Links to share

I have some catching up to do with so much happening around so I'll tease you with a quote and a link to follow.

1 - Instant messaging in the classroom:

Every single upper junior class that I have taught has loved instant messaging (IM). It is probably the most popular use of technology at home. But does that mean it needs to be used in the classroom? It falls into the same category as console gaming does and seems to spark differing reactions from people in education. I believe it can engage learners and much more.

 Read the full article here

2 - Free options to publish to the web

In the course of a school year, most teachers will have students produce written content that they think should be shared with other readers. Other times teachers create writing projects with the goal of having students share their work publicly. The web offers many ways to publish written work, the following are six of my favorite free options.

Read the full article here

3 - Guide to talk with your kids about being online

On Guard Online offers a fifty-four page PDF guide to talking with kids about being online. Net Cetera: Chatting With Kids About Being Online offers numerous suggestions for having conversations with students about online behaviors. The guide offers differentiated suggestions based upon the age of the children with which you're talking.

Read the full article here

4 -What you should know about the flu.

This week Commissioner Auerbach and DPH Medical Director Dr. Lauren Smith appeared on a special addition of Hopkinton Community Television’s "Physician Focus" titled "The Flu: What You Should Know."

Commissioner Auerbach and Dr. Smith joined Erin Tracy, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Section of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Bruce Karlin, M.D., a primary care physician in Worcester and Vice Chair of the Medical Society’s Communications Committee to discuss important flu related topics including the difference between H1N1 (swine) flu and seasonal flu, vaccine safety and supply, how to protect against the infections, and what to do if you get sick.

"Physician Focus" is The Massachusetts Medical Society’s monthly educational program on health care. In addition to being distributed to local public access television stations across the Commonwealth, the program is available for viewing online at http://www.hcam.tv/series/physicianfocus/flu/index.shtml. This page also contains two public service announcements produced specifically for the show. The first contains messages about the flu for pregnant women and the second provides guidelines on when patients should go to the emergency room.

Click through to view the show on the web here. 

Franklin did a similar H1N1 update in September and you can view that here

5 - And finally, the Laughter Club meets on Monday

Relieve some of your holiday stress, attend The Let's Laugh Today monthly laughter club that meets at the First Universalist Society in Franklin Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin, on Monday, Nov. 23, 7:15 to 8:30 p.m.

Additional details can be found on the Franklin Gazette here

Cute sign at Davis Thayer School

The sign says it all:

Cool sign at Davis Thayer School., originally uploaded by shersteve.

Electronics and Appliance Recycle Day

What: Electronic and Appliance Recycle Day

When: Saturday, Nov 28th 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Where: St. Mary's

Cost: Varies by item


Electronic and appliance recycle day to be held at Saint Mary's Church, One Church Square, Franklin, MA on Saturday November 28th from 9a.m. t0 2 p.m. We are accepting all electronics for recycling to include monitors, fax machines, modems, TV's etc as well as all appliances to include refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, water tanks etc. This is a great opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint in the environment and recycle your unwanted items. We will also accept lawn mowers and snow blowers with the gas removed as well as exercise equipment. This is a fund raiser and there will be a small fee of $5 per electronic item, $10 for each TV or appliance and $20 for each large wood console TV. There will be receipts provided as well. Car and truck batteries as well as cell phones are free.

Phone:  508-277-6728
Organization:   Saint Mary's Church

4th Annual Casino Night - tonight!

On Friday, November 20, 2009, the Franklin Education Foundation (FEF) will hold its 4th Annual Casino Night at the Franklin Elks from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. The event will feature Black Jack, Roulette and Money Wheel as well as raffles, a Silent Auction, cash bar and FREE hors d’oeuvres. The event is well known as a fun evening out with friends and neighbors, all while contributing to a worthwhile cause.

In addition to having fun at the gaming tables, attendees can bid on a variety of great Silent Auction items. Included will be autographed Red Sox and Patriots memorabilia, handcrafted jewelry, original art, and gift certificates from 3 Restaurant, Panera Bread, Stop & Shop and Arbonne Skin Care. Preliminary sponsors for the event include DCU (Digital Federal Credit Union), Rockland Trust, Doherty Ciechanowski, Dugan & Cannon, PC and ZeptoMetrix Corporation. If you have an item to donate or if your company is interested in sponsoring, contact FEF. It’s a great way to show your commitment to education in Franklin.

Admission is $25. To avoid waiting in line at the door, advance ticket purchase is recommended. For ticket purchase, auction donation or sponsorship information, please contact Peter Minor at (508) 541-6700 or peter@peterminor.com. Cash only accepted for chip purchase. Checks and Visa/MC accepted for Silent Auction items. For more information visit www.franklined.org.

Since 1997, The Franklin Education Foundation events have raised well over $170,000 which has been distributed to Franklin public schools in the form of special grants. All Franklin Public School staff members are eligible to submit creative, innovative ideas for programs or activities that would not traditionally be funded by tax dollars. To see a list of programs FEF have funded over the years, visit www.franklined.org.

