President's Message Simple Storage Service
Briefs August/September, 2017
President’s Message In This Issue
A few thoughts from President Eva Gallupe.
Surety Bonds
2
News Media
4
Leadership Clarity
5
SNACT Conference
7
Calendar of Events
8
P-Card Program
9
October Workshop
10
Members News
11
Welcome to the new school year!!! With students and teachers back in school we are running full steam ahead. It is with great optimism that I am hoping Connecticut has its budget in place while you are reading this. Whether we have a state budget or not, it is imperative that you volunteer and stay active in CASBO, behind the scenes the elected officials are trying to change the landscape for how education is funded as well as structured. There is a big push for regionalization of services. Working with CASBO, we can assist the elected officials with shaping what this change will look like versus dealing with fallout after the fact. I encourage you to make the most of your membership by participating fully. Attend all the workshops, stay informed, and utilize the listserv to ask questions of other school business officials (remember you are not alone). By volunteering on taskforces, your expertise will go to good use and you will be making a difference in your district as well as the State as a whole. This school year will be trying to say the least in light of the fiscal challenges at the local, state and federal levels. Unfortunately, my optimism carries only so far, as this is the beginning of trying to do even more with less in the upcoming budget season.
A Publication of the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials
Public Owners Responsible for Evaluating Surety & Bonds Mechanic’s liens provide security for nonpayment to subcontractors and suppliers on private projects. Because mechanic’s liens are not valid against property that is owned by the state or a municipality, the Little Miller Act (C.G.S §49-41 et seq.) was implemented to provide subcontractors and suppliers working on public works projects with a similar level of security. Pursuant to the Little Miller Act, any contractor entering into a construction contract exceeding $100,000 for a public works project must provide the public owner with a payment bond “with a surety or sureties satisfactory to the officer awarding the contract.” If the public owner fails to receive such a bond, the statute provides that the public owner may be liable to unpaid subcontractors in accordance with C.G.S §49-42. In a series of recent lower court decisions that involved multiple subcontractor claims in connection with the same project, the Connecticut Superior Court considered the level of investigation a public owner must perform on the surety company in order to find the surety to be “satisfactory” under the Little Miller Act. The court considered whether the public owner’s contracting officer fulfilled his obligation under the Act by merely confirming that a signed bond form was provided by the Continued on page 3
2
Public Owners Continued from page 2 contractor. The contracting officer was unaware that the surety that issued the bond was not authorized/licensed to do insurance business in the State of Connecticut and that there were irregularities on the face of the bond and its attached power of attorney. The courts concluded that finding a surety “satisfactory” requires more than a simple review of the bond as to form. The court determined that compliance with the Act by a public owner requires a focus on the surety issuing the bond and a consideration of substantive issues including:
whether the surety company actually exists;
whether the surety company is authorized or prohibited to do business in Connecticut; and
whether the public owner has actual knowledge of facts that might or should preclude characterizing the surety as satisfactory.
3
To comply with the Little Miller Act (and protect itself from liability), a public owner should perform a substantive review of the bond instrument and the bonding company to determine that the surety meets the conditions identified by the court. We recommend that this review include, at a minimum, a search of the records of the Connecticut Secretary of the State under the name of the surety and an inquiry of the Connecticut Insurance Commissioner to determine whether the company legally exists and is authorized/licensed to issue surety bonds in the state of Connecticut. Article by Attorneys Laurann Asklof & Christine L. Chipman of Shipman & Goodwin.
News Media: The Story Goes on With or Without YOU As a former reporter, I wanted to share with you some important information on how many reporters think today. First of all, reporters have a job to do and if their story involves your school board or your district, you have a responsibility to respond. The story goes on with or without you. Dodging a reporter’s inquiry is rarely a smart move. For example, isn’t it better to have you call them back instead of having them show up on your doorstep unannounced? When you do call back, ask what the reporter wants to talk about and the angle of the story so you can decide the best way to respond. Even if a brief written statement is all you can provide instead of an interview, it will likely satisfy the reporter’s desire for a response. It is also better to respond than to have coverage citing a “no comment” or “did not respond to our requests for comment” from your side. Reporters often need education on your subject matter. With the dissolution of the beat reporter system, most reporters are considered “general assignment.” That means that they may have been covering something going on at the State Capitol and then they are sent to cover a story on education. Take a few minutes before the interview to not only gauge the reporter’s knowledge of the topic, but also to provide them with some background information, especially if it involves a complex educational issue. Be aware! Reporters may go with flawed information from others just to present the other side. It is unfortunate, but in many cases, unavoidable. Ask the reporter to whom they are talking to and provide context or, even better, specific examples of where the other side has either mistakenly or intentionally misled others. This hopefully helps establish you as the more
4
By Ann Baldwin, President & CEO, Baldwin Media
reliable source in the reporters mind and will influence how they write their story. Finally, reporters have limited time to absorb and digest information. Keep this in mind and plan for how you will get your most important points across at the top of the interview in succinct and potent sound bites. Remember: the interview may not last long, so don’t save your best for last.
