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Amongst the many things possible, there is (1) a performance of Little Women at Dean College and (2) wool spinning at the Franklin Historical Museum on Sunday
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(1) Franklin, MA – The Dean College Theatre program will present Louisa Mae Alcott’s classic tale of growing up in 19th-century New England, Little Women: The Musical starting Thursday, October 14, with evening and matinee performances throughout the weekend. The production features 12 students from the College’s School of the Arts who are majoring in theatre, musical theatre or arts and entertainment management. The production is directed by Dean College faculty member Craig Handel; and the musical elements will be under the direction of Rob Goldman. The musical recently ran on Broadway.
"We wouldn’t be able to approach the quality of work that our students have been doing lately without Rob,” said Prof. Handel. “He’s not only a great conductor and vocal coach, but he’s a teacher who understands and communicates the difference between professional quality work and the type of work usually done by amateurs. Under Rob, our students are constantly being pushed toward the higher standard and the results have been apparent in the high quality of our shows.”
The much-beloved story of Little Women: The Musical centers around the four March sisters and focuses primarily on Jo, the second oldest of the girls. The plot traces Joe’s evolution from an uncertain but headstrong young girl into a mature and successful writer. According to Handel, the character of Jo has been an inspirational role model for young girls ever since Alcott published the novel in 1868.
“The songs in this musical version tap into the struggle and eventual triumph of Jo’s spirit in a way that truly captures the inspirational elements of her journey,” said Prof. Handel.
The play will run Thursday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m.; 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, October 15 and 16; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 17. All performances will take place in the Dean College Performing Arts Studio on School Street. Tickets are $15. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 508-541-1606 or visit the website at http://www.dean.edu/events/index.cfm.
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(2) SPECIAL EVENT - this Sunday, October 17th
Wool Spinners (probably 6-8 women) from Bellingham will demonstrate how wool is spun into yarn with their antique spinning wheel. They will then explain how this yarn can turn into sweaters, scarves, etc. Come and watch this historical event and learn their special techniques.
United Regional Young Professionals Organization invites you to a night of fun and Cosmic Bowling at North Bowl, 71 E. Washington St., North Attleborough, on Nov. 9, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. $20 per bowler includes two hours of bowling, shoes, pizza and soda. Please bring a non-perishable food item for donation to a local food pantry. Reservations required. Contact Vicky Faunce at 508-223-5218 or vicky.faunce@bcsbmail.com.
The YPO is a branch of The United Regional Chamber of Commerce and is comprised of 20- and 30-something business professionals who have an interest in social and business networking, community involvement, and professional development. YPO participants must be at least 21 years old. For more information, visit the YPO's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/unitedregionalypo.
Franklin, MA – Dean College is once again offering its innovative "Dean Fall II" program giving students who were unable to start college in September, or who were unhappy with their college choice the opportunity to take classes at an accelerated rate without falling behind a semester.
"Based on the needs of many young adults and the success of last year's program, we are again offering this program," said John Marcus, Vice President of Enrollment Services and Marketing. "Dean Fall II is affordable and accessible and allows students to earn 9 credit hours before the start of the spring semester either as a commuter or as a resident student."
Students enroll in three courses taught in an accelerated format and classes begin October 26, 2010 and run through December 16, 2010. The courses include core academic classes in humanities and social sciences designed to keep them on track towards a degree.
Federal Financial Assistance is available to qualified students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA.)
For more information about the Dean Fall II program, please call 508-541-1508 or go to admissions.dean.edu/fall2 to download an application.
In its continued efforts to attract and retain businesses the Town of Franklin is holding an economic development related event at 8:30 a.m. on October 27, 2010 at 431 Washington Street in Franklin. The primary purpose of the event is to inform property owners and commercial real estate companies with available property within the Town’s Economic Opportunity Areas that there are resources available to assist them. The secondary purpose is to assist with marketing of these properties and our business friendly community in general. We want the commercial/industrial site selection world to look to the Town of Franklin first when looking to site a facility.
This gathering of property owners, business owners and managers, State officials, commercial property realtors, and others in the site selection field, will discuss ways in which available incentives can be used to stimulate economic activity within the Town of Franklin’s six Economic Opportunity Areas and Town’s other industrial and commercial areas. Property owners and realtors attempting to lease or sell a commercial or industrial property within the Town of Franklin are being asked to bring marketing materials to display and distribute at the event.
