Live reporting - Board of Health candidates

The moderator will be Larry Benedetto
Time keeper will be Deb Pellegri

Board of Health - 1 Position (For 4 years)

• Bruce Hunchard
• Koren Kanadanian

The candidates are ready. The camerman is here and making final preparations.

Live reporting - Candidate night

A good sign, there is a crowd of people in the room. There are seats available!

Live reporting - Candidate night

Per Deb Pellegri, the order of events tonight will have a panel of four ask questions of the candidates beginning with:.

Board of Health - 1 Position (For 4 years)

• Bruce Hunchard
• Koren Kanadanian - new

And followed by

Town Council - 9 Positions (For 2 Years)

• Joseph McGann
• R. Scott Mason
• Judith Pond Pfeffer
• Shannon Zollo
• Robert Vallee
• Stephen Whalen
• Glenn Jones - new
• Daniel Ballinger - new
• Robert Avakian (switch from Board of Assessors)
• Matthew Kelly (switch from School Committee)
• Tina Powderly - new
• Glenna Richards - new

The panelists will be

• Heather McCarron, Milford Daily News/Gazette
• Ken Norman, Franklin resident, assessor
• Jack Lank, President United Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Pat Samson, Communications Director, Dean College
  

Live reporting - Franklin candidate debate night

There may be a delay tonight. The cameraman has not yet arrived and a back up person is on the way.

Estimated start time 7:30 PM, or earlier if someone arrives!

A good turnout for the Halloween Festival

The Franklin Police Department held their annual Halloween Festival at Franklin High School on Sunday. With great sunshine, they spread their fun and games outside as well as inside the field house.

Officer Eric Cusson was just sitting.



Then he got wet!



Chief Steve Williams was dry.



Then he got wet! (Hey, wasn't that cheating?)



My what big spiders there are here in Franklin!



Look at all the things to do!



Everyone (big kids and little) had smiles on their faces.

In the News - MCAS growth model

One of the advantages of participating in regular School Committee, Town Council, and other Franklin business meetings you get to see and hear first hand what is happening. Franklin took part in the State pilot for the MCAS "growth model" that is being introduced tomorrow.


You can view the most recent meeting notes where this was discussed here.


The Milford Daily News covers this item from a Framingham perspective here:

State to unveil new MCAS interpretation model

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Abby Jordan/Daily News staff

Consider being more active in Town meetings. You never know what you may find out and something may really be an advantage to know about!

School Committee - Agenda - 10/27/09

1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the October 13, 2009 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Kelly
Payroll Ms. Armenio
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence: None

2. Guests/Presentations
a. FHS Update – Peter Light
b. Lifelong Learning Update - Pandora Carlucci
c. Growth Assessment Reporting – Patty Elias, RN

3. Discussion Only Items

Budget to Actual

Policy – First Reading:
JLCA – Physical Examinations of Students
JLCA – E1 Sample Notification Letter to Faculty & Staff
JLCA – E2 Sample Notification Letter to Parents/Guardians
JLCA – E3 Sample Screening Results Letter to Parents/Guardians

4. Action Items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $214.28 from the Remington PCC for a 6th grade field trip for the YMCA.
b. I recommend approval of the recurring field trip for the 3 middle schools to New York City as detailed.
c. I recommend approval of using $6,000.00 from the Athletic Revolving Account to cover cost of starting a varsity swim team at FHS.
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,330.00 from the Parmenter PCC for a Gr. 3 field trip to Plimoth Plantation.
e. I recommend acceptance of a check for $94.49 from Target’s Take Charge of Education Program for Remington Middle School.

5. Information Matters

Superintendent’s Report
a. Kim Marshall
b. Instructional Support Team
c. Adaptive Leadership
d. Superintendent’s Roundtable
e. ELL Teacher

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

350 - a big number on a big day

Over 5,000 events took place yesterday in 181 countries to raise awareness on climate change. The Franklin Area Climate Team was busy in some of the local area activities.

Steve Sherlock pinch hit for Ted McIntyre at the Attleboro event and the event coverage can be found here

Other photos and reports will be updated to the Franklin Area Climate Team website as they become available.