Building Leadership Clarity 9 Strategies for Accessing Your Full Leadership Capacity The starting point of all achievement is desire. This powerful reminder from legendary human development author Napoleon Hill is the perfect continuum from my last two leadership articles. It also represents a common theme among the many requests I’ve received recently to help leaders to lead with a higher level of clarity and purpose. In my January 2017 One Question That Matters article, I presented an expanded view of accountability that challenged each of us to see beyond the boundaries of outdated conventional thinking. In my October 2016 Congruence Matters article, I presented one of my most important learning discoveries of the previous 20 years. Specifically, that not only does leadership have little to do with job title but also that our capacity to demonstrate true leadership goes well beyond the parameters of the workplace. While personal leadership was a central theme in both of my recent articles, the truth is that without a strong desire to improve as leaders, none of us can expect to recognize our full leadership capacity. It is within this context that I present the following 9 Strategies for Accessing Your Full Leadership Capacity: 1. Define who you want to be as a leader and what others expect of you as a leader. A natural outcome of self-awareness is the clarity and resulting purpose that allows us to define, with great confidence, who we are and what we stand for both as leaders and as human beings. It also helps us to better understand and adapt to what is expected of us by our many stakeholders. 2. Examine and challenge your negative self-talk. Every human being at one time or another has struggled with self-doubt and the resulting negative self-talk that erodes clarity and confidence. This is part of the human experience and may not be a bad thing as long 5
Article by David O’Brien, President of WorkChoice Solutions, a trusted provider of leadership and team effectiveness training, coaching and consulting services founded in 2000. www.workchoicesolutions.com
as we take time to examine, challenge and learn from the experience. 3. Look for more “role model” opportunities each day. Each of us is presented with countless opportunities each day to be positive role models both in and out of work. The key question, however, is what type of behavior are we role modeling? Is it really who we are? Is it congruent with our core values and who we want to be as a leader? 4. Make an effort to shut-off the “auto pilot” and work hard at being fully present. To be sure, everyone is doing more with less these days and multitasking has become an expected skill. Often, these factors result in a level of distraction best described as “auto pilot” where we completely lose touch with the present. Beyond being an impediment to doing our best work, the auto-pilot mode greatly reduces our full capacity to lead. Continued on page 6
Building Leadership Clarity Continued from page 5 5. Count your blessings more often and develop a deeper sense of gratitude. In my first book, I introduced the story of my WMIS AM & FM discovery. The WMIS translated into What’s My Internal Screen which is a frame of reference as I awake each day. The AM represents the Appreciation Mode and the FM represents the Fear Mode. This framework allows us to examine our capacity to develop a deeper sense of gratitude while also helping to keep the negative self-talk in check. 6. Keep a journal of your leadership journey. Contrary to some viewpoints, journaling does not have to follow a structured process or be filled with high content expectations. Some days my journal may have only one word written it in but it’s a word that makes me think, and thinking is a key goal and benefit of the journaling process. 7. Give yourself permission to develop your own leadership formula for work and life. Far too many leaders invest far too much time in trying to be someone else as a leader. While there is value in emulating successful leaders, the truth is that a great deal of leadership success is tied to one’s capacity to be authentic. 8. Calibrate your compass every morning through 10 minutes of deliberate selfreflection. Not surprisingly, being able to achieve leadership congruence takes more than values clarity. It takes practice and daily calibrating of your morale compass. Some call it prayer, others meditation and still others call it self-reflection. Whatever you call it, taking 10 minutes every morning to refocus and recalibrate may be the most important 10 minutes of your day. 9. Develop your emotional intelligence. Very few leaders fail for lack of IQ but many fail for lack of EQ. Emotional intelligence often referred to
6
as EQ or EI may be the most important development opportunity available to leaders today. Unlike IQ which typically doesn’t change after adolescence, EQ is a learned intelligence which, over time and through learning and practice, can continue to increase well beyond age 60.
