- Live reporting - closing comments
- Live reporting - Information items
- Live reporting - action items
- Live reporting - school choice
- Live reporting - FY 2010
- Live reporting - Elizabeth S Fitzmaurice
- Live reporting - Senior Project
- Live reporting: New logo awards
- Live reporting: FEF Grant
- Live reporting: School Committee 6/9/09
Providing accurate and timely information about what matters in Franklin, MA since 2007. * Working in collaboration with Franklin TV and Radio (wfpr.fm) since October 2019 *
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
School Committee Mtg 06/09/09
Treesavers - Jan Bornstein, book signing
Jan Bornstein will be at Treesavers Books to sign on June 20th from 1:00 to 3:00 PM
For more about Jan's books visit her web site
"There is no new news"
Town Council will hold back-to-back budget hearings tonight and tomorrow, and will consider a general operating budget that is $500,000 less than last year's budget, said Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting.
Nutting will advise the council to pass an $88 million budget, also recommended by the Finance Committee, and make any modifications in a few weeks, when the state is expected to have its final numbers.
He is also recommending the council use the governor's original budget numbers, excluding meals and hotels tax revenue, he said.
The Senate budget gives $875,000 less aid money than town officials were anticipating, though that shortfall is likely to drop, Nutting said.
Read the full article on the scheduled Town Council meeting in the Milford Daily News here
You can find the agenda documents on the Town website here
You should participate at the meeting
- in the Council chambers
- or via the live feed
- or via your cable channel
"changed her course of study"
The School Committee last night closed the public hearing on the budget, unanimously voting to adopt a $50.2 million spending plan for fiscal 2010. They will present it to Town Council tonight.
"We continued the hearing in hopes we'd have new news, but we don't," said School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy.
The Franklin Education Association will vote Monday on whether to accept a proposal to defer their wages for one year, which will save the district $800,000 - or 16 teachers' jobs, Roy said.
"Every dollar that comes back in this budget, whatever the source, will go solely to bringing back positions," Roy said.
Read the full article on the School Committee meeting in the Milford Daily News here
You can find all the live reporting posts, including pictures and a copy of the Senior Project presentation, here
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Live reporting - closing comments
Armenio - thank you to the parents on the All Night Party committee, they did a wonderful job.
Sabolinski - the Class of 1959 was a great thing to do, Pandora Carlucci did a nice job welcoming the group. That group was a lot of fun.
Pat Slight- big thank you to all involved! The School Committee doesn't get the recognition that they deserve. It is with great pride to say that I graduated from Franklin High.
Brittany MacLeod - The teachers, even in the hard times, the passion they have, Patrick said a lot of what I would like to say.
Roy - about a half million dollars were given out at the awards night. Ms Ohearn an 8th grade teacher had the students write a letter to themselves that she held and sent to them just before their graduation. The students in some cases had forgetten that they had written the letter.
motion to adjourn
Live reporting - Information items
We did jump the gun to publish the pay-to-ride letter to the parent to ensure sufficient time.
Apparently the letter did go out without some language to indicate a possible change in the amount due to the budget.
Live reporting - action items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $500.00 from Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Malone for future enrichment programs for the ECDC. approved 7-0
b. I recommend the continuation of the School Choice Program for the 2009-2010 School Year. approved 7-0
c. I recommend the request of Corine Minkle to declare damaged and outdated books at Oak Street Elementary School as surplus. approved 7-0
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,000.00 from Natalie Brunelli for the John A. Brunelli Memorial Scholarship at FHS. approved 7-0
e. I recommend adopting the FY10 Budget in the amount of $50,297,820.00. approved 7-0
Added to listing
f. I recommended approval for the FHS Girls Track Team to attend a meet on Sat JUne 13th, 2009 approved 7-0
Live reporting - school choice
Kelly - Can you explain how it works?
Ogden - once you vote in the affirmative, we will open up an application on the school website. Once the listing is acquired, we will see how many if any of the students could be accommodated. If there are any, there will be a blind lottery to select from amongst the applications.
About 25% of the existing students are children of school employees
Kelly - I know from conversations with school employees it is a great thing for them to have the kids here where they are working. They understand they may not be able to count on it.
Sabolinski - We'll need to look a couple of years out to see what seats could be made available.
Armenio - where are we on the kindergarten numbers?
Sabolinski - we have been flat
Ogden - I suspect that until you make the final decision on full day kindergarten, we may not see some of those that may be currently slotted with a private full day kindergarten.
Sabolinski - add backs would not change the middle school numbers
Live reporting - FY 2010
We are scheduled to go forward with the public hearing at the Town Council tomorrow night (June 10th)
motion to close the budget hearing
passed 7-0
Live reporting - Elizabeth S Fitzmaurice
17 years experience in Army Reserve, taught at West Point
Currently working in North Brookfield as Director of Pupil and Academic Services.
philosophy, high expectations for students
Cafasso - what drew you here?
Fitzmaurice - Franklin has a good reputation even in these times of stress
Cafasso - what is your number 1 priority?
