Franklin Matters

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Franklin Community Garden Seedling Sale ->> May 28-29

This year's seedling sale will be held May 28-29 (Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend), at the King Street Community Garden, from 9 AM-12 PM both days.

Stop by, get your plants, and talk to us about joining the Community Garden Committee!

We need new committee members as well as new gardeners.

If you can't make it to the sale but you're interested, please feel free to contact us through Facebook or email and we'll be happy to fill you in!

Community Garden

Community Garden Committee on the Town of Franklin website

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_BComm/garden

Community Garden Committee on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Franklin-Community-Gardens-152040424825578/

Dean Children's Center - Exploration Open House - June 2

Dean Children's Center will host an Exploration Open House on Thursday, June 2, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Parents of children 2 years old to 6 years are encouraged to bring their child to explore the school and learn about our program. Applications are being accepted for 5-day morning, 2-day morning, 3-day morning preschool programs or 4-day Pre-K program.

Innovative and progressive, the school is NAEYC accredited and well known in the community for an inspiring preschool experience. Dean Children's Center is a lab school for ECE majors, with teachers-in-training alongside credentialed teachers. The center has a very professional and caring environment for children to learn through exploration.

The school uses a developmental approach to education which reflects current research in child development and peer conflict resolution. Director Faith Nickolas states "We are a regional resource to parents and educators on peer conflict resolution in young children and our lab school is a demonstration site for best practices in early education of children."

Dean College Children's Center is located at 144 School Street in Franklin. For more information, call 508-541-1598.

image linked from Dean CHildren's Center webpage

Summer STAR Classes - Openings are still available!

Gee, with classes like these, it sounds like it would be really fun to go this summer!

The Summer STAR Program at Jefferson Elementary has limited availability in these classes.

Elementary School Musical

entering grades 3, 4, 5, 6

2 Weeks, July 11 - 22

8:30 am to 12:30 pm

This class allows students to gain confidence in singing, acting, improvisation, and choreographed movement along with performing in front of an audience. Students will work together to create small group and large group songs. The class culminates in a mini-musical revue for the parents.

Rock Band

entering grades 4, 5, 6

2 Weeks, July 11 - 22

8:30 am to 12:30 pm

Have you always wondered what it would like to be in a Rock Band? Do you want to find out? Whether you have musical experience or not, join Mr. Barrett as he creates a rock band from scratch! At the end of the two weeks, you can put on a Rock Show!

Accessorize Yourself

entering grades 3, 4, 5

July 11 - 15, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

If you are looking to add a little "bling" to your daily wardrobe, look no further. During the week, we will be transforming t-shirts into new accessories such as a scarf or a hand bag. We will take colorful duct tape and create interesting bracelets and lanyards. We will also add sparkle to our sunglasses and flip flops.

Celebrating the American Girl

entering grades 3, 4, 5

July 11 - 15, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

Girls don't need to have an American Girl doll to enjoy this class. During the week, the girls and their dolls will participate in many fun activities such as PJ day with hot off the griddle pancakes, a tea party with cupcake decorating, crafts, stories, games, and much more!

Ultimate Sports Academy

entering grades 4, 5

July 25 to 29, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

All students will be engaged, encouraged, and motivated in a variety of individual and team sports such as soccer, baseball, softball, flag football. Students will use teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship as these values are the cornerstone for effective game play.

Clay's the Way

entering grades 3, 4, 5

August 1 to 5, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

We will be using clay and other art materials to create unique and exciting sculptures!

Star Wars STEM

entering grades 4, 5, 6

August 1 to 5, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

Make the science of Star Wars come to life while investigating the truth and fiction behind your favorite Star Wars movies. The Hoth system may be "far, far away", but there is plenty to create right here in Franklin. Design, Build, Play and may the Force be with you!

Save Spruce Pond Brook - Stop Madalene Village Development

The continuation of the hearing on the developer's proposal for Madalene Village is scheduled for Thursday, May 19 at 7:50 PM. The Zoning Board of Appeals full agenda for this meeting can be found here

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_ZBAAgendas/Agendas%202016/05-19-16%20ZBA%20Meeting.pdf

7:50 PM

21 Peck Street and 180 Cottage Street, Madalene Village - MV Cottage Development LLC Applicant is seeking a building permit to construct a 40 unit townhome style development. The building permit is denied without a comprehensive permit from the ZBA.

a view of the brook from Wachusetts St

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczbmptU2piU29nTU0/view?usp=sharing

"The Good Samaritan law removes a key barrier"

"Tuesday, May 17 at the State House, Governor Charlie Baker and Attorney General Maura Healey unveiled a new public information campaign to encourage people to call 911 for emergency medical services at the first signs of a drug overdose. Along with Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, Department of Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel and members of the law enforcement community, state officials launched the $250,000 Make the Right Call campaign to promote the Massachusetts 911 Good Samaritan Law.

This law provides protection to individuals seeking medical assistance for themselves or someone else experiencing a drug-related overdose, including opioid-related overdoses, without the risk of charges of possession of a controlled substance."

Continue reading the Governor's press release

http://www.mass.gov/governor/press-office/press-releases/fy2016/administration-ags-office-call-911-during-overdoses.html

Make the Right Call

Make the Right Call targets active users of opioids and their friends and families with a simple message that they shouldn’t be afraid to seek help when they see an overdose. The campaign includes billboards, and advertisements on street furniture and other public environments where overdoses can take place. Viewers are directed to the website for more information on what to say when calling 911, what to do while waiting for help to arrive, and where they can access the overdose reversal tool Naloxone, more commonly called Narcan.

Make the Right Call website

http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/substance-abuse/make-the-right-call-public-information-campaign.html

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

ALERT: Changing Downtown Traffic Pattern Coming at the End of June

Dear Franklin Resident:

This is the first announcement to the community that the traffic pattern will be changing in Downtown Franklin toward the end of June, 2016. The one-way traffic pattern in downtown, which many have become accustomed to, will be changing to two-way traffic. Yes, that’s correct: traffic around the downtown triangle will soon become two-way! We encourage everyone to take it a little slower in their daily business to make sure you get accustomed to the new flow of traffic.

While the date has not been specified yet when the traffic pattern will become two-way, we can’t begin to educate the community soon enough. We encourage you to follow the town website and social media (Facebook, Twitter) feeds, as well as the Town’s traditional local media channels to stay tuned for specific updates over the coming month. We are counting on you to help spread the word.

Downtown Map

A map is attached of the new traffic routes. I encourage you to print it out, send it to friends and family and begin to spread the word.

Future Notification

As part of the construction contract with the state, the Town will be placing electronic boards at all intersections of downtown when the traffic transitions to two-way. New lane markings will be painted around the entire downtown, as well as signage in key areas. Individual letters will also be distributed to all downtown businesses to help educate their customers of the traffic flow when exiting their business. The Town will also be doing as much publicity as possible through its own social media feeds and through traditional local media channels on this pattern change.

Public Benefits

I also want to take this opportunity to thank the community for their patience during the recent construction in downtown. The Town is installing many public benefits, including new sidewalks, new paving, better pedestrian-friendly accommodations, and many beautification efforts to enhance the vibrancy of the downtown. The planning effort for this project has taken well over a decade and I am confident residents will enjoy the new amenities.

If any resident has any questions, feel free to contact the Town Administrator’s Office at 508-520-4949.

Sincerely,

Jeff Nutting, Town Administrator
Jamie Hellen, Deputy Town Administrator