Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

School Committee closes in on new superintendent

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

The School Committee is gearing up to select a new superintendent for the Hopkinton Public Schools at its meeting this Thursday.

The upcoming meeting represents the culmination of a months-long effort that began after Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh announced this past November she would be retiring at the end of the school year. After bringing on a consultant and assembling a dedicated screening group, the School Committee has narrowed down the field to two finalists.

Hopkinton High School principal Evan Bishop and Mark McLaughin, interim superintendent of the South Hadley School District, have been selected from a pool of qualified candidates. A third candidate was chosen as a finalist but withdrew their name from consideration last month.

Bishop has been with the school district since 2005 and took on the position of HHS principal in 2013. McLaughlin has acted as a superintendent and assistant superintendent in both the South Hadley and the Merrimack, New Hampshire, school districts.

Both candidates were scheduled for site visits and in-district days to meet with school officials and community members last week. Bishop and McLaughlin met with the School Committee last Thursday for their final 90-minute interviews (check the Independent website later today for a recap).

According to the school district’s website, the School Committee still anticipates it will select a new superintendent this Thursday. Consultants from the New England School Development Council have advised the committee to support the winning candidate unanimously once a majority vote is reached.

Latest News

A Leominster woman was indicted by a grand jury on Friday on a number of charges after she allegedly stole thousands of dollars from multiple elderly victims in communities across Worcester and Middlesex counties, including Hopkinton.

The town announced on Monday it has enacted water conservation for municipal water customers due to inadequate groundwater recharge of the town’s wells.

This week’s Real Estate Transactions List shows four homes sold, including one for $1.2 million.

Town meetings tonight include the Select Board (6) and the Historical Commission (7).

Photo of the Day

A still pond reflects the evening sky.

PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE