Wednesday, April 21, 2021

"USDA extends universal free lunch through next school year"

Tracy O'Connell Novick (@TracyNovick) tweeted on Tue, Apr 20, 2021:

"As I think this is a time for good news, here's some from @USDANutrition this afternoon:  https://t.co/E5oBYj6KWG

"The United States Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday it would extend universal free lunch through the 2021-2022 school year, in an effort to reach more of the estimated 12 million youths experiencing food insecurity.

In March, the USDA said these waivers, which made school meals more flexible to administer, would be extended only to Sept. 30, leaving schools and families uncertain about what next school year might look like."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
 

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka on Chauvin Trial Verdict

April 20, 2021

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka on Chauvin Trial Verdict

The verdict reached in the Derek Chauvin trial has brought relief to many of us, and a glimpse of hope for more accountability, and ultimately, justice. This evening, I am thinking of George Floyd, the many friends and family who loved him, and the pain of their irreparable loss. I am also deeply grateful for the courage of the witnesses who testified against Chauvin, as well as the countless individuals who persisted in protesting for accountability over the past year.

Last year, we began the long process of answering calls for change by passing nation-leading legislation to improve equity, transparency, and accountability in policing in Massachusetts. I am proud of this accomplishment, but I am determined to do more. I will continue to call on the Massachusetts State Senate to be intentional in our policymaking, and view all legislation through the lens of racial justice in order to break down the systemic barriers that have unfairly burdened generations of Black and brown people. As Senate President, I am personally committed to the hard work that will be required of all of us to make our Commonwealth a more equitable and just place.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Town of Franklin, MA: drive up window closed on Wednesday, Apr 21 - come into the lobby

Town of Franklin, MA (@TOFranklinMA) tweeted on Tue, Apr 20, 2021:
"The drive thru window at the Municipal Building will remain closed tomorrow, Wednesday April 21st. Residents are welcome to come into the lobby for transactions. Thank you!"

Note: The windows are being replaced in the Municipal Bldg and the work on the drive up windows was estimated to take one day. It appears to have taken more than that hence the extension of the closure from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Original notification on Thursday April 15, 2021
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/04/drive-up-window-schedule-at-municipal.html

Town of Franklin, MA: drive up window closed on Wednesday, Apr 21 - come into the lobby
Town of Franklin, MA: drive up window closed on Wednesday, Apr 21 - come into the lobby


Franklin Public Schools: FY 2022 Annual Budget - Message to the Community

"We are pleased to present the School Committee's Approved FY2022 Budget to the community. This budget is the culmination of many steps in the  development process, beginning with the School Committee's Budget Workshop on December 1, 2020. Since then, the Superintendent, Central Office team, building principals, and School Committee have been working collaboratively to develop a budget for the 2021-2022 school year. The FY22 School Committee's Approved Budget in the amount of $67,914,184 represents an increase of $2,255,684 or 3.44% over the FY21 budget.

This budget is presented with two focal areas. First, the budget is shaped to support Franklin's Portrait of a Graduate -- the community's consensus of five essential skills each student will practice and develop through their PreK-12+ school experience. Second, the budget prioritizes services and supports for our students who will be returning to school after over a year of a disrupted educational experience as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, we anticipate that new health and safety practices and effective uses of technology will persist in our learning environments. Our budget is also aligned to the district's four strategic objectives: social-emotional well-being of students and staff; rigorous and engaging curriculum; high-quality instruction to meet the academic and SEL needs of each learner; effective two-way communication to support student learning.

The main drivers of the budget include anticipated increases for health insurance premiums and contractual obligations for salaries. Other contributing factors include a slight reduction in the amount of revolving funds used to offset the budget and an increase in other expenses like contracted services, and supplies/materials. Investments to support the social emotional and academic needs of students are prioritized in this budget. The FY22 budget detail also reflects reductions as a result of the recent decision to retire the Davis Thayer Elementary School. Overall, the FY22 budget equates to a Level Service Budget with a reallocation of $1,090,815 to support some strategic investment initiatives that have been identified by the Administrative team. These Investment Initiatives are outlined in detail on the following pages.

The development of the FY 22 budget was a challenge as the FY 21 budget was significantly complicated by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Additional federal aid is expected through FY 22 and is factored into the projections in the detail that follows. FY 22 state aid to the Town of Franklin is not yet finalized, however, we do not anticipate significant changes to this proposal. The forecast for the development of the future budgets will likely present challenges given the continued needs across the district, the local fiscal forecast, and an expected decrease in Coronavirus relief funding in the next few years.

We are thankful for the collaborative work with the Town Council and the Finance Committee. We want to thank the community of Franklin for support in the public education of Franklin's children."
 

