Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Live reporting - late bus appears to be coming back

Jeff Roy

previous meeting determined there was no funding for the late bus
after the meeting, parents, administrators, and the bus company stepped up to the plate

the bus company negotiated a better rate, reduced the cost to approx. $10,000
local PCC's started fund raising, commitments made for funding

Roy explored if the Town would be open to picking up the cost of the late bus, Feeley will bring it to the Council, Bartlett also aboard bringing it to the council

a collective effort

Is this for the middle and high school?
Initially for the middle school, could get that answer as the final details are worked out

Live reporting - high school experience

Director: Pandora Carlucci

Facilitors: Kristin Letendre, Kristy Yankee

A first year program to help incoming students to adapt to the high school experience

Student perspective: Emma Kripp

interested in the Freshman transition
The Freshman Collaborative was a good program but the felt there was more to do

four day course, team building/project adventure
incorporated the 7 Habits for Highly Effective Teens

started each day with an ice breaker, merging students from the four middle schools helped to get to know some others they may not have come across before

academic sessions on English, Science, and Math

worked on items from the 7 Habits
goal setting, mission statement creation, collaborative worj
time management, planning

Emma:
liked the program, it helped a lot
coming from the Charter School was an adjustment
met four of her five teachers during the program
I think they should continue this for future classes

next year, get locker assignments
get schedule and planner during the session
to meet some of the Freshman guidance counselors
would like a greater participation of incoming students
incorporate some professional development for teachers to help

Mullen:
good work, had heard about it and this filled in some gaps

Rohrbach:
how do students get lost?

Yankee:
on email conferences, communications between parents and teachers as soon as issues arise

Trahan:
excellent

MacLeod:
Did students have to pay?

Slight:
How are you going to increase the enrollment?

Yankee:
Start earlier, spread word of mouth

Armenio:

Carlucci, Gould:
Scholarship form is available on the website
The more people sign up, the cheaper it will be
logistics were being worked up still so we were later this year than we would like to be

Rohrbach:
sell the t-shirts at Stop&Shop
would have you any this else?

Emma:
I would add a history teacher

Mrs Kipp:
This was great, I wish this had been available for my son who also came from the Charter School to the high school.

Sabolinski:
Loved to observe the culture and climate created during the week

The poster overview of the High School Experience program, including the t-shirt!

SchCom - High School Experience

There is a Creative Commons license attached to this image. AttributionNoncommercialShare Alike

This photo can also be found on Flickr at
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2884013510_6a09f67646.jpg

Live reporting - Teacher's Contract

The teachers union and School Committee gave formal signature to the Teachers Contract.

Asst Supt Sabolinski updated that the secretaries contract was also signed this afternoon. They chose not to come out for the formal signature.

Live reporting - School Committee meeting 9/23/08

Full committee present this evening: Armenio, Cafasso, Kelly Mullen, Roy, Rohrbach, Trahan

Student Representatives: Pat Slight, Brittany MacLeod

-----
Call to order Mr. Roy

Pledge of Allegiance

Moment of Silence


1. Routine Business
  • Citizen’s Comments -
Chandler Creedon, President of Franklin Teachers Association
asking for the School Committee to endorse the vote against the Question 1
a similar vote garnered 45% of the vote in an earlier election, early polls show that this could very well pass if the public is not fully informed of what impact it could have

would serve to damage our economy, would force property tax increases

those who would say NH has a better model without a personal income tax, should realize that their property taxes are #1 in the nation


  • Review of Agenda
Action item # 3 from Remington to be reworked and brought forward in a future meeting
  • Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the September 9, 2008 School Committee Meeting.
Motion to approve - unanimous
  • Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
Motion to approve - unanimous
  • Payroll Ms. Armenio
  • FHS Student Representatives
Cabaret, a theater production in the cafeteria
progress reports already
SAT exams on Saturday
project to watch the media for specific individuals; Ogden, Sabolinski included in the search
  • Correspondence

"Educating our kids makes absolutely basic economic sense"

