High School Musical: On Stage! performed by BFCCPS

The Fine and Performing Arts Department at the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School is pleased to announce upcoming performances of High School Musical: On Stage! to be held at the Horace Mann Middle School located at 224 Oak Street in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Performances will be held on Friday, January 29th from 7 – 9 PM and Saturday, January 30th from 2 – 4 PM. The public is invited and welcomed to attend the show! Tickets are priced at $15 for adults and $12 for children age five and up. Tickets will be sold at the door, or advance tickets will be available for purchase at www.bfccps.org.

Disney High School Musical  - BFCCPS

This high-energy show is based on the hit Disney Channel movie and the cast is comprised of 40 students in Grades Six through Grade Eight under the direction of Mr. Bernard Benjamin. Musical Direction has been provided by Ms. Ruth Monty, the pit will be directed by Mr. Christopher Heater, artistic direction has been supervised by Mrs. Deb Balcerek, and choreography by Ms. Megan Condon. This year’s Props and Stage Manager is Mrs. Pam Holmes, Costume Hair and Makeup Design has been organized by Alumna Aleena Butt and our Production Assistants are Alumna Aliya Butt and Grade 8 Student Bridget Jackson. The cast is also supported by a dedicated 20 member backstage crew.

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School has received the 2014 SupportMusic Merit Award from the NAMM Foundation in recognition of its outstanding commitment to music education. This is the fourth time that the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School has received this prestigious recognition.

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School has been in operation since 1995 and recently celebrated it’s twentieth anniversary this spring. The school provides a well-rounded, rigorous academic program designed to educate the whole child. BFCCPS’s educational philosophy, which is centered around strong core academic subjects, as well as yearlong courses in art, music, languages, technology, and physical education, integrated character education and community service, and strong parent partnerships, has lead to local, state and national recognition. Applications are now available online for enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year.

If you’d like learn more about the educational mission of the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School please contact the school’s Marketing Coordinator, Joanne Basile, at jbasile@bfccps.org or 508-541-3434 x140.

In the News: Kingsbury Pond issue, substance abuse presentation

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin

"A meeting is set to take place Wednesday night to address resident concerns that Franklin wells have been drawing too much water from a local pond. 

State Rep. Shawn Dooley, R-Norfolk, will host the meeting, organized in response to a petition on Change.org regarding the water levels at Kingsbury Pond. It is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. at the Norfolk Public Library. 

Dooley noted that the pond's water level had reached its lowest point in 40 years, something some locals attributed to neighboring Franklin wells. As many who live in the area appreciate the beauty of the pond, he said, this naturally led to some concern. 

"I know there were additional factors (leading to the low water levels), like the drought and the fact that several of Franklin's other wells were down, but they were pulling more heavily from the pond," he said. "So, some neighbors got together and formed a petition."

image of Kingsbury Pond from petition

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160112/franklin-meeting-to-address-pond-water-levels

The earlier posting on the petition can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/12/save-kingsbury-pond-petition-underway.html

---------------

"Members of the school district's Substance Abuse Task Force spoke at Tuesday's School Committee meeting about their efforts to combat drug and alcohol use among students. 

High School Principal Peter Light, health department director Kristin Cerce and guidance counselor Josh MacCreery gave a slideshow presentation about substance abuse in schools and the strategies used to discourage use. 

"It's really about building emotional maturity and the skill for children to be able to adapt," Light said. "A lot of what leads to abuse is anxiety and mental health issues."

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160112/franklin-sustance-abuse-task-force-gives-presentation-to-school-committee

The live reporting from the School Committee meeting on this topic including the presentation document can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/01/live-reporting-substance-abuse.html

In the News: Dance performance scheduled, Photographers show scheduled

The Palladino School of Dance at Dean College will perform a choreographers’ concert 8 p.m. Feb. 5-6 in the Campus Center’s Main Stage at 99 Main St. 

The concert will highlight the choreography of selected upper class dance majors. 

The opening night will be only the performance, while the second night will offer the performance along with guest artists’ discussion of selected student work. 

Tickets range from $5-$22 and can be purchased online by visiting dean.edu/boxoffice.

