Showing posts with label Wayne Ogden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wayne Ogden. Show all posts

Saturday, June 6, 2009

"Only those who risk going too far will know how far they can go."

Milford Daily News
Posted Jun 06, 2009 @ 01:00 AM

FRANKLIN —

In his last speech to the Class of 2009, Superintendent Wayne Ogden urged the 370 graduating seniors, "Educate your soul, and your spirit."

"I'm pretty darn sure the world has enough smart people - it (needs) people with compassion and integrity," Ogden said.

A "good, successful human being" is balanced, he said.

He told students now that they are graduating, they "can start the process of learning."

It may seem a strange bit of advice from a school superintendent, but he explained that for too many young people, the pursuit of a credential is substituted for the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

"Seek knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. An associate's or bachelor's degree will fall into place," Ogden said.

To those who are not planning to go college, Ogden said, "you can learn a tremendous amount without going to school."

Read the full article on the FHS Graduation in the Milford Daily News here

The list of graduates can be found in the Milford Daily News here


Friday, May 29, 2009

"The Centers for Disease Control cleared the student"

Milford Daily News
Posted May 28, 2009 @ 11:36 PM

FRANKLIN —

Superintendent Wayne Ogden confirmed that a Franklin middle school student was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, earlier this month and has already recovered.

Ogden declined to specify which school the student attends, to maintain privacy.

The student became sick on May 5, while on a plane heading across the country at the start of the student's vacation, he said. Ogden said he does not know whether the student got sick in Franklin.

The student was diagnosed with H1N1, treated, and recovered before returning home to Franklin on May 18, Ogden said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here


Saturday, April 4, 2009

"exploring all options"

GHS
Posted Apr 03, 2009 @ 08:56 PM

FRANKLIN —

Superintendent of Schools Wayne Ogden was one of two finalists for a superintendent job in Windsor, Vt., but turned down the opportunity earlier this week.

Ogden, whose resignation from Franklin schools goes into effect June 30, had lived there years ago, he said, and was recruited to apply for superintendent of Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union by an old friend who works for the district.

Read the full story in the Milford Daily News here


Saturday, March 14, 2009

"chickens are going to come home to roost"

GHS
Posted Mar 13, 2009 @ 11:14 PM

FRANKLIN —

After learning the town spends $2,700 less per pupil than the state average, Superintendent Wayne Ogden said he is growing increasingly worried Franklin will soon reach the state's minimum spending threshold.

The per-pupil statistics can be viewed as either "very positive or very depressing," depending on one's perspective, Ogden said.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Education Web site, Franklin spends $9,750 per pupil, and the state average is $12,497 per pupil.

Despite Franklin's comparatively low spending per pupil, the district performs at an above-average level in all categories, Ogden said.

"Your teachers and kids continue to do a great job with the resources available," he said.

Read the full story on the low cost per student and high performance in the Milford Daily News here

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

After school activities canceled today

The automated phone call just arrived with Superintendent Wayne Ogden announcing that all after school activities will be canceled due to inclement weather.

All schools will dismiss on their normal schedule. No late bus runs will be made today.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

SchCom: Sabolinski, Light, Ogden

Incoming Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski and Peter Light listen as current Superintendent Wayne Ogden explains the selection process that resulted in Peter being announced as the new Principal of Franklin High School.

Additional notes from the School Committee meeting can be found here

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Live reporting - Peter Light

Wayne Ogden - intro to Peter Light, in survey of students and facility, they heard: we want someone we know, we want stability, we want someone who knows what is going on. Peter's name was a consensus amongst those interviewed.

"We have in our midst is a gem of a young leader who can take us forward."

Peter will be the permanent principle beginning January 26th.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Peter Light will serve as acting principal

GHS
Posted Jan 07, 2009 @ 09:12 PM

FRANKLIN —

Peter Light will serve as acting principal of Franklin High School for the remainder of the school year, Superintendent Wayne Ogden announced yesterday.

Light, an assistant principal at the school, has worked in the district for 12 years. He will replace Pamela Gould, who has been hired as the new assistant superintendent of human resources for the Plymouth School Department.

