Thursday, April 14, 2011

Preliminary Analysis: The House Ways & Means Fiscal Year 2012 Budget






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Preliminary Analysis:
The House Ways & Means
Fiscal Year 2012 Budget

 

April 13, 2011    

 

With federal fiscal relief for states ending in Fiscal Year 2012, Massachusetts faces a budget gap of approximately $1.9 billion (the gap between the cost of maintaining current services and the revenue expected to be available).

 

The House Ways & Means budget proposed today closes this gap primarily with cuts and savings.  These reductions affect virtually all areas of government, from health care and public health, to local aid, funding for education, and human services. 

 

Preliminary Analysis: The House Ways & Means Fiscal Year 2012 Budget provides an overview of spending proposals in various areas of the House Ways & Means budget.  MassBudget will release a more detailed analysis of the House Ways & Means budget plan in a Budget Monitor next week.

 

The report is available at www.massbudget.org or by clicking here.   


See MassBudget's Budget Browser
to explore Massachusetts state budgets from Fiscal Year 2001 to the present, as well as budget proposals for the next fiscal year as they are offered by the Governor and the Legislature.    
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.
This email was sent to shersteve@gmail.com by info@massbudget.org |  
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In the News - free seeds, hip hop, rain barrels


Be a garden blogger, get free seeds




Dean College hip hop team to perform Friday




Rain barrels, composter available to Franklin residents at discount




Franklin, MA

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Earth Day - April 16 - volunteers needed


VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR
TOWN-WIDE CLEAN UP AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXHIBITS AT BEAVER POND


Franklin will celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 16th with a roadside clean up, spring plantings, and new environmental activities for all ages with activities based at Beaver Pond. 
        Earth Day kicks off "rain or shine" at 9:00 a.m. when volunteers start a town-wide roadside clean up of litter and set out plants and flowers. After this winter's snowfall, many of the town's most scenic streets can be quickly restored to an attractive roadside with just a few hours of time. Please bring gloves for each person and rakes. 
All volunteers are asked to sign in at Beaver Pond between 9:00am-11:00am, so that the areas most in need of a spring clean up get attention. To nominate a town road which needs a cleanup, please call or email the DPW as soon as possible. 
This year, volunteers will be given a trash bags for collecting cans, glass bottles, trash and litter. Volunteers simply leave the bags along the roadside by 12:00 p.m., after which Franklin DPW trucks will pick up the bagged trash. 
Last year's clean up brought out about 200 volunteers and the trash picked up filled one 40 yard dumpster.  Over one ton of litter was collected. 
Community service certificates are issued to youths and adults who need them. Earth Day t-shirts are given to the first 300 volunteers and there will be free pizza and beverages starting at 12:00 p.m. for returning clean up crews. 
Volunteers are also needed to help pick up donated goods, help run events at Beaver Pond. 
Also on site will be Waste Management recycling demo, environmental booths, and demonstrations.  Dean Radio WGAO, will be on site to broadcast live from the event. 
Sponsoring groups and businesses this year so far include: Waste Management, Comprehensive Environmental, Inc., CDM, Malcolm-Pirnie, Garelick Farms, Aubuchon Hardware, State Forest Advisory Council, Metcalf Materials, Hillside Nurseries, Domino's Pizza, Bimbo Bakeries, Dunkin Donuts, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Various boys and girls scouts, Hillside Nurseries, Franklin Garden Club, Franklin Citizen's Rail Trail Committee, Green at Dean College, Dean Community Outreach program, Coles Tavern, and Metacomet Land Trust.

For information on how you can get involved, visit the DPW webpage at:


This notice was also posted to the Franklin website
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/016E42E9-000F8513

To subscribe and receive your own copy of this notice, go to the Franklin website and sign up for "Recycling News"  http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/subscriber-news

Franklin, MA

STAR Plus -- Just for Middle School Students

 
 

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

 
 

via Lifelong Learning by Pandora Carlucci on 4/12/11

Middle school is the domain of students in grades 6, 7 & 8. STAR Plus, our middle school summer program, has been designed specifically for these students. Directed by Ms. Orfalea and Ms. Leazott, STAR Plus offers four, 1-week sessions with a variety of themes and activities focused on the interests of middle school students.

