Franklin Matters

Friday, February 12, 2021

Franklin's Event Outlook: Feb 12 - Feb 18, 2021

Winter weather forecast for the school vacation week ahead of us. Opportunities to get out and about are increasing. Be safe, be social (at a distance)!

Friday, February 12
7:00pm - FHS Jazz Night
7:00pm - Giggles for Good - Virtual Comedy Show

Saturday, February 13
February StoryWalk at DelCarte Reservation opens
10:00am - Winter Farmers Market
10:00am - Scout Troop 126 - Bottle/can drive
1:00pm - Zoom Cooking Class for families with Miss Sandhya

Sunday, February 14
1:00pm - Historical Museum (open and free admission)

Monday, February 15
- Presidents' Day (regional holiday)

Tuesday, February 16

Wednesday, February 17
7:00pm - Roots of Black Music in America presented by Karlus Trapp
7:30pm - Let’s Laugh Today is Free on ZOOM!

Thursday, February 18
8:30am - Town Council Office Hours

Find the full calendar https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication: https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Town meeting calendar is found https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar

The School district meeting calendar is found https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26

Community Calendar

Franklin Public Schools, MA: Return to School Plan Update and Survey Request

February 10, 2021

Dear Franklin Families,

I am writing today to share some information with you about where the District stands with respect to more in-person learning for students.

We are so proud of all that our educators have accomplished to teach our students whether in person, in a remote setting, or in the hybrid model.Each day, they are making meaningful connections with students, supporting social-emotional learning, and academic growth. All of us, however, are looking forward to a time when we can all be in person in our schools.

The Franklin Public Schools is in the process of developing a return to school plan for full and in-person instruction. It is premature to discuss a timeline, as we are just in the beginning phases of the pool testing pilot; however, we are exploring options that return students to school this spring.

As previously communicated, being full and in person is not feasible at 6 feet of social distancing. In order to bring more students into the school setting, we will need to explore utilizing social distancing with students at less than 6 feet of distance. While specific distances have not yet been determined and will depend on various factors, including student density, building and classroom availability, and specific program and school activities, distances of 3-6 feet have been supported by scientific data and are being applied at schools both locally and internationally in combination with other mitigation measures, including surveillance testing, masking, and hand hygiene.

We are optimistic that the advent of pool testing, which we anticipate will begin in FPS after February vacation, along with the mitigation measures already in place will assist us in assuring that COVID-19 is contained within the school environment and will facilitate more students returning to school. Vaccination of staff will provide added reassurances. An initial overview is being shared with you and more specific information will be available soon.

The Franklin Public Schools is in the process of developing a return to school plan for full and in-person instruction. It is premature to discuss a timeline, as we are just in the beginning phases of the pool testing pilot; however, we are exploring options that return students to school this spring. As with our initial reopening plan, we would seek to prioritize certain grade levels.

The district’s Reopening Monitoring Team, which includes administrators, faculty/staff, and parents, will involve not only monitoring of our current learning model but will also be contributing to planning for further school reopening. It is anticipated that discussions of further school reopening will also include a discussion about all appropriate mitigation measures.

In order to assist our planning, we are surveying families across the district.

Please access the survey here, and complete it by Monday, February 22, 2021. https://forms.gle/X9nXrYVYzrgWN84a6

Sincerely,

Sara Ahern

Superintendent of Schools

The update from Dr. Sara Ahern was shared from here

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/february_10_instructional_model_update_to_families.pdf

Additionally, please find the Physical Distancing Survey for Families here https://t.co/aJPVnrgqpX

Franklin Public Schools, MA: Return to School Plan Update and Survey Request

Senator Rausch: State House Briefing - Feb 10, 2021

Senator Rausch State House Briefing

Part 2, Chapter 2 (February 10, 2021)

Dear friends,

I hope you are staying safe and well. I write with some important updates concerning COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and vaccination sites in our district:

Vaccinations Scheduling Call Center: The process of signing up for a vaccination appointment online is frustrating and unnecessarily challenging. My colleagues and I are advocating to change that, and we’ve gotten some positive changes already, like being able to search for appointments by zip code. We also advocated for a call center, and got that too. If you are 75+ or scheduling an appointment for an older adult and you are unable to do so online, call 2-1-1 or (877) 211-6277 for assistance. This service is available between 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Unfortunately, you should anticipate long wait times on the phone.

Mass Vaccination Site Coming to Natick: Exciting news for our district! A mass vaccination site is coming to the Natick Mall this month. The first vaccines will be given starting February 22nd, and at full capacity this site will administer up to 3,000 vaccinations daily. Appointments should open up next week.

