School Committee recognizes FHS Cheerleaders, approves temporary naming for redistricting, gets update from Franklin TV (audio)

FM #1354 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1354 in the series. 

This session shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Tuesday, Jan 14, 2024. 6 of the 7 members participated (6 in Chambers,  1 absent - Sompally).

Quick recap

• FHS Cheerleaders recognized for winning multiple championships, approved for travel to the National Championship

• Superintendent's report included multiple updates on redistricting efforts underway

• FHS school update provided insights in the school year thus far

• FHS Program of Studies update raised some clarification questions and at least one surprise that the community service hours added to the graduation requirements are not being monitored this year due to the budget cut that removed the individual who would have done that tracking. Community hours were being done by students, no one single person was tracking to ensure all the students were doing so this school year

• Franklin TV provided an update on the programming provided to the community including the live broadcast of this meeting (across town, 2 school concerts were also broadcast and the FHS girls basketball game was also broadcast). revenue is dropping due to cable cutting, proposal at State Legislature on potential alternate revenue for cable operations, new Federal administration may attempt to dismantle the Federal authorization for cable broadcasting

• Discussion action items

• approved after much discussion as amended the notification on the temporary names for the schools as part of the redistricting

• Capital budget modified from initial preview and approved

• 3 policies for first reading approved to move to second reading

• Update on educational expenses for the student from the emergency shelter. Quarterly reimbursement from DESE only used to offset the costs of educating these students. Reimbursement at rate of $104/per day/per student. The override had nothing to do with the education of these students. FPS does not use the operational budget to educate the student from the emergency shelter

• Grants to the amount of $1.6 M were preview by the committee (document not part of the public set released prior to the meeting). Over what period these grants covered was not mentioned out loud.

• Round of subcommittee updates

• Motion to enter executive session, not to return to public meeting, passed 6-0-1 (1 absent)

The recording runs about 3 hours & 24 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1354-franklin-ma-school-cmte-mtg-01-14-25/

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Franklin TV video available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWsDrfRwZuM 

The agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/fsc.pdf 

Meeting packet (other docs as they are released after the meeting will get posted here) -> https://www.franklinps.net/documents/departments/school-committee/meeting-packets/2024---25-meeting-packets/january-14%2C-2025-sc-meeting-packet/742564

My full set of notes in one PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JdupV2TntAObJjwWAik_BBpoPfpLPHVH/view?usp=drive_link   

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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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School Committee recognizes FHS Cheerleaders, approves temporary naming for redistricting, gets update from Franklin TV (audio)

Washington Post has a "Deep Read" on Norfolk and the State prison shelter situation

"Here was the town where Kevin Roche grew up: empty sidewalks, a coffee shop, a pharmacy, two pizza parlors, two ambulances, two roundabouts and no grocery store. A small, quiet town, people in Norfolk said. Pleasant. Safe. Nothing much to do, and that meant nothing much changed from one morning to the next or the next, until this morning, when Kevin woke up and knew that the town would be different by the time the day was over.

He got in his car and drove toward Main Street just before 7 a.m. Main Street ran from one end of Norfolk to the other, four miles in all, and it led to the auto repair shop where Kevin, 60, had worked since he was 12 years old, first for his father, and now alongside his own son. He passed the line of houses he saw every morning, which were the same, except for the ones that had new signs in the yard. “NORFOLK PRISON-SHELTER,” they read. “NOT SAFE FOR ANYONE.”

At the east end of Main Street, razor wire was being removed from a chain-link fence around Bay State Correctional Center, an unused low-security state prison half a mile from Kevin’s shop. At the foot of the fence, rows of thick coil lay in the grass. Security guards stood at the front gates. Cribs and diaper kits sat on the floor of the prison gym. Clean, white sheets lay on the beds."