CASBO Joins SNACT for Annual Conference We are pleased to once again be partnering with SNACT for their Annual Conference, November 3-4, 2017 at Foxwoods Resort. An exciting agenda is planned (see below). Register today at www.snact.org FRIDAY SESSIONS Don’t wait for opportunity: Create it! Innovations to Achieve Self Sufficiency—Maintaining participation and providing appetizing and nutritious meals on a balanced budget continues to be a challenge for many districts. Learn from a panel of Connecticut School Nutrition Directors and School Business Officials whose creative marketing, staffing and programming innovations have resulted in efficiencies and improved fiscal outcomes. 2017 - 2018 SDE Child Nutrition Updates—USDA has released over 4,700 pages of guidance since the implementation of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. Are you in compliance? Whether your district is self-operated or uses the services of a Food Service Management Company, the district holds the responsibility of meeting all federal and state regulations. Get a summary of the latest updates and what it means for your district. Back by Popular Demand - Kids Say the Darndest Things! Are your meal counts and revenue down? Are you listening? When is the last time you thoroughly evaluated if your district is meeting the needs of its customers – our students! A satisfied customer is a measure of your success and the best business strategy of all. Learn from customers of all ages and grade levels from several diverse districts in this informative and interactive panel on how to improve meeting customer needs and use that knowledge in our food and industry show to make positive changes in your programs! SNACT 68th Annual Food and Industry Trade Show SATURDAY SESSIONS Your Customers’ Perception is Your Reality or Sometimes negative feedback is not a negative thing—We ask for it - our customers honest thoughts and opinions. Customer feedback needs to be embraced to implement effective change. How we respond to feedback - whether from students, the media or social media - plays a role in your program’s success. Demystifying Proper Procurement, Purchasing Power and Partnerships—Regardless of your size, you and your district hold the power in your purchasing decisions. Following USDA regulations and making ethical decisions in the best financial interest of your program is only part of your responsibility. Being a good customer and developing industry part-
7
nerships is also a key, but frequently overlooked, component. Learn from CSDE, SNACT, City Procurement and Industry representatives in this interactive procurement presentation and maximize your district’s purchasing potential. Show me the money: strategies for reducing food waste—Every penny counts! Whether you are producing a hundred or a thousand meals per day, wasted pennies over time add up to significant dollars. Learn how to minimize waste when purchasing, preparing and serving meals and reap the benefits for your program! Getting The Numbers Right and Keeping The Costs Down—It All Adds Up To Success— Do you need to convert 2# of flour to cups? How many 20# cases of potato wedges should you order for 250 servings? Ever wonder if your special soup recipe credits toward the meal pattern---and how you would find out? The answers to these questions and many more will be determined during this workshop. Whether you’re a math whiz or challenged by numbers, everyone will be able to follow the lessons of calculating your way through a cafeteria day. Count Down to Sustainability - Maintaining Balance in Food, Beverage and Supply Inventories—From menu to final service, our food, beverage and supply inventories are critical to keeping our programs successful, sustainable and in balance. In this presentation we will discover the impact our inventory practices have on our daily operations, from preparation, to ease in service, to acceptability, to keeping the budget in check. We will explore best practices for making our work life easier, our bottom line balanced and the kids happy! Who could ask for anything more?! Friday Registration includes breakfast and dinner at the High Roller Club Saturday Registration includes continental breakfast and brunch. This agenda is subject to change.
