EdAdvance and the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) hosted an Annual Western Connecticut Legislative Breakfast at Sandy Hook Elementary School on January 9, just before the start of school.

The breakfast was held to bring members of both groups together with members of the state’s legislature. State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-106), State Representative Stephen G. Harding (R-107), and State Senator Will Haskell (Dist 26) were announced as present near the start of the event by EdAdvance Executive Director Dr Jeffrey Kitching, who led most of the morning’s discussion.

Newtown Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue welcomed all of the attendants to Sandy Hook School at the start of the event, saying, “I’m excited to host and welcome you.”

Dr Kitching then started the morning’s discussion by saying topics would include regionalism and special education.

Newtown Board of Education Chair and CABE Area 5 Director Michelle Embree Ku said she is chairing CABE’s government relations committee this year “and there are a lot of good conversations that are coming out of that.”

Ms Ku also discussed the state’s Excess Cost Grant and ways CABE members feel it can be fixed to allow districts to better budget for predicted student needs.

Other topics for the morning included school climate, social emotional intelligence, and supporting all students. Discussion later covered the needs of small to larger districts and meeting more than once a year to share insights with legislators.

As buses began pulling up to the school to drop students off for the school day, the breakfast was winding to a close.