Continue reading via a gift subscription to this article -> https://wapo.st/3B5zO23

Washington Post has a "Deep Read" on Norfolk and the State prison shelter situation

Boston Globe: "Reprieves continue for many migrant families facing ouster from overflow shelter system"

The State shares an update on the shelter process:

"In the opening weeks of a new state policy that further limits stays in temporary overflow shelters, more than two-thirds of families who received notices to leave have been granted reprieves, the Healey administration said Saturday.

Extensions have been granted to 109 of the 161 families who were notified earlier this month that they could no longer live at state-funded temporary overflow shelters under the policy that caps stays at five business days, according to a spokesperson for Governor Maura Healey.

The policy prioritizes needy Massachusetts families over migrants for longer-term placements, so many of the families affected by the five-day cap are newly arrived immigrants.

The administration said there were three types of extensions: medical, one-time reprieves, and extra time granted while families enroll in benefits aimed at providing permanent housing. The spokesperson said the extension periods vary. Many are five days but some may be longer in certain circumstances, such as imminent housing opportunities."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/08/18/metro/reprieves-migrant-shelter-overflow-system-healey/

A National Guard armory in Lexington is being used as a temporary overflow shelter by the state, which is facing an influx of migrants as it contends with a housing shortage. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Healey-Driscoll Administration: Changes to Emergency Assistance Prioritization, Safety-Net Sites Announced 7/23/24

The Healey-Driscoll administration is announcing changes to its Emergency Assistance (EA) prioritization and safety-net sites for families experiencing homelessness. These changes are intended to address the system’s continuing capacity constraints, lower costs, and protect the financial sustainability of the EA system. 

Beginning August 1, 2024, families will be prioritized for placement in EA shelters if they are homeless because of a no-fault eviction or because of sudden or unusual circumstances in Massachusetts beyond their control, such as a flood or fire, or if they have at least one member who is a veteran. Families will continue to be prioritized if they have significant medical needs, newborn children, are at risk of domestic violence, or are homeless because of fire, flood, or other disasters.

Healey-Driscoll Administration

Families who are not prioritized for placement in EA shelters will be eligible to stay at a “temporary respite center” for up to five days. On August 1, the state’s safety-net sites in Chelsea, Lexington, Cambridge and Norfolk will be transitioned to temporary respite centers. Norfolk is the newest of these sites and is nearing capacity. The administration will not be opening additional respite center sites due to operational and financial constraints.

Families who choose to stay at a temporary respite center will be required to wait six months or more for placement in the state’s emergency family shelter system. They will remain eligible for other diversion services, such as reticketing and the HomeBASE program. Families who have been in temporary respite centers prior to the policy change on August 1 will retain their prioritization for placement into EA shelter, and the state will begin helping them leave these sites according to the date in which they entered. This policy does not apply to United Way shelter sites.

“We have been saying for months now that the rapid growth of our Emergency Assistance shelter system is not sustainable. Massachusetts is out of shelter space, and we simply cannot afford the current size of this system. Our administration has taken significant action over the past year to make the system more sustainable and help families leave shelter for stable housing. But with Congress continuing to fail to act on immigration reform, we need to make more changes,” said Governor Maura Healey. “That’s why we are making changes to EA prioritization and transitioning our safety-net sites to five-day temporary respite centers. This is in line with the policies of other cities facing similar challenges as Massachusetts and will help give families some relief for a few days while they access the diversion services we can provide, such as reticketing.”

Last year, Governor Healey declared that a state of emergency exists in Massachusetts due to rapidly rising numbers of immigrant families arriving in Massachusetts in need of shelter and services and a severe lack of shelter availability in the state. In the fall, she announced that the EA system was at capacity at 7,500 families.

The administration has focused on getting immigrants work authorizations, English classes, and placed into jobs to give them the tools they need to move into stable housing and to meet the workforce needs of our employers. Governor Healey successfully advocated for U.S. Department of Homeland Security to hold a work authorization clinic in Massachusetts and processing times have significantly increased. Since November 2023, the administration has helped nearly 3,800 immigrants apply for work authorizations, the vast majority of which have been approved, and nearly 1,250 have been enrolled in ESOL classes. Across the system, nearly 1,300 EA residents have gotten jobs.

