8 February, 2011
To the Editor,
I am new to Hopkinton. My husband Mike and I moved to town this past July with our 3 year old son. We are among the many young families that are attracted to the town of Hopkinton for many reasons. The most important to me as a parent is the stellar school system that has been built here.
In my quest to become involved in the town and specifically involve myself with other parents of school age children I attended a meeting at The Center School. My attendance at that meeting prompted me to write this letter. I should mention my son was diagnosed as being hearing impaired 10 months ago. This forces me to look at things from varying perspectives on a day to day basis to ensure he is learning and experiencing his life to the fullest.
Over the coming weeks you may read many letters of individuals in our town that are in support or against the proposed Fruit Street School. I can certainly understand the ambivalence some may have especially those that do not have children attending school. I do also think it is important to consider that at one point or another in most of our lives wherever we may have grown up and attended school someone’s tax dollars supported each of us.
Our children have to change buildings every two years. It would seem as though once they get comfortable with their building and teachers they are shuffled along and have to reacquaint themselves all over again. They have to get to know the layout of a new building which in and of itself can be very stressful for a child as well as make new friends all over again. We have a very unique opportunity to change this.
We have been granted a high level of reimbursement on this project from the state to help defray some of the costs. We have excellent teachers that make the Hopkinton School System something that each of us can be proud of. I can only imagine what they can accomplish with our children if given all the tools they so desperately need.
I toured the Center Street School and tried to experience it from my son’s perspective. It saddened me. We can do better for our kids and have been given the opportunity to do so. I urge you to ask questions and learn as much as you can about the upcoming vote and to please take the time to come out and help make a change for the better in the way our children experience their education.
As a town we are going to have to address the Center School at some point because it will simply not sustain itself for the long haul. I believe strongly that we need to take advantage of the opportunity we are being offered with funding from the state and make the changes that are required so that we can remain educationally competitive.
In an effort to insure that all concerned members of our town can have access to information on this project as well as ask any questions they have I am hosting a coffee at my home on February 28 at 10:30 am with a member of the school committee in attendance. If you have the availability and can attend I welcome you. Please email me at ekelly2940@gmail.com to rsvp.
Regards,
Erica Kelly
3 Stagecoach Way
Hopkinton
