Category: Schools & Education

  • FHS Photo Exhibit in Nobscot

    FHS Photo Exhibit in Nobscot

    Framingham School Photo Exhibit, January 2011 at Annies Bookstop / Espresso Paulo in Nobscot
    The promotional poster for the January 2011 exhibit was created by Danielle Lagman, a junior in the photo program at FHS.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Students in the Framingham High School “Photo 2” program will have their works on display at Annie’s Book Stop / Espresso Paulo, (in the Nobscot Shopping Center, Water St., Framingham), for the month of January 2011.

    The juried exhibit of approximately 40 original framed photos are the works of FHS upperclassmen enrolled in Rebecca Cauchon’s second year photography program at the high school.

    On January 16, 2010, from 2:00PM to 4:00PM a reception for the student photographers will be held, at which time the judges’ decisions for juried photos will be announced as well as a “People’s Choice” award.

    Photos by the following FHS students will be included in the exhibit: Camille Bauer Lostaunau, Natalie Beier, Zach Bloomstein, Corey Bois, Nicole Caponetti, Nayara Da Silva, Alex De Sena, Noelle Deneault, Marcos Do Canto, Sophie Donahue, Johabe Franco, Dan Frazee, Maria Grandoni, Jenna Hurley, Danielle Lagman, Leo Rangel, Rob Rentel, Chris Starr, Mark Welcome, and independent study students Giles Holbrow and Cameron Burke.

    The photography courses Rebecca Cauchon has taught at Framingham High Schools for the past 11 years are part of the (more…)

  • Laramie Project Closes After Sellout Weekend

    Laramie Project Closes After Sellout Weekend

    PHOTO - Matthew Shepard
    ~=Matthew Shepard=~(12/1/1976-10/12/1998)

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – After months of planning, casting, rehearsing and finally performing the play — “The Laramie Project” closed after its second sellout night at Framingham High School.

    I didn’t see the play. I’ll admit to never going to a play unless my kid was in it. What I did see and hear were an incredible amount of civil rights “in action” and discussed and debated in the schools and on the streets of Framingham.

    The photo of Matthew Shepard on this page is so nobody forgets that the The Laramie Project is about a murder. A 21 year old kid was killed by two cowards.  The murderers attempted to use the fact that Matthew Shepard was gay as an excuse for how their planned robbery went very wrong.

    The killers were Meth-heads.  They were too lazy to work for a living. The robbery was all about “getting money for drugs“.  They singled out (more…)

  • WBC Protest in Framingham

    WBC Protest in Framingham

    Framingham, MA - December 3, 2010, Westboro Baptist Church police barricade setup for protest.
    Early a.m. police barricade at A St. and Concord St. as police control traffic near Framingham High School.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Under the cover of darkness T.V. news trucks quietly pulled into the old State Lumber parking lot at the corner of School Street and Concord Street.

    It was still before dawn as reporters fixed their hair, straightened their jackets and ties, and cameramen readied their equipment.

    The Assignment: Get some film of the Westboro Baptist Church members who are in town to protest the play, “The Laramie Project“.

    The controversial play is about the murder of a gay 21 year old University of Wyoming student,  Matthew Shepard, who was beaten and left to die in 1998 and how the community dealt with the issue.

    The Westboro Baptist group travels around the country protesting the play, but are perhaps even better known for protesting at the funerals of US Soldiers who were killed in war.

    The play will be performed at Framingham High School tonight and (more…)

  • Framingham Save Our Schools Petition

    Framingham Save Our Schools Petition

    Framingham Save Our Schools website
    A new website has been put up with Framingham School Department budget info, and links to an online petition to "Save Our Schools".

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Herb Chasan, Framingham Precinct 4 Town Meeting Member, (and local home improvement contractor), is sending out an S.O.S — a “Save Our Schools” message.

    In September, Chasan, registered a domain name and put together a website, www.FraminghamSaveOurSchools.org which provides info about recent school budget cuts and prompts visitors to sign and online petition.

    The site contains materials listing what the past four years of reduced funding and the latest $6 million dollars in cuts have done to Framingham schools.

    While newspapers and talk on the street decry elimination of  elementary school music, or cuts in school bus transportation — many don’t realize the number of education and support positions (and programs) that were also cut back or eliminated.

    The website is linked to the online service www.ePetitions.com to allow residents to sign the online petition, which in-part asks Framingham Board of Selectmen to act according to, “..our desire for level service funding of future school budgets and search for sources of additional revenue and cost savings to support this goal.

    Whichever side of the Framingham School Department budget debate you’re on — it’s worth checking out www.FraminghamSaveOurSchools.org

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  • Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Framingham

    Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Framingham

    Shirley Phelps of the hate group that calls itself the Westboro Baptist Church
    Shirley Phelps of the hate group that calls itself the Westboro Baptist Church.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – I got a call yesterday afternoon. The woman said a reporter left a message saying they were from Framingham and wanted to interview her, but didn’t leave a call-back number, so she searched the internet and found the phone number for framingham.com

    She asked if she was reaching “a news outlet”, and I told her we do run some news articles along with other Framingham local community information.