The administration also expanded the HomeBASE program, which helps cover rent and other costs for families with children under 21 years old or pregnant people and offered mobile vouchers to the approximately 1,200 EA families who were in EA longer than 18 months. 

As a result of these efforts, the number of families leaving the EA system has steadily increased each month, with more than 330 families leaving each month recently – the highest numbers in years.

The Legislature recently passed a nine-month length of stay requirement in EA shelters, which Governor Healey signed into law and recently implemented. Governor Healey also previously implemented a 30-day recertification requirement at safety-net sites.

Last month, Governor Healey sent members of her administration to the U.S. Southern Border to meet with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Joint Task Force-North, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and families to educate them about the lack of shelter availability in Massachusetts. The Governor also recently ended the practice of families overnighting at Logan Airport and increased outreach around the state’s reticketing program, which provides families with transportation to another location where they have friends or family or another option for a safe place to stay.

Shared from -> https://www.mass.gov/news/healey-driscoll-administration-announces-changes-to-emergency-assistance-prioritization-safety-net-sites

#LOVEfranklin // Emergency Shelter Humanitarian Aid UPDATE (as of 11/22/23)

The population at the Emergency Shelter in Franklin is stable. Here's the quick update regarding volunteer opportunities and donations.

The After-School Program has been on a two-week hiatus due to parent teacher conferences and school vacation. It is scheduled to resume next week. If you'd like to volunteer for this program, you must first be screened and trained. Please reach out to Rev. Kathy McAdams at rector@stjohnsfranklinma.org for more information.

Donation sorting and packing for distribution continues at the Franklin United Methodist Church. We have provided clothes and supplemental hygiene products to just over 100 people. We are going to do a major push next week to get donations out. The (ambitious) goal is to distribute to another 100 people next week! We have five packing days scheduled. All volunteers are asked to register. Due to the abundance of donations and the limited space in the rooms where items are being stored, we are limiting the number of volunteers per session to six people. You can signup to help by going to franklininterfaith.org/donation-sorting/. If you have any questions about the donation sorting/packing or would like to signup a group at a special time, please contact Pastor Jacob Juncker at jacob@franklinumc.org.

Below is the updated flyer. Our donation needs are shifting a bit. We are looking for donations of suitcases and large duffle bags. We are packing items in them (when we have them) for distribution to the hotel. Families keep the bags. We are also asking for new (in the package) socks and underwear (all sizes). Please note: we are not taking massive lots of clothes, furniture, or toys at this time.

#LOVEfranklin // Emergency Shelter Humanitarian Aid UPDATE (as of 11/22/23)

Thank you! What we are accomplishing together is impressive. Your generosity is inspiring. You are making a huge impact in the lives of the 90+ families placed in the Emergency Shelter. I really cannot say it enough: thank you for your continued support.

Download a (.pdf) of the flyer here and distribute as you see fit.

You can also find this update online -> https://franklininterfaith.org/lovefranklin-emergency-shelter-humanitarian-aid-update-5/#

#LOVEfranklin // Emergency Shelter Humanitarian Aid UPDATE for Nov 3. 2023

It feels like we are hitting our stride this week! The Emergency Shelter in Franklin is near capacity, the After-School Program has begun, and we’ve worked most of the kinks out of our process for assessing needs, collecting donations and distributing them.

 

The After-School Program is up and running. In its first offering, it served an estimated 30 children, elementary age and younger. The program was such a success that, in the future, we’ve been given permission to start a little earlier in order to reach out to the middle- and high-school students who arrive to the shelter about an hour before the elementary students. If you’d like to help with the After-school Program, please reach out to Rev. Kathy McAdams. We are hopeful that we will soon be able to offer the program over multiple days each week.

 

All donations have been consolidated at the Franklin United Methodist Church and teams of volunteers have done an excellent job of sorting. Next week, we will be sorting on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. In the weeks that follow we will have regular sorting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Click here to learn more and signup for donation sorting.

