Boston Magazine says spending more is a big deal!

The Boston Magazine has just published its Top 50 high schools inside the i495 beltway around Boston. Franklin did NOT make this listing and as I looked at the data, I began to wonder why.

I made a copy of the Top 50 and then added Franklin to work with a listing of 51 schools. When you look at the data this way, Franklin compares very well.

• When looking at the enrollment, only 8 high schools are larger!
• When sorting by Student-Teacher ratio, only 7 schools have a greater ratio that Franklin
• When looking at the graduation rate, Franklin ties with Cohasset and still beats 11 other schools
• When looking at the MCAS English scores, Franklin ties with 9 schools and beats 7 more
• When looking at the MCAS Science scores, Franklin ties with Hingham and Marblehead and beats 25 more!
• When looking at the Avg SAT Reading scores, Franklin beats 7 schools
• When looking at the Avg SAT Writing scores, Franklin ties with Pentucket, Ashland and Lynnfield and beats 8 more
• When looking at the Avg SAT Math scores, Franklin beat 15 other schools
• When looking at the Percent AP Proficiency scores, Franklin beat 15 other schools
• When looking at the # of AP Classes offered, only Boston Latin beat Franklin!
• When looking at the # of varsity sports offered, Franklin ties with Concord-Carlisle and Cohasset and still beat 21 other schools
• When looking at the # of clubs offered, Franklin tied with Norwell and still beat 19 other schools

So the weighting of some of the data had to be the cause for Franklin not to be in this Top50. There were two categories where Franklin did not do so well:

• When looking at the MCAS Math scores, Franklin beats 4 schools
• When looking at the percent going to college, Franklin ties with Cohasset and Reading and beats one other school (Ashland)

Why were the MCAS Math scores apparently weighted more than the Avg SAT Math scores?

Why was the percent going to college weighed so high? Isn't high school supposed to prepare you for life?

I think the real driver behind why Franklin is not on this listing has to do with money. Only Georgetown spends less than Franklin on this listing of the Top50! I believe that if the weighting on the per pupil expenditures was considered differently, that is spending less would actually be better than spending more, Franklin would have made this listing!


The Milford Daily News article is here:
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1526497624/MetroWest-and-Milford-area-schools-make-magazine-list

The Boston Magazine listing is here:
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/best-schools-boston-2012-top-50/

My copy of 51 schools can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczT0EyaVhBRjF5TmM/edit

60 million reasons to check this site

The webpage to check to see if your name is on it is:  https://abpweb.tre.state.ma.us/abp/abp.htm

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

60 million reasons to check this site

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 9/7/12

Time to check the treasurer's unclaimed money list. It totals $60 million, including 11 accounts over $100,000, 23 accounts between $50,000 and $100,000, 434 accounts between $10,000 and $50,000 and 10,795 accounts in excess of $1,000.

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

Second Case of EEE Confirmed in Massachusetts

September 7, 2012 Yesterday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) announced that a second human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) has been confirmed. EEE is spread to humans through a bite from an infected mosquito and is a serious and potentially fatal disease in patients of all ages. In this recent case, a male resident from the MetroWest area of Worcester County in his 70s was admitted to the hospital in early August and died several days later. The diagnosis was not confirmed until an autopsy was completed and officials estimate that he was exposed to EEE during the first week of August. This is the first confirmed death from EEE in Massachusetts this year. Since the investigation is still ongoing, this announcement does not immediately impact EEE threat levels in the MetroWest region but you can still protect yourselves and your loved ones by following these important tips: Avoid Mosquito Bites Apply Insect Repellent when Outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] or IR3535 according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under 2 months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under 3 years of age. Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Wearing long-sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin. Mosquito-Proof Your Home Drain Standing Water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently. Install or Repair Screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors. Protect Your Animals Animal owners should replace potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and wading pools – especially after heavy rains. Water troughs provide excellent mosquito breeding habitats and should be flushed out at least once a week during the summer months to reduce mosquitoes near paddock areas. Horses should be kept in indoor stalls at night to reduce their risk of exposure to mosquitoes. Owners should also speak with their veterinarian about mosquito repellents approved for use in animals and vaccinations to prevent EEE and West Nile Virus (WNV), another mosquito-borne illness. If an animal is diagnosed with EEE or WNV, owners are required to report to the Division of Animal Health by calling (617) 626-1795 and to the Department of Public Health by calling (617) 983-6800. For more information, please visit www.mass.gov/dph/wnv or call the Department of Public Health at (617) 983-6800. Enjoy your weekend and stay safe! Regards, Karen E. Spilka 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk http://www.karenspilka.com/ Office of State Senator Karen E. Spilka Room 511-C, State House Boston, Massachusetts  02133 (617) 722-1640 phone - (617) 722-1077 fax Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov http://www.karenspilka.com/

This message was sent to shersteve@gmail.com from: Office of Karen Spilka | Office of State Senator Karen E. Spilka, Room 511-C, State House | Boston, MA 02133

Email Marketing by

Manage Your Subscription

Roy, Eustis, Kennedy, Bielat win primary elections

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Roy, Eustis, Kennedy, Bielat win primary elections

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Matt Tota and Jessica Trufant/Daily News staff on 9/6/12

Democrat Jeffrey N. Roy and Republican Richard A. Eustis in November will square off for the 10th Norfolk District state representative seat after winning their parties' nominations during Thursday's primary election.

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

Franklin SEPAC to host special back-to-school program

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Franklin SEPAC to host special back-to-school program

via Wicked Local Franklin News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 9/6/12

The Franklin Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) invites the public to attend "Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid! A Special Presentation for Imperfect Parents of Special Children" on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Wicked Local Franklin News RSS using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Taste of the Region: Oct 23, 2012

SAMPLE TASTE OF THE REGION AT CHAMBER EVENT

Sample the variety of delicacies offered from around the region at The United Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual Taste of the Region event. This fun-filled food festival features an eclectic mix of restaurants serving a variety of dishes. Enjoy wonderful music and bid on exciting items in a silent auction. 

The Taste of the Region is Tues., Oct. 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tri-County Regional Vocational High School, 147 Pond St., Franklin. Tickets are available at The United Regional Chamber of Commerce offices in Attleboro (40 Union St.) and Franklin (4 West St.). Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Call 508-528-2800, 508-222-0801 or 508-695-6011 for more information.

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, business support organization serving the communities of Attleboro, Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxborough, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Wrentham.

Fall Yard Waste - November Pickup Scheduled

Curbside Fall Yard Waste pickup will be the week of November 5th and the week of November 26th on your normal trash and recycling day. All yard waste must be in compostable bags, open barrels or bundled with compostable twine no longer than 4 feet in length and 18 inches in diameter. Additional yard waste can be brought to the Beaver Street Recycling Center.

Originally posted to the Franklin webpage here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/01957ACD-000F8513