Thursday, January 18, 2018

Need some Franklin gear?

The FHS webpage has a online store to purchase Franklin clothing

https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/panthers-28


The FHS webpage has a online store to purchase Franklin clothing
The FHS webpage has a online store to purchase Franklin clothing


From the FHS School page, select Parents and scroll down the listing to select "School Store (online)"


"a great thing considering the town’s history"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"The words of the town’s namesake filled the air. And more than three centuries later, many of them still apply. 
To celebrate the 312th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the town held an inaugural public readathon of his autobiography at the library on Wednesday. 
The daylong event included guest readers spanning from Franklin State Rep. Jeff Roy to local engineer and inventor John Berg. 
Spectators came and went throughout the day, leaving with the words of the founding father jingling around in their heads."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180117/town-celebrates-ben-franklins-birthday-with-readathon

I had the unexpected pleasure of reading the last segment to close out the day. It was fun and so much of what Ben wrote is still applicable today.

"a great thing considering the town’s history"
The status of Benjamin Franklin outside the Library in the light dusting
of snow that came through Wednesday evening

Kids, Clay and Community - Grades 3-5 - an Empty Bowls Project

Kids, Clay and Community — Grades 3-5 
an Empty Bowls Project

Check the flyer for the schedule. Sessions for each elementary school are set for Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 PM at Franklin High School.





About Empty Bowls: Empty Bowls is charity project, which works towards fighting hunger in local communities. The Empty Bowls Club at Franklin High School will spend the year making 400 ceramic bowls teaching students how art can make a difference. At the conclusion of this project, The Empty Bowls Club and the Franklin Food Pantry will co-host a fund-raiser at the high school on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. 
About Kids Corner: Kids’ Corner, a program of Franklin Public Schools Lifelong Learning Institute and Lifelong Community Learning, is a unique collection of after school activities for children with the goal of making learning fun. Classes are small, relaxed and designed to encourage children’s creativity …… a place where fun and learning meet.
Kids, Clay and Community - Grades 3-5 - an Empty Bowls Project
Kids, Clay and Community - Grades 3-5 - an Empty Bowls Project

The TC Insider







January 17, 2018



To the Tri-County Community,

It's mid-term time at TC and students are completing their midterm exams. We will be ending the second semester on Friday, January 19th. Halfway through the year with two snow days in the books, our new last day is June 20th. The year is half over and it's time for us to begin planning for the end of the school year activities; MCAS, Senior Awards, and Graduation. Please look to this Newsletter for further information on these events and others as the end of the year begins to take shape.

This week at TC we will be the taking time before the School Committee meeting to honor those that have had long careers at TC, 20 plus years, 25 plus years, and 30 plus years. Leading the pack is our Vocational Director Jean George with 37 years. Others with over 30 years include; Domenic Auciello, Timothy Carroll, Laurie Gildea, and Steven Richard.  With over 25 years; Andrew Giampietro, Nancy Haney, John Kowalczyk, Peter Sabourin, and Christopher Senior. Lastly, those with over 20 years include; Melissa Beckmann, Joseph DeCotis, Luci-Anne Jones, Peter Kubiak, Tara Lane, and Mark LeBlanc. Congratulations to all and thank you for your many years of service to the students and community.

This is also the time of year where freshmen make their shop selections. Last week we had about 75% of the freshmen parents in with their students to go over the process and take a look at the programs again. The freshmen are currently in their last exploratory. This is always a busy time filled with anxious excitement for the students, teachers, and administration. It completes a process that started over a year ago when these students visited and applied to the school. Times have changed. Some of the programs have changed as well, but our mission remains the same; to provide real-life skills and a future for those students that choose to attend our school.  

Thanks for your support,
Mr. Procaccini







Upcoming Events

Admissions - Open Enrollment
Going on Now

End of 2nd Quarter
January 19

Early Release Day
February 2

Winter Vacation
February 19-23

40 Year Celebration Dinner
April 7

Golf Tourmament
June 8




About The TC Insider

The TC Insider is a biweekly newsletter for the families of Tri-County students.













