Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - 1/11/11

Vision Statement

The Franklin Public Schools will foster within its students the knowledge and skills to find and achieve satisfaction in life as productive global citizens.

Mission Statement

The Franklin Public Schools, in collaboration with the community, will cultivate each student's intellectual, social, emotional and physical potential through rigorous academic inquiry and informed problem solving skills within a safe, nurturing and respectful environment.

"The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law."


1. Routine Business
Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the open and executive sessions of the December 14, 2010 School Committee Meeting.
1. Payment of Bills Mr. Glynn
2. Payroll Mrs. Douglas
3. FHS Student Representatives
4. Correspondence
 - Budget to Actual

2. Guests/Presentations
a. FHS Girls Soccer Team
b. Harry Potter Re-write – Davis Thayer - Debbie Taylor (Teacher) and students Katie Sumner and Reilly Deforge
c. K-5 Health Program – Kristen Cerce, Michele Kingsland Smith
d. Budget Update - Kindergarten

3. Discussion Only Items
Community Engagement
Policy – First Reading - BEDA: Notification of School Committee Meetings

4. Action Items
a. I recommend acceptance of a check for $600.00 from the ECDC PCC for supplies.
b. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1,000.00 from the Davis Thayer PCC for Library books.
c. I recommend acceptance of two checks ($200 & $50) for the Jacqueline Schaeffer Theatre Arts Memorial Scholarship at FHS.
d. I recommend approval of the request of the FHS Music Dept. to take the Jazz band and workshop to New Hampshire for the UNH Clark Terry Jazz Festival on Saturday, March 12, 2011 as detailed.
e. I recommend acceptance of the anonymous gift of used books for the Oak Street Elementary School.
f. I recommend acceptance of a check for $50.00 from the Insurance Store for Keller Elementary School in-house enrichment.
g. I recommend acceptance of a check for $50.00 from an ECDC parent for supplies.

5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report

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


Franklin, MA

School Enrollment Projections

In the School Committee packet for the Tues Jan 11 meeting is the following report on enrollment projections for the Franklin Public Schools.

According to this report, we have seen the peak enrollment, the numbers will be declining from here for the foreseeable future.

FPS_10NESDEC-EnrollmentProjections

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to review the document.


Franklin, MA

Community Health Council hears from the KP BeSmart Wellness Coalition

The Community Health Council met on Thursday night. Much of the evening was a discussion with the BeSmart Wellness Coalition from King Philip Regional HS.

What is the BeSmart Wellness Coalition?
It is a group of student leaders formed to leverage existing programs and provide a focus on wellness activities for teens and parents in the KP community. In hind sight, they did their organization backwards. They would coordinate more with the School District and faculty to bring this around. They feel the district and teachers was somewhat threatened by the organization and aggressive desires of the group. Contentious teacher contract negotiations were going on during the group’s formation and that did not help the situation.

This did not stop the group from holding events such as:

Sheet draping for Junior Prom 2009 – based upon a stat that every third car had a serious or fatal accident, the group obtained a donation of sheets. Every third car was draped while the students were in the Prom so the visual was impact-full when the students left the event. There was communication and notifications prior to the event so it was not a complete surprise and worked out to be quite effective.

A big hit was the development of an intramural program. This was held after school, using school facilities, and started with volleyball. All parent volunteers were used to coordinate. The program lasted one and half hours each evening. It was just enough time, 6:30 – 8:00. The time slot right after school was not as successful, the later time worked better for attendance. They are working on developing a dodge ball intramural league for this year.

They did plan activities for school half days. In particular, the middle school students loved the monster mini-golf. A future event is being planned for the dinner theater in North Attleboro.

The Distracted Driving Campaign was a great success. They are looking to re-do this year as well. There were daily posters and notifications leading up to the event. They collaborated with the high school video production students and the DECA program. Competing for the grand prize, sign the pledge, etc. There was a tangible marketing production. The video production group got to go to the local production of Oprah in Boston.

All the events were student lead, student driven from conception through execution. They recommend having food involved for the student activities, it helps to make the event attractive and successful. The group grew from 20 (last year) to 60 (this year). Their meetings are currently held in the KP cafeteria which is not a great location as it is not a very quiet and private space to help build the relationships amongst the group. They also split into subcommittees to focus planning on each of their initiatives. They want to get a better meeting space and bring the group together after the subcommittee working sessions to help foster the relationships as a group.