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

In the News - Senior Center, downtown

Franklin Senior Center holds first anniversary party

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

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Help beautify Franklin's downtown this weekend

from The Milford Daily News Homepage RSS by Staff reports

In the News - baseball rules

Under existing rules, players are grouped by age: for example: third-graders who are born after May 1 must play with second-graders. Under the new rules, parents would be given a one-time option to play in groups based on age or school grade. For example: parents of a third-grader, usually around 9 years old, born between May 1 and Aug. 31, may choose to let him move to play with fourth-graders or stay with third-graders for another season.

The committee said a change in the rules would make kids feel included and improve their social and playing skills.

Some of the problems of a change, Ayotte said, would be in administering the new rules. A change could weaken a league that is losing players to the next higher level, he said. Young players could lose an additional playing year by moving up, he said.

A change could also prevent the organization from ever being able to affiliate with the Little League which has age cutoffs.

 Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

3rd Thursday - Men's Night Out

"Men's Night Out"
Ladies are welcome
Thursday, November 19th

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Host for November:  Emma's Quilt Cupboard & Sewing Machines
12 Main Street

Emma's will showcase quilts made strictly by men. "We invite everyone to join us for a visual display of men's creativity and enjoy some refreshments"  says Cyndi Rich, owner of the quilt shop.

Other 3rd Thursday happenings:

Artbeat Your Creativity Store will host a reception to introduce "Handmade for the Holidays," a craft gallery featuring the work of local artisans and demos for unique holiday gifts that easily can be made by children and adults. Artbeat is located at 9 Summer Street.

Stop by Café Dolce, 17 East Central Street,  will host a gold buying event: Bring in your unwanted gold, silver, platinum, gemstones and diamonds and our experts in the jewelry industry tell you what it's worth and pay you on the spot. Check out the Café Dolce webpage for more information.

Facial Rejuvenation at 11 Main Street will offer 20 percent off all Jane Iredale mineral cosmetics. "Jane Iredale is the gold standard in minerals recognized by dermatologists, plastic surgeons and skin care professionals around the world" says owner Kathleen Ronzio.

Franklin Pizza, 18 Cottage Street, will offer a free 2-liter soda with purchase of a large pizza with one or more toppings.

Jane's Frames, 11 East Central Street, will display new etchings just in time for the holidays. Owner Jane Curran encourages shoppers to come in either ahead of time or during Third Thursday to create a wish list in anticipation of the Holiday Stroll on December 3. Kai Olsson will play guitar and refreshments, including "fruit of the vine," will be served.

Hair at Nail It, 20 Main Street, invites shoppers to help celebrate their 15th anniversary with a complimentary wash and blow dry. They will also give a $10 coupon for all new customers.

Pretty Is Pink, 9 Summer Street, invites women and teens to stop in for an evening of leisurely shopping. "After the menu is set, we want you to look your best for Thanksgiving," says owner Lori Rosenberg.  

Simon's Furniture, 8 Summer Street, will offer a 20 percent discount off all lamps, pictures and accessories on Third Thursday to help shoppers get their homes ready for the holidays.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is gearing up for a special event in place of the December Third Thursday.  The Holiday Stroll will be Thursday, December 3 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  A tree lighting, music Holiday Carolers, Santa, a Craft fair and 30 downtown businesses offering treats and special offers are just some of the fun planned for families that evening.
 
Get more details at each participating business

So much is happening Downtown/Uptown Franklin
Come join the Fun!
Fall Third Thursday

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About Franklin Downtown Partnership
The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a commuity based 501 (c) 3 organization, with a  mission of revitalizing our downtown, helping to make Franklin a better place to live, work, and shop, and  improving the overall  life of our community.

Post Office Box 413
Franklin, Massachusetts 02038
Franklin Downtown Partnership

Town Council Mtg Smry 11/18/09

The collection of live reporting posts from the Town Council meeting on Weds 11/18/09 are

• Live reporting - Closing
• Live reporting - Administrators Report
• Live reporting - Action items
• Live reporting - Master plan
• Live reporting - Open Space
• Live reporting - bylaw hearing - part 2
• Live reporting - bylaw hearing
• Live reporting - Action items
• Live reporting - license transfer
• Live reporting - Town Council

In the News - bylaw, aid cuts

Director Bryan Taberner and Assistant Town Planner Nick Alfieri told council the proposed amendment is meant to define and clarify acceptable home occupations.

"We haven't totally changed this, we basically changed the format and some of the words so it's more enforceable," Alfieri said.

The amendment defines a home occupation as a "home-based (business) owned and operated by a full-time resident of a single- or two-family house which can be conducted without the need for a commercial space."

Franklin officials pose home business revision

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

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Milford superintendent Robert Tremblay and Franklin superintendent Maureen Sabolinski both said they make "conservative" estimates in their budgets for reimbursements. Neither district was significantly affected by the circuit breaker cuts.

