Reminder: Franklin School Committee - Redistricting Advisory Subcommittee - Nov 15, 2022 at 6 PM

 Franklin Public Schools - Franklin School Committee

Redistricting Advisory Subcommittee

November 15, 2022 - 6:00 PM

Franklin High School Media Center

A G E N D A

"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."

● Call to Order

● Introductions

● Project Goals and Objectives

● Timeline

● Project Approach/Workflow

● Guiding Principles

● Town Background

● District Background

● Questions/Discussion

● Adjourn

The agenda with remote connection info ->

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/redistricting_advisory_subcom.pdf

Redistricting Advisory Subcommittee - Nov 15, 2022 at 6 PM

School Committee: Space Needs Subcommittee Meeting - June 6 at 6:30 PM

Space Needs Subcommittee Meeting

Virtual Meeting (Link in agenda)

A G E N D A

"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."

● Call to Order

● Discussion of Data

● Preparation for 6/14 School Committee Presentation

● Adjourn

Agenda doc and remote connection info (meeting is virtual only)

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/spaceneedssubcom-6_6_22.pdf

School Committee: Space Needs Subcommittee Meeting  - June 6 at 6:30 PM

School Committee Space Needs Subcommittee - 05/10/22 (audio)

FM #792 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 792 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the School Committee - Space Needs Subcommittee meeting held in the 3rd floor training room on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. 

The meeting reviewed data requested about aspects of the study in the prior meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for June 6 to preview the update to be provided to the full School Committee at the regularly scheduled meeting of June 14, 2022.

SubCmte Chair - Al Charles; committee members - Denise Spencer, Elise Stokes; Central office support - Supt Sara Ahern, Business Manager Miriam Goodman, Student Services Director Paula Marano.

The recording runs about 55 minutes, so let’s listen to the Space Needs discussion on May 10, 2022. Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-792-schcmte-space-needs-subcmte-mtg-05-10-22

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Meeting agenda =>    https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/05/space-needs-facilities-assessment.html 

My notes for the meeting =>  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rP5gMrQv4kgPi2EdbaevJcypfk5Jh20V/view?usp=sharing 

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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"

School Committee Space Needs Subcommittee - 05/10/22 (audio)

Fertility Rates: Declined for Younger Women, Increased for Older Women (US Census data)

Demographics is a topic coming up from time to time in discussions around Franklin. What is our population? Why is our school population declining? The US Census stats show that our student population decline is not unique to Franklin.

Stable fertility rates 1990-2019 mask distinct variations by age. Learn more in this America Counts story.

America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers Fertility Rates: Declined for Younger Women, Increased for Older Women Overall fertility trends from 1990 to 2019 were relatively stable, compared to previous decades but varied significantly by age, according to a Census Bureau analysis. The analysis, which looked at Census Bureau and National Center for Health Statistics data, shows fertility rates of women ages 20-24 declined by 43%, while those of women ages 35-39 increased by 67% during the roughly 30-year period. Read More Together, the data paint a compelling picture of how the age at which American women give birth has changed over time. Fertility rates in the United States gradually declined from 1990 to 2019. In 1990, there were about 70.77 births each year for every 1,000 women ages 15-44. By 2019, there were about 58.21 births per 1,000 women in that age group. Continue reading to learn more about: Fertility trends: 1990-2019 Shifting age structures Early 2000s mini birth boom Historical fertility patterns Help us spread the word about America Counts. Share this story on social media or forward it to a friend. Share This You May Be Interested U.S. Births Declined During the Pandemic: Several factors affect the birth rate but the pandemic did have an impact: births declined but began to rise again in March of this year. Learn More About America Counts America Counts tells the stories behind the numbers in a new inviting way. It features stories on various topics such as families, housing, employment, business, education, economy, emergency management, health, population, income and poverty. Contact our Public Information Office for media inquiries or interviews. Don't miss an America Counts story! Subscribe here.

Space Needs / Facilities Analysis Sub Committee - Mar 29 - 6:30 PM (virtual only)

Franklin Public Schools

Franklin School Committee

Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Sub Committee

March 29, 2022 - 6:30 P.M.  -  Virtual Only

AGENDA

"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."

