What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 ???

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->     
https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

Wednesday, March 26

* "Look Up" Gallery (Franklin Public Library during open hours)

1pm Scribblers Writing Group (recording session) (Franklin Senior Center) 

6pm All Town MICCA Showcase Concert (Bands) (Franklin High School)

7pm Evaluating Your College Financial Aid Offers (Dean College)

** NO  Town Meetings today   **

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Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

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/calendar.aspx?CID=37&showPastEvents=false

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-calendars

Evaluating Your College Financial Aid Offers - March 26

What to Expect

Evaluating Your College
Financial Aid Offers - March 26

Not all college financial aid offers are created equal. For families with students recently accepted to college, making sense-and cents-of the various financial aid offers they receive can be a difficult and confusing process. This session will focus on better understanding the nuances associated with financing a higher education and the many aspects that contribute to net cost, including merit scholarships, need-based grants, state and federal aid, student and parent loans, the FAFSA and beyond. The event will include a Q&A period.

Presenters

• Jean Ricker, Assistant Vice President, Student Financial Planning Dean College
• Bonnie Quinn, Director, Student Financial Services  Wellesley College

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 7:00PM

Golder Room, 2nd Floor, Dr. Paula M. Rooney Student Center, Dean College

Sponsored by Woods Career and College Counseling. 

For more information, contact Kathleen Woods at kwoodsp5@comcast.net.

Register for this event -> https://bit.ly/3QCdZfd

Evaluating Your College Financial Aid Offers - March 26

What to Expect

Evaluating Your College
Financial Aid Offers - March 26

Not all college financial aid offers are created equal. For families with students recently accepted to college, making sense-and cents-of the various financial aid offers they receive can be a difficult and confusing process. This session will focus on better understanding the nuances associated with financing a higher education and the many aspects that contribute to net cost, including merit scholarships, need-based grants, state and federal aid, student and parent loans, the FAFSA and beyond. The event will include a Q&A period.

Presenters

• Jean Ricker, Assistant Vice President, Student Financial Planning Dean College
• Bonnie Quinn, Director, Student Financial Services  Wellesley College

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 7:00PM

Golder Room, 2nd Floor, Dr. Paula M. Rooney Student Center, Dean College

Sponsored by Woods Career and College Counseling. 

For more information, contact Kathleen Woods at kwoodsp5@comcast.net.

Register for this event -> https://bit.ly/3QCdZfd

My conversation with Drew Bogner ranged wide around his book "Letters to Students" (audio)

FM #1296 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1296 in the series. 

“Letters to Students”

This session shares my conversation with Franklin resident Drew Bogner. We had our conversation in the Franklin TV Studio on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. 

 

In our wide ranging conversation we cover

• Drew’s short version of his road to Franklin

• The idea for his book “Letters to Students” co-authored with Robert Allyn Scott

• Journey vs destination

• Nature and poetry

The recording runs about 1 hour 5 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1296-conversation-with-drew-bogner-09-17-24/

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Link to book “Letters to Students” -> https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781475873726/Letters-to-Students-What-It-Means-to-Be-a-College-Graduate 

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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. 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!

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

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Life Is Tough, But So Are You: Surviving and Thriving in College - Part 1 (video)

Franklin.TV (@FranklinTV12) posted Sun, Sep 29, 2024:

Life Is Tough, But So Are You: Surviving and Thriving in College - Part 1 

video link ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHBde0nM7wc

NCAA shared video of Kristi Kirshe touting her development through Division 3

NCAA (@NCAA) posted  on Thu, Aug 01, 2024:

The @NCAADIII experience helped @KirsheBar balance education and sports, taking her all the way to an Olympic bronze medal with @USARugby! 🏉👏

#OlympiansMadeHere x #WhyD3

Shared from ->  https://t.co/sNa3zsHJ2k

Direct YouTube link -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlScx42_BF4

Middle, high school, & college students can sign up to join the Franklin Food Elves this season

Join the Franklin Food Elves to raise funds for the Franklin Food Pantry! Your participation helps ensure that our neighbors have a brighter holiday season! All funds raised will purchase fresh produce, a variety of proteins, groceries, personal care items, and household cleaning products.

In 2022, more than 240 middle, high school, and college students raised more than $93,000 for The Pantry through the Food Elves Campaign! Our wonderful Food Elves solicited funds in their neighborhoods and through crowdfunding to give their neighbors some holiday cheer.