Tri-County RVTHS
147 Pond Street
Franklin, MA 02038
www.tri-county.us
508-528-5400




Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School District · 147 Pond Street · Franklin, Ma 02038 · USA

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Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Franklin Newcomers and Friends: Game Night - Feb 7

Come join your Franklin friends and neighbors at the Franklin Newcomers and Friends monthly meeting. Meet us upstairs at "3" Restaurant on Wednesday, February 7 at 7:30. Take a break from the cold and warm up at our Game Night. It’s one of our favorite and more social events.

We invite any resident of Franklin, or a surrounding town that doesn't have a Newcomers Club, to join us at "3" Restaurant, 461 West Central Street, Franklin. Complimentary appetizers and beverages are provided and a cash bar is available. We meet upstairs at 7:30 PM on the 2nd Wednesday of the month (occasionally we switch Wednesdays to accommodate holidays or speakers). We run our meetings September through May. Additionally, we hold many fun and varied events to stay connected throughout the year.

For more information, please visit our website www.franklinnewcomers.com or our Facebook page, Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club.

Franklin Newcomers and Friends: Game Night - Feb 7
Franklin Newcomers and Friends: Game Night - Feb 7

Annual Report 2017: Insurance Advisory Committee

The Annual Report is compiled and published each year to be ready for voters to obtain at the November election. A PDF copy is also posted online and available for viewing our downloading. 

The following is a text representation of the printed pages 94-95 (actually 101-102 of 264)

INSURANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Each of the municipal and school unions, as well as retired employees has a seat on the Town of Franklin Insurance Advisory Committee (IAC). It provides recommendations to the Town Administrator on health and dental plans. Meetings are an opportunity for employees from the unions to learn about insurance products, industry trends, and to help identify ways to meet employee needs within the framework of the Affordable Care Act, Massachusetts General Law, a changing health care environment, and available financial resources.

With the Affordable Care Act continuing to evolve or be replaced, we anticipate changes, administrative challenges, and premium increases in the coming years. After several meetings to discuss claims trend and customer service questions, the various plans were modified modestly and renewed with Tufts with less than a 1% increase to HMO premium, the plan that covers 95% of our non-Medicare eligible employees. This saved employees and the Town significantly. We will monitor claims and medical trends to share with the IAC in the coming year and continue to work to provide the best benefit possible at the best rate available.


The Town continued a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help offset hospital in patient costs. We are happy to report that few of our employees required an overnight stay in the hospital.


The Town provides dental benefits on an employee paid basis. The Committee again selected Guardian Life Insurance as the provider for its dental plan with no increase to premiums. Approximately 300 employees have elected this benefit.


The Flexible Spending Account vendor was retained. This vendor provides debit cards for employees to use for immediately payment. Employees can avoid an additional out of pocket expense by using the cards. The plan runs on a September 1 through August 31 calendar to more closely coordinate with the Health Insurance Plan and with the school year. We hope the participation in this plan will grow as employees recognize the tax savings available to them, and become more experienced in planning for medical and dependent care costs. Since this program exists on a pre-tax basis, changes at the federal level may cause plan changes. We will monitor any activity about Sec. 125 of the Tax Code to ensure we remain in compliance.


Participants on the IAC consistently brought good questions to the process and have been very effective in exploring alternatives, and making recommendations. We appreciate their willingness to do what it takes to manage the benefits and costs. The insurance environment continues to evolve and it seems inevitable that costs will continue to rise. In the coming year we hope we will be able to reach out through the IAC committee to other employees so that there is wider understanding of benefit plans.


