Live reporting: Action Items

4. Action Items

a. I recommend acceptance of four checks totaling $3,350.00 for FHS as detailed:

1. Raytheon $1,000.00
2. Franklin Music boosters $1,800.00
3. Maura Schaeffer $250.00 (scholarship)
4. Anonymous $300.00
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0


b. I recommend acceptance of three checks totaling $12,496.00 from Franklin Music Parents from the Middle and High Schools.
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

c. I recommend acceptance of a check for $50.00 from Lueder’s for Davis Thayer Elementary School.
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

d. I recommend approval of the addition of Girls/Boys Freshman Lacrosse 
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

and Girls Gymnastics as outlined by FHS Principal.
motion to accept, seconded, passed 6-0

The motions were made separately but both ultimately passed. The unified team is more a group than technically a team and hence did not need a committee vote per Superintendent Sabolinski


Note: unfortunately, I need to leave to cover a work commitment so I was unable to report on the remainder of the meeting Tuesday night. I should be able to catch the remainder via video replay.

Live reporting: calendar choices - 2 options for 2016-2017

Option one

• starts after Labor Day, ends June 21

Option two

• start staff and students before Labor Day, end June 16

Douglas - can we consider using Dec 23 as half-day (either way) as a thanks for the teachers

Scofield - since we go so late, have we considered one winter break rather than 2?
Sabolinski - we have some discussion and data around that but it is not conclusive either way

Live reporting: Update on hiring of Football Coach

e. Update on Hiring of Football Coach

Sidwell has moved to the AD role and left the football coaching spot
a screening committee is working through 25 applications
9 candidates most likely on short list
search committee representative of the stakeholders
interview the 9 candidates starting tomorrow
looking for an educator role model 
focus on academics, social emotional development
be more visible in the community

as this is a high school position, the decision will be by the high school principle and staff
it is a coaching position, stipend position
hope to have the process shortened from 9 to next round at the end of this week

O'Malley - seems like an inclusive interview process to do this

Sabolinski - we have a good committee and want to thank them for their work in this matter

Live reporting: proposal for new sports teams

d. FHS Proposal for New Sports Teams
Brad Sidwell, Peter Light

working with a variety of folks in the community, to identify needs not currently being met
youth programs, booster groups, etc.
feasibility studies done, impact on budget, most cases budget neutral for sports
some are grant funded to defray the costs



inclusion of special education students
applied for a Best Buddies grant, also received a grant from Special Olympics to help with this
would need to get the special ed students paired with a partner

• unified track program an extension of Best Buddies

this is a no cost program for the students as it is being funded by grants

• lacrosse teams at freshman level

nothing currently elsewhere in the Hockomock League
would look around to get games for competition outside the league
need to be careful with Title 9 and offer similar programs for boys and girls

BC High, St John's Shrewsbury, Duxbury mentioned as possible competition at this level

'if Franklin builds it, the other Hockomock teams will follow'
Sabolinski - we started in 2003 with the girls hockey team, lead the way then and are continuing to lead as we need to

• gymnastics

the only team in the Hockomock League without a team
have met with parents for three years to review this team
would need to find space for the team to practice and compete, should not be an issue

gym equipment is large and expensive and hard to store so this would be a good start

discussion with School Committee members, then audience, then to be voted on later tonight

actual cost is the cost to the district

we have not decreased in number of kids at the high school participating
we have decreased in percent participation

Q - explored the opportunity for a second JV team
A - scheduling is even harder, the teams at the freshman level is usually available

did explore a variety of options, did try a freshman/JV program and it didn't work so well
this should get us with a good start

325-375 boys in the lacrosse program last several years
good success at this level, the quality of talent is there, the volume and interest is there

Live reporting: FHS Program of studies update

c. FHS Program of Studies Update
Peter Light





Note the doc linked to is in the process of being updated. It contains most of the new updates but the date for the program of instruction still refers to '2015-2016' school year (rather than the 2016-1017 school year)

• computer science, grant from State last year allowed development of this new aspect of training
• advanced placement of computer science principles; expand upon the current offering which is targeted for coders, this is more broadly based student; students develop a portfolio rather than finish with an exam
• advanced placement physic level 1 and increase over the physics C course (targeted for engineering students)
• overview of environmental science, currently offering a series of semester electives but those classes mostly do not end up being run as the enrollments don't reach the required level

O'Malley - how many AP classes do we offer?

Light - only 2 or 3 AP classes that we don't offer (languages, and micro economics as examples)

52-54% of the senior class takes an AP class

Jewel - stick with the fundamentals, sometimes the students go to fast through the intros and don't learn it as well as they should

Live reporting: Substance Abuse Presentation

b. FHS Substance Abuse Task Force

Peter Light, Kristin Circe, and Joshua MacCreery

Substance Abuse Education - 2016 from Franklin Matters

numbers lower than national average but can be better
data from MetroWest survey has not changed a whole deal over the years

substance abuse education from K-12
age appropriate through the years to create and enhance the awareness
more depth beginning about 5th grade

increase in clubs and activities at the High School helps
SADD is a key club in some of the activities

Panthers Club and Community Service Club

School Wellness Advisory Council (SWAC)
focuses on extra curricular healthy activities

FHS substance abuse sub-committee has three leads to focus on students, faculty and community to assist in raising awareness and education

Chris Herren (former NBA basketball player) coming to speak at FHS Feb 29th


Bilello - thanks for the information
it was disappointing that at the SAFE coalition forum, one student spoke to somethings that are not reflected here
what are you doing with the middle schools?

Circe - using the data to drive curriculum and awareness down to the middle school level, the 7/8 students actually participate in the survey

Light - did get about 80 FHS teachers show up to do something to help, looking to start small and build on success; activities being planned around the Chris Herren visit; possible event planned for the joint basketball games at FHS against KP. Police coming in to do some drug awareness training during March and extend to middle school personnel. This does have a district wide impact

Schultz - question on the numbers, 10% in middle school 
Circe - the answers are life time events, not necessarily an indication of a continued use. Later added that the average had decreased over the past several year. Still a decent number of users but a down trend.
Light - use of a 'party' bowl where extra drugs are brought to a party to be shared - not really a smart decision because you have no idea what is really being used
Sabolinski - academic stress increases as they get to juniors, taking more caffeine and other self medications to get through it. Can go back to the zones of regulation, helping kids learn to recognize and deal with the emotions. Have spent several years moving in this direction. The anxiety and depression increases

Jewel - concern with the guidance as not always be good, need to be able to decipher. Some of the consequences of taking one drug or another may not be recoverable.

Live reporting: School Committee - Jan 12, 2016

Present: Bilello, Scofield, Douglas, O'Malley, Schultz, Jewel
Absent:  Bergan

1. Routine Business

Citizen’s Comments
Review of Agenda
- no changes

Minutes: I recommend approval of the minutes from the December 8, 2015 School Committee Meeting.
- Motion to approve, seconded, passed 6-0

Payment of Bills Dr. O’Malley
Payroll Mrs. Douglas
FHS Student Representatives
- discussion on lanyard policy, lack of pencil sharpeners in the classrooms is also an issue

Correspondence: Budget to Actual – Miriam Goodman

2. Guests/Presentations

a. Jefferson Elementary School Update
(doc to be added)