One of four assistant principals at the high school, Light began his tenure in the district as a teacher. His academic background is in music and educational administration.

Gould announced her departure just before Christmas break, giving administrators time to talk with students and faculty about the upcoming change.

"Peter let me and (assistant superintendent) Maureen Sabolinski know if called, he would serve. He became the logical choice," Ogden said. "Plus he's a talented young administrator and we thought he had the skills to do what we need done."

Students shared their desire for consistency in the remaining school months, Ogden said.

"To bring somebody in midyear who doesn't know the school, students or faculty ... it's a terribly awkward situation," Ogden said. "When (we) talked to students in focus groups, they were talking about stability and a need to continue the improvement projects they were working on."

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here


Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Information matters

Superintendents report

Information matters
Enrollment report, one item of significance, 154 more 8th graders than seniors, will increase HS population next year

Complexion of student body changing over time

Did fight in court to prevent student from coming to FHS instead of King Phillip
Will cost several thousands, final number not yet available
Residence of student changed from Franklin to Wrentham, decision was upheld


Cafasso
commenting on the student enrollment projections, we now have 3 differnt student enrollment projections, where we are is actually in the middle of those projections

Sunday, September 21, 2008

"Doubting anonymous" should be satisfied now

Milford Daily News
Posted Sep 20, 2008 @ 10:52 PM

FRANKLIN —

Weeks into the new school year, some residents are still skeptical that the district actually laid off 44 teachers, an accusation Superintendent Wayne Ogden says he wishes were true.

Referring to an anonymous caller who only identified himself as a former town councilor, who asserted teachers were not given pink slips, or have since been rehired, Ogden said, "He is completely wrong.''

"I wish he were right. I wish that were true. I'd be a happier human being. In fact, I might not have resigned,'' he said.

Residents will be able to check "the truth according to the Department of Education,'' by the end of October, when the department publishes the number of students, teachers and administrators in every school district in Massachusetts, Ogden said.

The department produces both a current list and last year's numbers, so people can compare and view them side-by-side, he said.

.......


This summer, Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri, on behalf of the Brick School Association, submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the School Department, seeking the names of all those teachers and positions that had been cut.

"We weren't doubting (teachers had been laid off), we just wanted to see the people's names and how many people were let go,'' Pellegri said.

The list she received in response to her request identified the names, positions, and corresponding schools of 46 teachers, four of whom were part-time, and two administrators.


Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here


Tuesday, September 9, 2008

live reporting - class size update

40% (200 sections) with less than 25 students per class
  • 20 of these are the Freshman collaborative sections which were protected

60% exceed 25 students per class
  • 167 sections with 25-29 students
  • 61 sections with 30-34 students
  • 44 sections with 35 or more students
Armenio
Appears that the cuts have affected the electives with larger class sizes

Ogden
Yes, we protected the core classes and allowed the electives to grow. Those classes can generally deal with the larger class sizes better than the core.

----

Ogden -
Better numbers are forthcoming with the official numbers that are due into the State in October. These are preliminary and raw numbers. We'll have a better understanding and explanation when the school year has settled.

We are at a saturation size for cuts. Many classes are over-sized. When you have to provide feedback to 100-150 students, you get shortcuts and less meaningful feedback. Some researchers say that 80 kids is the maximum to allow teachers to provide appropriate feedback.

----

Cafasso -
NEASC has no specific number that they are looking in for?

Ogden -
No, there is no specific target at that level. This will peek their interest. They will start asking questions to get into where the numbers may be changing the actual learning experience. They will ask those kinds of questions. They will give us 6-8 months to respond. They will decide to continually receive a update through our five year anniversary date, or they could take the step to put us on a probation status (we are already on a warning status).

Cafasso -
We have 500 plus 8th graders and 300 plus seniors, this will be an increase of a hundred students at the high school next year. We'll need to think about this as we try to handle the budget for next year.

Cafasso -
Horace Mann has 45 over the guidelines, Remington has 36. You followed a similar effort in those places.

Wittcoff -
We average 28 but that means some are 30 and some are 24. We artificially we able to handle the math but that created problems such that science is higher (with 30 in both sections).