Respectfully submitted


Stephanie Lutz

Human Resource Director

Annual Report 2017: Insurance Advisory Committee
Annual Report 2017: Insurance Advisory Committee


You can find the online copy at the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-reports

and specifically for 2017
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/files/town-annual-report-2017-revised

FHS boys and girls basketball teams top Attleboro

Via HockomockSports and Twitter we share the results of the FHS sports action on Tuesday


Boys Basketball = Franklin, 76 @ Attleboro, 72 – Final (OT)
– Franklin erased a five-point deficit over the final 90 seconds to send the game into overtime and then outscored the Bombardiers 8-4 in the final period to earn the win. Paul Mahon hit the tying three with less than a minute to play and then hit another triple early in overtime to put Franklin up 73-68. Jalen Samuels poured in a career-high 28 points along with 15 rebounds to lead the Panthers. Samuels scored eight of his points between the fourth and overtime. Sophomore Chris Edgehill added 20 points for Franklin. For Attleboro, sophomore Bryant Ciccio had a career-high 19 points, including 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Bombardiers build a lead. Kevin Velazquez added a career-best 17 points while sophomore Qualeem Charles had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

For the other results around the Hockomock League
https://hockomocksports.com/tuesdays-schedule-scoreboard-01-16-18/


Girls Basketball = Attleboro, 51 @ Franklin, 63 – Final
Josh Perry, Managing Editor for HockomockSports provides the game recap


"During the first half, the Bombardiers had little answer for the dynamic inside-outside combination of Franklin sophomore center Ali Brigham and junior guard Bea Bondhus. The duo combined for 30 points before the break to push the Panthers to a 21-point halftime lead. 
Although Attleboro turned up the energy in the second half, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, the lead proved too great to overcome and Franklin stayed within one game of the Kelley-Rex division leaders with a 63-51 victory. 
Bondhus opened the paint by knocking down a pair of threes in the opening half and spreading the Attleboro defense out with 14 of her 18 points coming before the break. With the outside threat giving Brigham a little space with which to work, the sophomore showed off an array of offensive moves on the post and stepping away to face the basket. 
She scored 16 of her 22 points in the first half and also added 12 of her game-high 20 rebounds. Brigham was also a force on the defensive side with four blocks."
Continue reading the game recap:
https://hockomocksports.com/franklin-girls-basketball-pull-away-in-first-half-to-beat-bombardiers/

For the HockomockSports photo gallery
https://hockomocksports.smugmug.com/20172018/Winter-2017-2018/Franklin-Attleboro-Girls-Basketball-1-16-18/



Franklin sophomore center Ali Brigham scored 22 points (16 in the first half) and pulled down 20 rebounds to lift the Panthers to a 63-51 victory over Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
Franklin sophomore center Ali Brigham scored 22 points (16 in the first half) and pulled down 20 rebounds to lift the Panthers to a 63-51 victory over Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)











Representative Roy: What's happening in the district - January 2018




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A new year and still work to be done

A new year and still work to be doneYesterday (Monday), as we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I thought back to the time when the civil rights leader took center stage in the Massachusetts State House and spoke to Beacon Hill lawmakers. I wished I could have been there, but it took place on April 22, 1965, a little over a month after the 1965 Bloody Sunday march from Selma to Montgomery. It was King's first ever speech before a legislative body and his words were certainly prescient.

He warned us about what could happen when so many Americans are "constantly fighting a nagging sense of "nobodyness." Still, he concluded his speech saying he had faith in America and believed the nation would solve the problem of racial injustice. I share his optimism, but understand that there is still work to be done. I am happy to join you on the continuous path towards social justice.

You can view the text of the speech, along with a prayer offered by Reverend Michael E. Haynes of Boston, and the address of the Honorable John F. X. Davoren of Milford, Speaker of the House of Representatives, by clicking here.
Please accept my best wishes for a Happy New Year and for continued success.

Copyright © 2018 State Rep Jeff Roy, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you either contacted our office or indicated you wanted to keep updated on the 10th Norfolk District and things going on at the State House.

Our mailing address is:
State Rep Jeff Roy
State House Room 236
Boston, MA 02133





The newsletter was shortened for publication here, to view the full contents View this link in your browser

Franklin Public Schools: Schools opening on time on Wednesday, Jan 17

Dear Franklin Public Schools Faculty, Staff, and Families,

The Franklin Public Schools will be opening ON TIME on Wednesday, January 17, 2018. If parents/guardians feel the conditions are unsafe, please exercise your discretion and keep your child home.

Emergency busing will be in effect. Bus drivers will pick up students who are walking along a bus route on the way to school.

Please allow for extra time and care this morning to arrive safely.