The deadline to register as an in-person Food Elf is November 8, 2023.

The deadline to register as an online Food Elf is November 30, 2023.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8ZlatV9CVwWVIUf0PlCTjxtZpqej20HAvINgUV2qHl_tQSQ/viewform

What does it take to be a Food Elf? https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Food-Elves-FAQ-2023.pdf

Middle, high school, & college students can sign up to join the Franklin Food Elves this season

Chancellor Augustus shares his 'short story' and elaborates on the "Dean Difference" (audio)

FM #881 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 881 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Dean College Chancellor Edward M Augustus Jr. We met in the wfpr.fm radio studio to record on Thursday, Nov 10, 2022. 

Our topic list included

• Chancellor Augustus background and his road to Dean 

• The Dean organizational structure and role he plays co-leading Dean with President Ken Elmore

• The challenges facing Dean and how to leverage the “Dean Difference”

• Listening as a skill 

The recording runs about thirty seven minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Chancellor Augustus.

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-881-dean-college-chancellor-ed-augustus-11-10-22

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Dean College Chancellor Ed Augustus page and contact info ->

https://www.dean.edu/about-dean/leadership/office-of-the-chancellor/ 

Dean Leadership Institute -> https://www.dean.edu/academics/dean-leadership-institute-2/

Darryl Purpose was the folk singer who’s name had escaped me during my conversation with the Chancellor. The song line that stuck is found in his performance ->  https://darrylpurpose.bandcamp.com/track/a-crooked-line 

And how about the coincidence (?) (or maybe not?) that part of the song is about the creation of a baseball stadium?

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

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"

Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

2 articles from Pantherbook: "Student Spotlight: Varun Desai" & "College Conversations: Advice from FHS Alumni"

First up: a profile of EditorVar by Nihara Lijan 

"One of our most popular sports videographers/editors, Varun Desai, a junior at Franklin High School, is going to provide his journey in videography and his advice for aspiring videographers! 

Varun films and edits sports videos for the school, which increases a lot of engagement for the sports teams at FHS. He has always liked to create films and videos; he was recently presented with the opportunity to professionally take videos for the sports teams at FHS consistently and was excited for the opportunity to pursue it."

Continue reading the profile of EditorVar at Pantherbook -> 

https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2022/11/04/student-spotlight-varun-desai/

#9 Sid on the Franklin Unified Basketball team celebrating after scoring a basket (Varun Desai)

Next: College Conversations: Advice from FHS Alumni by Nihara Lijan 

"From high school to college, the hard work and grind never ends… but does it get better? Let’s ask a couple of amazing former FHS students about their current experience in college: Michaela Olah, Charlene Peng, and Rachael Yuan! 

Olah is a junior attending Wellesley College majoring in Biology on the Pre-Med track, Peng is a freshman attending Williams College and is undecided on her major, and Yuan is a freshman attending UNC Chapel Hill with a double major in Neuroscience and Psychology with a minor in Education."

Continue reading Advice from FHS Alumni at Pantherbook -> 

https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2022/11/11/advice-from-fhs-alumni/

Michaela Olah, Charlene Peng, Rachael Yuan - Michaela’s picture was taken for the Hear Your Song Wellesley College Chapter. Charlene’s pic was taken in a field. And Rachael’s pic was taken by her friend at a restaurant.

"roughly 100 U.S. colleges and universities have installed geothermal systems on their campuses"

"Often described as a giant tower of Jenga blocks, Boston University’s Center for Computing and Data Sciences shows no outward signs of leading the race to sustainable energy design. No rooftop wind turbines grace its heights; no solar panels are mounted on the multiple roof decks jutting out from the building’s core.

What makes this building unique lies deep underground, where water circulating through 31 geothermal boreholes will supply 90 percent of its heating and cooling needs when the building opens, as scheduled for later this year. Through a process called geothermal heat exchange, water pumped from 1,500 feet underground will draw upon the near-constant temperature that prevails beneath the earth’s surface – 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. 

Even on the coldest New England days, water prewarmed by the earth will be circulated through heat pumps that will further raise its temperature to deliver heat where needed. On warmer days or in heavily occupied spaces where heat builds up even in winter, the heat exchangers will draw on the earth’s cooler temperature to provide air conditioning."

