Ed Cafasso Letter - Part 1

Hello everyone!

I hope you are enjoying the long holiday weekend. As we begin the 2008-09 school year in Franklin, I want to share you with some objective facts about the state of your schools.

The first section of the report below provides a summary of academic performance in Franklin as of today. A second section summarizes the financial performance of the school district based on the most recent data available.

To me, as a parent, a citizen and a member of the School Committee, this data demonstrates that, up to now, the Franklin Public Schools have been high performing academically and have used taxpayer resources in a highly efficient manner to produce those results. How long can it continue? That’s the big question. You be the judge.


Academic Performance

The Franklin Public Schools received four commendations in 2007-08 from the Office of Educational Quality Assurance (EQA) that directly affect and speak to student performance: High MCAS scores, curricular alignment with state frameworks, the district professional development program, and the mentoring program.

The district analysis of the 2007 MCAS data continues to identify the Franklin Public School System as a “high performance” district in all tests at all grade levels.

• All students continue to outperform the state averages on the same tests in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science/Technology Engineering (STE).
• All 17 tests, including three Long Composition tests, given in Grades 4, 7, and 10 scored a “High” (80-89.9) or “Very High” (90-100) performance rating.
• MCAS 2007 included, for the first time, the addition of a science competency test at the high school. Students in the class of 2010 must pass a STE test to graduate. The district identified Biology as the test of choice since Biology is a requirement for graduation. The 2007 Grade 9 Biology CPI was 96.7 (Very High), outperforming the state by two performance ratings.
• All Special Education subgroups in Grades 3-10 achieved a higher proficiency index than state subgroups in each of the subject tests.
• All Low Income subgroups achieved higher proficiency indices (PI) than the state subgroups in each tested area with the exception of Grade 7 ELA, which scored equal to that of the state subgroup, and Grade 8 Math, which came in at 3 PI points below that of the state subgroup.
• When compared with 28 top-performing districts in the state by AYP grade levels (3-5, 6-8, 9-12), Franklin outperformed 14 districts in one or more of these AYP reporting categories.
• At the high school, 105 students were awarded the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship based on their Grade 10 MCAS performance. Students qualified for this scholarship by scoring: (a) in the Advanced category in English Language Arts or Mathematics and Advanced or Proficient in the other subject area on the grade 10 MCAS assessments; and, (b) in the top 25% of the students in the district on these tests.

The complete MCAS report may be found on the Franklin Public Schools main web page at the following link: http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/FPS/instruct/MCAS/default.htm

In addition, the Franklin schools met the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standard for 2007 in both ELA and Mathematics. This is an important improvement indicator for Franklin and identifies the district as “No Status” for two years running. From 2003-2005, the district did not meet AYP (subgroups only). In 2006, the district made AYP and maintained this status for a second year (2007). This two-year performance has officially removed the Franklin Public Schools from the “Identified for Improvement – subgroups” status.

District and school NCLB Report Cards may be viewed on the Franklin Public Schools website at the following link:
http://www.franklin.ma.us/auto/schools/FPS/instruct/nclbrptcd/default.htm

At Franklin High School, the graduation rate for the Class of 2008 was 98.7%. Of the graduates, 73.1% chose to attend a public or private four-year college, and 15.4% chose to attend a public or private four-year college. Graduates chose to attend a wide range of well-known colleges or universities, including Boston College, Boston University, Bates, Brandeis, Dean College, Harvard, Hofstra, Northeastern, Providence, Syracuse, University of Pennsylvania, and U-Mass.

School Financial Performance


According to April 2008 data from Massachusetts Department of Education, Franklin spent $9,586 per pupil. (This data is for the 2006-07 academic year, the most recent calculated by the state.)

Fifty-one (51) school districts spent less per pupil than Franklin, and 277 spent more per pupil than Franklin. In other words, 84% of the school districts in the state spent more per pupil than Franklin. The average per pupil expenditure among school districts in Massachusetts stood at $11,859, which was $2,273 more than Franklin’s.

• Franklin spent $201 per pupil on school administration. The state average was $401
• Franklin spent $480 per pupil on instructional leadership. The state average was $770.
• Franklin spent $4,718 per pupil on classroom and specialist teachers. The state average was $4,513.
• Franklin spent $90 per pupil on professional development. The state average was $222.
• Franklin spent $190 per pupil on instructional materials, equipment and technology. The state average was $356.
• Franklin spent $213 per pupil on guidance and counseling. The state average was $328.
• Franklin spent $862 per pupil on pupil services. The state average was $1,081.
• Franklin spent $923 per pupil on operations and maintenance. The state average was $1,041.
• Franklin spent $908 per pupil on insurance and retirement programs. The state average was $1,929.

