In the News: Ryan Martin selected 'Celtics Junior Broadcaster'; Grave search for America's first published poet

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

Ryan Martin selected 'Celtics Junior Broadcaster'

"Like many 14-year-old boys, Ryan Martin enjoys playing baseball and basketball. But unlike some of his peers, he already knows what he wants to do when he can’t play sports anymore. 

Ryan aspires to be a sports broadcaster, and earlier this month he got a taste of what his adult working life might look like. He was selected as a “Celtics Junior Broadcaster” after submitting a short video of himself to the NBA team, and his reward was to join the radio and TV crews for a March 14 Celtics game against the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden. 

Ryan was interviewed on air by NBC Sports Boston anchor/reporter Kyle Draper. He also joined Celtics commentator Sean Grande of 98.5 The Sports Hub for the radio station’s halftime show. 

“That night was truly unbelievable,” Ryan told the Daily News last week. “Just seeing the Celtics shooting around and being three inches away from (players) Al Horford and Aron Baynes. It was really a great experience.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190328/franklins-ryan-martin-14-joins-celtics-as-junior-broadcaster

Grave search for America's first published poet

"Anne Bradstreet was the North American continent’s first published poet, yet her legacy has largely been lost to time. 

Now, professors and students at Merrimack College in Massachusetts are trying to pinpoint her burial site while at the same time restoring her legacy and what they say is her rightful place in the pantheon of Western literature. 

“Even though we don’t know much about her, she was a household name in the 17th century, both here and in England,” said Christy Pottroff, an assistant professor of English at Merrimack. 

Bradstreet’s 1650 book of poetry, “The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America,” was a sensation both in the Colonies and in her native England, where people were fascinated by her accounts of everyday life in the New World."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190327/search-on-for-burial-site-of-americas-first-published-poet

The Poetry Foundation has additional material on Anne and her poetry
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anne-bradstreet

Poetry Foundation photo of Anne Bradstreet

FTC Alerts: Robocallers, you’re out

Robocallers, you're out by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Most robocalls are prohibited by law, but scammers and dishonest people continue to send them. And even some legitimate companies violate peoples' privacy rights with illegal robocalls. Today the FTC announced several victories in the fight against illegal robocalls. Read more online at the FTC https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/robocallers-youre-out?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

---

FM #161 - School Start Times Report - 3/26/19 (audio)

FM #161

This internet radio show or podcast is number 161 in the series for Franklin Matters.

This recording shares the School Start Times Advisory Committee report to the Franklin, MA School Committee on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 in the Council Chambers.

School Superintendent Sara Ahern leads with the intro and overview before handing off to Kit Brady and FHS Deputy Principal William Klements who cover most of the presentation before Sara comes back to close it out.

My notes from the session can be found here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/03/live-reporting-school-start-times.html

Recall that the applications for the Start Times Advisory Committee were accepted early in 2018
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/01/friendly-reminder-school-start-times_15.html

The Committee was appointed at the Feb 27, 2018 meeting and began work shortly after that
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/02/live-reporting-discussion-action-items.html

The Start Times presentation is displayed here

School Start Time Recommendation from Franklin Matters

Or downloaded from here
https://www.slideshare.net/shersteve/school-start-time-recommendation

If the School Committee decides to make the start time change, it would be effective no earlier than the 2020-2021 school year. As the meeting closed Tuesday, there was no indication of when the Committee would take this up for a formal vote.

If you have questions, the School Committee has been making themselves available. The coffee hour schedule is posted. Their contact information is available. Each School Committee meeting has a portion for audience input for items not on the agenda. During the meeting, there are spots for input for those items on the agenda. Take advantage of these opportunities and raise your questions.

School Committee page https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-committee

The total meeting recording runs just about 1 and 45 minutes. Yes, this is a long one. Settle in comfortably, have my Franklin Matters live reported notes handy, and have the Start Times presentation at hand.

Without further ado, here is the audio recording.





-------------

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but I can't do it alone. I can always use your help.

How can you help?

In particular, if you have an interest in real estate, zoning or construction, I would like someone to help us by following the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and or the Conservation Commission meetings. I’ll provide the guidance on note taking and sharing. You need to bring an inquisitive, open mind and willingness to learn and share.

Overall:

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors.
• If you don't like this, please let me know.

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements.
Thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes = search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters on iTunes

FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

The Franklin School for the Performing Arts Ballet Conservatory will present Coppelia at THE BLACK BOX March 29-31. The ballet tells the story of Swanhilda who is engaged to Franz, but he has his eye on a mysterious girl sitting on the balcony of Dr Coppelius’s house. Franz doesn’t realize that she is a doll whom the toymaker is trying to bring to life and when Swanhilda and her friends sneak into the Doctor’s workshop, it looks as though he has succeeded. Love triumphs over all in this comedy of mistaken identity and the finale is a joyful celebration of the lovers’ wedding. Coppelia is an enchanting, family ballet, perfect for young and old alike.

The students of FSPA’s Ballet Conservatory will be joined by guest artists Clyde Nantais (formerly of Boston Ballet), Lucas Melfi (Conservatory alumnus), and Rosario Guillen (Franklin Performing Arts Company’s The Nutcracker). The production also features original costume design by Merrie Whitney.