● Call to Order

● Subcommittee Objective, Goals & Expectations

● Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Historical Context

● Known Facilities Needs (maintenance, repairs, etc.)

● Review of Next Steps/Action Items

● Finalize Meeting Schedule

● Adjournment

Agenda doc including connection info ->   https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/agenda-spaceneedssubcom-3-29-22.pdf

Space Needs / Facilities Analysis Sub Committee

Snow day conversation with Franklin Public Schools Superintendent Sara Ahern - 01/07/22 (audio)

FM #694 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 694 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Franklin Public Schools Superintendent Sara Ahern. We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about 

• School mid-year status, on first snow day

• Her personal status

• Much to do

• Working with new School Committee

• FY 2022 Budget adjustment

• Administrative searches underway

• Capital budget being readied

• FY 2023 budget in preparation

• Davis Thayer surplus decision remains along with the master facility plan work ahead of them

The recording runs about 21 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Sara

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-694-franklin-public-schools-supt-sara-ahern-01-07-22

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

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.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"

 

FPS Superintendent Sara Ahern updates the School Committee at a meeting in Oct 2021

COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine updates, including Franklin's vaccine stats - a quick recap

1 - Maura George (@maurageorgemd) tweeted Fri, Aug 27, 2021:

As a mom of 3 little boys, I am desperate to get my kids' childhood back to normal. As a doctor, I want data to know that what we're doing is actually effective. I was floored when I graphed these numbers from ATL schools this week. #maskmandate https://t.co/7prNuI7XAQ

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/maurageorgemd/status/1431368291948302347?s=03

Georgia Dept. of Public Health data -> https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report

COVID-19 cases in Atlanta students, mask mandate

2. "Children’s hospitals around the country are seeing a surge in Covid-19 patients"

"As the Delta variant grips the country, children who are not yet eligible for vaccination are at higher risk of being infected — especially in places where the virus is surging. A New Orleans children’s hospital had so many Covid-19 patients that a federal “surge team” was called in to bolster an exhausted staff.

Children under 12 may have to wait until the end of the year to get vaccinated. Half of the adolescents in the U.S. have now received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, the White House said on Friday."

Via the New York Times Friday highlights->    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/briefing/kabul-evictions-candyman.html

The full article and heart rendering photos can be found ->

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/us/children-covid-delta.html

3 -  "Why Provincetown’s Response to Its COVID Outbreak Was So Effective"

"Source investigation complements standard contact tracing; it’s not a substitute. When outbreaks are detected, people need to be informed immediately, so they can get tested and ensure they are not unknowingly spreading the virus. Once a cluster is detected, venues should re-evaluate their COVID mitigation measures and ensure that staff are vaccinated and ventilation systems refresh indoor air at least four to six times per hour. High-risk venues should keep lists of patrons, and outreach to customers through social media can be very effective. Mandating that customers are vaccinated, as New York, San Francisco and New Orleans have done, may not suffice to prevent outbreaks. Some European countries are requiring evidence of a negative coronavirus test for unvaccinated people entering indoor entertainment venues.

The Provincetown outbreak occurred as thousands of people arrived to celebrate the Fourth of July, believing their vaccinations would protect them against infection. When infected people began feeling ill, some didn’t immediately attribute their symptoms to COVID-19 because of the widespread belief that breakthrough infections were almost impossible. After the cases emerged, the local health department’s investigation was undoubtedly helped by strong word-of-mouth communication, as many infections affected members of the gay community, a group that for decades has witnessed the effects of the AIDS pandemic. Since then, many local businesses have reassessed their COVID mitigation measures, the town reinstituted an indoor mask mandate and new cases have leveled off."

Also from the New York Times, where the full article can be found ->  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/opinion/provincetown-covid-contact-tracing.html

4 -CNN’s Leana Wen: ‘Public health is now under attack in a way that it has not been before’

An excerpt from the full interview (which is definitely worth reading to get the full context:

"Yeah. It’s the height of American exceptionalism that we are where we are. I have family in other parts of the world where health-care workers and vulnerable elderly people are begging to get the vaccine. And here, we’re sitting on stockpiles and begging people to take the vaccine.

