The proposed fiscal year 2024 budget and capital plan dominated Thursday’s School Committee meeting, held jointly with the Select Board and Appropriation Committee. Director of Finance Susan Rothermich led a presentation about a proposed $60 million school operating...
Susan Gonsalves
`Disconnect’ continues regarding proposed therapy services cuts at schools
Once again, Thursday’s School Committee meeting featured a public comment period when several speakers expressed concern about proposed reductions in occupational, physical and speech and language therapies. It was followed by a presentation in which Superintendent...
Grade configurations, budget requests among School Committee topics
One of the pending decisions by the School Committee is whether to have a new Elmwood School cover Grades 2-3 or Grades 2-4. A presentation on Thursday included diagrams showing configurations until 2032. Projected enrollment for a two-grade facility is 774 students,...
School budget plans include requests for personnel
Budget presentations from building and administrative leaders were on the Hopkinton School Committee meeting agenda on Thursday. High school On behalf of the high school, Principal Evan Bishop outlined some of the areas contributing to a proposed 5.6 percent increase...
School Committee discusses solar panels, mental health days
The School Committee on Thursday accepted a power purchase agreement with Solect Energy Development previously passed by the Select Board. The 20-year pact is for the installation of rooftop photovoltaic projects at Hopkins School, the middle school and the high...
HHS Habitat for Humanity club builds playhouse for veteran’s children
One day, 2-year-old Natalie and 1-year-old Jailson Lucien will learn that a group of Hopkinton High School students helped to build their Mickey and Minnie Mouse-themed playhouse to honor their father Vincllor, an Army veteran. The high school’s Habitat for Humanity...
Capital plan, summer programs top School Committee agenda
The bulk of Thursday night’s three-hour School Committee meeting was devoted to looking at a potential fiscal year 2024 capital plan and needs for the long-term over 10 years as well. Director of Finance Susan Rothermich outlined the following items and their proposed...
Joint meeting outlines school budget process, challenges
During a joint meeting with the School Committee and Appropriation Committee on Thursday, the Select Board adopted a budget message with an option for a 5.1 percent capping increase. That adoption occurred following a presentation by Town Manager Norman Khumalo and...
Elmwood forum offers details on school replacement project
About 18 participants joined an online kickoff meeting Monday night to learn more about the process going forward for the Elmwood School replacement project. In addition to introducing the key players from Vertex and Perkins Eastman, who will plan and design the...
School Committee reviews enrollment figures, attendance policy
The Elmwood School replacement project, school enrollment and the attendance policy were among the topics of discussion at the Hopkinton School Committee meeting on Thursday. Elementary level administrators also presented improvement plans for the board to review....
HMS, HHS update policies regarding cell phones, hoods, personal searches
The School Committee on Thursday approved changes to the middle school and high school student handbooks involving cell phones, hoods and hats and personal searches, among other things. Hopkinton Middle School Principal Matthew Lefebvre pointed out a new cell phone...
Middle schoolers learn about finance, entrepreneurship at business camp
When Hopkinton High School rising senior Vihaan Agarwal and some friends noticed a lack of offerings related to finance and entrepreneurship at the middle school level, they decided to do something about it. They founded the Hopkinton Youth Business Academy, which...
School Committee roundup: Public forums scheduled for Elmwood School replacement project
Grade configurations and a timetable for public forums related to the Elmwood School replacement project were topics of discussion during Monday’s School Committee meeting. The schedule was featured during a further review of Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh’s goals,...
New HMS assistant principal hopes to contribute, grow in role
Patrick Nash, the new assistant principal at Hopkinton Middle School, believes that role has changed significantly over the years and said he is excited to take on the challenge. “There’s a lot more to the assistant principal’s job [than handling discipline], and a...
`Lifelong educator’ Tynan new assistant principal at Elmwood
Having recently taught at the elementary level remotely during the pandemic, Michelle Tynan believes she can relate to teachers and bring that understanding to her new role as assistant principal at Elmwood School. “I was in the trenches and know how they are feeling...
School Committee roundup: Special education proposal includes staffing additions, changes
A three-year special education staffing proposal was the focus of Monday night’s School Committee meeting. The presentation, given by Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh, Director of Student Services Karen Zaleski and Marathon Elementary School Principal Lauren Dubeau,...
New HMS principal brings enthusiastic approach to role
Matthew Lefebvre said he will bring a “no job is too small” mentality to his new role as principal of Hopkinton Middle School. “I believe in that old schoolhouse model that everyone here is really important,” Lefebvre said. He added that he would bring an “element of...
New assistant superintendent hopes to help lead HPS’ ‘evolution’
Jeffrey LaBroad, the new assistant superintendent of Hopkinton Public Schools, decided at age 4 that he wanted to become a teacher. He never changed his mind. He credits his kindergarten teacher with allowing him to “fall in love with school and fall in love with...
School Committee approves Special Town Meeting article wording; enrollment numbers rise
The School Committee on Thursday approved the language for a Special Town Meeting warrant article asking for an additional $850,000 for the Marathon School addition project. The money for the project could be taken out of the department’s Legacy Farms Fund allocation...
HMS teacher takes ‘amazing’ educational trip to Greece
Participating in The Examined Life educational program enabled Hopkinton Middle School Grade 8 civics teacher William Mingace to make a life-changing trip to Greece, a journey he believes allows him to better understand what he teaches. From April 14-23, he traveled...