HopNews
The Hopkinton School Committee on June 18 approved a new paraprofessional position for Elmwood School and gave final approval to the middle school’s 2026 Outdoor Classroom trip. Moreover, the committee also spent much of the evening on two long-range topics. These were a districtwide elementary literacy pilot and possible changes to school start times and transportation. These changes are tied to the upcoming grade reconfiguration.
Public Comment
No residents spoke during public comment at the June 18 meeting.
Retirees, student representatives recognized
The committee and district administration opened the meeting by recognizing retiring staff members for their years of service to Hopkinton Public Schools. Superintendent Evan Bishop and administrators also thanked outgoing student representatives Ryan and Ella for their work this year. In addition, they introduced the incoming representatives, Jillian Torren and Matt Leiden, for 2026-27.
The new student representatives gave a brief school update. They noted that high school finals had begun. They also highlighted the Run for Rafa 5K fundraiser scheduled for June 20 at Hopkinton High School, and they mentioned upcoming senior events.
Superintendent Evaluation Corrected
In old business, the committee revised one category in Bishop’s final evaluation after members said the previously listed “developing” rating was not a state reporting category. As a result, the committee voted unanimously to change Indicator IV-E, shared vision, to “proficient.”
Outdoor Classroom Trip Approved
The committee then gave final approval for the Grade 6 outdoor classroom trip planned for Nov. 16-18 and Nov. 18-20, 2026, at Camp Cody in Freedom, New Hampshire.
Middle School Principal Ann Benbenek said the cost will remain $435 per student, the same as last year. She said financial support will be available for families who need it. Because the grade has about 360 students, the trip will again run in two groups.
Elmwood Paraprofessional Added
The committee unanimously approved a request for a 1.0 full-time ABA Level C paraprofessional for Elmwood School for the 2026-27 year.
Director of Student Services Jessica Beattie said the added position is needed to meet the IEP requirements of a newly registered student with intensive needs. She added that the position was not included in the budget. This was because the student enrolled after the budget process was completed.
Financial Items
School officials said the added Elmwood position is expected to cost about $30,000. According to the discussion at the meeting, the expense will be covered through grant funding and circuit breaker reimbursement. Therefore, it will be budget-neutral for the district.
The committee also approved routine warrant items listed in the packet. Those included student activities, payroll, and operating and capital warrants totaling $4,498,904.52 and $1,055,057.72.
Middle School Classroom Air Quality Discussed
Bishop, along with Tim Persson, Buildings and Grounds Director, gave an update on concerns raised about air quality in adjoining middle school classrooms.
Bishop said concerns were first raised in May 2025, prompting indoor air-quality testing by an environmental consultant. He said additional concerns were raised in December 2025, followed by more inspections and deep cleaning. Furthermore, a second round of independent air and surface testing took place in January 2026.
Both rounds of testing found no significant mold contamination and no visible mold. Bishop said the district also completed recommended follow-up steps, including additional cleaning and HVAC servicing. In addition, there was filter replacement. The district also did ceiling tile replacement and the use of an ozone air-scrubbing unit during evenings and weekends.
Persson said the district later removed the upper half of partition walls and opened an enclosed office area to improve airflow in the former cafeteria space. This space had been divided into classrooms. He said teachers in the area reported that the space felt better afterward.
Sean McAuliffe of the Board of Health, joining remotely, said the testing and district response were consistent with what he would have recommended as an environmental consultant. Committee members were satisfied with the explanation and the steps taken.
Elementary Literacy Pilot Set for Next Year
Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Jeffrey LaBroad and Middle School Director of ELA Julie Matson updated the committee on the work of the elementary literacy task force.
LaBroad said the district launched the task force to study literacy instruction across grades K-5, review student data, and examine feedback from staff and families. The task force will also prepare for a possible state requirement that districts adopt approved commercial literacy materials.
He said the task force found strong performance in foundational reading skills, but identified room for improvement in vocabulary, writing, analysis, and inference. Additionally, students’ ability to synthesize ideas from texts needs improvement.
After reviewing four commercial programs, meeting with vendors, and consulting other districts, the task force recommended piloting three programs next school year rather than selecting one immediately. LaBroad said all three programs appeared strong enough to warrant further study.
He told the committee that 98 classroom teachers volunteered to take part and that participating teachers will pilot all three programs. During discussion, administrators said the pilot is expected to cost between $25,000 and $30,000. Meanwhile, full implementation of a selected program could cost about $500,000.
Committee members praised the process and said they appreciated the level of teacher participation and transparency.
School Schedules and Transportation Remain Under Review
The committee also reviewed survey results on transportation and school schedules. This review comes as the district plans for grade reconfiguration tied to the new Charleswood building.
Bishop said 809 people responded to the survey over about two weeks. He said the main themes were reliable transportation, reduced traffic congestion, predictable schedules, student sleep, and clear communication.
According to the presentation, 84 percent of respondents said reducing traffic was important or very important, 76 percent said student sleep and health needs were important or very important, 67 percent said reducing time on the bus was important or very important, and 86 percent said having a consistent bus driver was important or very important.
Bishop said the feedback did not point to one clear solution, but it did show broad agreement on priorities. He said the administration plans to spend July developing two or three schedule options. After that, they will present those options in August. They will then gather more public feedback and aim for a committee decision in September. This timeline gives families and staff time to prepare.
Committee members raised questions about athletics, arts, jobs, child care, before- and after-school programming, bus fees, age gaps on buses, and lessons from other districts. These topics were all related to changing start times or grade configurations.
F-1 Visa Postponed
A scheduled discussion on F-1 visa students did not occur before the meeting moved into calendar and liaison matters.
Consent Agenda
The committee approved the items by consensus as listed in the packet. Those items included student activity warrants, payroll warrants, operating and capital warrants, and the TEC executive director’s report.
Meeting Calendar and Next Steps
Near the end of the meeting, the committee discussed its 2026-27 meeting calendar, including a possible July 23 remote meeting. There will also be a separate session with counsel to review committee norms and legal guidance. Members expressed interest in the attorney session, though some said weekday daytime scheduling would be difficult.
The committee’s next major actions include reviewing proposed transportation and school schedule options later this summer and gathering more public feedback. They will then decide on a preferred model in September. The literacy pilot is also set to move forward in the 2026-27 school year.
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