This edition of the CASDA Quarterly Newsletter is dedicated to recognizing the contributions of educators over the past year including the many award winners from CASDA’s Annual Awards Recognition, which was a casualty of the pandemic in 2020. Additionally, as we look to the future, and the work ahead, I want to assure you CASDA is here to support member school districts and educators in their work as it has for the past 72 years. You will find in the newsletter descriptions of the many services CASDA can provide to support your work next year and beyond.

Celebrating Accomplishments

Despite the enormous challenges faced by everyone this past year, we have much to celebrate. There have been many accomplishments thanks to the heroic efforts of individuals and organizations, and the recent education aid allocated through the American Rescue Plan brings great hope for the future.

In celebration, you will find a section of this newsletter exclusively dedicated to all of the educators in our member districts. Let me personally thank you for your tireless efforts, perseverance, and steadfast commitment to the children and families you serve. Without the dedication and professionalism of the educators in our regional school districts the hardships and challenges faced by students and families could not have been overcome. Also, I want to share a belated congratulations to the CASDA Annual Awards Winners from Spring 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic prevented us from holding this annual event last year, however, we want to recognize these educators for the excellence they exhibit. Though we are not able to hold in-person awards ceremonies this year, we look forward to bringing back these historically intimate and personal celebrations in the Spring of 2022 and hope you will join us. Again, to all of our area educators, thank you!

Speaking of reimagining education, as we consider the future, we need to ask, what opportunities exist for impactful change? First, it is essential to determine how best to meet the social emotional needs of students and adults. Gathering qualitative data through focus groups and surveys is one of many services CASDA can provide. As Linda Darling Hammond states in “Accelerating Learning As We Build Back Better (Forbes Online, April 5, 2021), “... we must reinvent schools in ways that center relationships, allow educators to deeply understand what children know and have experienced so they can build on it and draw connections to new learning; and enable children to see their strengths and what they know - to feel competent and confident that they can learn.” CASDA’s experienced consultants can assist in facilitating conversations around planning summer learning and the return to school in the fall by utilizing the research of community co-design to ensure a diverse group of educators, community members and students have a seat at the table and their voices are heard.

On the topic of diversity, the New York State Board of Regents recently released a draft document titled, “The NYS Board of Regents Framework on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in New York’s Schools: A Call to Action.” The document describes the pervasive systemic racism in New York’s Schools and identifies the critical role school districts play in combating systemic racism through policy and practice. Through CASDA’s partnership with Common Thread Consulting, LLC, we offer a comprehensive menu of training for school leaders, Boards of Education, classroom educators, and family and community engagement. Let us assist you with this important and challenging work. You can find more detailed information about Common Thread Consulting’s services in this newsletter and on the CASDA website at https://www.casdany.org/commonthread.

Whether your district or school has been identified or not as a School In Need of Improvement by the New York State Education Department, CASDA’s School Improvement Services have been widely used for many years. CASDA partners with NYKids, a special project of the University at Albany School of Education, which applies a research-based improvement process called COMPASS Aim to assist schools in developing a customized plan for improvement. With an increased emphasis on meaningful stakeholder participation, conducting student interviews and equity self-reflections, the School Comprehensive Education Plan (SCEP) process provides a guide for any school district to use as they look to the fall. CASDA not only provides direct support for the development of a SCEP, but can also assist any district wisely considering to review and revise its Vision, Mission and Goals in light of the paradigm shifting changes of the past year. Why not secure CASDA services to facilitate a SWOT Analysis of your district to assist in reimagining the path ahead? Check out the Sample SWOT Analysis in the newsletter and descriptions of our individual district retreats or Problem of Practice Seminars.

A signature service CASDA has successfully been offering for several years to school districts throughout the region is leadership coaching. Let’s face it, in these challenging times, who wouldn’t benefit from the support of a veteran educator with years of experience ready to listen, ask reflective questions and share some of the latest research on leadership? CASDA can support leadership teams and individual leaders. We base our coaching on the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSELs). With the frequency of leadership vacancies being filled by educators new to a leadership role and the increasing complexity of leadership positions, coaching is a worthwhile investment for the individual and organization. Additionally, CASDA offers instructional coaching for individual, departments and grade level teams of teachers. Our experts work directly with teachers to assist them in improving their practice.

If you are interested in joining CASDA as a consultant to share your expertise and experience, take the step to contact us to learn more about how we can work together. Also, check out our Call to the Field in the newsletter.

Now, I will end by simply saying thank you for the work you do each day in support of your students, their families and your community, it is greatly appreciated!