In the News: please don't share that Yearbook photo; Old Sturbridge VIllage furlough

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"High school yearbook photos of shining flawless faces and decades’ worth of fringes, bouffants and feathered hairstyles on social media might bring back memories and offer hope for the days ahead.

Posting an old photo with graduation year and high school name seems like such an innocent thing.

But, the Better Business Bureau has sent out a word of caution (https://boston.app.bbb.org/medianews/bbb-tip-thinking-of-sharing-your-senior-photo-on-facebook-think-twice?) when it comes to sharing those “harmless” senior portraits.

Scamers and hackers surfing social media will look for these #ClassOf2020 posts and now have posters’ high school names and graduation years – which are often used for online security questions."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200415/read-this-before-posting-that-yearbook-photo-to-facebook

"Old Sturbridge Village is usually brimming with thousands of schoolchildren during the April school vacation week. That will not be the case this year.

“April vacation week alone is a big week. It’s the beginning of when things start getting busy for us,” said James E. Donahue, president and CEO of Old Sturbridge Village. “If we have nice weather, we could see a 1,000 people or more a day. So April vacation week can be a 10,000-person loss.”

If OSV is shut down through June, it would lose out on 25,000 to 30,000 schoolchildren visiting on field trips, Donahue said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200415/season-lost-old-sturbridge-village-to-furlough-some-employees/1

Visit Old Sturbridge Village online  https://www.osv.org/
Visit the "Virtual Village" on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/oldsturbridgevillage/
or on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/oldsturbridgevillage/

Visit the "Virtual Village" on Facebook

Foundation for MetroWest & MathWorks Provide $285,000 to Local Nonprofits

The Foundation for MetroWest, the community foundation serving the cities and towns of MetroWest, and MathWorks, the leading developer of mathematical computing software, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, have adapted and accelerated their 25th Anniversary Grant Program partnership to provide immediate support to all eligible program applicants.

The Grant Program, which was originally slated to provide $250,000 in funding to a select few non-profit organizations chosen through a community voting process, is instead delivering $5,000 grants to 57 MetroWest-serving nonprofits, increasing the total amount awarded to $285,000. The grants will help an array of nonprofits address any pressing needs they themselves identify, including family support, food insecurity and youth development.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is putting significant additional strain on community organizations that were already working to support so many neighbors in need,” stated Judy Salerno, executive director of the Foundation for MetroWest. “The decision to accelerate the grant program was immediately apparent and we are grateful to MathWorks for their partnership and their ongoing dedication to this community.”

The launch of the 25th Anniversary Grant Program coincided with the launch of Impact MetroWest, an interactive website designed to identify the area’s strengths and challenges and to jumpstart investments in long-term solutions and programs. The initiative highlighted strong civic engagement, generous open land and low crime rates as successes in the region while population changes, financial hardships, and educational disparities were noted as challenges impacting the daily lives of MetroWest residents. 

The Foundation, in partnership with MathWorks, planned to award $250,000 in grants to organizations that used the Impact MetroWest findings to create positive change in their community. In February, dozens of nonprofits submitted their innovative ideas through creative video applications, and a community-wide vote was scheduled for mid-April to select the winners.

“In difficult times like these, it is especially important that MathWorks supports our local community through the non-profit organizations serving it,” said Jeanne O’Keefe, senior vice president and CFO at MathWorks. “Adjusting the Grant Program to benefit more organizations sooner was simply the right thing to do.”

“The Foundation is grateful to all applicants for rising to the challenge and creating thoughtful and inspiring videos, and sharing their vision for a better, stronger MetroWest. COVID-19 has shown us that their passion and determination to better their community is truly indispensable,” added Salerno.

“We are humbled by the generosity and support of the Foundation for MetroWest and MathWorks,” said Lino Covarrubias, CEO of Jewish Family Service of Metrowest. “The 25th Anniversary Grant has enabled us to continue doing our important work, even in the face of the extraordinary challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re committed to helping our neighbors endure and emerge from this period stronger than before.”