Why, indeed, do we sink far more funding into retroactive punishment than into setting a foundation for a child's success? But it's one thing to demonstrate that a holistic and preventative approach makes economic sense, and quite another to actually change the approach. Most people would rather apply a band-aid or suppress a symptom than identify a root cause and treat it. Transformative innovation doesn't come easy. Innovators need not only to be persuasive and patient, they need to weather the discouraging words of doubters, to do much with little when skeptics won't lend a hand, and to hold a clear vision of what the solved problem will look like. Anyone who has seen a solution from miles away and forged a path to get there knows this.
From the award winning World Changing blog, read the full post here

I had the good fortune to hear Geoffrey Canada speak at the GEL 2006 Conference. He is quite an impressive individual. Persuasive? He defines the word.

Even Ben Franklin said:

If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Question 1 - Yes or No?

As part of the preparation for November's election, the major question for MA will be Question 1 on the ballot:

The State Income Tax Repeal is also known as Massachusetts Question 1. It is an initiated state statute that will appear on the November 4, 2008 ballot in Massachusetts.[1]

If the measure passes, it will end the state's current 5.3% income tax on wages, interest, dividends and capital gains. If that happens, Massachusetts will join Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming in not taxing income. Two other states, New Hampshire and Tennessee, have an income tax, but only on interest and dividends.

Read more on this link here

The Boston Sunday Globe hosted the opposing views on the Opinion Page.

You can read the Yes side here

You can read the No side here

In the News - diabetes, Charter School

GHS
Posted Sep 22, 2008 @ 12:23 AM

FRANKLIN —

More than anything, Ivy Patten wants a cure for juvenile diabetes, so her 14-year-old son, Tyler, can live a normal life.

The possible complications he and others diabetics face are "not a pretty picture," she said: blindness, amputation, nerve damage, kidney problems and death.

"My fears are several. First, a cure will not come very soon. You're always afraid blood sugar is going to go too low and he'll go into a seizure, pass out and die, and it's a very real fear," Patten said.

Many things can trigger problems with a diabetic's blood-sugar level, she said, and often they are not under a person's control.

Technology can help people manage diabetes, she said, but that is not enough.

"We really need to get a cure ASAP," said Patten, especially because the longer a person has diabetes, the greater his or her chances of complications.

,,,,,

For more information about the walk at the Franklin Town Common on Saturday, Sept. 27, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., log on to www.hotshots4thecure.org.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

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

Milford Daily News
Posted Sep 21, 2008 @ 11:43 PM

FRANKLIN —

Renting out the historic Red Brick School is a top priority for the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School, said Principal Kevin O'Malley.

"The topic is still under discussion here. I can assure you, it's a front-burner issue," O'Malley said.

Charter school officials have met with the Brick School Association and had several discussions with Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting about leasing the nearby property.

O'Malley has introduced the topic to the charter school's board of trustees, who will discuss the prospect at their next meeting, on Oct. 2 at the school library, he said.

"The idea is to have position papers presented where we'll talk about whether it's a good idea or not a good idea for the school," O'Malley said, noting that he is unsure whether the board will vote on Oct. 2.

"We're at a point where it's in everyone's best interest to discuss this thing and come to a conclusion. If we don't decide (on Oct. 2), then we will very soon," he said.

Town officials have been great and are making the process easy, O'Malley said. He said the charter school community wants to give back to Franklin, too.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

School Committee Agenda 9/23/08

September 23, 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 September 9, 2008 School Committee Meeting.
  • Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
  • Payroll Ms. Armenio
  • FHS Student Representatives
  • Correspondence:


2. Guests/Presentations:
  • Signing of FEA Contract
  • FHS Experience

3. Discussion Only Items
Budget to Actual

4. Action Items:
  • I recommend approval of the Budget Transfers as detailed on the attached memo.
  • I recommend approval of the request of the BICO Board of Directors to amend the preamble of the existing agreement of the BICO Collaborative to include the School Committee of the Town of Easton, MA.
  • I recommend acceptance of a check for $400.00 from the Remington PCC for supplies for RMS.
  • I recommend acceptance of a check for $600.00 from the Annie Sullivan PCC for 8th grade YMCA end-of-year trip buses.
  • I recommend acceptance of a check for $9,028.50 from the Davis Thayer PCC for Field Trips and In-House Enrichment as listed on the attached.
  • I recommend acceptance of a check for $300.00 from the Remington PCC for a 6th grade field trip to the YMCA.

