Minutes of the Lincoln School PTA Board meeting
November 4, 2003

Present: Laurie Manos, Kerry McGinty, Carey Cort, Susan Pease, Cathy Jahrling, Tricia McGean, Linda Shaw, Susan Salm, Denise Gieseke, Janet Ready, Deanna Laferriere, Sophia Spiliakos, Caroline Boeckman, Kathy Clark, Fan Watkinson, Cynthia Dixon, Sandy Storer, Nancy Marshall, Paul Naso, Lucy Sachs, Susan Welsh, Jan Nyquist, Joanna Wills, Leslie Hallowell, Mary Pappas, Amanda Hill, Mickey Brandmeyer

Call to Order: 8:35
Announcements and Recognitions:
Reminder - PTA membership dues are required for Board positions/voting. Please pay up.
Family memberships so far this year = 234. (Last year = 335). 450 directories printed to allow copies for teachers.

PTA has acknowledged both Mary O'Brien for the loss or her husband and Sonja Wolfsberg's loss of her father.

Kathy Copland of Allegra Printing in Waltham acknowledged as very helpful with printing of the Annual Giving Drive Letter.

PTA will give publicity and co-present with the PAC the Assistive Technology Workshop on Dec. 2 at 3:30pm. Though designed for teachers, parents are welcome to attend.

Mary Derbyshire has finished with processing orders from Gift Sale. Total proceeds were $23,600, of which 57% comes to the PTA and maintains last year's numbers. These are impressive numbers considering that other area schools' orders were down. She will need help distributing orders.

Caroline Boeckman is thanked for jumping on as third pair of hands for Sock Hop.

Nancy M. and Joanna Wills are working on revisions to PTA bylaws and will submit to state.

CORI forms are available in hard copy or PTA website. Be sure to facilitate the use of these forms for any A&E folks or presenters participating in the 250th Anniversary events.

Sarah Andysiak is working with school to encourage experiences related to the 250th.

Assist Superintendent's Report: Paul Naso:
The School Committee was recently given MCAS reports. [This same report was distributed to the attendees at this PTA meeting.] The test, based on State standards and frameworks, exceeds the expectations of the No Child Left Behind legislation. It can be used as an accountability device and a program analysis device. Its results are not always correlative so that low scores are not always indicative of a weak program, nor vice versa. Some of the best information from the test is that which evolves over a span of time, for a specific cohort and a school as a whole. Incorrectly answered items can be examined for content comprehension problems. May indicate need for intervention or remediation. Any "complete surprise" warnings can set off an alarm.

Grade 3 reading results for 2003 included 77% in Proficient performance level versus 84% in 2002. Needs Improvement performance level include 23%. The definitions of children needing reading support must be made clearer and mechanisms for monitoring progress need to be enhanced.

Performance levels in grades 5 & 8 Science were disappointing. Grade 7 English/Language Arts scores were impressive: only 2 schools statewide had higher scores. No Child Left Behind Act will require yearly testing in both reading and math for all students in grades 3-8 beginning in 2005/06 school year.
Comment for Paul: Scores in grades 3-5 were dramatically lower than others in the district.
Paul Naso's response: The question arises, are we testing what is being taught? Teachers may be making deliberate choices about content that may not jibe with the test. Are there other assessments measures that we need to institute to ensure accountability?

Comment: Are faculty encouraged to look at children who test better than their class work would reveal?
Comment: We should be reluctant to state that it is "taking the higher ground" not to teach the content appearing on the MCAS or other high stakes testing.
P.N. : The concepts currently taught may be maintained while revamping them to better reflect the test materials.
Comment: Hanscom's high scores for Grade 5 Science and Technology/Engineering might indicate that Lincoln should seek their help in informing our curriculum.
P.N.: Speaking with other principals reveals that communication with parents of children scoring Needs Improvement or Warning is critical.

