Executive Director’s MemoAutumn 2016

SAVE THE DATE! October 26th, 9 am – noon (with optional lunch)CAIS Business Managers are hosting a morning workshop on:

Restoring our Reputation: Preventing and Communicating Educator Sexual Misconduct

This morning program will bring together representatives from United Educators Insurance, a crisis communication firm and an attorney who has had recent experience managing accusations and the press. This program is designed for heads, business managers, deans of faculty, deans of students and all others directly responsible for student safety. Details and registration materials will be emailed to schools shortly.

Connecticut Welcomes 11 New Heads of SchoolBiographical information provided by individual schools

Craig Bradley, The Hotchkiss School, LakevilleClick HERE to read Craig’s bio.

The CAIS Office is located in downtown Mystic.We Welcome Visitors!

Kai Bynum, Hopkins School, New HavenClick HERE to read Kai’s bio.

Marijke Kehrhahn, The Independent Day School, MiddlefieldClick HERE to read Marijke’s bio.

Matt Hoeniger, Rumsey Hall School, Washington DepotClick HERE to read Matt’s bio.

Tom Maynard, East Catholic High School, ManchesterClick HERE to read Matt’s bio.

Diane McManus, Villa Maria School, StamfordClick HERE to read Diane’s bio.

Chris Robertson, Fraser Woods Montessori School, NewtownClick HERE to read Chris’ bio.

Rabbi Zev Silver, The Bess & Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy, BloomfieldClick HERE to read Rabbi Silver’s bio.

Rachel Stone, Canterbury School, New MilfordClick HERE to read Rachel’s bio.

Meera Viswanathan, The Ethel Walker School, SimsburyClick HERE to read Meera’s bio.

Glenn Winfree, Covenant Preparatory School, HartfordClick HERE to read Glenn’s bio.

Congratulations and thank you to the following Heads who are new members or new officers of the CAIS Board of Directors:

Carol Maoz, President Foote SchoolPeter Becker, Vice President The GunneryDiana Owen Pine PointBryan Nixon Whitby SchoolMaureen Murphy The Children’s SchoolSarah Walker The Montessori School - Wilton

Thank you to the following Heads who have completed terms on the CAIS Board of Directors:

Kris Bria The Long Ridge SchoolAlex Curtis Choate Rosemary HallSharon Lauer The Unquowa SchoolSr. Carol Ann Nawracaj Villa Maria SchoolPat Werner Washington Montessori School

A heartfelt thanks to my outgoing CAIS board chair

Yes, Tom Main (HOS at King in Stamford) is an outgoing guy. He is also outgoing as the Chair of the CAIS board of Directors, having completed a 3 year term in

July. After my 24 years as a Head of School and 12 years as an Executive Director, I think I can speak for my HOS colleagues in saying that the role can be stimulating and rewarding – but rarely so if

you have not achieved a true partnership with your board Chair. Tom has been a thoughtful and thorough leader of the CAIS board. He has also been a

conscientious partner and an inspiration for me - a source of support, perspective, wisdom and guidance.

He is perennially cheerful, focused on the future and the consummate gentleman. How fortunate the schools in the CAIS fellowship were, to have known his service and leadership.

Linda Saarnijoki (pictured with husband Rusty Davis )2016 recipient of the CAIS Award

She lived at the juncture of innovation and tradition…

At its May 2016 meeting, the CAIS Board considered multiple worthy nominations for our AnnualAward.“The CAIS Award is presented to a person, group of people or institution that has provided an inspiring example of leadership and commitment to the improvement of education for children in Connecticut”.

An excerpt from the nomination letter submitted by Taft Head of School Will McMullin:

“ It is impossible to measure what Linda Saarnijoki has meant to Taft, and I am quite sure that no woman in our history has shaped this school more profoundly or permanently. There are roles we cannot conceive of—especially the dean of faculty--without thinking of her.

The school moved in directions we did because of her, especially in the advancement of women, in the institutionalizing of mentoring, in the crafting of community, and in its commitment to professional growth. She lived at the junction of innovation and tradition, always pushing herself and others to get better, and yet also fiercely defending the historic model of the triple-threat teacher that she embodied so fully. In that wonderfully rich role which brought her to students and faculty in all of her capacities, she brought qualities that changed everyone she touched: a staggering strength and resilience, a singular unselfishness and willingness to serve, an enthusiasm and optimism that were contagious, an intellect that was probing and brave, and a compassion that seemed fathomless. She will retire, but I will never think of my work without thinking of her. Hundreds of students and teachers will never forget her. And no one should ever think of Taft without remembering that she fundamentally bent the arc of destiny of this great school.

An excerpt from the nomination letter submitted by Dr. Cara Johnson, Head of School at LitchfieldMontessori:

As a candidate for my current position, I met Linda and knew that if I was lucky enough to be offered the job, I would be very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with her. In my professional life I have been blessed to work with a number of truly remarkable women, who have served as both mentors and role models. Although I have not known Linda for many years, I count her among these remarkable women. As a new Head of School I have faced many challenges, and I have been truly lucky to work closely with Linda.

Niche.com: Ranking Private Schools - from a desk in Pittsburg Pa.