To learn more about the Foundation for MetroWest or support their relief efforts, visit https://foundationmw.org/.

About Foundation for MetroWest

Established in 1995, the Foundation for MetroWest is the only community foundation serving the cities and towns in the region, encompassing 700,000 residents from Westborough to Waltham and Acton to Walpole. The Foundation promotes philanthropy across the area, helps donors maximize the impact of their local giving, serves as a resource for local nonprofits and enhances the quality of life for all our residents. The Foundation is supported by a wide range of businesses, individuals, community groups and other philanthropic organizations. Since inception, the Foundation has granted $19 million to its nonprofit partners and currently stewards more than $26 million in charitable assets for current needs and future impact. To learn more, please visit www.foundationformetrowest.org or call 508-647-2260.

About MathWorks

MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a block diagram environment for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain and embedded engineering systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these product families to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, electronics, financial services, biotech-pharmaceutical, and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are also fundamental teaching and research tools in the world’s universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 5000 people in 16 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.

Real time reporting: School Committee meeting - April 14, 2020

Remote meeting via Google Meet. All School Community members present via roll call.

FY21 Budget Open Hearing
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget/pages/fy-2021-budget

Taking notes via Twitter, the complete thread can be found online
https://twitter.com/search?q=schcomm0414&src=typeahead_click

The text of each tweet note can be found here: I believe I have ordered them in the proper time sequence.

• Real time reporting of first virtual School Committee meeting including FY2021 budget hearing #schcomm0414
• No audio yet via the live stream from the Town of Franklin page, maybe it will come on soon. The Google meet link works fine
• Real time reporting - FY21 Budget Open Hearing underway - follow doc at link https://buff.ly/32taiOT” https://buff.ly/2yT6xaX

• Problem with audio via live stream as well as cable feed not yet resolved. Try the Google meet link, sound there works. Can't paste link here go to schools page and meeting agenda
• Participation seems to be growing for meeting, and the SchComm did get questions thru the chat window!
• Supt Ahern talks about the critical needs added to last year's base. #schcomm0414 ... Approx 44 on virtual meeting at this point if I read the screen properly
• Likely budget gap to be larger than what was previously expected due to pandemic circumstances
• Looking ahead slide from #schcomm0414 meeting, bunch of big questions there stay tuned to revised Town budget timeline for further info. SchComm voting on this Apr 28
• Reading line items of the budget, individual holds can be placed for further discussion on those items
• Questions on principals at the high school, one believes there is too much, that it is a luxury implying we can afford it. Response that the structure is not the same as other schools, we only have 1 on curriculum
• Questions on instructional coaches and related expenses. Response clarification came in that these support the direct education of the students and support the teachers
• Special Ed out of district placements approx 75-80 students, range from $45k to a high of $245k per student, legally required to provide
• Closing budget hearing via roll call, moving to regular meeting agenda
• In the superintendent report, recognition for Kit Brady who is stepping down from an active role with FEF...
• Three candidates selected as finalists for FHS. Names to be added with formal announcement later
• Question on approving pay for hourly workers thru May 4, why not go for end of year? Possible issue with cafe worker funding but could go for end of year now.
• Vote on hourly pay through school closure, passes 7-0 via roll call.
• Proposal to do away with April vacation, use that for 4 days of remote learning and end sooner (if it comes to that). Could end June 18 with this approval, passes 7-0 via roll call
• Superintendent Ahern provides update on remote learning plan, acknowledge difference between K students and high schoolers, grading on complete or incomplete, or P/F basis, let concept is access and not everyone has it
• Elise Stokes shares parent experience (she has 2) while balancing her work too, kudos to the teachers for adapting to this
• Facility study awaiting the sizing report, complicated by the facilities closure, McKibben to redo numbers in Aug given pandemic period, likely to be something less (~5%)
• Consent agenda (leaving out the Mar 10 minutes - not in package) read as otherwise listed; moved, seconded, passed 7-0 via roll call
• Back to #schComm0414 - 3 finalists for FHS principal position (hopefully I get names spelled properly) Rick Arena, current Asst Principal at Groton-Dunstable Reg HS; Josh Hanna, Asst Principal at Hopkinton HS; and Bill Klements, Deputy Principal at FHS

