"committed to the quality of life in our town"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jun 09, 2008 @ 10:19 PM

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FRANKLIN —

Voters today will decide the fate of a $2.8 million Proposition 2 1/2 tax override, put on the ballot to keep the status quo in schools and prevent numerous layoffs.

With the blessing of the Finance Committee, Town Council put the question on today's ballot in hopes of preventing anticipated reductions at schools that include 47 teacher layoffs, elimination of many courses and the late bus, a $100 increase in the busing fee (from $225 to $325), as well as increased class sizes.

Opponents say a tax increase during a trying economy will further strain residents, striking another financial blow to struggling seniors and others.

Those stumping for the tax hike, which is permanent, note that Franklin's tax burden is lower than many comparable towns. They are pushing for it to maintain quality education.

Janice Foley, one of three founders of the pro-override political action group Invest in Franklin, said override advocates are optimistic about the outcome of the vote, because she has seen many Franklin residents take the time to learn about the issues.

"(They) are committed to the quality of life in our town. Our biggest hope is for the people of Franklin to get out and vote so their voices can be heard," Foley said.

Read the remainder of the story here in the Milford Daily News

Franklin School Committee Meeting - Agenda - 6/10/08

Municipal Building – Council Chambers

Executive Session 1: 6:00 P.M.

Regular Meeting 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 May 27, 2008 School Committee Meeting.

· Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly

· Payroll Ms. Armenio

· FHS Student Representatives

· Correspondence:

1. Budget to Actual

2. Memo from Jeff Nutting regarding Capital Requests

2. Guests/Presentations:

a. Remington Middle School National Latin Exam Achievement Awards

1. Rachel Ceskavich

2. Gregory Mouradian

b. Remington Middle School National Latin Exam Outstanding Achievement Awards

1. Naman Agarwal

2. Cynthia Swanson

3. Mimi Gualtieri

4. Stefan Herlitz

5. Emily Stickles

6. Jillian Ferrari

c. Remington Middle School Foreign Language Exam

1. Sarah MacClellan – Silver Medal Winner

2. Amy Stevens – Bronze Medal Winner

3. Lindsay Gualtieri – Bronze Medal Winner

4. Sara Rodgers – Bronze Medal Winner

5. Ethan Blank – Honorable Mention

6. Michelle Shafferman – Honorable Mention

d. Remington Middle School NELMS Scholar Leaders

1. Sara MacClellan

2. Drew Shaughnessy

e. Jefferson Elementary Stock Market Game Awards:

1. Michael Bullen – Second Place – Elementary Division

2. Dominic Pizzelli – First Place – Elementary Division

3. Chloe Ross – InvestWrite Award – Elementary Division

f. James Barrett – 2008 MAEC Award for the Distinguished Music Educator

g. Franklin Public Schools Retirements:

1. Joanne Bould

2. Susan Brewster

3. Cindy Douglas

4. Michael Gilmore

5. Nancy Gilmore

6. Jeanne McKenna

7. Diane Newcomb

8. Dennis Pelletier

9. Jean Ristaino

10. Elaine Sumner

11. Sena Anania

12. Suzanne Stilgoe

h. Franklin Education Foundation (FEF) Grant Award Presentation

i. Science Safety Initiative Presentation

j. Dropout Intervention Update

3. Discussion Only Items

· Capitol Needs Update – Mike D’Angelo

· Memorandum of Understanding

4. Action Items:

1. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,000 from Sheri Brodeur for the Will Briggs Memorial Scholarship for FHS.

2. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,000 from the Franklin Country Club for their FCC Hall of Fame Award at FHS.

3. I recommend adoption of the 2009-2010 School Calendar.

4. I recommend acceptance of a check for $100.00 from the Remington PCC for a nurse for the 7^th grade field trip to the Museum of Science.

5. I recommend approval of the Memo of Understanding.

6. I recommend approval of the Consolidation of Facilities

5. Information Matters:

· Superintendent’s Report

a. Enrollment Comparisons May 2007 & May 2008

· 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 2

· Contractual Negotiations

a. Non-Union & Administration

8. Adjourn

Letter from Ed Cafasso

People support overrides for many different reasons.

