Dollars and Sense in Franklin: Town Department Heads "overwhelmingly support an override"

Join community efforts for a sustainable financial future for Franklin.

"Hang Together" At the signing of the Declaration of Independence, our town's namesake was purported to have spoken the quotation above. If the statesmen assembled didn't maintain unity among themselves, they would surely fail and literally be hanged.  While our stakes are obviously not as severe, we nevertheless face a dire situation and must maintain our unity and respect for each other.  That's why the founding team at One Franklin rejects any attempt to mischaracterize our financial woes as a competition between the municipal departments and school department, or to use the multimillion dollar budget shortage to set Franklinites against each other, based on income levels, partisan affiliation, or parental status. We must hang together to forge a fruitful future for Franklin.  Joint Letter from Department Heads On December 17, a letter signed  by twenty-one Town department heads and leaders was presented to the Joint Budget Subcommittee. The letter decried potential budget cuts (partially outlined in our inaugural newsletter) and warned of the dire consequences of inaction in the face of our current shortfall. Specifically, the letter claimed that that the scale of the cuts could "significantly jeopardize the public safety of Franklin", "expose the Town's AAA Bond rating to a downgrade", and "decimate community lifelines".  The letter, signed by--among others-- the Chief of Police, Fire Chief, Director of Public Works, and Library Director, also states that the aforementioned leaders "overwhelmingly support an override for the community, as the passage of an override allows our departments to remain solvent and not be affected by any further reductions". This letter is consistent with comments made by elected officials and FPS leadership: without bold action and community engagement, Franklin is headed towards dire cuts in the next fiscal year. Important Dates Tuesday 1/14 @ 7:00 School Committee Meeting Wednesday 1/15 @ 7:00 Finance Committee Meeting Wednesday 1/22 @ 7:00 Town Council Meeting Tuesday 1/28 @ 7:00 School Committee Meeting Thursday 1/30 @ 7 JBSC Listening Session (Franklin Elks) For the full calendar of events, click here. Zoom links are released with meeting agendas 48 hours in advance. All meetings are streamed on Franklin Town Hall YouTube. Get Involved! January's Actions The Joint Budget Subcommittee has set up at least six listening sessions to hear from residents. This is a way to engage for folks who can't typically make the town hall meetings. The first meeting is 1/30 at 7:00 at the Franklin Elks.  Ask a question about potential cuts at 1/22 Town Council meeting (in person or on Zoom!). Write an email to all members of the Town Council asking their views on the budgetary path forward.  (Email onefranklinvolunteers@gmail.com for example template) Clips We're Watching Town leaders read letter (12/17 JBSC) 45:29-1:01 watch as department heads read the aforementioned letter and community members react Are we losing our brand? (10/12 JBSC) 42:24-45:09 watch as a local father testifies that he moved to Franklin in part because of its reputation for "great schools", but he now worries that the stellar reputation might be gone by the time his kids are school-aged Stay tuned for more clips from elected officials, advocates, and neighbors! If we don't take action in 2025, public safety, quality of life, and public education for Franklin residents will continue to decline. Stay Tuned For... The third, fourth, and fifth "Dollars and Sense" issues the weeks of 2/4, 2/25, and 3/11  Our website going live! More information about the organization we're building and how to get involved More important dates, data, and ways to engage Click here for our first issue Reach out to this email for any questions, corrections, or clarifications onefranklinvolunteers@gmail.com One Franklin Founding Team Dr. Anne Bergen, former Franklin educator and School Committee Chair Camille Bernstein, resident advocate, former School Committee member, and parent of 2 Sue Dewsnap, former Chair of Finance Committee and resident advocate Ken Ojukwu, current member of Finance Committee Sue Rohrbach, former School Committee member Roberta Trahan, resident advocate and former School Committee member Ruthann O'Sullivan, member of School Committee, resident advocate, parent Jenna Cohen, resident advocate and parent of 3 Celia Courtright, resident advocate, parent, and Music Boosters president Patty Dolan, resident advocate, PCC leader, and parent Erin Ferguson, resident advocate Jayson Joyce, educator, resident advocate, and parent of 3 young children Ben Liberto, resident advocate and parent of 2 young children Alison Murphy, resident advocate and parent Laura Minnichelli, resident advocate and parent Caryn Parnell, resident advocate, retired teacher, and parent Jessica Ulm, resident advocate Rob Vacca, FPS educator for 29 years, parent of FHS student, resident advocate One Franklin, West Central St, Franklin, MA Send free email today

FHS girls & boys hockey teams skate to wins on Wednesday

Via Twitter, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on   Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Boys Hockey = Franklin, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final 

– Franklin senior Liam Lewandowski recorded three points and Jack Wernig, Tom Quinn, and Rocco Lampasona each notched a pair of points as the Panthers skated past Oliver Ames. Lewandowski assisted on the opening goal from Carter Balducci and then scored two of his own. Wernig also scored a pair of goals while both Quinn and Lampasona had two helpers. Drake McAlpine tacked on the final goal for Franklin, who had a 4-0 lead after two periods. Brendan Teehan scored for Oliver Ames with assists from Patrick DeLoughrey and Adam Tobin.

Girls Hockey = Franklin, 3 @ Dedham, 1 – Final 

– Franklin jumped ahead with a pair of first period goals and added an insurance tally in the third to take down Dedham on the road. Eighth grader Cade Taccini open the scoring with assists from Julia Flynn and Haley Wernig, and then Flynn doubled the lead on an unassisted goal. Dedham pulled one back in the middle period but Flynn restored the two-goal lead with a third period goal assisted by Wernig and Hannah Auerr.

Taunton, 37 @ Franklin, 34 – Final 

– Pins from Michael Leskoski (132), Joshua Millerick (156), Kingston Dacosta (165), and Elijah Prophete (190) helped Taunton secure a tight win on the road at Franklin. Antonio Maldonado added a major decision victory at 215 for four points and Thomas Hoye (285), William Buffington (175), and Cody Truelson (113) contributed three points each with decisions. Franklin picked up pinfall victories from John Woodall (106), Quinn Carter (120), Roman Caccavelli (126), Riley Carlucci (138), and Sam Griffin (150) as well as a major decision from Jack Sauer at 144.

"After 43 years of coaching, Coach Colace had his final home dual tonight vs Taunton.  @FHSWrestle is what it is because of him. The number of athletes he has impacted over the years is endless. Thank you for being one of the greatest. The corner of the mat won’t be the same. "   https://x.com/FHSTrainingRoom/status/1879709829939478670

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required) 

https://hockomocksports.com/wednesdays-schedule-scoreboard-01-15-25/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com

Thank you! Celebrating 10 months of the Community Closet!

	Powered By
	Thank you! Celebrating 10 months of the Community Closet!
	I just wanted to send you a quick email thanking you for your involvement with the Community Closet in 2024. We officially "opened" in March of 2024 and over the course of the next 9 months the Closet logged over 400 visits helping an estimated 700 people. It was a tremendous year thanks in no small part to the time you gave to help sort donations and host shoppers. Thank you! In case you are unaware, I post regular updates to the FranklinUMC website about the Closet. You can find the latest (January/February) update here: https://franklinumc.org/2025/01/09/community-closet-franklinumc-january-february-2025/.  I have also attached the updated flyer for January/February 2025. Please feel free to share the flyer ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CZDpnbqJw9YVhlnGb9tnHg4EC9U1pmW1/view?usp=drive_link As we begin a new year, I am hoping to stay better connected with all of the Community Closet volunteers. To do that, I'm going to be leveraging our database. It would be immensely helpful if you registered in the system.  This has a couple perks: 1) it will allow you to track your involvement with the Closet; and, 2) allow you to keep your contact information up-to-date. I have you listed as "volunteer;" so if you're concerned about being overrun with church related emails, know that that is not the intent of having you register.  Registering simply keeps the line of communication open for opportunities to volunteer with the Community Closet (and, potentially, other such similar opportunities). You can register the next time you sign up to volunteer (there's a link in the update mentioned above). You can also register by going to https://onrealm.org/FranklinUMC. And, I can also send you a personalized link/invitation through the database. If you'd like that link, let me know. If you have questions about the Closet and what we hope to accomplish in 2025, don't hesitate to reach out. Thank you again for your help--for taking time to meet, serve, and share with our neighbors. Peace. Jacob >< Rev. Dr. Jacob W. Juncker Pastor, Franklin United Methodist Church 508-528-1092 (o) 860-861-3141 (c) Thank you! Celebrating 10 months of the Community Closet!

MassDOT Alerts Customers of Smishing Scam

Dear EZDriveMA Customer,

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was alerted that a text message-based scam, also known as smishing, is fraudulently claiming to represent tolling agencies from across the country. The scammers are claiming to represent the tolling agency and requesting payment for unpaid tolls.