I think how we got here is complicated, right? I agree with the surgeon general in issuing the advisory about misinformation and disinformation — certainly that plays a big role here. There are individuals out there who are knowingly spreading misinformation. There are others who are clicking and then, unfortunately, sharing misinformation that’s leading to question that and the efficacy of vaccines. That misinformation is taking away people’s freedom to make decisions for themselves and their families.

And I think the Biden administration needs to take some responsibility here, also, for their miscalculation and misjudgment in being so uneasy about vaccine verification and relying on the honor code. Come on. Did they really think that the honor system was going to work during a pandemic when many people behaved so dishonorably? The honor system did not work. And, of course, the unvaccinated are now running around living their lives as if they are vaccinated. And that’s led to the surge that we are now seeing. We lost the powerful incentive to increase vaccines in that really important window."

Read the full interview on the Washington Post page (subscription maybe required)  
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/cnns-leana-wen-public-health-is-now-under-attack-in-a-way-that-it-has-not-been-before/2021/08/19/42c76184-ef0b-11eb-a452-4da5fe48582d_story.html

5 - Via the MA.gov DPH weekly updates, here is the vaccine statistics by age group for Franklin, Not that the population up to 11 years old is excluded as the vaccine is not yet authorized for them.

Boston Globe article with their coverage on this week's data

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/15/nation/massachusetts-confirmed-coronavirus-cases-by-city/

My downloaded copy filtered for Franklin data (as of 8/26/21)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YTnqmKTprkfFDGkBEoM678QlxqbvNgP9/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101938843903614700481&rtpof=true&sd=true

The full data file can be found on the MA Gov page

https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-municipality-vaccination-report-august-26-2021/download

Franklin's vaccine stats as of 8/26/21

The Guardian: "Why declining birth rates are good news for life on Earth"

Given that there is a discussion about Franklin's population and rate of growth, putting our stats in context with national and world trends should help. 

"Fertility rates are falling across the globe – even in places, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where they remain high. This is good for women, families, societies and the environment. So why do we keep hearing that the world needs babies, with angst in the media about maternity wards closing in Italy and ghost cities in China? 

The short-range answer is that, even though this slowdown was predicted as part of the now 250-year-old demographic transition – whose signature is the tumbling of both fertility and mortality rates – occasional happenings, such as the publication of US census data or China’s decision to relax its two-child policy, force it back into our consciousness, arousing fears about family lines rubbed out and diminishing superpowers being uninvited from the top table. 

The longer range answer is that our notion of a healthy, vibrant society is still rooted in the past. The inevitable byproduct of the demographic transition is that populations age, in a chronological sense, but life expectancy, and particularly healthy life expectancy, have increased dramatically over the last half-century, and the societal definition of “old” has not kept up (though artistic experiments such as casting 82-year-old Sir Ian McKellen as Hamlet might help to challenge age-related stereotypes)."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/08/why-declining-birth-rates-are-good-news-for-life-on-earth

 

Davis Thayer Facility Analysis Subcommittee meeting of Oct 2020

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/facility-analysis-subcommittee-long.html

You can find the demographics study on the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/demographic-presentation

The Comprehensive Facilities Assessment

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/10/school-committee-comprehensive.html

Download your copy of the detailed report here: 

https://www.franklinps.net/district/davis-thayer-facilities-analysis/files/facilities-assessment-report

screen grab of DTFA meeting in Oct 2020

"The annual fertility rate may be dropping — births have fallen for six straight years"

"Luz Portillo, the oldest daughter of Mexican immigrants, has many plans. She is studying to be a skin care expert. She has also applied to nursing school. She works full time, too — as a nurse’s aide and doing eyelash extensions, a business she would like to grow.

But one thing she has no plans for anytime soon is a baby.