Full text of the Principal search update can be found here
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/news/fhs_principal_search_update_for_future_fhs_families.pdf

 Full text of the Superintendent's Report can be found here
 https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/news/superintendents_report_to_school_committee_april_14_2020.pdf

Franklin TV video replay
https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?PGD=franknma&eID=737
 

School Committee member Elise Stoke providing an update on the Facilities study

questions submitted via Chat

Superintendent Sara Ahern providing an overview of the FY 2021 budget

School Committee Chair Anne Bergen opening the meeting

slide capture during the budget hearing

FM #246 School Committee Mtg (Virtual) 4/14/20 (audio)

FM #246 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 246 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares the first virtual School Committee meeting conducted on Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

The video was broadcast successfully by Franklin TV however, the audio did not come through for either the live stream or the Cable channel broadcast. The audio was successful within the Google Meet. This recording was captured from the Google meeting.

The meeting opens with a roll call, they conduct the formal budget hearing and then close the hearing to conduct their normal business meeting.

The recording runs about an hour and 50 minutes, so let’s listen to the School Committee meeting.  Audio file  https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HsLSpym7




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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

screen capture of the Google meeting 4/14/20

The video replay for this meeting is available
https://view.earthchannel.com/PlayerController.aspx?PGD=franknma&eID=737

Live performance by FHS - Friday, April 17 - 7 PM

"Students from FHS Theatre 1 & 2 will be collaborating on a LIVE radio drama performance of The 39 Steps. Tune in to our live-stream this Friday night for a full hour of entertainment. Show begins at 7 PM!"

Students from Theatre 1 & 2 will be collaborating on a LIVE radio drama performance of The 39 Steps. Tune in to our live-stream this Friday night for a full hour of entertainment. Show begins at 7pm! pic.twitter.com/UFz4i6RA7j

— Mr. Grossman (@mistergrossman) April 13, 2020

Shared from Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FranklinPSart/status/1250055011666735105?s=09

Live performance by FHS - Friday, April 17 - 7 PM

Franklin Matters Radio Schedule for this week

To listen, tune the radio dial to 102.9 or via a browser on a desktop, notebook or mobile device, go to wfpr.fm


Wednesday, Apr 15 - 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 8:00 PM

• Jamie Hellen - “Talk Franklin”

Thursday: Apr 16 - 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 6:00 PM

• Board of Health meeting 4/8/20

Friday, April 17 - 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 8:00 PM

• Lynn Calling - Franklin Food Pantry; Fire Chief McLaughlin on COVID-19; Karen Alves, Senior Center updates for pandemic period

These episodes are also available via the Franklin Matters podcast which you can find on iTunes, Google Podcast or many other podcast apps.

FHS "Keep Music Alive"

Good Morning,

My name is Diane Plouffe and I am the Director of Music in the Franklin Public Schools. During this time of isolation, the music students and teachers from Franklin High School decided to "Keep Music Alive". It is our hope to share a variety of performances from home with the community. 

We hope that it will bring some joy to your days. It has taken us some time to figure out how to do this remotely, but we are learning more each day! Our performances may come in a variety of formats. We will do the best we can.

I have participated in our first release to kick things off! Miles Reed, senior, and I will both be performing pieces by J.S. Bach. More to come!

Enjoy!

Diane


Miles Reed, Cello - Sarabande from the 3rd Cello Suite by J.S. Bach





Diane Plouffe, Violin 1&2, Ted Cetto, Organ - 2nd Movement from the Concerto for 2 violins by J.S. Bach




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Diane M. Plouffe
Director of Music
Franklin Public Schools
Franklin High School
218 Oak Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508-613-1650
Twitter - @ FranklinHSOrch