Franklin Public Schools: Chromebook registration and Optional Insurance School year 2022-2023

The Franklin Public Schools Chromebook optional insurance program provides coverage against accidental damage (drops, spills, etc.)  There is no deductible and no limit to the number of claims that can be made for a Chromebook. Insurance can be purchased only via online payment and only during the open enrollment window, beginning now through October 15, 2022

Coverage Option - The cost for coverage is $45 per year, per device with lower rates for those who qualify for free/reduced meals.  Coverage includes Accidental Damage from cracked screens and liquid spills, liquid submersion,  fire, flood damage, vandalism, natural disasters, and power surge due to lightning.

NOT COVERED:  Intentional damage, case carvings, broken chargers, will not be covered. Additionally, if a device is lost or stolen (as determined by our insurance provider), families may be responsible for the total cost of the device. Please note that full loss due to theft is only covered when accompanied by a police report.

Note: While the insurance is OPTIONAL,  those choosing NOT to insure devices will be responsible for the full replacement cost of $250.00 should an accident or loss occur.  Full replacement cost will be the only option available and partial costs to repair a damaged chromebook will not be considered regardless of the damage as we do not repair these devices in-house. This form must be completed for each device your child/children may have.

For more information regarding the care, handling and expectations for chromebook use, Click here>>  LINK 

Use the form here to purchase this optional insurance->

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSez8TMUqW9xI678fh_jdBqtw8N6euJltwPhG1kB2SliXkSVhQ/viewform

Deadline to register for insurance is October 15

And from the archives, a well done video on chromebook insurance and why it is needed.  Video link -> https://youtu.be/cVyYQg3WYBY

Produced in May 2019, the prices have changed but the issues have not.

FHS PCC (@FHS_PCC) - Parent Information

FHS PCC (@FHS_PCC) tweeted at 6:43 PM on Fri, Aug 28, 2020:

FHS Chromebook 1:1 Program Consent/Participation Form https://t.co/rVc6y7NltZ 

Technology Request Form https://t.co/HecBngoKYQ 

Principal Hanna Email-consent email https://t.co/rVc6y7NltZ
Technology Request Form https://t.co/HecBngoKYQ pic.twitter.com/JYupFnGYKD

— FHS PCC (@FHS_PCC) August 28, 2020

(https://twitter.com/FHS_PCC/status/1299477679167746050?s=03)

FHS Chromebook support request form

FHS PCC (@FHS_PCC) tweeted at 7:58 PM on Thu, Aug 27, 2020:

Link to access form https://t.co/HecBngoKYQ https://t.co/kaqinBxOC2

FHS Chromebook support request form

Franklin Public Schools: Return to School Plan - "remote setting for students in grades K-12"

August 1, 2020

Dear Franklin Families,

When August 1 comes, I always begin writing a back to school letter. This is like no other back to school letter and hopefully is one I only write once.

Yesterday, we submitted the Franklin Public Schools’ preliminary reopening plan to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The plan contained a summary of three instructional models that the Reopening Taskforce and Administrative Team have been developing: full in-person instruction with health and safety practices in place; a hybrid model of both in-person and remote learning with smaller cohorts of students alternating between the two; and a plan for fully remote instruction.

Numerous emails and phone calls came in over the week advocating for each model. Clearly, it is a difficult decision as not everyone will be pleased. Each model, in their own way, comes with significant impacts to families.

In the submission, I indicated that the plan for opening school in Franklin is to begin the year in a remote setting for students in grades K-12. Within this model, however, High Needs Students will be prioritized for in-person instruction, as required by DESE. Our preschool, ECDC, will communicate their plans in a follow up letter to preschool families.

Remote instruction for 2020-2021 will be considerably different and more “robust” than the emergency remote learning of the spring closure. FPS remote instruction will involve:
● a full day of instruction in order to meet the “structured learning time” requirements, sometimes referred to as the required number of days/hours of “time on learning” required by the state
● live instruction to students, while also building in screen breaks and low-tech learning experiences
● familiar instructional strategies as well as highly effective novel strategies leveraging technology
● grading of student work
● attendance and accountability

We have used CARES funding from the state to invest in additional Chromebooks in order to provide access to technology to all students.

By opening in a fully remote way, we will be able to spend the next several weeks building a strong virtual learning environment with an overall goal to have as many students and staff return safely to school. We will build towards a hybrid of in-person and remote instruction in a phased way. We will monitor the efficacy of remote learning and we will examine readiness for students to be present in-person at benchmark dates.

