Voices of Franklin: Future PARCC MA Community Meetings + Flier "Do you know what Common Core is?"

Good Morning, Steve! 

Went to one of the MA DOE PARCC meetings last night (Tuesday) at the Framingham State Univ.  A two hour presentation and Q&A ran to three hours plus.  Attendees were interested/concerned parents just trying to learn more about Common Core and PARCC field tests that will be starting this April. Teachers (from K-12), school committee officials and college professors.  I would say about two dozen attendees.  Ran into some Medway educators and learned about a meeting Medway is holding next week which may be of interest to Franklin parents/educators/school committee members. 

In addition below is the link to MA DOE website with listing (below) of future PARCC MA Community Meetings run by Bob Bickerton, Senior Associate Commissioner and/or Maureen LaCroix, Special Assistant to Deputy Commissioner. 

I picked up an extra copy of Power Point presentation, if you would like it to provide to readers, it's 12 pages long. 

Thank you 

Sandra Fredrick

Good links for background information:

Education Expert Dr. Sandra Stotsky: Common Core 'Rather Shady'

Sandra Stotsky, Ed.D. | UARK – DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REFORM

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Conference Registration

Peabody TV · Special School Committee Meeting (90 minute video of meeting)

Two Massachusetts Schools Approve PARCC Opt-Out | Truth in American Education

PARCC

PARCC Community Meeting Dates and Locations

*Additional dates and locations may be added. Registration is not required, but recommended so that we can better plan the events.


-March 20, 3:00-5:00 and 6:30-8:30--Holyoke High School, 500 Beech St., Holyoke, MA 01040

-March 20, 7:00-9:00--Medford High School, Caron Theater, 489 Winthrop St., Medford, MA 02155

-March 26, 6:30-8:30--Tahanto Regional Middle/High School, 1001 Main St., Boylston, MA 01505

-March 31, 3:00-5:00--Berkshire Community College, Campus Cafeteria, 1350 West St., Pittsfield, MA 01201

-April 1, 6:00-8:00--Springfield Central High School, 1840 Roosevelt Ave., Springfield, MA 01109 

Flyer for Medway meeting on Mar 27th

Sunrise Montessori - Open House - Apr 16

Sunrise Montessori School, Inc. 

Wednesday, April 16th from 9:30am to 11:00am 

Families are welcome to tour the classrooms, meet the teachers, watch a lesson presentation and learn more about our Montessori preschool and kindergarten programs. 

For further information, please call the school's Director, Karen Roeber, at 508-541-8010 or see the school's website at: http://www.mysunrisemontessori.com/ 

Sunrise Montessori School, Inc. is located at 31 Hayward St., Franklin and is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

The sign will look a little different without the snow!

Senior Center: A new edition of The Franklin Connection is available

A new edition of The Franklin Connection has been published on the Town of Franklin web site.

Click the link below to read the latest edition

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Senior/Apr14connection.pdf

Senior Center - Open House Mar 31

Franklin Schools: Upcoming Events

A message from FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hello All 

Happy Spring / Yea for no more snow !
Last day of school June 20 ½ day
A few activities that may be of interest: 

Franklin Education Foundation Trivia Bee/ TonightCome to the FEF Trivia Bee- 7:00 p.m at the Mercer Auditorium at Horace Mann Middle School. Music, snacks and healthy competition for Town-wide dominance. 

PARCC Pilot Assessment Parent WorkshopMarch 20 at Horace Mann MS 6:30 p.m. - Panel presentation and hands on workshops with sample questions. Breakout sessions for K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. 

Putting for Patients/ FHS Community Service ClubGet your golf skills ready for the good weather- participate in Putting for Patients, a town-wide fun-filled afternoon of mini-golf to benefit Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. Open to students and adults of all ages. Sponsored and organized by FHS students. Sunday, April 6 from 1:00-4:00 at FHS.  For more information see flyer on  FPS web site  News You Can Use: http://franklindistrict.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinDistrict_Webdocs/news/news  or on the web: https://sites.google.com/site/franklinhighcsc/putting-for-patients-1 

Best Buddies 2^nd Annual Dodgeball TournamentThe Best Buddies and the Franklin Schools are pleased to announce that the tournament will be held on Sunday May 4^th from 2-5 p.m. at Horace Mann Middle School. Teams can sign up in all age brackets and the games use safety "foam/sponge" balls. For more information see News You Can Use website: http://franklindistrict.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinDistrict_Webdocs/news/news  or www.facebook.com/mberthia or email Mark Berthiaume at mberthia09@gmail.com. Last year $15,000 was raised to support Best Buddies programs. 

Franklin Municipal Building

This e-mail has been sent to you by FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message. If you wish to discontinue this service, please inform FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT either IN PERSON, by US MAIL, or by TELEPHONE at 508-613-1777.

Town Council - 03/19/14

The collection of posts reported live during the Town Council meeting of March 19, 2014.

• Live reporting - Closing
• Live reporting: Legislation
• Live reporting - liquor license discussion
• Live reporting: DPW update - Initiative 2014
• Live reporting: DPW update - road projects
• Live Reporting: Town Council - Mar 19, 2014

The published agenda and documents as released for this meeting
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/03/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-mar-19.html

Live reporting - Closing

K. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

affordable  housing trust looking for housing to buy to turn around for affordable hosing

the medical marijuana is a grow only facility, it is not a dispensary
it was overwhelming approved by the Town voters, it was zoned appropriately with tight security
the permittee is going through the permitting process


L. OLD BUSINESS
4th of July report is spare in details

M. NEW BUSINESS
following up on the housing trust, we are a cash buyer
8 page application
we have $1.2 M to spend and use for affordable housing

N. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Jones - congratulate Thayer PCC, raised $17,000 last Saturday
FEF is hosting the trivia bee, good luck to them

Vallee - I will give this to the Citizens Committee to look at a hospital to open a triage center

Kelly - all the phone numbers are on the website, don't play to the rumor mill
don't be afraid to call us, we will talk through the discussion

Padula - I talked to Dr Rooney about the issue
we had an issue recently and the police and fire were really huge taking care of us
this council voted 5-4 last time, for peopple think the council will go one way, a 5-4 decision is not the case



O. EXECUTIVE SESSION
– Negotiations, Litigation, Real Property, as May Be Required

P. ADJOURN
motion to adjourn

Live reporting: Legislation

I. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
meeting at a hospital, we transport over 1,000 a year to Milford. We may not get a hospital in town, I understand that but we may be able to get a clinic so they would be able to get some urgent care


J. LEGISLATION FOR ACTION
1. Resolution 14-14: Purchase of land at 92 Wachusett Street – Authorization and Appropriation – Requires 2/3 Vote

Padula recused himself to avoid a conflict

motion to approve, seconded, passed 8-0 (via roll call)



2. Bylaw Amendment 14-731:Amendment to Chapter 82, Appendix A, List of Service Fee Rates – 1st Reading

motion to move to second reading, seconded, passed 9-0

trash fee rate increase from 212 to 216 effective July 1
there is a cost of living increase in both the collection and disposal costs, use of reserves will avoid a further increase. This is the last year of the 5 year contract which we'll then re-bid for the next term

some folks have a second recycling bin, more have a second trash, the increase for the second is not double as the truck is already going there