Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI - Mar 15 to THU - Mar 21

Friday, March 15

 Book sale setup

10:00am

 Knitting Group

1:00pm

 Library Book Sale (new schedule)

7:30pm

 Seussical

Saturday, March 16

9:00am

 Book Sale

9:00am

 Library Book Sale (new schedule)

9:30am

 Family Yoga Adventure

1:00pm

 Library Bag Sale (new schedule)

7:30pm

 Seussical

Sunday, March 17

 St. Patrick's Day

2:00pm

 Seussical

Monday, March 18

10:30am

 Move Along

11:00am

 Toddler Playgroup

2:30pm

 Musical Rehearsal

3:00pm

 Monday Crafternoons

3:30pm

 Dungeons & Dragons for Kids ( Teen Room)

7:00pm

 OSKEY Rehearsal

7:00pm

 FinCom - FY 2020 Budget hearing #1 of 4

Tuesday, March 19

9:30am

 Cool Cruisers

10:30am

 Get Ready for Kindergarten

2:30pm

 Musical Rehearsal

4:30pm

 SPRING ART Snow Date

6:00pm

 MICCA All Town Showcase Concert Orchestra/Chorus SNOW DATE

6:00pm

 MICCA All Town Showcase Concert Orchestra/Chorus SNOW DATE

6:30pm

 Blackstone Valley Veggie Gardens - Companion Plants

7:00pm

 FinCom - FY 2020 Budget hearing #2 of 4

Wednesday, March 20

10:30am

 Terrific Toddlers

11:00am

 Toddler Playgroup

4:00pm

 Construction Junction

5:00pm

 Book Bites

7:00pm

 OSKEY Rehearsal

7:00pm

 Town Council Meeting

Thursday, March 21

9:30am

 Baby Tummy Time

10:30am

 Story & Craft

2:30pm

 Musical Rehearsal

4:00pm

 Fandom Thursdays

6:00pm

 MICCA All Town Showcase Concert - Band SNOW DATE

6:00pm

 Volunteens

6:30pm

 Myths & Miracles of Victorian Medicine

For the interactive version, please visit

http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

For the Town of Franklin Public Meeting Calendar

http://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

Submit an event for the Community Calendar, please use this link

https://goo.gl/forms/7Pr1iBuAiIna7cUo2

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI - Mar 15 to THU - Mar 21

Franklin-based "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" support group launching April 10 at the Y

Starting on April 10 the Franklin Y will host a bi-monthly meeting of a support group called Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. This program is a collaboration between the Y, the SAFE Coalition, and the state Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. 

There is a population of grandparents who are being awarded custody of their grandchildren as their own children deal with substance abuse disorder issues. Many of them are 60 years old or younger and still working, limiting their time to access resources to guide them through raising kids again, while dealing with the continuing grief of knowing that their children's situation is at the point where the courts have taken away their parental custody.

This group will provide information, resources, and support for grandparents and kinship caregivers. It will meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at the Franklin Y, 45 Forge Hill Road, from 6:30 – 7:30 PM. 

The group will be facilitated by a SAFE Coalition Board of Director and trained social worker, Meredith Poulten. The Y will provide child care to grandparents who need to bring their grandchildren with them in order to make the meeting.

Please see the flyer for more information. Get a copy of the flyer here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczaVpsQUdhLWNyakVwcy1DZ3NkS2VLaGVPdWxz/view?usp=sharing

Franklin-based "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" support group launching April 10 at the Y

Watch "RMS Pi Day 2019" on YouTube

Remington Middle School prepared to celebrate PI Day in a grand way.

Enjoy!






2019 PI Day video  https://youtu.be/C5wAko9q9tE

2018 PI Day video   https://youtu.be/lo6WV5e09hk

FHS Softball: annual youth clinic for grades K-5 - Mar 23

CALLING ALL YOUTH SOFTBALL PLAYERS! 

FHS Softball is hosting our annual youth clinic for grades K-5 on Saturday March 23 from 9 AM - 12 PM in the FHS gym. Learn the fundamentals of fast pitch or expand your skill base with fun drills and stations led by Varsity Coach Kate Fallon, her coaching staff and current varsity players! 

See the attached flyer for registration details or click the link below for online registration and payment

online registration and payment
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xN7Wc_-4MpecpFf8L_3qWCRHZ8uxUyU19UmRjS_XBhM/edit

flyer for registration details
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczYmdlQXRtby1hM3Fra3BjVVhUNXRCeDE5dGFz/view?usp=sharing

FHS Panthers - Girls Softball

Internet & Social Media Safety for Students - March 27

Lifelong Community Learning is offering a class aimed at informing middle school students about the importance of being careful when using the Internet & social media. The workshop will be conducted by community service officers from the Franklin Police Department.

