In the News: 46 superintendent candidates; student held without bail

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The school district has received 46 applications for its superintendent position, officials revealed this week. 

School Committee Chairman Kevin O'Malley, speaking at Tuesday night's committee meeting, gave an update on the process, saying he hopes the search will end early in 2017. The district is looking to replace current Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski, who will be retiring at the end of the school year. 

O'Malley said the district's search consultant - Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates - reported the applicant figure as of earlier that day. He indicated that he was pleased that there was high interest in the position."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161214/franklin-receives-46-applicants-for-superintendent-position

The report from HYA defining what they believe to be the profile of the new Superintendent can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/12/the-leadership-profile-for-franklin.html

Franklin High School

"A Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School student was ordered held without bail in Wrentham District Court Wednesday for charges that he allegedly threatened to "shoot up the school." 

Julius Willis, 18, of 503 Ellis Road in North Attleborough, pleaded not guilty to charges of threatening to commit a crime, making a threat that caused serious public alarm, disturbing a school, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Judge Emogene Johnson Smith ordered Willis held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Dec. 22. 

Franklin Police Lt. Mark Manocchio wrote in an affidavit that police were called to the school at about 11 a.m. on Tuesday for reported threats."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161214/tri-county-student-accused-of-making-school-shooting-threats

Franklin School Committee Newsletter

The Franklin School Committee has published their first in a series of newsletters.





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Families Share the Stage In FPAC’S Humbug!

When the curtain rises on Franklin Performing Arts Company’s Humbug!, a contemporary musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, several local families will share the stage. The FPAC original features 11 sets of parents and their children as part of a large ensemble cast of some 125 professional artists, community performers and students of the arts. 

“Live theater creates a space where we can come together and have a collective experience,” says Mireille Eastman, who performs in the production along with her husband, Charley Eastman, and all three of their children. “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be involved in Humbug! as a family. Sharing our passion for live theater with our children has brought us all closer together.” 

The Eastman Family appears in Humbug!

Charley and Mireille starred opposite one another in FPAC’s 2014 production of Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve. They are cast as husband and wife in Humbug!, playing Fanny May and Freddy Mack. Among the couple’s theater training, Charley earned a BFA in Acting from the University of Connecticut at Storrs while Mireille received a BA in Theater from Hunter College, with additional training at William Esper Studio and the Actors Movement Studio. Charley’s FPAC credits also include Annie (Rooster), The Tempest (Prospero), The Dumb Waiter (Gus) and The Zoo Story (Jerry). Mireille has performed on stage in New York and in various film and video productions.

Daughter Ameline, age 8, is in Humbug’s Children’s Ensemble, while son Emmett, age 9, and daughter Phoebe, age 11, are in the Youth Ensemble. The kids have taken dance, voice and musical theater classes at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), and Ameline and Emmett participate in FSPA’s new AfterSchool program.

“Emmett, who tends to be our toughest critic, turned to us after rehearsal one day and said, ‘Daddy, I really like being in the show. It’s a lot of fun.’ That is high praise from a nine-year-old boy! And Ameline already wants to know when she can audition for the next show.”

Youth development in the arts is a special focus of FPAC, founded in 1991 by Executive Director Raye Lynn Mercer. Productions provide ongoing opportunities for families to connect through the arts, with multiple generations sharing rehearsals and time on stage together.

“FPAC provides a safe intergenerational space, where we can all work hard and play hard, reaching a finite goal,” Mireille notes. “The experience allows us to interact as peers under the careful direction of Raye Lynn Mercer and volunteer our time and energy for something creative and beneficial for the community.”

The Eastmans are involved in a number of community initiatives in addition to FPAC, including Meals on Wheels, the Franklin Arts Association, and the Franklin Federated Church, where Charley is Pastor.

“All of these touchstones will be part of our life in Franklin and our children’s childhood,” says Mireille.

Other families performing in Humbug! this season include Kristen, Tony and Griffin Wilkins of Walpole, as well as the following Franklin residents: Janene and Madison Asgeirsson; Charlotte and Michelle Berry; Ed, Jocelyn and Wendy Jones; Greg, Madison and Sydney Leach and Michele Webster; Holly and Tatiana McAlpine; Debra, Matthew and Shane Packard; Chuck and Mackenzie Peters; Guy, Hannah and Madison Rezendes, with grandfather Steve Crowley; and Jaiden, Lindsey, Melissa and Peter Wyner. 

A family favorite since debuting as part of FPAC’s 2008-09 season, Humbug! is conceived, written and directed by Franklin’s Nick Paone, who also stars as Scrooge. The musical features Dickens’ familiar characters and story, but re-imagines the classic tale in contemporary America for a modern audience with updated references to current events and pop culture. The storyline is supported by musical hits of many genres with live accompaniment by a 10-piece band of professional musicians.

Humbug! will be performed on Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, December 18, at 2 p.m. at the Franklin High School Auditorium, 218 Oak Street. Raye Lynn Mercer co-directs the production, with musical direction by Hallie Wetzell and choreography by Kellie Stamp, Mercer and Paone. Tickets are $30-$34 and may be purchased at www.fpaconline.com, or at 508-528-3370. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation and Waters Corporation are FPAC 2016 Holiday Sponsors. Northern Trust is a Performance Sponsor. 

Madalene Village - Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting - Dec 15 - 7:35 PM

"This Thursday, December 15th at 7:35 pm will be the last public Zoning Board of Appeals meeting regarding Madalene Village, a proposed 32-unit development next to Fletcher Field with entrances on both Cottage Street and Peck Street.

While attendance at these ZBA meetings has been strong when this development is on the agenda, we're looking to make the most impact possible at the last one. It's clear that the ZBA members have noticed our attendance and listened to our concerns, so I'm hopeful we can make a lasting impact.

Could you help us spread the word?

I've posted as much info as we have on the Facebook group, but if you have any questions, please let me know."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/savesprucepondbrook/

The revised Storm Water Report (270 pages)

Letter from Conservation Agent

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczSnJYbHJEeks4NTA/view?usp=sharing

Letter from Fire Chief

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczRTUwcE9hdXBMYU0/view?usp=sharing

draft of plan for Madalene Village proposal near Fletcher Field with entrance from Cottage and Peck Streets

FHS Boys Basketball tops North Attleboro 72-51

From Hockomock Sports we share the results of the FHS basketball games on Tuesday. The boys team won at FHS beating North Attleboro 72- 51. The girls team lost on the road at North Attleboro 43-36.

Boys Basketball = North Attleboro, 51 @ Franklin, 72 – Final

"High pressure defense has been a staple for Franklin over the past two years and if Tuesday night is any indication, you can expect more of the same this year. 

The Panthers used a full court press and a handful of traps to force 21 turnovers and come away with a 72-51 win over North Attleboro in both teams’ season opener. 

“I thought defensively we did a pretty good job,” Franklin head coach CJ Neely said. “I thought we were taking too many chances a little bit. Even though we were pressing and we wanted to create a crazy environment, I think one of the reasons [North Attleboro] had a high scoring percentage is because we were taking a lot of chances. Once we got it down, we were able to turn them over and get some stops.”

Continue reading the full game recap
https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-boys-basketball-rides-defense-past-north-attleboro/

FHS PAnthers

Girls Basketball = Franklin, 36 @ North Attleboro, 43 – Final

– The Rocketeers outscored Franklin 19-12 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win in their season opener. Ashley Ahern led the way for North with 15 points, including eight in the fourth, and sophomore Julia Feid had 10 for the Rocketeers. Franklin was led by freshman Ali Brigham who scored 18 points in her second varsity game.

For all the results around the Hockomock League on Tuesday
https://hockomocksports.com/tuesdays-schedule-scoreboard-121316/

Inclement Weather and School Closing Information

As winter has arrived, here is a reminder on the inclement weather and school closing information for the Franklin Public Schools.

Franklin HIgh School in winter time

60 Tri-County Adams Scholars Recognized

Sixty seniors at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School qualified to receive the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship for their performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test.

The students were recognized on Tuesday, December 13, during a celebratory luncheon in the school’s cafeteria.

The recipients from the Class of 2017 are: Ethan Hardy, Rocio Henriquez, and John Shultz, of Attleboro, Zachary Keeler, Matthew Moses, and Morgan Shields, of Bellingham, Joseph Brown, Delaney Forbes, Gillian Geddry, Ryan Koester, Maxwell Lewis, Amy O'Brien, Angelina Rivera, Christopher Roy, Connor Schultz, Rachel Signori, and Adam Tozian, of Franklin, Oliver Anderson, Samantha Frey, William Galligan, Sarah Gordon, Daelyn Hiduchick, and George Wood, of Medway, Rebecca Tomlin, of Millis, Sean Dever, Hollyann Edwards, Kate Healy, and Cory Krasner, of Norfolk, Torin Amoling, Shannon Ballard, Allyson Bettencourt, Madeline Bettencourt, Katelyn Billington, Thomas Bourget, Amanda Didion, Abigail Fisher, Autumn Ghisalbert, Alye Gobin, Dane Hooker, Cameron Killian, Colleen Kinney, Madison Lema, Kathleen Loonie, Robert Malcolmson, Caroline Moriarty, Alexa Paulhus, Alexis Plantz, Mackenzie Rider, Jennie Twyman, and Cara Wolfe, of North Attleborough, Cameron Couto, and April MacRoberts of Plainville, Christian Brown, and Adriana Oliveira, of Seekonk, Tyler Curtin, and Katherine Pensak, of Walpole, and Brian Foote, Wesley Garza, Richard Hepburn, and Emily Small, of Wrentham.

The scholarship provides up to eight semesters of free tuition to full-time undergraduate students who attend a Massachusetts state college or university. To be eligible, students in the Class of 2017 had to achieve an Advanced score on one of the three high school state assessment tests in ELA, Mathematics or STE, and score at the Proficient level or higher on the two remaining tests. Their combined scores must also place them among the top 25-percent of students in the graduating class in their district.

60 Tri-County Adams Scholars Recognized

Tri-County RVTHS, located at 147 Pond Street in Franklin, is a recipient of the High Schools That Work Gold Achievement Award and serves the communities of Franklin, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Plainville, Seekonk, Sherborn, Walpole, and Wrentham