The draft school calendar for the 2014-15 school year is available for review and discussion. It is currently scheduled for approval at the School Committee meeting on Jan 28th.
While the school calendar started early this year, one main reason was for school to end early and help with the move from the old high school to the new. Next year's calendar was scheduled to start late (i.e. after Labor Day) to enable more time for the move and settling into the new high school. Labor Day falls on Sep 1 this year!
You can view the proposed calendar here
Or go to the School Department webpage here
http://franklindistrict.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinDistrict_News/01C6DD65-000F8513
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Report card changes coming to elementary schools
Report card changes that were supposed to implemented this school year have been moved out to next year. So parents should be aware that the report card format currently used does not align with the standards being taught in the classrooms. Parents should participate in one of the forums being scheduled to review the proposed changes to the report card.
Parent Meeting Schedule
Oak and Kennedy = Jan 22, 6:30 PM (at Oak St Library)
Keller and Davis Thayer = Jan 30, 6:30 PM (at Keller Library)
Jefferson and Parmenter = Feb 6, 6:30 PM (at Parmenter Library)
Weather date (if needed) = Feb 12, 6:30 PM (TBD)
The letter to the parents was posted to the Franklin Schools webpage here
http://franklindistrict.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinDistrict_News/01C5CCDE-000F8513
Parent Meeting Schedule
Oak and Kennedy = Jan 22, 6:30 PM (at Oak St Library)
Keller and Davis Thayer = Jan 30, 6:30 PM (at Keller Library)
Jefferson and Parmenter = Feb 6, 6:30 PM (at Parmenter Library)
Weather date (if needed) = Feb 12, 6:30 PM (TBD)
The letter to the parents was posted to the Franklin Schools webpage here
http://franklindistrict.vt-s.net/Pages/FranklinDistrict_News/01C5CCDE-000F8513
Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee : 2014 Annual Appeal
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Stephen Sherlock
Chair, Board of Directors (volunteer) for Franklin Food Pantry
Community Information Director (volunteer) for FranklinMAtters.org/
Monday, January 20, 2014
Reminder: the Holiday delays trash/recycle pickups one day this week
Monday, January 20 is a Federal holiday so trash and recycling pickup will be on a one day delay from your scheduled pick up day.
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| trash/recycle lined up for pickup |
Editorial: Resolving the Library dispute
In my role as the self-appointed Community Information Director, I present the details and leave the opinions aside. For the Library Board of Directors vs. Friends of the Library issue, this has gone on long enough and I can no longer sit idle on the sideline.
When the Library Board of Directors canceled the Book Sale run by the Friends of the Library, this was the ultimate move in a disintegrating relationship. The bi-annual book sale which raised about $10-20,000 per year was no more. The event held at the DPW that was a great community gathering was no longer. The Library proceeded to conduct their own regular and now a monthly book sale to raise funds in lieu of what the Friends would have been providing.
I attended the Board of Directors meeting in September. I also attended the Friends of the Library (FOFL) meeting this January. While there have been some personnel changes on both sides, the discussion doesn't seem to be making progress. During this recent FOFL meeting, no matter which side was leading the conversation, it would go down one of the rat holes of he-said/she-said with disappointing body language exhibited by the other side.
In the he-said/she-said, there is disagreement about timeliness of delivery of funds from the Friends to the Library, and there is disagreement about information requested by the Friends and not provided by the Library as an example of some of the issues. There is more but suffice to say, there is no point in trying to resolve this he-said/she-said.
Suffice to say there when some one plays in the mud, everyone gets dirty. Both sides have room to improve their behavior.
It is time to for both parties (Library Board and FOFL) to put the past aside. The real issue is the Library budget over the years. There is not sufficient funding for the Library to operate the way it used to or the way it should. For both sides to continue to squabble over the $10-20,000 from the book sale diverts attention from the real issue.
The people of Franklin need a library that functions well, is open for convenient hours, and provides appropriate services to meet the needs of the library users. The needs will change as technology changes. There will be need for less hardcover books and more ebooks for example.
The chart below shows the total Franklin Library budget from fiscal year 2005 through 2014. The peak year was in fiscal 2008 at $925,000. This year's budget is $237,000 less and both sides are arguing about $10-20,000? Come one, get real. Ten years of maximum book sales don't make up this years delta from the peak.
Frankly, the $10-20,000 is insignificant compared to the real budget issue. The budget currently covers the only the daily operating expenses.
I respectfully encourage Franklin residents, taxpayers, and voters to talk with the members of Board of Directors AND the Friends of the Franklin Library. The next time you see one of them around town, tell them to put aside the past once and for all. Let's get on with solving the real mission of the library: providing a worthy resource center for all of Franklin residents young and old!
Let's not leave Ben wondering if he really did the right thing!
Information about both the Library Board of Directors and the Friends of the Franklin Library can be found here http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Library/about
When the Library Board of Directors canceled the Book Sale run by the Friends of the Library, this was the ultimate move in a disintegrating relationship. The bi-annual book sale which raised about $10-20,000 per year was no more. The event held at the DPW that was a great community gathering was no longer. The Library proceeded to conduct their own regular and now a monthly book sale to raise funds in lieu of what the Friends would have been providing.
I attended the Board of Directors meeting in September. I also attended the Friends of the Library (FOFL) meeting this January. While there have been some personnel changes on both sides, the discussion doesn't seem to be making progress. During this recent FOFL meeting, no matter which side was leading the conversation, it would go down one of the rat holes of he-said/she-said with disappointing body language exhibited by the other side.
In the he-said/she-said, there is disagreement about timeliness of delivery of funds from the Friends to the Library, and there is disagreement about information requested by the Friends and not provided by the Library as an example of some of the issues. There is more but suffice to say, there is no point in trying to resolve this he-said/she-said.
Suffice to say there when some one plays in the mud, everyone gets dirty. Both sides have room to improve their behavior.
It is time to for both parties (Library Board and FOFL) to put the past aside. The real issue is the Library budget over the years. There is not sufficient funding for the Library to operate the way it used to or the way it should. For both sides to continue to squabble over the $10-20,000 from the book sale diverts attention from the real issue.
The people of Franklin need a library that functions well, is open for convenient hours, and provides appropriate services to meet the needs of the library users. The needs will change as technology changes. There will be need for less hardcover books and more ebooks for example.
The chart below shows the total Franklin Library budget from fiscal year 2005 through 2014. The peak year was in fiscal 2008 at $925,000. This year's budget is $237,000 less and both sides are arguing about $10-20,000? Come one, get real. Ten years of maximum book sales don't make up this years delta from the peak.
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| Franklin Library Budget History - total dollars FY 2006 - 2014 |
Frankly, the $10-20,000 is insignificant compared to the real budget issue. The budget currently covers the only the daily operating expenses.
- What about the library renovations? That will need to come from the Franklin capital budget or perhaps the bonding capability that Franklin has. The proposal needs to be reviewed, discussed and supported. This seems to be on schedule for some time in March.
- What about digitizing the archives of microfiche? Where will that money come from? Are there collections that Franklin has that others would like access to?
- What about taking care of the original set of books from Benjamin Franklin that started the library as the first free and public library in USA? Do we really want our legacy and possibly most treasured possession to be "None of those books will ever be read again"? If you missed that story from November you can read it here http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/11/none-of-those-books-will-ever-be-read.html
I respectfully encourage Franklin residents, taxpayers, and voters to talk with the members of Board of Directors AND the Friends of the Franklin Library. The next time you see one of them around town, tell them to put aside the past once and for all. Let's get on with solving the real mission of the library: providing a worthy resource center for all of Franklin residents young and old!
Let's not leave Ben wondering if he really did the right thing!
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| Benjamin Franklin statue outside Franklin Public Library |
Information about both the Library Board of Directors and the Friends of the Franklin Library can be found here http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Library/about
Video tour of the new Franklin High School
From Pantherbook, you can take a student lead and produced tour of the new Franklin High School currently under construction. The video was put together by FHS students and finished in November 2013, posted to Pantherbook on Saturday.
Nice job!
The new school is going to an amazing facility that Franklin will be proud of.
Visit Pantherbook here http://pantherbook.org/
The video appears to have been recorded in late Oct or early November given the construction status of the building exterior. I compared the photo of Principal Peter Light in the opening of the video with photos of the same location in October and November.
My full collection of posts on the high school with an almost monthly set of photos can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/collection-high-school-building-project.html
Nice job!
The new school is going to an amazing facility that Franklin will be proud of.
Visit Pantherbook here http://pantherbook.org/
The video appears to have been recorded in late Oct or early November given the construction status of the building exterior. I compared the photo of Principal Peter Light in the opening of the video with photos of the same location in October and November.
My full collection of posts on the high school with an almost monthly set of photos can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/collection-high-school-building-project.html
Public Meeting: Emmons St Building
So many of you have great ideas for the future use of the downtown Emmons Street property. Please come and be part of the discussion!
See details below:
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2014
7:00 PM
Franklin Municipal Building 355 East Central St
3rd Floor Training Room
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