Franklin Matters

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Workplace Wellness Initiative

Working on Wellness – Saving Money through Healthy Living

As part of the Town of Franklin Mass in Motion and YMCA Healthy Futures Initiative – a proactive community approach to reducing inactivity and poor nutrition – we are offering an incentive to Franklin-based businesses who attend a Workplace Wellness Workshop.

We are inviting all interested Franklin-based businesses to attend a 1½ hour workshop to learn the benefits of adopting a workplace wellness program, best practices, successful evaluation tools, and how to become eligible for funds and resources through the Town of Franklin Mass in Motion grant as well as through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

With one in every three Massachusetts adults affected by chronic disease, we know we have to look for innovative solutions to support the adoption of healthy habits. Our goal is to improve the health of employees by helping businesses build an infrastructure that is sustainable and expandable to promote wellness and prevent chronic diseases. We hope that by addressing workplace wellness, we will support the health of families and the community-at-large.

Workplace Wellness Programs have been shown to:

Reduce sick time by 28%
Reduce health care costs by 26%
Reduce workers' compensation by 30%
Produce a $5.93-to-$1 savings-to-cost ratio

The Franklin-based Workplace Wellness Initiative will be held Thursday March 1^st from 10:30 – 12 PM at the Hockomock Area YMCA, Bernon Family Branch. Please feel free to extend an invitation to other Franklin-based businesses with which you work.

To attend, RSVP to Lauren Marciszyn, Director of Youth & Community Wellness, at 774-235-2737 or via email at Laurenm@hockymca.org by Friday February 24^th.

Additional information regarding the states Phase V Working on Wellness Program can be found at: www.mass.gov/massinmotion

Supporting Healthy Living,

Lauren

Lauren A. Marciszyn, RD, LDN

Director of Youth & Community Wellness

Hockomock Area YMCA

774.235.2737

Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR)

I spent some time looking around the MA Board of Library Commissioners website on Monday. I was trying to find information on the de-certification of the Franklin Public Library. I eventually found this:

Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L., c.78, s.19A), states that a municipality must appropriate a figure of at least the average of the last 3 years' municipal appropriations to the library for operations, increased by 2.5%, in order to be certified for State Aid to Public Libraries

This calculated figure is known as the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR).

A municipality must meet the MAR or apply for and receive a waiver of the MAR in order to be eligible to be certified for State Aid to Public Libraries by the Board of Library Commissioners. Capital appropriations cannot be used to meet the MAR.

http://mblc.state.ma.us/grants/state_aid/policies/stanmar.php

Monday, February 6, 2012

Franklin Public Library - decertified

An email from a Franklin resident reveals this notification from the Norfolk Public Library

Dear Franklin Residents:

You are receiving this message because you have a library card at the Norfolk Public Library and we have important news about the status of your home library, the Franklin Public Library.

We are sorry to inform you that the Franklin Public Library was decertified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners on Feb 2, 2012, due to inequitable budget cuts. The Franklin Library was hit with a 30% cut in its funding this year. This is far below the threshold set by the Board of Library Commissioners to grant a waiver. Decertification negates the state-wide reciprocal borrowing agreement and Franklin residents are no longer eligible to borrow books and materials from the Norfolk Public Library.

We urge you to contact Franklin officials, i.e. your Town Administrator and City Council members to restore funding to the Franklin Public Library in order to regain the library's certification status. When the Franklin Public Library regains its certification the recripricol borrowing privileges will be restored and you will once again be able to borrow materials from the Norfolk Public Library.

Norfolk Public Library
Statement on Lending to Residents
of Municipalities with Decertified Libraries

Public libraries in Massachusetts that do not meet the minimum standards for funding and service necessary for certification by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) are 'decertified' by the Board. As such, they are not eligible to participate in reciprocal borrowing with other libraries.

Massachusetts state law (605 CMR 4.01) states that certified public libraries are not required to lend materials to residents of municipalities with decertified libraries.

The Norfolk Public Library will not lend materials to residents of municipalities with decertified libraries, as this places an inequitable burden on NPL resources and local tax dollars.

Massachusetts General Law (605 CMR 4.01) states, "all residents of the Commonwealth shall have access to reading and reference rooms under the same conditions as residents of the community." Residents of communities with decertified libraries are therefore welcome to use Norfolk Public Library resources within the library building.

Robin Glasser, Director
Norfolk Public Library

Wadsworth Diary - Feb 6, 1858

Very Stormy, Windy & cold all day. Snow Made & set 2 hoops on a cask, took most fournoon, than helped Jos shell our corn that grew on the Pherson lot, about 18 baskets. Than went up with oxan & c. Dutchman staid here last night in barn, couldn’t understand him. Sent him off in cars.

Written on side: Mrs. Wright is here this eve. Going to stay tonight.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale.

From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html

CDC Fact Sheet: Heads Up Concussion in Youth Sports

One of the Franklin Matters readers suggested taking this from the larger document and giving it better recognition. I concur. This is an important matter and should be shared broadly. Head injuries don't only occur on the sports fields. They can occur at home or in the backyard or playground.

Substitute "parent" for coach and this would be good to use.

SYMPTOMS OF A CONCUSSION:

Signs Observed by Coaching Staff

If your child has experienced a bump or blow to the head during a game or practice, look for any of the following signs and symptoms of a concussion:
• Appears dazed or stunned
• Is confused about assignment or position
• Forgets sports play
• Is unsure of game, score, or opponent
• Moves clumsily
• Answers questions slowly
• Loses consciousness (even briefly)
• Shows behavior or personality changes
• Can't recall events prior to hit or fall
• Can't recall events after hit or fall

Symptoms Reported by Athlete
• Headache or "pressure" in head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
• Concentration or memory problems
• Confusion
• Does not "feel right"

http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/pdf/coaches_Engl.pdf

Scholastic Art Awards

Announcement: Scholastic Art Awards - Franklin School District

Congratulations to the all the FPS Middle School and High School Visual Art students who were selected by their art teachers to participate in this year’s Massachusetts State Scholastic Art Competition! More than 150 students from Annie Sullivan, Horace Mann, and Remington Middle Schools and Franklin High School had their artwork chosen for this competition, FPS’s strongest showing ever. This is a testimony to the beautifully creative and skillful work these art students are capable of and to the art faculty who nurture students’ creative, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.

The Franklin School District is proud to announce that 36 students received awards in this competition: 11 Gold Key Awards; 8 Silver Key Awards; and 17 Honorable Mentions. The students garnering awards are in the attached worksheet. Franklin's 11 Gold Key and 8 Silver Key winners' artwork will be shown from Monday, February 13 through Friday, April 20, 2012 at the State Transportation Building in Boston. The exhibit will be open Weekdays - 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. including holidays and Saturdays & Sundays - 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.

Additionally, the work of the entire 150+ Franklin Students will be on display at Franklin High School's Gallery 218 in late April and May when all the work returns to the district. Please join me in congratulating all these wonderful young artists and celebrating their hard work and creative spirits!

Regards,

Jane Hogan
Franklin Public Schools

High school plan will be on ballot

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

High school plan will be on ballot

via Boston Globe -- Globe West by Deirdre Fernandes, Globe Staff on 2/4/12

A new Franklin High School looks closer to becoming a reality and several other school replacements in the region, including Angier Elementary School in Newton and Estabrook Elementary School in Lexington are moving forward.