[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6099339,"mediaKeyId","2818299-90d2aea4331cb774b632d40cf684f1d0","parentId",2818299,"title","Hopkinton principal and finalist Evan Bishop pitches continuity, community engagement and inclusion in superintendent interview","audioSeconds",3448,"startMs",7618000,"endMs",11066000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2818299-90d2aea4331cb774b632d40cf684f1d0&start=7618&end=11066","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2818299-90d2aea4331cb774b632d40cf684f1d0/thumbnail_7618000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099339/Massachusetts/Hopkinton-principal-and-finalist-Evan-Bishop-pitches-continuity-community-engagement-and-inclusion-in-superintendent-interview","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099339-74c48ed896f0929c4b1c9c5c5b11d909/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183361&Signature=Ua~Kdk9Po5rhO0syau8xLE9Kp48C4D6-9e6l9pSuQWtg-nAmTdFw1n~dTijnY7QjmuyBCxEQoMI155OMJpvygC8AMuILv3bTs1h6hzQVGtG5y679cpz~IeUzj7vVZgqtkqYKVq4~V0B4dDSpHwQVOsgSx9Ayb1ttP1Z~7-31c0RWclKxNvIDwnfKBI2x7kPqsFTqLOOaIMUgpNjTaW-mZVLzz-5y5-VefIgsudTrmALaF5cs4mFxPMvA4qFiHGn7JEwKOecUaSBdc9G5LqbRd3fMewgt7aK3GYoJVq7waqjLtZLkAKPkJtSStx-86ejctEbV7cWO8s3Fb19cpx4Xbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hopkinton Public Schools, MA","date","2025-03-28T16:44:36Z","article","Evan Bishop, principal of Hopkinton High School, told the Hopkinton School Committee on March 27 that his priorities as a potential superintendent would be strengthening community engagement, preserving student-facing positions amid budget pressures and advancing inclusion across the district.

Bishop, who said he has worked in Hopkinton for 20 years and has been high school principal for 12, framed his approach as a culture-centered one: “I look at the position of a leader whether it's a principal or a superintendent as a culture builder,” he said. “Being a culture builder is bringing people together.”

On transparency and difficult decisions, Bishop said leaders must “be honest about why we're making those decisions” and should give stakeholders opportunities to be heard even when outcomes are unpopular. He described routine practices at the high school — staff surveys, monthly meetings with union representatives and regularly scheduled check-ins — that he said build trust and surface problems early.

Bishop told the committee he is a “champion for inclusion” and described local initiatives at the high school, including a recent staff briefing prepared with the Muslim Student Association to inform faculty about Ramadan and an iftar event organized with students. He said the district should bake diversity, equity and inclusion work into routine operations and ensure students “have equitable access to opportunities.”

On budgets, Bishop said Hopkinton should plan early and creatively, naming options such as international-student tuition programs and re‑examining pre‑K tuition, while prioritizing student-facing positions where possible. He said the district should be transparent about tradeoffs and involve stakeholders in planning.

Bishop described approaches to special education that tie compliance to student outcomes, and said he would rely on a strong director of student services while advocating for quality monitoring and progress-based interventions.

Bishop closed by saying he wants to remain in Hopkinton and continue serving the community if not selected as superintendent; if hired, he said, he would make elementary and middle school outreach a top priority during an entry plan, and that hiring a high school principal would be done with attention to district values and continuity.

The committee reiterated that reference checks and community feedback are underway and that it expects to deliberate on April 3.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Committee: March 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Evan Bishop, Hopkinton High School principal and superintendent finalist, told the School Committee March 27 he is student-centered, emphasizes visibility and consistent communication, and supports inclusion and strong relationships with staff and unions.","taxTitle","Hopkinton Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",71104,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099342,"Superintendent finalist Mark McLaughlin emphasizes listening, budgeting strategies and equitable services in Hopkinton interview",5280,1783000,7063000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2818299-90d2aea4331cb774b632d40cf684f1d0&start=1783&end=7063","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2818299-90d2aea4331cb774b632d40cf684f1d0/thumbnail_1783000.jpg","/articles/6099342/Massachusetts/Superintendent-finalist-Mark-McLaughlin-emphasizes-listening-budgeting-strategies-and-equitable-services-in-Hopkinton-interview","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099342-c5f0c32e50e4fdde75a18bc43dc7d803/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183361&Signature=K8DRCtTgsNnu6aGQQgVGZgrwKpWN6~pzdKycpcI4sWqgD5X2nVC4IETZH~evoWIc9fMe4ek7o4QeQKYgwjCemhW1IIwTdhChPCEc-~PpkBKCcxAEAHia01uic0d7hdht0YoS3I3FaN6erRp78KtrWvOS3VK2~U-iUM6lWazN7VoRpzvdWVyFb2lA0SeWyMizaVDbpiBmzBy8C9K6-RgQwtbn~MiP3HOQoF9QmU5Q8R6IWANJ~tTXfMyhslbRI1ng8XOL0Rj0vDIkXsf1y4eZbaq-lS7ztU0luSVZDlVmB~NVQMekNH2~1gjbZSJWG2zDwJsQKUFXdzUXADAkKkP26w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mark McLaughlin, superintendent of South Hadley, told the Hopkinton School Committee on March 27 that he places a high priority on listening to build community trust, on seeking budget efficiencies to protect classroom staff and on strengthening special-education compliance and independence for students.

McLaughlin, one of two finalists for Hopkinton’s superintendent job, described methods he said have worked in his district: “I think the way that I have operated, and I think it's had some success, is is to build community by listening to the community,” he said, adding that visible, sustained engagement with parents, town officials, teachers and non‑parent residents builds credibility over time.

