4. Action Items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $102.88 from the Franklin Music Boosters for a nurse for a field trip for the Middle Schools. Motion to accept, approved 6-0
b. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,000.00 from the Franklin Country Club for the FHS Hall of Fame Award Scholarship. Motion to accept, approved 6-0
c. I recommend acceptance of a flowering magnolia tree, valued at $300.00 raised from donations, planted in the bus loop at the Oak Street Elementary School. Motion to accept, approved 6-0
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $3,000.00 from the Horace Mann PCC for In-House Enrichment at HMMS. Motion to accept, approved 6-0
e. I recommend acceptance of a check for $90.33 from the Remington PCC for a nurse for their 8th grade celebration. Motion to accept, approved 6-0
f. I recommend acceptance of a check for $2,800.00 from the Parmenter PCC for supplies. Motion to accept, approved 6-0
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Live reporting - FHS facility review submitted
The Town submitted the documents today to the MSBA.
The next step is to get the feasibility study signed off on by the MSBA. Then hiring and obtaining the project manager. The MSBA will tell and determine what we can do each step along the way. It will likely be more different than previous building projects.
Cafasso - The project manager is important, he/she takes over the communications with the MSBA.
The next step is to get the feasibility study signed off on by the MSBA. Then hiring and obtaining the project manager. The MSBA will tell and determine what we can do each step along the way. It will likely be more different than previous building projects.
Cafasso - The project manager is important, he/she takes over the communications with the MSBA.
Live reporting - FY 2010 update
53 million was needed as level service, that number never changed.
The other number that never changed was the number we could expect from the Town Council. 50 million never changed.
Approx 3.5 million dollar gap. How we were bridging that gap? What savings or revenues were coming in were changing.
We couldn't predict how many were retiring, etc.
Sabolinski - some of the ways we bridged the gap also did not change. The teachers taking the wage freeze helped to save 23 positions. Some prepayment of special education tuitions ($200,000). Stabilization was cut significantly by the Governor, we got our final number last week ($219,000). Circuit breaker extraordinary relief.
We were able to bring 29 on July 2
We can bring back 21 more now but have not determined the final positions until we meet with the principals.
10 teaching positions, (5 PE/health and 5 librarians) are the total lost this year.
We did lose the one data analyst and the asst principal were lost as well.
The other number that never changed was the number we could expect from the Town Council. 50 million never changed.
Approx 3.5 million dollar gap. How we were bridging that gap? What savings or revenues were coming in were changing.
We couldn't predict how many were retiring, etc.
Sabolinski - some of the ways we bridged the gap also did not change. The teachers taking the wage freeze helped to save 23 positions. Some prepayment of special education tuitions ($200,000). Stabilization was cut significantly by the Governor, we got our final number last week ($219,000). Circuit breaker extraordinary relief.
We were able to bring 29 on July 2
We can bring back 21 more now but have not determined the final positions until we meet with the principals.
10 teaching positions, (5 PE/health and 5 librarians) are the total lost this year.
We did lose the one data analyst and the asst principal were lost as well.
Live reporting - FHS update - part 5
Communications
I have tried to be open about why decisions are made. I have an online newsletter that people can access regularly. You can find it -> http://franklinhighschool.wordpress.com/
One of the things I am experimenting with next year with Twitter.The messages can be received via cell phones (i.e text messages). We need to experiment before we try to go full bore.
Next year our avg class sizes will be 20-25 for the core academics. This is about as good as your going to see. We have also increased the instructional time for the core courses. The teachers should be able to go deeper into a topic, cover enrichment items, etc. In terms of supporting individual students, we will support them at a significantly higher level than we have done in the last several years.
We are going to look at how we do Panther Pride night. When you have a public school where 93% of the students take SAT's (here at FHS) and compare favorably to the areas privates schools, we need to advertise that better.
The 8th Grade Open House we revised this year and received positive feedback. We paid some of our teachers come in on a Saturday. The parents got a better sense of what Freshman year work would be like.
We will study the parent conference format. There are some positive elements to it but it is hard to have an honest conversation when you are in such a public forum. One of the things to cover is scheduling. A parent may not want to get up from a teacher, it affects the overall scheduling.
Those are some of the activities that we have planned for next year. Success at FHS is tied to how much income the parents have. The graduation rate of the lower income students is only 78% and that is shocking. We have to look at that and address it.
They did try some special tutoring programs with requested attendance. It was well recieved, some students thought it was the best thing that they have done for them.
The detention threat (2.5 hours) is an effect for some of the population but not for all. We are structuring an alternative, this tutoring program. There is a connection between discipline and academic performance. We need to give them more time in an academic environment to ensure that they don't fall behind and drop out.
Armenio - The parent conferences were a little like speed dating. If this is the first time yur finding out you have a problem, there is a communication problem. Maybe with Edline there will be a chance to get the information before hand.
Light - we were expecting teacher to do a lot. Teachers went from having 100-110 student to a 140-150 students and expecting the same level of information is a problem. What can we reasonably expect teachers to do? The teachers couldn't do the job in the time alloted. We need to rethink the process and provide the support.