350.org has a repository of the events worldwide.

In the News - candidate debate Monday

Come out to the Municipal Bldg or tune in via cable and the Internet to see what the candidates say.

Franklin candidates to offer views on Monday

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley, Daily News correspondent

Reduce your carbon impact - start today

On this day, over four thousand events taking place simultaneously in over 175 nations will be held to raise awareness on climate change. This brief video from New Zealand captures the spirit of the event and it's importance.



What can you do to reduce your carbon intake?

Visit the Franklin Area Climate Team (FACT) for information and links to 350.org and other informative sites.

Not sure who to believe on the climate change issue? This video I found the most convincing argument. Take ten minutes to view this and see if you can decide to take action today.



The team will host a Cut the Carbon event on Saturday at 3 p.m. in front of Foxborough Universalist Church at 6 Bird St., Foxborough.

Additional details can be found here

Dean Leadership Institute - Executive Lecture - Health Care

The featured speaker for this 4th Annual Executive Lecture will be Ralph De La Torre, M.D., President and CEO of Caritas Christi Health Care.

Full details on the event including how to register can be found in the attached document:

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

In the News - candidates worried, haunted field house

Candidates worry about low turnout at forum

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

So far, only six of the 12 candidates running for nine spots on the Town Council have confirmed they will attend the 9 a.m. forum, including incumbents Whalen, Zollo and Councilor Joseph McGann, Finance Committee Vice Chairman Tina Powderly, Board of Assessors member Robert Avakian and newcomer Glenn Jones.

Excuse me, if the candidates can't bother to show interest in the Forum, how can they expect the voters to?

------

Haunted happenings in Franklin Sunday

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

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Reminder: Town Council Candidate Debate and Candidate Forum at Senior Center

In the two most recent off year Town elections (2005 and 2007) only about 3,500 voters cast their ballots in the Franklin High School field house on election day.

In the two most recent override votes, 2007 - 8,500 and 2008 - 7,500 voters cast their ballots.

The election on November 3rd will be as important as an override election. Who we chose will either find the way to come up with a balanced budget maintaining critical services, or will end up cutting critical services.

There are twelve candidates to chose from. Five have chosen to share their thoughts here. (Four Council candidates have been published thus far, the fifth is being reviewed before being published).

Be informed. Ask them questions. Cast your vote on November 3rd.

This election will determine Franklin's future!

Reminder:

 1 - The Town Council Candidates Debate is scheduled for Monday, October 26th at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of the Municipal Bldg. This event will also be broadcast via the cable channels as well as the Internet webcast. 

2 - There is a Candidate Forum at the Senior Center on Wednesday, October 28th at 9:00 AM. If you would like to attend please call the Senior Center to register (508-520-4945). Note: there are enough people attending, this event will not be canceled.

Freeman Rail Trail Expansion

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Freeman Rail Trail Expansion

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 10/22/09

by Catherine Cagle
Manager of Sustainable Transportation

Today I'm excited to let people know that the Patrick Administration has awarded $500,000 in Transportation Enhancements funding for final design of phase 2A of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

Phase 2A of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail will extend approximately 4.8 miles from the end of Phase 1 BFRT in Westford, south through Westford, Carlisle and Acton. The towns of Westford, Carlisle and Acton completed the preliminary design to qualify for Transportation Enhancements funding for the final design; once that is completed and approved, Phase 2A will be ready for construction.  


On August 20, 2009,  residents and community groups celebrated the opening of Phase 1 of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (BFRT), a 6.8 mile shared-use path that connects Lowell, Chelmsford and Westford.  As someone who bikes to work and recreationally I am always excited to see paths like this open -- not only because they provide great opportunity for people to excercise but also because they make important connections between communities.   Since the grand opening of Phase 1 use on the path has exploded and led to many rave reviews. We hope that many of these people are excited as we are that Phase 2A design will  moving forward thanks to Transportation Enhancements funding.

