Franklin Matters

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Hey Franklin, catch 'Guys and Dolls' 3/27-28

Hey Franklin catch 'Guys and Dolls' 3/27-28, originally uploaded by shersteve.

"That would be wonderful,"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Mar 25, 2009 @ 12:12 AM

MEDWAY —

Medway Public Library is on the verge of certification, after being outside the Minuteman Library Network for nearly three years, said Robert Maier, director of the state's Board of Library Commissioners.

"Everything I've heard from (Medway Board of Library Trustees Chairwoman) Wendy Rowe suggests, if Town Meeting approves a (sufficient) budget, the library should be cued up to come back to the program and have certification," said Maier.

While there are three major requirements that Medway must meet to rejoin, the biggest variable is getting a qualified library director - and sharing Franklin's library Director Felicia Oti a few days a week will do the trick, he said.

Oti works a total of 35 hours per week in Franklin. If the sharing agreement goes forward, she will spend about 14 of those 35 hours in Medway. Oti's annual salary is about $80,000. Medway would cover about $32,000 of her salary, explained Rowe who is acting director of Medway library.

"If Medway makes an arrangement for a part-time director, that will meet the requirement of the (certification) program. ... It's my hope it works out that way for Medway, it's been a long time," Maier said.

Read the full article about the combination of the Franklin and Medway libraries in the Milford Daily News here

"Last night's proposals are not the final word"

By By Joyce Kelly, DAILY NEWS STAFF

GHS

Posted Mar 25, 2009 @ 12:32 AM

FRANKLIN —

Faced with the prospect of cutting 62 jobs, the School Committee last night urged teachers and other staff to take a pay freeze that could save $1 million.

Reading from a prepared statement, School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy officially asked the 600-member Franklin Education Association to voluntarily take a pay freeze.

"Time is of the essence," Roy said.

Besides teachers, the association represents teachers aides, nurses, secretaries and van drivers.

Superintendent Wayne Ogden also appealed to residents to call state Rep. James Vallee, D-Franklin, and state Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, to pressure them to stop the state's supposed plan to renege on its offer of $448,381 in stimulus money to Franklin schools.

Read the full article about the budget cuts in the Milford Daily News here

You can also read the live reporting from the meeting summarized here

State Education Mandates - Part 4

From time to time, particular around the budget period, reference is generally made to Franklin Public Schools having to support "unfunded mandates." I managed to find a listing of such compiled by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. This is Part 4 in the series:

McKinney-Vento and Costs Associated with Homeless and Transient Students

This component of No Child Left Behind requires that schools accept any homeless student who wishes to attend the public school. In addition, McKinney-Vento requires the school district to transport any homeless students living in town to the schools in their old home district.

Services to English Language Learners

Provides required ELL services to all students who are not fluent in English. Specially certified teachers must provide this service. There are educational materials and testing costs associated with the ELL services that are provided.
• All classroom teachers who service ELL students in their classrooms must have ten hours of training each year until they fulfill a requirement of 50 hours of training.
• All communications that need to be sent to the homes of all students (not just ELL) whose parents do not speak English as their first language must be translated into their native languages.

• ELL training is required even when only one (1) student in the district is an ELL student.

• Districts are required to provide Sheltered English Immersion services for students whose first language is not English. Districts are responsible for developing procedural manuals, forms, parent outreach, interpreters, and translation of documents. Districts are also required to provide Sheltered English Immersion training in Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4 for all staff who work with English Language Learners. All levels and types of services as provided for English-speaking students must be provided for ELL students in their primary language. Every student whose first language is not English is required to be assessed, to determine language proficiency upon registration and admission to the public school; stages of language acquisition need to be determined in order to identify the level of services required for each student. Students must also be supported by staff members in order for them to participate in Massachusetts English Language Acquisition – Oral (MELA-O) and Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment (MEPA) in reading and writing as well as the MCAS assessments.

The full listing is available here (DOC)

Kindergarten Information Night Schedule

FRANKLIN - Parents of children who will be attending kindergarten in the fall are invited to attend the Kindergarten Information Night at their particular school.

Following are the dates and times:

J.F. Kennedy Elementary, Wednesday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m.;
Parmenter Elementary, Tuesday, April 14, at 6:30;
Jefferson Elementary, Wednesday, April 15, at 6;
Helen Keller Elementary, Wednesday, April 15, at 6:30;
Davis Thayer Elementary, Thursday, April 16, at 6:30
Oak Street School, Wednesday, April 29, 6:30.

Originally posted online at WickedLocal/Franklin Gazette here

Franklin's Earth Day Celebration

Franklin's Earth Day Celebration
Saturday April 18th, 2009
Beaver Pond
Starts at 9:00 AM

Volunteer to clean up targeted areas and assist with planting flowers and shrubs around Franklin.

- Please bring your own water bottle.

- Please bring your own gloves and rakes.

- Community service certificates will be issued.

- T-shirts to the first 200 volunteers.

- Clean up goes to 1:00 PM

Get some Eco-Info at Beaver Pond:

- Water conservation kits and rain barrel display.

- Mercury thermometer exchange for digital thermometers.

- Recycling tips and composting information.

- Energy conservation tips.

- Much more ! ! !

You can register on the Town website here