2017-18 Calendar of Events Date
Event
Location
Friday, October 6, 2017
CASBO Workshop
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
November 3-4, 2017
Joint Conference w/SNACT
Foxwoods
Thursday, November 9, 2017
BOD Meeting
Stanley Golf Back 9, New Britain, CT
November 17-18, 2017
CABE/CAPSS Conference
Mystic Hilton, Groton, CT
Friday, February 2, 2018
CASBO Workshop
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
February 8-10, 2018
ASBO ELF
Austin, TX
Thursday, February 15, 2018
BOD Meeting
Stanley Golf Back 9, New Britain, CT
Friday, March 16, 2018
CASBO Workshop
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Vendor Day
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
Thursday, May 10, 2018
BOD Meeting
Stanley Golf Back 9, New Britain, CT
May 31-June 1, 2018
Institute
Stamford Sheraton, Stamford, CT
Board Meetings start with breakfast at 9:00, meeting at 9:30, and usually complete in 2 – 2.5 hours. Workshops are 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
8
CASBO P-Card Program Procurement Cards, or p-Cards, have existed in the private and public sectors for many years. They represent an evolution of the credit card brought about by applying new technology to an emerging e-commerce world that now includes schools. What makes a p-Card unique is that it was created to maximize the benefits for schools and to potentially also help Associations. Those who have worked in governmental agencies like school districts are very familiar with the process of using paper purchase orders and manually processing the procurement process from beginning to end. We are more than familiar with the delays, bottlenecks, time wasted, duplication and costs associated with the old paper intensive process. Only recently has technology for schools become available that allows for the stream-lining of this process and a significant reduction in the paper flow. p-Cards can change the procurement culture, p-Cards will NOT eliminate all paper nor will they eliminate the need for and use of purchase orders, p-Cards will reduce paper use, and remove the myth that the more paper we use the better the paper trail and internal controls. p-Cards also help school districts identify all of the small transactions created each month and consolidates most of those into ONE payment. CASBO is pleased to partner with Illinois ASBO on their unique P-Card Program. For more information, please contact [email protected]
9
CASBO Briefs is published and copyrighted by CASBO. Opinions and claims expressed within are that of those making statement and do not necessarily represent CASBO. For additional information, please contact Executive Director Sharon Bruce, to CASBO, 11 High Gate Lane, West Hartford, CT 06107-1010, phone/fax (860 519-0023), [email protected]
October Workshop—Working Together for Better Solutions Register today (www.ct-asbo.org) for CASBO’s program on October 6th at the Aqua Turf. The program may be of interest to your town counterparts so please invite them as well at the member rate. The exciting schedule of topic is: SDE Commissioner Update—CSDE Commissioner, Dianna Wentzell, will join us to share her insight on education in the State of Connecticut. State Department of Education Update—Kathy Demsey, CSDE Chief Financial Officer, will provide an overview and update on issues pertinent to CASBO members, including the soon-to-be implemented Education Finance System.
Working Together for Better Solutions – Interactive and Panel Sessions—People are unique in their personalities and work styles but all would agree that their personal goal is high achievement. Therefore, focusing on “what matters” and the shared belief in the success of the municipality and district goes hand-in-hand, will help with the relationship between municipal and district leaders. The enhanced relationship will provide for greater transparency, shared resources, and better outcomes for all involved. This session’s presenter, Diana Vickers, will focus on how to make this happen. Then, a panel of district and municipality leaders will share their insight on the practical implementation of the belief that “whole is greater than the sum of the parts”. Rapid Fire Hot Topics—An overview of the impact of the legislative session and the State budget, and current CASBO taskforce updates will be discussed. Collaboration with CAPSS—As CAPSS new Executive Director, Dr. Fran Rabinowitz, will share her goals for the direction of CAPSS, public education in Connecticut, and collaboration with related organizations such as CASBO.
10
Members on the Move
Member News
Best wishes to CASBO members who have accepted new positions or have just joined a district:
Congratulations to Michele Demicco
Kim Allen—Regional School District #4
(Griswold Public
Dominic Barone—Wallingford Public Schools
Schools) and
Ed Drapp—Shelton Public Schools
her husband,
Sherry Holmes—LEARN
Brent, on the
Lisa Jones—Ansonia Public Schools
birth of their daughter, Addison Lyn,
Kim Neubig—Regional School District #13
on Friday, August 18th at
Scott Reiss—Regional School District #9
9:11pm. Little Addison was a week
Susan Russo—Canton Public Schools.
late in making her debut and weighed in at 8 pounds 10 ounces
If changed district or newly joined and are not listed above, please email Sharon Bruce at [email protected]
and was 21" long. All are doing great and her big brothers, Gavin, Jaxson and Logan are all super excited that she has joined their family.
