"there’s a wide range to learning everything in the early years"

The Sunday edition of the Boston Globe has a good article summarizing the changes to kindergarten curriculum over the year. The title of the article asks: "Is the Common Core killing kindergarten?"

LAST SPRING, Susan Sluyter quit teaching kindergarten in the Cambridge Public Schools. She’d spent nearly two decades in the classroom, and her departure wasn’t a happy one. In a resignation letter, Sluyter railed against a “disturbing era of testing and data” that had trickled down from the upper grades and was now assaulting kindergartners with a barrage of new academic demands that “smack of 1st or 2nd grade.” The school district did not respond to a request for comment. 

But Sluyter’s complaints touched a national nerve. Her letter went viral, prompting scores of sympathetic comments by other frustrated teachers and parents. Sluyter’s letter was fresh evidence for groups of early-childhood educators who oppose the kindergarten expectations for math and English Language Arts, or ELA, set by the new Common Core, the academic benchmarks for K-12 that most states have adopted to replace the historic patchwork of standards.

Continue reading the article online here (subscription may be required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2015/06/13/common-core-killing-kindergarten/lydG3pnscVEnTEoELUZWdP/story.html

Susan Sluyter's resignation letter can be found here
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/23/kindergarten-teacher-my-job-is-now-about-tests-and-data-not-children-i-quit/

"limit the hours to what are essentially daylight hours"

Recent complaints from residents concerning nighttime visits from solicitors have prompted the town to consider a change to its bylaw on door-to-door sales. 

The Town Council last week took up a measure that would restrict solicitation to daylight hours. Its current bylaw allows solicitation from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for businesses and advocacy groups that have registered with the police department and obtained a permit. The bylaw does not apply to political or religious organizations. 

The proposal would allow solicitors to work up until a half-hour before sunset, Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said, noting that depending on the time of year that could be as early as 4 p.m. or as late as 8 p.m.

Continue reading the article here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150615/NEWS/150617789/1994/NEWS


My notes from the Town Council meeting on Wednesday can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/06/live-reporting-legislation.html

Franklin High School: Class of 2015 - Scholarships and Awards

Over 100 organizations or businesses provided 146 scholarships to the Franklin High School's Class of 2015. The total value of the scholarships calculates to about $100,000 (as you review the list not all the amounts are provided). The total excludes the Dean College Scholarship which alone ls worth $120,000 (4 years at $30,000/year). 

The listing of scholarships and other awards for the FHS Class of 2015 and the underclass awards presented on June 4, 2015 can be found in the document here:

FHS dressed up for graduation

Thanks to Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski for coordinating to provide this information.

Tri-County Scholarships And Awards 2015

The following scholarships and awards were presented at the graduation ceremony at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School on Sunday, June 7, 2015.

Tri-County webpage rotating header

Austin Narewski Electrical Trade Scholarship
$750 – Jake Kelley – Carpentry – Franklin
$750 – Conor Flanagan – Plumbing - Norfolk

Chestnut Dental Associates Scholarship
$250 – Sasha Chalhoub – Dental – Attleboro

Craig DeGiso Memorial Scholarship
$2,500 – Anthony Muratori – Carpentry –Medway

David L. Gaboury Sr. Scholarship
$500 – Hank Ballard – Medical Careers – No. Attleboro
$500 – Jaycie Jordan – Graphic Communications – No. Attleboro

Dean Co-Operative Bank
$1,000 – Andre Ricci – Computer Info Systems – Wrentham

Dean College Scholarship
$35,000 – Alison Cifizzari – Graphic Communications – Medway

Don Coe Memorial Scholarship
$500 – Bryanna Haskell – Electrical – North Attleboro

Dorothea Martin Memorial Scholarship
$1,000 – Jessica Coates – Graphic Communications – Bellingham
$1,000 – Michael Ambrose – Engineering – Millis

EMC Scholarship
$1,000 – Rebecca Morandi – Computer Info Systems – Walpole
$1,000 – Christopher Ferreira – Computer Info Systems – North Attleboro
$1,000 – Matthew MacMaster – Computer Info Systems – Franklin
$1,000 – Hannah Varhol – Engineering – Rehoboth

Excellence in Carpentry Award
$250 – Jonathan Mingo – Carpentry – Seekonk

Franklin Community Cable Access - Franklin TV Award
$1,000 – Christopher Lenzi – Graphic Communications – Franklin

Franklin Youth Services Scholarship
$1,000 – Alyssa Gillespie – Early Childhood Careers – Franklin

Friends of Franklin Library in Honor of Wilma Winters
$1,000 – Caroline Read – Engineering – Franklin

George E. Young Memorial Tool Award
$250 – Brandon Hunsinger – Automotive Tech – Seekonk

Gerry Slaney Memorial Scholarship (TCTA)
$100 – Madison Ruff – Culinary Arts – Norfolk

James J. Donovan Scholarship
$1,000 – Savanah Cuevas – Cosmetology – Attleboro

James Paquette Scholarship
$750 – Karl Petersen – HVAC&R – Plainville

Kim Howie Memorial Scholarship
$500 – Megan Morse – Culinary Arts – Wrentham

Lexi & Sean Munroe Memorial Scholarship
$500 – Emily Spillane – Medical Careers – Franklin
$500 – Quinton White – Engineering – Franklin
$500 – John Gilmore – Culinary Arts – Franklin

Lou Bentley Memorial Scholarship
$500 – Nathan Badger – HVAC – North Attleboro

Louis E. Hoegler Scholarship
$800 – Sarah Scholl – Graphic Communications – Walpole

Michael J. Drinkwater Memorial Scholarship
$2,500 – Dillan Hoyt – Culinary Arts – Walpole
$2,500 – Michael Hinton - Culinary Arts - Seekonk

Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation Scholarship
$1,000 – Cassius Peter – Engineering – Franklin

Nadine M. (Nolin) Bryda Memorial Scholarship
$500 – Michael Hinton – Culinary Arts – Seekonk
$500 – Natalie Berganza – Cosmetology –Attleboro

Norfolk County Teachers Assoc. Book Award
$300 – Bethany MacPherson – Early Childhood Careers – North Attleboro

Norfolk Fire Fighters Association Award
$500 – Madison Ruff – Culinary Arts – Norfolk

North Attleboro Firefighter’s Kid’s Day Scholarship
$500 – Nathan Twyman – Engineering – North Attleboro
$500 – Nathan Badger – HVAC – North Attleboro
$500 – Christopher Ferreira – Computer Info Systems – North Attleboro

North Attleboro/Plainville Rotary Club Scholarship
$500 – Nathan Twyman – Engineering – North Attleboro

North TV Ed Andrew Scholarship
$500 – Christopher Ferreira – Computer Info Systems – North Attleboro

Patti Genoa Memorial Scholarship
$250 – Madison Kaplan – Dental – Attleboro
$250 – Brendan Black – Plumbing – Attleboro

Paul G. Foley Career & Education Award
$500 – Cameron Glennon – HVAC – North Attleboro
$500 – Shelby Setterlund – Cosmetology – Norfolk
$500 – Alexander Whearty – Carpentry – Norfolk

Plainville Lions Club Scholarship
$500 – Ariana Bergeron – Medical Careers – Plainville

Rebeckha Lynn Whitefield Memorial Scholarship
$500 – Evan Sheehan – Plumbing –Attleboro

Robert J. Rappa Scholarship
$800 – Christopher Lenzi – Graphic Communications – Franklin

Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation Scholarship
$2,500 – Leigha Tucker – Early Childhood Careers – Medway

Timothy Anderson Tool Award
$200 – Ryan O’Toole – HVAC&R – Medway

Todd E. Vogel Memorial Tool Award
$400 – Jacob Folsom – Electrical – Franklin

Tri-County Boosters Athlete Scholarship
$400 – Megan Morse – Culinary Arts – Wrentham
$400 – Evan Sheehan – Plumbing – Attleboro
$400 – Emily Spillane – Medical Careers – Franklin
$400 – Jake Ducharme – Carpentry – Norfolk
$400 – Samantha Gitschier – Medical Careers – Plainville
$400 – Amber Webb – Culinary Arts – Seekonk

Tri-County Teacher’s Association Award
$400 – Jonathan Mingo – Carpentry – Seekonk

Tri-County Teacher’s Association Scholarship
$400 – Ryan Trisoline – Computer Info Systems – North Attleboro

Walpole Co-Operative Bank Award
$1,000 – Laura Auerbach – Engineering – Franklin

Wrentham Lions Club Scholarship
$500 – Lauren Gregoire – Engineering – Franklin

Franklin Cultural Festival - Meeting - June 16 - 7:00 PM

We're wrapping up final planning for the Franklin Cultural Festival.  

Meeting: Tuesday, June 16, 7PM to 8 PM at THE BLACK BOX  

Your input and ideas are welcomed!

Franklin Cultural Festival - Arts Happen Here!

Follow us on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/FranklinCulturalFestival


Sign up to receive our updates here  http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/  There are links in the right column subscribe in order to receive updates via email (no more than once a day) or via RSS.

To contribute financially you can use the GoFundMe link here -> gofundme.com/tx62gs

Storytelling at the Memory Cafe - June 18th

Hi Steve,

If you are willing to post this that would be great.  This month's theme is storytelling.  

We will be creating our own story as a collaborative effort from an old photograph!  Next month we will have an old fashioned tea party!  

Please ask folks who are attending this month to bring a favorite book or story from their childhood!  

Any questions please let me know.  

thx Elaine

Franklin Senior Center

You can also find info on the memory cafe which is scheduled for every 3rd Thursday here

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

"translating to a 'painful' $17.6 million cut for the more than 100 communities"

Over the years, the funding for the grants has fluctuated. But the previous three fiscal years have seen a consistent decrease. And if the Senate budget stands, next fiscal year’s cut would represent the most significant drop in funding since the state began offering the grants in 2001. 

“If the decision results in a reduction of funds it would reflect a disappointing trend that would signal a decline in funding programs for emerging learners,” said Franklin Public Schools Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski. “The research shows that early childhood education pays dividends over time.” 

Franklin first applied for the grant to establish free full-day kindergarten, Sabolinski said, but has leaned on it less and less as the program grew. 

“We do not rely on the grant to fund our full-day kindergarten program; however it does supplement our budget and enables us to hire additional educational assistants and to use the funds to facilitate training for our teachers,” she said. 

Sabolinski would be surprised if the Legislature moved forward with the cut, as it is sure to “create a burden” for some districts.

Continue reading the full article in the Milford Daily News here
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150613/NEWS/150617855/1994/NEWS 

Franklin just passed the FY 2016 budget on Thursday. Some of the discussion including the presentation summarizing the school portion of the budget can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/06/live-reporting-town-council-budget.html