The average teacher salary in Franklin stood at $56,366, according to the DOE data. Statewide, the average teacher salary was $58,257.

Franklin’s budget for fiscal year 2009 is approximately $88 million. The school budget for the current academic year is $49.9 million, approximately $3 million less than the amount required to maintain the same level of service as last year. The town budget is funded largely by two key revenue streams – property taxes, which provide $48.8 million or 55% of the total, and state and local aid, which provides $33.5 million or about 38% of the total.

Chapter 70 education aid accounts for the vast majority of the state aid distributed to Franklin and totals $28.7 million in the current fiscal year. Almost 58% of the budget of Franklin Public Schools is paid for through Chapter 70 funds.

Enjoy the weekend! I plan to e-mail a second school update tomorrow evening.

These e-mails are provided as a constituent service. If you are receiving duplicates or if you no longer wish to receive these updates, please let me know. If you know of someone you would like to add to the distribution list, please send along their email address. Thanks!

Ed Cafasso, Member

Franklin School Committee

"You forget everything around you"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Aug 31, 2008 @ 11:29 PM

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FRANKLIN —

Turning 37 years old isn't a milestone for most people, but for Babe, a beautiful white Appaloosan horse, it's close to a miracle and reason for her loved ones to celebrate.

In human years, Babe would be about 148 years old, estimated Cathie LaBastie, who owns and runs the property at 469 Maple St. with her husband, Steve LaBastie.

Cathie LaBastie said for a horse to be considered old 15 years ago "was to live to the early 20s. Now, old is 32 maybe."

Horses live longer today thanks to improvements in medical care and feed, she said.

Babe's long life is credited to Holliston resident Julie Mahoney, who has cared for the horse over the past 16 years.

And Babe has played an equally vital role in her owner's life, said Mahoney, who wants to pay tribute to her "faithful companion" before her 37th birthday next March.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily New here

"I would say the response has been very positive"

By Peter Reuell/ Daily News staff

MetroWest Daily News

Posted Aug 30, 2008 @ 11:06 PM

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From the outside, they looked like any other assortment of little old ladies.

Moments after I walked into the Sunshine Club at Franklin's Senior Center, Lena Vitti filled me in on the rules: "You have to smile to come in the door."

Little did I know I was stepping into the lion's den.

I'd gone to Franklin to take on Vitti and a handful of other seniors in a game of what's become the hottest must-have item at area senior centers - Wii bowling.

Sure, I was a Wii newbie - the closest I'd come to using the video game system was a display at Best Buy, but being in my early 30s, and part of the generation that grew up with video games, I went in feeling pretty confident.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

In the Globe - Ogden resigns

By Rachel Lebeaux Globe Correspondent / August 31, 2008

Franklin's superintendent of schools submitted his resignation Tuesday night, citing layoffs in the wake of voters turning down a tax increase as the deciding factor.

"I came to Franklin in May 2006 to help move the public schools from good to great. Instead, we are beginning another academic year moving in the opposite direction," Superintendent Wayne Ogden wrote in his resignation letter to the School Committee. "We will start the 2008-2009 school year with 180 more students than when I arrived, and a budget that is several million dollars short of keeping pace with this growth."

Read the full article in the Globe West section of Sunday's Boston Globe here

Do you believe?

This is quite an inspirational performance from a student in Dallas; Dalton Sherman.




As you review this, translate the questions he asks to put Franklin in place of Dallas.

Do you believe in Franklin?
Do you believe in getting the best for Franklin's students?

If you do, then the time for action has never been more so than now. Don't just wait for an election.

• Show up in person at School Committee meetings
• Show up in person at Town Council meetings
• Get the Financial Planning Committee to get the plan together to figure out how we are going to sufficiently afford supporting our beliefs

Supt Ogden's resignation should be a wake up call for Franklin.
Let's stop being so immature and grow up.
We can not continue to live with a small town mentality.
The world has changed enormously in the last 30 years.

The choice is before us. Do you believe in Franklin?

What are you going to do about it?

It 's official - "It’s the perfect combination"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GateHouse News Service

Posted Aug 29, 2008 @ 08:28 PM

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FRANKLIN —

Community Web site specialist AmericanTowns.com and government Web site provider Virtual Town Hall has announced that the town of Franklin, Massachusetts has contracted with them to serve as its principal source of community information and to host its municipal Web site, respectively.

