Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Race to Nowhere film screening in Franklin

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via Franklin (MA) School Committee Blog by Jeffrey Roy on 10/10/11


The Franklin Public Schools, in conjunction with the Joint Parent Communication Councils of Franklin, is hosting a screening of the film Race to Nowhere on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 7 p.m.  The film will play at the Mercer Auditorium at Horace Mann Middle School on Oak Street.  A panel discussion will follow the screening. [...]

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Reminder: Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club - Oct 12


The Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club invites you to their monthly meeting on Wednesday, October 12th at 7:30 pm upstairs at “3” Restaurant, 461 West Central St, Franklin.

This month, Town Administrator Jeff Nutting will visit to talk about local news, the upcoming town elections, the pending High School project, new businesses coming to town, and much more. He’ll also answer any questions you have, so bring your hot topics!

Complimentary appetizers and soft drinks will be provided. Cash bar available.

The Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club is a social club for residents of all ages and situations–not just those new to town. For more info, visit www.franklinnewcomers.com.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Giant Church Yard Sale - Oct 15th


Giant yard sale coming up Saturday, October 15th at the Franklin Federated Church.

Franklin Federated: Yard Sale - Oct 15th

In the News - Denommee, book sale



Meet the Franklin Candidate: Mark Denommee, town treasurer-collector

Friends of Franklin Library seeks volunteers for Book Sale

Teacher raises rankle council

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via Boston Globe -- Globe West by Evan Allen, Globe Correspondent on 10/8/11


Anger in Franklin over 1.5 in pay raises for teachers in a year marked by town-wide pay freezes and job losses came to a head last week when the Town Council voted unanimously to reopen hearings on the town budget nearly four months after approving it, a move that Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting described as "extremely unusual.'' The vote allows the council to reexamine the school budget, and gives them the option of taking money out of the school budget and allocating it to other parts of the town budget, like the police or fire departments.

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Sunday, October 9, 2011

Charles Hazlewood: Trusting the ensemble

TED shares such great ideas. How convenient and timely for them to share this one.

"Conductor Charles Hazlewood talks about the role of trust in musical leadership -- then shows how it works, as he conducts the Scottish Ensemble onstage. He also shares clips from two musical projects: the opera "U-Carmen eKhayelitsha" and the ParaOrchestra".

Charles talks about how his job as a conductor depends upon trust with his orchestra: "an unshakable bond of trust born out of mutual respect"

I trust you. You can watch this and connect the dots.



Enjoy the music!



Franklin, MA: School Committee - Agenda - 10/11/11

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 September 27, 2011 School Committee Meeting.
Payment of Bills Mr. Glynn
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
Correspondence:
1. Budget to Actual

2. Guests/Presentations:
a. MASS Academic Excellence Awards
1. Susan Mullen
2. Sarah MacLellan
b. Middle School – School Improvement Plans – MS Principals

3. Discussion Only Items
Calendar Adjustment
Superintendent’s Contract
FY 11 Budget

4. Action Items:
a. I recommend approval of the Horace Mann Middle School’s School Improvement Plan as detailed.
b. I recommend approval of the Remington Middle School’s School Improvement Plan as detailed.
c. I recommend approval of the Annie Sullivan Middle School’s School Improvement Plan as detailed.
d. I recommend acceptance of a check for $875.00 from the Oak Street PCC for a field trip.
e. I recommend approval of the field trip for 4th and 5th grade Oak Street students to the Rhode Island Philharmonic on April 12, 2012 as detailed.
f. I recommend approval of the recurring field trip for 80 middle school chorus students to NY City on May 12, 2012 to see a play as detailed.
g. I recommend acceptance of a check for $1500.00 from YMCA Healthy Futures Grant for Oak Street Elementary School for supplemental curriculum materials.
h. I recommend acceptance of a check for $42.56 from Follett for supplemental curriculum materials for Jefferson Elementary School.
i. I recommend amendment of the 2011-2012 School Calendar that makes March 23, 2012 a district wide reduced day.
j. I recommend acceptance of a check for $525.00 from the ASMS PCC for buses for a field trip.
k. I recommend acceptance of a check for $500.00 from Fidelity – Lilly Family Fund for Annie Sullivan Middle School.
l. I recommend acceptance of a check for $187.06 from Target’s Take Charge of Education Program for Annie Sullivan Middle School.
m. I recommend acceptance of the proposed Superintendent’s contract as detailed.

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. Adjourn

In the News - Dacey



Meet the Franklin Candidate: James Dacey Jr., town treasurer-collector

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Looking for military uniforms


The Franklin Historical Museum is looking for military uniforms to display during November.

If you have any that you could share, the details are in the document on how to contact the museum.


Franklin Historical Museum Notice: Military Uniforms


In the News - tax bills, Jewell, trooper, state aid



Tax bills are due in Franklin

Meet the Franklin Candidate: John Jewell, School Committee

Franklin trooper honored at State House for saving choking girl

Franklin, Medway get boost in state aid

Does School Start too Early?

It is good to see students at Franklin High School using social media tools, like this blog - Pantherbook. Click through to read the full article and continue to explore their archives. They have a good mix of news and school discussions.

