President Obama speaks to students Tuesday on the first day of school for many across America. Of course, Franklin opened their doors last week and Boston opens their doors on the 10th so there is some variation in opening days.
President Reagan spoke to students in 1988. You can view the video of his 36 minute talk and then Q&A period with some students at the White House here
President George H Bush spoke to students at Alice Deal Junior High School in 1991. You can read the text of his address here
The text of President Obama's remarks is available on the White House website here. It will be broadcast via the web or C-Span at noon on Tuesday (Eastern time).
The video promo by NASCAR drivers is included:
Monday, September 7, 2009
School Committee - Agenda - 9/08/09
1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the August 25, 2009 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
Payroll Ms. Armenio
FHS Student Representatives – Welcome to the new student representatives: Zach Price (President of Senior Class) and Christie Gianetti (Student Government President)
Correspondence
2. Guests/Presentations
a. School Improvement Plans
3. Discussion Only Items
4. Action Items
5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports
6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.
7. Executive Session
Contractual Negotiations
8. Adjourn
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the August 25, 2009 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
Payroll Ms. Armenio
FHS Student Representatives – Welcome to the new student representatives: Zach Price (President of Senior Class) and Christie Gianetti (Student Government President)
Correspondence
- Budget to Actual
- Letter from Kristen Redpath (donation)
2. Guests/Presentations
a. School Improvement Plans
- Horace Mann Middle School – Dr. Anne Bergen
- Remington Middle School – Paul Peri
- Annie Sullivan Middle School – Beth Wittcoff
- Franklin High School – Peter Light
3. Discussion Only Items
- Facilities Update
- Transportation Update
- H1N1 Update
- Superintendent’s Goals
4. Action Items
- I recommend adoption of Horace Mann Middle School’s School Improvement Plan
- I recommend adoption of Remington Middle School’s School Improvement Plan
- I recommend adoption of Annie Sullivan Middle School’s School Improvement Plan
- I recommend adoption of Franklin High School’s School Improvement Plan
- I recommend acceptance of a check for $554.22 from the Tri County Partnership as credit for Life Fair for the FHS gift account
- I recommend acceptance of a check for $100.00 from Kristen Redpath in memory of her late husband, Donald Redpath, for the FHS Science Department.
5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report
- News You Can Use
- Back to School Update
- Enrollment Comparison
- Preliminary AYP Update
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
School Committee Liaison Reports
6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.
7. Executive Session
Contractual Negotiations
8. Adjourn
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Chamber Job Fair 9/13-14
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce:
Job Search Sunday, September 13th 12:30pm – 5:00pm
Career Fair Monday, September 14th 10am - 4pm
Where:
At Living Waters Church, 15 John L. Dietsche Blvd, North Attleboro MA.
Do you or someone you know need help finding a job? Then you are welcome to these FREE EVENTS.
Job Search Sunday will offer career development courses like:
Career Fair Monday will include companies who are actively hiring and seminars on "Staying Motivated While Unemployed."
Keynote speakers Include:
To register for this click here
For additional information contact
Jen Osojnicki at the United Chamber, 508.695.6011, jen@unitedregionalchamber.com
Job Search Sunday, September 13th 12:30pm – 5:00pm
Career Fair Monday, September 14th 10am - 4pm
Where:
At Living Waters Church, 15 John L. Dietsche Blvd, North Attleboro MA.
Do you or someone you know need help finding a job? Then you are welcome to these FREE EVENTS.
Job Search Sunday will offer career development courses like:
- Resume Writing
- Interviewing Skills
- Using Social Media to Network (by Tricia White of the Mass Small Business Development Center at 1:30pm)
Career Fair Monday will include companies who are actively hiring and seminars on "Staying Motivated While Unemployed."
Keynote speakers Include:
- Ann Crawford , Life Coach 11:30am
- Bill Napolitano, Institute for Business Excellence 1:00pm
For additional information contact
Jen Osojnicki at the United Chamber, 508.695.6011, jen@unitedregionalchamber.com
Where do you put open space on the budget priority listing?
Currently, the Department of Public Works is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all town parks, recreation areas and School grounds. The Recreation Department is responsible for scheduling the use of the Town of Franklin athletic fields and facilities. Recreation Department Director, Ryan Jette indicated that it is a difficult challenge to maintain all the open space and recreation areas in Town and there is not adequate staffing for the upkeep.
The Conservation Department maintains a list of open space and conservation sites in Franklin. The current level of staffing for the management and maintenance of open space is not satisfactory, there is insufficient staff and resources to complete routine property inspections and maintenance. Issues such as hiring a forester to oversee the cutting of the Town Forest have proven challenging for the Conservation Commission due to a lack of funding.
If the Town continues to obtain additional open space and recreation areas, there will likely be issues providing sufficient upkeep due to a lack of funds and staffing available to provide upkeep of the sites.
As the Town Council candidates declare themselves for election this November, this would be a good topic on which to find out where they stand.
While the Town has a number of budget needs (the school department is the single biggest item of our Town budget), where open space management sits amongst the priority list would be important to understand.
For additional information on the Open Space and Recreation Plan, read the full report on the Town web site here (PDF)
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Election "line up" card - updated
A phone call to the Town Clerk's office resulted in a number of updates as we head into this Labor Day weekend.
Prior updates can be found here and here
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Table below shows the positions available for election this November.
The Candidates column initially showed just the incumbents.
Those who have confirmed taking out papers are marked with a * and bold.
New candidates have their name in bold with -new.
The incumbents who have confirmed not to be running again have been marked in red text.
The existing position holders who have not yet taken out papers are listed for reference to keep track of the "line up card"
So what does this tell us?
We need more candidates! The only election competition is for the Board of Health position.
Prior updates can be found here and here
------
Table below shows the positions available for election this November.
The Candidates column initially showed just the incumbents.
Those who have confirmed taking out papers are marked with a * and bold.
New candidates have their name in bold with -new.
The incumbents who have confirmed not to be running again have been marked in red text.
The existing position holders who have not yet taken out papers are listed for reference to keep track of the "line up card"
So what does this tell us?
We need more candidates! The only election competition is for the Board of Health position.
| Name | # of Openings | Candidates | Term of Office |
| Board of Assessors | 1 Position (For 4 years) | Robert Avakian* | 2009 to 2013 |
| Board of Health | 1 Position (For 4 years) | Bruce Hunchard* Koren Kanadanian-new | 2009 to 2013 |
| Planning Board | 2 Position (For 4 years) | Anthony Padula* | 2009 to 2013 |
| * 1Vacant | Joseph Halligan-new | 2009 to 2013 | |
| Planning Board (Associate) | * 1 vacant position (For 4 Years) | 2009 to 2013 | |
| Town Council | 9 Positions (For 2 Years) | Joseph McGann | 2009 to 2011 |
| Deborah Bartlett - not running again | |||
| R. Scott Mason* | |||
| Christopher Feeley | |||
| Judith Pond Pfeffer* | |||
| Thomas Doak - not running again | |||
| Shannon Zollo* | |||
| Robert Vallee* | |||
| Stephen Whalen | |||
| Glenn Jones- new Daniel Ballinger-new Bryce Kuchs - new Robert Avakian - new Matthew Kelly (switch from School Committee) | |||
| School Committee | 7 Positions (For 2 Years) | Cora Armenio | 2009 to 2011 |
| Susan Rohrbach* | |||
| Paula Mullen* | |||
| Edward Cafasso* | |||
| Roberta Trahan* | |||
| Matthew Kelly - switch to Town Council | |||
| Jeffrey Roy* William Glynn - new |
Bang for your buck
The Boston Globe "G" section has an interesting table depicting the performance of school districts (according to MCAS scores of the 4th and 10th grades) compared to the assessed home value. Franklin is amongst the top.
