Live reporting - FY 2010 Budget Q and A

Armenio - will the schedule rotate?
Light - we are still working out the details but yes it will rotate

Armenio - fees won't go away, participation may go down, I'm not happy with the fees. What about enrollment?
Light - we are estimating an increase of about 50-75 but things are still in flux

Kelly - The elementary numbers changed from the 3/24/09 presentation, can you explain the difference?
Minkle - The numbers are closer to actual but have been changing; April 30th enrollment, May 15th kindergarten enrollment, with a teacher reduction of 20 (versus 30 prior)

Cafasso - What will happen now with the library space? What will they be used for, how will the students use them?
Sabolinski - Assistance to checkin/checkout books will still exist, teachers can still bring their classes, there just won't be instruction in the library

Cafasso - Hard to predict what extracurriculars will be offered depending upon the teachers remaining and the student interest
Wittcoff - The middle school programs change each year depending upon the teachers and the student interest

Cafasso - Are any left in the district?
Ogden - Yes, elementary level

Cafasso - What is the role of CET in our district?
Wittcoff - They provide support to teachers in instructional practices
Ogden - There is a hope that some of the stimulus funds can be used to restore some of these positions outside of the budget.

Cafasso - Would you like to add anything to this discussion?
Wittcoff - The corner stone of the middle school model is teaming, by teaming, the teachers are sharing the same students. This allows the teachers to share and identify the students for help as required. This level is second only to the elementary level in rate of brain growth. This is a critical period, this model has been in use for 50 years, anything less than this would be a step back in time.

Cafasso - I don't see a fee cap for a family?
Ogden - We did not reach agreement in the subcommittee

Cafasso - I am disappointed with where we are, at a time when the President has announced the first Latino women in an appointment to the Supreme Court, schools are supposed to be the safety net for kids.

Rohrbach - What will PE/Health look like next year?
Ogden - Peter Light (High school principal) has not completed collecting data from the students. I can say it will look different, there will be less. The high school will look more like the elementary model where they get it once a week.

Live reporting - FY 2010 Discussion

Salary a big chunk
Health care, Transportation, and Out of district tuition account for the bulk of the remaining amount.

Elementary level $210
Middle Schools $225
High School $355

This is the apportionment of the budget on a per pupil basis
Some of the budget line item changes can be directly attributed to these amounts flowing to the schools

Overall reducing 42-25 positions with this budget

High School
Asst Principal, Secretary, Librarian, and four teachers = total of seven positions

Class sizes can remain manageable with a change in the schedule from 7 period rotating to a 6 period schedule. 60 minute per period.

Middle Schools
2 grade 6 teachers
4 grade 7 teachers
4 grade 8 teachers
2 music
1 librarian
1 Math curriculum enhancement teacher

Class sizes remain significantly high

Elementary Schools
18.5 classroom teachers
2.5 librarians
1.2 specialists

Class size will be much increased, 21 of the 30 class groupings will exceed School Committee guidelines

User Activity Fees
As announced previously, the fees will increase over the next three years to bring the fee revenue into a 50/50 support level with the budget assumptions

Athletic fees, pay-to-ride, extracurricular fees are the three areas covered.
Page 9 depicts the fee schedule for the next three years

A calculation of the fees shows a "typical" family with students at the High School could amount to $3,000 per year. This would be about 60% of the average property tax amount.

The budget reduction targeted 3 million has come within 1,489,233.
The Senate budget differs significantly from the House and Governor's budget. That amount is not reflected in the numbers shown here.

Summary

• No late bus
• High school scheduling changes
• Split teams at the Middle Schools
• Larger elementary class sizes
• Programing changes (Music, library, PE/Health)
• Fewer extracurricular activities

Live reporting - FY 2010 Budget

This is the budget document from the packet for the meeting this evening

FY 2010 Budget 5/26/09

View more Microsoft Word documents from Steve Sherlock.

Live reporting - Cafeteria takes deferment

The cafeteria workers voted to take the wage increase deferment for this year.

Live reporting - School Committee 5/26/09

Attending: Armenio, Cafasso, Kelly, Mullen, Roy, Rohrbach, Trahan
Missing: none

1. Routine Business

Citizen’s Comments - none

Review of Agenda - remove warrants from the agenda for tonight

Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the May 12, 2009 School Committee Meeting. Motion to approve, passed 7-0

Payroll Ms. Armenio

FHS Student Representatives

Correspondence: 1. Letter from Ms. Barbara Hiss

live reporting - presentations

Mary Cole - high school track athlete broke the 2 mile record at 11:31

(pictures later)

"teaching does not end at the bell"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 25, 2009 @ 11:10 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

With the fate of at least 16 jobs resting on whether the School Committee and teachers union can agree on a proposed wage deferral, teachers' benefits, workloads and contracts have lately become matters of public debate.