11
12
President’s Message In This Issue
A few thoughts from President Eva Gallupe.
Surety Bonds
2
News Media
4
Leadership Clarity
5
SNACT Conference
7
Calendar of Events
8
P-Card Program
9
October Workshop
10
Members News
11
Welcome to the new school year!!! With students and teachers back in school we are running full steam ahead. It is with great optimism that I am hoping Connecticut has its budget in place while you are reading this. Whether we have a state budget or not, it is imperative that you volunteer and stay active in CASBO, behind the scenes the elected officials are trying to change the landscape for how education is funded as well as structured. There is a big push for regionalization of services. Working with CASBO, we can assist the elected officials with shaping what this change will look like versus dealing with fallout after the fact. I encourage you to make the most of your membership by participating fully. Attend all the workshops, stay informed, and utilize the listserv to ask questions of other school business officials (remember you are not alone). By volunteering on taskforces, your expertise will go to good use and you will be making a difference in your district as well as the State as a whole. This school year will be trying to say the least in light of the fiscal challenges at the local, state and federal levels. Unfortunately, my optimism carries only so far, as this is the beginning of trying to do even more with less in the upcoming budget season.
A Publication of the Connecticut Association of School Business Officials
Public Owners Responsible for Evaluating Surety & Bonds Mechanic’s liens provide security for nonpayment to subcontractors and suppliers on private projects. Because mechanic’s liens are not valid against property that is owned by the state or a municipality, the Little Miller Act (C.G.S §49-41 et seq.) was implemented to provide subcontractors and suppliers working on public works projects with a similar level of security. Pursuant to the Little Miller Act, any contractor entering into a construction contract exceeding $100,000 for a public works project must provide the public owner with a payment bond “with a surety or sureties satisfactory to the officer awarding the contract.” If the public owner fails to receive such a bond, the statute provides that the public owner may be liable to unpaid subcontractors in accordance with C.G.S §49-42. In a series of recent lower court decisions that involved multiple subcontractor claims in connection with the same project, the Connecticut Superior Court considered the level of investigation a public owner must perform on the surety company in order to find the surety to be “satisfactory” under the Little Miller Act. The court considered whether the public owner’s contracting officer fulfilled his obligation under the Act by merely confirming that a signed bond form was provided by the Continued on page 3
2
Public Owners Continued from page 2 contractor. The contracting officer was unaware that the surety that issued the bond was not authorized/licensed to do insurance business in the State of Connecticut and that there were irregularities on the face of the bond and its attached power of attorney. The courts concluded that finding a surety “satisfactory” requires more than a simple review of the bond as to form. The court determined that compliance with the Act by a public owner requires a focus on the surety issuing the bond and a consideration of substantive issues including:
whether the surety company actually exists;
whether the surety company is authorized or prohibited to do business in Connecticut; and
whether the public owner has actual knowledge of facts that might or should preclude characterizing the surety as satisfactory.
3
To comply with the Little Miller Act (and protect itself from liability), a public owner should perform a substantive review of the bond instrument and the bonding company to determine that the surety meets the conditions identified by the court. We recommend that this review include, at a minimum, a search of the records of the Connecticut Secretary of the State under the name of the surety and an inquiry of the Connecticut Insurance Commissioner to determine whether the company legally exists and is authorized/licensed to issue surety bonds in the state of Connecticut. Article by Attorneys Laurann Asklof & Christine L. Chipman of Shipman & Goodwin.
News Media: The Story Goes on With or Without YOU As a former reporter, I wanted to share with you some important information on how many reporters think today. First of all, reporters have a job to do and if their story involves your school board or your district, you have a responsibility to respond. The story goes on with or without you. Dodging a reporter’s inquiry is rarely a smart move. For example, isn’t it better to have you call them back instead of having them show up on your doorstep unannounced? When you do call back, ask what the reporter wants to talk about and the angle of the story so you can decide the best way to respond. Even if a brief written statement is all you can provide instead of an interview, it will likely satisfy the reporter’s desire for a response. It is also better to respond than to have coverage citing a “no comment” or “did not respond to our requests for comment” from your side. Reporters often need education on your subject matter. With the dissolution of the beat reporter system, most reporters are considered “general assignment.” That means that they may have been covering something going on at the State Capitol and then they are sent to cover a story on education. Take a few minutes before the interview to not only gauge the reporter’s knowledge of the topic, but also to provide them with some background information, especially if it involves a complex educational issue. Be aware! Reporters may go with flawed information from others just to present the other side. It is unfortunate, but in many cases, unavoidable. Ask the reporter to whom they are talking to and provide context or, even better, specific examples of where the other side has either mistakenly or intentionally misled others. This hopefully helps establish you as the more
4
By Ann Baldwin, President & CEO, Baldwin Media
reliable source in the reporters mind and will influence how they write their story. Finally, reporters have limited time to absorb and digest information. Keep this in mind and plan for how you will get your most important points across at the top of the interview in succinct and potent sound bites. Remember: the interview may not last long, so don’t save your best for last.