Mullen - up until last year, I really didn't mind too much. They weren't a place to have a real conversation and you knew that. The freshman collaborative with the additional lines it was really long to get through.
Rohrbach - Not to sound like a broken record, it is amazing what you ahve accomplished in a short period of time. Do you have a sense of the freshman class?
Light - we don't have a real good number just yet. It is significant shift, possibly about 100 heading from the 8th grade to private schools. The enrollment in the other classes are steady. We should still gain overall about 60 students. We do survey those we find out are going to private school. We find that the number one concern is class size.
Rohrbach - what about helping the parents with the technology changes?
Light - we have used email primarily. The world has fundamentaly changed in terms of the speed of communication. We can fight it, or find ways to utilize technology to improve out ways.
Rohrbach - it should save on supplies
Light - moving to the digital format, we are saving big bucks avoiding printing.
Cafasso - to respond on the shed rate from 8th grade to Freshman year. The average the last several years was 8-10%. The number Peter is talking about is probably triple. Your changing that tonight and a lot of that is perception. People have been concerned about the school budget.
Light - there are some folks returning back from private school who had been there. It will be interesting to see what the numbers in and out balance out to when we do the numbers in August.
Roy - thank you for addressing the issues on a point by point basis. You are addressing the circumstances without drowning in sorrow. You have some losses yes, but there are improvements. You are so inspiring, I am going to have to ask you to come more frequently.
I have tried to be open about why decisions are made. I have an online newsletter that people can access regularly. You can find it -> http://franklinhighschool.wordpress.com/
One of the things I am experimenting with next year with Twitter.The messages can be received via cell phones (i.e text messages). We need to experiment before we try to go full bore.
Next year our avg class sizes will be 20-25 for the core academics. This is about as good as your going to see. We have also increased the instructional time for the core courses. The teachers should be able to go deeper into a topic, cover enrichment items, etc. In terms of supporting individual students, we will support them at a significantly higher level than we have done in the last several years.
We are going to look at how we do Panther Pride night. When you have a public school where 93% of the students take SAT's (here at FHS) and compare favorably to the areas privates schools, we need to advertise that better.
The 8th Grade Open House we revised this year and received positive feedback. We paid some of our teachers come in on a Saturday. The parents got a better sense of what Freshman year work would be like.
We will study the parent conference format. There are some positive elements to it but it is hard to have an honest conversation when you are in such a public forum. One of the things to cover is scheduling. A parent may not want to get up from a teacher, it affects the overall scheduling.
Those are some of the activities that we have planned for next year. Success at FHS is tied to how much income the parents have. The graduation rate of the lower income students is only 78% and that is shocking. We have to look at that and address it.
They did try some special tutoring programs with requested attendance. It was well recieved, some students thought it was the best thing that they have done for them.
The detention threat (2.5 hours) is an effect for some of the population but not for all. We are structuring an alternative, this tutoring program. There is a connection between discipline and academic performance. We need to give them more time in an academic environment to ensure that they don't fall behind and drop out.
Armenio - The parent conferences were a little like speed dating. If this is the first time yur finding out you have a problem, there is a communication problem. Maybe with Edline there will be a chance to get the information before hand.
Light - we were expecting teacher to do a lot. Teachers went from having 100-110 student to a 140-150 students and expecting the same level of information is a problem. What can we reasonably expect teachers to do? The teachers couldn't do the job in the time alloted. We need to rethink the process and provide the support.
Mullen - up until last year, I really didn't mind too much. They weren't a place to have a real conversation and you knew that. The freshman collaborative with the additional lines it was really long to get through.
Rohrbach - Not to sound like a broken record, it is amazing what you ahve accomplished in a short period of time. Do you have a sense of the freshman class?
Light - we don't have a real good number just yet. It is significant shift, possibly about 100 heading from the 8th grade to private schools. The enrollment in the other classes are steady. We should still gain overall about 60 students. We do survey those we find out are going to private school. We find that the number one concern is class size.
Rohrbach - what about helping the parents with the technology changes?
Light - we have used email primarily. The world has fundamentaly changed in terms of the speed of communication. We can fight it, or find ways to utilize technology to improve out ways.
Rohrbach - it should save on supplies
Light - moving to the digital format, we are saving big bucks avoiding printing.
Cafasso - to respond on the shed rate from 8th grade to Freshman year. The average the last several years was 8-10%. The number Peter is talking about is probably triple. Your changing that tonight and a lot of that is perception. People have been concerned about the school budget.
Light - there are some folks returning back from private school who had been there. It will be interesting to see what the numbers in and out balance out to when we do the numbers in August.
Roy - thank you for addressing the issues on a point by point basis. You are addressing the circumstances without drowning in sorrow. You have some losses yes, but there are improvements. You are so inspiring, I am going to have to ask you to come more frequently.
Live reporting - FHS update - Part 4
The Senior Class gift along with some money from the Athletic Dept is to bring some flat screens into the building to have a rolling show of the announcements for the day.