I heard from one School Committee member about a friend whose kids are grown and out on their own; she struggled to raise them by herself despite a great many personal and financial obstacles, including serious illness. She said she would be voting yes because “the community” helped educate her children and she feels it’s now her duty to support the community in educating others.

I heard a Town Councilor describe “the bargain” he feels the Franklin schools are. He looks at his tax bill; he looks at the services he gets – the low crime rate, the convenient businesses; the clean streets, the award-winning schools – and he realizes that his family is getting an exceptional value for the money.

I heard a School Principal talk about how a child only goes through each grade once. You’re only in 5^th grade once. You only get one crack at high school. And how important it is that each step along the way be the best it can be; because this is the part of life that’s the most fun. You’re only a kid once.

And, over the years, I have heard dozens more great reasons to support overrides. All of them deeply personal; each of them fueled by an individual’s own upbringing, experiences and values.

For me, it’s really about wanting the best for my kids and for the rest of the young people in town. In my job, I get the chance to meet a great many new college grads – either as employees or as job candidates. I look hard at their resumes and cover letters. I interview them. I review their writing tests.

I can tell you firsthand that we truly do live in a very competitive, global economy. There are many more resumes than there are open positions. And, unfortunately, there are a number of countries that invest much more in education than the United States. I worry about what my kids will face when they try to make it on their own; just as I’m sure that my parents worried about me; and their parents worried about them.

The only things that we can leave our children that truly matter are a loving upbringing, strong values and the absolute best education we can possibly deliver. That’s why I am voting Yes on Tuesday.

I completely understand that some people feel they cannot afford a Yes vote. I would argue that they can’t afford not to, but these are very personal issues. Who am I to tell them what they can and can’t afford?

And there are others, too many others I’m afraid, who are concerned about where Franklin is headed and how financial decisions are made. I share that concern. We need to work harder to make sure citizens trust us with their hard-earned tax dollars; that we listen to their views; and that we do a better job explaining what we are doing and why.

People support overrides for many different reasons. On Tuesday, I hope you will look into your heart and find your reason to vote “Yes.” Thank you for your support!

Ed Cafasso, Member

Franklin School Committee

"we have a better chance of getting state aid if we scale it back"

By Rachel Lebeaux Globe Correspondent / June 8, 2008

The new high school in Franklin will not be a Taj Mahal project, if town officials can help it.

Mindful of the examples set by Newton and Wellesley, both criticized by a top state official for approving expensive high school projects, officials in Franklin are working with the state to find a less costly plan for updating the town's 37-year-old high school.

Days before a vote Tuesday on a proposed $2.8 million override of Proposition 2 1/2, meant to raise property taxes enough to prevent the loss of more than 40 teaching positions, officials also said they do not believe that taxpayers would foot the bill for a $100 million renovation of the high school or a new facility costing $130 million.

Those two options were put on the table by an architect earlier this year.

Read the full story in the Boston Sunday Globe here

The architect's presentation to the School Committee made in February can be found here

Class sizes will be "significantly increased"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GateHouse News Service

Posted Jun 07, 2008 @ 10:58 PM

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FRANKLIN —

In addition to laying off 45 teachers and two administrators, 24 courses are on track to be eliminated at Franklin High School, and class sizes will increase districtwide without a $2.8 million Proposition 2 1/2 tax override, according to Superintendent of Schools Wayne Ogden.

Under the fiscal ‘09 school budget approved by Town Council, the School Department is slated to receive $49.9 million, which is $2.8 million less than schools need to maintain the same level of services and staff as this year, Ogden has said.

In order to balance the budget without the override, Ogden has proposed cutting 17 teachers and an assistant principal at the high school, cutting 12.5 teaching positions at the middle schools, cutting 15 teaching positions at the elementary schools, eliminating the late bus, and increasing the bus pay-to-ride fee from $225 to $325, among other measures.

