Overview of Children's Museum of Franklin accessibility features

via Alison Rheaume, Accessibility Consultant

Overview of Children's Museum
of Franklin accessibility features

Children's Museum of Franklin gets a huge shoutout for accessibility and inclusion!

Before construction even began, and all during the process, they consulted with many different people regarding access accessibility, myself included.

This has definitely been one of my favorite consulting opportunities!

In addition to my overall passion for accessibility, I also love working with children with years of experience as an educator, a Bachelors Degree in Movement Science, a Masters Degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, and additional certifications for Special Populations.

Put all of that together, and it was truly a dream to be invited to evaluate the space before, during, and continuing forward as well.

The owners Meg and Erin have been extremely open to accepting all feedback regarding accessibility, and truly take action on it as they are able to.

Whether was encouraging benches with back to them, having a fragrance free environment, making sure transition areas are smooth, and so much more, they listen and care about all of it!

The @childrensmuseumfranklin is located at 157 Cottage St in Franklin, MA.

Check out the hours and more information on their website at https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org

Have fun!!

Video: Footage showing a tour of the Children's Museum of Franklin. It starts outside, showing handicap parking and ramp access. Once inside, there are white cubbies and a rack a g coat. It pans to the front desk, which has a sensory kit and headphones on the counter. Then, it shows a restroom, walks by some water fountains, and goes into the open concept play area. It shows parts of the museum including a play vet office, farm area, bank, Lego section, train exhibit, a lift down to a lower area, digital body exhibit, a tree that you can go inside for sensory items, and a gear based mechanism.

Hashtags: #inclusion #accessibility #childrensmuseum #accessibilityconsulting #accessibilitymatters

View the full view (reel) online ->  https://www.instagram.com/p/DTi9TiLAQ9F/

FHS gymnastics team tops KP on Monday

Catching up to share the FHS gymnastic results from Monday via Instagram

Gymnastics = Franklin, 132.65 @ King Philip, 130.55 - Final

FHS gymnastics team tops KP on Monday

Super proud of this team who continued to push through and persevere when things weren’t always going their way. Franklin 132.65 came out on top with a tough fight against KP 130.55. 

Was last night our best? No. We made some mistakes but the girls continued to be there for each other and push through. We had some amazing moments too. 

Season High For Alivia Hess on Floor 9.1, Season High for Abby Robillard on Floor debuting her 1.5 twist 8.9. Kendra Love also put down her season High 8.7 on Floor her presentation and execution was the best I had seen! Joining in on the Season High fun was Veronica Pimentel on bars with an 8.0. 

We will continue to work hard make some adjustments and get back at it. Full recap in photo for top contributors.

FHS gymnastics vs King Philip on Monday

Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Monday, January 12, 2026

Gymnastics = Franklin @ King Philip, 8:30

FHS gymnastics vs King Philip on Monday

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)  

https://hockomocksports.com/mondays-schedule-scoreboard-01-12-26/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

Mount stupid; one stop on the learning curve

Mount stupid; one stop on the learning curve

"Most confidence doesn’t come from mastery.

It comes from learning just enough… and stopping too early.

Staying aware of Mount Stupid keeps me humble and reminds me to keep learning instead of getting loud.

Hope this helps you pause too."

Continue to review the other images via https://www.instagram.com/jasonrewired_ on -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DTJhLJhk15d/

Policies may have changed, the science hasn't

Policies may have changed, the science hasn't

"RFK Jr. has officially changed the US pediatric vaccine schedule. Let’s be very clear about what this means:

Reduced recommendations will result in confusion.

Confusion will result in fewer vaccinations.

Fewer vaccinations (specifically for rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, RSV, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and hepatitis B) will result in an increase in disease, disability, and death.

Please ignore this unscientific nonsense and follow the @ameracadpeds schedule alongside your pediatrician.

Comment SCHEDULE to get larger and downloadable versions of these slides*."

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DTI_5TQkijZ/

* Note: When the slides are available, I'll share them.

The Boston Globe also has an article assessing the recent changes to the vaccine policies and the impact to Massachusetts. Read via this "share link"   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/05/metro/cdc-vaccine-kennedy-measles-polio-flu-rsv-children-shots-massachusetts/?s_campaign=sharetool_copypaste_view

FHS gymnastics results from the High School Jacqui Rossini Invitational Sunday

via FHS Gymnastics:

"Competing in the High School Jacqui Rossini Invitational is such an honor. To hear how Jacqui was such an impact on the sport and to see all who loved her dearly gather is just amazing. Thank you @mhmgymnastics and @madsgymnastics_ for putting on an exceptionally run meet! 

