Disclosure Announcement

Keeping my promise to let you know when things change, I do have an announcement to make. I am honored to have been offered a role on the Board of Directors for the Franklin Food Pantry.

I have accepted this role and look to help the Food Pantry in a couple of ways. One, they have expanded the membership of the Board and are embarking on a strategic plan initiative. I believe my project management skills and my work creating a good customer experience can help in this effort. Two, I will work to help the Food Pantry in their communication efforts. Drawing upon the experiences I have had using and implementing social media tools, I will help to spread the word about the work of the Food Pantry.

What won’t change?
My priorities won’t change with this new role. My number one priority remains my focus on finding appropriate full-time employment. (I forgot this reference to my job search was still here.) My second priority remains contributing to the well being of my immediate and extended family.

My third priority has been giving back to my community via the work I do for Franklin Matters. I see the Food Pantry time requirements fitting within the time I have available. The Food Pantry will allow me to explore what matters in Franklin in an important way. I see this as a natural extension of the outreach efforts I have already made through the Franklin Downtown Partnership and the United Regional Chamber of Commerce.

What may change?
The Food Pantry Board is currently scheduled to meet on the last Tuesday of the month. Depending upon how the calendar works out, this poses a potential conflict with the School Committee meetings. As a result of this conflict, I may be reporting on the second School Committee meeting more from the video archive than the in person/live reporting I have been able to do.

I should note that my role with the Food Pantry Board has changed. In addition to my original responsibilities, I have taken on the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. (updated 5/2011)
I also serve as Chairman of the Board Development Committee. This last one is temporary (I hope) as we work to expand the Board with folks who share the passion for helping our Franklin neighbors. (updated 10/2011)

My disclosure statement can be found here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/p/why-franklin-matters.html

and here http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/04/disclosure-statement-updated-4809.html

The bus is coming. The bus is coming!

Yes, it is that time of the year where the school bus schedule is reviewed. Getting up and out in the morning for school begins next week.

You can view the bus schedule here:

Franklin Public Schools 2010-11 Busroutes


You can also go to the Franklin Public Schools Transportation page to find this info and more:
http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/FPS/transport/default.htm

A quick summary of the changes to the schedule was covered in the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, August 24th.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/08/live-reporting-closing_24.html

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.

Attention: business property owners

Do you own business property in Bellingham, Franklin or Milford?
Do it have at least two acres of impervious surface?

What is impervious surface? 
Impervious means that the water can not penetrate to seep through the surface. Concrete or asphalt are common impervious surfaces. Building roof tops also count in the calculation.

If you have not yet attended one of the information sessions on the new regulations the EPA is proposing for pilot in these three communities, you should.

There is one more Thursday, August 26 at 10 AM in the Physician's Conference Room at the Milford Regional Medical Center, located at 14 Prospect St., Milford.

Free parking is available at the Cancer Center, directly across the street from the Hospital, on Prospect Street.

The presentation used at a prior information session can be viewed here:

Information Meeting – August 3, 2010 - Handout

View more presentations from Franklin Matters.

Additional information on the proposed EPA regulations can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html

http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/epa-storm-water-proposal-information.html


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.

Franklin, MA

In the News - Y expansion, class size

Franklin YMCA hopes to expand

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Franklin administrators bemoan large class sizes

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA Public Schools: Handbooks

The parent/student/family handbooks for each school in the Franklin Public Schools were approved by the School Committee during the meeting on Tuesday, Aug 24, 2010. You can cruise amongst the individual school webpage to find the handbooks or all of them can be found in one place here:


ECDC FY 11 final Family Handbook 3 (PDF)

Jefferson Parent Handbook 10-11 Final August 2010 (PDF)

Keller Parent and Student Handbook 2010-2011-FINAL (PDF)

JF Kennedy FINAL Handbook 10-11 (PDF)

Oak Street FINAL Family Handbook 2010-2011 (PDF)

Parmenter Family Handbook 2010-2011.FINAL (PDF)

Davis Thayer FINAL Family Handbook 2010-2011 (PDF)

Horace Mann MS FINAL (PDF)

Remington MS_Handbook_FINAL_10-11 (PDF)

Annie Sullivan MS Student Handbook FINAL 2010-2011 (PDF)

FHS FINAL 10-11 (PDF)

FHS Bullying Appendix A FINAL 2010-2011 (PDF)


Note: These handbooks were the 'official' ones approved at the meeting, if an individual handbook is changed after this time, THE official one should be found on the respective Franklin Schools page.


Franklin, MA

School Committee - 08/24/10

The collection of posts from the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Aug 24, 2010 can be found here:

• Live reporting - Closing
• Live reporting - Action items
• Live reporting - Discussion only items
• Live reporting - Middle School Improvement Plans
• Live reporting - School Committee

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Closing

5. Information Matters

Superintendent’s Report
a. Parmenter – Wachusett Street Construction
The front access loop is currently impassible, meeting with DPW and Town Administrator on Wednesday


There are 153 new students in the district, there was a line down the hall at the high school today, students who had been at the private high schools are returning


The bus routes are being posted, 
there were three buses eliminated per the budget discussion to save $120,000
Stops were added other bus routes
Some routes will be longer than last year due to the additional stops

• Remington, bus 29 eliminated, stops added to buses 1, 10, 11, 14
• Horace Mann, bus 30 eliminated, stops added to buses 15 and 22
• Parmenter, bus 5 eliminated, stops added to bus 22 and 23
• Keller, bus 24 eliminated, stops to bus 2 
• Jefferson, bus 21, stops added to buses 15 and 26

middle school buses are at about 95% capacity
elementary buses are at 75% capacity
bus counts will be taken the third week in Sep
bus counts will be taken more frequently
Late bus will be up and running for the middle and high school students


Pay to ride, currently just about where they were last year about 1591, expecting an increase but only where capacity exists.


Cafasso - can we utilize the existing media to communicate to the PCC's? We need to keep the parents aware. I would like to see in Oct.


Ridership mostly middle/high school for the pay-to-ride

School Committee Sub-Committee Reports 
budget subcommittee met to start discussing FY 2012
if there is any input, like to see things different from last year, let Sue know


policy subcommittee continuing to work through the manual
will be bringing forward


School Committee Liaison Reports
none
6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.


Roy - received a book from C Geromini "The Death and Life of the Great American School System"
Trahan - wishing a safe new beginning to the new year to all the students, faculty, etc.

7. Executive Session
Contractual Negotiations


moving to executive session, passed 7-0

8. Adjourn



Franklin, MA