Please note that the start date of the school year will be delayed. The Commissioner of Education has reduced the required number of school days from 180 to 170 in order to allow districts to use the first ten days in preparation with our faculty and staff. Staff will be preparing for remote instruction and receiving training on health and safety practices. We anticipate school to begin on or about, but no later than September 16, pending School Committee approval of a revised calendar.

The Comprehensive Reopening Plan is not due to the state until later in August, however we wish to convey this information to you now for planning purposes.

We invite you to a family webinar on Tuesday, August 4 at 6 pm or Wednesday, August 5 at 7:30 am where you can learn more about our plans, rationale, answers to FAQs, and what instruction will look like. Please pre-register at the following links:

Tuesday, August 4 at 6 PM: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hpm_1UKCSCyKrPZEcVH0Aw

Wednesday, August 5 at 7:30 AM: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6Jd64pWnSjWrBoParD9UmQ 

If sessions exceed the limit of 1000, additional ones will be scheduled.
We appreciate the difficulty of the situation we are all in. Health and safety is our first priority. We are also viewing this approach as the most educationally sound way to attend to the health and safety requirements while prioritizing the quality of instruction and we look forward to sharing more about our thinking in the coming days.

Sincerely,

Franklin Public Schools


Please contact the Superintendent’s Office at 508-553-4819 with questions. Alternatively, you can e-mail reopening@franklinps.net

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/august_1_reopening_update_families_1_1.pdf

Franklin Public Schools: Return to School Plan - "remote setting for students in grades K-12"

Franklin Public Schools: Remote Learning Update - June 15, 2020

June 15, 2020

Dear Franklin Families and Faculty/Staff,

The purpose of this message is to update families and faculty/staff on Remote Learning.

Planning for Re-Opening School in the Fall
A District Re-opening Taskforce -- comprised of district and school-based administrators, faculty/staff, school nurse leader, school physician, Facilities Department, Food Services, Lifelong Learning, Athletic Director, and a School Resource Officer -- has begun to plan for reopening school in the fall. We will be including parent/family and student voice as well.

The group’s efforts are focused in five areas: operations, healthy, and safety; whole child supports; personnel; academics; and distance learning. We expect that preliminary guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, containing more details around teaching and learning, will be issued soon. The guidance issued on June 5, 2020 was specific to ordering Personalized Protective Equipment (PPE) and should not be interpreted as what school will look like in the fall.

The District will be surveying families, staff, and students. Please be on the lookout for a survey soon. You can expect a communication from the Re-opening Taskforce mid-summer, in advance of the opening of school, for your planning purposes.

Chromebook Collection
At this time, the District will not be collecting Chromebooks from families whose children will return to Franklin Public Schools in the fall.

If your child is not returning you may complete a “request for remote support” form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf--tUJyJtg2OIFTEIXaoyJCmDbrqBEkvFgPYe9AJ3q7F3Asg/viewform) and then drop the Chromebook off at the rear of Franklin High School at the technology office on a Wednesday from 4-6 PM.

If your child is returning to FPS but you would like to return the Chromebook, please also complete the request for remote support form and drop it off on a Wednesday from 4-6 PM at the rear of Franklin High School at the technology office.

Alternatively, you can connect with a building administrator for a time when you can drop it off at your child’s school.

Last day of School 6/18
The end of the year certainly doesn’t look like how we envisioned when we began the school year on August 27th. Our last day of school will be Thursday, June 18th. In order to accomplish end of year tasks, the day will be modified where the secondary block will run from 8:30-10:30 AM and the elementary block will run from 9:00-11:00 AM. Afternoon instruction/meetings will be rescheduled. Current Kindergarten students will participate. More specific information may be issued from your child’s school. The last day of ECDC will be June 16th with their end of the year “Fun Fair” on June 17th.

Elementary and Middle School Report Cards
Please see the following links about report cards at the elementary and middle levels:
Elementary Report Card Letter (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HJCijpl2DrqyddwbtKyt3UdBqWV27ImIS3DQLYbx3gk/edit?usp=sharing)
Middle School Report Card Letter (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xkXgkjG7keyq6Sz0Pj1MN_OijOHCnkOvXtTu60QVGeY/edit?usp=sharing)

P-EBT Card for Students who Qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch
Families whose students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch started to receive P-EBT cards in the mail on Friday, May 29, and we hear that there has been some trouble with activating cards. The following information comes from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in order to assist you with activation:

Call DTA's Assistance Line at (877) 382-2363 and press 6. Their staff can help families to get the case information.

