FM #512 Joint Budget SubComm Mtg- 04/12/21 (audio)

FM #512 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 512 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares the Joint Budget Subcommittee meeting held on Monday, April 12, 2021.

The Joint Budget Subcommittee is made up of members of the Town Council, School Committee, and Finance Committee 

The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format: some of the Finance Committee members, School Committee, Schools Central Office, Town Council members, Town Administrator and key personnel, were in the Council Chambers; the remaining Subcommittee members joined the public via conference bridge, all to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Links to the meeting agenda and associated documents are included in the show notes. The recording runs about 25 minutes, so let’s listen to the Joint Budget Subcommittee meeting. Audio file = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/0e686928-3b7e-4aff-875e-154b55f98b01

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Joint Budget agenda  

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif591/f/agendas/2021-04-12_joint_budget_subcommittee_meeting_1.pdf l 

Town of Franklin budget page  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-budget 

Franklin Schools budget page  https://www.franklinps.net/district/school-district-budget 

My notes captured from the meeting recording
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/04/recap-joint-budget-subcommittee-meeting.html  

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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!

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FM #512 Joint Budget SubComm Mtg- 04/12/21 (audio)

FHS volleyball top Mansfield 3-0 to advance to final of Hockomock Cup

From HockomockSports.com we share the FHS sports results:

 

Volleyball = Hockomock Cup

• KR2 King Philip, 3 @ D1 Canton, 1 – Final

• KR3 Mansfield, 0 @ KR1 Franklin, 3 – Final

This sets up the final game with Franklin at home vs King Philip on Friday (5:15 PM)

https://hockomocksports.com/wednesdays-schedule-scoreboard-04-14-21/

 

The Boston Globe has coverage of the KP-Canton match 

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/15/sports/king-philip-girls-volleyball-ousts-canton-hockomock-cup-semifinal-next-faces-franklin-final/

 

FHS volleyball top Mansfield 3-0 to advance to final of Hockomock Cup

 

Franklin Area NonProfit Network (FANN): meeting info and ACTIONS for April 19, 2021

Coming out of the Franklin Area NonProfit Network (FANN) kickoff meeting (3/29/21), we have the following notes and Actions

• Frequency – at least monthly until we get up and running 

• Will try and lock in a standard day/time 

• Initial phase is for members to get to know each other.  This phase is expected to take anywhere from 4-10 meetings, depending on how many organizations want to get involved and the speed at which we can conduct the introductions.  Intent is to invite 10-12 organizations per meeting and provide them up to 5 mins each to tell all about their organization; with a focus on their mission, highlighting services provided and target audience.

• During the introduction portion, all should listen carefully to identify touchpoints of connection, potential help or cross referral. 

• Issues raised from the organization will be placed in the parking lot for future consideration by the group (address via an ad-hoc small group to study or as an upcoming FANN Topic, or ??) 

• First topic up is Media 101 and speaker is Pete Fasciano, Franklin Community Cable (Franklin TV, Franklin Public Radio) 

• Also, will want to address creation of Leadership/Steering Comm and Website in either housekeeping or wrap up

Actions:

Organizations can sign up for the “get to know each list”  https://forms.gle/cFTsMSu5y4fwfPkP7 

We’ll confirm the orgs and order of presentations before each meeting

Meeting agenda for April 19, 2021

700 PM Call to order, review agenda and any housekeeping Steve Sherlock

710 PM Introductions NPO 1 

715 PM NPO 2 

720 PM NPO 3 

725 PM NPO 4 

730 PM NPO 5 

735 PM NPO 6 

740 PM NPO 7 

745 PM NPO 8 

750 PM NPO 9 

755 PM NPO 10

800 PM FANN Topic for the month TBD  

820 PM Wrap Up, Actions, Next Month agenda Steve Sherlock 

(NPO introductions on schedule, Topic for the month…)

 

830 PM Adjourn 

 

meeting info and ACTIONS for April 19, 2021

St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group - May 1

St Mary's Women's Faith Formation is pleased to announce that Fr. Flavio from La Salette Shrine will be speaking at our May meeting about "Making Mary Part of Our Lives". 

Our meeting will  be held Saturday morning, May 1, starting at 9:30 AM on Zoom. There will be time for discussion.  This meeting is open to all women. 

If interested in attending this 45 minute meeting, please email Deacon Guy (deaconguy@stmarysfranklin.org) for Zoom link contact information.  

This will be our last session until we restart again in the fall.  

St. Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group - May 1

 

Recap: School Committee approved FY 2022 budget, Parmenter shares highlights, District Improvement Plan status updates

Quick Recap:

• School Committee approved their FY 2022 budget after receiving word on the amount the Town would fund (which was not discussed in the Joint Budget meeting on Monday)
• Parmenter Elementary presented their highlights using staff, students and children integrated in the presentation
• Re-opening fully in person underway, 700+ students remain remote in virtual academy, items being worked here and there; pool testing now Tue/Thu and will continue through end of school year
• Updates to the District improvement plan #2 ad #3 provided including
  "Marking the moment" of a microaggression as a teachable moment, either on the spot or to return to and address

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #schcom0413
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23schcom0413&src=typeahead_click

Photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter c be found in one folder https://photos.app.goo.gl/XowahZLSvMbYnTA58

• Real time reporting about to begin for the #schcom0413 meeting
• Meeting opens with Chair Bergen reading the standard protocol message, #schcom0413  Executive session to follow public portion. Tim and Jen not yet present for this session via roll call
• Agenda doc and connection info can be found #schcom0413 https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/pages/april-13-2021-school-committee-meeting-packet

FHS student updates 

• FHS student updates; return to school went well, issues with lunch being worked, also with hallway and spacing, National Honor Society doing drive for Food Pantry #schcom0413 today's lunch better than Monday. Track tournament this week, theater beginning new production

Superintendent's report  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/superintendents_report_to_school_committee_april_13_2021.pdf

• Superintendent report, box at municipal bldg for food pantry also. Thanks to staff across district for reopening. #schcom0413 grant received for tilt skillet at FHS kitchen $18k, spring sports sign up underway. April vacation next week, stay safe.

