Franklin School Committee Community Relations Subcommittee gets to work at first meeting

The Community Relations Subcommittee of the Franklin School Committee met as scheduled Monday, Dec 11, 2023 at 6 PM. I joined the meeting webinar about 5 minutes after the start. My notes captured during the session are shared below.

Quick recap:

• Members of the Committee are Al Charles, Erin Gallagher, and Ruthann O'Sullivan. Apparently Charles in the Chair. He referred to the agenda to keep the meeting moving along.
• Superintendent Giguere also participated to provide some background and insights. Fresh views should help this group. 
• Reviewed the standard annual events to participate in, learned of the contract firm to assist the School District with crisis management and overall communications. This group can leverage some of that capacity to help spread the word
• Meetings will be monthly on the second Monday so next session scheduled for Jan 8, 2024.

My notes captured via Twitter

• Joined the SchCmte community relations subcommittee meeting a few minutes late. Will share the audio if it makes sense. Members of the subcommittee visible via the Zoom session: Charles, Gallagher, O'Sullivan. Agenda doc https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/_community_relations_sub_comm_agenda_12_11_23.pdf

• Supt Giguere participating. Charles and he have experience of this subcmte's work done previously, respectfully the two new members are getting up to speed.

• Discussion about interrelationship with Town Council & School Committee, regular meetings at TA and Supt level. Joint Budget subcmte also a key piece around the budget development and process. Possible budget workshop for SchCmte to include Central Office & principals ...

• The principals can add more details around particular initiatives as they are closer to the need and benefits.

• Major annual events Strawberry Stroll, Harvest Festival, etc. Reference to have all communications point back to the webpage, updating the page to help reinforce.. the message. The proper answer to a question/topic, etc. How does this committee handle or have a possible role in sourcing info from the community to help info the SchCmte and or Central Office to address?

• First how to be informed, second how to respond/address. Part of the newsletter would also include how to provide feedback, question, etc.

• Desire to have a regular link to use for the newsletter so overtime people could go there for updates and info.

• Contracted services with John Guilfoil jgpr.net

• A sports story coming on the multiple coach of year awards announced recently. In addition, FHS won a sportsmanship award. The firm can also provide a workshop to create a communication strategy.

• Farmers Market community table presence, legislative forum didn't happen last year, consider to bring back. Outreach to private daycare org to build awareness, relationship, etc.

• Need to be careful on the theme and purpose of legislative forum, if it goes forward. Did have opportunity to meet regionally last year with local representatives and other districts, on the budget, if that happens again, will let folks here know to participate

• Meetings second Monday of the month, Jan 8, 2024. Motion to adjourn, seconded, passes via roll call 3-0 That's all for tonight catch you next time!
  

Franklin Public Schools: Community Relations Subcommittee - Dec 11 at 6 PM

Another DePaolo family member continues Project PJ

"Hello everyone!  

My name is Ryan DePaolo and my family and I are continuing Project PJ this year! We have been running this organization since 2014 and are so excited to be doing it again!  

Project PJ is a community service project that aims to raise awareness for children placed in foster care through the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.  

We are asking people to donate NEW pajamas for children of all ages, infant to age 18. If you have any questions you can email us at project.pj.ma@gmail.com and make sure to follow us on Instagram @projectpj.ma for updates and information about the project!  

You can drop in person donations off to my house at 48 High Ridge Circle, we have a donation bin on our side steps, and I have attached a QR code with links to online registries at Amazon and Target if that is easier.  

Thank you all for your consideration and constant support of this project!  

Happy holidays!"

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/3562135244056476/?mibextid=2JQ9oc

Another DePaolo family member continues Project PJ

Have you registered for the Turkey Trot? This fun family & community event helps the Food Pantry (audio)

FM #1100 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1100 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Erin Campbell, Franklin Turkey Trot organizer and with Jen Johnson, Franklin Food Pantry Major Gift Coordinator. We had our conversation in the new location of the Franklin Food Pantry at Edwin’s. 

We talk about the Turkey Trot coming up on Thanksgiving morning. 

We talk about how the race has evolved, sponsorship opportunities, the community event itself, and free raffle prizes in addition to awards by race age category & more.

Disclosure: during the conversation you will hear that I am happy to be a sponsor of this event, and that the recording is separately part of my overall public service effort for Franklin.News/Franklin Public Radio.

The recording runs about 25 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Erin and Jen.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1100-franklin-turkey-trot-11-15-23

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Turkey Trot webpage (register online through Tuesday, and in person Wednesday night (7 - 9 PM) or Thursday morning (from 6:30 AM to race time)) http://franklinturkeytrot.org/ 

Food Pantry audio series

• June 2023 - grand opening audio https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/06/franklin-food-pantry-celebrates-grand.html

• August 2023 - Exec Dir Tina Powderly - campaign kick off https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/08/franklin-food-pantry-launches-building.html 

• August 2023 - campaign #2 - Anne McGillis & Yianna Zicherman https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/08/this-franklin-food-pantry-conversation.html 

• August 2023 - campaign #3 - Suzanne Gendreau & Donna O’Neill https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/08/this-franklin-food-pantry-conversation_01022713506.html 

• September 2023 - campaign #4 - Laura Du & Amber Baur https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/09/this-franklin-food-pantry-conversation.html 

"The Franklin Food Pantry is here for you. If you need us, we are here with not only food, but useful programs and resources for individuals, seniors and families struggling with food insecurity. If you can support us, we thank you - visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org  to explore volunteering, donating funds, donating food, or supporting our Capital Campaign to keep the lights on and the programs, from food elves to weekend backpack stuffing. It truly takes a village to keep our food pantry running and supporting the increasing demand, supporting our Franklin neighbors."

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm). 

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 www.franklin.news or www.Franklinmatters.org/ 

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"

Have you registered for the Turkey Trot? This fun family & community event helps the Food Pantry (audio)

A newsletter I subscribe to with a very shareworthy message today

We can only grow by embracing what brings us together  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

	Get 20% off for 1 year If You Want Unity, Start with Community We can only grow by embracing what brings us together Scott Monty Oct 25   READ IN APP   The Burning of Sodom by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1844 and 1857 (public domain - The Met) "In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."" — Abraham Lincoln, 1858 When Abraham Lincoln gave his "House Divided" speech, he wasn't simply making an observation on the question of slavery that stood before Congress in the 1850s. He was quoting a familiar concept — one that had its origins in the Bible. In three of the four Gospels, in fact. By using this well-known phrase, he was calling upon his fellow citizens' common heritage and common understanding. He was also calling upon common sense. "I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free." When you're so divided on something fundamental, can you find unity? The solution comes through building on smaller shared pieces of ourselves. Pieces that can be found in communities. The CEO / Worker Divide With issues swirling in the business world such as remote work, artificial intelligence, and company culture, there is a disconnect between the way CEOs see it and the way workers see it. As if to prove this point this week, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman claimed remote workers don't work as hard, saying they enjoy a lighter workload at home. While it's true that working from home gives us more flexibility and freedom, it doesn't mean that those not tethered to their desks aren't as effective. And how hard does Schwarzman think employees are working during their commutes to the office? Now, let's not forget that Blackstone is one of the largest owners of commercial real estate, so he may have a bit of an incentive for taking the position he did. The point is this: there is a divide between how different people see the workplace. Don't let there be a divide between you and other smart & curious people. Sign up for free or paid versions of Timeless & Timely today. Upgrade to paid A House Divided On The World in Time podcast, Edward Achorn said: "The politics in the country seemed to have broken down. People were talking at each other. They were no longer listening to each other. They were increasingly using violence or looking toward violence as a way to settle their differences. So the whole political system was breaking down…There was a long, protracted fight over the selection of a House speaker, which is normally a pretty much rote action. There was a view…that Washington had become this festering swamp full of elites who didn't have any sort of connection with common people in America."  Sound familiar? It should. But Achorn was talking about America in 1860. He's the author of The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention That Changed History. Today, we're watching a slow-motion trainwreck of leadership in the House of Representatives, as a lack of inter-party and intra-party unity cripples the U.S. government. There is one party that believes in the rule of law, following the Constitution, and of democracy itself. And there is another that bows to the whims and fancies of an autocrat who seeks to avoid prosecution, continually disgraces and repudiates the Constitution, and wishes to subvert election results. Case in point: the latest nominated Speaker [INSERT {F_NAME{ {L_NAME}] — indeed every nominee thus far in this cycle — voted to overturn the 2020 election.¹ With such a fundamental schism, with such nihilism in the core tenets of the country — even within a single party — is it possible to keep the house standing? The Basis of a Community Whether we're considering a global conglomerate or a disparate collection of states, the idea is simple: people collaborate to create something bigger, better, and stronger. Nothing worthwhile happens in isolation. It's no mistake that you can't spell community without unity.  The word unity comes from the Latin unus / unitas, meaning "one." And community is derived from the Latin communitas (meaning the same), which is in turn derived from communis, which means "common, public, shared by all or many." A community is a social unit wherein its members share a common network. That network can be expressed in different ways: through values, interests, goals, and kinship. Broadly speaking, there are categories of communities to consider (via Helpful Professor):² Communities of place Communities of interest Identity-based communities Communities of need Communities of practice Place We naturally organize based on proximity. Those around us are the most familiar and have similar needs. This is a driving force behind betting employees to return to the office: it puts us back on a common place. Interest Those who share hobbies, pastimes, and interests tend to congregate together. Thus, communities of interest are a natural way to bring people together. Identity Who we are and what we stand for are driving forces in developing a culture. It only makes sense that we want to associate ourselves with similar people. Need While identity, interest, and place cause people to naturally break into groups, there are wider concerns that can cross these divides. Often times, these needs supersede coteries and cliques because we recognize some things are bigger than us. Practice Communities of practice help identify those with expertise and skills — specialists, if you will — to help develop and expand this expertise for the greater good. If we appreciate and understand these types of communities, we can help those around us flourish. Whether these are hybrid or remote workers, or our duly elected representatives, we have a common, public goal. "I do not expect the Union to be dissolved – I do not expect the house to fall – but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other." The crisis has been reached, as Lincoln prophesied. The question is whether rampant tribalism will allow it to pass. I write these essays to help you become a better version of yourself. Your support helps to make them possible. Upgrade to paid Thanks, and I'll see you on the internet. Bonus content, because you read to the end: Nothing significant gets done in isolation: In It Together Interview with former Ford CEO Alan Mulally, architect of the One Ford plan: Episode 13: Collaboration 1 No, that's not a mail merge or email service error; it was intentional. 2 Drew, C. (December 18, 2022). 21 Types of Communities. Helpful Professor. You're currently a free subscriber. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. Upgrade to paid   Like Comment Restack   © 2023 Scott Monty Strategies 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104

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