Call to Order, and Welcome

Michael Hussin called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM. 

Minutes

Minutes of November 7, 2006 were approved as written.

Announcements and Public Comment

Supt. Hochman announced that he had visited math classrooms in 3-10 grades across the district.  At Pelham he visited 3-6^th grade math classes.  He was impressed with the planning and differentiation of the math lessons.  He thanked Rena Moore for helping with the K-12 math curriculum.  He also announced that the Pelham Building Project has been audited and final papers have been sent out.  On December 15 at around 10 AM, there will be the first all-call on the Connect-Ed system.  This system will allow a call to go out across the district or to just one school, grade, or group.  Supt. Hochman announced that all the Committees had voted to take a 3 year hiatus from HEC.  Michael Hussin made several announcements about the successes of Pelham seniors at ARHS.  Rena Moore presented the AYP results for Pelham.

Superintendent and Principal Update

Captain Clean (Paul Lipman) visited the school committee and explained the first grade health unit.  He explained that first graders learn about germs and the need for handwashing.  The class grows germs in Petri dishes and looks at whether clean hands or dirty hands have more germs; then, the class graphs the results. 

Unfinished Business

School Policy Update—The following policies were approved as written:  410.02-Enrollment: Entrance Age; 410.03- Enrollment: School Admissions; 410.04-Enrollment: Resident and Non-Resident Students; 420.05-Conduct of Students: Interrogations and Searches; 420.07-Acceptable Use Network Policy; 420.08-Students: Physical Restraint.

New Business

Michael Hussin presented some background information about charter schools in Massachusetts.  A group of Amherst parents has written a proposal for a ChineseImmersionCharterSchool.  On December 13^th, there was a forum in Springfield to discuss the charter school proposals.  Supt. Hochman shared his statement that he presented at the forum.  Comment letters to the Committee will need to be sent by January 2^nd.  The Pelham School Committee will discuss this at a later meeting.  Julie DeWalt asked if there were plans for language programs in Amherst.  Supt. Hochman said that Amherst was prepared to start these programs last year, but the severe budget cuts required that these programs be cut from the budget.  This year Amherst received a grant for a Chinese language program at WildwoodSchool, which will begin in Fall 2007. 

Spanish Language Program Initiative:  Elaine Fronhoffer presented the plan for the Spanish Language Program in Pelham and shared research about foreign language instruction.  The Pelham School PTO has designated up to $5000 to pilot this program for the Winter/Spring of 2007.  Rena Moore presented the tentative schedule for the program and explained how the program and hiring would work for the spring.  Ellen Leuchs has spoken to the Massachusetts Cultural Council about the possibility of an enrichment grant for the Spanish program, particularly for arts programs in Spanish.  Michael Hussin said that the Committee was supportive of a foreign language program, but the obvious problem is money and how to fund the program next year.  This could be a line in the PelhamSchool budget for next year, but it would also be weighed along with all the other line items in the budget.  The PTO gift will need to be accepted by the Pelham School Committee.

Finance Committee Budget Guidelines:  John Trickey presented the budget preparation guideline of a 1% increase for FY08, or about a $13,000 increase.  The Pelham Finance Committee is assuming level state funding—Chapter 70, Local Aid, and Lottery Funds.  The Finance Committee has also asked for a 1% increase in the per pupil charge in the Regional budget.  Supt. Hochman will meet with the PelhamSchool faculty on January 9^th to discuss the FY08 budget.  By April 1^st, the Town/School Committee will need to decide on the override.  The tax rate is $18.36, but valuations are going up an average of 11%.  The Pelham Roundtable will be January 8, 2007. 

Reports

None

School Committee Planning

A.  Calendar Review—Future school meetings:  Jan. 4, Feb. 1, Mar. 1, April 5, May 3, June 7. 

B.  Items for Upcoming Meeting:  World Language in the Elementary School 

C.  Sub Committee Reports

Adjournment

Michael Hussin adjourned the meeting at 8:55 PM.

Next Meeting

Thursday, January 4, 2006 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room.