Parmenter presentation

• Parmenter school presentation next #schcom0413 https://www.franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/parmenter  slides to follow along with
• Slides #schcom0413
• Approx 46+ via Zoom, additional via live stream, still others via Comcast/Verizon cable. Google transcripts working on the audio feed provides a nice accessible feature. #schcom0413
• Love the Maya Angelou quote shared: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."  #schcom0413
• Multiple short videos with student presentation and voices highlighting the work being done #schcom0413
• Poetry unit in 4th grade, civics in 5th grade,  examples of work being done #schcom0413
• Over 100 new titles added to the school library, good to see some of the titles shared #schcom0413 at school council level a key Ibram X Kendi text was used
• #schcom0413 looking for high school or college age mentors for student program, contact the principal if you know of one or more
• "if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change" Wayne Dyer - another timely quote  #schcom0413
• BTW as Committee gets into feedback and questions on the Parmenter presentation Keenan and D'Angelo are present #schcom0413
• Tiered support common across district albeit named or delivered slightly differently. Also working to align the tiering for content and the tiering for SEL #schcom0413

District improvement plan

• Moving on the district improvement plan items #2 and #3  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/sc_dip_2_and_3_updates_4_13_21.pdf #schcom0413
• Mixing metaphors talking of the compass rose as an anchor #schcom0413
• "Marking the moment" of a microaggression as a teachable moment, either on the spot or to return to and address #schcom0413
• #schcom0413 year 1 of 2 year plan  for new social studies framework implementation
• 8th grade tackling civics this year (interview with soc studies teachers on this shared earlier this school year)
• Homework monitoring leading into grading revisions. #schcom0413
• Request for presentation on civics action projects for future meeting "Envisions" not meeting needs, may shift to "Illustrative Math". all programs need supplements, no one program is perfect.
• Using benchmarks to compare the programs based upon the content taught, also will use MCAS as available. #schcom0413 Next update #3
• #schcom0413 remote IEP meetings became a reality due to the pandemic. Leveraged every thing that could be used
• After the Parmenter presentation, dropped down to 26+ via Zoom No questions after the #3 round. #schcom0413  Moving to discussion action and the budget

Discussion action items - FY 2022 budget

• Did get a 2.2m or 3.4% increase from Town since last time so the previous view of the budget can be reduced to meet the town amount by $700k  #schcom0413 Based upon Gov Baker's numbers, not the House/Senate agreement to provide more than the Governor provided
• Revised budget pages https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/budget_changes.pdf
• #schcom0413  How can we prepay from this year? Favorable amounts in budget this year; subs in particular. There are fewer positions in the budget already
• #schcom0413 the gap has been covered in part by COVID funds helping to offset some expense amount. Chair Bergen providing historical background on budget over the years. Two key reasons: 2.5% restriction placed 40+ years ago things cost more each year than that
• #schcom0413 1) apples to oranges comparison to compare schools to police/fire. We can only spend what we collect. 2) Special ed is too much. We need to provide for them until they are 22. 3) we are competing for teachers and not overpaying.
• Ready to vote on the recommendation; motion and second, vote via roll call passes 6-1 (Pfeiffer no) #schcom0413
• Motion and second on policy adoption https://franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/d-b-policy … #schcom0413 vote via roll call 7-0

Reopening update

• Reopening update  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/uploads/reopening_schools_status_update_april_9_2020-2021.pdf
• 738 virtual only across district per family choice, metrics in packet, pool testing Tues/Thur with students back #schcom0413 follow guidelines please, others schools have gone remote temp due to exposure  Will continue pool testing thru end of year, monitoring activity closely
• #schcom0413 keeping in mind recruiting; nurses, substitutes, etc. Appreciate flexibility in the community and staff, not all staff is vaccinated yet. 3rd round of stimulus expected in May
• #schcom0413 if some purifiers are extra can they be used elsewhere? Any parent concerns, should be addressed to the schools directly. No Community comments, questions.
• Joint budget subcomm yesterday. Community relations meeting Apr 28  Policy - mtg 4/29; SWAC update in newsletter this week, last meeting in May. Summer workshop on goals, evaluation anyone for an ad-hoc Committee for that
• #schcom0413 Calendar for next meeting, diversity awareness, Remington, draft SchCom calendar for next year

Consent Agenda

• Consent agenda - recommend approval, motion and second, passes  7-0 via roll call #schcom0413
• Motion to enter executive session and not to return to public, motion and second, passes via roll call 7-0
• That's all for tonight, catch you next time!

 

Recap: School Committee approved FY 2022 budget, Parmenter shares highlights, District Improvement Plan status updates

Drive Up Window Schedule at the Municipal Building - Apr 20

Drive Up Window Schedule at the Municipal Building

On Tuesday, April 20, the Drive-Up window at the Town Hall will be closed due to work on the bricks and glass, as part of the building window project. 

The Treasurer's office will be open and residents are welcome to come into the lobby for any in-person transactions. 

Thank you. 

Drive Up Window Schedule at the Municipal Building - Apr 20

Photography – Reflecting Through Lens and Pen (video)

Marjorie Sardella of Beaux Regards Photographic Art recently gave Zoom presentation to the Franklin Art Association titled "Reflecting Through Lens and Pen."

If you missed the presentation on Zoom, you can view it on YouTube!
https://t.co/5LRLnjc5Uu  or here https://youtu.be/e10hYd1yP00
#fdp
#photography