MassDOT Alerts Customers of Smishing Scam

MassDOT urges customers to be cautious about email, text, and phone scams demanding payment of outstanding toll balances. Some attempts have been made to trick customers into sharing credit card numbers and other sensitive information by directing them to a website to pay their outstanding balances. MassDOT strongly encourages customers not to click the link contained in those messages.

Please Note: The targeted phone numbers seem to be chosen at random and are not uniquely associated with an account or usage of toll roads.

Customers who receive an unsolicited text, email, or similar message suggesting it is from EZDriveMA or another toll agency should not click on the link.

EZDriveMA customers can verify a valid text notification in several ways:

        •       EZDriveMA will never send invoices by text
        •       EZDriveMA will never request payment by text
        •       All links associated with EZDriveMA will include www.EZDriveMA.com

This smishing scam is part of a series of smishing scams that the FBI is aware of:
https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240412

The FBI recommends individuals that receive the fraudulent messages do the following:

1. File a complaint with the IC3, https://www.ic3.gov/, be sure to include:
        •       The phone number from where the text originated.
        •       The website listed within the text

2. Check your account using the toll service's legitimate website.

3. Contact the toll service's customer service phone number.

4. Delete any smishing texts received.

5. If you clicked any link or provided your information, take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.

We encourage all customers to stay alert to these types of scams and to contact us at https://www.ezdrivema.com/
with any questions about EZDriveMA notifications.

Finance Committee approves recommended capital budget & gets the insights on the "hold harmless" liability the Town faces (video)

The Finance Committee met as scheduled on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. 7 of the 9 members were present in Council Chambers. 

Many of the Town department leaders were present and participating as needed. School Superintendent Lucas Giguere participated as did Interim School Business Administrator Jana Melotti along with consultant Dr Bob Dutch.

The Franklin TV video is available for replay ->   https://www.youtube.com/live/yzii8AGsv7k?&t=234

The agenda doc also contains supporting information ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/finance_committee_meeting_agenda_-_january_15_2025.pdf

Quick recap 

• Town Administrator Jamie Hellen walking the committee thru the memo on the capital budget https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/04a._fy25_capital_improvement_plan_memo.pdf
• Many clarification questions on what for when, as well as possible reallocation of the recommendation
• Chart on free cash is for information purposes
• First resolution on use of free cash for the capital budget resulted in a discussion around amending the amount and creating a technology stabilization fund but ultimately that did not get amended and it was approved as proposed by a 7-0-2 (7 for, 2 absent) vote
• Second resolution on funding from the enterprise accounts was approved as recommended with the same 7-0-2 vote
• Now to the Opioid settlement funds. Memo  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/5a._opioid_settlement_funds.pdf  and the Resolution for approval https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/5b._1_-_resolution_25-02_-_opioid_funding.pdf
• After explanation of the current funding and a look at future funds coming (approx. $1.2M) the vote to approve the resolution passed 7-0-2
• Now to the "hold harmless" topic for Chapter 70 school funding. State house news article references a commission to look at school funding https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/6b._with_new_term_dawning_spilka_eyes_k-12_funding_reform_primary_care_overhaul_senate_statehousenews.com_.pdf
• We are currently getting $12m over what the school funding formula calls for. We are the
• 2nd largest hold harmless (Boston #1) A change to the formula takes time. Jamie has been warning of this for some years. 
• Approximately 18-20m of town costs for school functions go to the net school spending. accounting to determine the per pupil spending calculation. ** $27m for FY 2024 fiscal year is actual. Confirmed that 24, 25 and 27 for last 3 years
• Long and complex discussion around the possible review of the formula
• Folks see the buildings going up but the population has been flat. Great quote from Jamie (to clip later) on the wealth growth and the hold harmless getting worse unless we choose to pay more

My notes in one PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ArVXe5jDOAsetxonq0voW2eKTSe_XWN3/view?usp=drive_link

Dr Dutch & Jena Melotti presenting on Chap 70 "hold harmless"

Master Plan Update Committee meeting 1/15/25 (video)

The Master Plan Update Committee met as scheduled Wednesday, January 15 in the 3rd Floor Training room. 

Franklin TV video is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/YhdShT_-gN0?si=eizxLnOeDcKkEvdR&t=146

You can follow the agenda for this session ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/master_plan_agenda_-january_15_2025.pdf

The final Master Plan Report ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/franklin_master_plan_final_report-submitted_to_town-01-15-2025.pdf

Open Burning Season begins - permit required via Franklin (MA) Fire Dept

Open Burning Season begins - permit required

 

Open Burning Season begins today (1/15/25). 

Permits can be obtained through our website: https://www.franklinma.gov/fire-department/pages/burning-permits-2025

Shared from ->   https://www.instagram.com/p/DE2DzpLxDpB/

Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) schedule for Thursday, Jan 16, 2025

• wfpr.fm or 102.9 on the FM dial = Thursday

9:00am, 12:00pm, 6:00pm - Turntable – "Enjoy a fun experience with co-hosts The Vibe and Pauly G sharing personal discussions about a featured rock n roll vinyl record (1st hour) and the best, all music Vibe Playlist (2nd hour)"  

• Show 15 features The Beatles album experience produced by The Vibe and Pauly G called the Turntable "Extravaganza Album". It’s very difficult to select one of the 12 amazing Beatles albums for the Turntable Album Hour. This show premiers our first special album show specifically for The Fab Four.  The Extravaganza release is simple…your hosts assemble their favorite albums and hits…Prepare a Side 1 and Side 2… and take our wfpr.fm listeners on a Beatles journey.
• See the Beatles Playlist:   https://tinyurl.com/TurntablePlaylists

11:00am, 2:00pm, 8:00pm  - Frank Presents – Notable Local Conversations

 

• Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = Thursday

7:00 am Fallen Heroes Pt 9

7:30 am Veterans' Call: Tune It Out

10:30 am SAFE Coalition: Michelle Palladini

11:30 am Comfort Food: Comfort Food

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin: Banana Bread

12:30 pm Cooking with Linda: Salmon

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: Game Day Pizza

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 8

3:00 pm Riffin' on Main Street: Erin Gallagher

4:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Referee Shortage Pt1

5:00 pm Franklin Art Association: Vincent Crotty

6:30 pm ArtWeek: Theater in the Open

7:00 pm Frank Presents: KP Sompally

9:00 pm Second Sunday Speaker Series: Twisted Sisters

• Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel        (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = Thursday

7:00 am Public School Concert: Elementary Winter Music Pt. 1 12-11-18

8:30 am Cultural Council: BT ALC Big Band

10:00 am FHS Varsity Swimming v Milford 01-03-25

1:30 pm FHSTC - Flowers for Algernon

2:30 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Referee Shortage Pt1

4:00 pm FHS Boys Varsity Hockey v Canton 01-05-25

6:30 pm Critical Conversations: Student Wellbeing

9:00 pm FHS Girls Varsity Hockey v King Philip 01-11-25

• Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = Thursday

8:00 am Conservation Commission 01-09-25

2:00 pm Conservation Commission 01-09-25

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 ???

Wednesday, January 15

• Fiber Art Installation (Franklin Public Library) 
• Fund raising for FHS Cheerleaders (Santa Fe Burrito Grill)

11:00am Franklin Q&A (Franklin Senior Center)

1:00pm Where's the Toast? Memory Cafe (Franklin Senior Center)

5:00pm Teen Interactive Movie (Franklin Public Library)

6:30pm Franklin's Historic Union Street Cemetery (Franklin Public Library)

**  Town Meetings today   **

Master Plan Update Committee Meeting

Event Date:  Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 6:30pm

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/master_plan_agenda_-january_15_2025.pdf

Finance Committee Meeting

Event Date:  Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 7:00pm

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/finance_committee_meeting_agenda_-_january_15_2025.pdf

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

Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/upcoming

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

Franklin Food Pantry Increases December 2024 Holiday Meal Distribution by 42%

Dedicated volunteers, generous community support, and the utilization of Oasis Insight contributed to The Pantry's successful distribution

The Franklin Food Pantry, which provides supplemental food assistance in Franklin, distributed an unprecedented 473 holiday meals in December, a 42% increase from the 333 meals distributed last year. Reaching more people over the holiday season was made possible by The Pantry’s dedicated volunteers and generous donors, and by utilizing Oasis Insight, a customizable software provided at no cost from the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Dec Holiday Meal Distribution Increases by 42%

Over a three-week period in December, volunteers and staff used Oasis Insight to schedule appointments, communicate with clients, and monitor inventory. The result was that every client who shopped at The Pantry was provided with a holiday meal consisting of a grocery store gift card and an extra bag to fill with their choice of food.

The new holiday meal distribution process was first implemented over the Thanksgiving holiday and was developed in response to client feedback. It was designed to reach a greater number of people and to provide clients with the dignity of choosing food and preparing meals that are meaningful to them. In previous years, The Pantry distributed pre-packed holiday meal kits during a single, designated time. The new process is more convenient for clients, eliminating the need to sign up in advance to receive a meal, which could lead to confusing pickup times and waitlists, and the burden of an additional trip to The Pantry.

"While the need for food assistance continues to rise, we are inspired by the dedication of our volunteers and the incredible generosity of our community who helped ensure so many families and individuals enjoyed holiday meals to celebrate with loved ones," said Tina Powderly, Executive Director, Franklin Food Pantry. "We also extend our sincere gratitude to the Greater Boston Food Bank and their dedicated team for their invaluable support in implementing Oasis Insight, which helps us serve our clients more effectively and reach more people experiencing food insecurity."

To build upon The Pantry’s success, during the month of December, anonymous food donations in our donation bin increased 93% compared to last year, and The Pantry Elves campaign which included more than 170 middle and high school students reached $86,000. These donations demonstrate the generosity of our community, will help sustain programs and services, and provide food and household needs for our 850 households that visit The Pantry.

For more information or to support the Franklin Food Pantry through donations or volunteerism, please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org/get-involved.

If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org/get-help, or contact The Pantry at 508-528-3115.

About the Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.

The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers supplemental food assistance, household necessities, and resource referral programs to more than 1,800 individuals per year. The Pantry relies on donations and grants to purchase items and pay for daily operations, and partnerships with The Greater Boston Food Bank, Spoonfuls, and local grocery stores to achieve greater buying power and lower costs. Programs include In-person Shopping, Curbside Pick-up, Emergency Food Bags, Mobile Pantries, Home Delivery, Kids’ Snack Bags, Weekend Backpacks, Holiday Meals, and the SNAP match at Franklin Farmers Market. 

The Pantry is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in good standing in Massachusetts, recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four-Star Charity, and awarded GuideStar’s Platinum Transparency ranking. The Pantry is located at 341 W. Central St. in Franklin, MA on Route 140. Please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.

Tracy Grammer scheduled to perform at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse, Feb 8

Tracy Grammer returns to the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse stage on Saturday, Feb 8th at 7:30 PM.  She is a nationally-touring multi-instrumentalist and singer who has accompanied and opened for Joan Baez and recorded with Mary Chapin Carpenter. Grammer has become one of folk music's most beloved artists. Renowned for her springwater-clear alto, perfectly intoned violin, and guitar playing that is by turns percussive and delicate, She is also a masterful storyteller with an ease and charisma on stage as well as a riotous sense of humor.  http://tracygrammer.com/

Tracy Grammer scheduled to perform Feb 8 

"Her pure voice conveys the simple truths of these songs; her gifts as a musician are like that of a painter who is a master of chiaroscuro, offering light and shadow at every turn." - Mary Chapin Carpenter

Tracy will be accompanied by world class guitarist/dobro/mandolin player Jim Henry.  http://www.jimhenry.net/ 

Admission is $25.  

The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with Franklin's First Universalist Society. Concerts are presented in a smoke free and alcohol free environment at the Society's handicapped accessible Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin, and begin at 7:30 PM; doors open at 7:00 PM. Beverages and gourmet desserts will be available. 

Upcoming Shows
Mar 8  Joe Crookston
Apr 5  The Kennedys
May 17 John Gorka

Please  visit http://www.circlefolk.org/ to purchase tickets or for more information.

Rise Up this Saturday 🌄, January 18, 2025 at 10 AM

Hi all,

Rise Up is this Saturday and I'm excited to see you!

Date: January 18

Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Location: Franklin United Methodist Church, 82 West Central Street, Franklin (Parking and ramp/door on the left side)

Agenda: Open social time and group conversation

See you in a few days!

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

This one-hour social meet-up is intended to be a safe space for:

• individuals navigating life with disability to meet others they can relate with
• community partners to learn more about the population and share resources
• support persons to meet other support persons

For additional information about this event, please visit ->  https://alirheaume.com/rise-up

Navigating life with disability? Check out the Rise Up group meeting Saturday at 10 AM to see if it is for you

School Committee recognizes FHS Cheerleaders, approves temporary naming for redistricting, gets update from Franklin TV (video)

The Franklin (MA) School Committee met as scheduled on Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025. 6 members were present in the Council Chambers (Sompally absent).

Franklin TV broadcast is available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWsDrfRwZuM

Agenda document -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/fsc.pdf

Meeting packet folder (docs not released prior to meeting should get update a day or so after the meeting) -> https://www.franklinps.net/documents/departments/school-committee/meeting-packets/2024---25-meeting-packets/january-14%2C-2025-sc-meeting-packet/742564

Quick recap

• FHS Cheerleaders recognized for winning multiple championships, approved for travel to the National Championship
• Superintendent's report included multiple updates on redistricting efforts underway
• FHS school update provided insights in the school year thus far
• FHS Program of Studies update raised some clarification questions and at least one surprise that the community service hours added to the graduation requirements are not being monitored this year due to the budget cut that removed the individual who would have done that tracking. Community hours were being done by students, no one single person was tracking to ensure all the students were doing so this school year
• Franklin TV provided an update on the programming provided to the community including the live broadcast of this meeting (across town, 2 school concerts were also broadcast and the FHS girls basketball game was also broadcast). revenue is dropping due to cable cutting, proposal at State Legislature on potential alternate revenue for cable operations, new Federal administration may attempt to dismantle the Federal authorization for cable broadcasting
• Discussion action items
• approved after much discussion as amended the notification on the temporary names for the schools as part of the redistricting
• Capital budget modified from initial preview and approved
• 3 policies for first reading approved to move to second reading
• Update on educational expenses for the student from the emergency shelter. Quarterly reimbursement from DESE only used to offset the costs of educating these students. Reimbursement at rate of $104/per day/per student. The override had nothing to do with the education of these students. FPS does not use the operational budget to educate the student from the emergency shelter
• Grants to the amount of $1.6 M were preview by the committee (document not part of the public set released prior to the meeting). Over what period these grants covered was not mentioned out loud.
• Round of subcommittee updates
• Motion to enter executive session, not to return to public meeting, passed 6-0-1 (1 absent)

My full set of notes in one PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JdupV2TntAObJjwWAik_BBpoPfpLPHVH/view?usp=drive_link

Photo albums captured from the presentations shared (to be added)

Band School Concert & Middle School Winter Jazz Concerts available for Replay (video)

** The Band School of Franklin concert was live streamed and recorded for replay via YouTube by Franklin TV on Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025

Video replay ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meZE9LgYfZo

** The Middle School Winter Jazz concert was live streamed and recorded for replay via YouTube by Franklin TV on Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025

Video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9oMPyfGxzU

Both FHS girls (video) & boys basketball teams post wins vs. Stoughton on Tuesday

Via Twitter, Franklin TV, and our subscription to HockomockSports.com, we share the results of the Winter sports competition for Franklin High School on Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Boys Basketball = Franklin, 60 @ Stoughton, 38 – Final

 – Stoughton came out strong with an 18-point first quarter and a lead but Franklin’s defense ramped up its play and kept the Black Knights in check over the next three quarters. Junior Aiden Rideout had eight of his team-high 14 points in the first and Anthony Alessi drained a pair of threes as the Knights staked an 18-13 lead after one, but Franklin limited Stoughton to just 10 points in the second quarter and 10 total points in the second half. Franklin junior Justice Samuels hit a trio of three-pointers on his way to a career-high 18 points, senior Caden Sullivan added 13 points, and senior Seth O’Donnell finished with 12 points for the Panthers.

Girls Basketball = Stoughton, 28 @ Franklin, 70 – Final 

– A dozen Panthers scored on Tuesday night and Franklin rolled to a big win to remain in a tie with Taunton atop the Kelley-Rex division. It was a four-point game (15-11) at the end of the first quarter, but the Panthers dominated at both ends of the floor in the second, outscoring the Black Knights 27-2 to take control of the game. Chloe Fales knocked down a pair from deep and scored eight of her 10 points in the second. Sophomore Ava Bonney had a career-high 10 points, while Lauryn DiGiorgio and Clare Loukota each scored seven points and Mallory Santos and Lena Malymina each had six in a balanced attack. Raina Tat was Stoughton’s top scorer with 10 points (seven in the first half), Leah McCarty scored seven, and Isabel Belmonte chipped in with four points. The Black Knights were missing star guard Kirsten McKay.

Franklin TV  replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0qqE7nzvxY

For other results across the Hockomock League (subscription required) 

https://hockomocksports.com/tuesdays-schedule-scoreboard-01-14-25/

FHS Panther sports results shared via Twitter & subscription to HockomockSports.com