Niche is a for-profit company that takes its playbook from the wildly successful U.S News College Rankings - a publication that has influenced college selections for decades despite its well-refuted, specious methodology. Niche employs a convoluted, statistically indefensible (I might say ridiculous) data collection program in determining school rank. No schools are visited. Quality is determined by a data analyst sitting at a desk in Pittsburgh. The popular press publishes the rankings as though they had some shred of legitimacy. And we wonder why Americans have such a low regard for the media…

Niche heavily weighs parent, student and alumni reviews (completed online, anonymously) in its private school grading formula, but there is no independent way to tell whether reviews submitted to Niche actually come from people affiliated with the schools! Further, its surveys reach too few consumers to be statistically valid; essentially, seven people could be speaking for 700.

In a recent listing of Niche's Top 20 Private High Schools in the U.S. the reliability and variability in the collected data is striking. One of the top school’s academic rating was based, in part, on 138 SAT scores; another school was rated based on 19 scores.

Although Niche rates schools on parent/student surveys, the company has no parent/student survey information on some of the rated schools; other schools were evaluated using a tiny, statistically invalid sample. For example, although there are hundreds of parents with children enrolled at Trinity and also at Hackley (both in NY) Niche used 8 survey responses for Hackley and 6 responses for Trinity in determining their parent/student grades. Trinity received a relatively low score in this category – based on 6 responses. Reality check: those 6 responses may or may not have been posted by people who have had any first-hand experience with the school.

Other "quality indicators" used and mangled by Niche are equally suspect.

Below is an excerpt taken from the Niche website (red highlighting is mine) in which users are warned that the company makes no promise that its information is accurate – this is stunning in its admission.

You acknowledge that you are using the Niche Services at your own risk. Niche assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in these materials. Niche makes no commitment to update the information contained herein. Niche makes no, and expressly disclaims any and all, representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the Niche Services, including without limitation the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of text, graphics, links, products and services, and other items accessed from or via the Niche Services

My final word on this, thanks to research analyst George Barna:“Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion. Without good data and thoughtful interpretation... you're just another source of noise.”

Recognize anyone in the montage below?

There is a Connecticut educator in the 3rd cohort:Innovative educators selected from a large international pool of candidates

Top row, third from the right, CAIS’ own David Saunders, educator, media specialist, popular blogger on “education, technology and design” at http://designsaunders.com/

In answering TED Ed’s question What inspired you to become an educator? Click HERE to read David’s essay.

Connecticut State Superior court judge declares public school funding unconstitutional:

Troubling implications for private schools

On September 7, 2016, Judge Thomas Moukawsher issued a lengthy and far-reaching decision in a long running school funding case.

The judge called the state’s school funding system “irrational” and “unconstitutional.” The eleven-year-old school funding lawsuit is now headed to the state supreme court for final adjudication.

Judge Moukawsher also used his decision to condemn Connecticut’s public schools and demand that the legislative branch of government adopt an extensive array of corporate education reform initiatives, including the use of more standardized testing and a teacher evaluation system based on how well students do on those standardized tests.

The implications for private schools are both positive and negative.

Negative implications include reductions in state aid to suburban school districts. I wholeheartedly endorse increased funding to poor urban districts though I fear the reductions in suburban district aid may force those districts to consider new sources of revenue – and tax exempt organizations are likely candidates.

Positive implications for private schools?

Connecticut expands it’s Scantron answer sheet testing program in public schools, independent schools can differentiate themselves and define their value as 21st century learning experiences for students and for teachers.

Connecticut’s suburban public schools may be clean and safe places but they are increasingly bound to a school day characterized by mind-numbing drill and practice test prep.

Independent schools are increasingly designed around creative and collaborative explorations of learning. Those learning experiences develop the competencies sought after in current century career and civic life.

Have independent schools sacrificed traditional content mastery? Apparently not.

The College Board has published “mean” scores for students in the graduating class of 2016 who took the SAT at least once through January 2016.

The average combined SAT score of students in independent schools was 1645, or 192 points above the public school mean of 1453.

At the elementary level, the average score of 4th graders in CAIS schools that took the TIMSS replica (International Math test) was significantly above the highest scoring countries, Singapore, China (Taipei) and Japan.

Here is a more detailed description of the court ruling: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/nyregion/connecticut-public-schools-inequality-judge-orders.html?_r=0

An interesting project for CAIS schools:

Student Kindness Film Contest

Connecticut-wide student kindness film contest for middle and high school students sponsored by Envision Kindness, a CT nonprofit with mission to promote kindness. 

With advisor, students create short, original, G-rated films on kindness.  Transformational outcomes seen in 2015 pilot contest!  Prizes go to schools to support programs.  For more information, including teacher and student feedback from 2015, please go to http://www.envisionkindness.org/programs/student-film-contest/ or contact us at david@envisionkindness.org . Deadline to submit December 9, 2016. 

In closing, I hope your Openings of School were free of surprises, except for the pleasant ones. Autumn is spectacular in Mystic. Come and visit – the CAIS office is in the center of town, adjacent to the river and town green.

Doug

P.S. On the lighter side:

Upcoming CAIS Professional Development Events:

October 5; 11:30 am – 1:00 pm ~ Learning Specialists and Academic Services Luncheon; Foote SchoolOctober 20; 9 am – 4 pm ~ Fundamentals of Finance II; Choate Rosemary HallOctober 24; 5 – 8 pm ~ Solving the Critical Thinking Problem; Loomis Chaffee SchoolOctober 25; 11:30 am – 1:00 pm ~ Lower School Director’s Luncheon; Greenwich AcademyNovember 2; 4 – 6 pm ~ Early Childhood Workshop: Cultivating a Lifelong Learner; The Children’s School