BFCCPS enrollment lottery scheduled for Feb 25, 2026 at 1 PM

BFCCPS enrollment lottery
scheduled for Feb 25, 2026 at 1 PM

Save the Date!

The enrollment lottery for the 2026-2027 school year takes place on February 25th at 1pm.

There's still time to apply for enrollment, but be sure to do so before February 11th at 4pm when applications will close!

Learn more and apply online at www.bfccps.org

Shared from ->   https://www.facebook.com/share/1DMH8U1Qkj/

Citizen Comment re: "inaccurate information presented to the Town Council regarding BFCCPS at the December 3 meeting"

My name is Heather Zolnowski, I live at 51 Anthony Road in Franklin.  I am a 17-year resident and taxpayer of the Town of Franklin, the parent of a current Franklin High School student, an FHS alumna, and a 7th grader at BFCCPS. I have worked for the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School for 18 years and have served as its school leader for the past 12.

Heather Zolnowski

I am here this evening to follow up on inaccurate information presented to the Town Council regarding BFCCPS at the December 3 meeting.

BFCCPS has been a public school option for Franklin families for 31 years. During my time at BFCCPS, we have worked collaboratively with three superintendents and two Town Administrators to support public education in Franklin. Given this long history of partnership, it was disappointing that inaccurate information was shared.

A town council member asked if there was a cap on the number of students from Franklin that could attend charter schools.  The answer provided was no, there is no cap.  Charter school enrollment is capped in state law and regulation. In districts not in the lowest performing 10% statewide, no more than 9% of net school spending may go to Commonwealth charter schools. While it was stated on December 3 that there are no enrollment caps on charter schools, there are clear limits. Charter schools cannot enroll an unlimited number of Franklin students. According to DESE’s Fiscal Year 2026 projections, Franklin is at 5.7% Net School Spending—well below the 9% cap.

Expansion has not negatively impacted the Franklin Public Schools:  BFCCPS received approval in 2014 to regionalize and serve 14 towns in addition to Franklin. Since then, Franklin enrollment has declined. Prior to regionalization, 422 Franklin students attended BFCCPS. In 2019, when we moved to 500 Financial Park and we began the expansion part of our amendment,, 375 Franklin students were enrolled in BFCCPS. Today, although the school is fully expanded at 900 students, only 312 are from Franklin—110 fewer than before regionalization and expansion. 

Charter School Reimbursement: District schools are reimbursed for students attending charter schools at the rate of 100% in year 1 of attendance, 60% in year 2 of attendance and 40% in year three.  As a member of the board of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, BFCCPS continues to strongly advocate at the state level for full reimbursement to districts as intended in statute.

While there were more inconsistencies in the answers provided to the Town Council on December 3, I felt like it was most important to correct these three. If the Town Council or Finance Committee would like a more detailed presentation on charter funding or enrollment, I would be happy to provide it. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions.

Heather Zolnowski 

email = hzolnowski@bfccps.org

BFCCPS Capstone Project Presentation Schedule

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School opened our doors 31 years ago as one of the original charter public schools in Massachusetts. This year we now serve just under 900 students (899 to be exact) in Grades Kindergarten through Grade Eight.

BFCCPS Capstone Project Presentation Schedule

As part of our school's commitment to Character Education and Community Service, all of our 8th grade students complete and present a service learning project we call Capstone. The term capstone references an architectural term for the final piece that is inserted to complete an archway. In that way the Capstone project symbolizes the final piece of a student’s education at BFCCPS. It requires the student to incorporate aspects of all four pillars of our school’s mission, in order to complete the project successfully.

Beginning in the fall of their 7th grade year, students begin to brainstorm their ideas for a service learning project. Students follow a multistep process to develop an action plan for their project and work towards approval to implement in the summer and fall of their 8th grade year. We are incredibly proud of the variety and quality of the projects our students produce. Through capstone, our students illustrate that young people can make an impact on their school, community and world.

Presentations are scheduled for the end of January:

• Tuesday, January 27th: Students in Ms. Trahan’s (12:00-1:15) & Miss White's Advising Groups (1:15-2:30)
• Wednesday, January 28th: Students in Madame Patole (12:00-1:15) & Coach Anderson's Advising Groups (1:15-2:30)
• Thursday, January 29th: Students in Mr. Nerbonne (12:00-1:15) & Mrs. Vasady Kovacs' Advising Groups (1:15-2:30)
• Friday: January 30th: Students in Madame McNamara’s Advising Group (10:00 - 11:30)

Click the link below to visit the Capstone Corner Website where you can read more about the Capstone, watch video archives and find the dress code for the event on the Capstone Microsite.

https://sites.google.com/bfccps.org/class-of-2023-capstone/home

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, January 8, 2026 ???

Thursday, January 8

• Christmas trees scheduled for curbside pickup on your normal trash/recycling day

6:00pm Candlelight vigil (Franklin Town Common)

7:30pm Musical Bingo (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

Library & Senior Center events

For additional details on Library events -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**  Town Meetings today   **

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting

Thursday, January 8 Time: 2:00 PM 

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01082026-2081

Franklin Commission on Disability Meeting

Thursday, January 8 Time: 4:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01082026-2070 

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (updated 1/05/26)

Thursday, January 8 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01082026-2078

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

BFCCPS Technology/STEAM Night scheduled for Jan 14, 2025

BFCCPS Technology/STEAM
Night scheduled for Jan 14, 2025

TECHNOLOGY/STEAM NIGHT

Come for a night of technology and building fun on Wednesday, January 14th from 5:00 - 6:30 pm.

There will be multiple stations for children to participate in. Stations include: Ozobots, Magnetic Minecraft, Quiver, Pixel Art, Sticker Station, Snap Circuits, Magnatiles, Keva Blocks, and STEAM Build Instant Challenge: Machine to the Moon. The Quiver App is a way to make drawings interactive. Ozobot Bits are robots that respond to coloring a map for it to follow.

This event is for grades K-8. Families can enter through the commons directly and are to accompany their child station to station.

This event is free! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Af9CdfrzK/

Tiered Focused Monitoring Review Scheduled at BFCCPS with DESE's Office of Language for Jan 2026

During the week of January 16th the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE’s) Office of Language Acquisition (OLA) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Benjamin Franklin Charter School. 

The Office of Language Acquisition reviews each district’s and charter school’s ELE program every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state English learner education laws and regulations. Areas of review will include English learners’ student assessments, identification of English learners; what programs English learners are placed in, parent and community involvement, curriculum and instruction, student support services, licensure requirements for faculty, staff and administration, program plans, and evaluation and recordkeeping. 

In addition to the virtual visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The district will send a survey to the parents of students whose records the review team examines. The survey focuses on key areas of their child’s English learner education program. Survey results will be reviewed by OLA and they will contribute to the monitoring report. 

Parents and other individuals may call David Parker, Office of Language Acquisition Review Chairperson, at 781-338-3466 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, DESE will make the necessary arrangements.

Tiered Focused Monitoring Review Scheduled at
BFCCPS with DESE's Office of Language for Jan 2026

Within approximately 60 business days of the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the charter school with a report with information about areas in which the

 charter school meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the charter school requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The report will be available to the public at https://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/cpr/.

About the Benjamin Franklin Charter School

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School's mission is to assist parents in their role as primary educators of their children by providing students with a classical academic education coupled with sound character development and community service. Our mission is supported by four distinct, yet interconnected pillars that provide for a collaborative, rigorous education for all students. These pillars guide, direct and define the school in all it does.

Enrollment Applications Now Open at The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (BFCCPS), located in Franklin, Massachusetts, has begun accepting applications for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year.  BFCCPS is a regional public charter school for students in Kindergarten through Grade Eight.  This year BFCCPS celebrates its 30th year of operation.  The school was founded in 1995 and is one of the oldest and most successful charter schools in the state of Massachusetts. 

Siblings of currently enrolled students will have priority enrollment status; thereafter applicants from communities in the school's district will have a chance at securing a spot for their child through the annual enrollment lottery to be held on February 25, 2026.  Applicants from outside of the region (who reside within the state of Massachusetts) will be eligible for enrollment should additional spaces remain after all sibling and regional applicants have been placed.  

Enrollment Applications Now Open

For the 2026-2027 school year 100 spaces will be offered for Kindergarten and students at all other grade levels will receive a waiting list number.  Offers for Grades One through Eight would be contingent upon currently enrolled students electing not to return next year. 

