Statement by the Franklin Interfaith Council on the Murder of George Floyd

As religious leaders of diverse traditions we understand life to be the greatest and most sacred gift endowed by our Creator. Inherent in that gift is the inalienable right to live freely and without fear. The May 25, 2020 abhorrent killing of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, at the knee of a law enforcement official, sworn and entrusted to protect the public and keep the peace, is yet another stark reminder of humanity's blindness to the sacredness of that gift of life and society's failure, if not refusal, to act to ensure equal rights for all created beings. 

We lament the murder and death of George Floyd and pray for him, his family, loved ones and all in need of strength and comfort in this fragile time of grief. The overwhelming national response to George Floyd's death, manifested in peaceful protests, not only honors his life, but powerfully expresses that we, as Americans, will no longer tolerate injustice, systematic racism and discrimination against people of color. 

This powerful resurgence of a long overdue civil rights movement will not be silenced until structural change is realized. We lift our voices and stand in unity and solidarity with our sisters and brothers of color in proclaiming that BLACK LIVES MATTER. (Adapted from a statement by the San Francisco Interfaith Council)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
First Universalist Society in Franklin
Franklin Federated Church
Franklin United Methodist Church
St John's Episcopal Church
St Mary's Catholic Parish
Temple Etz Chaim

franklininterfaith.org

franklininterfaith.org

Rep Jeff Roy; Watch "Empty Bowls" on YouTube

Representative Jeff Roy talks about the Empty Bowls event this week

YouTube link = https://youtu.be/Ar35in5eEdY

Auction link opened June 8:  https://sites.google.com/view/emptybowls5/live-auction

FHS Class of 2020 post graduation plans

Thanks to the FHS administration for sharing the data to create the following pivot table. While some graduates are headed off to military (Army, US Coast Guard), some off to the working world, many have plans to continue their education in a two or four year college or university. 

More than 80 institutions get 2 or more graduates. Another 50+ institutions get at least one graduate. So depending upon how you count the categories, the class of 2020 is certainly spreading out!


Get a copy of the PDF file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JfXgcp6OYJAli1_KHMK_I0r6dToecbt_/view?usp=sharing

FHS Class of 2020 post graduation plans

FM #293 Town Council - State Delegation - 6/03/20 (audio)

FM #293 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 293 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares the State delegation segment of the Franklin (MA) Town Council meeting held Wednesday, June 3, 2020. The meeting was conducted virtually to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

For budget discussion purposes, this segment only includes the State delegation updates and Town Councilor questions relative to the budget. The public question section respectfully included other topics NOT related to the FY 2021 budget discussion. That segment will be available when the full meeting video is posted for on demand play on the Town of Franklin web page.

The recording runs about 56 minutes, so let’s listen to this segment of the Town Council meeting of June 3, 2020.

Audio file - https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HDqT3tZ7



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My full set of notes for the meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/town-council-june-3-2020-meeting-recap.html

The Council meeting agenda
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/05/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-remote.html

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

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!
------------------

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

screen grab of Senate President Karen Spilka

Town Council Tom Mercer

Senator Becca Rausch

Representative Jeff Roy

FM #292 Aaron Gouveia - Daddy Files - 5/21/20 (audio)

FM #292 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 292 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Franklin resident and author, Aaron Gouveia. We had our conversation on the Town Common on a gorgeous day in May while adhering to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk of his popping to my Franklin radar as a dad blogger when in 2018, his son in kindergarten came home with a problem due to some of his class’s reaction to his fingernails being painted. Aaron set up a Twitter thread before he went to bed that night and woke up to find his phone exploding with notifications.

Long story short as he made the media rounds, he got an offer to write a book about toxic masculinity. His book is now due to be published June 16

We had a great conversation

• about parenting, both boys and girls,
• the needs for good role models for our youth
• the minimum wage workers who are the heroes in this pandemic.
• the nature of work is changing and
• maybe there is a silver lining in this pandemic.

