"how to support students through homework"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The town's schools have made strides in communicating to parents and the community at large, district officials reported in a mid-year review. 

The officials spoke at Tuesday's School Committee meeting about progress made thus far on the District Improvement Plan and School Improvement Plans over the 2016-2017 school year. Goals in those plans included improving communication, implementing social/emotional learning in the classroom, promoting a culture of responsibility and aligning curriculum to meet student needs. 

Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski said there had been an emphasis on improved communication. 

"We've been pushing community engagement a lot," she said. "The (Annie) Sullivan (Middle) School has been amazing at using Twitter this year."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170112/franklin-schools-present-improvement-plan-progress

A current example of the use of Twitter

Keller School Best Buddies at the Celtics game

Beyond proud of #1bbkeller. Thanks @FranklinPSNews @fps4students @BestBuddiesMA and @celtics for believing in #FranklinKellerKids pic.twitter.com/xHyTIdVDfX

— Helen Keller School (@KellerSchool) January 12, 2017

Additional information on the District Improvement Plan update can be found in the live reported notes from the School Committee meeting on Tuesday (The full summary should be available this weekend)
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/01/live-reporting-district-and-school.html

School Committee recap: Best Buddies grants, MCAS/PARCC results, and dress code revision

Among the many things that occurred during the almost 90 minute School Committee meeting there were three key takeaways:

1. The School Committee heard the Friends of the Best Buddies give away almost $15,000 to the schools with best buddies programs. 
2. The recent MCAS and PARCC results were given a highlight and discussion. 
3. The proposed dress code revision was moved to a second reading where it can be approved and become official.

The notes taken live during the meeting were updated with the complete listing of the Best Buddies grants and those details can be found in the links here:

• Live reporting: Closing
• Live reporting: Action Items
• Live reporting: Dress code and student restraint
• District Curriculum Accommodation Plan - DCAP
• Live reporting: MCAS and PARCC Results - Spring 20...
• Live reporting: Best Buddies
• Live reporting: School Committee - November 15, 20...

•    The full agenda document for the School Committee meeting can be found here

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/11/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-nov.html

Parmenter School sign announcing no school coming up Weds through Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday

In the News: Best Buddies grants awarded; state data on suspensions released

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"A school program designed to encourage friendships between students and their counterparts who have developmental disabilities received nearly $15,000 in grants this week. 

The grants - to the "Best Buddies" programs in multiple Franklin Schools - were announced at the Tuesday night School Committee meeting. 

Best Buddies

Committee Chairman Kevin O'Malley said Franklin schools have partnered with the Best Buddies program for many years, and that hearing of the group's progress was one of the highlights of the committee's year. 

"Our schools have arguably the best 'Best Buddies' program in the country," he said. "It's a wonderful program."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161117/franklin-school-best-buddies-programs-receive-grants

The complete listing of grants by Best Buddies for the individual schools can be found here  http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/11/live-reporting-best-buddies.html

"A year after student suspension rates fell sharply under new statewide disciplinary regulations, the number of Massachusetts pupils suspended from school ticked up slightly in the 2015-16 academic year. 

“The last thing we want to see is suspension rates increasing, particularly for our students of color, English language learners and students with disabilities,” said Matthew Cregor, education project director for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. “Those disparities were already far too great.” 

According to state data released Thursday, the percentage of students suspended at least once in the 2015-16 academic year increased slightly from the previous year, from 4.1 to 4.3 percent. That follows a 20 percent decrease in student suspensions the previous year, when new state regulations went into effect."

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161117/racial-disparity-remains-in-school-suspension-rates

Live reporting: Best Buddies

2. Guests/Presentations

• a. Best Buddies – Sue Streeter

one of the best programs in the State

founded 12 years ago

Friends of Best Buddies to extend the program beyond the classroom

28 awards just under $15,000 total

FHS

Annie Sullivan

Remington

Horace Mann

Keller

working on a chapter at Dean College

it really is a community effort

this is a celebration for us!

Best Buddies Online Silent Auction – Opens March 3rd

Team GT for KT is hosting an online silent auction to raise funds for Best Buddies. Online bidding opens on Thursday, March 3, 2016 and will close on Thursday, March 31, 2016. Please support our auction by bidding and sharing our auction information with your friends. Some of the items in our auction include:

• Tom Brady Signed NFL Football
• Red Sox Tickets (bidding closes 3/13)
• Bose SoundTouch WiFi Music System
• Golf for 4 at Maplegate Country Club
• Restaurants, Jewelry, Spa/Salon and much more!