 In case you were wondering, the Transportation Enhancements program is a federal program that funds community-based projects with the goal of increasing travel choice and improving the cultural and environmental character of the transportation system. Eligible TE projects fall into 12 categories such as bicycle and pedestrian facilities, streetscape improvements, historic transportation facilities, cultural facilities, and environmental improvements for the transportation system. Transportation Enhancement funding supports important non-traditional and innovative transportation infrastructure projects that might not otherwise obtain funding.  We haven't always done the best job awarded TE funding and we're currently working to improve the program to speed up investments in critical bike and pedestrian projects.  For example, the Patrick Administration recently committed to increasing TE funding from $500,000 to $3.5M and formed a joint task force with highway officials to streamline project delivery and construction timelines.

 You should know that we view pedestrian and bicycling improvements are an especially high priority as the Commonwealth seeks to expand healthy travel options and sustainable transportation.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Place-kicker chases dream around the world to Dean

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Place-kicker chases dream around the world to Dean

via Boston Globe -- Globe West by Marvin Pave, Globe Correspondent on 10/21/09

FRANKLIN - His 7,000-mile football odyssey began at a National Football League-sponsored kicking clinic in Beijing in 2006. A year later, Long Ding suited up in pads for the first time in the foothills of New Hampshire's White Mountains, at the New Hampton School, and his journey has come nearly full circle at Dean College in Franklin.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Boston Globe -- Globe West using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

A call to action on climate control

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

A call to action on climate control

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff on 10/21/09

In observance of the International Day of Climate Action, the Franklin Area Climate Team is doing its part to spread awareness and motivate residents to start acting before it's too late.
The team will host a Cut the Carbon event on Saturday at 3 p.m. in front of Foxborough Universalist Church at 6 Bird St., Foxborough.

Team member Ted McIntyre of Franklin said the idea is to "try and educate people on the 350 number, which is the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere we need to get back to."
McIntyre explained that the planet's carbon levels are close to 390 parts per million. If this number is not reduced dramatically, the results could be detrimental, he said.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to The Milford Daily News News RSS using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

School Committee candidate - Jeff Roy

Preparing for the November 3rd election, much focus has been on the Town Council as they have final say over the full budget for the Town's services. However, fully half of the budget details are under the control of the School Committee. While there are seven candidates for seven positions, we still should know something about what their plans are.

I sat recently with the current Chairman, Jeff Roy, to review his campaign for re-election. You'll notice the first three questions are the same as that asked of the Town Council candidates. I felt those were equally applicable to both sets of candidates. The Open Space question is less applicable to the School Committee so we punted on the fourth.

According to the new FTC blogger disclosure rules, you should be aware that when Jeff and I got together at Cafe Dolce, he did pay for my sandwich and drink. Such action is very much appreciated but it does not change my approach to the interview. As I have done with all the other candidate postings, this is a collaborative effort. The sole purpose is to provide information to the Franklin voters so they can make an informed decision on November 3rd. You should also be aware that while the new FTC rules are scheduled to take effect on 12/1/2009, I have a disclosure statement that dates back to January 2005.

Franklin Matters

1. What is Franklin's big issue? What steps should we take to resolve it?
 

Jeff Roy

Attracting and retaining the best and brightest teachers to work in the Franklin School system is my top priority.  We have some great teachers in our district already and we continuously look for ways to improve the quality of our educational workforce, understanding that the human capital of our teachers will determine the quality of our schools.  In February, I posted a blog entry (click here to read it) including a presentation by Bill Gates on great teachers.  Gates first recognizes that the economy is only providing opportunities to people who have a better education, and having great teachers is the key thing to providing these opportunities.   As such, it should be our goal to get top teachers in front of our students.  Having strong and vital schools is important for every community.  More education is also linked to better physical and mental health, longer lives, fewer crimes, less incarceration, more voting, greater tolerance, and brighter prospects for the next generation.

Preserving sports programs, the arts, music and other extra-curriculars is another priority.  Education is important to the development of young citizens, and that education is important not only for the mind, but also the body.  Sports and other extracurricular activities certainly contribute to well-roundedness, and other attributes that are important for success. Music and the arts help people open their minds and create joyful harmonies that bring out the best in themselves and their colleagues.  If we all went about our business the way musicians do – where your actions complement your fellow musician – then the world would be a totally different place.
 

