This session shares the Franklin (MA) School Committee meeting held on Tuesday, Jan 14, 2024. 6 of the 7 members participated (6 in Chambers,  1 absent - Sompally).

Quick recap

• FHS Cheerleaders recognized for winning multiple championships, approved for travel to the National Championship
• Superintendent's report included multiple updates on redistricting efforts underway
• FHS school update provided insights in the school year thus far
• FHS Program of Studies update raised some clarification questions and at least one surprise that the community service hours added to the graduation requirements are not being monitored this year due to the budget cut that removed the individual who would have done that tracking. Community hours were being done by students, no one single person was tracking to ensure all the students were doing so this school year
• Franklin TV provided an update on the programming provided to the community including the live broadcast of this meeting (across town, 2 school concerts were also broadcast and the FHS girls basketball game was also broadcast). revenue is dropping due to cable cutting, proposal at State Legislature on potential alternate revenue for cable operations, new Federal administration may attempt to dismantle the Federal authorization for cable broadcasting
• Discussion action items
• approved after much discussion as amended the notification on the temporary names for the schools as part of the redistricting
• Capital budget modified from initial preview and approved
• 3 policies for first reading approved to move to second reading
• Update on educational expenses for the student from the emergency shelter. Quarterly reimbursement from DESE only used to offset the costs of educating these students. Reimbursement at rate of $104/per day/per student. The override had nothing to do with the education of these students. FPS does not use the operational budget to educate the student from the emergency shelter
• Grants to the amount of $1.6 M were preview by the committee (document not part of the public set released prior to the meeting). Over what period these grants covered was not mentioned out loud.
• Round of subcommittee updates
• Motion to enter executive session, not to return to public meeting, passed 6-0-1 (1 absent)

The recording runs about 3 hours & 24 minutes, so let’s listen in.

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Franklin TV video available for replay -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWsDrfRwZuM 

The agenda doc -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/events/fsc.pdf 

Meeting packet (other docs as they are released after the meeting will get posted here) -> https://www.franklinps.net/documents/departments/school-committee/meeting-packets/2024---25-meeting-packets/january-14%2C-2025-sc-meeting-packet/742564

My full set of notes in one PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JdupV2TntAObJjwWAik_BBpoPfpLPHVH/view?usp=drive_link   

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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!

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