No real surprises there. Steve Whalen had put together a similar table and now that table is part of the Financial Planning Committee's report.
If the tax rate was use instead of assessed home values, Franklin would rise higher on the chart.
View the full chart here in the Globe
View the Financial Planning Committee report here
No real surprises there. Steve Whalen had put together a similar table and now that table is part of the Financial Planning Committee's report.
If the tax rate was use instead of assessed home values, Franklin would rise higher on the chart.
View the full chart here in the Globe
View the Financial Planning Committee report here
Does age of the respondents determine survey answers?
Results of the Citizen Participation Questionnaire were very helpful in identifying what Franklin residents believe to be the Town’s biggest recreation and open space needs. When asked what recreation and open space facilities the Town needed most, Bike Trails, Conservation Areas, and Hiking Trails were the three most popular responses. The survey data shows there appears to be a desire for additional passive recreation facilities. Franklin residents’ desire for improvement and expansion of passive recreation activities and facilities is consistent with regional and national trends.Analysis of survey data show that a respondent’s opinion of which facilities the Town needs may be directly related to the age of individuals in their households. For example, of the respondents that claim to have children in their household, 35.9% chose Youth Center as one of the Town’s more important facilities needed, compared to only 15.0 percent of households with individuals 60 years and over, and 28.2 percent of all respondents. Likewise 52.2 percent of respondents with children in their household chose Bike Trails as a needed facility, compared to 22.5 percent of households with individuals 60 years and over, and 41.9 percent of all respondents. The most popular response from respondents with individuals 60 years and over in their households was conservation areas, with hiking trails and dog park coming in close behind.
Each one of us has a point of view. It is good to acknowledge and respect that. It is also good to then find some common ground within those points of view. The common ground can bring diverse sections together to build a community effort.
Read more about the survey and the resulting Open Space and Recreation Plan on the Town web site here (PDF).
Friday, September 4, 2009
Visit Grateful Farm at Farmer's Market
The Farmer's Market is open on the Town Common today from noon to 6:00 PM.
One of the farms regularly appearing to feature their produce for sale is a real "local" farm, Grateful Farm.
Grateful Farm is located on Prospect St and has been growing organic produce since 1983.
If you get a chance to stop by their tent on the Town Common, say hi to Kyle. She will help you with a smile!
Pleasant St - paving work
One of the signs that had been reported stolen earlier this summer at least is now back in place to for warn drivers that Pleasant St gets rough from that point on towards Norfolk.
It had been so hot and humid, I cut back my longer runs on the weekends and had not been out Pleasant for several weeks in this past Sunday. The top layer had been removed in preparation for paving. I did not observe that the casing were raised as I ran on Sunday. That work must be underway.
It had been so hot and humid, I cut back my longer runs on the weekends and had not been out Pleasant for several weeks in this past Sunday. The top layer had been removed in preparation for paving. I did not observe that the casing were raised as I ran on Sunday. That work must be underway.
Franklin Downtown Partnership’s Harvest Festival
Sunday, September 20th
11:00 am-4:00 pm.
The event will be downtown on Main Street, East
Rain date is Sunday, September 27th
For more info contact Mary Graff at mgraff@berryinsurance.com or the FDP office at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com (774)571-3109
Do you know is what a major environmental concern?
A major environmental concern in Franklin is both the quality and quantity of its water supply. Franklin is completely dependant upon wells for its water supply, therefore, it is imperative that both the quality and quantity of the water sources be maintained. Franklin has implemented a Water Resource District23 to protect, preserve and maintain the existing and potential ground and surface water resources that provide water supply to Franklin. The State’s efforts to encourage keeping wastewater local and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Phase II stormwater management regulations also ensure that more water is returned to the ground to recharge aquifers in a way that maintains quality. Preservation of open space and education efforts regarding the use of fertilizers and pesticides are a key component in addressing water quality in Franklin.
