"Let us put an end to this public squabble"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 06, 2009 @ 12:43 AM

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FRANKLIN —

In what has grown into online crossfire between school leaders, new teachers union President Robert McLaughlin posted a two-page letter on a Web site yesterday picking apart statements made in the School Committee's two YouTube videos.

In the letter, posted on franklinteachers.org/joomla, McLaughlin said he was heartened to hear School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy use the word "partner" in reference to contract talks with the union, but concluded the School Committee "certainly has not even met us halfway in attempting to resolve this stalemate."

The School Committee has asked the Franklin Education Association to defer its negotiated 2.5 percent wage increase until fiscal 2011 to save about 16 teachers' jobs.

"As always the members of the FEA were glad to pitch in and do their part," said McLaughlin.

Read the full article about the teachers response to the School Committee in the Milford Daily News here

Treesavers: Paul Barcelo

Paul Barcelo, author of The Sweet War Man

Paul Barcelo completed Army Infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia, then rotary wing training at Fort Wolters, Texas and Fort Rucker, Alabama. He flew one tour as a UH-1 pilot in Republic of Vietnam. He resides in Franklin, Massachusetts with his wife and four children. This is his first novel.

Will be appearing at Treesavers Books to sign his new book, The Sweet War Man.

May 16, 2009 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM

Finance Comm 05/05/09

The budget hearings held by the Finance Committee covered IT, Tri-County and the School budget on Tuesday May 5th. The live reporting sessions are:

• Live reporting - School District
• Live reporting - Tri-County RVTHS
• Live reporting - Finance Committee - 5/5/09

Live reporting - School District

Maureen Sabolinski, Jeff Roy

Formal budget discussion scheduled for 5/26/09 School Committee meeting

School District has been targeting a "level funded" budget since the beginning

Differences between level service and level funded budget described

revised $53,291,773

Increases in revenue currently anticipated

• Increase in circuit breaker revenue
• State stabilization fund
• Federal stimulus package
• Extraordinary relief package
• School Choice revenue

Subtotal $1.5 million

If FEA wage concession comes in, the deficit will be approx. $700,000
Decisions coming in SchCom meeting on Tuesday (5/12/09) on ways to cut the gap
Public hearing on budget scheduled for 5/26/09

Roche - thanks for the information an numbers provided this year
offsets are visible here

Same dollars as last years budget
Town has legal authority over the one line item
School Committee has legal responsibility for all the details

Level funded number $50,297,820

There is no text book line item in the budget
There is a workbook for K-5 Everyday math that is a consumable and required yearly
One vendor, we are at their mercy. To adopt another text book series is a huge effort.

The transportation line item had been the subject of the forensic audit
We have been trying to increase the transportation line item to avoid that issue

We have a total bottom-line item for the overall budget
the fee schedule has not been set yet, stay tuned for Tuesday night (5/12/09)

Field house banners were sold and the money is going back into the athletic budget
Athletic Director Sidwell is using the funds to minimize operating osts

We have applied for several grants and we turned down for several
We are not as diverse a district as we could be to benefit from the grants

The grants have primarily been Federal, several of the State level grants have been cut
One grant for 90,000 this year is only 5,000 and next year goes away

Contractual services private?
Tuition to private schools and residential placements
We can not provide the services for those Special Ed students
We provide as much as we can

Every school district in the Commonwealth has some cost in that line item
Franklin has 71 students in the Special Education
Wellesley has double the number of student for a district half the size of ours

Is Professional Development a problem with the teachers?
The PD budget has been centralized and removed from each individual schools
The final budget will have that spelled out

Our final budget may look significantly different
We have not determined how to flow the stimulus funds across the budget

Using the revolving fund for School Choice was the equivalent of 2.5 teachers
We could not leave that just sitting there

We like to be about 14 percent, this budget could be about 1-2% above the minimum

Legal increase - had a residency case this year
hard to predict the utilization of these funds
generally a one time cost, end result did not pick up the tuition of a student who did not officialy reside in the town

Discussion on validity of voting for a budget tonight

Tuesday May 12th, school detail discussion on fees, and other cuts
Tuesday May 26th, formal vote on final budget

Motion to approve $50,297,820 - passed 11-0

Any old business - no
New business - recommended budget to be published and go to the Council for June 10/11

Next Finance meeting 6/2, may hold until 6/9, but that is still dependent upon the Commonwealth and where the numbers are at that time

