Virtual Coffee with Brutus - June 30 - Ask questions about water usage, resources, etc.

Join in for a brief presentation on the current drought conditions.

Residents can ask questions about water usage, development, water resources, etc...

Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84275794979​ or Call-In Phone Number: 1-929-205-6099, enter Meeting ID 84275794979, press “#”

Virtual Coffee with Brutus - June 30 - Ask questions about water usage, resources, etc.

Franklin radar found via Twitter
https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1277622714623238145?s=09

Franklin Public Schools: Updates on Re-opening, FY 2021 Budget, and Davis Thayer Status

June 29, 2020

Dear Members of the Franklin Community:

Reopening of Schools in the Fall

Governor Baker’s office and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently released their initial guidance about reopening schools this fall. These guidelines were developed by a representative team of educators, leaders, medical experts, parents, and students. An overarching goal is on meeting students’ academic, social, and emotional needs with the primary focus being the safe return of as many students as possible to in-person school settings.

The district will be spending time in the coming days to review this initial guidance. We understand that it is incomplete and that additional information will be issued later this summer. We are including the initial guidance if you would like to read it directly. 

Some key points include:
● Current medical research supports a safe in-person return to school - with preventive measures in place - as infection and transmission rates are lower for children than adults;
● Preventive measures include masks/face coverings, physical distancing, handwashing, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces;
● Masks/face coverings will be required for all students in Grade 2 and above and for all adults; they are recommended for students in Grade 1 and below;
● Based on current medical research, and in conjunction with other preventive measures, a minimum physical distance of three feet has been established.

We will be working to develop three learning plans - one for return to full in-person instruction with safety requirements, one for full remote learning, and one for hybrid learning that combines in-person and remote learning. Which plan is employed will depend on health data.

We acknowledge that there are still many questions. We will continue to communicate with you in the coming weeks and encourage you to review the guidance. Additionally, be on the lookout for family and faculty/staff surveys that will ask for your reflections on this spring’s remote learning as well as your perspectives on reopening in the fall. We thank you for your continued patience.

Budget Update

The School Committee adopted a revised budget of $65,658,500 at the Tuesday, June 23, 2020, School Committee meeting. This budget is a $3.4 million reduction from the budget adopted in April, which totaled
$68,767,873 and represented level service with some additions to support student services. 

This revised budget is a reduced service budget and includes several reluctantly made reductions:
● 5 classroom teaching positions at the elementary level and 1 at the middle level
● 2 special education teaching positions at the elementary level and 2 at the middle level
● 3 FTEs classroom teaching positions at Franklin High School
● 2 Educational Support Professionals
● Specialists due to reduced classroom sections at the elementary level
● Consolidation of two director positions to one for both fine and performing arts
● Reorganization of the high school leadership team from 6 to 5 administrators (reduction of Deputy Principal position)
● Reduction of central office administrative assistant to half-time (0.5 FTE)
● Reduced clubs and activities at middle school
● Reduce music stipends for afterschool and evening performances
● Reduction of the job coach position at the high school

Undoubtedly, these reductions will have an impact on students in terms of class size as well as educational services our students and families experience.

We anticipate that there will be further reductions in local aid due to a $6 billion shortfall in state revenue and that the school department will need to prepare for additional reductions to the budget. The magnitude of these reductions depends on Chapter 70 funding from the state, which is not yet known with certainty; many districts are preparing for a 10% reduction, which would amount to an additional $2.4 million (estimate) reduction.

In positive financial news, as we prepare for school in the fall, DESE has announced additional grant funding opportunities to support the safe return to school, about which we are also keeping informed.

We encourage Franklin community members to continue to follow the budget development this summer. Our budget materials are posted on a dedicated webpage:
https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget/pages/fy-2021-budget

Despite these difficult financial challenges, the District reviewed the list of non-professional status educators who had been non-renewed in early June. These non-renew notices were given prior to the statutory deadline of June 15 in order to afford us flexibility during an uncertain budget season. At this time, 54 educators have received re-appointment letters due to their specialization. We hope to be able to re-appoint additional non-PTS faculty soon.

Davis Thayer Closing Study
The Facilities Analysis Subcommittee of the School Committee continues to gather and review information and data related to the study of the potential closure of the Davis Thayer Elementary School. At this time, the architectural firm of Kaestle-Boos is preparing a Facilities Capacity Report that will detail the physical capacity and educational adequacy of each K-8 school building. This report uses the enrollment forecast developed by McKibben Associations in February to provide the School Committee with considerations related to building use across all facilities in the future.

The report is anticipated to be completed this summer when it will be first shared with the Subcommittee and then presented to the full School Committee. After the presentation, the Facilities Analysis Subcommittee will host a community informational meeting and the report will be shared on the DT Facilities Analysis webpage: https://www.franklinps.net/district/davis-thayer-facilities-analysis

The Five-Stage process can also be found on the webpage:
https://www.franklinps.net/sites/franklinmaps/files/uploads/image_5.png

The Five-Stage process

At this time, the Subcommittee is also developing a questionnaire to elicit input from the Davis Thayer faculty/staff and families, as well as the community. We will continue to provide updates throughout this process.

Lastly, we want to acknowledge how difficult this spring has been for families and our faculty/staff. It is our sincere wish to the entire Franklin community that you have a healthy and safe summer break.

Sincerely,

Franklin Public Schools


Please contact the Superintendent’s Office at 508-553-4819 with any questions. Please leave a voicemail. Although we are working remotely, voicemails are sent to email and will be responded to in a timely fashion.

A PDF version can be found online 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F4gKt3IXaXb4Gxa5a0Lt8C1tQIGD-9x2/view?usp=sharing

Food Pantry - closed this week, re-opens July 7

**Please note the Pantry will be closed the week of June 29 – July 3 and will reopen on Tuesday, July 7 at 9:30 for our drive up service. **

Please do not leave items in the drop off location this week

Franklin radar picked up via Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FranklinFoodPan/status/1276197787013656581?s=09

Food Pantry - closed this week, re-opens July 7

FM #308 Water Rate and "Conservation measures" vs. "ban" Discussion - 6/24/20 (audio)

FM #308 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 308 in the series.

This session shares the a key segment of the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. The meeting was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Chair Tom Mercer opened the meeting on schedule at 7:00 PM. Each person who speaks is announced. After running through several action items, the agenda gets to the item for the water rate and discusses the “to be announced” water ban. As we record this, the ban, only the third in the past several years, is in effect due to drought conditions.

The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda and to the individual documents referenced.

This meeting segment runs just about 48 minutes, so let’s listen to the proposed water rate increase and overall water supply discussion from the Town Council meeting of June 24.

Audio file:  https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/H1KCrK0K




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

Town Council agenda
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/school-committee-budget-sub-committee.html

Water rate action item
https://franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/mai/files/5d._20-855_water_fees.pdf

Water presentation
https://www.slideshare.net/shersteve/franklin-ma-water-use-update-june-2020

My notes from the meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/state-to-call-for-water-ban-due-to.html


Presentation deck: https://www.slideshare.net/shersteve/franklin-ma-water-use-update-june-2020

Franklin, MA: Water Use Update - June 2020 from Franklin Matters

--------------
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"

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

FM #310 Town Council Meeting - 6/24/20 (audio)

FM #310 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 310 in the series.

This session shares the Franklin, MA Town Council meeting held on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. The meeting was conducted via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Chair Tom Mercer opens the meeting on schedule at 7:00 PM. Each person who speaks is announced. The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda and to the individual documents referenced.

The meeting recording runs about an hour and 50 minutes, so let’s listen to the Town Council meeting of June 24.

Audio file: https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/Hs5z8tDK





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

Town Council agenda
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/school-committee-budget-sub-committee.html

My notes from the meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/06/state-to-call-for-water-ban-due-to.html

--------------
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 #310 Town Council Meeting - 6/24/20 (audio)

Franklin, MA: Board Of Health - Agenda - July 1, 2020

 Wednesday, July 1, 2020

#5:00 PM

Due to the growing concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus, we will be conducting a remote/virtual Board of Health Meeting. In an effort to ensure citizen engagement and comply with open meeting law regulations, citizens will be able to dial into the meeting using the provided phone number (Cell phone or Landline Required) OR citizens can participate by clicking on the attached link (Phone, Computer, or Tablet required). The attached link and phone number will be active for the duration of the meeting for citizens to ask questions/voice concerns.

Link: Meeting; pin # =  ID meet.google.com/vxi-qpda-odp-
Phone dial = 1-470-745-0585; pin = 483 909 156#

1) Reading of June 3, 2020 Minutes

2) OLD BUSINESS
• None
Chairman opens the floor for any other old business

3) NEW BUSINESS
• Discussion of FY 21 Budget
• Discussion of Tobacco Control Law
• Update on Re-opening Businesses
• Discussion of EEE
Chairman opens the floor for any other new business

4) CITIZENS COMMENTARY

5) ADJOURNMENT

  
Shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/agenda-7-1-2020.pdf

https://www.franklinma.gov/home/pages/coronavirus-information-portal

"Social distancing has fundamentally challenged the way libraries across the MetroWest region operate"

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

"Nearly every library has needed to similarly adapt to changing demands - particularly in children’s departments. 

Summer reading and summer programming helps serve as vital educational supplements to maintain learning out of school, Caleigh Keating, youth services librarian at the Franklin Town Library, said. Children’s departments are often one of the busiest sections of the library and serve a vital role in the community. 

As a result, Franklin has begun offering more virtual events than ever before, such as storytime sessions, book clubs, and “Dungeons and Dragons” sessions, and has started promoting novel software, such as Beanstack, to track reading logs. Additionally, the Franklin Town Library has sent weekly packets with activities including arts and crafts and STEAM projects so children can continue learning at home. 

Though she misses seeing her patrons, Keating said offering more online events has helped the library better fit parent schedules, encouraging increased family participation."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200628/region-wide-libraries-are-changing-how-where-and-when-they-offer-services-during-coronavirus-pandemic

The Franklin Public Library has a resource page focused on service for this pandemic period  https://sites.google.com/view/toflibrarycovid19resources/home

Franklin Public Library has a resource page