Meet-Greet with finalist for DEI Director - May 3, 2022

Franklin Public Schools has been actively conducting a search for our Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. A committee consisting of teachers, parents, district administrators and School Committee was established to conduct initial interviews. After much thoughtful discussion, the committee came to consensus that there was one candidate who rose to the top as an exceptional leader and who they recommended to move forward in the process. The group announced earlier this month that Heidi Harris is the finalist for the position. 

We encourage parents and guardians to come meet Ms. Harris on Tuesday, May 3rd from 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM in the 2nd floor Council Chambers of the Municipal Building (355 East Central Street, Franklin, MA). 

Ms. Harris will be available to discuss her background and answer questions. 

Meet-Greet with finalist for DEI Director - May 3, 2022

Franklin Public Schools: District Newsletter - April 2022

The newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full text, visit this page ->

https://www.franklinps.net/district/superintendent/pages/newsletters

Note:  The previous newsletter sent on Monday, April 25th, 2022 stated that Friday, May 6th, 2022 was no school. There WILL be school on Friday, May 6th, 2022. All Franklin Public Schools will operate on a HALF DAY schedule to accommodate for staff professional development, with the exception of the Early Childhood Development Center which will have no school on half days. We apologize for any confusion and thank you for your understanding.

Most Recent Updates, District Highlights and more!

Franklin Public Schools District Newsletter April 2022 Food Services District Calendar School Committee Transportation 21-22 School Calendar Last day of school is now June 22nd due to the snow days on 1/7 & 2/4. A Day of Giving at Horace Mann The HMMS Kindness Club teamed up with the ADL Peer Leaders, Spectrum Club and the Art Club to sponsor "A Day of Giving for the Ukrainian Refugees". In the days leading up to the Day of Giving, the ADL peer leaders shared stories about some of the Ukrainian refugees on the morning news. The focus of these stories were around the humanitarian needs of this group of people. In addition, the Art Club provided a large banner in the entryway reminding students of the upcoming "Day of Giving" and the Spectrum Club made bookmarks for students who donate. The Kindness Club was able to raise over $1,000 to donate to the Massachusetts non-profit Sunflower of Peace, which provides medical supplies as well as humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees. Full STE(a)M Ahead! Three FPS schools have been accepted into the Massachusetts OpenSciEd Cohort Program. In partnership with Boston College, we will work towards a OpenSciEd Equitable Instruction (OEI) Initiative. This program focuses on curating the highest standard of middle school science curriculum. Through this partnership, the district will receive grant funding, on-site support for professional development and curriculum enactment during our three year implementation plan. Learn about the benefits for cohort member schools!

New K-12 Art Director & FHS Athletic Director announced

Franklin Public Schools (FPS) and Franklin High School (FHS) are thrilled to announce the appointment of two most recently vetted and signed directors for our Art and Athletic Department.  Please join us in welcoming Adam Gooder and Karrah Ellis as members of our leadership team.

Adam is a highly qualified visual arts educator, currently teaching full time at Concord-Carlisle High School since 2012. Before that, he taught film at the college level for fifteen years. Adam created the Filmmaking and Digital Photography programs at CCHS, which include both Introductory and Advanced curricula, guest speakers, field trips, a yearly film festival and gallery shows.  Adam earned his undergraduate degree from New York University and earned master's degrees from both Lesley University and Simmons College.  

Karrah has been an educator for twenty-one years, beginning her career as an English teacher and coach at Grafton High School in 2001. Karrah transitioned to the role of athletic administrator and physical education teacher in 2007, and for the past 15 years has served student-athletes of Grafton, Algonquin, and Tantasqua Regional High School.  A focus for Karrah has always been the growth of the leadership skills of her student-athletes and as such she has developed numerous leadership summits to develop their skills.  Karrah has also created a curriculum for coaches on the social and emotional needs of student-athletes.  Karrah has many times been recognized by her peers; awarded State Athletic Director of Year as well as the prestigious State Award of Merit.  Karrah earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and her Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from Worcester State University.