To bid go to https://www.32auctions.com/GT4KT2016

Best Buddies

Best Buddies International is a non-profit organization that provides friendship and integrated employment opportunities to children and adults with developmental disabilities. Best Buddies has a number of active chapters serving students enrolled in the Franklin Public Schools.

Special thanks to all our 2016 donors!

TeamFitness: Best Buddies Spin-a-thon - Mar 6

Support a worthy cause Team Fitness Franklin- 508-541-8330- teamfitnessfranklin.com- chrisa@teamfitnessfranklin.com

Forward this email Team Fitness Franklin | 100 Franklin Village Drive | Franklin | MA | 02038

Reminder: 3rd Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament - May 3

The Third Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament will be taking place this Sunday, May 3rd from 2PM-5PM at the Horace Mann Middle School in Franklin, MA. All proceeds will benefit Best Buddies International, a non-profit organization that provides friendship and integrated employment opportunities to children and adults with developmental disabilities.

"Best Buddies is all about friendships and bringing people together," said Sue Streeter, a long-time advocate for Best Buddies in the Franklin school system. "Through Best Buddies kids and adults, on both sides of the friendship equation learn how much they have in common and their friendships grow beyond Best Buddies. My daughter Katie, who has Down syndrome, gets together with friends she met through Best Buddies every week to hang out, go for breakfast dates, trips to the movies or just about anything friends do."

Best Buddies

The previous two Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournaments drew hundreds of people from Franklin and surrounding towns, raising over $27,000 to benefit Best Buddies International, including Franklin's now five local chapters.

"We are grateful to our sponsors and all our participants over the last three years who have all helped us to raise money for this wonderful cause," said Mike Berthiaume, the chair of the tournament's host committee. "More importantly, through their support for Best Buddies we have raised awareness regarding those in our community who live with developmental disabilities."

This year's tournament is sponsored by more than 10 local businesses and will include both a raffle and silent auction. Silent auction items include a Tom Brady autographed football, Dustin Pedroia autographed Red Sox game jersey, Red Sox tickets, Patriots tickets, spa baskets and more!

Teams will compete within 6 different divisions – the elementary school division, the middle school division, the high school division, the 18+ division, the old man river division, and the Best Buddies division. Both Senator Spilka and Representative Roy have fielded teams for Sunday's event.

"It's a great event, a great organization and I am happy to be a part of it," said Representative Roy (D-Franklin). "The Best Buddies organization has made a difference in the lives of many people and provided many opportunities to the residents of Franklin. It is always great to see people get involved in their community especially when it's for such a good case and I would like to thank the organizers of this event for their hard work and dedication."

"The Best Buddies program is a terrific way to bring kids of all abilities together," said Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). "It's my honor to support this valuable inclusion programming in the MetroWest community, and I look forward to a day of friendly competition for a good cause."

It's not too late to participate in the fun! Teams of 6 players are $120 and Best Buddies teams are $60! To sign-up email Mike Berthiaume at mberthia09@gmail.com

What: Third Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament with Raffle, Silent Auction, Bake Sale, and more! 

When: Sunday, May 3^rd, 2PM-5PM 

Where: Horace Mann Middle School, 224 Oak Street, Franklin 

Franklin Residents to Host 3rd Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament

Franklin Residents to Host 3^rd Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament at the Horace Mann Middle School

Next week, on Sunday May 3^rd, a group of Franklin residents will be hosting the 3^rd Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament – a competitive 6-division tournament for all-ages and abilities!

What: Third Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament with Raffle, Silent Auction, Bake Sale, and more! 

When: Sunday, May 3^rd, 2PM-5PM 

Where: Horace Mann Middle School, 224 Oak Street, Franklin 

Cost:  $20/person and $120/team; $60 for Best Buddies teams! 

Information: To register by April 26th or for more information please contact Mike Berthiaume: mberthia09@gmail.com 

Press: Open

If dodgeball is not your thing, please join us for food, a raffle, and the Silent Auction, which includes items such as: a Tom Brady autographed football, Dustin Pedroia autographed Red Sox game jersey, Red Sox tickets, Patriots tickets, spa baskets and more!