Building Leadership Clarity 9 Strategies for Accessing Your Full Leadership Capacity The starting point of all achievement is desire. This powerful reminder from legendary human development author Napoleon Hill is the perfect continuum from my last two leadership articles. It also represents a common theme among the many requests I’ve received recently to help leaders to lead with a higher level of clarity and purpose. In my January 2017 One Question That Matters article, I presented an expanded view of accountability that challenged each of us to see beyond the boundaries of outdated conventional thinking. In my October 2016 Congruence Matters article, I presented one of my most important learning discoveries of the previous 20 years. Specifically, that not only does leadership have little to do with job title but also that our capacity to demonstrate true leadership goes well beyond the parameters of the workplace. While personal leadership was a central theme in both of my recent articles, the truth is that without a strong desire to improve as leaders, none of us can expect to recognize our full leadership capacity. It is within this context that I present the following 9 Strategies for Accessing Your Full Leadership Capacity: 1. Define who you want to be as a leader and what others expect of you as a leader. A natural outcome of self-awareness is the clarity and resulting purpose that allows us to define, with great confidence, who we are and what we stand for both as leaders and as human beings. It also helps us to better understand and adapt to what is expected of us by our many stakeholders. 2. Examine and challenge your negative self-talk. Every human being at one time or another has struggled with self-doubt and the resulting negative self-talk that erodes clarity and confidence. This is part of the human experience and may not be a bad thing as long 5
Article by David O’Brien, President of WorkChoice Solutions, a trusted provider of leadership and team effectiveness training, coaching and consulting services founded in 2000. www.workchoicesolutions.com
as we take time to examine, challenge and learn from the experience. 3. Look for more “role model” opportunities each day. Each of us is presented with countless opportunities each day to be positive role models both in and out of work. The key question, however, is what type of behavior are we role modeling? Is it really who we are? Is it congruent with our core values and who we want to be as a leader? 4. Make an effort to shut-off the “auto pilot” and work hard at being fully present. To be sure, everyone is doing more with less these days and multitasking has become an expected skill. Often, these factors result in a level of distraction best described as “auto pilot” where we completely lose touch with the present. Beyond being an impediment to doing our best work, the auto-pilot mode greatly reduces our full capacity to lead. Continued on page 6
Building Leadership Clarity Continued from page 5 5. Count your blessings more often and develop a deeper sense of gratitude. In my first book, I introduced the story of my WMIS AM & FM discovery. The WMIS translated into What’s My Internal Screen which is a frame of reference as I awake each day. The AM represents the Appreciation Mode and the FM represents the Fear Mode. This framework allows us to examine our capacity to develop a deeper sense of gratitude while also helping to keep the negative self-talk in check. 6. Keep a journal of your leadership journey. Contrary to some viewpoints, journaling does not have to follow a structured process or be filled with high content expectations. Some days my journal may have only one word written it in but it’s a word that makes me think, and thinking is a key goal and benefit of the journaling process. 7. Give yourself permission to develop your own leadership formula for work and life. Far too many leaders invest far too much time in trying to be someone else as a leader. While there is value in emulating successful leaders, the truth is that a great deal of leadership success is tied to one’s capacity to be authentic. 8. Calibrate your compass every morning through 10 minutes of deliberate selfreflection. Not surprisingly, being able to achieve leadership congruence takes more than values clarity. It takes practice and daily calibrating of your morale compass. Some call it prayer, others meditation and still others call it self-reflection. Whatever you call it, taking 10 minutes every morning to refocus and recalibrate may be the most important 10 minutes of your day. 9. Develop your emotional intelligence. Very few leaders fail for lack of IQ but many fail for lack of EQ. Emotional intelligence often referred to
6
as EQ or EI may be the most important development opportunity available to leaders today. Unlike IQ which typically doesn’t change after adolescence, EQ is a learned intelligence which, over time and through learning and practice, can continue to increase well beyond age 60.
