"this is not a drill"

April to April - 200 increase

coincidently works out to about $2.6 million, increase in students means an increase in costs

high school enrollment will increase at a minimum of 101

17 teacher positions are projected to be cut at the high school
parents of means make make the choice after June 10th to move the students to private school to maintain a smaller class size

Sabolinski
"this is not a drill"

Roy
"This is not the way to attract and retain good teachers"

Reduction in Force - "layoff notices"

47 individuals received notice today due to the uncertainty of budget that makes it impossible to renew a contract for next year.

Meets the contractual notice one month early to give the opportunity to look for employment.

Identities of those individuals are not for public discussion at this time.

Action items

I recommend acceptance of a check for $260.00 from Morrison Communications for the Franklin High School as commission for their logo appearing on the FHS Athletic Schedule.

2. I recommend acceptance of a check for $4,306.50 from the Parmenter PCC for the following field trips:

• Grade 3 – Plimoth Plantation
• Grade 4 – Museum of Science
• Grade 5 – Freedom Trail

3. recommend acceptance of a check for $475.00 from the Keller PCC for the Kindergarten field trip to Southwick Zoo.

4. I recommend approval of the Horace Mann 7th graders to travel to Roger Williams Park in Providence, RI on June 3rd and 4th.


All items approved.

Pay to Ride - discussion only item

The Pay-to-Ride letters need to get out to parents for next year. The pricing in the letter is dependent upon the status of the override coming June 10th.

$39,600 cost of late bus for FY 2009

If the family pays-to-ride and goes home late, they don't pay the extra dollar for the late bus
If the family qualifies for the reduced lunch program, they don't pay for the late bus

Pay-to-Ride sign ups are required in June for next September
provides time for the bus company to prepare the number of buses required

If the override passes, no change in pricing
If the override fails, there is a proposal for a $100 increase in the fee

Ogden recommends issuing the letter with pricing based upon the successful override
with a way for families to opt out if the override fails and they choose not to pay the increase required from the failed override.

updated 8:00 PM
-----------------

Cafasso:
layman's attempt at fuel escalation clause
bus company commits to provide a set amount of services for the year in advance
with fuel costs above and below a certain price, with in a range they absorb the difference
above the range, the cost is passed on to Franklin

Are all the students using the late bus, paying when they are supposed?
Probably not, probably a small amount

Kelly:
concern over time line for notification to bus company and override results
major negotiation point is in July, other opportunities before school opens and just after school opens

GATRA is an alternative, assuming their ridership builds
It would be a slower, longer ride given the nature of their route

Rohrbach:
admits the school committee hasn't voted on a total budget

Ogden:
if you don't sign up, there is no guarantee that there will be a seat for the children if you wait
it would be better to sign up, and if necessary, withdraw

Sabolinski:
There was a significant wait list last year and some of those on the list ended up taking part of the two added buses but the families had to wait until the buses come online.

Armenio:
How late can we wait?

Ogden:
July.

Sabolinski:
Schools share the late bus

Roy:
Pure energy and bio-diesel fuel?

Ogden:
we did investigate it, does not know if it was applied for
will follow up with Mike D'Angelo

Roy:
supports recommendation to go with this years rate and appropriate language to opt out as required

English Language Learners (ELL)

ELL - English Language Learners

presentation by Linda Waters

A review of the four year initiative

Sheltered English Immersion (SEI)

DOE had found Franklin in "noncompliance status" in 2004

not a service to teach curriculum, focused on teaching English as a language

two .5 ELL teachers, both half-time; one for elementary and one for middle school
one full time ELL teacher

close to 100 teachers with some level of training in this area

February 2008, DOE has found Franklin in "compliance" with the mandate

29 students designated as ELL
10 students designated as Former ELL (FELPs)

current languages being spoken by these students

Vietnamese, Spanish, Gujarti, Hindi, Cebuano, Telugu, Chinese, Bulgarian, Swahili, Russian, French, Arabic, Krio, and Portugese

22 kindergarten students identified as possible ELL's

Lisa talking about teaching the children who have trouble with the English language
other students in the classroom are helpful providing assistance
meets with students once a week as she is only part-time
get support to the regular teachers so they can provide help

Helen talking about the same program as provided to the secondary education students

Q - Armenio
This is one of the state unfunded mandates

Q - Trahan - Help for families?
The Franklin library provides a program in English as a Second Language for adults in the community. (side note - yes, I can vouch for this program as I participate as a tutor in this program.)