Cafasso -
Jefferson, Kennedy, Thayer are taking the brunt of the hit with the class size and cuts in teachers.

Ogden -
The teachers and principals looked at the numbers but also at the complexity of the learning requirements to make their decisions. The other factor is space. 25 fourth graders in a room is tight.

Cafasso -
Only plus looks like there will be less in the middle schools next year than there are this year (approx. 25).

Ogden -
The teachers are very worried and very challenged about this year in delivering to the high standards they we all have. The kids are not feeling the stress if it is there. There is a high spirit.

Mullen -
The high science class size is a concern and you have the newer facilities to utilize.

Ogden -
Not a universal problem but there are enough large class sizes to be concerned about the overall student performance.

Wittcoff -
When she talks to the teachers about their labs, they won't talk about giving up with they do. They haven't started labs yet, they will somehow maneuver to accomplish as many labs and experiments yet. Talk to me later to see what has been done.

Mullen -
Can you remind me, I know the teachers are not teaching 4 classes.

Wittcoff -
This is due to how the middle school model has transformed. 4 classes in their discipline, split team teachers teach 2 in two different subjects, then all teach in that multi purpose session (re-teaching, homework session). If not teaching, three times during the week they are in planning or prep or meeting with parents, etc.

Mullen -
Can you sustain the numbers in your building?

Wittcoff -
I have looked at the numbers and we can sustain next year. I think it is the 2011 year that the 6th grade can't sustain and then each year there after we would need to add a team for 7th and then 8th as the "bubble" moves through.

Sabolinski -
She did a wonderful job with the projections and those numbers are without the Franklin Heights grow.

Rohrbach -
During the override tour, we had stated that our class sizes would be higher than our target in about 50% of the classes. What are we at now?

Ogden -
I think we are about 40%. The elementary numbers are not as high because when we had the 180,000 to play with we added back three teachers at the elementary teachers. Overall the estimate was right. Elementary was a little low, the high school was higher but it averages out.

Mullen -
I had the opportunity to attend the PCC meeting at FHS. There was a question from one of the parents: Are there desks for everyone. The answer was interesting, there are desks for everyone as there are empty rooms so the desks from those rooms were repositioned to help out.

live reporting - superintendent replacement

Roy - should we outside, or look inside, or do some combination of both?

Mullen - I think we should look internally, saves some money, internal brings a better start, hit the ground running

Cafasso - last search did take some time and money, with the problems we have we can't afford the focus elsewhere

Kelly - hate to jump on the same train but we have good staff here, let's see what we can do

Trahan - not much more to add than what has been said, it will save us time and money to help us focus on the pressing issues we have

Rohrbach - endorse the concept of going internally first

Roy - do an internal posting via FIRSTClass, put us on a time line to complete the internal search by the end of October

Cafasso - expand it to other recent departures from the system, they have the experience, they probably read the papers and have heard

Approved to go forward this way!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Tom Sousa Letter to Editor

This was in the print edition of the Franklin Gazette but unfortunately is not found in their online edition. The last "Letter to the Editor" on their web site is from October 1, 2007. Tom's letter is well argued so I asked if I could republish it here and he granted permission to do so. Thanks, Tom!


Franklin’s School Superintendent Wayne Ogden’s resignation this week was very disturbing to many people. Reading Mr. Ogden’s quotes, it seems to me he resigned because he felt he couldn’t improve the school system with diminishing funds and a lack of community support.

What’s happening to Franklin? A telling sign on the state of Franklin’s education system is that approximately 10% of the incoming Franklin Freshman High School boys are going to private schools! Will we have to continue to ship our kids out of town to ensure they receive a proper education? What about those less fortunate who can’t do this?

Milford Daily News blog contributors hammered Mr. Ogden, and belittled those who appointed him, as if his departure is the critical issue at hand here. Ogden's departure is a telling sign that he doesn't want to be associated with a failing school system, because we, the people of Franklin, are incapable of managing and controlling our budget and finances.

What are "we" the residents, thinking here? Okay, okay, we didn't pass another Proposition 2.5 because our taxes would be too high, right? Why did we have to lay off 70 school employees? Since the population has almost doubled in the last 12-15 years, all of the residents with kids can only blame themselves for this happening!

