Saturday, March 3, 2018

Pantherbook: "Hitting Snooze on the Morning Bell"

Madeleine Lussier, Editor of Pantherbook, has a piece on school start times called "Hitting Snooze on the Morning Bell"

"The idea of later school start times has spread to the town of Franklin. 
As it stands right now, Franklin High School has one of the earliest start times in the area with Medway beginning school at 8:04, Milford students getting to class at 7:50, and the bell ringing in Bellingham at 7:30, but as early as January 2019, students at Franklin High could be the ones sleeping in the latest. 
Beginning school at a later time would allow students to develop longer natural sleep cycle which in turn allows for more cognitive function, or increased availability to learn according to the U.S National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health."
Continue reading the article at Pantherbook
https://franklinpanthers.us/top-stories/2018/02/27/hitting-snooze-on-the-morning-bell/

Pantherbook: "Hitting Snooze on the Morning Bell"
Pantherbook: "Hitting Snooze on the Morning Bell"

FHS wrestlers Bakalars and Remillard perform at New Englands

Via Twitter, we share the FHS wrestling results from the New England meet being held in Providence.









Help Neal in his marathon fund raising

"I NEED YOUR HELP!
Please share and help me get Under Armour to support Silver Lining Mentoring!
500+ miles run, 70 lbs lost, and 9 months of training have been successful because I've used the right gear. The clothing that Under Armour makes is excellent and what I've used exclusively to come this far.
Now, I'm challenging Under Armour to help make this effort meaningful by donating to the cause. On Monday, April 16 I am running the Boston Marathon to make a difference for youth in foster care.
You can help! Please share this post and consider a donation. Every click and dollar matters!



Silver Lining Mentoring
Silver Lining Mentoring

"Transportation projects are a major part of local economy"

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

"When a harsh winter crippled MBTA service in 2015, Gov. Charlie Baker had realized that it was time to bring the entire system into the 21st century. 
Baker vowed Friday morning to focus on upgrading signals, switches, tracks, power systems and electronics. 
“I am just going to be a bear about this,” Baker said in front of business leaders as one of the keynote speakers at the annual 495/MetroWest Partnership annual conference at the Courtyard Marriott. “Until we make the investments we are supposed to make so the core system runs in such a way that somebody might recommend to someone to ride it.” 
He said a lot of the infrastructure is 50, 60 or 70 years old."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180302/gov-charlie-baker-vows-to-upgrade-core-mbta-infrastructure

boarding the train at Franklin/Dean for the commute to Boston
boarding the train at Franklin/Dean for the commute to Boston

MassBudget: Educated and Encumbered



MassBudget  Information.
  Participation.
 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center  Democracy.

March 1, 2018



Educated and Encumbered: Support for higher ed down since FY 2001, tuition and debt up

While the economic strength of Massachusetts is built largely on having the best-educated workforce in the nation, funding for public higher education has declined substantially since 2001. This has led to large increases in tuition, fees, and student debt. Those financial obstacles can limit opportunity for high school graduates, potentially weakening our state economy. In the past dozen years debt for graduates of four-year public colleges and universities has grown more rapidly in Massachusetts than in 48 of the 50 states.

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center's report, Educated and Encumbered: Student Debt Rising with Higher Education Funding Falling in Massachusetts, finds that per-pupil funding for public higher education has declined by 32 percent since 2001 in Massachusetts, funding for scholarships has declined at a similar rate, and per-pupil debt has increased 122 percent since the 2003-2004 school year. The average debt among public university graduates now almost equals that of students graduating from the state's private colleges and universities.

The report finds that, by 2016, more graduates of public higher education had debt than graduates of private institutions - 73 percent compared with 54 percent.

MassBudget: Educated and Encumbered

Since Fiscal Year 2001, the state's public higher education funding has decreased by about $3,000 per student in today's dollars while tuition and fees rose by about $4,600 per student in that same time.

Read the full report here.
The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER
15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700
BOSTON, MA 02108


Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108

Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with
Constant Contact

Friday, March 2, 2018

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI 3/2/18 - THU 3/8/18

FRIDAY 3/2/18
10am-12pm   Knitting Group @ Franklin Public Library
1:30pm   Mighty Girls Story Time @ Franklin Public Library
5:30pm   Heart with Hope Restorative Yoga (for parents and loved ones of those suffering from addiction) @ Sacred Tree Yoga, Norfolk
6-10pm   Party for a Cure - Kim Luccini Fundraiser for DF Marathon @ Elks Lodge
7pm   Yoga for Recovery @ Sacred Tree Yoga, Norfolk
7pm   ‘A Pirate’s Life for Me’ - BFCCPS Musical @ Horace Mann MS
8pm   The Black Box Local Artist Series: The Gershwin-Porter Songbook featuring Cindy Jones @ The Black Box

SATURDAY 3/3/18
9-10am   School Committee Coffee Session @ Franklin Public Library
10am-1pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open
10:30am   Town of Franklin's 240th Birthday Celebration @ Franklin Historical Museum
12pm   FSPA Musical Theatre Showcase @ The Black Box
2pm   METG DramaFest Preliminaries, Franklin HS performing ‘Fahrenheit 451’ @ FHS
2pm   FSPA Musical Theatre Showcase @ The Black Box
2pm   ‘A Pirate’s Life for Me’ - BFCCPS Musical @ Horace Mann MS
8pm   Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: Patty Larkin @ FUSF

SUNDAY 3/4/18
7:30-10:30am   Sunday Breakfast @ Franklin Rod and Gun Club
1-4pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open
3pm   Celebrating Ireland in Story and Song @ Franklin Public Library

MONDAY 3/5/18
10am   Storytime (all ages, free) @ Fairmount Fruit Farm
10:30am   Move Along @ Franklin Public Library
11am   Book Discussion Group @ Franklin Senior Center
11am   Toddler Playgroup @ Franklin Public Library
3pm  Monday Crafternoons @ Franklin Public Library

TUESDAY 3/6/18
10:30am   Get Ready For Kindergarten @ Franklin Public Library
11:15am   Toddler Playgroup @ Franklin Public Library
6pm   Lenten Soup Supper and Book Study (weekly until March 21) @ St. John’s Episcopal Church
6:30pm   Canvas Paint Night @ Fairmount Fruit Farm
7pm   Franklin Garden Club Monthly Meeting - House Plant Success @ Franklin Senior Center
7pm   Friends Book Group @ Franklin Public Library

WEDNESDAY 3/7/18
10am   Animal Tales (for ages 2.5-5) @ Fairmount Fruit Farm
10am   Roulette Fun @ Franklin Senior Center
10:30am   Terrific Toddlers @ Franklin Public Library
11am   Toddler Playgroup @ Franklin Public Library
4pm   Construction Junction @ Franklin Public Library
6:30pm   Franklin Art Association Meeting - demo by Kim Morin Weinick (meetings are free and open to public) @ Franklin Senior Center
6:30pm   Christian Zen Weekly Meditation @ McMahon Guest House (1061 Upper Union Street)
6:30pm   YA Dystopian Book Club @ Franklin Public Library
7pm   Friends of Franklin Public Library Meeting @ Franklin Public Library

THURSDAY 3/8/18
9:30am   Baby Tummy Time @ Franklin Public Library
10:30am   Story and Craft @ Franklin Public Library
11:15am   Toddler Playgroup @ Franklin Public Library
12pm   Urban Sketching (no experience necessary) @ Franklin Public Library
1-6pm   American Red Cross Blood Drive @ Elks Lodge
1pm   Minds in Motion @ Franklin Senior Center
3:30pm   Discovery Workshop @ Franklin Public Library
7pm   Healing Hearts Community Support Group @ Franklin YMCA

For the Town of Franklin Public Calendar click HERE

For all other events and Franklin happenings click HERE

*To submit an event for the Community Calendar, please use this FORM

Celebrate 40 Years of Excellence with Tri-County - Apr 7


Tri-county Regional Vocational Technical High School

40th Anniversary Celebration and Benefit


SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 2018 - FROM 6 PM TO 9 PM

6 - 7 PM Vocational Shops Open
7 - 9 PM Hors D’Oeuvres and Cash Bar

Entertainment will be provided
Donation: $75.00 per person*

To purchase tickets go to: www.tri-county.us/40yearcelebration

Download a flyer
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczUzg5V0JGZFg1Y0d1VHB6NEFrUy1xanB1OGZ3/view?usp=sharing

 Celebrate 40 Years of Excellence with Tri-County
 Celebrate 40 Years of Excellence with Tri-County - Apr 7