At Thursday’s School Committee meeting, principals from all grade levels presented school improvement plans, emphasizing multi-tiered layers of support, academic, social and emotional growth and transitions.

Hopkinton High School Principal Justin Pominville said offering students options and helping kids “flourish,” no matter their learning styles, are important components of the HHS plan.

Pominville spoke about various data collection and student and alumni feedback that help to assess what is going well and areas needing improvement. He said, “If asked and heard,” students will be motivated.

While the number of high school seniors completing capstone projects increased to 300 of 330, a goal is to have a 100% participation rate.

Capstone projects allow students to pursue their passions and expand internship opportunities, he said.

Pominville spoke about the importance of highlighting post-secondary options other than four years of college. Because Hopkinton is a high-performing district, some students feel the pressure to take that path.

However, he said, for some students there may be better fits than post-secondary education.

He also noted that students meet regularly with the same guidance counselors over their four years at about a caseload of one counselor per 200 students.

He said, “Conversations morph into the course selection process.” That process is designed with finding the best way to help students achieve their goals.

New to the role as an interim principal, Pominville said the first month has been “outstanding … a wonderful start.”

Of the high school, he said, “We’re doing a lot … and always want to be pushing the bar [higher].”

Hopkinton Middle School Principal Matt Lefebvre presented a list of goals, including “expand strategies through TQE [thoughts, questions, epiphanies].”

Lefebvre talked about collaboration between special education and general education professionals, building on writing strategies and infusing them into other disciplines and strengthening relationships with families and the community to celebrate “who we are.”

Lefebvre said the school community looks for ways to enhance the social/emotional experiences of students as well as prepare them to transition to high school.

“I’m super proud of our school,” he added.

Representing the elementary level were principals Lauren Dubeau (Marathon), David Brauninger (Elmwood) and Matt Cotter (Hopkins).

Dubeau spoke about the emphasis on the “whole” child and how the collaboration between special and general education teachers starts early. She noted staff takes social/emotional learning” seriously, calling it “a huge component of life skills.”

She called information gleaned from data “a gift.”

Brauninger noted the principals would be establishing a guide of “common language” between the three buildings and working to identify things that work and areas where there are gaps.

He also talked about the desire to be more transparent, leverage groups and maximize resources and beyond academics — “help children develop the capacity for kindness, respect and compassion.”

Cotter said the principals expect incidents of bullying to decrease as they place high expectations on students to solve conflicts earlier.

“Kids can figure it out,” Cotter said, “but we need to teach them [life] skills and help build capacity. … ‘How should I handle being pushed on the playground.’ ”

Committee member Nancy Cavanaugh said she liked that the principals have aligned goals rather than being “siloed.”

Bruneau responded that common practices make the transition between buildings/grades go more smoothly.

In other business, Superintendent Evan Bishop noted that more than 30 people participated in a recent “listening session” regarding the school calendar. Another forum will take place Thursday, Oct. 9, during the regular School Committee meeting.

He also spoke about school safety training that is ongoing in conjunction with the police and fire departments. Included is a reunification drill run by state police that outlines where each building’s inhabitants would go in case of an evacuation.

Bishop also congratulated National Merit Scholarship semifinalists Jianing Huang, Lila Harper and Simrit Kukreja.