Each week students enroll in 2 early morning classes and 1 longer mid-morning class. Students choose 2 themes from the following:
Visual Arts, Cooking and Design - Potential activities include Cooking, Drawing & painting, recycled art, screen printing, T-shirt design.

Computer Lab, Games, Science & Technology - Potential activities include Photoshop. Internet games, Movie making, Experimental fun and games, games, games.

Music, Performing Arts - Potential activities include Creating music, Introduction to guitar, Music history, Play production, Musical production and Dance.

Sports, Recreation, and Fitness - Potential activities include Fall sports, Winter sports, Spring sports, Team and individual games, Fitness challenges, and Sports history.

For the longer, mid-morning class, the students select their favorite theme from among the following themes:
Performing Arts - Theatre- Students will write, rehearse & perform a musical or play or Dance Students will learn a variety of dance techniques.

Science & technology/Outdoor Fitness
Experimental Fun - Students will use their senses to experiment with a variety of materials.
Outdoor Fitness - Students will explore a variety of outdoor fitness activities.

Sports & Recreation
Sports - Students will play a variety of fall, winter & summer sports
Recreation - Students will play a variety of team and individual games; exercises & athletic activities will be explored.

Visual Art
Painting - Students will use watercolors or acrylics to paint still-life, landscapes and figures.
Recycled Art - Students will use a variety of recycled materials to form sculptures
Clay/Pottery - Students will use many types of materials: clay, model magic & modeling clay to sculpt pieces of art.

Register: www.franklin.k12.ma.us select Summer Program from middle of page, select STAR Plus
Questions: lifelong@franklin.k12.ma.us or 508-553-4814

 
 

Things you can do from here:

 
 

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Changes afoot

Scene script:

Queue Dylan's "The times they are a changing" as background music

Focus on a cross roads with multiple options:



Announcement: I will switch the focus of my efforts from live reporting on Franklin's meetings to spending more time on the Franklin Food Pantry. I will not be live reporting on the meetings Tue and Wed this week. A more formal announcement will be made later.

Thank you for your readership. Thank you for your interest in Franklin.


Queue Pete Seeger singing "Turn, Turn, Turn" in the background.

Fade picture slowly, diminish music slowly



Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - 4/12/11

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 March 29, 2011 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Glynn
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives

Correspondence:
1. Budget to Actual

2. Guests/Presentations
a. Project Able/Blended online learning
b. LIFT2 – Brenda Redding
c. Annual Financial Audit

3. Discussion Only Items
School Choice

Policy – Second Readings:
1. KBE – School/Parent Organizations Relationships
2. KBE-E – School Committee/Administration Participation in PCC/Boosters Meetings Guidelines
3. KDD – News Media Relations/News Releases

4. Action Items
a. I recommend the Franklin Public Schools not participate in the School Choice Program for the 2011-2012 school year.
b. I recommend acceptance of a 2 checks, one from the Jefferson PCC for $3500.00 and one from Follett for $4.80 for field trips for Jefferson Elementary School.
c. I recommend adoption of Policy KBE – School/Parent Organizations Relationships as detailed.
d. I recommend adoption of Policy KBE-E – School Committee/Administration Participation in PCC/Boosters Meetings Guidelines as detailed.
e. I recommend adoption of Policy KDD – News Media Relations/News Releases as detailed.
f. I recommend acceptance of a check for $7316.00 from Davis Thayer PCC for field trips and buses as detailed.
g. I recommend acceptance of a check for $330.00 from Parmenter PCC for field trips.
h. I recommend acceptance of a check for $2665.75 from Parmenter PCC for field trips.



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

Parmenter 5K - May 15th

The Parmenter 2011 Race flyer:

Parmenter 2011 Race Flyer

The registration form:

parmenter_Regform_2011

You can also visit the race website to register online  http://parmenter5k.weebly.com/


Franklin, MA