Franklin Matters

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Fall Into Art - November 8 & 9

Read more about this event put on by the Franklin Art Association here.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

"the school system is going to need it"

Michael Doherty, a member of the board of directors of the Franklin Education Foundation, said he is worried about the economy's effect on the foundation. "Local businesses have been feeling the pinch for well over a year and it is harder for them to be as generous to us as they have in the past,'' he said. "We still get a lot of support but some of the small businesses have really suffered.''

The Franklin Educational Foundation will hold its third annual casino night on Nov. 21, but on a smaller scale than in the past, Doherty said. He said he thinks people are waiting until later to purchase tickets for the event.

"We hope to get a large turnout for it, the event was well supported in the last two years,'' he said. "People who are not gamblers come out and understand its just a fun event and everyone knows what they spend will benefit a great cause.''

Doherty said another casualty of the economy is that people have less and less time to volunteer for the foundation. "People are working more, but we are always accepting new members and donations for the cause,'' he said. And with state budget cuts and less revenue from other sources, the school system is going to need it, Doherty said.

"We cannot make up the entire gap but we hope to provide whatever assistance we can,'' he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

"They're both really smart,"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GateHouse News Service

Posted Nov 03, 2008 @ 10:37 PM

FRANKLIN —

If the voting pattern of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Horace Mann Middle School is any reflection of the way the rest of the country will vote today, Barack Obama will win by a landslide.

The final tally: Barack Obama, 329; John McCain, 181; Ralph Nader, 17.

'Our motto today is: `As Horace Mann goes, so goes the nation,''' said sixth-grade math teacher Patricia Metrick, who helped organize the mock election.

"Twenty, 30 years from now, this election's going to be in our textbooks. Their children will be learning about it. It gives (today's students) a chance to participate, even though they're only young adults,'' said Metrick.

Although the school has held mock elections in the past, this was "by far the snazziest, most authentic one,'' said sixth-grade English/social studies teacher Joseph Corey, who directed the video news team yesterday with sixth-grade math and science teacher Noreen Langmeyer.

"They're very excited, they're waiting for their turn to vote,'' Langmeyer said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Voting is Patriotic (USA)

Voting is Patriotic (USA), originally uploaded by farlane.

Not just patriotic, is it a democratic society's duty.

Please get out and vote today!

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – October 1, 2008, October 15, 2008

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS - Design Review Commission
Council on Aging

F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS – Teppanyaki Restaurant – Change of Manager

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS
Recycling Committee Presentation
DPW Presentation – Rubbish/Recycling
DPW Reorganization

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 08-59: Dissolution of Fire Station Building Committee (Tabled on 10/15/08)
2. Resolution 08-71: Authorization for Intermunicipal Agreement – Town of Blackstone
3. Resolution 08-72: Acceptance of Gifts for the Red Brick School
4. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-625: Chapter 185-5, Town Code: Zoning Map – Business to Commercial II – 2nd Reading (Tabled on 10/15/08)

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

L. OLD BUSINESS

M. NEW BUSINESS

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS

O. EXECUTIVE SESSION – Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN

"Doc, can you help me study?"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Sun Nov 02, 2008, 06:39 PM EST

FRANKLIN -

Don Roemer, affectionately known as "Doc" to his students and colleagues, spent 37 years in a job he loved.

"I loved it. I loved teaching," said Roemer, a Franklin resident who worked for 27 years as an English teacher at Wayland High School, and 10 years prior as an English professor at Northwestern University and Northeastern University.

Life felt a bit empty when he retired three years ago, so he decided to fill that hole by returning to his passion, he said.

For the past year, he has volunteered as a part-time teacher working alongside a few full-timers at Franklin High School, in a pilot program he proposed last October to Franklin Superintendent of Schools Wayne Ogden. Ogden is the former assistant superintendent of Wayland Public Schools.

"I really wanted very much to have something to do with education. I missed being with the kids. I may be old, but I have a lot of experience, a lot to offer," Roemer said.

"I never got tired of the teaching, I never got tired of the kids, but I did get tired of correcting papers," Roemer said.

As a volunteer, he gets the best of both worlds: giving students one-on-one academic attention, without having to pour through essays and tests, as well as a flexible, albeit, confusing rotating schedule, he said.

Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here

A video clip by Joyce Kelly interviewing Doc can be seen here: