On March 9, Hopkinton residents will be asked to vote at the school district annual meeting on a bond to address deferred maintenance for the high school, including bringing the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) labs to a level to maintain accreditation.
School funding is a contentious issue across the state, particularly in Hopkinton, where there is little revenue base and high taxes. As residents, however, we have made a commitment to provide an adequate education.
I am calling upon fellow residents to vote “yes” to fund this critical investment.
In its “Future of Jobs 2018” report, the World Economic Forum predicts a significant shift in the global workforce as artificial intelligence displaces 75 million jobs through automation, while creating 58 million new, highly skilled jobs.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (2017) expects 38 percent of U.S. jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence. This shift will impact all market sectors.
If we are to provide for a workforce that can sustain this shift and graduate students with the requisite skills for trade or college, we must invest in STEM for all of our students.
As a high-tech leader accountable for hiring, I know this is critical for our companies’ success. As a mother with students in school, I see this as essential to ensure they are prepared for whichever career they pursue. As a town resident, I am concerned about the state of our STEM programs as we have not made the requisite investments to maintain accreditation or meet market needs.
HEATHER STAPLES LAVOIE
Hopkinton