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| Winter Sports Season Summary |
"For anybody who hasn’t already seen Jame’s Fredrick’s video “A Roundtable Discussion of Racism in Franklin,” it’s definitely worth a watch.The video documents a discussion organized by Diversity Awareness Club President Ndoumbe Ndoye and Town Council Member Cobi Frongillo, where many FHS students of color met together to share their experiences growing up in predominantly white Franklin.Students recounted times when they had been insulted or felt unwelcome in their community because of the color of their skin.Students have experienced both overt racism, such as use of racial slurs and hate speech, and more casual and ingrained racism."
Agenda
“The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may, in fact, be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.”
I. Electronic Distribution of Approved Policies
1. BEDB - Order of Business
2. Policy Distribution Folder
II. Discussion of Policies sent to School Committee
A. None
III. Policy Revisions & New Policies - New Discussion Item
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| Franklin Public Schools: Policy Sub Committee Meeting - Feb 25 |
"It's that time of year again! Spring is right around the corner and it's time to consider installing a rain barrel at your home. The Great American Rain Barrel Company is offering Franklin residents discounted barrels for just $69. Residents may then apply for a $50 water conservation rebate from the DPW for a total cost of only $19 (rebates are limited to two per household)!
Order before midnight on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 and pick up at the DPW Admin Office (257 Fisher St, Franklin) on Wednesday, May 12, from 4-6 PM."
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| Rain barrel orders available |
"TAKING DIRECT AIM at Massachusetts school districts and teachers unions that have been reluctant to return to in-person instruction, state education commissioner Jeff Riley said he wants to use state education regulations to push districts to bring students back to the classroom.
Riley said Tuesday that he wants to see elementary grade students back in school five days a week in April, with older grades possibly to follow after that.
Adopting a much more aggressive posture than state officials have taken in a debate that has divided the education community, Riley said he’ll seek authorization to deem remote instruction not eligible to be counted toward state-required “structured learning time” hours. The proposal, unveiled Tuesday morning to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, would give Riley leverage in pushing districts back into in-person classes, something he, Education Secretary Jim Peyser, and Gov. Charlie Baker have been urging more schools to do for months. "
Today's Black History Month Video is on human rights activist, scholar, and author: Angela Davis! https://t.co/UnVfVHteZ6
Today's Black History Month Video is on human rights activist, scholar, and author: Angela Davis! pic.twitter.com/UnVfVHteZ6
— FHS A World of Difference (@Franklin_AWOD) February 23, 2021
"MBTA officials are planning to put off the release of a new, five-year capital plan until June 2022, a move that reflects the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus and also the political calculus of a governor running out of funding options for the T’s ambitious capital spending program.
It may sound like a minor issue, but good government types recommend setting out capital spending targets in five-year increments. The Government Finance Officers Association says a multi-year plan is the best way to ensure proper development and management of capital assets and send a message to contractors that the money for projects is in the pipeline. “A capital plan should cover a period of at least three years, preferably five or more,” the association says."
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| tree clearing along the Franklin Line to prepare for the PTC improvements |
"US customs agents made a surprise discovery when a sniffer dog investigated what looked to be a perfectly innocent shipment of frosted cereal, only to discover that the sugar coating was in fact a large amount of cocaine.The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Bico, a narcotic detector dog with US Customs and Border Protection, uncovered the haul of drugs in a shipment of breakfast cereal from South America that was headed to Hong Kong.“Officers found white powder and the flakes were coated in a grayish substance after the dog alerted on the shipment,” the paper reported.The value of the drug was estimated at $2.8m."
Finance Committee Meeting
a. January 13, 2021
a. Kerri Bertone, Treasurer & Christopher Sandini, Finance Director/Comptroller
a. ALS/BLS and Mileage Rate Changesb. Fire Truck Borrowing Resolution
The Reopening Update for the School Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Feb 24, 2021 was posted to the meeting packet page. It had not been available on the weekend when the agenda was shared here on Sunday (likely due to the schools vacation last week).
Reopening Status: https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/reopening_schools_status_update_feb_18_2020-2021.pdf
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| Reopening Status update for SchCommMtg Feb 24, 2021 |
"Have you been noticing that your Google Meet view has not been functioning consistently lately? You’re not alone!
As Google develops new features in the Google Meet app, some extensions, such as the popular Grid View Extension, can experience disruptions due to incompatibilities with newer versions of the native Google Meet. In fact, the developer of the Grid View extension has basically retired the extensions and removed it from the webstore. He has indicated that it is unlikely that the app will be maintained going forward."
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| Info on "Google Meet Difficulties?" |
Starting March 1st, we will begin this new premier personal training program at our Bernon Family Branch in Franklin. Workouts are completed in a private, dedicated space used for Stronger Together clients only on the second floor of our Franklin Y.
Start with an assessment to learn about the program: Stronger Together programs start with a free Starting Point Session. The 60-minute session allows our trainer to learn about your goals and challenges, observe your movement quality and create the perfect plan for you!
The Starting Point Session will include:
All of this information will be used to help create your training program and keep you injury free along the way!
BE HEALTHY. BE STRONG. BELONG.
What is Stronger Together?
Tailored to your goals, time and budget: our monthly programs allow you the most flexibility in scheduling workouts and finding a program that’s works for you.
Grand Opening Offers Available for a Limited Time Only!
The 30-Day PT Experience is a great way to try Stronger Together to determine which type of training is best for you. Included in the 30 days is a one-on-one Starting Point health assessment, Two 45-minute one-on-one personal training sessions, and unlimited team training sessions. All sessions run approximately 45 minutes. Get to know our friendly, experienced trainers, meet other members and see first-hand the results possible with Stronger Together. One time special promotional rate for new clients only at $89. Only available to our members, for a limited time only!
All of our Hockomock Y members have $50 personal Y Bucks to use towards any Stronger Together personal training program. Members can use towards the 30-Day PT Experience, brining it to $39. This is a limited time only, grand opening offer. Certain restrictions may apply.
How to Get Started:
Contact our Fitness & Personal Training Director Chris Raymond at chrisr@hockymca.org or 774-235-2732 to get started with us today. Let’s get Stronger Together!
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| Stronger Together is our Y’s new team training and personal training programs |
"Letter from Sara Ahern and Joshua Hanna https://t.co/VCIz4BdTTn"
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| FHS: Letter from Sara Ahern and Joshua Hanna |
"The Massachusetts Legislature, which has seemed content to allow the executive branch to lead the state’s fight against the coronavirus, is poised to assert itself this week, summoning Governor Charlie Baker and his top aides before a new oversight committee to demand answers about the state’s coronavirus vaccine rollout.
Thursday’s live-streamed hearing — billed as the first of many — presents both an opportunity and a test for state lawmakers to press top Baker administration figures, including the governor himself, on what they’ve so far criticized in tweets and public statements as a shoddy and unpredictable distribution process.
It’s also a rare flex of legislative authority, and one of several signals that Democratic leaders are stepping beyond the role of the deferential partner to Baker in the state’s response to the pandemic."
"WITH NO EXPECTATION of a quick turnaround in ridership, the MBTA is preparing to move ahead with bus and subway service cuts next month while adopting a more revolutionary approach on commuter rail that spreads trips out across the day and does away with the traditional concept of peak travel times.
Jeffrey Gonneville, the MBTA’s deputy general manager, said the new approach will spread service out across the day at regular, often hourly intervals rather than concentrating it at morning and evening peak periods. A marketing campaign promoting the new approach is expected to roll out over the next 30 days leading up to the April 5 launch.
Gonneville said the new schedule will also allow the T to operate trains and deploy staff more efficiently, saving an estimated $30 million annually. He said the new approach would use 11 percent fewer trains and enable a 20 percent reduction in operator hours.
The concept is fairly simple. Ridership has vanished on the commuter rail system during COVID and particularly at the traditional peak travel times, so the T is going to experiment with a new all-day approach. On the Worcester line, for example, a train will run every hour all day long between Worcester and Boston. The same is true on the Fitchburg and many of the other lines. "
Security expert Bruce Schneier write about the SolarWinds hack in the New York Times:
"There are two problems to solve. The first is information asymmetry: Buyers can’t adequately judge the security of software products or company practices. The second is a perverse incentive structure: The market encourages companies to make decisions in their private interest, even if that imperils the broader interests of society. Together these two problems result in companies that save money by taking on greater risk and then pass off that risk to the rest of us, as individuals and as a nation.
The only way to force companies to provide safety and security features for customers and users is with government intervention. Companies need to pay the true costs of their insecurities, through a combination of laws, regulations and legal liability. Governments routinely legislate safety — pollution standards, automobile seatbelts, lead-free gasoline, food service regulations. We need to do the same with cybersecurity: The federal government should set minimum security standards for software and software development."
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| President Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff observe a moment of silence at the White House Monday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) |
"Whether working remotely, attending school online or just staying in touch with family and friends during the pandemic, you’re probably also relying more than ever on Wi-Fi and cell service.While these technologies can empower us to keep working and learning while staying safe, they also come with their own risks.Learn 5 simple steps you can take to reduce your exposure to radiofrequency radiation while staying connected.To keep up with EWG's latest research on radiofrequency radiation, head to www.ewg.org/cellphone-radiation"