Requesting an increase in Building Inspector's of $4400
to cover use of individual's personal vehicles

Inspection Acct 240
total of $369,006
Money to balance this comes from "Other Available Funds"

Technically still part of the budget hearing

Approved 11-0

Live reporting - Tri-County RVTHS

Tri-County Regional Voc Tech High School

Introductions around

Tri-County is well aware of the needs of the feeding towns
A required minimum amount was budgeted for
The required minimum amount was set by the State

Assessment is down by approx. 269,000 dollars
Enrollment down from 192 to 159 students

Roche - we appreciate your efforts in that regard

In order to get our budget down, we prioritized keeping teachers
We reduced administrative staff, by one curriculum coordinator
Due to retirement of one individual took the opportunity to change that position from full year to school year and reduce salary level

We rely heavily on instructional supplies, did cut supplies
any further cuts will come from teacher salaries

Reduced 181,000 in instructional equipement
eliminated renovation projects
eliminated virtual high school

Budget for next year is 2% less than the current operating budget

The minimum amount is done on a district level
For Tri-County it is determined by the eleven sending districts
Offset by Chapter 70 funds

Will reduce our currency for one year, will be fine for this year
Equipment does take a lot of use when used by the student

Franklin's legal commitment is the same as other communities

There is no debt at Tri-County so there is a benefit there
results in a zero for capital

Applications year-to-date don't indicate that the drop is a trend
A similar drop did occur several years ago and then picked up the following year

Changed their Special Ed approach, teachers assigned to grades and subjects
teachers will address the students as required to meet their needs
the classrooms are mainstreamed (all inclusive)

Most Special Education teachers are dual certified,
have 8 teachers to meet the 37% of the students have IEP's

Transportation for a regional school is different from local schools
the reimbursement rate is higher

They absorbed the difference between the actual transportation and the reimbursement rate rather than billing it out to the sending districts as they did prior

Motion to approve budget - Passed 11-0

Live reporting - Finance Committee - 5/5/09

Attending:
Brett S. Feldman
Juan Rivera
Patricia Goldsmith
Phyllis Messere
Rebecca Cameron
Jack Caufield
Mark Cataldo
James Roche
Tina Powderly
Craig Maire
Robert Teixeira


Almost final budget hearing

Information Technology
Tim Raposa

Similar to last year's budget, bare bones

"School Dude" work order management system, being set up this year to be used
should be set up over the next couple of months
doing cafeteria point of sale systems now

Efficiency based, current work order system is paper based

Virtual townhall - they do the website hosting, all done off-site
Folks call them directly, training is done on their site

Complete salary budget for technology department is in the School Budget

Motion to approve budget - Passed 11-0

"adopt the concept of 100-100"

Robert McLoughlin, President of the FEA, has posted the teacher's response to the School Committee's YouTube videos.

I was heartened to hear Mr. Roy use the word partner many times in his online presentation this weekend. In the context of partnership, some time ago I was introduced to the relational concept of 100/100. This idea being that a partnership should not be 50-50, but rather 100-100. Each partner in a relationship should not give 50 percent toward making the partnership successful, but 100% of their energy and effort toward achieving the shared goal(s) of the partnership. After just four days in office, I can proudly claim that the Franklin Education Association is putting the concept of 100-100 boldly into practice for the parents and children of Franklin.

Read the full posting here

In case you have not seen the YouTube videos, you can find them here
School Committee YouTube videos

FM #38 - Parents Call to Action

This is #38 in the series of podcast on what matters in Franklin, MA. This segment focuses on the current impasse between the School Committee and the teachers union, and issues a call to action to Franklin's parents.

Time: 8 minutes, 7 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes:

Music intro

My intro - FM #38

This internet radio show or podcast for Franklin Matters is number 38 in the series.

On the disclosure front, I stand here today not as the husband of a Franklin teacher. Yes, my wife Dolores does teach kindergarten at the Oak Street School. I love her dearly. I don't need to represent her or the teacher's union. They are quite capable of representing themselves.

I do stand here today as a parent of two Franklin High School graduates (class of 2004 and 2006) knowing full well that if you are a parent of children in the school district today or a parent with children yet to enter the schools, your children are not getting the same level of educational opportunity that my daughters received. That is my concern.

A quick story to lead to the call to action for today.