Q - Rohrbach - with 22 kindergartens possible, is this a growing trend?
Yes, it is. Given the other communities nearby, it is not surprising that we will gain some of these other languages.

Q - Roy, this was a result of a statewide ballot initiative

Lisa describes how she uses photos to elicit the students involvement in building their vocabulary, disposable cameras are good for this. Link the objects to the words.
Use total physical response to build the recognition of the verb and the word.

Waters:
Social language develops very quickly with interaction amongst their peers, the curriculum language takes longer (up to six years) to develop. Many of the students are also coming into the system with little schooling in their background or sometimes large gaps in their schooling (due to civil war in their former country).

Ogden:
ELL staff have two roles, one to teach the students and one to teach the teachers
kudos to the ELL teachers and to all the staff to make this program so successful

School Committee - live reporting

no citizens comment

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

minutes approved
"Mike" Raposa changed to "Tim"

bill approved to be paid

payroll approved

updated 7:04 PM
--------------

Kevin Murphy
FHS Student representative completing his Senior year
heading to Providence College to major in bio-premed

updated 7:07 PM
--------------

Caitlin Davenport
won 1st place in her age group for the Most Original Poem
in the BC State Science Poetry Contest

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

"it's not true that we can't afford more"

When comparing Franklin's tax burden to those of 29 other comparable communities - neighboring towns, those near the Interstate 495 belt with a high commercial/industrial base like Franklin, and those with similar populations - Franklin fares well.

"We're still, by this measure, a very efficient town. People who talk about waste and inefficiency - I don't see any evidence of it.

"How can you have waste and inefficiency if you're spending less than all your peers? There's none," said Whalen.

In 1999, the most current available census data, Franklin's median family income was $81,826, which has almost certainly increased with the influx of professionals in recent years, Whalen said.

Franklin's median home assessment for 2008 is $411,508, putting the tax burden - (a measure based on a person's income and home value) at 5.1 percent, Whalen said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Feeley responds to McGann (audio)

From the Franklin Town Council meeting 5/7/08, you may recall that Councilor Joe McGann used the Citizens Comment section to complain about his not getting notified of the 4/30/07 meeting starting at 6:00 PM instead of 7:00 PM.

Due to the protocol around Citizens Comment, Feeley could not respond at that time and waited until Councilor Comments (at the end of the meeting) to make his response.

Time: 1 minute, 42 seconds



MP3 File

New Committee to develop 5 Yr Projections (audio)

From the Franklin Town Council meeting 5/7/08, Chairman Chris Feeley introduces as new business a motion to create a new committee of 2 Finance Committee, 2 School Committee and 3 Town Councilors to develop a 5 year projection. There is some discussion amongst the council and I suggest to add 2 additional members to represent the Town folks to bring them into the process to help build some trust in the numbers.

Time: 6 minutes, 4 seconds



MP3 File

Franklin School Committee Meeting 5/13/08 - 7:00 P.M.

AGENDA

Call to order Mr. Roy

Pledge of Allegiance

Moment of Silence

1. Routine Business

· Citizen’s Comments

· Review of Agenda

· Minutes:

I recommend approval of the minutes from the April 29, 2008 School Committee Meeting.

· Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly

· Payroll Ms. Armenio

· FHS Student Representatives

· Correspondence:

1. Budget to Actual

2. Letter from Peter Faenza

3. Letter from Rose Solbo

2. Guests/Presentations:

a. Signing of FEA Contract

b. ELL Update

c. Keller BC State Science Poetry Winner

3. Discussion Only Items

· Pay-to-Ride Program 2008-09

4. Action Items:

1. I recommend acceptance of a check for $260.00 from Morrison Communications for the Franklin High School as commission for their logo appearing on the FHS Athletic Schedule.