Read more of the article about the latest cuts in State funding in the Milford Daily News here

BOOSTERS PUCK DROP BASH

FHS Boys Hockey Booster Club

Tickets are NOW ON SALE for the BOOSTERS PUCK DROP BASH! 


Cost is $20 per person. 


We decided to change things up this year and replace Comedy Night with a social event. The night will include: DJ Bobby Costello, fabulous raffle items, cash bar, appetizers & dessert. 


The fundraiser will be held on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4th at the Franklin Elks, 1077 Pond St from 7pm-midnight. 


Please contact Gina Williams at gw13@comcast.net or any Booster member for tickets. 


We hope to see you on December 4th!! For more info, visit www.fhspantherhockey.org

Anchorage Road

Public Informational Meeting - Anchorage Road Reconstruction

A public informational meeting will will be held in the Town Council Chambers on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 6:30 pm. This meeting will cover the reconstruction and timetable for the project. If you need additional information, please feel free to contact me at (508) 553-5520.

Robert A. Cantoreggi

Director of Public Works

Live reporting - Closing

New business


Kelly - open hours for Franklin residents, Friday's 9:00 - 11:00 AM

Powderly - update a booklet on what money is available for emergency funds for citizens

Pfeffer - Can we get an accounting on free cash for last year and this year? I would have thought free cash would have been less under the tight budget we have had.
Nutting - there are two factors, one from town budgets that haven't used all their allocated amounts but also from additional revenues that may have been under forecasted.


Zollo - If this class is emblematic of the education being provided to the students at FHS, then the high school is doing well for our students.


Pfeffer - Walgreens is coming along, they are going to maintain it.
Nutting - Yes, they own it, we have an easement to it. They will maintain it.


Jones - FEF Casino fund raiser on Friday night, a great cause
Dec 8th special state primary election 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM
The full election will be on Jan 19th for the US Senate spot to replace Sen Kennedy.


McGann  - I saw 5 coyotes in my yard before coming up to the meeting.

Live reporting - Administrators Report

Likely to come back with some budget cuts, Veterans budget is running short, we'll need to front money for the special elections, we will likely get reimbursed for this.


To address the East Street water issue, there are iron water mains in the area. The water is safe to drink.


With declining water revenues due to declining water usage, we'll come back in January with a water/.sewer update.


Q - can that be camera'd?
A - No, we don't have one that small. It is only a 5/8 or 1 inch connection from the main that runs about 25 foot into his house.


Q - How long has this been?
A - It has been like this for year, it got worse when the Fire Station was cut into the main.


Mark Cerel out six to eight weeks for minor surgery


Bath house being constructed at Beaver St, the materials were donated and the labor will be provided by Tri-County


BJ's donated the money to put in the parking lot for the SNETT trail.


Express Line new issue is out. If you haven't subscribed, please do so. The Town website has a sign up process.


Tax rate hearing at next meeting


Gazebo is done, railings need to be painted.

Live reporting - Action items

picking up on the action items started earlier

2. Resolution 09-72: Acceptance of Gift – Senior Center

Kelly abstaining as Rotarian and writer of the grant
Motion to approve, passed 8-0, 1 abstain

3. Resolution 09-73: Endorsement of the Five Year Financial Outlook Report

The text of the resolution is as follows:

Endorsement of Five Year Financial Outlook
WHEREAS, The Town Council, elected on November 3, 2009, hereby endorses the Five Year Financial Outlook (FY 2010 to FY 2014), as presented in the final report of the Long-Range Financial Planning Committee, dated October 15, 2009. This endorsement is based on the belief in the following:
• The information regarding the Town’s finances (past, present, and future) appears fair and balanced, free from discernable bias and complete in all material respects.
• Franklin has been prudent and resourceful in its spending and allocation of resources
• The report confirms the ongoing fiscal concerns that Town officials have been communicating.
• The Town faces a structural deficit that we can reasonably expect to continue for the foreseeable future; accordingly, projected deficits in the future could be significant.
• The question of school/municipal services or higher property taxes will be an ongoing concern for the community to address.
• Town officials and residents should view this matter with urgency and continue to address the Town’s financial challenges using proactive methodology.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL endorses the Five Year Financial Outlook (FY 2010 to FY 2014), as presented in the final report of the Long-Range Financial Planning Committee, dated October 15, 2009.
This Resolution shall become effective according to the rules and regulations of the Town of Franklin Home Rule Charter.

Motion to approve, 9-0

4. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 09-637: Amendment to Chapter 185-3. Definitions – 1st Reading

motion to waive the reading, passed 9-0
Motion to move to second reading, passed 9-0

5. Zoning Bylaw Amendment 09-638: Amendment to Chapter 185-39. Uses Accessory to Dwelling – 1st Reading

Motion to move to second reading

Motion to move to second reading, passed 9-0

Live reporting - Master plan

Beth Dahlstrom, Bryan Taberner

copy of report to be obtained and added later