AmericanTowns.com will now provide a hyper-local platform where residents and organizations of Franklin can find and share the best local information about their community, including a unified calendar of events; announcements by and links to local organizations; and local services and resources. Virtual Town Hall, one of the major national providers of online services to city, town and county municipalitie, is now host to Franklin’s Web site.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.

Listen to the podcast where I discovered the local site had moved to AmericanTowns here.

an average of $65,000 to $135,000 annually per prisoner

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Aug 28, 2008 @ 09:45 PM

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FRANKLIN —

News of School Superintendent Wayne Ogden's resignation "devastated" a lot of teachers and school officials across the district, said Chandler Creedon, president of the Franklin Teachers' Association and a school psychologist.

Creedon said he is "terribly saddened" by Ogden's resignation.

"I think there are a lot of people who are devastated by this. He had a lot to offer Franklin. He had some great insight into what we could do with the students, and I'm sad that, for whatever reason, he didn't get a chance to (realize his visions)," Creedon said.

Ogden was always fair and very good to work with, Creedon said.

"He was really just pretty wonderful," he said.

Many teachers and staff are "very sad" and shocked over the news, he said.

Everyone was hoping for a great year, Creedon said.

Creedon said he doesn't blame Ogden for resigning, and lauded his bravery in making a statement.

"It was a very courageous statement that he made. Basically, he's saying he doesn't think he can work in an environment where people aren't really concerned about education," Creedon said.

"I'm not sure the community will get that message," he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

"We're entering some tough times"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Aug 27, 2008 @ 11:34 PM

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FRANKLIN —

School Superintendent Wayne Ogden formally gave his resignation Tuesday, saying in a press release that restrictive budgets and massive layoffs preclude him from moving the schools "from good to great."

"I have no desire to continue to dismantle our school system and, as such, I no longer feel I offer the right fit to lead the Franklin schools," Ogden said in a statement released by his office yesterday.

Ogden, who came to Franklin in May 2006 after serving as assistant superintendent for Wayland public schools, will end his tenure June 30, 2009, fulfilling three years of a five-year contract.

"I came to Franklin ... to help move the public schools from good to great. Instead, we are beginning another academic year moving in the opposite direction," he said in the statement.

Franklin starts the 2008-2009 school year with 180 more students than when Ogden first arrived, and a budget that is several million dollars short of keeping pace with that growth, he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT TO RESIGN EFFECTIVE JUNE 30, 2009

FRANKLIN, MA (August 27, 2008) – Superintendent of Schools Wayne R. Ogden today announced his decision to resign his position effective June 30, 2009. Ogden formally tendered his resignation to the Franklin School Committee Chairman, Jeffrey N. Roy following last night’s committee meeting.

Ogden issued the following statement:

“I came to Franklin in May 2006 to help move the public schools from good to great.
Instead, we are beginning another academic year moving in the opposite direction. We will start the 2008-09 school year with 180 more students than when I arrived and a budget that is several million dollars short of keeping pace with this growth. In the last two budget cycles, I have been forced to reduce school staff by more than 70 employees, the vast majority of them teachers, and to abandon plans to bring our schools to the next level academically. Our investment in the education of our students is now below average in every single category.

“This retreat has occurred despite the best efforts of the school community. The School Committee has an ambitious vision for the students of Franklin that deserves passionate and thoughtful support, but the Committee cannot sustain the academic performance that the community expects when it is not given the funding required to keep pace with basic educational needs. I have no desire to continue to dismantle our school system and, as such, I no longer feel I offer the right fit to lead the Franklin schools.”

School Committee Chairman Roy said:

“The Committee regrets the superintendent’s decision to leave his post after three years of a five-year contract. Our schools are at a crossroads and the challenges we face are serious, but the School Committee intends to do everything we can to prevent a slide toward mediocrity. With the support of our dedicated staff and our hardworking parents and students, our collective goal is to return Franklin schools to the path of greatness.

“School districts throughout the Commonwealth are struggling to recruit superintendents. We know it will be difficult to find a leader willing to come to a community that has begun to step back from supporting its educational mission. The School Committee will begin discussions regarding a successor as quickly as possible in the hopes of finding a highly qualified individual who can help us overcome the challenges ahead. ”

Supt. Ogden resigns

Superintendent Wayne Ogden submitted his resignation to the School Committee yesterday and notified the teachers today.

