Franklin Matters

Milestone Cranberry Bogs: A discussion with Nantucket Conservation Ranger Allen Reinhard - Incase you couldn't make it to our zoom event. There are 4 videos linked together totaling just over 30 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ixIqCBtNg&list=PLeQpHw40w0bcuXQ_bh81-2LsRRXaC2DRV

Humor

Eating Healthy - Comedian Larry Weaver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF_fMXHQqZ0&list=TLPQMDMxMTIwMjAuTGQ_LYqnmA&index=3

The Lucy Show - Lucy and Her Electric Mattress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qn0vPtYj3c

Kindness Matters

A powerful true story of determination and love. - This one got me right in the heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZlXWp6vFdE

Make an Impact - An Inspirational Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb7_YJp9bVA

Upcoming Events email adoggett@franklinma.gov to attend unless noted otherwise.

*Monday Nov. 16th at 11am - Alive Inside - Movie and discussion via zoom

*Monday Nov. 16th at 1pm Tele Bingo call the Senior Center to play 508-520-4945

*Monday Nov. 16th at 2pm - Memory Cafe

*Tuesday Nov. 17th at 5pm - Quarantini Time a virtual, social, cocktail hour.

*Tuesday Nov. 17th at 1pm - Audio book discussion - email mgunderson@franklinma.gov

*Wednesday Nov. 18th - Stampin' Up! Craft event IN PERSON at the Senior Center - You

MUST register for this event- Strict safety protocols in place to stay safe.

*Wednesday Nov. 18th at 4pm - Alzheimer's Support Group email elaineowens@verizon.net

*Thursday Nov. 19th at 1pm - Tele Bingo call the Senior Center to play 508-520-4945

*Thursday Nov. 19th at 1pm - Talk Franklin Matters with Steve Sherlock

*Thursday Nov. 19th at 6:30pm - Name That Tune! Virtual gameshow

*Friday Nov. 13th at 1pm Tele Trivia call the Senior Center for instructions 508-520-4945

Plus Exercise, Yoga, Discussion Groups and more. Check out our newsletter or online calendar for a full list of all activities available https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-senior-center/pages/connection-newsletter

*Curbside Cafe Special of the Week is Chili with Cornbread!

Attached you will find:

Donna's Fun Filled Activity Pages - Board Games! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v3ya4xdosLnSNxe_ZLKNhkmawgZIv7cN/view?usp=sharing
Pathwork word puzzle https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XHUrM0aRNdEsLxsReMCXOD0u3MxdEAlt/view?usp=sharing
Beautiful Bridges word search https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f7lbcZHJOi32Qbk-xEUU-mIbB778yORJ/view?usp=sharing
Mixed up words jumble https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kx5JUjzsV4FpADYGo5Dngym-ybskDUeq/view?usp=sharing
Senior Health And Wellness Fair Flyer https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SaVTMEI0tROjHesvUejQFDUnCvumLkXm/view?usp=sharing

Love, virtual hugs and good health to you all! We are still here for you! Please feel free to email Donna and I with questions, concerns or just to check in!

Ariel & Donna

Please feel free to share this email with anyone you think might enjoy it. If you want me to add someone to the email blast list just send me a message with their email in it.

REMEMBER:

When searching for information about the Coronavirus, COVID-19 please use caution! Unfortunately there are many false sites that contain viruses and malware that can threaten your computer. Many look like real sites. Your best bet is to go directly to the CDC, WHO or your local government page (links below).

https://www.cdc.gov/

https://www.who.int/

https://www.franklinma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/coronavirus-information-portal-updates-here

Ariel Doggett

Virtual Program Coordinator

Respite Coordinator

"We rise by lifting others" - Robert Ingersoll

There is no act of kindness too small

Franklin Senior Center: Email Blast - Nov 13, 2020

BFCCPS to continue their "phased-in to hybrid learning plan"

Dear BFCCPS Community,

This week BFCCPS started to welcome back our Sixth Grade students who are participating in hybrid learning. Our Seventh and Eighth Grade students who are participating in hybrid learning will phase-in starting on December 3.

You may have recently read that the Governor and the DESE have encouraged schools to consider full-in person education. However, we have determined that at this time, BFCCPS can not maintain the outlined safety protocols and procedures for health and safety in a traditional full class size. The BFCCPS Administration has recommended, and the Board has agreed, that we will continue with our phased-in to hybrid learning plan. We will continue to monitor the local and state COVID trends as significant increases may lead us to consider full remote learning for all students. We are incredibly proud of the work that the BFCCPS Community has done to implement our phased in return, and believe that this plan is our best opportunity to provide an in person educational model while maintaining safety protocols and procedures. This plan is designed to keep our faculty, staff, students and families as safe as possible during this unprecedented pandemic.