As part of the event (Resources for Massachusetts Business Development) representatives from state agencies and other economic development related organizations will introduce themselves and discuss potential resources that they may have available. These organizations include Massachusetts Office of Business Development, MassDevelopment, Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development, and Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.
With the sluggish economy the Town of Franklin needs to utilize all economic development incentives available to it in order to assist companies looking to settle or expand in the region. One of the most attractive incentives that a Massachusetts city or town can offer businesses looking to locate or expand in their community is a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) agreement. To qualify for tax increment financing a business must propose an expansion project within an Economic Opportunity Area.
As a member of the I-495/95 South Regional Economic Target Area, the Town of Franklin can designate specific parcels as economic opportunity areas. During 2009 the Town of Franklin created three large economic opportunity areas, which were approved by the State’s Economic Assistance Coordinating Council in April 2009. Earlier this year Franklin Town Council approved creation of three additional economic opportunity areas; the Town expects approval from the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council during November 2010. The six economic opportunity areas consist of 100 parcels totaling over 945 acres.
Currently there are at least 1,000,000 square feet of vacant or underutilized buildings in Franklin’s commercially and industrially zoned areas, most of which are within the Town’s six economic opportunity areas. This vacant property includes the majority of the 242,000+ square feet of floor space at 431 Washington Street, which is the former home of the Investor Services Division of Putnam Investments. The property’s management company, Marsh and McLennan Companies, has graciously agreed to host the Town’s 2010 Economic Development Summit at their 431 Washington Street facility.
The community’s industrially zoned areas are home to dozens of research and development and manufacturing companies, and Franklin has attracted innovative technology companies in a wide range of industries, including nanotechnology, robotics, logistics, data storage, medical devices, biotechnology, and specialty materials. Franklin hopes to use the economic opportunity area designation as an incentive to encourage these existing businesses to expand, as well as to attract new businesses, promote a higher level of investment in the Town’s commercial and industrial areas, increase employment options for the Town of Franklin’s residents, and increase the Town’s commercial and industrial tax base.
The potential benefits resulting from the formation of these economic opportunity areas are substantial not only for property owners and businesses within the economic opportunity areas, but also for the Town of Franklin and the region in general. A tax increment finance agreement is a 5 to 20 year property tax exemption based on the increased value of the property due to new construction or significant improvements.
The municipality supports the use of Tax Increment Financing agreements, especially for development projects that create livable wage jobs, support innovative technologies, and result in redevelopment of empty or underutilized industrially zoned properties or development of new facilities. In addition to the possibility of negotiating a tax increment finance agreement with the Town of Franklin, potential economic benefits for companies within economic opportunity areas can be significant, including an investment tax credit for qualifying tangible depreciable assets, as well as a ten-percent abandoned building tax deduction for costs associated with the renovation of a building that has been at least seventy-five percent vacant for two or more years.
Franklin is continually looking for ways to create conditions favorable for business expansion, and assist property owners fill the Town’s currently empty or underutilized industrially zoned manufacturing, warehouse and office space. The Town is hopeful expanding businesses will take advantage of these opportunities.
Please contact Planning and Community Development Director, Bryan Taberner, if you have questions or require additional information regarding the Town of Franklin’s economic opportunity area initiative, or the Economic Development Summit being held on October 27th.
STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR BUSINESS TO BUSINESS EXPO
The Business to Business Expo, a collaboration of four local chambers of commerce, will be held at the Taunton Holiday Inn, 700 Myles Standish Dr., Taunton, on Oct. 28 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is taking part in this event that highlights some of the most vibrant companies in the region. The Expo features businesses from throughout the region served by The United Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Taunton Area Chamber of Commerce, the Cranberry Country Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce.
The Expo will be held with a Business After Hours from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature two free seminars: the ABCs of E-Tools by Trish White from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Uncovering the Hidden Profit in Productivity by Ed McDonough from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Exhibitors have two choices of display space. Companies can choose an 8' x 6' booth which includes a 6' skirted table, two chairs and a company sign or a 3' x 6' skirted table. The cost is $349 for a booth and $249 for a table top for participating Chamber members, and $599 and $499 respectively for non-members.
Admission to the event for visitors is free.