Way to go Panthers!

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via Pantherbook on 10/7/11

This question has been brought up many times in the past; do high school students start too early? Teachers complain about students sleeping in class all the time but it might not be their fault. In an issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine they stated that there is more and more evidence [...]

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RMV Urges Customers: Renew Online

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 10/7/11

RMV Renew Online Billboard MassDOT RMV is again urging eligible drivers to renew their licenses online.

The number of license renewals is expected to increase by 50 percent beginning in November and continue at higher levels for the months thereafter.

November is the beginning of a five-year license renewal cycle that began in 1991, replacing the previous four-year cycle.   The result of that change is one year every five years with a reduced number of license renewals.  That lower volume year ends as of November 1, and transactions will increase. The RMV has responded by launching a publicity campaign through Highway Division billboards and public service announcements at the MBTA to urge drivers to check their license expiration dates and renew online.

The goal of the campaign is to let the public know that approximately 50% percent of drivers are eligible to renew their license online and avoid a branch visit. It also reminds customers that they can renew their licenses up to one year before the expiration date that falls on their birthday.

The RMV's online renewal application asks customers a series of questions. Customers eligible to renew online can pay the required fee and their license will be mailed to them in 7-10 business days. The online application also helps customers that aren't eligible to renew via the Internet. The web transaction informs customers 75 years or older that they must renew at a branch, in accordance with the 2010 Safe Driving Law. It also informs customers if they owe parking tickets or excise bills that have to be paid in order to renew. Customers that are required to renew in a branch can complete and print the web application to save time during their visit.

Customers not able to renew online should plan ahead and check branch locations and wait times online. To help prepare for the expected increase in customers, RMV recently expanded its hours at some of its busiest branches.  The RMV website allows customers to check branch wait times and locations

Services available on the MassDOT RMV website include applying for a first time license; converting an out-of-state license; scheduling a branch appointment; registration renewals; ordering a driving record, crash report or Fast Lane transponder; viewing the status of a license, registration, driver education certificate and title; signing up for organ/tissue donation; and canceling a registration plate.

You can also sign up online for a free license renewal or Massachusetts ID reminder service.

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Friday, October 7, 2011

Farmer's Market - today - (video)


Franklin Farmers Market,  Friday,  12:00pm to 6:00pm

Located on the Town Common

Franklin: Farmers Market

Berry Insurance shares this video they put together on the Farmer's Market




Reminder that the Farmers' Market now accepts SNAP dollars and can double your purchasing power.
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/07/franklin-farmers-market-doubles-food.html

Visit the Food Pantry tent at the Farmers' Market for details.


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video.

In the News - McIntyre, Glynn



Meet the Franklin Candidate: Pamela McIntyre, School Committee

Glynn drops out of Franklin School Committee race

Amy Lockwood: Selling condoms in the Congo

Amy Lockwood in this TED Talk discusses selling condoms in the Congo. Yes, really.

Caution, this video is probably the riskiest shown here. Only four minutes long.



Why? What does this have to do with Franklin?
"And so the lesson is this: it doesn't really matter what you're selling; you just have to think about who is your customer, and what are the messages that are going to get them to change their behavior."

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Rockland Trust opens first Providence office

FYI - Franklin, the Rockland Trust is expanding

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via PBN.com - Latest Stories by By PBN Staff on 10/5/11

Rockland Trust, a community savings bank with more than 70 locations in southeastern Massachusetts, opened its first commercial lending and wealth management office in Providence on Wednesday.

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10-6 Franklin School Update

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Ed Cafasso" <edcafasso@comcast.net>
Date: Oct 6, 2011 9:40 AM
Subject: 10-6 Franklin School Update
To: "Ed Cafasso" <edcafasso@comcast.net>