Online comments about some recent Daily News stories on the situation have implied teachers are living "the good life," with three months of vacation, six-hour days that end at 3 p.m., and salaries that burden taxpayers.

Others insist teachers are working 80-hour weeks for low pay, and just don't get the respect from the School Committee they deserve for providing an invaluable service.

This differing views have led to the question: What, exactly, is in that 140-page teachers contract?

It is a complex document, said School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy.

Read the full article on the teacher's contract in the Milford Daily News here

Note: The article is incorrectly reporting on the teacher "demands" (Bold for my emphasis)

" ... the permanent removal of the requirement for teachers to attend one of five floating after-school meetings."

My analysis covering the back story can be found here

Dedication Program

If you'd like to review the program for the Memorial Day Dedication of the Iraq/Afghanistan monument on the Town Common, you can do that here.

Franklin Veterans Memorial - Dedication Program

View more PowerPoint presentation from Steve Sherlock.

If you missed the ceremony or would like to listen to a replay, you can find the audio for the complete ceremony here

School Committee - Agenda - 5/26/09

Call to order Mr. Roy
Pledge of Allegiance
Moment of Silence

1. Routine Business

Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the May 12, 2009 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
Payroll Ms. Armenio
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence: 1. Letter from Ms. Barbara Hiss

2. Guests/Presentations
a. FY10 Budget
b. Mary Cole – Track Star

3. Discussion Only Items

FY10 Budget Hearing
First Reading – Acceptable Use Policy

4. Action Items

• I recommend to amend the preamble of the existing agreement of the Bi-County Collaborative to include the School Committee of the Town of Walpole, MA.
• I recommend approval of the Parmenter Primary Learning Center field trip to Roger Williams Park, in Providence, RI on June 2, 2009.
• I recommend approval of the 2009-2010 School Committee Meeting Schedule.
• I recommend approval of the budget transfers as detailed.
• I recommend acceptance of the donation of $5,000.00 to the FHS Science department in memory of Mr. Donald Redpath from the Sanofi Pasteur Company.
• I recommend approval of the request of Peter Light to declare the attached list of additional FHS Library books as surplus.
• I recommend acceptance the following checks for the Franklin High School Scholarships as listed:

1. $500.00 from Alan Guidrey for the Susan E. Guidrey Memorial.
2. $500.00 from Carla & Richard Guidrey for the Susan E. Guidrey Memorial.
3. $500.00 from Philip & Jennifer Guidrey for the Susan E. Guidrey Memorial.
4. $500.00 from Nancy Lovely for the Susan E. Guidrey Memorial.
5. $500.00 from Janet Guidrey for the Susan E. Guidrey Memorial.
6. $5,000.00 from Jessie Lo & Michael Johnson for the Michael N. Johnson Alumni.

• I recommend approval of the RMS Gr. 8 Science field trip to Roger Williams Park Zoo on June 8, 2009 as detailed.

5. Information Matters

Superintendent’s Report
a. Honorary Diploma
b. Retirements

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

Channel 5 Coverage

Hundreds gathered in Franklin Monday to support two families at the dedication of a memorial honoring their sons.

"Their names are inscribed on that monument, and we want people to understand the sacrifice that was made by Shayne and Robert and the sacrifice of their families," said veterans agent Bob Fahey.

For months, three Franklin High School seniors collected hundreds of dollars at lunch. Workers donated materials and their time, and the garden club created a beautiful setting.

Lance Cpl. Shayne Cabino, 19, and Staff Sgt. Robert Pirelli, 29, were both killed in Iraq. They were honored by a community that will never forget their sacrifices.

Read the full article on the Channel 5 site here

FM #40 - Memorial Day 2009

With no intro/closing music this time, we jump directly to the ceremony on the Franklin Town Common May 25, 2009.

This is the annual Memorial Day remembrance and the dedication of the new Iraq/Afghanistan monument inscribed for Lance Cpl. Shayne Cabino, and Staff Sgt. Robert R. Pirelli.

You can navigate to a specific section of the ceremony with the listing below.

Time: 48 minutes, 28 seconds





MP3 File

Numbers listed refer to the minutes/seconds of the recording

• Opening Statements
• Invocation – Rev Charles Eastman 00:40
• National Anthem – FHS Band 2:00
• Bob Fahey 3:30
• Chris Feeley 8:30
• Rep Jim Vallee 9:23
• Sen Scott Brown 12:43
• Cabino/Pirelli parents escorted 14:38
• Monument unveiled 15:44
• Moment of silence 17:00
• Jodi Cabino/Nancy Pirelli 19:35
• Story of the monument 23:20
• Dave Roche 25:46
• Monument Committee introductions 30:40
• Dedication – Rev Carol Rosine 33:00
• Placement of wreaths 37:00
• Reading the list of Franklin heroes 41:44
• 21 gun salute 44:25
• Taps 44:45
• Final thanks 46:15
• Benediction – Rev Abraham Waya 47:30

Town Common Memorials

Town Common Memorials, originally uploaded by shersteve.

