From the Pantherbook: food, school spirit and driving training

The students at Franklin High School have an opportunity to write and produce for Pantherbook. A quick review of the RSS feed for this weeks reveals these share worthy posts.

On food:

Located in the media center of FHS is a café that serves food and drinks such as, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, soup, snacks, fruit cups, seltzer, and pudding parfait. 

But who can purchase these items? Registered dietitian and the district’s food service director, Missy Hope, said any student can become a customer of these new products. 

With the swipe of a student ID, students can provide themselves with a healthy and quick lunch or snack. 

Continue reading the article: http://pantherbook.org/student-life/2015/01/29/fhs-feeding-frenzy-2/#sthash.vi9FLZ7m.dpuf

More on where you can eat the food:

more on Rattle City

On changing driver's education and training

Franklin High School

"join Rattle City in supporting the Panthers"

Caroline Cafasso writes about Rattle City in Pantherbook:

If you come to a Franklin High School sports game, there’s a good chance you’ll see the famous Rattle City. In fact, it probably would be hard to miss.  

You’ll see dozens of FHS students, some decked out in odd and festive costumes, and others holdings signs and pictures. Everyone, however, will be chanting and screaming, rooting for their beloved Panthers.  

So what exactly is Rattle City? Despite its size and prominence, there are still many FHS students, particularly underclassmen, who do not know or understand its role. It may be because the name “Rattle City” may not have an obvious meaning to everyone. The idea is to have a fan section that is so rowdy and enthusiastic that it psyches the opposing team out. It was inspired by various colleges whose students practiced such a strategy during sports games. 

Pantherbook photo of Rattle City at a Basketball game in January 2015

Read the remainder of the Rattle City story here: http://pantherbook.org/top-stories/2015/01/12/the-story-of-rattle-city/#sthash.8eBAR5tE.dpuf

3 brief videos by FHS Students

From pantherbook, I find and share these three short videos by students. Animoto is a free internet based tool that takes photos, adds music and creates a brief movie that can be shared on the web.

The free tool provides a limited selection of music to 'match' the photos. You can also upgrade to a 'premium' or business version to enable more music choices and video length options.

It is good to see students using this kind of tool in their class work.

Everyday Life at Franklin High School by Sammy Croteau

http://pantherbook.org/video/featured-multimedia/2014/12/09/everyday-life-at-franklin-high/

Behind the scenes at FHS by Lucy Hemingway

http://pantherbook.org/student-life/2014/12/09/behind-the-scenes-at-fhs/

A day in the life at Franklin High School by Lauren Robinson

http://pantherbook.org/student-life/2014/12/09/a-day-in-the-life-at-franklin-high-school/

screen grab of Animoto home page

If you would like to explore Animoto for some family holiday videos, you can find them on the web here  https://animoto.com/

From Pantherbook: doors with no handles, food choices, social media tools

From Pantherbook, I find a couple of good articles to bring to your attention.

1 - The new FHS was built security in mind and has no handles on many of the exteriors doors, making entry from the outside more difficult.

Though this situation seems like an oversight, there is a reason why there are no door handles. Safety and security has become a modern issue within schools and the new school was designed and built with security as a top priority. 

“It’s an inconvenience at the moment but for security purposes, it’s one that we need to have,” commented Mr. Schmidt. At the moment there are higher priority issues that need to be handled, but Schmidt expressed that it’s not that the issue isn’t being heard or addressed. He also said that it is a goal of the administration to fix the problem

Continue reading the article here: http://pantherbook.org/news/school-news/2014/11/18/a-new-school-brings-a-new-problem/#sthash.RFSida6w.dpuf

screen capture of Pantherbook's front page

2 - Students love the food choices at the new Media center cafe and the opportunities to get food after school will soon be here.

The new café has high hopes for its future at FHS. Along with the new school, came a new option available for students to purchase food. 

As opposed to the typical cafeteria lunch, students are now able to purchase food before school and during lunch period elsewhere. 

Located in the media center of FHS is a café that serves food and drinks such as, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, soup, snacks, fruit cups, seltzer, and pudding parfait. 

Continue reading the article here: http://pantherbook.org/news/school-news/2014/11/18/fhs-feeding-frenzy/#sthash.APO1zFgX.dpuf


3 - The last article to share today has an intelligent recap of the use and abuse of social media tools. While the 'standard' media outlets (newspapers and network TV) tend to go for the extreme angles, this article takes a more balanced approach. As a social media practitioner, the tools are not the issue how people use them can be an issue.

Is society benefiting from popular social sites like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook? Or are these sites just distractions from everyday life? 

