Register NOW!! 2026 Annual Professional Learning Conference
The Farmington Polo Club - Farmington, CT
ConnCASE 2026 October Professional Development Conference
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Leading for Impact: Strengthening People, Programs & Results
Join ConnCASE on October 9, 2026, at the Farmington Polo Club for a dynamic professional learning experience designed for special education leaders who are navigating two of today’s most critical challenges: building and retaining strong special education teams and ensuring that programs are delivering meaningful, sustainable results.
Keynote presenter Dr. Natasha W. Veale will explore Supporting and Retaining Special Education Teachers Through Transformational Leadership, providing practical leadership strategies for creating environments in which special educators feel supported, empowered, and motivated to stay.
Ginny Tagliatela will then present Strategic Accountability: A Proven Program Review Framework, introducing a practical, replicable approach for using data, key performance indicators, strategic alignment, and stakeholder feedback to evaluate programs and guide informed decision-making.
Participants will leave with practical strategies, actionable frameworks, and new perspectives they can bring directly back to their districts to strengthen both the people they lead and the programs they oversee.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Natasha Veale
Dr. Natasha Veale is a special education leadership consultant, licensed special education teacher, teacher educator, author, and college administrator with more than 25 years of experience in the field of special education. Driven by a passion for helping educators and leaders succeed, Dr. Veale earned a Ph.D. in Special Education Leadership to strengthen her ability to develop, support, and advocate for special education teachers. She later earned an Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Administration to expand that work by developing and supporting the school administrators who lead them.
Dr. Veale began her career teaching students with high- and low-incidence disabilities in inclusion, resource, and separate settings. After nearly a decade in the classroom, she transitioned into higher education, where she has dedicated her career to preparing preservice and in-service special education and general education teachers to effectively teach, support, and advocate for students with disabilities.
Dr. Veale currently serves as Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education, Special Education Program Coordinator, and Professor of Special Education at Greensboro College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Drawing upon her extensive experience in special education, teacher preparation, organizational leadership, and administration, she works with school and district leaders to strengthen their capacity to effectively lead special education programs, support and retain special education teachers, and create school environments where educators and students can thrive.
Through Veale Leadership Consulting, Dr. Veale equips school administrators with the knowledge, strategies, and leadership practices needed to become confident and effective special education leaders.
Afternoon Session Speaker: Ginny Tagliatela
Ginny Tagliatela has served as a Principal with ACES since 2016 and currently leads ACES Bassett Road School. Prior to joining ACES, Ginny served as Director of Special Education in Seymour and, before that, as Assistant Director of Pupil Services in West Haven. During her time in district leadership, she also served as a member of the ConnCASE Executive Board, contributing to statewide leadership and advocacy in special education. Ginny brings the unique perspective of having led special education services in both public school districts and a Regional Educational Service Center (RESC). This experience allows her to understand the needs and challenges from multiple perspectives and to build strong partnerships with districts, families, and school teams to support students with complex needs. Ginny’s leadership is grounded in servant leadership, systems thinking, and a commitment to building strong school cultures and systems that create meaningful opportunities for students. She holds certifications as a Superintendent of Schools (#093), Administrator (#092), and Special Education Teacher (#265), along with advanced degrees in Educational Leadership and Special Education.
How can school districts determine whether their programs and services are truly meeting the needs of students and know when it is time to strengthen, redesign, expand, or reconsider them? This session introduces the ACES Program Review Process, a structured, adaptable framework districts can use to evaluate program effectiveness and guide continuous improvement. Through real-world examples and lessons learned, participants will explore how to identify meaningful performance indicators, examine multiple sources of data, engage stakeholders, and translate findings into actionable decisions. Attendees will leave with a practical framework they can adapt within their own districts to evaluate existing programs, strengthen accountability, and make informed decisions about how resources and services can best support students.