Franklin Public Schools: Memorial Policy documents

On the agenda for the School Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 29th Feb 10th (due to the blizzard, the meeting on Jan 29th was canceled) are revisions to the policy on memorial gifts. You may recall the discussion around the Graci family memorial proposed for the new high school. During the two years in which the family had been preparing the gift, the policy had been changed restricting the gift that the family had been planning.

The old policy and the proposed policies are here for review and comparison. 

The changes to the policy require two readings and assuming they move successfully from one reading to the next, even with modifications, they can be approved at the second reading.

'Old'/current policy

File: KCDA

MEMORIAL COMMEMORATIONS

The Franklin Public Schools recognize that all life has equal value. In keeping with the mission of the school department and in recognition of the contribution of deceased faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members, donations may be made to Franklin scholarship funds.

The Franklin Public Schools do not commemorate deceased individuals in the form of assemblies, memorials, dedications, plaques, gardens, plantings, walkways or other permanent physical structures.

In the event of the death of an actively employed staff member or an enrolled student, the School Crisis Team will follow the protocol delineated in the district’s Emergency Response Manual and will determine a course of action that is appropriate to the situation and is consistent with district policy.

the proposed Kristin Graci Class of 2007 Memorial

Cross References: KCD, FF Emergency Response Manual

Proposed policy revision:

File: KCDA

Memorial Commemorations

The Franklin Public Schools recognize that all life has equal value. In keeping with the mission of the school department and in recognition of the contribution of deceased family, staff, students, alumni, and community members, donations to the Franklin scholarships are encouraged.

If an individual or group would like to make a memorial donation other than a scholarship, the person/group, must contact the Principal at the school where the donation is to be located. The Principal, in consultation with the Superintendent and the School Committee will determine the appropriateness of the gift. Franklin Public Schools do not commemorate deceased individuals in the form of assemblies, dedications, gardens, plantings or walkways.

In the event of the death of an actively employed staff member or an enrolled student, the School Crisis Team will follow the protocol delineated in the district’s Emergency Response Manual and will determined a course of action that is appropriate to the situation and is consistent with district policy

Cross References: KCD, KCD-E1, KCD-E2, FF, Emergency Response Manual


PDF Copies of the policy revisions and associated documents can be downloaded here:

Proposed policy revision
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczdXV3bTM1M0lQQTQ/view?usp=sharing

Policy donation form
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczLTZXb0dzUFRlS0U/view?usp=sharing

Policy guidelines
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczalpfSnpCaGQ1RkU/view?usp=sharing




The full agenda for the School Committee meeting scheduled for Jan 27, 2015 can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/01/franklin-ma-school-committee-agenda-jan_25.html

Gifts can no longer indicate who they were donated by

Sharing this via a couple of requests. This is another instance of something happening at a meeting and folks find out about it or understand the implications of it after the fact.

What is the gist of the issue?

"Gifts may not have any endorsement, advertising or any placards/nameplates from the donor/organization"

Post by Franklin Athletes Never Quit gifted by Kristin Graci Class of 2007.

(Note: for those receiving this via email, the posting embedded from Facebook will likely not render properly. You'll need to click through to the Franklin Matters webpage to view it fully)

screen capture of the Facebook page for the Graci gift

There may be room for a compromise. As it is a 'policy' and recently changed, there is a chance it could be changed again. The policy does get vetted through legal so I wouldn't want to speculate on the likelihood of a change.

There may also be an alternative. Franklin does have a new Sculpture Park. Would the piece be good for an outdoor setting? I don't believe there are such restrictions that would apply at the Sculpture Park.

Note: I do want to take some time to dig through the prior meetings to provide the specific agenda and meeting video links to see what was discussed at the time of the policy change.

Regular readers should be aware that the meeting agendas for Town Council and School Committee are shared here in advance of each meeting. I report from as many of the meetings as I can make. There is also a video replay of the meetings posted to the Franklin webpage.

The School Department has a subcommittee reviewing all their policies to ensure they are current and appropriate. There are two readings of a policy document before it is voted on. Public comment is open. For most meetings that I attend, it is rare to find someone else in the audience.

The archive of meeting notes can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/meeting-notes.html

"It's as clear as mud, as it always has been"

As public employees, teachers fall under the state's ethics reform law that was created in July 2009. That law prohibits public workers from accepting gifts valued at more than $50, and requires written notification of any gift that might lend an appearance of impropriety, according to the Ethics Commission.

"Most of the gifts that the teachers receive wouldn't fall into the category where they need a disclosure form," said David Giannotti, an Ethics Commission spokesman. "They're baked goods, or they're homemade holiday cards, or something small like that. You have to look all the facts, and whether a reasonable person would think the teacher could be influenced by the gift. Nobody is going to conclude that a teacher is going to go into the tank for someone for less than $10."

Earlier this month, the Ethics Commission revised the regulations to allow teachers to receive a gift from the entire class up to $150, so long as the gift amounts of each student or parent remained anonymous.

Ethics law means teachers must disclose gifts over $10

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff

Franklin, MA

In the Globe - gift policy

School superintendents across the region are penning letters this holiday season to parents, cautioning them against going overboard with gift-giving to teachers, principals, and other staff members.

That means no pricey gift certificates to spas or fancy restaurants, no hard-to-get tickets to the theater or sporting events, no fine wine, or anything else valued at more than $50.

While acknowledging that parents’ gift-giving gestures may be well-intentioned, the superintendents say that the state’s new ethics law forbids public servants, including teachers on public payrolls, from receiving gifts with value in excess of $50. Violations are subject to civil penalties, the superintendents warn.

Read the full article in the Boston Globe here

Gift policy passes 6-1

The School Committee passed the KCD policy (otherwise known as the "gift policy") by a 6-1 vote.

This could eliminate the Brick classroom from operation next year by restricting gifts for targeted educational purposes. The budget is not final but the writing appears on the wall.

Additional info can be found here and here.

Sch Com invites public comment on the policy (audio)

Part 2 of the discussion: the Franklin School Committee - invited public comment on the proposed policy for gifts.

The policy will come up for a vote by the Committee likely at their next meeting.

Time: 14 minutes, 12 seconds



MP3 File

Sch Com discusses policy on gifts (audio)

Franklin School Committee has their 2nd reading of a proposed policy on gifts and how the gifts would be used to supplement not supplant the educational budget process.

Part 1 - The school committee members discuss the policy.

Part 2 - Public comment on the policy.

Time: 12 minutes, 16 seconds



MP3 File