The blue cover of the new memorial will come off during the ceremony immediately following the parade later this morning.

The parade is scheduled to begin at 10:45 AM.

The unveiling should begin approximately 11:15 AM.

Franklin: Oak St Memorial Day performance

Franklin: Oak St Memorial Day performance, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Parents, grandparents, family and friends of Oak St gathered on Friday to hear the Memorial Day performance by the entire school.

"much of the school budget is still in the air"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 24, 2009 @ 08:51 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

The School Committee will begin its public hearing on the budget tomorrow with no idea what the state will award the district, said Superintendent Wayne Ogden.

As of Friday afternoon, the state Senate budget gives Franklin $1.7 million less than the governor's budget, and schools are slated to take about half of that hit.

In total, $1.5 million - including $800,000 in savings from a prospective wage concession from the teacher's union - is in flux in the school budget, Ogden said.

Ogden, School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy, and committee member Ed Cafasso said they were surprised at the Senate slashing Franklin's aid.

The meeting will reflect the recent changes in those numbers, Roy said.

Read more about the school budget in the Milford Daily News here

The opportunity to provide direction to the school committee on what you'd approve of for increases in fees and cuts in services begins with the budget hearing opening Tuesday night.

Tell the School Committee what you think.

more teens caught drinking

By Kendall Hatch/Daily News Correspondent

Milford Daily News

Posted May 24, 2009 @ 08:47 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

More than a dozen people were arrested Saturday night after police raided a party on Charles Drive, police said.

After receiving a call on Saturday at 11:25 p.m., about loud youths in the area, police responded and arrested 14 people between the ages of 18 and 23.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

It wasn't so long ago that FHS hosted the wonderful presentation on teen drinking and substance abuse (Dec 2008). That evening's message appears to have been wasted.

Events in the schools this week

ASMS - Class of 2009 Reunion (Cafetorium) 5/26/09 4:00 PM

Oak - Kindergarten Information Night 5/27/09 6:30 PM

Keller - Fun Fair 5/27/09 4-6:30 PM

Keller - Kindergarten End of Year Performance (Café) 5/28/09 9:00 AM

JFK - 4th Gr. Expo 5/28/09 8:30-10:30 AM

FHS - Sophomore Banquet (Café) 5/29/09 7-10:30 PM

JFK - 2nd Gr. Family Day 5/29/09 All Day

Check each school website for additional information on these events.

FM #39-11 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 11 - Final

This recording for Franklin Matters is the eleventh and final part of the special series to replay the discussion at the Franklin Senior Center on May 17 when Governor Deval Patrick conducted his Town Hall Forum.

Time: 7 minutes, 11 seconds



MP3 File

FM #39-10 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 10

FM #39-9 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 9

FM #39-8 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 8

FM #39-7 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 7

FM #39-6 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 6

FM #39-5 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 5

FM #39-4 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 4

FM #39-3 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 3

FM #39-2 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 2

FM #39-1 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 1


Session Notes:


Music intro
My intro
FM #39-11

This internet radio show or podcast for Franklin Matters is number 39-11 in the series.

This segment of the Town Hall Forum conducted by Governor Deval Patrick at the Franklin Senior center on Sunday May 17th continues the second round of Q&A with

unidentified person, moved from Maryland in 1983,

Gov Patrick thinks aggregation of services should be explored, the solution may not the same for every service – then goes into a quick closing comment

I hope you have learned something from listening to one or more of these segments. I have found them very insightful.

here we go

---- ---- ----
This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow citizens of Franklin, MA

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music

FM #39-10 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 10

This recording for Franklin Matters is the tenth of a special series to replay the discussion at the Franklin Senior Center on May 17 when Governor Deval Patrick conducted his Town Hall Forum.

Time: 14 minutes, 54 seconds



MP3 File

FM #39-9 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 9

FM #39-8 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 8

FM #39-7 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 7

FM #39-6 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 6

FM #39-5 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 5

FM #39-4 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 4

FM #39-3 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 3

FM #39-2 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 2

FM #39-1 Gov Patrick Town Hall - Part 1


Session Notes:


Music intro
My intro
FM #39-10

This internet radio show or podcast for Franklin Matters is number 39-10 in the series.

This segment of the Town Hall Forum conducted by Governor Deval Patrick at the Franklin Senior center on Sunday May 17th continues the second round of Q&A with

Paul – these revenue increases are a “no-brainer” to me, casino revenue should be considered, thanks for reaching out (comment part of the video summary)

Sandra – special ed day program currently being cut could cause one of the two job holders to lose their job to provide the care

Jessie – casino and gambling issues have not be given a proper public discussion, for every dollar in revenue to the state costs 3-4 dollars in providing services related to gambling addiction

Gov Patrick closes this segment with his position on the casino/gambling discussion

---- ---- ----

This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow citizens of Franklin, MA

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music