    Then I asked her, “Did you do something newsworthy?

    Her short reply,  “we picket“.

    I asked her name…

    She said her name was Shirley Phelps-Roper.  Then she said, “we were going to picket in your town on the 4th, but we’re going to come on the 3rd instead so more of the kids will be outside the school than will go to that fag play“.

    She told me she’s “the lawyer for the [Westboro Baptist] church“, and that she answers the phone calls and email.  Then rather proudly mentioned that she is one of 13 siblings, and she herself is the mother of 11 children.

    Knowing I was talking to someone who loves the sound of their own voice, I gave Shirley a go-ahead “uh-huh” and said, “Oh, you’re from that church in Kansas“, and mentioned I’d read “something about it”.

    Shirley went on about The Laramie Project (more…)

  • Framingham State Name Change

    Framingham State Name Change

    Framingham State College changes name to Framingham State University
    Will a degree from Framingham State University look better than one from a mere college? And what to do about those who routinely shorten the name to "FSC" ? , (initials which no longer fit!)

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – “Framingham State University” is now the official name of the school which has sat atop Bare Hill since 1853.

    The school was originally founded in 1839 as a state-funded “Normal School” to standardize, (or “normalize“), the training of teachers in America.

    The Normal School was first located in Lexington and then Newton, MA and after outgrowing both locations moved to Framingham where it has flourished and grown for more than a century and a half.

    An act which became effective October 26, 2010 changes M.G.L. Ch. 15A, Sec. 5, and creates sub-sections of the law which in addition to renaming (6) colleges, breaks the state’s system of higher education into three segments;

    • (i) the university of Massachusetts segment
    • (ii) the state university segment
    • (iii) the community college segment (more…)
  • Salute to Framingham Nominations Open

    Salute to Framingham Nominations Open

    Framingham High School Foundation, 19th Annual Salute to Framingham
    Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for their contributions to Framingham youth?

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Framingham High School Foundation, (FHSF), has announced they are now accepting nominations for the 19th Annual “Salute to Framingham”, which honors three individuals each year who have “made a real difference in the lives of Framingham’s youth“.

    “The Salute to Framingham is the largest single annual fundraiser for Framingham High School.”

    In the past monies raised have helped to support a seemingly endless list of arts, sports and extra-curricular activities including; uniforms, (more…)

  • Framingham, MA – FY2011 Cherry Sheet

    Framingham, MA – FY2011 Cherry Sheet

    [graphic] FY2011 Framingham, MA Cherry Sheet - State Aid figures.
    Will state aid will pay for state mandates?
    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Each year the Massachusetts Commissioner of Revenue produces “estimates” of how much state aid each city and town will get for the upcoming fiscal year, (along with any assessments which reduce aid payment from the state).

    Known as the “cherry sheet” for the color of paper it was originally printed on, the state now publishes these state aid estimates online.

    Below is an HTML version of the cherry sheet for Framingham for fiscal Year 2011, (it was published by the state on July 1, 2010).

    The first page lists estimated receipts, (state aid to be paid to Framingham); (more…)

  • “Once on this Island” – FHS Drama Aug. 7, 2010

    “Once on this Island” – FHS Drama Aug. 7, 2010

    POSTER - Once on this Island, FHS Award Winning Production - 2010 - Scotland Trip Benefit
    Framingham High School Drama Production, final Performance by leaving for 2010 Scottland Fringe Festival

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – In 2008, Framingham High School’s Drama Company performed “Once on This Island”. The production won seven out of ten awards in state-wide competition, including best Musical, Director, Ensemble, Orchestra, Lighting Design, Scenic Design, and Technical Crew.

    When FHS-DC was selected to perform in Scotland in August – as part of the world’s largest arts festival – Director Donna Wresinski decided that “Once on This Island” was the show to do. “Now people have one more chance to see this award-winning production right here in Framingham, MA – before it goes international in Edinburgh,” said Wresinski.

    SHOW DATE: Saturday, August 7, 2010
    TIME: 7:00 p.m.
    PLACE: Framingham High School Auditorium

    Tickets are available online via www.ticketstage.com Pricing is (more…)

  • FHS in High School Quiz Show Quarterfinals

    FHS in High School Quiz Show Quarterfinals

    PHOTO: Framingham High School Quiz Show Team (2010)
    The FHS High School Quiz Show Team

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Framingham High School team has made it to WGBH’s High School Quiz Show quarterfinals which air tonight, Monday June 7, 2010 at 7:30pm on WGBH 2.

    Tonight’s matchup is Framingham High School vs. Longmeadow High School.

    Both teams are vying for a spot in the Eastern MA semifinals and hoping to go on to face the winner of the Western MA division and claim the title of State Champion.

    High School Quiz Show is produced by WGBH 2 in conjunction with The University of Massachusetts, and sister-station WGBY and its show called (more…)