FHS Gymnastics Schedules Info Session Oct 27

FHS Gymnastics (@fhs_gymnastics) tweeted  Mon, Oct 18, 2021:

Anyone interested in trying out for FHS Gymnastics info mtg for students on 10/27 @ 2:30 PM in lecture hall.  Feel free to email me with any questions or concerns if you cannot attend. lupienp@franklinps.net @fhsgymboosters @FHSSports @FHSPantherbook @FranklinHS @FranklinMatters https://t.co/9jkMQcxvL8

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/fhs_gymnastics/status/1450184663587303425?t=c5Bk104uWmklvemBYcvVxw&s=03

Fact check: "The Southwest Airlines mess and rumors of a vaccine walkout"

"What are you going to believe: Official statements or social media?

The Southwest Airlines cancellations over the weekend are a good example of how news travels on two different tracks today.

In the part of the United States that relies on traditional media, rumors that the cancellations were the result of a pilot protest over coronavirus vaccine mandates were dismissed because, well, there was no evidence. Official entities, such as the airline, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Southwest pilots union, all issued statements saying the rumors were false."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/10/13/southwest-airlines-snafu-rumors-vaccine-walkout/

Fact check: "The Southwest Airlines mess and rumors of a vaccine walkout" (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)

The Franklin Voters Guide is available

The Franklin Voters Guide is a "work in progress". 

"The Franklin Area Voting Guide is intended to be a non-partisan resource created by private individuals to allow the people of Franklin, Massachusetts, and surrounding communities to cast an educated vote on issues that impact our community.

Information contained in this guide is provided by candidates and taken verbatim from their survey responses, or sourced from candidate websites/social media accounts, public statements, town halls, and past achievements."

It is a collaborative effort: 

• As the Franklin Matters interviews (email and audio) are completed, they are being shared there. 
• Frank Falvey, is recording interviews with candidates. Those audio files will be part of the Voter Guide repository. 

So do we have everyone accounted for yet? No

• There are some candidates completed and there are some in the edit/publishing mix
• There are candidates with interviews scheduled for next week 
• There are candidates working to confirm the scheduled for their interviews 

And yes, there are some that have not yet reached out to either the folks behind the Voters Guide or Frank Falvey, or myself to provide information to share.

 

What can you do between now and the time you cast your vote

• Read up on what the candidates have shared
• If you find a candidate, who doesn't have info, prompt them to reach out to get their info into the mix
• If you find a candidate you want to follow up with on a topic or two, the info to contact them is available with what they have published. Go for it. Don't be bashful

If you haven't registered to vote, please do so by October 13. 

Absentee ballot applications are available. 

Vote by mail applications are available. 

Early voting in the Town Clerk's office will be available once the printed ballots are available (possibly the week of Oct 12).

Early voting is scheduled for Saturday, Oct 23 and Sunday, Oct 24 from 10 AM to 1 PM on both days.

On of course, all precincts vote at Franklin High School on Nov 2, 2021 from 6:00 AM to 8 PM.

The Franklin Voter Guide ->  

https://www.franklinvoterguide.org/2021-voter-guide

The Franklin Voters Guide is available

The year of understanding: COVID-19 and the humanity of the unvaccinated - The Boston Globe

"For the most part, people are looking for answers, but the cards are stacked against them in this digital world. Every health care provider has had that one ardent unvaccinated conspiracy theorist who refused to believe that COVID is real despite showing them their trashed lungs on the CT scan, all while they’re on high-flow oxygen. Anecdote holding the power that it does, that patient runs the risk of coloring our perception of all unvaccinated patients in this same light. But, instead, my charge to health care providers is this: Take a meaningful pause and ask, “How did this person get to this point?” And understand that their condition is in part due to the challenges of the common person trying to understand complex medical science and being influenced by those with alternative agendas.

That same night, I diagnosed a young woman, with three young kids, with lung cancer. She was a smoker, and she knew that smoking can cause cancer. How is her situation any different from an unvaccinated person with COVID? How many of us would stand at the bedside in her tragic hour and berate her for smoking? How many of us would, upon learning of someone’s death from cancer, say flatly, “Served her right”? If she said. “I didn’t think it would happen to me,” would anyone really say, “Whelp, I hope you survive” as we walked out the room? These are statements I have heard said to or about unvaccinated COVID patients in a recent week. Clearly, this does nothing to foster that trusted relationship between a physician and their patient.