Ms. Portillo’s mother had her when she was 16. Her father has worked as a landscaper for as long as she can remember. She wants a career and more control over her life.

“I can’t get pregnant, I can’t get pregnant,” she said she tells herself. “I have to have a career and a job. If I don’t, it’s like everything my parents did goes in vain.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/us/declining-birthrate-motherhood.html

"The annual fertility rate may be dropping — births have fallen for six straight years"

"pandemic baby bust" and "broadband access... an equity issue"

"Signs are pointing to a sizable pandemic baby bust" 

"The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown the country into an economic recession and an unprecedented restructuring of our work and social lives. Early on, some likened the public health crisis to a blizzard, imagining that people would stay home, cozy up with their romantic partners and make babies.

These playful visions have given way to a more sobering reality: The pandemic’s serious disruption of people’s lives is likely to cause “missing births” — potentially a lot of them. Add these missing births to the country’s decade-long downward trend in annual births and we can expect consequential changes to our economy and society in the years to come. Unfortunately, there are no easy fixes."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/opinion/coronavirus-baby-bust.html

"broadband access... an equity issue"

"Newly confirmed US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Thursday the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted significant gaps in broadband Internet access across the country, and vowed to take a “bold” approach to expand that service.

In her first television interview as commerce secretary, the former Rhode Island governor said on MSNBC that her first order of business is getting Americans back to work after a year where unemployment skyrocketed because of restrictions implemented to curb the virus.

“We need to go fast and we need to go big,” Raimondo said, referring to broadband access. She called it an equity issue."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/04/metro/raimondo-we-need-go-fast-we-need-go-big-expand-broadband-us/

FM #461 SchComm - Davis Thayer Facility Analysis Meeting - 02/03/21 (audio)

This session shares the Franklin, MA School Committee - Davis Thayer Facility Analysis Subcommittee meeting held on Wednesday, Feb 3, 2021. 

The meeting was conducted in a remote format; all the subcommittee, Central Office personnel and the public participants were remote via conference bridge, to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Catching up to this, after the fact, yes, but sharing this as a matter of public record. I was unable to participate fully in this meeting on Feb 3 due to the multiple meetings scheduled in competing time slots. You may recall that I chose to cover the Board of Health meeting (5:00 to 5:25 PM - it was short and ended then), the beginning of this meeting (5:30 to 5:43 PM) and left to cover the Economic Development Subcommittee meeting (from 5:45 to 6:50 PM) followed by the Town Council meeting at 7 PM.

I did listen to the recording provided by the Franklin Public Schools to prepare this for sharing. Unfortunately, there is not much to add to what was already reviewed and discussed during the School Committee meeting of Feb 9. In case you did not hear, the School Committee did accept the report and did vote to close the school by a 5-2 vote.

Due to the recording I viewed to make this audio copy, I could not tell how many participants there were. The three members of the committee, Supt Ahern, and Business Manager Miriam Goodman are the voices acknowledged that we hear. At the end of the meeting, Subcommittee Chair Stokes states that they will not take comments as this is their last meeting. So I feel bad for anyone in the public who did participate hoping to get to say something. My two cents would also have been silenced. 

The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda. 

The recording runs just about 51 minutes. Let’s listen to this segment of the Davis Thayer Facility Analysis meeting of Feb 3, 2021. Audio file => https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ef72fb33-5539-40e0-baf7-3d4eb9b3c6d0

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Agenda doc
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/agenda_dt_subcom_1.28.21.docx.pdf

Davis Thayer Facility Analysis folder
https://www.franklinps.net/district/davis-thayer-facilities-analysis

Davis Thayer Closing Options memo
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/davis_thayer_closing_options.pdf

The draft of the final report from the subcommittee was what was reviewed during the meeting. The final version of the report and action item for the School Committee discussion on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/discussion_action_a_-_retirement_of_dt.pdf

Feb 3 meeting choices
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/02/too-many-meeting-choices-for-wednesday.html  

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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 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!

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

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

FM #461 SchComm - Davis Thayer Facility Analysis Meeting - 02/03/21 (audio)