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CAS Bulletin.qxd:oct10.qxd 10/5/10 2:04 PM Page 1 OCTOBER 2010 The Connecticut Association of Schools Affiliated with: The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference • National Federation of State High School Associations • National Association of Secondary School Principals • National Middle School Association BULLETIN • National Association of Elementary School Principals A message from the new deputy executive director . Dear CAS-CIAC members, understanding of the outstand- The structure of CAS-CIAC colleagues, and friends, ing reputation that CAS-CIAC allows the association to serve has nationwide. At every pro- member schools consistent with I hope that you are enjoying the fessional activity, I have without its mission of promoting educa- fall weather and the fresh spirit fail been approached by col- tional leadership and school of a new school year, and that leagues from other states who improvement as well as facilitat- your schools have experienced have the highest regard for not ing a variety of meaningful pro- successful openings. As my just our innovative programs, grams for students. This is sig- first "official" message to the but also the visionary thinking nificant, as at the core of every- CAS-CIAC membership as of our dedicated staff. thing we do here at CAS-CIAC - Deputy Executive Director, I from the Executive Coach and would like to share a few reflec- "It is an exciting time to be UCAPP programs, to the tions from my first three months involved in education. We are Principals' Center initiatives, to Deputy Executive Director on staff, which are a credit to on the precipice of tremendous Unified Sports, to student lead- Dr. Karissa Niehoff the CAS-CIAC organization and change at every level. To ership programs, to all of the to the dedicated professionals in successfully negotiate these CIAC - are our children. each of our member schools. changes, each of us must hold Ultimately, the work we do here, CAS-CIAC has become a leader fast to our mission, while also and the work you do as dedicat- in this work, and is committed to Since July, I have attended mul- reaching out to one another to ed professionals in our schools facilitating and supporting tiple national and regional share knowledge and the hard must benefit children. school improvement efforts. meetings such as the annual work of school improvement.” Critical to our success is keep- summer meeting for the There are currently many chal- - Dr. Karissa Niehoff ing a pulse on our member National Federation of High lenges to our educational mis- schools. Therefore, we encour- Schools and the NAESP summer sion; we are in a tough financial age your involvement on com- leadership conference in CAS-CIAC is unique among environment and we are exposed mittees, attendance at confer- Washington, DC, during which other state associations as we to harsh criticism of our ences and professional activi- our CAS team met with five of serve member schools, preK-12, schools. However, it is also an ties, and perhaps sharing your our state's congressmen. These as both a professional develop- exciting time to be involved in wisdom by serving as a mentor experiences have provided me ment resource and a governing education. We are on the administrator. We welcome your the opportunity to meet fellow body for interscholastic athletics precipice of tremendous change collaboration, your ideas and executive directors from around and student activities all under at every level. To successfully your energies as we work to the US, become informed as to one roof. Other states have sep- negotiate these changes, each of support Connecticut's schools, issues and challenges existing in arate associations for academic us must hold fast to our mission, and Connecticut's kids. other states, and to represent resources and athletics/activi- while also reaching out to one Connecticut educators, pre-K- ties; some have separate ele- another to share knowledge and I look forward to sharing in this 12, in advocacy efforts. I have mentary and secondary associa- the hard work of school most important work with you! also gained a much clearer tions. There are many models. improvement. GEORGE SYNNOTT JOINS CAS-CIAC UNIFIED SPORTS® TEAM e are pleased to welcome newly retired Berlin High School Principal George Synnott to the central office staff! George is a 41-year veteran educator and administrator who has extensive Wexperience in both public and parochial schools in Connecticut. Prior to joining the adminis- trative team at Berlin High School, George was a teacher, department chair and dean of students at St. Paul Catholic High School in Bristol. There, he also coached varsity baseball and varsity women's bas- ketball. During his twenty-three years in Berlin, George was an active and influential member of CAS- CIAC. His rich history with the association includes