About the Franklin Public School District:

The Franklin Public School District strives to nurture a safe, supportive, inclusive and collaborative learning environment in each of our 10 schools. We believe in providing an engaging and rigorous curriculum with exemplary instructional practices that will support and challenge students to reach their full potential through personalized learning opportunities. Our goal is to develop the necessary social-emotional, academic, and career skills for each Franklin student, so that they will be a productive citizen in an ever-changing world.

 

FHS Panthers

Town of Franklin & Franklin Public Schools - COVID dashboards updated as of 4/14/22

1 - From Franklin Public Schools:

The weekly COVID-19 dashboard is now available to view here: https://buff.ly/3pQh91e

The FPS weekly COVID-19 dashboard

 

2 - The Town of Franklin Health Dept COVID dashboard is found here:

https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department/webforms/covid-19-dashboard-portal

Town of Franklin: Health Dept & School COVID dashboard updates

1 - The weekly FPS COVID-19 dashboard is now available to view  here ->   https://buff.ly/3pQh91e   (Shared from Twitter ->   https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews/status/1512183194476494848 )

2 - The Town of Franklin Health department updates the COVID-19 dashboard weekly and can be found here -> https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department/webforms/covid-19-dashboard-portal

https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department/webforms/covid-19-dashboard-portal

Critical Conversations: The Impact of Social Media (03/24/22) (audio)

FM #762 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 762 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares Critical Conversations: The Impact of Social Media event held at Franklin High School on March 24, 2022. 

The recording runs just under 2 hours, so let’s listen to the Critical Conversations event.

Audio file => https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-762-critical-conversations-the-impact-of-social-media-03-24-22

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Event page -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/events/85546 

Critical Conversations Social Media resources -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/substance-abuse-education/news/critical-conversations-impact-social-media-viewing 

Substance Abuse Task Force -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/substance-abuse-education

SAFE Coalition -> https://www.safecoalitionma.org/ 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Critical Conversations: The Impact of Social Media (03/24/22) (audio)

COVID-19 Dashboards for FPS and Town of Franklin updated, numbers higher than las week

The weekly FPS COVID-19 dashboard is now available to view here: https://buff.ly/3pQh91e 

weekly FPS COVID-19 dashboard

From the MA DPH report we share:  https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting#covid-19-interactive-data-dashboard-

From the MA DPH report

For the Town of Franklin COVID-19 Health Dept report ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department/webforms/covid-19-dashboard-portal

Town of Franklin COVID-19 Health Dept

Franklin Public Schools: Weekly COVID Dashboard - 03/24/22

The weekly COVID-19 dashboard is now available to view: https://buff.ly/3pQh91e

Franklin Public Schools: Weekly COVID Dashboard - 03/24/22

Critical Conversations: The Impact of Social Media - March 24

The Franklin Substance Abuse Task Force (SAFT) will host their second installment of their Critical Conversations series on Thursday, March 24, from 6 PM – 8 PM at the Franklin High School auditorium, via Zoom and on Franklin.TV. The night will focus on the impact of social media on the social emotional wellbeing of youth. 

As the keynote speaker, Georgia Wells, tech journalist for the Wall Street Journal, will kick off the event speaking on how the tech companies behind social media and the effects on young people. The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, Karyn Polito will provide additional remarks addressing state level initiatives regarding social media usage. 

The event will be supplemented by a panel of local school guidance counselors, Representative Jeff Roy, SAFE Coalition Director Jen Knight-Levine, an FHS student and the Franklin marketing and communications specialist. The panel was curated to offer various perspectives on the topic of social media and will be followed by an audience question and answer session.

The context from this event will pair well with film-based education program LIKE, which is being viewed this week in wellness 9 and 10 classes, as well as in the high school health and physical education electives. With the fiscal support from the SAFE Coalition, Franklin Public Schools is able to offer free district-wide access to the film for families to view in the comfort of their homes. The film was made available to stream on Monday, March 20 at 5 PM and is open until Sunday, March 27 at 11:45 PM.