Franklin’s tax rate is still one of the lowest in the state! Think about that… Franklin, voted as one of the "Best places to bring up kids”, and to “Start a Small Business” in the country has a lower tax rate than more commercialized towns like Milford? Millis, Medway, Wrentham and Norfolk have fewer infrastructures to support, some shared High Schools and yet they have higher tax rates than us; what makes us think we shouldn’t pay more to get something similar? Franklin residents must understand that all of our property values will diminish if our school system continues to wane.

I would hope that when decision time comes around again, that Franklin residents with children and grandchildren, and the Franklin residents with businesses, and the Franklin residents with town pride, and the Franklin residents that have history here will all stand up together and understand and accept that change has occurred here, and some of it seemingly out of our control. With this change though, comes a financial responsibility for the betterment of our way of life, and for that of our children and our elderly.

Can we prioritize our spending between safety (new Fire House), our history (new Sr. Center), and our future (education budget)? I think there could be a balance, there should be a balance, but the first thing we need to do is get the ship straightened out! I don't know what the answer to this problem is; I am not a politician.

Best wishes, Mr. Ogden. I for one cannot blame you for your departure. I wouldn't want this bloody situation on my hands either.

Thanks; Tom Sousa, 508.954.2911 (c), tomsousa@gmail.com

Friday, September 5, 2008

"Somebody with the energy and enthusiasm"

GHS
Posted Sep 04, 2008 @ 11:26 PM
Last update Sep 05, 2008 @ 12:48 AM

FRANKLIN —

In the wake of sizable layoffs, program cuts, increased fees and, most recently, Superintendent Wayne Ogden's resignation announcement, the school community must remember its pursuit of greatness, School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy said.

Many are disappointed Ogden is leaving at end of the school year, he said, but district leaders "still have a job to do," he said.

"One person can't make or break a district. We have 1,000 employees in Franklin public schools, and every person is an integral part of that team. It doesn't rise or fall on one person's shoulders.

"A really good leader can leave the team and (still) have a great system in place. I think we have that leader and that team," said Roy.

read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

FM #11 - School Committee 8/26/08

Another in a series of podcasts on what matters in Franklin, MA. This one focusing on the School Committee meeting of 8/26/08 and then the news of Supt Wayne Ogden's resignation.

Time: 40 minutes, 6 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes

Music intro

My intro

FM #11

From the School Committee meeting on Tuesday 8/26/08, there were a few items of real interest. There are a number of items on the agenda and respectfully while all of them are important these are the most important. The most significant item of all for the week occurred after the public portion of the meeting but we’ll get to that in due course.

If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write something worth reading or do things worth the writing. Benjamin Franklin


Pay-to-Ride
Miriam Goodman and Maureen Sabolinski provided an update on the pay-to-ride program. Miriam also had an analysis (copy of the one pager provided) of pay-to-ride for the past four years and an outlook for this school year 2008-2009.

Franklin: Pay-to-Ride FY05 - FY09


Late bus
Based upon the decline in enrollment Supt Wayne Ogden recommended keeping with the failed override plan of cutting the late bus. It was not included in the budget unless the override had passed so no additional action was required of the School Committee on the recommendation. There was additional discussion primarily from Ed Cafasso to find the “short money” and keep the bus running. There was not additional support for this idea across the committee. The override failed hence no late bus.

FHS Scheduling problem
The High School encountered a scheduling problem. After cutting the teachers and the classes associated with the override failure, the schedule came up with a hole were approx. 200 students had an empty period. As state last forbids study halls, they played with a couple of options. One additional teacher (in English) resigned in early August and backfilling that position with another English teacher did not provide coverage for the schedule. Backfilling the English teacher with a music teacher did cover the hole so they did hire a music teacher.

The major news of the week occurred after the public portion of the School Committee meeting ended. As you have no doubt heard by now, Supt Wayne Ogden submitted his resignation effective June 30, 2009. To those who call him a quitter, he is hardly that. A quitter would have provided two weeks or less notice and gone out the door. Wayne took the far more courageous option of providing significant notice to the School Committee in order for them to start to look for a replacement, while he continued in his role running the school department.