One request from the student always was to open the bathrooms during the day. We did try an experiment with some open, one monitored and one not monitored. The monitored one did get some graffiti, the other did not. We will continue to monitor this situation and try to use the passing time to allow for visits to the bathroom. Once in class, they should stay in class.
The lunch period lengthened. The passing time lengthened.
Mullen - Not a school culture question but I thought of it. Community Service is that still going to be part of the school?
Light - That is one answer I don't have fully yet as that is one of the staffing items that I have open and will be resolving soon. We do excel in this area with the number of hours of community service that our students perform.
One request from the student always was to open the bathrooms during the day. We did try an experiment with some open, one monitored and one not monitored. The monitored one did get some graffiti, the other did not. We will continue to monitor this situation and try to use the passing time to allow for visits to the bathroom. Once in class, they should stay in class.
The lunch period lengthened. The passing time lengthened.
Mullen - Not a school culture question but I thought of it. Community Service is that still going to be part of the school?
Light - That is one answer I don't have fully yet as that is one of the staffing items that I have open and will be resolving soon. We do excel in this area with the number of hours of community service that our students perform.
Live reporting - FHS update - Part 3
Guidance and administration
All guidance will be located together and actually switched into the space where the administration offices were to be more of a focal point. A computer lab will be set up for students to come in and do research on colleges. Guidance should be all about college and career planning. It should be structured over the four years and not just in the last couple.
The Administrative structure is changing at FHS. One of our Asst Principals will have an academic focus; with MCAS and the department heads, and teachers in the evaluation process.
Asst Principals for Student Services, they will work with adjustment councilors to ensure that there is a learning process associated with the punitive process.
All guidance will be located together and actually switched into the space where the administration offices were to be more of a focal point. A computer lab will be set up for students to come in and do research on colleges. Guidance should be all about college and career planning. It should be structured over the four years and not just in the last couple.
The Administrative structure is changing at FHS. One of our Asst Principals will have an academic focus; with MCAS and the department heads, and teachers in the evaluation process.
Asst Principals for Student Services, they will work with adjustment councilors to ensure that there is a learning process associated with the punitive process.
Live reporting - FHS update - part 2
Technology center
many folks are coming in to re-order the books in the library, keeping the Dewey Decimal numbering but with a new layout.
There are a total of eight learning pods coming into the Technology Center. It will be opened extended hours with ESPs on staggered hours. Trying to create an atmosphere where student should be able to come in anytime of the day and feel comfortable.
There will be a writing center with a certified writing teacher. They can work with the classroom teachers to work on specific projects.
200 laptops will be available for students to check out during the day. Students will be encouraged to bring in their own laptop or netbook into school to work on in the classroom or the Technology Center.
The school is fully wireless enabled now. For security reasons, a student can not print directly to the school systems. They can save a file up to their folder on the school system and print it from their.
Implementing Edline (?) a parent focused portal for viewing the student grades later. It will be opened up early to enable some of the forms that the parents are required to fill out. Hoping to open Edline around October 1 for student grades. There will be a professional day used for training the teachers before Edline gets opened to the parents.
Mullen - the writing teacher will not be handling a course load.
Light - correct
Sabolinski - the laptops were purchased from the Town capital budget and not from the school operating budget.
Roy - I am loving hearing about the writing center, the technology center, the use of these tools.
Light - one initiative I did not mention is Moodle. Any teacher that wants to do an online portion for one of their courses can use it. I think we have about 30 teachers involved with it now.
Sabolinski - The Moddle thing will roll out more in the later part of the year. Tim can only do so much with the technology initiatives underway.
many folks are coming in to re-order the books in the library, keeping the Dewey Decimal numbering but with a new layout.
There are a total of eight learning pods coming into the Technology Center. It will be opened extended hours with ESPs on staggered hours. Trying to create an atmosphere where student should be able to come in anytime of the day and feel comfortable.
There will be a writing center with a certified writing teacher. They can work with the classroom teachers to work on specific projects.
200 laptops will be available for students to check out during the day. Students will be encouraged to bring in their own laptop or netbook into school to work on in the classroom or the Technology Center.
The school is fully wireless enabled now. For security reasons, a student can not print directly to the school systems. They can save a file up to their folder on the school system and print it from their.
Implementing Edline (?) a parent focused portal for viewing the student grades later. It will be opened up early to enable some of the forms that the parents are required to fill out. Hoping to open Edline around October 1 for student grades. There will be a professional day used for training the teachers before Edline gets opened to the parents.
Mullen - the writing teacher will not be handling a course load.
Light - correct
Sabolinski - the laptops were purchased from the Town capital budget and not from the school operating budget.
Roy - I am loving hearing about the writing center, the technology center, the use of these tools.
Light - one initiative I did not mention is Moodle. Any teacher that wants to do an online portion for one of their courses can use it. I think we have about 30 teachers involved with it now.
Sabolinski - The Moddle thing will roll out more in the later part of the year. Tim can only do so much with the technology initiatives underway.
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