Many years ago, in my first corporate position, I started as a call center operator. Burroughs Corp, now known as UNISYS, was just starting regional call centers to support their customers. I spent a few days training, reading the manuals, policies, procedures, familiarizing myself with the call dispatch program. I also spent many hours double jacked. Double jacked meant I was listening in to the phone conversation with another operator as my trainer and mentor.

Then the time came for me to take the lead on the phone and as luck would have it, my first phone call was a dozy. I answered with phone with the standard greeting and was welcomed with a series of expletives. Briefly, the caller was a Southern NJ police chief whose Burroughs terminal was not operating. He was quite irate, expletive this, expletive that, “get this expletive device out of here” and so forth. I think you get the gist of how it was going. I let him vent and then chimed in with my best voice to try and resolve this problem. He would have none of it.

“Son”, he said, “How long you been there?”I was honest and admitted that I had just started.

“Son”, he said, “Let me give you some advice. Quit!”

Well, I did not quit. I did take away from customer service that you are as good as your last phone call. You always have to be on. It was interesting to listen to the reaction in the callers voice as I greeted them. If the customer did not like what had happened previously in our conversation, I could hear the disappointment in their voice as they recognized, “Oh, Steve.”

I quickly learned to answer the phone every time with my best voice. Then the customer would say, “Oh, Steve!” and we would get down to business with a good conversation.

The call to action.

Franklin parents, you have no doubt heard about the impasse between the School Committee and the teachers union. If by chance, you haven't heard of the details, you can visit the links in the blog post that accompanies this podcast to watch the School Committee's YouTube videos and to read my analysis of the discussion. The teachers are preparing their response. Once that is available, I'll post the link to that so you'll have their side of the story.

Updated: The teachers response has been posted here

You now have a few opportunities to let the School Committee know where you stand.

• The Finance Committee will hear the school departments initial budget presentation Tuesday, May 5th. I say initial budget as clearly the teachers issue has not yet been resolved nor has the School Committee formally voted to accept a budget for FY 2010.
  
• The Town Council has a meeting Wednesday May 6th. There is a citizen's comment portion of the meeting so you can step up to take 3 minutes and state your point of view.
  
• The School Committee will meet on Tuesday May 12th and again on Tuesday May 26th. The meeting on the 26th is currently scheduled to be the formal vote on the FY 2010 budget.
  

Parents, please take one or more of these opportunities to step up and state your point of view.
The School Committee needs to know where you stand. Your point of view will potentially break the current impasse between the 7 School Committee members and the over 500 members of the teachers union (FEA).

There is no time like the present to stand up and state your case. This will determine the future of your children's education. This will determine Franklin's future.

When you step up to state your point of view, be positive! Take the high road.

Links referenced:
School Committee YouTube videos

Back story and my analysis


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

This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow citizens of Franklin, MA

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music

"It's not going to go on YouTube"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 05, 2009 @ 12:16 AM

Last update May 05, 2009 @ 12:37 AM

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FRANKLIN —

Using two video clips on YouTube, the School Committee directly appealed to the teachers union for wage concessions that will save 16 teachers' jobs.

Addressing the entire Franklin Education Association in a 9-minute video, and again in a 4-minute video, Chairman Jeffrey Roy said the district only has a few weeks left to "put aside emotions and work together for what's in the best interest of students, parents and guardians in this community."

He beseeched the union, and its new leadership, headed by President Bob McLaughlin, a Franklin High School gym teacher, to join the School Committee as partners to help close the budget gap.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

"no one made a motion"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted May 04, 2009 @ 11:36 PM

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FRANKLIN —

School officials shouldn't expect any changes from the teachers union's new leadership, which took the reins May 1, said new union President Bob McLaughlin.

In the past several months, communication seems to have broken down between the Franklin Education Association and the School Committee, and negotiations for wage concessions to save teachers' jobs appear stalled.

At last week's union meeting, then-union President Chandler Creedon, a psychologist at Horace Mann Middle School, projected a "terse" e-mail from School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy onto a big screen in the auditorium, which further angered union members, McLaughlin said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Finance Committee - 5/5/09 - Budget Hearing

No agenda has been posted on the Town website for this meeting. The last agenda posted was for the 2/3/09 meeting (posted on 2/4/09).

No minutes for the current series of budget hearings have posted. The most recent minutes were for the meeting of 4/14/09 (updated on 4/30/09).