Yes, it is a disappointment but Franklin voters have no one to blame but themselves. The majority of those who came out to vote on the override defeated the increase to provide a level service budget to the schools. The real issue lies with the many, many voters who did not come out to vote at all. As I have mentioned previously, the quick numbers on the override showed that 500 voters changed their vote from 2007 to 2008 and voted NO. An additional 1000 voters who came out in 2007 to vote Yes, simply did not show up.

We do have tough time ahead of us. We need to work together. We need to make our presence felt at each and every school committee meeting and town council meeting.

Don’t just sit there.
Please get up and do something.

If you need inspiration, view the Do You Believe video posted from YouTube on Franklin Matters on 8/30/08.


The Ben Franklin quote comes from the following website:http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Benjamin_Franklin/31

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

This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

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

The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music

Monday, September 1, 2008

Ed Cafasso Letter - Part 2

Hello everyone!

I am passing along a brief update on school issues in Franklin, but first I need to make two corrections to the e-mail I distributed Sunday evening…

  • At Franklin High School, the graduation rate for the Class of 2008 was 98.7%. Of the graduates, 73.1% chose to attend a public or private four-year college, and 15.4% chose to attend a public or private two-year college. (My e-mail said “four-year” in the second reference.)
  • The average per pupil expenditure among school districts in Massachusetts stood at $11,859, which was $2,273 more than Franklin’s. (My e-mail said “less.”)

Thank you to the readers who pointed out my errors… I apologize. You can view the complete, corrected version of the academic-financial performance report online at: http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/

With the school year underway, three issues are top of mind:

1. The Superintendent’s Resignation: Many parents have expressed deep disappointment in Supt. Ogden’s decision to resign, and I share that sentiment. You can expect next steps to be a topic of discussion at the School Committee meeting scheduled for the evening of Sept. 9. The mission of education goes on in Franklin and I think it’s fair to say that all the members of School Committee are committed to ensuring that the schools do the best they can this year with the resources that are available.

2. Class Sizes: The Franklin Public Schools began the 2008-09 academic year with an estimated 6,175 students, an increase of 101 students from the end of school in June and 136 more than were enrolled at the start of school in 2006. With 40 fewer teachers, there are fewer classes at all levels and too many of the classes that remain are far larger than they should be. We are already receiving reports of over-crowded classrooms at middle schools and the high school; in some cases, class sizes at Franklin High are at 40 students or more and there are not enough seats or textbooks for some students. Now that school has begun and new enrollments are being finalized, the Committee expects to receive up-to-date data on class sizes soon; I will pass it along when it becomes available.

3. Franklin High School: The reduction in instructional personnel will need to be reported to officials with the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), which looks closely at class size in making decisions about our accreditation status. It is possible that the increased class sizes, the need for facility improvements, and the need to invest in our science and technology offerings will result in the high school being put on probation by the end of the year. Moving as quickly as possible to address the issues at Franklin High must be a top priority for the School Committee and for the town as a whole this fall.

Facilities maintenance responsibilities for school buildings and grounds were transferred to the Town control this summer after an agreement was reached to ensure that school principals retain command and control over issues inside their buildings, which is a required provision under the state’s Education Reform law. Custodial staff did another fine job preparing the buildings for the first day of school last week.

Also, I know many of you have expressed concern about the fate of the late bus, which was one of the items at risk in the override voters faced this past June. With the override’s failure, the late bus was not included in the school budget for 2008-09. For a time earlier this summer, it appeared that strong demand for the pay-to-ride program would produce enough funds to continue the late bus, but now additional unexpected new costs have arisen elsewhere within the school district. At the Aug. 26 School Committee meeting, efforts to continue the late bus were again discussed and shelved.

The rollercoaster late bus debate is a symbol of the increasingly difficult choices we face as a district. When there was a threat the late bus would be eliminated, working families protested because the service allows them to work and their children to access important after-school programs. When there was a chance there might be funds to continue the late bus, some community leaders complained that the School Committee would lose credibility if we didn’t follow through on the promised consequences of the failed override. Still others argue that if we can somehow find $40,000, we should use the funds to try to re-hire a teacher or for some other important purpose, instead of using it to revive the late bus.

