The video published on Saturday was effective but overall disappointing to me as the quality of the students work did not translate well to the video format.
Since the quality of the students work is the reason to share it, let me try again with this slide show.
If you were satisfied with the video, then you can skip this and I apologize for the duplication.
If you were not satisfied with the video, then hopefully this will come closer to the mark.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
When can a level funded budget increase?
The School Committee meeting on June 23 left me with doom and gloom. The budget deficit had yet to be resolved. The budget was to be level funded. There was no hope of "found money". The numbers were still not balancing and yet tipping in the wrong direction.
How many teachers would end up going out the door?
It seemed likely that a minimum of 40 would. How many more would go was the question that remained. However, I returned from travel to find that of the 60 school personnel notified only 12 would not be returning.
How had this come about?
This was a question several readers here asked me to help explain. I did not have the answer initially. A recent newspaper article did not explain. Even the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, July 21, left me with questions unanswered.
What was the answer?
A conversation with Jeff Roy resulted in the answer. The level funded budget from the Town didn't change. What did change was that all the stimulus funds from either the Federal or State sources were added to the level funded Town budget. That made a big difference. To the tune of $1.1 million. (actually $1,133,953 according to the School Committee)
How did that help?
Instead of ending up with a level funded budget, we ended up with a level funded plus budget. So all the talk of a level funded budget is from the Town Council perspective. The Town did not provide the Schools with anything more than they School got for the prior fiscal year. The Schools benefited by adding the various Federal and State stimulus funds in to the mix to end up with level funded plus.
Is that wrong?
No. At least, I don't believe so. I just wish the discussion around this subject had been more clear. If I spend as much time as I do attending and participating in the various meetings and I get lost, then I can not fault the 'average' Franklin voter for getting lost.
How do we address this?
Better communication is not just a trite answer. The communications and discussions need to be focused with the end user in mind; in this case, the school parents and taxpayers. What will affect them?
What will parents see when they return to school in September?
The school class sizes will be available for one of the August School Committee meetings. Principals are working on the final details for their staffing now (in amongst their summer time off).
What will tax payers see when the next tax bill comes in?
No increase this year due to the level funding. Next year, the fiscal year 2011 will be a different story. Most, if not all of the additional stimulus items used to fund the budget this year are one time dollars. They will not be available next year.
What additional programs were cut?
I am not aware of additional programs that were cut.
Were any of the fees raised?
The fees for after school activities, sports and pay-to-ride remain at last year level.
How can the School Committee improve the discussion?
There is a general reluctance to share the spreadsheets. I understand that the numbers can change. They should be made available. Ensure that they are time stamped and clearly marked that as of this point in time, these are the dollars and this is the effect (i.e. number of positions lost). This would at least help us understand how we go from point A to point B. This will at least ensure that when numbers are bantered back and forth at the meeting, we all can attempt to follow the discussion.
What is the final level funded budget plus number?
You can click over to the School Committee blog to find the numbers there.
A couple of notes to help understand the spreadsheet on the School Committee page:
How many teachers would end up going out the door?
It seemed likely that a minimum of 40 would. How many more would go was the question that remained. However, I returned from travel to find that of the 60 school personnel notified only 12 would not be returning.
How had this come about?
This was a question several readers here asked me to help explain. I did not have the answer initially. A recent newspaper article did not explain. Even the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, July 21, left me with questions unanswered.
What was the answer?
A conversation with Jeff Roy resulted in the answer. The level funded budget from the Town didn't change. What did change was that all the stimulus funds from either the Federal or State sources were added to the level funded Town budget. That made a big difference. To the tune of $1.1 million. (actually $1,133,953 according to the School Committee)
How did that help?
Instead of ending up with a level funded budget, we ended up with a level funded plus budget. So all the talk of a level funded budget is from the Town Council perspective. The Town did not provide the Schools with anything more than they School got for the prior fiscal year. The Schools benefited by adding the various Federal and State stimulus funds in to the mix to end up with level funded plus.
Is that wrong?
No. At least, I don't believe so. I just wish the discussion around this subject had been more clear. If I spend as much time as I do attending and participating in the various meetings and I get lost, then I can not fault the 'average' Franklin voter for getting lost.
How do we address this?
Better communication is not just a trite answer. The communications and discussions need to be focused with the end user in mind; in this case, the school parents and taxpayers. What will affect them?
What will parents see when they return to school in September?
The school class sizes will be available for one of the August School Committee meetings. Principals are working on the final details for their staffing now (in amongst their summer time off).
What will tax payers see when the next tax bill comes in?
No increase this year due to the level funding. Next year, the fiscal year 2011 will be a different story. Most, if not all of the additional stimulus items used to fund the budget this year are one time dollars. They will not be available next year.
What additional programs were cut?
I am not aware of additional programs that were cut.
Were any of the fees raised?
