1. Town Administrator Updates2. Continued discussion of potential future uses and Open Houses
- a. Expression of Interest
- b. Appraisal
- c. Kaestle Boos Study
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Davis-Thayer Building Reuse Cmte Pauses until after Expression of Interest generate returns (video)
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Reminder: Davis-Thayer Reuse Advisory Subcommittee Meeting - July 18, 2023
Davis-Thayer Reuse Advisory Subcommittee Meeting - July 18, 2023
The Davis-Thayer Reuse Advisory Subcommittee will meet on July 18, 2023 at 7 PM.
You may access the agenda and links for the meeting here: https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/dt_meeting_agenda_-_july_18_2023.pdf
Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/davis-thayer-reuse-advisory-subcommittee-meeting-july-18th-2023
Reminder: Davis-Thayer Reuse Advisory Subcommittee Meeting - July 18, 2023 |
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Davis-Thayer Reuse Advisory Committee - agenda for meeting July 18, 2023 at 7:00 PM
a. Historical Materials & Studies on Davis-Thayeri. Study for the Davis-Thayer Elementary School (2013) https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/2013_davis_thayer_study_final.pdfii. Franklin School Department Studies
1. Townwide Comprehensive Facilities Assessment Report (2020) https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/franklin_comprehensive_facilities_assessment_-_final_updated_12.1.2020_1.pdf2. School Department Davis-Thayer Website (2021) https://www.franklinps.net/district/davis-thayer-facilities-analysis
Sunday, May 21, 2023
DCR Recreational Advisory: Southern New England Trunkline Trail - May 22
Saturday, May 13, 2023
Franklin Public Schools: "current district attendance boundaries remain the same"
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Space Needs Subcommittee doesn't reach consensus on recommendation to full committee (audio)
FM #960 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 960 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the School Committee - Space Needs Subcommittee meeting held in the 3rd floor conference room on Monday, Mar 20, 2023.
SubCmte Chair - Al Charles; committee members - Denise Spencer, Elise Stokes; Central office support - Supt Lucas Giguere, Business Manager Miriam Goodman
The meeting reviewed the feedback from the 114 responses to the survey after the two information sessions (1 in person, 1 virtual). The group worked through the feedback and did not find a consensus on which of the options or variations thereof to recommend to the School Committee.
There is another meeting added next week to work through the questions and hopefully come together on a recommendation for the committee. The current schedule calls for a presentation/recommendation at the April 25 meeting with a School Committee vote at their May 9 meeting.
The recording runs about 1 hour and 20 minutes, so let’s listen to the Space Needs discussion on Mar 20, 2023. Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-960-fps-space-needs-subcmte-03-20-23
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Meeting agenda => https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/spaceneedssubcom-3_20_23.pdf
My notes for the meeting => https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XdeOXUQdqmbouFAJXZQQetgUZNoKcxuu/view?usp=share_link
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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!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Less than 20 participate in Redistricting Forum; hear overview & get answers to questions (audio)
This session of the radio show shares the Franklin Public Schools Redistricting Forum conducted in person at the FHS Media Center on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
This is the first of 2 forums for public input, this being in person, the next (scheduled for March 13) will be a virtual meeting. The same material is to be presented at both meetings.
Quick Recap
Review of the objectives and timeline
Presentation on 3 options depicted in a new “storymap”
Feedback solicited from the less than 20 participants, mostly clarification questions around the choices and rationale for such
Survey form to collect feedback distributed as the meeting closed. If the survey doesn’t provide enough room for your input use the redistricting email to submit that redistrictinganalysis@franklinps.net
Next steps -
Second public forum scheduled for Mar 13 with same material
Next advisory meeting Mar 21 to prepare for School Committee presentation
School Committee presentation scheduled for Apr 25
School Committee vote scheduled for May 9
The meeting audio recording runs about 89 minutes. Let’s listen to Redistricting Forum held at FHS on March 7, 2023
Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-955-fps-redistricting-forum-1-03-07-23
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Agenda doc for Mar 7, 2023 meeting ->
Storymap with the three options ->
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9db1fa2830964554ba24ddb4558556fa
Redistricting Advisory Committee page ->
https://www.franklinps.net/school-committee/2023-redistricting-advisory-committee
My notes in one Twitter threader document
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nWZR-XL2N79-p8duC_8vwbSMZTiTveEJ/view?usp=share_link
The photo album shared via Twitter of the pix taken of the meeting and presentation slides https://photos.app.goo.gl/VbZgf8aFb41P9F9B6
--------------
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!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"
Friday, March 3, 2023
FPS: Redistricting Analysis Update and Community Forum Letter to Families Feb 27, 2023
● The 2021 closure of Davis Thayer initiated an expansion of the Helen Keller Elementary School attendance boundary. While we continue to use space flexibly, we seek to maintain a long-term balance among schools.● A facilities assessment conducted by Kaestle Boos in 2020, at the time of the Davis Thayer analysis, recommended multiple scenarios of how to utilize space across the district. This assessment did not account for shifts in space usage required for specialized programs and how we utilize space to adequately support student learning. Thus, requiring additional analysis to inform decision-making through this lens.● According to the Franklin Public Schools Population and Enrollment Demographics Study, the total enrollment is forecasted to decline until approximately 2027 and then gradually increase.
● Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the Franklin High School Media Center● Monday, March 13, 2023, at 6:00 PM, virtually via Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89705686636?pwd=a3p5N1VCMm9LZ1AzTWdpUktMWU1ldz09 Meeting ID: 897 0568 6636 Passcode: 930061
Option 1 - Proposes that current district attendance boundaries remain the same while a Master Facilities Plan is conducted. ASMS/Keller spaces will continue to be used flexibly. Both administrative teams at the complex will continue to work together to utilize the available space to accommodate the needs of all students.Option 2 - Proposes a change to district attendance boundaries in an attempt to balance enrollment while also maintaining geographic contiguity and undertaking a Master Facilities Plan, which may result in further redistricting based on the outcome.Option 3 - While the current district attendance boundaries remain the same as Option 1, there is a consideration for including a "Buffer Zone" for designated areas of the former Davis Thayer attendance boundary, which could allow families to opt-in to Oak Street and/or Parmenter Elementary School for specific zones as a special consideration.
1. The District will not provide transportation, and parents/guardians of students who request to transfer must transport their child to and from school.2. Requests are taken on a first-come, first-served basis based on room availability.3. Families approved for the voluntary buffer zone opt-in may be subject to a reassignment of their district boundary pending the results of a Master Facilities Plan.
Saturday, February 4, 2023
Redistricting Advisory Committee Meeting scheduled for Feb 7, 2023 at 6 PM at FHS Media Center (hybrid)
"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."
Redistricting Advisory Committee Meeting scheduled for Feb 7, 2023 at 6 PM at FHS Media Center (hybrid) |
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Redistricting Advisory Cmte reviews 4 scenarios, raises others, additional meeting added to timeline (audio)
FM #918 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 918 in the series.
This session of the radio show shares the Franklin Public Schools Redistricting Advisory Committee Meeting held in hybrid format with folks at the FHS Media Center on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 as well as some members who participated remotely.
Given this was a working session, the major whole group sections of the meeting audio is what is shared here. There is one break in the audio when
The breakout discussion was held at each table
The break is indicated by about 4 seconds of music (replacing about 25 minutes of table discussion) then the group discussion resumes. I had anticipated a readout from each table (similar to what was done in previous meetings. That was not the case tonight.) The group discussion resumed with next steps, an additional meeting announced (some confusion around which date) but confirmation the slides, agenda, etc would be sent to the committee members with the survey form for their feedback.
Quick Recap
4 scenarios were presented based upon the building blocks from prior session. A fifth was acknowledged as not an option, albeit disputed by at least one member of the committee (closing another school)
Additional scenarios were presented as the realizations occurred on what was happening in each of the scenarios. Those raising such scenarios were advised to write it up for the feedback, in the survey to be sent to the Committee
The next session will cover these scenarios with demographic projections and the additional scenarios raised (2 middle schools, moving 5th grade to join 608 grades)
As there was no readout from each of the table discussions it was hard to tell what the sense of the scenarios was. Stay tuned for the next meeting; either Feb 2 or Feb 7 was mentioned, whichever it is will be confirmed
The edited meeting audio recording runs about 57 minutes. Let’s listen to whole group discussion position of Redistricting Advisory Committee Meeting
Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-918-fps-redistricting-advisory-cmte-mtg-01-17-23
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Jan 17, 2023 agenda->
Redistricting Advisory Committee page ->
https://www.franklinps.net/school-committee/2023-redistricting-advisory-committee
My notes in one Twitter threader document
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a37aoQ-Uh9CvpFgXJA7kdkjB5hHt45-F/view?usp=share_link
The photo album shared via Twitter of the pix taken of the meeting and presentation slides https://photos.app.goo.gl/dz7Un9eCmvqokEYy6
--------------
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!
------------------
You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"