For more information, call The United Regional Chamber of Commerce at 508-222-0810 or 508-528-2800.
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, business support organization serving the communities of Attleboro, Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxborough, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Wrentham.
Franklin, MA -- Admissions counselors from more than 60 Colleges and Universities will visit with prospective students at Dean College's annual College Fair on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 from 5-7 p.m. in the Atrium of the College's Campus Center.
"All local high school students are encouraged to attend," said Tracy Nowak, Academic Advisor and Transfer Services Coordinator at Dean. "Admissions counselors will be on hand to answer questions about their institutions. It is a great opportunity to learn about the academic programs offered by the various colleges as well as the activities, services, financial aid, and housing options they have available.
The College Fair will be held in the Campus Center Atrium, 135 Emmons Street. For more information contact Tracy Nowak at (508) 541-1536.
When: Monday, October 25, 2010 - 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Franklin YMCA Bernon Family Branch, 45 Forge Hill Road, Franklin
Agenda items: Mission Statement, Land updates, and committee sign-ups
We are going write our Mission Statement and elect steering committee chairs.
Our steering committee will be comprised of:
1) a Chairperson
2) a Co-Chair
3) Treasurer
4) Recording Secretary
5) Garden Site Coordinators, 1 for Giving Garden, 1 for Community Garden (and hopefully 1 for a Youth Garden!)
6) Committe Chairs, tbd
We will work as a group determine what our committee structure should be, list them, and enlist chairpersons and co-chairs for them.
Some committees will go to work right away, and some will get busy in the near future.
We listed our visions for a community garden at our first meetings. A mission statement will be very important as we begin to source funding for our garden(s) and to educate the community at large about what we are doing and why.
Question 3 is on the ballot for November's election.
We all want good schools, police and fire protection, safe roads and bridges, clean water and quality health care. Cutting the sales tax by more than half would deprive our communities of the revenue to pay for them.
Franklin already is too dependent upon state aid, to lose additional money would devastate the town. How much would we lose? The website calculates the amount each community would lose if Question 3 is approved.
5. Information Matters Superintendent’s Report a. Enrollment Comparison
down 48 students and verifying some home eligibility requirements
b. FHS Feasibility
architects work underway
scheduled for an Oct 27th presentation at the Building Committee, approx 7:15 PM that evening, although meeting starts at 6:00/6:30? (check to confirm)
will come before the School Committee at a meeting to be scheduled
c. HMMS Principal Search
ad ran in Sunday's paper
wanted to look at the responses before setting up the process
School Committee Sub-Committee Reports
Joint Budget Subcommittee, started discussion on initial budget
Space needs subcommittee met and would like to be on the agenda for November
School Committee Liaison Reports Joint PCC meeting initial meeting for the year, well attended
They provide over $150,000 to support school programs
(This does not include the athletic boosters, music boosters)
6. New Business To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee. FEF Casino night Friday, Nov 19th at the Elks
7. Executive Session Contractual Negotiations
motion to enter executive session, via roll call passed 7-0
4. Action Items a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,500.00 from the YMCA/Stop & Shop Healthy Futures Grant for field trips, supplies and supplemental curriculum materials for the Annie Sullivan Middle School.
motion to accept, passed 7-0
b. I recommend acceptance of a check for $200.00 from the ASMS PCC for field trips.
motion to accept, passed 7-0
c. I recommend acceptance of a check for $5,000.00 from the Jefferson PCC for Field Trips for Jefferson Elementary School students.
motion to accept, passed 7-0
d. I recommend approval of the recurring field trip for Middle School Chorus students to New York City to see a Broadway show on May 7, 2011 as detailed. motion to accept, passed 7-0
e. I recommend approval of the FHS School Improvement Plan as detailed. motion to accept, passed 7-0
10% target, actually increased 48% on advanced placement courses taken
MCAS is all about Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) in the subgroups (special education in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math)
Principals Council (see members listed in presentation above)
teacher goals being tied into 2 of the 3 goals of the improvement plan (the first three are multi-year goals and school wide)
Mullen - have you considered not doing summer reading?
Light - how do you increase the passion for reading with students who are reluctant to read? We want students to learn, that excites them over the summer and are going that way.
Sabolinski - we need to define the purpose for summer reading? Having a hiatus year is good to provide the time to sit back and reflect on what we are doing and what we should do.