CASBO Joins SNACT for Annual Conference We are pleased to once again be partnering with SNACT for their Annual Conference, November 3-4, 2017 at Foxwoods Resort. An exciting agenda is planned (see below). Register today at www.snact.org FRIDAY SESSIONS Don’t wait for opportunity: Create it! Innovations to Achieve Self Sufficiency—Maintaining participation and providing appetizing and nutritious meals on a balanced budget continues to be a challenge for many districts. Learn from a panel of Connecticut School Nutrition Directors and School Business Officials whose creative marketing, staffing and programming innovations have resulted in efficiencies and improved fiscal outcomes. 2017 - 2018 SDE Child Nutrition Updates—USDA has released over 4,700 pages of guidance since the implementation of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. Are you in compliance? Whether your district is self-operated or uses the services of a Food Service Management Company, the district holds the responsibility of meeting all federal and state regulations. Get a summary of the latest updates and what it means for your district. Back by Popular Demand - Kids Say the Darndest Things! Are your meal counts and revenue down? Are you listening? When is the last time you thoroughly evaluated if your district is meeting the needs of its customers – our students! A satisfied customer is a measure of your success and the best business strategy of all. Learn from customers of all ages and grade levels from several diverse districts in this informative and interactive panel on how to improve meeting customer needs and use that knowledge in our food and industry show to make positive changes in your programs! SNACT 68th Annual Food and Industry Trade Show SATURDAY SESSIONS Your Customers’ Perception is Your Reality or Sometimes negative feedback is not a negative thing—We ask for it - our customers honest thoughts and opinions. Customer feedback needs to be embraced to implement effective change. How we respond to feedback - whether from students, the media or social media - plays a role in your program’s success. Demystifying Proper Procurement, Purchasing Power and Partnerships—Regardless of your size, you and your district hold the power in your purchasing decisions. Following USDA regulations and making ethical decisions in the best financial interest of your program is only part of your responsibility. Being a good customer and developing industry part-
7
nerships is also a key, but frequently overlooked, component. Learn from CSDE, SNACT, City Procurement and Industry representatives in this interactive procurement presentation and maximize your district’s purchasing potential. Show me the money: strategies for reducing food waste—Every penny counts! Whether you are producing a hundred or a thousand meals per day, wasted pennies over time add up to significant dollars. Learn how to minimize waste when purchasing, preparing and serving meals and reap the benefits for your program! Getting The Numbers Right and Keeping The Costs Down—It All Adds Up To Success— Do you need to convert 2# of flour to cups? How many 20# cases of potato wedges should you order for 250 servings? Ever wonder if your special soup recipe credits toward the meal pattern---and how you would find out? The answers to these questions and many more will be determined during this workshop. Whether you’re a math whiz or challenged by numbers, everyone will be able to follow the lessons of calculating your way through a cafeteria day. Count Down to Sustainability - Maintaining Balance in Food, Beverage and Supply Inventories—From menu to final service, our food, beverage and supply inventories are critical to keeping our programs successful, sustainable and in balance. In this presentation we will discover the impact our inventory practices have on our daily operations, from preparation, to ease in service, to acceptability, to keeping the budget in check. We will explore best practices for making our work life easier, our bottom line balanced and the kids happy! Who could ask for anything more?! Friday Registration includes breakfast and dinner at the High Roller Club Saturday Registration includes continental breakfast and brunch. This agenda is subject to change.