 

This executive summary can be found on Page 4 of the full budget document

Town of Franklin budget page  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget 
Franklin Schools budget page  https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget 


Franklin Public Schools: FY2022 Annual Budget - Message to the Community
Franklin Public Schools: FY2022 Annual Budget - Message to the Community

Download your copy of the FPS Budget Development and Facts https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SjS8GCvwlhcumoPI17Tjus6bi_paVHsz/view?usp=sharing  or view here https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget

Senator Rausch: MA Vaccine Eligibility Update

Senator Rausch State House Briefing 
Part 2, Chapter 6 (April 19, 2021)

Dear friends,  
 
The long awaited day is here! As of today, anyone over the age of 16 who lives, works, or goes to school here is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts.

Remember: you can get a COVID-19 vaccine regardless of ability to pay, insurance coverage, or citizenship. If you are asked for identification, you can decline. If at any point you are asked to provide insurance information and you are uninsured, you can skip giving that information. The vaccine itself is provided fully free of charge.

If you haven’t already, you can still pre-register for your COVID vaccine appointment at a mass vaccination site (Gillette Stadium and Natick Mall are the closest for our district). Go to mass.gov/COVIDvaccine to secure your spot in line. For all other vaccination locations, go to vaxfinder.mass.gov or mass.gov/CovidVaccineMap and search for open appointments using your zip code or click through the various vaccination sites closest to you. I also recommend following @vaccinetime on Twitter to get push notifications to your phone concerning available appointments. Individuals who are unable to schedule an appointment online or are having difficulty with the online sign-up process can call 2-1-1 or (877) 211-6277 for assistance.

Please note, appointments are limited due to limited vaccine supply. If you have no luck initially, check back periodically to see if appointments have opened up. More information about COVID-19 vaccinations is available on my website at www.beccarauschma.com/covidvaccine.

I still remain very concerned about decisions to relax COVID mitigation efforts too soon and the overall COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Massachusetts, particularly the lack of detail in implementation and the serious inequities in access and outreach. I continue to push our COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Act and urge the Governor to course-correct this rollout.  
 
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   

 

Sign up for a 15-minute appointment here.
Sign up for a 15-minute appointment here.


The email newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full set of contents, visit https://mailchi.mp/9febc556a8ea/maearlyvoting2020-13433748?e=0c2c9810fe

HockomockSPorts.com: Player of the Week -> Cailyn Mackintosh, FHS Volleyball

The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff

"Franklin junior Cailyn Mackintosh has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, for April 11 through April 17. Mackintosh is the 19th player chosen as Player of the Week for the 2020-21 school year and sixth in the fall II season.

Mackintosh continued her stellar career as the Franklin setter, helping the Panthers win three times last week and bring home the first-ever Hock Cup title with a win against fellow league champion King Philip in the final. The reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year was one of the top setters in the league this season, pushing the Panthers to a third straight Kelley-Rex title and an overall record of 12-1.

“Cailyn is a vital part to our team, we would not have had the season we did without her,” said first-year Franklin head coach Samantha Elliott. “She is strong and consistent in every part of the game, she always wants to improve and never settles. Cailyn has the ability to be a leader on and off the court which is why she is a junior captain.”

Continue reading about Cailyn
 
HockomockSPorts.com: Player of the Week ->  Cailyn Mackintosh, FHS Volleyball
HockomockSPorts.com: Player of the Week ->  Cailyn Mackintosh, FHS Volleyball

 

FM #516 & 517 - School Committee Mtg - 04/13/21 (audio)

This is the Franklin Matters radio show, numbers 516-517 in the series.

These sessions share part of the Franklin, MA School Committee meeting held on Tuesday, Apr 13, 2021.

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: some of the School Committee members, Central Office personnel, and key guests were in the Council Chambers; the remainder, along with the public, were remote via conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

I’ve split the just 2 hour and 15 minute meeting into 2 logical segments:

  • First - covers the opening up through the Parmenter presentation (approx. 60 mins)
  • Second - picks up the district improvement plan updates through to the closing (approx. 73 mins)


The show notes contain links to the meeting agenda and to my notes. The meeting packet folder will hold the other documents released for the meeting.

Let’s listen to this segment of the School Committee meeting of Apr 13, 2021

Audio file #516 = 
https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a3f13b0b-71e0-47ad-8fac-eb30fb7adf01

Audio file #517 = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/7b81fd46-1a36-4eec-85c5-7ca01316eb30


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

Agenda doc   https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/scagenda_4-13-21.pdf

Revised Budget pages https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/budget_changes.pdf   

Budget information   https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget/pages/fy2022-budget

Parmenter presentation doc   https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/parmenter_20-21_school_committee_update_presentation.pdf

Meeting packet folder
https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/april-13-2021-school-committee-meeting-packet

My notes from the meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/04/recap-school-committee-approved-fy-2022.html  

--------------
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/  or www.franklin.news/
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 #516 & 517 - School Committee Mtg - 04/13/21 (audio)
FM #516 & 517 - School Committee Mtg - 04/13/21 (audio)