2. Guests/Presentations
a. MASS Academic Excellence Awards
1. Madison Wendellrecognized by Superintedent as in the Top 1% of their class
2. Haley Frank
b. Trends in Special Education – Elizabeth Fitzmaurice
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/01/fps-special-education-update.html
Stephanie Gedis, Dillon Scarnicki, and Sara Mulcahey
right around state average of 16% of students identified as 'special education'
767 - serviced in main stream classrooms
81 - sub-separate serviced within district but not mainstreamed in the classrooms
68 - out of district serviced
extremely fortunate to be resourced as they are
par for the course, most of the students and families are happy with the service
some due go to litigate but that is a private peice that is not fair to the students and families involved
student achievement is on the rise, it is very exciting
if you have to do it, you might as well get something out of it
Sarah Mulchaey, Vide President, Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
http://franklinsepac.org/
mission to support the parent of special education students
Transition Fair - a big success coordinated recently
there is a feeling of isolation, in that there is no one to help, when there is a community to provide support
the town has been amazing supporting us
Best Buddies in the high school and middle schools, now expanding to elementary schools
Inclusion
Transition
how do it on their own beginning at 14
Dillon Scarnicki
provided a video of the goal he recently scored for the FHS hockey team
as well as other likes and dislikes, and shared his dream
Parent view
Brendan, a student at Oak St
now takes the bus rather than the white van
you can't make it in this world if you can't speak up for yourself
The first tweet by the @FPS4Students account (was also retweeted by @FranklinMatters)
A successful night at school committee showcasing student achievements. Thank you @FHS_Puck #ourfirsttweet
— FPS PPS (@fps4students) January 14, 2015
O'Malley - this is the best sporting performance where a team (or most of it) shows up to support you Dillon
Rohrbach - thank you, this was a great presentation tonight. It shows how important the parent parnters are. The out of district expenses are very much asn issue, but you do a great job in managing those out of district tuitions.
Fitzmaurice - about $5 of the total school budget is for out of district tuition; are able to manage some of the students to return to service within the district. We are careful before sending a student outside. They go because that is the best place for them to get those specific services and the decision is not taken lightly. We try to make things work here.
Rohrbach - we have been very innovative to provide the students the opportunity to stay here
Jewell - tonight is one of the most emotional nights I have had sitting in this role. The next man up is a good philosophy. This team can go to the state becuase it is a team effort, a lot of average players are playing above because they are playing encouraged by the others. I can tell you how well I feel tonight.
Trahan - this is an amazing night, thank you. We are a community in this town!
Mullen - I have heard several presentations over the years, this was the best.