Tonight's agenda per the last meeting is reported to be

Information Technology

Tri-Country Regional Vocational Technical High School

School Department

Note: the order of the agenda is subject to change

Town Council - 5/6/09 - Agenda

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – April 1, 2009

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

• Cultural Council
• Council on Aging
• Charles River Pollution Control District

F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS – Request for Approval of Change of Manager – 99 Restaurant

H. Presentations/DISCUSSION

• Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 185-39. Uses accessory to dwellings.

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

1. Resolution 09-26: Acknowledgment of Invalidity of Order of Taking Directed to Land of United States of America
2. Resolution 09-27: Appropriation – DelCarte Open Space Dam Repair/Removal
3. Resolution 09-28: Appropriation – Veterans’ Benefits
4. Resolution 09-29: Appropriation – Snow & Ice

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN

The documents for this agenda can be found on the Town website

HMEA's 8th Annual Independence 5K Walk/Run

HMEA's 8th Annual Independence 5K Walk/Run in the Park will be held on Sunday, May 17, 2009. Our friends at EMC2 Corporation, 50 Constitution Boulevard, Franklin, MA have again allowed us to hold this premier fundraising event on their grounds. Gail Huff from WCVB-TV Channel 5 News will once again be our host.

To register to walk please visit firstgiving.com/hmea. Here you can also set-up your own personal fundraising page that can be e-mailed to all your family, friends and co-workers asking them to support your efforts to raise funds for HMEA.

If you want to participate in the road race please register at active.com/hmea. OR, if you prefer you can complete your registration form online, print it and mail directly to HMEA along with your registration fee(s). You could also e-mail it back to hmea@hmea.org. Click here for the registration form.

Interested in becoming a sponsor of this fun-filled family day event? To learn what sponsorships are available click here for the Sponsorship Opportunities flyer.

More information will be available shortly. In the meantime if have any questions please call Linda Conley at 508.298.1107 or Doug MacPherson at 508.298.1105.

Alternative Link for Message to FEA

From Ed Cafasso via email

For those of you having difficulty viewing the YouTube video on the School Committee’s recent statement regarding wage freeze discussions with members of the teacher’s union, you also can view the text at:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/14893659/FSC-to-FEA-05-01-09-V2

rethinking learning

“…teachers need to learn the way other professionals do—continually, collaboratively, and on the job.”

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The challenge is, of course, that “continual, collaborative, on the job” learning isn’t very convenient for professional developers or for teachers in classrooms. It means re-thinking what learning looks like, and that’s a scary place still for most in education.

Read the full posting by Wil Richardson on his blog weblogg-ed

PS22 Chorus - "Eye of the Tiger"

Musical education is inspirational. I think you'll enjoy this less than 2 minute clip of a group from New York City.





Now I'll have the "Eye of the Tiger" running through my head all day!

Visit the PS22 Chorus blog here to read more about them.

Horace Mann, birthday - May 4, 1796

This day (May 4) is Horace Mann's birthday. Given the current discussion around education in his home town, it is appropriate to look at what Horace is known for. The wikipedia entry says:

Mann targeted the public school and its problems. The six main problems he targeted were: (1) the public should no longer remain ignorant and free, (2) that such education should be paid for, controlled, and sustained by an interested public; (3) that this education will be best provided in schools that embrace children of all diversities; (4) that this education must be non-sectarian; (5) that this education must be taught by the spirit, methods, and discipline of a free society; and (6) that education should be provided by well-trained, professional teachers. To sum it all up, Horace Mann worked effectively for more and better equipped school houses, longer school years (until 16 years old), higher pay for teachers, and a wider curriculum.

For the remainder of the entry on Horace Mann, born in Franklin, MA on May 4, in 1796 check out his wikipedia entry here.

Dean College commencement set for May 9, street closings planned

 

 

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

 

 

Dean College commencement set for May 9, street closings planned

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 5/3/09

Dean College's 143rd commencement exercises will take place Saturday, May 9, 11 a.m., at Grant Field, School Street. More than 300 graduates are Associate's degree and Bachelor's degree candidates.

Walter J. Handelsman, Class of 1977, delivers the Commencement Address. Handelsman is a Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist based at Newsday in Long Island.

During the  commencement procession from the Campus Center to Grant Field, the section of Main Street between School and Emmons Street will be closed to traffic from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. and 1:30 to 1:50 p.m.

In addition, School Street to Hillside Avenue will be closed from 10:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Emergency vehicles will be allowed access at all times.
 

 

 

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