Social networks involve a lot of sharing, including photos, videos, links, and personal information - and it’s not always good. Many kids and teens enjoy sharing these things with their friends, but they may actually be sharing information with more people than they realize. For example, accepting friend requests from strangers. This means their "friends" may not be people they can trust.

Internet & Social Media Safety for Students, will take place on Wednesday, March 27 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at Franklin High School. Participation is open to all area middle school students. The class is FREE but registration is required.

For more information and to register, go online www.FranklinLifelongLearning.com and click on Lifelong Community Learning. You can also call Lifelong Community Learning at 508-613-1480.

Lifelong Community Learning is a program of the Franklin Public Schools Lifelong Learning Institute, dedicated to providing diverse and enriched education and experiences for all area residents and children – a resource for all ages.

Internet & Social Media Safety for Students - March 27

MBTA's Rail Vision Update -Survey open until March 29

Dear Rail Vision Subscribers,

Thanks to more than 100 participants at last week's Rail Vision Open House. Our team heard lots of comments and suggestions, explained the alternatives, and learned about your challenges and preferences. You can follow up by visiting the project website where there are fact sheets on each alternative that include a map of the service area, service features, and a summary of benefits and trade-offs. You can share additional comments by emailing us at RailVision@state.ma.us.

The Rail Vision Non-Rider Survey remains available until March 29. It can be accessed on any device by visiting www.MBTARailVisionSurvey.com. The survey takes about 20 seconds to complete and is a creative way for people who do not regularly use the rail system to let us know what is important to them. Non-rider voices and their responses will help frame alternatives we hope will inspire more drivers to leave the highway and board a train more regularly. Please share the survey link widely.

If you were not able to attend the open house, you can find the presentation on the study website, along with materials from our past Advisory Committee meetings. You can also send comments and questions via the website.

The Rail Vision Team


This location is accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact MassDOT's Chief Diversity and Civil Rights Officer by phone (857-368-8580), fax (857-368-0602), TTD/TTY (857-368-0603) or by email

MASSDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us. Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting, and for more difficult to arrange services including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten business days before the meeting.

Title VI Notice of Nondiscrimination: MassDOT complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related federal and state statutes and regulations. It is the policy of MassDOT to ensure that no person or group of persons shall on the grounds of Title VI protected categories, including race, color, national origin, or under additional federal and state protected categories including sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity administered by MassDOT. 

To request additional information about this commitment, or to file a complaint under Title VI or a related nondiscrimination provision, please contact MassDOT's Title VI Specialist by phone at (857) 368-8580, TTY at (857) 368-8580, fax (857) 368-0602or by e-mail at MASSDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us.

If information is needed in another language, please contact the MassDOT Title VI Specialist by phone at (857) 368-8580.

MBTA's Rail Vision Update  -Survey open until March 29   Questions?   Contact Us

Register Now: Spring Music for Young Children session at Encore Music

The Spring Music for Young Children session is open for registration now at Encore Music.

Register Now: Spring Music for Young Children session at Encore Music

Register online at  http://www.encoremusicacademy.net/

Crafters wanted - 17th Annual Strawberry Stroll - June 14

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is seeking crafters for its upcoming Strawberry Stroll on Friday, June 14 at 4 PM to 8 PM (rain date June 15). This 17th Annual Strawberry Stroll is expected to be the largest ever. 

Enjoy live music, dancing, sidewalk sales, activities, delicious foods and more with thousands of people of all ages on the closed-off streets of downtown Franklin.

Crafters can register for a space at the Strawberry Stroll for $75. The registration form will be available on the Partnership’s website in mid-April, www.franklindowntownpartnership.com

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a non-profit, 501©3 organization that supports downtown revitalization and streetscape efforts, and organizes events such as the Strawberry Stroll, Harvest Festival and Beautification days.

Crafters wanted - 17th Annual Strawberry Stroll - June 14

Charter School building updates

The BFCCPS Charter School has been one of the topics of conversation at the School Committee and Town Council meetings this week. The financial forecast for this year and next year's budget is not good and coming up with additional funding (yes, an override option was mentioned) is part of the discussion.