The goal of these cumulative efforts is to empower families to feel confident utilizing the knowledge and resources provided from the LIKE screening and Critical Conversations event to work towards establishing a healthy relationship with social media.

FPS sent out communications internally to its constituents regarding how to access the film LIKE. All viewers will need to enter their email address and create a password to access the film. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email, access to the film, resources and post-viewing survey.

Interested in our Critical Conversations panel?
Check out our Facebook event page or our district event page.

You can learn more about LIKE here:  https://www.thelikemovie.com/

About the Franklin Substance Abuse Task Force

The SATF is proudly represented by students, parents, administration, faculty, counselors, athletics, SAFE Coalition, medical professionals, SROs, school committee members, and elected officials. The mission of the SAFT is to promote community awareness and education surrounding the issue of substance abuse in Franklin as well as develop substance abuse prevention and intervention strategies in supporting working with students & families, as well as school based and community based prevention strategies.

Shared from the Town of Franklin page -> 
https://www.franklinps.net/district/substance-abuse-education/news/critical-conversations-impact-social-media-viewing

Critical Conversations: The Impact of Social Media - March 24 

For Zoom info check out the event page -> https://www.franklinps.net/district/events/85546

Franklin COVID-19 Updates: (1) Weekly COVID-19 school report (2) Town case numbers - March 16

(1) The FPS COVID-19 dashboard is now available to view here: https://buff.ly/3pQh91e

or here ->  https://sites.google.com/franklinps.net/back-to-school-plan-21-22/weekly-covid-19-dashboard

Franklin Public Schools: Weekly COVID-19 dashboard - March 16

(2) Per the MA DPH numbers reported via the Boston Globe for March 17, 2022  https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/15/nation/massachusetts-confirmed-coronavirus-cases-by-city/

 

COVID-19 vaccine status

COVID-19 case count - Mar 17, 2022

and from the Town of Franklin Health Dept -> https://www.franklinma.gov/health-department/webforms/covid-19-dashboard-portal

Critical conversations: The Impact of Social Media - Mar 24, 2022

We are excited to host our next installment of our Critical Conversations series. 

Join us March 24, 2022 from 6 PM - 8 PM at the FHS Auditorium or via Zoom as we discuss the impact of social media on social emotional wellbeing. 

Social media plays a significant role in our students’ lives, it's designed to. Identifying strategies to establish a healthy relationship with social media that maximizes the benefits and mitigates the negatives is nothing short of a critical conversation.

We invite you to join us for an evening of listening, learning, and engaging with esteemed tech journalist, Georgia Wells from the Wall Street Journal as she quarterbacks a conversation on the state of social media. Our local panelists will consist of key community stakeholders and individuals well versed in the various stages of raising children.

The evening will include: 

• Welcome and Opening remarks
• Keynote Facilitated Conversation
• Panelist Discussion 
• Audience Q&A
• So Now What? Session will provide strategies for parents of elementary, middle and high school students to foster mindful social media habits.
• Breakout sessions with each Panelist as well as a Hidden in Plain Sight facilitated by our Substance Abuse Task Force (SATF) Student Representatives

Learn more here: https://buff.ly/3qpFWub

Shared from Twitter ->    https://twitter.com/FranklinPSNews/status/1503411142819033090

Download the flyer as a reminder or to share ->    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XkC0eEKZGj80rpKf2i_qajE12CCOISx4/view?usp=sharing

Critical conversations: The Impact of Social Media - Mar 24, 2022

Franklin Student Art Show - March 23

"Artists and art fans in the Franklin, Mass. community will be pleased to find out that a town-wide art show featuring the works of Franklin students is set to be held later this month. 

Ms. Taranto, an Art teacher at Franklin High School, explained that the show was put together by the Art teachers of the Franklin Public Schools district to honor the work created by their students. She also noted that each teacher independently selected a number of art pieces from their own students to have displayed. 

