Teacher salary freezes are not the solution to Franklin's financial issues

Disclosure: Mrs Sherlock teaches kindergarten at the Oak Street School. Our two daughters are the product of Franklin's school system, both graduated from FHS and (#1) is out in the working world and (#2) is working to complete her college studies.

The financial issues here in Franklin have been brewing for many years. Jeff Nutting, our fantastic Town Administrator, has worked very well to operate within the constraints provided by the Franklin voters. The Franklin portion of the overall Town budget has declined from about 70% to 50% as we benefited from political connections and the generosity of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The real issue that will require action is the unfunded Federal and State mandates that drive the costs up. The impact is seen mostly on the school side but there are almost equal restrictions on the Town side.

The time has come to understand the mandates that have been imposed upon us and to take on the Don Quixote approach to go tilting the State House and other government bodies to get these mandates changed.

A listing of the mandates driving the school budget is being posted on Franklin Matters. This listing was compiled by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. The listing can be found here: http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/search?q=%22state+education+mandates%22

Let's not make the teachers the scape goat because you think they are an easy target.

Let's focus our energy on getting the systemic changes made so we not only get this resolved once but for all.

I am ready to charge the ivory towers to get unfunded mandates changed. Will you join me?

Flickr photo credit

"thought that I better get out just in case"

By Krista Perry/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Mar 25, 2009 @ 11:48 PM

Last update Mar 25, 2009 @ 11:54 PM

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FRANKLIN —

The boiler room of Franklin Paint Co., at 259 Cottage St., suffered structural damage when it caught on fire at about 1:30 p.m. yesterday, said Fire Chief Gary McCarraher. No one was hurt.

The fire was quickly contained, though firefighters tore at the building from the roof to ventilate it and check for fire inside the walls, McCarraher said.

The fire appeared to be accidental, McCarraher said. It broke out after some employees were doing work in the boiler room. The fire was under control about half an hour later, he said.

"Raw materials in the boiler room caught on fire and damage spread to the roof," McCarraher said. "The structure of the boiler room has a lot of damage, and there is light smoke damage throughout the room."

Read the full article about the fire in the Milford Daily News here

"asking employees to take the brunt from a lack of planning"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Mar 25, 2009 @ 10:22 PM

Last update Mar 26, 2009 @ 12:29 AM

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FRANKLIN —

Responding to the School Committee's plea for a salary freeze to save teachers' jobs, the head of the teachers' union is saying it's unlikely.

"I'm particularly concerned that they're looking at teachers to bail people out, because it's just such a tough place to be," said Franklin Education Association President Chandler Creedon, who is a school psychologist at Horace Mann Middle School.

The district is facing a worst-case scenario of a $2.9 million budget deficit.

Agreeing to freeze salaries will save $800,000 and only 15 or 16 teachers, Creedon said.

If everyone also stayed frozen in their lane and step, Creedon said, the town would save $1,760,000.

"I don't even want to consider the lane and step freeze," Creedon said.

Part of the reason teachers receive such pay increases is to offset the cost of obtaining a master's degree, which is required for educational licensure within five years of hire, he said.

The average teacher must invest $38,000 to keep their job, he said.

"We'd like to talk about options and not giving up a negotiated pay raise," Creedon said.

Read the full article about the complicated situation in the Milford Daily News here

"the situation got out of control"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Mar 26, 2009 @ 12:07 AM

Last update Mar 26, 2009 @ 12:26 AM

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FRANKLIN —

Police have charged a 17-year-old from Wrentham with raping a 17-year-old Franklin girl behind Town Hall earlier this month.

Following questioning on March 18, police charged Brian K. Poirier, of 510 Franklin St., Wrentham, a King Philip Regional High School student.

Police learned about the alleged rape when Franklin High School Assistant Principal Joseph DiLorenzo told Officer Donald MacLean on March 17 that the victim, a Franklin High student, needed to talk to him, MacLean wrote in the police report.

The girl told MacLean that Poirier, who worked with her, had been pursuing her via text messages. On March 6, she agreed to go with him to McDonald's during their work breaks around 7 p.m., MacLean said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

State Education Mandates - Part 5

From time to time, particular around the budget period, reference is generally made to Franklin Public Schools having to support "unfunded mandates." I managed to find a listing of such compiled by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. This is Part 5 in the series:

Home Schooling

The district must monitor and document all home-schooled students. This includes identifying families and reviewing detailed home schooling plans for compliance with state guidelines. Though school districts are required to provide this oversight there are not funding or reporting requirements to or from the state.


MCAS Testing

MCAS testing is required annually in grades 3 through 10. Students must pass the grade 10 testing in math and English in order to graduate from high school. All students must be proficient in English/Math by 2014, requiring needed extra help and extra time on task to meet this goal. District must continually upgrade the curriculum to keep up with the testing.

• Districts must provide special tutoring for students who do not do well in the testing and must track and contact non-graduates if they fail MCAS. This requires guidance time and mailings.
• The costs for instructional time and funds associated with the preparation for, documentation for, administration of, and reporting about the multiple assessments in grades 3-10 are difficult to quantify.

The full listing is available here (DOC)

Hey Franklin, catch 'Guys and Dolls' 3/27-28

Hey Franklin catch 'Guys and Dolls' 3/27-28, originally uploaded by shersteve.

"That would be wonderful,"

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Mar 25, 2009 @ 12:12 AM

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MEDWAY —

Medway Public Library is on the verge of certification, after being outside the Minuteman Library Network for nearly three years, said Robert Maier, director of the state's Board of Library Commissioners.

"Everything I've heard from (Medway Board of Library Trustees Chairwoman) Wendy Rowe suggests, if Town Meeting approves a (sufficient) budget, the library should be cued up to come back to the program and have certification," said Maier.

While there are three major requirements that Medway must meet to rejoin, the biggest variable is getting a qualified library director - and sharing Franklin's library Director Felicia Oti a few days a week will do the trick, he said.

Oti works a total of 35 hours per week in Franklin. If the sharing agreement goes forward, she will spend about 14 of those 35 hours in Medway. Oti's annual salary is about $80,000. Medway would cover about $32,000 of her salary, explained Rowe who is acting director of Medway library.

"If Medway makes an arrangement for a part-time director, that will meet the requirement of the (certification) program. ... It's my hope it works out that way for Medway, it's been a long time," Maier said.

Read the full article about the combination of the Franklin and Medway libraries in the Milford Daily News here