Franklin Matters

Sunday, November 14, 2010

YMCA - "The camp filled a gap"

"She came home every day so happy," Reeve said last week as Abigail happily pointed to pictures of herself at camp. "She couldn't wait to tell me who she saw or what she did."

The camp was held in August as part of the Hockomock Area YMCA's integration initiative, which helps disabled children participate in YMCA programs with their able-bodied peers. The initiative's major fundraiser, the Legends Ball, will be held Tuesday in Foxborough. The dinner will feature many current and former New England Patriotsplayers and other Boston athletes.

YMCA helps disabled children in Franklin
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Franklin, MA

Franklin Fire Dept

In days of tight money, the Milford Daily News has an article today that reviews the purchase process for fire trucks as they are so expensive. Maintenance become important to keep the equipment in top shape and to extend the useful life.

Having participated in a number of discussions with Chief Gary McCarraher as he has presented to the Town Council, Finance Committee, or Financial Planning Committee, I can say that Franklin does very well in this area.

You can read the full article here:

How old are your town's firetrucks?

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Scott O'Connell/Daily News staff

I would recommend visiting the Fire Dept page on the Franklin website.

You can view the equipment housed at Station One (downtown)
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Fire/hqeqpt

You can view the equipment housed at Station Two (King St)
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Fire/st2equpt

Take a few minutes to explore the Fire Dept page. You can find a whole bunch of useful information there!
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Fire/index

BTW - the Globe decided to write about the effects that budget cuts are having to Fire Departments. You can read their story online here or in the print of the Sunday Globe Magazine.

Franklin, MA

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Bullying Plan - Presentation

The YouTube video/slideshow of the Anti-Bullying Task Force presentation can be viewed:

Updated 11/14/10

The Boston Globe West on Sunday posted an article on this

Antibullying policy ready for airing

from Boston Globe -- Globe West by Rachel Lebeaux, Globe Correspondent

Franklin, MA

Recycle to help the Panthers

ATTENTION: FRANKLIN PANTHERS FANS!

Support the Girls Ice Hockey team

at this

SPECIAL EVENT

CLEAN UP - CLEAN OUT

Electronic & Appliance Recycling Drive

Proceeds from electronics will benefit the Panthers.

Saturday, November 13

9am to 2pm

St. Mary's Charter School Parking lot

201 Main Street

Franklin

Big Brother Big Sister will participate by collecting used clothing. Please look for
the Big Blue Truck. Receipts available from our drivers.

Price List for Electronics/Appliances is as follows:
Large Home Appliances...............$10.00
Small Appliances............................$5.00
Televisions less than 48".............$20.00
Air Conditioners/Dehumidifiers....$10.00
Stereos/Speakers...........................$5.00
Computers, Monitors, Printers.......$5.00
Office Equipment.....................$5-10.00
Notebooks.....................................$5.00
DVD/VCR.......................................$3.00

All Fees are Tax Deductible.
Receipts given - cash only

For more information, call Franklin School at 508.520.7590
or call Big Brother Big Sister Foundation 1.800.483.5503
or contact us at: www.bbbsfoundation.org donate@bbbsfoundation.org

Thank you. We appreciate your support and participation.

Franklin, MA

Friday, November 12, 2010

Bullying Plan - Comments wanted!

You may recall that the School Committee formed an Anti-Bullying Task Force. This group has come together and developed a plan to address bullying in the Franklin School District. The plan is scheduled for discussion at the Nov 16th School Committee meeting.

In addition to the public discussion, the committee is soliciting written comments by e-mail or letter. For e-mails, please send your comments to: millerd@franklin.k12.ma.us. For letters, please send your comments to: Franklin School Committee, 355 East Central Street, Franklin, MA 02038.

The public comment period will be open through Thursday, December 9, 2010. The plan will be finalized and voted on at the December 14, 2010 school committee meeting.

The plan can be viewed below or on the School Committee page or on the Task Force page

Franklin Public Schools Bullying Plan

Don't be bashful, let your voice be heard.

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

Franklin, MA

Yes, class size matters.

No surprise here:

But if the board hoped to hear that they could let class sizes creep higher without harming student development or achievement, Rivkin, who also sits on the Amherst School Committee, disappointed.

Extracting from two studies that met his criteria for reliability, the Tennessee STAR project and a 2005 study he did with colleagues on Texas schools, Rivkin told the panel that class size matters.

Moreover, he said, studies using STAR (for Student Teacher Achievement Ratio) data have found students in smaller classes were more likely to attend college, attend a good college, and earn more than peers in larger classes.

You can read the full article in the Boston Globe West section of the print version or online

Class size can increase with growth which Franklin has seen and Brookline is now seeing, or class size can increase due to cuts in teacher staff which Franklin has seen and is likely to continue to see until something changes.

Franklin, MA