At a time of scarce financial resources and a variety of urgent, under-funded needs, you can expect more of these unattractive choices to dominate School Committee discussions and decisions.

These e-mails are provided as a constituent service. I hope to distribute at least one e-mail update each month during the school year, as issues warrant. As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. If you are receiving duplicate e-mails or if you no longer wish to receive these updates, please let me know and I will remove you from the distribution list. If you know of someone you would like to add to the list, please send along their e-mail address.

Thanks!

Ed Cafasso, Member

Franklin School Committee


Note: The corrections noted by Ed in the opening here have been incorporated into the posting of Part 1.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

In the Globe - Ogden resigns

By Rachel Lebeaux Globe Correspondent / August 31, 2008

Franklin's superintendent of schools submitted his resignation Tuesday night, citing layoffs in the wake of voters turning down a tax increase as the deciding factor.

"I came to Franklin in May 2006 to help move the public schools from good to great. Instead, we are beginning another academic year moving in the opposite direction," Superintendent Wayne Ogden wrote in his resignation letter to the School Committee. "We will start the 2008-2009 school year with 180 more students than when I arrived, and a budget that is several million dollars short of keeping pace with this growth."

Read the full article in the Globe West section of Sunday's Boston Globe here

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Do you believe?

This is quite an inspirational performance from a student in Dallas; Dalton Sherman.




As you review this, translate the questions he asks to put Franklin in place of Dallas.

Do you believe in Franklin?
Do you believe in getting the best for Franklin's students?

If you do, then the time for action has never been more so than now. Don't just wait for an election.

  • Show up in person at School Committee meetings
  • Show up in person at Town Council meetings
  • Get the Financial Planning Committee to get the plan together to figure out how we are going to sufficiently afford supporting our beliefs

Supt Ogden's resignation should be a wake up call for Franklin.
Let's stop being so immature and grow up.
We can not continue to live with a small town mentality.
The world has changed enormously in the last 30 years.

The choice is before us. Do you believe in Franklin?

What are you going to do about it?

Friday, August 29, 2008

an average of $65,000 to $135,000 annually per prisoner

GHS
Posted Aug 28, 2008 @ 09:45 PM

FRANKLIN —

News of School Superintendent Wayne Ogden's resignation "devastated" a lot of teachers and school officials across the district, said Chandler Creedon, president of the Franklin Teachers' Association and a school psychologist.

Creedon said he is "terribly saddened" by Ogden's resignation.

"I think there are a lot of people who are devastated by this. He had a lot to offer Franklin. He had some great insight into what we could do with the students, and I'm sad that, for whatever reason, he didn't get a chance to (realize his visions)," Creedon said.

Ogden was always fair and very good to work with, Creedon said.

"He was really just pretty wonderful," he said.

Many teachers and staff are "very sad" and shocked over the news, he said.

Everyone was hoping for a great year, Creedon said.

Creedon said he doesn't blame Ogden for resigning, and lauded his bravery in making a statement.

"It was a very courageous statement that he made. Basically, he's saying he doesn't think he can work in an environment where people aren't really concerned about education," Creedon said.

"I'm not sure the community will get that message," he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here


Thursday, August 28, 2008

"We're entering some tough times"

GHS
Posted Aug 27, 2008 @ 11:34 PM

FRANKLIN —

School Superintendent Wayne Ogden formally gave his resignation Tuesday, saying in a press release that restrictive budgets and massive layoffs preclude him from moving the schools "from good to great."

"I have no desire to continue to dismantle our school system and, as such, I no longer feel I offer the right fit to lead the Franklin schools," Ogden said in a statement released by his office yesterday.

Ogden, who came to Franklin in May 2006 after serving as assistant superintendent for Wayland public schools, will end his tenure June 30, 2009, fulfilling three years of a five-year contract.

"I came to Franklin ... to help move the public schools from good to great. Instead, we are beginning another academic year moving in the opposite direction," he said in the statement.

Franklin starts the 2008-2009 school year with 180 more students than when Ogden first arrived, and a budget that is several million dollars short of keeping pace with that growth, he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here