Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Live reporting - Peter Light - part 2

Peter introduces himself provides some background for the community

Worked here since 1997, began as substitute, two middle schools and eventually the high school

K-12 Director of Music

Bring to the table his sense of the community, especially as with his background in music. Worked with music boosters group, meet parents and other members of the community at concerts.

Looking to bridge the gap between the community and the school.

Partially responsible for the Freshman Collaborative
Starting to see benefits of the work preparing the students to come into the high school

Work on the blackboard program (as reported here from last summer)
looking to expand the program across the high school and middle schools

First and foremost, high school has to be about teaching and learning

1 - Scholarship
has to be first in mind about the quality of education, how well students will do beyond high school; ensure a level of confidence, raising expectations, how we work with administrators, teachers inside the building and across the district

conference scheduled at end of this year to work on creating a common language for teacher feedback, sense of continuous improvement

need for continual positive feedback to ensure continual development of teachers
essential values that teachers have to share

strategy - it is not just intelligence, it is how you can use it; how do we work with students who struggle, how do we take students where they are at and take them to the next level

2 - Community
Community needs to have a level of confidence in the high school, communication of high standards and expectation

3 - Leadership
transparency, openness, fosters a sense of open dialog
principal blog, to improve the immediacy of communications
looking for a podcast, particularly with the budget cycle coming
looking to reach out and engage constituent groups, particularly in the next 6 months

involve this Committee, Central Office, administration, students, parents, teachers, community, etc. gather data, evaluate, and develop a strategy

looking for expansion of the retired teacher volunteer opportunity

Pat Slight - thanks Ms Gould for her work; Mr Light was his vice principal as he came in as a freshman, this will be his third principal in his time at the high school, and he is fine with that.

Peter Light wants to keep a relationship with the students.

Jeff Roy - Mr Light was a finalist in the Needham search and he chose Franklin over Needham

Live reporting - Peter Light

Wayne Ogden - intro to Peter Light, in survey of students and facility, they heard: we want someone we know, we want stability, we want someone who knows what is going on. Peter's name was a consensus amongst those interviewed.

"We have in our midst is a gem of a young leader who can take us forward."

Peter will be the permanent principle beginning January 26th.

Live reporting - Art Gallery

Guests/Presentations
  • Art Gallery
Mr. Mike Caple
Rachel Nault (senior center program)
Madison Weber (Gallery 218)

  • Art for all
  • Prepare students for the highest level art program
  • Connect art to the community

They bring in working professional artists to show that the starving artist is a myth

Empty Bowls raised $500 dollars for the Franklin Food Pantry last year and $350 for the Walk for Hunger

FPS Summer Art Institute - coming this summer for first time, 2 week program for multiple grade levels.

Senior Center Art Program - ran this year for first time in awhile. As reported in Milford Daily News previously.
Art Show, January 15 at Senior Center to showcase the work from the program and celebrate the accomplishments. 10:00 to 11:30 for reception.

A idea that had been around for some time that finally came to fruition. Alumni work being prepared for the next show. Located off the cafeteria at the High School. The art that has been showcased covers K-12 art.

The Gallery 218 can be found on the FHS web site here

Looking to do a non-art teacher art show next year.
Looking to connect the creation of art to the "real world".

Live reporting

Attending: C Armenio, M Kelly, P Mullen, J Roy, S Rohrbach, R Trahan
E Cafasso (late)

Student Reps: P Slight, B MacLeod


1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments

Review of Agenda - move Bldg Committee update to subcommittee reports

Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the December 9, 2008 School Committee Meeting. approved 6-0

Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly approved 6-0

Payroll Ms. Armenio

FHS Student Representatives

Correspondence: Budget to Actual (for discussion at 1/27/09 Meeting)

Energy $ense Series - Kilowatt Ours




When:
Wednesday, January 14, 2009, 7:00 pm


Where:

Franklin Public Library Community Room
118 Main Street, Lower Level



Moderator:

Ted McIntyre, Ph.D.
Board Member
Massachusetts Climate Action Network


Description:
This film traces the path of the electricity you use in your home from the light switch, through the wires to its source. Along the way you’ll meet power companies, schools, businesses and everyday Americans finding ways to meet our energy needs using conservation and green power. “Kilowatt Ours” will teach you how to dramatically reduce your electric bill and improve the environment at the same time.


Sponsored by:

Franklin Area Climate Team (FACT), Massachusetts Climate Action Network, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Friends of the Franklin Library

In the News - tot classes, gym floor

GHS
Posted Jan 13, 2009 @ 12:26 AM
Last update Jan 13, 2009 @ 12:27 AM

FRANKLIN —

It was calling to him: A quivering, foaming, creamy pile of shaving cream freshly released from its canister onto a tabletop.

In a split second of hesitancy, 3 1/2-year-old Aidan Phillips of Franklin glanced toward his mother as if looking for some indication that what he was about to do was OK.

It was all the time he needed.

In the next breath, with a squishing sound whispering off his fingers, the youngster had his hands immersed in the marshmallowy pillows of white, foamy trails of fragrant cream dripping from his fingertips and dampening his sleeves.

He grinned as another youngster joined him at the table, giggling as she covered her cheeks with the stuff, and scooped up handfuls of it with glee.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

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

GHS
Posted Jan 13, 2009 @ 12:39 AM

FRANKLIN —

It will be several months before the smaller of Franklin High School's two gymnasiums is fixed following the New Year's storm that resulted in a badly warped floor, said Facilities Manager Michael D'Angelo.

The cold weather froze and broke pipes, which shot 180-degree water onto the floor, he said.

Principal Pamela Gould said she was told the floor boards "buckled." Looking at it herself, she remarked, "I've never seen anything like it."

"The bubble's gone down now, but it was unbelievable. Just picture the old cartoons, an animal crawling under the floor and making a mound. The mound went up to my knees," she said, adding that the wave went from one end of the gym to half-court.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Police Department

Continuing to explore the 2008 Annual Report I find information on the Police Department and all its activities.

Did you know that people love to drive fast in Franklin? Now, some of these may be from out of town but the Police Department processed more speeding citations than the next eleven categories of Uniform Division Citation Charges combined.

In fact, speeding citations accounted for 58% of the 5007 citations issued.

The Top 5 violations cited were:
  1. Speeding - 2916
  2. No Inspection Sticker - 540
  3. Fail to Stop/Yield - 341
  4. Fail to Wear Seat belt - 322
  5. Red Light Violations - 286

Would you like to read about these as they occur? The Daily Logs are posted online here.

Much more information on the Police Department and its activities can be found on the web site here.

If you have not signed up for the ConnectCTY service, consider doing so. It is quick and easy and will keep you up to date of important events happening in your neighborhood.


If you have not picked up your hard copy of the report at Town Hall, you can try to view it online here: http://www.town.franklin.ma.us/pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/2008arpt.pdf