Palladino Dance performing during the Franklin Cultural Festival in July 2015

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160112/palladino-school-of-dance-at-dean-college-to-present-choreographers-concert-feb-5-6

Two Franklin photographers, Marjorie Sardella, of Beaux Regards Photographic Art, and Rebecca Skinner, of Rebecca Skinner Photography, will open a juried photographic exhibit titled “Reflections: A Photographic Expression” at the Morini Gallery, 377 N. Main St., Mansfield. 

The exhibit features the work of 17 photographers, each with their own unique response to the subject, and will continue until March 20. Most of the pieces will be available for purchase. 

An artists’ reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 16 will give visitors the opportunity to meet the photographers and discuss their work. The Morini Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. 

For more information, call 508-339-2822 or visit mmas.org.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160112/franklin-residents-curate-reflections-photographic-expression-exhibit

Live reporting: Action Items

4. Action Items

a. I recommend acceptance of four checks totaling $3,350.00 for FHS as detailed:

1. Raytheon $1,000.00
2. Franklin Music boosters $1,800.00
3. Maura Schaeffer $250.00 (scholarship)
4. Anonymous $300.00
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0


b. I recommend acceptance of three checks totaling $12,496.00 from Franklin Music Parents from the Middle and High Schools.
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

c. I recommend acceptance of a check for $50.00 from Lueder’s for Davis Thayer Elementary School.
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

d. I recommend approval of the addition of Girls/Boys Freshman Lacrosse 
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

and Girls Gymnastics as outlined by FHS Principal.
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

The motions were made separately but both ultimately passed. The unified team is more a group than technically a team and hence did not need a committee vote per Superintendent Sabolinski


Note: unfortunately, I need to leave to cover a work commitment so I was unable to report on the remainder of the meeting Tuesday night. I should be able to catch the remainder via video replay.

Live reporting: calendar choices - 2 options for 2016-2017

Option one

• starts after Labor Day, ends June 21

Option two

• start staff and students before Labor Day, end June 16

Douglas - can we consider using Dec 23 as half-day (either way) as a thanks for the teachers

Scofield - since we go so late, have we considered one winter break rather than 2?
Sabolinski - we have some discussion and data around that but it is not conclusive either way

Live reporting: Update on hiring of Football Coach

e. Update on Hiring of Football Coach

Sidwell has moved to the AD role and left the football coaching spot
a screening committee is working through 25 applications
9 candidates most likely on short list
search committee representative of the stakeholders
interview the 9 candidates starting tomorrow
looking for an educator role model 
focus on academics, social emotional development
be more visible in the community

as this is a high school position, the decision will be by the high school principle and staff
it is a coaching position, stipend position
hope to have the process shortened from 9 to next round at the end of this week

O'Malley - seems like an inclusive interview process to do this

Sabolinski - we have a good committee and want to thank them for their work in this matter

Live reporting: proposal for new sports teams

d. FHS Proposal for New Sports Teams
Brad Sidwell, Peter Light

working with a variety of folks in the community, to identify needs not currently being met
youth programs, booster groups, etc.
feasibility studies done, impact on budget, most cases budget neutral for sports
some are grant funded to defray the costs



inclusion of special education students
applied for a Best Buddies grant, also received a grant from Special Olympics to help with this
would need to get the special ed students paired with a partner

• unified track program an extension of Best Buddies

this is a no cost program for the students as it is being funded by grants

• lacrosse teams at freshman level

nothing currently elsewhere in the Hockomock League
would look around to get games for competition outside the league
need to be careful with Title 9 and offer similar programs for boys and girls

BC High, St John's Shrewsbury, Duxbury mentioned as possible competition at this level

'if Franklin builds it, the other Hockomock teams will follow'
Sabolinski - we started in 2003 with the girls hockey team, lead the way then and are continuing to lead as we need to

• gymnastics

the only team in the Hockomock League without a team
have met with parents for three years to review this team
would need to find space for the team to practice and compete, should not be an issue

gym equipment is large and expensive and hard to store so this would be a good start

discussion with School Committee members, then audience, then to be voted on later tonight

actual cost is the cost to the district

we have not decreased in number of kids at the high school participating
we have decreased in percent participation

Q - explored the opportunity for a second JV team
A - scheduling is even harder, the teams at the freshman level is usually available

did explore a variety of options, did try a freshman/JV program and it didn't work so well
this should get us with a good start

325-375 boys in the lacrosse program last several years
good success at this level, the quality of talent is there, the volume and interest is there