We will plan to keep students in their current homeroom and hybrid/Remote Academy placements. If you are the parent or guardian of a student in Kindergarten through Grade Five and would like to request a change of instructional model starting in January through the end of the school year, please fill out this form. The deadline to place this request is Friday, December 4th. Please note that a change of instructional model may result in your child being assigned to a different homeroom teacher. We can not accept requests for specific in-person days for students moving from the Remote Academy into hybrid learning. Please also note that a transfer may take several weeks as any movement may have significant implications for staffing and transportation.

New Student Travel Policy & Upcoming Holidays: The Board of Trustees has voted at the November meeting to approve a new policy titled Student Travel Under Mass Travel Order 45 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The holiday season is rapidly approaching and we have been discussing implications with respect to the Massachusetts Travel Order. We recognize that it is likely that staff and families may be travelling out of state, or entertaining out of state guests.

It is important to recognize that in accordance with the Massachusetts Travel Order, and the BFCCPS Daily Attestation, any students, faculty or staff who are travelling outside of the U.S or to a state deemed high risk must quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result before returning to in-person education. Please note that if a student is enrolled in hybrid instruction and is required to quarantine as a result of travel, BFCCPS will not be able to accommodate requests for full remote learning during their self-quarantine. Students will be eligible to participate in their regularly scheduled remote learning and can complete available asynchronous learning opportunities.

Full Remote Learning Days Scheduled: In order to create an opportunity for staff, faculty and families to celebrate the holidays with their families; the Board of Trustees has voted to move November 30th, December 1st, January 4 and January 5th to full remote days. This adjustment to the calendar is designed to provide families and staff the opportunity to safely celebrate the holidays (if they so choose), travel home and secure a negative test result before returning to school.

We thank the entire BFCCPS Community for your continued cooperation and support.

Be kind and safe Ben Franklin,

Heather Zolnowski
BFCCPS
Executive Director

Shared from the BFCCPS page

http://bfccps.org/community-update-from-the-executive-director-november-13/

BFCCPS school sign at the entrance (taken day of ribbon cutting)

"The expectation is that the Legislature will enact a final budget bill by Thanksgiving"

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA)

"Late yesterday (Friday, Nov 13), the House approved a $46 billion state budget plan for fiscal 2021 that is slightly higher than the revised recommendation filed by Gov. Charlie Baker last month.
Over two days of debate, the House approved four consolidated amendments that added less than $30 million to the recommendation released by the House Ways and Means Committee last week (H. 5150). House members added $250,000 for reimbursements for the cost of student transportation to out-of-district vocational education programs, but did not add to the major municipal and school aid programs.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee yesterday released a $46 billion state revenue and spending plan (S. 4) that is scheduled to be taken up next week, beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
The Senate bill would fund the main municipal and school aid accounts largely in line with the House-approved bill and the governor’s revised recommendation, but with some differences in funding for special education circuit breaker reimbursements and charter school mitigation payments, which would have to be reconciled before a final bill can be sent to the governor."

Continue reading the article online
https://www.mma.org/house-oks-fy21-budget-senate-to-debate-its-bill-next-week/

https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/House

I Leave You Now - The Silent Sleep of Trees

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 11/15/2020

I leave you now. ‘tis time to leave.

I leave – that you alone may grieve

the waning loss of warmth and light,

and lenghtening of Winter night.

This moment left to cherish

in the fading of the lush,

and bright chromatic flourish I leave,

with whispered rush.

My emblematic red and gold

that rustle ‘round to fall and fold

in swirly-whirly waves of wind

my crested crown has fallen, thinned.

I leave you now, with one lament.

These remnants of a Summer spent,

I leave them all, my last release

of glory, reconciled in peace.

When naked branches, Winter-stark

defy the sky’s encroaching dark.

Remember Now – This now – This time

This last autumnal lilt, sublime.

I leave you now, I leave to sleep

that Winter slumber, soft and deep.

On Spring’s return we meet again.

to grow again – renew and then

rejoice the rising of the days.

But, here and now, I leave, ablaze.

And – as always –

Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. And, thank you for watching.

