artistic media. Working artists will lead all of the sessions! Registration will open in March.

Back to Contents

The 2018 CHET Dream Big! Competition, a statewide drawing and essay contest for Connecticut students K-8, will launch on Monday, January 29. The contest can be easily integrated into classroom curriculums. Forty-eight students will receive CHET college savings account contributions of up to $1,000 and the school with the highest percentage of student participation in each county will receive $500! For more details and entry forms go to www.chetdreambig.com. Deadline is Friday, March 30.

Back to Contents

On March 8th, Central Connecticut State University is hosting an information session about its Superintendent and Executive District Leader Preparation Program. A panel of highly regarded superintendents will share insights about the rewards and challenges of serving as a superintendent. All central office leaders interested in exploring the superintendency and school leaders interested in other central office leadership positions are invited to attend.

Back to Contents

The Commission for Educational Technology is pleased to release its 2017 Annual Report. The document details the commission's progress against the five-year State Educational Technology Goals and Plan, including the following:

• Charting New Frontiers in Student Centered Learning - Study on bringing personalized learning to scale using technology, with input from leaders statewide and a set of actionable recommendations. 
• New Technology Proficiency Frameworks: The skills and competencies that educators and students need for 21st century teaching and learning. 
• E-rate: Programs and resources to help schools and libraries take full advantage of federal grant dollars. 
• Digital Equity: Toolkit designed to help communities get students of every age online and learning anytime, anywhere. 
• Data Privacy: Best practices and resources for schools to keep student data secure while still taking advantage of innovative educational technologies.

Back to Contents