Franklin High School’s (FHS) Digital Journalism teacher, Ms. Moreau, believes the effects of social media are more positive than negative because it allows people to connect with the world and share information. 

However, Ms. Moreau says: “It is important to limit the use of social media because there are other important things going on in your life.” When asked how social media impacts teens, Moreau answered, “It distracts them from being present in the moment.”

Continue reading the Pantherbook article at: http://pantherbook.org/oped/2014/11/18/side-effects-of-social-media/#sthash.bmphiSbB.dpuf

All Night Party to be held at Horace Mann Middle School

Pantherbook has an update on the All Night Party Location:

The Class of 2015 will not only be the first graduating class at the new FHS, but they will also be the first class to have their All Night Party at Horace Mann Middle School. 

According to FHS Principal, Mr. Light, the decision of making Horace Mann the home of the All Night Party was due to the fact that the middle school will meet all the needs of the event. 

At a meeting with the All Night Party committee, Light discussed everything that made the All Night Party so memorable for the students. The excitement of graduation, the theme, and the decorations were all brought up. Light said that if the All Night Party were held in FHS, the decorations would be so different that it could change everything that made the All Night Party what is has become. Light states that at Horace Mann they “could keep that character of the All Night Party.” 

Continue reading the article at: http://pantherbook.org/top-stories/2014/11/16/will-this-years-all-night-party-be-one-to-remember/#sthash.OTwpkfFK.dpuf

Horace Mann Middle School - Oak St Elementary School

Kudos to Pantherbook for not only using one of my photos in their article but also making the proper reference to it. The photos posted here for Franklin Matters are all licensed by the Creative Commons as free to use for non-commercial purposes with proper attribution. For more about Creative Commons visit their webpage here http://creativecommons.org/

FHS News Round up

Several quick items with Franklin High School in the news today.

Girls play for the Championship

The Franklin High School girls soccer team plays in the D1 South Championship today. The game is scheduled for Braintree High School at 2:00 PM

Boys play in Charity All Star event

Members of the boys soccer team will be playing in the Hockomock Charity All Star game today. The boys All Star game is scheduled for 3:00 PM. Go for 1:00 PM and see the other Hockomock All Star girls play (of course, the Franklin girls will miss this as they have their own championship game today).

Charity Soccer All Star Event

Additional details on the charity event being held at Attleboro High can be found here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/charity-soccer-all-star-game.html

Sophie reports on Nashville

From Pantherbook, an interview with Sophie Addi on her trip to Nashville for the National Honors Concert Band.

Sophie on left with two other musicians in Nashville (Pantherbook photo)

read the full interview in Pantherbook here:
http://pantherbook.org/student-life/2014/11/14/sophie-addi-from-fhs-to-the-grand-ole-opry/

Spirit Week events at FHS

Also from Pantherbook, spirit week begins on Monday and the schedule of activities has been published
http://pantherbook.org/top-stories/2014/11/14/student-government-weekly-update/

“Even if you want to stay focused, it is just so tempting"

As there are two sides to a coin, there are two sides to a story. To pair with the glowing technology update Tuesday night at the School Committee meeting, we can also share this timely student update on the new Chromebooks:

Use of the new chromebooks at Franklin High School causes students to be distracted in class due to what is visible on their peer’s screen. Although they create many educational benefits, at times they become problems in the classroom. 

A student will be in a class, and the student next to them will be playing a game or messaging their friends. Instead of focusing on what the teacher says, the student eyes will veer onto the computer screen of the person sitting next to them. 

Now they are distracted.

- See more at: http://pantherbook.org/student-life/2014/10/07/chromebooks-create-classroom-distractions/#sthash.WG6UKSW3.dpuf

Pantherbook reports on chromebook 'distractions'

My notes from the technology update can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/10/live-reporting-technology-update.html

Keep those pens and pencils around

When writing, your hand is used to form the shapes of the letters, therefore engaging your brain in the process. Handwriting requires a hand-eye coordination. As you write, your brain must work to recognize and remember the shape of the letter. This method exercises your brain and keeps it sharp and fast, especially as you get older. When you type, you are repeatedly striking corresponding key, which does not bring about the same effect in the brain. Typing involves less brain activity, and therefore doesn’t bring about the same results in the thought process. 

Next time you take notes, close your laptop cover and use pen and paper; you will retain more information and you will keep your brain healthy.

See more at: http://pantherbook.org/news/2014/10/05/its-right-to-write/#sthash.hZqGjbfE.dpuf

Pantherbook article on using pen/pencil for notes