Superintendent's Report: Mickey Brandmeyer:

Will be presenting to the FinCom on December 11 with a base budget of 0% increase and a separate "recommended" (or more accurately, preferred) budget of 4%. Hanscom's budget is contracted at providing 4% annual increases. Decisions on either campus can have an effect. Currently we stand at $400,000 over budget, and hope that phase 1 and 2 reductions will bring us down to the preferred budget of $200,000 to $250,000 over base. Four to five discussions with the School Committee have already taken place about the goal of protecting core program. Both Special Ed. and Curriculum and Professional Development presentations have been made. Enrollment projections have not yet resulted in specific section decisions. School Committee meeting on Nov. 20 will look at reductions. Pursuing other revenue streams such as Sped Medicaid reimbursement. In the past, the burden of applying for this outweighed the funds received, but now we stand to gain some revenues and will apply for them. Also, a Sped circuit breaker that reimburses 75% of costs above 4 times the "cost of a typical student". However, the legislature may reduce this to 26% this year.

Question for M.B.: The needs of a particular class should also influence decisions about an acceptable class size. Is there any data available for making decision on this basis, beyond Sped numbers, which are not the sole basis of a class' needs?
M.B. response: Both raw data and subjective judgments arrived at by the teaching team's experiences are all factors that influence class size decisions.
The '05 budget is based on the same total number of sections as this year, though some section numbers will change. Kindergarten will likely go up from 4 to 5 sections to accommodate 81 local students and 10 METCO students. The current 5 sections in first grade are projected to be maintained as 5 sections in second grade next year, but it is possible that spring enrollment figures could change dramatically. Still attempting not to exceed targets.
Comment: Small class size is not the only indicator of quality education. A teacher alone, with few specialists and no assistants, cannot deliver a quality education.
Question: At Saturday's State of the Town meeting, it was stated that a 4 ½% increase was needed to stay equal to our current educational quality. What are the dollars needed for such level services delivery?
M.B. response: The discussion is very much in process at this point. We need to ask for what we need, but also for what will pass at Town Meeting. A 5% increase would be $413,000. The override request will probably end up in the 2 ½% - 3% vicinity ($200,000-250,000).

Comment: We need to dispel myths (such as Lincoln acting as a magnet town for Sped service) and be able to articulate to the community what we need in order to keep a quality education intact.

Comment: The risk of failure is huge. If we go for too much and fail, we will destroy the program. School parents are only 30% of the voting population in town. Historically the town has never passed an override without the support of the Fincom and the Selectmen. A balance must be achieved between the needs of the school and town support.
Comment: A call should be made for communication of time lines for curricular improvements to enable bold requests to be made in the future.

M.B.: Remember that, in addition to the school's operating budget, the town also supports the school through warrants that pay for facility and infrastructure improvements, which minimize budget requests. There can be differences of viewpoint in budget building: when the Fincom looked at funds allocated for the Book Room, they asked that those be removed from the budget. While we saw it as core, they felt it could be privately funded. There exist many State and Federal mandates beyond Sped that require programs without providing funds for them (unfunded mandates) and which may even fine schools for lack of program provision. It is sometimes the case that more upfront costs can reduce even larger back end costs, such as out-of-district placements. Our Sped budget of 22-23% is significantly lower than many other districts.PTA efforts in years past were laudable and are encouraged again for this coming March. Convincing on-the-fence voters of the necessity of supporting funding would be a worthwhile focus.

PMF Committee: Susan Welsh & Lucy Sachs
In tribute to Pip Moss's 34 years of teaching music in the school, a special farewell event is being organized for May 22. Tickets will be sold with funds raised used to purchase a gift for the school in tribute to Pip. The event will also serve as an unofficial reunion opportunity for alumni. Lucy and Susan are looking for any kind of help and passed around a sign-up sheet.

Comment that Sue Ann Kearns is also retiring and should be acknowledged. Reminder that the PMF Committee is a private group, in which the PTA is not involved, and that the traditional PTA acknowledgement of teacher retirement is a tree planting. (Though we have been behind schedule with this in recent years.)

VOTE to accept October minutes.

Vice President's Reoprts: Sandy Storer, Joanna Wills, Janet Ready
The Random Acts of Kindness program is underway with May and June still available. Coordinator could become volunteer position for next year.