Updated:

I'll provide a link to the School Committee press release on this matter later. The resignation is effective June 2009.

Mobile post sent by shersteve using Utterz. Replies.

In the News - late bus eliminated

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Aug 27, 2008 @ 12:36 AM

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FRANKLIN —

At the superintendent's recommendation, the School Committee decided not to have a late bus, despite earlier assurances that it would be saved.

In nearly a 180-degree turnaround from his previous announcement, Superintendent Wayne Ogden last night recommended the School Committee not offer the popular late bus this year, and members did not search for a way to fund it, saying they could not afford it.

Ogden said the board did not need to take any action, because it wasn't in the budget to begin with. He had thought he found the funds for it, but now says they won't have the money.

"I'm sorry to say this, because I really felt a month ago we were going to be able to do that (keep the late bus)," Ogden said, explaining that earlier revenue projections from pay-to-ride bus fees did not materialize as expected.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here.

Live reporting - Action Items

4. Action Items:

• I recommend acceptance of the donation of various scientific supplies, glassware, equipment, safety and storage resources by Spherics, Incorporated for the Franklin High School. Accepted - 6-0
  
• I recommend approval of the FPS Handbooks Accepted - 6-0
• I recommend adoption of Policy KF – Building Use Accepted - 6-0
• I recommend adoption of Policy Manual Review:

o Policy BCG – Policy Revision & Review
o Policy BCG-E – Policy Manual Review Procedure
o Policy BGB – Policy Adoption
o Policy BGF – Suspension of Policies
o Policy BIBA – School Committee Conferences, Conventions & Workshops
as detailed above (paperwork in discussion section).

All policies Accepted - 6-0

• I recommend acceptance of a check for $400.00 from the JFK PCC for bus fee for a Kindergarten field trip to Southwick Zoo on May 16, 2008. Accepted - 6-0

Live reporting - high school scheduling problem

Last run of students revealed about 200 students with an opening on the schedule. Can't have study hall by law. Uncapped science to increase enrollment and that took some of the pressure off.

Still had 160-170 left to cover. One English teacher left for an other opportunity. We could replace that person but it wouldn't solve the problem. A social study teacher would not solve the problem.

Increasing a music person (using the English person slot) would solve the problem. By adding back this music, choral position we can solve the scheduling problem.

Matt:
Why can't we stick them in study halls.

Wayne:
Since 1996, study halls have been banned by the Department of Education.

Paula:
What did this do to the English class sizes?

Pam:
It did bump it up a little. The issue is with this electives and English is not generally taken as an elective, it is required and taken then. It is a public perception. This is a transfer of a position, not an add back in.

Bottom line:
Some choral programs are back with the hiring of a music teacher to backfill for an English teacher who recently resigned.

Live reporting - bus update, no late bus

Maureen Sabolinski - Central Office had only received one call about cross walks not being painted. They referred the call to the Town Administrator. Most of the calls to the schools were minor and overall this was one of the best openings.

If you hear of problems, please let us know. One crowded bus so far, at Annie Sullivan that will be addressed tomorrow.

Amount of transaction in the last couple of days has been busy with new enrollments.

Will need to provide an FY 09 bus update later. The most recent registrations have not yet been processed into the system to provide some output and look at what the impact would be.

Making bus adjustments, adding some spots for where folks moved into the area over the summer.

One of the most striking numbers is that what we budget for transportation is not what it costs. There is a gap for actual cost of transportation and what we budget.

Miriam Goodman:
Not all late enrollments are going to be pay-to-ride

Explains that some of the pay-to-ride money received in June was booked into FY 08. It is properly accounted for but will help to explain why the top line won't balance to the bottom line.

What extraordinary expenses can we face? How do we forecast that? Loss of power, i.e. Kennedy has experienced that. Those are generally separate charges for additional expenses. Holmes has been good and not charged in all instances.

Cora:
Fuel escalation?

Miriam:
First year of new contract. Only eight payments against the total seen.

Ed:
Contract started in 06-07 school year with options to extend. What was the price?

Miriam:
The fuel escalation does both ways, up and down. It is possible that we will see some decrease with the recent decreases. I would be happy if we don't have to pay that and I am sure you would be also. Would need to renew sometime before 2010.

Ed:
Clarification on which students go into which category? By virtue of who we have to pay for, where would we see them?

Miriam:
This is only pay-to-ride students. Students who are already riding are not included in this.