FSPA's Ballet conservatory Program offers classical ballet education of the highest quality. An extensive range of training and performance experiences provides exceptional opportunities for students of all ages and levels interested in the study of classical ballet. The FSPA Ballet curriculum is based on the foundations of the new American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. As of 2015, all teachers on the Conservatory Track have been certified in the NTC program.

Coppelia is staged by FSPA Ballet Conservatory Director Cheryl Madeux. Madeux received her training at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts under the direction of Sharon Dante and Donna Bonasera. Ms. Madeux has enjoyed a long professional career, dancing with such venerable companies as the Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, and as principal dancer with the Hartford Ballet. Ms. Madeux has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, worked with leading choreographers including Gerald Arpino, Kirk Peterson, and Twyla Tharp, and been coached by such ballet luminaries as Igor Youskevitch and Eleanor D’Antuono.

Her extensive classical repertoire includes all the full-length classical productions as well as principal roles in The Nutcracker, Giselle, Coppelia, The Firebird, Balanchine’s Serenade, Spectra de La Rose and much more. Among her accomplishments, Ms. Madeux was awarded first place in the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition at age 15, was a finalist in the Third Paris International Ballet Competition and the Prix de Lausanne, and was awarded a Level 1 Presidential Scholar in Dance. Many of Ms. Madeux’s FSPA Ballet Conservatory students have been accepted to some of the most prestigious summer programs available and a select few recently participated and advanced to the finals of the Youth America Grand Prix in NY. Ms. Madeux is also a summer faculty member for the ABT® Young Dancers Program in NY and an examiner for the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

For Coppelia tickets and more information on the FSPA Ballet Conservatory, visit www.FSPAonline.com or call 508-528-8668.

FSPA Ballet Conservatory presents Coppelia

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse - April 5

OCC COFFEEHOUSE

Original Congregational Church

1 East Street, Wrentham, MA 02093

Phone: 508-384-3110

OCC Coffeehouse Website

The two concerts listed below are the final ones of our 2018-2019 season. Tickets for the Tom Rush show are selling briskly, so it is likely they will sellout. Tickets for all shows are available at the church office, 508-384-3110, or at www.musicatocc.org.

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa

Friday, April 5, 7:30 PM

Tom is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration and journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues. 

TOM RUSH with Matt Nakoa at OCC Coffeehouse

Rush's impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the '60s and the renaissance of the '80s and '90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, "Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences." Country music star Garth Brooks has credited Rush with being one of his top five musical influences.

Matt Nakoa,Tom's keyboard player and vocalist, now tours internationally, recently performing at The White House, throughout India, and regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush. Matt's piano music has received favorable reviews in publications including The New York Times, and his film scoring has been featured by Disney.

Tickets are $45, in the church sanctuary.

OCC Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Original Congregational Church in Wrentham. Doors open 30 minutes before the concert. Please call 508-384-8084, email occmusic99@gmail.com, or visit http://www.musicatocc.org for more information.

Inside the FHS Mock Trial Team's historic advance to the Finals

Each year, the Mass. Bar Association sponsors our statewide competition. They create a fictitious fact pattern. This year's case was a criminal case centered around a police officer's use of deadly force. The charges were brought under federal law as a civil rights violation. 

Teams had to explore and present on issues concerning whether the police officer's use of deadly force was objectively reasonable and if not, whether the excessive force was willful. Each side, Prosecution and Defense, has three witnesses. Attorneys must prepare direct and cross examination questions and an Opening Statement and Closing Argument.

Essentially, the entire season is one long single-elimination tournament. The 132 participating schools are placed into 32 geographical regions. In these preliminary trials, two schools face off in local courtrooms. Each school is told in advance which side they will play. This year, each of our preliminary round trials were extremely close. Franklin emerged as the Regional representative to the next round, which was held at Clark University on March 3.

From that point on, schools do not know which side they will represent until 15 minutes before the match. The two schools are told to meet in an assigned room and flip a coin. The winner of the coin toss decides which side they want to play. Interestingly, Franklin lost the coin toss every time.

This year, Franklin advanced to the Finals for the first time in school history. We were the last public school left in the tournament. The state Finals are held each year at historic Faneuil Hall in Boston. A three-judge panel adjudicates the trial. Franklin lost to the Winsor School, which has won the championship five out of the past eight years.

The FHS Mock Trial Team Roster is shown below. Giving a big shout out to the attorney coach, Mike Doherty.  The team also had help along the way from Rep. Jeffrey Roy and one of Mike Doherty's associates, Attorney Andrew Kepple.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bnvsjoEStLVQi2H0OKDoS1krq6lm0HDF/view?usp=sharing

FHS Mock Trial Team at Fanuel Hall (@MockWalsh photo)

Baseball is Back! All 30 Teams Play on Opening Day

From the US Census Bureau comes the following graphic on the American baseball teams and their respective metropolitan audience.

The national pastime comes to us courtesy of 29 teams from 25 metropolitan areas across the United States and one team from Canada (Toronto).

The four metro areas with two teams each are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago — the nation’s three most populous — and San Francisco-Oakland (the 12th most populous).

Baseball is Back! All 30 Teams Play on Opening Day

Shared from the US Census Bureau

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCENSUS/bulletins/2395ff8