For the group as an organization, the students developed a policy and an application with questions and an interview process to apply for membership. The students pledge to not drink, etc. This group coordinates with the Students Against Drunk Drinking (SADD) which is focused on drinking. The BeSmart group has a much broader health wellness focus.

They are proposing a joint event to be coordinated with Franklin High School featuring Cara Filler ( http://www.carafiller.com/) It would be possible to hold during day events at each school (FHS and KP) and then do a joint event for the parents in the evening.

Additional updates

Deb Sweeney, representing Arbour Counseling, discussed possible coordination with the Council.
http://www.arbourhealth.com/
http://www.arbourhealth.com/counseling.htm

For example – if a group was identified via the MetroWest survey with a particular problem, then a support group could get formed to meet that need. Groups are more powerful than one-on-one sessions due to peer-to-peer interaction. They are looking to link the services with the needs of the community. They do handle a lot of individual referrals but think there may be an opportunity for more group work. They are looking to find out if there are service needs that are not being met. In most cases, funding for their counseling can be done through the individuals health insurance coverage. They left the group with a question: How can we capitalize on the audience of another event to provide some counseling awareness or services?

Lauren Marciszyn, from the YMCA, put a plug in for the planning meeting on Jan 11th .

Lisa Keohane provided a quick update that 240 folks attended the Perry Aftab event in December. It was video taped and will be posted to the cable channel sometime TBD. The teenangels program is now 78 students. It is the only one in New England. They are continuing to work on cyber bullying. Four students have moved from the middle school to be freshman at FHS this year. Kristin Cerce is working to help get them and their teenangel experience integrated into the high school.

Lisa also provided a book recommendation “Please stop laughing at me” by Jodee Blanco. (http://www.jodeeblanco.com/) While their program to date has been using the Wired program materials, they are also looking to integrate other materials appropriately.

Action Item
As the meeting closed, there was a proposal raised to add a meeting to the calendar for Feb 3rd. Email Michelle Kingsland-Smith if unable to make this date.

Additional information about the Council can be found here


Franklin, MA

FRANKLIN RAIL TRAIL COMMITTEE MEETING - Jan 11

Proposed Agenda for Jan 11, 2011

Location: Franklin YMCA 45 Forge Hill Road

Start Time: 7:30PM

I. Call to Order
A. Ask for volunteer to keep minutes of meeting
B. Introduction of new attendees
We encourage new attendees to join a committee ASAP
C. Review & approve minutes of previous meeting

II. Nomination of Officers for 2011
Committee Chair – Nominations - -
Co-Chair – Nominations - -
Treasurer – Nominations - -
Secretary (Please Anyone) – Nominations - -


III. Vote on Election of Officers for 2011
Committee Chair –
Co-Chair –
Treasurer –
Secretary (Please Anyone) –

Note: To all meeting attendees, please remember that the rules that we set up for paying membership fees were that it bought you one vote on important Committee issues. Consequently, only paying members will be allowed to vote. Whether a paid member or not, we appreciate your contribution and attendance at our meetings.

IV. Report from our representative from DCR
Need for signage disallowing motorized vehicles on trail
Volunteer Eamon Earls is researching history of railroad
Contact made at WPI and with Tetra Tech Rizzo for Design
Can we meet on Thursday nights?


IV. Membership Committee Report
Committee to report on membership activity


V. Report from Finance Committee
Report from Treasurer


VI. Report of Fund Raising Committee
Report on fund raising activities
Report Road Race Committee
Promoting the Road Race – Fundraising Activity


VII. Report from Grant Writing Committee
A. National Public Lands Day web site is announcing Grant Opportunities – Can we apply?

IX. Unfinished Business:
Business plan in the making
Distribute revised brochures and support locations with displays


X. New Business:

XI. Set Date & place for Next Meeting and Adjourn



Franklin, MA

We need to talk, with respectful voices

... there are some very serious long-term economic trends that are absolutely ripping apart the U.S. middle class. For example, did you know that even though our population has been growing at a brisk pace we have lost about ten percent of our middle class jobs over the past decade? The vast majority of jobs that have been created have been low paying service jobs.

We now have hordes of highly educated young people that are waiting tables and that are welcoming customers to Wal-Mart. Without good paying jobs there is no middle class, but today American corporations are actually creating more jobs overseas than they are inside the United States. This has helped pad the profits of the big corporate fatcats, but it has been devastating for middle class communities across the United States.

Sounds of doom and gloom resonate through this piece. I do think it is important to look at the big picture. I do think there are structural changes underway in our economy that will become real obvious AFTER they have fully taken effect. We'll look back and say, "Wow, so that is what was happening!"