Continue reading about geothermal systems online

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/08/geothermal-heating-and-cooling-renewable-energys-hidden-gem/ 

In the summer, heat is extracted from the home, and is discharged into the earth. In the winter, the process is reversed. (Source: Solar Review)

Know someone going to college? Consider the "College Admissions Insights" session scheduled Aug 1 at 1 PM

Know someone going to college?

Is the process anything like when you considered college? Or your kids did?

For answers to these questions, consider joining Allison Sherlock, Director of Admission at Saint Michael's College for an informative session on what the college admissions process is like these days. 

Allison will provide some insights on 
• the application process (now a Common app)
• what the student (and family) should consider in their college search
• lessons learned from reading more than 10,000 college entry essays

When: Monday, August 1, 2022 at 1:00 PM  

Where: Franklin Senior Center (conf room) and via Zoom

To attend via Zoom, use this form and we'll email the link  ->   https://forms.gle/8cte5TsuJUB3XkxN8

Who is Allison? (aside from my daughter)

Allison graduated from Franklin High in 2004, earned her BA in 2008 and her Masters in 2016 both at Assumption College.

Allison has worked in admissions at Assumption, MCPHS University, Wheelock College, and for 5 years at Saint Michael’s mostly as a Regional Recruiter, now currently as Admissions Director.

Her full LinkedIn profile can be found online at https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsherlock/

Consider the "College Admissions Insights" session scheduled Aug 1 at 1 PM

Franklin High School Baseball alumni ready for their spring collegiate season

Catching up to share this tweet from Franklin High School Baseball, MA (@FHSCoachZBrown):

2-18-22 - College Baseball is officially back! 

For those that would like to follow the 14 FHS ⚾️ alums that are currently on active college rosters please see the list below. 

Nothing better than checking the box scores & seeing our alums contributing to their collegiate programs! 

https://t.co/wcYRABPHY6

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/FHSCoachZBrown/status/1494669514235166722

Franklin High School Baseball alumni ready for their spring collegiate season

Job Search Event for Recent College Graduates

Via Ed Lawrence:

In addition to my library, outplacement, and Mass Council on Aging work, I partner with my town's Natick Service Council to assist local residents. Here is a flyer for an upcoming workshop.

Please share this info with any person you feel could benefit.

To Register:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuduispzsqGtPtlfpicVzhF0SCodbLEt8j

The Brack Center is thrilled to host another workshop for recent or upcoming college graduates to discuss how to be successful in the workplace.

Transitioning from school life to a career can be surprisingly difficult.

There are some obvious and less than obvious things that you can do in your job that will help you get through the initial learning curve, kickstart your career, and ensure your success.

Join our managers and HR experts on Wednesday December 1st at 3:00 PM to hear their advice on what you can do to accelerate career development and what missteps to avoid. 

Job Search Event for Recent College Graduates

Washington Post: "Study sessions, parties and dorm life: How college students can minimize COVID risk on campus"

"College students across the nation are back on campus, bracing for another tumultuous semester amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

And as their universities grapple with mask recommendations, vaccine mandates and distancing rules, students are charged with making serious health-related decisions. Health experts have some risk-reduction advice to make those tough calls a little easier.

One health expert said that while no public health precaution is 100 percent effective, layering them offers a solid defense against covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.

“I tell folks: ‘Think of the vaccine like a really good raincoat, but if it’s storming outside, you still need an umbrella if you want to stay dry,’ ” said Henry Wu, assistant professor and senior physician at the Emory University School of Medicine. “And I think right now, we’re storming in most of the country.”

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required) 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/09/08/covid-college-students-faq/

Dean College students are back on campus in Franklin

MA Dept of Higher Ed: strengthening campus response to sexual assault

MA Dept of Higher Ed (@MassDHE) tweeted Fri, Aug 20, 2021:

"As students return to campus, MA has a new law on the books to strengthen campus response to sexual assault. Details in the new DHE Forward: https://t.co/Hkp01vY9me "

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassDHE/status/1428780159465836549?s=03

As students return to campus, MA has a new law on the books to strengthen campus response to sexual assault