Expanded Vaccine Eligibility: Effective Thursday, February 11, an individual who accompanies a person age 75 or older to a mass vaccination site will also be eligible to receive the vaccine, if they have an appointment booked together for the same day. Only one companion is permitted.

While I am heartened to see certain expansions in vaccine access, I remain very concerned by a lack of racial, economic, and regional equity in COVID-19 testing and vaccination. Last week, I filed the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Act, crafted in collaboration with infectious disease experts and legislative colleagues, to generate exactly that equity. Read more below about my efforts to make vaccine distribution more equitable within our Commonwealth.

Questions and comments about the COVID vaccine distribution plan and implementation can be emailed directly to the Baker administration at COVID-19-Vaccine-Plan-MA@mass.gov. I welcome constituents to copy me on those emails as well.

As always, if you or any of your loved ones in my district have fallen on hard times during this pandemic, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office via phone (617-722-1555) or email (becca.rausch@masenate.gov). We are here to help. You can also find robust resources to help you navigate through COVID-19 on my website.

Yours in service,

Senator Becca Rausch

Senator Rausch: State House Briefing - Feb 10, 2021

FHS boys hockey skates to 2-2 tie with Canton

Via Hockomock Sports we can share the results of the FHS boys hockey game on Thursday

** Boys Hockey = Franklin, 2 @ Canton, 2 – Final

"Even in the most irregular of seasons, Canton and Franklin’s rivalry on the ice matters.

When the two teams met on Thursday night at the Metropolis Rink, the game had no bearing on either winning yet another league title and neither team was preparing for its typical postseason run. But, regardless of the circumstances, both teams skated a little faster and things were a little more intense because of who was on the opposite bench.

Five days ago, Franklin battled back to tie the game only for Canton to score a late winning. On Thursday, nothing could separate the two teams. Twice Franklin went in front and twice Canton found the tying goal. The teams skated to a 2-2 tie, with all four goals scored in the second period.

“We were on the phone for hours one night figuring out how to do this in a shortened season,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “I know the kids appreciated it immensely on both teams."

Continue reading Josh Perry's game recap for Hockomock Sports

https://hockomocksports.com/canton-and-franklin-boys-hockey-skate-away-with-a-point-apiece/

For a Photo Gallery from this game

https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/2020-2021/Winter-2020-2021/Canton-Franklin-Boys-Hockey-2-11-21/

For the other results around the Hockomock League

https://hockomocksports.com/thursdays-schedule-scoreboard-02-11-21/

FHS boys hockey skates to 2-2 tie with Canton

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka: Senate Special Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts - Post-Pandemic Resiliency

"Today, I am announcing the creation of the new Senate Special Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts: Post-Pandemic Resiliency.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended assumptions about the way we live, work, and travel in Massachusetts. It has also laid bare long-standing inequities in various aspects of our economy and communities. As we look to the future as we recover from the pandemic, we have a rare opportunity—and a responsibility—to question the status quo and reimagine the path towards continued vibrancy for the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts has historically been a leader in innovation, and we are well poised to lead in the "new normal." But we must ensure that our efforts are integrated across multiple areas. This committee will serve as a hub to synthesize information and share best practices that have been developed in response to COVID-19, as well as a forum for new ideas as to how to move forward. The committee will also work to actively ensure that historical inequities are addressed.

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives; this committee acknowledges that and asks how we help direct the change we know lies ahead. While the newly-created COVID-19 committee will be focused on pandemic response and the challenges posed by COVID-19 today, the Reimagining Mass committee will be focused on tomorrow and the next day. We have not experienced anything like this pandemic in a hundred years, and this crisis deserves our attention and our best efforts at mitigating its effects.

The Reimagining Mass committee doesn't look like anything the Senate has done in the past, but that's intentional. We will need collaboration and creativity to reimagine our future. But it does draw on the best practices from the working groups the Senate developed last session—on revenue, transportation, COVID-19 and racial justice. These working groups were cross-functional and called on experts from across the Commonwealth, as well as the experience of the Senate members and their constituents. The efforts of the COVID-19 working group resulted in legislation such as vote-by-mail, telehealth, more flexibility for municipalities to work remotely, expansive outdoor and take out options for restaurants, and other innovations spurred by the pandemic. It is my hope that this committee will catalyze innovation in a similar way.

I look forward to the Senate Special Committee on Reimagining Massachusetts: Post-Pandemic Resiliency acting as a forum for oversight, coordination and ideas as we create a new vision for the Commonwealth's future."

Town of Franklin: Job Opportunities with DPW and Facilities

Job Opportunities

To apply for a vacant position, please submit a resume and cover letter to apply@franklinma.gov. Please put the job title in the subject line of your email.