When I asked my unvaccinated COVID patient what was keeping him from getting the shot, he said he had read online that the vaccine gets into your DNA and he was afraid of what that would mean. So I sat down on his bed and spent a few minutes drawing a picture of a cell and nucleus, and explained in simple terms how mRNA works and why his DNA is not at risk. His next question was, “How soon can I get the vaccine?” He then called his kids and told them the same, and they asked where they could get the vaccine. While not successful in every encounter, I’m optimistic about the ripple effect that these little wins may have. And damn it if we don’t need a win now and again. In our most fundamental charge, “doctor” means “teacher.” This is the year where we understand. This is the year where we teach."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/27/opinion/year-understanding-covid-19-humanity-unvaccinated/

Anti-vaccination protesters near Los Angeles City Hall on Aug. 14. Earlier that week, the City Council voted to require proof of vaccination to enter many public indoor spaces in the city. DAVID MCNEW/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Franklin High School - news you can use

Fall 2021

Student ID's & bus pass pick up- there will be a table set up in the Cafeteria during lunch the first week of school for students to pick up their ID's and bus passes. If we do not have a photo on file for your student, have them stop in the Main Office and we will take their photo and print an ID for them.

Chromebook Insurance for 2021-2022 school year-payment portal open now through September 16th. Click HERE to purchase via Unibank  https://unipaygold.unibank.com/transactioninfo.aspx?TID=28690

Bell Schedule for 2021-22 School Year  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xr58632Aen2DPOJP-sW_XpUUz_tJZOyVE9CEgxeXwhs/edit?usp=sharing

School Bus Routes  https://www.franklinps.net/district/transportation/pages/2021-2022-bus-routes

Can't access your Aspen account? First, try using the Forgot my Password link on the Aspen log in page. If that does not resolve your issue, use THIS FORM to request a password reset.   https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXJoddN1p8G5HAd4ORUUek3dXCNSM81z5eBZ5VSLS5TJAyzA/viewform

Upcoming events:  

Aug 31       First day of School !!  School hours 7:35 AM to 2:10 PM

Sept 3        No School PD Day

Sept 6        No School-Labor Day

Sept 7        No School- Rosh Hashanah

Sept 8        9th grade class meeting (assembly)

Sept 9        10th grade class meetings (assemblies)

Sept 10      11th & 12th grade class meetings (assemblies)

Sept 16      No School Yom Kippur

Sept 30      Curriculum Night for Parents/Guardians at FHS from 6:00PM - 8:00PM

Oct 1          Half Day of School - PD Day; Dismissal at 10:55 AM, no lunch served

Oct 11        No School Columbus Day

Oct 15        Senior Portraits due to the yearbook advisor by this date

Oct 16        PSAT to be held for FHS Juniors only, class of 2023. From 7:30 AM to 12:00 noon; Online Registration/Payment will be open from September 3rd-10th. Cost is $25.00

Nov 2         No School-Election Day

 

New Student Registration-click HERE  https://www.franklinps.net/fhs/about-us/pages/new-student-registration

Moved? Complete a Change of Address form HERE  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWHGc78HpXdBoTN8DSES-xM_Bt07jUPEA1D-xulAaopk9qbg/viewform

Getting a driver's license or permit? Click HERE for information on obtaining the necessary documents from FHS  https://www.franklinps.net/fhs/students-families/pages/drivers-license-documentation-fhs

Need a work permit for a new job? Click HERE for information on obtaining one   https://www.franklinps.net/franklin-high-school/students-families/pages/work-permits

Click here for 2021-2022 Franklin Public Schools calendar  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/calendar_2021-22_0.pdf

Shared from https://www.franklinps.net/fhs/news/school-news-important-information-and-dates

Franklin High School - news you can use

Your privacy and data protection: "If you have lots of data, you can turn that into money"

"Why should you care about protecting your privacy online? Tech critic Carissa Véliz says it’s not just a matter of personal preference: It’s a civic duty.