5. Information Matters:
Superintendent’s Report
  • Literacy Initiative
  • FEA Contract

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

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Harvest Festival visitors - Thank You!

A hearty "Thank you" to all that I had a chance to talk with at the Harvest Festival in downtown Franklin today.

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FM #15 - The 5 Things you need to Know this Week

The 15th podcast on what matters in Franklin, MA. This podcast sumarizes the five things you should know about what happened in Franklin this week.
  1. The School Building Committee was appointed.
  2. The bylaw to rezone parcels on RT 140 was moved to another meeting.
  3. The Finance Planning Committee really got working this week.
  4. The teacher layoffs were confirmed, doubter anonymous should rest easier now.
  5. The imminent danger of Question 1 for Franklin's budget.

    Time: 11 minutes, 37 seconds



MP3 File

Session Notes:

Music intro
My intro FM #15

This podcast for Franklin Matters will focus on the 5 things you need to know about what happened this week.

First, the Town Council appointed the new School Building Committee. This is the one that will work on the high school but because there will be other school buildings that will need work on them before the high school is completed, the committee is not called the High School Building Committee. The State Dept of Education has guidelines that determine the make of the committee so the Town Council was expressly careful to follow the guidelines in making their appointments.

In this clip from the Town Council meeting on 9/17/08, we hear Chair Chris Feeley read the appointments

- insert clip from Town Council/Chris Feeley with the announcement -

Town Officials

  • Chris Feeley, Town Council
  • Scott Mason, Town Council
  • Ed Cafasso, School Committee
  • Paula Mullen, School Committee
  • Maureen Sabolinski, Ass't Supt of Schools
  • Pamela Gould, High School Principal
  • Michael D'Angelo, Town/School Facilities Director
  • Jeff Nutting, Town Administrator
Citizens
  • Lou Allevato
  • Thomas Cameron
  • William Goode
  • Rob Halter
  • Michael LeBlanc
  • Thomas Mercer
  • Scott Nathan
Second, the bylaw to rezone some parcels along RT 140 near the Knights of Columbus and Dunkin Donuts ends up being rescheduled for another meeting as it was evident that the matter was not going to gain enough votes. Two councilors were absent with a two thirds majority required to pass. One factor for the lack of cohesion on the decision was the Department of Planning and Community Development had not provided the additional information required by a couple of members of the council.

In this segment from the Town Council Meeting of 9/17/08, you’ll hear the request and the response from Brian Taberner.

- insert clip from B Taberner with Vallee saying he wasn’t aware of the outstanding request -


Third, the working sessions for the Finance Planning Committee (FPC) started in earnest this past Thursday night. Fire Chief McCarraher spent about 45 minutes reviewing his operation followed by Police Chief Williams. These two discussions were the most informative of all the meetings I have attended in the past 18 months. The information generated from this session will be very helpful in the telling the story as the FPC goes forward.

You should recall that the FPC is charted with developing a long term plan for the Town, assuming there is an override next year (very likely) what is the long term outlook, how many will there need to be, or is something like the Arlington plan going to work in Franklin.

Fourth, doubting anonymous should be satisfied now. As reported in the Franklin Gazette delivered on Friday, and in the Milford Daily News on Sunday, Supt Wayne Ogden confirmed that yes, there really were 44 teachers laid off and not replaced. Debbie Pellegri and the Brick School Association filed a FOI request and obtained the information on the teachers let go. Now that you have the info, you have the proof that the teachers were indeed let go. Let it go. Let’s get on with business. Let’s work together to avoid another layoff.

