School Committee picks Madrick as chair, advances new Hanscom K-2 special-ed program

LINCOLN -- November 16, 2023, Lincoln School Committee elects Matina Madrick chair and backs new K-2 program at Hanscom. Chair John McLaughlin stepped down citing upcoming medical procedures and was unanimously replaced by Madrick, who reappointed Kim Mack as vice chair. Members signaled support for Director of Student Services Lisa Barard's request to open a new Foundations-style substantially separate program at Hanscom for four kindergarten and first-grade students; Barard said out-of-district tuition and transportation for those students would cost "almost four times" the in-district option. The committee voted 4-0 to reaffirm an amended letter opposing the 50 percent community-center design, which leaves the C pod unrenovated, and voted 4-0 to waive tuition and enroll two visiting children under policy JFAAB. Superintendent Parry Graham reported a Segal Company study identified roughly $4.27 million in long-term Hanscom-specific pension liability, scheduled to be paid down by 2036.