Franklin Downtown Partnership General Meeting - remote info for Feb 3 session

General Meeting on Feb. 3, 2022 The next general meeting of the Franklin Downtown Partnership will be held on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 8:30 AM via Zoom. The agenda for the meeting will be included in the Partnership's February newsletter. Franklin Downtown Partnership is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Join the Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89873926686 Meeting ID: 898 7392 6686 One tap mobile +13017158592,,89873926686# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location     +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Meeting ID: 898 7392 6686 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb0h2PVbAS Franklin Downtown Partnership

Franklin Downtown Partnership | 9 E. Central St., Franklin, MA 02038 Sent by franklindowntownpartnership@gmail.com powered by Try email marketing for free today!

Franklin Public Schools: District Newsletter - January 2022

Most Recent Updates, District Highlights and more!

Franklin Public Schools District Newsletter January 2021 Food Services District Calendar School Committee Transportation 21-22 School Calendar Feb. 11th will be a half day for Professional Development day. Last day of school is now June 21st due to the snow day on 1/7. Updated District COVID-19 Policies and Programs On January, 10th, 2022, The Department of Secondary and Elementary Education (DESE) made the decision to extend the mask mandate until February 28th, 2022. Although Franklin High School has a masking waiver for achieving over 80% positivity, all individuals in every Franklin Public School is required to mask at this time. On January 18th, 2022, the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education released a joint statement with the Department of Public Health regarding updated COVID-19 testing support and guidance. In accordance with DESE and DPH, Franklin Public Schools is updating our COVID-19 Testing Program to offer free in-home rapid antigen testing for students and staff starting the week of January 31st. Contact tracing will not be taking place for in school exposure. A part of this shift in the program, we are discontinuing the Test and Stay and contract tracing for in-school close contacts. This means that if your child is a potential contact in school, they may continue to come to school and do not have to quarantine. We request that families notify your school nurse if your student was an out of school close contact that requires isolation under the current guidelines from DPH. Learn more about our Testing and Quarantine Response here. FHS Happenings! FHS DECA Franklin High School DECA students competed in the DECA District Two Conference. The organization is focused on developing and empowering students interested in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. 119 FHS DECA students qualified to compete at the State Career Development Conference in March. Congratulations to all and best of luck! No Place for Hate Campaign FHS Students reflected on Dr. King's legacy in honor of MLK Day. Drawing from his activism, they embark on their mission to make FHS a Anti Defamation League - No Place For Hate. View their takeaways below...   Video link =>  https://youtu.be/P_8scrVmJpg    Calling All K-5 Families! Join us to learn more about our new elementary math resource, Illustrative Mathematics! Dr. Tina Rogers, Director of Curriculum, STEM & Elementary Math Specialists will be hosting. Access event information here.! Upcoming Author Visit with Ruta Sepety Attention HMMS parents! HMMS was chosen for a special visit from historical fiction author Ruta Sepety. She is coming to HMMS for a virtual visit on Wednesday, Feb. 2nd. Students who have read one or more of her books (or who plan to finish one before February 2) are invited to attend! She will talk about her writing journey, research process, uncovering hidden history, and give a sneak peek of her 2022 thriller I Must Betray You. Students and staff who wish to attend are asked to sign up using the Google Form. From the School Committee During the January 11th School Committee meeting, Student Services provided a presentation on Special Education throughout all grade levels with supplemental data, district resources and various programs meant to support our students. The presentation is available to view via this link. On January 25th, FHS Principal Josh Hannah presented on the program of studies. The presentation is available here. Please join us for our next meeting on February 8th at 7pm. Happy New Year to our FPS Families, Faculty, Staff and Franklin Community! Franklin Public Schools www.franklinps.net

Franklin Public Schools | 355 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038 www.franklinps.net Sent by communications@franklinps.net powered by Try email marketing for free today!

When the snow buries hydrants, you can adopt one!

"Residents and civic groups (Scouts, local youth groups, Franklin High School teams, etc.) can "adopt" a hydrant or hydrants.  

This is intended to be a commitment for the 2020/2021 snow season and can be applied towards student community service hours.  

Visit our website https://www.franklinma.gov/water.../pages/adopt-hydrant to Adopt-A-Hydrant today!"

 

Shared from Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551606135109407/permalink/3087635771506428/

"Adopt a hydrant" program returns with winter weather

Franklin DLI - January 2022 Newsletter available

Check out the Franklin Public Schools January DLI newsletter. 
#FPSDigitalLearning @FranklinPSNews #franklin
https://t.co/oeqhG1NcuH

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/DliFranklin/status/1487098034055954439

Franklin DLI - January 2022 Newsletter available

Conned on social media? It’s not just you

Conned on social media? It's not just you by Rosario Méndez Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC In 2021, more than 95,000 people told the FTC that they'd been scammed with a con that started on social media. Today's Data Spotlight gives us insights into how scammers use social media to con people. Read more >  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2022/01/conned-social-media-its-not-just-you?utm_source=govdelivery

If you see or experience scam on social media, report it to ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Social Security’s Top 5 Data Privacy Resources

From the Social Security Administration: 

"Are you looking for better ways to stay safe online? As you know, Security is in our name. We are committed to protecting your personal information and take this responsibility seriously. We keep this commitment in mind when we collect information from you to carry out our mission. 