State Rep Roy: What's happening in the district - June 2021 newsletter

View this email in your browser Offshore wind announcement Last month, we celebrated the approval of Vineyard Wind, the first large-scale offshore wind project in the United States. Rep. Roy was honored to join with state officials and the Vineyard Wind team for the announcement at the Wind Technology Test Center in Charlestown. The is the first step in a major effort to fight climate change and create jobs in the process. Speaker Ron Mariano has made offshore wind a priority for Massachusetts, part of the goal to make Massachusetts a regional hub of the industry. This project enables Massachusetts to realize the ambitious offshore wind energy goals the Legislature set in 2016 and 2021 and brings us closer to our vision of a thriving offshore wind sector here in Massachusetts. It will power hundreds of thousands of homes while helping us attain our emissions reduction goals. It will also boost our economy, reduce electricity rates, and create thousands of local clean energy jobs that will be here to stay. Copyright (C) 2021 State Rep Jeff Roy. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you either contacted our office or indicated you wanted to keep updated on the 10th Norfolk District and things going on at the State House. State Rep Jeff Roy State House Room 43 Boston, MA 02133

This newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full contents  Follow this link ->

https://mailchi.mp/61034bfeed2d/march-2021-newsletter-5081538?e=6ead984465

Boston Globe: "Becker College to close this spring as pandemic deals final blow, officials say"

"Becker College, a small, private liberal arts school in Worcester, will close after the end of this school year, the board of trustees announced Monday.

The school, best known for its veterinary, nursing, and video game design programs, has struggled financially for years and trustees said the COVID-19 pandemic, which hurt enrollment and brought added costs, dealt the final blow.

“Ultimately, the impacts of COVID-19 turned what was a very challenging situation into an unsustainable situation,” President Nancy P. Crimmin said in a statement from the school, which had said it was on the brink of closure earlier this month."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/29/metro/becker-college-close-this-spring/

Washington Post: "Meet the Cal cross-country runner who wants to dismantle the NCAA"

From The Washington Post, an article of interest for Franklin:

"In spring 2019, Andrew Cooper and some other Pac-12 athletes arrived at a high-end resort in Phoenix. Ten pools and a golf course surrounded them on the scenic property. Cooper, a cross-country runner from Washington State, attended this event during which administrators were supposed to listen to athletes.

During one session, Kate Fagan, the author of a book about a college runner who died by suicide, addressed mental health and how colleges could better serve athletes. The year prior, Cooper watched how quarterback Tyler Hilinski’s death by suicide rocked his campus community. Cooper called Fagan’s discussion “one of the most powerful mental health talks I’ve ever witnessed.” But he remembers the stark juxtaposition in the room. Athletes cried while some administrators continued working on their laptops.

“It just made me realize they don't care,” Cooper said. “They don't actually care about us. This is only going to change from the outside.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/09/22/andrew-cooper-dismantle-ncaa/

Andrew Cooper, who ran cross-country for Washington State and California Berkeley, has become an advocate for college athlete rights. (Mitch Hechsel)

In the News: State Rep Roy would address early college; Franklin Fire Dept receives grant

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

State Rep Roy would make early college “one of my priorities"

"Highlighting new data showing greater academic success among high school students who take college courses, education experts called Wednesday for Massachusetts to continue investing in early college programs and broaden access to thousands more students. 

The early college courses available at roughly three dozen high schools have made a sizable impact on closing achievement gaps and improving equitable outcomes for students, analysts found in a study released by the Baker administration. Students who participated in the programs are enrolling in higher education at a rate 20 percentage points higher than their school and state peers, the Department of Higher Education said. 

Enrollment was more than 2,300 in 2020 and is projected to reach 4,200 students in fiscal year 2021, and proponents want to ensure that Massachusetts reaches a long-term goal nearly four times as high. Getting 16,000 students to participate, they said, would make major progress toward improving access to higher education for families that might view it as unaffordable." 

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200826/franklin-rep-jeff-roy-says-hell-make-early-college-courses-one-of-my-priorities?rssfeed=true 

Commonwealth Magazine has an article on this topic also

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/promising-results-with-early-college-programs/

Franklin Fire Dept receives grant

"Several area police and fire departments have received federal grants for pandemic-related needs. 

Although the money is from the federal Coronvirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program, the grants were awarded through the Baker-Polito administration. 

“These awards to municipal departments and state agencies throughout the commonwealth demonstrate our commitment to providing police officers, firefighters and other public safety personnel with the necessary tools to effectively serve their communities while continuing to fight the pandemic,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement. 

The money is meant to be used to prevent, prepare and respond to coronavirus-related issues. The maximum grant amount was $50,000."

• Franklin Fire Department, $48,724 for mobile data terminals

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200826/area-police-fire-departments-receive-federal-coronvirus-related-grants?rssfeed=true

Franklin Fire Dept receives grant