Times are hard and they are going to get harder, but that doesn't mean that you can't thrive in the middle of all this. Hopefully we can all take this as a wake up call. We all need to work harder, become less wasteful, become more independent and stop living as if the good times are going to last forever.

We can rant and rave against the facts. WE CAN RAISE OUR VOICES AGAINST EACH OTHER! Or we can talk, calmly and thoughtfully about what is happening.

This is where our choice really will make a positive change for the good. Let's recognize that we are in this together. Let's recognize that we can work together to make sense of this. Let's recognize that perhaps you do have a good idea. Perhaps there is a better way through collaboration, cooperation, coordination and civil discussion!

What do you think are our chances are?



You can continue reading the full article here



Franklin, MA

Live reporting - Long Range Financial Planning Committee

Present: Doug Hardesty, Deb Bartlett, Orrin Bean, John Hogan, Ken Harvey, Craig DiMarzio, Graydon Smith, Tina Powderly (ex officio), Jeff Nutting (ex officio)
Absent: none

meeting opened after the committee was sworn in by Town Clerk Deb Pellegri

the group made a round of introductions

draft charter presented for discussion and revision, 'strawman'

focus on the facts and details of the financial issues

when decisions are made that will affect a multi-year outlook, the committee should be able to weigh in on those in a timely manner; would not be focusing on the day-to-day operational items, the Town Council has the oversight of the Administrator, who in turn directs the activities of the town departments.

what are the cost drivers?
They vary. Collective bargaining is a challenge. to adjust the co-pay requires talking with each of the 13 unions. The State also has a myriad of rules and regulations around purchasing, bottom line it doesn't always guarantee the best price.

Most of the expense side is statutorily driven. We do need a clerk, a health inspector, etc. However, this is no law that says we have to have a police and fire department.

We are paying for the inefficiencies of a long term parochial system which is very, very difficult to change at the local level.

"We know what we want to do it if we could do it" The more attention that is brought to it, the better chance we'll have of actually getting something done.

Charter is not finalized as we wanted to get time for people to think about it and have an opportunity to suggest changes before the Town Council does finalize it.

"come up with a document to tell the story to the town in a way that is credible"

group assignments to draw on individual preferences and strengths

review of the final report of the prior committee from last year (PDF)

review of the Chap 70 story, growth from $4M to $28M over about 15 years
due to census data from 1990's on community wealth and the rapid growth of the school population from 3,000 to 6,000

There are things that are not in the school budget that the Town provides; facilities being the major one, debt service is another.

Charter school - how is that funded? The State sends a portion of our Chap 70 directly to the Charter School. The funding formula has been debated forever.

The Governor's budget due is Jan 26th followed in the next several weeks by the House and the Senate versions with an overall conference committee agreement before getting finalized by July 1

discussion on timeline for deliverables, a brief update (similar to the mid-year report) in an April time frame with updates to sections as needed. Look at when the data will be available and include that in the timelines (i.e. the tax rates are set in Dec so would be available from the State after that).

"It is great in telling what we paid for it, can you tell me what I actually got for it?" Can we benchmark ourselves on what we are achieving?

What new analysis do we want to do and add to this document?

Next meeting Jan 26th



Franklin, MA

MassBudget Briefs: Fiscal Year 2012 Budget, Chapter 70 Previews

Explore our online budget database Is our research helpful to you? Support our work Contact Info   Noah Berger   President   nberger@massbudget.org   (617) 426-1228 x102   Tom Benner   Communications Director   tbenner@massbudget.org   (617) 426-1228 x100 Two new briefs: Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Preview and Chapter 70 Education Aid Preview January 4, 2011 The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center is releasing two new budget briefs previewing the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. MassBudget Brief: Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Preview examines the condition of state finances as the budget process begins for the fiscal year that starts on July 1, 2011. Walking readers through the steps involved in calculating a state budget gap, the brief projects a $1.78 billion preliminary budget gap facing the Commonwealth in FY 2012. MassBudget Brief: Fiscal Year 2012 Chapter 70 Education Aid Preview outlines three scenarios for calculating Chapter 70 education funding for FY 2012, each based on a different set of assumptions. The briefs, Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Preview and Fiscal Year 2012 Chapter 70 Education Aid Preview, are available at www.massbudget.org.                                  - - - - - See MassBudget's Budget Browser to explore Massachusetts state budgets from Fiscal Year 2001 to the present. MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies, as well as economic issues, with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people.

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