Véliz, associate professor at the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford, is the author of “Privacy Is Power: Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data,” which blends philosophical insight and practical advice. Véliz says that guarding your privacy promotes something akin to digital herd immunity. Many companies claim that the more data they have, the better their products will be, but Véliz argues that this personal data ultimately gets transformed into something toxic, which society should regulate much like asbestos. Last year The Economist called “Privacy Is Power” one of the best books of the year, on any subject."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/28/opinion/why-its-good-you-if-i-protect-my-privacy/

Amazon link for book "Privacy is Power"  https://www.amazon.com/Privacy-Power-Should-Take-Control/dp/1787634043

Whether using either Google or Firefox as my browser, I use DuckDuckGo to help prevent the tracking codes from gathering the data  https://duckduckgo.com/
   

https://duckduckgo.com/about

Washington Post: "Facebook and YouTube’s vaccine misinformation problem is simpler than it seems"

"On Friday, President Biden said Facebook is “killing people” by spreading misinformation about the coronavirus vaccines. On Monday, he changed his tune. “Facebook isn’t killing people,” he amended, instead blaming a handful of disinformation merchants who use the platform.

Whether Facebook is or isn’t killing people depends on your definitions. What’s clear, regardless, is that Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms have played a major role in the anti-vaccine movement. And they continue to do so, despite some sincere efforts by the companies to combat the trend.

...

So now you have two media realms: a traditional media realm in which information must be both true and interesting to reach an audience, and a social media realm in which it must only be interesting. Guess which one is bound to become a magnet for conspiracy theorists, hoaxsters, propagandists, disinformation operatives, grifters and peddlers of false cures?"

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/07/21/facebook-youtube-vaccine-misinfo/

The Guardian: "the dozen are responsible for 73% of all anti-vaccine content"

"The vast majority of COVID-19 anti-vaccine misinformation and conspiracy theories originated from just 12 people, a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) cited by the White House this week found.

CCDH, a UK/US non-profit and non-governmental organization, found in March that these 12 online personalities they dubbed the “disinformation dozen” have a combined following of 59 million people across multiple social media platforms, with Facebook having the largest impact. CCDH analyzed 812,000 Facebook posts and tweets and found 65% came from the disinformation dozen. Vivek Murthy, US surgeon general, and Joe Biden focused on misinformation around vaccines this week as a driving force of the virus spreading.

On Facebook alone, the dozen are responsible for 73% of all anti-vaccine content, though the vaccines have been deemed safe and effective by the US government and its regulatory agencies. And 95% of the COVID misinformation reported on these platforms were not removed."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required) 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/17/covid-misinformation-conspiracy-theories-ccdh-report

The CCDH report  https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21011322/disinfo-dozen.pdf
   

On Facebook alone, the dozen are responsible for 73% of all anti-vaccine content, though the vaccines have been deemed safe and effective by the US government and its regulatory agencies. Photograph: Science Photo Library/Alamy Stock Photo

@NewsLitProject - 8 tips to Google like a Pro

𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕𝚢𝚗𝚗 𝙵𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚜𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑 @ 🏠 (@shfarnsworth) tweeted on Mon, Jun 07, 2021:

"One of the most important ⭐️ skills to teach students... How to find information online.

Check out our NEW infographic from @NewsLitProject
in collab w/ @CindyOtis_ ⬇️

✅ 8 tips to Google like a Pro! #engchat #sschat #TLchat"

Image link = https://t.co/Zgrkx1nWkZ  

 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/shfarnsworth/status/1401975398884315137

@NewsLitProject - 8 tips to Google like a Pro

Nieman Lab: "The first challenge is data... The second is money"

"Social media disinformation discussions are going in circles. Here's how to change that."

"On Thursday, the CEOs of Facebook, Google, and Twitter will testify before Congress about online disinformation. Even before the gavel bangs, we can predict what will happen. Some members of Congress will demand that social media platforms do more to stop viral falsehoods from damaging democracy and triggering violence. Others will warn of needlessly restricting speech and say it could even inflame fringe elements and drive them to less-governed spaces.