On collective bargaining and relationships with employee groups, McLaughlin said regular, scheduled meetings with association leadership and transparency about limits are essential. “So, the paraeducator unit, the department head unit and then the custodial unit. And, and but we have regular meetings where we try not to let problems get ahead of themselves,” he said.

McLaughlin described concrete budget work in South Hadley that he presented as a model for preserving personnel: facing a $1 million cut in Chapter 70 aid and steep increases in special-education transportation, his district brought transportation in‑house and reduced the fleet while preserving service. He said the change produced about $600,000 in annual savings even after raising driver pay and that the move reduced projected staff cuts from 31 to 19 positions in his example.

On special education, McLaughlin said his district had at times fallen short on compliance and responded by instituting quality‑control steps: elevated review of IEPs before finalization and closer monitoring of timelines. He said the new IEP framework “presumes competence” and that the district has sought to create conditions that build students’ independence.

McLaughlin also addressed curricular and inclusion issues. He said state standards should guide curriculum and described a vetting process for new instructional materials that would require teachers to connect proposed texts to standards and departmental goals. On supporting transgender and LGBTQ students, he said his South Hadley district had worked with a school committee and a DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion/belonging) committee to create safer spaces and that the district aims to “acknowledge who they really are” while working case by case with families.

McLaughlin answered committee questions about community engagement, bargaining unit relationships, budget tradeoffs and curriculum. He closed by noting a recent initiative in his district — the rollout of a new elementary standards-based report card — and said he is energized by challenges in pursuit of student-centered improvements.

The Hopkinton committee said it will collect community feedback on finalists via a district web form and complete reference checks before deliberating at its April 3 meeting.","Mark McLaughlin, superintendent of South Hadley, told the Hopkinton School Committee he prioritizes listening to build community trust, creative budgeting (including in‑house transportation) and stronger special-education quality control during his superintendent finalist interview March 27.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099343,"Hopkinton School Committee moves into executive session to discuss collective bargaining",164,367000,531000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2818299-90d2aea4331cb774b632d40cf684f1d0&start=367&end=531","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2818299-90d2aea4331cb774b632d40cf684f1d0/thumbnail_367000.jpg","/articles/6099343/Massachusetts/Hopkinton-School-Committee-moves-into-executive-session-to-discuss-collective-bargaining","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099343-52a38640010ffbc5ea757a7ed070f236/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183361&Signature=W3-eMSuXNT99kkCPAXynaE3oGbXP~Oz2NFV-ylfsYrMwtJTLwWVRAult2~mcGjDo3utBkaQ2WOBdgDbNJ87EajAL74X5VTXep9vFJXwpOMxnbqtUXkAjbmkJYyrYHIlu6lYhnI~LHKgwPTPu3s6CguPRvlpmxMFZYoVoJOdv6vlQwu4Ib7b7t~aXUtTFWDUXo8LbG~K5HneXRCbbN8yaoaIVqkyxo6hIlKtH-A8NUpwpR5TYUo6lIcTdWlVMfQwHm~Gb-Jr7IaTIbl1A0519dNsKsV44Y7~AE9efXGhtGfZgUqvqioG5k63BM9ugJhf16~l1KDKJCsHjIjHjElq3HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hopkinton School Committee voted unanimously March 27 to enter executive session under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 30A, section 21(a)(2), to discuss strategy for collective bargaining with multiple employee groups, including the Hopkinton Teachers Association and several support-staff unions.

The motion to enter executive session was made by committee member Jamie (last name not specified in transcript) and seconded by Kyla (last name not specified). The chair conducted a roll call before the committee left the public meeting: “Chris? Yes.” “Kyla? Yes.” “Jamie? Yes.” “Susan? Yes,” the record shows. The committee said it would return to the public session later to continue the scheduled candidate interviews.

The committee cited the specific statutory authority in its announcement: MGL chapter 30A, section 21(a)(2), which permits a public body to meet in executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining when an open meeting would be detrimental to the bargaining position. The motion named the bargaining units involved: the Hopkinton Teachers Association; the custodians’ union affiliated with AFSCME Council 93; the Association of Cafeteria Workers of Hopkinton (SEIU local 888); non-unit personnel; the administrative team; and the school physician.

After returning from executive session the board proceeded with interviews of superintendent finalists as planned. Later in the meeting, the committee unanimously approved a motion to adjourn, moved by Susan and seconded by Kyla.

The committee also announced next steps for the superintendent search: reference checks are being completed, community feedback via a district web form was requested, and the committee expected to deliberate and — if possible — make a hiring decision at its next meeting on April 3, 2025.

No substantive bargaining details were discussed in public because the committee moved into executive session under the statutory exemption.

Votes at a glance: motion to enter executive session — motion by Jamie, second by Kyla; roll-call recorded as Chris: yes, Kyla: yes, Jamie: yes, Susan: yes; outcome: approved. Motion to adjourn — motion by Susan, second by Kyla; outcome: approved.","The Hopkinton School Committee voted to go into executive session under Massachusetts open-meeting law to discuss strategy for collective bargaining with multiple employee groups; the committee returned later for candidate interviews.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hopkinton principal and finalist Evan Bishop pitches continuity, community engagement and inclusion in superintendent interview

Superintendent finalist Mark McLaughlin emphasizes listening, budgeting strategies and equitable services in Hopkinton interview

Hopkinton School Committee moves into executive session to discuss collective bargaining