For the full program guide for Franklin TV and wfpr.fm public radio

http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf and for archive purposes

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FyEGNCakke4K8bS1QIdPL0kzcXWv61Qk/view?usp=sharing

I Leave You Now - The Silent Sleep of Trees

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda - Nov 17, 2020 - 6:30 PM

Finance Committee Meeting
Agenda & Meeting Packet
November 17th, 2020
6:30 PM

Agenda

1.    Call to Order
2.    Public Comments
3.    Approval of Minutes - None
4.    Beaver Street Interceptor Replacement Update - DPW Director Robert Cantoreggi
5.    Future Agenda Items
6.    Adjourn

Connection info in Agenda document

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/finance_commitee_agenda_11-17-20.pdf

Beaver Street Interceptor Replacement Update

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Budget Sub Committee Meeting/Workshop - Nov 17

Budget Sub Committee Meeting/Workshop
Virtual Meeting (Links in agenda)

Nov 17, 2020 - 6:00 PM

Call to Order

Discussion

1. Budget Development Process and Timelines

a. Process https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hUNEMYeZGR07TcOCCcnmxQRdGHO_hVLPabIrejnHJco/edit
b. Timeline https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pv4YhUoNoOUzPk-sNEQwQmcaiOgT0GkS/view

2. FY 22 Priorities
3. Per Pupil Expenses https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qegibWEASNACal1hmpFV_ciRZXHkEjGFJXXQqrwpRs8/edit#gid=164888986

a. Scenario at 50th percentile https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kCnT6f7tzJvVyOeRFXMhAEC7gBfPpKnxAei4zrWKqmY/edit

i. What would the budget look like?
ii. What additional enrichment services would be funded?

4. Unfunded Mandates -- Quantified, Where Possible https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rhjSDdp42EMubSTyeGpyh1jSsTNeDNxQ/view

a. Cost Analysis of Selected Unfunded Mandates (not all inclusive) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dM6rRxMs3HzOCb6HKXf0vnF7UpP6r1T86Gt30ptS7hw/edit

5. Medicaid reimbursement information

a. MA School Based Medicaid Program Overview https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WHmIQsu9MJOLSs9fB-sLaje8dQmlegYCPknldCioAWQ/edit

6. New Business -- January Budget Workshop

a.   Revolving accounts
b.   Special Education Process and the budgetary impact
c.   Budget drivers
d.   Student teacher ratios

Adjournment

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/budget_workshop_agenda.pdf

Budget Sub Committee Meeting/Workshop - Nov 17

Town of Franklin, MA: Think Franklin First gift cards coming Nov 25

"BIG NEWS ALERT! We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Think Franklin First gift cards!

With the incredible support of Dean Bank & the Random Smile Project, these Franklin-only gift cards will be available for purchase beginning on Wednesday, November 25th.

See more... https://t.co/XQ3RcLIvwj"

"They will be redeemable at a wide variety of local businesses! This economic development initiative is intended to help support our local businesses by directing spending away from competition/online retailers into our local economy, where it makes an important impact"
"especially in these difficult times. Stay tuned for more information as we move towards our official launch date! franklingiftcard.com #shoplocal #shoplocalma #ThinkFranklinFirst"

Think Franklin First gift cards

Think Franklin First gift cards coming Nov 25

FHS Chamber Concert November 5, 2020 (Video)

FHS Chamber Concert November 5, 2020 => https://youtu.be/Z1psRmPU-WY

Statement from Hockomock on Girls Soccer Post-Season

The Fall 2020 sports season has almost reached its conclusion. Special thanks to everyone’s flexibility and tremendous support through all of the COVID protocols. The Hockomock League is proud to stand by its athletes, coaches, school administrations, and parents to conduct this unique season.

Our Divisional Champions earned their title through traditional hard-fought dual meets and games. We then constructed a postseason tournament, the Hockomock Cup, for our team sports in Field Hockey and Soccer, to provide additional games for our athletes in a postseason competition in lieu of the cancelled MIAA tournaments. Golf concluded, and Cross Country will conclude, their seasons with their traditional team and individual championships.

Throughout this season, we have followed closely the COVID mandates of our local Boards of Health and must respect their professional decisions on the rules of quarantine. Consequently, the Girls Varsity Soccer Hockomock Cup was impacted by those BOH decisions forcing Foxboro and Canton Girls to forfeit opening round games due to quarantine.

Once again, working together, the League has come up with a flexible solution to keep our athletes engaged in competition. As Canton and Foxboro honor their quarantine, the Girls Varsity Soccer Hockomock Cup will continue with its scheduled games into next week to determine the Hock Cup champion. A Challenge Cup bracket has been added in Girls Varsity Soccer to allow Canton and Foxboro to play against each other on November 19. The winner of that game will then face the Hockomock Cup champion on November 20 for the Challenge Cup title.

