Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Schools Closed Tuesday, March 19


A message from FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hello: This is a message from the Superintendent of Schools, Maureen Sabolinski, contacting you to let you know that after consulting with local highway and safety officials, all Franklin Schools will be closed today due to inclement weather. Central Office personnel should report to work by 9:00 am. Thank you!
This e-mail has been sent to you by FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message. If you wish to discontinue this service, please inform FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PERSON, by US MAIL, or by TELEPHONE at (508) 613-1777.


MassBudget: Support for low-income children and families



MassBudget    Information.
   Participation.
 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy.
Supporting Low-Income Children and Families
To help improve the lives of poor children and their families, Massachusetts provides direct cash assistance through a program known as TAFDC. MassBudget's new brief, "TAFDC: Declines in Support for Low-Income Children and Families" finds that this cash assistance has shrunk significantly over time.


  • For every dollar that an eligible family received in 1989, they receive just 58 cents today (adjusted for inflation).

  • The official poverty level for a family of three is $19,500, and the maximum amount of cash assistance such a family can receive from TAFDC is less than half of that.

The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER
15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700
BOSTON, MA 02108
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This email was sent to shersteve@gmail.com by nberger@massbudget.org |  

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

Veterans assistance from State agencies


Licensing Guidelines Assist Veterans, Armed Forces Members
Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today announced that all state agencies that oversee professional licensing within the Patrick-Murray Administration have established guidelines to assist members of the armed forces, veterans, and their spouses as they prepare and apply for jobs in Massachusetts. 


Monday, March 18, 2013

Franklin Public Schools: Inclement Weather Update


A message from FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hello
We have received calls and emails about the status of school on Tuesday, March 19. Similar to the previous storm the forecast is changing hourly. At this time no decision has been made about a delay or school closing. School officials will consult with public safety officials and DPW throughout the night. We will make a decision in the morning based on the conditions. As of today our last day of school is June 25 so the end of the school year will not impact any decision. Safety and predicted weather conditions will inform our decision making.
This e-mail has been sent to you by FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message. If you wish to discontinue this service, please inform FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PERSON, by US MAIL, or by TELEPHONE at (508) 613-1777.

MCAS Postponed


A message from FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Because we are expecting more inclement weather,the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has postponed Tuesday's scheduled administration of the long composition test for grades 4, 7, and 10 for the entire state. Regardless of the weather, which may necessitate delays or  school closings across the state, the new testing date for all districts for the long composition exam will be Monday, 3/25. All other MCAS tests will proceed as planned.

Joyce Edwards
Director of Instructional Services
Franklin Public Schools
355 East Central Street
Franklin, MA 02038

508-553-4821
FAX- 508-553-0321
This e-mail has been sent to you by FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message. If you wish to discontinue this service, please inform FRANKLIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PERSON, by US MAIL, or by TELEPHONE at (508) 613-1777.

Celebrating Solar at FUSF

The 1 year anniversary of the solar installation at the First Universalist Society of Franklin was celebrated on Sunday, Mar 17. This was the rescheduled date. It was snowed out in February.

Franklin_FUSF_SolarPanels
FUSF solar installation

John Tehan, Solar Power Sales Representative for Second Generation Energy provided an overview of the electricity generated and savings that resulted.

Franklin_FUSF_Summary
John Tehan presenting

His presentation document can be viewed here:




John's talk was rather interactive as many questions were answered along the way. Some of my notes from this session can be found here:

  • MA is the second best state in the US (behind California) for solar energy when considering two key factors. One, the exposure to sun. Two, the cost of electricity.
  • The FUSF panels were projected to generate 11,511 KwH and actually generated 12,693.
  • The KwHs generated are the equivalent of 21 barrels of oil, or 1004 gallons of gas, or by planting 230 trees.


There are five key factors that help MA residents take advantage of solar

  1. Clean Energy Center provides rebates
  2. There is a 30% Federal tax credit
  3. There is a 15% state tax credit
  4. Solar should provide savings on purchasing electricity
  5. There are Solar Renewal Energy Credits (SREC) currently worth about $200 per credit per year.



  • They use a special device that will calculate the sun and shade for the houses roof. If the exposure is not more than 80%, it is not likely to be recommended to install solar.
  • One side benefit from a solar panel installation is that there is a reduction in icebanks on the roof. The panels heat up as they generate electricity which melts the snow and can create some avalanches as the snow slides off the roof.


If you are interested in exploring solar panels for your residence, feel free to contact John directly.

John Tehan
Solar Power Sales RepresentativeSecond Generation Energy12 Rosenfeld DriveHopedale, MA 01747 Office: 800-653-4270
jtehan@sgegroup.com


If you would like to view the solar energy monitor for the FUSF installation visit this link
https://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/public/systems/vGRK57403



“If it snows again I’m going to scream”


Milford Daily News recaps the area school year ending days due to the snow and weather days missed.
Franklin has also used four of its snow days, bringing that town's last day to June 25, the latest in this area. However, Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski said Franklin runs little risk of hitting the limit. 
“We would really need four more snow days,” Sabolinski said. She said even with another major blizzard, that many snow days is unlikely. She credited the Department of Public Works Department for clearing the roads so quickly in the last blizzard. 
Since Franklin starts after Labor Day every year, Sabolinski said the town is at a higher risk of hitting the deadline than other districts. 
“We send out a letter at the beginning of the season to let parents know ahead of time and say, ‘in the worst case scenario, this is what we’d look at doing,’” Sabolinski said. She said the options include cutting into April vacation or holding Saturday school.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1433798247/Despite-snow-days-schools-set-to-finish-on-time#ixzz2Nso4hCuN

The lesson in three

Coach Chris Spillane summed up the 3rd loss in as many years in the high school hockey State Championship:
"I don't know if I can really explain it," said Spillane, who was on the school's last state championship team in 1983. "You know, there's two ways of looking at it. One, we've got here three straight years and lost, or secondly, that we've had three successful years to get here and that's what I'm focusing on with these guys. There's a lot of hockey teams that are home today that would kill to be here and fortunately for us, we've been for the last three years. It's been a great experience and it'll make the kids better people moving on. You're not going to win everything you do. 
"The kids know that it's not always roses and that there's going to be some bumps in the road, but they've all handled it with dignity and controlled themselves very well."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1433798249/Franklin-hockey-Not-again#ixzz2NsnKWWTA


Coach Spillane's comments post match on video via Hockomock Sprts
http://www.hockomocksports.com/1/post/2013/03/franklin-blanked-by-wildcats-in-d2-state-championship.html

Wine Tasting at Franklin Liquors


Thursday March 21st 7PM
Host: Mark-Franklin Liquors
Guests: Roger Warner-Bay State Wine
Christine Zecker-Cameron Hughes Wines


http://franklinliquors.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/wine-tasting-event-cameron-hughes-march-21st-7pm/


Pour Richard's: Join us for an Easter Wine Tasting



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Basic store logo
Connecting good friends with great wine!
   
Never Drink Ordinary!
Please join us at Pour Richard's on Sunday, March 24th between 2 and 5 PM for a tasting of Easter Wines. We anticipate having 25+ selections of beer, wine and spirits open for you to try. Also, click the link below for our brochure of Easter and Passover recommendations.



                                             Easter Pairings


See you there! And as usual, Never Drink Ordinary.
Ann Williams and John Wass


 
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Pour Richard's Wine and Spirits | 14 Grove Street | Franklin | MA | 02038


Sunday, March 17, 2013

Join Healthy Futures Franklin


Join Healthy Futures Franklin to create sustainable change in our community. We believe that it takes a village (or community) to energize, inspire, and spark change. We are looking for sparkplugs (volunteers to serve on subcommittees) in Franklin who also believe that:

  • Play is powerful – Access to parks, outdoor recreation, and sidewalks is a priority
  • Healthy eating is a right not a privilege – Access to healthy, affordable foods is possible
  • United voices create change – Increase awareness of programs, projects and polices underway

Healthy Futures Franklin, a Mass in Motion initiative, works locally to increase opportunities for Franklin
Healthy Futures Franklin
Healthy Futures Franklin
residents to eat better and move more in the places they live, learn, work, and play. Franklin is among 52 cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth that are part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Mass in Motion Municipal Wellness and Leadership Program. Healthy Futures Franklin is working to support the implementation of Complete Street Policies, Safe Routes to School, Community Gardens, Safe Areas to Play and Be Active, and improving school nutrition initiatives that will make the healthy choice the easy choice for residents of Franklin.