All proceeds will benefit Best Buddies International, a non-profit organization that provides friendship and integrated employment opportunities to children and adults with developmental disabilities. Franklin currently has five Best Buddies chapters and the money raised on May 3rd will go back to support these chapters' integral efforts. 

Prizes will be awarded to each Divisional Champion as well as the team with the best uniform - let the competition begin and bring on the best costumes!

Best Buddies to be 'a zip code event' for Franklin

Franklin is leading the way in expanding the Best Buddies program to the entire school district. The program began at FHS in 1997, expanded to the middle schools in 2007 and now to the elementary schools. Keller will begin a pilot this year for 3rd and 4th graders, and continue in September with those students in the 4th and 5th grade.

image from Best Buddies website

Assuming all goes well with the pilot, as early as September 2016 the program could begin expansion to other elementary schools in the district.

Dean College is looking to create their program so this would be "a zip code event."

Additional info on the program will be discussed at the Keller PCC meeting on Apr 9th.

After the Best Buddies presentation and discussion, the School Committee heard the latest stats on school choice (17 students remaining the program) and the recommendation not to open the program up. School Choice is the option for students from other communities to attend in Franklin. Due to capacity issues, the school district has not opened the program and the students who were part of it are allowed to complete their schooling. The peak was about 90 students several years ago.

The capital budget was adjusted to meet lower expectations on what funds would be available. The Franklin capital budget is funded by 'free cash' however the free cash is used to make up any shortfall in the snow/ice budget first. With the record winter this year, the snow/ice budget is about $500,000 over what was allocated. That is $500,000 less to fund our other capital requirements.

photo of presentation page touting the Dodgeball Tournament

The Best Buddies 25th anniversary video shown during the meeting can be viewed here:





My details notes reported live during the School Committee meeting can be found here:

• Live reporting: Action items to Closing
• Live reporting: Discussion only
• Live Reporting: School Committee - Mar 24, 2015

Live Reporting: School Committee - Mar 24, 2015

Present: Douglas, O'Malley, Rohrbach, Clement, Mullen, Trahan
Absent: Jewell


1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments - none

Review of Agenda - none

Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the March 10, 2015 School Committee Meeting.
Motion to approve, seconded, passed 6-0

Payment of Bills Mr. Clement
Motion to approve, seconded, passed 6-0

Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Mock trial made it to the final 4, lost to Pioneer Valley
Senior Banquet
Spring sports started this week
Franklin Friday - themed clothing
partnered with local business, winning grade gets prize 1st prize from Elizabeth's Bagels; next prize coming from The Cake Bar

Correspondence: none


2. Guests/Presentations
a. Best Buddies – Elizabeth Fitzmaurice and Stephanie Geddes

Intro by Supt Maureen Sabolinski (yes, she is back)


Documents for the Best Buddies portion of the meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/03/best-buddies-update-to-school-committee.html

FPS Best Buddies Keller Elementary from Franklin Matters

Franklin was identified as a host community for the 1st elementary program

Stephanie Geddes, IEP coordinator

started in 1997 in High School
then expanded to middle school in 2007
and now to elementary in 2015

proposed in May 2014 to do so; followed up in Sep 2014
Best Buddies doesn't have a program but Franklin wil do this as a pilot

Sarah Fishman and Britt Dubendris are the advisors for the pilot

come to the April 9th PCC meeting at Keller School
to learn about the pilot

Keller community got a letter last week, this week with get the BBK bulletin (see documents for a copy of the BBK bulletin)

a lot of Twitter action
@kellerschool  #1bbkeller
@fps4students

Great news: 1st elementary school program at announced for @KellerSchool #1bbkeller @fps4students pic.twitter.com/FzoEuymuTo
— Steve Sherlock (@FranklinMatters) March 24, 2015

Clement: This is great, I love every aspect of this. how long until we can get it into all the elementary schools?

Fitzmaurice: We're doing it at a pace that ensures we can do it well. We have it elsewhere, It is on the cusp at Dean College. it is going to be a zip code event. 

Sabolinski: Karen Spilka was helpful in this, it was not an immediate sell. We gave them a lot to think about. Our goal is to have chapters yesterday in each of the schools. The work of this group has gotten us to where we are, once we get this going, maybe a year from now, we'll be able to get this ging at the other elementary schools.

Fitzmaurice:  You had me all in at hello. We haven't looked back.

O'Malley: this kind of program is about the best of who we are. We operate best when we connect. The kids will get the benefit from this.