Read the full story in the Milford Daily News

Overide at a Glance

From the Franklin Gazette, you can get the details here.

This is not the last override, if not one next year, there will be others in the near future. This was foretold and captured here,

The Override Information Forum was recorded. All questions and answers you can listen to here.

The town is not mismanaged, if it was, we wouldn't be on the bottom of the per capita spending list.

The school department does not have too many administrators. If it did, it would not be well below the state average for administration.

The School Department has been cutting their budget since 2002. 83 positions have already been lost. If another 47 go out the door, the ranking of Top 10 as best place to raise of family, the ranking of Top 100 places to retire, and of Top 100 places to start and run a business are in jeopardy.

The Commonwealth of MA has been generous to Franklin taxpayers. Our percentage contribution to running this town has decreased over the years. Now the time has come for Franklin to pay its own way.

If is your choice Franklin. What will you choose to do?

Check out the factual information. Don't listen to the hear say and unsubstantiated rumors.

Caste an informed vote June 10th.

Ben's advice for Franklin

This is the text of a "Letter to the Editor" that I submitted to the Milford Daily News in May 2007. It did not get published that I was ever aware of. Other than the dates, the sentiment applies just as much now as it did in 2007. Oh, and it took a year, but the Town Council has finally appointed the committee referenced here to come up with the Five Year plan. We arrived here over 11 years ago. Yes, we were part of Franklin’s big growth wave. At the time, we came because of the good schools, the affordable housing, the central location to most of the major cities of New England, and especially the rail transportation to Boston. Those reasons are still valid today. Our two daughters have graduated from Franklin High School and are now both in college. Yes, we have two tuition bills to face. But you know, we knew that before we came here. We have planned for this period of our family life for some time. So let’s put the Franklin budget problem in perspective. Many, if not all, of the Finance and Town Council members at one time or another have said that this budget problem was several years in the making. Continuing to draw down the stabilization fund while limiting departmental budget growth in order to balance the budget has created a situation where the slightest change in a single factor sends major cuts through the budget. This year it was reported to be the special education increase mandated by the Commonwealth. Next year, it is likely to be something else that will force further cuts. And oh, by the way, if the override fails this year, another $1 million of our savings will be forced to be spent on unemployment insurance for the town and school personnel laid off. This will leave our savings at only $2 million dollars. Yet, the Finance Committee on April 30th reviewed all the department multi-year capital plans. They commended each department for the level of detail provided to justify what they needed. So where is our multi-year operating plan? When will the Town Council ask the Town Administrator and Finance Committee to lay that out for us? We have an override vote scheduled for May 22, how many more will we need to pass to get out of this mess? “Industry need not wish” is the quote from Ben Franklin visible on the wall plaque in the Franklin Town Council chambers. Ben wrote this in the early 1700’s. In those days, “industry” meant hard work. Hard work meant sweat and labor. If you worked hard, you did not have to wish for something. If you worked hard, you got something for it. The residents of Franklin should ponder this quote. There is much to gain from the insights that Ben had. We can chose to let the Commonwealth of MA fund half our school expenses. We can continue to solicit our loyal legislative contacts for increases in any and all aid possible. We can continue to live as Franklin was just a “little town”. However, danger lies down those roads. While Franklin’s growth in the last decade has started to slow a little due to the current economic conditions, it is here and with us. It will not go away as much as some might wish it too. It is time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. It is time to start paying our own way. It is time to start planning for what the next couple of years budgets will look like. What do we do? The override vote on May 22 needs to be passed. The home of the first public library can not let it close. The birthplace of Horace Mann can not let our own children suffer the education cuts proposed if this override fails. Then the Town Council needs to start working with all parties to provide the Franklin voters a multi year plan. It is possible, it can be done. Their leadership is required. To do otherwise would be fiscally irresponsible. Vote “yes” on May 22. Then let’s get the appropriate folks to work on the multi year operating plan. As Ben said, “Industry need not wish”.

This was originally posted at Steve's 2 Cents on May 20, 2007.