Franklin I’m so proud of how you persevered and overcame today. Final score 131.2. Not everything will always go your way. I was impressed with how you all came together as a team, supported each other and recovered from adversity. You are stronger together and so capable!! 

Highlights for top contributors in photo, but a few shout outs 

• Kendra putting down her season high on Vault despite being sick 9.2 
• Alivia also putting down her season high on Vault with a 9.4, she also lead he charge on beam with a 9.4 and received most beautiful back handspring back layout step out award. 
• Abby Robillard also put down her season high on Vault 8.3 and 
• Veronica put it all together today and increased her beam score by a point and put down her season high of 8.35 with no falls!! 

• 

  FHS gymnastics results from the High School
  Jacqui Rossini Invitational Sunday

  Kendra pushes through beam and despite a fall still put down her season high!! 
• Ciara stepped up and replaced Kendra on Floor and came through for the team with her score counting!! 
• Alivia also received best Giants award! 

I also need to give a shout out to Madison, Ari and Haley. They have been the best support being sidelined from injuries. Thank you for your contributions to the team and being there for Beth and I! 

Your efforts are noticed!! Way to go team I’m so proud of you!! 

Next up Foxboro Friday night at O’Learys Gymnastics 8pm"

FHS gymnastics performance results for meet against Mansfield, Jan 2

Catching up to the FHS Gymnastics results from Friday:

"Last night Franklin went against a strong and fun Mansfield. Great gym vibes lots of great routines. 

Mansfield came out on top but I’m super proud of my girls despite some mistakes improved from the last meet by 2.6 points! 

Had a great practice today and ready to roll into tomorrow’s event supporting Dana-Farber competing in memory of Jacqui Rossini! Still time to donate!"

Shared from ->   https://www.instagram.com/p/DTDrIRLkR44/

FHS sports results for Saturday, Dec 27

Via Instagram, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Saturday, December 27, 2025

Girls Basketball = Franklin, 35 @ Biddeford (ME), 72 – Final 

– Franklin comes back from Maine with a split of its two games, following a tough loss against Biddeford on Saturday. The Tigers led 20-8 after one and 31-14 at halftime before putting the game away with a 26-7 third quarter. Freshman Chloe Gordon led the way for the Panthers with nine points on three three-pointers, including a pair of them in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Ruby Risgin added six points and Sophia Sacramone chipped in with five.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSx_MsmE3jm/

Boys Hockey = Franklin, 1 @ St. John’s Shrewsbury, 5 – Final – The Pioneers potted four goals in the second period to run away with a win over the Panthers. Senior Drew Stoller scored his first career goal for Franklin.

Wrestling = Leominster Quad (Franklin), 9:00AM

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required)  

https://hockomocksports.com/saturdays-schedule-scoreboard-12-27-25/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

Franklin Middle School Reading - a work in progress !!!

"Welcome to our work on progress

Looking at this reminds me how far we've come in just a few short weeks. So much thought has gone into this reorganization and the library is no exception. We will have a fully functional library - one exclusively for middle schoolers! - before you know it (or, you know, November-ish.)

Stay tuned!!!"

Franklin Middle School Reading - a work in progress !!!

Click through to view the reel (video) on Instagram -> 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPPgiTdiaXI/

Info on handicap parking access

via Ali Rheaume

"Did you know that not everyone who parks in a handicap navigates a visible disability? In fact, it can be quite easy to judge the situation and assume that the person is parking there illegally.

In order to park in a handicap spot, someone must have a legal plate or placard and be approved by the Registry of Motor Vehicles with medical documentation from a physician that they experience one or more of the following (from Massachusetts law):

Info on handicap parking access

- cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest, or cannot walk without the assistance of another person, prosthetic aid, or other assistive device, as a result of a described clinical diagnosis

- has certain severity of cardiovascular or pulmonary disease

- blind to certain acuity 

- limb loss or permanently lost the use of limb(s)

Some people may have assistive devices in the vehicle that you don’t see yet.

Some people don’t have any aides and can only walk a short distance.

Some people need the space to fully open the door to get in or out without falling, instead of squeezing sideways through tight space.