Sabolinski: we do want to acknowledge that Jeff Roy's office has helped us, the Streeter family has helped and supported us. They are helping to sponsor the Dodge ball tournament. Pre-K through college is our vision.

Best Buddies - update to School Committee - 3/24/15

The Best Buddies program is expanding within the Franklin School district. This presentation document is scheduled for discussion at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Mar 24, 2015.

FPS Best Buddies Keller Elementary from Franklin Matters

Best Buddies logo

Additional documents referenced during the discussion can be found here



Intro letter
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczVk5lUGJMR2N5bms/view?usp=sharing

Dodgeball flyer
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczeFpIdnduSnlQZ3c/view?usp=sharing

Best Buddies Bulletin
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczMXU0Zk5FVkNwWGM/view?usp=sharing

2 Special Events at Team Fitness/CrossFit Franklin This Sunday

BLOOD DRIVE THIS SUNDAY! Blood Drive this Sunday at Team Fitness and CrossFit Franklin! Please see flyer to the right for sign up details and information on the event. Also, there is a sign up sheet at the front desk of the club with available times. Thank you. 2015 BEST BUDDIES SPIN-A-THON IS SUNDAY! See flyer to the right regarding the Annual Best Buddies Spin-a-thon.  Stop by the front desk or call 508-541-8330 for details. If you have any questions, please contact Chris  Avedisian at: chrisa@teamfitnessfranklin.com

We look forward to seeing you Sunday, January 25, 2015!

Forward this email Team Fitness Franklin | 100 Franklin Village Drive | Franklin | MA | 02038

In the News: Best Buddies, civil service

School officials recognize the challenge in having younger students take part in a Best Buddies program, but believe the pairings will help foster respect and tolerance - values that will prove important as students mature. 

The district already has chapters within the middle school and high school, and pending approval from Best Buddies Massachusetts, it would become the first in the country to offer the program to students during all points in their primary and secondary education. 

“As a district and learning community, we value inclusion, and by supporting friendships, collaborative relationships and connections among our elementary students we can change perceptions, values and beliefs of children as they mature into middle school and high school students,” Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski wrote in an email.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News here (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20141031/NEWS/141039359/1994/NEWS

The Town Council’s vote eight months ago to remove future fire department hires from the civil service process was never valid, and union leaders say they only learned weeks ago that the system remains in place. 

Apparently the town did not follow the proper procedure under state law for removing a department from civil service. 

To revoke civil service, cities and towns must take the same steps they did to adopt it, or petition the state Legislature to pass home-rule legislation, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Continue reading the article in the Milford Daily News here (subscription maybe required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20141031/NEWS/141039372

My notes on the meeting Feb 12,2014 can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/02/follow-money.html

Franklin Fire Dept - Station #1

Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament

Last year you were very helpful in getting the word out about our Dodgeball Tournament to benefit Best Buddies on May 4th. We're hoping you'll do the same this year. 

I've attached our flyer for you to use. If that doesn't work, or you'd like more information, please let me know. 

Thank you so much!

Best Buddies Dodgeball - May 4th

For additional info visit the Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/events/596704650406803/

Reminder: 1st Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball

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First Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament at Horace Mann Middle School - Franklin! Sunday, May 5, 2013  2pm-5pm Upcoming Events CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND PRINT THE REGISTRATION FORM!        Click Here for a map of Franklin and Horace Mann Middle School        Join Our Mailing List!  And   Find us on Facebook!    FOR MORE INFORMTION CLICK THE LINKS BELOW   mberthia09@gmail.com       Event Name              Best Buddies First Annual Dodgeball Tournament Horrace Mann Middle School Sunday, May 5, 2013 2pm-5pm

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You can also find event info on the Facebook page

1st Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

First Annual Best Buddies Dodgeball Tournament at Horace Mann Middle School - Franklin! Sunday, May 5, 2013  2pm-5pm Upcoming Events CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND PRINT THE REGISTRATION FORM!        Click Here for a map of Franklin and Horace Mann Middle School        Join Our Mailing List!  And   Find us on Facebook!    FOR MORE INFORMTION CLICK THE LINKS BELOW   mberthia09@gmail.com       Event Name              Best Buddies First Annual Dodgeball Tournament Horrace Mann Middle School Sunday, May 5, 2013 2pm-5pm

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You can also find event info on the Facebook page