The fees for after school activities, sports and pay-to-ride remain at last year level.
How can the School Committee improve the discussion?
There is a general reluctance to share the spreadsheets. I understand that the numbers can change. They should be made available. Ensure that they are time stamped and clearly marked that as of this point in time, these are the dollars and this is the effect (i.e. number of positions lost). This would at least help us understand how we go from point A to point B. This will at least ensure that when numbers are bantered back and forth at the meeting, we all can attempt to follow the discussion.
What is the final level funded budget plus number?
You can click over to the School Committee blog to find the numbers there.
A couple of notes to help understand the spreadsheet on the School Committee page:
- Attrition is the difference between what the 9 retirees were paid and what the replacement teachers will be paid. Hence a savings of $210,000.
- While the number always talked of that each position reduced costs about $50,000, with 12 positions cut the 500,000 shown by this math should be 600,000.
- All the dollars on the right column added to the budget are one time dollars.
In the News - Patricia Ridge, beating the increase, better health
1 - There is an article about Patricia Ridge, one of the custodians at the Kennedy School who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer:
2 - There is an article about local efforts to generate business in advance of the tax increase effective Aug 1.
3 - While dodgeball is not the answer to better health, running might be.
"She was an integral part of the Kennedy school community, and her sickness is sad and unfortunate," said Franklin Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski. "She's beloved by both the kids and the school."Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here
2 - There is an article about local efforts to generate business in advance of the tax increase effective Aug 1.
At Planet Chrysler Jeep on Rte. 140 in Franklin, July has been a "very busy" month, given the government program and rush to beat the tax increase, said salesman Mike Shruhan.United Regional Chamber of Commerce President Jack Lank is also quoted in the full article in the Milford Daily News here
3 - While dodgeball is not the answer to better health, running might be.
Cohen's foundation has been battling the issue for five years, with an earlier series of eye-catching billboards and continued grants. In Franklin, the Hockomock Area YMCA is using foundation money to develop a response that involves the whole community, not just its schools.Oddly, they don't discuss running as an option. I guess that is too much of a stretch. Better to get someone walking regularly first. Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Breaking the downward cycle
"In Franklin, you basically have a one-in-four chance of not making it through high school. That's a pretty scary statistic," said Light.Read the remainder of this important point from FHS Principal Peter Light's presentation to the School Committee on Tuesday, July 21 in the Milford Daily News here
If you ever wondered why disciplinary action was taking school time away from the students who were in need of it, there is hope. Peter Light and the FHS faculty are looking closing at breaking the cycle where a student gets into trouble, is given detention, suspended, misses school, can't make up as they fall behind and eventually leaves school. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Now the cycle is about to get changed.
You can wait until several days after the School Committee meeting to read about what happened or subscribe to Franklin Matters and obtain the information as it is published during the meeting.
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Summer Art Institute
The Summer Art Institute conducted by Lifelong Learning held a brief open house to showcase the student works. Quite impressive!
The pictures do not do the works justice especially with the transition to the video format but hopefully this will provide some insight into the work produced this summer.
My thanks to all involved are listed in the credits of the movie.
If I missed some one, please let me know so I can make the appropriate correction.
The pictures do not do the works justice especially with the transition to the video format but hopefully this will provide some insight into the work produced this summer.
My thanks to all involved are listed in the credits of the movie.
If I missed some one, please let me know so I can make the appropriate correction.
Computer Recycling Event in Warwick, RI
If you have an old computer, monitor or keyboard that you'd like to recycle, you can drive down to Warwick, RI and watch the recyclers in action.
FreeGeekProvidence is holding this event at New England Institute of Technology today. The text of their email provides additional information:
FreeGeekProvidence is holding this event at New England Institute of Technology today. The text of their email provides additional information:
Today we're having the Providence Bruins Mascot "Samboni" come in just for our recycling event, and HOT 106 will be giving away prizes and doing live cut in's all day. We'll have tee-shirts for sale and lots of recycling to do.
The Free for all Recycling Extravaganza is from 9-1 today at New England Tech. See www.freegeekpvd.org for more info.
That's 95 (either direction) to exit 13, the airport connector, to the end to Post Road. Take a Right on Post Road (or head South) and it's half mile on the right.
You can see on our News Room, we have lots of media coverage and that's not including the TV spots either.
So even if you only have an old keyboard, or a half ton-truck of computer waste, or you just want to meet all the geeks responsible for all the great things going on at Free Geek, join us at New England Tech.
Friday, July 24, 2009
NE Real Estate Journal features Franklin
As mentioned during the Town Council meeting of 7/15/09, the Planning and Community Development Dept worked to get a nice spread on Franklin in an issue of the New England Real Estate Journal. You can find the information about Franklin online at NEREJ or here in the PDF extract:
Great work Brian, Beth and team!
Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
Great work Brian, Beth and team!
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