District Office, and for her personal example-and even inspiration-in the face of medical difficulties.

Grant Proposals
Eleven grants from the Byram Hills Education Foundation, totaling nearly $108,000, were brought forward by Grants Committee Chair and Wampus teacher Anne Olivieri. Touching all four schools, the grants ranged from technology Smart Boards to K-5 staff training for a "Teachers College Writing Project," and "Facing History and Ourselves" for 6-12 teachers. On the recommendation of Foundation liaisons and School Board members Rick Kaplin and John Grimes, the Board accepted the grants with great enthusiasm and thanks to the Foundation.

The Matthew S. Hisiger Film Foundation was also thanked for co-sponsoring one of the grants, which will allow students in high school film media, computer art, and graphic design classes to access Adobe Video resources. The Board was equally pleased to accept this grant.

SPECIAL REPORT:
Budget Hearing I
The principals of the District's four schools were in attendance to assist District administrators in an early preview of planning for the 2005-2006 school budget. Board Finance Committee Chairs John Grimes and Rick Kaplin outlined the budget development process, taking care to encourage public comment at various steps along the way. Superintendent John Chambers and Assistant Superintendent for Business & Management Services Greg Carlson connected the Board's goals to budget planning, and outlined other issues (including State decisions such as school aid, benefit rates, and equalization rates, and a Byram Hills decision on a new contract for teachers) that will affect the budget as well. Mr. Carlson reviewed the assumptions behind the District's Five-

BHHS Principal Dr. William Donohue, HCC Principal Dr. H. Evan Powderly, WA Principal Ms. Jacqueline Getz, and CH Principal Ms. Phyllis Forbes linked his or her own school's budget requests back to the themes of Board goals, mentioning enrollment considerations and commitment to specific program initiatives already under way.

Transportation Supervisor Guy Elmore, with assistance from Mr. Carlson, offered a preview of thinking toward the transportation budget, including several options which the Board might elect to include. One such option was the addition of digital video cameras to finish equipping the fleet; another was the possible addition to the size of the fleet, beyond the actual replacement plan for buses and vans.

Board discussion touched on all of the topics above, with special attention to the transportation questions. Members of the public, too, joined in to offer opinions on the transportation options.

Other Business
Several items of other business were also accomplished. The Board acted to authorize requests for proposals for the possible refinance of some outstanding District bonds. A "Negative Declaration" accomplished the required New York State Environmental Quality Review regarding the placement of additional portable classrooms at the Coman Hill site. (This means that no adverse environmental was found.)

Good news was noted in several areas, not least of all on facilities projects-classroom and core space additions planned for BHHS received approval from the New York State Education

Department, and similar plans for Coman Hill and Wampus have been provided with an early review date in Albany. These projects are therefore inching somewhat ahead of schedule, toward construction starts by the summer of 2005.

The Board noted a mid-year retreat, for the purpose of reviewing progress on goals, would be held February 3 at 7:30 p.m., and an executive session on personnel matters is scheduled for February 15.

Other personnel, negotiations, and legal matters were discussed in an executive session after the adjournment of the public meeting.

Coming Attractions
Tuesday, February 8-
7:30 p.m: Curriculum Conversation on Math K-12;
8:30 p.m: Business Meeting