Friday, July 10, 2020

Register for the FHS High School Experience in August

"Heading to @FranklinHS in the Fall? Join us at the High School Experience to tour the building, get your schedule, make new friends, & so much more! 
Sign Up Now: https://tinyurl.com/FHS-HSE2024"
Meant for rising 9th graders

  • Each student will attend the program for a single day between August 11th and August 13th (8:30 am-12:30 pm). Days will be assigned by HSE staff and communicated on or before August 5th.
  • Students will be divided into small teams (based on state and local regulations) that they will get to collaborate with and build relationships with. All activities will be completed within this small team.
  • Students and staff will be required to complete a health screening upon arrival at the program and will be required to wear a cloth face covering throughout the program. Students are asked to provide their own face covering.
  • Activities will be designed to encourage distancing and limit the sharing of materials. Hand washing/sanitization breaks will be built into the day.
  • Due to significant budgetary impacts, there will not be an HSE t-shirt this year.


The Franklin radar found this on Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/HseFranklin/status/1281278140388708353?s=09

Register for the FHS High School Experience in August
Register for the FHS High School Experience in August

Joint Statement from Senate President Spilka, Senator Brownsberger and Senator Chang-Díaz on Today’s Actions

The following is a joint statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka, Senator Sonia Chang- Díaz, and Senator William Brownsberger:

"The Senate is going to stay focused on what we set out to do with this bill: protect the lives of our Black and brown residents from systemic racism and institutionalized violence. We know that these conversations are difficult, and the actions we're called to take will not be easy, but it is our responsibility to begin to respond to the voices who have called on us to make these changes. 
We welcome further discussion on the very important provisions of this bill—and the right way to do that is to proceed with debate on the bill and its amendments. We hold fast to our commitment to respond to calls for greater equity, justice and fairness—now, with the Reform, Shift + Build Act, and in the future with subsequent legislation."

The press release and fact sheet for the Reform, Shift + Build Act released earlier this week

  • press release

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1179Pej1JZPAZQmWiX4iCIMuFy7Q8cPZd/view?usp=sharing

  • fact sheet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16YyJdQLp5kQDXUcZZh5YB-jMwY0B32ec/view?usp=sharing

Lifelong Learning: Dedicate some time to yourself this month





Lifelong Community
Learning
This is a great time to learn something new!
In partnership with Ed2Go, we offer online courses on a wide variety of topics. So take some time to gain business or personal skills from home.
New sessions begin July 15th OR many courses also have a self-paced option that you can start anytime.
We have a few suggestions below, or you can review the full array of career training and/or professional development courses using the links at the bottom of this email.
Understanding Adolescents
Uncover the secrets of the adolescent mind. This course provides valuable information on how adolescents feel, how their identities develop, and how you can best meet their needs.

https://www.ed2go.com/franklined/online-courses/understanding-adolescents/
Introduction to Guitar
Learn to play guitar, and become the musician you've always wanted to be! In these fun and informative lessons, you'll build basic guitar skills step-by-step with the help of hands-on exercises, audio and video recordings, and detailed illustrations. 

https://www.ed2go.com/franklined/online-courses/guitar-introduction/
Introduction to Natural Health and Healing
Would you like to learn more about natural health but don't know where to start? In this course, you'll learn about the various stages of health and illness and discover that true health means wholeness of the mind, body, and spirit.

https://www.ed2go.com/franklined/online-courses/natural-health-and-healing-introduction/
Want to Learn Something Else?


Lifelong Learning Institute - Franklin Public Schools 
 218 Oak Street, Room 137, Franklin, MA 02038

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In the News: West Nile virus detected in mosquitoes; plastic bag prohibition delayed for Franklin

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"About 15 minutes after the House of Representatives voted unanimously to give the executive branch new powers to run a statewide mosquito control response when the threat of mosquito-related diseases is high, public health officials announced that West Nile virus has been found in a Massachusetts mosquito for the first time this year. 
Two mosquitoes collected Tuesday in Belmont tested positive for West Nile virus, the Department of Public Health said, and no human or animal cases have been identified. 
There were five human cases of West Nile virus last year and 49 in 2018, the greatest number of cases Massachusetts has ever seen in a single year. 
West Nile can infect people of all ages, but people over age 50 and those with compromised immune systems are at higher risk for severe disease, according to the state."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200709/west-nile-detected-as-house-passes-mosquito-control-bill


"Earlier this year, town officials put the word out that Franklin would be banning the use of thin-film, single-use plastic shopping bags at local stores, starting in July. That was before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
The town’s plastic bag ban has now been temporarily shelved. 
Town Administrator Jamie Hellen said the delayed start of the ban is because of Gov. Charlie Baker’s late March order prohibiting the use of carry-in, reusable shopping bags while the pandemic is ongoing, to prevent the spread of the virus. All existing local bans on plastic bags were also lifted statewide. 
“Our local bylaw was to go into effect July 1, but with the governor’s order, we cannot implement the new bylaw yet,” Hellen said Tuesday. “Once he rescinds that order, we will allow for a certain time of compliance after that. That said, the bylaw is active, but is trumped by the state executive order.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200709/franklin-delays-start-of-plastic-bags-ban