Some people have adaptations or aides that you don’t see under their clothes. 

Some people may feel okay when they arrive, but by the time they leave the location they need adaptations due to experiencing fatigue, pain, or other symptoms.

Some have needs that we may never know about.

So, next time you see someone park in a handicap spot, but they don’t “look” like they navigate a disability, remember to not judge the situation. 

Video: Ali, a white female with long curly dirty blonde hair and navy blue glasses wearing a purple T-shirt and a black skirt, getting out of the car and a handicap parking spot. Text on the screen reads "if someone parks in a handicap spot, but walks out of the car,". Video switches to another adult female with a black tank top and purple shorts, taking wheel wheelchair out of the trunk while text reads "some disabilities are invisible and you don't always know the whole scenario. More in caption".

Shoutout to my mom @sueflu who goes along with my "let's record something" antics"

View the video -> https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOZSybtkY6y/?

The magic that is a library!!! (video)

The magic that is a library!!! (video)

"The magic is subtle but the message is clear. We need community centers like the library more than ever."

You do need to click through to view the reel (video) on Instagram ->

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMbeEc7ykdJ/

FHS outdoor track throwing results for Milford meet April 15

Via Twitter, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Spring sports competition for Franklin High School on Tuesday, April 15, 2025

FHS outdoor track throwers

Boys Outdoor Track = Milford @ Franklin, 3:45

Girls Outdoor Track = Milford @ Franklin, 3:45

no official team results are available at this time. We did find the FHS Throwers post their results for girls and boys events via Instagram:

@ellachandaria.tf 🥇 shot put & discus
@abby_baker_7 🥇 javelin 🥉 shot put
@alliebrown2007 🥈 shot put & discus
@eilacrochiere 🥈 javelin
@lydia.d.09 🥉 discus
@elias_law5 🥇 shot put
Jack Yeulenski 🥈 shot put 🥉 discus
Srinath Dadireddy 🥈 discus 🥉 javelin

PRs- @elias_law5 @elias_robles2006 @maxwellcohen66 Matt Lord Tiger Taylor Jacob Streesman Jason Papp Srinath Dadireddy @jackson.bartro Jackson Taylor, David Scott, Eric Crochiere, Andy Bunce, @abby_baker_7 @legobatman1947 Chloe Bowser, Elise Ackerman, Sammy Federico, @lydia.d.09 @mollyk_25 @_graceapicella @emarz09 Monica McIntyre

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DIfFX8kNWMH/

Meta ending third-party fact-checking partnership with US partners, including PolitiFact

"Meta will get rid of factcheckers, “dramatically reduce the amount of censorship” and recommend more political content on its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Threads, founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced.

In a video message, Zuckerberg vowed to prioritise free speech after the return of Donald Trump to the White House and said that, starting in the US, he would “get rid of factcheckers and replace them with community notes similar to X”.

X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, relies on other users to add caveats and context to contentious posts.

Zuckerberg said Meta’s “factcheckers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created”."

Shared from -> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/07/meta-facebook-instagram-threads-mark-zuckerberg-remove-fact-checkers-recommend-political-content

And from PolitiFact, a part of the Poynter Institute and a winner of a Pulitzer Prize

"By now you may have seen the news that Meta is ending its partnership with fact-checking organizations like PolitiFact in the United States so, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg put it, Facebook can get “back to our roots around free expression.”

Instead of relying on a group of 10 independent and independently operated journalism organizations, Zuckerberg said that Facebook would be launching a community notes program like the one that currently exists on X.

We hope that program succeeds.

But it didn’t need to be an either or. It could have been both.

Back in 2016, when we were among the first group of journalism organizations to partner with Facebook to add fact-checks to online posts, we did so because we thought adding more speech, more voices and more information to what social media users saw online would help the information ecosystem.

Facebook’s approach at the time was novel. Information from a set of independent journalists would be paired with posts online, and users would be able to see a fuller picture of the stories and news of the day.

More speech.

More information."

Read more -> https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/jan/07/meta-ending-third-party-fact-checking-partnership/

Life expectancy vs health expenditure in US vs. the Rest of the world

"Fascinating to watch: Life expectancy vs health expenditure.

One clear outlier stands out—the US.