Maureen:
We can try to include the full ridership numbers in the next update.

Ed:
Shortfall of revenue to cost increasing each year.

Maureen:
Choice to cut other areas of the budget to subsidize this less or to increase the pay-to-ride to be more self-sufficient. No way to adjust re-routing to reduce buses. Could look at the start time to adjust as most high schools are not bus eligible but are pay-to-ride. Changing the start time has not been a palatable solution.

Ed:
Thanks for taking care of the Lincoln/Maple bend in the route.

Matt:
Can we ask the advertising subcommittee to look at the advertising option on the Holmes buses.

Ed:
We can add that to our agenda.

Jeff:
We had looked at funding the late bus, do we have an update?

Wayne:
The projections made in prior meetings were optimistic. The fuel escalation costs have increased. Due to some other factors, four in total. It would be unwise financially to do so (i.e. continue the late bus).

Ed:
All the parents I have talked with were glad to have saved to the late bus, to do otherwise now would not be good. I would strongly suggest to the committee to direct the administration to reconsider.

Cora:
Clubs start in Sep not Oct. I can't see keeping it considering the other reductions we have made.

Maureen:
We looked at that and the fee could be upwards of $300/student.

Wayne:
GATRA can provide some service to the high school and to those middle school students who walk over, at $.50 per student.

Ed:
Given the amount of adjustments we have made with the budget, moving funds around to balance, I can't see that we can't find something to continue this.

Jeff:
We had a long discussion on the budget subcommittee. We have some additional expenses coming at us, special education ($100,000 just for the transportation, doesn't include the actual special ed expense).

I would love to have it stay. The message was clear that the override failure would lead to this.

Ed:
It wasn't only parents that voted in the override. They would thank you for saving the late bus. It is not that we can't fund the clubs. It is just for the few tens of thousands that we should be able to fund this.

Jeff:
I hear you. If we don't identify this cut, then we would have to identify another cut to fund the late bus. I appreciate the need for the late bus. It is not something we can afford. Over 40 teachers, class sizes increased, how many over 30 per class.

Sue:
There has been sensitivity to the increase of the $100 fee. This is a difficult descision.

Live reporting - Land easement

Mike D'Angelo providing an update on the easement that the Town Council started action on in their meeting 8/20. This is too clear up title search and clean up the records to allow for the development to the senior assisted living facility being planned for Eaton Place.

The electric easement is on the left side about 40 foot before the end of Panther Way. Across the way, there is a drainage easement required.

On the agenda tonight for discussion only. Action will come in a future meeting.

Cora:
Clarification on location of easement, does it interfere with the new drop off?

Mike:
No.

Cora:
Would this intefere with any of our future plans for renovations to the high school.

Mike:
Not really. Should be far enough away. If there was any impact, this would be a minor cost if required.

Matt:
The water easement, and issue for flooding on the fields.

Mike:
No, the section they are talking about is a low volume area. Further down, there are a couple of drains coming together and from that point forward there is good volume of water.

Ed:
Who needs this?

Mike:
The developers of the site. It is to our advantage that they do this and do it properly. We don't want any runoff from the hill or the springs up there coming our way. They have one permit for 50 units. There could be more later but only this one is permitted thus far. They have been trying since 1999 to get this thing going. I have net with the developer a number of times to review and plan this.

Ed:
This is a small easement? I have trouble with it going to a for-profit corporation with nothing in return. This is already set into motion.

Mike:
There is already too much water up on the property. Really shouldn't use any of the existing piping.

Ed:
When does construction start?

Mike:
Next month assuming things all work out.

Sue:

Mike:
The water needs to come down in a direct route. It will end up recharging the wet lands. It is desirable to do so. All the roof drains in Horace Mann and the High School go back into the ground to replenish the aquifer.

Matt:
With so much water over there is there something we can do to re-use it?

Mike:
Something to think about. A lot of initial cost for separate piping to use the water through the flushes rather than fresh water. Some work is being done in that area but not a lot yet.

Jeff:
Would like to get clarification from the FHS renovation architect on the placement of the water easement and the position of the FHS renovations. Has anyone put their seal on this to really signed off on this?

Mike:
No one has definitively looked at the wet lands. There is no real drainage on the fields themselves. The fields sheet drain into the wet lands.

Jeff:
Just looking to make sure than the runoff won't cause problems come spring.

Mike:
That site is really tough I wouldn't want to develop that site. We did some test drills and there was water really close to the surface of the ledge. Their engineer could comment on the wet lands and volume. They have to commit to not putting more into the wet lands than currently is.

Live reporting - school handbooks

Cora:
first tardy an automatic, added phrasing for unexcused absences to be reviewed with Principal

Pam Gould, FHS Principal
review of changes to handbook, included in the agenda book based upon Covey's 7 Habits. This year will be the second year Covey will be incorporated. Handbook rules laid out in simple format; if you do this, this will happen.

Drug and alcohol policy, adds a 45 day social probation and random drug and alcohol testing. MIAA rules and procedures will govern athletes.

Matt:
Nothing mentioned in there about lockdowns.

Pam:
Yes, we want to get it in. It is too cumbersome right now.

Asst Supt. Maureen Sabolinski:
A lot of the information does need to be kept confidential.

Pam:
Need to review some of the details to determine what will be kept in and what can be left out.

Paula:
How was this overed in the budget?

Pam:
This is an expense but it was already included in the supply amount originally accounted for.

Karen Seyfried:
No room in budget to accommodate scholarships. Reviewed options with local agencies to provide assistance. She also showcased the revised "Family Public Pre-school Handbook"

Asst Supt Maureen offered to stand in for Dr Burgin and answer some questions on the Horace Mann handbook. Page one error being corrected. Updates will made to the online version of the handbook. This saves approx. $7-800 cost.

Cora:
If someone doesn't have one, or doesn't have online access?

Maureen:
There are some available in the office.

Susan:
Good to have highlighted the new sections vs. the unchanged, saves reading all the way through.

Live reporting - School Committee meeting

1. Routine Business

• Citizen’s Comments - none present to make a comment
  
• Review of Agenda
• Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the August 5, 2008 School Committee Meeting. approved yes, 5; abstain, 1
  
• Payment of Bills - Mr. Kelly
• Payroll - Ms. Armenio
• FHS Student Representatives
• Correspondence: none

Note: Roberta Trahan stuck flying back from Baltimore, should have been here in time but due to the delays in the air traffic today.

School Committee Agenda - 8/26/08

Franklin School Committee Meeting
August 26, 2008
Municipal Building – Council Chambers
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 August 5, 2008 School Committee Meeting.
• Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
• Payroll Ms. Armenio
• FHS Student Representatives
• Correspondence:
none

2. Guests/Presentations:
• Handbooks

3. Discussion Only Items
• Surplus land behind High School to Town for Senior Housing Project
• Pay to Ride Update
• Update on a scheduling problem at FHS
• Policy KF – Building Use – Second Reading
• Policy Manual Review – Second Reading
o Policy BCG – Policy Revision & Review
o Policy BCG-E – Policy Manual Review Procedure
o Policy BGB – Policy Adoption
o Policy BGF – Suspension of Policies
o Policy BIBA – School Committee Conferences, Conventions & Workshops


4. Action Items:
1. I recommend acceptance of the donation of various scientific supplies, glassware, equipment, safety and storage resources by Spherics, Incorporated for the Franklin High School.
2. I recommend approval of the FPS Handbooks
3. I recommend adoption of Policy KF – Building Use
4. I recommend adoption of Policy Manual Review:
o Policy BCG – Policy Revision & Review
o Policy BCG-E – Policy Manual Review Procedure
o Policy BGB – Policy Adoption
o Policy BGF – Suspension of Policies
o Policy BIBA – School Committee Conferences, Conventions & Workshops
as detailed above (paperwork in discussion section).
5. I recommend acceptance of a check for $400.00 from the JFK PCC for bus fee for a Kindergarten field trip to Southwick Zoo on May 16, 2008.

5. Information Matters:
• Superintendent’s Report
a. Easement
b. FHS Scheduling Problem
c. Pay to Ride
d. Opening of School
e. NEASC
• 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

Parmenter Nature Trail

The G M Parmenter Elementary School has a very nice nature trail located in the woods behind the school on Wachusett Street here in Franklin.

The trail is about one quarter mile long, mostly along a dirt path with pine needle carpeting. There is a slight decline at the beginning and some stairs to help on the incline at the end.

Dolores and I took a walk there on a recent weekend and these photos will take you along with us on the walk. Click to view the 16 picture slide show.





Enjoy!

Sign restrictions

The chain link fence along the bridge over the railroad tracks has been a frequent posting spot of announcements for local activities. No longer to be used this way according to the notice there now:




Since this is a state sponsored sign, I guess this is allowed: