reverse side.

UPDATE ON CORE VALUES GOAL
Dr. Taylor summarized progress to date on the district curriculum goal toward development of core values and character education. Reflecting on meetings devoted to the subject throughout the year, Dr. Taylor gave emphasis to the essential ingredient of collaboration between parents and school. Toward that end, staff members involved in planning also engaged parents in a series of evening meetings.

The result of understandings gathered through the year point to several possible initiatives in 2003-04—in sportsmanship, a coordinated approach to anti-bullying behavior K-8, and community service. These possible initiatives will be subject to still more parent, staff, and student feedback, now being solicited in the form of a survey available through each of the schools.

TRANSPORTATION MATTERS
Supervisor Guy Elmore was present for another chapter in discussions (begun during the budget cycle) on the subject of transportation, at the K-5 level.
Mr. Elmore reported on encouraging results from a recent effort to make improvements in the dismissal runs from Coman Hill. Times on many of the routes seem to have been effectively shortened. Looking further into the future, discussion touched on the possibility of additional bus purchases, or changes in routing arrangements, that might be used to reduce the number of riders on elementary buses. The Board will return to that subject sometime after the opening of school in the fall of 2003.

STAFF REPORTS
Mr. Chambers and Mr. Carlson looked ahead to the need to focus next on additional classroom space, both in the relatively

short term (portable classrooms), and in the longer term (the likelihood of another bond proposal in 2003-04 for construction of several additional classrooms at each school).

Dr. Taylor noted the latest set of test scores reported by the State. Byram Hills students at 4th and 8th grade still are performing very capably on the State tests, although some anomalies in the 8th grade results have Byram Hills and other area schools taking a closer look both at individual students' scores in their districts, and at the overall performance Statewide.

The subject of school rankings received some comment, chiefly of a critical nature, prompted by Newsweek's recent release of an ostensible list of "The Best High Schools in America." Although Byram Hills High School again appears on this list, Board members and administrators expressed disappointment that any rankings of high schools would be attempted on the basis of just one single criterion—the number of AP tests taken. At Byram Hills, for instance, such a statistic completely neglects the high level of student accomplishment in the science research program, which may result in Intel scholarships, although not in AP test scores.

BOARD REPORTS
The nomination of Byram Hills' own Rick Kaplin to the Westchester-Putnam School Board's Association's executive board was acknowledged, and affirmed along with the district vote for the complete slate.

July 8, 7:30 p.m., was set as the date for the Board's Reorganization Meeting, to be followed by a workshop session on the Board's goals.

The public meeting was adjourned to Executive Session.