two years of service as chair of the CIAC Board of Control. He also served on the CIAC Sportsmanship, High School Unified Sports®, Financial Development , Boys Basketball, Cooperative Team, Eligibility Revision, Season Limitations, Legislation , Eligibility, and Eligibility Review Committees. As assistant director of Unified Sports®, George is responsible for tournament operations as well as outreach. He will work in the area of public relations to recruit new schools into the program; train Unified Sports® coaches and volunteers; and assist in coordinating all Unified Sports® events. George is a graduate of Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland. He earned two master's degrees at Central Connecticut State University. (See related item page 11) CAS Bulletin.qxd:oct10.qxd 10/5/10 2:04 PM Page 2 2 THE CAS BULLETIN OCTOBER 2010 LEGALLEGAL MAILBAGMAILBAG ctct newsnews && notesnotes By Attorney Thomas B. Mooney, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut O We would like to thank the following schools for their contributions to the CAS Editor’s Note: Legal Mailbag is a regular feature in the CAS Haiti Relief Fund. These donations became BULLETIN. We invite readers to submit short, law-related questions of practical concern to school administrators. known to us since the publication of the Each month we will select questions and publish answers. last issue of the BULLETIN. To date, more While these answers cannot be considered formal legal than $150,000 has been raised by advice, they may be of help to you and your colleagues. We Connecticut students to support the con- may edit your questions, and we will not identify the authors. struction of a new school in Haiti (see Please submit your questions to: <[email protected]> related item page 6). If your school made a deposit locally and has not yet been Q.Q.DEAR MAILBAG: An 8th grade student A.A. DEAR EGGSHELLS: You can do acknowledged for it, please send an email recently left the school district for a more than that. Teachers have First to [email protected]. parochial high school. Unfortunately, the Amendment rights when they speak out on • Brookfield High School student failed to return any of his books totaling matters of public concern, but not when they Dr. Bryan Luizzi, Principal $450. We responded by not mailing this stu- speak on matters of merely private concern. • Brownstone Intermediate School dent's report card, sent a letter to the parents Here, it seems that the comments about you Laurie Boske, Principal and placed a phone call. But the parent said, and the other teachers are related to purely • John Wallace M.S., Newington "My son is done with your school and we will private concerns, and as such are not pro- David M. Milardo, Principal not be paying you any money!" What the par- tected by the First Amendment. If they are • Shepaug Valley High School ent overlooked is that her daughter came disruptive to school operation, for example Kimberly Gallo, Principal to our school this fall. May the school legally by interfering with working relationships, you withhold the daughter's future report card until have a legitimate basis for telling her to take O On September 28th, Attorney Tom the family has settled up with the school down the postings, and her failure to do so Mooney presented a workshop at the CAS district? may raise an issue of insubordination. In office to update administrators on legal - Not Chump Change any event, you may want to rethink your issues affecting schools in Connecticut. He practice of "friending" teachers you super- touched on critical topics such as regulat- A.A. DEAR CHUMP (or is it MR. vise. ing social media; confidentiality concerns CHANGE?): I like how you think. in investigating bullying; texting, emailing However, you would not be able to withhold the Q.Q.DEAR MAILBAG: I just concluded an and privacy; and Public Act 10-111 daughter's report card. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10- investigation of a bullying complaint (Educational Reform Bill). A copy of 221(c) provides that school districts may after being pestered nigh unto death by the Attorney Mooney's legal update can be "charge pupils for such damaged or lost text- parent of the alleged victim. She was not at downloaded from the CAS website at books, library materials or other educational all pleased when I told her that I had not ver- www.casciac.org/pdfs/CAS_Legal_Update materials and may withhold grades, transcripts ified that bullying occurred. Now she is _September_2010.pdf. or report cards until the pupil pays for or returns demanding that I provide her with a copy of the textbook, library book or other educational the complete report as well as the personal O New Hampshire again ranks No. 1 material." The singular "pupil" makes clear that notes I took while investigating. I don't have nationally in an annual survey on chil- your ingenious plan is not allowed.