 

The other amazing thing that happened this week was the receipt of several donations for the Franklin Interfaith Council’s Local Humanitarian Aid Fund, including a $1000 gift from a community member. In the near term, these funds will go to provide direct support and aid to the shelter. If you’d like to make a donation online, click here and designate the “Local Humanitarian Aid Fund.”

 

Attached is the updated flyer. We are continuing to ask for baby wipes and laundry detergent. We are also asking for new (in the package) socks and underwear (all sizes). Please distribute the flyer as you see fit.

 

Thank for your donations! Thank you to everyone who has volunteered! Thank you all for your continued support.

 

Peace.

Jacob

 

 

><O><O><O><O><O><O><O><

 

Rev. Dr. Jacob W. Juncker

Pastor, Franklin United Methodist Church

President, Franklin Interfaith Council

Download the flyer here and share ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H2wHKs4D1T5BIkYnTpLZP9BZPZqBGFuX/view?usp=drive_link

#LOVEfranklin // Emergency Shelter Humanitarian Aid UPDATE for Nov 3. 2023

#LOVEfranklin // Emergency Shelter Humanitarian Aid UPDATE - 10/23/23

Hello!

Thank you for being patient as we took a brief pause to evaluate our process to make sure that we are asking for donations people actually need. There have been a lot of disparate community asks for donations and many of those asks overlapped which created a glut of some things and a scarcity of others. 

While the outpouring of donations is immensely appreciated, we want to make sure 1) that we receive things that will be used in a timely manner and 2) that we don't put too many asks out at one time and burn people out. 

This is not a "short term project." This is a long-term effort. We need to make sure that the process of assessing and meeting needs is sustainable. So, we needed to take a pause, meet with all the stakeholders, and create a new procedure. 

Here is how we are operating as we move forward:

1. The SAFE Coalition will do intake interviews for new placements and assess needs upon arrival. They will also be giving out welcome/hospitality bags that will provide basic supplies. Most people arrive with little to nothing.
2. Needs will be regularly communicated to the Franklin Interfaith Council who will then ask for donations via its email list and through the various communities of faith. Drop-off points will be at St. Mary's and the Franklin United Methodist Church (details of hours will be provided when the ask is issued). Note: moving forward please do not drop-off clothing donations at the Franklin Federated Church. No donations should be dropped off at the hotel.
3. Items will be sorted and stored at the Franklin United Methodist Church.
4. Volunteers will gather needed items from the Franklin United Methodist Church and deliver them directly to the individuals/families.
5. The SAFE Coalition will do regular visits to individuals/families to assess any new or changing needs. They will also remove items that may no longer be of use. Remember: there isn't a lot of room for storing accumulated items in the hotel rooms. At that point, we loop back to step two (2) and the process keeps repeating.

If you have any questions about this process, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll do my best to answer any/all your questions. The Franklin Interfaith Council, SAFE Coalition, and others are meeting weekly, outside of the town-called stakeholders meeting, to communicate and collaborate with one another. I hope to send out an updated call for donations by the end of this week.

In the meantime, we are continuing to train volunteers for the After-school Program which is anticipated to begin on Wednesday. If you'd like to help with that, please contact Rev. Kathy McAdams (rector@stjohnsfranklinma.og). 

We will need volunteers to help sort and put things in storage at Franklin United Methodist Church. We are finalizing lists of donations for the welcome/hospitality bags. And, we are making plans for a weekly sit-down meal for emergency shelter residents that will include a "carry-out" option for those not able to be seated for the meal (space is limited).

Thank you for your patience during this pause. And, most importantly, thank you for your generosity as seek to meet the needs of those placed in the emergency shelter so that they might come to #LOVEfranklin as much as we do.

Peace.

Jacob

#LOVEfranklin // Emergency Shelter Humanitarian Aid UPDATE - 10/23/23