This same argument repeats itself after every crisis, from Christchurch to QAnon to COVID-19. Why can’t we break the impasse? Because the debate about countering disinformation can itself be a fact-free zone: long on theories, short on evidence. We need better expertise, and that means empowering experts."

Continue reading the article online

https://slate.com/technology/2021/03/online-disinformation-congressional-hearing-amazon-google-twitter-ceos.html

Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Olena Poliakevych/iStock/Getty Images Plus

What gets funded is a question of priorities, but who sets them? “Let’s face it, we don’t have ribbon cuttings when we replace a pipe"

A good interactive article at Washington Post on how we miss the boat in funding the basics.

"In the shadow of its exceptionalism, America fails to invest in the basics. 

Stunning advances in medicine and technology have come

alongside systemic breakdowns in infrastructure and health.

.... 

America can put a rover on Mars, but it can’t keep the lights on and water running in the city that birthed the modern space program. It can develop vaccines, in record time, to combat a world-altering illness, but suffers one of the developed world’s highest death rates due to lack of prevention and care. It spins out endless entertainment to keep millions preoccupied during lockdown — and keep tech shares riding high on Wall Street — but leaves kids disconnected from the access they need to do their schoolwork. "

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2021/america-growing-disparities/

Franklin High School: Important Information and Dates

Important Information and Dates

Winter 2020

• Do you think you have missed our mass notifications? Please click here to view our Mass Notification archive. The most recent notifications are at the top of the page, chronologically.
• Hybrid Bell Schedule for all students, including new Wednesday schedule
• Hybrid Cohort Schedule  This schedule is for Semester 2 
• COVID Pooled Testing Information-click HERE
• Senior Graduation Caps and Gowns: Click here for Jostens video and link to order by February 12th to avoid late fee
• View FHS Virtual Art Show HERE
• Franklin Public Schools School Re-Opening website click HERE to view
• Principal's Page<< watch Mr. Hanna's video updates 
• FHS Students having troubles with your Chromebook or need technical help? Go to THIS PAGE for technology support

FHS calendar at a glance

2021-2022 Course Request window by grade:

  March 1-7             Class of 2024
  March 8-14           Class of 2023
  March 15-21         Class of 2022

March 3          - Half day of school PD Day

March 8          - COVID Pooled testing begins (see above for information link)

March 31        - Half day of school PD Day

April 2              -No School Good Friday

 

 

Snow Days:

1. Tuesday, February 2nd 

 

Franklin High School: Important Information and Dates

Go Viral Game

"A 5-minute game that helps protect you against COVID-19 misinformation"

Fun and insightful to play. Give it a try. How well do you do?

https://www.goviralgame.com/en/share

 

 

Note: I share this cautiously. If you don't know or recognize how things do go viral, you will find out. As with any tool, this information can be used for good or not. Your choice. Please make a good one. 

 

Go Viral Game

 

 

Norfolk County Sheriff's Office Career Information Session - Feb 23

Norfolk County Sheriff's Office Career Information Session

Are you interested in joining a multi-talented, multi-cultural and professional organization dedicated to providing the utmost in public safety to the citizens of Norfolk County? 

 

Meet representatives from the Norfolk County Sheriff's office and learn how to prepare for a successful career. They will answer your questions on how to prepare for their career opportunities as a correction officer. 

 

Tuesday, February 23, 2021 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

This is a VIRTUAL Event

Event information page

https://www.masshiremsw.com/event/norfolk-co-info-feb-23/

 

Download a copy of the flyer

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eBORpbJ8xlgpRfBQh1zcyR9NSc0W8kHi/view?usp=sharing

 

Norfolk County Sheriff's Office Career Information Session - Feb 23

Town of Franklin: Vaccination Information and COVID-19 Data

Vaccination Information and COVID-19 Data

Go direct to the Portal

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/tof_covid_19_portal_final_tiles.pdf

 

Town of Franklin: Vaccination Information and COVID-19 Data

 

Winter Weather & Emergency Information

Winter Weather & Emergency Information

Hello Franklin,

The forecast over the next few days includes extremely cold temperatures and the potential for snow early next week.  Please take the necessary steps to stay safe and be prepared.  Emergency Management Information is available on our website, as well as this informational flyer with tips on how to prepare for a storm.  