Hi everyone!
I hope you are preparing for what looks to be a glorious weekend. We sure could use it...
There has been a great deal of debate in recent days about the School Committee's unanimous approval of a new contract with the Franklin Educational Association (FEA), the union which represents teachers here. I wanted to take a moment of your time to discuss the importance of this contract.
The new contract period begins Sept. 1, 2010 and runs until Aug. 30, 2012.
It provides no wage increase for Fiscal Year 2011; a 1% increase or FY 2012; and a 0.5% increase, effective Aug. 30, 2012, for FY 2013. The approximate cost in FY12 is estimated as $350,000. This represents 0.68% of the current school budget. The approximate cost for FY13 is $175,000.
The contract is funded by savings attained through attrition, as well as increased circuit breaker revenue from the state. No additional appropriation has been requested.
It's an election year and many candidates prefer to focus on the cost of the raises in this new contract. For some, it's hard to see the forest when that big Election Year tree blocks the view.
In my opinion, there are two overlooked aspects of the new contract that hold real potential for improving student achievement while reforming a pay structure that automatically triggers higher taxpayer costs each year.
The first is that it features an agreement between the School Committee and the FEA to cooperatively re-examine the salary table that drives close to the 75% of current school costs. For the first time ever in the history of Franklin, both parties have agreed to investigate a new, progressive wage structure to replace the automatic "step and lane" pay raises that have become a real budget buster.
The agreement to cooperatively re-examine the current salary table holds a major opportunity for us to address a significant source of annual pressure on Franklin taxpayers.
The second "inconvenient truth" about the new teacher contract is that requires both sides to undertake interest-based bargaining (IBB) during upcoming talks toward a new FEA contract, as opposed to the adversarial and frustrating negotiating posture that has been in place until now.
IBB has been a goal of the School Committee for many years, and we are pleased to finally have the opportunity to implement it. "Bargaining Methods and New Forms of Agreements," as published by the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, explains this approach succinctly:
"Interest-based bargaining (IBB) is a departure from positional bargaining and the traditional adversarial, industrial model of collective bargaining that assumes bargaining is a zero-sum activity focused on dividing existing resources. In contrast, IBB focuses on parties' interests rather than their proposed positions, making it possible to explore the values and purposes and to learn whether these interests are shared or complementary. IBB allows parties to identify multiple ways to satisfy interests and to solve problems creatively… IBB provides an opportunity to address student achievement in the collective-barging process. IBB can minimize ritualized adversarial behavior and enable productive relationships to develop, better situating the parties to improve student achievement."
There is a great deal of expert, authoritative information on IBB available online. One article of interest can be found at: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/lkaboolian/publications/Win-Win-chapter1.pdf.
There are some who dismiss IBB, and they're entitled to their opinion. I have done years of homework on it and its use by school districts and employers across the country. I strongly believe it can produce great outcomes for teachers, students, parents and taxpayers. It empowers the parties to work in good faith as partners to find common ground and implement potential solutions to systemic issues.
This innovative approach to bargaining could not be more important for Franklin right now. We have to balance ongoing budgetary pressures; meet your high expectations for continued high academic performance; and, also adhere to evolving state and federal standards for student achievement.
I appreciate, respect and share everyone's desire to maintain a balanced budget and to use revenues as efficiently and effectively as possible to provide the best possible services to the citizens of Franklin. Your schools have done precisely that – we spend $2,700 less per student than the state average but still deliver excellent academic performance, thanks to the hard work of teachers, administrators and parents like you.
As the local election approaches, there will be many candidates who point to the "cost" of the contract as a way to win votes and damage other candidates. My view is that we can no longer afford the "cost" of continuing the divisive and confrontational ways of the past. You can see how well that has worked in national politics and in Congress.
For me, the choice was easy. I voted in support of the new teacher contract because it allows us to pursue a progressive approach toward broad, incredibly important goals, including improved student achievement and structural reforms that contribute to financial stability for the community. I voted to support working together to solve real problems.
This e-mail reflects my opinion alone and is provided as a constituent service.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. If you are receiving duplicate e-mails or if you no longer wish to receive these e-mails, please let me know and I will remove you from the distribution list. Feel free to pass this email along to friends and neighbor. If you know of someone you would like to add to the list, please send along their e-mail address.

Thank you!


Ed Cafasso
Member, Franklin School Committee
edcafasso@comcast.net
Twitter: @edcafasso
http://www.linkedin.com/in/edcafasso

Town Council - 10/05/11

The collected reporting from the Town Council meeting on Wednesday, October 5 can be found here:




The agenda and associated documents for the meeting can be found here


Where was the School Committee?



"We made a very difficult decision that we're going to hold the line on (cost-of-living increases)," Whalen said. "We looked at the economy. We're mired in a recession that's worse than many people in this room have been through, and there's no end in sight." 
Town Administrator Jeff Nutting, in response to a question by Councilor Joseph McGann, estimated the money used for teacher raises could have saved eight to 10 of the 14 teacher jobs cut this year. 
"They sold those teachers down the river, as far as I'm concerned," McGann said. "Those teachers could have been saved." 
Whalen made a motion, which the council adopted, to reopen the entire municipal budget, which would lead to every budget being open to renegotiation.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x1499152523/Franklin-Town-Council-rips-school-board-over-raises-reopens-budget#ixzz1ZzbxV3PJ

The letter to the Town Council from the School Committee can be found here:
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/10/letter-to-town-council.html

Complete reporting from the Town Council meeting can be found here:
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/10/town-council-100511.html

Eat at Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Thurs. Oct. 13th


Eat at Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Thurs. Oct. 13th
and Support Franklin Music Boosters, Inc.!

On Thursday October 13th from 4:00 to 10:00 PM Five Guys Burgers and Fries in the Franklin Village Mall will once again generously donate 10% of ALL their sales to the Franklin Music Boosters, Inc.


Franklin Music Boosters is a parent organization which supports the entire Franklin Public School Music Program grades 6-12. Through volunteer support and fundraising, the Music Boosters help provide transportation for performance trips, competitions and outings; sponsor concerts and special events; finance the purchase of musical equipment and uniforms; fund private lessons and scholarships, as well as support the music department with volunteer help.

For more information about getting involved with the Franklin Music Boosters, contact Amy Czuba, amyczuba@gmail.com.



You can order online and pick up from the Franklin Village location here