The Charter School was one of the topics due to the State funding formula which would re-allocate additional money from the FPS school budget as BFCCPS expands this September. 98 additional students from Franklin are reported to have won a lottery to attend the new school as it opens in Sep, unfortunately also taking funds from Franklin per the State formula.

This topic was also raised with Franklin's legislative delegates during the School Committee Legislative Forum in February. There is talk of changes to the formula but when and if that happens this year is unknown.

Stay tuned to the budget discussion. The Finance Committee budget hearings open Mar 18, Mar 19, Mar 25, and Mar 26.

From the BFCCPS web page:

"We visited the site on Friday March 1st and have lots of new photos to share. You will see lots of interior progress since our last two weeks ago. We will continue to share updates on the building every other week moving forward."

exterior view of the new facility under construction for BFCCPS
and scheduled to open in Sep 2019 (BFCCPS photo)

Find additional photos and updates from BFCCPS on their web page
http://bfccps.org/march-1st-expansion-update/

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse, Wrentham

OCC COFFEEHOUSE

Original Congregational Church

1 East Street, Wrentham, MA 02093

Phone: 508-384-3110

OCC Coffeehouse Website

The two concerts listed below are the final ones of our 2018-2019 season. Tickets for the Tom Rush show are selling briskly, so it is likely they will sellout. Tickets for all shows are available at the church office, 508-384-3110, or at www.musicatocc.org.

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa

Friday, April 5, 7:30 PM

Tom is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration and journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues. 

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse

Rush's impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the '60s and the renaissance of the '80s and '90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, "Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences." Country music star Garth Brooks has credited Rush with being one of his top five musical influences.

Matt Nakoa,Tom's keyboard player and vocalist, now tours internationally, recently performing at The White House, throughout India, and regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush. Matt's piano music has received favorable reviews in publications including The New York Times, and his film scoring has been featured by Disney.

Tickets are $45, in the church sanctuary.

BILL & KATE ISLES

Saturday, April 27, 7:30 PM

BILL & KATE ISLES

They are an acoustic singer/songwriter duo based in Duluth, Minnesota. Using a wide variety of musical styles, their performances carry audiences through a broad landscape of experiences from metaphorical worlds to small town family stories and to zany comedy.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, in Fellowship Hall.

OCC Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Original Congregational Church in Wrentham. Doors open 30 minutes before the concert. Please call 508-384-8084, email occmusic99@gmail.com, or visit http://www.musicatocc.org for more information.

---

2 FHS music students to perform with All Eastern Honors Ensembles

The 2019 All-Eastern Honors Ensembles to Perform at The David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA April 4-7, 2019, Pittsburgh PA

More than 780 of the most musically talented high school students in the Eastern region of the United States have been selected to perform in the 2019 All-Eastern Honors Ensembles.

Selected to perform in the All-Eastern Honors from Orchestra and Band are the following students from Franklin High School in Franklin, MA.

• Lauren Dennett - Tenor Saxophone
• Brinda Venkataraman - Violin

With assistance from their music teachers, Mrs. Diane Plouffe and Mrs.Leighanne Rudsit, these exceptional students will prepare remarkably challenging music that they will perform under the leadership of prominent conductors in this biennial event. Students will spend three days rehearsing with one of five conductors during the Eastern Division Conference of The National Association for Music Education to be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in preparation for performances on April 7, 2019.

The All-Eastern Honors Ensembles, consisting of concert band, symphony orchestra, mixed chorus, treble chorus, and jazz ensemble, are organized by members of The National Association for Music Education. The concert band and symphony orchestra will each have approximately one hundred fifty instrumentalists, the jazz ensemble will have eighteen instrumentalists, the treble chorus will have one hundred twenty vocalists, and the mixed chorus will have approximately three hundred twenty vocalists. Student participation from each state is determined by a percentage of the total Eastern Division membership.

Each of the state music educators associations in the Eastern Division (CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, PA, VT, Europe) oversee the selection process in their state during the fall of the year before the event and compile ranked lists of recommended juniors and seniors for consideration. The method used to compile the lists varies from state to state, although all recommended students must have been selected to participate in their home all-state festivals.

The committee builds the ensembles from the state presidents' ranked lists, trying to mimic the state population percentages in each group.

The 2019 All-Eastern Honors Ensembles (all except for Jazz, which will perform on Saturday evening, April 6) will perform for an audience of thousands on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in the Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA. For program and ticket information please visit www.pmea.org.