By EEAGLI"

Life expectancy vs health expenditure in US vs. the Rest of the world

Follow the link to view the full Instagram reel. This is the final slide   ->   https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDK0Ak2okEa/

Also found on James Eagle's LinkedIn post->    https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jameseagle_datavisualisation-ugcPost-7271869046915018754-7rft?

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Tuesday, December 17, 2024 ???

Tuesday, December 17

• Fiber Art Installation (Franklin Public Library)
• Fresh Floral Holiday Arrangements 4 Sale (via Instagram) 
• Franklin Art Association, Art Show & Sale (Norfolk Public Library)

6:00pm Table Top (Franklin Public Library)

7:30pm Voice of Franklin, part of Toastmasters International (Franklin TV Studio)

**  Town Meetings today   **

Franklin Public Schools Community Relations Sub Committee Meeting (virtual only)

Event Date:  Tuesday, December 17, 2024 - 5:30pm

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/franklin_public_schools_community_relations_sub_committee_meeting_2.pdf

Friends of Franklin Library Meeting

Event Date:  Tuesday, December 17, 2024 - 7:00pm

No agenda posted

Joint Budget Subcommittee Meeting (Council Chambers & broadcast)

Event Date:  Tuesday, December 17, 2024 - 7:00pm

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/2024-12-17_joint_budget_subcommittee_meeting_agenda.pdf

What's happening today in Franklin? 

---------------

Why are there multiple calendars?

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/upcoming

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

Franklin Garden Club to Sell Holiday Arrangements beginning Dec 17

Garden Club to Sell Holiday Arrangements

The Franklin Garden Club will sell holiday fresh floral arrangements on Instagram and Facebook beginning December 17. The Franklin Garden Club Instagram handle is @franklingardenclubma. The sales will benefit several different club activities.  Payment for all purchases can be made with cash, check, or credit card. Pricing for all items will range from $25 - $40.

Club Co-Presidents Pat Donnelly and Mary Anne Dean stated, “We are very excited to offer area residents the opportunity to purchase beautiful arrangements created by members of the Franklin Garden Club.  This will help those who may not have the time to make arrangements or need a festive gift for someone else, while also assisting the Club. 

All proceeds will benefit Garden Club activities, including the Club scholarship, pine tree seedling program for elementary school students, some of the Franklin Common and library plantings, and education programs open to the public. 

The Franklin Garden Club is a member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts.

Instagram rules changes not going far enough

The Guardian: "It’s not a solution for teen girls like me’: Instagram’s new under-18 rules met with skepticism"

"Sevey Morton first got an Instagram account when she was 10 years old. She used it to keep up with friends, but also to follow pop culture trends. Now 16, the San Diego high schooler says all the airbrushed perfection and slickly edited selfies from celebrities and influencers made her hyper-focused on her appearance, causing anxiety and body image issues.

“Being exposed to that at a very young age impacted the way I grew into myself,” Morton said. “There is a huge part of me that wishes social media did not exist.”

Morton’s struggles inspired her film-maker mother, Laura, to direct Anxious Nation, a documentary on America’s so-called anxiety epidemic among adolescents. When Morton heard last week that Meta set new rules for teen accounts, she thought it was a good start – but not a solution.

Meta, which owns Instagram, rolled out changes that give parents the ability to set daily time limits on the app and block teens from using Instagram at night. Parents can also see the accounts their children message, along with the content categories they view. Teen accounts are now private by default, and Meta said “sensitive content” – which could range from violence to influencers hawking plastic surgery – will be “limited”.

Shared from (subscription may be required) ->   https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/sep/23/meta-instagram-teen-account-rules

Meta’s new rules for Instagram come amid a so-called anxiety epidemic among young people, which is found to be exacerbated by prolonged social media use. Photograph: miljko/Getty Images

FHS Swim photos for the meet at Milford Dec 15, 2023

Boys Swimming

Franklin, 67 @ Milford, 86 – Final

Girls Swimming

Franklin, 96 @ Milford, 61 – Final

Solid first day meet for Franklin.

Girls defeat Milford 96-61

Milford boys defeat Franklin 86-67

https://twitter.com/CoachP_FHSswim/status/1735791955945075186

Adding some photos to the meet results for Friday, Dec 15, 2023

Shared from:

"congrats to Hannah and Connor on earning the Dory and Nemo!!"

More photos -> https://www.instagram.com/p/C06-3jfOA-7/

Franklin Swimming season opener is 12/15/23 at 4pm in Milford!

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/C02WTyguGyF/