2017-18 Calendar of Events Date
Event
Location
Friday, October 6, 2017
CASBO Workshop
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
November 3-4, 2017
Joint Conference w/SNACT
Foxwoods
Thursday, November 9, 2017
BOD Meeting
Stanley Golf Back 9, New Britain, CT
November 17-18, 2017
CABE/CAPSS Conference
Mystic Hilton, Groton, CT
Friday, February 2, 2018
CASBO Workshop
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
February 8-10, 2018
ASBO ELF
Austin, TX
Thursday, February 15, 2018
BOD Meeting
Stanley Golf Back 9, New Britain, CT
Friday, March 16, 2018
CASBO Workshop
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Vendor Day
AquaTurf, Plantsville, CT
Thursday, May 10, 2018
BOD Meeting
Stanley Golf Back 9, New Britain, CT
May 31-June 1, 2018
Institute
Stamford Sheraton, Stamford, CT
Board Meetings start with breakfast at 9:00, meeting at 9:30, and usually complete in 2 – 2.5 hours. Workshops are 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
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CASBO P-Card Program Procurement Cards, or p-Cards, have existed in the private and public sectors for many years. They represent an evolution of the credit card brought about by applying new technology to an emerging e-commerce world that now includes schools. What makes a p-Card unique is that it was created to maximize the benefits for schools and to potentially also help Associations. Those who have worked in governmental agencies like school districts are very familiar with the process of using paper purchase orders and manually processing the procurement process from beginning to end. We are more than familiar with the delays, bottlenecks, time wasted, duplication and costs associated with the old paper intensive process. Only recently has technology for schools become available that allows for the stream-lining of this process and a significant reduction in the paper flow. p-Cards can change the procurement culture, p-Cards will NOT eliminate all paper nor will they eliminate the need for and use of purchase orders, p-Cards will reduce paper use, and remove the myth that the more paper we use the better the paper trail and internal controls. p-Cards also help school districts identify all of the small transactions created each month and consolidates most of those into ONE payment. CASBO is pleased to partner with Illinois ASBO on their unique P-Card Program. For more information, please contact [email protected]
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CASBO Briefs is published and copyrighted by CASBO. Opinions and claims expressed within are that of those making statement and do not necessarily represent CASBO. For additional information, please contact Executive Director Sharon Bruce, to CASBO, 11 High Gate Lane, West Hartford, CT 06107-1010, phone/fax (860 519-0023), [email protected]
October Workshop—Working Together for Better Solutions Register today (www.ct-asbo.org) for CASBO’s program on October 6th at the Aqua Turf. The program may be of interest to your town counterparts so please invite them as well at the member rate. The exciting schedule of topic is: SDE Commissioner Update—CSDE Commissioner, Dianna Wentzell, will join us to share her insight on education in the State of Connecticut. State Department of Education Update—Kathy Demsey, CSDE Chief Financial Officer, will provide an overview and update on issues pertinent to CASBO members, including the soon-to-be implemented Education Finance System.
Working Together for Better Solutions – Interactive and Panel Sessions—People are unique in their personalities and work styles but all would agree that their personal goal is high achievement. Therefore, focusing on “what matters” and the shared belief in the success of the municipality and district goes hand-in-hand, will help with the relationship between municipal and district leaders. The enhanced relationship will provide for greater transparency, shared resources, and better outcomes for all involved. This session’s presenter, Diana Vickers, will focus on how to make this happen. Then, a panel of district and municipality leaders will share their insight on the practical implementation of the belief that “whole is greater than the sum of the parts”. Rapid Fire Hot Topics—An overview of the impact of the legislative session and the State budget, and current CASBO taskforce updates will be discussed. Collaboration with CAPSS—As CAPSS new Executive Director, Dr. Fran Rabinowitz, will share her goals for the direction of CAPSS, public education in Connecticut, and collaboration with related organizations such as CASBO.
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Members on the Move
Member News
Best wishes to CASBO members who have accepted new positions or have just joined a district:
Congratulations to Michele Demicco
Kim Allen—Regional School District #4
(Griswold Public
Dominic Barone—Wallingford Public Schools
Schools) and
Ed Drapp—Shelton Public Schools
her husband,
Sherry Holmes—LEARN
Brent, on the
Lisa Jones—Ansonia Public Schools
birth of their daughter, Addison Lyn,
Kim Neubig—Regional School District #13
on Friday, August 18th at
Scott Reiss—Regional School District #9
9:11pm. Little Addison was a week
Susan Russo—Canton Public Schools.
late in making her debut and weighed in at 8 pounds 10 ounces
If changed district or newly joined and are not listed above, please email Sharon Bruce at [email protected]
and was 21" long. All are doing great and her big brothers, Gavin, Jaxson and Logan are all super excited that she has joined their family.
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