News-pourri

With 39 percent of students opting for the remote learning learning plan for the 2020-21 school year, the district is asking for County permission to delay the start of in-person learning until November 30. Schools Superintendent John Ravally said in an August 18 phone blast to district families that the district decided to ask the Somerset County Executive County Superintendent …

First-term school board member Michelle Shelton resigned on August 10. (File photo.) There are now seven people running for three available Board of Education seats, with the August 10 resignation of Board member Michelle Shelton. The Board accepted Shelton’s resignation at its August 12 meeting. Shelton, whose first term ends at the end of this year, said she resigned because …

Franklin High School’s Class of 2020 will be honored with “Vote N’ Vibe Summer Kickback” from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 15 at FHS’s Warriors Stadium. The event is sponsored by the Franklin-based non-profit, Clued Up. Vote N’ Vibe was organized with the intent of providing this year’s FHS graduates a chance to collectively celebrate their accomplishments while receiving important information for …

Schools Superintendent John Ravally answered parents’ questions about school reopening during a teleconference on Aug. 4. (File photo.) Free coronavirus testing for school district staff, students and their families is in the planning stages, and could be offered by the end of the month. That was one of the nuggets of information provided by schools Superintendent John Ravally August 4 …

On the eve of a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the school district’s reopening plan, nearly 10 percent of the township’s student population will start the school year learning at home. District spokeswoman Mary Clark said that as of the afternoon of Aug. 3, the district was notified that 666 students would opt for the remote-learning option offered by …

The township-sponsored COVID-19 testing program held at houses of worship is on track to test nearly 1,200 people in its first two days. About 545 people were tested on July 27 at St. Matthias Church, and 600 people have registered for the July 31 testing at the former Consolata Missionaries property on Route 27. COVID-19 and antibody testing will be …

A policy that acknowledges historic and current “personal and institutional racism” in the school district, as well as a commitment to overcome it, was introduced on first reading at the July 23 Board of Education meeting. In its “anti-racism” policy, the Board pledged to “end the predictive value of race and ensure the success of each individual student and staff …

Eight township residents are vying for three available three-year seats on the Board of Education. That group includes all three incumbents, Michelle Shelton, Nisihita Desai and Michael T. Smith, who are running as a slate. The incumbents are running for their second terms. The challengers who filed, and who are running individually, are: William GrippoThomas R. PalczewskiParul PatelDevakumar VilluriKaren Masters …

Submitted by Sister2Sister. On Saturday, October 3, 2020, Sister2Sister (S2S) will host a Virtual 5K Breast Cancer Run/Walk 4Life from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. This event is designed to raise funds, educate and bring awareness to the fight against breast cancer, celebrate survivorship; and to honor the lives of those who lost their battle.  Funds raised will help support …

Franklin High School fall athletes will be able to start their workouts in late July. (File photo.) Things are going to be different when Franklin High School athletes hit the fields for training later this month. For one, there will be no hugs, no high-fives, no fist-bumps, no contact of any kind, for that matter. “(W)orkouts shall be limited to …