The school provides a well-rounded, rigorous academic program designed to educate the whole child providing courses in art, music, languages, technology, and physical education.  In addition to our core academic and co-curricular classes, students in Grade Six through Eight participate in weekly Classical Enrichment Courses and start Latin studies in Grade Six. Middle schoolers are also eligible to participate in our Spring Musical. Students in Grades 5-8 also have the opportunity to participate in overnight field trips each spring.

Round trip bus transportation is available with bus stops currently in Bellingham, Blackstone, Franklin, Norfolk, Mendon, Medway, Milford, Millis, Norfolk, and Wrentham. 

BFCCPS alumni continue to excel during their attendance at local public high schools as well as independent high schools. 

Please visit the school’s website at www.bfccps.org for enrollment details, including applications.  Enrollment information sessions and building tours will be held on January 24th and February 7 from 10 AM to noon . Please note that the enrollment period will come to a close on February 11, 2026 at 4 PM.

If you'd like to learn more about the educational mission of the school or have enrollment related questions please contact the school's Communication Coordinator, Joanne Basile at jbasile@bfccps.org or 508-541-3434 x104.

About the Benjamin Franklin Charter School

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School's mission is to assist parents in their role as primary educators of their children by providing students with a classical academic education coupled with sound character development and community service. Our mission is supported by four distinct, yet interconnected pillars that provide for a collaborative, rigorous education for all students. These pillars guide, direct and define the school in all it does.

Joshua talks about his Capstone Project raising money for kids who love music (audio)

FM #1580 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1580 in the series. 

This episode shares the conversation I had with Joshua Shearer as he talked about his BFCCPS Capstone Project fund raising for the non-profit Music Will. 

Accompanied by his mother, Josh came to the Studio after school to talk about his love for music and his fund raising efforts which have raised over $2,000 in a couple of months for Music Will.

Listen in to our conversation (about 12 minutes)

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1580-josh-shearer-and-his-capstone-project-11-04-25/

Joshua’s page on Music Will

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Music Will home page ->  https://musicwill.org/ 

Joshua’s page on Music Will ->  https://give.musicwill.org/fundraiser/6591420 

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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

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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 iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, November 13, 2025 ???

Thursday, November 13

• Yard waste pick up this week

6:00pm Advocates Annual Gala (The Westin Waltham Boston)

6:00pm Free Medicare Workshop (Franklin TV and Radio Studio)

7:30pm Cabaret (Dean College Main Stage Theater)

7:30pm Musical Bingo (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

Library & Senior Center events

For additional details on Library events -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**   Town Meetings today   **

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meetings

Thursday, November 13 Time: 2:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Municipal-Affordable-Housing-Trust-24/?#_11132025-2004

Charles River Pollution Control Meeting

Thursday, November 13 Time: 3:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11132025-2000 

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Meeting

Thursday, November 13 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11132025-1995 

Conservation Commission Meeting

Thursday, November 13 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/528?fileID=6820  

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

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Opens Applications for the 2026-2027 school year

Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now open!  

Click here to learn more about this regional public charter school for students in Kindergarten through Grade Eight and even apply now! 

https://www.bfccps.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=517821&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=993702

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School Opens Applications for the 2026-2027 school year

BFCCPS annual High School Fair scheduled for September 18 from 5 to 6:30 PM

BFCCPS annual High School Fair 

The BFCCPS annual High School Fair takes place September 18 from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM in the Learning Commons for families interested in learning about local high school options for the 2026-2027 school year. The school is located at 500 Financial Park in Franklin MA.

The event is open to 8th grade students both at BFCCPS and from local schools as well. Please note that a parent or guardian must accompany all students for the duration of the event.

Students are invited to pick up brochures and applications, ask about fall open house dates and speak directly with representatives and current students of the schools that will be in attendance.

Please contact Lauren Callaghan our School Counselor with any questions at lcallaghan@bfccps.org.

You can see the schools who have already signed up to attend here

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, August 14, 2025 ??

Thursday, August 14

Library & Senior Center events

7:00pm Jennifer Tefft (live music) (The Newport Harbor Hotel)

9:00pm Brian Cabral (live music) (3 Restaurant)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->        

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**  Town Meetings today   **

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust - no meeting (next meeting is 9/11/25)

Thursday, August 14 Time: 2:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/466?fileID=5560 

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - BOT Mtg

Thursday, August 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08142025-1845 

Zoning Board of Appeals ZBA - no meeting (next meeting 8/28/25)

Thursday, August 14 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08142025-1842 

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What's happening today in Franklin? 

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