Sincerely,
The Hockomock League ADs

Mark Houle, Attleboro       Danny Erickson, Canton

Joe Cusack, Foxboro          Tom Angelo, Franklin

Gary Brown, King Philip            Mike Redding, Mansfield

Peter Boucher, Milford            Kurt Kummer, North Attleboro

Bill Matthews, Oliver Ames    Nick Schlierf, Sharon

Ryan Donahue, Stoughton    Mark Ottavianelli, Taunton

This statement was shared from the Hockomock League page

https://hockomockleague.blogspot.com/2020/11/statement-from-hockomock-on-girls.html

Statement from Hockomock on Girls Soccer Post-Season

“People need to change their behavior and get serious”

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin:

"THE NUMBER of communities at high risk for COVID-19 nearly doubled on Thursday even with a new set of metrics sharply raising the threshold for attaining that designation.

The new metrics were implemented last week and caused the number of high-risk, or red, communities to drop from 121 to 16. But the number rebounded this week to 30 as rising case counts began to overwhelm some communities.

Norfolk, which reported 48 cases per 100,000 people last week, saw the number increase to 145.8 this week, largely because of an outbreak at a state prison there. Its positive test rate (positive tests divided by total tests) rose to 11.6 percent."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health/despite-new-metrics-high-risk-covid-19-communities-double/

"SOUNDING MORE and more like a coach trying to rally his team against a superior opponent, Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday implored Massachusetts residents to take COVID-19 seriously.

He said infections have been headed in the wrong direction since Labor Day and are rising faster and faster. He insisted the problem for the most part is not at workplaces, schools, or restaurants, but in situations where people let their guard down while engaging in familiar activities in casual settings with people they know.

“It’s the innocent acts of small gatherings where COVID is finding its greatest opportunity to spread,” Baker said at a State House press conference. “People need to change their behavior and get serious.”

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/health-care/baker-implores-mass-residents-to-get-serious/

The latest dashboard https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-dashboard-november-13-2020/download

The Governor's Press Conf YouTube link => https://youtu.be/6YsmzPZaU1c

FHS field hockey tops Attleboro, heads to Hockomock Cup Final

Via HockomockSports.com, we share the fall sports results for Franklin High School on Friday, Nov 13

Field Hockey = Hockomock Cup = #KR3 Attleboro, 1 @ #KR1 Franklin, 6 – Final

– Franklin scored four unanswered second half goals to pull away from the upset-minded Bombardiers to secure its spot in the Hockomock Cup final. The Panthers pounced early as Amanda Lewandowski scored twice, unassisted at 3:04 and from Kaitlyn Carney at 8:47, to take a 2-0 lead after one quarter of play but Attleboro’s Madison Ellis cut the deficit in halftime with a second quarter goal. In the third, Stephanie Bell scored back-to-back goals to push the Panthers’ lead to 4-1, and Sara Carney and Jill Fenerty added fourth quarter goals to seal the win. Neilee Hess made six saves in net for the win. Franklin will host King Philip in the Hockomock Cup final on Tuesday at 4:00.

For other results around the Hockomock League

https://hockomocksports.com/fridays-schedule-scoreboard-11-13-20/

FHS field hockey tops Attleboro

CommonWealth Magazine: FY 2021 budget moves in Senate and House this past week

From CommonWealth Magazine we share articles of interest for Franklin on the state budget:

"House budget addresses COVID-related education dilemmas"

"The coronavirus pandemic created – and exposed – multiple problems with the state’s education system, from preschool through high school. Now, lawmakers appear poised to use the must-pass vehicle of the annual state budget to begin figuring out how to address some of these issues.

A large consolidated amendment passed at the end of Tuesday’s budget debate, after midnight, includes several education-related study commissions, funds, and data tracking requirements.

On the childcare side, Massachusetts’ childcare system is primarily private-pay and expensive, with some subsidies available for low-income children – a system that has long raised concerns about the lack of affordable, quality childcare for many families. Forced closures due to COVID-19 and expensive reopening requirements put many providers in financial peril.

The House budget includes several investments in early education, including a new $10 million fund to help lower income parents pay for childcare on a sliding scale."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/house-budget-addresses-covid-related-education-dilemmas-2/

"Senate spending plan hews close to House version"

THE SENATE WAYS and Means Committee on Thursday released its own nearly $46 billion budget proposal for fiscal 2021, a 5.5 percent spending increase over the current year, which is in many ways similar to the budget proposal currently being debated in the House.

The House’s initial proposal was slightly higher – $46.021 billion – and amendments are still being added on the House floor.

Like the House budget, the Senate budget includes no new broad-based taxes and relies on a significant draw from the state’s rainy day fund. There are no major cuts to services. Both the House and Senate budgets adopt proposals made by Gov. Charlie Baker to require large businesses to remit sales tax collections more quickly – though not to require daily remittances of sales taxes – and to delay implementation of a state charitable deduction.

“There’s definitely more similarities than differences in our budgets,” said Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues, a Westport Democrat.

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/senate-spending-plan-hews-close-to-house-version/

https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/House

Elections: Voting for Military and Overseas US Citizens

In addition to ballot by mail, absentee ballot, there is sometimes mention of UOCAVA. What is UOCAVA?

UOCAVA is the acronym for the MA legislation:

If you are a Massachusetts citizen, you have the right to vote in all elections, even if you are deployed, stationed outside the Commonwealth, or residing overseas.

Military voters, dependent family members of military voters, and overseas citizens are protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), a federal law which guarantees your voting rights.

If you are a military or overseas voter, you are exempt from voter registration requirements in Massachusetts. In order to get your ballot, you simply need to submit an absentee ballot application.

Find out more about UOCAVA on the Secretary of the Commonwealth page

https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elemil/milidx.htm

Elections: Voting for Military and Overseas US Citizens

MBTA Update: Commuter Rail notice - Interstate travel COVID-19 changes

According to the new travel order, passengers traveling from NY, WA or DC coming to MA must also quarantine for 14 days or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Passengers must also fill out the online Massachusetts Travel Form or risk a fine.

For more information visit Mass.gov/MAtraveler or text MATraveler to 888-777.

Last Updated: Nov 13 2020 04:35 PM

The update to the existing travel order reflects:

Travelers from COVID-19 lower-risk States are not required to fill out the Massachusetts Travel Form and do not need to quarantine. The Department of Public Health metric for determining lower-risk states for the purposes of Massachusetts’ interstate travel policy considers data over two weeks before moving a state from lower risk to high risk. One week of data is the standard for moving states into the lower risk category.

Additionally, the threshold of daily cases per 100,000 residents is 10 (which ensures that Massachusetts’ standard is in line with other states). States are included on the “lower-risk” list based on meeting two criteria: average daily cases per 100K below 10 AND positive test rate below 5%, both measured as a 7-day rolling average.

Data is from covidexitstrategy.org as of November 11, 2020.

The current list of COVID-19 lower-risk states includes:

Hawaii
Maine

New Hampshire

Vermont

More info on the MA Travel order can be found https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order

Interstate travel COVID-19 changes

Friday, November 13, 2020

Franklin events: Nov 13 - Nov 16

A quiet looking calendar with the FPAC Virtual Gala and Telethon scheduled for Saturday, a virtual concert at the Library on Sunday, and the Cultural Council Masterclass scheduled for Monday evening.

Friday, November 13

5:30pm

Franklin Interact: Monster Dash - CANCELED due to COVID-19

Saturday, November 14

8:00pm

FPAC: Virtual Gala and Telethon

Sunday, November 15

3:00pm

Franklin Library: Hungrytown (folk concert)

Monday, November 16

7:30pm

FCC: Annarella's Favorites: Italian Ricotta Cookies & Almond Crunch Biscotti

Find the full calendar https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication: https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

Community Calendar

Franklin Matters

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Franklin Senior Center: Email Blast - Nov 13, 2020

BFCCPS to continue their "phased-in to hybrid learning plan"

"The expectation is that the Legislature will enact a final budget bill by Thanksgiving"

I Leave You Now - The Silent Sleep of Trees

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Franklin, MA: Finance Committee - Agenda - Nov 17, 2020 - 6:30 PM

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Budget Sub Committee Meeting/Workshop - Nov 17

Town of Franklin, MA: Think Franklin First gift cards coming Nov 25

FHS Chamber Concert November 5, 2020 (Video)

Statement from Hockomock on Girls Soccer Post-Season

“People need to change their behavior and get serious”

FHS field hockey tops Attleboro, heads to Hockomock Cup Final

CommonWealth Magazine: FY 2021 budget moves in Senate and House this past week

Elections: Voting for Military and Overseas US Citizens

MBTA Update: Commuter Rail notice - Interstate travel COVID-19 changes

Friday, November 13, 2020

Franklin events: Nov 13 - Nov 16

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Contact Steve Sherlock

State House representation

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