As we celebrate Data Privacy Week, we are sharing our top five privacy resources:"

Continue reading about the 5 resources

https://blog.ssa.gov/social-securitys-top-5-data-privacy-resources/

Social Security’s Top 5 Data Privacy Resources

Town of Franklin: MBTA proposed fare changes for 2022

Since Franklin is an @MBTA community, we wanted to share some information regarding the MBTA's proposed fare changes for 2022. 

For more information about the changes, and how you can provide feedback, please visit the MBTA website at  https://t.co/156LcjvLL8 or ->   https://www.mbta.com/fares/2022-proposed-fare-changes.

Shared from Twitter: https://t.co/C2fyp2mfkm

Town of Franklin: MBTA proposed fare changes for 2022

Update: parking ban for this weekend in advance of the forecasted blizzard

Parking Ban, 1AM Sat to 8AM Sun

•     Schools, 
•     Library, 
•     Recycling 

all closed Sat and Sun. 

All recreation events cancelled also canceled this weekend

Shared from Town of Franklin page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/parking-ban-129-1am-130-8am

Be safe!

Will we see snow like we did in 2015? Stay tuned!

Franklin's Event Outlook: Jan 28, 2022 to Feb 3, 2022

Between COVID-19 shutting the Historical Museum and LiveARTS, and the approaching snow storm rescheduling the remaining events, the calendar is quiet and clear. 

• The Winter Farmers Market moved to Sunday. 
• St Mary's canceled Saturday services. 
• LiveARTS postponed their concert Sunday

We'll likely hear of additional changes as the storm impact gets more clear. Be safe.

Saturday, January 29
10:00am - CLOSED - Historical Museum

Sunday, January 30
10:00am - Changed-> Winter Farmers Market
1:00pm - CLOSED -> Historical Museum
3:00pm - Postponed -> LiveARTS String Quartet 

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

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

The School district calendar is found   https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26

Community Calendar

Recap: Procedure review completed; Town Administrator review previewed

Quick Recap:

• In back to back meetings on Wednesday, two subcommittees of the Town Council completed discussion on their tasks
• First, the Procedural Review picked up from their Dec meeting to complete review of the current document and make mostly minor and/or technical revisions. One key component is to expand the remote participation up to "no more than 4". Pre-pandemic only one councilor was allowed to participate via phone remotely. Now, with Zoom in place, the limit can be raised to 4. Still need to maintain a physical quorum in the room
• This is also pending further review depending upon what the State House does with the Open Meeting Law requirements with the current pandemic exceptions expiring in April (or June?)
• The procedure doc changes as drafted by the subcommittee will be reviewed at a meeting Feb 2, before the full council session at 7, and scheduled for full discussion with the Council
• Second, the Ad Hoc Town Administrator Review subcommittee met to review the performance and accomplishments of Jamie Hellen
• Jamie insisted that his review is a reflection of the overall town personnel in providing service to the community. When pressed if he had any plans to leave, he said no. Paraphrasing - I don't take things for granted, it has been most rewarding here, we are rooted in MA, if I had my druthers, I'd stay here. I am still young. #tctar0126 I'd be more than honored to serve here at your discretion.
• The full review write up is currently planned to be brought to the Town Council for the Feb 16 meeting for their full discussion and approval

The combined Twitter thread for the two meetings is located here (below).  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MBd3ieaUnIBVv8rrJ9zV_Bo2e8FBhJK9/view?usp=sharing

The audio recording of the TA review meeting will be available in a couple of days.

 

Town Administrator Jamie Hellen updating the Council at a recent meeting

St Mary's schedule change for this weekend/snowstorm

Due to the snow storm  forecasted for this weekend, and also for public safety reasons, St. Mary Parish, Franklin, will be closed on Saturday, January 29, 2022.  

There will be no Masses, confessions, or funerals on Saturday.  

St. Mary's will reopen on Sunday, January 30 for the 7:30 AM Mass. There will also be a 10:30 AM and 12:00 PM Mass on Sunday.  

Stay safe! 

St Mary's schedule change for this weekend/snowstorm

Panther News: Friday, January 28, 2022 (video)

Watch this week's episode of Panther News featuring insights on Haiti   https://youtu.be/usewYfUKXnk