Assemblies & Enrichment
Cathy Jahrling grades K-2: goal is to report to parents about upcoming programs.
Leslie Hallowell grades 3-5: Chris Gestay has expressed concerns that grade 4 may not receive matching funds from an outside grant to ensure the Nikki Hu residency next year. It is recommended that the specifics of the grant should be revisited - belief that the Ramsey-McClusky grant was received to cover 3 years at $15,000. Also a suggestion is made that a more long-term contract could be arranged to stabilize planning for the program. Other grade 3-5 programs are being examined for possible revitalization.
Fan Watkinson grades 6-8: This cluster is reconsidering the strict division of funds into thirds, and allowing for flexible allocations that best serve grades' needs. Selecting some programs geared at cross-grade audiences. Judy Glassman has been very helpful in coordinating schedules to accommodate multi-grade performances. The domino physics program was recalled, but teachers have not requested its repetition. Perhaps a better after-school activity.

Community Enrichment: Susan Pease, Trish McGean:
Have met with Chris Rogers about Lego program and 1-2 evening programs are being considered for January or February.

Annual Giving Drive - Joanna Wills
The last batch of contribution request letters has just been mailed.

Ways & Means - Amanda Hill & Anne Favaloro
Anne has submitted the fall collection of General Mills Box Tops for Education and the resulting $265 check should be sent to the principal's office before January. The next submission of box tops will occur in the spring. A suggestion is made to publicize this program in the Mini-Link with encouragement of grandparent participation. Nancy will post informational signage at the dump can collection area.
Mary Derbyshire reports that the Gift Sale total was $23,544 (of which $1,289 were online sales) and the PTA will receive 57% or about $13,420.
This year's Ski & Skate sale will take place in the Smith Gym on Saturday, November 15 with drop off for donations on Wed. and Fri. before.
The postponed Fun Run has been rescheduled to take place with the Turkey Trot on Wednesday, Nov. 26. If cancelled again due to weather, the raffle will still take place for people who brought in pledges.
Susan Salm's idea of a time capsule project for the town's 250th anniversary is discussed.
Joan Kessell' idea of a PTA fundraiser of assembling kindergarten and corresponding 8th grade class photos is discussed.

Treasurer's Report: Nancy Marshall reporting for Jan Nyquist:
Teachers have received notification of funding cycle deadline of Nov. 21 for PTA funding proposals with requirement of sign off from Jerry Schultz/Mickey Brandmeyer. Approximately $10,000 is available. The PTA executive committee will review those received and all Board members will receive copies with an evaluation rubric at the December meeting. All board members will be expected to attend the January meeting informed and ready to vote on funding. Mary Pappas volunteers to electronically post proposals for the PTA Board.

METCO Update - Cynthia Dixon:
The Saturday Scholars study skills program for grades 5-7 has reached the halfway point.
The METCO Coordinating Committee funded a bus for the October middle school dance at Carroll School. The two METCO Forum events are being actively prepared for and the Native American PowWow was advertised to METCO families for attendance afterwards. The PTA's $2,000 commitment toward the forum will be matched by the League of Women Voters and the METCO Coordinating Committee to help pay for the professional moderators.

New Business:
A suggestion is made about possible reduced PTA membership fees for teachers. This would eliminate the parent-sponsored teacher memberships. (In 2002/03 year the 335 memberships included 56 parent-sponsored teacher memberships.) No Lincoln teachers have joined on their own so far this year. A comparison was made to Weston elementary school in which 100% of teachers join the PTA. A reminder is made that even if reduced fee memberships are offered, we must pay the national PTA $3.50 per member, so we might need to subsidize those memberships. Sophia is asked to work some numbers to illuminate the financial variations of discounted teacher memberships. The issue will appear on the December agenda. Susan Pease will inquire of Donica Hadley about teacher interest in being part of PTA.

Sophia Spiliakos is thanked heartily for her amazing directory production. This year 450 were printed at a cost of $1,700. Contributions from advertisers raised $1,450 to cover the costs of the first 400 copies. [Coldwell Banker$750, Cambridge Trust $350, Something Special$175 and Lexia Learning$175.] Prime family labels were used to get copies into hands of youngest child in PTA member families. Sophia describes crucial need to have an earlier cut off date for directory entry changes to allow earlier print date.
Minutes respectfully submitted, Amanda Hill
Meeting adjourned at 11:25
Next meeting Tuesday, December 2 at 8:30 am Hartwell Multipurpose Room