 

Emergency Management Information

https://www.franklinma.gov/home/pages/emergency-management-information

 

How to prepare for a snow storm

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/uploads/snow_storm_-_larger_1.pdf 

 

Winter Weather & Emergency Information

 

Washington Post: "8 facts about the coronavirus to combat common misinformation"

"Living through a pandemic in the Internet age means misinformation can sometimes spread more rapidly than facts.

Faced with a deluge of claims about the coronavirus and the illness it causes, covid-19, you may be wondering whether gargling with saltwater is a cure or if the pathogen was man-made in a Chinese laboratory. (Spoiler: Saltwater doesn’t work, and scientists believe the virus occurs in nature.)

To help you out, we rounded up eight facts about the coronavirus to keep in mind if you see claims to the contrary."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/12/05/coronavirus-misinformation-facts/

BFCCPS: Applications for 2021-2022 school year open and information session videos available

"In a traditional year, BFCCPS hosts information sessions so that interested families can meet us in person, learn more about the school and have a building tour.  As a result of the continuing health crisis, in person meetings will not be possible this year so we’ve adjusted our plans accordingly.

This year, we have arranged for videos featuring our staff, parents, teachers and even a BFCCPS alumna to help you learn more about the BFCCPS Experience. While these videos can’t truly replicate our traditional face to face events we hope that our enthusiasm for the school is evident.

A virtual Question and Answer Session will be held in January 2021. Please stay tuned for details and registration.  If you would like to watch all the videos in sequence, you can visit this YouTube playlist otherwise, you can watch selected videos below. "

Video link = https://youtu.be/FdtGxn5AKS4 

Application available =  http://bfccps.org/about/enrollment/?doing_wp_cron=1611099577.2429950237274169921875

"all of the social science shows that if someone really believes a conspiracy theory, it is just about impossible to change their minds”

"President Trump stands as a singular figure in American history for his willingness to entertain conspiracy theories from the Oval Office, and none has been more damaging or far reaching than his unsubstantiated claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him. One out of every three Americans believes that there was widespread fraud in the last presidential election, according to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, despite no evidence to support that view. Two in three Republicans believe so.

The social conditions that brought so many people to believe the falsehoods Trump has told about the election and a litany of other issues took root decades before he became a political figure and will extend far beyond the four years of his administration, according to scholars of disinformation and conspiratorial thinking.

“What’s unique about Donald Trump is that he took advantage of this widespread distrust of government and media to say everyone is lying to you except for me. We have never had a president so devoted to spreading disinformation and trying to overturn an election,” said Kathryn Olmsted, a historian at the University of California at Davis. “The people who stormed the Capitol are absolutely convinced that the election was stolen. They’re not being opportunistic; they really believe this. And all of the social science shows that if someone really believes a conspiracy theory, it is just about impossible to change their minds.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-trump-presidency-was-marked-by-battles-over-truth-itself-those-arent-over/2021/01/18/3bee0050-5750-11eb-a931-5b162d0d033d_story.html

Franklin Arts Academy - Info Night - Jan 13, 2021

The FAA is a rigorous, 3-year interdisciplinary pathway offered at Franklin High School for grades 10, 11, and 12. Using multiple intelligence and interdisciplinary teaching models, students experience their academic courses (English, History, Science) with strong connections to architecture, design, music, theatre, visual arts, and video production.

The Franklin Arts Academy prepares a diverse community of aspiring scholars and artists to be successful in their college and professional careers and to be engaged members of our democratic society. The FAA operates as a focused learning community within the comprehensive school system of Franklin High School. The FAA offers both Honors and College Preparatory course levels. 

Entrance to the FAA for upcoming 10th and 11th graders  through an application and review process.

To find out more, join us at our Info Night!

For the complete notification flyer

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WrwBPzm08a8rPZd09dd-G3YQkXOUobwM-nR5XtnJJoQ/edit

Franklin Arts Academy - Info Night - Jan 13, 2021