Franklin Matters

2. What is your position on the Financial Planning Committee report?

Jeff Roy
It was a good first step.  As the report points out, to maintain services, the district needs to increase revenues or continue to cut costs.  Our choices speak to the type of community we want.  Cutting costs moves us in the wrong direction and our community already spends far less than the state average in all 11 categories monitored by DESE.  I want a community that provides the best education for its children, a safe environment for all, and a welcome home for seniors who made the town what it is today.  That kind of commitment, however, requires us to collectively invest in our educational system and maintain the infrastructure for everyone.

Franklin has always been a community with high expectations for its schools – in academics, in athletics, in the arts and in community service. Our focus on the classroom delivers a consistently high-performing school district. Students and parents have enjoyed a high return with minimal investment.  We must continue to invest in their future.  

Franklin Matters
3. What is your position on the proposed Charter revisions?

Jeff Roy
The only aspect of the Charter revisions which directly affect the schools are the terms of office.  In that regard, I think they should be staggered.  I attended the Charter Commission meeting on April 3, 2007 and made it known that I favor staggered terms, with two or three members being elected at the same time.  This would lead to increased participation in government and would likely encourage more people to run for office.   The notion that we cannot change to staggered terms because of problems with the logistics of implementing the plan is not a solution.
 

Franklin Matters

4. What have been some of the accomplishments in the Franklin school system over last eight years?
 

Jeff Roy

There have been many highlights over the last eight years.  We are particularly pleased that we are able to maintain Franklin as a high performing school district despite budget challenges.  This is a tribute to the talent and dedication of the employees in this system.   I have had the opportunity to work with many dedicated and hard-working individuals who are committed to public education and the Franklin community.  It is particularly meaningful to do this work in the birthplace of Horace Mann, the father of public education.  Some of the most notable items that come to mind are the following:

• The opening of five new schools including Sullivan Middle, Keller Elementary, Horace Mann Middle, Oak Street Elementary & the O'Regan Early Childhood Development Center
• Increased communications between the School Committee and community
• Web access to School Committee and schools (click here)
• Having Franklin recognized as one of the top 10 communities to raise a family according to Family Circle magazine
• Having many of our staff members recognized for their accomplishments including Massachusetts teacher of the year, Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science and Math, a Milkin Award winner, and so many others
• Increased use of technology in the school system
• Advancement of leaders from within district (Superintendent & Principals)
• Numerous commendations to our schools including the 2007-08 report 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.

I am looking forward to continuing to serve on the School Committee in Franklin and committed to keeping us on the path of greatness.

Jeff, on behalf of the Franklin voters, thank you for taking the time to share these thoughts with us. Good luck on November 3rd.

Town Council Mtg Smry 10/21/09

The collection of posts that were "live reported" from the Council meeting of Wednesday October 21 are here:

• Live reporting - Administrator, Councilor comments...
• live reporting - legislation
• Live reporting - Financial Planning Committee
• Live reporting - Appointments, Recognitions
• Live reporting - Town Council  

Congressman McGovern on Healthcare Reform

On Monday October 26th, the United Regional Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a Legislative Breakfast at Highland Country Club in Attleboro and we would like to invite you to join us. The keynote speaker will be Congressman James McGovern and the topic will be Healthcare Reform.

Registration begins at 7:30am and the program will begin at 8:15am.

The cost to attend is $20. 

Please RSVP by e-mail or call the North Attleboro office at 508-695-6011 

Downtown Partnership Networking Luncheon

Come join the Franklin Downtown Partnership Networking Luncheon

meet new members, learn new ideas and share your business or organization with others.
 

What:

Downtown Partnership Networking Luncheon
 

When:

Friday, November 6th

12:00 noon 

Where: 

Dean College Campus Center
Golder Room-2nd Floor
(Parking is near the campus tennis courts due to construction)

How much:
$5.00 for a delicious lunch and great conversation!

Please RSVP Joel Carrara at jcarrara@printsmartoffice.com

Any questions please call the FDP office at (774)571-3109