The show notes include links to Aaron’s Twitter profile, the Amazon book page, his book web page, and to the quote I botched during the conversation.

The recording runs about 28 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Aaron. Audio file ->   https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-292-aaron-gouveia-daddy-files-5-21-20

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Franklin Public Library Author Event, June 24 https://facebook.com/events/s/raising-boys-to-be-good-men-a-/2312169695751328/?ti=cl

The DaddyFiles page https://www.daddyfiles.com/

The Amazon link
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1510749411?tag=duckduckgo-ffab-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1

Aaron’s Amazon author link https://www.amazon.com/Aaron-Gouveia/e/B08127Z6JN

Boston Globe article from 2018
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/10/23/this-franklin-father-has-powerful-message-anyone-who-has-issue-with-his-son-painting-his-nails/P9lPTb9IAqGtf0toIuO58K/story.html

Follow Aaron on Twitter https://twitter.com/daddyfiles

And the quote I butchered goes like this:

"Our example to our children, to our families, and to the world around us is constant. The question is not whether or not anyone is watching, the question is what are they learning as they watch." -- Kirk Weisler

-------
We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

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!
------------------

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

FM #292 Aaron Gouveia - Daddy Files  - 5/21/20 (audio)

TuNesDay - Wake up with Mr Barrett at 8:00 AM

This is the 2nd to last one...

To view, click this link tomorrow morning at 8:00 A.M. (or anytime thereafter!):
https://youtu.be/RguN9AwSetM



Here's my latest video... a blast back to the 90s... anyone remember this one?
https://youtu.be/jyYiVwciyks



And another 90s song with my friend Chris Totten on drums:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0OgQnCVenY




And, if you like these shows and these videos, please consider liking them, sharing them (with everyone you know!), and subscribing to my channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/Geetarmann

Thanks so much for your support!

Jamie

James H. Barrett
General Music K - 5
Jefferson/Davis Thayer

Estimated school costs for re-opening in September

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

"Massachusetts schools are getting a better picture of what classes may look like if academic buildings reopen to onsite learning in the fall.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released initial guidance addressing key safety supplies and social distancing measures to protect students, teachers and staff from COVID-19.

The department is “operating with the best information we have as of early June about how to maintain the health and safety of our students and staff in any in-person school programs and limit the risk of COVID-19 transmission,” according to a memo from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley.

One big difference will be class size. Under the initial guidance, group sizes would be restricted to a maximum of 10 students, with a maximum of 12 individuals, including students and staff, in each room."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200608/guidance-from-department-of-elementary-and-secondary-education-offers-glimpse-at-what-massachusetts-schools-will-look-like-come-fall

DESE links = http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_de6l-Zq7j34YIzmG7vx2lt7tb-UlTT2/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/134Gktep3tyebWCQaCP9hIhTau1oFKMgB/view?usp=sharing

Aside from the major budget problem looming over Franklin Public Schools for three years (regular readers will know that), the estimate for additional costs for re-opening under social distancing requirement are NOT considered in the current budget.

Hence Town Administrator Jamie Hellen has been calling this budget a preseason and first pass expecting to make multiple adjustments during the year as things become more clear. This "things becomes more clear" means all of the following: State finances, local revenues, and re-opening requirements. To be more specific right now is simply not possible with so many balls in the air.

Given the number in this chart for 3600 students, Franklin with 5100 students would be in the ball park of $2,478,000

Aaaaand good morning: @AASAHQ and @ASBOIntl have released national cost estimates for reopening schools.
Single page PDF is here: https://t.co/QKiILpCMgl pic.twitter.com/5LsySyenCp

— Tracy O'Connell Novick (@TracyNovick) June 8, 2020

Found via Twitter - https://twitter.com/TracyNovick/status/1269975111786004481?s=09

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZ_boSOXQAE0k3Q?format=jpg&name=900x900