In the News: MassDOT webinar released on i495/i90 interchange project

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

"Plans for the long-awaited reconstruction of the Interstate 495-Mass Pike interchange eliminate weaving movements that have caused the junction to be susceptible to crashes and congestion for years. 
State transportation leaders and project officials posted a webinar Thursday outlining the 25% design details of the project, which includes seven new direct and semi-direct ramps connecting the two interstates. The designated ramps and lanes for each traffic maneuver will make getting off the highway and merging much safer, project officials said. 
“The reason for the project is that the I-90/495 interchange is identified as a high-crash and high-congestion location,” Ryan McNeill, a state Department of Transportation project manager, said during the webinar. “The enhancements that are discussed in this presentation will improve the safety and operational efficiency at the system interchange and address chronically deficient traffic conditions for the movement of people and goods within the project area.” 
New ramps will be widened to include shoulders and will have designated speeds of 45 mph, 10 mph faster than the existing ramps. The radius of the ramps will not be as tight. Tractor-trailers currently are required to go very slow entering Interstate 495 southbound due to the tight radius of the off-ramp."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200709/i-90495-reconstruction-aims-to-ease-traffic-reduce-bottlenecks-crashes

Additional info and to provide comments during this period
https://www.mass.gov/event/hopkintonwestborough-design-public-hearing-webinar-and-comment-period-2020-07-09t000000-0400


YouTube link = https://youtu.be/xJN9_LHpzi8



Leave it to Bill Nye

Leave it to Bill Nye, The Science Guy, to make a simple and effective explanation on why to wear a facial covering (mask).



From the Franklin radar via Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ReignOfApril/status/1281206861442801664?s=09

For more about Bill Nye visit his web page  https://billnye.com/

https://twitter.com/ErickHBMC/status/1281129712320839680
https://twitter.com/ErickHBMC/status/1281129712320839680

IRS.gov has answers about filing, paying and July 15 due date

As the July due date for filing a tax return draws closer, the Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers about the many resources available on IRS.gov. Whether on home computers or mobile devices, the number of taxpayers visiting IRS.gov continues to grow year after year.

Easy-to-use tools, available 24 hours a day on the IRS website, have been used more than 1.2 billion times this year.

IRS.gov is home to IRS Free File, "Where's My Refund?", the Tax Withholding Estimator and a host of other convenient applications. Additional help is available in Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, available on IRS.gov. Publication 17 is also available as an eBook.

Taxpayers who have yet to file their tax returns should file electronically now and choose direct deposit if they’re getting a refund. Taxpayers who owe for tax year 2019 can pay anytime up to the July 15 due date.

File electronically for free
Taxpayers whose income was $69,000 or less last year are eligible to use the IRS Free File software to do their taxes. Also, regardless of income, any taxpayer who is comfortable preparing their own taxes can use Free File Fillable Forms. Taxpayers can use these electronic versions of IRS tax forms to complete their taxes and file them online. Free File options are available at IRS.gov/freefile.

Get answers to tax questions
Taxpayers can find answers to many of their questions using the Interactive Tax Assistant. It’s a tax law resource that uses a series of questions and responses to help. IRS.gov also has answers to Frequently Asked Questions on a variety of topics. The IRS website also has tax information in: Spanish (Español)Chinese (中文)Korean (한국어)Russian (Pусский)Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt); and Haitian Creole (Kreyòl ayisyen).

"Where's My Refund?"
Taxpayers can easily find the most up-to-date information about their tax refund using the "Where's My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov and on the IRS mobile app, IRS2Go. Within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an electronically filed return, taxpayers can start checking on the status of their refund.

Schedule a payment
Taxpayers can file now and schedule their federal tax payments up to the July 15 due date. They can pay online, by phone or with their mobile device and the IRS2Go app. When paying federal taxes electronically, taxpayers should remember:
  • Electronic payment options are the best way to make a tax payment.
  • They can pay when they e-file by using tax software online.
  • If using a tax preparer, taxpayers should ask the preparer to make the tax payment through an electronic funds withdrawal from a bank account.
  • IRS Direct Pay allows taxpayers to pay online directly from a checking or savings account for free.
  • Taxpayers can choose to pay with a credit card, debit card or digital wallet option through a payment processor. No fees go to the IRS.
  • The IRS2Go app provides mobile-friendly payment options, including Direct Pay and payment processors on mobile devices.
  • Taxpayers may also enroll in the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System and pay online or by phone.
  • They can pay with cash at a retail partner. New locations available.
  • Taxpayers can go to IRS.gov/account to securely access information about their federal tax account. They can view the amount they owe, access their tax records online, review their payment history and view key information for the most recent tax return as originally filed.
Not required to file a tax return? Non-Filers tool available to register for Economic Impact Payments
People who are not normally required to file a tax return and don’t plan to do so can use the Non-Filers tool to get an Economic Impact Payment. The only way they can get this payment is to register with the IRS by using this free tool. Available in both English and Spanish, the tool was developed jointly by the IRS and the Free File Alliance. The registration deadline is Oct. 15, 2020.

More information

Shared from the IRS page