Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting - March 29 (virtual only)

Franklin Public Schools - Franklin School Committee

Community Relations Subcommittee

March 29, 2023 - 5:30 PM

Virtual Only

A G E N D A

"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."

●  Legislative Forum

The agenda doc contains remote participation info -> 

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/community_relations_sub_comm_agenda_3_29_23.pdf

5th Annual Legislative Forum scheduled - Monday, April 10, 2023

FHS Hiking club schedules a fun night of trivia - March 29 from 6 to 8 PM

Join Hiking club on Wednesday March 29 for a night full of trivia, baked goods, and fun. This event will be located in the Franklin High School Cafeteria and take place from 6 to 8 PM. 

Students are welcome to bring their friends and family members of all ages . 

The trivia theme this year is pop culture! Teams will be made up of 6 people. Additionally, there will be prizes and a bake sale. 

The cost is $5 a person and free for anyone under the age of 12. Venmo and cash will be excepted at the door. 

Stop by to support the FHS Hiking club and enjoy a fun night of trivia.

Shared from Pantherbook -> https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2023/03/24/hiking-club-is-hosting-a-pop-culture-trivia-night/

FHS Hiking club schedules a fun night of trivia - March 29 from 6 to 8 PM

Franklin Food Pantry: Donor Nibble - the March 2023 newsletter

FY22 Annual Report, Empty Bowls & Building Update

March 2023 - Donor Nibble   FFP FY2022 Annual Report We are excited to share our FY22 Annual Report. This snapshot of Franklin Food Pantry's finances, programs, donors, staff and neighbors provides an update on our operations and the impact of your support.   This year's report highlights our strategic decision to make permanent the multiple methods of distribution, and other initiatives, implemented during COVID, including Weekly In-Person Shopping (instead of monthly), additional Mobile Pantry sites, Curbside Distribution, organic Community Garden produce and Home Delivery. Check out the full report in the link below! Annual Report FY2022 We received a note recently that reminded us of the positive impact we are making together as a community. "Thank you for making the experience of needing and asking for assistance such an easy, positive, and comfortable one. It can be very difficult to disclose to others when your family is struggling. Everyone at the Franklin Food Pantry has been so warm and welcoming that my anxiety about the process is gone." ~ Neighbor 8th Annual Empty Bowls Dinner and Auction Tickets are available now! Empty Bowls Tickets The 8th annual Empty Bowls Dinner and Auction fundraiser will take place on May 18th to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry. The May 18th fundraiser, includes a simple meal of soup and bread, meant to remind guests of the many "empty bowls" that exist in the lives of those who experience hunger. Dinner guests choose hand-made bowls to take home as a reminder that "somewhere, someone's bowl is empty." Click to Sponsor Empty Bowls Building Update "It's not about the building, it's about what we will do in the building." Plans for our upcoming move are moving along! We can't wait to welcome neighbors into our new space. Click the button above for the latest building updates! DAF Direct Legacy Gifts Help ensure that The Pantry will be here to serve our community in the future by making a legacy gift. This can be as simple as leaving a percentage of your estate to The Pantry in your will. Donor Advised Funds Did you know that you can make a tax-free qualified charitable distribution at any time from your IRA if you are 70½ or more years old.  Please seek the advice of your tax accountant or attorney.  From the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Universal State Charitable Deduction Update The long-delayed Massachusetts state charitable contributions deduction took effect on January 1, 2023. This deduction is now available to all donors including those who don't itemize deductions on their federal tax returns.   Thank you for supporting The Pantry!

Franklin Food Pantry | 43 WEST CENTRAL STREET, Franklin, MA 02038 Sent by cjamison@franklinfoodpantry.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!

wbur.org: "Special education planning form gets revamp in Mass. for first time in 20 years"

"It’s all about perception of self," he said. "If the system does not view you in a positive way how are you going to succeed?"

But now, for the first time in 20 years, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has updated its suite of IEP resources, starting with forms that invite more student input about their educational goals and plans. That feedback will be critical to developing the student's IEP, which lays out the services the student receives in a school year.

Advocates and educators across the state say they're optimistic that the new IEP forms and process it generates will lead to a more high-quality IEP and improve the overall educational experience for students with disabilities.

The overhaul is the result of a nine-year effort led by the state department of education and guided by teachers and administrators, as well as advocates like Gabovitch and Julia Landau, a senior project director with the Massachusetts Advocates for Children."

Continue reading the article at wbur.org/ 

https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/03/24/special-education-improved-forms-process

wbur.org:  "Special education planning form gets revamp in Mass. for first time in 20 years"

The News Literacy Project - info graphic on levels of scientific evidence

"#Educators: Teach students to evaluate scientific evidence with this resource created with @DrKatEpi 👇🏾

8️⃣ levels of evidence are ordered from weakest to strongest & reflect a spectrum of quality, so students can visually grasp differences: https://t.co/YQHK8ya4Al " or  https://newslit.org/educators/resources/levels-of-scientific-evidence/?utm_id=Science-Infographic

 Shared from Twitter -> https://t.co/ioYaGJTFj0

The News Literacy Project - info graphic on levels of scientific evidence

FTC Action Leads to Lifetime Industry Ban for Operators of ‘Extended Vehicle Warranty’ Scam

"As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, the operators of a telemarketing scam that called hundreds of thousands of consumers nationwide to pitch them expensive “extended automobile warranties” will face a lifetime ban from the extended automobile warranty industry and from all outbound telemarketing.

Under the terms of proposed court orders, three companies and their owners that were charged by the FTC with running the operation that scammed consumers out of millions of dollars would be permanently banned from participating in the extended automobile warranty market, as well as from any further involvement in outbound telemarketing.

“AVP misled consumers about who they were and what they were selling and called a large number of consumers who were on the FTC’s Do Not Call List,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Today’s order banning five defendants from the industry and imposing a monetary judgment of $6.6 million continues the Commission’s aggressive crackdown on telemarketing fraud.”

Continue reading the FTC press release ->

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/03/ftc-action-leads-lifetime-industry-ban-operators-extended-vehicle-warranty-scam

FTC Action Leads to Lifetime Industry Ban for Operators of ‘Extended Vehicle Warranty’ Scam

Franklin School Committee - Meeting Agenda for March 28, 2023 - FY 2024 Budget Hearing scheduled

Franklin School Committee

March 28, 2023 - 7:00 PM

Municipal Building – Council Chambers

Call to Order Ms. Spencer

Pledge of Allegiance

Moment of Silence

FY24 Budget Open Hearing

I. Routine Business

A. Review of Agenda

B. Payment of Bills Mr. McNeill

C. Payroll Ms. Spencer

D. FHS Student Representative Comments

E. Superintendent’s Report

II. Guests/Presentations

A. None

III. Discussion/Action Items

A. Policy - First Readings

I recommend moving the following policies to a second reading as discussed:

● JEB - Entrance Age (formerly JEA)

● JCAC - Assignment of Students from other Districts or Homeschooling

IV. Discussion Only Items

A. None

V. Information Matters

A. School Committee Sub-Committee Reports

B. School Committee Liaison Reports

VI. Consent Agenda

A. Approval of Minutes

I recommend approval of the minutes from your March 21, 2023 School Committee Meeting as detailed.

B. Transfers

I recommend approval of the Budget Transfers as detailed.

C. Parmenter Gifts

I recommend acceptance of 3 checks totaling $1,972.00 from the Parmenter PCC

for field trips as detailed.

D. FHS Gift

I recommend acceptance of a check for $64.64 from Ohiopyle for supplemental supplies at FHS as detailed.

E. FHS Scholarships

I recommend acceptance of a check for $7,500.00 from Digital Federal Credit Union for FHS scholarships as detailed.

F. RMS Gift

I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,386.69 from the RMS PCC for in-house enrichment as detailed.

G. Districtwide Donation

I recommend acceptance of a check for $30,000.00 from the United Way of Central MA for a Solutions Behavior Technician floater position within Lifelong Learning as detailed.

VII. Citizen’s Comments

VIII. New Business

To discuss any future agenda items

IX. EXECUTIVE SESSION

a. Collective Bargaining: (Cafeteria, Secretaries) - Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §21(a)(3)

to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may

have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the

chair so declares.

RETURN TO OPEN SESSION

a. Ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement Between the Cafeteria Unions and the

Franklin Public Schools (Majority Vote)

b. Ratification of the Memorandum of Agreement Between the Secretaries Union and the

Franklin Public Schools (Majority Vote)

X. Adjournment

The agenda doc contains remote participation info ->  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_3-28-23docx.pdf

The meeting packet folder contains all the docs released for this meeting (note- some will be posted after the meeting)  https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/march-28-2023-school-committee-meeting-packet

The FY 2024 budget documents arranged in sections ->

https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget/pages/1-fy2024-budget

Franklin School Committee - Meeting Agenda for March 28, 2023 - FY 2024 Budget Hearing scheduled

Economic Development Subcmte Plus votes to move accessory dwelling zoning changes forward (audio & video)

FM #965 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 965 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the audio recording of the Economic Development Subcommittee & Steering Committee meeting held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 in the Council Chambers with 6 members participating; 5 in person in the Council Chambers, 1 remote via Zoom.

“Franklin For All” Steering Committee (or EDC Plus)

• Chair Melanie Hamblen, Cobi Frongillo, Pat Sheridan (Town Council)

• Greg Rondeau, Beth Wierling (Planning Board) 

• Bruce Hunchard (Zoning Board of Appeals) - Remote

• Glenn Jones (absent)

Quick recap:

• A revision to the posted document for discussion was handed out to the committee members (not found on Town page as we go to press)

• There were effectively three proposals requiring a vote, one on the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) definition, one on the use table and one on additional language

• After some discussion, motion made to move the three to the Town Council, seconded, during discussion, Frongillo provides language to amend the definition as he is getting two answers to a question and the clarification is required. Amendment get s 3-3 (Frongillo, Hamblen, Sheridan for; Hunchard, Rondeau, Wierling no) vote, meaning it does not pass

• Frongillo makes a second amendment which also get a 3-3 vote (same alignment as prior 3-3 vote) and doesn't pass

• The vote on all three finally comes and it passes 5-1 (Hunchard no)

• Motion to adjourn, passes 6-0 via roll call

The recording of the meeting runs just under 2 hours. Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-965-economic-development-cmte-plus-mtg-03-22-23   

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The agenda doc also includes remote participation info ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/agendas/edc_agenda_-_march_22_2023.pdf

Franklin TV YouTube video -> https://www.youtube.com/live/ozRdixrzzWQ?feature=share 

My notes captured via Twitter during the meeting (in 1 PDF file)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wOGwxXtTBfvVfeY8Fct0lcsidm1mMz7A/view?usp=share_link 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

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

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Building Inspector Gus Brown talking with the EDC Plus about accessory dwelling units

Franklin SEPAC presents MGH's Think:Kids Collaborative Problem Solving Workshop - Mar 29 (virtual)

This interactive workshop will provide an introduction to the Collaborative Problem Solving model. 

Presenter Ben Stich, LICSW, M.Ed, is a Certified Trainer and Consultant for Think:Kids.

Kids with challenging behavior are tragically misunderstood and mistreated. Rewards and punishments don’t work and often make things worse. Thankfully, there’s another way. But it requires a big shift in mindset.

This workshop is intended for parents, caregivers, teachers, service providers, & adult community members.

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 - from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM  - This event is virtual

Register here -> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpz_8gHvCSRm97Kvgfq-bCxLXfDQ_q8xc8fhVLCg8N_0VRag/viewform

More about Franklin Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) -> franklinsepac.org

Franklin SEPAC presents MGH's Think:Kids Collaborative Problem Solving Workshop - Mar 29 (virtual)

Panther TV: PanthersNews for Friday, March 24, 2023 (video)

"Panther News: March 24, 2023 https://t.co/KUnzZmWZkj via @YouTube" 

@FHSPantherbook @FranklinPSNews @FranklinHS @FHSSports @FranklinMatters @RyanMartinPxP @GraceTucceri

Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/fhspanthertv/status/1639230730394914816

Save the Date! Earth Day Celebration at the DelCarte Conservation Area - Apr 23, 2023

Sunday, April 23, 2023 from 9am to 1pm

An event for children and families! Come join the Franklin Conservation Commission, Department of Public Works, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Agricultural Commission, and others to celebrate our shared Earth on Sunday, April 23, 2023 from 9 AM to 1 PM at the DelCarte Conservation Area at 459 Pleasant Street. 

Celebrate with us by signing up for compost bins, learning about stormwater and rain gardens, enjoying a woods walk, exploring vernal pools, and more!

Overflow parking is available at 337 Pleasant Street and other side streets. Service Hours validated upon request and stewardship. See you there!

Shared from ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/conservation/news/save-date-earth-day-celebration-delcarte-conservation-area

Save the Date! Earth Day Celebration at the DelCarte Conservation Area - Apr 23, 2023

Franklin Food Pantry Re-registration dates

Via the Franklin Food Pantry 

"All neighbors receiving food from The Pantry will need to re-register before our move.  

All neighbors who re-register will receive a $10 gift card!  

Check out the details below and contact Laura Du at ldu@franklinfoodpantry.org with any questions."

Shared from Facebook -> https://www.facebook.com/FranklinFoodPantry/posts/pfbid02WU3MDfNQBRj7SGf6UANiA95Wxn9jGm4cZGfMRdmrNUyTF8NpRP2HCVJRBC3n6Lsql 

Franklin Food Pantry Re-registration dates

MMA: "Legislature passes supplemental budget with pandemic-era extensions, key investments"

The House and Senate both passed a compromise supplemental 2023 budget bill today that includes a majority of the governor’s proposed “immediate needs” bond bill as well as extensions of pandemic-related authorizations related to public meetings and outdoor dining.

The bill was originally filed by Gov. Maura Healey in January, and both chambers had passed slightly different versions earlier this month.

The final bill (H. 47) includes extensions to pandemic-related authorizations that were set to expire next week.

The bill would:

• Allow remote and hybrid meeting options for public bodies through March 31, 2025

• Allow remote and hybrid participation options for representative town meetings through March 31, 2025

• Permit reduced quorums for open town meetings through March 31, 2025

• Extend the expedited outdoor dining permit process through April 1, 2024

Continue reading the MMA article online ->
https://www.mma.org/legislature-passes-supplemental-budget-with-pandemic-era-extensions-key-investments/

The legislation started as H.47 and ended up on the Governor's desk as  H.58 ->  https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H58

MMA: "Legislature passes supplemental budget with pandemic-era extensions, key investments"

Notice from the Treasurer/ Collector: FY 23 Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills - Fourth Quarter

Notice from the Office of the Treasurer/ Collector:

Treasurer Collector Kerri A. Bertone has mailed the Fiscal Year 2023 fourth quarter real estate and personal property tax bills.  Payment is due by May 1, 2023.  Payments received after the due date are charged 14% interest.

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/notice-treasurer-collector-fy-23-real-estate-and-personal-property-tax-bills-fourth

Notice from the Treasurer/ Collector: FY 23 Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills - Fourth Quarter