Lauren Dennett - Tenor Saxophone; Brinda Venkataraman - Violin

Franklin SEPAC: Franklin Fire Department Community Day - Mar 23

Franklin Fire Department Community Day

This is an event for those with special needs to become more comfortable with our first responders.

Special appearances by Ben Franklin, therapy dog and newest member of the Franklin PD and Sparky the Fire Dog!

When: Saturday, March 23 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Where: 40 West Central Street, Fire Dept HQs

Space is limited, please RSVP to Franklin SEPAC at franklinsepac@gmail.com.

Franklin SEPAC: Franklin Fire Department Community Day - Mar 23

Franklin Art Association April 3, 2019 Meeting

The Franklin Art Association will meet on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM at the Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street in Franklin.

Refreshments and social time will begin at 6:30 PM, followed by a short business meeting and a watercolor demonstration by Joyce McJilton Dwyer, an artist with thirty years' experience working in watercolors and drawings.

FAA meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month, September through May, and are free and open to the public. For more information log on to www.franklinart.org

Franklin Art Association April 3, 2019 Meeting

"69 percent of the weekend pass sales are in zones 6 through 8"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"A possible silver lining to the commuter train fare hikes approved this week is that travelers will continue paying $10 for unlimited weekend trips, as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has made the $10 weekend commuter rail fare permanent. 

The MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday approved an average 6 percent fare hike that will see the cost of Worcester riders’ tickets increasing from $11.50 to $12.25 as of July 1. The fare hikes will raise around $29 million annually, according to the MBTA. An amendment at the vote Monday puts off another fare hike for three years. 

The $10 weekend special fare was piloted last summer with the goal of increasing commuter rail ridership and revenue on the weekends, when trains have additional capacity. It offers $10 tickets for unlimited weekend travel from the first scheduled Saturday trip through the last scheduled Sunday trip and began June 3."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190313/mbta-to-leave-price-of-weekend-pass-at-10

MBTA gets fare hike approved for commuter rail and subway

FREE funding workshops at Community Arts Advocacy Day - Mar 30, 2019

Join us for a FREE day of grassroots advocacy and educational workshops at Community Arts Advocacy Day 2019.

Register now for Community Arts Advocacy Day 2019! Our recent survey of area arts and cultural organizations revealed that funding is the number one issue the creative community is facing, so we've added two brand new funding workshops to this year's program. Register now! Action & IMPACT: Community Arts Advocacy Day 2019 is a multi-town event bringing arts & cultural organizations together with legislators for advocacy and education. Workshops: The "How To's" of Arts Advocacy, with MA Representative Jeff Roy Fundraising Strategies for Small Shops Getting to the HeART of Public Art Funding through Sponsorships & Grants Shoestring Marketing for Arts Organizations Thinking Out of the Box for Opportunity Agenda:  8:00 - 9:00          Registration, Breakfast & Networking 8:30 - 9:00          Meet and mingle with legislators 9:00 - 9:15           Welcome Address by Senate President Karen E. Spilka 9:15 - 10:00         Legislative panel: The Value of Arts, Creativity & Culture in the Commonwealth with Senate President Spilka, Senator Rausch, Rep. Roy & Rep. Murray 10:00 - 10:15       Community Stories: Impact of the Arts, Arts Funding and Cultural Initiatives 10:25 - 11:25        Educational Workshop Session 1 11:35 - 12:15         Creative Break to Advocate … grassroots advocacy activities 12:15 - 1:15           Lunch 1:25 - 2:25            Educational Workshop Session 2 2:25 - 2:30           Wrap Up Register Now https://www.eventbrite.com/e/action-impact-community-arts-advocacy-day-2019-tickets-55811106522 Save the Date for Taste of ArtWeek on April 27...our big kick-off for ArtWeek (April 26 - May 5). Taste of ArtWeek will be a huge festival on the Frankin Town Common with food trucks, a beer & wine garden, free live dance and musical performances, a craft fair, and a fine art exhibition! April 27 from 4-8 PM with a rain date of April 28. Hope to see you there! Copyright © 2019 Franklin Cultural Council, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 355 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038 Questions? Contact FCC Chair Stacey David at franklinculturalcouncil02038 [at] gmail.com

Live reporting - Closing

Town Administrators report
response on mail box reimbursement

Future agenda items
none

Council Comments

Casey - shout out to FHS girls basketball team

Dellorco - shout out to the winter sports teams

Kelly - Memorial Day parade coming

motion to adjourn, second, passed 7-0