1. Greetings and Call to Order
   The meeting was called to order by Sue Hollingsworth, Chair, at 7:03 p.m.
   Members present included Ashton Peery, Vice Chair; Jan Nyquist; Julie Dobrow; Ron Deak, Hanscom Representative; and Sherice Horton, METCO Representative.
   Also present were Michael Brandmeyer, Superintendent; Paul Naso, Assistant Superintendent; and Dave Jack, Business Administrator.
   Members absent: Dennis Picker.

2. Chairperson’s and Members’ report
   Sue Hollingsworth thanked the teachers for the time they take to meet with parents during conference week and for all the insights they have into the children they work with.

   Ron Deak, Hanscom Representative, stated that Hanscom Air Force Base has an awards ceremony every quarter. They recently included an outstanding teacher award to their ceremony. Barbara Moynihan, PE Teacher from the Hanscom Campus, was recognized at the most recent Quarterly Awards Breakfast. Congratulations Barbara!

   Julie Dobrow updated the Committee on the METCO Steering Committee Information Night on Thursday, November 13th and the METCO Forum on Saturday, November 15th. Two facilitators will be on hand at both sessions. Julie wanted to thank the administration and teachers for all the information they brought forward and posted on the web site and around Town.

   Jan Nyquist stated that the METCO Steering Committee used the Task Force Financial Model to speak to the community around financial questions at the Forum.

   Members of the School Committee discussed the role of the School Committee at the Forum and discussed the statement that will be publicly read by a Committee member prior to both the informational and Forum meetings.

3. Superintendent’s Report
   Mr. Brandmeyer reported that he will be attending the State of the Town meeting on Saturday, November 1st, and that a similar meeting will be held at Hanscom on November 19th at 7:00 p.m. for the parents of Hanscom students.

4. Public Comments
   Christina Brown, a Lincoln parent and Trustee for the Bemis Lecture Series, announced that she would like to invite Billy Collins to read his poetry at a Bemis Lecture and was hoping Mr. Collins could also be invited as the speaker for Institute Day at the schools next year.

   Mr. Naso spoke to the task of setting priorities for the next three months and looking at what curriculum themes the staff will need to work on for Institute Day next year.

   Mr. Naso wondered if Mr. Collins could be part of a presentation at the end of the day, to speak to teachers.

5. Time Scheduled Appointments
   1. Report from Scholarship Committee Appointee
      Meg Ramsey presented a report on the activities of the Scholarship Committee under the Codman Trust for the past year. Ms. Ramsey gave a brief overview of the recipients and the awards they received last spring. The Codman Trust sets the criteria for the awards.

   2. Food Service Update
      Jean Maver and Pat Vissochi, the Food Service Directors, updated the School Committee on the progress of a number of suggestions brought forth in a report presented this past July with regards to the delivery of the Food Service Program at both Lincoln and Hanscom .The food service directors have purchased a computer program that is used by the Department of Education that allows them to place weekly nutrient values on the lunch menu. They have been in contact with the Very Fine Juice Company to get new juice machines that serve 100% juice at the schools, replacing the juice they had purchased from Coke in the past. Pizza from Domino’s is being delivered and served on Fridays and this has been making a profit every week. Ms. Maver and Ms. Vissochi hope to implement “healthy snacks” very soon improving the nutritional quality and to help increase revenue for the Food Service Program.

   3. FY05 Budget Discussion
      • Special Education
        Teresa Watts presented an overview of the Special Education budget for FY05. Ms. Watts reviewed the process of Special Education, the eligible age requirements, conditions of eligibility and the provisions for extended day and extended school year programs, team decision making and procedural safeguards. School Committee members asked about the variability from year to year regarding out of district tuition costs, what measures are used to demonstrate student progress, and how do we know the services we offer are effective, and how do we determine accountability? Ms. Watts responded that the Special Education team sets the standards for each student and insists on these standards. If something is not working adjustments and modifications in the child’s IEP are implemented.
        Ms. Watts also spoke to some potential revenue that could be seen in FY05.
        Some money may come from the Circuit Breaker Law, Medicaid billing and new grant opportunities. The District was recently awarded $25,000 from the Early Childhood Grant.

      • Curriculum and Professional Development
        Paul Naso presented an overview of the budgets for Curriculum and Professional Development. Mr. Naso spoke to the increase in the proposed budget, funding that will be used to fill a gap in the curriculum, and funds for professional development for the faculty. Mr. Naso’s work to date has been on improving efforts to achieve more effective and better articulated curriculum by developing tools and measures, and increase the content knowledge and curriculum planning skills of our faculty through professional development.

        Sherice Horton, METCO Representative, left the meeting at 8:30 p.m.

      • Enrollment Projections
        Mr. Brandmeyer presented an overview of enrollment projections and how they may affect our FY05 staffing needs. Further discussion ensued around the projected Middle School numbers and the need for a flexible rather than static model at the middle school.

      RonDeak, Hanscom Representative, left at 9:00 p.m.

6. Curriculum
   1. MCAS Report- Initial Findings
      Paul Naso reported on the results of the Spring 2003 MCAS. He prefaced the report by giving definitions of the performance levels and explained that when a child is absent the score will reflect this absence as a warning score.

      Mathematics Curriculum Specialist Kathy O’Connell assisted in the interpretation of the Lincoln School fourth, sixth and eighth grade mathematics test results.

      Mr. Naso outlined possible next steps to take to address the areas that appeared as Needs Improvement or as a Warning on the 2003 Level Comparisons.
      These ideas were:

      • Take a look at curriculum alignment
      • Identify best practices for teaching how to answer “open response” test items
      • Analyze difficulty students had with data analysis, statistics and probability
      • Set priorities for addressing low mathematics performances at Hanscom 4th grade and review support services for low performing grade 4 math students.
      • Improve record keeping for monitoring student progress in reading/literacy for grades K-3
      • Follow progress of “NI” and “Warning” students in grade 4.

7. Policy
   No discussion

8. Budget and Financial
   1. FY05 Capital Plan
      Mr. Jack presented a brief overview of the FY05 Capital Budget and Plan.
      The schools have ongoing requests for Classroom Rehabs and Technical Systems Upgrades. In addition for FY05 B Pod Maintenance and site lighting is requested. Members of the School Committee discussed the need to maintain our assets and think long term when it comes to putting requests in for Capital Planning in the future.

   2. Warrant Approval
      No report

9. Old Business
   1. Superintendent’s Annual Goals
      Ashton Peery reviewed the first draft and presented a summary of the proposed changes to the Superintendent’s goals from the October 23rd School Committee meeting. After some discussion, Ashton Peery moved to accept the Superintendent’s goals as presented. Sue Hollingsworth seconded.
      Approved 4-0

10. New Business
    Julie Dobrow read a sample statement that will be read by a member of the School Committee at the METCO Information night on Thursday, November 13th and the METCO Forum meeting on November 15th. Members of the Committee discussed ideas that they would like to incorporate into the statement.

11. Approval of Minutes
    Ashton Peery moved to approve the minutes of the October 23, 2003 School Committee meeting. Julie Dobrow seconded. Approved 4-0

12. Information Enclosures
    None

13. Adjournment
    Sue Hollingsworth moved to adjourn the open meeting to convene in Executive Session for the purpose of a contract discussion. Ashton Peery seconded.
    Approved on a roll call vote: Sue Hollingsworth, Yes, Ashton Peery, Yes, Jan Nyquist, Yes, and Julie Dobrow, Yes.
    The open meeting adjourned at 10:38 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by
Stephanie Brown