Fix the 9th Grade Problem in PreK

Given the budget cuts being talked off, which will likely increase class size, I would draw attention to this quote:

"Among the promising school interventions that work— used best in combination—include preschool programs, smaller class size especially in the early years, use of cooperative strategies, personalized learning, extended time for learning, extracurricular activities targeted particularly for underachieving students, and, finally, providing high-quality teachers who understand the students, respect them, and believe that the students can learn."

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Fix the 9th Grade Problem in PreK

via ASCD Inservice by ASCD Bloggers on 3/15/09

The achievement gap is a deep-seated, long-standing, hard-to-solve issue that isn't going away unless we use a strategic approach to solve it, Vanderbilt University Professor Joseph Murphy told ASCDers in his session entitled "Leadership Lessons for Closing the Achievement Gap."...

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Town Council - 3/18/09 - Agenda

A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 3/4/09 Regular and Executive Session

B. ANNOUNCEMENTS

C. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS

D. CITIZEN COMMENTS

E. APPOINTMENTS

F. HEARINGS

G. LICENSE TRANSACTIONS

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

• presentation of Audit – Melanson Heath & Co.

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION

1. Resolution 09-15: Acceptance of Deed of Parcel 29A, Palomino Drive
2. Resolution 09-16: Acceptance of Deed of Parcel 29 B, Paddock Lane
3. Resolution 09-17: Declaration of Town-Owned Land as Surplus and Available for Disposition
4. Resolution 09-18: Appropriation Town Common Band Stand
5. Bylaw Amendment 09-631: Chapter 82 Fees, Appendix A, List of Service Fee Rates - 1st Reading

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

Cafe Dolce - updated

Updated: The grand opening was held on 4/13/09, you can view the slides here

Yea, a coffee shop is coming soon to downtown Franklin.

On the walk around town I did Friday afternoon, I stopped in to talk with BJ Carlucci. He is busy tending to a recently broken ankle as well as finishing off the ceiling and kitchen. He should be training the folks that he has already hired next week and be ready to open the first week of April.

I can't wait.

BJ and I should be getting together for another longer conversation later this week and I'll let you know more about this new business opening soon.

Updated 3/26/09 - BJ, Dave and I did talk today. The results of that discussion will be up soon. I did post a picture of their new sign here.

Mobile post sent by shersteve using Utterli. Replies.

Treesavers Book Outlet

In our continuing series on businesses located in Franklin, I decided to implement a modification to "Management by walking around" by changing it to "Blogging by walking around". Friday afternoon, I had some errands to do so I decided to do them all on foot and found myself at Treesavers Book Outlet.

Kerry DiGiandomenico has been operating Treesavers Book Outlet for 14 years. He took it over from the previous owner when they ran into difficulty with RT 140 under construction and traffic to the store cut sharply.

With the Honey Dew in front of the plaza also closed for renovations, traffic has dropped, so Kerry is looking for other ways to draw in used book buyers.





LeeRoy U Bailey, Jr will be at Treesavers on Saturday May 2, to sign his book; A Different Perspective on How to Reach Heaven: You Must Be Born Again.

LeeRoy will be on site at Treesavers from noon to 4:00 PM. For more information you can email LeeRoy at brnagain@gmail.com or visit his website here.

Treesavers is a good alternative to the big booksellers for anything popular. As the picture mosaic shows, there are plenty of books with many of the major categories (Ficton, Non-Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Romance, etc.) that you would find in other book stores.

Kerry also deals in collectables. There were stacks of KISS dolls and posters amongst the stacks of books.

Audio books (books on tape or CD) are also available.

Each section of the books is generally alphabetized by author last name to make finding the book easier. Kerry tells the story of one couple who would bring him a set of index cards with author and titles. This was the listing of books that they had already read. Kerry would then keep an eye out for books not on their list, put them aside and when there were a few call them. They would come in to buy that set of books and update the listing on the index cards. Alas, the couple have both passed away now but this is the kind of place and service that Treesavers provides.

With money tight, the urge to read still prevalent, consider the low cost option to buying used books. Visit Treesavers and help support a Franklin business.

Treesavers Book Outlet is located at 391 West Central, in the same plaza as Edwins, AutoZone and Honey Dew.

Jane's Frames - Inventory Sale

On Monday (3/16) and Tuesday (3/17), Jane's Frames will be conducting an Inventory Sale offering discounts of 50-80%.





The inventory needs to move to prepare for a juried art show to be held on Thursday (3/19/09)

Additional information on the juried show can be found here:

Slideshow: Government and its role in the economy

Pictures from the panel discussion on Government and its role in the economy are now available.




The audio recordings were posted previously here.

ENERGY BOARD VOTES TO APPROVE CAPE WIND ‘COMPOSITE CERTIFICATE’

On the renewable energy front, we find this press release:

MASSACHUSETTS ENERGY BOARD VOTES TO APPROVE CAPE WIND ‘COMPOSITE CERTIFICATE’
Friday, March 13, 2009

Cape Wind News Release

MASSACHUSETTS ENERGY BOARD VOTES TO APPROVE CAPE WIND ‘COMPOSITE CERTIFICATE’

MARCH 13, 2009, BOSTON, MA – In a unanimous vote, the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (Siting Board), the agency created by the Legislature to ensure the siting of needed and least environmental impact energy facilities, voted yesterday to grant Cape Wind a Certificate of Environmental Impact and Public Interest (Certificate) that effectively rolls up all nine state and local permits related to the electric cables into one ‘composite certificate’.

Note: The official transcript of the Siting Board's Hearing yesterday is available for download at:
http://www.capewind.org/transcript.pdf

Cape Wind President Jim Gordon said, “This decision represents a major victory for the people of Massachusetts who are waiting for the clean energy jobs from Cape Wind which will help us become more energy independent and make Massachusetts a global leader in clean offshore wind energy production.” “I am grateful for the assistance that the attorneys representing Clean Power Now and the Conservation Law Foundation provided as participants in the Siting Board process”, Gordon continued.

The Siting Board instructed Cape Wind to work with the Towns of Yarmouth and Barnstable to reach an agreement on reasonable and customary conditions for town permits related to Cape Wind’s buried electric cables and to present this agreement to the Siting Board. In the event parties cannot agree on conditions, the Siting Board will decide on what conditions are reasonable to include. The Siting Board expects to complete this process and take its final vote within 60-days which will conclude Cape Wind’s permitting at the state and local level.

Cape Wind was compelled to file for this Certificate following a denial by the Cape Cod Commission in 2007. The Siting Board also has the statutory authority to grant a comprehensive approval to an energy facility it has previously approved, where that facility has been denied a permit by any other state or local agency in the Commonwealth.

In 2005, the Siting Board approved Cape Wind’s electrical interconnection at the conclusion of a 32-month review of unprecedented length that included 2,900 pages of transcripts, 923 exhibits and 50,000 pages of documentary evidence. The Siting Board found that Cape Wind would meet an identified need for electricity and would provide a reliable energy supply for Massachusetts, with a minimum impact on the environment. The Siting Board’s approval of Cape Wind’s electrical interconnection was upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Cape Wind’s proposal to build America’s first offshore wind farm on Horseshoe Shoal would provide three-quarters of the electricity used on Cape Cod and the Islands from clean, renewable energy - reducing this region’s need to import oil, coal and gas. Cape Wind will create new jobs, stable electric costs, contribute to a healthier environment, increase energy independence and establish Massachusetts as a leader in offshore wind power. For more information visit www.capewind.org.