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1603414373/Superintendent-Franklin-teacher-layoffs-did-happen

Fifth, I think Question One is the most imminent danger that Franklin faces. Question One is on the ballot in November.

The State Income Tax Repeal is also known as Massachusetts Question 1. It is an initiated state statute that will appear on the November 4, 2008 ballot in Massachusetts.[1] If the measure passes, it will end the state's current 5.3% income tax on wages, interest, dividends and capital gains.

You can find objective information at this link:
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Massachusetts_State_Income_Tax_Repeal_%282008%29

You can find the Yes position here: http://www.smallgovernmentact.org/

You can find the No position here: http://votenoquestion1.com/?adtrack=education&gclid=CO2I-trz65UCFQpwGgodmkJeew

Where would you cut $11 million from the Town Budget?
Public safety is about 9 M, Central Gov’t Services is about 9 M. Public Works is about 6 M. If 2.8 million cost the town 44 teachers, what would loosing $11 million dollars cost the town?

The idea of the commonwealth is for all of us together to work and pay for the community services we need. If you think taking $11 million dollars out of the Franklin budget would bring you the community you want, I’d like to know what it would look like.

These are the five things that matter to Franklin this week:
  1. School building committee
  2. bylaw rezoning
  3. FPC working sessions
  4. teacher layoffs confirmed
  5. the imminent danger of Question 1
---- ---- ----

This podcast has been a public service provided to my fellow Franklin citizens and voters by Steve Sherlock

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.blogspot.com/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The musical intro and closing is from the Podsafe Music Network
Jon Schmidt - Powerful Exhilarating Piano Music

"Doubting anonymous" should be satisfied now

Milford Daily News
Posted Sep 20, 2008 @ 10:52 PM

FRANKLIN —

Weeks into the new school year, some residents are still skeptical that the district actually laid off 44 teachers, an accusation Superintendent Wayne Ogden says he wishes were true.

Referring to an anonymous caller who only identified himself as a former town councilor, who asserted teachers were not given pink slips, or have since been rehired, Ogden said, "He is completely wrong.''

"I wish he were right. I wish that were true. I'd be a happier human being. In fact, I might not have resigned,'' he said.

Residents will be able to check "the truth according to the Department of Education,'' by the end of October, when the department publishes the number of students, teachers and administrators in every school district in Massachusetts, Ogden said.

The department produces both a current list and last year's numbers, so people can compare and view them side-by-side, he said.

.......


This summer, Town Clerk Deborah Pellegri, on behalf of the Brick School Association, submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the School Department, seeking the names of all those teachers and positions that had been cut.

"We weren't doubting (teachers had been laid off), we just wanted to see the people's names and how many people were let go,'' Pellegri said.

The list she received in response to her request identified the names, positions, and corresponding schools of 46 teachers, four of whom were part-time, and two administrators.


Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here


"It just amazes me to think that people can be so cruel to animals"

Milford Daily News
Posted Sep 20, 2008 @ 10:50 PM


FRANKLIN —

With the vigilance of a cat stalking its prey, self-proclaimed "Cat Lady'' Dorothy "Dottie'' Luff, 81, scours the woods that are home to a colony of feral cats for traps.
Every day, she said she watches for them, terrified someone will catch and later kill one of her precious babies, whom she has named, fed and cared for over the past decade.

Recently, while she was checking on "Gayle,'' "Leftie'' (so-named because she always rubs against Luff's left leg), "Debbie'' and "Blackie,'' Luff looked down and saw an unfamiliar puff of fur on the ground.

As she petted the animal, she thought it was the softest fur she'd ever felt, and turned it over to discover it was a raccoon, and it was dead. Someone had stabbed it with a stick through the front of its body, she recalled, shaking her head and remarking that no child or animal had done it.

"Sometimes I think the humans are worse than the animals,'' Luff said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Saturday, September 20, 2008

188 King St - siding is now complete

Windows and doors last week, siding this week. The construction is making good progress.

Another foundation!