What else would you add to this listing?
- The next time you open the tap to draw water, give thanks to the DPW crew that takes care of providing us good water.
- Consider putting trash in an appropriate container (don't just toss it out the window to let it lie along the roadside).
- Consider picking up any recyclables as you walk through Town (this will prevent them from getting into our waste water treatment system).
Read more from the Open Space and Recreation Plan found on the Town web site here (PDF)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Door-to-Door Sales Scam Alert
The Franklin Police Department is warning residents about a scam involving young men and women, between 18-25 years of age, going door-to-door either trying to sell magazines subscriptions or other services, such as cleaning windows or doing landscaping. The ultimate goal is have residents write a check to a company called Quality Subscriptions Inc. (QSI) with the expectation of something in return.
The salespeople often mislead residents. They portray themselves as either living in the local area or being friends of someone in the neighborhood. They are apparently contracted by a company out of Georgia called Quality Subscriptions Inc. (QSI) or United Family Circulation. Information about this company can be readily obtained on the internet.
The Town of Franklin requires most solicitors to provide information and obtain a permit from the Police Department prior to conducting business. Residents are encouraged to contact this Department about anyone soliciting door-to-door to make sure they are registered.
The salespeople often mislead residents. They portray themselves as either living in the local area or being friends of someone in the neighborhood. They are apparently contracted by a company out of Georgia called Quality Subscriptions Inc. (QSI) or United Family Circulation. Information about this company can be readily obtained on the internet.
The Town of Franklin requires most solicitors to provide information and obtain a permit from the Police Department prior to conducting business. Residents are encouraged to contact this Department about anyone soliciting door-to-door to make sure they are registered.
Election "line up" card - updated
This was just updated to reflect the announcement at the Town Council meeting on 9/2/09 that Deb Bartlett will not be running for re-election this year,
------
Table below shows the positions available for election this November.
The Candidates column initially showed just the incumbents.
Those who have confirmed taking out papers are marked with a * and bold.
New candidates have their name in bold with -new.
The existing position holders who have not yet taken out papers are listed for reference to keep track of the "line up card"
So what does this tell us?
We need more candidates! The only election competition is for the Board of Health position.
------
Table below shows the positions available for election this November.
The Candidates column initially showed just the incumbents.
Those who have confirmed taking out papers are marked with a * and bold.
New candidates have their name in bold with -new.
The existing position holders who have not yet taken out papers are listed for reference to keep track of the "line up card"
So what does this tell us?
We need more candidates! The only election competition is for the Board of Health position.
| Name | # of Openings | Candidates | Term of Office |
| Board of Assessors | 1 Position (For 4 years) | Robert Avakian* | 2009 to 2013 |
| Board of Health | 1 Position (For 4 years) | Bruce Hunchard* Koren Kanadanian-new | 2009 to 2013 |
| Planning Board | 2 Position (For 4 years) | Anthony Padula* | 2009 to 2013 |
| * 1Vacant | Joseph Halligan-new | 2009 to 2013 | |
| Planning Board (Associate) | * 1 vacant position (For 4 Years) | 2009 to 2013 | |
| Town Council | 9 Positions (For 2 Years) | Joseph McGann | 2009 to 2011 |
| Deborah Bartlett - not running again | |||
| R. Scott Mason* | |||
| Christopher Feeley | |||
| Judith Pond Pfeffer* | |||
| Thomas Doak - not running again | |||
| Shannon Zollo* | |||
| Robert Vallee* | |||
| Stephen Whalen | |||
| Glenn Jones- new Daniel Ballinger-new | |||
| School Committee | 7 Positions (For 2 Years) | Cora Armenio | 2009 to 2011 |
| Susan Rohrbach* | |||
| Paula Mullen* | |||
| Edward Cafasso* | |||
| Roberta Trahan | |||
| Matthew Kelly | |||
| Jeffrey Roy* |
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