Both studio and digital arts will be presented. Physical and digital drawings will appear on display boards hung up on walls around the media center. 3D works such as ceramics will be displayed on top of bookcases, and video productions and short films will be presented on the media center’s computers. "

Shared from Pantherbook -> https://franklinpanthers.us/school-news/2022/03/11/art-show-to-set-stage-at-franklin/

An example of the art featured in the media center

Critical Conversations - The Impact of Social Media - March 24 - 6 PM

Social media plays a significant role in our students’ lives, it's designed to. Identifying strategies to establish a healthy relationship with social media that maximizes the benefits and mitigates the negatives is nothing short of a critical conversation.

We invite you to join us for an evening of listening, learning, and engaging with esteemed tech journalist, Georgia Wells from the Wall Street Journal and Massachusetts Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, as they quarterback a conversation on the state of social media. Our local panelists will consist of key community stakeholders and individuals well versed in the various stages of raising children.

Additional information coming soon!

Event Date:  Thursday, March 24, 2022 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Where:  Franklin High School, Auditorium

Critical Conversations - The Impact of Social Media - March 24 - 6 PM

Franklin Public Schools: District Newsletter - February 2022

Most Recent Updates, District Highlights and more!

Franklin Public Schools District Newsletter February 2021 Food Services District Calendar School Committee Transportation 21-22 School Calendar Last day of school is now June 22nd due to the snow day on 1/7 & 2/4. February Break runs 2/21 - 2/25. Hearts of Kindness Our students from Kennedy, Parmenter, Jefferson, Remington and FHS all participated in this year's Hearts on the Common project. Take stroll and read their messages of kindness to the community! Special thanks to our FHS Community Service and Peer Mentor Club for assisting with set up! Lifelong Learning Institute - Summer Registration Lifelong Learning is the community education branch of Franklin Public Schools, providing high-quality extended day child care, music lessons, and enrichment programs in an affordable and safe environment. There are a variety of offerings for students of all ages. Notable programming includes... Solutions Extended Day Summer Adventure - a 5 week program with various activity themes running from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. Families of students entering K-5 can choose one or more weeks of this camp, with options for early drop-off and/or late pickup. STAR Enrichment - morning classes in July for students entering grades K-5. Example classes include Silly Science, Minecraft Break Battle and Build, Coping with Crafts, Author's Workshop, etc. Preparing for College for high school seniors - classes for rising high school seniors such as Common App Bootcamp and Writing Your College Essay. There's something for everyone! Access full course details and register here. FPS Masking Update During the Special School Committee meeting on February 16th, the Franklin School Committee voted to amend the policy on Masks and Face Coverings (Policy EBCFA) so that masks will not be universally required as of Monday, February 28th, 2022. There are certain instances in which masking is required as outlined below... Masks will still be required on buses/school transportation (per federal order). Masks will still be required in health offices (per DPH for health facilities). Masks will still be required for individuals testing as COVID-positive and returning to school from isolation on day 6 or later through day 10 (per DPH and CDC protocols). For MIAA athletic events and some other activities, mask rules are up to host-school or venue-specific rules. Therefore, depending on the venue, a mask may be required. It is strongly recommended that unvaccinated or otherwise immunocompromised individuals wear masks in school buildings, and on school grounds, even when social distancing is observed. Access the full update here Kindergarten registration is open as of February 1st! Get a head start on your little one's first day and register now. Our online registration portal makes it easy. Assistant Coach of the Year Congratulations to Jeff Ambrosini on being named the Assistant Coach of the Year by the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association. Coach Ambrosini began working with the FHS Baseball team in 2014 and has been an incredible asset to our baseball program and student athletes ever since! From the School Committee During the February 8th School Committee meeting, Central Office and several school administrators provided a presentation on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The presentation is available to view via this link. The Superintendent's Recommended FY23 Budget will be presented at the following School Committee meeting. Please join us for our next meeting on Tuesday, March 8th at 7pm. Have a great February Break FPS Families, Faculty, Staff and Franklin Community! Franklin Public Schools www.franklinps.net

Franklin Public Schools | 355 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038 www.franklinps.net Try email marketing for free today!