2. I recommend acceptance of a check for $4,306.50 from the Parmenter PCC for the following field trips:

1. Grade 3 – Plimoth Plantation

2. Grade 4 – Museum of Science

3. Grade 5 – Freedom Trail

3. recommend acceptance of a check for $475.00 from the Keller PCC for the Kindergarten field trip to Southwick Zoo.

4. I recommend approval of the Horace Mann 7^th graders to travel to Roger Williams Park in Providence, RI on June 3^rd and 4^th.

5. Information Matters:

· Superintendent’s Report

a. Enrollment Comparisons for April

b. 2008-2009 School Committee Schedule – Draft

c. Reduction in Force

d. Letter from Congressman James McGovern regarding Medicaid Reimbursement

· School Committee Sub-Committee Reports

· School Committee Liaison Reports

6. New Business:

· To discuss future business that may be brought before the School Committee.

7. Executive Session

· Contractual Negotiations

8. Adjourn

it's been an emotional and financial challenge

By Danielle Ameden/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted May 11, 2008 @ 09:58 PM

Last update May 11, 2008 @ 10:55 PM

---

When Joe and Kelly Hurley's two boys were babies, the Franklin couple brought them to the pediatrician for standard shots. Like good parents, they were trying to protect their kids from whooping cough and tetanus.

Both boys suffered bad reactions to the vaccines, coming down with 104-degree fevers and rashes with ballooned cheeks, Kelly Hurley says. Now 9 and 10, one has moderate autism; the other has a non-verbal learning disorder.

Today, the family has its eye on Washington, where a federal court takes up a hot theory in the autistic community, and one the Hurleys believe: a mercury-based preservative in vaccines can trigger the developmental disorder.

there's so much need out there

By Heather McCarron/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted May 11, 2008 @ 09:35 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

Before the new senior center opened, there was one segment of the town's senior population that was getting left out: Elders who are homebound, isolated, frail or experiencing cognitive difficulties.

But that's all changing now that the Council on Aging has been able to expand in the ample new space off Oak Street, and also thanks to two grants from the Metrowest Community Healthcare Foundation and the state Executive Office of Elder Affairs totaling $34,000.

The Council on Aging is now offering an adult supportive day care program for seniors who might otherwise remain at homes or may be candidates for nursing-home care.

"The response has been really overwhelming," said COA Director Karen Alves. "And I think it's because there's so much need out there."

Read the full story in the Milford Daily News here.

"never become engrossed with the size of your wallet, but rather the size of your heart"

By Michelle Laczkoski/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted May 10, 2008 @ 11:31 PM

---

FRANKLIN —

Calling it the most "amazing and frightening day of our lives,'' Dean College graduate Jennifer Carr dared the Class of 2008 to keep dreaming during Saturday's commencement.
"Never try to be perfect ... and never become engrossed with the size of your wallet, but rather the size of your heart,'' said Carr, who received a bachelor's of arts degree in dance.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.

"To receive an award for something that you do every day and that you enjoy doing just doesn't make sense"

Deborah Pellegri, Franklin Town Clerk, was quoted in the Milford Daily News as part of the article on the state recognition for "unsung heroines":

"To receive an award for something that you do every day and that you enjoy doing just doesn't make sense,'' said Pellegri, who helped to raise money for the town's statue of Benjamin Franklin.
Pellegri, who also planned the town's yearly Fourth of July activities for years, said she is excited to go to the State House for the ceremony.
"My husband and I are going to hop on the train and we'll scoot into the State House for day,'' she said.

Read the full article in the Daily News here.

"I think you can say things constructively"

"I think you can say things constructively, without the negativity," she said. "You can say 'win this,' not 'don't lose this.' It's just your wording, and I think that you can send your message positively."

This just might have something to do with the wining record for the Franklin High School Girls Softball team. The quote is from Lindsey Garfield, in her first year as coach.

Read the full article in today's Boston Globe here.