Another foundation!, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Yes, for all the talk of the economy in dire straits, there is a new foundation on King St between 188 King (under construction) and 194 King (recently renovated).

Museum - construction progress


Museum - construction progress, originally uploaded by shersteve.

The future home of Franklin's museum looks to be getting a whole new entrance.


Note: the funds being used to do this work are from the CAPITAL budget and not the Operational budget. The funds from the pending sale of the Four Corners building can be used to pay for this work. The funds from the pending sale of the Four Corners building could not be used for an operational expense like re-hiring a laid off teacher or bringing on another person in the Police, Fire or Public Works Dept.

Fall cleaning = yard sales


Fall cleaning = yard sales, originally uploaded by shersteve.

This pole at the railroad bridge downtown says there are quite a few choices for yard sales today!

Electing a US President in Plain English

With the November election approaching, it is time to start preparing for it. Let's start with a good explanation of how the electoral college works. This one by the folks at Common Craft is a good, accurate and simple explanation of the electoral college. No chads are left hanging!


Electing a US President in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

If you are interested in the behind the scenes explanation of how the video was created visit Common Craft here.

Friday, September 19, 2008

"The virus can cause serious, life-altering symptoms"

GHS
Posted Sep 18, 2008 @ 11:28 PM

FRANKLIN —

The first "killer frost," expected in one to three weeks, should end the threat of West Nile virus here, said Franklin Health Director/Agent David E. McKearney.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a warning earlier this week after finding mosquitoes in Franklin that tested positive for West Nile virus.

The virus was detected in a sample taken on Sept. 11, in central Franklin, near Union Street and West Central Street, McKearney said.

"It's really not earth-shattering news. We know that West Nile virus is endemic in Massachusetts. We've had a lot of positive samples in Massachusetts, so it's not surprising," McKearney said.

In the past, the state found West Nile virus in a bird here, but not in a mosquito and never a human, he said.

Read the full article here in the Milford Daily News

In the News - Recycling event; Harvest Festival

GHS
Posted Sep 18, 2008 @ 12:24 AM


FOXBOROUGH —

Piles of electronic detritus, including discarded computer monitors and hard drives, tangles of thick power cords, and bulky TVs, filled a parking lot next to Gillette Stadium last Saturday, waiting to be hauled off and recycled.

The daylong event, a cooperative effort of Sony Electronics Inc. and Waste Management Recycle America, was proclaimed a success by the organizers.

"The event exceeded our expectations on all levels, which was great," said Jensen Kroll, an account manager with Waste Management who coordinates the company's recycling efforts for the northeast region.

"It was fantastic," agreed Doug Smith, director of corporate and environmental affairs for Sony. "Everything was extremely smooth. No one had to wait in line."

He said 3,494 vehicles navigated the 11 lanes set up at the drive-thru event, discarding electronics that had been pushed aside for more modern models.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

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

Harvest Festival on horizon

By By Joyce Kelly, DAILY NEWS STAFF

Wed Sep 17, 2008, 04:29 PM EDT FRANKLIN -

The Downtown Partnership is gearing up for its sixth annual Harvest Festival, the largest downtown event, featuring more than 80 vendors, a farmers' market and entertainment.

The festival, which will be held Sunday, Sept. 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is expected to draw 2,200 visitors along Main and East Central streets.

Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here


"the gallery really sends a message that art is important"

Franklin teachers show off their artistic talents

By Heather McCarron/STAFF

Thu Sep 18, 2008, 03:54 PM EDT FRANKLIN -

There’s an old saying that goes like this: "Those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach."

And it’s completely false, says Mike Caple, art director for the Franklin Public Schools, who is joining other members of the K-12 art faculty this fall in an exhibit that shows "these teachers can do."

To open the second season of Franklin Public Schools’ new art gallery, Gallery 218, many of the 17 members of the district’s art and visual media faculty are introducing their artist selves to the public by putting their own work up for viewing through Nov. 7.

Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here

Work from the gallery can also be viewed online here.