Sincerely,

Franklin Public Schools

Franklin Public Schools: Schools opening on time on Wednesday, Jan 17
Franklin Public Schools: Schools opening on time on Wednesday, Jan 17

In the News: STEM learning at the YMCA; snow/ice budget status; candidates for new DESE commissioner

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

"STEM learning doesn’t usually come to mind when thinking about the YMCA, but in Franklin, they’re changing the rules. 
The Bernon Family Branch of the Hockomock Area YMCA is taking a stab at STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) with a new technology lab, club and after-school program. 
“We saw an opportunity to take a lead,” said Executive Director Scott Martin. “We found a way to offer this to kids who did not have access to it before.” 
With programming to 3D print design, the YMCA’s tech lab is a vibrant place to keep the mind engaged, but still have fun."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180116/franklin-ymca-branch-debuts-stem-program


"With two months remaining in the winter season, snow and ice budgets from nearby municipalities are being chipped away because of the persistent cold. 
Though all towns have access to emergency funds in the events of the budget runs dry, the monetary concern is still there. 
Franklin
Total: $950,000
Spent: $500,000
Remaining: About $400,000
 
“It’s New England, we’ve come to expect this,” said Deputy Town Administrator Jaime Hellen. “Our team is prepared and we’re ready to tackle any challenge. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180116/snow-ice-budgets-melting-away


"The superintendent and receiver of the Lawrence school system and educators from New York and Texas are the finalists to become the next education commissioner in Massachusetts, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced Monday. 
Lawrence receiver Jeff Riley, Penny Schwinn, chief deputy commissioner of academics for the Texas Education Agency, and Angélica Infante-Green, deputy commissioner of the Office of Instructional Support P-12 in New York State Education Department, will be interviewed next week by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. 
The board hopes to recommend a candidate to Education Secretary James Peyser later this month.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180116/state-three-finalists-for-education-commissioner

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

"my tagline at the time was: 'this is math, not politics'.”

In the Franklin Matters series of posts about local government, the Freakonomics Podcast has a great interview with Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo that is shareworthy:

"Our latest Freakonomics Radio episode is called “How to Be a Modern Democrat — and Win.” (You can subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts or elsewhere, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above.) 
Gina Raimondo, the governor of tiny Rhode Island, has taken on unions, boosted big business, and made friends with Republicans. She is also one of just 15 Democratic governors in the country. Would there be more of them if there were more like her?"



subscribe to Freakonomics Radio
subscribe to Freakonomics Radio

The Freakonomics Podcast page also has a transcript of the interview and other supporting info  http://freakonomics.com/podcast/modern-democrat-win/

Editorial Note:

Central Falls, RI made news when it went bankrupt largely due to unfunded pension liabilities. Franklin also has significant pension liabilities (OPEB). We are taking steps to fund these but we also have other funding requirements for roads and schools to name just two that are top of mind. 

What can we do now to help prepare for 2028 when Franklin will be (hopefully) celebrating its 250 anniversary? I think we can start by talking to one another. To borrow the line from Gina, "this is math, not politics."

What should our priorities be? What can we do to fund them?

Events to find out info and join the conversation:


  • Jan 27 - Franklin Town Government 101
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/01/franklin-town-government-101-january-27.html


  • Feb 13 - Legislative Forum on School Funding
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/01/franklin-school-committee-legislative.html


#Franklin2028


Enjoy a day on the slopes - Mar 3 (round trip bus and lift tickets)

Enjoy a day on the slopes!

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2018
Depart FHS Parking Lot on a Coach Bus – 5:30 AM 
Depart Bretton Woods to return home – 4:30 PM
Special Ticket Price: $109*

*Includes Transportation and Lift Tickets
*Individuals under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent / guardian

Interested? For more information and to REGISTER go to: www.FranklinLifelongLearning.com

Enjoy a day on the slopes - Mar 3 (round trip bus and lift tickets)
Enjoy a day on the slopes - Mar 3 (round trip bus and lift tickets)



FPAC presents Noises Off - Jan 19, 20, 21

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) presents the hysterical farce, Noises Off, at THE BLACK BOX, FPAC’s home and performance venue located at 15 West Central Street in downtown Franklin. 

Directed by Nick Paone, the comedy hit runs this weekend only, with performances on Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, January 21 at 2 p.m.

Michael Frayn’s Noises Off takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss, and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure. This play-within-a-play captures a touring theatre troupe’s production of Nothing On in three stages: dress rehearsal, the opening show, and a performance towards the end of a debilitating run. 

Frayne gives us a window into the inner workings of theatre behind the scenes, progressing from flubbed lines and missed cues in the dress rehearsal to mounting friction between cast members in the final performance. Brimming with slapstick comedy, Noises Off is a delightful backstage farce, complete with slamming doors, falling trousers, and – of course – flying sardines.

Tickets are $26, with general seating. For tickets and more information, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or call (508) 528-3370. Noises Off is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

FPAC presents Noises Off - Jan 19, 20, 21
FPAC presents Noises Off - Jan 19, 20, 21

FHS girls hockey and gymnastics teams both post wins on Monday

Via HockomockSports and Twitter we share the results of the FHS sports action on Monday, Jan 15, 2018.


Girls Hockey = Franklin, 1 @ Brookline/Newton South, 0 – Final
– Franklin senior Jackie Connelly scored the only goal of the game to help the Panthers earn a win on the road.

Gymnastics = Franklin, 130.65 @ Canton, 105.50 – Final
– Franklin senior Liz Traphagen won the All Around with a score of 34.7 while junior Sadie Rondeau was second, scoring an 8.5 on beam and 8.0 on floor. Mia Lizotte scored an 8.90 on vault and a 9.1 on floor, senior Molly Stanton’s score on beam, junior Rachel Cyr’s vault score, freshman Katelyn Guidi score on bars, and freshman Lexi Lupien’s scores on vault, beam and, floor all counted towards the Panthers’ win.


For the other Hockomock League results on Monday

https://hockomocksports.com/mondays-schedule-scoreboard-01-15-18/

FHS Panthers
FHS Panthers

Via the Twitterverse









If anyone knows where the results of the Davey meet can be found please let me know. I have looked in all the usual places and can't find any Franklin results for Monday.


"It's all about the money"

"How are drug trafficking organizations getting record amounts of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil into Manchester, New Hampshire, the epicenter of the opioid crisis in New England? Two journalists—equipped with two DSLR cameras, 8 GoPros and a laptop—embark on a 1,700-mile journey to find out.

"Beyond the Border: The Opioid Pipeline" takes you on an exclusive, eye-opening, front lines ride through the pipeline that runs from the shores of the Dominican Republic, through Puerto Rico, up the East Coast and into New Hampshire. With the United States focused on securing its southern border, more traffickers are going through America’s “back door” to get their drugs on the streets where demand is the highest. 
Celine McArthur and Freddy Wheeler find out why the Caribbean Corridor is appealing for traffickers. They also show you some of the methods traffickers use to pump their drugs through the pipeline without getting caught—at least, not often. 
Watch and learn from the people who know what’s really going on: A Dominican drug smuggler, a Puerto Rican woman smoking crack on an inner-city street overrun by drugs, an addicted mother who deals out of her New Hampshire home, a 21-year-old Manchester dealer sitting behind bars for a fourth time, admitting he has no idea what he’s selling. 
"Beyond the Border: The Opioid Pipeline" also gives you an inside look at how first responders and local, state, federal and international law enforcement are taking action against the multibillion-dollar narco-industry on land, by sea and in the air. 
The story behind the story: Celine McArthur and Freddy Wheeler were mapping out the special when their television station in Boston unexpectedly shut down. Because the issue is so important to the region, they decided to produce the special on their own time, using their own equipment."



Beyond the Border: The Opioid Pipeline from Freddy Wheeler on Vimeo.

Hat tip to the SAFE Coalition and Patrick Casey for letting us know about this video  https://www.facebook.com/safecoalitionma/posts/1193272637469607

http://safecoalitionma.com/
http://safecoalitionma.com/