Fitzmaurice - I met with Linda today, this is a well run area, I look forward to continuing her work
Live reporting - Senior Project
survey says
100% of mentors said the project was beneficial to both the students and the teachers
proposal written during May of Junior year by students
21 students were selected
class during 3rd term
projects worked on during the 4th term
The Five P's
- Proposal
- Paper
- Project
- Portfolio
- Presentation
Project requirements
weekly meetings with mentor, time sheets, daily reflection (written), self evaluation, evaluation by site advisor, exhibition of project
unpaid internships, minimum of 60 hours over the period
Brittany "One thing I definitely learned is that everyone in the company counts"
Lindsey Corek - Milford Hosp - nutrition; "counseling with patients... I became comfortable and confident in dealing with people in a confidential manner. This confirmed by passio for nutrition."
Alyssa Breen - Riverside Community Care - developed more of a passion for the mental health field. Offered a position scheduling at the front office for them during the summer."
Allison Negro - Norwood Hosp - "a really good opportunity to understand that this is something I may not really want to do." Heading for Univ of New Haven to study forensics.
Will O'Leary - Canaccord - worked in the Compliance Dept to ensure that the money processed complied with the existing laws and regulations. He thought he was going to have an interest in Finance but he is not so interested in that now. He will be attending Dean College and studying sports management.
Brittany MacLeod - Changed her mind from her original desire to pursue advertising.
All the students would highly recommend this project to incoming seniors.
Pat Slight - Appreciated the chance to get out of the school building and find that there is so much opportunity ahead. This program helped him avoid senioritis. This will really help him drive through college.
Armenio - this is a fabulous program, several of you realized what you don't want to do.
Rohrbach - What if anything would you do to improve this for next year?
Slight - 60 hours wasn't enough time, should increase to 70 next year. It is already in the works.
Negro - Better time management as well as the increase amount of time will avoid some of the problems a few of the students had this year.
Ogden - this project has been in the incubator for a long time, thanks to the faculty for the hours for bringing this to fruition.
Live reporting: New logo awards
c. Strategic Planning Logo Awards
Ella ReedFrom 250 initial entries, whittled to thirty for the high school students to work with and create 5 logos
Ben Fretz
Cam Goldsmith
Brett vanVort
Patrick McClellan Hurd
Jillian McGrath
Madison Wendell
Lyndsey Donahoe
Pooja Agaraal
Michelle Reinertson
Samantha Fitzpatrick
Collin Berg
Ellie Mancin
Erin Lee
Kasey Lynch
Breanna Metras
Caleigh Smith
Emma Campbell
Joe Nevells
Ashley Monterotti
Kevin MacAllister
Nichole Higgins
David Joany
Anna Humphreys
Madison Hinckley
Andrew DeSignore
Jill Downing
Kristen Dumas – final selection
and the final logo is shown above
Updated - 6/10/09: The listing of names was updated with the help of Rosanne (Gosch) Walsh
Live reporting: FEF Grants
(list of awards to be provided later)
Live reporting: School Committee 6/9/09
1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments - None
Review of Agenda - Addition, Director of Special Education introduction; Addition of one action item, Girl's Track Team trip
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the May 26, 2009 School Committee Meeting. Motion to approve, passed 7-0
Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly Motion to approve, passed 7-0
Payroll Ms. Armenio
FHS Student Representatives
As this is the last meeting Patrick Slight and Brittany MacLeod will be attending as Student Representatives, School Committee Chairperson Jeff Roy and Superintendent Wayne Ogden made the customary gift of books to each of them in appreciation for their work on the Committee.
Correspondence
1. Budget to Actual
2. Letter from Margaret Sullivan
3. SC Response to Margaret Sullivan
How would you fill the MBTA's budget hole?
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
So you think you can budget? Click on the revenue or expense arrows, then on the bottom line and get a sorta spreadsheet that lets you play with detailed views of the T's budget.
Via Nathan Spencer.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Universal Hub - All Boston, all the time using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Op-Ed: Don't pay more for business as usual
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
Read an Op-Ed by Governor Patrick that appeared in today's Boston Globe
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to News & Updates, Office of the Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Four Corners building
Franklin: Relay for Life June 12-13
The Relay for Life will be held on the Franklin High School track (Oak Street) beginning Friday evening, June 12th and running through Saturday, June 13th.
Additional info on the relay can be found on the event website here"It's more than enough people for us to question"
The 600 residents who got socked with late fees and interest penalties for not paying excise bills they never received do not have to pay those extra costs, Assistant Treasurer/Collector Sandra Fanning said yesterday.
The tax collector will send refunds to those who have already paid the erroneous extra charges, said Fanning.
"We're trying to be as fair as we can," Fanning said.
Those who were billed incorrectly do not need to do anything, she said.
read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
"I don't want to speculate"
Possibly facing a loss of $900,000 in state aid under the Senate budget, Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting said he is going to make every attempt to keep his promise to unions that volunteered to freeze their wages for year.
"No matter what happens, my goal is not to have those layoffs," Nutting said.
Earlier in the budget season, the Franklin Police Association and Local 1298, which consists of the police and fire dispatchers unions, custodians union, administrative union (clerical), Department of Public Works union, and facilities (tradesmen) union, all voted to take a one-year deferral on their negotiated wage increases to save their colleagues' jobs and help out the town.
Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here