School Committee - 10/12/10

The collection of live reported posts from the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Oct 12th can be found here:

• Live reporting - Closing
• Live reporting - Action items
• Live reporting - Discussion only items
• Live reporting - high school improvement plan
• Live reporting - FHS Update
• live reporting - Senior Project
• Live reporting - School Committee Meeting

Franklin, MA

Question 3

Question 3 is on the ballot for November's election.

We all want good schools, police and fire protection, safe roads and bridges, clean water and quality health care. Cutting the sales tax by more than half would deprive our communities of the revenue to pay for them.

Franklin already is too dependent upon state aid, to lose additional money would devastate the town. How much would we lose? The website calculates the amount each community would lose if Question 3 is approved.


http://votenoquestion3.com/towns.php?town_code=101

The fact sheet is shown below:

Question 3 Fact Sheet


When you go to the polls in November, make a choice you will be prepared to live with for more than one day.


Franklin, MA

In the News - students, flu, rides, race

Franklin students are more well-behaved

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

Franklin flu clinic tomorrow

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin residents offered 'Ride to the Polls'

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Second annual Jen Ballarino 5K Race set

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Closing

5. Information Matters

Superintendent’s Report
a. Enrollment Comparison

down 48 students and verifying some home eligibility requirements

b. FHS Feasibility

architects work underway

scheduled for an Oct 27th presentation at the Building Committee, approx 7:15 PM that evening, although meeting starts at 6:00/6:30? (check to confirm)

will come before the School Committee at a meeting to be scheduled

c. HMMS Principal Search

ad ran in Sunday's paper

wanted to look at the responses before setting up the process

School Committee Sub-Committee Reports

Joint Budget Subcommittee, started discussion on initial budget

Space needs subcommittee met and would like to be on the agenda for November

School Committee Liaison Reports
Joint PCC meeting initial meeting for the year, well attended

They provide over $150,000 to support school programs

(This does not include the athletic boosters, music boosters)

6. New Business
To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.
FEF Casino night Friday, Nov 19th at the Elks 

7. Executive Session
Contractual Negotiations

motion to enter executive session, via roll call passed 7-0



Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Action items

4. Action Items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,500.00 from the YMCA/Stop & Shop Healthy Futures Grant for field trips, supplies and supplemental curriculum materials for the Annie Sullivan Middle School.

motion to accept, passed 7-0

b. I recommend acceptance of a check for $200.00 from the ASMS PCC for field trips.

motion to accept, passed 7-0

c. I recommend acceptance of a check for $5,000.00 from the Jefferson PCC for Field Trips for Jefferson Elementary School students.

motion to accept, passed 7-0

d. I recommend approval of the recurring field trip for Middle School Chorus students to New York City to see a Broadway show on May 7, 2011 as detailed.
motion to accept, passed 7-0


e. I recommend approval of the FHS School Improvement Plan as detailed.
motion to accept, passed 7-0






Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Discussion only items

3. Discussion Only Items
Policy – First Reading
IHBG Homeschooling


The policy itself was published previously and can be viewed here
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/10/fps-homeschooling-policy-proposed.html

based upon discussion, the revisions seem to be in the area of school sports and activities (i.e  prom, etc.)

probably 20-30 children in the district, some families have multiple students

Doug Hardesty - home schooling their 9th grader
where can I get a copy of the policy?

Roy - it is published on the web as well as on Franklin Matters

motion to move policy to second reading as amended by Jeff Roy (references to MIAA policy signed)




Franklin, MA

Live reporting - high school improvement plan

c. Franklin High School’s School Improvement Plan – Peter Light

The presentation for this section was posted to Franklin Matters earlier Tuesday. You can view it here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/10/franklin-high-school-improvement-plan.html


10% target, actually increased 48% on advanced placement courses taken

MCAS is all about Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) in the subgroups (special education in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math)

Principals Council (see members listed in presentation above)

teacher goals being tied into 2 of the 3 goals of the improvement plan (the first three are multi-year goals and school wide)

Mullen - have you considered not doing summer reading?
Light - how do you increase the passion for reading with students who are reluctant to read? We want students to learn, that excites them over the summer and are going that way.

Sabolinski - we need to define the purpose for summer reading? Having a hiatus year is good to provide the time to sit back and reflect on what we are doing and what we should do.



Franklin, MA