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Called to Serve Country
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School Committee Meeting School Choice Rejected as Possible Source of Revenue
By Demian David Tebaldi
April 17, 2008 — There
was no new business at the Hopkinton School Committee Meeting on
Thursday night, but a long
A public hearing was opened by Committee Chair Rebecca Robak (File photo), then immediately closed as no one stepped forward to speak for or against school choice. The vote by the School Committee was held an hour later, after discussions concerning the upcoming marathon on Patriots’ Day and the rehashing of some older issues. Since first broaching the subject, the School Committee has received numerous emails from Hopkinton residents expressing opinions on the subject, and the Financial Plan Working Group has labored hard to determine whether offering much-prized student slots to out-of-towners is feasible from a resource standpoint and necessary from a financial one.
“We do have a fairly stable enrollment now,” began Ms. Robak. ‘Given the size of our classes right now, they [the Financial Plan Working Group] weren’t small enough that we felt comfortable adding students without impacting the level of services we provide to our existing students. Having had the public hearing, a formal thing that we need to do before voting on it, we are now ready to vote. Does anyone wish to discuss the issue first?”
‘I make a motion that the School Committee not participate in the School Choice program for fiscal year 2009,” replied Committee member Lyn Branscomb.
“I would like to see, on the Policy Group agenda, a policy governing our participation in school choice, so that we have that set up just in case,” she continued.
“I think we ought to at least acknowledge all the feedback we’ve received on this issue,” said Committee Member Phil Totino. “People did influence our thinking – it was unanimous going against [participating in school choice]. In all the comments and emails we received on the subject, I can’t recall a single one in favor or it.”
After a unanimous vote by the School Committee to reject school choice as a possible source of revenue for the town, Committee Chair Robak thanked the people who responded, saying, “We will come back to this next year – I think it’s fiscally responsible for us to do this.” |
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Walking Across America & Running the Boston Marathon
Above, Emmett Eastman stopped by Hopkinton Common today and spoke with HopNews video, which will be on later.
April 17, 2008 — Emmett Eastman, who in the middle of walking across the country, will run the Boston Marathon on April 21st! What’s more amazing, is that Emmett ‘His Many Lightnings’ Eastman is 76 years old!
Emmett is not only running the Boston Marathon, but he is taking a break from the 5 month Longest Walk II (http://www.myspace.com/longestwalk) to do it. He and his group of nearly 250 have been both welcomed and ridiculed along the way as they walk to raise awareness about the environment. Walking along with them as they beautify roadways picking up litter along the way, is activist, actor and Longest Walk co-founder, Dennis Banks http://www.sacredrun.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Banks , as well as Emmett's niece, Kym Mathias, who like her mother 30 years earlier, is supporting the walkers (scroll to bottom for details and a touching letter from Kym).
Dakota Sioux Emmett 'His Many Lightnings' Eastman will be running the Boston Marathon for his 2nd time since 1972. The first time was his first official run. Since then, this extraordinary 76 year old Native American Elder has run as many thousands of miles as years he has been alive! (highlights below).
Emmett is running in memory of his sister, Fern Mathias http://www.arigonstarr.com/Diva/dox/ferntribute2002.html, and his friend Floyd Red Crow Westerman http://www.floydredcrowwesterman.com/ who recently passed away.
Emmett Eastman is the grand-nephew of Charles ‘Ohiyesa’ Eastman the central character of HBO's "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee." Charles graduated Dartmouth and BU Medical School, where Charles is being honored posthumously this May. Emmett had been asked to accept the award for the family and bring it home to Flandreau, SD. Emmett’s wife died giving birth to their 8th child who was named for Charles Eastman. Emmett is part of a group of family members working to have the remains of Charles Eastman and his only son repatriated the family cemetery in Flandreau. The two lie in unmarked graves in Detroit, Michigan.
Included in this message, are highlights of a few of Emmett's many fascinating accomplishments. Emmett Eastman is a Korean War Veteran and has been welcomed, honored and hosted by tribes and dignitaries around the world. He is 13/16ths Dakota Sioux and also shares ancestry with George Eastman of Eastman Kodak.
Below is a video interview with Emmett Eastman from today at the Hopkinton Common.
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debated issue was finally settled – whether or not Hopkinton will be
participating in a cross-district school choice program in FY 2009.