We are pleased to announce that the Food Services program has been awarded a grant in order to continue food service this summer, serving breakfast and lunch, to any child in Franklin.

This has certainly been a challenging spring for everyone. We want to thank the Franklin community for working together to keep each other safe and for cooperation, patience, and communication in shifting the entire instructional and support system to be remote. We have learned much in these difficult days, most notably emphasizing how much we value the opportunities we have to be together.

We want to wish all of our faculty/staff, students, and families a healthy and safe summer. 

Kind regards,
Franklin Public Schools

Please contact the Superintendent’s Office at 508-553-4819 with any questions. Please leave a voicemail. Although we are working remotely, voicemails are sent to email and will be responded to in a timely fashion.

PDF version (not yet on schools web page)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vwE7rFD_YckvgvfBcyBwDRdBBsYdFqw3/view?usp=sharing

Franklin Public Schools: Remote Learning Update - June 15, 2020

Franklin Public Schools: Important Dates and Information

Important Dates and Information

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May-June 2020

All Franklin Public School buildings are closed for the rest of the school year. Remote learning is in session.

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Wed May 20th- SENIOR Drop off day for books, and non-technology materials only  
Chromebooks will NOT be collected on this day

• Seniors should pull up in the bus drop-off loop; leave all materials you are returning in your trunk. Stay in your vehicle.  Someone will assist you
• Each item you are dropping off must be clearly labeled with your name and ID number. Any non-labeled items will not be taken from your trunk. 
• The two drop off times are between 8:15AM-9:45 AM and then again between 12:30PM and 2:00PM Do not attempt any drop off between 10 AM and 12:30 PM. Nobody will be there to assist you.

Senior Chromebook Return and the time to pick up your senior box of graduation materials will be the week of May 26-28. 

More information will be emailed home and posted on Grad info page

The Last Day of online learning for SENIORS ONLY is May 22nd.
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The Last Day of online learning is Thursday, June 18th for 9th, 10th, 11th grade. If this changes, this page will be updated with new information.
Having troubles with your Chromebook? Complete this tech work order form and someone will contact you to help

Click HERE to view the Remote Learning Schedule for FHS Students 

Click HERE to order an Oskey 2020 Yearbook.

FHS 2020-2021 Mock Trial team online information session meeting June 11th 7-8 pm. If interested, please email Mr. Mike Walsh at: walshm@franklinps.net with your email information and he will send you an invite.

Class of 2021 Prom to be held in the Fall; more information to come
___________________________________________
New FPS Learning Resources website (https://sites.google.com/franklinps.net/fpscommunitylearningresource/home) - created by the Superintendent's office to support and guidance for our students, families, and teachers as we navigate these unprecedented circumstances together as a community. We will continue to curate resources throughout our closure period. We recommend frequently revisiting for the latest updates and information.
_____________________________________________________
Contact Information Changes-If you need to change an email address or phone number in your student's Aspen contact information, click here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeY4jBgHKcpcfI5bKqPmeCQ7HD800zKcdlQps9XmVDudDTuYw/viewform) to send us those changes

Date	Event
5/25/2020	No School - Memorial Day
6/18/2020	Last day of School for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade -COVID calendar

Shared from the Town of Franklin Public Schools page

https://www.franklinps.net/fhs/news/important-dates-and-information

Franklin Public Schools: Important Dates and Information

Franklin High School: Chromebook PSA 2019

When the new Franklin High School building opened, approx. 1600 Chromebooks entered the daily life of the students. At approx. $200 each, they are relatively cheap and overtime will provide a better return than standard textbooks.

As with any technical device, the technology is great when it works, and can be frustrating when it doesn't. Taking care of the device is critical to the performance. This Public Service Announcement is a cool reminder of the need for taking care as well as a good showcase for the talented students work in media creation.

There is an annual insurance policy that is well worth purchasing for only $25.

Enjoy! (only 2 and a half minutes)





Chromebook lifecycle:
Chromebooks are issued to the incoming Freshmen class and expected to be used for the four years. The seniors turn in their Chromebooks upon graduation and the units are evaluated for reuse. 

Part of the capital needs for the school district have shifted from book and curriculum purchases to Chromebook replacements and software licenses. The Chromebooks and licenses are more easily kept up to date than hardcover materials.

Chromebooks have gradually expanded to the middle and elementary schools. The units used by those students stay within the buildings. High school students take theirs home to do homework and projects.