Mass in Motion
Mass in Motion

Subcommittees will be meeting for the first time on March 20th at the Franklin Food Pantry Conference Room to focus on developing time lines to implement high impact strategies and policies to improve the health of Franklin. Become part of the movement or attend to learn more. There is no obligation to stay involved, but please consider learning what this is all about and help be part of the solution.

Both Subcommittees are scheduled to meet Wednesday, March 20, at the Franklin Food Pantry back to back to accommodate community members who are interested in both areas of focus.

  • Active Living Subcommittee – Wednesday, March 20, 6 – 7 PM
  • Healthy Eating Subcommittee – Wednesday, March 20, 7 – 8 PM


Please contact Lauren Marciszyn at 774.235.2737 or via email at LaurenM@hockymca.org to become involved, join our mailing list or learn more about this coalition.

This was crossposted to the Franklin Food Pantry webpage
http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2013/03/join-healthy-futures-franklin.html

"Lu shots"

Did you see that the CVS is expanding to offer walk in "lu shots"?

cvs sign
CVS sign

If you find similar 'fun' signs around Franklin send them to me and we can share them here. Or post them to the Franklin Matters Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/franklinmatters


This was originally posted to my  personal Twitter account on Saturday:
You can follow Franklin Matters on Twitter here  https://twitter.com/FranklinMatters


Jefferson and Oak St School Tours (video)

Realtor Warren Reynolds has posted his photos, videos, and summaries of the school tours of the Jefferson Elementary School and the Oak St Elementary School.

Here’s your chance to see the inside of the Jefferson Elementary School in Franklin, MA.  Jefferson Elementary is one of the most recently built schools in town, as amply demonstrated by the video and photo tour of the school provided below.
http://www.02038.com/2013/03/tour-jefferson-elementary/


Take a few minutes to tour the inside of the Oak Street Elementary School in Franklin, MA.  The school got a full renovation in 2004.  As the videos and photos below show, this is a beautiful primary education facility!
http://www.02038.com/2013/03/oak-st-elementary-tour/

Hopefully these posts will tempt you to join one of the remaining school tours this year. The one for Keller/Sullivan ended up getting canceled due to the snow (the new date has not been set yet). The tour of Franklin High School is scheduled for Apr 26th at 6:00 PM


"That human contact is critical"

The MA Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education is considering proposals for virtual schools. Up to 10 have been authorized to be created in MA over the next 10 years. In this recap of the status of the program and the first proposal from Greenfield, the Milford Daily News talked with Franklin.
Without face-to-face contact between teachers and students, Franklin Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski expects some students could fall behind. 
"It is a much more active type of learning," she said. "It could be a challenge for some students. You have to keep up with your work every day. Students may fall into thinking it will be a lot easier." 
Several other states offer blended learning and full-time online programs. In Florida, most students take online classes part-time, but full-time online students are able to connect with peers.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x930815941/School-officials-say-virtual-schools-are-a-tool-with-some-red-flags#ixzz2NnCmGGQb

More on the Commonwealth of MA Virtual Schools (CMVS) can be found on the MA DESE webpage
http://www.doe.mass.edu/odl/cmvs/

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Three Franklin Events for Sunday, Mar 17th

1 - Start with the Community Garden. From 9:00 AM until noon there will be spring garden work and demonstrations
http://www.franklincommunitygardens.org/2013/03/spring-garden-celebration.html

2 - Help celebrate the solar installation at the First Universalist Society at 11:45 AM
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/02/solar-anniversary-celebration.html

3 - Franklin celebrates it 235th birthday at the Historical Museum from 1:00 to 4:00 PM
Historical Commission Chairwoman Deborah Pellegri knows exactly how far her town has come since March 2, 1778, the date of its incorporation. And this year she will renew a tradition of holding public celebrations of Franklin's birthday. 
Pellegri, also the town clerk, invites one and all to a special party from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Historical Museum, 80 West Central St. In addition to wishing Franklin a happy birthday, she will recognize, as well, several residents born on March 2. 
Emma Newton, a 13-year-old harpist from Franklin, will perform, as well as local singer/songwriter Jamie Barrett, who’ll play "The City Known as the Town of Franklin," his ode to the town.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1433797648/Franklin-to-celebrate-235th-birthday#ixzz2NhGy7Q9g

Jamie Barrett's "The City Known as the Town of Franklin"




And an alternative to these three events would be to get to Boston to see the boys hockey team play in the State Championship game


TED 2013: Bono on poverty (video)

Spend 14 minutes to get some impressive facts on poverty.
"We're going to win if we work together as one, because the power of the people is so much stronger than the people in power." Bono




Take action. Become a factivist with one.org

Or focus your activities on the Franklin community and help with the Franklin Food Pantry

In the News: Dean College, DelCarte



Lenny at Large: Dean College teacher on the Boston stage

The busy life is nothing new for McCaela Donovan. On this recent day, she is leaving the hustle of Boston for suburban Franklin, where the 30-year-old teaches acting to Dean College students who are serious about the craft, maybe as serious as she was at their age.



FinCom sets up development of new recreational park

The Finance Committee on Thursday night paved the way for a new recreational park inside the Ernest DelCarte Open Space, also know as the Franklin Reservoir.

Friday, March 15, 2013

DelCarte Recreation Proposal

There were two items on the Finance Committee agenda before they got into their budget hearing on Thursday. The first approved $35,000 for a solar powered speed alert to be installed on King St near the Parmenter School (Wachusett St) to slow the traffic down and make it safer for students to cross the road.

The second reallocated money that had been set aside for the repair of the dams on the DelCarte property. There had been $1.4M set aside last year. The bids came in for the dam repair at about $900,000 leaving this money in the fund that still needs to be spent on 'capital'. There was a public hearing on Tuesday where about 6-9 neighbors attended to review the plans. The Finance Committee voted 6-0 to approve the reallocation. The measure now moves to the Town Council agenda for their approval. Assuming approval, the work on the dams would be complete sometime in June and this work would begin thereafter. Depending upon the weather and priorities, the remainder of the work may not be completed this year.

A display of the proposal and playground model

DelCarte Recreation Proposal
DelCarte Recreation Proposal

A close up of the playground model

DelCarte Recreation Proposal
DelCarte Recreation Proposal - playground model

A close up of the overall display board

DelCarte Recreation Proposal
DelCarte Recreation Proposal - display board

A map of the DelCarte porperty showing the proposed trails and playground. Pleasant St is running along the top of this map. The train tracks are the solid line along the bottom of the photo.

DelCarte Recreation Proposal
DelCarte Recreation Proposal - map of trails and playground

These display boards are located in the entrance to the Franklin Municipal Building.


"assist with the unfunded mandates"

The Milford Daily News reports on the budget hearing from Thursday night:
The town’s portion of the more than $27 million in improvements planned for the Charles River Pollution Control District treatment plant has decreased by a half a million dollars, significantly reducing the proposed fiscal year 2014 sewer budget. 
Jeffrey Nutting gave the Finance Committee the news on Thursday, during its second night of hearings to review the $95,109,701 FY ’14 budget. The change in Franklin’s commitment to the Charles River project brought the sewer budget down by about $800,000, to $3,652,810. 
Franklin must cover 67 percent of the total cost to the plant, while Medway’s share will be 16.75 percent, or $4.6 million. Millis and Bellingham will foot the remainder.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x898149250/Franklins-FY-14-sewer-budget-sees-decrease#ixzz2NbH1852G

While the sewer budget will decrease the sewer rates were already set so there won't be an immediate change. The real impact will be in the future where due to this decrease the anticipated increase to cover the DEP mandated enhancements to the plant will be less which would mean that the rate increase to cover that assessment would be less. Still it is good news but not an immediate effect on the rates we pay today.

Related links:

The short version of the budget document reviewed last night can be found on the Franklin webpage
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Admin/FY%202014%20Proposed%20Budget/FY%2014%20Proposed%20Budget.pdf

The complete set of documents for the school budget can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/03/fy-2014-franklin-public-schools.html

My reporting from the budget hearing Wednesday can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/03/live-reporting-finance-committee-mar-13.html

My reporting from the budget hearing Thursday can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/03/live-reporting-finance-committee-mar-14.html


Spring Curbside Yard Waste Pickup Schedule


Week of April 8th, 2013
Week of May 13th, 2013
Yard waste will be picked up on your trash day each of the 2 pick up periods. Yard waste must be in compostable bags or open bins and barrels. Small brush will be collected and must be bundled with organic twine no larger than 2 feet by 4 feet. Branches must be under 4” and less than 4 feet. No — loose yard waste, plastic of any kind, large items or non-yard waste.